PATRICIA KARVELAS, HOST: The US has confirmed a dramatic pivot back towards Australia's neighbourhood, boosting support for Pacific nations in a bid to counter China's growing influence. Vice-President Kamala Harris will address the Pacific Islands Forum today, after Washington announced two new embassies would open and hundreds of millions of dollars of support would start to flow. Our Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will be among the leaders gathering for the summit. He's just moments away from wheels up on route to Suva and he joins you now.

Fijian Prime Minister Hon. Josaia V. Bainimarama and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese MP have launched a major infrastructure project to enhance Fiji’s maritime capabilities.

Building on the long-standing Vuvale Partnership, Fiji and Australia will construct the new Maritime Essential Services Centre (MESC) in Lami, Fiji.

The MESC will house the Republic of Fiji Navy Headquarters, Suva Radio Coastal Station, Fiji Maritime Surveillance Coordination Centre, and Fiji Hydrographic Office.

ALLISON LANGDON, HOST: Prime Minister, very good morning to you. Your first significant loss as a PM. How does it feel?

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, thanks very much. It's great to be here in Suva, and it is fantastic to be participating in the Pacific Islands Forum. We have a very senior delegation here, myself with the Foreign Minister and with Minister Pat Conroy. And I look forward to listening over the next two days to the concerns that Pacific Island leaders have.

NATALIE BARR, HOST: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has embraced political challenges in the Pacific, moving quickly to mend broken relationships in the region during his trip to Fiji. With all eyes on a bilateral meeting with the Solomons Islands, he hugged his counterpart with open arms. It comes after Australia with a controversial security pact the nation signed with Beijing. In a push to counter China’s growing influence, the United States has announced it'll spend almost $1 billion to support Pacific nations.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Thank you very much for joining us. It has been a very successful meeting of this Pacific Islands Forum. And it has been a great pleasure and honour to represent Australia here. We are family when it comes to the Pacific. And there was a good spirit of cooperation and dialogue, speaking about our common interests. Australia's new position on climate change was particularly well-received, and that is reflected in the communique.

The Australian and New South Wales governments have extended the support committed following the extensive floods in NSW in February and March to include those impacted by the most recent July event.

Funding will go towards grants for primary producers, small businesses, not-for-profit organisations and councils, clean-up efforts and expanding the property assessment program in disaster-declared areas.

The investment also builds on the support already provided to the 37 disaster-declared local government areas under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

Federal Government disaster payments are available now to eligible residents in eight additional local government areas (LGAs) affected by the severe storms and flooding that continue to impact large areas of New South Wales.

The Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP) and Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA) is now available in the local government areas of Cumberland, Mid Coast, Muswellbrook, Nambucca, Newcastle, Port Stephens, Randwick and Warren, which brings the number of LGAs receiving disaster payments as a result of this event to 37.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much for joining us, and I’m very pleased to be joined by the Premier of New South Wales today, the Treasurer, and also my Minister for Emergency Management. The most recent floods of course have devastated homes, businesses and livelihoods in New South Wales and I'm very pleased that we've had complete cooperation, I think, and a seamless relationship between the national Government and the New South Wales Government.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will travel to Fiji on Wednesday, 13 July for the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders’ Meeting in Suva.

It will be his first visit to the Pacific as Prime Minister.

The first in-person Leaders’ Meeting since 2019 will bring together Pacific leaders to discuss important issues including Pacific unity, climate change, regional security and economic recovery from COVID-19. 

The Forum has been gathering for more than fifty years and brings together heads of government and representatives from the Forum Members.