Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has defended her government’s climate stance during a press conference in Tonga, responding to questions about growing domestic resistance to Australia’s support for climate resilience efforts in the Pacific.
Asked about political opposition back home while promoting climate aid abroad, Wong pointed to a clear electoral mandate for climate action.
“We are a country that has, I think, seen climate change be an issue of great discussion for many years. I was Australia’s first ever Climate Minister when I was much younger,” Wong said.
“What you saw at the 2022 election… the Australian people voted very clearly for action on climate change. Very clearly… That was the position we took to the Australian people, and the Government was returned, and we have a responsibility to carry that mandate forward.”
She acknowledged the Pacific’s lived experience of climate change and its role in global advocacy.
“It’s not a tomorrow thing, it’s a here thing. And we are already seeing it in Australia… We see it also in the storms… we have them more often,” she said.
“This is a shared challenge, and it is one we want to work with you on… including in our collective bid to hold a Conference of the Parties to elevate the Pacific perspective.”
When pressed on whether Australia would directly support Tonga’s national climate change fund, Wong instead highlighted regional efforts.
“Access to global climate finance is important to countries in the Pacific, and we have been a responsive partner,” she said.
“The very clear message from Pacific leaders was the Pacific Resilience Facility… under the leadership of Tonga as chair of the Pacific Island Forum… And we made the foundational investment in that of a $100 million(US$64 million).”
She added that Australia has committed around $700 million in total climate finance to the Pacific and noted budget support provided to Tonga.
“We’ve also provided $85 million(US$54 million) in budget support as part of our bigger ODA programme,” Wong said.
Wong’s remarks come as the Albanese Government tries to balance domestic political pressure with its international climate commitments, especially in the strategically sensitive Pacific region….
Source: Pacnews
