Ladies and gentlemen, bonsoir.
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Australian residence tonight to celebrate the 155th Melbourne Cup. A big thank you to this evening’s primary sponsor, la Fédération des Courses Hippiques, especially to the President M. Aifa.
Generous support was also provided by the boutique CAST, and also by the brand Tarocash, distributed in Noumea by U-Man. Thank you to Christelle Lafleur and Dominique Annonier for your contributions. These stores are both great ambassadors of Australian fashion, and you can see some excellent Australian designs on the mannequins around the room. I would also like to thank the Australia Pacific Islands Business Council Working Group for welcoming me to the New Caledonian business community. I look forward to working closely with you in the future.
Australia and New Caledonia share a love of the equine industry, and of horse racing. In fact, one of New Caledonia’s most prestigious horse races, the Coupe Clarke, is named after an Australian businessman, who established the race in 1926. Many New Caledonian horses have Australian lineage, and this year we saw the export of New Caledonian horses to Australia for the first time.
It is wonderful to witness the New Caledonian horse industry come of age, and to see its relationship with Australia grow every year. This synergy is highlighted by our partnership with the Fédération des Courses Hippiques this year, who have just finished their own successful racing season for 2015. The Melbourne Cup is followed in New Caledonia, with almost as much excitement as it is in Australia.
As you may have noticed, this year’s theme for our annual Melbourne Cup event is Australian fashion. In 1962, Melbourne Cup introduced the ‘Fashions on the Field’ competition to attract more women to the races. It has become an essential part of the Melbourne Cup and Australian racing culture ever since. The racing season is called the “Spring Racing Carnival” and sees Melbourne alight with racing fever. We are re-creating Melbourne Cup fashion fever here tonight, with the winners of our own fashions on the field competition to be announced shortly.
And while we are using fashion to have a bit of fun tonight, the industry is an example of creativity and innovation driving the Australian economy. The fashion industry contributes twelve billion Australian dollars to our economy and employs approximately 220 000 people. Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has remarked that “our greatest resource is our people and the ability to innovate, their entrepreneurial flair and talent.”
Australia’s creativity has been recognised, taking out first place in the University of Toronto’s Martin Prosperity Institute Global Creativity Index 2015. The creativity index shows a close relationship between creativity, entrepreneurship and competitiveness – traits that underpin Australia’s economic trajectory.
The Australian Government is working closely with the fashion and design industry to promote private sector engagement, nurture talent, promote economic opportunities and promote gender equality. The Australian Fashion Chamber, the peak body for designers, was been awarded a grant that allowed five up-and-coming Australian designers to participate in Paris Fashion Week – the heart of international fashion.
With its unique blend of French chic and Pacific flair New Caledonia could be a natural partner for Australia’s creative industries. Australian and New Caledonian businesses across all sectors have the advantage of close proximity, shared seasons, and similar climates.
I look forward to seeing our countries’ shared interests and creativity drive our businesses and define our trade relationship into the future.
I would now like to give M. Aifa President of the Federation des Courses Hippiques the opportunity to say a few words.