Category Archives: Clare O’Neil

Strict new security rules for Adelaide nuclear submarine-building facility in bid to protect military secrets

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Operators of Osborne naval shipyard ordered to guard against ‘deliberate or accidental manipulation’ of critical components

The Australian government has imposed strict new security rules at the Adelaide site where nuclear-powered submarines will be built, moving to reassure allies that sensitive military secrets will be protected.

The new rules require four operators at the Osborne naval shipyard, including those building the Hunter-class frigates and offshore patrol vessels, to guard against espionage and foreign interference.

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Nearly 20,000 refugees to get same rights as other permanent residents after being kept ‘in limbo’

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Labor clears way for temporary protection and safe haven visa holders to apply for permanency

Nearly 20,000 refugees will soon be able to apply for permanency, giving them the same rights as permanent residents after being kept “in limbo”.

The changes – hailed by refugee advocates as “a victory of unity and compassion over division and fear” – were part a Labor election promise. They mean that about 19,000 temporary protection and safe haven enterprise visa holders will be eligible to apply for a permanent resolution of status visa.

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Labor urged to keep ‘golden ticket’ investor visa primarily used by Chinese migrants

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Immigration expert says the policy amounts to selling a visa ‘very cheaply’ without a good return on investment

The Australia China Business Council has urged Labor to retain the “golden ticket” significant investor visa after the home affairs minister, Clare O’Neil, signalled it could be axed.

The council made the call in a submission to the home affairs department’s migration review, which has also reignited debate between business and unions about the level of migration and raising the pay floor for temporary skilled migrants.

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‘Foreign actors’ may have fanned rightwing extremism during Covid to sway election, Liberal MP says

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Exclusive: Andrew Wallace urges colleagues to be ‘mindful’ of possibility but says he has no hard evidence

The deputy chair of parliament’s intelligence committee has suggested “foreign state actors” may have stoked anti-vaxxer and rightwing extremism sentiment in Australia during the Covid-19 pandemic in a bid to influence the outcome of the May federal election.

“I’m very mindful of the increase in the fanning of rightwing extremism in the lead-up to the last federal election,” the Coalition MP Andrew Wallace told Guardian Australia.

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Medibank mental health data posted on dark web as Russian hackers vow to ‘keep our word’

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Group releases file containing hundreds of customer claims as government considers banning ransom payments for cybercrime

Medibank customer data related to claims for mental health treatment are the latest to be posted on the dark web by the Russian hacker group.

On Sunday night the group posted a file on its dark web blog labelled “psychos”, which contains hundreds of claims from policyholders that appear to be related to mental health treatment.

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Lawyer for Australian families repatriated from Syria says focus should be on their recovery

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Moustafa Kheir says women and children have returned to NSW ‘from hell on earth’ and are cooperating with authorities

The lawyer for four Australian families repatriated from Syria says the focus should be on their recovery, not on the prospect of them being charged with terror offences.

Moustafa Kheir, who represents the four women and their 13 children who arrived in Sydney on Saturday, said he had been involved in interviews the women have had with authorities.

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