Category: Australian News

The humanitarian suffering in Gaza has reached unimaginable levels. Famine is unfolding before our eyes. Urgent action is needed now to halt and reverse starvation. Humanitarian space must be protected, and aid should never be politicised.

However, due to restrictive new registration requirements, essential international NGOs may be forced to leave the OPTs imminently which would worsen the humanitarian situation still further. We call on the government of Israel to provide authorisation for all international NGO aid shipments and to unblock essential humanitarian actors from operating. Immediate, permanent and concrete steps must be taken to facilitate safe, large-scale access for the UN, international NGOs and humanitarian partners. All crossings and routes must be used to allow a flood of aid into Gaza, including food, nutrition supplies, shelter, fuel, clean water, medicine and medical equipment. Lethal force must not be used at distribution sites, and civilians, humanitarians and medical workers must be protected.

We are grateful to the US, Qatar and Egypt for their efforts in pushing for a ceasefire and pursuing peace. We need a ceasefire that can end the war, for hostages to be released and aid to enter Gaza by land unhindered.

This statement has been signed by:

The Foreign Ministers of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, the EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean and the EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management.

The Coalition has serious concerns about the Albanese Government’s decision to unilaterally recognise a Palestinian state outside of a proper peace and two-state process.

This decision, at this time, puts Australia at odds with the United States of America, our most important ally, and the most consequential player in the conflict in Gaza.

The United States will have an essential role to play in brokering a viable peace process and establishing a sustainable Palestinian state. It is critical to note that the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that decisions to recognise a Palestinian state ahead of a proper peace process scuttled ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas.

Until today it has been a bipartisan position that the question of recognising Palestinian statehood should come at the end of the peace negotiation process, not at the start or during it.

Until today it was a bipartisan position that there should be no recognition of a Palestinian state with Hamas still in control of Gaza.

Despite his words today the reality is Anthony Albanese has committed Australia to recognising Palestine while hostages remain in tunnels under Gaza and with Hamas still in control of the population of Gaza. Nothing he has said today changes that fact.

Recognising a Palestinian state prior to a return of the hostages and defeat of Hamas, as the Government has today, risks delivering Hamas one of its strategic objectives of the horrific terrorism of October 7.

Australians all want the war in Gaza to end. Ending this war is the only way to save lives and safeguard a two-state solution. The clear advice of our most important ally is this decision will not expedite that outcome.

As it stands today the decision by the Albanese Government does not appear to make the world a safer place, expedite the end of the conflict, deliver a two-state solution, see the free flow of aid, support the release of hostages or put an end to the terrorist group Hamas.

Students from seven high schools across Newcastle were given a chance to go behind the scenes to get a taste of life on the elected Council as part of Local Government Week. 

The next generation of civic leaders took part in City of Newcastle’s annual Youth Mock Council event, which was held 6-7 August as part of an education initiative designed to amplify young voices and deepen their understanding of how they can contribute to their communities. 

Hosted by the Youth Council Standing Committee and supported by City of Newcastle, the program offers young people an authentic glimpse into local government, from understanding Council processes to debating the issues that matter most to them. 

Over two days, students participated in workshops alongside current Councillors, learned from inspiring keynote speakers, and collaborated in small teams to draft Notices of Motion – the formal mechanism Councillors use to propose solutions to local issues. 

The program culminated in a simulated Council meeting within the historic City Hall Chambers, where students presented their motions, honed their public speaking skills, and engaged in spirited debate, all before an audience of real Councillors and peers. 

The Youth Mock Council goes beyond role-playing. Last year’s Youth Mock Council motion to create a new youth centre has since been endorsed by Council in October 2024 and led to tangible action, with the Youth Council Standing Committee now investigating options for its implementation. 

Australia will recognise the State of Palestine at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in September, to contribute to international momentum towards a two-state solution, a ceasefire in Gaza and release of the hostages.

Since 1947, Australia has supported Israel’s existence. In that year, Australia’s Foreign Minister Evatt chaired the UN committee that recommended the creation of two states side by side.

Then, as now, the international community understood a two-state solution was the basis of peace and security for the peoples of the region.

Australia was the first country to raise its hand at the United Nations in support of Resolution 181, to create the State of Israel – and a Palestinian state.

More than 77 years later, the world can no longer wait for the implementation of that Resolution to be negotiated between the parties.

Australia’s decision helps build the historic global momentum to break the cycle of violence in the Middle East.

The Netanyahu Government is extinguishing the prospect of a two-state solution by rapidly expanding illegal settlements, threatening annexation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and explicitly opposing any Palestinian state.  

The international community is moving to establish a Palestinian state consistent with a two-state solution. 

In doing so, the world is seizing the opportunity of major new commitments from the Palestinian Authority, including to reform governance, terminate prisoner payments, institute schooling reform, demilitarise and hold general elections. The Palestinian Authority has also restated its recognition of Israel’s right to exist. The President of the Palestinian Authority has reaffirmed these commitments directly to the Australian Government.

Australia’s position is predicated on the commitments we have received from the Palestinian Authority. We will continue to work with the international community to hold the Palestinian Authority to its commitments and to encourage normalised relations between Israel and its neighbours.

The commitments by the Palestinian Authority are strengthened by the Arab League’s unprecedented demand for the terrorist organisation Hamas to end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons.

Together these factors mean that this is the best opportunity Australia may ever have to support moderate voices for peace in the region, to undermine extremism and to further isolate Hamas. This is the movement to which Australia and so many countries are seeking to add momentum.

Hamas continues to damage the prospects of a two-state solution and rejects Israel’s right to exist. Hamas must release the hostages cruelly taken on October 7, 2023 immediately, unconditionally and with dignity. The Australian Government has consistently made clear there can be no role for Hamas in a Palestinian state.

Australia is further compelled by the Netanyahu Government’s disregard of the international community’s calls, and its failure to comply with its legal and ethical obligations in Gaza. Israel is required to protect civilians and ensure the provision of food and medical supplies. Permanent forced displacement of civilians is illegal.

Palestinian children deserve a future that looks nothing like their reality today.

There is much more work to do in building the Palestinian state. We will work with partners on a credible peace plan that establishes governance and security arrangements for Palestine and ensures the security of Israel.

Australia will continue to be a constructive partner in support of a two-state solution, as the only pathway to a secure and prosperous future that respects the aspirations of Israelis and Palestinians alike.

The Albanese Government’s rewarding of the rapes, slaughter and kidnapping committed by Hamas on October 7 by recognising a Palestinian state shames all Australians, Family First said today.

“What is it Anthony Albanese is recognising? Is it a state led by people who now believe Israel has a right to exist? Is it led by people who will now stop teaching children to hate Jews and support Islamic terrorism?” asked Family First National Director Lyle Shelton.

“Sadly those ideas have not been supported by the almost 90-year-old head of the corrupt Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, until a sudden out-of-character shift in June.

“While the Prime Minister said today Mr Abbas had now changed his mind and believed Israel had a right to exist and that Palestinian kids should not be taught to hate and kill Jews, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not so sure,” Mr Shelton said.

Mr Netanyahu told a media conference yesterday he did not believe the PA had changed its stripes.

“What does Anthony Albanese know about Mr Abbas, who says Hitler was not antisemitic, that Benjamin Netanyahu doesn’t know?

“Abbas has spent a long lifetime working for a one state solution, not a two-state solution. He has repeatedly rejected generous offers of statehood in the past because that would mean accepting Israel’s right to exist.

“How can an entity which pays the pensions of the families of suicide bombers be a partner for peace?

“Today’s announcement by the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Penny Wong is naïve and the only winners are the Hamas terrorists huddled in their tunnels in Gaza.”

Mr Shelton said Family First was dismayed at the media misinformation which routinely blames Israel for the killing and wounding of civilians without mentioning that Hamas uses them as human shields. It makes no secret of leveraging the deaths it causes of its people to turn world opinion against Israel.

“Since the war began Israel has repeatedly given up the element of surprise by smsing and phoning Gazans ahead of military strikes so they could get to safety.

“The largescale destruction of buildings in Gaza, as Mr Netanyahu and others have pointed out, is because Hamas routinely booby traps houses with IEDs (improvised explosive devices). The IDF’s destruction of terror tunnels built under houses, hospitals and mosques had also caused structures to collapse.

“Israel has been demonised for causing children to starve to death in Gaza, something for which there is no evidence, while the UN refuses to distribute truckloads of aid because that requires cooperating with the US-Israeli Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.

“While Gazan civilians had been deprived of aid because of Hamas looting and the UN’s intransigence, the only actual starvation going on in Gaza is of the hostages.

“Sadly, Albanese and Wong have delivered yet another propaganda coup to the Hamas Islamic death cult.

“Unless Hamas, which still has thousands of armed Islamic terrorists in Gaza, is destroyed, it will re-group and attempt October 7 again and again until every Jew from the river to the sea is killed,” Mr Shelton said.

This week, the Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles, Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong, and Minister for Pacific Island Affairs Pat Conroy, will travel to the Pacific as Australia continues to strengthen ties with our nearest neighbours.

The Deputy Prime Minister will travel to Papua New Guinea to discuss the deepening defence ties between our two countries, and Australia’s support for PNG’s security priorities.

During the visit he will meet with Prime Minister the Hon James Marape MP, Deputy Prime Minister the Hon John Rosso MP, and Minister for Defense the Hon Dr Billy Joseph MP.

After travelling to PNG, the Deputy Prime Minister will join Minister Wong and Minister Conroy in the Republic of Vanuatu – building on our enduring partnership.

While in Vanuatu, they will meet Prime Minister, the Hon Jotham Napat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economic Management the Hon Johnny Koanapo, and other senior ministers.

The Ministers will also travel to Tanna, the home island of Prime Minister Napat, to progress discussions on the proposed Nakamal Agreement – a bilateral initiative to elevate our partnership.

This visit builds on the increasing tempo of Ministerial exchanges and visits between Australia and Vanuatu in both directions over the past six months.

The Foreign Minister will then travel to the Republic of Fiji to attend the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Foreign Ministers Meeting. As a founding member of the PIF, Australia strongly supports the Forum’s role in strengthening regional unity and pursuing our shared vision for a peaceful, stable, prosperous and unified region.

As a Pacific nation, Australia is a partner the region can count on; it is in our interests to foster a resilient region that enables all our economies to grow and prosper together.

Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles:

“Australia deeply values our relationships with our Pacific family as we work together to strengthen ties and deepen security partnerships.

“In Papua New Guinea, I look forward to meeting my counterparts to discuss the growing integration and cooperation between our defence forces, including through negotiations for a bilateral defence treaty, as announced in February this year.

“In Vanuatu, custom, culture and tradition will provide a vibrant backdrop to our discussions around the Nakamal agreement and Australia looks forward to using this concept to strengthen our ties.”

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Penny Wong:

“Our visit to Vanuatu highlights the respect, shared values and cultural and spiritual connections that are the platform for deepening the partnership between our countries.

“It is a privilege to be joining Pacific Islands Forum foreign ministers in Suva, to come together to make decisions for our region.

“Australia is working with the Pacific family to advance our shared priorities and shape a peaceful, stable and prosperous Blue Pacific.”

Minister for Pacific Island Affairs, Pat Conroy:

“I look forward to working with the Vanuatu Government to strengthen our close economic, development and security partnership.

“As partners, we overcome challenges together – Australia is a partner Vanuatu can count on.”

The Albanese Government’s two-way arms trade with Israel is failing to meet the basic requirements of either morality or international law. 

Denials by the Albanese Government that the arms trade with Israel even exists are clearly a weak attempt to mislead the public to avoid taking material action. 

Australia, like all nations, is obliged to act to prevent genocide and war crimes. This includes ending the export of armoured steel, critical materials and F-35 weapons parts to Israel’s weapons industry and military.

Germany has now become the latest in a series of countries that include the UK, Canada, Spain, Italy, Brazil, the Netherlands and many more, that have either completely or partially ended their arms trade with Israel. Australia now stands alone with Donald Trump’s US in not taking action. 

Right now the clear obligation on Australia means it must cease assisting Israel’s indiscriminate and disproportionate use of force and mass starvation in its unlawful assault on Gaza.

Greens Senator and Defence and Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, David Shoebridge, said:

“Watching Defence Minister Richard Marles refuse to answer basic questions about Australia’s export of weapons parts and defence material to Israel is excruciating.

“The Australian public knows that the Albanese Government is permitting the export of armoured steel, F35 weapons parts and other critical materials to Israel and wants it to stop.

“If the Albanese Government stopped the export of F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel, then their F-35 fleet would be grounded.

“Labor’s false claims that F35 fighter jet parts and other material exported to Israel are not ‘weapons’ is in gross breach of international law, including the 2014 Arms Trade Treaty that Australia is a party to.

“International law is crystal clear, parts of weapons are weapons. 

“Germany has stopped weapons exports to Israel, so why on earth won’t Labor stop Australia sending them?

“Australia is a key part of the F35 fighter jet program. We are the only place in the world that makes parts like the bomb bay doors and we operate as one of the few regional distribution hubs.

“Two years of hollow talking points from the Albanese Government aren’t washing with the public anymore as we watch a genocide in real time.

“Australia’s supply of F-35 weapons parts to Israel has recently been described as the ‘direct facilitation of war crimes’ by Josh Paul, former Director of Congressional and Public Affairs, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, in the US State Department.

“If Australia applied the same sanctions regime to Israel for its illegal war in Gaza as it is applying to Russia for its illegal war in Ukraine, these exports would have already ended. Instead, the Albanese Government is actively choosing to continue the two-way arms trade with Israel.”

Documents forced out of the National Anti-Corruption Commissioner under FOI show the Commission has been actively concealing critical information about its investigation of the Robodebt scandal from the Australian public.

Documents obtained by Greens Senator David Shoebridge through FOI, after a lengthy battle, reveal that former High Court Justice Jeffrey Nettle found that each of the six individual Robodebt referrals “raises a corruption issue”. 

These critical initial findings were deliberately hidden by the NACC in its public statement when it announced the embarrassing U-turn it was compelled to take on the Robodebt referral. 

The findings are contained in a draft media release that was later edited by embattled Commissioner Brereton, and others in the NACC, to remove any reference to former Justice Nettles’ critical conclusions. Commissioner Brereton involved himself in this matter despite his publicly declared conflict of interest in the Robodebt investigation and the findings of the independent Inspector of the  NACC he should have no involvement in the Robodebt referral. 

The draft media release released under FOI is here. 

Greens Senator and Justice Spokesperson David Shoebridge said: 

“This is exactly the kind of secretive, anti-transparency behaviour that undermines public confidence in our integrity institutions

“The NACC stumbled at the first hurdle in the Robodebt matter and then, even after an independent expert recommended they properly investigate, they hid the full details of this recommendation. 

“What makes this even more outrageous is that these revelations only came to light through a hard-fought Freedom of Information battle that the Greens found with the NACC to hide the truth. 

“An anti-corruption body fighting to keep key information secret really isn’t worthy of the name. 

“This institution continues to privilege the powerful persons accused of misconduct at the expense of the many Australians whose lives were harmed by Robodebt. 

“Commissioner Brereton’s continued involvement in the Robodebt matter, even after being found to have engaged in officer misconduct, is unacceptable and further destroys public trust in the NACC. 

“This is on top of Commissioner Brereton’s serious conflict in continuing to retain a position of Major General in the Defence Force while heading a Commission that is reviewing some 120 Defence referrals. 

“Australians deserve better. They deserve an anti-corruption commission that operates in sunlight, not shadow and that can recognise a conflict of interest when it is staring it in the face.”

Documents forced out of the National Anti-Corruption Commissioner under FOI show the Commission has been actively concealing critical information about its investigation of the Robodebt scandal from the Australian public.

Documents obtained by Greens Senator David Shoebridge through FOI, after a lengthy battle, reveal that former High Court Justice Jeffrey Nettle found that each of the six individual Robodebt referrals “raises a corruption issue”. 

These critical initial findings were deliberately hidden by the NACC in its public statement when it announced the embarrassing U-turn it was compelled to take on the Robodebt referral. 

The findings are contained in a draft media release that was later edited by embattled Commissioner Brereton, and others in the NACC, to remove any reference to former Justice Nettles’ critical conclusions. Commissioner Brereton involved himself in this matter despite his publicly declared conflict of interest in the Robodebt investigation and the findings of the independent Inspector of the  NACC he should have no involvement in the Robodebt referral. 

The draft media release released under FOI is here. 

Greens Senator and Justice Spokesperson David Shoebridge said: 

“This is exactly the kind of secretive, anti-transparency behaviour that undermines public confidence in our integrity institutions

“The NACC stumbled at the first hurdle in the Robodebt matter and then, even after an independent expert recommended they properly investigate, they hid the full details of this recommendation. 

“What makes this even more outrageous is that these revelations only came to light through a hard-fought Freedom of Information battle that the Greens found with the NACC to hide the truth. 

“An anti-corruption body fighting to keep key information secret really isn’t worthy of the name. 

“This institution continues to privilege the powerful persons accused of misconduct at the expense of the many Australians whose lives were harmed by Robodebt. 

“Commissioner Brereton’s continued involvement in the Robodebt matter, even after being found to have engaged in officer misconduct, is unacceptable and further destroys public trust in the NACC. 

“This is on top of Commissioner Brereton’s serious conflict in continuing to retain a position of Major General in the Defence Force while heading a Commission that is reviewing some 120 Defence referrals. 

“Australians deserve better. They deserve an anti-corruption commission that operates in sunlight, not shadow and that can recognise a conflict of interest when it is staring it in the face.”

The Greens say Labor’s outsourcing of the Early Education Service Delivery Prices Project to Deloitte falls short of actual progress towards real reform to make early education universal and high-quality.

The Greens have been calling for a shift away from the troubled childcare subsidy funding model for months, and took a bold plan to the last election to establish an independent national commission to do just that. The commission would enforce national quality standards and lead the transition to universal, free, high-quality early learning by providing expert research, evaluation and policy advice.

Australian Greens spokesperson for early education and care, Senator Steph Hodgins-May:

“Our early learning sector is in crisis. The shocking headlines of abuse and neglect we’re seeing as recently as today are just the latest reminder of why the reforms educators and families have been calling for for years are so urgent.

“In typical fashion, Labor is funnelling public money to the private sector to fix problems of its own making. We know the marketised approach to childcare does not work. If the government genuinely wants to move towards universal early education, they should stop outsourcing and start working with us to make it happen.

“The Greens have already put forward a sector-backed plan for an independent early learning commission to act as a watchdog and to drive the transition to universal, high-quality early learning, just like primary and secondary school.

“While the Prime Minister inches towards progress at glacial speed, families, educators and the sector are pleading for legacy reform and strong national leadership to give our kids the start to life that they deserve.”

Australian Greens spokesperson for the public sector, Senator Barbara Pocock:

“On such a fundamental piece of policy such as this, why wouldn’t we keep the design and architecture in the public sector? This move contradicts the Strategic Commissioning Framework by outsourcing policy formulation to an external workforce like Deloitte. This is a key example of core work that must be done by the public service. We should have the capability. ”

“This contract with Deloitte is worth at least $7.5 million. Labor has previously said it wants to reduce its outsourcing of public service work to the Big Four consulting firms yet, once again, this government is choosing to outsource rather than invest in the public sector.”