The Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham, has announced a review of the Australian Government’s Export Market Development Grants scheme (EMDG).

The grant is a favourite of exporters and has been available for over 40 years.
Mrs Anna Fisher, co-owner, director and chair-person of wine producer Zonte’s Footstep, has been appointed to undertake the review of the EMDG and Australian Government financial assistance to SME exporters.

Mrs Fisher is a CPA, a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow of the Governor’s Leadership Foundation.

Mrs Fisher also has a Master of Business Administration degree and a degree in Ecotourism.

Minister Birmingham has also asked Christine Holgate, CEO of Australia Post and Bruce Armstrong, CEO of the Aspen Medical Group to be advisors to Mrs Fisher, given their significant business experience as successful Australian exporters.

The review will take a broad approach and examine the most effective and efficient way the Government can best provide financial assistance to SME exporters to promote their products and services overseas and enter new export markets.

The review will also take into account research to explore the impact financial assistance can have on exporters and to understand the characteristics of successful exporters.
The Australian Government’s trade agenda aims to increase the number of exporters by 10,000 over the next three years and create an additional 250,000 trade related jobs over the next five years.

Around Australia, the review will seek the views of exporters and interested parties through a series of face-to-face consultations and online webinars.

Additionally, written submissions will also be received and an online survey is available at https://austrade.citizenspace.com/government-and-partnerships-division/review-sme-exporters/.

To express an interest in participating in a webinar or to provide a written submission email 2019Review@austrade.gov.au.

Submissions close 11th November, 2019.
A final report must be provided to the Minister by March 2020.

For international trade and investment assistance contact the TCCI’s TradeStart Adviser, Sally Chandler, at sally.chandler@tcci.com.au or phone 1300 559 122.