RIYADH, 9 November 2006 — Queensland, the largest state in Australia, is to open a trade office in Riyadh shortly.
“The Queensland government is the first Australian state or territory to appoint a trade and investment representative in Saudi Arabia,” Queensland Premier Peter Beattie said at a reception held Tuesday at the residence of Australian Ambassador Ian Biggs. “Saudi Arabia is already Australia’s largest market in the Middle East and the potential for Queensland companies is enormous,” Beattie said.
“With billions of dollars of construction and infrastructure in Riyadh alone, having a representative on the ground will put Queensland in a strong position to capture emerging opportunities in this oil-rich economy,” he added.
Hassan Miski, with 15 years trade experience and formerly business development manager with Austrade, has been appointed Queensland’s first trade representative in Riyadh.
The premier was in Riyadh for a series of trade meetings and a reception at the Australian Embassy. During his brief visit to the capital, Beattie had talks with Riyadh Governor Prince Salman, Minister of Commerce and Industry Dr. Hashim Al-Yamani and Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry President Abdul Rahman Al-Jeraisy. Prince Salman met the premier during his visit to Brisbane in 2000.
“I’m here to promote Queensland as an investment location and also to encourage trade links,” Beattie said. “I’m keen to make the Saudi Arabian government aware of our strong capabilities in the construction and infrastructure sectors, including tourism, as well as education and vocational training, food and agribusiness services.”
“Saudi Arabia has the largest economy and the highest population in the Gulf region with more than 24 million people and our government is actively encouraging Queensland companies to do business here,” he said.
“I am also extending an invitation to Saudi companies to look to Queensland for future trade and investment opportunities. We have so much to offer including the ultimate tourist destination. “Queensland is a multicultural society and regions such as the Gold Coast offer a wonderful holiday for families.”
The Kingdom is a major market for Queensland, with merchandise exports valued at 73.7 million Australian dollars in 2005-06. Queensland is also a big market for Saudi imports, mostly fuels and related materials, valued at over 205.6 million dollars.
He said diversifying Queensland’s export base was a key to sustained growth, and education was a prime example. “Saudi enrolments in Australia have grown 100 percent annually between 2002 and 2005, with Queensland snaring 34 percent of the national share,” he added. Last year, total exports from Australia to the Kingdom reached 2.17 billion dollars, while its imports from the Kingdom remained at 1.21 billion dollars.
In 2005-06, Queensland’s overseas exports grew by 34 percent.
Biggs said that the new office in Riyadh was a major development in the Saudi-Australian trade relations. “We are witnessing a steady growth in the bilateral trade,” he said, adding that around three million sheep are being ferried from Australia to the Kingdom for the forthcoming Haj season. There are some 6,000 Australians working in various sectors in the Kingdom.
Premier Beattie, who was in Riyadh in his first leg of the 12-day trade and investment mission to the Middle East and Europe, left for Abu Dhabi yesterday. During this tour, he will be promoting investment, jobs and new partnerships in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the UK, Monaco, Italy and Germany.
