Penny Wong, Foreign Minister: Today I'm leaving to visit Japan, China and Korea – the economies of North Asia which matter so much to Australia. In Japan I'm pleased to be visiting Foreign Minister Motegi, where we will discuss our shared energy security and coordinate together through this crisis. Similarly, I'll be meeting Foreign Minister Wang Yi for our strategic dialogue. China obviously is Australia's largest trading partner and the inputs China provides to our economy, including aviation fuel, as well as other inputs, and in return China purchases many Australian commodities. And finally I'll be going to South Korea, the Republic of Korea – we’re very close friends – and meeting Foreign Minister Cho. I’ll make a comment about why I'm doing this. We know that our energy security is shared. We know that we rely on countries of the region to supply us with liquid fuels, with diesel, with petrol and of course with fertiliser. And we also know Australia is a reliable energy provider and a reliable provider of food to our region. So it's very important we work together. We want to remain a reliable supplier and we want to see Australia prioritised when it comes to diesel, petrol and fertiliser. That requires face-to-face engagement. That's what the Prime Minister has been doing and that's what I will be doing this week.
Journalist: So we've got looming export controls in some Asian countries. Is that something you're hoping to navigate around for Australia, potentially even bypass some of those controls and are you concerned about what that means for the fuel supply?
Foreign Minister: Of course I'm concerned about what is happening in the Strait of Hormuz and what's happening in terms of Australia's supplies. We are all concerned, which is why we are making sure we engage with the countries of the region. We've been upfront with Australians. The Strait of Hormuz supplies about 80% of the oil to our region, so Australia and the countries of the region are disproportionately affected. That means we've got to work together and that's what this trip is about, shared energy security.
Journalist: Is the hope to come back sort of in the similar way that the PM did, a hundred million. Is there a figure you hope to bring back?
Foreign Minister: I hope to have face-to-face engagement with Japan, with China and Korea, some of our largest trading partners, countries we rely on for petroleum products such as jet fuel, diesel, petrol and of course fertiliser, in order to ensure that Australia's supply is prioritised.
Journalist: With the ISIS brides you have one on a temporary exclusion order, is the Government considering more of those?
Foreign Minister: We act on the advice of agencies and if the advice of agencies is that exclusion orders or other means should be put in place, that's what the Government will do.
Journalist: Have you had that sort of advice yet?
Foreign Minister: I think Minister Burke has acted on the advice that's been given to him.
Journalist: And are you aware that any of them have made their way out of Damascus on another flight or are making their way to Australia at the moment?
Foreign Minister: What I can say is this, these are Australian citizens and the Government is not assisting them to come home. And if they do come home, they will face the full force of the law.
Journalist: Anything else on the agenda, I suppose, while you're over there? I mean, meeting China's Minister there and, you know, and Japan, these are big trips in themselves, not just fuel. Will you be discussing things like peace between the US and Iran while you're over there?
Foreign Minister: It's very important that we continue to engage with the countries of our region. Stability is something we all have to work towards, and that involves us engaging with the countries of our region. And it's more important at a time when we see an ongoing conflict in terms of the conflict against Iran.
Journalist: With the peace talks essentially stalling between Iran and the US, you think the fuel issue is more pressing than it was, say, only a few days ago when we started seeing the price of unleaded dropping?
Foreign Minister: We want to see the crisis de-escalate, we want to see negotiations, and we want to see the Strait open for the benefit of Australians, but for the benefit of the people of the world, particularly people who are disproportionately affected by the Strait being closed.
Journalist: Thanks very much.