Western Australia and Queensland have agreed to share market research and development information for Asian markets.
And they will also co-operate in investigating impediments to small business exporters.
The commitment to co-operate was given today as Premier Carmen Lawrence and Premier Wayne Goss attended a meeting of the Western Australian Into Asia Business Council in Perth.
The council, which reports to the WA Premier, is made up of senior business people with experience in Asia to advise the Government on policies to improve Western Australia's export performance.
Late last year the two Premiers signed a memorandum of understanding committing Western Australia and Queensland to a strategic alliance for the development of links with Asia.
Mr Goss today said there was no room for parochialism or State exclusivity in promoting Australia's ability to service markets in Asia.
"There is great scope for co-operation between Queensland and Western Australia," he told the Into Asia Business Council.
"For instance, if we can double the numbers of companies attending Asian exhibitions and trade displays, we can get a far better response from potential customers."
Mr Goss said he believed there was great potential in ensuring trade missions represented private enterprises in both States.
"We have to remember that the Asian market is developing rapidly and that we are Australians first, not just people from individual States," he said.
"There is enough business in Asia for all of us.
"We can complement each other's promotion activities while still remaining competitors."
Premier Goss said Western Australia probably was ahead of Queensland in developing links with Indonesia and Malaysia.
But Queensland with its long association with Papua New Guinea and Taiwan was able to offer specialist market expertise under the strategic alliance.
Premier Lawrence welcomed the exchange of market intelligence and co-operation on research into impediments to exporters.
"This is the type of co-operation I had in mind when announcing the strategic alliance," she said.
"We are also looking to develop a working party of officials which can overcome duplication of services offered to private enterprise in developing new Asian export markets."
