22 August 2016
CORRESPONDENCE TO FEDERAL MEMBER FOR MONCRIEFF
THE HONOURABLE MR STEVEN CIOBO MP
RE: AUSTRALIA AT DUBAI EXPO 2020
Dear Minister:
AUSTRALIA AT DUBAI EXPO 2020
Greetings!
My name is John McGregor and I live in your electorate, in Lawson St Southport.
I run a commemorative organisation for Brisbane's World Expo 88, entitled Celebrate 88, and hosted at http://www.celebrate88.com/, and we also look into advocacy for Australian representation at future World Expositions, including the upcoming Astana Expo 2017, and Dubai Expo 2020.
Although we have received official notification that Australia will not be at Astana 2017, we have yet to hear about Australia at Dubai 2020, a bid which Australia supported in its initial and concluding stages.
Representation at World Expositions enables Australia to promote it's important nation branding initiatives on the world stage, not only at the host city and host nation level, but also for trade and business delegations amongst other participating nations and corporations at the Expo.
Whilst Australia's lack of participation at Astana 2017 is disappointing, what would be even more disappointing is being absent also from Dubai 2020.
Being represented at Dubai is an important fiscal priority for the Australian Government, and measures must be made now to ensure future budgets take this into account.
I would be grateful if you could forward this correspondence to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Honourable Ms Julie Bishop MP, whose portfolio responsibility lies for Australia at World Expositions, for her comment.
As always, Celebrate 88 fully supports an Australian presence at future World Expositions, we need not rest on our laurels of past Exposition Pavilion successes, but we need to work further towards future synergies of trade, commerce and diplomacy and their benefits for Australia as encapsulated by being represented.
I look forward to your response.
With cordial regards,
JOHN R MCGREGOR
Founder
Celebrate 88
Progressing the World Expo 88 Vision
