Thank you very much, Richard. And, as you see, I begin by apologising for the state of my voice.
Those of you who think the Commonwealth is about, shall we say, multiple and intense discussions, you are right. And, as a result, the voice often bears the consequences.
I woke up this morning reading a newspaper, and there's an article in there about my daughter, Jessica, who's just written a novel. And it says that — when asked by an interviewer whether one of the characters was modelled on me, she said, no, my dad doesn't look remotely like George Clooney. [Laughter]
So, that's the first damage to your ego there. [Laughter]
First, get out of bed. And then, secondly, when you open your mouth you then discover, not only do you not look like George Clooney, but you sound like Mae West. [Laughter]
So, it's going to be an interesting day today.
My apologies for being a little late with you this morning. I've been launching the Foreign Ministers' Meeting with the Commonwealth Secretary-General and the international media explaining the challenges that we have ahead for us for the region.
Thank you also, Richard Marles, who's referred to the position which he occupies within the government which, from my point of view, is fundamentally important.
If you know anything about our immediate neighbourhood, the Pacific, it is vast, it is different and it actually requires somebody who is constantly in there talking to each government, talking to each institution, so that we have a fine grasp of the granular detail that is happening in each of our countries and friends across the South Pacific.
So Richard, thank you for doing your job so well as Parliamentary Secretary. I think I speak on behalf of all of our Pacific friends when I say it is a job well and truly done, and we look forward to you continuing that work in the future.
Distinguished colleagues, one and all, I won't repeat the acknowledgements — and welcome, Murray McCully, back to planet earth. [Laughter]
This is not the Rugby World Cup. This is the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting which… [Laughter]
And I just would like to report to you, on behalf of all Commonwealth foreign ministers, the one consensus point we reached at the very beginning of our deliberations is the two words banned in this week's deliberations, and they are ‘All Black’. [Laughter]
So, that's last week. That's history. This week, back to normal. [Laughter]
Can I just say, on behalf of us all, how much we are delighted by New Zealand's win in the Rugby World Cup. Our Kiwi friends have had a really rough year, and I can think of no better winners of the Rugby World Cup than New Zealand. So, well done, Murray.
Now let me begin by reiterating Australia’s approach to development in the Pacific is about partnership.
It’s about mutual respect, mutual partnership and mutual responsibility — focused on sustainable development.
These principles have been embedded since 2008 through Pacific Partnerships for Development and through the Cairns Compact.
The 2011 Millennium Development Tracking Report shows that progress towards the Millennium Development Goals in the Pacific region is slow and inconsistent.
But let’s not forget that there have been real improvements.
With Australian assistance, we’ve seen real gains in education.
Australia is committed to playing a leadership role as the largest aid donor to the region; working with Pacific countries to deliver tangible results.
The long-term development of the Pacific depends on regional integration and sustainable economic development.
To get there, one of the things we need to do is improve employment prospects.
Over the past four years, Australia has worked with the region to strengthen technical education, providing genuine job opportunities for Pacific Islanders.
Because the qualifications earned through the Australia Pacific Technical College are recognized internationally, students can compete for jobs overseas, including in Australia.
Another avenue for employment in Australia is the Pacific Seasonal Worker Pilot Scheme.
At this year’s Pacific Islands Forum in Auckland, we announced that the Seasonal Worker Pilot would be expanded to include Nauru, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.
It will build on the success of the pilot scheme launched in 2008 to provide seasonal employment opportunities to people in Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Vanuatu.
Up to 2,500 visas are available for Pacific workers to undertake seasonal work in horticulture in Australia for between four to six months in every 12 month period.
So far more than 680 visas have been issued.
Right now there are around 280 Pacific seasonal workers across Australia, picking citrus fruit in Queensland, and managing vines in Geraldton, here in Western Australia.
They are not only earning income that will flow back to their families and communities but they are also gaining vital skills.
And today I announce that Australia is working to reduce the cost of remittances, so that more earnings get back to their communities.
The total value of remittances is increasing and was estimated to be about $418 billion in 2009.
Remittances to developing countries are expected to reach US$350 billion globally by the end of 2011 — three times more than total official aid.
Remittances have become a crucial part of the Pacific’s economic development.
In 2008, almost $500 million was formally remitted to Pacific Forum Island countries, primarily from Australia, New Zealand and the United States.
In Tonga and Samoa, remittances have been estimated to be the equivalent of 28 per cent and 22 per cent of their GDP respectively.
But despite remittances being so crucial to the region, historically the Pacific has had some of the highest remittance costs in the world.
It is in fact estimated that the average cost for a Pacific Islander to send $200 from Australia was approximately 23 per cent of the total amount remitted in January 2009.
That’s 23 cents to the dollar that has no chance of making it back to the worker’s family and community to meet costs such as school fees and healthcare.
Australia is helping reduce these costs, and is supporting efforts by Pacific Island countries to increase price transparency, improve financial literacy and find innovative approaches to expand financial services for those outside the banking system.
The Australian Government has also encouraged the banking industry and money transfer operators to reduce remittance costs to the Pacific.
Earlier this year, Westpac lowered the cost of its telegraphic transfers of less that $500 to the Pacific from $30 to $10.
ANZ will also be introducing a new store-valued card that could offer remittance transfers for as low as 6 per cent of the total amount remitted.
Australia is working with Italy in leading the G20’s development work to reduce global remittance costs.
The World Bank estimates that reducing average global remittance costs by just 5 percentage points could increase the amount received by people in developing countries by around US$16 billion per year.
This week, our focus is on the Commonwealth of Nations.
Of these 54 countries that make up the Commonwealth, more than half are considered small and developing states — many depend on remittances.
So it is in our interests as Commonwealth members to work together on remittance issues.
Australia has already supported World Bank assessments of payments, remittances, security and settlement systems in Tonga, Samoa, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands.
Australia will provide up to another half a million dollars to the World Bank to undertake similar assessments in other developing Commonwealth countries, including in the Pacific.
Australia will be calling on leaders at CHOGM to support good practice in international remittances by endorsing the General Principles on International Remittances.
We will also seek agreement from Commonwealth Leaders to help reduce the cost of remittance transactions by asking all members to adopt at least one practical measure to this end.
Only through a coordinated effort can we ensure that those working abroad are getting the best value for money when they send their money back to their communities.
Australia takes its responsibilities in the Pacific seriously — we see our engagement always as a partnership from which both the Pacific and Australia will benefit.