QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Mr ALBANESE (Grayndler—Prime Minister) (14:01): My office and my team have spent four years carefully rebuilding our relationships in the region. We take our relationship seriously, including our regular engagement with Japan, and that is why we will always put the national interest first, and we continue to do so. The Prime Minister of Japan is a good friend of Australia.

Prime Minister Takaichi is the third Japanese prime minister I have had dealings with. All of them have been constructive. She was a welcome guest here, as was one of her predecessors, Prime Minister Kishida.

I have had the privilege of visiting Japan on three occasions, and our relationship has never been more strategically aligned.