Expert team assembles to support Aussie exporters

A TEAM of “highly skilled trade and logistics experts” has been assembled to help Australian exporters combat significant shipping and cargo disruptions from the ongoing conflict in West Asia, the Commonwealth Government says.

The government’s Trade Resilience Service is to deliver “practical, real-time logistics advice” to help businesses and exporters get their goods through the Middle East, or find alternative markets.

The service is to be delivered by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) and is to ensure exporters continue to get their goods moving into international markets.

A statement from the office of trade minister Don Farrell said with one in four Australian jobs relying on trade, this service would help and protect export reliant businesses, and identify shipping routes for essential imports, including fertilisers.

The service is said to complement the work of the recently established Trade Diversification Taskforce which is key to the government’s $50 million dollar Accessing New Markets Initiative and provides “practical, hands-on support for Australian businesses” to diversify into new export markets and take advantage of new opportunities in established markets.

“This is an uncertain and challenging time for Australian businesses who are facing higher freight costs, insurance uncertainty, and limited options to redirect perishable exports to alternative markets,” Senator Farrell said, noting the government would “always back Australian business”.

“The Trade Resilience Service will give our traders the real-time logistical information they need to continue getting their world-class goods to market,” he said.

“The war in the Middle East is causing significant disruptions for our everyday life. We’ve navigated uncertainty before, and this is just one piece of how we will again.”