Secretary-General

Colleagues

This is the decisive decade for acting on the environmental challenge of climate change – and seizing the economic opportunities of clean energy.

We all grasp the scale and the urgency of our task.

We all understand the consequences of inaction: for our environment, for our economies, for our people’s way of life and for our children’s future.

Australians know the toll taken by extreme weather events becoming more frequent and more intense.

ANIKA WELLS, MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS: From a grassroots campaign of 127,000 parents whose fervent wish was that somebody would do something, we are now at the UN showing our world leading laws and helping other countries who have great interest in taking up this same mission. We are so grateful to parents like Emma Mason and Let Them Be Kids and the 36 Months campaign who brought those 127,000 parents to Parliament and allowed the Prime Minister to pass these world leading laws.

It is good to be here with you today to talk about this serious subject.

All of us appreciate the benefits the internet has brought us. Yet we are also aware that, within its transformative gift of connectivity, there are risks to our children.

The challenge we face is constantly evolving, and different countries are tackling it in different ways.

I want to talk about our way – and listen to the approaches being taken by others.

On the 10th of December, Australia will introduce social media age restrictions that go further than any country has before.

HEATHER RIDOUT, CONSUL-GENERAL IN NEW YORK: It's great to have you all in New York. You don't come here enough, actually. But anyway, it's my real pleasure to introduce our Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, who's also coming to New York for the first time since I've been Consul-General and Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen.

Thank you all for being here this afternoon.

I thank our hosts Macquarie, a great Australian success story.

Among many distinguished guests, I acknowledge our Ambassador, Kevin Rudd and Australia’s Consul-General to New York, Heather Ridout.

When I had the privilege of serving in Kevin’s Cabinet as Minister for Infrastructure, we asked Heather to join the board of a new body we were establishing: Infrastructure Australia.

President Macron.

Your Royal Highness.

Secretary-General.

Colleagues.

Nearly 78 years ago, Australia was proud to be the first member of the United Nations to vote for the plan that made the modern state of Israel possible.

The international community’s vision for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, always encompassed two states.

A state of Israel and a state of Palestine.

Living side by side, within internationally-recognised borders.

And recognising each other’s right to live in peace and security.

ANDREW CLENNELL, HOST: Your decision to recognise Palestine with the UK and Canada has made headlines here in the US today. Do you concede there's a chance it makes no difference to achieving peace, or even backfires? For example, Israel could annex the West Bank or take some sort of action.

KARL STEFANOVIC, HOST: For more we're joined by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in New York. PM, good morning to you. Good to have you coming this morning.

PRIME MINISTER: Good morning.

STEFANOVIC: Look, 25 Republicans say recognising Palestine is reckless policy that rewards terrorism and you risk retaliation. Are you ready for the blowback?

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, good morning. I'm very proud to be representing Australia at the United Nations General Assembly here in New York this week, and to be joined here this morning with Foreign Minister Penny Wong. 

This visit will allow Australia to continue to work with our international partners on a range of issues with one focus right across the board, which is, what is Australia's national interest and how is it best served.

Effective today, Sunday the 21st of September 2025, the Commonwealth of Australia formally recognises the independent and sovereign State of Palestine.

In doing so, Australia recognises the legitimate and long held aspirations of the people of Palestine to a state of their own.

Australia’s recognition of Palestine today, alongside Canada and the United Kingdom, is part of a co-ordinated international effort to build new momentum for a two-state solution, starting with a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of the hostages taken in the atrocities of October 7, 2023.