Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, President. I appreciate that; it's a rowdy day. My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Penny Wong. Minister, how is the Albanese Labor government making Australia a stronger and much more influential partner in a very contested world, particularly with what has arisen out of our commitments in the October budget earlier this week? Could you also please inform the Senate how the Australian government is building a stronger Pacific family?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Ciccone for his question, and I thank him also as chair of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade committee. I know he is particularly interested in these matters, which go to ensuring Australia is safer and more secure in our region and in the world. What I would say is that you will see in this budget the government's commitment to renewing our closest relationships and the government's commitment to advancing Australia's interests and Australia's values. You will see in that budget, consistent with what we have been doing since we were elected, the work that the government is undertaking to make Australia the partner of choice for the countries of our region to ensure Australia's security, to ensure Australia's economic strength and to shape the world for the better.

Our intention is to do what we are able to do to help build a stronger Pacific family. We want to help our regional partners become more economically resilient, develop critical infrastructure and provide their own security so that they have less need to call on others. The investments outlined in the budget include an additional $900 million over the next four years to support Pacific development and resilience. This follows a decade of Liberal cuts which undermined the national interest. That is the pity of the approach that was taken—against Ms Bishop's advice and, I assume, against Senator Payne's, but that's a matter for her—by the previous government to reduce Australia's development assistance because that was a reduction in Australia's influence in the region.

The additional ODA and other measures will advance our interests by tackling poverty and supporting stability, prosperity and security in our region. Likewise, we are also intent on improving and expanding Pacific labour mobility to help Pacific economies still struggling with the aftermath of COVID. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ciccone, first supplementary?

Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Minister Penny Wong for that comprehensive answer.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Scarr, come on! Senator Ciccone, continue your question, please.

Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Could I also ask the minister: what steps is the government taking to deepen Australia's security cooperation with our Pacific partners in the region?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is a very important domain for Australia to continue and deepen its engagement, and I thank the senator for recognising that. There are a number of measures in the budget which go to our commitment to supporting the security needs of our Pacific partners and giving life to our commitment and our view that security in the Pacific should be an issue for Pacific family. This includes the continuing AFP deployment in Solomon Islands in 2023 delivering—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Scarr!

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would have thought some of this might have bipartisan support—really. I'm talking about and AFP deployment and you want to interject on an Australian Federal Police deployment that has bipartisan support.

Honourable senators in terjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

delivering a new Australia Pacific Defence School to boost training for defence and security forces across the Pacific and doubling funding for our aerial maritime surveillance in the Pacific.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ciccone, a second supplementary?

Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I again thank Senator Penny Wong for that answer. How is the Albanese Labor government's budget building a more stable, prosperous and resilient region?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to talk, if I may in the last minute, about two Pacific Island Forum members who are important neighbours for us.

The first is Cook Islands, the incoming Chair of the Pacific Island Forum, and I thank them for their hospitality last week. Whilst I was there, I signed the Oa Tumanava partnership with Prime Minister Brown which paved the way for deeper cooperation between our two countries. Cook Islands, as I said, is the incoming chair of the forum. We have elevated our engagement with the Pacific Island Forum as the key regional architecture within the Pacific. It is one of 11 countries which I have had the privilege of visiting since my appointment as foreign minister.

In relation to Fiji, I would like to inform the Senate that we are building on our new Status of Forces Agreement between Fiji and Australia signed by the Deputy Prime Minister and his counterpart last week. That marks an important milestone in our defence relationship with Fiji. (Time expired)

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.