In Tonga this week, Pacific Island Forum leaders will meet, including Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong says Australia sees these meetings as its best chance to hear from Pacific leaders about Pacific priorities.

She says across the Pacific, there are many shared goals, which include creating more good jobs, better health services and schools, and building safe communities as everyone wants to fight climate change.

Therefore, Wong says the biggest goals can only be achieved by working together.

She adds that when the countries of the Pacific are united, much more can be achieved.

The Foreign Minister says this is why the Pacific Islands Forum is so important.

Wong says the PIF is where 18 Pacific members, including Fiji and Australia, come together to solve problems and work towards our shared goals.

She adds that for more than 50 years, PIF members have been building a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region, which has made progress possible.

She further adds that with so many big problems to solve now, the PIF has never been more important.