Australia joins our partners in condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Australia is taking immediate action to sanction Russian individuals, organisations and banks as part of the international effort to impose a sharp cost on Russia for its unprovoked and unacceptable aggression against Ukraine.

The Australian Government condemns President Putin's declaration today that the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine are independent states.

The Foreign Ministers of Australia and the Republic of Indonesia co-chaired a Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of the Steering Group of the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime.

The Australian Government joins the United States and the United Kingdom in publicly attributing the cyber attacks against the Ukrainian banking sector on 15 and 16 February 2022 to the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU).

More than 300 marketing resources will be available for free to Australian businesses to help better promote Australian goods and services overseas and attract more investment and visitors under a new national brand and tagline.

I will visit the United Arab Emirates, Germany, Poland, France, the Czech Republic and Laos to discuss international security and advance cooperation with European and other close partners in response to shared strategic challenges, including in the Indo-Pacific and the Euro-Atlantic.

Australia has today deployed two Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) C-27J Spartan cargo aircraft to Solomon Islands to deliver medical and other essential supplies to provinces experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases.

The Government is further strengthening our ties with India, one of Australia’s most important partners in the Indo-Pacific region. A series of new initiatives to support our education, community, tourism and investment links will add to our growing bilateral relationship, which was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2020.

The Australian Government will make a further five-year, $375 million strategic investment in our region’s health security, which will strengthen health systems and help us prepare for emerging infectious disease outbreaks.

International visitors will be inspired to take a big holiday when they visit Australia with a new tourism marketing campaign to promote the re-opening of our international border.

Given the deteriorating security situation caused by the build up of Russian troops on Ukraine’s border, the Government has directed the departure of staff at the Australian Embassy in Kyiv and temporarily suspended operations at our Embassy in Kyiv.

Australia will strengthen its tourism links with India to further increase visitor numbers and support local jobs and business by growing one of its largest and most valuable tourist markets.

Joint statement of the Foreign Ministers of Australia, India and Japan and the Secretary of State of the United States.

Australia is enhancing its engagement across the North East Indian Ocean by investing in maritime and disaster preparedness, and supporting opportunities for trade, investment and connectivity.

Australia's Foreign Minister will host counterparts from India, Japan and the United States for the fourth Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

Australia and Lithuania have agreed to strengthen our bilateral relationship, encourage more trade and investment and advance shared strategic interests during a visit by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, His Excellency Gabrielius Landsbergis.

Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan will travel to India today to advance negotiations on a free trade agreement and promote Australia as a premium destination for students and tourists.

The Australian Government tabled the text of the Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement (A-UKFTA), the side-letters, and accompanying National Interest Analysis (NIA) in the Australian Parliament on 8 February 2022.

Australian Professor Sean Turnell was detained by the Myanmar military one year ago today.

Professor Turnell's detention is unjust, and we reject the allegations against him.

The Australian Government is in bilateral discussions with a small number of countries in Southeast Asia about the Agriculture Visa program. Advanced discussions are being held with Indonesia with details to be finalised soon.

As we mark one year since the military coup in Myanmar, Australia reiterates its call on the military to halt violence against civilians and return the country to the path of democracy.

France, Australia and New Zealand reiterate their solidarity with the Kingdom of Tonga, which have been hit hard following the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano on 15 January 2022.

The Government has launched a new $7 million marketing campaign to attract young people from overseas to work and holiday in Australia.

Mr Ian Biggs will be Australia’s second Ambassador for Arms Control and Counter-Proliferation.

Australia opposes the use of economic coercion and discriminatory and restrictive trade practices which undermine the rules-based international trading system and cause economic harm.

In response to a request from the Solomon Islands Government, Australia has today deployed an eight person Australian Medical Assistance Team (AUSMAT) to support Solomon Islands’ response to the growing COVID-19 outbreak. 

Australia and Lao PDR held the 7th bilateral Human Rights Dialogue on 9 December 2021 by videoconference.  

An article in the Sydney Morning Herald of 26 January, “DFAT staff told how to act more inclusively on Australia Day”, also reported by other outlets, reports on the contents of an internal email from an acting manager to DFAT staff working on Pacific issues. This was not an official or authorised document of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and should not have been distributed.

HMAS Adelaide arrived in Tonga today with additional humanitarian and medical supplies, engineering equipment and helicopters to support logistics and distribution as Australia continues its support in partnership with the Tongan Government following the volcano and tsunami.

Australia will supply $580 million in financing to support the repair and upgrade of several key ports in Papua New Guinea, many of which are nearing the end of their service life.

On 21 January 2022, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women Senator the Hon Marise Payne and Minister for Defence the Hon Peter Dutton MP hosted the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs the Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP and Secretary of State for Defence the Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP for the Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN).

Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss have agreed to closer cooperation to offer clean, reliable and transparent finance for investment in infrastructure that meets the needs and priorities of our Indo-Pacific partners.

In response to a request from the Government of Tonga, a Royal Australian Air Force C-17A aircraft arrived in Tonga today with essential supplies to support our friend and neighbour in its recovery efforts following the volcanic eruption and tsunami on 15 January.