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Annual Sponsor
We are pleased to welcome the Commonwealth Bank’s continuing support for our activities in Germany.
They have agreed to renew their annual sponsorship agreement in 2015.
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Australian German Working Group
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced the formation of a joint working group during the Chancellor’s visit to Sydney in connection with the B20 Summit. Membership of the group is currently being finalized and it will be around five people on each side, with representatives from business. We understand that the group will be looking for input on the relationship between the Federal Republic and the Commonwealth of Australia and we shall be looking for ideas in the near future.
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B20 Business
Turkey has now taken over the chairmanship of the G20 group of leading industrial companies and in conjunction with this the Turkish chambers of commerce organized a meeting in Istanbul recently to continue the B20 process involving business. Both Australia and Germany are members of the G20 and the GABC has been invited to submit members to the working groups. Anyone interested in this work is invited to get in touch.
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Australian Economic Update, UK
Australian Economic Update Australian Business in the UK held their regular Australian economic update on 27 November 2014 at BHP Hilton’s spectacular offices overlooking London’s Victoria station with a great view down the Thames over the Houses of Parliament. Present by the Commonwealth Bank’s Chief Economist, Michael Blythe, the update touched on a number of the issues facing the Australian economy. The Australian government is rightly proud of its 23 years of continuous economic growth, which was even sustained during the global financial crisis. There is a general worry, however, that much of this growth is based in the resources sector, Michael attempted to dispel the myth that the current boom may lead to a bust as it has done in the past. Liquified natural gas is coming on tap which has required significant capital investment in the past few years, but the returns have not been generated as the gas is only now being delivered. Australia will soon be one of the world’s major exporters – and hopefully importers will continue to pay a good price. Australia has a rising population, driven mostly by immigration from around the world. One feature of the Australian economy compared to the German economy is the importance of the construction industry. Capital expenditure in the mining sector is decreasing, but remains strong in the residential sector as new houses are built. There is a risk that the residential building sector may be overheating and it appears that the Reserve Bank may even be preparing to control the supply of mortgages for domestic property. This would be a break from its previous policy position of not using such macroeconomic tools. Michael emphasized the need for more spending on infrastructure – this will require the Federal government to take initiatives and he confirmed in a question that the senate continues to block aspects of the 2014 budget, including the treasurer’s proposals to „recycle“ infrastructure assets by selling existing assets to investors and using the returns to invest in new infrastructure. Consumer expenditure is rising, but affected by job worries. Unemployment is currently around 6% and the Australian Bureau of Statistics is forecasting a small increase whilst other indicators suggest that the number may have plateaued. Education and tourism remain important factors in the economy. The number of visitors from China has risen to around 750,000 whilst the number from Japan and the UK has declined over the past ten years. Visas to attend educational establishments are still rising, driven at least partly by the rise in the Asian middle class. Dr. Robert Harrison
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Letter from the Chair
Dear Members and Friends of our Association,
as many of you will know we have recently completed the registration of our association’s change of name and I am pleased to report that the German Australian Business Council e.V. is now registered.
Earlier on this year, we adopted a refreshed Strategy and Mission Statement which better reflects the two-way, bilateral nature of our organisation and our overall ambition to provide you – our members and friends – with deep and enduring business connectivity between Germany and Australia. At the same time, a proposal was put forward to amend the name of the organisation to more precisely reflect a specific focus on two-way relationships between Australia and Germany. The Special General Meeting held in August then resolved to change the name of the association from Australian Business in Europe (Germany) e.V. to German Australian Business Council e.V.
As the German Australian Business Council e.V. we will continue to appeal to and provide a resource to German businesses, with an interest or presence in Australia and Australian businesses with an interest or presence in Germany, as well as business professionals of any nationality with an interest in bilateral relations between the two economies.
At the same time, we will of course continue to be part of the international Australian Business in Europe (ABIE) network. It is interesting to note that the core economies in mainland Europe, Germany and France, increasingly are taking a leading role in the international ABIE network as many of the participating organisations start to reflect on and refresh their objectives. Although several participating entities are considering a more bilateral approach for their respective organisiations, it was recently resolved that the name “Australian Business in Europe” be kept as an international brand which each organisation can use in addition to their own brand. A refresh of the ABIE logo is currently under way.
In Germany, we are currently completing the usual tasks associated with the change in an association’s name; Over the next few weeks, this will include changes to our website and our branding.
We look forward to continued and reinvigorated association with you in the coming years
Sabine Pittrof (Chair of the board)
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New logo for new name introduces new era
To distinguish the newly named German Australian Business Council from its predecessor a new logo has been designed. The design was created by design agency Creative Republic based in Frankfurt and reflects the two-way nature of the newly refurbished organization to enhance business and cultural relationships between Australia and Germany.
The colours red, blue and yellow encompass both countries and the star represents the bright future the organization aims towards.
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ABIE Germany becomes the ‘GERMAN AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS COUNCIL’
Today the new name was recognized and Australian Business in Europe Germany officially became the German Australian Business Council.
As organizations grow and change they often need a new look and feel that reflects these developments. Late last year the board of ABIE Germany agreed it was time the name of the group reflected the activities it undertakes. So after much discussion and voting ABIE Germany became the German Australian Business Council (GABC), a title which clearly highlights the two way nature of the organization to help German business in Australia and Australian business in Germany. GABC continues as a member of the extended European Australian Business in Europe network and feel this name change will strengthen their identity in the network as well as locally.
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ABIE’s 2014 Ambassador’s Dinner in Berlin
The event will take place on Thursday, 12 June 2013, starting at 6:00 pm.
The theme of the night will be „Australia’s G20 presidency: what are the implications for business relations between Australia and Germany?”
This once-in-a-year networking event will give us an opportunity to mark the introduction of H.E. Mr David Ritchie AO, Ambassador to Germany, as our new patron.
We are further looking forward to vibrant speeches by H.E. the Ambassador and Mr. Greg Ellis, CEO of the Scout24 Group.
More information about the event and the registration please contact Susanne Schnack at office@abie-germany.de until Thursday, 29th May, the latest.
We are looking forward to seeing you there!
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4th Australian German Science Circle
The fourth Australia-German Science Circle was held on a pleasant September evening in the meeting room at the Australian Embassy in Berlin. Attended by ABIE Board Members, Elisabeth Opie, Class de Boer and Rob Harrison, the event focussed on science collaboration around the world. Professor Debbie Terry, Senior Vice-Chancellor of the University of Queensland focussed on how important collaboration has become in the scientific world. Australia and Germany are leaders, with many of their researchers being on papers with non-local co-authors. Growing tripartite arrangements involving Asian-based scientists were also discussed.
Professor Terry did not really dive into the commercialisation aspects of science, except to mention one interesting statistic: in Germany, the ratio of academic researchers to technologists and scientists working in industry is 2:4; in Australia the ratio is 5:2 – almost a complete reversal. This shows the potential for increase in Australian industry science-based structure while achieving high return on investment, and indeed is being encouraged by the Australian government. There is clearly a long way to go, and targeted international teaming up of scientists would certainly help meet the challenges ahead for mutual benefit – scientifically and commercially.
The evening finished off with the usual round of drinks in the Atrium.
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Ambassador Tesch Farewell Message
All good things come to an end, someone once said, and for me four wonderful years in Berlin and Germany will be coming to a close in late November, when I will be returning to Australia to take up a new role in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra.
But I look back with great satisfaction at the evolution of strong contacts between our two countries in recent times and recall with pleasure my involvement in a very broad range of initiatives and activities which have strengthened our relationship over the past years. This covers both the political and trade areas, but also includes specifically joint projects in science, research and education as well as a very diverse arts program showcasing Australian creative and productive talent in Germany.
Certainly a key development has been the conclusion of the Berlin-Canberra Declaration of Intent on a Strategic Partnership in January this year. It encapsulates the full spectrum of our mutual interests, taking our political and corporate dialogue to a new level. The first round of high-level discussions under the Strategic Partnership agenda took place between German and Australian foreign office representatives in Canberra in early October, and thoughts are already turning to extracting the maximum value from our high-level contacts with Germany during our G20 presidency in 2014.
Also this month, the series of activities celebrating the 200th birthday of Ludwig Leichhardt will culminate with festivities both in Australia and the region of this birth, in and around Cottbus, marking the strong legacy of endeavouring explorative interest in Australia on the part of people from Germany, and illustrating the potential we share in expanding and further developing linkages in science and innovation.
I will leave Germany with incredibly warm memories from the manifold contacts I have made, and this includes the many members of the Australian expat community from a surprisingly – well, at least initially to me – variety of backgrounds. ABIE stands out for bringing together a particular active group of this community. It has been a pleasure and professionally rewarding to be ABIE’s patron in Germany, and I have commended the role to my successor, Mr David Ritchie AO, who looks forward to continuing our very productive collaboration. I wish ABIE as an organisation and all its members the very best with your continuing engagement in our bilateral relationship.