The former Chief Executive Officer, Australian Industry Group, Heather Ridout, who
has just
been appointed to the Board of the Reserve Bank of Australia last week, is an influential and
significant figure in Australian political and economic landscape. Her ideas and opinions have always been taken seriously by Australian politicians. Apart from being an expert in her own portfolios, Ridout has
also been an advocate for Asian language education in Australia for a long time. From her perspective, she thinks that the future of Australia is closely related to the future of
Asia, especially China. She has said that “Understanding Asia, knowing the languages, cultures and traditions and teaching our children about out near neighbours is essential for future prosperity.”
In 2008, she was interviewed by Ali Moore, presenter of ABC TV’s Lateline Business. In that interview, she expressed her point of view about learning Mandarin in Australia. You can link to the interview and hear her ideas.
