Premier delivers message of strength at Menzies lecture, London

Premier of Western Australia, Colin Barnett, delivered a lecture entitled More than China’s Quarry, Western Australia to over 100 invited guests at the Menzies Centre for Australia Studies, Kings College University, London on Wednesday evening as part of his trade visit to the UK and Europe.

The Premier spoke about the State’s dominance in the Australian trade sector particularly within the Asian region.

Mr Barnett said, “Western Australia is not China’s quarry. It is the world’s leading mining economy with a now rapidly growing petroleum sector.”

“The state ‘punches above its weight’ supplying in 2010 some 44 per cent of Australia’s merchandise exports. That is equal to the combined exports of New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland,” Mr Barnett said.

He also highlighted Western Australia’s respectable reputation in other sectors including agriculture, tourism and the premium wine sector. He spoke about the international successes the state has had in the field of science and medicine, business and arts.

Mr Barnett’s lecture went on to confirm that “today, Western Australians look to their future over the horizon to Asia rather than over the Nullarbor. This is not restricted to business. A Western Australian family is as likely to have a holiday in Bali as on Rottnest Island. We see ourselves as part of Asia.”

This however does not remove from the excitement and pride of hosting the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Perth later this year. Commenting that it will be the largest political gathering in Australian history, the Premier said  CHOGM  will cement WA’s role as powerful part of the Australian nation and therefore the commonwealth.

Premier Barnett’s lecture in full can be found here.

 

Mrs Kerry Sanderson AO, Agent General for Western Australia, Colin Barnett MLA, Premier of Western Australia, Professor Arthur Lucas, Principal of King's College and Professor Carl Bridge, Director of the Menzies Centre for Australian Studies