Australia's new government leaders hit the ground running, foreign policy-wise, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese flying off to Tokyo for a Quad summit just hours after his swearing-in last week. With him was newly minted Foreign Minister Penny Wong who later the same week landed in Fiji just ahead of her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in what was seen as a diplomatic offensive to outflank China in the Pacific. Both trips signal the new Labor government's priorities: the visit to Tokyo a message to the world that Australia emphasises foreign policy continuity and the value of "friendships and long-time alliances". The Pacific is also Australia's immediate neighbourhood and when China announced a security deal with the Solomon Islands in April, it sent shock waves through Canberra. Stepping up Australia's engagement in the region is imperative given China's increased interest there.

Mr Albanese's next port of call will be Jakarta. Indonesia is Australia's closest South-east Asian neighbour and the new Australian leader has said that strengthening his country's relationship with this growing economic power is an absolute priority. Indeed, the new government wants to give greater priority to South-east Asia, with Ms Wong saying Australia has always understood the importance of the region. She also said the Labor government would appoint an Asean special envoy and provide additional development aid to the Indo-Pacific. All this should be welcome news to the region, particularly if there is a focus on economic development, at a time when countries are hard-hit by the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war.