This week in Australian Foreign Affairs, major developments towards AUKUS capabilities, the Foreign Minister confirms the government’s response to the Nepal-China border floods, Australia and Indonesia hold their first Foreign and Defence Ministers’ Meeting since signing the Jakarta Treaty, and more.
Early in the week, the Albanese and Cook governments announced the selection of the site for the new Defence Precinct at Henderson. The site layout sets out the preferred location for naval shipbuilding and sustainment activities, and for the sustainment of Australia’s future conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines, marking a milestone in the delivery of AUKUS. The precinct will also build the Navy’s future general purpose frigates and the Army’s landing craft, and is expected to support around 10,000 direct jobs over the next two decades. The Prime Minister says “AUKUS is full steam ahead”, describing the announcement as an important milestone delivered alongside the Cook government. The program is now moving into a concept design phase.
On 25 August, Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced new appointments to the Centre for Australia-India Relations Advisory Board. Of the three new appointments joining the board were AirTrunk chief executive Robin Khuda, Adarsh Australia director Faz Pollard and UNSW’s Professor Veena Sahajwalla, while four incumbent members were reappointed. The appointments come at a time of growing momentum in the bilateral relationship.
The following day, Wong and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles welcomed Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono and Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin to Melbourne for the 10th Australia-Indonesia Foreign and Defence Ministers’ Meeting. The meeting was the first since Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and President Prabowo Subianto signed the Australia-Indonesia Treaty on Common Security, the Jakarta Treaty, in February. Wong says the meeting “marks a new chapter in the relationship between Australia and Indonesia”, while Marles pointed to discussions on operationalising the treaty and the Defence Cooperation Agreement.
Also on 26 August, in a joint statement released with the Hon Tim Watts MP, Special Envoy for Indian Ocean Affairs, Penny Wong expressed the Australian government’s continued desire for more young Australians to learn languages from around the region. Wong, Sugiono and the Special Envoy for Indian Ocean Affairs, the Hon Tim Watts MP, appeared together at the Melbourne Cricket Ground with Collingwood captain and Bahasa Indonesia speaker Darcy Moore, meeting the Australian-Indonesian Krakatoas AFL team and primary school students learning Bahasa Indonesia through the Australia Awards Indonesian Language Learning Ambassador program. Wong says “building these skills strengthens our ability to confidently engage with our region” and further supports Australia’s future security and prosperity.
On the same day, the Department of Defence confirmed that Australia, the Philippines and the United States conducted a Maritime Cooperative Activity within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone from 19 to 25 August. Australia contributed the replenishment vessel HMAS Supply, an embarked MH-60R Seahawk helicopter and a RAAF P-8A Poseidon, operating alongside Philippine Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard units and the US littoral combat ship USS Santa Barbara. The activity reflects Australia’s continued commitment to regional security, stability and maritime law alongside its partners.
At the end of the week, Wong and the Minister for International Development, the Hon Dr Anne Aly MP, announced Australia’s rapid response to the catastrophic floods along the Nepal-China border. At least 39 Australians are among those reported missing, and the government is mobilising consular and humanitarian support, including a $5 million assistance package for affected communities. The Department is deploying additional personnel, with a Crisis Response Team member and a Regional Consular Officer on the ground in Kathmandu alongside embassy staff.
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