The Hon Andrew Laming MP
Member for Bowman
Federal Parliament of Australia
24 January 2018
Dear Mr Laming:
My name is John McGregor and I run an organisation that advocates for the legacy of Brisbane's World Expo 88 and representation of Australia at World Expositions - both as representative and host, entitled "Celebrate 88".
Today marks 1000 days till the commencement of Dubai Expo 2020, and despite voting for Dubai several years ago, it appears DFAT has yet to commit to any funding for an Australian Pavilion at Dubai.
Correspondingly, as my local federal Parliament member, I would be grateful if you could forward following message - sent to Austrade's Dubai office - also to the Minister for Foreign Affairs Ms Julie Bishop MP and Minister for Trade Mr Steven Ciobo MP - for their response.
With warm regards
JOHN MCGREGOR
CELEBRATE 88
.............
Dear Sir/Madam:
AUSTRALIA AT DUBAI EXPO 2020
As we enter into 1000 days to go before the commencement of Expo 2020, I believe now is the time to ramp up Australia's commitment to be represented with a Pavilion at Dubai.
As you no doubt know, Australia was one of the BIE member states that voted for Dubai to host Expo 2020, and our Minister for Foreign Affairs warmly welcomed Dubai's success in being selected to be the expo's host.
It is now time, I believe, to "walk the walk" and "talk the talk" and ramp up our congratulatory rhetoric and set aside funds for a Pavilion at Dubai.
Already Australia has seen two recent World's Fairs pass - Milano 2015 - and Astana 2017 - without representation by an Australia Pavilion.
We do not wish to rest on the laurels of our very successful Pavilions at Shanghai 2010 and Yeosu Korea 2012 and let our absences at Milan and Astana become a precedent for not being represented in Dubai.
As the first World Expo in the middle east, and as a worldwide microcosm of nations and corporations will be represented at Dubai - including our our own neighbour from across the ditch New Zealand - it is important for Australia to be at Dubai, to prove to the world that yes we are forward thinking and still relevant commercially, diplomatically, and personally on the world stage that being participants at a World Expo affords us.
I trust through this email to Austrade Dubai and to my local member Mr Andrew Laming MP, the Hon Ms Bishop MP and her counterpart in trade the Hon Mr Ciobo MP we can re-stoke our commitment to regional and international world peace, trade, diplomacy and personal exchange through an outstanding Pavilion at Dubai - connecting minds - and creating the future.
I would be grateful for your response.
Yours sincerely
John R McGregor
Celebrate 88!
- Celebrating Brisbane's World Expo '88 and Australia at World Expositions -
celebrate@celebrate88.com
http://www.celebrate88.com/
Queensland, Australia
http://www.facebook.com/celebrate88/
http://twitter.com/celebrate88
http://YouTube.com/foundationexpo88/
http://worldexpositionssnapshot.blogspot.com
"It is a great and glorious end to bless the sons of man,
And meet for peace and doing good, in kindness, while we can;
It is a greater, and more blest, the human heart to raise
Up to the God who giveth all, with gratitude and praise."
Excerpt from prose by Martin Tupper Farquhar, on the 1851 London Crystal Palace Exhibition
