This week in Australian foreign affairs: Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Wong delivers Australia’s national statement to UNGA, punitive tariffs on goods imported from Russia and Belarus extended for another two years, and more.

On 22 September, Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong met with her United States, Indian and Japanese counterparts on the sidelines of the 78^th United Nations General Assembly for a Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. In a joint statement, the group “reaffirm[ed their] unwavering support for the United Nations, the enduring importance of upholding mutually determined rules, norms, and standards, and to deepen Quad cooperation in the international system.” They reiterated their “steadfast commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient” and their support for “the principles of freedom, the rule of law, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and peaceful settlement of disputes”. The group emphasised their support for the UN Charter, their commitment to “upholding international law as the foundation for stability and equitable treatment of all member states”, and the importance of “full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and achievement of all the Sustainable Development Goals”. They noted that their next meeting will be in Japan in 2024.

Wong delivered Australia’s National Statement to the United Nations General Assembly on 23 September, where she noted that “this institution and our shared multilateral system is falling short of the commitments we have made together” and that “we are collectively falling further behind.” She referred to climate change, stating that “nowhere is the climate threat more profound than in the Pacific” and that “the first article of the UN Charter speaks to maintaining peace and security, but there can be no security if the sea itself closes in.” Wong also used her address to note Australia’s desire to pursue Security Council reform, to “ensure greater permanent and non-permanent representation for Africa, Latin America and Asia, including permanent seats for India and Japan” and to “demand more of the permanent members, including constraints on the use of the veto.” She stated that “with its special responsibility as a permanent member of the Security Council, Russia mocks the UN every day it continues its illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine.”

On 25 September, Wong and Minister for Trade Don Farrell jointly noted that the Government is extending 35% punitive tariffs on goods imported from Russia and Belarus for a further two years, until October 2025. The Ministers stated that “Australia is working closely with international partners to impose costs on Russia, through targeted sanctions and trade measures that diminish Russia’s ability to fund its illegal and immoral war in Ukraine.” Wong noted that “the extension of punitive trade measures shows Australia’s unwavering determination to diminish President Putin and Russia’s ability to fund this illegal and immoral war.” Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Birmingham and Shadow Minister for Trade Kevin Hogan welcomed the announcement, but noted that the Government “should have moved earlier on extending the 35% customs tariff on Russia and Belarus.”

Farrell issued a media release on 25 September, announcing that Australia “is ready and excited” to welcome back Chinese group tours, with visa processing for Approved Destination Status scheme travel recommencing that day. He stated that “the Government has worked with industry to ensure we are well positioned to welcome back Chinese group tours, including putting in place the relevant agreements between both governments and industry for ADS visa processing.”

On 23 September, Assistant Minister for Trade Tim Ayres travelled to India for the G20 Trade and Investment Ministers’ Meeting in Jaipur, and the B20 Business Summit in New Delhi. Ayres noted that he “look[ed] forward to meeting with [his] G20 counterparts to discuss how we can boost international trade and investment to help create more jobs, and address slowing global growth.” He also stated that he would “advocate for Australia’s trade interests, including to reinforce G20 support for a strong rules-based multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core.” Ayres used his visit to also “discuss progress on our Free Trade Agreement with India, the Australia-India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement, which we are looking to conclude this year”, as well as to “meet with European counterparts to discuss progress on the Australia-European Union Free Trade Agreement negotiations.”

Minister for International Development and the Pacific Pat Conroy visited Papua New Guinea on 23 September for the Prime Minister’s XIII men’s and women’s rugby league game matches. Conroy noted that “Australia’s relationship with Papua New Guinea is profoundly important and we share close historical, cultural and people to people links” and that “deepening our sporting connections is a mutual commitment by both countries under the Australia-PNG Comprehensive Strategic and Economic Partnership.”

On 26 September, Conroy announced that the Government will provide $31.25 million through the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility to support critical upgrades to Nuku’alofa Port in the Kingdom of Tonga. The project will cost $183.3 million and will be financed by the Asian Development Bank and co-funded by the Governments of Tonga and Australia. The Port “is vital to Tonga’s economic recovery and growth, with around 98% of Tonga’s imports arriving by sea”, and the project “will rehabilitate, restore and upgrade the port, designed to ensure it will be resilient to the ongoing impacts of climate change.” Conroy also noted that “Australia is committed to working in partnership with Tonga to support its ongoing economic recovery after the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption and tsunami in January 2022.”

Isabella Keith is a weekly columnist for Australian Outlook. She is also a Research Assistant, Sessional Academic, and Honours student in Law at the Australian National University, with a focus on international law. Isabella attended the AIIA #NextGen study tour to South Korea last year, and was also a delegate to the AIIA’s Australia-Korea-New Zealand and Australia-United States-Japan Policy Forums. She can be found on Twitter here.

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