Tim Watts (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am happy to second the motion.

Australia and Malaysia share a long history of cooperation, and this year we celebrated the 60th anniversary of our diplomatic relations. Our formal diplomatic relationship dates back to 1955, when Australia opened its first commission in Kuala Lumpur. Our ties with Malaysia run deep. In the 1950s Malaya was one of our closest regional allies, and Australians fought extensively to protect it during World War II. During that conflict many Australian soldiers were captured as prisoners of war, and Sandakan will forever be a place etched in the Australian psyche. Over 2,300 allied soldiers were killed as prisoners of war, including 1,787 Australians. It has been referred to as one of the greatest atrocities suffered by Australian servicemen during war. Sadly, it is scarcely remembered in Australia—but fondly remembered in Sarawak and Sabah in Borneo—that it was Australian troops that led the fight that eventually recaptured the island.

This was the beginning of Australia and Malaysia's considerable military cooperation—cooperation that is still strong today. Throughout the last 60 years the defence relationship between our countries has changed and evolved. Australia supported Malaysia through the emergency in the 1950s, when Malaysia's government struggled to contain internal militant groups, and Australia then stood by Malaysia during the konfrontasi in the 1960s. Australia was a founding member of the Five Power Defence Arrangements, an agreement that has become the cornerstone of Malaysian foreign and defence policy for decades. Our bilateral connections stretch much further, and the Malaysia-Australia Joint Defence Program is a pillar of our defence relationship. Under this agreement, Malaysia and Australia have defence force personnel stationed in each other's countries, facilitating exchanges and joint training exercises. This kind of exchange promotes collaboration between our defence forces, growing our regional defence relationships and increasing our strategic effectiveness. The Five Power Defence Arrangements and the Malaysia-Australia Joint Defence Program are highly consultative arrangements. They place an emphasis on cooperation, consensus, trust and openness. They are examples of how Australia can work with other nations in our region to promote Australia's strategic interests.

We have sought each other's assistance in international frameworks, dating back to when Australia sponsored Malaya's application for membership of the United Nations. We are also active participants in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, in which Australia is a dialogue partner, the East Asia Summit and APEC. Malaysia is the chair of ASEAN and the East Asia Summit for 2015, as well as being a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for 2015-2016—a position the previous Labor government fought to acquire for Australia for 2013-2014.

Both Australia and Malaysia rely on the Indo-Pacific being a region where international law and norms are observed, where networks of effective multilateral institutions ensure conflicts are peacefully resolved and where countries are allowed to grow and prosper through further economic integration. With this basic common interest—an interest we share with all of our South-East Asian neighbours—our relationship with Malaysia has grown into far more than mutual security partners. Australia and Malaysia's relationship has grown so that Australia now has more people-to-people ties with Malaysia than the majority of South-East Asian nations. In 2011, there were over 110,000 Malaysian born people living in Australia and many more claiming Malaysian heritage—a community including prominent and successful Australians such as tennis star Nick Kyrgios. This diaspora community has been a powerful element in promoting trade and empowering our formal diplomatic relationship.

Our economies are complementary, and we are in each other's top ten trading partners. We are also in each other's top tourism destinations. Last year, half a million Australians visited Malaysia and 300,000 Malaysians visited Australia. We have strong educational links. In 2012, there were over 22,000 Malaysian students studying in Australia and 21,000 Malaysian and international students studying for Australian qualifications while in Malaysia. In total, approximately 300,000 Malaysians have studied in Australia. These alumni connections are a great start, but if we want to properly engage we need this kind of educational exchange to be reciprocal, and we should encourage all Australians to live and study in Malaysia and throughout our region. This will not only increase our Asian language and cultural proficiency but create an environment for people-to-people relationships and common bonds to flourish in our national strategic interests.

The relationship between Australia and Malaysia was once a result of convenience, geography and empire, but, over the decades, that has changed. Australia's relationship with Malaysia has changed from one of support in its early years to one of intense collaboration today. I am sure that this relationship will continue to grow and mature in future decades, and I know all members of the House support this object.

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