Sri Lanka–Australia Parliamentary Friendship Group

This is a developing story brought to you by Aus News Lanka, your trusted source for news for Sri Lankans in Australia and beyond.

The Sri Lanka High Commission in Canberra has officially launched the Sri Lanka–Australia Parliamentary Friendship Group, marking another step forward in strengthening ties between the two countries.

More than 25 Australian Federal MPs and Senators from across the political spectrum attended the event on 26 May 2026, highlighting strong bipartisan support for Sri Lanka–Australia relations.

Assistant Minister for Immigration and Foreign Affairs, Matt Thistlethwaite MP, attended as Chief Guest and praised the Sri Lankan community for its valuable contribution to Australia’s multicultural society through culture, skills and professional achievements.

The Friendship Group is chaired by Sri Lankan-born MP Cassandra Fernando, with Senator Wendy Askew serving as Vice Chair. Sri Lankan heritage MP Ash Ambihaipahar also joined the gathering.

Made up of 34 Members of Parliament, the group aims to strengthen cooperation between Sri Lanka and Australia while building closer engagement with the Sri Lankan Parliament and diplomatic representatives.

Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Australia, Yasoja Gunasekera, briefed members on Sri Lanka’s current economic, political and security developments, while Defence Counsellor Captain Sagara Udayanga presented on growing defence cooperation between the two nations.

The event concluded with renewed commitments from both sides to further deepen the long-standing partnership between Sri Lanka and Australia.

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒊𝒈𝒉 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝑺𝒓𝒊 𝑳𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒂 𝒕𝒐 𝑨𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒂 - 𝑪𝒂𝒏𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒂

More updates to come on AusNewsLanka.