ANNUAL REPORT 2019–20 AUSTRADE AT A GLANCE Who are we? We are the Australian Trade and Investment Commission—or Austrade—and we’re responsible for promoting Australian trade, investment and education to the world, as well as helping secure Australia’s tourism industry. We help Australian businesses We assist our tourism industry with grow by linking them to global policy and programs export opportunities We attract international We promote Australia’s leading-edge investment to help Australia education services to the world to reach its economic potential help drive growth in this sector We also help Australian citizens by We help scaleups innovate and providing consular and passport services go global in designated overseas locations Our mission Our mission is to promote Australian exports and international education, strengthen Australia’s tourism sector, and attract investment into Australia. We do this by providing quality advice and services to exporters, education institutions and investors, including by generating market information and insights, promoting Australian capabilities, making connections through an extensive global network of contacts, and working collaboratively with partner organisations. Our staff Where we work 1,083 111 Austrade staff at 30 June locations at 30 June 2020, including 47 overseas 2020, across 10 Australian markets with 69 points of presence overseas. Eleven offices, as well as eight of those locations also provide consular services on overseas regions, where behalf of the Australian Government. more than half our staff are Within Australia, Austrade had 10 offices, client-facing. Austrade’s complemented by a further 32 TradeStart offices. workforce was 59 per cent See the network map on pages 4–5. female and 41 per cent male. Acknowledgement of country and traditional owners The Australian Trade and Investment Commission shows respect by acknowledging the traditional custodians of country throughout Australia and their continuing connections to land, waters and communities. We pay our respect to their cultures and elders past, present and future. Cover The pollination graphic on the cover forms part of Austrade’s new visual identity, and has been created using elements and inspiration from Trade Grounds by Bradley Kickett. For further information on Trade Grounds, see the cover and page 133 of Austrade’s 2018–19 annual report. Our purpose To deliver quality trade and investment services to businesses to grow Australia’s prosperity Our values Transparency Innovation Generosity of spirit Collaboration HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2019–20 Promoted Australia’s free Reduced time and cost for Continued to deliver value trade agreements exporters to Australian businesses We released new digital services to 1,805 help businesses 90% participants attended assess and of clients responding to 14 free trade agreement select appropriate markets, a survey say they were seminars (11 in-person, and understand market satisfied with Austrade’s three online) around opportunities and conditions, services, and 75 per Australia that highlighted including a prototype Trade cent say they achieved opportunities across Information Service to a commercial outcome Australia’s 13 existing free help businesses navigate within 12 months of trade agreements, as well the complex regulatory working with Austrade as expected benefits from environment and to reduce (see pages 21–4). upcoming agreements barriers for export (see (see page 28). pages 31 and 52–3). Provided consular and Won productive foreign Contributed to policy passport services direct investment development 97.6% of Austrade passport supported the applications $4.7b implementation received by in investment value, of the Austrade were accurately resulting from Comprehensive Strategic processed during 2019– 117 investment outcomes, Partnership between 20, with 99% of these helping create or safeguard Australia and India by scanned within a 24-hour 8,240 jobs (see page 25). developing the new Digital period (see pages 35–6). Education Hub and the Australia–India Business Exchange (see page 31). AUSTRADE’S RESPONSE TO COVID-19 Changed the way we deliver free trade Reconnected Australia’s international agreement seminars airfreight supply chains Austrade transformed the With global trade disrupted way we deliver free trade due to the reduction of agreement (FTA) seminars in passenger flights, the response to the restrictions government responded by caused by the global pandemic. We introducing the International Freight continued to provide information to Assistance Mechanism (IFAM). The IFAM exporters by pivoting to a new digital has helped secure over 30,000 tonnes of format to deliver a further three FTA high-value, time-sensitive exports within seminars as national webcasts (see the first 3 months of operation (see pages page 28). 30 and 54–5). Supported zoos and aquariums Ensured exporters had the right guidance to access JobKeeper A support package received 139 applications, with 84 Austrade advocated for the grant approvals to help importance of ensuring the maintain and care for animal JobKeeper scheme applied populations during the COVID-19 crisis, to Australian exporters after so zoos and aquariums are ready to industry raised concerns on eligibility. reopen and welcome visitors back when This advocacy resulted in revised guidance restrictions ease (see page 33). material being provided that clarified the eligibility of exporters to access JobKeeper (see page 30). AUSTRADE’S RESPONSE TO THE 2019–20 BUSHFIRES Helped regional tourism industry Austrade received 37 applications for Stream 1, aimed at small-scale events and Austrade worked closely with attractions, with 24 grant approvals put in the National Bushfire Recovery place by the end of June 2020. Agency and Emergency Management Australia to Stream 2 provides funding to local design a $10 million grant program (part government entities and regional tourism of the government’s $76 million tourism organisations for larger-scale events and recovery package) to help regional tourism attractions. By closing date, this stream had recover from the effects of the bushfires. received 46 applications, and 13 applicants Targeting local events, concerts, festivals had received an initial funding offer by the and visitor attractions in fire-affected end of June 2020 (see page 33). areas, the program was delivered in two streams. 15 October 2020 Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 Dear Minister It is my pleasure to present to you the annual report of the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) for the financial year 2019–20. The report has been prepared pursuant to section 46 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 and section 92 of the Australian Trade and Investment Commission Act 1985, and reflects the matters Austrade dealt with and the legislation it administered in pursuing its purpose for the year to 30 June 2020. I certify that I am satisfied Austrade has, in accordance with section 10 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule 2014: • prepared appropriate fraud risk assessments and a fraud control plan for 2019–20 • put in place appropriate fraud prevention, detection, investigation and reporting mechanisms that meet the specific needs of Austrade • taken all reasonable measures to appropriately deal with fraud relating to Austrade. In presenting this annual report, I would like to acknowledge the contribution made throughout the year by my colleagues in Austrade. Yours sincerely Tim Beresford Acting Chief Executive Officer LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL iii CONTENTS Austrade at a glance inside front cover PART 3 Highlights from 2019–20 i Management and accountability 61 Letter of transmittal iii Corporate governance 62 PART 1 Risk management 67 Corporate and operational planning 69 Agency overview 1 Legislative framework and external About Austrade 2 scrutiny 70 Austrade’s network 4 Management of people 71 Organisational structure 6 Financial management and business Acting Chief Executive Officer’s review 7 assurance 76 Financial review 9 Information and communications technology 79 PART 2 Report on performance 13 PART 4 Reporting framework 14 Financial statements 83 Corporate plan 14 Independent auditor’s report 84 Portfolio budget statements 14 Certification of financial statements 86 Annual performance statements 15 Financial statements 87 How our planning and performance Notes to and forming part of the documents interrelate 15 financial statements 100 Australian Trade and Investment Commission annual performance PART 5 statements 17 Appendixes 133 Approach 17 A Austrade and TradeStart locations Summary of results 18 in Australia, and TradeStart partners 134 Client services 19 B Work health and safety 136 Policy 29 C Financial and staffing resources 138 Consular and passport services 35 D Remuneration and staffing 141 E Ecologically sustainable Additional performance reporting 37 development and environmental Australia—a solid trade performance 37 performance 158 Outlook 38 F Advertising and market research 160 International network 40 G List of requirements 164 Global sectors 45 How we work with clients 51 List of figures and tables 172 Working across government on Abbreviations and acronyms 174 trade, tourism, investment and Index 175 international education 53 Auditors and acknowledgements 180 Media and events 56 Austrade locations 181 iv AUSTRALIAN TRADE AND INVESTMENT COMMISSION