Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has used his first national address to the U.N. General Assembly to call for stronger global action on climate change and defend Australia’s recognition of Palestine—framing both as moral obligations that flow directly from the U.N.’s founding charter.
He began with why the institution exists: “To work together for a better peace.”
The U.N., he said, was never meant simply to contain war but “to create the conditions for peace, to provide a framework for settling our disputes, to foster the dialogue that enables us to manage our differences and deepen our understanding.”
Warning that no single power could guarantee global security, Albanese said that peace must be shared work.
“Peace is both our common cause and our collective responsibility,” he told delegates, tying Australia’s regional diplomacy to the U.N.’s broader mission.
Climate Action as Security Imperative
Albanese put climate change at the heart of his global agenda, describing it as both an environmental and security threat.
“As a continent home to some of the greatest natural treasures on the planet, and as a nation blessed with critical minerals, skills and sunlight and space to power the global shift to net zero, Australia is acting to meet the environmental challenge of climate change, while working to seize and share the economic opportunities of renewable energy,” he said.
The prime minister reiterated Australia’s commitment to cut emissions by 43 percent by 2030 and between 62 and 70 percent by 2035.
“We are honouring our commitment to the Paris Agreement and its goal of keeping global temperatures below dangerous levels,” he told the chamber, adding the targets were “ambitious, but importantly, achievable.”
He argued that clean energy could dissolve what he called the “false choice between economic growth and environmental responsibility,” pointing to opportunities for Indo-Pacific nations to industrialise and decarbonise at the same time.
Recognition of Palestine
Turning to one of the most contentious issues before the U.N., Albanese defended Australia’s recent recognition of a Palestinian state. He cast the move as an act consistent with the U.N.’s original promise of peace and human dignity.
“For decades, leaders have come to this podium in search of new words and new ways to call the world to action on a two-state solution,” he said.
“Today, I look to words that Australia helped write 80 years ago. Australia is calling for a ceasefire, for the immediate release of the hostages, for aid to flow to those in desperate need, and for the terrorists of Hamas to have no role in Gaza’s future.”
Invoking the U.N. Charter’s pledge “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war,” he asked: “When can those words hold meaning, if not now? Where can those words apply if they do not apply to the Middle East?”
To underline his point, he drew on Australia’s own history, noting Papua New Guinea’s independence half a century ago had shown how nations could move from dependence to partnership.
No Tolerance for Anti-Semitism
Albanese also said that support for Palestinian statehood must not be confused with tolerance of hate.
He cited recent attacks in Melbourne and Sydney that were traced to Iranian-backed operatives.
“We expelled the Iranian Ambassador from Australia, the first time since the Second World War that our country has taken such a step. And here at the United Nations, we repeat to the world, there is no place for anti-Semitism,” he said.
He said that while Australia does not seek to impose its values abroad, it carries them into every negotiation.
“It is not the Australian way to try and impose our values on other nations, but when we deal with the world, we bring our values with us, and we strive to back our words with actions.”
Defence of Ukraine and Warning to the UN
The prime minister reaffirmed Canberra’s commitment to Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s “illegal and immoral invasion,” vowing that Australia “shares the resolve of every member of the coalition of the willing to secure peace on Ukraine’s terms.”
But he warned that the U.N. was under pressure in a time of “global uncertainty,” urging countries not to waver.
“If we give people reason to doubt the value of cooperation, then the risk of conflict becomes the default option,” he cautioned.
Australia’s Bigger Global Role
On Australia’s future role within the institution, Albanese said middle powers needed a stronger voice in global decision-making.
He highlighted Australia’s candidacy for a U.N. Security Council seat in 2029–30 and its bid to co-host COP31 with Pacific nations.
That climate summit, he said, would be a moment for vulnerable states to take centre stage.
“For our Pacific family, climate change is more than an environmental challenge—it is a social threat,” he told delegates.
He said hosting COP31 in partnership with the region would not only showcase Australia’s emissions commitments but also amplify the voices of nations on the frontline of rising seas and extreme weather.
