City gateway plan drive
A DELEGATION in Singapore is further establishing Townsville as the gateway to the country’s tourism, business and defence markets.
The government delegation is aiming to build on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership ( CSP) and in particular the Australia Singapore Military Training Initiative ( ASMTI).
Townsville Enterprise director policy and investment Michael McMillan said the delegation enabled the opportunity to speak “more frankly” about the CSP.
“Townsville should be seeking local industry development ( that’s) supportive of defence training activity, working with the Australian Defence Force to establish opportunities that have positive economic outcomes for the region,” he said.
“Singapore is highly motivated and wants to know what Townsville can offer in terms of a collaborative Northern Queensland perspective.”
Mr McMillan said the focus of the week was to establish strong municipal, trade and investment ties.
“With Townsville’s strategic significance as an established defence training ground, the opportunities exist to evolve and develop the relationship to support broader trade, invest- ment and tourism agenda,” he said.
“Connectivity to market will be key to this ambition, for which the delegation in September will follow up.”
The delegation is being led by Defence Minister Marise Payne and Trade and Tourism Minister Steven Ciobo.
It also includes Senator Ian Macdonald, Townsville Mayor Cr Jenny Hill, Charters Towers Mayor Cr Liz Schmidt, Professor Louis Schofield of James Cook University, builder Adrian Gabrielli and representatives from the Port of Townsville, Townsville Enterprise and Regional Development Australia.
A JCU spokesman said the university wanted to work with Australian and Singaporean governments and businesses.
“We’re hoping to advance several projects,” he said. “For instance, JCU and the Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine is hoping to work with the Singaporean Government and industry partners to build a health security network to assess health risks in both countries, to detect and respond to disease outbreaks.”
The spokesman said the university planned to build a facility on the Singapore campus that helped Australian businesses look for opportunities in Singapore and beyond.