Export Heroes Awards
3rd June 2009
The contribution to Australian exports by 6 individual Australian business people was recognised by way of an Award as “Export Heroes”. Presented at Parliament House by Minister for Trade, Simon Crean, the awards recognise an individual who has demonstrated outstanding vision in making a significant and unique impact while achieving success for their organisation and Australia, in the international marketplace. The Australian Export Heroes Program recognises contributions made by Australians in building our modern export enterprises and helping to further develop a uniquely Australian export culture.
Export Solutions team members Philip Litton, Stuart & Alison Mitchell, and Gemma Hansen joined with members of the Export community and distinguished guests to congratulate the awardees.
Australian Export Heroes 2009:
Mr Arthur Owen Dixon, AM Chairman
Australian Centre for National Gas Management
Georgina Rinehart, Chairman
Hancock Prospecting
Josef Chromy, OAM Chairman
The JAC Group
Hon. Peter Beattie
Queensland Trade and Investment Commissioner- The Americas Trade Queensland
Nabi Saleh, Executive Chairman
Gloria Jeans Coffees International
John Grill, Chief Executive Officer
Worley Parsons Limited
Trade Minister Simon Crean meets with Export Solutions
1st June 2009
Minister for Trade Simon Crean and South Australian MP Steve Georganas met with our Adelaide team and clients in our office last Friday.
This was our opportunity to THANK Mr Crean and the government for the "top up funding" announced in the Budget and to be provided this month to ensure that Australian exporters will get their FULL EMDG ( grant) paid our this year.
Stuart Mitchell thanked the Minister for this much needed funding and for his continuing support of the valuable EMDG scheme. He also stressed the importance of properly funding the scheme into the future and giving Australian businesses confidence to invest in developing export markets in these difficult economic times. It was noted that exporters must continue to express, in writing to the government, that the scheme is beneficial to the continuity and development of their business, including maintaining employment. As the Mortimer report to the government stated: "every dollar spent on EMDG generates anything from $13.50 to $27 in exports"
Australia has the largest Pavilion at Hofex 2009
30th May 2009
151 Australian businesses joined 1,80 international businesses to showcase their products at leading Food and Hospitality trade fair "HOFEX" over 4 days in Hong Kong in May 2009.
A 40.8% increase in Australian exhibitors saw Australia set the lead - largest country pavilion and largest increase in numbers (over 2007) of the Asia Pacific region.
The trade fair was well attended by 32,749 visitors from the region and international - and included some 1,200 buyers from mainland China brought directly to the fair by a fleet of 120 charter buses.
Please scroll down for a gallery of photos from the event.
Some exhibitors' comments:
It was our great pleasure to work with the dynamic Export Solutions team to make it a successful event for all our exhibitors. With the great joint efforts and team work (from state government offices as well), we all noticed the significant increase in terms of booth number and exhibitor number from Australia to make the Australian contingent by far the largest country stand at HOFEX this year, this is indeed an outstanding result for Export Solutions considering you started the HOFEX project first time.
We look forward to working together and supporting each other again in near future!
Cheers
William Lin
Senior Business Development Manager
AUSTRADE, Hong Kong
The show was a great success for us, and we are in the process of following up on the contacts that we made and providing quotes. In all, a very positive show.
Thank you for all your assistance with the Hofex Show.
Kind regards
Mandy McIntosh
Ceas Crabpak (QLD)
We would like to thank you for your support and helping us make Vitality Brands attendance at HOFEX a success. We hope we were able to delight you and some of your customers with our tasty "better for you" products, our quality sunscreens and presentation.
We are now back in Australia and we are working through our contact list and notes, we will be endeavoring to contact you soon, to assist us in making some more sense of the specific country enquiries that we had through a hectic week.
Thanks, and we look forward to working with you in the future.
Regards
Haydn Wall
Vitality Brands Worldwide (VIC)
Thank you very much for your help and assistance and getting us all set up at HOFEX. It was a terrific exhibition for us - couldn't have come at a better time.
Thanks for everything
Best wishes
Mark Smith
Young Made (NSW)
EMDG funding bolstered
Tuesday, 12th May 2009
You may recall in previous correspondences we had advised that EMDG applicants lodging in 2008 would only receive 30 - 50 cents in the dollar for amounts in excess of $40,000. We are thrilled to advise that the Minister for Trade, Mr Simon Crean, has announced today that the government has contributed an additional $50 million into the current funding year making it highly likely that all applicants will receive their full EMDG entitlements.
This is going to have a positive effect for about 1,800 exporters.
For a review of the press release please visit:
http://www.trademinister.gov.au/releases/2009/sc_090512_budget2.html
Many thanks must go to all of you who campaigned strongly for the additional funding and it is heartening that the Federal Government has recognised the importance of small and medium exporters as contributors to the nation's economy. Thanks also to all of our staff who have also been very active in this fight for additional funding and to the Australian Institute of Export (AIEX), particularly Ian Murray for his efforts. We encourage all exporters to join the AIEX as members which will help support future lobbying initiatives that will benefit exporters. This can be done on line at www.aiex.com.au or by calling Ian Murray or Lisa McAuley on 02 8243 7400.
