Mr MITCHELL - 1998-10-13
I understand that the minister has recently given approval for an office to be opened in Manila. Can he tell us what benefits this will have for the Territory?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I have to say that the government has been considering for some time the matter of opening a representative office in Manila to help Territory business access emerging opportunities in the Philippines. After discussions over a period of time with Austrade and also with our counterparts in Western Australia, arrangements have been made for a joint office to be established within the Austrade framework in Manila. An officer has been appointed to staff the joint Western Australian/Northern Territory representative office. The representative recently selected is a man by the name of John Angeles who is a Filipino citizen. He was educated at the University of New South Wales, and he also has a degree from the Asian Institute of Management in Manila and he has been involved in business.
He was recently in the Territory to meet Territory businesses and to be fully briefed. He had discussions with Territory business representative groups about the role he could play in providing opportunities for Territory business and therefore create jobs for Territorians in Manila.
It is interesting to note that in the Philippines in the first 7 months of this year there has been a growth of inward investment of 30% and that the Philippines, along with Thailand, have actually had quite rapid investment growth. We are certainly looking forward to taking advantage of those opportunities which are growing there.
We are also looking at improving the two-way trade flow between both our countries. We presently have a fairly heavy trading balance which is in our favour but I think for the future of growth in trade there has to be more two-way movement. I was recently in the southern Philippines speaking at the Mindanao Business Conference and I reinforced the Territory’s commitment to BIMP-EAGA - the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysian, Philippines - East ASEAN Growth Area.
It’s important that we take all the opportunities we can to give Territory business people the opportunity to grow their business and therefore grow employment opportunities for Territorians. This dual relationship with Western Australia and us will go some way to providing opportunities for Territory employment growth.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I have to say that the government has been considering for some time the matter of opening a representative office in Manila to help Territory business access emerging opportunities in the Philippines. After discussions over a period of time with Austrade and also with our counterparts in Western Australia, arrangements have been made for a joint office to be established within the Austrade framework in Manila. An officer has been appointed to staff the joint Western Australian/Northern Territory representative office. The representative recently selected is a man by the name of John Angeles who is a Filipino citizen. He was educated at the University of New South Wales, and he also has a degree from the Asian Institute of Management in Manila and he has been involved in business.
He was recently in the Territory to meet Territory businesses and to be fully briefed. He had discussions with Territory business representative groups about the role he could play in providing opportunities for Territory business and therefore create jobs for Territorians in Manila.
It is interesting to note that in the Philippines in the first 7 months of this year there has been a growth of inward investment of 30% and that the Philippines, along with Thailand, have actually had quite rapid investment growth. We are certainly looking forward to taking advantage of those opportunities which are growing there.
We are also looking at improving the two-way trade flow between both our countries. We presently have a fairly heavy trading balance which is in our favour but I think for the future of growth in trade there has to be more two-way movement. I was recently in the southern Philippines speaking at the Mindanao Business Conference and I reinforced the Territory’s commitment to BIMP-EAGA - the Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysian, Philippines - East ASEAN Growth Area.
It’s important that we take all the opportunities we can to give Territory business people the opportunity to grow their business and therefore grow employment opportunities for Territorians. This dual relationship with Western Australia and us will go some way to providing opportunities for Territory employment growth.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016