Visit to Australia - Oct 2016

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong made an official visit to Australia from 11 to 13 October 2016 at the invitation of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. PM Lee’s visit marks the inaugural annual summit between the two Prime Ministers under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) between Singapore and Australia. PM Lee’s last official visit to Australia was in October 2012.

An official welcome ceremony was held for PM Lee at Parliament House. PM Lee had separate meetings with Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove, PM Turnbull, Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten, and Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory Andrew Barr. PM Lee delivered an address to the Australian Parliament; the first such address by a Singapore Prime Minister. PM Turnbull also hosted PM Lee to an official luncheon at the Great Hall of Parliament House.

The two Prime Ministers witnessed the signing of several agreements arising from the CSP package of May 2016, specifically (i) the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Military Training and Training Area Development in Australia, (ii) the Agreement to Amend the Singapore-Australia Free Trade Agreement, (iii) the MOU on Cooperation in Innovation and Science, and (iv) MOU on Combating Transnational Drug Crime and Developing Cooperation.

Prime Minister Lee laid a wreath at the Australian War Memorial, and met with Singaporeans at a reception at the Singapore High Commission in Canberra.

(MCI Photos by LH Goh)