Milano World Expo 2015 6 Months to Go - additional request to the Senate

Dear Committee:

CORRESPONDENCE REGARDING AUSTRALIA AT MILANO WORLD EXPO 2015

I write to you with regards to attached correspondence forwarded to your Committee on 28 May 2014, to which I was informed had been forwarded to the Minister for Trade for his official response.

This is to advise your office that nearly six months have passed and I am yet to receive a follow-up from your Committee since notifying me of such, or indeed, any response from the Honourable Minister for Trade.

As this is an important matter in the national interest, which also sets a precedent for future Australian representation at World Expositions, I would be grateful if you could inform the Minister that your Committee - and Celebrate 88, as represented by myself and the interested Australian community, are waiting for his response.

I look forward to your injunction and await your reply.

Yours sincerely,

John McGregor
Celebrate 88
http://celebrate88.com/
Tel 04384 89135

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28 May 2014

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee 
Department of the Senate
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

ATTN: Ophelia

Dear Sir/Madam:

REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION

I write to your office after several communications over the past two months to the Prime Minister's Office, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shadow Minister, local members of Parliament and the Senate, however to no, or no satisfactory avail.

It is with regard to the Commonwealth Government's decision to not commit to a Pavilion at next year's World Exposition in Milano Italy, "Expo 2015", which commences 1 May 2015.

Already more than 150 nations and international organisations have committed to Milan, including our major allies and trading partners the UK, USA, Japan, China, Korea, and most of the developing and developing world.

Participating in the World Exposition fulfills major trade, foreign affairs, and public diplomacy objectives for Australia.

To not be there, is not only a very bad policy decision, but is also an embarrassment by omission.

The Exposition in Milano represents the world's pinnacle public diplomacy, trade and diplomacy opportunity for the 2015-2020 half-decade, not only in terms of to visitors at the Exposition from Milano, Italy, Europe and the rest of the world, but also in terms of international Government and corporate inter-Pavilion networking at the Expo.

Not until Dubai 2020 will Australia have a similar opportunity to wow on the world stage, and this will be presented with a different region, era and theme.

The time to investigate and re-evaluate the Government's very luke-warm response is now - by July at 300 days to go, the decision may well be out of the Government's hands as logistically financially and otherwise it will be too late.

Budgetary pressure is not a good enough reason to not commit to Milano, as DFAT representatives have stated.

The time is now to think 'outside' of the box, and to create a fully-corporate funded Australia Pavilion concept, with Government coordination, similar to the USA Government's USA 2.0 Pavilion initiative.

I ask the Committee to, with post-haste, to investigate why DFAT and the PMC have not investigated promoting a fully-private enterprise funded Pavilion for Australia at Milano 2015, that provides for an alliance of Australian-Italian/European corporations to be presented at Milan in an Australian Pavilion.

With the theme of 'food', a topic universal to all humankind, surely there is no better opportunity for the best of Australia's food and hospitality to be represented in Europe and on the world stage next year.

I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,

JOHN MCGREGOR
Celebrate 88
http://celebrate88.com/
Tel 0455 488 787

Still Awaiting Official Response from Minister for Trade

We are still awaiting the official  response from the Australian Government Minister for Trade as to why Australia could not be represented at Milano World Expo 2015, with a Government or private enterprise funded Pavilion.

Whether there is an Australian presence at Milano or not, it is important to hold the Government accountable for its decisions, so that it is on the record that its decisions do not go un-noticed. as well as establishing better guidelines for future Australian participation at World Expositions.

Not enough money, in this day of free-enterprise and Government liaison, is simply not a good enough response from the Federal Government.

An Australian Government facilitated and Australian-Italian free-enterprise funded Pavilion should have been the ticket the Australian Government should have promoted, and which could have been a great success.

We still have hope for some Australian representation at Milano, but an Australian Government Pavilion alas, looks to be, and for some time now, a no hoper.

Australian Shadow Tourism Minister Albanese Confirms the Worst

Brought to our attention yesterday, the Australian Government Shadow Minister for Tourism Mr Anthony Albanese MP here in this late August 2014 Press Release confirms our worst fears. Yes, someone in Canberra is listening and yet it appears that not even the Federal Opposition can do anything about the Government's stall tactics with regards to making an 'official' announcement vis.a.vis our Pavilion at Milano World Expo 2015.

Victoria will be represented with a themed week at the Expo, but no other State/Territory nor will the Federal Government be represented at the Expo. In my view, this is a critical - and clinical - policy failure on behalf of the Australian Government at next year's - and arguably this decade's - most important global public diplomacy initiative. As once proud host of World Expo '88 - and with more than several decades history of representation at World Expositions, this singular decision by the Department of Foreign Affairs makes for an outstanding - and embarassing - singular omission by the Australian Government and continent at a World Exposition. We will be there - noticed - if anything but all by not being there. 


The Press Release in full is here:

Milano Expo Snub Shows Australia is Closed for Business
Tony Abbott has turned his back on a golden opportunity to enhance trade links between Australia and Italy and to promote tourism by refusing to fund an Australian presence at the 2015 World Expo in Milan.

While the Victorian Government is spending $1.25 million to participate in the Expo, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop claims she cannot justify funding involvement by the Australian Government because of the expense involved.

This is absurd.  Participation in Expo Milan would be an investment in the future and would more than pay for itself in terms of trade opportunities and tourism.

The Government’s obsession with spending cuts at all costs and its mealy-mouthed rejection of promoting Australian tourism abroad is now costing Australian businesses genuine opportunities.

The theme of the Expo Milan is Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life. Given Australia’s status as a food exporter, our participation makes good sense.

When I visited Italy last year I met then Prime Minister Enrico Letta, who specifically raised the issue of Australia’s participation in the expo.

About 900,000 Australians have Italian ancestry and the expo also provides a chance to boost people-to-people links between the two nations and promote Australia as a destination for Italian tourists.

The Abbott Government’s short-sighted approach is inconsistent with its claim after its election that Australia was “open for business’’.

A government truly interested in economic development would ensure Australia had a stand at the Expo, as was the intention of the previous Labor Government.

The source of the 21 August 2014 Press Release is here: 
http://anthonyalbanese.com.au/milan-expo-snub-shows-australia-is-closed-for-business

Still Awaiting Response from Senate Committee re: Australia at Milano 2015

Dear Followers, Supporters, all:

It is now nearly 3 months since our letter to the Australian Parliament Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence & Trade, and we have yet to receive a response from the Minister for Trade.

We have sent this letter to the Committee today, and hope they can give us some news, although I do not expect the news to be positive, soon.

11 September 2014 

Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee

Department of the Senate 
Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600

Dear Committee:

CORRESPONDENCE OF 26 JUNE 2014

Thank you for your ongoing assistance.

I write to you on this occasion with regards to following up a response from the Minister for Trade vis.a.vis Australia’s representation at next year’s World’s Fair in Milano, Italy.

I have yet to receive a response from the Committee, or the Minister.

I look forward to your any further information.

Yours sincerely

John McGregor

Celebrate 88

We will post the Minister's response as soon as we have received it.

Solider on, people!!!

Open Letter to the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee

28 May 2014

Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee 
Department of the Senate
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

ATTN: Ophelia

Dear Sir/Madam:

REQUEST FOR CONSIDERATION

I write to your office after several communications over the past two months to the Prime Minister's Office, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shadow Minister, local members of Parliament and the Senate, however to no, or no satisfactory avail.

It is with regard to the Commonwealth Government's decision to not commit to a Pavilion at next year's World Exposition in Milano Italy, "Expo 2015", which commences 1 May 2015.

Already more than 150 nations and international organisations have committed to Milan, including our major allies and trading partners the UK, USA, Japan, China, Korea, and most of the developing and developing world.

Participating in the World Exposition fulfills major trade, foreign affairs, and public diplomacy objectives for Australia.

To not be there, is not only a very bad policy decision, but is also an embarrassment by omission.

The Exposition in Milano represents the world's pinnacle public diplomacy, trade and diplomacy opportunity for the 2015-2020 half-decade, not only in terms of to visitors at the Exposition from Milano, Italy, Europe and the rest of the world, but also in terms of international Government and corporate inter-Pavilion networking at the Expo.

Not until Dubai 2020 will Australia have a similar opportunity to wow on the world stage, and this will be presented with a different region, era and theme.

The time to investigate and re-evaluate the Government's very luke-warm response is now - by July at 300 days to go, the decision may well be out of the Government's hands as logistically financially and otherwise it will be too late.

Budgetary pressure is not a good enough reason to not commit to Milano, as DFAT representatives have stated.

The time is now to think 'outside' of the box, and to create a fully-corporate funded Australia Pavilion concept, with Government coordination, similar to the USA Government's USA 2.0 Pavilion initiative.

I ask the Committee to, with post-haste, to investigate why DFAT and the PMC have not investigated promoting a fully-private enterprise funded Pavilion for Australia at Milano 2015, that provides for an alliance of Australian-Italian/European corporations to be presented at Milan in an Australian Pavilion.

With the theme of 'food', a topic universal to all humankind, surely there is no better opportunity for the best of Australia's food and hospitality to be represented in Europe and on the world stage next year.

I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,

JOHN MCGREGOR
Celebrate 88
http://celebrate88.com/
Tel 0455 488 787

Open Letter to Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs

30 April 2014

The Honourable Ms Tanya Plibersek MP
Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs
Commonwealth Government of Australia

Dear Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs:

I write to you on this occasion further to previous correspondence concerning next year's World Exposition at Milano Italy and Australia's representation there.

I have written to your Government counterpart and also the Prime Minister, however, now, at one year to go before the commencement of the World Fair, the Australian Government is yet to commit to be represented at Milano.

Dear Shadow Minister, Australia has a proud and long record of hosting and being represented at World Expositions - the 'cultural Olympics' - from Sydney 1879 to Melbourne 1888, to Brisbane 1988, and the stunning Australia Pavilions at Montreal 1967, Seville 1992 and Shanghai 2010.

Already over 150 nations have committed to Milan, including the UK, USA, China, Japan, Korea - in fact most of our major trading partners and the developed and developing world.

Australia's absence from Milan 2015 would be a major loss for our nation's trade and foreign affairs branding, in this decade's major cultural public diplomacy opportunity.

Not participating at Milan would not only represent a major omission, embarrassment and lack of opportunity to further Australia's interests on the world stage, both in terms of visitor impact and inter-Pavilion and international business networking but it would be the first time in the modern era that Australia has not had a Pavilion at a Universal Exposition.

Dear Shadow Minister, I implore upon you, to bring our Government into account to announce Australia's representation at Milano soon.

This is a major international public diplomacy initiative that Australia cannot afford not to be represented at.

I look forward to your representation in Parliament, and to your response.

Yours sincerely,

John McGregor
Founder
Celebrate 88
http://celebrate88.com/
Progressing Brisbane's World Expo 88 and Australia at World Expositions
Tel 0455 488 787
Surfers Paradise Queensland

Milano World Expo 2015 - 366 days to go

Tomorrow marks exactly one year till the commencement of Milano's World Expo 2015, where the international community will gather on the theme of "Food: Energy for Life".

Already over 150 nations have announced their participation, including Japan, UK, USA, China, and most of the developed and developing world.

Australia has participated at every Universal Exposition with its own Pavilion since Montreal Expo 67 Canada. Yet at this critical one year to go milestone being passed till Milano 2015, the Australian Government is yet to announce its decision concerning its representation.

At 400 days to go Celebrate 88 wrote to the Prime Minister's Office, asking for a response, however now more than a month later, still no response has been received.

Citing 'budgetary pressures' the Australian Government is either uninterested or not willing to commit to Milan, risking an obvious omission, not to also mention an embarrassing one.

We can only hope that the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade, whose responsibility it is for Australia's representation at World Expositions, has in fact already advised the Prime Minister that Australia should be at Milan, and that we are just waiting for the announcement.

However, in another 2 months time, by 300 days to go, it may be too late to commit funding and organise a Pavilion from a logistics point of view.

At the moment, we can only hope an announcement for Australia's participation will be made soon.

400 Days till Milan Expo 2015 - and where is Australia?

OPEN LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER

2 April 2014

The Honourable Mr Tony Abbott MP
Prime Minister
Commonwealth Government of Australia

Dear Prime Minister:

AUSTRALIA AT EXPO 2015 MILANO ITALY

Greetings!

I write to your esteemed office on this occasion with regards the above, and a response from the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade stating that Australia is "yet to confirm its participation", now at nearly less than a year to the Expo's commencement.

I acknowledge the points raised in the Department's response and understand that quantifying the trade and other benefits for participating at a World Exposition can be difficult, given financial and other constraints.

Let me, on behalf of Celebrate 88, with more than several years experience in World Expositions spanning since Brisbane's World Expo 88, that the short term and long term benefits of hosting and being represented at a World Exposition are considerable, and along with the Arts, Sports, representation at and hosting of Olympic Games, and give Australia an unparalleled opportunity for nation-branding in an international setting/networking furthering Australia's diverse global interests, trade of course included.

Given these undeniable benefits to Australia's representation at World Expositions, especially in one of Australia's major trading partners, historically and in a contemporary sense, the European Union, I believe the decision to participate at Milano should now not be a question of "if" but when.

We are already at the point of less than 400 days to the commencement of the Expo. We run into the danger, as I am sure you are aware, that unless a decision to participate is made within the next four weeks, it shall be deemed too late, from logistical, funding, and other considerations for Australia to be represented at Milano.

I impress upon you, Prime Minister, therefore to quickly approve Australia's representation at Milano.

I, and the international community at Milano, which already includes over 150 nations, including the UK and USA, await your response.

Yours sincerely,

John McGregor
Celebrate 88
Surfers Paradise Queensland
http://www.celebrate88.com/ 
Tel 0455 488 787