DHL Express Australia has signed up for a trade promotion alliance with Austrade, the AustralianGovernment’s trade promotion organisation. At the same time, a DHL customer survey has found
increasing support for a common currency for Australia and New Zealand.Under the trade agreement, DHL plans to leverage relationships with its broad customer base inorder to boost awareness of Austrade’s services among Australian companies looking to take theirproducts and services to the world. Measures include sales staff training, website promotion, adirect mail campaign and Austrade brochure distribution along with DHL customer informationmaterial. DHL will also provide free freight transport for emerging exporters attending exhibitionsand fairs in export destination countries.
“DHL passionately believes in the need for export growth to fuel the long-term growth of theAustralian economy,” said Harlis Malkic, General Manager, DHL Express, Australia. “At the sametime, we recognise that this can only come about through the active promotion of an export culturewithin the Australian community. That is why we are bringing a new dimension to our relationshipwith Austrade, aimed at delivering practical and strategic export assistance to even morebusinesses.”
Austrade Managing Director Peter O’Byrne welcomed the new initiative, saying that it builds onthe important and long-standing relationship between Austrade and DHL. The alliance builds on afifteen-year relationship between DHL and Austrade, the centrepieces of which are major sponsorshipof the Australian Export Awards, and the DHL Export Barometer. Developed in conjunction withAustrade, the DHL Export Barometer, a national study of 308 of Australia’s key exporters, analysesexport confidence and identifies Australian export trends.
Meanwhile, a survey of over 2,000 DHL customers found that the majority of Australian (60%) andNew Zealand (56%) exporters support a single currency for the two countries, despite low confidencelevels in the New Zealand economy. The DHL Trans-Tasman Exporting Index found that New Zealandexporters are worried about their economy, with 78% predicting an economic downturn, and over halfof them (53%) think it will come within a year. On the other side of the Tasman Sea, 46% ofAustralian exporters see it coming within two years, and 45% believe it will happen but areuncertain when.
“It is particularly surprising that Australians are keen to support a single currency, giventhat there are concerns on both sides about New Zealand’s slowing economic growth. However, theseresults suggest that the trading relationship between the two nations is absolutely crucial forboth, and the need for simpler exporting relationships outweighs any concerns about the economicimpact of tying the dollars together,” said Gary Edstein, Regional Director, Oceania, DHLExpress.
Despite support for a single currency, it is not seen as a magic bullet for improved trade. 36%of respondents believe the most effective measure is greater harmonisation of regulatory andbusiness rules, and a single currency is the next most popular. Another 20% advocate greaterco-operation in competition policy.
