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(Last Reviewed :  8/05/2007 )

ARCHIVE - The Hon Ian Macfarlane MP was the former Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources. The following media release was issued during his term as Minister.  A new Government was sworn in by the Governor-General on 3 December 2007, including the following Ministerial appointments:

Senator the Hon Kim Carr - Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research
The Hon Dr Craig Emerson MP - Minister for Small Business, Independent Contractors and the Service Economy, Minister Assisting the Finance Minister on Deregulation.

For media releases from the current term of Government, please visit http://minister.innovation.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx

Media Release
The Hon Ian Macfarlane, MP

8 May 2007

Australian businesses will receive assistance to break into global supply chains and bid for work on major international projects through the Australian Government's new $254.1 million Global Opportunities programme.

On 1 May 2007, Prime Minister John Howard and Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane announced the scheme is part of the Government's Industry Statement, which focuses on building the capacity of Australian firms to become truly global businesses. 

"The Global Opportunities programme will assist small and medium sized enterprises to find and secure overseas contracts," Mr Macfarlane said.

"The programme will identify opportunities in other countries, facilitate trade missions and place Australian industry experts in international procurement offices. 

"Global Opportunities provides resources to investigate up to 33 and to mount bids for up to 16 of these projects each year. With each project worth at least $500 million, this is a great boost for Australian industry.

"The Government has supported the development of a comprehensive database of Australian industry capabilities, and more recently, opportunities to maximise local industry participation in major projects in Australia.  This resource will be a valuable tool to support initiatives to capture global opportunities. 

"Information on major overseas opportunities will be available to prospective Australian bidders.  Australian companies bidding for overseas projects will be able to identify potential Australian partners and, with government support, form teams to mount bids.

"My Department will work with Austrade, industry associations, the Industry Capability Network, global companies operating in Australia and other experts to provide the information and the access to global companies that firms need," Mr Macfarlane said.

The programme will also see Invest Australia working with multinational enterprises already in Australia, encouraging more investment and closer links to Australian firms and research organisations.

For more information refer to the fact sheet at www.industry.gov.au.

Media contact: Claire Wilkinson 02 6277 7580 0419 840452

 Supporting Information

Why is this important?

  • Large multinational enterprises account for an increasing proportion of world trade and Australian companies must integrate into their global supply chains if they are to prosper. The Global Opportunities programme will reduce search costs for large global companies seeking small Australian suppliers and reduce the transaction cost for Australian suppliers doing business with the large multinationals.
  • The Global Opportunities programme will help firms get "on the radar" of the global companies and it will increase access to opportunities in major international projects and global supply chains.
  • Joining international supply chains will enable Australian firms to increase their productivity by achieving economies of scale.
  • Multinational enterprises located in Australia bring significant economic benefits including investment, employment, skill development, exports and innovation. Retaining and attracting multinational enterprises will increase those benefits.

Who will benefit?

  • Australian small and medium enterprises that wish to enter global supply chains and supply major projects.
  • Australians will benefit from the investment, employment and innovation of multinationals operating in Australia.

What funding is the Government committing to the initiative?

  • $254.1 million over ten years.

What have we done in the past?

  • We have demonstrated the potential of this approach in the aerospace industry where GKN Aerospace Engineering Services has designed 12 per cent of the Joint Strike Fighter and is examining setting up manufacturing facilities in Australia.
  • Component companies and tooling suppliers in the automotive sector, with marketing support from Government, are now seizing opportunities to bid on work for car companies overseas rather than relying solely on the Australian market.
  • In biotechnology, a One Australia approach has overcome state parochialism to send a consistent message to investors and buyers.
  • The $4.2 million Supplier Access to Major Projects (SAMP) Global Programme, introduced in the 2006-07 Budget, has already supported six projects.

When will the initiative conclude?

  • The programme is ongoing and will be reviewed in the fourth year (2010-11) to ensure that it is meeting the desired outcomes efficiently.