Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd like to acknowledge that the President of Timor-Leste, Jose Ramos-Horta is in Australia at the moment. He spoke today at the Press Club. I wasn't able to watch that but I look forward to catching up on the great news that the Australian government has established a defence cooperation agreement with the country of Timor-Leste.

I was fortunate enough not only to serve as a member of the Australian Army with the Defence Cooperation Program in Timor but I also worked as an adviser to the president when he was the president previously, around 2008 and 2009. He is a man of great integrity, and a great friend of Australia. Through this, as the Prime Minister said today, we will increase and deepen our working relationship with the armed forces of Timor-Leste and—as we share a sea together—in the maritime domain, specifically through the Pacific Patrol Boat Program, our deepening ties with Timor-Leste are in both our interests.

So I welcome Jose Ramos-Horta, 'Presidente of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste' to Australia and wish him well during his time here.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In accordance with standing order 43, the time for members' statements has concluded.