Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister, Assistant Minister for the Public Service
Assistant Minister Patrick Gorman will travel to France from 15 to 18 July to represent the Australian Government and promote Australia's trade and tourism interests, as well as Australia's role as the host of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
This visit will mark the launch of direct flights between Perth and Paris, commencing just in time for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Tourism Australia Managing Director Philippa Harrison, Tourism Western Australia Chair Di Bain and Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson will join Assistant Minister Gorman for the official launch of the Perth to Paris flight QF33.
Perth is Australia's western gateway to the world and these direct flights will add to existing direct routes from Perth to London and Rome, enabling greater ease of travel between Europe and Australia.
In France, Assistant Minister Gorman will meet with trade representatives from a range of key industries and will participate in the Tourism Australia Senior Industry Round Table.
Assistant Minister Gorman will meet with members of the Australian Olympic Committee as Australia prepares to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2032 in Brisbane.
Accompanied by a delegation from the Australian Olympic Committee, Assistant Minister Gorman will visit the Sir John Monash Centre in the Somme, and will lay a wreath at the grave of Australian Olympian and Second Lieutenant Cecil Healy.
Assistant Minister Gorman will meet with senior representatives from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) while in France. In these meetings, Assistant Minister Gorman will have the opportunity to engage with the OECD on Australia's public sector reform agenda.
Australia and France have an enduring relationship built on deep ties. Representing the Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator Don Farrell, Assistant Minister Gorman will promote Australia as a tourism destination as we seek to welcome even more French visitors to our shores.
In the year ending March 2024, some 114,000 French travellers visited Australia. This figure compares with 78,000 visitors in the previous 12-month period; an increase of 46 per cent. There were more than 20,000 French working holiday makers in Australia on 31 December 2023.
This new direct flight will enhance existing trade links between France and Australia. France is Australia's 17th largest two-way trading partner, with trade worth $12.9 billion in 2023. France is Australia's 14th largest source of foreign investment, investing $51.2 billion in 2023.
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister Patrick Gorman:
"Perth is Australia's new gateway to Europe. This Perth-Paris direct flight is a win for Western Australia and the nation as a whole.
"This new direct route will support business, our tourism industry and Australians to maintain and build on our already strong social, political and economic ties with France and Europe.
"These flights are taking off at an exciting time, as Australians head over to Paris to cheer on our Olympic and Paralympic athletes.
"Looking ahead to when Australia hosts the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, trade and tourism is expected to increase to $8.5 billion nation-wide and this direct flight will make Australia more accessible to the international market."
