Australian Minister updates
For the latest news from the Australian Prime Minister and Portfolio ministers –
- Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon. Anthony Albanese MP
- Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon. Penny Wong
Breaking ground and barriers: Tongan women build more than a port
This International Women’s Day, Australia is proud to stand with Tongan women who are quite literally breaking new ground,
Through the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP), Australia is supporting the Upgrading Tonga’s international port project, a major investment to strengthen the Queen Salote International Wharf (QSIW).
Australia, through the AIFFP, together with the Asian Development Bank and the Government of Tonga, is delivering AUD138.3 million in upgrades to strengthen Tonga’s primary port in Nuku’alofa. This investment includes an AUD31.25 million AIFFP grant aimed at bolstering climate resilience, economic growth and sustainability.
But beyond better trade and transport, this project is giving more women the chance to step into the construction industry and prove that skill and hard work have no gender.
For decades, construction in Tonga was a male-dominated field. That’s changing. Women like ‘Ofa Halatanu and Susana Fihaki are now working as engineers, leading teams and shaping the country’s future.
‘Ofa Halatanu, a site engineer with AIFFP partner McConnell Dowell, says seeing more women on-site is something she never expected.
“When I started, I was one of the only woman in my field. Now, we have women in every part of construction—engineering, carpentry, concrete testing. It’s not just about getting the job done; it’s about showing young girls in Tonga that they can be here too,” she said.
For Susana Fihaki, construction was a dream she didn’t think she could follow.
“I was a nurse because that was what women were supposed to do,” she said. “But I loved building things. I studied architecture at night, and when I finally got the chance to work on this project, I took it. At first, it was strange telling men what to do on-site, but now I know I belong here,” she added.
They’re not alone. Their colleagues Lesieli Fatongiatau and ‘Asinate Tekina ki Fatumanongi ‘Ohuafi are taking on key roles in quality control at the project’s concrete factory. They’ve been trained to meet New Zealand’s standards for testing concrete, aggregates and soils—ensuring the materials used in this upgrade are strong, safe and built to last.
“This work matters,” said Lesieli. “Every mix, every test—it all adds up to something bigger. This isn’t just about today; it’s about building a future where women can do any job they want.”
Australia’s High Commissioner to Tonga, His Excellency Brek Batley, says the investment isn’t just about infrastructure, but opportunity.
“The Australian Government is committed to investing in skills, jobs and better infrastructure across the Pacific. It’s incredible to see so many women stepping into roles they might not have had access to. Projects like this create lasting change—not just in ports, but in communities and workplaces.”
Australia’s investment is making the port safer, more efficient and more resilient to natural disasters, as well as changing the workforce, as Tongan women prove construction isn’t just for men.
They are laying the foundation for something bigger—equal opportunities, better futures and a workforce in which women and men work side by side to build their country’s future.
Joint Media Release
Tonga-Australia High-Level Consultations
Nuku’alofa, 11 February 2025
The governments of Tonga and Australia reaffirmed their deep and enduring partnership at the 2025 High-Level Consultations in Nuku’alofa on 11 February.
During the meeting, both governments agreed to strengthen cooperation in economic resilience, climate change, labour mobility, health and collective security, particularly cyber security and transnational crime, for the benefit of all Tongans across the Kingdom.
Both countries agreed to elevate the bilateral partnership in the spirit of kaungame’a falala’anga including through a new partnership arrangement.
Tonga reaffirmed its support for a Pacific COP31 and Australia confirmed its ongoing support to Tonga’s establishment of the Pacific Resilience Facility. Australia acknowledged Tonga’s regional leadership as part of the Pacific Policing Initiative.
Both sides discussed travel and migration, including opportunities under the new Pacific Engagement Visa. Australia’s support on multiple infrastructure, agriculture and trade projects was also discussed, to ensure continued alignment with the Tongan Government’s economic priorities.
Mr Paula Pouvalu Ma’u, Chief Secretary & Secretary to Cabinet co-chaired the talks involving dozens of officials across most Tongan Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
“Our partnership is genuine and respectful, grounded in people-centred development. We share respect for democracy, sovereignty, and rules of law; these shared values bind our partnership.”
“We are proud to host these talks just fourteen days into the new government,” said Mr Ma’u.
Ms Elizabeth Peak, Head of the Office of the Pacific, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade co-chaired the talks for Australia, during her fourth visit to the Kingdom.
“Our two countries hold enduring people-to-people links, nurtured through institutional, educational, cultural, church and sporting relationships and growing diaspora connections.”
“We look back with pride and look forward with enthusiasm. We have ambition for our relationship. Together we will stand together and face the significant challenges of our time including climate change, strategic competition and economic uncertainty,” said Ms Peak.
Regular and open talanoa is the foundation of the Tonga-Australia relationship. It ensures both countries understand each other’s priorities, navigate shared challenges and embrace new opportunities.
The next High-Level Consultations are expected to be hosted in Australia in 2026.
For more information, please reach out to: [email protected] or [email protected].
Australia Day 2025 – A Sea of Connections
January 26
This Australia Day we celebrate our nation’s history and bright future, as well as the enduring partnership between Australia and the Kingdom of Tonga.
We have chosen a theme of a "Sea of Connections," reflecting the deep bonds between our communities, businesses, institutions, churches, and governments. For over 150 years, we’ve supported each other and shared our culture and knowledge. Our partnership is growing from strength to strength.
The love for our shared Blue Pacific ocean is also a special connection between our two countries, and the other 16 members of the Pacific Islands Forum. It’s a permanent geographical bond that brings us together, with links growing including in areas like sports, trade, maritime security, environmental issues, and health.
There are over 400,000 Pacific Islanders who call Australia home, including 43,000 proud Tongan-Australians. We thank you for being such an important part of our diverse nation.
As we mark Australia Day, we also reflect on Australia’s history. We respect and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ continuous culture of over 65,000 years, the oldest in the world. We are pleased to share the eye-catching ‘Evolution: Torres Strait Masks’ exhibition (from the Gab Titui Cultural Centre and National Museum of Australia), which will be displayed in Tonga. It depicts the rich tradition of Mask Making among Torres Strait Islanders. The High Commission will arrange the exhibition in public spaces in coming months.
We are also excited to announce a special new round of grants, under our ‘Direct Aid Program’. For this round only, to be held in March, proposal limits will be increased to TOP60,000. This is an opportunity for community groups, town officers and leaders to think even bigger. More information will be available on this special round on our Facebook in the coming weeks.
For further information or media inquiries, please contact: [email protected].
Celebrating Australia Day 2024
26 January 2024
Statement from Australia’s High Commissioner to Tonga, Her Excellency Rachael Moore.
On Australia Day, we celebrate our nation, its achievements and most of all its people. Today is an opportunity to reflect, respect and connect with all Australians who contribute to our great nation. We acknowledge Australia’s First Nations peoples, custodians of the oldest continuing culture on earth spanning more than 65,000 years. Australia is a successful, multicultural society bringing together people from across the globe with shared values of fairness, tolerance, and diversity. The more than 43,000 people in Australia who identify as having Tongan heritage make invaluable contributions to the fabric of our nation (not only on the sporting field!). Similarly, there is a community of Australians who live and work here in the Kingdom of Tonga. Thank you for the contribution you make to the ties that bind us as people and as nations.
Australia and Tonga
It has been another significant year for the friendship between Australia and Tonga. We continue to build deeper and stronger ties, building on our 53 years of diplomatic relations and over 200 years of interwoven history.
We express our gratitude to Her Royal Highness Princess Latufuipeka Tuku’aho, who worked with grace and dedication in her role as Tonga’s High Commissioner to Australia and is now undertaking her PhD at the Australian National University. We are humbled by the royal family’s ongoing commitment to the Tonga-Australia relationship, with Her Royal Highness following the precedent set by His Majesty King Tupou VI when he served as Tonga’s first High Commissioner to Australia from 2008 to 2012. We are grateful His Royal Highness Crown Prince Tupouto’a ‘Ulukalala chose to live and study in Australia with his family. We hope Canberra will always feel like a home away from home for you and yours.
And I thank Tonga’s acting High Commissioner to Australia, Curtis Tu’ihalangingie and Tonga’s Hon Consul General to Australia, Louise Waterhouse for their tireless service for the Kingdom and our bilateral relationship. The Kingdom of Tonga has hosted many high-level Australian visitors in the past twelve months. His Excellency, Governor-General David Hurley, and his spouse Linda Hurley, were privileged to meet with His Majesty King Tupou VI on their visit in June. Chief of the Defence Force, General Angus Campbell, Assistant Health Minister Emma McBride MP and Australia’s Ambassador for Gender Equality, Stephanie Copus Campbell also visited in 2023. We were grateful for Tonga’s exceptional hosting of all our visitors, and for the opportunity to listen to your priorities and continue to work together on local, regional, and global issues that impact us all.
Regional unity amidst global challenges
As a member of the Pacific Islands Forum, Australia is working with our Pacific family on our shared security, prosperity, and wellbeing. We look forward to Tonga taking up the Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum this year. We will be here to support you in this important role.
Guided by the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, Australia stands with the Pacific family to achieve our shared aspirations, and respond to our common challenges, including the existential threat of climate change. We appreciate Tonga’s regional and global leadership on climate change action. We were proud to announce a contribution of AUD 100 million to the Pacific led Pacific Resilience Facility at COP28 late last year. We respect Tonga’s sovereignty. Through cooperation and true partnership, we achieve our best as nations, as a region and for our world.
Security partnerships
A key aspect of our partnership is cooperation in the security sectors. Over the last year our Defence Partnership has gone from strength to strength. The commissioning of Northern Command in Vava’u by Their Majesties was a memorable demonstration of the value of the Australian Defence Force and His Majesty’s Armed Forces work together. Northern Command will facilitate HMAF’s operations in Vava’u and surrounds, particularly to combat transnational crime and to boost disaster reparedness and response. Our defence forces continue to collaborate closely on disaster preparedness and response. And our joint training missions have continued to strengthen our interoperability.
The Australian Federal Police have worked with Tonga Police to respond to transnational organised crime, develop policing skills and build infrastructure, and to respond to gender-based violence. We’re also proud to work with Tonga on our shared challenge of border security within the Pacific region. In 2023, we welcomed the establishment of a permanent presence by the Australian Border Force to work with and support the Tongan Border Security Agencies.
Assistance and recovery
We recognise that Tonga’s development has encountered recent setbacks outside of your control. Cyclones Gita and Harold, the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai eruption and tsunami and the COVID-19 pandemic have had significant impacts, at a time when your national debt repayments have spiked. We are committed to helping you in your recovery. In the past three years our development partnership has more than doubled from AUD32 million in the 2020 FY to more than AUD 82 million last year. Importantly, we have changed the way we work with you. In FY2019, only 7 per cent of our development went directly through your financial systems. Last year, this number was 60 per cent.
In addition, we have more than AUD100 million of nation-building infrastructure support in the pipeline – including a new parliament house and our contribution to the upgrade of the Nuku’alofa Port. We understand aviation connectivity is critical for economic growth, service delivery and connecting family and friends and we are proud to support Lulutai Airlines and Tonga’s aviation sector. We will also continue to support Tonga’s priorities in health, particularly in reducing non-communicable diseases. This year our health support also included the refurbishment of the obstetrics ward at Vaiola Hospital and funding a new mammogram machine to tackle Tonga’s most prevalent cancer.
We are also proud to have partnerships with civil society including the Women and Children’s Crisis Centre and LATA to support the essential advocacy and services they provide. And we value our peer partnership between the Australia and Tongan Electoral Commissions. In 2023 we deepened our engagement with Tonga’s media sector, understanding the critical role the media plays in sharing information with the public. We have also partnered with Tupou Tertiary Institute to support their high-quality research. In 2024 we will continue to work in partnership with the Government and people of Tonga to support your priorities.
People-to-people links
Sport plays an important role in the identity of both Australia and Tonga, just one of the many ties that bind us, and 2023 was a particularly big year for sport. We were thrilled to co-host the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and have Foreign Minister ‘Utoikamanu join our Foreign Minister in Brisbane to watch our Matildas play. Australia was pleased to support the Pacific Games in Honiara and to fund Tonga’s table tennis para-athletes who brought home three medals. We cheered for the Tala netball team when they won gold in Honiara and made their World Cup debut in South Africa. We’re proud to partner with local sporting organisations including NRL in Tonga, Tonga Table Tennis Federation, Tonga Netball, AFL in Tonga, and Tonga Football.
Labour mobility continues to be at the heart of economic ties between Australia and Tonga, with more than 5000 Tongans currently living and working in Australia. In November, the first cohort of trained Aged Care workers departed Tonga for Australia. We value the contributions that Tongan workers make to Australian businesses, and the strong connections the program builds between our people. We are so pleased to see new Australian volunteers arrive in country this week, and we look forward to their contribution here and the people to people links this program brings. And this year we are proud to support 27 outstanding Tongan scholars to travel to Australia to study through the Australia Award programs.
Conclusion
On Australia Day, we reflect on our national identity as Australians, and our roles as members of the Pacific family. As we look to the year ahead, I am encouraged by the strength of our partnership with the Kingdom of Tonga. We know that only together can we build a safe and prosperous region we can all be proud of. Our shared values as part of the Pacific family will hold us in good stead as we respond to the challenges we collectively face today, and into the future. Let us look forward to the year ahead with hope and optimism, strong in the knowledge of our enduring friendship.
Media enquiries
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Australian High Commission, Nuku’alofa
Salote Rd, Nuku’alofa
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