Asean Now the Place to Grow - lets go W.A.

Austrade - Seminar Perth Oct 28, 2009

ASEAN Now! The Place to Grow
Your journey into one of Australia’s largest markets begins here.

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The Duxton’s Seminar facilities were at full capacity attendance from local Industry in Perth West Australia.


Patronage was widespread with sectors of Industry from Technology, Mining, Transport, Importers and exporters.

There is no doubt W.A. has serious trading links with our Asian Neighbour and the announcements by the presenters provide significant opportunities for W.A. business to develop these markets.






With Australia’s largest free trade agreement, the ASEAN*-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, expected to enter into force on 1 January 2010, now is the time to look to ASEAN countries for opportunities to grow your business.



Business confidence in ASEAN is improving, with the major ASEAN economies forecast to grow strongly over the coming years as the global economic recovery takes place.

The message was made loud and clear by the heavyweights of the Asian Trade connection and WA Government


Speakers left to right

Michael Mugliston,

Rod Morehouse,

Adam Denniss,

Steve Arnott.

Titles of office displayed with the speaker topic notes

Speakers and Topics


Introduction:
Adam Denniss, Manager – Export Advisers, Austrade Perth

Introduce speakers, some housekeeping and official launch with via dvd from The Hon. Simon Crean Minister for Trade


Better Business Linkages
Rod Morehouse, Regional Senior Trade and Investment Commission – Asean South, Austrade.


through AANZFTA and Asean Industry team


A footnote – Khun Rod background has roots to Thailand. Educated predominately overseas in Thailand and Canada and later in
Australia at the Universities of Newcastle.





AANZFTA overview and key outcomes
Michael Mugliston, Negotiator , Goods, Asia Trade Task Force, DAFT
Mr Mugliston has lead Australia's free trade agreement negotiations with ASEAN-New Zealand for over four years. Prior to that he served overseas as Deputy Head of Australia's Mission to the EU in Brussels (2001-04) and was Counsellor to Australia's Mission to the GATT in Geneva during the Uruguay Round (1991-94).


Footnote: Michael is a product of UWA

a complex topic: Key tariff reductions/eliminations in sections, rules and Origin.

The information presented by Mr Mugliston was very diverse and complex; consider the achievement of the Australian Government creating a bilateral trade environment between 12 countries. The establishment of a history marking agreement to pave the way for Bilateral Trade Laws, simplifying the way to do business with laws to support the conduct.

Obviously there is going to be some teething problems however it was clear from the confidence and commitment by Mr. Mugliston that this will be done and will be driven by our Government.

I hasten to caution you about website resources, there is now a major legacy of transition of various countries, including Australia to sunset and update their website data; tariffs and the like so if you are serious about your Business then DO contact the appropriate dept., to ratify the validity of the information and ask the next question, what is changing.
For the latest news and presentation media from the Seminars visit this website

Picture right: .. chat after the Seminar

Spiro Politis, Phill Smith (AusWaThai) and Michael Mugliston

Pixel Focus – Spiro Politis
Testimonial to success into the Asian market with acknowledgement of vicarious connections from Austrade.

Spiro delivered practical knowledge about his experience “real time” and identified features that makes the difference - Austrade was and continues to be a key feature of his success. You can read more about Spiro’s success in google – click here


WA Government programs
Mr Steve Arnott, Director Dept., of State Development – WA Government Programs

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Steve acknowledge the enormity of DAFT achievements and the strong Alliance between Austrade and WA.Gov

Quite frankly I never know this entity existed.

During my export endeavours I tended to “D.I.Y” with the admission that when it comes to business enterprise my experience with Government is "cannot see the wood for the trees and cannot see the forest for the trees"

Prov. Cannot perceive the overview or important things because of concentrating too much on details. The information presented in this textbook is so disorganized that I can't see the wood for the trees. The politician's opponents claimed that she couldn't see the forest for the trees, because she spent so much time trying to solve minor problems.

I also acknowledge that my experience shows the opposite with our Government in terms of doing business outside Australia, the likes of:-

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DFAT Austrade have been quite extraordinary in terms of their achievement and enthusiasm to support enterprise.

Conversely it continues to be my experience with Tourism and trade into W.A. Government is entombed in a manifestation of rules and regulations and of course the mere mention of this will further blacken my path…. Some Ministers need to read and circulate the training module “A complaint is a gift” and get a reframe on the word “Territorial.

I’m not sure how we are suppose to Trade with some Countries when they are not welcomed.

I will now visit the website of the Dept of State Development and update the Directories and

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Networking links on our website http://www.austhai.biz/ – please note: our website has been “in cobwebs” for the past 6 months while we updated our Travel Thailand website.

We then switched our focus to our Travel WA website WITH DISASTERIOUS RESULTS in terms of synergy with Tourism Australia.


Our experience over the last 6 months is Tourism Australia don’t talk, the only TELL (if you get a reply).... it's not good .... so we have moved on to our next medium to help our Community "Business export".

Sadly some workers don't know their employer's "Mission Statement", perhaps they are lazy or bad Management, it's not meant to be a facade. The easy test for this is ask them a few questions or challenge a process and oh boy... so many we have approached about Tourism Australia and I feel like I'm on a certain Aussie airline that show an intolerant view toward customers and Service... oops I say no more

Our Business website – WA and Thailand is now our focus, our monthly visits to Thailand are adding Icons support our Mission statement. The most recent addition, a “Joint Venture” project with SME Bangkok is a website for Aussie Business Execs tours to Bangkok. A draft is on display at http://www.tours.thaibis.com/ .. how does it support our Mission statement ... simple make it easy and attractive for business people to visit, they either see Business Opportunities or that bring back benefits be it business or social. This si what we wanted to do with Tourim for WA but our perception is you can't get in.

Key Points from Seminar
Austrade are absolutely an innovative and entrepreneurial (and very enthusiastic) agency – do

not under estimate their capacity to guide and connect you to markets. The advisers are available for contact to determine viability of your product/service, they have branches in most countries.

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DAFT through their Task Force have creating History, you should be part of it.

Handout Literature – The documentation comprised about 30 pages broken into about 6 sections with diagrams and recital, each is relevant to different markets. It’s very useful information, I’m not sure if it is on any website but simply if you are serious you will and should contact the department. If the energy of the speakers is anything to go by then you will be served well by their workforce.

Rules and Regulations – Transitional – check with the depts. Before you bind your decisions based on the web page data

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Two-way trade between Australia and ASEAN countries reached $88.9 billion in 2008, more than our trade with either Japan or China. Opportunities for business engagement are set to increase when the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) comes into effect. As Australia’s most comprehensive FTA, this milestone agreement will give you greater access to a market of 600 million consumers, with a combined GDP of A$3.1 trillion. It will significantly raise Australia’s profile throughout ASEAN member countries, create direct economic benefits through tariff reductions and greater investment opportunities and provide greater certainty for business. More details on AANZFTA can be found at www.dfat.gov.au/trade/fta/asean/aanzfta.


AANZFTA, together with the resilience of the ASEAN economies, their geographic proximity and our strong business and cultural links, will further enhance opportunities for your business in one of Australia’s most prospective trading markets.
Find out why ASEAN is now the place to grow.

Go to www.austrade.gov.au/asean or call 13 28 78


Please note - we only populate and support news Australia and Thailand




*The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) comprises Brunei Darussalam, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

For all the latest news about Business W.A. and Thailand visit AusWaThai Media

WA Honey Exports are sooooo sweet for Thailand

Wescobee eyes sweet spot with export drive -

Thailand says "chorp kong wan maak maak jing jing"

Wescobee Honey, a fixture of the WA landscape for more than 80 years, has flagged a busy year of market expansion and possible acquisitions.

The WA Industry and Export Awards nominee is poised to launch a new organic honey range as soon as supermarkets finalise listings. Chief executive Eduard Planken said Wescobee, which exports about 27 percent of its product, expected Europe and South-East Asia to be the biggest international markets for the organic range.
Speaking from France, where he had handed over his presidency of the International Honey Export Association after 10 years in the job, Mr Planken said the company was set to expand beyond its 20 export markets.

After cracking the Philippines market two months ago with its honey and value-added health products like Apple Cider Vinegar & Honey, Wescobee is finalising its entry into South Africa and hopes to be in Vietnam within the year.

And after posting a full-year profit 10 percent lower than the previous year because of the weaker Australian dollar but “nine times higher than all our major competitors in Australia”, Wescobee is poised to take over other honey companies. “Our board is looking at honey businesses to grow with or take over in the next 12 months” Mr Planken, who has been Chief for 17 years, said.

A global honey shortage and mass disappearances of bee colonies because of extreme weather had pushed wholesale prices up at Wescobee about 50 percent over the past two years, he said.

The company, which is owned by 157 shareholders who are mainly honey producers or former producers, has been forced to eat in to its high-grade honey reserves since June to compensate for the sluggish local supply. Production in the year to June was 400 tonnes below the 1600 tonnes annual average.

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Mr Planken said innovation at Wescobee, which packs and markets about 80 percent of the State’s commercial honey, was confined mainly to packaging. “Because honey is a base product it limits innovation to packaging, and we’ve got a range of products we’re testing at the minute and one value-added product,” he said.

Over the past two years cheap competition from China and India has forced the company out of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Its key markets are Singapore, Malaysia and the Middle East, with Mauritius, Kenya and Bangladesh also big buyers of Wescobee Honey.

The award sponsors include The West Australian.

AUSWATHAI are now Directing knowledge of this Award winning Product and Manufacturer to Thailand

http://www.wescobee.com/

We are seeking expressions of interest for the Thailand Market, options exist for:

WA Exporters agency

or

Thailand Importers and/or Distributors

Please direct queries to Phill Smith AusWaThai

WA Exporters for Thailand market can be assisted by Austhai http://www.austhai.biz/

Austrade (Aust Govt Export support) are the best in the world for Export Initiatives.. try it ..

Margaret River Wines of West Australia

I spent a few days last month in the main winemaking region of Western Australia, Margaret

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River (a vibrant tourist destination thanks to viticulture and exceptional surf breaks in the Indian Ocean), tasting a lot of its trademark Cab Sauvignon and Shiraz and Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc blends. We got to taste more than we expected .. it's amazing

“I have nothing to declare except my genius.” Oscar Wilde can get away with such a quip, when it came time I declare that I had “a couple” of bottles of Margaret River wine in my groaning suitcase. A couple, as in a half-dozen, but hey, close enough.

Margaret River, about 280 kilometers south of Perth, offers interesting comparison points for followers of Virginia wine. The WA industry is about 40 years old and plays second banana in many countrymen’s judgment to the older and dominant South Australia region, home to Clare Valley and Barossa Valley. But, though Margaret River yields a surfeit of perfectly good same-like wines—especially of the high-alcohol, highly extracted variety—there are some real gems that reward careful attention.



The no-nonsense operations at Moss Wood “Tourist destination,” arranged a private tasting, since Moss Wood, the second-oldest winery in Margaret River, is among the few wineries there that doesn’t run a robust cellar door business. Young Alex Coultas, an assistant winemaker who let it be known that he does his share of surfing, was an able guide.giving the very plummy 2007 Merlot a hearty thumbs-up. The Moss Wood reds definitely met his standard.

Many people in Margaret River get into their career through the intensive viticulture and enology programs at Curtin University. Sound familiar? In another decade Central Virginia could have scores of PVCC- and Virginia Tech-trained wine professionals running around its wineries.

Another outstanding winery experience was Vasse Felix, the granddaddy of them all, first planted by the famed Dr. Tom Cullity in 1967. Fun times were had watching the bottling line and the screw cap automation at what is also one of Margaret River’s largest producers and exporters (China and the South Pacific are fat markets for all Aussie wines, as are England and the U.S.). But the best times were had in the tasting room (hello, 2005 Heytesbury Cab. Nice structure!) and at the posh restaurant upstairs. Indeed, gorgeous restaurants and tycoon-worthy service and dining are a central aspect of the Margaret River experience, and in that it’s closer to Napa than to Central Virginia.

Other noteworthy wineries we visited include the completely biodynamic Cullen (which, like a lot of places we stopped at has a woman in charge of the winemaking operations—something that’s still anomalous though changing here) and Happs and Three Hills, which fascinated with its Petit Verdot, a bottle of which now sits on a shelf in my house awaiting age and a comparison with a more local version of same. We also tasted a lot of great stuff at Cape Mentelle, another of the originals, which I relieved of a couple bottles of its curious Botrytis Viognier dessert wine.

Most Margaret River wineries have U.S. distributors, though it takes some digging to locate their presence in Virginia. Still, it’s worth the effort if you don’t plan to cross the International Date Line anytime soon. Good on ya, mates!

Austrade are excellent supports for WA Exports

WA Wine exports - see http://www.rivergaze.austhai.biz/

Australia promotes Asia Pacific Community plan

CANBERRA, July Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith promoted

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Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's plan for an Asia Pacific Community at an ASEAN meeting in Thailand on Thursday.

Smith said he was pleased at the positive response from many countries to the idea, and to the further information Australia provided about the plan.

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"Our notion of an Asia Pacific Community is to get all the same players in the same place at the same time," Smith told Sky News.
Smith noted once again that it was a long-term initiative, with a 2020 timeframe.

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"I expect we will see it evolve over time, just as ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) itself has evolved," he said, referring to ASEAN's growth from half a dozen nation states in the '60s to its present 10 countries.


He pointed to the evolution of groupings like the East Asia Summit, which the United States is considering joining.

Smith said although ASEAN would continue to play a central role in the Asia Pacific, it was important to ensure institutions in the region reflected its growth and significance.

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