Zed Seselja (ACT, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Hansard source

Australia and our Pacific neighbours share fundamental values, including respect for sovereignty, the rule of law and democratic processes. All our Pacific family were concerned by the recent unrest in the Solomons. As part of our joint efforts with PNG, Fiji and New Zealand, Australia is proudly supporting the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force through a deployment of Australian Federal Police, Australian defence personnel and diplomats. We thank them for their work.

In my recent visit to Fiji I saw firsthand the impressive Blackrock Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Camp that Australia is helping Fiji to redevelop. Blackrock will provide a regional hub for peacekeeper training and will bolster Fiji's capacity to respond to humanitarian crises and natural disasters. Our Defence Cooperation Program with 12 countries across our region, as well as our $2 billion-dollar Pacific Maritime Security Program, is supporting the national security priorities of our Pacific family. This combination of defence cooperation and economic development is helping to maintain security and stability across our region. (Time expired)