The Irish Opportunity for Australia

New Horizons Webinar

Ireland and Australia have close people-to-people links, strengthened by more than $4.1 billion in two-way goods and services trade.

Australian Ambassador to Ireland, the Hon. Gary Gray AO, will join Committee for Perth members ‘live’ from Dublin for a New Horizons Webinar to share insights on his role in strengthening the Australia-Ireland relationship and opportunities for WA businesses.

According to KPMG, Ireland’s economy was the fastest growing in Europe in 2022, with GDP growth of 12.2%. Australian exports to Ireland were nearly US$120M.

Ambassador Gray has particular insights into the WA business market, with his background as the Federal Member for Brand, Minister for Resources and Energy and with prominent Perth-based companies Mineral Resources, Wesfarmers and Woodside.

There will be an interactive Q&A session after the presentation.

Our speaker

The Hon. Gary Gray AO

Australian Ambassador to Ireland

The Hon. Gary Gray AO is Ambassador to Ireland, taking up his position in August 2020. He presented credentials on 25 September 2020.

Mr Gray has recently been the General Manager, External Affairs at Mineral Resources Ltd, Perth; a Board member of the Australian Submarine Corporation; a Member of the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority; and a Trustee of Telethon.

Mr Gray previously served as a Board Member of the Perth Astronomical Observatory; Federal Parliamentarian; Parliamentary Secretary, Minister for the Public Service and Integrity; for Tourism; for Small Business; and for Resources and Energy; Director of Corporate Affairs, Woodside Energy; Executive Director, Western Australia Institute of Technology Medical Research; National Secretary, Australian Labor Party; and Assistant National Secretary, Australian Labor Party.

Gary was born in Yorkshire UK and emigrated with his family to Whyalla, South Australia in 1966. Gary was dux of Whyalla High School, studied economics at the Australian National University in Canberra and until recently lived in Perth with his three sons.

Gary’s partner, Philippa McIntosh (Pippa) has distant Irish connections in Cork. Gary’s wife Deborah who died of cancer had extensive Irish connections in Carrick and Clonmel as well as counties, Tipperary, Cork and Limerick.