Josh Wilson (Fremantle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

There's no question that, for an island-continent-nation like Australia, our engagement with the wider world and especially with our region is absolutely critical to our wellbeing and to our national interest in every dimension. Of course, that engagement occurs primarily through the three Ds and a T—diplomacy, development assistance, defence and trade. While there is an understandable focus on trade and defence, it is critical that Australians understand the massive importance of diplomacy and development assistance. That is because for Australia—an open, peaceful, multicultural trading nation—international cooperation is vital for dealing with matters that we alone cannot solve, like the pressure on global fisheries and the impacts of climate change. So too the stability, health and inclusive prosperity of our neighbours are vital. We know carefully and compassionately administered development assistance is not only essential for saving lives and reducing poverty but also the best dollar-for-dollar investment Australia can make in regional peace and mutually beneficial economic engagement.

We already know very well but we certainly have been reminded in recent times that the observance of the rule of law is vital. Australia benefits from a world in which there is a prevalence of support for a rules based system whether in relation to trade, freedom of navigation or management of conflict through the UN, the ICC and the ICJ, rather than backsliding towards an approach in which anything goes and narrow temporary self-interest comes to undermine the broad and enduring common good.

From the outset the Albanese government has set out to repair the characteristic neglect, inaction and carelessness in all these areas that were a feature of the coalition government. It has been good to hear from the minister about that. As he knows, he has been a part of the full court press led by the indefatigable and resolute Minister for Foreign Affairs, who has visited every ASEAN nation except Myanmar—for good reason—and has successfully returned Australia to our most effective role as an influential middle power that pursues our national interests on the basis of principled and pragmatic optimism, taking the world as we find it while seeking to make it more peaceful and sustainable and inclusively prosperous where we can. We do that on the basis of respectful dialogue and constructive multilateral participation. That work has been thoroughly advanced by the Minister for International Development and the Pacific, who has been relentless in his attention to Australia's role as a responsive and respectful member of the Pacific family. The value of enhancing our role in that state of affairs has delivered improvements in terms of our regional security—awfully neglected by those opposite, it has to be said—but of course it's meant that we have been well placed to support a partner like Papua New Guinea when they manage an awful event like the recent landslide.

We made it clear in coming to government that we deeply respect Australia's Public Service—another stark contrast with those opposite, a sadly stark contrast—in order to build back Australia's diplomatic capability. This budget invests $254 million in our diplomatic network as a whole, with $206 million to enhance our presence in both infrastructure and human capital across the Pacific, as the minister has outlined. Because we know climate impact mitigation and adaptation are existential concern for the Pacific, we are providing $150 million over four years with the Green Climate Fund and the Pacific Resilience Facility. Add to that $505 million in the budget for deepening engagement in South-East Asia, which will be complemented by a new trillion-dollar South-East Asia investment financing facility to expand trade investment.

I want to note the not so up-in-lights work that has been occurring steadily with respect to disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation, two areas which Australia has a substantial record of leadership and achievement. Last month the Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs was in Vienna to represent Australia as co-president for the International Atomic Energy Agency's conference on nuclear security. In 2023, the assistant minister represented Australia at the conference on disarmament to advance work on the comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty. These are matters that are important in the Pacific, noting that 12 Pacific Island nations are already signatories to the landmark treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons.

It's welcome that Australia continues to support the Republic of Marshall Islands to develop a sovereign radiation monitoring capability and we will make submission to the UN Secretary-General's report in the 2023 Kiribati-sponsored resolution on addressing the legacy of nuclear weapons.

The Albanese government knows the extent to which focus, strategic and wholehearted international engagement is in Australia's national interest and is consistent with our national values. I would ask the minister to explain how this has already manifested in a range of positive outcomes.

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