BY DOUGLAS VAHIA
Solomon Islands High Commissioner to Australia, Robert Sisilo, joined the Solomon Islands community in Melbourne, Victoria to commemorate the country’s 48th Independence Anniversary, celebrating the enduring friendship between Solomon Islands and Australia.
Speaking at the celebration hosted over the weekend, Mr Sisilo said this year’s Independence theme, “Our Nation, Our Responsibility and Accountability – Building a GREAT Solomon Islands”, is a reminder that every Solomon Islander has a role to play in the nation’s future.
“And as we celebrate 48 years of nationhood, let’s honour the sacrifices and achievements of those who came before us while looking ahead with confidence to a future we will together build.
“And Prime Minister Matthew Cooper Wale’s visit to Australia in early June was his first overseas visit as Prime Minister. It’s a clear testimony to the close partnership between our two countries and our shared commitment to advancing economic development, labour mobility, climate action and regional security,” he said.
Highlighting the success of the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, Sisilo said that remittances from Solomon Islands workers in Australia exceeded SBD$500 million in 2025, making the PALM scheme the country’s third-largest foreign exchange earner.
“Our PALM workers are making an enormous contribution—not only to the Australian economy but also to families and communities back home through housing, education and small business investments. It’s a shared win for both countries – Solomon Islands and Australia,” Sisilo said.
Sisilo, now into his seventh year as the country’s top diplomat in Australia, thanked the Victorian Government, the local councils, employers and the Solomon Islands community in Victoria for their unfailing support of Solomon Islands PALM workers.
He also acknowledged the approximately 5,000 Solomon Islanders currently working in Australia, describing them as “outstanding ambassadors of Solomon Islands”.
“And together, with responsibility, accountability and unity, we can continue building a stronger and greater Solomon Islands for us and our future generations,” Sisilo said.
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