Category: Australian News

Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon Richard Marles MP will visit Japan from 13-15 June, his first visit to North Asia since he assumed office last month.

During his visit, the Deputy Prime Minister will meet his counterparts and key defence and national security figures, to discuss our shared approach in the Indo-Pacific.

He will meet his Defence counterpart, Minister Nobuo Kishi, at Japan’s Ministry of Defense to affirm his commitment to the Australia-Japan Special Strategic Partnership.

“I am delighted to be in Japan as one of my first international visits as Deputy Prime Minister. Australia and Japan share a vision for an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, one where the sovereignty of all states is respected,” Deputy Prime Minister Marles said. 

“Japan is a critical partner in achieving our regional objectives. Our partnership continues to grow as we pursue new and ambitious avenues for cooperation, including through the Reciprocal Access Agreement signed in January,” he added.

As part of the visit, the Minister will also meet a range of Japanese academic and industry representatives to discuss the complex challenges facing the Indo-Pacific, and the need for innovation and collaboration to address them.

Minister Marles is travelling to Japan from Singapore, where he attended the Shangri-La Dialogue, the largest annual regional security dialogue in the Indo-Pacific.

Five Royal Australian Navy ships will set sail from Australia over the next three weeks for regional presence deployments throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

HMA ships Canberra, Waramunga and Supply will participate in Exercise Rim of the Pacific 2022 (RIMPAC 22), in and around the Hawaiian Islands.

HMA ships Sydney and Perth, supported by HMAS Supply, will work with regional partners and participate in Exercises Pacific Vanguard and Pacific Dragon.

Exercise RIMPAC 22 runs from 29 June to 4 August and will see around 25,000 personnel from 26 nations participate, with the ADF also deploying two RAAF P-8A Poseidon aircraft, mine warfare and clearance diving capabilities, and a joint landing force.

Commander Australian Fleet, Rear Admiral Mark Hammond highlighted the significance of five Navy vessels deploying to train with international partners.

“Working with our regional partners is critical for remaining an agile and ready force,” Rear Admiral Hammond said.

“We appreciate the opportunity to work with like-minded partners to test our interoperability and responsiveness.”

Routine regional presence deployments demonstrate Australia’s commitment and engagement with the region and play a vital role in Australia’s long-term security by upholding a rules based order, enhancing cooperation and relationships with regional partners and allies and developing capability and interoperability.

The Australian Government rejects this week’s court ruling in Myanmar against Australian Professor Sean Turnell.

It is more than sixteen months since Professor Turnell was detained by the Myanmar military.

He remains imprisoned in Myanmar, and we continue to call for his immediate release.

Professor Turnell has worked for Myanmar’s economic development for many years and is internationally respected for this record.

We will continue to advocate for Professor Turnell’s interests and well-being and will not stop until he is safely back with his family.

The Australian Government has finalised negotiations with Naval Group to conclude the Attack class submarine program.

The former government made the decision to terminate the contract on the basis of advice about capability requirements for the Australian Defence Force—advice that was accepted by Labor in Opposition.

We have reached a fair and equitable settlement of €555 million (around $830 million) with Naval Group.

Now that the matter is resolved we can move forward with the relationship with France.

Australia and France share deep historical ties of friendship, forged in common sacrifice in war.

We are both vibrant democracies, committed to upholding human rights and fundamental values.

We deeply respect France’s role and active engagement in the Indo-Pacific.

Given the gravity of the challenges that we face both in the region and globally, it is essential that Australia and France once again unite to defend our shared principles and interests: the primacy of international law; respect for sovereignty; the rejection of all forms of coercion; and taking resolute action on climate change.

I look forward to taking up President Macron’s invitation to visit Paris at an early opportunity, and to continuing to work closely with him as we deepen the strategic partnership between our nations.

Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel have touched down in Papua New Guinea (PNG) to support the country’s national elections.

At the request of the Government of PNG, more than 130 ADF personnel will provide capabilities to support the 2022 national elections – deployed under ADF Operation KIMBA.

The ADF’s support comes as part of the DFAT-led Whole of Government assistance to the national elections and the ADF’s long-standing partnership with the PNGDF, through the Defence Cooperation Program.

Commander of ADF operations in the South West Pacific, Major General Scott Winter, AM said the ADF would be working closely with the Papua New Guinea Electoral Commission, the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) and Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary.

“Our personnel are providing specialist planning, logistics and air transport support to PNG authorities to assist with their national election,” Major General Winter said.

“This mission is enabled by the capabilities of the ADF, particularly the Royal Australian Air Force C-27J Spartan and C-130J Hercules aircraft. These aircraft will support the transportation of election material and personnel prior to, during and post the election period.”

ADF personnel arrived at Jacksons International Airport in Port Moresby on Royal Australian Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft.

Ahead of the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12), the Australian Government announces its $2.9 million contribution to the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF).

Australia’s contribution to the STDF helps developing and least-developed countries build capacity to participate in, and benefit from, the multilateral rules-based trading system.

The STDF assists developing countries implement quarantine standards to gain access to international agricultural markets.

This contribution builds on Australia’s long-standing support to help Indo-Pacific countries access the benefits of digital trade.

Australia’a $5.6 million E-Commerce Fund has helped over 850 small businesses in our region access the benefits of digital trade through e‑commerce skills development.

The Fund has supported draft e-commerce laws in Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu, a one-stop national digital tourism booking platform in Vanuatu, and a mobile application to promote major commodity production and compliance in Vietnam.

The Australian Government is committed to supporting developing countries to enhance their ability to export, their international competitiveness, and their engagement in the global economy.

As we approach MC12, the Australian Government also reiterates its support for Timor-Leste’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong said:

“An effective, rules-based trading system with the WTO at its core is fundamental to the global economy – including the stability and prosperity of our region.

“Our priority is to ensure our partners can support their development goals by exercising their WTO rights and fulfilling their WTO obligations’”

Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator the Hon Don Farrell said:

“Australia is one of the Standards and Trade Development Facility’s most active supporters.

“We are proud to be boosting support for countries in the Indo-Pacific region to access the benefits of the global agriculture market.”

Experts have warned that the 2022 flu season will redefine what it means for Australia to be ‘flu ready’ as the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System reported over 65,775 confirmed cases of influenza in May. 

This compares with 30,372 cases in May 2019 which was until now the highest number of confirmed cases recorded in the month of May.⁴

Meeting today at BioMelbourne Network’s Flu resurgence – what does it mean for our sector?² event, a panel of Australia’s leading influenza and biosecurity experts discussed the implications of flu re-emerging in 2022.

According to Professor Ian Barr, Deputy Director of WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza: 

“Influenza is definitely back in the Southern Hemisphere in 2022. Countries like Argentina have seen similar outbreaks, while Brazil saw an outbreak of Influenza A viruses in summer this year. In Australia, we’re seeing Influenza A viruses dominate with very little circulation of influenza B viruses.”

“From the samples that are being sent to us at the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, we’re seeing vaccine components that are well matched to the Influenza A viruses (H1N1 and H3N2) that are circulating in Australia. While it’s too early to assess vaccine effectiveness, this is a positive start.”

“Australia is really at the forefront of the fight against flu, with a number of the viruses in this year’s vaccines being isolated at the WHO labs here in Melbourne.”

Dr Jonathan Anderson, Seqirus Executive Medical Director International Regions, said that this year’s flu season will provide lots of lessons for how we prepare and implement public health strategies in the future.

“Australia is in a unique position in that we are one of the first countries to face COVID and a simultaneous flu season that is similar to pre-COVID levels. It’s clear that the rest of the world will be watching our flu season closely and learning from our successes or failures,” said Dr Anderson.

“In the face of an early and significant season, it’s important that we focus on innovative technology that can help protect us from flu both now and in the future. This flu season, more Australians than ever are opting for protection with flu vaccines that are the product of innovation. 

“As we look towards future flu seasons, further innovation that is still to proven in studies such as adjuvanted cell-based vaccines and self-amplifying mRNA (sa-mRNA) may be the next frontier in vaccine technology. sa-mRNA is the second generation of today’s mRNA and works by instructing the body to replicate mRNA, amplifying the amount of protein made, stimulating the body’s immune response and leaving an immune blueprint to recognize future infection.”

According to Dr Felicia Pradera, General Manager of Health Security Systems Australia at DMTC Limited and Program Manager – Medical Countermeasures Development at Defence Science and Technology:

“Vaccines and treatments are important tools for managing infectious diseases and pandemics but it’s important that we use all the tools at our disposal and develop a whole of system approach. This includes considerations like PPE, modelling and simulation, decision support tools, medical devices, surveillance, real world evidence and more.”

“We can take a number of lessons from COVID-19 to enable better response and recovery planning in relation to influenza and other pathogens. From improved real time data sharing, faster sharing of research and investing in the development of platform capabilities that can then be rapidly modified or trained to a target pathogen. There’s also greater potential for us to implement and leverage public-private partnerships, similar to Operation Warp Speed in the US, to ensure we can tackle Australia’s key health priorities.”

Australia strongly condemns North Korea’s launch of eight ballistic missiles this week – which violates multiple UN Security Council resolutions and undermines the global non-proliferation regime.

The test on 5 June is the latest demonstration of the regime’s reckless and destabilising behaviour.

North Korea has launched a total of 31 ballistic missiles so far this year, including six intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Its apparent preparations to undertake a nuclear test are likewise gravely concerning and a threat to the peace and security of our region.

Australia calls on the Security Council to respond decisively to North Korea’s continued violation of its legally binding resolutions.

We further urge Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs and return to meaningful dialogue with the United States and the Republic of Korea. Permanent peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula can only be achieved through dialogue.

Effective sanctions enforcement requires a global effort. Australia will continue to strictly enforce all UN Security Council resolutions against North Korea and we encourage all countries to do likewise.

Australia will also continue to keep our autonomous sanctions against North Korea under review.

The Greens Leader, Adam Bandt, says the ‘coalkeeper’ subsidy to ageing coal power plants will slow the overdue modernisation of the Australian energy network.

The Labor Resources Minister has called for coal-fired power stations to be brought online as Energy Ministers meet to discuss the dramatic increase in energy prices caused by Australia’s failure to reduce reliance on coal and gas.

The ACT Minister attending the meeting today will be ACT Greens Leader, Shane Rattenbury, who led the territory’s transition to 100% renewable energy, which has delivered a reduction in energy bills for Canberrans as the rest of the nation faces steep rises. 

Adam Bandt MP said:

“Propping up coal-fired power stations is throwing good money after bad.

“No amount of patching up these dirty clunkers will fix the problem. 

“We need accelerated investment in new wind, solar, transmission and batteries, not more money for coal.

“The lesson from the ACT could not be clearer: go 100% renewables, break up with fossil fuels and reap the benefits of cheaper, cleaner, reliable energy.

“The Greens took a comprehensive plan to the election to phase Australia out of coal and gas by 2030 through a big government build of renewables and grid upgrades and we’re putting it on the table in this Parliament.” 

A series of NASA rockets will be launched into space from the Northern Territory later this month, with the Australian Government signing-off on a history-making moment for the local space sector.

Three scientific suborbital sounding rockets will be launched between 26 June and 12 July 2022 from the Arnhem Space Centre, which is owned and run by Equatorial Launch Australia.

This will be the first time NASA launches rockets from a commercial facility outside of the US. They will also be the first NASA rockets launched from Australia since 1995, when launches were conducted from the Royal Australian Air Force Woomera Range Complex.

Around 75 NASA personnel will be in Australia for the launches. The NASA missions will investigate heliophysics, astrophysics and planetary science phenomena only observable from the southern hemisphere. 

The Arnhem Space Centre is located on the Dhupuma Plateau near Nhulunbuy, on the lands of the Gumatj people, who are the Traditional Custodians and Landowners. Traditional owners have been consulted as part of the approval process.

NASA has a ‘clean range policy’ which means that everything involved in the launch is removed from the site. At the conclusion of the launch campaign all spent motor cases and payloads will be recovered and returned to the US.

Prime Minister Albanese said:

“We can trace Australia’s celebrated connection to the space industry back to the 1950s.

“As a nation we have to build on that legacy.

“This project will bring together global and local industry to take Australia’s space sector into a new era.”

Minister Husic said:

“This is an important milestone that will further enhance Australia’s position as a launch destination.

“We know just how valuable this advancement is to the growth of the Australian space sector.

“Australia has a proud history of scientific endeavours and international collaboration with our allies like the United States.

“By backing Australia’s space sector, we’re backing a better future for all Australians and for industry.

“Space strengthens our economy—including in regional areas—and creates jobs across a diverse range of skillsets.”

Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said:

“This is a landmark occasion for the Top End.

“We have backed this project from inception, which I have seen firsthand, and now we’re less than a month away from seeing the launch of NASA’s first sounding rocket from the Arnhem Space Centre.

“NASA is adding capacity and rocketing East Arnhem Land into the global spotlight for investors—this will help our industry grow, create more jobs for locals and more opportunities for businesses to expand.”

Head of the Australian Space Agency Enrico Palermo said:

“This is another signal that Australia is go for launch—and will further cement our reputation as a nation that global space players want to do business with.

“The growth of launch related activities in Australia is helping to open up the full value chain of space activities, which will grow the sector and create new businesses and job opportunities here at home.

“This launch campaign extends and strengthens Australia’s long standing partnership with the United States in the peaceful uses of outer space.”