SPEECH
ARCHIVED
Excellencies, ladies and gentleman.
Good afternoon and welcome to Parliament House and to Canberra.
I am honoured to welcome our special guests this afternoon.
I also acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Nunnawal and Ngambri peoples, and pay my respects to their elders past and present.
This is my first official speech as the Minister for International Development, and I am honoured that it is with friends from Timor-Leste. Australians, including many people in my electorate in Fremantle, Western Australia, have an enduring respect and affection for Timor-Leste and support our joint efforts to address disadvantage and build opportunity there.
I do not need to repeat the warm sentiments expressed by the Prime Minister at lunch, but I am very pleased that this event showcases the positive impact of the Australia Awards.
Since 2002, around 160 scholars from Timor-Leste have completed studies in Australia in fields such as management and commerce; engineering and science; and health. On their return home graduates have commonly taken up positions of responsibility and influence, and are helping build their country.
Many have become senior officials, eminent academics or heads of NGOs. A few have entered politics and are making great strides at a national level.
Timor-Leste's Minister for Justice, and Minister for Transport and Communications are Australia Awards alumni. So too are the Vice-Ministers for Agriculture and for Basic Education; as well as the Secretaries of State for Livestock and Security.
We wish the alumni well, and we will continue our friendship with them as partners in our shared work of advancing the stability and prosperity of this region.
The 23 scholars here today are part of this proud history.
Your Excellency, some of the scholars before us are at the end of their studies and will soon return to Timor-Leste, while others have only recently arrived.
They have all earned their place here on the basis of merit, but also because of their commitment to Timor-Leste, and their shared optimism for a brighter future.
To the scholars, I congratulate you all on your achievements and I wish you all the best in your studies.
As scholars, you come to Australia to learn, so that you can take your knowledge home to benefit your communities. We also hope you return to Timor-Leste with fond memories of Australia, and with lifelong friendships.
These relationships, the sharing of knowledge and the time spent together; all these things enrich the partnership between our two countries. These are ties that matter most and will be the true legacy of our strong partnership.
Friends, education is the flagship of the Australian aid program.
We believe that education is the great enabler; helping people to overcome poverty and to build safer and stronger communities.
In the years ahead, Australia's commitment to education in Timor-Leste will be unstinting; indeed it will continue to grow.
In partnership with our friends in the Timor-Leste government, Australia's assistance will build more classrooms, deliver more learning materials, train more teachers and, of course, offer more Australia Awards.
Conclusion
Your Excellency, in Australia you have a partner for the long haul.
We are privileged to share our institutions, our knowledge and our expertise with a dear friend and neighbour.
Excellency, thank you for your visit, for your friendship, and for your dedication to your country's development. I hope you enjoy the rest of your visit to Australia.
Thank you and good afternoon.