The Association of Australian Convention Bureaux (AACB) has congratulated the Hon Dan Tehan MP (pictured) on his appointment as minister for trade, tourism and investment.
AACB CEO, Andrew Hiebl said: “Minister Tehan has been a supporter of the high-yield business events industry since his role as chair of the Coalition Friends of Tourism earlier this decade. More recently, the minister has shown his understanding of the industry’s needs as the trade, tourism and investment representative in the House of Representatives.”
AACB president, Michael Matthews thanked the outgoing trade minister, Simon Birmingham, on behalf of the association, “for his support of the business events industry over the past two years” and congratulated him in his new portfolio as minister for finance.”
Minister Birmingham, the AACB said, had enhanced the Business Events Bid Fund and was key to securing A$50m to help restart business events in response to Covid-19. “Our ongoing relationship with minister Birmingham will continue to be critical to the future of the business events industry and Australia’s economic recovery post pandemic,” Matthews added.
The AACB said the Government must be congratulated for maintaining business events within the trade and investment portfolio. “With business events valued at more than A$35bn to Australia and underpinning more than 229,000 jobs, the industry will help drive international capital to grow our economy.
“Moving forward, AACB will work closely with minister Tehan as an advocate within Cabinet, to build on the role business events can play in growing key industries through sharing global expertise, nurturing collaboration, and fostering innovation.”
