Queensland Trade Office open for business in Singapore

Published Thursday, 09 March, 2017 at 01:49 PM

Premier and Minister for the Arts
The Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk

Queensland businesses looking for new export opportunities or investment partners in South East Asia now have extra assistance, with the official launch of the state’s latest trade and investment office in Singapore.

“Having a physical presence in one our region’s most vibrant and innovative economies makes good sense sense,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said in Singapore, on the first stop of a trade mission that also includes London for 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games activities and India for trade meetings.

“With the highest disposable incomes in South East Asia, Singapore is already a growing export destination for Queensland goods and services.

“And as Singapore challenges Switzerland as the global centre for wealth management and private banking, it is an unrivalled source of investment for Queensland businesses big and small.

“It is also well-placed to help us take full advantage of the emerging opportunities in the broader ASEAN region.”

Queensland sold nearly $900 million of goods to Singapore last year, a 19 per cent increase on 2015.

“Queensland is a familiar face that so many Singaporeans already know well,” the Premier said.

“Queensland and Singapore also have strong education links, with more than 1,400 students from Singapore enrolled to study in Queensland in 2016.”

“In addition, James Cook University has a campus in Singapore which offers undergraduate-to-doctorate programs to around 3,000 students in the Asian market.”

Singapore is also an important source market for Queensland’s tourism sector, which in the year to September 2016 hosted 68,000 visitors from Singapore who spent more than $145 million in the state.

“We are looking forward to even great numbers of visitors from Singapore,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“Singapore Airlines, which already has more flights per day from Brisbane than any other international airline, will, from August this year, be boosting flights between Brisbane and Singapore to four flights a day.”

“Queensland is already the premier defence industry destination for the Asia-Pacific region and is recognised as the centre for the Australian defence aviation and aerospace capability,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“This new agreement will provide the opportunity to align further Singapore investment into Queensland in support of its military presence.”

“We have also seen strong investor interest from Singapore in a range of Queensland opportunities – from agribusiness and energy to tourism.”

Agricultural investment could grow even further, following the Premier’s meeting with senior executives from Olam, one of the world’s leading food producers.

Olam has had a strong presence in Queensland since it bought Queensland Cotton ten years ago, and regards Queensland as the most efficient cotton producer in the world..

The Premier spoke to senior Olam executives about addressing transport challenges and exploring opportunities in other crops.

The new Singapore office increases the number of Trade and Investment Queensland’s international offices to 15.

Media Contact:

Geoff Breusch         0417 272 875