Opportunity knocks Down Under

Eager to show more than its stereotypical sandy beaches, cuddly koalas and wild outback, Australia will tell the world how it has forged ahead as a pioneer in the fields of education and healthy living at next year's Shanghai Expo.

"There's much more to us, and that's what we want to work on at the expo," said Peter Tesch, the country's commissioner-general and executive director for Expo 2010.

"We will celebrate things that are familiar and popular but we will also educate people," he said. "We want people to get a more developed sense of who we are."

Inside the 4,800-sq-m pavilion, through various displays and audio-visual presentations the country will work to promote its most established and cherished developments regarding the environment, education and the economy. It aims to inform others why the country should not be overlooked as a world leader when it comes to these three important frontiers, said Tesch.

Widely thought of as a sunny vacation spot, Australia also has a high quality of life to offer as its modern cities like Sydney are consistently ranked among the world's most livable places, said Tesch.

The country also wants to let others know its education is on the same playing field as other Western nations. While students from abroad recognize Australia as a "good value-source of education," they are not always aware Australia is as much a leader in this field as Britain and the United States, said Tesch.

"Australia has just as good a capability to offer," he said. "It also equips people with education and training facilities that are world class."

As for its economy, greater emphasis could not be put on the importance of trade with China, Australia's largest trading partner. After two-way trade between the countries reached A$68 billion last year, Tesch said the Australian government sees China - and its expo - as a top priority.

Australia is pouring more money than ever before into the Shanghai Expo, with its A$83 million-pledge roughly doubling its investment last time round in Aichi, Japan in 2005.

However, some A$22 million of that sum is being sought from Australia's private and public sectors as the country's government seeks to forge a true partnership with both government and business circles, said Tesch.

"The government has decided to make a commitment to this project that is commensurate with the importance of the China-Australia relationship - and the government sees this as a real investment in the future," he said.

Another sign of Australia's strong dedication to the expo was evident last week when workers completed the highest point (20 m) of the pavilion's structure. Further ahead than any other national pavilion besides China's, it will feature trusted materials from Down Under, including platinum expo sponsor Bluescope's special outer steel alloy that gradually turns a striking deep orange shade as it oxidizes and forms a protective seal to prevent erosion.

The Australian pavilion is expected to be completed in April.