TRADE FOCUS
Third highest monthly trade surplus on record
Australia's trade surplus of $1.45 billion in November last year was the fourth straight monthly trade surplus. The November result was the third highest monthly trade surplus on record and the value of exports during November was the second highest on record.
Australia's exports of goods and services totalled $26.9 billion during the month, a fall of 4 per cent on October, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics data released on 8 January. Imports of goods and services rose 2 per cent to $25.5 billion during November.
Acting Trade Minister Tony Burke said "exports in November held up remarkably well given the global downturn. In the face of falling global demand, Australian exports have dipped only slightly during the month, and services exports in fact rose to $4.6 billion in November."
Latest trade news
- Diplomatic Appointment - Australian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organization (WTO), 19 December
- Australia–Korea free trade agreement preparatory talks conclude, 19 December
- Australia Committed to Efforts to Break Impasse in Doha Round, 13 December
- Minister for Trade welcomes WTO market access deal with Kazakhstan, 12 December
- Minister for Trade Simon Crean to hold trade policy talks in Washington, 10 December
DFAT Submissions
- DFAT Submission to the National Aviation Policy Statement
- DFAT Submission to the Review of Australia's Textile, Clothing and Footwear Industry (pdf)
- DFAT Submission to the Review of the National Innovation System (pdf)
- DFAT Submission to the Review of Australia's Automotive Industry 2008 (pdf)
Seeking Submissions
- Do you have a view on a possible Free Trade Agreement between Australia and the Republic of Korea?
- DFAT continues to seek public submissions and comments on Australia's participation in TPP negotiations.
- Do you have a view on the proposed Australia-India Free Trade Agreement?
- Theft of intellectual property is a growing problem in world trade. A new standard of intellectual property (IP) enforcement to combat the high levels of trade in counterfeit and pirated goods worldwide is being proposed.
More information on Australia's trade performance
Trade balance seasonally adjusted
November 2008
