Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Madeleine King has engaged in discussions with Indo-Pacific partner nations over the weekend, with the view to enhancing cooperation on regional energy security while safeguarding Australia's own energy needs.
Minister King held bilateral talks with her ministerial counterparts from Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the United States, New Zealand and Timor-Leste on the sidelines of the Indo-Pacific Energy Security Ministerial and Business Forum in Japan.
Minister King said Australia's partners all underlined the importance of interdependence for regional energy supplies and economic development.
"In meetings with Ministers across the Indo-Pacific I underlined the important role Australia plays to support energy security that underpins regional economic stability and growth," Minister King said.
"I told Australia's partners that measures to secure our domestic gas supplies won't harm investment or alter existing energy contracts, and made clear that it is a priority for the Australian Government that Australians have access to affordable gas.
"Global supply chains and energy security challenges cannot be solved by any one country alone, and coordinated action and shared solutions are the best way to solve problems."
Minister King held a Critical Minerals Ministerial meeting with her US Counterpart, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, and used the opportunity to discuss progress and investment stemming from the Australia-US Critical Minerals Framework signed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and President Donald Trump last October.
Minister King also held one on one talks with Japan's Minister for Economy, Trade and Investment Ryosei Akazawa, the Republic of Korea's Minister for Trade, Industry and Resources Dr Jung-kwan Kim, Singapore's Minister for Manpower and Energy and Science and Technology Dr Tan See Leng, Timor-Leste's Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Francisco da Costa Monteiro, and New Zealand's Minister for Energy Simon Watts.
