Source: Australia Government Statements 2
Well, good evening to all the distinguished guests, to colleagues, and of course, to all my friends in the audience tonight. Can I also begin by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land, the Gadigal people of the Eora nation, and I pay my deep respects to their elders, past and present, and to all First Nations people here in the room.
80 years of the United Nations. What a timely and fitting occasion this evening for us to take stock of the history, the past and the future of the United Nations. Can I take a moment to express my gratitude to the United Nations Association of Australia, NSW, for hosting the UN80 Conference, which I hear was a smashing success today. And also, for the invitation to address you all in the room this evening. As I mentioned, it is a particularly timely moment for us to stop and take stock of the last 80 years of the UN. Because today we are operating in a world, a world that feels more volatile, more uncertain and indeed more unpredictable than ever. The rules-based international system that is underpinned by the United Nations is under unprecedented strain. In many places, it’s being challenged; in others, it’s being ignored. Yet the UN’s founding purpose remains as vital, if not more vital, I believe today, as it was in 1945 after the Second World War. That purpose, to not only prevent conflict, but to build the conditions for lasting peace.
Now, as you all know, that vision is anchored in the UN’s three pillars: peace and security, human rights, and, of course, sustainable development. And it’s in this third pillar, sustainable development, that we are reminded that lasting peace is not just the absence of war. Enduring peace can only, only be achieved in the presence of opportunity, of safety, of dignity. In years past, states and the international community have supported UN agencies to invest more than US$20 billion a year in global development efforts. And since 2015, this work has been guided by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals. This framework agreed by all UN member states, in what was a landmark year for global cooperation, alongside the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Framework.
The 2030 Agenda represents a collective promise that for a development to be sustainable, economic growth must go hand in hand with environmental protection and social advancement. Growth cannot come at the expense of human rights or at the expense of the health of our planet. And no one, absolutely no one, should be left behind. The Sustainable Development Goals span the full spectrum of human development, climate action, health, gender equality, governance, oceans and more. But their importance goes beyond objectives and goals. They’re not just about objectives, and they’re not just about goals. They’re about shaping the kind of world that we all believe in, each and every one of us in this room that believe in it. A world where inclusivity, equality, prosperity and sustainability are available to all. Nearly all UN member states remain committed to this blueprint. A small number have stepped back from this vision, as we know, but Australia remains steadfast.
Two years ago, we launched a new international development policy that reflects the 2030 promise. And that policy sets out how we will work with our region in a more respectful, effective, inclusive and transparent way. We’re playing a significant role in solving global challenges with a particular focus on our region. And this year, our government is delivering a record and growing $5.1 billion in official development assistance. We’re deploying innovative mechanisms through a total finance portfolio which now exceeds $9 billion, and we’re mobilising public and private capital, including through the Australian Development Investments, the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific and the Southeast Asia Investment Financing Facility.
Australia has long recognised the value of the UN development system because we know that to tackle issues facing our region and the world, we need to work together, we need to cooperate, we need to communicate, and we need to stand in solidarity with communities that are marginalised or under threat. Now, for over a decade, between 37 and 44 per cent of Australia’s ODA, or official development assistance, has been channelled through multilateral organisations. And Australians themselves give generously to UN humanitarian and development agencies. Did you know that last year Australians donated nearly $39 million to UNICEF Australia? I like to think I play my little part in that every month. And the Australian community made it to UNHCR’s donor top 40 with a direct contribution of about, almost actually, $25 million.
The Australian government partners with UN development and humanitarian agencies because they extend our reach and our impact. UN agencies are delivering life-saving services such as clean water and sanitation programs supported by UNICEF in the state of Palestine and in Bangladesh. They’re helping to advance gender equality in the Pacific through initiatives like the Pacific Women’s Resilience to Disasters program. And that one is led by UN women, and it lifts women’s participation in governance and decision- making. And they’re supporting transformative programmes like through our collaboration with UNICEF and UNFPA to accelerate universal access to sexual and reproductive health right across Southeast Asia.
Just last week, I was in Bangladesh, and I saw the life-saving assistance being provided to more than 1.1 million Rohingya refugees by UN partners such as the UNHCR, WFP and UNFPA. And I want to take a moment, if I may, before I continue in my speech, to reflect on my experience. It’s my second time to Cox’s Bazaar, to the biggest humanitarian crisis in our region. 1.1 million displaced people in a camp, 24 square kilometres. That’s half the size, not even half the size, that’s a quarter, a quarter of the size of my electorate in the northern suburbs of Perth. The last time I was there was five years ago. I had hoped that visiting after five years, some things may have changed, and some things had, but much had stayed the same, and much had deteriorated. The people in the camps in Bangladesh deserve a life. They deserve more than an existence. They deserve a life, they deserve livelihoods. They deserve hope, which they don’t have. They deserve a way to see a future for themselves, which they don’t have. So, if I may, because this is an issue that has become so close to my heart and is still fresh in my mind and has moved me so deeply. If I can make an appeal to you all tonight to not forget the Rohingya. And may I also take this moment to thank those of you in the room and to the UN and to the UN agencies that are doing vital work in Cox’s Bazaar as well.
These kinds of partnerships, such as the ones that I witnessed in Cox’s Bazaar, are absolutely fundamental to our response, to Australia’s response, in complex regional and global crises. Yet geopolitics is making action in the UN even more difficult. More money is being spent on security in Europe and Asia. And, as we know, donor funding to UN entities is shrinking. So, if the UN is to continue advancing sustainable development, it must evolve. It needs to evolve. It is at a critical moment. It must demonstrate its ongoing value position to member states. Now, built over decades, the UN is complex, as are all big institutions, sometimes cumbersome, as are all big institutions, often fragmented. Challenges which we, as member states, must also take responsibility for. Donor funding models mean development agencies such as the WHO, the UNDP and UNICEF sometimes compete for resources rather than working in concert and often resulting in duplication. What we need is more efficient structures, reduced duplication and consolidated entities that protect critical UN functions. And we must also be clear- eyed about where the UN adds value, which is by delivering economies of scale and offering global reach, its convening power and highly specialised expertise in those areas.
Because in some cases, partner governments or regional organisations can indeed deliver better. Regional organisations provide services that leverage deep regional knowledge and institutionalised networks. The Pacific Islands Forum and ASEAN, for example. They bring together regional experts to promote regional solutions in the service of regional communities. And through the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management, Australia was able to provide emergency humanitarian relief following the March 2025 earthquake in Myanmar. For the UN to remain relevant, it must focus on the services that only it can provide. That unique proposition and where it can deliver outcomes that no other state or no other body can deliver.
Now, where there are challenges, I always prefer to look for opportunities because I am an optimist. About two months ago I was in Spain for the Compromiso de Sevilla, and I have to say, coming away from that conference, there was also a sense of optimism. I felt a shared sense of optimism despite the challenges that we are currently facing. And so, I see that current challenges actually offer us an opportunity for bold reform. Reform to ensure the UN is fit for our times, not just today, but for the next 80 years as well. To ensure it’s capable of promoting peace through sustainable development. To ensure that protection and humanitarian assistance is provided where and when it matters most. It’s why Australia is supportive of steps towards a more impactful, efficient and resourceful UN. We know that this can happen by consolidating functions, and as I mentioned, reducing duplication and strengthening coordination across agencies. And my friends, we must be open, must be open-minded to the proposition that some agencies may be merged or folded. The goal, of course, is not to reduce the UN’s footprint, but to make sure that it’s delivering maximum value to the member states and the communities it serves. And in this process of reform, we must ensure that we do not leave UN member states behind.
Australia is advocating for the UN to maintain a focus on the Pacific and the unique challenges faced by small island developing states. The Pacific’s remoteness, high operating costs and relatively small populations must not be reasons to overlook its needs. And across the Pacific region, excluding Papua New Guinea, there are currently 31 different UN entities operating. That includes 26 resident agencies, and they are all overseen by three multi-country offices. Yeah, I see you all shaking your heads in the room. And while this reflects the UN’s commitment to our region, the UN must also work and listen to Pacific partners to avoid a delivery model that is fragmented or inefficient. The scale and the urgency of challenges that Pacific partners face, from climate vulnerability and disaster risk to economic fragility, demands, demands a UN system that is more coherent, more responsive, more streamlined. And we want to see new models that make UN engagement in the Pacific sustainable for the long term. Australia needs the UN to succeed. The world needs the UN to succeed. The children that I met last week need the UN to succeed.
We want development organisations to advance sustainable development globally, and humanitarian organisations to respond in crisis, because we want to have peaceful, just, stable and prosperous societies. Australia has always brought its own values to this mission. From our global leadership on disability inclusive development to our efforts to advance gender equality, to promoting transparent and accountable institutions, and human rights and upholding international law will continue to be central to our approach. It’s why, while we progress achievement towards the SDGs, Australia is working with partners to shape the post-2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. And we will do so in line with our national interests and values, guided by human rights, the rule of law and the principle of equality for all.
So, in conclusion, my friends, Australia will continue to be a steadfast partner of the United Nations. We’ll continue to work with partners to build a future that reflects who we are and the world that we all share a vision of. We know that change and reform is never easy. But with resolve, with partnership and vision, we can keep sustainable development at the heart of the UN’s mission. And we can keep alive the promise of a world united in peace, justice and opportunity for all. And we can give people something beyond an existence. We can give them a life.
Thank you.