Fiona Scott (Lindsay, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister inform the House of the importance of stronger economic and security ties with our regional partners?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do thank the member for Lindsay for her question. The government is determined to build a stronger Australia and a safer world. An important part of that is stronger relations with our key economic and security partners and, to that end, I am leaving tonight to visit India and Malaysia.

India is the world's second most populous nation. It is the world's third largest economy on a purchasing-power basis. It is the world's emerging democratic superpower. We have so much in common with India: democracy, the rule of law and the English language. It is already our fifth largest market. In some years it is our largest source of migrants; in most years it is our largest source of students. So my hope is to deepen the friendship between Australia and India at a time of renewed optimism in India under the new government of Prime Minister Modi. I am hoping to sign a nuclear cooperation agreement that will enable uranium sales from Australia to India. I am hoping to strengthen the trade relationship with a large delegation of very senior representatives of our mining, financial and educational institutions.

Malaysia is also an important security partner through the Five Power Defence Arrangements. It is an important trade partner and the friendship between Australia and Malaysia has recently been reinforced by our work together in dealing with the MH370 and MH17 disasters. I want to thank Prime Minister Najib Razak for his friendship, his leadership and Malaysia's contribution of some $30 million towards the MH370 search.

Peaceful, pluralist democracies committed to the rule of law have so much to contribute to the wider world, especially as we work together, as Australia intends to do with India and Malaysia.