Category: Australian News

The third hearing for the Senate inquiry into the nature and extent of poverty in Australia took place in Murray Bridge, South Australia on Tuesday.

The hearing focused on regional communities with the Senate committee hearing from local organisations, SA based advocacy groups as well as individuals with lived experience of poverty sharing their personal stories. 

Greens spokesperson for social services and chair of the Community Affairs Committee, Senator Janet Rice said: 

“Poverty is impacting so many Australians and it is only getting worse. With skyrocketing rents, interest rate rises, and months of inflation, so many are struggling to get by. From not being able to afford nutritious food, an education, housing, the resources to get a job, this is having a significant impact on their physical health and mental wellbeing.

“Today in Murray Bridge we heard harrowing stories of long term poverty including someone who was told by a support service that they aren’t homeless because they are living in their car and another who had no money was sent to a food relief centre where they had to pay for mouldy onions. 

“One witness said “Poverty is a political choice, you choose to keep us homeless, you choose to keep us hungry, you choose to keep us malnourished, you choose to keep us in poverty”

“In rural and regional communities the poverty cycle continues, there are less services, less education opportunities, less jobs. 

“One thing was heard loud and clear, the rate of income support is not enough to live on. 

“The Greens are calling on the Labor Government to raise the rate of all income support payments above the poverty line and provide people with a guaranteed liveable income.”

The Prime Minister’s Literary Awards recognises the best of Australian literature and celebrates writing as a valuable cultural and intellectual influence.

Today in Launceston, the 2022 award winners have been recognised for their contributions and literary talents.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the Awards highlighted the creativity and excellence of Australian literature.

“It is through great writing we are able to celebrate and build upon our cultural and creative identity,” the Prime Minister said.

“I congratulate this year’s winners and thank them for their efforts in showcasing the diversity of Australian voices.”

Minister Burke said these awards are fundamental in creating a pathway for future and aspiring authors, poets and historians.

“The work Australian writers do matters. It matters because it shapes the narrative of our everyday lives, and that is something that needs to be supported.

“Writers provide the pathway for Australians to know themselves, for us to know each other and for the world to know us.

“It’s important we make sure that Australian stories continue to be told, both here at home and overseas. Thank you to all this year’s winners for doing just that.”

The Awards are presented in six categories – fiction, poetry, non-fiction, Australian history, children’s and young adult literature with winners sharing in the total prize pool of $600,000.

We thank the independent judges Professor Chris Dixon, Dr Deborah Hope, Troy Bramston, Professor Gail Pearson, Chris Mitchell, Geoffrey Lehmann, Associate Professor Sandra Phillips, Stephen Romei, Peter Craven, Caroline Overington, James Roy, Demet Divaroren, Erica Wagner, Paula Kelly Paull and Dr Anthony Eaton for their work.

The Awards will be livestreamed on the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards Facebook page.

For more information about the winning and shortlisted works, visit the PM’s Literary Awards.

The 2022 Prime Minister’s Literary Award winners:

Fiction

• Red Heaven by Nicolas Rothwell

Poetry

• Human Looking by Andy Jackson

Non-fiction

• Rogue Forces: An explosive insiders’ account of Australian SAS war crimes in Afghanistan by Mark Willacy

Australian history

• Semut: The untold story of a secret Australian operation in WWII Borneo by Christine Helliwell

Children’s literature

• Mina and the Whole Wide World by Sherryl Clark, illustrated by Briony Stewart

Young adult literature

• The Gaps by Leanne Hall

All Australians are shocked and saddened by this tragic loss of life.

Two Queensland police officers, their lives cut short by this atrocity.

Constable Matthew Arnold, just 26 years of age.

Constable Rachel McCrow, just 29.

Constables from Tara Police Station, who lost their lives in this tragedy.

I pay tribute to them.

I pay tribute as well to their surviving fellow officers, Constable Randall Kirk and Constable Keeley Brough.

In addition, I pay tribute to a neighbour driven by the instinct to help. Alan Dare also lost his life in this tragedy.

Three lives cruelly cut short.

This is, indeed, a devastating day for everyone who loved these Australians.

And our hearts go out to those in the grip of terrible grief.

We know that this news has fallen hard on a close-knit and caring Queensland community.

As well as, of course, the community to which all police officers belong.

Today is a rough day, indeed, for all police officers and their families.

Every officer knows the risk that they face in the life of duty. They are all too aware of the dangers that they face.

Yet they do their job. They do it for our communities.

That is courage, and it is public service at the highest level.

And today and every day I pay tribute to each and every one of the police officers who serve their local communities and who serve their nation.

This is not a price that anyone who puts on the uniform should ever pay.

We can never count the true cost.

My heart goes out to the families and loved ones of all those affected by this tragedy.

With honour, they served.

And Australia mourns with you today.

We stand with you always.

Prime Minister Albanese will travel to Papua New Guinea from 12-13 January to attend the Annual Leaders’ Dialogue alongside his counterpart Prime Minister James Marape in Port Moresby.

Following the Dialogue, the Prime Ministers will travel together to Wewak on the northern coast of Papua New Guinea to visit the resting place of the late Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare.

Prime Minister Albanese said:

“I have spent time with my good friend Prime Minister Marape on several occasions this year, including here in Australia at the Prime Minister’s XIII Rugby League match.

“I am looking forward to starting the New Year with a visit to Papua New Guinea to reinforce the strong bond between our two countries.

“Australia and Papua New Guinea are close not just geographically, but also because of our long history and shared vision for the future.

“I thank Prime Minister Marape for the invitation and look forward to continuing our discussion in Port Moresby and Wewak.”

The Prime Minister’s Literary Awards recognises the best of Australian literature and celebrates writing as a valuable cultural and intellectual influence.

Today in Launceston, the 2022 award winners have been recognised for their contributions and literary talents.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the Awards highlighted the creativity and excellence of Australian literature.

“It is through great writing we are able to celebrate and build upon our cultural and creative identity,” the Prime Minister said.

“I congratulate this year’s winners and thank them for their efforts in showcasing the diversity of Australian voices.”

Minister Burke said these awards are fundamental in creating a pathway for future and aspiring authors, poets and historians.

“The work Australian writers do matters. It matters because it shapes the narrative of our everyday lives, and that is something that needs to be supported.

“Writers provide the pathway for Australians to know themselves, for us to know each other and for the world to know us.

“It’s important we make sure that Australian stories continue to be told, both here at home and overseas. Thank you to all this year’s winners for doing just that.”

The Awards are presented in six categories – fiction, poetry, non-fiction, Australian history, children’s and young adult literature with winners sharing in the total prize pool of $600,000.

We thank the independent judges Professor Chris Dixon, Dr Deborah Hope, Troy Bramston, Professor Gail Pearson, Chris Mitchell, Geoffrey Lehmann, Associate Professor Sandra Phillips, Stephen Romei, Peter Craven, Caroline Overington, James Roy, Demet Divaroren, Erica Wagner, Paula Kelly Paull and Dr Anthony Eaton for their work.

The Awards will be livestreamed on the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards Facebook page.

For more information about the winning and shortlisted works, visit the PM’s Literary Awards.

The 2022 Prime Minister’s Literary Award winners:

Fiction

• Red Heaven by Nicolas Rothwell

Poetry

• Human Looking by Andy Jackson

Non-fiction

• Rogue Forces: An explosive insiders’ account of Australian SAS war crimes in Afghanistan by Mark Willacy

Australian history

• Semut: The untold story of a secret Australian operation in WWII Borneo by Christine Helliwell

Children’s literature

• Mina and the Whole Wide World by Sherryl Clark, illustrated by Briony Stewart

Young adult literature

• The Gaps by Leanne Hall

Under the Albanese Government, Australia is redoubling its efforts to strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament regime. This includes working with the international community to curb the spread of nuclear weapons, reducing stockpiles of weapons and promoting the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear science and technology.

The urgent need for progress on nuclear disarmament is underscored by Russia’s weak and desperate nuclear threats over its unprovoked, immoral war on Ukraine and North Korea’s ongoing development of nuclear weapons.

This month marks 25 years since Australia became the first country to bring into force the Additional Protocol (AP) to its Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The Additional Protocol provides the highest assurances of adherence to our nuclear non-proliferation obligations. It is also integral to Australia’s uranium export policy as a condition of supply.

Australia has been an active international advocate for the Additional Protocol, which has now been ratified by 140 states. Additional protocol for verification of nuclear safeguards | IAEA

Australia provides a leading example for the international community on safeguarding nuclear material through the Additional Protocol and its close partnership with the IAEA.

We are continuing to strengthen the international non-proliferation regime, including through the Australian Safeguards Support Program.

The Albanese Government will uphold the Labor Party’s proud history of championing practical disarmament efforts, its commitment to high non-proliferation standards and its enduring dedication to a world without nuclear weapons.

This week we will travel to Vanuatu, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and Palau on the first bipartisan visit to Pacific island countries since 2019.

As a member of the Pacific family, Australia’s commitment to working with Pacific partners to achieve our shared aspirations and address our shared challenges is bipartisan.

We will meet Vanuatu Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau, FSM President David W. Panuelo and Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr., to discuss their nations’ development objectives, the existential threat of climate change, and key regional security issues.

On the trip, we will also meet with traditional leaders to listen and learn about their priorities and discuss the Australian Government’s efforts to embed First Nation’s perspectives, experiences and interests into our international engagement.

In Vanuatu, we look forward to the official handover ceremony for the newly-constructed Mala Base Wharf and police boat RVS Mataweli, as part of Australia’s enduring cooperation on shared regional security interests.

We will also meet with ni-Vanuatu entrepreneurs who have participated in the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme and returned home to invest their earnings, put new skills to work and contribute to local economic growth.

In FSM we will mark 35 years of diplomatic relations, building on decades of cooperation in the Blue Pacific. We will visit an elementary school to see the positive support Australia provides for FSM’s education sector.

In Palau, we look forward to formally launching Tamanu and Tupaia; the digitisation of clinical patient information and data. We will visit a solar project supported by the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific.

Australia is committed to working with our Pacific partners to achieve our shared vision for a peaceful, prosperous and resilient region.

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

“I am pleased we are delivering on the Albanese Government’s promise to reinstate bipartisan parliamentary delegation visits, demonstrating Australia’s enduring commitment to strengthening our Pacific partnerships and addressing regional challenges.”

Minister for International Development and the Pacific, the Hon Pat Conroy MP said:

“We are committed to listening and learning from the Pacific family, ensuring Pacific priorities are at the forefront of our engagement and that our partnerships meet genuine needs and deliver long-term benefits.”

Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham said:

“This is a welcome opportunity to again demonstrate that Australia’s engagement with our Pacific neighbours is of the highest priority and transcends domestic politics. With genuine challenges facing our region I look forward to listening and learning from Pacific leaders and communities, while also seeing some of the results of Australia’s partnerships with them.”

Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific, the Hon Michael McCormack said:

“This bi-partisan trip reaffirms to the Pacific that regardless of who is in Government in Australia, our collective priority is working collaboratively with our neighbours to secure the best outcome for our region.”

Clough falling into voluntary administration may be the final hope for the world’s oldest and largest collection of rock art.

As a result of the administration, Perdaman’s urea plant in the Burrup Peninsula is facing delays. This may be the circuit breaker required to find a new location for the project and protect First Nations cultural heritage.

Greens spokesperson for resources and Yamatji-Noongar Woman Senator Dorinda Cox said:

“Perdaman’s urea plant has not obtained free, informed prior consent from Traditional Owners. The Minister for Water and Environment, Tanya Plibersek, needs to stop the project going ahead and find a new location for the plant. 

“Murujuga contains more than a million rock art engravings dating back 50,000 years, as well as lore grounds and songlines. It’s a sacred site for Traditional Owners facilitating connection to Country, culture and spirituality.

“Now that the final investment decision on the plant has been delayed, the federal government could save the $220 million it promised to help with construction. As well as the 650,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases per year that the plant will emit. 

“This is the final opportunity for the Albanese government to do the right thing and prevent another Juukan Gorge disaster. We need to preserve the sacred rock art from destruction and preserve First Nations cultural heritage, as was outlined in the government’s response to ‘A Way Forward: Final report into the destruction of Indigenous heritage sites at Juukan Gorge’.”

Today the Australian Government officially opened Australia’s new Embassy in Bern, Switzerland.

The opening of the Embassy by the Minister for Trade and Tourism, Don Farrell marks a significant milestone in Australia’s relationship with Switzerland and demonstrates the importance we place on deepening our engagement with the Swiss Government and people.

In 2021 Switzerland was Australia’s 11th largest source of investment with the total stock of Swiss investment in Australia valued at over $69 billion, Switzerland was also Australia’s 19th largest two-way trading partner.

Australia’s presence in Switzerland now includes the Embassy in Bern, the Austrade Office in Zurich and Australia’s Permanent Mission and Consulate-General in Geneva.

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

“Our partnership with Switzerland dates back over 60 years, and the opening of the Bern embassy is a testament to our enduring relationship and close cooperation.”

“We build on this cooperation to respond to global challenges while deepening our combined efforts on strategic, economic, security and consular issues.

“I appreciate the support of the Government of Switzerland for Australia’s expanded presence.”

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

“I was honoured to be in Bern to officially open the Australian Embassy to Switzerland.”

“This Embassy will work to expand our already strong trade and investment ties with Switzerland, further building our partnerships in business, research and development, and innovation, including increased cooperation on climate action.”

H.E. Mr. HAYASHI Yoshimasa, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, H.E. Mr. HAMADA Yasukazu, Minister of Defence of Japan, the Hon. Richard Marles MP, the Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, and Senator the Hon. Penny Wong, the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, held the Tenth Japan-Australia 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial Consultations on 9 December 2022 in Tokyo. The consultations, in a timely manner, reaffirmed the ambitious vision set at the October 2022 Leaders’ Meeting, including in the Joint Statement and Japan-Australia Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation (JDSC).

We reaffirmed that our Special Strategic Partnership only grows stronger. Japan and Australia are united by our shared values, including an unwavering commitment to democracy, human rights, free trade and a rules-based international order.

Recognising our shared views on the changing regional and global environment, expressed by our leaders’ Joint Statement in October 2022, we today focused on expanding and deepening bilateral cooperation in line with the JDSC.

We underscored the importance of our respective alliances and our trilateral cooperation with the United States, including through the Trilateral Strategic Dialogue, which underpins peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. We reaffirmed our deep strategic alignment as we commit to our respective major reviews of security strategy and policies. We will continuously ensure our systems enhance our communication and consultations based on paragraph 6 of the JDSC.

We reaffirmed our commitment to realise a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, that is inclusive and resilient, where sovereignty and international law, including universal human rights, are upheld.

We underscored our commitment to work with partners to realise this vision including with India and the United States under frameworks such as the Quad.

We welcomed the following actions:

• continuing effective and practical cooperation in the Pacific, including working within established Pacific architecture such as the Pacific Islands Forum, to address the needs and priorities of Pacific island countries, including through:
  • collaboration on explosive ordnance disposal (EOD)
  • deepened collaboration to support the Pacific’s infrastructure, connectivity and maritime security needs
  • enhanced coordination between our Pacific missions, including with Japan’s new missions in Kiribati and New Caledonia
  • delivering tangible outcomes through Partners in the Blue Pacific (PBP)
  • collaboration between the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and Export Finance Australia (EFA) to provide credit guarantees for EFA’s financing to Telstra to support its acquisition of Digicel Pacific
  • coordinating efforts to enhance water security in the Marshall Islands and other small island states
  • tackling oil spill risks from World War II wrecks in Chuuk Lagoon, Federated States of Micronesia
  • supporting increased maritime security capacity in Samoa
  • Australia’s support for the Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC) in Samoa, which was established with a partnership among Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme, Japan and New Zealand
• mutually reinforcing our respective enhanced approaches to Southeast Asia, and working together towards mutually decided priorities with ASEAN and Southeast Asian partners, including economic, development, security cooperation and the energy transition
• progressing commitments to deepen security and defence cooperation, and build greater interoperability, building on the Reciprocal Access Agreement once it enters into force, including:
  • deepening security and defence cooperation and advancing discussions on the scope, objectives and forms of our enhanced operational cooperation between the Japan Self Defense Forces and the Australian Defence Force to build greater interoperability
  • expanding air-to-air refueling pairings between the Japan Air Self Defense Force and Royal Australian Air Force aircraft
  • committing to unit exchanges and more complex exercises, including accelerating the consideration of:
    • manoeuvre deployment training of Japan’s F-35s with an eye to future rotational deployment of Japan’s fighters including F-35s in Australia while welcoming Royal Australian Air Force F-35s coming to Japan next year for the first time to participate in Exercise Bushido Guardian
    • enhancing the complexity of Japan Self Defense Forces’ participation in Exercise Talisman Sabre
    • options to conduct submarine search and rescue training between the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force and the Royal Australian Navy
    • amphibious operations, exercises and guided weapon live-fire drills
  • enhancing cooperation on strategic capabilities, including long-range guided weapons, Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) and Under Sea Warfare (USW)
  • bolstering trilateral cooperation with the United States, including to:
    • increase training opportunities with the U.S. Forces in northern Australia
    • leverage the asset protection framework
    • enhance intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) to develop a common foundation for optimised and agile operational cooperation
    • promote the participation of the Australian Defence Force in Japan-U.S. bilateral exercises and the participation of the Japan Self Defense Forces in U.S.-Australia bilateral exercises. Particularly, to support the Australian Defence Force participation in Exercise Yama Sakura in 2023
• elevating defence equipment, science and technology and industry cooperation in various ways, including to:
  • finalise research, development, test and evaluation arrangement to conduct defence science and technology cooperation more smoothly
  • enhance defence science and technology collaboration in autonomous systems across all domains
  • explore opportunities for joint research, co-development and production of advanced defence capabilities
  • support policy dialogues on resilient supply chains, which is a shared challenge for Japan and Australia
  • dispatch an Australian defence industry trade mission to Japan in 2023 to build industry resilience and cooperation
• continuing close cooperation to strengthen economic security and address economic coercion, including through the interagency communication and other initiatives with like-minded partners
• committing to continued communication and cooperation on cyber-security and cyber resilience, including:
  • enhancing cooperation including through the next Japan-Australia Cyber Policy Dialogue
  • supporting cyber capacity uplift in the Indo-Pacific through joint learning and coordination
  • cooperation in the multilateral area
  • working with partners in the Indo-Pacific on defence-related cyber security
  • enhanced defence cyber cooperation through joint participation in NATO Exercise Locked Shields in 2023
• enhancing space cooperation following Japan-Australia Letter of Intent concerning a defence space partnership signed in November 2022
• increasing information sharing and coordination on our respective development assistance policies and between agencies and missions in the region
• enhancing information sharing and exchanging views on information security.