Category Archives: Australian foreign policy

Australia to gain priority access to US military equipment under Washington proposal

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Aukus requests would be handled faster than almost all applications ‘other than from Taiwan and Ukraine’

Australian requests for US military equipment would be handled faster than almost all applications “other than from Taiwan and Ukraine” under a proposal before the US Senate.

The Australian government has long viewed the complex web of US export controls as a potential barrier to the Aukus security partnership.

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Foreign spies using sensitive court proceedings to collect information, Australia’s intelligence community says

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Director general of national intelligence says NSI Act needs to be modernised but defended tough secrecy laws amid ‘unprecedented’ levels of espionage

Australia’s intelligence community believes foreign spies are using sensitive court proceedings as an “intelligence collection tool” while defending the need for tough secrecy laws.

Australia’s national security law watchdog, the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor, on Wednesday began public hearings examining the use of laws designed to protect sensitive information during court proceedings.

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Senator says treaty ‘the only way forward’ – as it happened

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Julian Leeser, the former shadow minister for Indigenous affairs and yes campaigner, has reassured ABC Radio that the voice to parliament is a “safe change” with cross-party support as the referendum draws nearer.

“Right from the beginning of my participation in this debate, I’ve called for a higher standard of debate and I’ve said that we should focus on issues of people,” he said.

I was proud to put my signature to the yes case. The yes case provides a positive reason for voting … It speaks to the practical results from change. It explains why recognition makes a difference to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. But it’s a safe change. It’s a change supported by people from all sides of politics.

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Australia news live: ‘are you really worth seven times the salary of the PM?’ Labor senator asks Deloitte chief

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Former competition watchdog Allan Fels tells parliamentary inquiry federal government must act now to avoid conflicts of interest. Follow the day’s news live

Divers are trying to retrieve hundreds of drones that plunged into Melbourne’s Yarra River over the weekend due to a technical error.

The drones were part of a light show for the Matildas’ game against France on Friday night but fell into the river due to a technical glitch. The retrieval operation began on Sunday and is continuing on Monday.

We want to see all drones taken back out of the river because we know if they are left there they will leach chemicals which can damage the environment.

We want investors to come into the market to take advantage of the great demand for rental accommodation.

But we don’t want to stifle that by putting unnecessary burden (on landlords).

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Nationals accuse Labor of ‘hypocrisy’ over response to scathing APVMA report – as it happened

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Cabinet meeting to decide Lowe’s successor today

Philip Lowe will be replaced as the Reserve Bank governor, with today’s cabinet meeting to decide his successor, Guardian Australia has confirmed.

If I was asked to continue in the role, I would be honoured to do that and I would continue.

If I am not asked to continue in the role, I will do my best to support my successor, and the treasurer has said he will make an announcement before the end of this month.

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China delays decision on Australian barley tariffs in setback on resolving trade disputes

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Exclusive: The Albanese government says it is ‘disappointed’ Beijing’s review couldn’t be completed in the initial three months

China has asked for an extra month to decide whether to scrap hefty tariffs on Australian barley, dashing hopes of an imminent breakthrough in one of the biggest trade disputes between the two countries.

The Albanese government said it was disappointed by the delay, and warned that it was ready to revive its case at the global trade umpire, the World Trade Organization, if Beijing doesn’t scrap the measure by August.

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Australian democracy activist Chau Van Kham released from Vietnam jail and reunited with family

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Seventy-four-year-old’s health had deteriorated in prison and he was released on humanitarian grounds

The Australian democracy activist Chau Van Kham has been released from a Vietnamese jail and returned to his home in Sydney.

“Chau Van Kham has returned to Australia a free man,” his family said. “We share the happy news that Chau Van Kham is well and has returned to his family today.”

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Australia news live: Coalition faces fresh questions over Scott Morrison’s future after damning robodebt report

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Pressure builds on former prime minister to leave politics as Liberal MP says Morrison’s presence is ‘difficult’ for party to move forward. Follow the day’s news live

Young sailor rescued from rough seas in Great Australian Bight

Xavier Doerr is a 22yo sailor who was rescued in the Great Australian Bight over the weekend by an Indonesian cargo ship, after his sail boat was hit by rough weather and capsized.

I appreciated the trouble I was in after the collision.

I started taking on water. My boat is built so it cannot sink.

I don’t really want to comment on my colleagues.

What I will say is that the royal commission report was very sobering for the government, which I was a member of, and for the entire political class and the bureaucracy and we do have to very carefully study the report and its recommendations, particularly so it doesn’t happen again.

Neither me or any of my other colleagues are in a position to direct Scott Morrison on how he responds to this report.

He’s entitled to take whatever position he wants on the royal commission.

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Keating calls Nato head a ‘supreme fool’ over plan to open office in Asia – as it happened

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Racist throwback to Jim Crow days in America

Burney says the advert that ran in the Financial Review encouraging a “no” vote on the referendum over the Indigenous voice to parliament was “totally unacceptable”.

I think Matt Kean, the Shadow Health Minister in New South Wales, really nailed it, David, where he likened it to a racist throwback from the Jim Crow days in America, but it was also incredibly sexist and it is something in the words of Matt Kean, the ‘no‘camp has every right to have a say, but there are better ways of doing it.

I know Aboriginal Australia and I know that people know what the important issues - things like what I’ve identified - education, health, housing, jobs - and Josie Douglas who is this remarkable Aboriginal woman in the central land council put it perfectly: We are about changing lives, not changing dates.

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‘Not in the spirit of our friendship’: Penny Wong concedes past Australian wrongs in Timor-Leste

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Foreign minister says previous governments have treated the country in ‘disappointing’ ways during visit to Dili

The Australian foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, has attempted to improve Australia’s ties with Timor-Leste by conceding that “disappointing” actions by past governments were “not in the spirit of our friendship”.

Wong did not mention the scandal surrounding Australia’s bugging of the nation’s cabinet room in 2004, but acknowledged Timor-Leste’s sovereign right to make its own choices “without having them encroached by others”.

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Australia should recognise state of Palestine as part of ‘fair go’ ethos, de facto ambassador says

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Izzat Abdulhadi of Palestinian delegation calls for government to resist ‘pressure’ to avoid contentious topic – and to strongly condemn Israel’s raids on Jenin

Australia should stand up for the “fair go” by recognising Palestine as a state, according to its de facto ambassador, who argues that Israel’s “brutal” military operation in the city of Jenin only increases the urgency for bold steps.

Palestinian recognition is one of the foreign policy issues set to be discussed when Labor holds its next national conference in Brisbane in August.

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Albanese urged to cancel China trip as Hong Kong vows to pursue exiled democracy activists ‘for life’

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Labor warns it will not tolerate foreign interference on Australian soil as it vows to protect free speech

The Coalition has urged the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, to reconsider plans to travel to China after Hong Kong authorities vowed to pursue exiled democracy advocates “for life”.

The Labor government has also warned that it would not tolerate any foreign interference on Australian soil as it promised to protect the principle of free speech, but China’s foreign ministry said western countries should “stop providing a safe haven for fugitives”.

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Minister suggests rate pause based on uncertain outlook – as it happened

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Foreign minister Penny Wong says the focus of Indonesia’s president Joko Widodo’s visit to Australia will be on strengthening economic ties between the two countries, on ABC RN this morning.

One of the things we’re focused on is how do we improve our economic ties. Obviously, the nation is an increasing economic power and will be over the next decade. We want to make sure we’re partners in that. So there will be a great focus on the economy and the economic relationship.

You’ll see some big changes to make sure we make business travel easier.

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Ukrainian ambassador invites Penny Wong to visit Kyiv to see ‘traumatised’ children

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Vasyl Myroshnychenko says foreign minister does understand Ukraine well but ‘when you visit it gives you a different angle’

The Ukrainian ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, has invited the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, to visit his war-torn country, describing the devastation inflicted by the Russian invasion.

Myroshnychenko said on Sunday it would be “wonderful” to have Wong visit the capital Kyiv. Asked if he was inviting her, he said: “Absolutely.”

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Anthony Albanese says Russia must end Ukraine invasion as pro-Putin protesters march on Kirribilli House

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Sydney protest was held over the decision to block the building of a new Russian embassy near Parliament House in Canberra

Anthony Albanese has renewed his call for Russia to withdraw from Ukraine as Russia was plunged into crisis and pro-Putin protesters marched on Kirribilli House in Sydney on Saturday.

The protest was held over the decision to block the building of a new Russian embassy near Parliament House.

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Russia to launch high court challenge to keep embassy site near Australian parliament

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Australia is confident cancellation of lease on national security grounds will withstand legal challenge

The Russian government will launch a high court challenge to laws designed to stop it from building a new embassy close to Parliament House in Canberra.

The federal government last week passed legislation to cancel the Russian government’s lease on the Yarralumla site, citing national security concerns over its proximity to parliament.

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Three in four Australians think China will be military threat to country within 20 years, survey finds

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Lowy Institute poll shows more than 60% see a US-China conflict over Taiwan as a critical threat but most believe Australia should remain neutral if it occurs

Three-quarters of Australians believe it is likely China will become a military threat to Australia in the next two decades but a majority say Australia should remain neutral in the event of a conflict between China and the United States, a new poll has found.

The 2023 Lowy Institute poll, which surveyed more than 2,000 Australians in March on a range of issues, also found 44% of Australians see China as “more of an economic partner” while 52% see the country as “more of a security threat” – a drop of 11 percentage points on last year.

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‘Chinese agents could be following me’, says Australian artist at centre of censorship row

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Australian consular officials will attend the opening of Badiucao’s show in Poland after Chinese ambassador demanded it be closed down

Australian consular officials in Poland will attend the opening of an exhibition in the country’s capital by Chinese-Australian artist Badiucao on Friday, to send a message to Chinese authorities who have allegedly tried to stop the show going ahead.

On Wednesday, Australia’s ambassador to Poland, Lloyd Brodrick, met Shanghai-born Australian artist Badiucao, as well as executives from the museum where the show is being held, Warsaw’s Ujazdowski Castle, Center for Contemporary Art (CCA Ujazdowski Castle).

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Senator removed from party room – as it happened

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Liberal senator David Van is speaking to Sydney radio 2GB about independent senator Lidia Thorpe’s allegations in the Senate yesterday.

Thorpe withdrew the remarks to comply with the Senate’s standing orders but said she would be making a statement on the issue today.

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Iraq’s central bank to blame for dispute behind jailing of Australian Robert Pether, tribunal finds

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Engineer’s family says International Court of Arbitration decision strengthens the case for freeing him

An international tribunal has found Iraq’s central bank was to blame for a contractual dispute with an engineering firm that led to the jailing of Australian engineer Robert Pether, prompting his family to make a renewed plea that he be freed from the Baghdad prison cell where he has spent two years.

Pether and his colleague Khalid Radwan were arrested and jailed in 2021 over a contractual dispute between their employer, Cardno ME (CME), and the Central Bank of Iraq, which had hired the firm to help build its new Baghdad headquarters.

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