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

I thank Senator McGrath for that question, because slightly further north in the region we're also working with our ASEAN partners to help drive prosperity and stability in our broader region. At the ASEAN Australia meeting in the margins of the East Asia Summit in Singapore earlier this month, the Prime Minister announced that Australia will help to develop a new South-East Asia economic governance and infrastructure initiative, which is going to be able to provide countries with technical advice on taxation, competition policy and debt management. It will also support infrastructure project selection and help governments to mobilise finance. At the summit, we also committed to sharing Australian water management expertise with countries on the Mekong and strengthening our engagement on maritime security issues—also matters of great concern. We have signed a trilateral infrastructure MOU with Japan and the United States, under which we'll work together to mobilise private capital to help address the region's significant infrastructure needs. This will enable greater opportunities for Australian business. (Time expired)