Sarah Henderson (Victoria, Liberal Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

I note that this is not my first speech. My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Payne. Can the minister advise the Senate on Australia's priorities at the United Nations General Assembly meeting next week?

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

It's a great pleasure to take a question from my friend Senator Henderson here in this place, and on such an important matter.

Australia's engagement with the United Nations is a very important part of our efforts to ensure a safe, secure and prosperous Australia by working with our international partners to strengthen the rules and institutions that underpin a free, open and inclusive global order. With that in mind, I will attend the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week, beginning with the Climate Action Summit as well as high-level meetings on a range of policy areas, including disaster-resilient infrastructure, followed by India's Universal Health Coverage and the sustainable development goals. These are going to be very important engagements on key policy areas of concern and interest to Australia.

We have a great history—a strong track record—of achievement in the UN. We work collaboratively to identify solutions to the world's most intractable problems with our key partners. The international forum of the United Nations is an important opportunity for us to use that reputation, that standing, to lead on these issues that are important to us. The Prime Minister himself will outline our national values and principles in his address to the General Assembly following his state visit to Washington, where he will of course affirm the enduring alliance with our key strategic partner the United States.

Our engagement in the UN, where we have been active, creative and effective, including in our position on the Security Council some few years ago, really contributes to the establishment and consolidation of the rules based international order that supports our interests. Our financial contributions, comprised of our assessed and voluntary contributions, our humanitarian and development funding and our peacekeeping contributions, are all part of Australia's engagement across the panoply of issues that have to be addressed through important multilateral processes— (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Henderson, a supplementary question?

Sarah Henderson (Victoria, Liberal Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister provide further details to the Senate on Australia's particular priorities regarding global security issues?

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

We know that today threats are global in their reach. It's true for terrorism, it's true for nuclear weapons and it's true for cybersecurity. Tackling these threats with our international partners helps to keep Australians safer. At next week's meetings I'll continue our engagement with key partners to develop norms that compel better international behaviour in cyberspace. I'll encourage other nations to join the comprehensive test ban treaty as a step towards arms control and to prepare for the review of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. These are important confidence-building measures for nuclear arms control. I will also deliver Australia's national statement at the 10th Global Counterterrorism Forum, conscious of the ongoing challenges of combating the threat of terrorist activity in our region and globally, and with particular reference to our hosting of the 2019 No Money for Terror conference in Melbourne later this year.

Sarah Henderson (Victoria, Liberal Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister advise the Senate on other areas of focus for Australia at next week's United Nations General Assembly?

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

There are obviously a vast range of opportunities for Australia to engage, but we will particularly use next week's climate action summit to convey Australia's steadfast commitment to the Paris Agreement, stressing that our contribution includes building climate and disaster resilience in the Pacific. I'll also represent Australia on a panel for the sustainable oceans economy, because we know that economic production and ocean protection must go hand in hand. We also take a leadership role on human rights in these fora. In recent weeks I travelled to Cox's Bazar, in Bangladesh, where close to one million Rohingya people from Myanmar have taken refuge. I will be discussing also with counterparts how we can make progress on this very difficult problem and on how we are also able to support the response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.