Published Thursday, 16 November, 2006 at 04:17 PM
Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Peter Beattie
PREMIER BEATTIE MEETS GERMAN LEADERS
BERLIN: Premier and Minister for Trade Peter Beattie will hold top-level talks with senior government and business leaders in Germany over the next two days.
Mr Beattie will also be investigating the operation of the Bundersat as a potential model for Australia.
“The German Parliament provides the equivalent of our State Premiers or their Ministerial representatives having a seat in the upper house and a very real voice in developing laws that represent their constituents,” Mr Beattie said.
“As I’ve discussed in my own Parliament, I am very keen to learn how Australia can apply parts of the Bundersat to improve the workings of our national system because, quite frankly, it’s failing to do its job,” he said.
“In only 105 years, we’ve seen a move away from federalism in our country which is also a move away from the genuine sharing of power and responsibility between the Commonwealth and the states.
“The German system overcomes that, and I’ll be raising this at the next meeting of the Council for the Australian Federation which is now headquartered in Brisbane.”
Meetings will be held with the Deputy Mayor of Berlin, the State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, the State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, the Premier of Brandenburg and Deputy Premier of the Bundesrat (upper house of Parliament) and the State Premier of Rhineland-Palatinate.
Mr Beattie will be promoting investment opportunities, especially in Queensland’s clean coal technology. He is also attending a Queensland dinner hosted by the Australian Ambassador to Germany Ian Kemish AM.
Media Contact: Premier’s Office 07 3224 4500
Mr Beattie will also be investigating the operation of the Bundersat as a potential model for Australia.
“The German Parliament provides the equivalent of our State Premiers or their Ministerial representatives having a seat in the upper house and a very real voice in developing laws that represent their constituents,” Mr Beattie said.
“As I’ve discussed in my own Parliament, I am very keen to learn how Australia can apply parts of the Bundersat to improve the workings of our national system because, quite frankly, it’s failing to do its job,” he said.
“In only 105 years, we’ve seen a move away from federalism in our country which is also a move away from the genuine sharing of power and responsibility between the Commonwealth and the states.
“The German system overcomes that, and I’ll be raising this at the next meeting of the Council for the Australian Federation which is now headquartered in Brisbane.”
Meetings will be held with the Deputy Mayor of Berlin, the State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, the State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, the Premier of Brandenburg and Deputy Premier of the Bundesrat (upper house of Parliament) and the State Premier of Rhineland-Palatinate.
Mr Beattie will be promoting investment opportunities, especially in Queensland’s clean coal technology. He is also attending a Queensland dinner hosted by the Australian Ambassador to Germany Ian Kemish AM.
Media Contact: Premier’s Office 07 3224 4500