Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare met today in Honiara to celebrate Australia and Solomon Islands’ partnership as ‘true wantoks’.

As two proud sovereign nations in the Pacific family, Australia and Solomon Islands enjoy a close friendship and a shared history that was further strengthened by our partnership in the 14-year Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI). As Solomon Islands celebrates the success of its first democratic election since RAMSI, Australia stands proudly as a partner and a friend.

Consistent with the Australian Government’s enhanced Pacific engagement, Australia and Solomon Islands will continue to work closely together to boost our engagement by strengthening community bonds and tackling common challenges. 

We will work together to enhance economic growth and development in Solomon Islands. Australia will establish a bilateral infrastructure program, worth up to A$250 million in grant financing over 10 years. The program will support key national and economic infrastructure and will complement the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific.

Australia will partner with Solomon Islands to commission a scoping and cost-benefit assessment of the national transport core (NTC) initiative, which would connect 74 per cent of the population and 37 constituencies in its first 10-year phase and ultimately link all 50 constituencies and 100 per cent of the population by 2035. Australia will also support the build of a new Prime Minister’s Office/Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade complex. Australia will work on an initial design for a new, modern building to meet Solomon Islands vision of a transformed Honiara CBD.

Solomon Islands recognised the crucial importance to the country’s economic future of sound management of its mineral wealth, and to that end committed to enacting reforms that will ensure global best practice in the governance and regulation of the mining sector.

Working together to enhance opportunities for labour mobility delivers benefits for both Australia and Solomon Islands. Labour mobility helps fill labour shortages in rural and regional Australia while helping Pacific workers develop valuable skills and take up work opportunities. To ensure that the opportunity to work in Australia is available to all Solomon Islanders – including those in remote provinces and rural areas – Australia will provide A$2.7 million over three years to deliver additional support for recruitment and mobilisation of Solomon Islands workers to Australia.

We agreed on the importance of holding commercial operators to account for the oil spill caused by the wreck of the bauxite mining ship MV Solomon Trader in Rennell in February. We will raise the lessons learned from this near miss at the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting, to start discussions to progress reform in both shipping practices and mining governance in Solomon Islands and the Pacific.

In line with our bilateral security treaty, we commit to deeper cooperation on defence and security. Australia is providing technical assistance to help Solomon Islands develop a border security strategy, which will be used to inform possible future collaboration in this area. Australia is also pleased to provide infrastructure and communications upgrades to existing police outposts in the western border region. This support will be provided in accordance with the Solomon Islands’ three-phased approach to strengthening surveillance, response capability and protection of the country’s western border.

The links between our communities, including our religious, sporting and cultural institutions, are the crucial, enduring ties that bind us to each other. Australia is pleased to announce additional funding of A$260,000 for the ‘Get into Rugby’ Plus Program, which will initiate a women’s/girls’ Rugby 7s competition and develop highly trained coaches who can facilitate equal participation of boys and girls in rugby.

Australia will also assist Solomon Islands to develop its elite athletes through supporting elite sports training in Australia, as well as strengthening in-country capability to provide such training for a select number of Solomon Islands’ athletes to prepare for the 2023 Solomon Islands Pacific Games and the refurbishment of classrooms to help accommodate athletes and officials in 2023.

As part of the Pacific Churches Partnership initiative, we are pleased to announce that Australia will work with Solomon Islands churches across denominations to strengthen ecumenical exchanges with Australian church partners.

Recognising the importance of education, today Solomon Islands, Australia and New Zealand launched the Extraordinary Learning Resources Project at the Bishop Epalle Catholic School. The project is the most ambitious book distribution project ever undertaken in Solomon Islands, and will distribute over 580,000 books to boys and girls across the country.

Australia will continue its investments in the health sector and will work with other partners to support Solomon Islands in its endeavour to eliminate malaria by 2030 and to halt and reverse the non-communicable disease crisis in the country by 2030. Solomon Islands confirmed its commitment to maintain government investments in health, education, including by meeting agreed national recurrent budget allocations.

Together we will continue to exchange views, discuss our mutual priorities and monitor progress and implementation through regular high-level consultations between our two countries.

Through these initiatives and more, Australia and Solomon Islands will build on our strong relationship, and work together to make the Pacific region secure, prosperous, and stable.

INTERVIEW

HONIARA, SOLOMON ISLANDS

MONDAY, 3 JUNE 2019

 

PRIME MINISTER: Well it’s my great pleasure to be here with my wife Jenny and Alex Hawke, the Minister for International Development and the Pacific and the Assistant Defence Minister, to hold meetings today with Prime Minister Sogavare and his senior ministers and advisers. And I want to thank them very much for their very warm welcome here in Solomon Islands.

Australia has a very special relationship with Solomon Islands and that relationship goes back generations of course, and we were reminded of that earlier today when we laid a wreath at the memorial for the HMAS Canberra, going back into the Second World War. And most recently, since 2003, as leading the international team through RAMSI has restored peace and stability in Solomon Islands, and laid the foundation for what has been a very significant election here post-RAMSI with the election of the new Prime Minister. This election was the ultimate test, if you like, of the success of RAMSI in that those elections were able to be held in a peaceful way and then in response to some unrest that followed, the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force were able to address that challenge of the public disorder and ensure that the democratic outcome of that election was sustained. And now we have a government that has been established, and it is my great privilege to be able to congratulate the Prime Minister on his election, but also to congratulate today the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force for the great work that they did working with many others, including our own Australian Federal Police, who have been working so closely together. So this is a relationship that is not just in the current, it’s a relationship that goes back generations, and particularly over the last two decades where we have played a central role. And so it is not surprising that in Solomon Islands, we are welcomed as family, not just as friends, not just as partners, but very much as family. And that is the spirit in which we come here today. To continue that partnership, to continue that family partnership. Now, Solomon Islands, is our third largest recipient of overseas development assistance from Australia and those programs go across the broad nature of relationship; health programs, education programs, in justice and law and order programs, and importantly in economic development and infrastructure. And the discussions that we’ve had today, we’re able to confirm that over the next decade a quarter of a million Australian dollars be dedicated to infrastructure projects here in Solomon Islands. Now this is important because having secured the stability it’s now time to really build into the economic success of Solomon Islands. A peaceful, independent, sovereign, economically-sustainable and successful Solomon Islands is in the region’s interests. It’s in the Pacific’s interests. It’s in certainly Solomon Islands interests, and it’s very much in Australia’s interests as well. We’re there to assist with that goal. That is the nature of the relationship. It is about ensuring a peaceful, independent, sovereign Solomon Islands. As is indeed our objective, for all of our Pacific family, right across the region and that is the objective of our Pacific step-up program. We are not new to the region. Not by any stretch. We have been investing and partnering for many, many years. But in coming here today and in the visits I held before the election, this was signalling a new level, a ‘step-up’ as we’ve called it to those relationships, adding a whole new layer and giving a real priority to where Australia’s focus is, which is in the Indo-Pacific and particularly in the South-West Pacific, through the Pacific step-up program. We also announced today in our discussions a $2.7 million program, which is the labour mobility program, ensuring that the Solomon Islands are in a position to better access those schemes. There has been, as we’ve seen with other nations, in recent times some blockages in terms of getting the appropriate certification and other things that need to be done to facilitate people taking up the opportunity from Solomon Islands through the labour mobility scheme. Labour mobility is a key priority for the Sogavare Government, and so they were very pleases that we could have those discussions today and put in place another layer of that economic development that would be so important.

Now the relationship goes beyond the economic, you joined us this morning for part of the sports program here. Later today I’ll be meeting with church leaders, which is another important part of the depths and breadth of our relationship, and I’m looking forward to that. But I particularly want to thank the Police Commissioner here, Commissioner Varley. He has done an outstanding job in leading the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force; an Australian here, and that’s part of our program, part of our support, and that’s proven to be a very successful part of our partnership. And so I really do want to commend them, congratulate them on what’s been achieved here. It has been hard won over a long period of time. Australia has been there throughout that period of time. And we will always be here, as family to support Solomon Islands in their national interest objectives.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, the United States says that China is undermining regional stability by trying to convince nations like the Solomon Islands to cut ties with Taiwan. Does Australia agree with that?

PRIME MINISTER: Well unlike others, ourselves and Solomon Islands for that matter, are not viewing our relationship in those sort of binary terms that others are from well outside. I think we gotta be careful not to see what are ongoing and upgrading relationships here for Australia and the Pacific through those binary terms of the United States and China. They have their interests in the region, as do others. Our relationship with the Solomon Islands, our relationship with the Pacific transcends all of that. And I think there is a great risk and a great danger in an analysis that only can see the world through such a binary prism. I certainly don’t. Australia certainly doesn’t. Australia welcomes the economic growth and advancement of China; with their economy, their record in lifting people out of poverty is second to none. It is one of the most extraordinary achievements of the modern world and something they can claim due credit for. So whether it’s their success, our longstanding relationships with the United States, these are relationships we continue to pursue enthusiastically. For us, it is not a binary prism through which we see our involvement.

JOURNALIST: With the China Taiwan issue discussed with Prime Minister Sogavare, and what did you advocate to him? (Inaudible)

PRIME MINISTER: Well decisions on those issues are entirely the province of the Government of Solomon Islands. They are an independent, sovereign country, who will make decisions in their national interests. And our relationship, our family relationship, with the Solomon Islands is to support them in the decisions that they take as an independent, sovereign government. And so, they will work through their process on that issue. It is not our place to provide advice or guidance on those decisions. We will assist them with any questions or other issues they want to raise with us, because that's the nature of our relationship. And the Assistant Defence Minister and Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Alex Hawke, will be present right across the Pacific to provide support and assistance. But the goal is independence sovereignty and economic sustainability. And where we're able to encourage decisions made in that context that doesn't undermine those things and that’s positive for the region.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, you talk about China lifting the middle class out of poverty, but you’ve also got to [inaudible] in detention camps and the Defence Minister say that Tiananmen Square was a correct decision. Australia certainly couldn’t possibly condone that?

PRIME MINISTER: Well that has been the position of the Chinese Government for a very long time. That's not a new position that's been articulated and the Foreign Minister has made comments on that today. And I endorse those comments. And in the course of the next few days the government will express its views through the Foreign Minister on that matter. There are certainly challenges in all of our relationships and there are issues that are raised within those relationships in a respectful way. As part of, I mean we have a comprehensive strategic partnership with China. We have our single largest trade agreement with China. They are single largest trading partner. We have a deep, there are 1.2 million Australians of ethnic Chinese heritage. So this is a, this is a broadening and increasingly deeper and more complex relationship that goes well beyond the economic. But similarly we have a relationship of longstanding with the United States on all the same sort of levels.

JOURNALIST: Is that going to be a hard balance given what we're seeing in the region? And given the comments from the officials in the US?

PRIME MINISTER: I think it's very important for countries like Australia and other independent sovereign states in this part of the world in the Indo-Pacific to maintain a very keen focus on their perspective and insights into the world and not be drawn into this binary analysis that others might be. I thought that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong gave a very insightful presentation last Friday in Singapore – a very insightful presentation from an Indo-Pacific perspective, and there are many insights there that Australia would share.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, what do you think is the greatest security threat facing this region?

PRIME MINISTER: I think what we've been focusing on has been the most significant and that is to ensure the continued civil peace and stability, particularly with the more recent history here in Solomon Islands. I mean, the stand-up with the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force I think has been a significant success and 70 officers a year are being sworn into that service I think is extraordinary. When I was in Vanuatu early this year there was around 20, 25 I think from memory, who were sworn in each year. It's obviously a small country, but ensuring that there is the capability within their civil police and others to maintain the stability of these countries; similar challenges which we've been working with Papua New Guinea for a long time. That is the basis for building the prosperity of their people. And that's why we've put so much of our effort, and the Australian Federal Police does an extraordinary job in training and mentoring and support. But this is a two-way street. I was I was talking to a senior member of the police force here last night. A female senior member who is now mentoring Australian officers back in Australia. This is a two-way street. Challenges that are dealt with here, public law and order, are not what you might see in Australia on a regular basis. And so there are lessons that our Police are learning from the experience of our Pacific family. And so this is very much developing into that two-way relationship of those issues.

JOURNALIST: Broadly speaking in the region is there a single security issue that stands out from your Government’s perspective? 

PRIME MINISTER: We've set all these issues out in the White Paper.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, so the United States is our closest ally. They’re saying very clearly that Chinese coercion in the Pacific is a problem, and very clearly any moves by China to coerce nations like the Solomon Islands, away from Taiwan, would undermine stability. Are you saying that we don’t agree…

PRIME MINISTER: I’m saying that’s their commentary.

JOURNALIST: What’s Australia’s commentary?

PRIME MINISTER: I’ve already made it.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, can I ask briefly about the recalibration of [inaudible] program in the Solomon Islands. Money being taken out of what we’d call traditional aid and being ploughed into infrastructure increasingly. What’s the rationale behind this? Is it [inaudible]…?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, I wouldn’t share your analysis on the recalibration. We have always been involved in infrastructure. And we continue to be very heavily committed to health and education. Heavily committed to health and education. Not just here in Solomon Islands but across the Pacific. And we have partnerships with countries whether it's Japan, United States, New Zealand, China, across the Pacific where we're pursuing those objectives. The purpose of our programs is based on the shared objectives with the (inaudible) country. And so the programs we work up are done in consultation and partnership with the Solomon Islands. Understanding their priorities, understanding where we can bring technical expertise and experience, and applying those to the needs that are here. Now those needs change over time. Here in the Solomons a big focus of our investment has actually been on the law and order side, for very obvious reasons. But as that continues to improve then that frees up opportunities to do other things. But right now having one if you like the civil peace, a very important priority we discussed today is to really do what we can to improve living standards by boosting the sustainability of economic growth here. That is really the objective, because with that economic growth, comes a greater capacity to invest in health and education. That's as true in the Solomon Islands as it is in Australia, which is the point I was making throughout the entire election campaign. You've got a stronger economy. You can invest in schools and hospitals, and your own civil peace, and that's what we want to see here – that’s what an independent, sovereign, sustainable Solomon Islands looks like. It looks like a country with what has already proven in this most recent election to be a stable democracy. With a good level and a very good level of civil peace. But now it's about building the rules and the pillars of economic growth for the future.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, the White House is considering tariffs on aluminium imports from Australia. Were you aware of that? And does it show the escalating trade war between the US and China could have an impact on us?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, we have an arrangement with the United States and we are working within that arrangement and working closely with the US officials in the White House on all of those issues.

JOURNALIST: On the visit by the Chinese ships, that wasn’t publicly flagged, it was a bit of a surprise to everyone as they came steaming through the heads. Can you tell us about that and when did you know about that?

PRIME MINISTER: We’ve known about that for some time. And this was an arrangement it was a reciprocal visit because Australian naval vessels visited China. This was a program of a reciprocal visit. They were returning from counter drug trafficking operations in the Middle East. And that is a further demonstration of the relationship that we have, and this had been in train for some time. So it may have been a surprise to others, but it certainly wasn't a surprise to the Government.

JOURNALIST: The timing is interesting on the anniversary of Tiananmen massacre. Do you see that as problematic at all?

PRIME MINISTER: No. I think in his reading into timings, is could be subject to a bit of over-analysis.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, you’re obviously bucking the trend but an Australians Prime Minister hasn’t been here to the Solomon Islands since 2008. Is that embarrassing for Australia?

PRIME MINISTER: Australia's certainly been here. There's no doubt about that. And, but it is true that as Prime Minister, I had the first bilateral meeting in Fiji – of any Australian Prime Minister. Same is true in Vanuatu. I'm pleased to be here today. It was Prime Minister Rudd who was last here. And it was Prime Minister Howard that was Prime Minister when we took the leadership of the RAMSI initiative. So there's never been a lack of interest I think from Australian Prime Ministers in Solomon Islands. And I'm pleased to be here at this level. And I know Minister Hawke will be pleased to return on many occasions to work through our program of support and assistance.

JOURNALIST: Yesterday, the former Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands…

PRIME MINISTER: I met with him.

JOURNALIST: Said he thought the Pacific Step-Up by Australia’s anxiety about China, as well as a desire to help the region deal with its challenges. Do you share that analysis? Is it disingenuous for Australian officials and Australian leaders to pretend that China plays no role (inaudible)?

PRIME MINISTER: Well I’m a pretty straight-up sort of person. And the reason I'm here is because I value the relationship of Solomon Islands. Because it is an important part of our region. And this relationship predates and will post-date all of those sort of binary considerations. We're here because we are family with the Pacific. And as Prime Minister I made it clear before the election that I wanted to make this a mark of our Government, that we were keenly interested, at a very deep level, about this relationship. You know Australia can have views and opinions on places that are far beyond our shores. And then there are places that we can make a material difference to people's lives. And Solomon Islands is one such place. That's why it is our third biggest recipient of overseas development assistance because we can make a tangible difference to the living standards of people living in Solomon Islands. That's what it's about. Thank you.

JOURNALIST: Can I ask Minister Hawke about your priorities in the role in the Pacific? How you see Australia’s role in the Pacific family? 

MINISTER HAWKE: Well, thank you. As the Prime Minister has just said I'm very pleased to be appointed to this role and that our first visit, the first visit of Prime Minister Morrison, a re-elected Prime Minister, is to the Pacific. I mean you've seen our Defence Minister in Singapore. You’ve seen our Foreign Minister in Fiji. And you have us here in the Solomons. You couldn't put a higher priority on our region, than what this government is doing, what the Prime Minister is doing in our region. Obviously what the Prime Minister has said our regional priorities are, the Prime Minister’s priority, is the step-up program. The work we're doing, the partnership we've had with countries like the Solomons for so many years now. We are here today. We met with the Prime Minister and his wife and we visited the war memorials reflecting on a period where Australians, we lost 74 Australians on the HMAS Canberra. I mean we've been here a long time and we've been with our family a long time in this neighbourhood and treating our family right and making sure we have a good neighbourhood is our priority.

PRIME MINISTER: Well, and we can’t be late for a family lunch. So, thank you.