What's coming up?
First Nations exporters – It's your time to shine at the 63rd Australian Export Awards
The Australian Export Awards is one of Australia's most prestigious and longest running export awards programs. The awards can help you unlock new business opportunities, build connections, grow your export business, and receive global recognition.
Austrade receives applications from all over Australia across 14 national categories, and for the first time this includes a 'First Nations Exporter' national award category.
Applications are now open. No matter your size or industry, register below for the upcoming First Nations application workshop to discover why you should apply and how Austrade can help you on your exporting journey.
Register for the First Nations Application Workshop
Date: 15 May 2025
Time: 11:00am – 12:00pm AEST
For further information and eligibility requirements, please visit Australian Export Awards.
Interested in exploring overseas markets?
Austrade and State & Territory partners will be hosting exclusive export-focused networking events in all states & territories during May and June. These events are a must attend for Indigenous businesses looking to achieve international growth especially in Southeast Asia.
Austrade's Head of Indigenous Engagement and Export, Melanie Harris and others will share information about:
- Accessing the trade services you need to expand in overseas markets.
- Assessing market potential.
- Developing export strategies.
- Finding valuable contacts overseas.
Dates:
- 14 May – Perth
- 19 May – Brisbane
- 22 May – Canberra
- 27 May – Darwin
- 29 May – Sydney
- 3 June – Hobart
- 5 June – Melbourne
- 11 June - Adelaide
Registration: Exploring Overseas Markets roadshow 2025
Austrade Go Global Webinar Series
Join Austrade and industry experts for unique exporting insights. These webinars cover export basics through to more advanced topics. Here are a few upcoming webinars that may be of interest to Indigenous businesses.
- IP for Export: 13 May 2025, 12-12:45pm AEST - This interactive webinar will help simplify international IP protection with the latest information from IP Australia. Tailored for Australian business looking to expand into new overseas markets, you'll get practical insights through case studies and scenarios. Learn how registered IP rights can protect your brands and inventions, helping your business to grow. Register for IP for export.
- Fintech and cyber security opportunities in Vietnam and Southeast Asia: 14 May 2025, 2-3pm AEST – This webinar will help you succeed in Vietnam's high growth digital economy. You'll hear insights from industry experts and get a better understanding of the regulatory, policy and competitive landscape. Register for Fintech and cyber security opportunities in Vietnam and SEA
World Trade Organization Public Forum
The World Trade Organization (WTO) has announced the theme of its annual Public Forum, Enhance, Create and Preserve, which will be held in Geneva from 17-18 September 2025. This year's Forum will focus on digital trade, and the opportunities it presents to support sustainable development, create jobs, and strengthen diversity in international trade. This theme complements Australia's work to bring into force the WTO E-Commerce Agreement. Proposals for Forum sessions are due 13 June 2025.
The Public Forum is the WTO's largest outreach event, providing a platform for stakeholders to discuss developments in global trade and to propose ways to enhance the multilateral trading system. The event attracts over 2,000 representatives each year from civil society, academia, business, government, international organisations and the media.
Further information can be found on the WTO website. Should you wish to discuss the Forum with DFAT, please email: TradePolicy.Review@dfat.gov.au
World Indigenous Business Forum 2025 - Melbourne
Early bird registration is now open for the World Indigenous Business Forum 2025 that will be held over 28 to 30 October 2025 in Melbourne.
For further information or to register, please visit: World Indigenous Business Forum Inc.
Mining Indonesia – Jakarta, 17-20 September 2025
Austrade, together with state government partners, invites expressions of interest from Australian businesses to be part of the Australia Pavilion at Mining Indonesia from 17-20 September 2025. As places are limited, submit your company's expressions of interest before the opportunity closes on Saturday, 10 May 2025. For further information and eligibility requirements, please visit Mining Indonesia 2025.
Upcoming Program and Grant opportunities
Generation Next: ASEAN-Australian Women Leading Economic Growth
Applications are now open for early-stage female founders, aged between 18 and 40, to apply for Generation Next. The program, supported by the ASEAN-Australia Centre, supports female founders from ASEAN, Timor-Leste and Australia who are ready to fuel their ambition, build cross-cultural connections and scale their business, social enterprise or startup on a global stage. Generation Next will run for 13 weeks, including a 12-week online program, interactive experiences and a one-week trade mission to Melbourne, Australia.
We're specifically looking for businesses focused on climate tech, sustainability, green economy, energy transition or other climate impact to apply for this year's program. If this sounds like you, apply before 18 May 2025.
Call for Submissions - Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership: Establishment of Costa Rica Accession Working Group:
On 28 November 2024, Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) Minsters met for the Eighth CPTPP Commission and announced the commencement of an accession process for Costa Rica.
DFAT is now welcoming submissions from interested individuals and groups on the opportunities and impacts of Costa Rica's potential accession to the CPTPP. Stakeholders are invited to consider market access opportunities and challenges for goods and services trade with Costa Rica, including tariff and non-tariff barriers, and barriers to Australian investment into Costa Rica.
Please send submissions to CPTPP@dfat.gov.au.
More information can be found on the DFAT website: Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Business.gov.au Grants Finder
If you're doing business in Australia, check out the Grants Finder that will help you find grants, funding and support programs from across government. You can use this free guided search to filter for a range of criteria including location, industry, and initiatives specific for Indigenous businesses.
Recent News
Update on US tariffs
The US has imposed 10 per cent tariffs on most imports from Australia into the United States. Some goods are subject to a higher tariff rate, while others are exempt. The Trump Administration has also announced investigations into trade in certain goods (including pharmaceuticals, timber, copper and critical minerals) which may lead to further tariffs. It is important for exporters to understand the changes already introduced and to stay up to date with new announcements. Exporters should seek independent advice on these updated requirements.
Austrade provides information and advice to Australian businesses via its Go Global Toolkit: US tariff changes – support for Australian businesses. Australian exporters may need to engage with a licensed customs broker (see Brokerages list) or contact US Customs and Border Protection with specific questions. For further information on US tariffs, please visit Latest on US tariffs.
Export Assurance Reform for non-prescribed goods
The Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) is reforming how non-prescribed goods (NPGs) are exported. These include wool, rendered products, skins and hides, pet food, stock feed, feed additives, processed foods, honey, pharmaceuticals, and blood products, among others. Combined, the export of these products generates nearly $10 billion each year. This reform includes the drafting of a new export control rule, improvement of IT systems and uplift of data capture and assurance processes that the department will undertake on behalf of the commodities included within this sector.
Australian agricultural exporters will benefit from the reform through:
- Improved and simplified processes for exporters.
- Clear approaches to making decisions and providing assurance for our exports.
- Flexibility to adapt as a system to changes in importing country requirements.
- Appropriate, consistent, and transparent management of export risks.
- Continued trust in Australia's exports, exporters, export regulator, and our status as a world-leading trading partner.
More information is available on DAFF's website