Labour Leader Alfred Sant said yesterday that the Labour Party was determined to continue strengthening the ties between Malta and Australia.

Speaking during a press conference on his return from Australia, Dr Sant said the aim of the visit had not been strictly political but had been aimed at renewing contacts between the party and the Maltese people living in Australia, in the context of the changes in the societies of the two countries.

The visit had been extremely successful, he said, describing the meetings he had had with Maltese people living in Australia as “vibrant”. During their visit, he and deputy leader Michael Falzon had visited the Maltese communities in Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne.

They had also met several political heads in Australia with whom they discussed Malta’s bilateral relations with Australia and how these could be improved and strengthened. They also met John Aquilina, Speaker of the House of Representatives in New South Wales.

The MLP leader said that in the state of Victoria, they met premier Steve Bracks, who expressed his hope that the Maltese people living in Australia would do more to make their presence felt.

He said they had also met representatives of the Maltese-Australian Chamber of Commerce with whom they discussed the possibility of increasing and improving business relations between the two countries. A number of Maltese businessmen in Australia were looking at Malta favourable with a view to setting up their businesses here, he said.

Dr Sant called for an improvement in business relations between Malta and Australia, adding that such ties should be encouraged. He said that people in Malta should be encouraged to do business with Australia and businessmen in Australia should regard Malta as a good investment opportunity. It was not easy to stimulate business between the two countries, said Dr Sant, adding however that if there is a will, there is a way.

A delegation from the Maltese-Australian Chamber of Commerce is planning to visit Malta in October, he said.

Dr Sant also spoke about strengthening the Maltese culture in Australia, especially the Maltese language and also about the possibility that Maltese people in Australia could enjoy the same rights as Maltese citizens vis-à-vis the European Union and the freedoms of the EU. When asked which funds could be used for this purpose, he said this had to be explored further.

Maltese nationals in Australia had expressed the wish that they be granted dual citizenship, he said, and that this would be passed on from one generation to another.

He had invited them to study this possibility and present their proposals formally.