The Australian Trade Commission or Austrade, is the Australian government

Government of Australia

The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy. The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 as a result of an agreement among six self-governing British colonies, which became the six states...

 trade and investment development agency, a statutory authority administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia)

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is a department of the government of Australia charged with advancing the interests of Australia and its citizens internationally...

(DFAT), with offices in overseas embassies and consulates and representative arrangements in some other locations.

Global network

A global network is organised in four regions: the Americas; Europe, Middle East and Africa; North East Asia; and South East Asia, South Asia and the Pacific.
In Australia, services and programs are delivered through 14 Austrade locations and a network of 51 TradeStart locations in metropolitan and regional areas, operating in partnership with Australian state and territory governments, industry associations and regional development bodies.

Services

Austrade provides advice to exporters on prospective markets and opportunities, on-the-ground support in target countries, trade exhibitions, and assistance in finding potential investors. It sponsors community education services, particularly in the area of teacher training, about international trade and related topics. No charge is made for general information; fees may be required for specific tailored advice.

As the first national contact point for foreign investment inquiries, Austrade actively promotes Australia as an internationally competitive place to do business, offering free and confidential advice and assistance. The agency helps international companies to establish in Australia and/or to locate and identify Australian suppliers.

Austrade co-ordinates the Building Brand Australia program, a 4-year, AU$20 million program to promote Australia's credentials as a "global citizen, global business partner and world class destination".

Export Market Development Grants

The EMDG scheme aims to encourage small- and medium-sized Australian businesses to develop export markets. Under it, eligible businesses are reimbursed for part of the export marketing costs they incur. The scheme supports a wide range of industry sectors and products, including inbound tourism and the export of intellectual property.

Governance

Established under the Australian Trade Commission Act 1985, Austrade is a prescribed agency subject to the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 and the Public Service Act 1999. Until 30 June 2006, Austrade was governed by a board. As a result of a June 2003 review, the board was replaced from 1 July 2006 by a Chief Executive Officerwho reports directly to the Minister for Trade.