International relations

The death penalty is a brutal and degrading punishment. It is irrevocable, and disproportionately affects people living in poverty, people with intellectual disabilities, people living with drug or mental health problems, Indigenous Peoples, minorities and people with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities.

Senator the Hon Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs, met Wang Yi, Director of the Chinese Communist Party Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, in the margins of ASEAN-related meetings in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Senator the Hon Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs announced new appointments that strengthen Australia's diplomatic capability and its prosecution of our national interests around the globe.

For over thirty years, our three countries have been signatories to the Joint Statement on Disaster Relief Cooperation in the South Pacific, which established the FRANZ (France, Australia, New Zealand) trilateral cooperation arrangement for humanitarian assistance in the Pacific in the event of humanitarian emergencies.

The Hon Pat Conroy MP, Minister for International Development and the Pacific will travel to the Republic of the Marshall Islands to further strengthen Australia’s genuine and longstanding partnerships in the Pacific.

Senator the Hon Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs announced the appointment of Ms Lynn Bell as Australia's next Ambassador to Counter Modern Slavery, People Smuggling and Human Trafficking.

Senator the Hon Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs and The Hon Pat Conroy MP, Minister for International Development and the Pacific have appointed Mr Ewen McDonald as Australia's next High Commissioner to the Republic of Fiji and Australia's inaugural Special Envoy for the Pacific and Regional Affairs.

The Foreign Ministers of Australia, Canada and the UK are deeply concerned by recent events in Israel and the West Bank which further reduce the prospects for peace.

The Australian Government will provide an additional $12.5 million to meet urgent humanitarian needs in Bangladesh and Myanmar following Tropical Cyclone Mocha.