Page 1369 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 3 May 2016
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The first national or international freight operator that recognises the location benefits of Canberra will, indeed, gain a significant competitive advantage. Canberra Airport provides Cathay Pacific freight and DHL Freight with the opportunity to improve their business operations by virtue of substantial market coverage, easy access, great service levels and reduced costs of operation.
Canberra is perfectly situated to be the trade hub for all the quality goods produced in our region, whether it be dairy, meat or seafood. Importantly, for all those businesses that currently export through Sydney, Canberra will represent a much cheaper, more efficient and faster way of getting their valuable cargo to the market. Of course, these flights open up massive opportunities for companies to export for the first time.
In conclusion, whilst this delegation is consistent with previous delegations in terms of aiming to establish strong and enduring connections between Canberra and our international partners, this delegation had on offer the added benefit for the first time in the territory’s history of direct international flights into our city.
During this delegation I could proudly declare that Canberra is now truly a global city, that the rest of the world, but particularly importantly Singapore and China, are now finally on our doorstep, and that Canberra and our international partners will stand to gain from the significant positive economic and social impacts in terms of trade, investment, higher education and tourism.
It is important to highlight that the very tangible and enormous benefit and opportunity that Canberra and the region will enjoy from these flights has not come about by accident; it has come about through the hard work of a range of individuals and groups. Stephen Byron and the Canberra international airport obviously played a leading and invaluable role, working side by side with my government in securing these flights. This breakthrough moment for our city was only possible because the airport and the government saw the opportunity and we did the hard, hard work over the long haul in more ways than one to make this a compelling case.
The business community has also demonstrated the tremendous value of establishing direct links between international centres of commerce and Canberra’s high tech, high value and high achieving businesses. This combined effort has taken years and six trade missions to Singapore. This hard work has paid off, but nothing can replace, of course, face-to-face engagement on the ground, which is why I have put personally so much time and effort into this over many years.
The relationship building which is essential to any deal takes time and it takes money. Every government of every colour in every jurisdiction nationally and internationally conducts these trade missions, and they are worth it. They are worth it for the governments that conduct them, the businesses that join them and the countries and cities that receive them. It is how cities become internationally engaged and it is how trade is conducted.
My government will continue to engage internationally. We will continue to pursue opportunities that will benefit Canberra, and we will continue to boast and brag about
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