Trevor Evans (Brisbane, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) acknowledges the ongoing work of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) in the Pacific to keep our region safe and support our neighbours;

(2) recognises the Australian Government and the AFP's commitment to supporting our neighbour, Papua New Guinea (PNG), and the capacity building of the Royal PNG Constabulary;

(3) congratulates the Australian Government for announcing in January 2017 the extension of the PNG Australia Policing Partnership with 73 AFP personnel assisting PNG in planning for the 2018 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum; and

(4) recognises that the:

(a) increasingly transnational nature of crime, including illegal movement of drugs, weapons and people, highlights the importance of cooperation between Australia and PNG; and

(b) Australian and PNG governments share an important and enduring relationship, which will be further strengthened through this investment in law enforcement.

I move this motion in strong support of the men and women of the Australian Federal Police who have for many years worked alongside, and who are still working alongside, some of our closest Pacific neighbours, such as Papua New Guinea. Today in question time I asked the foreign minister about our government's role when it comes to safety and security both here and abroad. It is absolutely vital that Australia continues to play a strong role in supporting our nearest neighbours like PNG as close friends, as trading partners, as developing economies and as democracies that, we acknowledge, have seen their fair share of challenges, including recent natural disasters.

I think it is right and I think it is fair that we work together to deal with the increasing threat of crime that now exists both across borders and throughout our region. Earlier this year the Australian government announced a $48 million extension of our longstanding policing partnership with our close and dear friend and Pacific neighbour Papua New Guinea. The 18-month extension to the Papua New Guinea-Australia policing partnership will extend the agreement through to the end of 2018, which will then mark 10 years since the partnership commenced. Over this period of time both of our police forces have worked very closely together in making both of our nations safer, more stable and more secure. This additional funding will ensure the continued presence of 73 Australian Federal Police personnel in Papua New Guinea and assist them in planning for the 2018 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

This is the first time that PNG will host APEC. The forum is a big opportunity for them and it will provide a significant prospect for their nation, with around 10,000 delegates attending from around the world; world leaders, dignitaries and media will be in attendance. This is an opportunity for our close friend and neighbour PNG to showcase its country, its friendly people, its tourist attractions and its industry right around the world. In the lead-up to APEC 2018 about 56 personnel from the Australian Federal Police will have a dedicated advisory role specifically related to the planning of that forum. Through the PNG-Australia policing partnership, AFP personnel will be providing best practice advice on law enforcement to the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary. The personnel will be providing specialist advice, training and rehearsing the RPNGC capabilities in major event planning, close personal protection, maritime, canine work, bomb searches, traffic, airports, intelligence and investigations. The remaining 17 AFP personnel will continue to work to strengthen custody management practices, juvenile justice matters and some very specific crime prevention and response priorities, and to work generally to continue to improve the capability and the professionalism of the RPNGC.

The increasingly transnational nature of crime—including the illegal movement of drugs, for instance, and weapons and people—highlights the very important nature of cooperation between Australia and our close Pacific neighbours. We all share an important and enduring relationship. We share custodianship of the South Pacific, and this will be further strengthened through this investment in law enforcement capacities in our region.

I have previously spoken in this chamber about my deep affinity with the people in the Asia-Pacific region. I am someone who has been fortunate enough to visit most of these countries and most of our nearest neighbours, and all around the region I have seen the smiling faces, the infrastructure, the trade and the other clear evidence there is that Australia's cooperation, collaboration and help with our nearest neighbours is making a huge difference for the benefit of humanity in our region. On Friday last week I was at an Australian aid event in Brisbane, where I managed to speak very briefly with PNG's acting consul in Brisbane, Jimmy U Ovia, and with the High Commissioner of the Solomon Islands, His Excellency Mr Collin Beck. I understand that the very successful RAMSI, Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands, will be winding up soon, after the great cooperation shown over very many years between our AFP officers and 14 other nations who are contributing in the Solomon Islands.

I asked both of these representatives from our Pacific neighbours about this motion, and they wanted me to pass on to this House the very strong thanks of their countries. Congratulations to our AFP officers on all of their great work.

See this speech in context