Dr LIM - 1996-11-28
I understand the minister is to lead a delegation to a national trade and investment outlook conference (NTIOC) next week where the Territory will further promote itself to the rest of Australia as a successful link for Australian business into the East ASEAN Growth Area (EAGA). In fact, this link was recognised this week by the Prime Minister at the APEC leaders summit in the Philippines. Just how successful is the Territory's relationship with BIMP-EAGA, and what benefits will the NTIOC bring to the Territory?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I was delighted to hear that Prime Minister Howard had promoted the Northern Territory as the link for Australian business into the East ASEAN Growth Area at the recent APEC leaders summit. In fact, Territorians can be very proud of our record in South-East Asia in relation to BIMP-EAGA. We certainly have been accepted as the obvious link into the region. The Prime Minister's comment was made in Manila in the Philippines, with all of the key APEC leaders present, after a meeting with President Ramos. It came on top of participation in the ministerial forum in Jakarta that resulted in the agreement to establish AIDA. I spoke about that in the House yesterday. Mr Howard referred specifically to the live cattle trade operating between the Northern Territory and General Santos City in the Philippines and the need to utilise this relationship to expand into other areas, including investment.
Interestingly, President Ramos, although pleased with the response from our Prime Minister, asked him to address the problem of Australia's growing trade imbalance with the Philippines. Honourable members would be aware that we are currently shipping some $60m-worth of goods into the Philippines, mainly into the southern Philippines, but we are buying only $1m-worth of goods from them. I am pleased to announce today that, once again, the Northern Territory is leading Australia, and I believe taking regional leadership by establishing a counter-trade committee with the Philippines to try to address this issue.
Yesterday afternoon, I met here in Darwin with Mr Miguel Patalot, the Philippines manager of the counter-trade group that has been formed by President Ramos, to discuss developments in this area. His committee has the task of reducing the trade imbalance by identifying potential goods and services that can be imported into Australia, particularly through Darwin. Mr Patalot has agreed to accompany us to the national trade and investment outlook conference in Melbourne from 1 to 4 December as part of the Northern Territory team.
NTIOC is an initiative of the federal Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. It provides both Australian and international business people with first-hand knowledge of developments in the international market and it is used as a forum to establish alliances with very prominent players in the region. The member for Greatorex will be accompanying me. Officers from the Department of Asian Relations, Trade and Industry and the Trade Development Zone will also attend NTIOC in an effort to foster relations with new and existing business contacts. The Northern Territory delegation and I will meet separately with
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key international and Australian delegates, including Mr Qin Xiao, president of the China International Trust and Investment Corporation, Hon Roberto de Ocampo, Secretary for Finance in the Philippines, Mr Abuizal Bakrie, chairman of the Bakrie Group of Indonesia and one of Indonesia's leading businessmen, Mr Paul Simons, the chairman of the federal government's current aid review, and several others.
In conjunction with NTIOC 1996, I will also attend the round table trade ministers conference to be chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister, Hon Tim Fischer. This round table conference will draw together a very impressive group of 40 international and Australian government ministers, officials and key business people from around the world. The conference agenda focuses on the future of Asian economic growth and will include discussions of policy matters for future growth. The meeting will also hear from a number of prominent Asian leaders and business people regarding both Asian economic growth and the global trading system, and will include issues such as getting the trading balance correct. I look forward to participating in both NTIOC and the round table conference, and taking the opportunity to further promote the Northern Territory to the rest of Australia and the international participants.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I was delighted to hear that Prime Minister Howard had promoted the Northern Territory as the link for Australian business into the East ASEAN Growth Area at the recent APEC leaders summit. In fact, Territorians can be very proud of our record in South-East Asia in relation to BIMP-EAGA. We certainly have been accepted as the obvious link into the region. The Prime Minister's comment was made in Manila in the Philippines, with all of the key APEC leaders present, after a meeting with President Ramos. It came on top of participation in the ministerial forum in Jakarta that resulted in the agreement to establish AIDA. I spoke about that in the House yesterday. Mr Howard referred specifically to the live cattle trade operating between the Northern Territory and General Santos City in the Philippines and the need to utilise this relationship to expand into other areas, including investment.
Interestingly, President Ramos, although pleased with the response from our Prime Minister, asked him to address the problem of Australia's growing trade imbalance with the Philippines. Honourable members would be aware that we are currently shipping some $60m-worth of goods into the Philippines, mainly into the southern Philippines, but we are buying only $1m-worth of goods from them. I am pleased to announce today that, once again, the Northern Territory is leading Australia, and I believe taking regional leadership by establishing a counter-trade committee with the Philippines to try to address this issue.
Yesterday afternoon, I met here in Darwin with Mr Miguel Patalot, the Philippines manager of the counter-trade group that has been formed by President Ramos, to discuss developments in this area. His committee has the task of reducing the trade imbalance by identifying potential goods and services that can be imported into Australia, particularly through Darwin. Mr Patalot has agreed to accompany us to the national trade and investment outlook conference in Melbourne from 1 to 4 December as part of the Northern Territory team.
NTIOC is an initiative of the federal Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. It provides both Australian and international business people with first-hand knowledge of developments in the international market and it is used as a forum to establish alliances with very prominent players in the region. The member for Greatorex will be accompanying me. Officers from the Department of Asian Relations, Trade and Industry and the Trade Development Zone will also attend NTIOC in an effort to foster relations with new and existing business contacts. The Northern Territory delegation and I will meet separately with
Page 1856
key international and Australian delegates, including Mr Qin Xiao, president of the China International Trust and Investment Corporation, Hon Roberto de Ocampo, Secretary for Finance in the Philippines, Mr Abuizal Bakrie, chairman of the Bakrie Group of Indonesia and one of Indonesia's leading businessmen, Mr Paul Simons, the chairman of the federal government's current aid review, and several others.
In conjunction with NTIOC 1996, I will also attend the round table trade ministers conference to be chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister, Hon Tim Fischer. This round table conference will draw together a very impressive group of 40 international and Australian government ministers, officials and key business people from around the world. The conference agenda focuses on the future of Asian economic growth and will include discussions of policy matters for future growth. The meeting will also hear from a number of prominent Asian leaders and business people regarding both Asian economic growth and the global trading system, and will include issues such as getting the trading balance correct. I look forward to participating in both NTIOC and the round table conference, and taking the opportunity to further promote the Northern Territory to the rest of Australia and the international participants.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016