Address to the Africa Down Under Conference 2024

I start by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land on which we meet, the Whadjuk Nyoongar people, and pay my respect to Elders, past and present.

I would also like to acknowledge any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people here with us today.

I am pleased to see so many distinguished guests here in Perth, from right across our two continents.

[Acknowledgments]

Thanks for the invitation to speak again this year.

Africa Down Under has become one of the fixtures on my calendar, and around this time every year I find myself looking forward to my visit to Perth.

Before I make a few remarks, I should tell you the Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, very much wanted to be here.

The Minister could not make it due to other commitments, but she has recorded a message for you all today.

[Foreign Minister's video message]

Since assuming this role I've paid special attention to highlighting the importance of Africa to Australian interests, and I've worked hard to advance Australia-Africa relations.

This is because Africa is important.

To the world, to Australia, and to our shared futures.

As the Foreign Minister just mentioned, last year we welcomed the African Union as a member of the G20.

This was a significant moment not only in Africa's story, but the story of our global economy.

Prior to the African Union's entry, the G20 represented two-thirds of the world's population, 75 per cent of global trade and 85 per cent of global GDP.

The Africa Union's entry has added 1.4 billion people and almost three trillion US dollars in GDP to those figures.

This reflects the fact that there is no global economy without Africa.

Africa will have the world's largest potential workforce by 2030.

Africa's middle class is projected to grow to over one billion people by 2060.

Before the end of this century, the biggest cities in the world will be African cities.

Those are simply staggering projections, which can't be ignored.

The message is crystal clear: Africa is not arriving, Africa is here.

It's true that Australian foreign policy has an Indo-Pacific focus, given the Indo-Pacific is our neighbourhood.

But, while Australia is not a global power, we do have global interests.

Nowhere is that clearer than in the interests we pursue with our partners in Africa.

I'm pleased to see that, in the broad, Australia-Africa ties are expanding to meet the future's global challenges.

We have long worked together in the multilateral system.

That's why Australia is committed to UN reform and to a UN that better reflects and represents the world of the 21st century.

This includes greater representation for Africa on the UN Security Council.

Africa's continued rise over the course of this century will have a monumental influence on the trajectory of the world…

…as a global engine for growth…

…as a major player in the global transition to net zero…

…and as a key partner on international peace and security.

Australia can play a constructive role in Africa's rise, because Australia and Africa share many commonalities.

We're both blessed with a natural endowment of critical minerals.

Rare earths elements, lithium, cobalt, nickel, et cetera – I'm sure many of you know the full list.

The World Bank has reported that we will need to increase the extraction of these minerals by five-fold by 2050 to meet the demand for clean energy technologies.

Whether it is solar, wind, or geothermal technology, the raw material needed to help power the future will first need to be mined out of the earth, whether that's here in Australia or across the Indian Ocean in Africa.

Australian investments in Africa represent a long-term commitment to communities and to the prosperity of those communities.

As the Foreign Minister said, in recent years, the investment by Australian companies has risen to around $60 billion.

Such investments provide jobs, training, expertise and opportunities.

And they can come with new infrastructure and deliver significant benefits to local communities.

Australians are proud of Australian mining, Australian innovation, Australian ingenuity.

Companies are also increasingly looking to process minerals in Australia, supported by the Government's Future Made in Australia incentives.

And I am proud that a range of Australian companies also support value addition in Africa.

Whether that be the smelting of manganese alloys…

…or the refining of heavy mineral sands…

…or the largest aluminium smelter in the Southern Hemisphere – located in South Africa.

By adding value to raw minerals, we can create more jobs and support new market opportunities in the process.

Australians want to know that our investments in Africa leave a lasting, positive legacy.

And that desire applies to all Australian companies investing in Africa – not only to the resources sector.

I am confident that Australian companies can continue to work together with their partners in Africa to deliver economic growth and prosperity in socially accountable and environmentally responsible ways.

And the Australian Government will continue to support these partnerships.

In December 2023, we ran a Mining Governance Short Course for 25 African officials…

…which has supported African governments to develop and regulate their mining sectors.

We will run another Mining Governance Short Course in the coming year.

Australia's High Commission in Accra will convene the next West Africa Mining Security Conference (WAMS) in October…

…which brings together African and Australian experts to discuss how best to navigate regional security trends and operational challenges.

As the Foreign Minister said in her message, our engagements have always been adapted to the needs of the countries we are working with…

… prioritising listening over lecturing.

Australia's views about, and affinity with, Africa is defined by who we are as Australians ourselves.

As Australia's population has changed, so have our views become more nuanced and our links with Africa more pronounced.

Almost half a million Australians declared themselves in the last Census to be of African heritage.

My own electorate is one of the most multicultural, diverse electorates in Australia.

Two-thirds of my constituents are born overseas, or have a parent born overseas.

It's home to one of the country's largest African-Australian diasporas and a large population of African international students.

With that come enriching cultural and family ties from Australia to all the nations of the African continent.

So, Africa's future is not an abstraction for me and my local community – it is a future in which we have a personal stake.

And, as their member, it's a future in which I have a personal stake.

The continent is going to be an enormous global player in our lifetimes.

Because of its people.

Because of its economies.

Because of its role in the international system.

There simply isn't a future where the countries of Africa are not important to Australia.

You all know that.

But I want to make it clear that I know that and the Australian Government knows it too.

Have a great Africa Down Under – thank you