Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Payne. Can the minister update the Senate on the ways in which Australia's development program has pivoted to support our Indo-Pacific neighbours to meet the COVID challenge?

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

I thank Senator Scarr for his question. Given that the impacts of COVID-19 in our region is so significant, our strong focus is on recovery. Partnerships for Recovery is targeted to health security, to stability and to economic recovery—the issues that our Pacific neighbours identify as their priorities—while protecting the most vulnerable, including women and girls, and people with disabilities. Partnerships for Recovery frames our response, drawing on all of our national assets to support development: diplomatic, economic and security.

I think our Pacific labour mobility programs are a good example of the shift that we have undertaken, where we've made immigration and quarantine and development policies all work together to keep this vital program going and to keep remittances flowing to the Pacific, as well as supporting the labour needs of regional and rural Australia.

In practical terms, our immediate response to COVID-19 involved a very substantial pivot of funds within our development program to respond to the most pressing needs of our region. We immediately rolled out our Indo-Pacific response and recovery package. That included the distribution of PPE, critical medical services and also the establishment of the Pacific humanitarian corridor to keep essential services flowing—to ensure essential services, essential goods and essential people were able to move around the key areas of the Pacific. This package was our first step, and overall we directed in 2019-20 over 400 of approximately 1,000 development investments to direct COVID-19 support—a huge task, and I want to commend the highly professional DFAT teams at posts and here in Australia on their efforts in what was a very significant undertaking to urgently address COVID-19.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator Payne. Senator Scarr, a supplementary question?

Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister advise how Australia's development pivot is more than just an emergency response and will support the long-term recovery of our region?

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

We know that Australia's own health, safety, security and prosperity are intertwined with those of our region, so Partnerships for Recovery is more than an emergency response. In fact, on 23 October Minister Hawke and I announced 27 separate and detailed COVID-19 development response plans—a detailed blueprint for a shared recovery over the next 18 months. In addition, the government has announced two major temporary supplementary initiatives: firstly, a $304.7 million economic recovery package in the Pacific and Timor-Leste over two years and, secondly, a commitment of over $500 million for procuring and delivering safe and effective vaccines for our partners in the Pacific, Timor-Leste and South-East Asia. This complements our $80 million contribution to the Gavi Covax Facility Advance Market Commitment. We know that a safe and effective vaccine will be the bedrock of our shared recovery.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Scarr, a final supplementary question?

Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister describe the discussions the government has had with our Pacific and South-East Asian neighbours about Partnerships for Recovery?

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

Again I thank Senator Scarr. Since the pandemic began the Prime Minister, I, Minister Hawke and many other ministers and colleagues have been working very closely with partners to shape our regional responses and of course our own Partnerships for Recovery, as I mentioned. That includes numerous bilateral calls made to ministerial counterparts in the first three months of the pandemic, as well as participating virtually in really important ASEAN and Pacific Islands Forum meetings taking place even in the context of COVID-19.

Our neighbours, like us, see the value of working in close partnership to respond to this pandemic. As Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama said recently, 'Australia has stepped up with solidarity to ensure Pacific economies are not left behind.' Timor-Leste Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak also issued a statement noting the Australian government and people's support and solidarity. He also noted that Australia itself was dealing with COVID-19 issues and welcomed our response.