Australian ports,metropolitan areas and trade‐related services

One important service carried out in Australian port cities and metropolitan areas involves the organisation of the transport of goods from producers for export, and for delivery to importers. This paper examines the activities that are involved in those links, grouped under the heading of trade‐related services. Data assembled on the location of these services in Australia, together with a study of a sample of firms, indicates their location is influenced by networks and linkages between firms; services are not necessarily located in the busiest port, but rather in the city with the most diverse service sector. This result illustrates the selectivity in location that is typical of producer services, and has important consequences for the role and influence of cities. It is illustrated in the paper with reference to Melbourne and Sydney.