STATEMENTS ON INDULGENCE
Mr ALBANESE (Grayndler—Prime Minister) (14:00): This morning it was delightful to welcome Prime Minister Anutin of Thailand to Australia. It is his first visit here as prime minister, and it comes as our two nations approach the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year—three-quarters of a century in which we have built deep connections based on friendship and goodwill.
As friends, partners and neighbours, we have worked across trade and investment, law enforcement, education, agriculture, innovation and energy. It is a relationship that we value deeply and one that continues to pay dividends for both of our peoples. Today, Prime Minister Anutin and I discussed how we can make an even stronger contribution to a peaceful, stable and prosperous region.
One way is through combating transnational crime, continuing and expanding the excellent cooperation between the Australian Federal Police and the Royal Thai Police. We agreed to elevate our defence relationship by committing to a biannual defence ministers meeting, and, in this time of global uncertainty, we agreed to coordinate closely to ensure supply chains remain open, secure and resilient.
Thailand is Australia's fourth-largest trading partner in South-East Asia, and our investment links run into the billions of dollars on both sides. Enhancing the strength of our economic ties is a top priority for this government and part of our South-East Asia economic strategy to 2040, developed under the leadership of Nicholas Moore. There is much in the world right now that is uncertain, but our relationship with Thailand is certainly not.
This is a relationship that goes back so many years. My first visit to Thailand was a great privilege. It was made with former prisoners of war including 'Weary' Dunlop, 'Bluey' Rutherford, Tom Uren and others.
I went to the opening of Hellfire Pass in Kanchanaburi and, indeed, took a trip down the River Kwai on a long boat with Sir John Carrick, whom I got to know. These amazing men, most of whom have passed now, had something in common apart from their solidarity, camaraderie with each other and extraordinary overcoming of hardship; it was their thanks for the Thai people who smuggled them in with a bit of food and water and cared for them.
That is something that we should never forget about the Thai people—the debt that we owe them, forged at our darkest moment, which, in peacetime, continued to develop to the point where, today, we are very close friends indeed. That relationship will continue through the meetings that will be held. The prime minister will attend the pre-COP in Fiji to talk about our common interests in the region in dealing with climate change, but we'll continue to engage right across the board on the full suite of measures.
As two great democracies, we have much to give each other, and it is to our mutual benefit.