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

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Wong. Over the last month we've had a number of visits from foreign ministers and world leaders, particularly from China, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and South East Asian nations. Minister, how do each of these incoming visits benefit Australia? In particular, how will the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne earlier this month help boost economic opportunities for Australians and build peace and prosperity in our region?

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

I thank the senator for his question and say that Australians expect and deserve a government that advances the nation's interests in a mature and serious way, and we've been very pleased to welcome a great number of high-level international visitors here this year, including the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea and the foreign minister of Papua New Guinea, New Zealand's newly appointed foreign and defence ministers, 17 international ministers and a head of state at the Indian Ocean Conference in Perth, China's foreign minister yesterday, and today and tomorrow the British foreign and defence secretaries. And, of course, earlier this month Australia hosted a dozen world leaders from ASEAN and Timor-Leste at the special summit in Melbourne.

Each visit is an opportunity to advance a more peaceful, stable and prosperous world, one in which we operate by rules, standards and norms, where each country's sovereignty is respected and where each country can pursue its own aspirations. The ASEAN special summit commemorated 50 years since Australia became ASEAN's first dialogue partner, another prescient decision by Labor Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. We agreed with ASEAN leaders a vision statement and a Melbourne declaration setting out practical cooperation and shared aspirations for the future, and there was a lot of discussion about how we boost economic engagement, accelerate the clean energy transition and increase maritime cooperation.

South East Asia will be the world's fourth-largest market after the United States, China and India by 2040. After the neglect of the previous government, the Albanese government is re-engaging with South East Asia. We've launched Invested: Australia's Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040. I thank Nicholas Moore for his work. We are creating opportunities for Australian businesses and jobs to grow. We've announced a $2 billion investment financing facility to boost investment in South East Asia—more trade, more jobs, more business for Australians and a stronger region.

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

Senator Ciccone, a first supplementary?

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

Minister, yesterday you met with China's foreign minister for the seventh Australia-China Foreign and Strategic Dialogue. Could you please inform the Senate why dialogue and engagement are at the heart of the growing relationship between Australia and the People's Republic of China?

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

Our relationship with China is important, and it is consequential. A stable relationship between us doesn't just happen; it needs ongoing work to advance our interests and to manage our differences. I was pleased to welcome foreign minister Wang Yi to Australia, the most senior visitor from China since 2017. We agreed to continue our constructive engagements on a range of issues, including education, defence and trade, and to expand climate and energy cooperation. I welcomed the progress of the removal of trade impediments and reiterated our desire for the removal of remaining impediments.

I reiterated Australia's shock at the sentencing of Dr Yang Jun and a range of other concerns, including the human rights of Uighurs, Tibetans and other minorities across China. I also expressed our deep concerns that Hong Kong's new legislation will further erode rights and freedoms, with potential impacts on individuals in Australia. Australians expect their government to pursue a mature and productive relationship in both countries' interests, and the Prime Minister looks forward to welcoming— (Time expired)

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

With the UK's foreign secretary, Lord Cameron, and Defence Secretary Shapps in Parliament House today—I understand they will then be travelling to Adelaide tomorrow—what does the minister hope to discuss with her UK counterpart during this visit?

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

I'm very much looking forward to welcoming Secretaries Cameron and Shapps to my home town of Adelaide. Adelaide will play a key role in building the AUKUS fleet. It's set to create more than 8,000 jobs, and the Deputy Prime Minister and I will be showing them what South Australian shipbuilders can do. I'll be meeting with Foreign Secretary Cameron shortly and we will sign two memorandums of understanding. One MOU will see Australia and the United Kingdom cooperate more closely when we respond to crises and major incidents. Recently, in Ukraine, Sudan and the Middle East, Australia and the United Kingdom have worked together on the ground, and we want to build on this great work.

The second MOU will focus on how we can work together to strengthen our shared efforts to help end gender based violence, including in South-East Asia and the Pacific. In our region and beyond, with traditional partners and new partners, the Albanese government is advancing Australia's interests.