Senate Two-minute Statement
25 March 2026
The Australia-EU Security and Defence Partnership announced earlier this week is a landmark step to advance and protect Australia’s national interests. We meet this moment against a backdrop of growing global instability. The people of Ukraine, for instance, continue their courageous resistance against Russia’s illegal invasion. The people of Iran persist in their struggle against oppression. And, across the world, communities are facing the pressures of an uncertain and volatile economic environment. That is why this partnership matters.
The strategic environment that we face is more complex than at any time in recent memory. Cyberthreats move at speed across borders, terrorism adapts and endures and space is rapidly emerging as a contested domain. No nation, regardless of size or capability, can meet these challenges alone. That is why this agreement brings Australia one step closer to one of our most important economic and strategic partners. It strengthens intelligence sharing, deepens cooperation against terrorism and online radicalisation, and establishes new dialogue on space security. Importantly, it also supports Australian jobs and innovation by creating opportunities for our defence industry.
Alongside progress on the Australia-EU Free Trade Agreement, this partnership reflects a broader deepening of ties. As chair of the Parliamentary Friends of European Parliament, I acknowledge the hard work of our wonderful minister for trade, Senator Don Farrell, and members of the Albanese government. By working more closely with the European Union, Australia demonstrates that distance is no barrier to shared values or strategic alignment. Australia is stronger when we work together with trusted partners, and this partnership ensures that we do exactly that.
