CK recently sponsored the 29th Joint Conference of the Australia-Taiwan Business Council and its Taiwan counterpart, the Republic of China-Australia Business Council, held in Darwin on 3 and 4 September 2015. Attendees at the Conference included Ministers from the NT, the Ambassadors to each respective country, and a high level delegation from Taiwan of government officials and business people.

In keeping with the location of the Conference, its theme was the development and investment potential in Northern Australia (effectively from the Tropic of Capricorn northwards but including the whole of the NT) given the Federal Government's recently released White Paper concerning the development of Northern Australia.

Industry breakout sessions at the Conference covered the topics of Infrastructure, Investment and Financial Services, Minerals and Energy, Tourism and Education, and Agribusiness.

CK's Managing Partner, John Toigo, who is also Vice Chairman of the Australia-Taiwan Business Council, chaired the Agribusiness session of the Conference and also presented an overview of the Agribusiness sector in Australia with a particular focus on Northern Australia.

The development of Northern Australia presents significant challenges, including the establishment of necessary road and water infrastructure to facilitate business activities, but also tremendous opportunity.

Increasing focus on investment in the North is now being considered not only from Asia, but also companies and fund managers from North America and Europe.

A COPY OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S WHITE PAPER CAN BE FOUND AT HTTP://NORTHERNAUSTRALIA.INFRASTRUCTURE.GOV.AU/

A COPY OF CK'S PRESENTATION IS AVAILALBLE TO DOWNLOAD BY CLICKING THE ABOVE LINK

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