Pat Conroy (Shortland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence Industry) Share this | Hansard source

Labor has long advocated deeper Australian engagement with the Pacific. We see Australia as being part of the Pacific family, a Pacific family with shared values, a shared history and with shared challenges and shared opportunities. Many countries in the Pacific have faced longstanding challenges such as economic underdevelopment, geographic isolation and environmental pressures on the Blue Pacific Ocean that sustains us all. These issues are now exacerbated by new challenges like the aftermath of the COVID pandemic, the profound threat that climate change poses to low-lying island states and countries which are vulnerable to extreme weather events, as well as new security challenges like transnational crime, cyber threats, environmental and resource security and a dynamic geopolitical environment.

The Australian government wants to tackle these challenges in a genuine partnership with Pacific countries and their regional institutions, a genuine partnership where we listen, show respect and take action. That is why ministers, including the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister and I, have engaged extensively with our Pacific counterparts.

This government came to office with the most comprehensive Pacific package taken to an election by an Australian political party. In our first year in office we have made significant progress in implementing these policies. We are addressing Pacific development challenges by boosting Australian official development assistance for Pacific countries by $900 million over four years from 2022-23. Under this year's budget, Australia will provide $1.9 billion in official development assistance to the Pacific in 2023-24. That makes us by far the region's biggest development partner.

Australia's aid investments materially improve the lives of people in Pacific countries. They support economic growth, improve health and education, tackle issues like gender equality and improve the lives of people with disabilities. We are addressing the region's climate change challenges through a new Pacific infrastructure financing partnership to support climate adaptation and infrastructure projects. We are amplifying Pacific voices' international climate change negotiations by bidding to co-host a 2026 United Nations climate conference with our Pacific partners and by supporting Vanuatu's request for an International Court of Justice advisory opinion on climate change. We are addressing Pacific economic challenges by expanding and improving the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility Scheme, which allows Pacific Islanders to come to work in Australia. When we came to government in May '22, there were 24,496 farm workers in Australia. That number had grown to 38,180 by April 2023, an increase of 55 per cent.

In addition, in our first year the Albanese government has also addressed Pacific security challenges. We have doubled funding for aerial surveillance under the Pacific Maritime Security Program to help tackle illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. We have established a new Australia Pacific Defence School to provide training for members of Pacific defence and security forces.

Australia's priority is to ensure the blue Pacific remains peaceful, prosperous and equipped to respond to the challenges of our times. That is why the May budget has built on the policies implemented over the last year with a new whole-of-government Pacific package. This package includes $370.8 million over four years to continue expanding and improving the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility program. These new PALM measures will deliver improved skills for farmworkers, country liaison workers and stronger worker protections and compliance operations in Australia. The May budget also includes a further $1.4 billion over four years to support the Pacific family first approach to peace and security, which has been embraced by Pacific Island Forum leaders. These Pacific security measures will support delivery of security infrastructure and maritime security, capabilities and sustainment. They will boost the Australian Federal Police's partnership with the Pacific family to support Pacific law enforcement and criminal justice initiatives, and the budget will provide additional support for Pacific cyberresilience. The May budget will also improve Australian cultural links with the Pacific by expanding access to Australian media content, boosting media connections through the Indo-Pacific broadcasting strategy and building on our shared love of sport.

The Albanese government is investing in the long-term security of our region and responding to Pacific priorities. We are bringing new energy, new resources and new policies to help build a more secure region and a stronger and more united Pacific family.

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