The State Liberals have made it clear they’re not interested in helping local businesses go global.
Their constant attacks on international strategies and trade missions signals to the 65,000 workers and 1300 businesses involved in export, that a Liberal Government in SA would dismantle trade strategies.
While every Australian State is spending big in Chinese markets to create jobs and income, Liberal Shadow Minister for Trade Tim Whetstone’s lazy view of how to generate business is to turn up with a plate of vegemite sandwiches and Jatz biscuits.
Background
The State Government competes in a global marketplace and we can’t expect opportunities to just fall in our lap – we have a plan.
Our China strategy is about partnerships and trust. That’s why Shandong Province is here this week exhibiting at the Royal Show; and spending money in SA, something a lazy Tim Whetstone forgets.
Quotes attributable to Investment and Trade Minister Martin Hamilton-Smith
Opposition Leader Steven Marshall was right last week when he told media he wasn’t ready to govern.
In the last year an additional 78 businesses have started exporting – largely as a result of our trade missions. We get strong and positive feedback from businesses; they appreciate the efforts we make to open doors in international markets.
We’re not here to do the Opposition’s research for it. As was made clear to Tim Whetstone in the recent Budget Estimates Committee, all the details relating to trade missions are on the public record.
Let’s be clear about the Whetstone/Marshall plan – they’ll gut the missions, close down the plan and ruin years of positive work to build partnerships and trust. Tim Whetstone is a trade relations wrecking ball.