Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On a much brighter note, it was my absolute pleasure to attend the official opening of 4 Season Company's latest supplement warehouse in Bangkok last week. 4 Season Australia has been investing in the Asian region since 2017, working with DFAT to bring new Aussie farming tech to Laos, Indonesia and Thailand. Improving food security is a key focus of 4 Season, with the introduction of locally made Aussie tech to boost production in the beef and dairy sectors in Thailand. Thailand is a major importer of Australian beef, and, with a little help from tech such as the introduction of better nutrition through 4 Season's nutrient blocks, which are produced in their supplement warehouse, local beef and dairy sectors will be able to lift production of red meat and dairy for more parts of Thai society.

Daniel and Josh Olsson, sons of my very dear friend the Australian agricultural icon Chick Olsson, have been working in the region for four years alongside DFAT and embassy teams, especially the Aussie embassy in Thailand, to open new markets for Australian-made and Thai-made products. The Thai cattle and dairy sector has approximately nine million head of cattle, with many local farmers indicating strong interest in using new supplements to boost production and on-farm wealth. More than ever, our future prosperity lies in the economies of our region. The Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, and our government are very supportive of the expansion of trade into the region, and one very successful example of this can be seen via exporting our farming know-how for locals to use.

Again, it was my absolute pleasure to be with Chick, Daniel and Josh Olsson to open the facility and see what they did. Congratulations on this magnificent milestone. To Amelia Walsh, the minister-counsellor and senior trade and investment commissioner for Thailand and Laos: it was lovely to meet you. To Chick, Josh and Daniel, your staff, your families and everyone who has helped you on this journey: congratulations.