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CNA938 Rewind - Israel-Hamas war: Is Netanyahu's plan to take full control of Gaza a gamble?
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SM Lee receives Australia's highest civilian honour for advancing bilateral ties
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox SM Lee Hsien Loong with Australian Governor-General Sam Mostyn at the ceremony where he was made an Honorary Companion in the General Division of The Order of Australia. Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong has received Australia's highest civilian honour, the Order of Australia, for his contributions toward growing its bilateral relationship with Singapore. Australian Governor-General Sam Mostyn, who is on a state visit to Singapore, conferred on Mr Lee the award of Honorary Companion in the General Division of The Order of Australia at an investiture ceremony on Aug 5. A citation from the Prime Minister's Office, Australia, said that 'throughout his 40-year political career, and particularly as Prime Minister of Singapore from 2004 to 2024, Mr Lee has made significant contributions to advancing Australia-Singapore relations'. 'He has been a strong and influential advocate for closer ties between our two countries and has consistently driven agreements and initiatives which encourage stronger and mutually beneficial relationships,' the citation added. The economic relationship between Australia and Singapore has grown enormously during Mr Lee's term as PM, the citation said, with Singapore becoming Australia's largest trading partner and investor in South-east Asia. The citation noted how Mr Lee oversaw and drove six revisions of the Singapore-Australia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) – Canberra's first bilateral FTA with an Asian country – to keep it up to date and 'anticipate change through new technologies and supply chain vulnerabilities'. He oversaw the development of the 2015 Australia-Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which serves as a broad-ranging agreement to deepen collaboration between both countries, it said. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. 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It added: 'Mr Lee's eminent service to the Australia-Singapore bilateral relationship is thoroughly worthy of formal national recognition'. Mr Lee was accompanied by Mrs Lee at the ceremony, held at the residence of the Australian High Commissioner. Also present were Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah, Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sim Ann, and North West District Mayor Alex Yam, who is also chairman of the Singapore-Australia Parliamentary Friendship Group. In a speech after the investiture, Mr Lee thanked the Australian government for the honour and said he was 'deeply humbled to receive the award'. 'I do so on behalf of the generations of Singaporeans and Australians who have worked hard to strengthen the partnership between our two nations over the past six decades,' he added. He noted that Australia had been a steadfast friend to Singapore over the years, being among the first to recognise the Republic's independence, and the first to establish diplomatic relations with it. The bonds have only deepened, he said. Security relations, which began with the Five Power Defence Arrangements in 1971, have grown over the years, with Australia welcoming the Singapore Armed Forces to train in the country. This year is the 35th anniversary of Exercise Wallaby, the SAF's largest overseas unilateral exercise, in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Queensland. And as both sides celebrate the 10th anniversary of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2025, Mr Lee said he looks forward to its next bound and upgrade, when Prime Minister Lawrence Wong visits Australia for the 10th annual leaders' meeting later this year. Australia and Singapore have achieved a lot bilaterally and regionally, despite being very different countries, added Mr Lee, who cited former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's description of the two as 'a wide brown land and a little red dot'. 'It is fundamentally about our shared values, our compatible perspectives of the world, and a deep reservoir of trust built up over the years. We both believe in the importance of an open, inclusive and rules-based multilateral order,' said Mr Lee. 'Our societies are multicultural, diverse, and pragmatic. Australian leaders from both sides of the political aisle appreciate that Australia's future is deeply intertwined with our region's, while Singapore has consistently sought to be a steadfast partner and pathfinder for Australia's engagement in Southeast Asia.' Mr Lee added: 'These deep and extensive ties did not come about by chance. They are the fruit of sustained hard work, political will, and mutual trust built through weathering tough times together. 'I am privileged to have played a modest part in strengthening this relationship. I am confident that Singapore and Australia's friendship will continue to blossom and grow.' Former Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong was awarded the Honorary Companion of the Order of Australia in 2005, for his contribution to Australia-Singapore ties. Former foreign minister George Yeo, Stamford Land Corporation executive chairman Ow Chio Kiat and former police commissioner Khoo Boon Hui are among past recipients of the award of Honorary Officer of the Order of Australia, for their contribution to relations between the two countries.
CNA
5 hours ago
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SM Lee awarded Honorary Order of Australia for 'eminent service' to Singapore-Australia ties
SINGAPORE: Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong was appointed an Honorary Companion of the Order of Australia on Tuesday (Aug 5) for his 'eminent service' to bilateral ties between both countries. The Order of Australia, including honorary appointments, recognises Australians and citizens of other countries for their outstanding service or exceptional achievement. It is the highest award Australia can confer. There are two divisions of the award – military and general – and it has four levels: Companion of the Order, Officer of the Order, Member of the Order and Medal of the Order. Mr Lee's award falls under the general division. The award citation highlighted Mr Lee's "eminent service" to the bilateral relationship between Australia and Singapore. 'Throughout his 40-year political career, and particularly as prime minister of Singapore from 2004 to 2024, Mr Lee has made significant contributions to advancing Australia-Singapore relations," it read. "He has been a strong and influential advocate for closer ties between our two countries and has consistently driven agreements and initiatives which encourage stronger and mutually beneficial relationships." It added that the economic partnership between both countries 'grew enormously' during his term as prime minister, with Singapore now Australia's largest trade partner and investor in Southeast Asia. In his acceptance remarks at the investiture ceremony at the Australian High Commissioner's residence, Mr Lee said he was 'deeply humbled' to receive the award. "I do so on behalf of the generations of Singaporeans and Australians who have worked hard to strengthen the partnership between our two nations over the past six decades," he added. "I would also like to thank the governor-general for her warm and very generous words, which brought back memories of many fond interactions, exchanges and visits to Australia over very many decades." He recalled how Australia was one of the first countries to recognise Singapore's independence and the first to establish diplomatic relations. In 1971, Australia also extended security support under the Five Power Defence Arrangements, which remains in effect. Bilateral bonds have deepened over the years. Mr Lee noted that Singapore and Australia are marking the 35th anniversary of Exercise Wallaby, the Singapore Armed Forces' largest overseas unilateral exercise held in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Queensland. He also highlighted the signing of the Singapore-Australia free trade agreement in 2003 – Australia's first bilateral FTA with an Asian country – and the recent inking of the Singapore-Australia Digital Economy Agreement and the Green Economy Agreement. The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, launched in 2015, is also expected to be upgraded when Prime Minister Lawrence Wong visits Australia for the 10th Annual Leaders' Meeting later this year, said Mr Lee. Beyond bilateral ties, Mr Lee pointed to Australia's important role in the region, including becoming the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' (ASEAN) first dialogue partner in 1974. Reflecting on the ties between both nations, Mr Lee hailed the shared values, compatible perspectives of the world, as well as the 'deep reservoir of trust built up over the years'. "We both believe in the importance of an open, inclusive and rules-based multilateral order. Our societies are multicultural, diverse, and pragmatic," he said. "Australian leaders from both sides of the political aisle appreciate that Australia's future is deeply intertwined with our region's, while Singapore has consistently sought to be a steadfast partner and pathfinder for Australia's engagement in Southeast Asia." He added that these "deep and extensive ties" did not come about by chance, but were the "fruit of sustained hard work, political will, and mutual trust built through weathering tough times together". "I am privileged to have played a modest part in strengthening this relationship. I am confident that Singapore and Australia's friendship will continue to blossom and grow," he said. Another Singaporean who has been appointed an Honorary Companion of the Order of Australia was former Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong in February 2005.
