Labor pushed on COP invitations

By the Editorial Team · Monday, October 5, 2026

The Albanese government is being asked to clarify if it used existing formal hospitality offers to secure attendance from foreign delegations at the COP31 climate summit in the Pacific, with details about invited leaders still undisclosed less than two weeks before the event. This lack of transparency has drawn criticism amid low expected participation from global heads of state, raising concerns about Australia's diplomatic approach and commitment to the summit as it faces domestic economic and environmental challenges.

The Albanese government is under pressure to clarify whether it leveraged existing formal hospitality offers to attract foreign delegations to attend the upcoming COP31 climate summit in the Pacific. With less than two weeks remaining before the event, questions remain over the number of leaders expected to participate and the transparency of invitations extended.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen are scheduled to depart for Fiji on Monday ahead of the Conference of the Parties summit, which will be held from October 5 to 8 in Fiji and Tuvalu. The government has confirmed that around 50 countries are anticipated to send delegations but has withheld detailed information regarding the official guest list despite public calls for disclosure.

This will mark Mr. Albanese’s first visit to Tuvalu; however, he is expected to leave shortly after the leaders’ meeting, while Mr. Bowen will remain as the “president of negotiations” throughout the summit. Australia is co-hosting the event alongside Turkey, and the government has invested approximately A$150 million in preparations.

Despite these efforts, the turnout of heads of state remains limited. Eight countries outside the Pacific region and Turkey have confirmed they will be represented by a leader or minister. Pacific leaders, however, have expressed disappointment with the relatively low level of participation. Vanuatu’s Climate Minister Ralph Regenvanu noted that the region had been “hoping for more” engagement from global leaders.

Documents released through Freedom of Information laws reveal internal deliberations in July regarding “guest of government” invitations—formal visits by foreign dignitaries funded by the host country—as a possible means to enhance attendance. An email chain from that month, although heavily redacted, shows officials from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Department of Climate Change discussing whether existing “guest of government” invitations could be utilized to facilitate visits to Australia in conjunction with the summit, rather than issuing new invitations explicitly for the COP31 pre-event.

Opposition energy spokesman Dan Tehan has called on the government to be transparent about whether taxpayer-funded diplomatic pathways were used to encourage leaders’ attendance. He criticized the government’s refusal to disclose the list of confirmed delegates as “appalling” and urged full disclosure.

The summit arrives at a politically sensitive time for Mr. Albanese, who has recently faced domestic criticism over economic challenges including inflation and successive interest rate hikes. Additionally, New South Wales’s recent approval of the country’s largest coal mine expansion has sparked renewed debate around Australia’s fossil fuel policies amid ongoing climate negotiations.

As COP31 approaches, the Albanese government continues to navigate a complex environment balancing diplomatic engagement in the Pacific with domestic and international scrutiny of its climate commitments and economic priorities.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.