Rev Tanielu Aiafi,  Honourable Member of Parliament Ms. Tania Lawrence, Chief Executive Officer of Austal Ltd Mr. Patrick Gregg, Senior Representatives from participating departments and agencies of the Australian Government, Members of the Samoan Community, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.

I begin today by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land that we are standing on this morning to celebrate this special occasion and pay my respects to their Elders, past and present I extend that respect to any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples here today. There is a saying in Samoan, Tulou, Tulouna Lava.

We gather today to celebrate a momentous occasion - the official handover of our new Guardian Class Patrol Boat Nafanua III'. This handover ceremony of the vessel represents a significant step forward in Samoa's maritime security capabilities and underscores Australia's commitment to strengthening maritime security in the Pacific region. It further solidifies the strong partnership between Australia and Samoa, demonstrating their shared interest in safeguarding regional security and prosperity as highlighted in the 'Boe Declaration'. Australia has a long history of providing support to Samoa's maritime security dating back to 40 years. However, Samoa established diplomatic relations with Australia in 1971, just 9 years after Samoa became the first Pacific Island to gain independence from New Zealand.

Both our nations are surrounded by vast ocean waters and it is our shared responsibility to safeguard these oceans. These waters provide us with a wealth of resources and opportunities. However, they also pose significant challenges. Our maritime domain is vulnerable to climate change, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, human and drug smuggling, and other maritime threats. We are witnessing a concerning increase in sea level rising due to climate change as well as the increased detection of illegal drugs within the Pacific region, especially in the maritime space. Hence, why the ceremony this morning is important to Samoa and its maritime security.

Maritime security is essential for our nation's prosperity and well-being. Our economy relies heavily on our maritime resources. We also rely on our seas for trade and transportation. Without maritime security, these vital sectors would be at risk and it is important for our national defense. Furthermore, the Pacific region is a strategic location where the last healthy fish stocks in the world are found and we must ensure that it is not exploited by our adversaries.

The gifting of the Nafanua III will be a powerful tool in our efforts to secure our maritime borders and protect our national interests. The vessel is fast, maneuverable, and equipped with state-of-the-art technology and capabilities that will further enable the Samoa Police to effectively respond to a wide range of maritime threats and play a crucial role in search and rescue operations as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster response efforts.

The grounding of the Nafanua II in 2021 cast a shadow over our maritime security capabilities. It served as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance, training, and adherence to established procedures in the realm of maritime operations. Whilst this incident was deeply troubling, it has provided the Samoan Government with an opportunity to introspect, identify shortcomings, and implement corrective measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future. In this regard, we respectfully wish to take this opportunity to apologize to the Australian Government for this shortcoming.

The measures we have taken reflect our commitment to learning from past mistakes and prioritizing the safety of our maritime operations. We recognize that maritime security is not just about safeguarding our borders; it is also about working together with other Pacific Island nations to protect our people, our resources, and our reputation as a responsible maritime nation within the region.

The Australian Government has continued to provide support and assistance during the absence of a patrol boat which includes the hiring of a local fishing boat to conduct maritime surveillance within our EEZ, search and rescue, ongoing training and professional development to further upskill the men and women of the Samoa Police Maritime; and technical assistance provided by the 2 maritime advisors that are currently attached to Samoa Maritime Police. We acknowledge this support with much appreciation.

We believe that cooperation is essential to addressing maritime security challenges. No single country can tackle these challenges alone. By working together, we can share resources, exchange information, and coordinate our efforts.

With that being said, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Australian Government for gifting Samoa its third Patrol Boat. A testament to the commitment of the Australian Government to working with its Pacific counterparts to strengthen maritime security in the Pacific region. It is my hope that the partnership between the Samoan Government and the Government of Australia will continue to remain firm and grow even greater in years to come.

The commissioning of our new Guardian class patrol boat is a proud day for Samoa. This vessel is a symbol of our commitment to maritime security and our dedication to our nation's prosperity and well-being.

May the Guardian class patrol boat serve our Samoa and the Pacific with distinction and help to keep our waters safe for generations to come.

God Bless Australia! God Bless Samoa! God Bless you all who are here today!

Thank you. Soifua.

• Samoa's Minister for Police, Prisons and Corrections Services, Faualo Harry Schuster made this speech in Australia on Wednesday at the official handover of the new Nafanua III patrol boat to the Samoa government.