Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to congratulate the Philippines and the Filipino people on the recent anniversary of the declaration of their independence, which happened 125 years ago. Emilio Aguinaldo oversaw the proclamation of the Philippine Declaration of Independence on 12 June 1898, which was just a few years before our own Federation. Although this declaration wasn't recognised internationally at the time, it kindled a fire in the Filipino people that would lead to their full independence in 1946, and that's when the great friendship between Australia and the Philippines began.

President Manuel Roxas and Labor Prime Minister Ben Chiefly exchanged warm letters at that time, and that friendship has gone from strength to strength. Roxas indeed saw Australia as a partner of choice, and today our cooperation is deep and mature, covering defence, security and development, trade and investment, and, of course, strong people-to-people ties that any honourable members with a Filipino community will know well.

Across Australia there is a 400,000-strong Filipino community. In my home of Darwin we've got a fantastic Filipino community. I really admire them. They're hard workers. They're good people—good family people. As we step up our security cooperation with the Philippines, we have a trusted partner there.