With the recent launch of the “Trade and Investment Strategy to 2030“, a strategic document outlining a growth path based on enhancing key sectors of excellence and penetrating new emerging markets, South Australia aims to strengthen its position in international markets and attract high-value investments.
South Australia’s international trade already accounts for over 15% of its Gross State Product (GSP), with annual exports of goods and services reaching 22.8 billion dollars. This dynamism translates into over 229,200 jobs directly linked to export activities. The leading export sectors are food and wine (8.67 billion dollars), followed by energy and minerals (5.09 billion dollars) and international education, worth 3.20 billion dollars. The main destination markets are led by mainland China with 4.20 billion dollars, followed by the United States (2.12 billion dollars), Malaysia (1.13 billion dollars), and India (1.07 billion dollars). In terms of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), the state has attracted capital worth 20.1 billion dollars in the last ten years, creating over 23,650 new jobs. The primary sources of investment come from the United Kingdom and Europe (11.3 billion dollars) and the Americas (5.2 billion dollars), with a strong concentration in the renewable energy sector, which has attracted 14.1 billion dollars in investments.
In light of these figures, South Australia’s new strategy aims to increase the share of exports in GSP from the current 15.4% to 18% by 2030, while boosting the number and diversity of exporting businesses and raising the national share of FDI to 5%, diversifying the countries from which capital flows. Additionally, special focus is given to improving market access for regional businesses, women-led enterprises, and First Nations communities.
The government plan adopts a targeted approach, focusing on markets and sectors with the highest growth potential. On one hand, the aim is to consolidate presence in mature markets such as the United States, the United Kingdom (also in view of the AUKUS trilateral agreement), Europe, China, Japan, and South Korea. On the other hand, the strategy targets new, high-potential emerging markets, especially India and Southeast Asia. India is identified as a global growth engine, with its youthful demographics driving strong demand for education and consumer goods, while its food security needs make it a key market for agricultural raw materials, supported by the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA). Meanwhile, with the rise of a vast middle class, Southeast Asia, projected to become the world’s fourth-largest economy by 2040, is showing growing demand for high-end agri-food products, education, and tourism, with a focus on countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Furthermore, the region’s digital economy, which is expected to reach 1 trillion dollars by 2032, offers significant opportunities for Australian tech companies.
South Australia’s strategy also looks to the Middle East, identifying Gulf countries as global hubs for trade and investment in energy, mining, and food security technologies. To access these markets, the strategy leverages nine key industrial sectors in which South Australia holds established global competitive advantages: renewable energy and cleantech; critical minerals; defense and space; international education; tourism; agri-food; wine; critical and emerging technologies; and health and medical technologies.
The “Country System” Supporting Businesses
To bring this vision to life and guide businesses in their export and investment processes, the Government has established an integrated support network, with the Department of State Development (DSD) acting as the central coordination body and overseeing various specialized agencies. Notable among them are Invest SA, which serves as the go-to agency for attracting and facilitating foreign investments; Trade Start, which offers specialized consulting for businesses looking to enter international markets; and Brand SA, responsible for promoting the “South Australia” brand, along with a network of direct representations in key strategic markets to provide on-the-ground support. Other government agencies with specific expertise, from logistics (DIT) to tourism (SATC), defense (Defence SA), and energy (DEM), work together to create a cohesive ecosystem and maximize South Australia’s economic opportunities on the global stage. Additionally, the strategy emphasizes organizing business missions to foster direct connections between local companies and international partners, both inbound and outbound, as well as capitalizing on the state’s portfolio of high-profile sports and cultural events, such as the AFL Gather Round, to attract investors and importers.
The South Australia Trade and Investment Strategy to 2030, presented in July 2025, shares interesting parallels with Italy’s Export Action Plan for high-potential non-EU markets, launched on March 21 by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. While it is a sub-national strategy, it shares with the Italian plan an integrated approach to internationalization promotion: distinguishing between mature and high-potential markets, the coordination role of the “Country System” (in the Australian case, the partnership between state government, promotion agencies, and businesses), the emphasis on economic missions, and the leveraging of cultural and educational dimensions as tools of economic diplomacy. This parallelism highlights the growing convergence among advanced economies toward export support models based on institutional synergy and strategic presence in emerging markets.
Website: Invest South Australia | Department of State Development: https://invest.sa.gov.au/
Website: South Australia Business Chamber: https://sabusinesschamber.com.au/