Cassandra Fernando (Holt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Morrison coalition government was a sinking ship not only within Australia but also overseas. Like their polling numbers, the reputation of Australia as a fair, just and committed international partner plummeted. In the short span of a year, the Albanese Labor government has turned things around. Many take longer than this to even flip a house. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Penny Wong, and the Minister for Trade and Tourism, Don Farrell, Australia's image to the world has never been better.

I was honoured to join the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, and many of my colleagues at the 20,000-strong Australian-Indian diaspora reception for the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi. It might not have been the first-year anniversary of the Albanese Labor government we expected but was certainly a fitting way to celebrate the occasion. The reception was an extraordinary example to friends beyond our borders that the adults are back in charge.

India will soon be the world's third-largest economy, and our relationship with this remarkable and aspirational nation has never been stronger. As the Prime Minister observed on the night, he and Prime Minister Modi have met six times, beginning with their interaction in Tokyo just two days after he took office. This is extraordinary and I think a record for both prime ministers. It reflects the depth of our comprehensive relations, coming together of our views and maturity of our ties. In the words of Prime Minister Modi, our relationship has 'entered the T20 mode'.

There are several pillars to our strengthening relationship, including trade, investment and business, defence and security, climate and energy, and, most importantly, people-to-people links. I look forward to an early conclusion of the Australia-India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement later this year and was pleased to hear about the Australia-India Migration and Mobility Partnership Arrangement. This arrangement will promote the exchange of students, graduates, researchers and business people, expand our people-to-people ties and enhance cooperation in preventing people-smuggling.

I was delighted to see that Prime Minister Modi unveiled a plaque for a foundation stone of a Little India in the Western Sydney suburb of Parramatta. What brought me more joy was that our friends across the Victorian border were following the trend set by my friends in Melbourne. We've had a Little India in the south-eastern suburb of Dandenong, in the neighbouring electorate of Bruce, for nearly a decade. Beyond agreements and partnerships, the Australia-India ties are underpinned by mutual appreciation of cultures and a firm belief in strengthening cohesion.

From Guru Boulevard in the suburb of Lynbrook in my electorate of Holt, named after Guru Nanak Ji, the founder of Sikhism, to the road that would be named after the Anzac Private Singh Sailani in Perth, the melting pot of our cultures is wonderful. To our Australian Indian diaspora I want to say thank you. You have bought the spirit of the world's biggest democracy to Australia and you have helped make our democracy stronger and more inclusive. You have strengthened Australian society, bringing our country the benefits and riches of such a beautiful and diverse culture. And I am so proud that you have made Australia your home and that you see your life and your future here. You make our nation and our shared communities better. You make Australia stronger.

This government has not only overseen the largest expansion of Australia-India relations for years; we have also restored Australia's image on the world stage more broadly in the last 12 months of this Labor government. The Australian people know that the Prime Minister and the foreign minister have their work cut out for them in this space. After nearly a decade of mismanagement and neglect of our Pacific and regional allies by the former coalition government, I am proud that Prime Minister Albanese has visited several nations personally to restate our international diplomacy credentials. His first official bilateral trip was made to Indonesia, a crucial neighbour of Australia in the south-east Asian region, to meet the Indonesian President, Joko Widodo. The Prime Minister was joined by Australian business leaders and government ministers for an annual leaders meeting with President Widodo, where bilateral trade and investment cooperation on climate and energy and a regional and global interest were all addressed.

Our PM doesn't stop there. The very next month he was in Fiji for the first Pacific Islands Forum to be held in person since 2019. There he focused on healing the rift that had formed over the last nine years of coalition government. Instead, the Prime Minister raised important issues including Pacific unity, climate change, regional security and economic recovery from COVID-19. The PM has prioritised our South-East Asian neighbours as well, with three visits in quick succession to Cambodia, Indonesia again, and Thailand. Australia was represented in those nations for the East Asia Summit of ASEAN, the G20 summit, and the 29th APEC summit respectively. This is a mark of real leadership, a mature, responsible leader who understands the importance of Australia's role in our region.

Australia must remain connected to our neighbours. If we are not seen as leaders it will only leave a void to be filled by somebody else. This leadership is certainly being felt on a national stage, with the recent breakthrough with China led by trade minister Don Farrell. Talks are back on track to review China's tariffs on Australian barley without going through the World Trade Organization. This is a significant breakthrough in our relations with China and shows that determined, mature diplomacy without needing to involve the WTO is still possible when the adults are in charge.

It doesn't end there. Our foreign minister, Senator Penny Wong, leapt straight into the action after the election last year and began urgently repairing the frayed relationships with our Pacific family with visits across the Pacific and South-East Asia. No time has been wasted in assuring our neighbours and the wider region that Australia is back on the international map. After extensive consultation with our Pacific neighbours, we have answered their calls for renewed cooperation with new budget measures. These include the expansion of the Pacific Australia Labor Mobility Scheme, an increase in diplomatic staffing in the Pacific, disaster relief funding, the expansion of maritime security ties and criminal justice cooperation. These form part of a $1.9 billion budget investment over five years aimed at deepening our ties and cooperation in the Pacific region. We will increase our law enforcement and criminal justice cooperation with our neighbours to better ensure stability and consistency across the board. There will also be an increase to provision of security infrastructure and maritime security capability. After several cyberattacks targeting Pacific nations, I know this investment has been well received.

This government also recognises the seriousness of climate change and the significant threat it poses, in particular in Pacific island nations. Our commitment to net zero by 2050 and other environmental legislation demonstrates that we are taking this seriously domestically. We also take it seriously internationally, funding humanitarian relief and disaster preparedness across the Pacific, where there is a greater risk of permanent climate damage.

This government and our Prime Minister will take seriously our international and regional obligations. We know that without Australia's positive influence in the region we leave a void that would undoubtedly be filled by someone else. I'm proud to work with this government. I thank the House.