Australia invests deeply in the blue continent, both to assist with developmental and humanitarian projects, and in an attempt to hold strategic sway over the region, rather than China.
On Wednesday, the coalition said it would lift the funding available from the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific to $6 billion.
"The economic prosperity of our region is fundamental to our shared vision for an open, inclusive and prosperous Indo-Pacific," shadow foreign minister David Coleman said.
The pledge to prioritise infrastructure comes after last month's budget, when the Labor government confirmed $5.1b in overall aid, including $2.1b to the Pacific.
The financing facility was created by Scott Morrison in 2018 to deliver projects in the region and has funded or committed to projects worth roughly $2b to date.
That includes renewable energy in Papua New Guinea and Palau, several port rebuilds, electricity transmission in the Solomon Islands, airport upgrades in Nauru, and undersea cables providing connectivity across the whole Pacific.
On the campaign trail, Peter Dutton said the new funding should not be seen as an attempt to stymie China.
"We are good partners and good friends and particularly in the support of family as we demonstrated over the course of COVID," he said.
"Either side of that we've invested a lot into relationships in the Pacific and with near island nations and we want those good relations to continue."
The announcement comes ahead of the release of the coalition's costings for its election campaign, expected on Thursday.
With the coalition looking to balance the books to pay for election promises, many in the development sector expect foreign aid to be cut.
The Australian reports any cuts will not impact the Pacific.
ANU Development Policy Centre director Stephen Howe said the region's geopolitical significance was understood by both major parties.Â
"There is a bipartisan consensus that protects and promotes aid to the Pacific, based on the belief that aid cuts to this region could lead to greater influence for China," he said.
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