Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that today marks the 70th anniversary of the alliance between Australia and the United States of America under the ANZUS Treaty;

(b) reaffirms the commitment of Australia to that alliance, recognising its fundamental importance to our nation's security, sovereignty and prosperity, and to meeting the opportunities and challenges of our time;

(c) acknowledges that the alliance has underpinned peace, stability and freedom in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond, and that American leadership remains indispensable to the global rules-based order;

(d) acknowledges that next week marks the 20th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, in response to which the ANZUS Treaty was invoked;

(e) places on record its profound gratitude to the servicemen and women of both our nations who have served together over more than a century; and

(f) acknowledges that the enduring friendship between our nations is underpinned by shared liberal democratic values and principles, and these have been embraced by our peoples across generations.

Today, Mr President and colleagues, marks the 70th anniversary of the signing of the ANZUS treaty between Australia, New Zealand and the United States. In 1951 the world was still recovering from the horrors of World War II, and Australia's foreign policy was driven by a need to safeguard peace and security in our region. What Australia sought and what we found in the United States was a partner with whom we could work to build a better future.

As he signed the ANZUS treaty in 1951, Australia's then Ambassador to the United States, Sir Percy Spender, said the treaty marked 'the first step in building the ramparts of freedom in the vast and increasingly important area of the Pacific Ocean.' He described how the alliance was conceived, not in hostility to any country but in a devout dedication to the cause of peace. The truth of this description has never been more relevant than it is today. Over 70 years, ANZUS has helped us to achieve this goal. It continues to do so today, and we are determined that, as our region faces new challenges, it will do so in the future.

The treaty is more than just a collective defence agreement. It provides a framework for how our two countries have worked and continue to work together to foster and sustain a region that benefits all countries. It is an alliance based on shared values and principles, reflecting our commitment to international peace, democracy, freedom and the rule of law. It remains a cornerstone of Australian foreign policy, just as US leadership remains indispensable to stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.

Australia and the United States have been reliable and steadfast allies, standing shoulder to shoulder during our darkest days. For over 100 years, our troops have fought side by side, from World War I to World War II, from Korea to Vietnam and from Iraq to Afghanistan. Twenty years ago this month, Australians watched some of the most distressing things imaginable playing out on their television screens. As the 9/11 attacks unfolded in the United States, Australians felt a deep sense of shock and horror at the events that had taken place. In the days that followed, then Prime Minister Howard invoked the ANZUS treaty, a step no Australian prime minister or US president had taken before. Prime Minister Howard's decision reflected the gravity of the situation, the scale of the attack and Australia's unwavering commitment to the alliance.

Following this invocation of ANZUS, Australia, along with the United States and many other nations, committed forces to Afghanistan, where our men and women have had each other's backs for the last 20 years. There will be time to debate the military mission in Afghanistan, but for today let me pay tribute to the 41 Australians and the more than 2,400 American military personnel who lost their lives in Afghanistan, including the 13 US service members killed last week while helping others to seek safety. In my roles as foreign minister and as Minister for Women, I am particularly focused on ensuring the gains made, particularly for women and girls, in Afghanistan are not eroded.

Our alliance finds strength not just in its endurance but in how it has evolved to meet the challenges of our times, including the global pandemic with which we are dealing now, with wide-reaching health, economic and social implications; the pressure on the international rules, norms and institutions that underpin the sovereignty of nations and the peace and trade between them; a changing climate that is impacting our environment, economies and way of life; malicious cyberactivity that is growing in frequency and sophistication; and the emergence of new and evolving threats, such as foreign interference and disinformation, that are being used to manipulate open societies. The partnership today between Australia and the United States is one of trust, grown through decades of cooperation and burden sharing, and recognition that each partner brings our own perspective.

We are working more closely than ever with regional partners, including Japan, India, the Pacific and ASEAN, to address the key health, economic and security challenges of our time. We are modernising our militaries, including through cooperation in guided missile technology, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and hypersonics, for example. We are collaborating on world-class science, technology and innovation, from the latest medical advances to new forms of renewable energy and the Moon to Mars initiative. We're strengthening the resilience of supply chains, including for critical minerals and rare earths. We're working together to deliver COVID-19 vaccines across the Pacific. We're driving a positive and proactive agenda to foster a free, open, inclusive and resilient Indo-Pacific region. Our partnership today goes beyond collective defence and security agreements. It touches the lives of every Australian in a multitude of ways. The United States is Australia's biggest source of foreign investment. More than 320,000 Australians are employed by majority US-owned companies in Australia.

When I visited the United States in May this year, the Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, pledged to me that the United States would not leave Australia alone on the field. His commitment embodies the spirit of ANZUS. Neither of our two countries stands alone. Across the three US administrations with which I have worked, I can sincerely say that the shared commitment to the alliance has been constant and enduring. The ANZUS treaty has provided the unbreakable foundation for our alliance to mature and prosper for 70 years. In 1951, Sir Percy Spender recognised only too well the dangers inherent in division, but in our alliance with the United States he saw a commitment to 'constantly labour to reduce the unhappy tension which today plagues mankind'.

I can say emphatically that for 70 years we have indeed strived together to build peace and stability for our region. We have stood together in the face of wars, threats of terrorism and great power rivalry. Despite the uncertain times in which we live, our relationship with the United States, with the ANZUS treaty at its heart, will continue to meet the challenges ahead. We look forward to continuing our work with President Biden and his administration to work for a better, healthier, safer and more prosperous future for all.