NSW Minister for Trade meets Israel’s Minister for Trade
The NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Trade and Investment Andrew Stoner today welcomed to Sydney a trade delegation from Israel led by Mr Shalom Simhon, Israel’s Minister for Industry, Trade and Labor.
Andrew Stoner
Mr Stoner and Mr Simhon opened a broadcast media and communications seminar, which included members of the Israeli delegation and NSW businesses.
“I welcomed the opportunity to discuss with Shalom Simhon how we can develop trade and investment opportunities between NSW and Israel,” Mr Stoner said.
“We discussed increasing the bilateral trade volume between NSW and Israel, and look forward to working together to achieve this.
“The NSW Government is firmly committed to engaging globally and encouraging more international trade and investment.
“Our priority is to rebuild the NSW economy and stronger trade relations will help achieve this, including building our relationship with Israel.
“There are opportunities for NSW companies in Israel’s knowledge-based, technologically advanced economy, particularly in biotechnology, medical equipment, ICT, software development, agriculture, education and training.
“More than 200 Israeli companies have offices in Australia, indicating a large investment by the Israeli business sector. Most of these companies are in water, energy, environment, IT, plastic and construction Materials and consumer goods.
“The NSW Government, like Israel, is keenly aware that a dynamic, strong and technologically advanced economy is essential to drive growth.
“We are primed for growth in the expanding global digital economy.
Shalom Simhon pic: Jack Hochfeld
“The development of an innovation-driven digital economy has the potential to transform existing industries, drive efficiency and productivity, and create new opportunities for businesses across the State.
“The NSW Government has established a Taskforce to work with us to develop a Digital Industry Action Plan to help build NSW’s digital economy into the future.”
Minister Simhon said he was here with the representatives of ten leading Israeli companies to promote and deepen “the good and warm relationship between our countries”. He added that Israel views Australia as a true friend and hold importance to the bi-lateral relations both political and economical.
According to Minister Shalom Simhon, more than 100 Israeli companies are currently operating in Sydney. He said that meetings had been organised today with Optus with whom Israel is cooperating in the development of the NBN [National Broadcast Network].
Dr Orna Berry pic: Jack Hochfeld
The meeting was told that Yahoo, Google, Microsoft and Apple have invested millions of dollars in Israeli idea and products which have changed the multimedia and communications industries.
He finished by saying that “Israeli start-up companies offer the future today.”
Dr Orna Berry, the Chairperson of the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce who served as the chief scientist for Israel on the Global Communications Advisory Board, was introduced by the AICC CEO David Schlessinger.
She told the meeting: “The GDP of Israel in 2011 is estimated to be US$243 billion and GDP per capita is $31,000. She said that Israel has an export-driven economy with more than 40% of the GDP being accounted for in export sales.”
She made reference to the world’s leading technology presence in Israel and that how some of those hi-tech companies were now establishing themselves in Beersheba whose Ben-Gurion University provides enormous human resources with high quality research and development ability.
The event was organised the the Israel Trade Commission.
