On the occasion of the Roma-Milan friendly match in Perth on 31 May, the Italian Ambassador to Australia, Paolo Crudele, made an extended institutional visit to Western Australia from 28 May to 1 June.
Accompanied by the Consul in Perth, Sergio Federico Nicolaci, the Ambassador met with representatives of the major mining companies (some of which have interests in Italy) operating in Western Australia, which is one of the most mining oriented regions in the world.
The participation of the main trade associations and the main companies operating in the sector allowed an up-to-date assessment of the dynamics and challenges facing the mining industry, which alone accounts for 17.5% of Australia’s GDP, including decarbonisation, the growing importance of critical minerals in the context of global strategic competition and potential synergies with the Italian industrial system.
During his visit to Perth, Ambassador Crudele also met with representatives of important Italian companies operating in Western Australia, including WeBuild, Mapei, Nuovo Pignone (Baker-Hughes Group) and Bedeschi, to whom he reiterated the full support of the Italian system in Australia. He also visited the port infrastructure of Fremantle, one of the country’s most important hubs for maritime trade and Australia’s first historic port for passenger ships arriving from Europe in the last century. Welcomed by the highest academic authorities, the Ambassador also paid an institutional visit to Murdoch University, one of the state’s main universities, where he met a large delegation of Italian researchers working in Western Australia and visited the futuristic “Immersive Lab” recently opened.
The visit concluded a few days after the sporting event with a cordial and profitable conversation with the Premier of Western Australia, Roger Cook. The conversation focused on topics of mutual interest, further strengthening the excellent bilateral relations between the two countries. The large presence of exponents of the Italian-Australian community in the current governmental structure (including Vice Premier Saffioti, Education Minister Buti and Defence Minister Papalia) also contributed to the success of the visit.
