E&OE TRANSCRIPT
6TH PACIFIC REGIONAL ENERGY AND TRANSPORT MINISTERS MEETING
PORT MORESBY, PAPUA NEW GUINEA
6 MAY 2026
Moning tru and thank you for the warm welcome.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Prime Minister Marape for hosting this important meeting, as I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land.
At the outset, I want to acknowledge Prime Minister Marape’s leadership in fostering a spirit of cooperation and a shared sense of belonging among the Pacific family.
And I especially acknowledge the Prime Minister’s contribution to deepening the bonds of friendship between Australia and Papua New Guinea.
I would also like to acknowledge my ministerial colleagues and regional leadership gathered here today including the Director General of the SPC, Dr Vivili.
It is an honour to be here among the Pacific family, and I thank you all for your part in nurturing this community of nations – it is a set of relationships based on shared principles that Australia values deeply.
I am encouraged to see how the geography that unites us is matched by a shared commitment to work together for the long‑term stability, prosperity and sustainability of our region.
The theme of this year’s meeting, ‘Scaling Connectivity for a Prosperous Blue Pacific’, could not be more apt in capturing that sentiment.
It also reflects the collective spirit that we are proud to advance through the Pacific Partnership that will guide our approach to COP31 this year.
Friends, we meet at a time of considerable global uncertainty.
Conflict in the Middle East continues to disrupt energy markets and strain global supply chains, with the ripple effects being felt far beyond the immediate conflict zone.
Indeed the shockwaves are being felt in the Pacific and in every corner of the world.
The impacts are being felt in our households and businesses, our community organisations and public services.
On roads, air routes, and shipping lanes.
And our fuel security, food security and economic stability are all being threatened.
Australia recognises the severity of the supply chain disruption and the real impacts and real economic harm being felt across Pacific communities.
It goes without saying that no nation can navigate this crisis in isolation.
The Pacific Way has long emphasised cooperation, solidarity and regional solutions to shared challenges.
Australia is advocating for open and free-flowing energy supply chains across the region for the duration of this crisis; and beyond.
Because that is a matter of our shared interest; it is critical to our shared wellbeing.
We already have important lessons to learn from earlier events – from the COVID-19 pandemic to Russia’s War on Ukraine to the oil crisis in the 1970s.
And if there is one thing the current crisis has again highlighted, it is the importance of accelerating the global energy transition with renewed urgency and focus.
History tells us that it was the 1970s oil crisis that helped spur the early growth of solar and wind industries.
These renewables enhance energy security by reducing reliance on volatile international markets, while supporting climate action.
Accelerating renewables for local electricity supply offers a resilient alternative to imported oil and it limits our exposure to geopolitical shocks.
Australia remains firmly committed to accelerating the expansion of renewable energy, supported by reliable energy storage solutions.
And I am glad to say that Australia sourced about half of our electricity generation from renewables for the past two quarters for the first time; and last year had consecutive months in which renewables out-generated coal for the first time.
Another important milestone on the pathway towards transitioning our electricity system to 82 per cent renewables by 2030.
Australia acknowledges the strong leadership shown by Pacific Island nations in pursuing some of the most ambitious renewable energy targets in the world and as Prime Minister Marape rightly observed in his opening remarks, the clarity and strength of the collective Pacific voice is formidable.
And we are committed to supporting your efforts to translate transition goals into concrete outcomes across the region.
That also extends to research and development. Again, an important priority highlighted by Prime Minister Marape, a shared endeavour we pursue in partnership through the Australia-Pacific Partnership for Energy Transition.
Australia is proud to partner with Pacific nations to finance clean energy and climate-resilient infrastructure that delivers real benefits for communities.
Here in PNG, the $75 million Renew Pacific program is partnering with you to fund solar mini-grids in the Oro and Central provinces, giving remote health clinics and schools reliable power that isn’t affected by diesel price rises or fuel delivery delays.
We are also partnering to install solar-hybrid power at Atoifi Hospital in the Solomon Islands, so that emergency surgery and maternity care no longer rely on a noisy diesel generator or uncertain fuel deliveries.
This project is also powering lights in nursing schools, dormitories and classrooms, giving more than 1,000 students safe, well-lit spaces to study into the evening.
In the Republic of the Marshall Islands, we are installing cyclone-resilient solar systems to power 19 primary schools across the Arno, Ebon and Mili Atolls.
This will improve learning conditions and enable safer community spaces during emergencies.
In Tuvalu, we are working with partners to develop a national renewable energy masterplan, supported by the $50 million dollar Australia-Pacific Partnership for Energy Transition.
This work will accelerate progress towards Tuvalu’s goal of 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030.
Australia welcomes the opportunity to support Fiji and Tuvalu to deliver the Pre-COP meeting of climate ministers and world leaders later this year.
We also look forward to supporting the Pacific Island Forum’s Leaders Ascent in Palau, an important springboard to the Pre-COP.
With the world’s attention on the Pacific, we have an unparalleled opportunity to amplify Pacific voices and galvanise support for this region’s energy transition.
We are taking this forward through the COP31 Pacific Partnership, focusing our attention on tangible actions to boost the clean energy transition, with Pillar One – Keeping 1.5°C Within Reach – as our guide.
In 2023, PIF Leaders agreed to establish a Regional Clean Energy Commissioner to advocate for and mobilise investment in Pacific energy transitions.
With technical assistance and practical planning capabilities, the commissioner would be well placed to translate ambition into action.
For Australia and the Pacific family, the Pre-COP will build on our longstanding record of partnership in driving multilateral action and set the direction we carry forward together into COP31 later this year.
This is much-needed at a time when multilateralism itself is under significant strain.
Friends, the challenges the world faces today do not stop at national borders.
Neither should the solutions.
By working together, we can reduce our vulnerability and build a stronger foundation for the future of the Pacific and beyond.
Our presence here today reflects a recognition that we share a common future here in the Pacific, and we’re committed to working together to secure the best form of that future – one that is based on inclusive prosperity, sustainability, and a safe climate.
Our collective efforts are an investment in a stronger Pacific, and Australia stands with you to build that future in the spirit of open dialogue, shared effort, and mutual respect.
Thank you.
ENDS
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