New York City, USA
I am honoured to announce Australia's founding membership of the Equal Futures Partnership.
I am delighted to do so in the company of Secretary Clinton.
Hillary - you have done so much to inspire women and girls all around the world.
We stand taller - and walk freer - because of your work and your example.
Two years ago President Obama committed the United States to new steps to break down economic and political barriers which separate women and girls from their full human potential.
And he called on the nations of the world to join this effort.
From that commitment, the Equal Futures Partnership was born.
As Australia's first female Prime Minister, I am delighted to commit my nation to three domestic initiatives under the Equal Futures Partnership.
First, we're working to strengthen the pipeline of female talent in traditionally male-dominated industries.
It's great to have women Secretaries of State and Prime Ministers. But let's have more women engineers and truck drivers as well.
Second, we're committed to achieving a minimum of forty per cent of women on Australian Government boards by 2015 - up from 35 per cent today.
Our progress so far is commendable. But near enough is not good enough.
We're also creating a National Centre of Excellence to Reduce Violence Against Women.
The Centre will lead a national research agenda to support policies and programs to reduce violence against women.
No woman should live with violence or the fear of violence.
It is always and utterly unacceptable.
And I'm proud to say that Australia recently announced our A$320 million commitment to gender equality in our region: Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development.
In Australia, in the Pacific, in every corner of the world - all women are created equal.
This is the moral heart of our Partnership:
Women and girls must have futures equal to those of their brothers and fathers.
That is what our work must achieve.