Queensland wins after investment in Latin America
By Treasurer and Minister for Employment and Economic Development, The Honourable Andrew Fraser
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Belo Horizonte: Queensland´s position as the most proactive State doing business in Latin America is reaping results with the signing of three major agreements today in government, business and education.
Queensland engineering company, Austin Engineering, today signed on to a new joint venture business partnership in Brazilian mining State, Minas Gerais, where the company will commit $US15 million over the next two years.
At the signing in Brazil, Mr Fraser said that Austin Engineering’s new agreement with Delp Engenharia - a company supplying engineering services to the resource sector in Belo Horizonte for more than 40 years - was just one example of the growing trade links between Queensland and Latin America.
“Latin America is the new Asia and Brazil is the powerhouse economy of the region,” Mr Fraser said.
“Austin Engineering is a great example of a company that has built its experience in Queensland and is now finding success on a global scale.
“We strongly support new business opportunities like this because it’s good for Queensland jobs and the economy – one in five jobs are underpinned by trade-related activity.”
Mr Fraser is in city of Belo Horizonte in the mining region of Minas Gerias leading a trade delegation which also includes Chile, Peru and Columbia.
After inspecting the Delp manufacturing facility in Belo Horizonte, Mr Fraser also witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between the University of Queensland and the Minas Gerias state agency for research at the Federal University of Minas Gerias.
Backing the agreement is a $US 2 million (AU $2.15 million) commitment towards new research, with a particular focus on water research.
Mr Fraser also renewed a Statement of Intent with the Minas Gerias Government at a ceremony attended by five senior Ministers – the cooperation agreement focuses on mining, education and training and sharing research.
“Over the past decade Brazil has risen from being our 18th largest export market to our ninth and growing,” Mr Fraser said.
“Merchandise exports have increased by a massive 66 per cent in two years – worth more than $1.1 billion last financial year.
“Only last week, the IMF revised 2010 growth figures for Brazil up to 5.5 per cent from 3.5 per cent.
“I´ve seen first-hand how this economy is powering ahead and what we are seeing today is Queensland companies and institutions benefitting from our strong links with this region.”
Source: cabinet.qld.gov.au
By Treasurer and Minister for Employment and Economic Development, The Honourable Andrew Fraser
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Belo Horizonte: Queensland´s position as the most proactive State doing business in Latin America is reaping results with the signing of three major agreements today in government, business and education.
Queensland engineering company, Austin Engineering, today signed on to a new joint venture business partnership in Brazilian mining State, Minas Gerais, where the company will commit $US15 million over the next two years.
At the signing in Brazil, Mr Fraser said that Austin Engineering’s new agreement with Delp Engenharia - a company supplying engineering services to the resource sector in Belo Horizonte for more than 40 years - was just one example of the growing trade links between Queensland and Latin America.
“Latin America is the new Asia and Brazil is the powerhouse economy of the region,” Mr Fraser said.
“Austin Engineering is a great example of a company that has built its experience in Queensland and is now finding success on a global scale.
“We strongly support new business opportunities like this because it’s good for Queensland jobs and the economy – one in five jobs are underpinned by trade-related activity.”
Mr Fraser is in city of Belo Horizonte in the mining region of Minas Gerias leading a trade delegation which also includes Chile, Peru and Columbia.
After inspecting the Delp manufacturing facility in Belo Horizonte, Mr Fraser also witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between the University of Queensland and the Minas Gerias state agency for research at the Federal University of Minas Gerias.
Backing the agreement is a $US 2 million (AU $2.15 million) commitment towards new research, with a particular focus on water research.
Mr Fraser also renewed a Statement of Intent with the Minas Gerias Government at a ceremony attended by five senior Ministers – the cooperation agreement focuses on mining, education and training and sharing research.
“Over the past decade Brazil has risen from being our 18th largest export market to our ninth and growing,” Mr Fraser said.
“Merchandise exports have increased by a massive 66 per cent in two years – worth more than $1.1 billion last financial year.
“Only last week, the IMF revised 2010 growth figures for Brazil up to 5.5 per cent from 3.5 per cent.
“I´ve seen first-hand how this economy is powering ahead and what we are seeing today is Queensland companies and institutions benefitting from our strong links with this region.”
Source: cabinet.qld.gov.au
Queensland to extend trade representation to Brazil
By Treasurer and Minister for Employment and Economic Development, The Honourable Andrew Fraser
Monday, April 26, 2010
Belo Horizonte: Queensland will be the first Australian State to establish trade representation in the emerging economic powerhouse of Brazil as part of the effort to boost export and investment links in Latin America.
Treasurer Andrew Fraser announced today that the Government will appoint a new, Queensland trade representative in Brazil within the next 18 months.
“Queensland is the most active Australian State in Latin America – we want to keep it that way because it’s helping to open doors for Queensland business, and that’s good for Queensland’s economy and local jobs,” Mr Fraser said.
“Today’s announcement means we will be doubling our representation in Latin America, firstly with a representative in Santiago, Chile this year, followed by a representative in Brazil next year.
“Brazil's growing position as an economic powerhouse and as the largest economy in Latin America, offers strong business opportunities and potential for increased trade,” Mr Fraser said.
“Over the past decade, Brazil has risen from being Queensland’s 18th largest merchandise export market to become our 9th largest market. Brazil received merchandise exports from Queensland worth more than $1.1 billion in 2008/09 – representing a 66 per cent increase in just two years.
“Latin America is a vast region with unique requirements for doing business, not the least being the need for buyers and investors to have access to a local contact with strong language and business skills.
“Permanent, on-the-ground representation in Brazil will be key to growing Queensland’s trade and investment links with Latin America, following up and supporting the work already being done by our Trade and Investment Commissioner for the Americas based in Los Angeles,” Mr Fraser said.
Brazil has a diversified economy which is ranked 10th largest in the world, and there are potential opportunities for Queensland exporters in coming years - particularly with the activity in the lead-up to the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Mr Fraser is currently leading a 30-member trade mission to Latin America including Chile, Peru, Brazil and Colombia.
Further recognising the importance of Latin America to future growth of Queensland’s exports, Mr Fraser also announced in Chile the placement of a Queensland Government trade representative in the Austrade office in Santiago earlier this week as a new resource for the State’s companies and organisations in Latin America.
Source: cabinet.qld.gov.au
