Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

(—) (): I completely disagree with the proposition that Senator Wong has put. In fact, the Pacific is a very significant focus for this government. It is a very significant focus for me. My first overseas visit as the Minister for Foreign Affairs was to Nauru to participate in the Pacific Islands Forum with Senator Ruston. My first bilateral visit as the Minister for Foreign Affairs was completed last week to Papua New Guinea, our extremely important Pacific neighbour and the host of APEC 2018. It was at the Pacific Islands Forum in 2016 that then Prime Minister Turnbull committed to a significant step-up in Australia's engagement in the region—because we recognise that stepping up is not an option; it's actually an imperative. The focus that we have on the ties that have been formed through the region, which are very longstanding, is across history, trade, education, employment, sport, migration and so many other things, and that is what the government are focused on— (Time expired)