Sector - Agriculture and food
Raise awareness
- Pursue a targeted, sustained and modern 'whole-of-nation' agricultural trade and investment advocacy effort to drive growth. (25)
- Promote Australia's environmental, social and governance credentials along the agrifood supply chain. (26)
Remove blockages
- Advocate for the establishment of ongoing ministerial and senior officials–level engagement on agriculture through ASEAN mechanisms to provide additional forums to reduce barriers to trade. (27)
- Deepen engagement with Cairns Group Farm Leaders in the region (Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines). (28)
- Expand resources for technical expertise and frameworks to support Australian export businesses to comply with new and existing import requirements in Southeast Asian countries. (29)
Build capability
- Develop and deepen cooperation on sustainable agrifood systems through existing mechanisms and development programs. (30)
- Expand training programs to support and engage regional farmers in world's best agriculture practices (including water, soil, and broader environment and sustainability practices). (31)
- Provide long-term support for Southeast Asian trading partners' capacity to address biosecurity threats, including by in-country deployments of specialist technical capabilities. (32)
Deepen investment
- Establish an Australian Agriculture Partnership to bring together public and private sector expertise to support agricultural trade cooperation and development in Southeast Asia. (33)
Sector - Resources
Raise awareness
- Promote Australian capabilities in mining, energy, and METS to support sustainable development in the resources sector in the region. (34)
Remove blockages
- Offer two-way tertiary scholarships in the resources sector to address skills shortages and gender equality, and enhance Southeast Asia's technical capacity. (35)
Build capability
- Geoscience Australia to work with counterparts on geological surveys, geological storage, hydrogen and geothermal energy, and resource data in Southeast Asia to enhance transparency and support exploration and investment in mineral deposits. (36)
- Provide institutional capacity building through government-to-government engagement to promote the sustainable development of Southeast Asia's resources sector. (37)
Sector - Green energy transition
Raise awareness
- Establish a new Australia – Southeast Asia business facilitation initiative to undertake targeted sectoral business missions and build the capability of business chambers. (2)
Remove blockages
- Australia's Treasury should lead expanded work with Southeast Asian partners on high-quality and interoperable sustainable finance classifications and climate-related disclosure rules. (38)
- Explore establishing standards and regulations to allow for a regional market in low-energy goods, including electricity and carbon, with interested Southeast Asian partners. (39)
Build capability
- Draw upon regional clean energy supply chain initiatives to support strategic projects involving Australian and Southeast Asian partners in the battery, electric vehicle and solar sectors. (40)
- Develop a clean energy science and technology engagement strategy to work with regional counterparts on technical challenges to meet net zero. (41)
- Support industry and education and training providers to develop and promote green qualifications for the Southeast Asian market. (42)
Sector - Infrastructure
Raise awareness
- Establish a new Australia – Southeast Asia business facilitation initiative to undertake targeted sectoral business missions and build the capability of business chambers. (2)
Remove blockages
- Resource Australian missions in Southeast Asia to work with partner countries to harmonise regulatory frameworks across the region and lift infrastructure standards to de-risk investments. (43)
Deepen investment
- Australian Government to establish a strategic investment facility for Southeast Asian infrastructure projects, utilising Export Finance Australia and other government-supported funding sources. (44)
- Establish new investment 'deal teams' for Southeast Asia, blending private sector and Australian Government capabilities to provide outward investment (including financing) services. (45)
- Australian Government to extend Partnerships for Infrastructure and expand into early-stage project preparation support. (46)
Sector - Education and skills
Raise awareness
- Australian Government to invest in education promotion across Southeast Asia to raise awareness of Australia's offerings and attract more Southeast Asian students. (47)
Remove blockages
- Support expanded offshore delivery of education services through further Australian Government advocacy. (48)
- Australian Government to continue reviewing Australia's education visa settings to ensure they are competitive and fit for purpose to 2040. (49)
- Australian and Southeast Asian governments to increase cooperation with professional bodies and education providers on qualifications recognition. (50)
Build capability
- Expand outbound scholarship and mobility programs to include postgraduates and VET students. (51)
- Australian governments to seek opportunities for co-financing with universities and sending countries to increase scholarships for Southeast Asian students. (52)
- Australian Government to encourage universities and vocational education providers to offer work-integrated learning internships as part of course offerings to Southeast Asian students. (53)
- Australian Government to coordinate a whole-of-nation initiative to better engage alumni, including a scheme for connecting alumni with Australian and Southeast Asian businesses. (54)
Deepen investment
- Australian Government to work with industry to fund a Southeast Asia research grants scheme in areas of mutual interest with Southeast Asia. (55)
Sector - Visitor economy
Raise awareness
- Expand tourism promotion and build industry capability to meet Southeast Asian demand. (56)
- Australian Government to identify opportunities to help build visitor economy data capability in key tourism authorities in the region. (57)
Remove blockages
- Australian Government to prioritise updates to air services agreements and explore reciprocal open skies agreements with interested Southeast Asian partners where in the national interest. (13)
Build capability
- Government tourism agencies to partner with industry to expand industry-led capability-building initiatives for operators and their employees so that they better understand cultural preferences and expectations of travellers from Southeast Asia. (58)
Sector - Healthcare
Raise awareness
- Establish a new Australia – Southeast Asia business facilitation initiative to undertake targeted sectoral business missions and build the capability of business chambers. (2)
Remove blockages
- Australian Government to work with the medical industry to expedite efforts towards recognition or reliance arrangements for Australian-made, TGA-approved medical devices and pharmaceuticals in Southeast Asia. (59)
- Australian Government to work with industry and regulators to identify and address high-priority non-tariff barriers in the health sector. (60)
Build capability
- Support state and territory governments to work with Australian institutions to develop a health practitioner training program with key Southeast Asian countries. (61)
- Expand the TGA regulatory strengthening program to build the capacity of regional regulators. (62)
- Support regional health policy agencies to build digital health capabilities and policy frameworks, led by CSIRO's Australian e-Health Research Centre. (63)
Deepen investment
- Australian diplomatic missions to work with industry to foster stronger connections between medical innovation hubs in Australia and Southeast Asia. (64)
Sector - Digital economy
Raise awareness
- Establish a new Australia – Southeast Asia business facilitation initiative to undertake targeted sectoral business missions and build the capability of business chambers. (2)
Remove blockages
- Australian Government to work with Southeast Asian partners to expand coverage of ambitious digital trade rules and standards, and promote interoperability through digital trade rules negotiations, advocacy and capacity building. (65)
Build capability
- Australian Government to expand the Cyber and Critical Tech Cooperation Program in Southeast Asia to continue building the cyber resilience of the region. (66)
Deepen investment
- Australian Government to consider establishing Austrade Landing Pads in Indonesia and Vietnam to support Australian tech companies, similar to Austrade's Landing Pad in Singapore. (67)
Sector - Professional and financial services
Raise awareness
- Establish a new Australia – Southeast Asia business facilitation initiative to undertake targeted sectoral business missions and build the capability of business chambers. (2)
Remove blockages
- Australian governments to support mutual recognition of professional qualifications, licensing and registration in priority professional services sectors, including through advocacy and grants to professional bodies. (68)
- Australian governments and Southeast Asian counterparts to work with professional bodies to ensure digitalisation of credentialing and certification of qualifications. (69)
- Use review mechanisms in Australia's existing free trade agreements with Southeast Asian countries to remove barriers affecting professional and financial services, such as foreign equity caps and restrictions on the composition of boards and residency of board members. (70)
Build capability
- Explore opportunities for the Australian Government to work with Southeast Asian partners in harmonising emerging digital cross-border payment systems. (71)
Sector - Creative industries
Raise awareness
- Expand creative industry–focused scholarship or exchange initiatives to create access to a vibrant pool of creative talent in Southeast Asia. (72)
Build capability
- Encourage co-productions in the film and digital games industries between Australian and Southeast Asian producers and developers. (73)
Deepen investment
- Establish a multi-year seed grants program, drawing on public and private sector contributions, for creative industries collaborative projects, such as residencies, between Australia and the region – including Australian artists with Southeast Asian heritage, and First Nations artists. (74)
- Work with galleries and arts institutions in Southeast Asia to provide access to Australian art, including Indigenous art, from Australian national and state and territory galleries. (75)