Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

The government is looking to rebuild and strengthen our relationships in South-East Asia and the Pacific. As senators may be aware, across the government—whether it's the Prime Minister, myself or other ministers both within cabinet and within the portfolio—we are obviously actively engaging in the region. What we hear from other nations in the region, from friends and partners, is the value of genuine engagement, of respect and of listening. Most importantly, we want to engage in a region that recognises that our futures are shared. These are challenging times in the world. We all understand that. But it's best that we navigate these challenges together—stronger together—with our friends and our partners in the region. The region does value partnership, and that is the approach that this government will continue to take.