Merħba, Malta!

The Governor welcomed His Excellency Mr Mario Farrugia Borg, High Commissioner for Malta and Joe Calleja BA BSW GAICD, Malta Honorary Consul Western Australia, to Government House today.

Discussions centred upon trade and business opportunities. Malta is currently Western Australia’s 124th-largest trading partner, with total bilateral trade of $1.2 million. Key exports include specialised machinery and equipment (85%) and manufacturers of base metal (8%). A number of Western Australian companies also hold activities on the island.

The Governor, His Excellency Mr Mario Farrugia Borg, High Commissioner for Malta and Joe Calleja BA BSW GAICD, Malta Honorary Consul Western Australia.

Australia and Malta hold a significant relationship and, in fact, the first Maltese-born people arrived in Australia as convicts in 1810, followed by free settlers in 1838. Malta also played a significant role in the First World War, with around 800 Maltese people directly supporting the Gallipoli campaign. Today, ANZAC Day is commemorated each year on the island. Approximately 198,989 Australians indicated Maltese heritage, with another 35,413 born there in the last Sensis – a considerable number given that the population of Malta stands at around 500,000.

His Excellency also discussed the effects of the Ukrainian war on the Maltese people, with a significant impact occurring on energy and food supplies.

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