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

I'm pleased to advise the House that present in the gallery today is the Hon. Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, the Prime Minister of the Independent State of Samoa, and Her Excellency the High Commissioner to Samoa. On behalf of the House, I extend a very warm welcome to you both.

Honourable members: Hear, hear!

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

on indulgence—It is indeed a great honour to welcome Prime Minister Fiame of Samoa to parliament today. Australia and Samoa are longstanding friends. There are 100,000 people of Samoan descent who call Australia home, including some of our best rugby league players, I've got to say! I congratulated the Prime Minister on making the World Cup final—quite an extraordinary achievement for a nation of that size—at the end of last year.

Today we signed the Australia-Samoa Bilateral Partnership Agreement. This elevates our partnership of equals, and I look forward to further enhancing our bilateral and regional cooperation. I want to recognise today and appreciate the influential role that Prime Minister Fiame has played in ensuring the unity of the Pacific Islands Forum. Finally, I commend the Prime Minister's leadership on climate action. You are a most welcome visitor to Australia.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

on indulgence—I want to join with the Prime Minister in his fine words of welcome to Prime Minister Fiame. Thank you for being here with us. You're a trusted and dear friend. I had the great opportunity of meeting with Prime Minister Fiame this morning to talk about areas of mutual interest, in particular labour mobility and the way in which we can provide support to Samoa, making sure there's not a brain drain, that there is the ability for skills to come home, as well as remittances and financial support, for the country to continue to develop.

As the Prime Minister pointed out, there are many areas of endeavour in the work of Prime Minister Fiame over a long period of time. She was first elected in 1985, I think—I don't know that she wants me to mention that year, but it shows her depth of experience. She was Deputy Prime Minister in the former government and Prime Minister in the current government. It is a remarkable feat, and her leadership, particularly in the PIF, as the Prime Minister points out, is absolutely crucial. She is stepping up as a true leader in the Pacific at exactly the right time, and we welcome her here today.

As was pointed out before, at the time of the World Cup, as you were driving around in capital cities there were flags out the side of cars. You beat England, not Australia—I'm sorry to raise that last point! It is a very passionate, family-focused population of a 100,000 here in Australia, who contribute wonderfully to our country, and we've talked about the celebration of culture in our schools and elsewhere across communities. Prime Minister, I welcome you most warmly to our country, and I thank you so much for being a good friend of our country.