Richard Marles to talk Pacific defence

Defence Minister Richard Marles will discuss new opportunities to better integrate the defence forces of Pacific Island nations and threats to security in the ­region.

Defence Minister Richard Marles. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Defence Minister Richard Marles will discuss new opportunities to better integrate the defence forces of Pacific Island nations and threats to security in the ­region after leaving for Tonga on Monday.

The Deputy Prime Minister will hold talks with his Pacific nat­ion counterparts at the South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM) before heading to Fiji to visit the Blackrock Peacekeeping camp and meet with Defence Minister Inia Seruiratu.

“Our region is increasingly facing both traditional and non-traditional threats to our shared security,” Mr Marles said.

“The Pacific family is stronger when we respond together, by enhancing co-ordination, sharing information and improving interoperability between our countries and defence forces.”

Mr Marles said Australia’s relationship with Fiji was “enduring and strong”, highlighted by the “success of joint exercises, co-­deployments and shared infrastructure projects like the Blackrock Camp”.

“I look forward to the opportunity to visit Fiji and meet with Minister Seruiratu again, as we work to enhance our defence partnership.”

Mr Marles sees an opportunity for greater defence co-­operation with Pacific Island countries, ­levering off Australia’s historic ties with the region and a shared ­commitment to meeting regional security challenges as a single ­“Pacific family”.

Earlier on Monday, he hosted New Zealand Defence Minister Peeni Henare in Geelong for the annual Australia-New Zealand Defence Ministers’ Meeting.

The pair agreed to update the defence dialogue between the ­nations in response to a changed security environment, including through the establishment of a working group on defence industry to deepen industrial collaboration across the Tasman Sea.

They also agreed to more closely co-ordinate defence reviews and increase personnel exchanges, secondments and postings, to strengthen the joint operational capabilities of their forces and to develop new protocols with the region to enhance co-ordination on human assistance and disaster relief.

A joint statement after the meeting said Australia and New Zealand shared a uniquely close relationship bound by shared history and geography.

“We share values, a common strategic outlook and deep ­people-to-people links,” it said.

Mr Marles travelled to Papua New Guinea last week to offer unprecedented defence support and raise the potential of Pacific Island countries integrating their military forces with Australia’s to undertake regional security and natural disaster missions.