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

In a consequential meeting on Saturday the President of the United States and our Prime Minister signed a statement of intent to advance climate cooperation. This new compact affirms the position of climate and clean energy as the third pillar of the alliance, alongside defence and economic cooperation. It's a very significant development. It signals that we will work with the United States for our private sectors, resources and industrial strength to spur the diversification of clean energy supply chains throughout the Indo-Pacific.

I also note that the US President plans to ask congress to add Australia as a domestic source under the Defense Production Act. Doing so would streamline technological and industrial base collaboration, strengthen the implementation of AUKUS and build new opportunities for US investment in the purchase of Australian critical minerals and other strategic sectors. I keep in close contact with my US colleagues congressmen Joe Courtney and Mike Gallagher, who have been working on an amendment to add Australia and the UK to the Defense Production Act. I understand that they're going to push it again. Our relationship and alliance have never been stronger. I welcome this historic breakthrough.