Prime Minister Anthony Albanese delivers his speech as they welcome President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos in the House of Representatives in Australia on Thursday, Feb. 29.
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00:00 Mr President, I welcome you to the House of Representatives Chamber.
00:06 Your address today is a significant occasion in the history of the House.
00:12 And I give the call to the Honourable the Prime Minister.
00:16 Your Excellency President Marcos, on behalf of the Australian Government and indeed the
00:23 Australian people, it is my very great pleasure to welcome you and the First Lady to our nation's
00:30 Parliament.
00:32 This is an historic occasion for both our democracies.
00:37 It is also the natural next step in our nation's growing partnership.
00:42 The bilateral relationship between Australia and the Philippines is now 78 years old.
00:48 Our ties of trade and culture, friendship and family are of course centuries older.
00:56 In East Arnhem Land, the art and stories of the Yolngu people tell of their ancestors
01:01 boarding, visiting trading ships and sailing to far off islands.
01:07 In every sense, Mr President, our peoples have been on a voyage together for a very
01:14 long time.
01:16 Australia and the Philippines are in the same boat and we share a vision for our destination
01:22 – a peaceful, secure, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
01:29 We know the course to follow – strengthening our economic partnership through trade and
01:35 investment, building on our connections in education and skills, and creating more opportunities
01:41 for our young people through the new work and holiday visa that we have agreed together.
01:48 Continuing our shared efforts in agricultural research and deepening our cooperation in
01:54 defence to support regional security.
01:58 This is the new level of engagement our government is seeking between our two nations and indeed
02:05 across ASEAN as a whole.
02:08 I know the Philippines is rightly proud of its place as one of the five founding members
02:14 of ASEAN.
02:15 And all of us in Australia are looking forward to next week's special summit in Melbourne,
02:21 which will mark 50 years since Australia became ASEAN's first dialogue partner.
02:27 For Australia, ASEAN is central and it is essential.
02:31 And we want to continue to work closely with the Philippines and all our friends and partners
02:36 in ASEAN to promote the shared opportunity that drives our regional prosperity and to
02:43 fulfil our collective responsibility to uphold regional security.
02:49 Mr President, our nations share a determination to navigate the challenges of our time – climate
02:56 change, food security, cyber security, counter-terrorism and regional security.
03:03 The new strategic partnership that you and I signed together in Manila last year speaks
03:10 to our mutual trust and our common resolve.
03:14 I'm pleased we're building on this momentum today – signing a Memorandum of Understanding
03:20 for enhanced maritime cooperation and agreeing to new initiatives in key areas of digital
03:26 technology and cyber security.
03:29 As our nations work together in this decisive decade for the Indo-Pacific, we can draw inspiration
03:36 from our shared history.
03:38 In June 1943, when eight Australian servicemen escaped from their prisoner of war camp in
03:45 Sandakan, they joined the Filipino resistance in their struggle against Japanese occupation.
03:54 In Palo, on late, a memorial stands in honour of the 92 Australians who lost their lives
04:02 in the liberation of the Philippines in 1944.
04:06 Our nations served and sacrificed together in Korea.
04:11 In 1999, the Philippines joined Australia in supporting independence for East Timor.
04:18 And in 2013, Australian Defence personnel and medical mission teams returned to the
04:24 Philippines to provide humanitarian assistance after Typhoon Yolanda.
04:29 That's the spirit of Filipino, Bayanihan and Australian mateship.
04:38 We work together and we care for each other.
04:42 Mr President, this connection and affection lives and thrives in the electorates of so
04:48 many members of the Parliament that you see here today, where members from all sides of
04:54 politics have the privilege of representing the large and growing Filipino-Australian
04:59 community, many of whom have joined us in the Parliament today.
05:07 People famous for their generosity, hospitality and love of family, renowned for their hard
05:15 work and aspiration, and always looking to give back to the community.
05:21 That's just as true in my electorate in Sydney's inner west as it is in the regions, like in
05:27 Port Wakefield in South Australia.
05:29 18 months ago, their local country fire service was staring down the barrel of closure.
05:36 When the small band of volunteers put out a call for new recruits, they received only
05:40 one response.
05:43 Samson Bukol, who migrated to Australia from the Philippines in 2014.
05:50 His dedication to duty won the respect and affection of his fellow volunteers, and he
05:57 soon passed the word on to others.
05:59 Today, a quarter of the members of that country fire service are of Filipino descent, and
06:06 half of the cadets, characteristic of the spirit of the Filipino diaspora that proudly
06:13 calls Australia home.
06:16 Mr President, you address us today as a leader in the region where, more than any other,
06:23 Australia's destiny lies.
06:25 And as we look to shape the future together, I'm reminded of something you said to me at
06:31 our last meeting.
06:33 Prosperity and progress depend on peace.
06:37 And this is what our strategic partnership recognises, and that is what is so significant
06:44 about the maritime cooperation activities our two navies completed together for the
06:49 first time in November last year.
06:53 We are both island nations, we are both trading nations, and for both of us, the United Nations
07:00 Convention on the Law of the Sea is not an abstract notion or a theoretical question.
07:08 Freedom of navigation is fundamental to our sovereignty, our prosperity, our security
07:14 and our territorial integrity.
07:16 Our cooperation is an assertion of our national interest and a recognition of our regional
07:22 responsibility.
07:24 It reflects our shared understanding that peace depends on more than the presence of
07:30 the great powers.
07:32 All of us in the international community, middle powers like our two nations, as well
07:38 as smaller nations, have our part to play in building a more stable, peaceful and prosperous
07:45 future.
07:48 President Marcos, to conclude on a personal note, I do want to say how touched Jodie and
07:54 I were by the kindness extended to us during our time in your wonderful country last year.
08:01 We were proud to host you at the Lodge last night.
08:04 That was a very pleasant dinner, not so much work, just enjoyable.
08:11 Four people together, engaging in a spirit of respect and friendship.
08:17 I think that was a great beginning to your important visit.
08:21 What I know very sincerely is that you will be warmly welcomed wherever you go in our
08:27 nation of Australia, because all of us in this place, and indeed all Australians, are
08:34 united in our respect for the contribution that your nation and your people make to our
08:39 region and to our communities.
08:43 You honour us today and we very much look forward to your address.
08:48 Indeed.
08:48 Indeed.
08:49 Indeed.
08:49 Indeed.
08:50 Indeed.
08:50 Indeed.
08:51 Indeed.
08:51 Indeed.
08:52 Indeed.
08:52 [BLANK_AUDIO]