Three Australian state ministers and one shadow minister will lead an unprecedented high-level business delegation to Israel next week, focusing on water and conservation business opportunities. The trip, organized by the Israel-Australia Chamber of Commerce, will comprise 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 Exhibition and Conference.
The Australian delegation is being led by Nathan Rees, MP, New South Wales Minister for Water Utilities, Tim Holding MP, Victorian Minister for Water, and Craig Wallace MP, Queensland Minister for Natural Resources and Water. The delegation also includes leaders of five companies each with a market cap above $1 billion, among them representatives of Australian-based international mining giant Rio Tinto with a market cap of $100 billion.
Australian trade with Israel amounts to some $750 million annually. Australia is currently undergoing a severe drought and has implemented drastic water restrictions.
The members of the delegation will meet their Israeli counterparts and explore 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.
Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce Chairman Leon Kempler said, “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, and members of Knesset, as well as companies and academics specializing in water technologies.
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, an action that eventually led to the end of Ottoman rule in the region.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on October 24, 2007
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2007.