Steve Georganas (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I present the report of the Australian Parliamentary Delegation to the 45th General Assembly of the Association of South-East Asian Nations Inter-Parliamentary Assembly in Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic People's Republic, from 17 to 23 October 2024. I was very privileged to lead the Australian delegation to the AIPA general assembly, accompanied by the member for Nicholls. AIPA claims to encourage understanding, cooperation and close relations among ASEAN members' parliaments, observer parliaments and other parliamentary organisations. The AIPA theme for the general assembly in 2024 was 'The role of parliaments in enhancing connectivity and inclusive growth of ASEAN'.

Participants were welcomed by the President of the National Assembly of the Lao PDR and AIPA president, His Excellency Saysomphone Phomvihane. His Excellency noted the role of the assembly in coming together to celebrate coming goals in the context of unpredictable international and regional circumstances. His Excellency noted that there were opportunities and challenges in the current economic climate as countries work to foster peace, prosperity, security and development in the region.

I was honoured to make a statement on behalf of the Australian parliament and of the delegation. The statement highlighted the 50th anniversary of Australia's dialogue partnership with ASEAN, which was celebrated in March 2024 at the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne. Key Australian ASEAN initiatives were highlighted, including the ASEAN-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.

This agreement demonstrates our regional economic engagement to support the inclusive growth of ASEAN. Our observer parliament dialogue session with ASEAN member parliaments emphasised this importance and the importance of bilateral relationships, people-to-people links and diaspora communities in Australia. We held bilateral meetings with the AIPA secretary-general and delegations from Algeria, the Lao PDR and Ukraine. Many expressions of appreciation were received for the Australian presence at AIPA with both ASEAN and observer countries keen to increase parliamentary engagement. With a widening representation of observer parliaments beyond the immediate region, the forum continues to hold importance for Australian engagement in ASEAN countries and beyond, particularly given the current global tensions.

I would like to express thanks and congratulations to the National Assembly of Lao PDR for its successful year of chairing AIPA and hosting of the 45th AIPA general assembly. I would also like to thank the staff of the International and Parliamentary Relations Office here in our Parliament House, the Parliamentary Library and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for their assistance in the preparations ahead of the assembly, and the Australian embassy in Vientiane for its support and briefings during the visit. I would like, particularly, to thank my colleague the member for Nicholls for his support at the conference, and I give particular thanks to our delegation's secretary, Dr Susan Love, who worked tirelessly to make sure everything went like clockwork for us. I commend the report to the House.

Sam Birrell (Nicholls, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Regional Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I echo the statement made by the member for Adelaide and thank him for leading the delegation to the 45th general assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly in Vientiane, in Laos. The member for Adelaide represented Australia. I believe we both did. It's very important that we present a united front as Australia on behalf of our parliament. I think that the member for Adelaide and I were able to do that during the discussions we had in the bilateral meetings. It was a very well-facilitated trip, as the member has said. I would like to thank the Australian embassy in Laos for hosting us and looking after us and I echo what was said previously about Dr Susan Love and her support of the delegation.

One moment that stood out to me, that I'd like to share, was a wonderful conversation we had with the inter-parliamentary assembly's secretary-general, who's from Brunei, about enabling more women to be involved in parliaments across the ASEAN area. We were able to share some great examples not only of federal parliament but also of some things that the state parliament—in particular, the Victorian parliament—has done around child care. Australia can be a great example as to the way that parliamentary democracy, particularly across genders, can be enhanced around the world. I think that we were able to do that with our discussions. I echo the comments of the member for Adelaide and thank him for his leadership in the dialogue.