BACK TO OVERVIEW

Federal Election 2016

/

Share:

in /by
Parliament House Canberra - (c) Creative Commons

Parliament House Canberra – (c) Creative Commons

Malcolm Turnbull has announced that the next federal election will be on 2nd July. It will be a double dissolution election in which the whole of the senate as well as the house of representatives will be elected. The senate election will be held under a new set of rules, which was agreed recently by parliament

Details of voting for electors resident overseas can be found on the Australian Electoral Commission’s website here. We understand that details need to be updated by 23 May

The GABC is a non-partisan organisation and as such will express no support for either political party. We shall continue to bring you occasional news about German-Australian business matters. Up to date information can be found on the ABC website.

BACK TO OVERVIEW

Australian-German Advisory Group Report Release

/

Share:

in /by

It was a milestone between both countries today, as the Australian-German advisory group co-chaired by Finance Minister Mathias Cormann and German Minister of State Dr Maria Böhmer presented their report and recommendations to the Prime Minister and Chancellor Merkel.

The report was created to identify strategic opportunities and cooperations which will strengthen the relationship between both countries and included a submission from the GABC board.

Our board members Robert Harrison, Eberhard Goihl, Sabine Pittrof, Stefan Augustin and David Campbell were present at the reception held in honour of the Prime Minister The Hon Malcolm Tunbull  at the Australian Embassy in Berlin following the release of the report.

The report can be viewed here:

http://dfat.gov.au/about-us/publications/international-relations/Documents/australia-germany-advisory-group.pdf 

Board Members at Embassy-1 PM_1

BACK TO OVERVIEW

Aesop are now in Munich

/

Share:

in /by

Aesop Luitpoldblock

Delicately balanced Brutalism

Aesop recently opened its first signature store in Munich – the company’s seventh in Germany. Tucked within historic city centre The Luitpoldblock, and created in collaboration with local firm einszu33, the design experiments with balance and tension effected by striking contrasts in materiality and texture, and through tactile, delicate accents.

Centrally positioned in the main room, an outsized concrete point-of-sale counter complements a tiered concrete ceiling and screed floors; collectively, these Brutalist elements resonate with the architecture of the neighbourhood. A Carrara marble top and recessed marble sink contrast the counter’s monolithic austerity and soften the interior’s atmosphere. In the adjoining space a rounded concrete sink affords extended consultations, while vintage furnishings invite repose.

A vertical trapeze of aged brass with slender shelves of Carrara Marble descends from the ceiling and sits in the window, which yields generous views of the urban square beyond. The interior wall opposite the window is finished with soft velvet panels, which catch light and reflect rosy hues that shift over the course of the day.

Visitors can explore and select from a complete range of skin, hair and body care products, distinguished by botanical and laboratory-generated ingredients of the highest quality. The store’s trained consultants are able to offer advice about those best suited to individual needs.

Aesop was founded in Melbourne in 1987 and today offers its superlative formulations in signature stores and counters around the world, and online. As the company evolves, meticulously considered design remains paramount to the creation of each space.

Aesop Luitpoldblock

Maximiliansplatz 10
80333 München, Germany

+49 089 2554 7016 luitpoldblock@aesop.com

Montag bis Sonntag AM 11.00 PM 7.00

 

submarine

BACK TO OVERVIEW

ThyssenKrupp to buy Australian ASC?

/

Share:

in /by

The Adelaide Advertiser reports that German firm Thyssen Krupp Marine Systems is looking at the feasability of buying South Australian firm ASC, currently owned by the Australian Federal Government. Thyssen Krupp is engaged in a bidding process to supply the Australian Navy with its next fleet of submarines. Thyssen Krupp is suggesting that it will expand the yard and would like to supply other countries with vessels in the future.

BACK TO OVERVIEW

Free Trade Down-Under

/

Share:

in /by

Free Trade with Australia? Politico’s Ryan Heath has noted in today’s insider news from Brussels that a free trade agreement with Australia and New Zealand is being bumped up the priority list in the European Commission. This is definitely good news for Australian companies trading in Europe and those companies interested in doing business “down under”. Hopefully the agreement won’t get bogged down in the same discussions as the Canadian CETA agreement and the TTIP agreement with the US.

BACK TO OVERVIEW

Australian Defence Minister visitng German Shipyards

/

Share:

in , /by

Kevin Andrews, the defence minister in Australia, is currently in Germany and will be visiting ThyssenKrupp’s marine systems shipyards on Thursday 23rd April, as reported in the Australian. ThyssenKrupp together with Siemens is hoping to win a potentially lucrative contract to replace Australia’s aging Collins class submarines.

Wikipedia has a detailed article on the issues behind the submarines and the current negotiations here.

BACK TO OVERVIEW

Australia-Germany Advisory Group

/

Share:

0 Comments/in /by

The Prime Minister of Australia and the German Chancellor have announced the membership of the newly created Australia-Germany Advisory Group. The purpose of the group is to examine ways to build even closer ties between Australia and Germany and was set up during Chancellor Merkel’s visit to Australia for the G20 Summit and bilateral meetings last November.

Australian Senator Mathias Cormann will co-chair the Advisory Group and lead the Australian members, who hold collectively significant experience in business, academia, science, government and the arts and German Minister of State Professor Maria Böhmer will be Germany’s co-chair.

The Group will meet in Germany and in Australia before finalising and providing a report to Chancellor Merkel and the Prime Minister later this year.

Full list of members:

  • Mr Michael Chaney AO Chairman, National Australia Bank
  • Mr Jeff Connolly, CEO, Siemens Australia
  • Mr Peter Jennings PSM, Executive Director, Australian Strategic Policy Institute
  • Dr Nicholas Milton, Chief Conductor and Artistic Director, Canberra Symphony OrchestraConductor, General Music Director, Saarländisches Staatstheater
  • Professor Brian Schmidt AC, Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Australian National University
  • Ms Lucy Turnbull AO, President, German-Australian Chamber of Industry and Commerce
  • Mr David Ritchie AOAustralian Ambassador to Germany
  • Professor Dr. Maria Böhmer, Minister of State, Federal Foreign Office
  • Mr. Volkmar Klein, Member of the Bundestag and Chair of the Germany-Australian Parliamentary Friendship Group
  • Mr Barrie Kosky, Intendant (Director) of the Komische Oper Berlin#
  • Mr Bernd Leuker, Member of the Executive Board and the Global Management Board of SAP
  • Professor Dr. Volker PerthesDirector, Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik
  • Professor Anja SchwarzJunior Professor of Cultural Studies at the University of PotsdamDr.
  • Christoph Müller, German Ambassador to Australia

 

BACK TO OVERVIEW

Investment Destination Australia

/

Share:

0 Comments/in /by

The 2015 Benchmark Report has been launched by the Minister for Trade and Investment Andrew Robb at Australia Business Week in India.

Produced by the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade), the annual report presents key economic, financial and demographic data to highlight Australia’s competitive strengths as a major player in global trade and investment.

Speaking at the inaugural Australia India Business Summit in New Delhi, Mr Robb said, ‘Behind Australia’s commercial strengths is a great economic and social story.

‘The Benchmark Report contains some of the best measures of why Australia is such a good economic partner and an ideal investment destination.’

Australia offers international investors a combination of solid economic performance, a highly skilled workforce, legal and political stability, and growing business and cultural ties to Asia.

The country is entering its 24th year of uninterrupted annual economic growth and its average annual real GDP growth between 2015 and 2019 is expected to be the highest among major advanced economies. Its services sector generates more than 80 per cent of its economic output.

New to the 2015 edition is a set of charts that provides snapshots of Australia’s five globally significant industries – agribusiness, education, funds management, resources and energy, and tourism.

The report also highlights Australia’s advanced research and innovation capabilities; educated and multicultural workforce; trade, investment and cultural links within the fast-growing Asian region; stable, transparent and well-regulated business environment; and sophisticated financial sector.

BACK TO OVERVIEW

Graphene in Germany

/

Share:

0 Comments/in /by

Australian graphite company Talga Resources has announced that it will set up a graphene demonstration
plant in the German state of Thüringen. The plant will process ores from Sweden.

Graphene is a so-called allotrope of carbon which has the form of a two-dimension hexagonal lattice. It was invented by two researchers at the University of Manchester in the UK, who jointly won the Nobel prize for Physics.

The material has already been used in a number of electronics applications and is thought to have a large variety of uses, which are currently being investigated around the world.

BACK TO OVERVIEW

Waste Management Down Under

/

Share:

0 Comments/in /by

A recent report on Germany Trade and Invest website discusses the issues on waste management in Australia. The OECD states that Australia is the seventh largest producer of refuse/trash per head of population. Further details can be found in German on GTAI’s website here.