Address to the United Nations Ocean Conference: Ocean decade Australia welcome reception

I’d like to start by acknowledging First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of sea Country in Australia, and their enduring connection to sea Country.

I pay my respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the room tonight. I’d also like to acknowledge any Indigenous peoples joining us from across the Pacific and around the world.

Thank you to Ocean Decade Australia for bringing us all together this evening, and for the work they do bringing together people from across the spectrum of ocean managers and users.

I’m pleased to confirm our Government will financially support the establishment of an Australian Nation Decade Committee. It will be a great way to bring together many players who have an interest in the sustainable management of our ocean.

As a Pacific nation, we share an ocean and a future with our Pacific neighbours. We have a strong connection with our neighbours, and we cherish that relationship.

We also share an appreciation for the ocean that unites us.

This is my first international engagement as Australia’s new Environment Minister and it’s fitting that it’s about the ocean, because Australia is a marine nation and the ocean is what connects us to the rest of the world.

A healthy ocean is critical to Australia’s environment, economy and wellbeing.

As with all Pacific countries, it’s tied to our way of life, our economy, our culture, security and food security.

Australia may be a large country, but our ocean territory is bigger than our land mass and is central to our national identity.

Around 9 out of 10 Australians live near the coast. I’m one of them, coming from Brisbane - the traditional lands of the Jagera and Turrbal peoples – nestled between the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast – both beautiful beach areas, that attract millions of visitors every year.

As a child and now a parent, I’ve spent many a school holiday at the beach with my family. We have wonderful memories of those trips, and it’s something we need to ensure that future generations can enjoy as well.

And this time last year I was Australia’s Minister for Fisheries, so I also have a keen appreciation for marine industries and their contribution to our economy and to sustaining coastal communities.

I recognise the passion many people working in fishing, tourism and other marine industries have for the ocean, and their commitment to operating sustainably.

I strongly believe that through collective action we can make real progress on the ocean and achieve real outcomes.

At home in Australia, we’re doing this by developing our first-ever Sustainable Ocean Plan.

A key part of this has been bringing people together – First Nations peoples, conservationists, communities, researchers, all levels of government, and industries ranging from fishing, tourism and energy to shipping, defence and even the space sector.

We have heard lots of different perspectives. But by really listening to each other’s challenges and ideas, we can build a truly shared, national vision for our future sustainable ocean.

I know many of you in the room have engaged in the plan’s development, and I thank you for your time and insights. We’re committed to getting this done – endorsed and then starting to implement the actions you’ve helped inform.

We are honoured to be joined tonight by many representatives of our friends in the Pacific.

Pacific island countries are international ocean policy leaders, instigating the first UN Ocean Conference and the related Sustainable Development Goal, and managing the world’s one remaining healthy tuna fishery.

Australia is proud to work collectively with Pacific Island countries to enhance our contribution to the health and sustainable management of the ocean and its resources.

The ocean needs all of us. As a country, as a region, as a global community – there’s always more we can do to protect our ocean, be a good international partner, and facilitate economic development.

We’re all here at UNOC to make that happen.

Over the next few days, I’m looking forward to showcasing Australia’s ocean achievements and ambition.

Since the last UNOC in 2022, we’ve expanded our marine parks from 37% to 52% of our ocean. We now protect more ocean than any other country on Earth. Nearly a quarter of our waters are highly protected and our Government has added 1.3 million square kilometres of highly protected areas in the last three years alone.

We recognise, though, that we have more to do, so over the next three years we will review our remaining 44 marine parks. This review will be guided by the best science and industry trends, particularly looking at the impacts of climate change and protecting Australia’s access to our world class seafood. It is clear that Australia can achieve 30 per cent of our marine protected estate in highly protected areas by 2030 and the review process will lay the foundation for this.

The first step will be consultation with key stakeholders over the coming months, and I look forward to that process getting underway soon.

We’re also committed to promoting the ratification and implementation of the High Seas (or Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction) Treaty to enable its swift entry into force. Australia is among a small handful of countries that require domestic implementing legislation prior to ratification. To that end, Australia will introduce enabling legislation in the Spring sitting of our Parliament, with ratification of the Treaty as soon as possible after that.

We’re also investing in blue carbon projects on our own coastline and elsewhere through the International Partnership for Blue Carbon.

And we’re tackling the scourge of ghost nets at home and in the Arafura and Timor seas in partnership with Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

Apart from showcasing our own achievement and ambition, I’m also looking forward to learning from others while we’re here, particularly our Pacific friends as you share your ocean leadership, achievements and priorities.

This is a global mission and Australia is humble enough to know we all have a lot to learn from each other, especially our immediate friends and neighbours.

I look forward to spending the next few days with you - strengthening relationships, building new ones and finding ways we can work collectively for a healthy ocean that supports strong and fair ocean economies.

ENDS

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