Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore’s Minister for Foreign Affairs: Last week, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese were in Singapore. They signed a Joint Statement on Economic Resilience and Trade in Essential Supplies. I'm very grateful to Minister Wong, Don Farrell, and of course Minister Tan. We had a very good session this morning. We've settled the protocol to give effect to our Prime Ministers’ instructions and to quote Prime Minster Wong and Penny Wong, the protocol gives effect to the priority that we accord each other, with respect to essential supplies. Everyone knows that Singapore and Australia have a great relationship. It goes beyond friendship. We are partners – truly comprehensive, strategic partners. That's not new. Relationships are tested in times of crisis. More recently, during Covid-19, we stood together, and now in this current crisis of supply chains, and particularly for essential supplies like LNG for us, diesel for Australia, again, we found complementarity and mutual interdependence and so the resolution of this protocol and that the negotiations are completed is a welcome step. It's an affirmation of the truly special relationship that we have with Australia and I think our people in both Singapore and Australia can take some comfort and assurance from the fact that our two governments are working so closely and so effectively together. Can I get Minister Wong?
Penny Wong, Foreign Minister: Thank you Minister Vivian. This deal is the agreement that our Prime Ministers tasked us to complete and I want to thank my colleagues, Minister Vivian, Minister Tan and, of course, Minister Don Farrell, for the work they have done to bring this to agreement. This agreement is about assuring the free flow of essential supplies and of fuel, and it is a reminder that friends matter. Friends always matter, and never more so than in difficult times, and these are difficult times. What this agreement does is ensure that we work together to assure each other of our energy security. Australia understands that you assure energy security not by going it alone, but by working with reliable, trusted partners and that is what this agreement represents – reliable, trusted partners working together to secure fuel and essential supplies for our people, thank you.
Dr Tan See Leng, Sinapore’s Minister for Manpower, Minister-in-Charge of Energy and Science & Technology: We're very happy, particularly today, because like-minded partners like Singapore and Australia coming together, particularly in these very challenging times, establishing a solid partnership to keep our trade links, our trade lanes, our supply chains, open. Particularly protecting our businesses, making sure that they do not have disruptions in terms of energy supply, both from LNG and also for diesel. And I believe that it is this kind of partnership that is all the more welcoming and reassuring in very challenging times such as this. So I want to thank Minister Penny, Minister Don and, of course, my colleague, Minister Vivian, and everyone from both countries, all of our senior government officials, who have worked around the clock to bring this agreement and this statement to fruition. So, I look forward to more collaborative opportunities and more partnerships, thank you.
Don Farrell, Minister for Trade and Tourism: Thank you very much and it's just fabulous to be here in Singapore once again with our Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, but also my good friends, the Foreign Minister of Singapore and, of course, the Energy Minister. We've been working very closely for a long period of time to make sure that we continue to have a strong, vibrant relationship with the Government of Singapore and with the people of Singapore. That today has culminated in us being able to reach agreement to ensure continued supplies of fuel to Australia and ensuring that both fuel and food are prioritised in our long-term relationship.
Our Prime Ministers met last week. They tasked us with getting this agreement, and in just a few days we have managed to achieve that. This is a sign of the great strength of the relationship between Australia and Singapore. As my colleagues have said, in times of stress, that's when you really need your friends, and Singapore has shown today just what great friends they are to Australia. So, congratulations to everybody involved. This is just the start of the sort of things that Australia and Singapore can do together. Thank you very much.