The Albanese Labor Government is backing local jobs and manufacturing through its investments in Australian-made electric trucks – with the first locally built Volvo electric truck rolling off the production line in Brisbane.

The Government’s investment of $70 million with Volvo Group Australia – through the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) – will see more Australian-made electric trucks on our roads.

After returning from Fiji and the Solomon Islands and signing historic agreements with Fiji and Vanuatu, Prime Minister Albanese will host Pacific leaders from Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga in Brisbane for ongoing regional security talks.

These important meetings will take place on the same day that Australia’s historic mutual defence treaty with PNG comes into force.

Prime Minister Albanese will hold bilateral meetings with each of the Leaders in Brisbane to discuss regional security, trade and economic growth opportunities.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has concluded his visit to Solomon Islands, reinforcing Australia’s deep and enduring commitment to the Pacific and advancing a new era of cooperation between the two countries.

In Honiara, Prime Minister Albanese met with Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale and members of his government. Prime Minister Albanese also had the opportunity to address the Solomon Islands 48th Independence Day celebrations – the first foreign leader to do so – where he announced a $10.2 million package of education support for Solomon Islands.

MATTHEW WALE, PRIME MINISTER OF SOLOMON ISLANDS: We are very honoured with our special guest the Honourable Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese of Australia visiting us just for the day or half of the day. And of course, the Honourable Senator Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs. It's been a lovely couple of hours to spend with them and we enjoyed wonderful conversations also this morning. But I'll allow you to ask questions, of course, after the Prime Minister's made a few comments.

Today, with pride and optimism, we gather to hand-over the magnificent new Naha Birthing and Urban Health Centre to the people of Honiara.

And we entrust its future to the Ministry of Health and Medical Services and the Honiara City Council.

In doing so, we pay tribute to the dedication, skill and hard work of everyone who has helped turn a remarkable vision, into a transformative reality.

And it is my honour to be joined here by Prime Minister Wale.  

MATTHEW WALE, PRIME MINISTER OF THE SOLOMON ISLANDS: Prime Minister, welcome, and the honorary Minister and your esteemed delegation. We are extremely pleased so soon after I visited that you were able to come, and of course, we are hoping you'll come again before the year is out. We have much to transact, so we look forward to great conversations going forward. Thank you.

Governor-General Reverend Sir David Tiva Kapu.

Prime Minister the Honourable Matthew Wale.

Honourable Ministers and Members of Parliament

Distinguished guests

Church and community leaders

Ladies and gentlemen

On behalf of the people of Australia, it is my great honour to congratulate you and your country on 48 years of independence.

We gather today to commemorate those whose vision made independence possible, half a century ago.

I acknowledge Prime Minister Rabuka.

Ministers and Members of Parliament.

Chair of the Great Council of Chiefs.

Members of the Diplomatic Corps.

And Ms Djapirri Mununggirritj, a senior Yolŋu woman from the Gumatj clan from North East Arnhem Land.

First Nations Australians and Fijian communities share a deeply historic and cultural connection.

One that is shaped by resilience, community leadership, and relationships with land and sea.

Ladies and gentlemen –

SITIVENI RABUKA, PRIME MINISTER OF THE REPUBLIC OF FIJI: Well, we've had a great morning, Prime Minister Albanese and I, and it has been my honour to warmly welcome again to Fiji my colleague and friend Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Prime Minister of Australia, welcome back to the Pacific. I believe you are now beginning to feel that it is really your Pacific home. Today represents a very defining moment in our relationship - Fiji-Australia relationship.

Thank you, Minister Tuisawau for hosting me here today.

It’s a great pleasure to be here in Fiji to officially launch Australia’s new regional skills program in Fiji – Pacific Australia Skills – and to open the refurbished Vuvale Union Skills Hub.

These facilities are an example of the great things that can happen when Australia and Fiji work together.

The best investment any nation can make is in its people.

That is why investment in education and skills are a foundational part of the Vuvale Union that Prime Minister Rabuka and I signed this morning.