Giving businesses the confidence to invest, employ Tasmanians and expand global markets is key to securing Tasmania’s future, and a re-elected majority Gutwein Liberal Government has a strong plan to boost trade and diversify export opportunities.

Our plan is already working, with international merchandise exports 2.3 per cent higher in the 12 months to February 2021 compared to the previous year.

We will build on this momentum and invest a further $6 million for a range of strategies and initiatives to back our export businesses so they can invest and create local jobs.

This includes $3.75 million over four years to continue delivering initiatives under Tasmania’s first whole-of-government Trade Strategy and deliver annual Trade Action Plans to ensure we are agile and able to quickly respond to changing market conditions and emerging local or global issues.

With the commencement of direct flights to Auckland this month, the Trade Strategy will now include the development of an integrated strategy to assist Tasmanian exporters maximise opportunities to New Zealand, including perishable air-freight through the new direct flights.

This will offer exciting new opportunities for Tasmanian exporters in New Zealand and will also open up access to other international trade routes using Auckland as a hub. New Zealand has international connections to a number of key markets, such as the Western seaboard of the USA, Eastern Asia and the South Pacific.

We will also invest $2.25 million to secure and expand the International Business Development Network until 2025, to assist Tasmanian exporters to expand and diversify their global markets.

Our exporters are already global leaders, and having international trade advocates in key markets results in new opportunities and partnerships. These trade advocates will be instrumental in expanding and diversifying our export markets and mitigating our export risks.

A re-elected Liberal Government will continue supporting our Tasmanian exporters to take their products to the world, as demand for our high-quality, premium products continues to grow across the globe.

Through the Tasmanian Trade Strategy, we have set an ambitious target to grow the value of Tasmania’s trade to $15 billion by 2050.

The policy is available here.