This week in Australian foreign affairs: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pays tribute to Pope Francis; and Foreign Minister Penny Wong calls on Israel to end the blockade of Gaza.
On 21 April, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid tribute to Pope Francis, describing him as a “devoted champion and loving father” to Australian Catholics and a global symbol of compassion, peace, and inclusion. Pope Francis was the first pontiff from the Americas, the first Jesuit pope, the first to take the name of St Francis of Assisi, and a champion of the poor. According to the statement, throughout his papacy, Pope Francis urged the world to come together, famously calling on global leaders to “emerge from the dark night of wars and environmental devastation in order to turn our common future into the dawn of a new and radiant day.” “He was especially close to the people of Australia and left a lasting impression during his historic visit to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, and Timor-Leste. Known for his modest way of life and his unwavering commitment to human dignity, Pope Francis lived out his faith in word and deed.” In closing, Albanese cited the Pope’s final Easter homily as a lasting legacy: “The light quietly shines forth, even though we are in darkness… a new beginning, however impossible it might seem, can take us by surprise.”
Foreign Minister Penny Wong called for Israel to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza on 24 April. Joining partners from UK, France, and Germany, Wong noted that Israel has been blocking supplies for more than 50 days, including fuel and electricity, from entering Gaza since the beginning of March. The announcement called for Israel to “immediately allow rapid and unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.” Wong has also called for a new ceasefire deal and the return of hostages. “Palestinian civilians – including one million children – face an acute risk of starvation, epidemic disease and death. This must end,” the statement said. “We reiterate our outrage at recent strikes by Israeli forces on humanitarian personnel, infrastructure, premises and healthcare facilities.”
Disclaimer: Due to the ongoing Australian government election and disruption to government office media announcements on foreign affairs, we will be sourcing some information from reputable media outlet such as the ABC and SBS.
Dr Adam Bartley is the managing editor for AIIA’s Australian Outlook and weekly columnist for The Week in Australian Foreign Affairs. He is a former Fulbright Scholar and non-resident fellow at the Elliot School for International Affairs, the George Washington University. Adam also has positions as post-doctoral fellow at the Centre for Cyber Security Research and Innovation RMIT University and as program manager of the AI Trilateral Experts Group. He can be found on Twitter here.
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