Nola Marino (Forrest, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. The unprecedented growth in the Indo-Pacific region will provide job-creating opportunities for my electorate of Forrest, particularly while Australia's economy, one managed by the Turnbull government, remains resilient, competitive and agile. I am a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, which is planning a delegation to India and Indonesia to meet Australian businesspeople in both countries to discuss the challenges they face in day-to-day operations, the scale of opportunities both markets provide, and the obstacles to expanded trade such as language, cultural traditions and infrastructure. The delegation will also meet with committee counterparts in the respective parliaments. Can the foreign minister outline how a new consulate-general in Kolkata, India, will further help businesses in Forrest access opportunities in India's growing economy and advance our interests in a changing Indo-Pacific?

In addition to supporting small to medium businesses in Forrest, the coalition government is creating a new generation of outward-looking young Australians with an abiding interest in our region through its flagship foreign policy initiative, the New Colombo Plan. I'm delighted that former Busselton Senior High School student and 2018 New Colombo Plan scholarship recipient, Ms Hayley Winchcombe, was earlier this year named the inaugural New Colombo Plan ASEAN Fellow at a special reception with the leaders of the 10 ASEAN countries, co-hosted by the foreign minister and the Prime Minister. How does this type of educational exchange help guide Australia through a period of profound change in our region, boost employability and drive economic growth?

Since February, I've been supporting another form of educational exchange. As part of the Australia Awards Women's Leadership Initiative I've been mentoring Nirose Silas from Vanuatu. Nirose recently completed a Master of Business (Management) at Queensland University of Technology. An auditor by profession, she is returning to her native Vanuatu, where she hopes to continue to work with the Public Accounts Committee supporting the Vanuatu parliament. Nirose's future goal is to become the Auditor-General of Vanuatu. I wish her the best in this. She's absolutely committed to improving the leadership skills of women in Vanuatu and supporting them to take on senior government and public sector roles. How is the coalition government's aid and humanitarian budget supporting girls and women like Nirose in our region to reach their full economic, social and political potential? And how will this budget allow generous community organisations in Forrest to tackle poverty and inequality in our region through the government's new Australian Aid: Friendship Grants?

Finally, in order for us to benefit from the immense opportunities in our region, Australia must be well placed to meet a diverse range of security threats—from Islamic terrorism to threats to open sea lanes which enable trade in goods and energy that fuel the region's growth. Countries continue to disrespect, challenge and undermine international law. North Korea's long-range missile and nuclear programs are one such example. We, and I in particular, remain deeply concerned by the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17. No members of my electorate were lost on that fateful day, but the grandparents of the three young Maslin children live in Dunsborough, in my electorate. This was beyond a dreadful day, and it was a tragic day in the life of that family, and every day since, for them and their whole family. Minister, how does this budget seek justice for the victims of the downing of MH17?

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