Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Durack for her question and note her deep interest in more export opportunities for businesses in her electorate of Durack. Australia has undoubtedly been a significant beneficiary of the liberalised international trading system. It is entering its 26th consecutive year of economic growth. Australia is an open, export oriented market economy.

Mr Champion interjecting —

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Our economic resilience and our standard of living depends upon the capacity and ability of our export companies—small, medium and large—to export goods and services around the world. We are facing uncertain global economic times with Brexit, with rising nationalism and protectionism, and with the disruption that comes from technological advances changing the way we do business and the way we connect. For this and other reasons, the Australian government are developing a foreign policy white paper to review our global interests, our values, our priorities and our international engagement. We have had over 600 submissions and carried out public consultation in every state and territory and in regional areas.

Today, for the first time, all our heads of mission—our ambassadors, high commissioners and consuls general—are meeting here in Canberra to provide input to the white paper. We have one of the finest diplomatic services in the world, and one of their priorities, required by the Australian government, is to practise economic diplomacy—in other words, use our network to build greater investment, trade and business links between their host country and Australia. We have been very successful in that regard. We have asked each one of our heads of mission to visit businesses around Australia to promote investment and greater economic ties. For example, our ambassador from Myanmar and our diplomats from China will be visiting the member for Durack's electorate. They will be going to the Woodside gas plant at Karratha and also meeting with fisheries exporters in Queensland. Our Ambassador to Sweden will be going to the Volvo Trucks factory, which employs 1,300 Australians—a major Swedish investment. Our consul general from Shanghai will be meeting with Oakey Beef Exports, which I know is a major agricultural exporter. In New South Wales, our Ambassador to Qatar will be going to Hassad Foods, which has made a $450 million investment in the Australian agriculture sector. In this way, our ambassadors and our heads of mission will be meeting with Australian businesses and also foreign businesses investing in Australia to drive more economic growth and greater trade and investment ties between Australia and the world.