Albanese makes case for Security Council seat in UN address

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has told the United Nations General Assembly that Australia wants a Security Council seat for 2029-2030 to amplify the voices of small states and middle powers.

Albanese said Australia was seeking the non-permanent seat because the world faced tough times. As a council member, he said, Australia would uphold international law, including the UN Charter and the sovereignty of all states.

"A safer world is one governed by rules, not by power and force alone," he said.

He said the multilateral system was under immense strain from climate change, emerging technology including artificial intelligence, and a breakdown of trust, civility and social cohesion.

Albanese said an artificial intelligence agent had recently infiltrated an Australian government website.

"This is unacceptable," he said.

He said Australia had joined other nations this week in calling for action to shape AI development.

At last year's assembly, Australian parents spoke to world leaders about the campaign that led to Australia's social media ban for under-16s. Albanese said more than 20 countries were now bringing in or had brought in age restrictions on social media.

He also referred to the government's recently announced digital duty of care, which he said would give people control over what appears in their feeds.

Albanese said Australia opposed Russia's "continued illegal, unprovoked and immoral invasion of Ukraine" and repeated calls for Russia's immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal.

He said Australia this week endorsed the 2026 International Crimea Platform Joint Statement and signed a new bilateral security agreement with Ukraine.

On the Middle East, Albanese said last year's decision to recognise the state of Palestine was motivated by a determination to try to end a cycle of violence. He said a two-state solution was the only viable path to peace.

He said Australia would keep speaking out against illegal settlements in the West Bank and would continue to oppose any role for Hamas in Palestine's future.

He also called on Iran to halt its indiscriminate attacks on the region and abandon any program to obtain nuclear weapons.

Albanese said Australia and eight partner nations led the development of a declaration for the protection of humanitarian personnel last year. That followed the killing of an Australian aid worker and the deaths of more than 1000 other humanitarian workers in the previous three years.

He said the declaration was now supported by 130 countries.

Albanese said Australia was partnering with the COP31 president and Pacific nations to sponsor a Pacific pre-COP meeting in Fiji and Tuvalu.