Indonesian-speaking Darwin MP Luke Gosling will lead a special Regional Trade Taskforce of the Caucus to assist in the development of trade policies that will boost economic growth and create jobs for Australians.
The Taskforce will focus on trade links with the Asia-Pacific Region. It will consult with businesses, hold industry forums and report to me and Shadow Trade Minister Madeleine King on what our nation needs to do to increase our trade engagement right across the region.
My appointment of Mr Gosling to lead this Taskforce recognises the particular importance of boosting trade between businesses in Northern Australia and the nations to our immediate north, including Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Timor-Leste.
Despite their proximity to Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia sit outside the list of our top ten trading partners at numbers 13 and 11 respectively.
There is great scope to build our trade engagement across the region, and Mr Gosling’s capacity for hard work makes him the perfect choice to advise Labor on how our nation can capitalise on these opportunities.
This is about jobs for Australians.
Mr Gosling, the Member for Solomon, had a distinguished military career and has worked in Timor-Leste as a Presidential adviser and also established a not-for-profit charity to benefit the fledgling nation.
Since becoming Leader of the Australian Labor Party I have emphasised my intention to consult widely so our Party can develop a set of policies worthy of support at the 2022 election.
