The extension into a conference with seminars and workshops ensures the New Zealand Pacific Business Council’s third Pacific Trade Conference and Expo at the TelstraClear Events Centre on September 21-22 will be the biggest so far
With a third of the 114 Exhibition Stands sold three months out from the 2010 Pacific Trade Conference and Expo, Chairman Gilbert Ullrich says it proves the event has strong value to those involved in business in the Pacific Islands and New Zealand.
Having successfully hosted the inaugural Expo at the Centre in 2006 and in Waitakere in 2008, he says adding the Conference, which sees a series of seminars and workshops held over the two days, makes it even more attractive.
“We had a third booked up prior to us going online,” says Ullrich, who is also the Chairman of the NZPBC.
“We’re working hard at getting many decision-makers from the Pacific Islands to attend the Conference & Expo so that potential contractors and suppliers to any infrastructure (and other) projects can interact with key people. These will be both government ministers and officials as well as the private sector – plus aid agencies, who are often fundamental to funding larger projects.”
Infrastructure is the general theme for the seminars, which are being organised by New Zealand Trade & Enterprise and Austrade, its Australian equivalent.
Having led the Council’s recent Trade Mission to Guam, Ullrich says there are huge opportunities for New Zealand businesses in the Pacific. “With the US Military build-up, there are large infrastructure opportunities in Guam and the Northern Marianas. There’s also the fast developing gas and mining in Papua New Guinea,” he says.
“As I mentioned before, however, other topics such as aid projects and financing business and trade in the Pacific will be covered.” With the Pacific region creating more interest and attention from elsewhere in the globe, including Asia and Europe, Ullrich acknowledges the need to work more closely with Australia, namely through the Australian Pacific Islands Business Council and Austrade. “With the Australian government now formally involved, we expect Australian businesses to attend this, too. We’ve held this event every two years, and now we’re looking at an annual event, alternating between our two countries.”
Michael Greenslade, NZTE Trade Commissioner Pacific based in Auckland, says his organisation’s increased support along with Austrade is due to seeing the benefits of what both council’s are striving to do.
“We’re all working towards trying to build an economically sustainable Expo to ensure it provides a commercial return to the councils and those participating in it,” he says.
“We’ve been involved in one way or another for the first two Expos, and the conference definitely adds significant value and appeal.”
Greenslade uses the term ‘Three Legged Stool’, which was first coined by Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna (1888-1958), a Fijian chief, soldier and scholar who is regarded as setting the groundwork for Fiji’s self government which was achieved 12 years after his death.
Sukuna was referring to the nation’s colonial situation where the Fijians owned the land, the Indians provided the labour and the Europeans managed the government. He emphasised the importance of each group, or stool leg, which must be equal to provide stability. The term inspired a book of the same name by Deryck Scarr. In today’s world, Greenslade uses the term describing the Pacific islands nations, New Zealand and Australia as each providing a leg.
“Today’s environment means it’s more important than ever to work together for the benefit of all three. Events like the Pacific Trade Conference and Expo provide the perfect opportunity to do so.”
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