Australia’s Minister for International Development and the Pacific, also Minister for the Defense Industry the Hon Pat Conroy MP arrived into Samoa last night.
The visit which includes Samoa and Vanuatu aims, “to strengthen Australia’s deep and longstanding partnerships in the Pacific.”
“Wonderful to arrive in Samoa,” the Minister tweets.
“Looking forward to talks on climate action, regional security, labour mobility – and of course, rugby!”
Hon Pat Conroy will meet with Samoa’s Head of State, His Highness Tuimaleal’llfano Va’aletoa Sualauvi II, Prime Minister the Hon. Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa and senior members of Cabinet.
“I look forward to progressing our Australia-Samoa Bilateral Partnership Arrangement – which was signed earlier this year – through discussions on climate action, regional security, sport and labour mobility,” the Minister states.
“I will have a valuable opportunity to listen to regional perspectives on environmentally sustainable development through a visit to the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Program (SPREP).”
The Minister says the Australian Government is listening to its partners in the Pacific, “to ensure initiatives and resources respond to the region’s diverse needs.”
“We are deeply committed to working closely with all members of the Pacific family towards our shared goal of a peaceful, prosperous and resilient Pacific region now and into the future.”
In Vanuatu Pat Conroy will meet Prime Minister Alatoi Ishmael Kalsakau, “to discuss Australia’s commitment to security partnership and our continued support to Vanuatu’s recovery following the recent devastating tropical cyclones Kevin and Judy.”
Conroy will also meet NGO partners at the centre of humanitarian and disaster responses in Vanuatu and says he wants to hear how they are supporting the affected communities.
Hon Pat Conroy MP Background
Pat Conroy has represented the Lake Macquarie region in Federal Parliament since 2013.
Having been elected to Parliament in 2013 as the Member for Charlton representing the western suburbs of Lake Macquarie and Newcastle, he was re-elected as the Member for Shortland in 2016, following a redistribution of electoral boundaries by the Australian Electoral Commission.
The seat of Shortland stretches from Charlestown and Kahibah in the North, Cardiff, Boolaroo and Speers Point in the West and through to Budgewoi, San Remo and Lake Munmorah in the South. Pat has lived in this community for most of his life – he grew up on the Central Coast and now lives in Lake Macquarie, where he and his wife are raising their two young children.
Pat joined the Labor party when he was 15 years old. He studied Economics at the University of Sydney and has worked developing economic policy in the mining and manufacturing industry. He spent six years as an economic adviser in the areas of climate change, industry and defence.
Pat was appointed the Shadow Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy and Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure in July 2016. Following the 2019 election, Pat was appointed the Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Shadow Minister Assisting for Climate Change, and Shadow Minister Assisting for Defence.
Parliamentary positions:
Minister for Defence Industry (June 2022 – Present)
Minister for International Development and the Pacific (June 2022 – Present)
Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific (June 2019 – May 2022)
Shadow Minister Assisting for Climate Change (June 2019 – May 2022)
Shadow Minister Assisting for Defence (June 2019 – May 2022)
Shadow Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy (2016 – 2019)
Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure (2016 – 2019)
Deputy Chair, House of Representatives Standing Committee on the Environment and Energy (2016 – 2019)
Deputy Chair, House of Representatives Standing Committee of Privileges and Members’ Interests (2016 – 2019)
Standing Committee of Privileges and Members’ Interests (2016 – 2019)
Member, Speaker’s Panel (2015 – 16)
Deputy Chair, Joint Select Committee on Trade and Investment Growth (2015 – 16)
Chair, Labor’s Waste Watch Committee (2014 – 16)
Member, House of Representatives Economics Committee (2013 – 16)
Deputy Chair, Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (2013 – 16)
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