Julian Simmonds (Ryan, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is a pleasure to rise in support of the motion of the member for Braddon. Like him, I am pleased that Australia's engagement in the Pacific remains one of the Morrison government's highest foreign policy priorities. During this difficult time, there has never been a more vital opportunity for Australia to stand with our Pacific family. The government continues to deliver on important infrastructure projects to enhance security capabilities in the region. Defence's enhanced engagement initiatives are responding to Pacific priorities, identified through our ongoing discussions with our Pacific neighbours. Every time we work together with our Pacific neighbours, we further strengthen the bonds that exist between not only our defence forces but between our families and our communities and between nations. To that end, I want to take the opportunity that the member for Braddon has afforded us with this motion to talk briefly about some of the important aspects of our cooperation in the Pacific.

Firstly, COVID and the impact it is having on them. Just as we struggle with our own economic and health crises, we stand shoulder to shoulder with our Pacific neighbours who are in the same fight. We have been working with our Pacific partners to help them prepare for and manage the COVID-19 pandemic. In the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Harold, our Australian Defence Force conducted four flights into Vanuatu, supporting the government's COVID-19 response and delivering critical emergency relief. As other speakers on this side of the Chamber have noted, to date the humanitarian efforts have transported over 21 tonnes of supplies to the region, including testing equipment, PPE gear and medical supplies for hospitals. Following an outbreak of COVID-19 in PNG and in response to the direct request of the PNG government, Australia have lent our support with the deployment of Australian medical assistance teams. We will continue to work with our Pacific partners to help protect their communities from COVID-19 and ensure our region is secure, stable and sovereign.

Defence is also reprioritising, as a response to COVID, the Defence Cooperation Program to ensure that it reflects post-COVID priorities. Australia remains committed to working with our Pacific partners and maintaining our engagement, wherever possible, despite the restrictions that have been put in place for us all as part of COVID-19. I hope also, as we get closer to a vaccine and we task Australian manufacturing capability with the goal of producing sufficient vaccines for all Australians, that we can assist our Pacific neighbours with the manufacture of adequate supplies for their populations as well.

I want to acknowledge the cooperation between our governments to significantly reduce the threat of people smuggling in our region and to also build the capacity of local police forces, particularly in PNG. Australia is committed to supporting PNG's priorities in building its capacity in policing, and is committing $135.9 million over 3½ years to the policing program. The funding is a collaboration with ADF officers and will enhance and modernise local policing operations through improved community level service delivery, prosecution services and enhanced training capabilities.

The AFP is working hard to deliver on Australia's commitment to work with our regional partners to strengthen the ability of Pacific governments to enforce their laws and protect their sovereignty. The Australian Federal Police deserve our thanks for the recent efforts in shutting down a major cocaine-trafficking exercise near Port Moresby that was intended to deliver a drug haul valued at around $80 million to Australia's shores. The AFP had excellent cooperation with the PNG police drug squad, which demonstrated the cooperation and capability we've built up together. This cooperation was evident when, soon after the light aircraft carrying the drugs crashed on a makeshift airstrip near Port Moresby, alleged members of the syndicate were arrested in Melbourne, Sydney and North Queensland by AFP officers. Australia and our incredibly talented AFP officers have a vital role to play in ensuring the Pacific nations are vigilant and have the capacity to clamp down on drug and other smuggling operations that are either taking root in those nations or using them as a stepping stone to Australia, and I encourage the Morrison government to continue to support this ongoing policing collaboration in the Pacific.

There are also our humanitarian connections, forged through our deep friendships and longstanding connections to each other. We want the communities of our Pacific neighbours to be strong, and Australians expect that we support those bonds wherever we can. A great example is a local charity in the Ryan electorate, Library For All. Library For All is providing a diverse and inclusive digital and print library aimed at meeting the various needs of primary-school-aged children in the Pacific. Working with local Pacific and Australian authors, they publish over 700 titles for local children in Pacific nations. I thank them very much for their efforts.

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