Australia to deliver transformational package to support Pacific

To address Pacific priorities and safeguard our shared interests in a stable, prosperous, and resilient region, the Albanese government provides a transformative package of assistance to the Pacific.

Building on our traditional contributions to regional stability, we are strengthening ties among our citizens and fostering collaboration in areas like policing, media, sport, maritime security, responding to and preparing for natural disasters, and labour mobility.

Albanese Government Ministers have travelled to every member of the Pacific Islands Forum in our first year to reaffirm our Pacific partnerships, hear about their objectives, and advance our common goals. By funding more diplomatic employees around the Pacific, this Budget will strengthen our ability to respond and further reflect our dedication to the region as a whole.

To maximize the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme’s economic contributions to Pacific economies and to Australia’s labour shortages, we will further expand and improve it. With our additional investments, Pacific workers will receive more training and community liaison officers, as well as improved worker protections and compliance operations in Australia.

We are assisting the main regional organization, the Pacific Islands Forum, to ensure that it is prepared to deliver the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and respond collaboratively to shared problems and opportunities for our region.

In order to support the Pacific family first strategy adopted by the leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum and the peace and security pledges made under the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, we are increasing our contribution to Pacific security priorities by $1.4 billion over four years.

This comprises:

providing assistance with the delivery of infrastructure, marine security capacity, and sustainment, particularly through the Pacific Marine Security Program.

In order to help Pacific law enforcement activities and criminal justice programs, which is one of the most significant expansions of the AFP’s collaboration with the Pacific family.
additional assistance with other Pacific security issues and cyber resilience.

Australia will adopt a regional strategy for humanitarian relief and increase support for disaster preparedness, working closely with the Pacific family to help their responses to disasters as climate change continues to harm Pacific communities.

We’ll make the most of Australia’s assets, notably in the media and in sports. By strengthening media ties and enabling more Pacific Islands Forum members to access Australian material, we will broaden the Indo-Pacific Broadcasting Strategy. We are going to keep growing our Pacific sports diplomacy and use sports to bring people together.

Critical infrastructure for the Pacific and Timor-Leste is still being delivered by the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific. A total of $1.25 billion in financing has now been approved by the Australian government for 14 projects across nine nations.

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