Archive for category: EVENT REVIEW

The first official event of the German Australian Business Council for 2016, the “Australia Day Lunch in Frankfurt” took place on Monday, 18 January 2016 at the Kameha Suite in Frankfurt with around 50 GABC members and friends in attendance.

The guests of honour at the lunch were H.E. Mr. David Ritchie AO, the Australian Ambassador to Germany, and Mr. Volkmar Klein, Member of the Bundestag and Chair of the Germany-Australia New Zealand Parliamentary Group. We were also delighted to have in attendance Mr. John Atkins, the Western Australian Government’s Agent General to Europe.

Mr Ritchie and Mr Klein were both members of the Australia-Germany Advisory Group and they presented an overview of the Advisory Group’s report “Collaboration, Innovation and Opportunity” which was delivered to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Chancellor Angela Merkel in November 2015.

The Advisory Group’s report details 59 recommendations to broaden, strengthen and deepen the relationship between Australia and Germany, covering the following five themes:

–       Increase trade and investment

–       Improve strategic dialogue and collaboration

–       Strengthen cooperation on science and education

–       Exchange on diversity, migration, integration and refugees

–       Enhance cultural and sporting links, and cooperation on wine making.

Following the presentations, Sabine Pittrof, the Chair of the German Australian Business Council, moderated a Q&A session which allowed a number of the attendees to seek further insights about the Advisory Group’s report from Mr Ritchie and Mr Klein.

Those in attendance were also treated to a wonderful performance by Louise Fenbury, a Frankfurt-based Mezzo-Soprano, who sang the Australian and German national anthems and Strauss’ Zueignung.

 

 

 

 

Fascinators, top hats, straw hats and headpieces galore – the annual Melbourne Spring Racing fashion arrived at the Hilton in Frankfurt on a foggy Tuesday morning. Our German Australian Business Council members and guests gathered for a business breakfast buffet with a touch of Melbourne Cup Couture. Guests enjoyed networking over a delicious sekt breakfast while hearing a presentation from Carsten Meier (Investment Director for the State of Victoria) about investment opportunities in Victoria followed by a delayed telecast of the race.

Thanks to our generous corporate sponsor Emirates who provided the ultimate major prize in our sweepstake: a return Emirates flight for two to Melbourne including two Victoria Racing Club passes to AAMI Victorian Derby Day and Emirates Melbourne Cup Day 2016. A thrilled Jacqueline Fehse was the lucky winner of this. Other lucky winners included Liz Holland for her stylish race outfit and Laurence Hendry for his elegant outfit in the gentlemen’s category. Both Liz and Laurence received a bottle of Australian Sparkling wine donated by Gogan Fine Wines. There were also generous prizes from Olaf & Karen Czirr from the Australien Wine Store for those guests who drew the winning and losing horses in the sweep.  Thanks also to the Melbourne Business School and the State Government of Victoria and Aesop for their support in sponsoring this successful event.

 

Despite the extremely warm weather in Frankfurt on Thursday 2^nd July 2015, the German Australian Business Council was very pleased to host a reception for the Deputy Premier of Queensland, the Honourable Jackie Trad MP, Deputy Premier of Queensland, Minister for Transport, Minister for Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning and Minister for Trade.

Ms Trad was accompanied by the Queensland Agent General and Trade and Investment Commissioner to London, Mr Ken Smith.

Ms Trad and her colleagues were visiting Frankfurt following their attendance the previous day at a meeting of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee in Bonn. The group was buoyed by the Committee’s decision not to declare Australia’s Great Barrier Reef as “in danger”, a decision that both the Queensland and Federal Governments claim is a direct result of the action taken on behalf of both governments aimed at protecting the reef.

Ms Trad also met with the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure in Bonn, the Minister for Construction, Housing, Urban Development and Transport in NRW and Siemens in Düsseldorf, as well as key financial institutions in Frankfurt, with a view to attracting investment interest in Queensland’s extensive transport, infrastructure and urban development projects.

Ms Trad pointed out that with a GDP of over USD265 million, Queensland, Australia’s second largest and third most populous state has an economy comparable to that of Finland and larger than those of Ireland, Portugal and Greece.

Ms Trad also acknowledged the historical links between Queensland and Germany, which are continually evident to her given that the Brisbane German Club lies in her electorate of South Brisbane.

The Deputy Premier also noted the opportunities that existed for Queensland business in the German market as well as the economic opportunities for German businesses in Queensland.

In proposing a vote of thanks, German Australian Business Council Deputy Chair, André Haermeyer, pointed out the complementarity of commercial and economic interests between Australia and Germany, in particular how German “Mittelstand” businesses could use Australia as a safe springboard into the Asian market and as a vehicle to accelerate their own innovation, whilst Australia could learn a great deal from German in terms of how a developed country can be a competitive manufacturer of goods.

With the formal part of the evening over, Ms Trad spent more time networking with German Australian Business Council members, many of whom had travelled to Frankfurt specifically to heat her views and strengthen their business contacts in Australia. Later a smaller group ventured out into the balm Frankfurt night to soak up the atmosphere at the Opernplatzfest and try some famous Frankfurt Apfelwein.