Tomorrow, I depart Australia for Singapore for the 12th International Institute for Strategic Studies Asia Security Dialogue: The Shangri-La Dialogue.

This is my fourth visit to Singapore as Defence Minister, and the third time I have attended the Shangri-La Dialogue, maintaining Australian Defence Ministers’ record of attending every Shangri-La Dialogue since its inception in 2002.

I will be joined at the Dialogue by the Chief of the Defence Force, General David Hurley.

I look forward to participating in the Shangri-La Dialogue and the plenary session discussion on Military Modernisation and Strategic Transparency.

In addition to participating in the Dialogue, I also look forward to holding bilateral talks with my Defence Ministerial counterparts on a range of defence and security issues of mutual interest.

I look forward to holding the inaugural Australia, East Timor, Indonesia Trilateral Defence Ministers’ Dialogue and the second Australia, Japan, United States Trilateral Defence Ministers’ Dialogue.

The Dialogue is attended by Defence Ministers from across the Indo-Pacific and is an opportunity to strengthen Australia’s bilateral defence relationships, progress defence cooperation initiatives and enhance regional security mechanisms.

Media contacts:

Mr Smith's Office: Sacha Fenton (02) 6277 7800 or 0467 784 528

Defence Media Operations (02) 6127 1999