Jessica Collins (NSW, Liberal Party) | Hansard source

The coalition welcomes the signing of the Vuvale Union treaty and the Ocean of Peace Alliance—the Veitacini Treaty. This is with our regional friend and now ally, and this is a really big moment for Australia and for Fiji. As the Minister for Foreign Affairs said, it is Fiji's first alliance and Australia's fourth. They are quite rare indeed. This is an uplift in the military relationship, and we know that Fiji and Australia have stood side-by-side. The Fijian personnel are embedded into Australian units.

I really wish I didn't have to do this, but we heard today the Foreign minister take a partisan swipe at the coalition and the coalition's record in the Pacific, and she did say that there was a neglect of the region, so let's put the facts on the table here. The coalition government in 2019, under former prime minister Scott Morrison, signed the Fiji-Australia Vuvale Partnership, which underpins this alliance. We got that in motion. The coalition got that in motion. We did not neglect the region. In fact, we charged on with the step-up.

Now, the coalition has a very proud record of delivery in the Pacific, including major contributions through the Pacific Step-up, the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific, the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme, Coral Sea Cable and the opening of new diplomatic missions giving Australia representation in every member of the Pacific Islands Forum. The list goes on. But I will stop here because it's important to talk about the alliance and the union, the treaty, that have been signed between Australia and Fiji.

The coalition supports more engagement. It's a good thing that this has happened, even if done under Labor, because it's good for all of us. It is good for security. It strengthens regional security. These agreements speak to our partnership with Fiji and the need for closer ties—security ties and people-to-people links. They affirm our shared values and increase cooperation and consultation regarding security related threats. We welcome that outcome; we do. But again I make the point that this formed part of the substantial work undertaken in the Pacific by the former, coalition government, and that should again go on the record, given the propensity of those opposite to make spurious claims about our record of delivery.

Now, there is some good news in these arrangements. The Vuvale union will strengthen ties and promote security, democracy and stability. But I do have concerns regarding article 4, part (4), section (a), where both parties 'commit to peace and security through the transformation of their economies to net zero emissions'.