Australia in the Asian Century White Paper:

AUSTRALIA'S ROADMAP FOR NAVIGATING THE ASIAN CENTURY

Paper,
Prime Minister Julia Gillard releases the Australia in the Asian Century White
a roadmap showing how Australia can be a winner in the Asian Century
he White Paperlays out an ambitious plan to ensure

communities to play their part in shaping our future. By

Australia will emerge stronger over the decades

ahead, by taking advantage of the opportunities

2025, this means real change for Australians. Children in

in which we live will become home to most ofthe worlds

their schooling, the curriculum will have included studies

goods and services, and the largest consumer of them.

The scale and pace of Asias rise is staggering, and

Work and holiday agreements between Australia and

its neighbours in Asia will mean more opportunity for
work and study in the region and to take up professional

kindergarten now will graduate from high school with a

offered by the Asian Century. in this century, the region

sound working knowledge of Asia because, throughout

middle class and will be the worlds largest producer of

relevant to Asia and access to a priority Asian language.

there are significant opportunities and challenges for all

Australians. It is not enough to rely on luck our future

opportunities as they emerge. The financial markets will

will be determined by the choices we make and how we

engage 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 Australia

can full its ambitions and compete effectively within

Asia, including:
> By 2025, Australia's GDP per person will be in the
in
worlds top 10, up from 13th in 2011, requiring a lift

our productivity
> This will mean Australias average real national income
will be about $73,000 per person in 2o25 compared
with about $62,000 in 2o12

> By 2025, our school system will be in the top five in the

world, and I0 ofour universities in the worlds top too

> Globally we will be ranked in the top 5 countries for

ease 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 listed

companies and Commonwealth bodies having deep
experience in and knowledge of Asia

> Our economy will be deeply integrated; our trade links

from
with Asia will be at least one-third of GDP, up
one-quarter today

footprint
> Our diplomatic network will have a larger

across Asia supporting stronger, deeper and broader

links with Asian nations.

The White Paper sets out a comprehensive agenda

ahead. It
for making the most of the opportunities

the
considers how Australia will successfully navigate

years ahead across five areas: strengthening our economy:

markets;
building our capabilities; connecting to growing
and
deeper
nurturing
and
ensuring sustainable security;
be
can
actions
what
broader relationships. lt sets out
and
businesses
taken by governments, and also calls on

Issues in Society 1 Volume 350

be better integrated and capital will flow more easily across

borders for investment, innovation and jobs growth.

Global and regional value chains willbe broader and deeper

across the region with opportunities for both small and
large businesses. Explosion in demand for high-quality

agricultural products will mean opportunities for our

farmers 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. The

National Broadband Network will reach across Australia

giving access to the furthest corners of the region. Australia

key
will have more comprehensive diplomatic ties with

regional nations China, India, Indonesia, lapan and

South Korea and will have expanded them with many

others. from Mongolia to Vietnam and beyond.

Australia comes to these challenges with rm found-

ations: a strong economy, a track record of engagement

in

the region, and the person-to-person connections many

Australians already have with people in Asian countries.

in
The White Paper calls on all of us to play our part
nation.
becoming a more Asia-literate and Asia-capable

The Australian Government will play its part in leading

of
our nation to this vision of the future during a time
will
we
enormous change. Like past Labor governments,
better
manage and shape change with the aim of providing

opportunities for all. To support the implementation of

this ambitious plan for the future, Craig Emerson, Minister

for Trade and Competitiveness, will take on the responon the
sibility for assisting the Prime Minister to deliver
responsibilities,
objectives of the White Paper. His new
as Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Asian
Century Policy, will complement his existing portfolio
each of
responsibilities. Prime Minister Gillard thanked
members,
the White Paper Task Force and Advisory Panel

and those organisations and individuals who contributed

to the White Paper consultation process, both in Australia
to
and overseas, as she asked for the broader community
Consider their part in shaping a shared future.

Media release, 28 October 2012

of Australia, www.pm.gov.au
Minister
Prime
Gillard,
Julia

Australia's Engagement with Asia