Yesterday in this place, ACFID brought together organisations from across Australia's international development and humanitarian sector, showcasing the extraordinary work delivered with Australian support through the Indo-Pacific and beyond by these organisations. It was really fantastic to see organisations like Oxfam Australia, ActionAid Australia, Australian Red Cross, Plan International, CARE Australia and Global Mission Partners, along with many others, highlighting the impact of their work and the partnerships that they have built with local communities. I was blown away with the commitment, the passion and the enthusiasm in the room that went all day long.

These organisations support people affected by poverty, conflict, disasters and inequalities while helping communities build long-term resilience and self-determination. Whether it's responding to humanitarian emergencies, advancing gender equality, improving health outcomes, strengthening education systems or supporting climate resilience, the Australian aid sector is making a tangible difference. This work is only possible because of the commitment of thousands of workers, volunteers, researchers, health professionals, program staff and local partners who are so very talented and bring their expertise, passion and dedication to some of the world's most-challenging environments. Australia's development and humanitarian organisations are a very important part of how we engage with our neighbours, build partnerships and contribute to a more stable, healthy and prosperous region.

All that were present, I would say, were standouts in terms of the work that they do across the Pacific and across the world. My time is limited, but I do want to give a shout-out to a couple that were my favourites. The showcase highlighted the remarkable innovation supported through Australia's international development efforts. One of these was the World Mosquito Program, an Australian innovation founded at Monash University in my home state of Melbourne. The World Mosquito Program works alongside governments and communities around the world, using its Wolbachia method to reduce the spread of diseases such as dengue fever. Wolbachia is a naturally occurring bacterium that, when introduced into mosquitoes, significantly reduces their ability to transmit dengue and other viruses. Once released, mosquitoes carrying Wolbachia pass the bacterium to future generations, which provides long-term protection without the need for continual releases.

Dengue is one of the world's fastest growing mosquito-borne diseases, making solutions like this so very impressive and increasingly important. The 2021 trial in Indonesia demonstrated the impact of this approach, with a 77 per cent reduction in dengue cases and an 86 per cent reduction in dengue related hospitalisations, making a real difference. It's a powerful example of how Australian research, innovation and international partnerships can deliver real-world outcomes for communities around the globe.

While programs like the World Mosquito Program focus on long-term health outcomes and prevention, many organisations in the aid sector are also responding to immediate humanitarian needs when crises occur. One such organisation is CARE Australia, who showcased their care package—a really simple but powerful example of how humanitarian organisations are rethinking disaster response to ensure essential supplies can reach people when they need them most. Delivering aid in an emergency can be incredibly challenging. Supply chains are disrupted, infrastructure is damaged and circumstances change rapidly, whether the crisis is caused by natural disasters, conflict or displacement. In just three small backpacks, the care package developed by CARE Australia contains more than 40 essential items that can help a family of four meet their shelter, kitchen, water and hygiene needs for up to a month. The kits include shelter materials, hygiene supplies, cooking equipment, dignity items, solar powered lighting and charging equipment and can be prepositioned in a disaster prone location before emergencies occur. These were used most recently in Nepal. It is a really practical example of how humanitarian organisations combine innovation, planning and local partnerships to ensure assistance reaches many people quickly when they need it most.

I really want to pay tribute to these organisations for the important work that they do in demonstrating the value of Australia's aid and development investments. They save lives, strengthen communities and build lasting relationships with our neighbours.