Bob Carr (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Our goal is, of course, for Australia's trade links with Asia to be one-third of national GDP by 2025 taking it up from one-quarter in 2011. To achieve this we will need to connect with the growing Asian markets. That is why the government will pilot a new streamlined visa process that will make it easier for tourists and students to visit Australia, and Australia will expand our online visa lodgement system. We will support multiple entry visas and longer visa validity periods for low-risk visitors, which means more people will be able to come to Australia for longer periods. The government will increase the work and holiday visa programs with countries in Asia starting with an additional 1,000 from Indonesia. As part of the white paper strategy Australia will appoint a resident ambassador to ASEAN, strengthening Australia's ties with our 10 South-East Asian neighbours.

I want to say again that this habit of dialogue, this regular consultation, captures the spirit of the white paper. The government's white paper comes at precisely the moment when we can say that Australian business is thinking of Asia as an extension of Australia. (Time expired)