Home topics small-business-resources growth-import-export Growing Growth | Import | Export Growing Why Western Australia is Export Ready Adeline Teoh January 23, 2009 Being isolated from the heavily populated eastern states has made WA export ready from the start. With the mining boom taking hold of the state, Western Australia has become hot property for overseas markets . The area of Western Australia is roughly a third of Australia, so it’s fitting that the state also accounts for roughly a third of all Australian exports by revenue. But while Western Australia is known mainly for its commodities—in particular its minerals—it would be foolish to think of the state as one big quarry. “There’s digging the natural minerals out of the ground, the primary industry part, but then there are all the offshoot industries from that, such as the service-based industries. We’ve seen a lot of growth in advanced technology, software and advanced services related to the resource industry,” says Adam Denniss, Austrade’s WA state manager. The Australian mining industry is one of the most competitive in the world, and that has led to innovation and world’s best practice, he believes. “Australia would easily lead the world in a number of those advanced technologies, such as computer software systems that monitor mine sites and productivity levels. A lot of overseas companies are looking for that technology now,” says Denniss. “Countries like Brazil have all the minerals in the world, but not the technology to get it out of the ground.” Ian Whitaker,