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EVENTS Q3 2015 © BMWI Susanne Eriksson Berlin Delegation: What’s next in the bilateral business relationship? This was the central question for the participants of the German-Australian Chamber Delegation to Berlin in early July, our second President’s Delegation to Germany under the leadership of our President Lucy Hughes Turnbull AO. The visit to Berlin directly preceded the first full meeting of the Australia-Germany Advisory Group, which was established by German Chancellor Merkel and former Australian Prime Minister Abbott during their discussions in Sydney in November 2014. This was just before Chancellor Merkel attended the German-Australian Business Reception organised by GACIC. The Australian Finance Minister Mathias Cormann was also in Berlin with Austrade guests at the same time as the Chamber Delegation, the opportunity was utilised to make a joint “Australian impact” in Berlin and to communicate the opportunities in this relationship to various stakeholders. The Chamber-organised German-Australian Industry Dinner, a speech by Minister Cormann at the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung and a large bilateral reception at the Reichstag building of the Deutscher Bundestag were perfect events in which to communicate opportunities. Three members of our 13-person Delegation, our President Lucy Hughes Turnbull AO, our Patron H.E. Ambassador Dr Christoph Müller and the CEO of Siemens Pacific, Jeff Connolly, participated at the Advisory Group meeting and were able to contribute there also from their discussions over the previous Delegation days in Berlin. The Chamber Delegation’ programme focussed on political and business discussions around further improvements to the already good German-Australian business relationship, as well as Australian opportunities in key business trends such as start-up businesses, electric mobility, urban development and life sciences. The high-level political discussions included a roundtable discussion at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy chaired by Parliamentary State Secretary Uwe Beckmeyer and Minister Cormann. The roundtable covered skills, energy, minerals with a focus on the new Competence Centre for Mining & Mineral Resources at the Chamber in Sydney, private sector investment in infrastructure, the German energy transition and the economic situation in the Euro-zone. Chamber-President Lucy Turnbull also participated in a meeting between Vice-Chancellor Gabriel and Minister Cormann. The Chamber-Delegation also had a meeting with experts from the Federal Ministry of Finance, covering a number of finance-related questions and particularly the new doubletaxation agreement. One of the highlights of the Delegation was the German-Australian Industry Dinner, made possible with the support of ThyssenKrupp and Siemens. The two companies also provided Dr Hans Christoph Atzpodien, Chairman of the Executive Board of ThyssenKrupp, and Martin Siegers, Head of Siemens in Germany, as expert speakers who emphasised the benefits of industry collaboration, the long, proud history of German industry investment in Australia and the exceptional opportunity arising from the Australian submarine project, also for jobs in South Australia. This was particularly wellreceived by the three Members of the South Australian Parliament present. However, the keynote speakers of the evening were Australian Finance Minister Mathias Cormann and German Parliamentary Secretary Uwe Beckmeyer, who both spoke about the great additional potential in the bilateral business relationship and the strong support from both governments for deeper business ties. Chamber President 6 www.germany.org.au
Q3 2015 EVENTS Lucy Hughes Turnbull was proud to welcome the guests to this intensive dialogue, supported by the round table set-up and the excellent food. Dr Wolfgang Babeck closed the official part of the evening and discussions continued late into the night. But that did not stop all members of the Delegation to start early the next day for the opportunity to have a breakfast discussion with the Dr Eric Schweitzer, President of the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK), and Australian Finance Minister Mathias Cormann. Key topics discussed here were skills recognition and the possibility of Australia hosting the APK 2018, the Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business. Later on that day, the Chamber Delegation attended the speech by and discussion with Minister Cormann at the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), one of Germany’s leading political think tanks. At the end of the day, the vice-chairs of the Australia-Germany Advisory Group, Minister Cormann from the Australian side and Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office Böhmer from the German side, hosted a bilateral reception at the very exclusive “Abgeordnetenrestaurant” inside the Norman Foster-redesigned Reichstag building of the German Bundestag in the very centre of Berlin. With excellent Australian wines, a great sunset und Australian artists providing entertainment, the opportunity to discuss the bilateral relationship in a more informal setting was appreciated by the Delegation. Beside the political discussion, the other key function of the Chamber Delegation was to provide the Delegation participants with an insight into key business trends. In order to achieve this, high-level discussions with companies from different growing sectors were organised. Examples include Rocket Internet, who is expanding strongly in Australia, Big Rep, a successful 3D-printing start-up business with Australian customers, Otto Bock with long established Australian operations in the health sector and Ellex Medical Lasers, an Australian company strongly growing in Germany. Larger trends such as electric mobility and urban development were also discussed at the EUREF Campus, a former gasworks and now a research campus with links to Deutsche Bahn and Siemens and finally on Friday also at Adlershof, Germany’ largest and very successful technology park. As we learned during the discussions there, it was also the former workplace of Angela Merkel when she worked as physicist in the former German Democratic Republic. Many Delegation activities were coordinated with the Australian Embassy in Berlin and were also supported by a dinner hosted by H.E. Ambassador Ritchie for all Australian guests in Berlin at the very start of the Delegation programme. Last but not least, the Chamber Delegation also used the opportunity for a special cultural experience at the prestigious contemporary art exhibition of Sammlung Boros at the unique bunker. The Chamber wants to acknowledge the very close collaboration with the Australian Embassy in Berlin, Austrade, Adina Apartment Hotel Hackescher Markt / TFE Hotels and our Berlin partners, which all significantly contributed to the success of this Delegation. The Delegation would not have had such a positive outcome without the great, extensive and passionate personal support from our Council Vice-Chair Jackie Taranto, our Vice-President Dr Wolfgang Babeck and the other participants who contributed to a deepening of the bilateral business relationship. Written by Dr. Michael Zettinig Establishment of the Queensland Chapter On the occasion of the recent visit by the Australian Ambassador to Germany Mr David Ritchie AO, to Brisbane, Kristian Wolf (Executive Mr. Adam Boyton Director of GACIC) and General Manager of member company 2M Language Services, Susanne Creak, had the opportunity to brief His Excellency as well as the Deputy State Director of DFAT’s Qld State Office, Dario Morosini, on the upcoming establishment of a Queensland Chapter of the Chamber. Plans for a Queensland Chapter of the Chamber were announced at the last AGM, and preparations are well underway for the official launch at the end of October in Brisbane. Susanne Creak is part of the voluntary and seven members strong Chapter www.germany.org.au Board which consists of managers from local Queensland businesses and is overseen by Gerhard Ziems, one of GACIC’s board members. The opening of the Queensland Chapter is the first of its kind for the German-Australian Chamber of Industry and Commerce and acknowledges the increasing importance of Queensland for German business investments. It will provide the Chamber with the opportunity to offer local members an even more relevant, tailored service. Focussing on the mining, energy and resources sectors, as well as infrastructure, construction, engineering, tourism and research, the Chapter Board is looking forward to promoting trade links between the countries, to supporting left to right: Kristian Wolf, Susanne Creak, David Ritchie AO, Dario Morosini the expansion of business networks locally, and helping to increase market entry services into Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. Mr Ritchie and Mr Morosini very much welcomed this important initiative, and a number of possible opportunities and areas to advance trade activities between the two countries were discussed. Written by Susanne Creak, 2M Language Services 7
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