News, speeches and media

Australia opposes the use of economic coercion and discriminatory and restrictive trade practices which undermine the rules-based international trading system and cause economic harm.

In response to a request from the Solomon Islands Government, Australia has today deployed an eight person Australian Medical Assistance Team (AUSMAT) to support Solomon Islands’ response to the growing COVID-19 outbreak. 

Australia and Lao PDR held the 7th bilateral Human Rights Dialogue on 9 December 2021 by videoconference.  

An article in the Sydney Morning Herald of 26 January, “DFAT staff told how to act more inclusively on Australia Day”, also reported by other outlets, reports on the contents of an internal email from an acting manager to DFAT staff working on Pacific issues. This was not an official or authorised document of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and should not have been distributed.

HMAS Adelaide arrived in Tonga today with additional humanitarian and medical supplies, engineering equipment and helicopters to support logistics and distribution as Australia continues its support in partnership with the Tongan Government following the volcano and tsunami.

Australia will supply $580 million in financing to support the repair and upgrade of several key ports in Papua New Guinea, many of which are nearing the end of their service life.

On 21 January 2022, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women Senator the Hon Marise Payne and Minister for Defence the Hon Peter Dutton MP hosted the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs the Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP and Secretary of State for Defence the Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP for the Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN).

Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss have agreed to closer cooperation to offer clean, reliable and transparent finance for investment in infrastructure that meets the needs and priorities of our Indo-Pacific partners.

In response to a request from the Government of Tonga, a Royal Australian Air Force C-17A aircraft arrived in Tonga today with essential supplies to support our friend and neighbour in its recovery efforts following the volcanic eruption and tsunami on 15 January.