UN General Assembly
2016

Australia would not be the country it is today without their contribution. Their stories are our stories, their successes are our successes. Of course, each country must adopt approaches that meet the needs of its own population and geography. But Australia’s experience sheds some light on what the solutions are — strong borders, vigilant security agencies governed by the rule of law, and a steadfast commitment to the shared values of freedom and mutual respect. These are the ingredients of multicultural success. And they are lessons we can share to drive more effective, coordinated approaches to meet our humanitarian responsibilities. That is why the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants (resolution 71/1), adopted here at the United Nations on Monday to drive a more orderly and coordinated approach to migration and refugees, is so important. And that is why Australia and Indonesia, as Co-Chairs of the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime, are working with the countries of our region to protect migrants in vulnerable situations and to combat people-smuggling.