It’s great to be here in Seattle.
Around the world, this is a city that stands for innovation and aspiration.
The genius to unlock discovery - and the determination and drive that turns a breakthrough idea, into a breakout commercial success.
Seattle is home to a powerful combination of co-operation and competition, people working with each other and spurring each other on.
This room tells that story.
We have representation here from the whole business pipeline – from start-ups to global household names.
Australian companies with a strong and growing presence here in the United States, including on the West Coast.
And US companies who recognise the extraordinary potential that investing in Australia represents.
Whether it is quantum and AI.
Defence, health or agriculture.
Software or space technology.
All of you are bringing your optimism and determination to some of the great challenges facing our world.
And in doing so, you are changing people’s lives for the better.
This room – and indeed this city - also reflects of the strength of the economic relationship between Australia and the United States.
Australia sent its first trade commissioner to the United States back in 1918.
The US has had an annual trade surplus with Australia since the early 1950s.
And it was here in Seattle, in 1993 that the leaders of the economies of the Asia-Pacific came together for the first APEC leaders’ meeting.
An historic commitment to “openness and partnership”, speeding the flow of goods, capital and investment across borders and throughout our region.
My last visit to Seattle was in January 2019 for the West Coast session of the Australian American Leadership Dialogue, bringing together political, business and academic leaders to engage constructively to shape change in the interests of our countries and common humanity.
Free and fair trade has transformed the economies of our region.
And it underpins economic partnership between our two nations, including through the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement, signed twenty years ago.
Today, the United States is Australia’s largest foreign investment destination and our largest two-way investment partner.
Our task is to build on this strength – and diversify beyond it.
To seek out new sources for growth and investment, particularly in the sectors you represent.
My Government recognises that research and development, technology and innovation are critical to driving economic growth and boosting productivity.
We want a culture that encourages businesses and industry to embrace new technology and incorporate it into the way they work.
Where Australian innovators back themselves to commercialise their breakthroughs.
And where global investors are clear about everything our nation has to offer: our democracy and stability, our space and energy, our connections to the fastest region of the world in human history and our greatest asset – our people, their smarts and skills and get-up-and-go.
On that note, it was fantastic to visit Amazon’s headquarters here in Seattle to highlight their new investment in Australia’s strong and growing digital economy.
$20 billion to expand the Australian network of data centres.
This sends a signal to the world – and it’s a powerful symbol of Australia and the United States co-operating to seize and shape a new era of prosperity.
Over the coming days at the G7 in Alberta, we’ll be focusing on the significant security and economic challenges facing the world.
But we should not lose sight of the profound opportunities that can be realised by closer and deeper co-operation.
The businesses in this room are proof of that.
In a time of global uncertainty, all of you represent cause for optimism.
This same sense of optimism and shared purpose should drive our approach to matters such as energy security – including critical minerals.
And underpin the way we boost our technological capabilities, from advanced manufacturing and clean energy technology to cutting-edge AI and biotechnology.
It is important for Australia to be part of this dialogue - because we bring a lot to the table.
We will engage respectfully and constructively, in our national interest.
We will continue to advocate for free and fair trade, for the jobs it creates and the investment it drives.
We will hold true to the principles of shared opportunity and collective responsibility that are vital to building a more secure, prosperous and stable region – and world.