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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 04 Hansard (Tuesday, 30 March 2004) . . Page.. 1291 ..

UCSD CONNECT is regarded as the US’s most successful regional program linking high technology and life science entrepreneurs with the resources they need for success—technology, money, markets, management, partners and support services. As a result of this contact, Mr Greg Horowitt, acting director of UCSD CONNECT, has also agreed to be one of the international keynote speakers at Focus on Business 2004.

The Greater Washington Initiative provides assistance for companies around the globe to identify strategic partners and venture capital contacts, to meet the public and private sector leaders, to arrange site tours and to obtain demographic and real estate information about the greater Washington area and its partner jurisdictions.

Whilst I have invited the Greater Washington Initiative to participate in Focus on Business, at this stage it is still contemplating its level of involvement. Whatever the outcome of this invitation, we will continue to work with the Greater Washington Initiative to develop the Washington relationship and give Canberra companies an export channel into the US government procurement market. Already a number of ACT companies have been given introductions to Washington through our relationship with the Greater Washington Initiative.

In summary, the trip provided an opportunity to support local innovative companies, to establish links with economic development organisations and to further develop the role of the Canberra partnership as a joint business/government body to drive economic development in the ACT.

I might add while I am on my feet that we are all aware that the Chief Minister returned recently from a trip to China to cement relations there and went on to London, where a memorandum of understanding was signed with the London Development Authority. I am sure that you will hear more on that when he reports on that trip.

I can report that last week I receive a delegation from the Beijing Consultative Council, which is interested in developing exchanges between Canberra and the regions of Beijing on planning, development, traffic management, et cetera. I can also report that I intend to lead an ACT contingent to Biotech 2004 in San Francisco in June and do expect positive results from that.

I have to say that I was a bit disappointed with the Canberra Times, not so much for reporting Mr Smith’s utterings about what this government might not have done for business, because he is what he is, but for reporting them verbatim, given that the reporter concerned has been associated with some of the public activities in relation to business development and knows a whole lot better than was contained in that article. At least the reporter did me the justice of reporting that within a day or so.

This government will continue to foster business in a practical way. It will go beyond a trip to South Africa to attend the rugby. We will actually do the positive things and put ACT companies in touch with opportunities across the globe as best we can.

MRS BURKE: Mr Speaker, I seek leave to make a statement on the USA trip.

Leave granted.

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