Australia and New Zealand have won their bid to host the premier event in women’s football — the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.

Minister Payne and Minister Birmingham are pleased to announce the appointment of two new Consuls-General to Austrade posts in Milan and Houston.

Ms Margaret Twomey AM will serve as Australia’s next Ambassador to Italy.

Mr Gregory Andrews will serve as Australia’s next High Commissioner to Ghana.

The Hon Gary Gray AO will serve as Australia’s next Ambassador to Ireland.

Ms Sophia McIntyre will serve as Australia’s next Ambassador to Spain.

Ms Bronwyn Robbins will serve as Australia’s new Consul-General in Makassar, Indonesia.

Minister Payne announces the appointment of two new members of the Advisory Board of the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations

The Government has today announced funding support for 24 events and festivals in fire affected regions, under the Regional Tourism Bushfire Recovery Grants program.

Joint Statement by Minister Birmingham and Secretary of State Truss on the launch of negotiations for the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement

Today we are very pleased to announce the launch of free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations between Australia and the United Kingdom. An FTA between our two nations, close allies with deep historical and people-to-people ties, will support the economic recovery from COVID-19 and take our bilateral trade and investment relationship to the next level.

Australia and the United Kingdom have today announced the commencement of negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA), which will start a new chapter in the economic relationship and help to boost export flows between our two nations.

The Australian Government has today announced it will establish a Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) to help inform the Government’s ongoing free trade agreement (FTA) agenda.

It will now be easier for South East Queensland farmers to get their high-quality produce into key overseas export markets with the Morrison-McCormack Government helping to secure two direct freight routes to Hong Kong and Singapore.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has reaffirmed its earlier decision that Australia's tobacco plain packaging is a legitimate policy measure that is making a meaningful contribution to public health.

South Australian exporters of fresh produce, seafood and meat now have another pathway into critical export markets, with the Government securing a critical freight route between Adelaide and Hong Kong.

Australia has signed a wide-ranging maritime declaration with India, marking a major step forward in the security and defence relationship as part of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between our countries.

The Government has entered into a landmark, cooperative arrangement with India on cyber affairs and critical technology.

The Indo-Pacific region will have improved access to vaccines through Australia’s new pledge of $300 million to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

Together with Samoan Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, we convened a region-wide meeting of Pacific Women Leaders to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on women’s health, economic security and personal safety.

Australia recorded a mega $19.2 billion trade surplus for the March quarter along with its highest ever current account surplus.

The Australian Government is working in partnership with the Pacific Islands Forum to contribute to its initiative to establish a Pacific Humanitarian Pathway amid global supply chain disruptions.

Today we honour the one million peacekeepers who have served under the UN flag.

The Australian Government’s Partnerships for Recovery policy presents Australia’s priorities in working globally, and especially with our near neighbours, to minimise the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Signatories to this statement reiterate our deep concern regarding Beijing’s decision to impose a national security law in Hong Kong.

Australia is deeply saddened by the loss and suffering from the recent violence in Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Fiji will have access to more Australian television content through the PacificAus TV initiative delivered by Free TV Australia. 

We are deeply concerned at proposals for introducing legislation related to national security in Hong Kong.

Announcement of Australia’s new Ambassador for People Smuggling and Human Trafficking

Tasmania’s seafood exporters and fresh food producers will have a new link to the world with additional freight flights connecting Hobart and Sydney.

As Australians and the international community band together to respond to COVID-19, the Australian Government is concerned that malicious cyber actors are seeking to exploit the pandemic for their own gain.

Australia welcomes the adoption of a landmark Resolution on the global COVID-19 response at the 73rd session of the World Health Assembly.

The Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment and the Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry held a ministerial video conference on 18 May 2020 amidst the serious global crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Australian Government condemns in the strongest terms the terrorist attacks this week in Afghanistan on a maternity clinic in Kabul, and a funeral procession in Nangarhar province.

Combatting COVID-19 is currently the over-riding challenge for our Indo-Pacific region.

Tourism operators on the Great Barrier Reef will receive much needed additional support from the Government.

The Australian Government is backing small and medium sized Australian businesses to tap into new markets around the world, with support for a series of export hubs across the nation.

The Australian Government is deeply concerned by reports that unjustified duties may be levied on Australian barley imports into China.

More than 300,000 Australians and permanent residents have returned from overseas since the Government recommended that people reconsider the need to travel abroad.

The Australian Government has committed an additional $50 million to continue its network of international flights to London and Los Angeles to help Australians return over the next four weeks.

Pacific Island countries will be equipped to more effectively detect and prevent the spread of COVID-19, with the arrival of new rapid diagnostic tests that build on Australia’s partnership with our region to protect against the pandemic.

Australian exporters will soon start reaping the benefits of the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA), with Australia receiving formal notification that Indonesia has completed its domestic ratification processes.

Tropical North Queensland’s seafood industry has been given a major boost with the Australian Government helping to secure a critical freight route between Cairns and Hong Kong.

Over 30 tonnes of fresh South Australian produce, seafood and meat is now on its way to Asia under a new agreement with Singapore Airlines that will see local businesses once again have a direct freight route into key export markets.

The COVID-19 outbreak has presented a global challenge that requires a coordinated global response.

The Australian Government has acted again to ensure the movement of critical freight such as agricultural produce, medicines and medical equipment can continue.

In these troubled times there is much that we must work to protect.

DFAT notes with regret that the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China has issued a statement releasing purported details of official diplomatic exchanges.