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Australia in the Asian Century White Paper:AUSTRALIA'S ROADMAP FOR NAVIGATING THE ASIAN CENTURY
Prime Minister Julia Gillard releases the Australia in the Asian Century White Paper,
a roadmap showing how Australia can be a winner in the Asian Century
he White Paperlays out an ambitious plan to ensureAustralia will emerge stronger over the decadesahead, by taking advantage of the opportunities
offered by the Asian Century. in this century, the regionin which we live will become home to most ofthe world’smiddle class and will be the worlds largest producer of
goods and services, and the largest consumer of them.The scale and pace of Asia’s rise is staggering, and
there are significant opportunities and challenges for all
Australians. It is not enough to rely on luck - our future
will be determined by the choices we make and how weengage with the region we live in. We must build on our
strengths and take active steps to shape our future.
The White Paper sets out a number of targets for our
country over the next 13 years to 2025 to ensure Australiacan fulfil its ambitions and compete effectively within
Asia, including:> By 2025, Australia's GDP per person will be in the
worlds top 10, up from 13th in 2011, requiring a lift in
our productivity> This will mean Australias average real national income
will be about $73,000 per person in 2o25 comparedwith about $62,000 in 2o12
> By 2025, our school system will be in the top five in theworld, and I0 ofour universities in the worlds top too
> Globally we will be ranked in the top 5 countries forease ofdoing business and our innovation system will
be in the world's top 10> Studies of Asia will be a core part of the Australian
school curriculum> All students will have continuous access to a priority
Asian language ~ Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, lndon~esian and Japanese
> Our leaders will be more Asia literate, with one-third
ofboard members ofAustralia's top 200 publicly listedcompanies and Commonwealth bodies having deepexperience in and knowledge of Asia
> Our economy will be deeply integrated; our trade links
with Asia will be at least one-third of GDP, up from
one-quarter today> Our diplomatic network will have a larger footprint
across Asia supporting stronger, deeper and broader
links with Asian nations.
The White Paper sets out a comprehensive agenda
for making the most of the opportunities ahead. It
considers how Australia will successfully navigate theyears ahead across five areas: strengthening our economy:
building our capabilities; connecting to growing markets;
ensuring sustainable security; and nurturing deeper and
broader relationships. lt sets out what actions can be
taken by governments, and also calls on businesses and
Issues in Society 1 Volume 350
communities to play their part in shaping our future. By
2025, this means real change for Australians. Children inkindergarten now will graduate from high school with a
sound working knowledge of Asia because, throughouttheir schooling, the curriculum will have included studies
relevant to Asia and access to a priority Asian language.Work and holiday agreements between Australia and
its neighbours in Asia will mean more opportunity forwork and study in the region and to take up professionalopportunities as they emerge. The financial markets will
be better integrated and capital will flow more easily acrossborders for investment, innovation and jobs growth.Global and regional value chains willbe broader and deeperacross the region — with opportunities for both small andlarge businesses. Explosion in demand for high-qualityagricultural products will mean opportunities for ourfarmers and regional Australia.
More tourists from nations in Asia will choose Australia
as a holiday destination and more students from the
region will study here in more advanced universities. TheNational Broadband Network will reach across Australia
giving access to the furthest corners ofthe region. Australia
will have more comprehensive diplomatic ties with key
regional nations — China, India, Indonesia, lapan and
South Korea — and will have expanded them with manyothers. from Mongolia to Vietnam and beyond.
Australia comes to these challenges with firm found-ations: a strong economy, a track record ofengagement in
the region, and the person-to-person connections manyAustralians already have with people in Asian countries.
The White Paper calls on all of us to play our part in
becoming a more Asia-literate and Asia-capable nation.
The Australian Government will play its part in leadingour nation to this vision of the future during a time of
enormous change. Like past Labor governments, we will
manage and shape change with the aim ofproviding better
opportunities for all. To support the implementation ofthis ambitious plan for the future, Craig Emerson, Minister
for Trade and Competitiveness, will take on the respon-
sibility for assisting the Prime Minister to deliver on the
objectives of the White Paper. His new responsibilities,as Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Asian
Century Policy, will complement his existing portfolio
responsibilities. Prime Minister Gillard thanked each of
the White Paper Task Force and Advisory Panel members,
and those organisations and individuals who contributedto the White Paper consultation process, both in Australiaand overseas, as she asked for the broader community toConsider their part in shaping a shared future.
Media release, 28 October 2012
Julia Gillard, Prime Minister of Australia, www.pm.gov.au
Australia's Engagement with Asia