The Birrarung Statement

21 November 2025, Naarm/Melbourne, Australia on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung and Bunurung / Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin nation

The title, The Birrarung Statement, seeks to symbolically reflect the spirit of connection, flow, and mutual understanding—qualities embodied by the term Birrarung, which refers to the Yarra River in the Woiwurrung language. The Birrarung is respected and recognised as an integrated, living entity, and holds deep cultural and spiritual significance for the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people.

1. We, Ministers and Representatives of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, Singapore and Chile, coming together during the Ninth Comprehensive And Progressive Agreement For Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) Commission Meeting in Naarm/Melbourne, Australia, hereby affirm our shared commitment to ensuring that the benefits and opportunities from trade and investment are more widely shared, including by under-represented groups in trade.

Trade and Indigenous Peoples

2. We recognise and respect the cultural diversity among and within our nations, as well as the importance of preserving the rights of each of us to regulate in the public interest.
3. We recognise and acknowledge Indigenous Peoples' interests and perspectives in international trade. We will consider ways to support greater Indigenous participation in international trade and to address trade and investment barriers faced by Indigenous Peoples' businesses.

Collaboration and cooperation

4. We value working collaboratively as appropriate to improve the capability for Indigenous Peoples, organisations and businesses to access, and fully benefit from, the opportunities created by trade agreements. This may include working with Indigenous Peoples to help create an inclusive and equitable economic landscape that improves access to trade and investment opportunities and helps to remove barriers affecting Indigenous People.
5. We will work to achieve this shared vision through cooperation activities and collaboration as appropriate that supports Indigenous economic empowerment and helps facilitate participation in international trade and investment. For relevant Participants to this Birrarung Statement, this may include activities undertaken through regional mechanisms such as the Inclusive Trade Action Group.