Visit to Kiribati

I had the honour of representing Australia at the 30th Independence Anniversary celebrations in Kiribati on Monday 13 July. My visit confirmed the strength of the ties between Australia and Kiribati and the commitment of the Australian Government to advancing its relationships in the Pacific.

The visit also provided me with the opportunity to discuss directly with the Kiribati Government the particular challenges and issues faced by Kiribati as well as those common to the Pacific.

In my meeting with President Anote Tong, our discussion focused on the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum Leaders' Meeting in Cairns (4-7 August) and our shared commitment to building greater regional resilience through initiatives such as the Kiribati-Australia Partnership for Development.

During my time in Tarawa, I also met a number of senior parliamentary representatives who were attending the 40th Presiding Officers and Clerks Conference (7-13 July) for the Pacific region.

I was particularly pleased that Australian Commonwealth, State and Territory parliaments were strongly represented at the conference as a further sign of the people-to-people and institutional linkages that are so important to our relations in the Pacific.

In all of my discussions, I was able to underscore the commitment of the Australian Government to working in partnership with Kiribati in the spirit of Prime Minister Rudd's Port Moresby declaration.

I underlined to President Tong Australia's hope for the future aspirations and prosperity of the people of Kiribati.

I was also pleased to present President Tong with a beautiful painting by indigenous artist Barry Bangarr from the Northern Territory as the official gift.

Media inquiries: Mr Kerr's office - 02 6277 4991 - Departmental Media Liaison 02 6261 1555