CANBERRA, ACT, Sept. 25 -- The Prime Minister of Australia issued the following media release:
My dear colleagues.
This evening I want to talk about the need for nations to work together on the new challenges we face - climate change, emerging technology and the breakdown of international rules.
Eight decades ago, the citizens and leaders of our nations made a solemn promise to future generations.
Having known the 'untold sorrow' of two devastating global conflicts in their lifetimes, they vowed to work together to prevent another.
The pioneers who built this institution from the ruins of war - proud Australians among them - were also coming to terms with two terrible truths.
The horrors of the Holocaust.
And the unprecedented horror of nuclear weapons.
A depth of evil and a scale of destruction beyond imagining even a decade earlier.
Yet rather than recoil from that reality, our leaders stood together to face it, learn from it, and most importantly, guard against its return.
And instead of surrendering to fear, or dealing in retribution, or abandoning their fate to a world governed by force alone, they came together to renew and affirm their faith in humanity.
In the essential and equal dignity and worth of every individual.
In the sovereignty of every nation.
And in the capacity, and indeed the responsibility, of all of us to give the Universal Declaration of Human Rights life and weight and real meaning.
By engaging in the dialogue that builds trust and deepens understanding.
And backing those words with actions.
In this moment we need to lean in and strengthen and modernise the fundamental parts of the UN system that help to build peace and promote economic development and sustainability.
Sovereignty, prosperity and peace are never guaranteed - they must be created, nurtured and protected by each generation.
Supporting the jobs, homes, schools and health care that represent the fullest expression of the UN's commitment to "the economic and social advancement of all peoples".
We know that the surest way to minimise the potential for conflict is to create the prosperity, opportunity and economic justice on which lasting peace depends.
That means cooperating on the urgent challenges that confront each of our sovereign nations.
And creating solutions that work for our citizens.
This was the founding purpose of the United Nations.
And - for the Leaders who have gathered here this week - this remains the test of our time.
A test we can and we must pass.
Whether it is climate change or artificial intelligence, there is always the temptation to say that our generation is being confronted by issues our predecessors could not have imagined, while dealing with a world they would not recognise.
But for all the transformation the past eight decades have brought, the fundamental stakes have not changed.
And just as its values - our values - our ideals, our commitment to dialogue and cooperation proved equal to that task then, we can rise to meet these new challenges now.
We can reaffirm our national sovereignty - and our shared humanity.
We can seize and share and shape the opportunities this moment holds, in the interests of our citizens.
But we can only do it together.
From the very first days of this forum, Australia has always known that.
We understand the UN mission cannot be entrusted solely to the great powers, or the biggest countries, or even the loudest voices alone.
Nor can it be sub-contracted to the world's richest companies or dictated by the pace of technology.
Then, now, and always, shaping a secure, peaceful and prosperous world is a task for all of us.
And that world must be driven by the values and aspirations of all of us.
We all have a part to play.
That is why Australia is seeking a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for 2029-2030.
The world faces tough times, and Australia wants to respond, to partner and to make a difference.
Should our Security Council bid prove successful, our purpose and approach will be consistent with how we have always conducted ourselves at the UN:
* we will listen with respect,
* we will partner as equals,
* we will protect what matters most.
Mr. President, a safer world is one governed by rules, not by power and force alone.
It is a world in which all countries have the freedom to decide their own future.
And all countries have their decisions listened to.
As a member of the UN Security Council, Australia will safeguard the rules that protect us all by upholding international law, including the UN Charter, and the sovereignty of all states.
We will amplify the voices of small states and middle powers to ensure a wider range of perspectives shape the Council's decisions.
We will work to prevent crises, resolve conflicts and protect civilians through diplomacy, peacebuilding and practical action.
Our objective will be to support a more effective, representative and responsive UN that is equipped to address the fast-growing challenges of today.
Listening, partnering, protecting.
Colleagues, our world is changing, rapidly.
New issues are becoming international issues, demanding our full attention -
Climate change, where the science foretold of the increase in frequency and intensity of extreme weather events that we are now experiencing.
Emerging technology, including artificial intelligence, which is evolving at a furious pace.
And the breakdown of trust, civility and social cohesion - which is promoting conflict within and between countries.
Clearly, the multilateral system we have all known and benefited from is under immense strain.
To protect the peace, to create a world of human dignity, to do justice to the UN's mission we must embrace change and reform.
Australia supports the rules and institutions that underpin open trade and connectivity.
That order, based on agreed rules and institutions, faces massive disruption.
This doesn't mean abandoning multilateralism - it means working to reform it, so it's up to the challenges ahead, and building beyond multilateralism with new coalitions and partnerships to address and solve complex problems.
As a middle power Australia is showing leadership and working with others on fresh ideas to tackle the big issues now facing the world.
In our region, the Indo-Pacific, we are elevating relationships that help to build sovereign capability and offer nations sovereign choice, free from coercion.
So that our partners can address the big issues confronting them: economic security, human development, energy security, transnational crime, sovereign capabilities, trade and investment, and science and technology.
Whether it's our support for our Pacific family, our partnerships in Southeast Asia, the elevation of our relationships with Japan, India and the Republic of Korea, or the deepening of our partnerships with Europe and Canada, this is our approach.
We seek to amplify the voices of small and mid-sized states to ensure Council decisions are informed by the widest possible perspectives.
Working strongly together on issues that matter to us, to them, and to the world.
Listening, partnering, protecting.
We are developing these new partnerships while continuing to work closely with our principal ally the United States and our major trading partner in China.
Australia stands for a safer world where no country dominates, and no country is dominated, crises are prevented, disputes are settled through rules and dialogue, and institutions deliver outcomes.
There are so many issues to confront - urgently and cooperatively.
Last year at this assembly, Australian parents spoke to world leaders about their campaign resulting in our nations' social media ban for under 16s.
Those parents channelled their personal grief into a powerful call for global action.
And the world has answered.
Already, more than 20 countries are bringing in age restrictions on social media - and with the European Community taking action, there are more to come.
More recently, our government has announced a Digital Duty of Care.
Its purpose is to deliver control back into the hands of people by empowering them to determining what appears in their feed. Giving them the choice.
The technological development that must now be the subject of public discussion is artificial intelligence.
AI can improve lives, boost growth and productivity, and provide revolutionary breakthroughs in healthcare and other fields.
But leaders of AI companies themselves have warned of the potential risks of allowing frontier AI to develop too fast without guardrails.
Recently an Artificial Intelligence Agent infiltrated an Australian Government website. This is unacceptable. And it is why Australia has been leading the way in establishing Australian Standards for AI.
Standards to ensure AI will work and deliver for people - not the other way around.
We can't ignore AI or prevent it.
And it's why we joined with other nations this week to call for action to shape AI development rather than be passively shaped by it.
Australia is a nation built on fairness and opportunity, that promotes equality and respect for all people.
We stand against all forms of hate - including the evil scourge of antisemitism and racism in all its forms.
We work to prevent conflict, protect civilians and defend the rules that protect us all.
We uphold international law, including the UN Charter, and support bold practical reform to ensure the UN can best fulfil its mandate into the future.
We are strong supporters of freedom of navigation and overflight for all nations.
Just as we are in our efforts to combat nuclear proliferation.
We oppose Russia's continued illegal, unprovoked and immoral invasion of Ukraine and reiterate our calls for Russia's immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal and an end to attacks upon civilians and civilian infrastructure.
This week Australia endorsed the 2026 International Crimea Platform Joint Statement reaffirming our respect for Ukraine's sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.
And we signed a new bilateral security agreement with Ukraine to complement the humanitarian and military support we have provided.
When countries facing disaster and conflict reach out for help, Australians always respond generously with humanitarian assistance.
We have a solemn duty to protect those who undertake this vital work.
Last year, following the killing of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and the deaths of over 1,000 other humanitarian workers in the last three years, Australia and eight partner nations led the development of a Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel.
Now supported by 130 countries, that declaration outlines practical measures to ensure stronger accountability, safer access, and better protection for aid workers operating in conflict zones.
Again, listening, partnering, protecting.
Australian values at work.
Colleagues, last year Australia took the considered decision to join other partners and recognize the State of Palestine.
It was motivated by the determination to try and end a cycle of violence that has stolen too many innocent lives.
We know the only viable path to peace and security in Palestine, in Israel and in the broader Middle East, is through a two-state solution.
Where the people of Israel and the people of Palestine can raise their children in freedom and safety.
We will continue to speak out against actions that damage that prospect of peace, including illegal settlements in the West Bank.
Just as we continue to oppose any role for the terrorists of Hamas in Palestine's future.
The conflict in Iran has taken a severe toll on the Middle East - and has had a devastating impact on the global economy.
Australia has been consistent in our calls for a ceasefire and for the Strait of Hormuz to reopen and restore the freedom of navigation and trade.
And we continue to call for Iran to halt its indiscriminate attacks in the region and to abandon any program to obtain nuclear weapons.
Colleagues, Australia's approach to diplomacy is both local and global.
Our geography gives us a unique perspective - as a Pacific nation, inhabiting an entire continent and connected to Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean and Antarctica.
We feel joined to our region not just by geography but by our close human connections, including family.
We are one of the world's most successful multicultural democracies.
Proudly home to the oldest continuous civilisation on Earth - our First Nations Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
And home also to people from more than 300 different ancestries, with more than half of our population either born overseas or having at least one parent born overseas.
We are investing in the multilateral system by elevating Pacific voices in shaping global decision making.
Working with them to advance their development needs and counter the transnational organised crime that is spreading across the beautiful Pacific Ocean we share.
And addressing climate change, which threatens their very existence through rising sea levels and increasing salinity.
Accepting the science of climate change and acting upon it is rightfully the entry point for engaging with these vital nations of the Pacific - or as we call it, the Blue Continent.
It's why we are partnering with the COP31 President Türkiye and Pacific nations to sponsor a Pacific Pre-COP in Fiji and Tuvalu.
Pacific countries have long been leaders on climate action. Their voices are central to shaping the global response. And we proudly work with them.
Mr President, Australia's purpose in its relations with the United Nations is clear and our approach is principled.
We listen with respect, we partner as equals, and we protect what matters most.
We engage across regions, listen to different perspectives, and build trust.
We champion the rights, sovereignty and agency of all, particularly smaller and mid-sized nations.
We are a reliable, practical, and transparent partner.
And we play our part to protect the people of the world by taking on the difficult challenges shaping their lives and the health of their planet - with innovative ideas and approaches.
Australia helped create the United Nations to bring an end to an era of destructive conflict.
And to build something better, for all of us.
A world where prosperity is driven by shared opportunity.
And peace is secured by collective responsibility.
Australia is stepping up to play our part.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
