Mr Bob Carmichael the Australian Pacific Investment Commissioner is in Tonga, scouting for investment opportunities for Australian companies.

The mission is basically "business matching," said Bob, "matching a number of Australian companies who are interested in investing in the region or particularly in Tonga.

"So I am here to try and see what is available and to find a partner they could possibly joint venture with in the future."

The Commissioner was appointed to the new position last August and is visiting Tonga for the first time. "This new initiative was set up to assist islands with economic development, employment, skills growth and a higher living standard," he said.

While in Tonga the commissioner will meet Government officials and representatives of Private Sector Companies.

Bob said that his objective is to come back next year and bring over representatives of a broad range of Australian companies, from IT, medical, food and seafood processing companies, to agriculture and others.

Pacific region

The Commissioner who looks after 11 Pacific countries including PNG, Fiji, Solomons, Vanuatu, Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati, Cook Islands, Tuvalu, Nauru and New Caledonia, said the biggest challenge of his job is getting the Australian companies interested in one market.

"Once an Australian investor commits to one market in a Pacific island, it opens up the opportunity to move to another market in the region. For example a health sector investor who began in Fiji has moved to invest in the Solomons," said Bob.