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

I thank Senator Paterson for his question and for his deep interest in these key strategic issues. Under this coalition government, Australia is working with our partners to advance our values and shared interests. This week, in fact, brings engagements with eight of my foreign minister counterparts. Tomorrow, the Quad foreign ministers' meeting with India, the United States and Japan will take place in Melbourne. With External Affairs Minister Jaishankar, Foreign Minister Hayashi and Secretary of State Blinken, Australia continues to pursue an agenda for a free and open Indo-Pacific through ambitious practical cooperation.

The Quad follows a visit by my Lithuanian counterpart, Foreign Affairs Minister Landsbergis, with whom I had very productive discussions yesterday on our responses to major security and trade challenges. Today, I've met with Timor-Leste's Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Minister, Adaljiza Magno, and we discussed our shared COVID-19 response, vaccines and labour mobility.

This week, we've also had a four-way virtual call with Minister Magno and our counterparts from Indonesia and New Zealand—Ministers Marsudi and Mahuta. Four female foreign ministers in our region sends a very powerful message. We discussed advocacy and action on the Women, Peace and Security agenda, and once again I expressed Australia's strong support for the ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific.

Today, I also met with my friend Papua New Guinea's health minister, Jelta Wong, who I acknowledge in the chamber today. Minister Wong and I particularly reinforced Australia's commitment in our discussions to partnering with Papua New Guinea on our shared COVID-19 response and recovery. All of our partners are committed to building a free and open region, deeply engaging with a range of partners to support our vision for an open, prosperous and secure Indo-Pacific.