THREE MINISTERS IN AUSTRALIAN WATER DELEGATION OF OVER 50 SENIOR BUSINESS LEADERS TO ISRAEL
Submitted to: Business
Posted: October 29 2007
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TEL AVIV, 29 OCTOBER 2007 - Three Australian state ministers and one shadow minister are leading an unprecedented high-level business delegation to Israel today, focusing on water and conservation business opportunities. The trip, organized by the Israel-Australia Chamber of Commerce together with Nili Shalev of the Israel Trade Commission in Sydney, is comprised of over fifty senior players on the Australian business scene. The group will spend a week in Israel meeting with political, business and technology leaders, as well as attending the Watec Israel 2007 Conference.
The Australian delegation is being led by Tim Holding MP, Victorian Minister for Water and Craig Wallace MP, Queensland Minister for Natural Resources and Water as well as ministerial-level representation from New South Wales. The delegation also includes leaders of five different companies with a market cap above $1 billion USD, including Australian-based international mining giant Rio Tinto with a market cap of $100 billion.
Australia, which enjoys significant bilateral trade with Israel, totaling some $750 million USD per year, is currently undergoing a severe drought and has implemented drastic water restrictions. These restrictions, in some instances, have included a total ban on sprinklers and hoses as well as the washing of vehicles. In most areas of Australia, water storage levels are sitting at only 20-45% of their capacity.
The visiting delegation will be meeting with Israeli counterparts and exploring deals and agreements with a wide variety of Israeli companies and organizations involved in water conservation technologies. The New South Wales State Government recently commissioned a $1.4 billion desalination plant in Sydney and many Israeli companies are eager to offer their services. Similarly, the Victorian State Government in Australia has commissioned the world’s largest desalination plant for Melbourne. Currently, the world’s largest plant is located in Ashkelon, and the delegation will visit this site.
According to the delegation’s leader, Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce Chairman Leon Kempler, “Australia and Israel share the unfortunate fate of having significant challenges to their water supplies. Israel has many companies that provide outstanding technology and solutions to water scarcity problems and this business delegation, the most senior ever to visit Israel, is keen to listen, learn and reach agreements.”
During the visit, the ministers and various members of the delegation will be meeting with President Shimon Peres, Infrastructure Minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer, Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Eli Yishai, Environment Minister Gidon Ezra, as well as a number of Members of Knesset. In addition, the delegation will meet with Israel’s top firms, academics and leaders in the fields of water technologies.
During the visit, the delegation will also attend a ceremony in Be’er Sheva marking the 90th anniversary of the WWI Allied attack, where 800 members of the 4th Australian Light Horse Brigade charged entrenched Turkish and German forces and eventually led to the end of Ottoman rule.
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Please contact us for the following:
• A full list of participants, with descriptions.
• To arrange interviews
• To register for one of the receptions or events
• Portions of the program and visits open to the media
• Photos
• Further information
Dani Wassner, Ruder Finn Israel
dani@ruderfinn.co.il
054-467-6961
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