Governor Gretchen Whitmer is on a one-week investment mission to Australia, aimed at strengthening business ties and building opportunities for Michigan’s growth. Michigan has a long-standing relationship with Australia, particularly in the automotive and mobility sectors. In May 2023, the governor and Australia’s Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, and Local Government signed an updated Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Michigan and Australia, reaffirming our commitment to collaboration in the automotive industry, future mobility, and the transportation sector.
Key Points:
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- During the investment mission, the governor and Michigan delegation will meet with several companies in Australia, including two with a strong Michigan presence.
- The governor will also meet with Australian government leaders in New South Wales and Victoria to further deepen diplomatic ties between Michigan and Australia andidentify opportunities for cultural and economic exchange.
- The delegation will host multiple business roundtables while in the country, including with the American Chamber of Commerce, Global Victoria Women, and with mobility and defense industry members.
“This investment mission will build on Michigan’s longstanding, shared heritage with Australia and strengthen our ties as we build on our future in the mobility, defense, clean energy, and cybersecurity industries,”said Governor Whitmer. “I look forward to sharing this experience with our Michigan delegation and engaging with global partners in Australia to share how they too can ‘Make It’ in Michigan. I will continue to work with anyone and travel anywhere to enhance Michigan’s leadership in our core strategic industries and bring opportunities back home to Michiganders.”
Members of the delegation traveling with Governor Whitmer include:
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- Representatives from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), including CEO Quentin L. Messer, Jr.,
- Chief Mobility Officer Justine Johnson
- S. Army Maj. Gen. Paul D. Rogers, adjutant general and director of the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
- Brad Wieferich, director, and Michele Mueller, senior project manager, of the Michigan Department of Transportation
- Karen A. Thole, Robert J.Vlasic Dean of Engineering at the University of Michigan
- JohnPapapolymerou, interim dean of the College of Engineering at Michigan State University
- Sarah Gonzales, director of state and local government affairs at Delta Air Lines
