This week in Australian foreign affairs: Morrison calls the election; further sanctions against Russia; Seselja visits Solomon Islands; and more.

On 10 April, Prime Minister Scott Morrison advised the Governor-General to call an election for the House of Representatives and half of the Senate on May 21. In a press conference that day, Morrison stated that his government is completing “the biggest rebuilding of our defence and security forces since World War II” and that Australia is “dealing with a world that is less stable than at any other time since the Second World War.”

Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne announced “targeted financial sanctions and travel bans on a further 67 individuals for their role in Russia’s unprovoked, unjust and illegal invasion of Ukraine” on 7 April. She noted that the latest round of sanctions “follows the emergence of evidence of war crimes committed by Russia in Bucha and other towns around Kyiv.” Those sanctioned include Russian military official Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Grigorenko, Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov, and “other senior Russian government officials.”

On 7 April, Payne noted that Australia, as an Enhanced Opportunities Partner of NATO, will “partner with the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence to help strengthen NATO’s capacity to address hybrid threats and to counter disinformation.” The Centre is based in Riga, Latvia, and is a “multinational organisation whose mission is to carry out research, analysis and training, and develop technical expertise, in order to build the strategic communications capabilities of NATO, NATO allies and NATO partners.” Australia will send a seconded official to the Centre in May and has “begun the process of becoming a longer term contributing partner of the Centre.” Payne noted that “[t]he importance of improving strategic communications has been underscored by Russia’s use of disinformation and propaganda during its illegal and unprovoked war against Ukraine.”

Payne and Minister for International Development Zed Seselja issued a joint media release on 9 April on a further $16 million package of support for Tonga following the volcanic eruption and tsunami in January. The package follows the initial $3 million in humanitarian support and the Australian Defence Force’s help under Operation Tonga Assist 2022. Australia will also deliver 54,990 Pfizer vaccines to support Tonga’s COVID-19 response. The Ministers noted that the work “continues our ongoing efforts with our Pacific Family under the Pacific Step-Up” and that Australia is “coordinating our efforts with Tonga’s reconstruction priorities and their work managing the recent COVID-19 outbreak.”

From 12-13 April, Seselja travelled to Honiara, Solomon Islands “to discuss Australia’s enduring relationship” with the nation, including the proposed Solomon Islands-China security agreement. The trip follows “ongoing” direct engagement between Payne and her Solomon Islands counterpart and recent visits by Australian government officials. Seselja noted that “Solomon Islands is a valued member of our Pacific family, and Australia respects Solomon Islands[’] right to make sovereign decisions about its national security.” He met with Prime Minister Sogavare and other senior ministers and “asked Solomon Islands respectfully to consider not signing the agreement and to consult the Pacific family in the spirit of regional openness and transparency.” Seselja further noted that Australia welcomes Sogavare’s recent statements that “Australia remains Solomon Islands[’] security partner of choice” and his commitment that “Solomon Islands will never be used for military bases or other military institutions of foreign powers.” He flagged that Australia “look[s] forward to ongoing engagement” on the issue.

Payne and Seselja published a joint media release with their Vanuatuan counterpart Marc Ati on 8 April, noting that the Australian and Vanuatuan Governments have signed the Memorandum of Understanding for the long-term operation of the Pacific Fusion Centre in Port Vila. The Centre “provides assessments and advice to Pacific decision-makers on the key security issues facing our region, including climate, human and resource security, environmental and cyber threats and transnational crime.” Payne referred to the Memorandum of Understanding as an “important milestone” that “demonstrates Vanuatu’s and Australia’s shared commitment to working in partnership with our Pacific family to meet the security challenges impacting our region.”

On 11 February, Payne wrote an op-ed for the Herald Sun titled “Sturdy ties keep us stable.” In the piece, she referred to “the foundations of Australia’s region” as “under pressure” and “being strained.” Payne referred to Australia’s Quad partnership with India, Japan and the United States, and argued that “[c]ountries that share a vision of a stable region underpinned by principles such as openness, the protection of national sovereignty, and the observance of rules and fair play in trade and international security, must work together to strengthen our bonds and cooperate more closely.” She stated that “[s]ome authoritarian nations are knowingly taking advantage of the vulnerability of others during the COVID-19 pandemic” and that the pandemic has “added to, and complicated, many of the challenges our region is facing”.

Payne issued a statement on 8 April noting that Australia will provide $2.5 million “to boost food security in Sri Lanka”. The “targeted development assistance” will be distributed through the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and will “support child nutrition, strengthen productivity for smallholder farmers and improve livelihoods in rural areas.”

On 7 April, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong called on the Government to “expel Russian diplomats, in lockstep with European partners … including France, Germany and Italy”. She referred to a comment by Payne that the matter is “under review … at the highest levels of government”, and argued that “there must be immediate diplomatic consequences” for “war crimes” including “the mass killing of innocent civilians and the use of rape as a weapon of war.” Wong further reiterated Labor’s support for “all efforts to ensure these crimes are thoroughly investigated and prosecuted through the International Criminal Court process.”

Isabella Keith is a weekly columnist for Australian Outlook. She is also an undergraduate student at the Australian National University studying Law and Politics, Philosophy and Economics. Isabella’s research interests include international law and comparative constitutional law.

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