Media release
18 November 2009
For immediate release
Queensland Government Trade delegation latest to visit PNG
Australia’s trade with Papua New Guinea (PNG) is growing strongly, with two way trade rising by over 50 per cent in the past five years and Queensland has contributed a lot to that growth.
Australia’s High Commissioner to PNG, Chris Moraitis, said this to guests at the Queensland Government’s ‘Mini Trade Fair’ at the Holiday Inn last night.
The Mini Trade Fair was hosted by Trade Queensland, the Queensland Government’s official export agency, in partnership with Austrade. The Fair showcased a wide range of Queensland goods and services with representatives from aviation, professional development, education and training, environment, composite fibre, shipping and engineering services and solutions sectors as well as suppliers promoting their industrial, building and automotive products.
Mr Moraitis said the ‘Mini Trade Fair’ was a great initiative to further strengthen the already strong bilateral trade relationship between Queensland and PNG.
“During the period from July 2008 to June 2009, Australian exports to PNG were valued at AUD $1.6 billion and exports from Queensland accounted for
35 per cent of that. In contrast, PNG exports to Australia were valued at
AUD $3 billion, 81 per cent of which was directed to Queensland.”
“These figures speak for themselves in terms of the existing trading relationship between Queensland and PNG and I expect to see continued strong growth in opportunities for trade with PNG into the future,” Mr Moraitis said.
Also speaking at the Mini Trade Fair last night was Mr John Bissell, who is leading the 23 strong Trade Queensland Delegation, the largest Trade Queensland delegation to ever visit PNG, currently in Port Moresby.
“Queensland’s proximity and strong trading history with PNG continues to provide huge business opportunities between for both Queensland and PNG,” Mr Bissell said.
“Thanks to Austrade’s local knowledge of PNG and extensive business networks, the delegates have gained invaluable insights into PNG business opportunities and learned a great deal about PNG business processes.”
Mr Bissell went on to say that the strong relationship between Queensland and PNG is reflected at many levels, not least the significant PNG communities in Cairns, Townsville and Brisbane. Queensland is also supporting numerous initiatives occurring under the Queensland-PNG Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Business Cooperation. First signed in 1992, the MoU was re-signed in Cairns in October 2008 by Queensland Premier Anna Bligh and PNG Prime Minister Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare.
“This will not be a one-off exercise by Trade Queensland; we will continue to bring Queensland businesses to PNG to pursue mutually beneficial business opportunities.”
Over the past four weeks, Austrade and the Australian High Commission have hosted over 70 trade delegates from the Northern Territory Chamber of Commerce, the Cairns Chamber of Commerce, the Austrade Resources Mission and the current delegation from Trade Queensland.