The Latest Breaking News from Marise Payne

National security has been a feature of this election campaign, but there’s been little substantive difference on key issues of foreign policy. Last week’s foreign policy debate between Foreign Minister Senator Marise Payne and Shadow Minister Penny Wong barely touched on differences in policy.

Chinese diplomatic source says post-election period is ‘good opportunity’ to ease tensions with either re-elected Coalition or new Labor government

Anthony Albanese says meeting ‘about time’ as Scott Morrison says Australia reassured Solomons would not host military base

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said she met her Solomon Islands counterpart Jeremiah Manele for the first time since his government signed a controversial security pact with China, and agreed Australia remained security partner of choice.

Australia’s Foreign Minister Marise Payne has met her Solomon Islands counterpart Jeremiah Manele for the first time since the South Pacific island nation signed a security pact with China

Australia used its first face-to-face diplomatic talks with the Solomon Islands since the Pacific nation inked a controversial security agreement with China to outline its “deep concerns” over the new pact.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne has met with her Solomon Islands counterpart for the first time since the Pacific nation signed a controversial pact with China, saying she "reiterated our deep concerns about the security agreement".

Nala, 9, takes to social media to call on the Australian government to give more help to her father, who has been locked up in a Baghdad prison for more than a year.

Alexander Downer has criticised Marise Payne for letting the UK high commissioner's posting fall vacant during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations.