Release details
Release type
Related ministers and contacts
The Hon Julie Bishop MP
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Senator the Hon Marise Payne
Minister for Defence
Media contact
- Henry Budd (Minister Payne’s office) 0429 531 143
- Defence Media (02) 6127 1999
The Hon Steven Ciobo MP
Minister for Trade and Investment
Release content
15 March 2016
MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
The Hon Julie Bishop MP
SENATOR THE HON MARISE PAYNE
Minister for Defence
MINISTER FOR Trade and investment
The Hon Steven Ciobo MP
Australia will host the ninth Singapore-Australia Joint Ministerial Committee meeting in Sydney on Friday 18 March. We look forward to welcoming Singaporean Minister for Foreign Affairs, Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Trade and Industry, Lim Hng Kiang, and Minister for Defence, Ng Eng Hen to Australia.
We enjoy a comprehensive strategic partnership with Singapore based on our shared interests and complementary economies. We also have well-established links in education through initiatives including the New Colombo Plan, and strong people-to-people ties.
Singapore is Australia’s fifth largest trading partner and fifth largest source of foreign investment. During our discussions we will review the Singapore-Australia Free Trade Agreement to ensure it continues to deliver meaningful outcomes for business and helps drive us towards an even closer economic relationship.
Our discussions will also explore opportunities to collaborate on innovation, leveraging Australia’s knowledge in research and development and Singapore’s expertise in commercialisation.
We will consider opportunities to expand our defence cooperation, including through enhanced personnel exchanges and training, as well as strengthening collaboration on counter-terrorism, intelligence sharing, cyber security and defence science and technology.
We are also working together to deepen our economic and security cooperation in upcoming international forums in the Indo-Pacific, including the East Asia Summit.
Media contacts:
Foreign Minister’s Office: Rachel Obradovic 0478 488 874
Defence Minister’s Office: Henry Budd 0439 531 143
Trade and Investment Minister’s Office: Ben Dillaway 0409 598 102