Dr Yaacob Ibrahim recently led a six-member delegation on study trip to Australia at the invitation of the Australian Government. The delegation visited three cities - Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne, during the six-day trip from 30 November to 5 December 2003.

The delegation met up with the Ministry's counterparts in Australian to explore new areas of bilateral collaboration under the MCDS-FaCS (Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Services) Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU), which was signed in August 2002. The delegation also called on members of the Islamic Council of Victoria and the Board of Imams in Victoria as well as on heads of institutions including the Australian Sports Commission and Melbourne Institute of Asian Languages and Societies, Melbourne University.

The delegation also had the opportunity to meet briefly with members of the Singapore community in Sydney before returning to Singapore.