FEDERAL Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce has congratulated a university of New England student who has won a prestigious Australian Government scholarship to study in the Indo-Pacific.

Mr Joyce said Alison Wrigley, who is studying a Bachelor of Criminology at UNE, will use her New Colombo Plan scholarship to undertake an internship program involving intensive Mandarin tuition combined with a legal sector internship at the University of Hong Kong for a semester.

“New Colombo Plan scholarships are highly prestigious, with only 100 awarded across Australia, and recognise students’ exceptional academic performance, community engagement and commitment to deepening relationships with our neighbours in the Indo-Pacific,” Mr Joyce said.

“New Colombo Plan scholars act as ambassadors for their communities, universities and indeed Australia while overseas, and we can all be proud of Alison Wrigley’s achievement,” he said.

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Julie Bishop, said New Colombo Plan 2016 scholarships would support 100 scholars from 26 Australian universities to live, study and undertake work placements in 20 locations in the Indo-Pacific.

“Our 2016 scholars carry with them not only their own aspirations and ambitions, but also our collective commitment to engage with our neighbours – to create new bonds of friendship, understanding and opportunity that will transform their lives and the future of Australia,” Ms Bishop said.

The New Colombo Plan is a signature initiative of the Australian Government to lift knowledge of the Indo-Pacific by supporting Australian undergraduate students to study and undertake internships in the region. For more information on the New Colombo Plan, visit www.dfat.gov.au/new-colombo-plan