In March 2024, the RMIT Asia Trade and Innovation Hub, in collaboration with Asia Society Australia, brought together diaspora business leaders in Australia from key ASEAN countries and markets to discuss strengthening business links and to identify key activities and opportunities to support SMEs in Australia to engage in two-way opportunities.
There were 16 Southeast Asian diaspora participants who attended the roundtable from Australia’s Malaysian, Indonesian, Thai, Vietnamese, Laotian, Singaporean and Filipino communities. There were 4 other participants representing Asia Society Australia, RMIT University, Austrade and Victoria’s Department of Premier and Cabinet.
The Diaspora Roundtable: Engaging Australia’s Southeast Asian Business Community Summary Paper, explores the key insights that emerged from the roundtable discussion. Participants were prompted with questions that addressed two themes: their experiences as a diaspora business leader in Australia, and their suggestions on what government, industry and member organisations can do better to deepen business links with the region.
The roundtable aligned with the 2024 ASEAN-Australia Special Summit to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of ASEAN-Australia Dialogue Partnership and was supported by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet as part of the Summit week activities.
Watch the Diaspora Roundtable highlight video
