Bradford could benefit from new investment from 'Down Under' after a Sydney firm was assigned to promote the benefits of business here.

Regional development agency Yorkshire Forward has teamed up with its partner organisations in Lancashire and the North East to help promote the region in Australia and New Zealand.

Professional Public Relations - which has its headquarters in Sydney with satellite offices throughout Australia and New Zealand - is working on behalf of the RDAs under their joint banner of the North of England Inward Investment Agency.

One of the largest PR firms in Australasia, it will promote the region to businesses across Australia and New Zealand, with the message that the North represents a more attractive investment opportunity than London and the south east.

The UK is Australia's largest trading partner within Europe and accounts for 54 per cent of total trade. The UK is tradition-ally one of New Zealand's leading export markets.

The deal follows a visit from investment team managers Paul Taylor and Anthony Phil-lips to Australia and New Zea-land last month. They cemented the working relationship with Professional Public Relations and spoke to specific sectors of business, government economic development advisors and the university network. "We are pushing the message that the North is an exciting place to live and is much cheaper and more convenient than living and working in London where many Australa-sian firms tend to aim for," said Mr Taylor.

"By setting up an on-the-ground presence in Australia and New Zealand, we are trying to provide a local point of contact to help firms break into the UK and European market.

"We know from our contacts with firms in Australia and New Zealand that they are very keen to expand into the Euro-pean marketplace and we want the North of England to be foremost in their minds when considering inward investment.

"More than 24 new interna-tional investments each quarter have located in the North of England because of our strong economy, competitive costs, available skilled workforce and excellent logistical position for Europe and the US," he added.