The Prime Minister has taken part in the first face-to-face Quad leaders’ meeting,a historic affirmation of the practical and ambitious agenda that Australia,India,Japan and the US are advancing together.
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Across these engagements,we and our partners have agreed to deepen cooperation in areas such as equitable vaccine distribution,COVID-19 economic recovery,low-emissions technology,infrastructure investment,critical technologies,education,cyber security,space and countering disinformation.
Rarely has there been a more substantive fortnight in Australia’s foreign affairs. In Washington,we reiterated alongside our United States counterparts that our network of allies and partners is our greatest strategic asset. As we marked 70 years of ANZUS,we did not just celebrate our history but consolidated our future.
These are good friendships,genuine friendships.
There has,at times,been an insular and parochial narrative in Australia that we have to change our outlook,our values,and our character to navigate the changing dynamics in our region.
Having had the privilege of serving as both Defence and Foreign Minister over the past six years,I can attest to the fact that Australia is respected when we engage with the region honestly and consistently.
We are a proud democracy and much of our cooperation is rooted in shared values – our belief in freedom and openness,free speech,human rights and equality irrespective of race,religion and gender. But our approach is inclusive. It allows space for each country to be itself within a regional framework that protects and respects sovereignty. Importantly,our values are consistent with the interests of our partners.
The relationships this Coalition government has enhanced means we are having frank conversations about the purpose of an initiative such as AUKUS. Some countries,including some of our ASEAN partners,have posed legitimate questions about non-proliferation and we have responded to those. We will continue reassuring our friends that Australia’s work under AUKUS remains absolutely in line with our non-proliferation obligations.
The unprecedented span of meetings and announcements,despite the limitations imposed by COVID-19,demonstrates a unity of purpose across different arms of our government – foreign affairs,defence,intelligence,health,energy and economic portfolios – to deliver in the national interest.
AUKUS is a vital initiative that complements rather than replaces other groupings. But to look at it in isolation misses the point. Australia is embarked on a broad,long-term endeavour to contribute our strengths as a significant regional power and to fulfil our global responsibilities. It will develop over many governments and we thereforewelcome Labor’s bipartisan support for AUKUS,despite pressure from those who have been outside of government for some time and are not on the front line of the significant strategic shifts that have occurred.
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There are few gains to be made on security and prosperity without taking some risk. This is why Australia has engaged partners,including in seeking an independent evaluation into COVID-19,sought leadership positions in key international organisations and successfully upgraded formal diplomatic,defence and trading relationships with regional and global partners – the most recent being theStrategic Cooperation Agreementsigned last week between Australia and Austria.
President Bidenhas said the United States has “no closer or more reliable ally than Australia”. We have shown an important consistency in our foreign policy that has entailed remaining firm in the face of risks and threats,and managing them rather than leaving them for future generations or unnecessarily provoking them further.
We are highly regarded around the world for this consistency and our practical approach to diplomacy. And we will continue to build on this respect,seeking new friendships and strengthening old ones. To do so is to fulfil our responsibility both to the Australian people and to the international community.
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