Foreign Affairs and Trade
The Foreign Affairs and Trade portfolio, through the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade), provides support to regional Australia through a number of existing trade development programs.
Current Initiatives
Export Market Development Grants Scheme
The Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) scheme is a government financial assistance program for current and aspiring exporters. The scheme, administered by Austrade, aims to encourage small and medium-sized Australian businesses to develop export markets by reimbursing up to 50 per cent of eligible export promotion expenses above $10,000, provided the total of such expenses incurred amounts to at least $20,000. Eligible Australian businesses can claim up to a total of seven grants of up to a maximum of $150,000 each.
The EMDG is a non discretionary grants scheme in that all applicants who meet the specified criteria receive a grant. As a result, the scheme is not specifically targeted at regional and rural businesses and the number of grants from different demographic groups is influenced by the business conditions faced by those groups each year. However, the types of businesses receiving grants from year to year have been reasonably consistent.
Of the total number of EMDG grants paid in 2010‑11 (relating to eligible export promotion expenditure incurred in 2009‑10), 24.9 per cent were awarded to recipients from rural and regional Australia. These grants supported 1,029 rural and regional grant recipients with grants valued at $25.0 million. These recipients reported exports of $853.0 million in 2009‑10 and employed 19,900 people.
Of particular relevance to regional Australia is the grant support for rural and regional industry bodies, regional not-for-profit economic development bodies and tourism bodies to promote Australian exports internationally. In 2011‑12, 26 such regional bodies, three such State bodies and 21 such national bodies were registered as 'Approved Bodies' eligible to apply for EMDG grants.
TradeStart
TradeStart is an Australian Government initiative that delivers Austrade services through local public sector and industry organisations throughout Australia. The prime objective of the TradeStart program is to assist small and medium-sized enterprises in their international business endeavours.
In the 2010‑11 Budget, the Government announced funding of $14.4 million to continue the TradeStart program over four years to 30 June 2014. Of the 31 TradeStart locations, 21 are in regional locations.
Under the current program, TradeStart advisers have assisted approximately 3,000 companies throughout Australia, many of whom also receive assistance from Austrade's international network.
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