View from The Hill: Albanese seeks to advance Australia’s middle power diplomacy via UN Security Council seat

The prime minister has flagged Australia saw membership of the council as a way to enhance its interest in and voice on technology issues, including AI.

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Anthony Albanese has formally launched Australia’s bid for one of the United Nations’ non-permanent seats in 2029-30, promising to be a strong advocate for “our Pacific family” and acknowledging the UN needs reform.

The Australian campaign has come with a slick video, featuring the prime minister, Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy and the Minister for International Development Anne Aly.

Albanese flagged the campaign will be more modest than that run by the previous Labor government for the seat Australia held in 2013-14, which cost about $25 million. By the time Australia took its place the Coalition, which had criticised the campaign, was in power.

As things stand, there are only two candidates for the two available spots for 2029-30 – the other is Finland. Regardless, countries have to be elected by two thirds of the General Assembly members voting. Another country could nominate late but this is considered unlikely. The vote will be in June 2028.

Australia has served on the security council five times, starting in 1946-47. Its then ambassador to the United States, Norman Makin, was president at the council’s first session in 1946. Australia was on the council in 1956-57, 1973-74 and 1985-86, before the 2013-14 stint.

After flight MH17 was downed over Ukraine by pro-Russian forces in 2014, with 38 Australian citizens and residents killed, then foreign minister Julie Bishop carried Australia’s strong response at the council.

There are 15 members of the security council, including five permanent members – the US, the United Kingdom, France, Russia and China. The permanent members each has the power of veto.

UN member countries are divided into five groups, with three members on the council from Africa; three from the Asia Pacific nations (including China); two from Eastern European countries (including Russia); two from Latin American and Caribbean states, and five from the Western European and Others group (including France, the UK and the US). Australia is part of this last group.

The ten non-permanent members are elected for two year terms by the General Assembly. The presidency of the council rotates on a monthly basis among the non-permanent members.

Asked what the ordinary Australian would be getting out of Australia being on the security council, Albanese said Australia was not immune from current world events, citing the impact on fuel supplies.

“Engagement with the world matters. It matters because it makes a difference to the cost of living, to inflation, to Australians’ way of life.”

Albanese flagged Australia saw membership of the council as a way to enhance its interest in and voice on technology issues, including AI.

“It is very much in Australia’s national interest for us to be involved in the world’s most important multilateral forum, the United Nations. Australia’s voice on the council matters, so we can be a part of shaping some of these biggest issues which are facing the world and our nation over the next decade.

“And I’ll always put Australia’s national interests first. If elected to the Security Council, we will use our seat to advance the safety and prosperity of Australia, our region, and the world.

“And the challenge of climate change is another one where, particularly for our Pacific neighbours, Australia having a seat on the table will be very important.”

Asked what reforms of the UN were needed, Albanese said: “We want to make sure that the international rule of law isn’t something that is regarded as something that’s, if you like, optional.

“How do you get a frame which also reflects the modern world, where you have the emergence, with the rise of China, essentially of two superpowers, but then you have the rise of middle powers?

“But also, how do you give a voice to other countries as well that might be smaller? One of the things that Australia would be is a strong advocate for our Pacific family, for example.”

Albanese was prickly when reporters tried to push him on Indigenous issues, including criticism by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination of Australia’s treatment of Indigenous people. Asked, “What do you say to those Indigenous leaders who don’t feel you’ve shown enough federal leadership? he replied “I’ll be discussing it with them back in Australia”.

He again batted away questions about a report that a large group of Indigenous children were left to fend for themselves in a house in Port Hedland, Western Australia.

He said it was a WA issue, adding, “It is impossible to follow on an hour-by-hour basis what is happening in Australia from New York”.

He referenced the video that notes Australian being home “to the oldest continuous culture on the planet”.

Former Newscorp executive Siobhan McKenna to be Consul-General in New York

Albanese also announced Australia’s new Consul-General in New York will be Siobhan McKenna, currently chair of Australia Post and formerly Chief Executive Officer of Broadcasting at Newscorp. “She will bring a great deal of financial and economic capacity to the role, he said.” She will replace Heather Ridout in the role. Ridout finishes her term at the end of the year.

Asked whether he had sought assurances from McKenna, as Lachlan Murdoch’s former closest aide, that she wouldn’t seek to advance his business interests, Albanese said: “Siobhan McKenna is a professional, and she will do an outstanding job representing Australia and the Australian government here in New York”.
Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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