Invest and Trade Western Australia (WA) hosted Beyond the Pitch: Connecting Western Australia with Asia alongside the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 being held in Perth.   

Setting the stage for a thrilling fourth day of matches, the event celebrated the warm friendships and strong economic partnerships between WA and Asia, and the unique power of sport to connect Australia with the world.  

The event opened with a memorable Welcome to Country by Kerry-Ann Winmar, a Whadjuk and Ballardong Traditional Owner and Elder, and Managing Director of Nyungar Tours.  

Hon. Dr Parwinder Kaur MLC then gave a welcome address emphasising the enduring strength of WA’s longstanding relationships across Asia and reaffirmed the WA Government’s commitment to nurturing these well into the future.   

During her address, Dr Kaur highlighted how WA’s complementary economies, geographic proximity, solid aviation links and shared time zones all help to strengthen our investment and trade ties across ASEAN, Greater China, Northeast Asia and the India–Gulf regions. 

The event closed with a panel session facilitated by Invest and Trade WA’s Executive Director of Investment Attraction and Facilitation, Sonja Montague-Mackay, that which celebrated WA’s international collaboration, explored the shared strengths and opportunities between WA and Asia, and how the universal language of football can advance global engagement.  

Department of Energy and Economic Diversification’s Acting Deputy Director General for Strategy, Performance and International Engagement, Alex King, elaborated upon how WA is a trusted and reliable partner for Asia. 

Mr King also highlighted how the recently published Western Australia: A Global Leader in Investment and Trade offers insight into the State’s strong economy and diverse investment and trade potential. 

Mr King was joined on the panel by: 

Both Ms Lee-Joe and Mr Harnwell elaborated upon the international engagement strategies of their respective organisations and emphasised the valuable role that sport plays in bringing both Australia and WA closer with Asia.  

Ms Harman provided detailed insight into how Indigivision is creating meaningful cross-cultural and international business opportunities. She also highlighted the importance of respectful partnerships between First Nations corporations and industry for the success of major projects in WA.  

WA is positioned at the gateway to the Indian Ocean with close proximity to Asia and connectivity to priority markets, making the State an ideal partner for trade and investment collaboration.