On the morning of Friday, May 1st, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed the new Patriarch of the Chaldean Church, Mar Paulus III Nona, at his residence. Accompanying the Patriarch was Father Maher Koury, the priest of St. Thomas the Apostle Cathedral in Sydney, along with Australian Energy Minister Chris Bowen.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Albanese extended his congratulations to His Beatitude Patriarch Mar Paulus III on his election as Patriarch of the Chaldean Church worldwide. He expressed his great pleasure that Australia serves as a base for this significant ecclesiastical mission. The discussion also covered various issues relevant to the Chaldean community in Australia, along with broader concerns regarding the Middle East and the importance of establishing peace and stability in the region.