Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips led the Australian Parliamentary Delegation to Malaysia recently as part of the 46th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly with fellow Labor Party MP Steve Georganas and Liberal Senator Maria Kovavic.

The trip included a bilateral visit to Cambodia, with Phillips meeting Cambodian National Assembly President Samdech Khuon Sudary, acknowledging 73 years of diplomatic relations between Australia and Cambodia.

Since the early 1990s, Australia has provided more than $2 billion in development assistance.

The ongoing border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand flared again in July, which displaced many civilians until a ceasefire was reached between the two countries later in the month.

During Phillips’ trip to Cambodia, there was greater focus to strengthen the economic and social ties, which included visits to educational, health and agricultural and humanitarian programs – like the organisation A21.

“That was absolutely heart-breaking, but the team is doing such important work to try and eradicate human trafficking, modern-day slavery and child sexual exploitation,” Phillips said.

“The volunteers at the A21 Child Advocacy Centre are also providing amazing support and aftercare for victims, as well as training to help them gain meaningful work in areas like hospitality.”

A21 advocates are raising awareness of the estimated 50 million men, women, and children who are entrapped in slavery globally.

The Australian Parliamentary Delegation met with a group of young Cambodian research fellows and alumni who have studied in Australia on scholarships, highlighting the lasting impact of Australian universities within south-east Asia.

Australian tertiary education has helped shape the national leadership capacity and facilitate the development of professionals of Cambodia with more than 1100 Cambodians studying in Australia through the Australian Awards Scholarships. 

The scholarships are long-term awards administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and aim to foster the developmental needs of Australia’s partner countries in line with bilateral and regional agreements.

During the second leg of the trip to Malaysia, Phillips addressed the 46th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly at the World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur.

“This year’s assembly theme was ‘Parliament at the Forefront for Inclusive Growth a Sustainable ASEAN’, and we share the view that inclusive growth is vital to ASEAN’s long-term resilience and prosperity,” Phillips said.

“Whether it is economic integration, connectivity, or sustainable development, we see ASEAN’s initiatives as beneficial for the whole region.”

To promote inclusive economic growth, support regional resilience within ASEAN, Australia has committed more than $560 million since 2005.

Australia was ASEAN’s first Dialogue Partner which began in 1974, ASEAN held its first summit meeting in Bali, Indonesia in 1976 following the end of the Vietnam War and Australia established a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2021.

Within the Plan of Action to Implement the ASEAN-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2025-2029) it includes Political and Security Cooperation, Economic Cooperation, Socio-Cultural Cooperation, Cross-Pillars Cooperation and ASEAN Institutional Strengthening.