Guy Barnett,
Guy Barnett, Minister for Trade,
The Tasmanian Liberal Government is growing and diversifying new and existing world markets and today we are delivering with the appointment of the first ever Japan-based Tasmanian Trade Advocate.
Mr Joe Gayton has spent more than 20 years living and working in Japan and his appointment is the strongest signal yet of the importance Tasmania places on its relationship with Japan and the opportunities we can share in the future.
Japan is a priority market in the Tasmanian Trade Strategy. In 2020, Tasmania's goods exports to Japan were worth $239 million a year, accounting for about 6.6 per cent of our total goods exports and 22 per cent of our total agricultural and seafood exports.
We also see exciting opportunities in resources, education, the Antarctic Gateway and also green hydrogen, which is destined to be the renewable fuel of the future.
Tasmania values its long history with Japan which includes a rich relationship of trade and investment links underpinned by strong cultural and people-to-people connections.
Mr Gayton participated in an extensive tender process and his success speaks to his long experience and knowledge of trade and international relations in Japan.
Mr Gayton is a permanent resident of Japan and fluent in both Japanese and English, and Tasmania is set to benefit from his knowledge, insight and expansive networks that includes government and business connections across Japan.
Our international trade advocacy will be further bolstered in the coming months with the recent appointment of a dedicated US Tasmanian Trade Advocate and another yet to come in Singapore.
The appointment of Tasmania's new Trade Advocates is an important part of the Tasmanian Trade Strategy 2019-2025 and a commitment made in the Annual Action Plan 2021. These new roles will continue to support Tasmania's ambition to increase its international market presence and to build even greater resilience through increased market diversification.
Today's announcement comes on the back of recent ABS commodity figures that showed Tasmania's agricultural value grew by 14.7 per cent in 2019-20 compared to the prior year, at a time when national growth was only 0.4%.
The Tasmanian Liberal Government has a goal of growing the value of Tasmania's trade output and developing greater market diversification is part of that plan.
