Julie-Ann Campbell (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. What are the objectives of the Prime Minister's upcoming visit to Indonesia? Why are our relationships in the region and the world so important for Australians at home? How has the government worked to improve those relationships since being elected?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Moreton for her question and for her ongoing interest in our relationships in our region.

Last year in Sydney, I stood on the deck of HMAS Canberra beside my friend President Prabowo Subianto and I announced that Australia and Indonesia would take the next step in our bilateral relationship, securing a historic security agreement between our two nations. In about 40 minutes, I will travel to Jakarta to formally sign that treaty, deepening the bond that we have, honouring our long shared history and looking ahead to our shared future.

Our mutual security treaty commits our two nations to consult at leader and ministerial levels on security matters together and to consider any security responses together. It is a watershed moment in the Australia-Indonesia partnership, a partnership that is based on friendship, trust, mutual respect and a shared commitment to peace and stability in our region.

But it's also part of our broader engagement with nations in the region and our investment in our relationships: the alliance with Papua New Guinea, the parseria with Timor-Leste, the falepili agreement with Tuvalu, the treaty with Nauru and our deeper engagement with ASEAN and the Pacific Islands Forum. We live in the fastest growing region of the world in human history. Australia's prosperity and our security lie within our region, and engaging with our neighbours and partners is vital to building a more peaceful, stable, prosperous and secure future for all of us and for generations to come.

Australia engages in our region as a neighbour, a partner and a middle power. Our word matters, and our word is respected because we back it up with action. This treaty is a proud moment in the shared history of Australia and Indonesia, and it will ensure that we work together to shape a better future, securing our shared place in the world so that we can secure the best outcome for those we serve here at home. And, on that note, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.