Well, it’s been a very successful Quad Meeting, and one of the things we agreed on was that Quad stands for, Quick United Assistance Delivery, and we have a range of really practical initiatives. So firstly, the Quad Cancer Moonshot Initiative, that of course, aims to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer in the Indo-Pacific. Australia will contribute $29.6 million to that initiative, $13.1 million of that is from the Minderoo Foundation. The expansion of maritime domain awareness, this is something that Australia has been involved in. We’ve already contributed $18.5 million to the Pacific Island Forum Fisheries Agency. It’s about identifying what’s going on in the maritime areas of these states. It’s very important, obviously, with some of the illegal fishing activity and other activity that occurs there, that they’re able to monitor, and this will assist. Quad Coast Guard Cooperation, a first, a very important initiative so that the four countries will have personnel on perhaps a single vessel, improving the interoperability and the cooperation that occurs. And the Indo-Pacific logistics network pilot, that’s about making sure that when there’s a natural disaster, there’s cooperation in areas like airlift capability, that we work together. The sum of the four countries is more than any individual nation can do, and this is a really practical initiative as well. The Quad is an important body. Unlike a lot of international forums, it doesn’t have a long history, and that means it’s not defined by tradition, but it also means it’s not constrained by it, which is why today’s discussion was very open. It was a discussion of like-minded democracies about how our cooperation can make a difference in the Indo-Pacific.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, are you having a one-on-one meeting with the Indian Prime Minister?
PRIME MINISTER: Yes. Well, as soon as, yes, as soon as I leave this, we’re having a quick discussion.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, given it’s only a quick discussion, might some people looking in on it think that relations between India and Australia are not a not on as strong a footing as they should be?
PRIME MINISTER: No, the relations between India and Australia have never been stronger. They’re very important relationships. I’ve been to India, I’ve hosted Prime Minister Modi, and it’s just a matter of logistics.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, will our personnel on the US Coast Guard ships be going into the South China Sea?
PRIME MINISTER: Look, those details will be worked out. But it’s not necessarily US Coast Guard ships. It is the four nations cooperating.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, the future of the Quad, it could have quite a change over in leader personnel in coming years, and you say it hasn’t got a long tradition. Are you quite confident it’s getting stronger, not weaker?
PRIME MINISTER: I’m absolutely confident. And the fact that we have gathered here in Delaware, President Biden’s home state, is an indication of that. All four nations are committed to the Quad playing an important role.
There was one other question that was coming – I was asked about some comments at the beginning of the discussion. Just to make that clear, President Biden, when he introduced me to speak, introduced me as Anthony, rather than as Prime Minister. We tend to be formal in these things, and so he corrected himself after introducing me as Anthony said, ‘I should have said Prime Minister’. And I’ve responded, ‘I’m fine if you call me Anthony’. Thanks very much.
