9 April 2014

Interview with Ben Davis, 4BC Drive

Note

SUBJECTS: Australia Week in China, dairy industry,  exports, imports, Chinese investment

BEN DAVIS:

First we have Bruce Billson, the Minister for Small Business. He is over in China as part of Australia’s trade delegation but he has also opened Australia Week in China. Minister, good afternoon.

BRUCE BILLSON:

Ben, good afternoon to you and your listeners.

BEN DAVIS:

Tell me, Australia Week, what’s it all about there in China?

BRUCE BILLSON:

Well it’s really a significant statement that Australia is open for business. We’ve got some 600 big and small Australian businesses, every State Premier, the Prime Minister the Trade Minister – all in China demonstrating that Australia is open for business, that we have very positive and collaborative commercial relationships with Chinese partners that are of mutual benefit to both our countries. Frankly, there is a world of delicious possibilities for trade and export into China with Australian businesses and we are just opening doors, making those connections and building the momentum for further jobs and economic growth.

BEN DAVIS:

We know about big business - that part of the town that are doing great deals with China, but 4BC have a lot of listeners who are small business owners. What can they see after today, and with these relationships that you’re opening those doors for, how can they tap into it and what type of money are we talking that it could bring into the small business economy?

BRUCE BILLSON:

Well it’s a really significant area of opportunity Ben, because we know some big businesses have the experience and have the resources to build good commercial relations with Chinese counterparts. What’s more difficult though is for the small businesses finding a foot hold in this extraordinary economy, where there are great possibilities and great potential. The two way trade is already some $150 billion a year with a lot of it in agriculture, food, fisheries and the like.

What we’re doing is showing small businesses how other small businesses have found a beachhead in China, established the important relationships that enable them to secure the opportunities that are here and to also get the networks and alliances that can bring their expertise, their quality produce, the product that they offer, which the Chinese marketplace is looking for, and bring it into the market here in a way that delivers jobs benefits for the Australian economy.

In Queensland for instance a number of your design and environmental consultancy firms have a presence in China already and they are making inroads into major projects in major cities. In Shanghai, where we are right now, the population is more than the entire Australian population.

So we’re providing that matching service, the opportunity to establish the networks that are so important. We are also introducing the Austrade Officials and rolling out changes to the export market development program, which is now being realigned to be more supportive of small business and those family enterprises.

BEN DAVIS:

What have you got planned to show the Chinese the Australian way of doing things? There’s always some sort of little Australiana thing planned. What have you got on show for the Chinese up there?

BRUCE BILLSON:

Well we’ve had a few events already – a new Tourism Australia marketing campaign which taps not only into the spectacular natural beauty of our country, particularly of Queensland, but also the food and wine experience. The culinary delights that are available in Australia are well received by our Chinese visitors that when they return to China they’re looking for Australian products, which are becoming a part of their diet. Everywhere we go we are seeing people wanting more Australian wine, more of our meats, fruit and vegetables and dairy products.

We’ve obviously got the obligatory banquets where networking plays out at a person to person level, and a number of displays focusing on key segments of our economy including agribusiness, which is very important. There is also quite a significant delegation from the education and knowledge industry. We have also witnessed key demonstrations and key examples of Australian know how and how we can work well and collaboratively with the Chinese in the built environment and sustainability space.

BEN DAVIS:

What about Queensland milk? Is that on the menu? The dairy industry needs a bit of a kick along here.

BRUCE BILLSON:

Dairy is big here and it’s pleasing that the dairy representative bodies are all apart of these delegations. We’ve got the Dairy Council and Dairy Australia here as well as a number of businesses that are operating successfully in partnership with the Chinese. In fact, I met a young Australian who actually manages a very large dairy operation here in China; where dairy know how is delivering fresh milk into these major cities as well as opening up the appetite for quality, premium, clean, green dairy and food products.

BEN DAVIS:

Great, good to hear dairy is on the agenda. It would be interesting to see what does come out of this week and we might even check in with you when you return Minister because as we just mentioned, its great the dairy industry is getting a kick along too because they do need it and we will see what doors have been opened up. We’ll get our people to speak to your people should we?

BRUCE BILLSON:

Thanks Ben and it’s also great to see beef has been opened up too and more Chinese just love the good quality stuff that is coming out of your good State.

BEN DAVIS:

That’s what we love to hear – thank you very much Minister. That is Bruce Billson, Federal Minister for Small Business in China. They have just launched Australia Week and this can only mean good things. Well we hope so anyway.