Category: Australian News

Today I announce the appointment of four career diplomats to lead Australian overseas posts, in Solomon Islands, Cambodia, Guangzhou and in our newly established Embassy in Bern, Switzerland.

Ms Elizabeth Day will be Australia’s new Ambassador to Switzerland. She will also be accredited to Liechtenstein.

The opening of an Australian Embassy in Bern is a significant milestone in our bilateral relationship with Switzerland – it is testament to our enduring relationship and close cooperation for over 60 years.

I am also pleased to announce the following appointments of three other experienced Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) officers:

Mr Rod Hilton as Australia’s High Commissioner to Solomon Islands.

Mr Justin Whyatt as Australia’s Ambassador to Cambodia.

Mr Anthony Aspden as Australia’s next Consul-General in Guangzhou.

I thank outgoing High Commissioner Lachlan Strahan, Ambassador Pablo Kang and Consul-General Michael Sadleir for their contributions to advancing Australia’s interests during their respective tenures.

I also thank our Ambassador to Germany, Philip Green OAM, who has advanced Australia’s interests in Switzerland and Liechtenstein since 2020 as non-resident Ambassador. Ambassador Green will remain Australia’s Ambassador to Germany.

Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that the Greens will move amendments to the Government’s Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Cheaper Child Care) Bill 2022 today to:

• Improve access to early education and care by abolishing the Activity Test,
• Improve transparency measures within the bill by expanding reporting requirements for providers,
• Extend staff discounts for early education and care, and 
• Rename the bill from ‘Cheaper Child Care’ to ‘More Affordable Early Education and Care’.

Senator Faruqi said:

“The Activity Test is cruel, punitive and beyond repair. As the Senate inquiry heard from numerous stakeholders, the activity test has the effect of denying access to early education for the most disadvantaged children and punishing families with insecure, casual work.

“We welcome new reporting requirements for large providers in the Bill but consider that these requirements should be expanded to cover all providers. 

“The Senate inquiry heard that the language of “cheaper childcare” used in the bill could undervalue the role of educators. We agree and will move to rename the bill to refer to “more affordable early education and care”.

“The Greens believe early childhood education and care is an essential service that should be free and accessible for all.  High quality early education can give children the best start in life and is a critical component of lifelong learning.

“While the Government bill does not go nearly far enough to achieve our vision of universal and free early education and care, the Australian Greens support the Bill as it nonetheless represents a step in the right direction.”

Again, Labor has voted with the Liberals to give public money to a gas corporation.

This $32 million handout is a total rejection of not only climate science, but Labor’s own publicly stated position that coal and gas projects must stand up on their own economically.

This afternoon Labor passed the Industry Research and Development (Golden Beach Gas Storage Acceleration Program) Instrument, a hangover from the previous Morrison Liberal government.

Greens spokesperson for resources, science, trade and tourism Yamatji-Noongar Woman Senator Dorinda Cox said:

“Labor must stop handing out fossil fuel subsidies. 

“COP27 highlighted the need to stop building our reliance on fossil fuels, yet Labor refuses to listen to the science and the global call to action. 

“While Labor is lying to the world about its climate credentials, they’re showing the Australian people and our Pacific neighbours their real priorities. 

“Labor cares more about their fossil fuel mates more than the rest of humanity.

“The government has committed to meeting their Paris Agreement commitments, with this instrument they’ve failed their own test.

Today Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of the Philippines in the margins of the 29th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting. 

Prime Minister Albanese and President Marcos agreed to strengthen the already warm and deep ties between the two countries by formally elevating the relationship to a Strategic Partnership. The Prime Minister has asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs to take forward negotiations with the Philippines on this important step forward.

The elevation will build upon the Comprehensive Partnership signed in 2015, and 76 years of formal diplomatic relations between Australia and the Philippines.  

Through the Strategic Partnership, Australia and the Philippines will seek to expand existing defence and maritime cooperation, counter-terrorism and law enforcement links, and facilitate deeper cooperation in a range of areas including addressing climate change.

Prime Minister Albanese said:

“In the Filipino spirit of bayanihan and the Australian tradition of mateship, we have stood by each other in good times and bad.

“Elevating our relationship to a Strategic Partnership will reinforce our focus on strengthening ties between our two countries, and working together to build a region that is resilient and prosperous for all. 

“I look forward to continuing the work between our two nations.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joined counterparts from across the Asia-Pacific in Bangkok, Thailand for the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting from 17-19 November. 

During the Economic Leaders’ Meeting, the Prime Minister joined others to condemn Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and the resulting economic impacts on our region. 

The Prime Minister welcomed the meeting’s endorsement of the Bangkok Goals on the Bio-Circular Green Economy, which will drive action to develop quality infrastructure, financing and investment to support the region’s clean energy transition. 

He emphasised the importance of a rules-based, free and open trade and investment environment that will support economic recovery and the strengthening of supply chains. He welcomed the meeting’s commitment to inclusive growth, including through the economic empowerment of women and First Nations people.

With other Economic Leaders, the Prime Minister highlighted the importance of digital confidence in realising the full benefits of the digital economy and committed to work together across the region to strengthen business and consumer trust in digital transactions.

Prime Minister Albanese had an audience with Their Majesties the King and Queen of Thailand, and met with Prime Minister Prayut of Thailand and President Marcos of the Philippines. 

Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese said:

“I congratulate Prime Minister Prayut for Thailand’s success in delivering on it ambitious priorities as Chair during a challenging year.”

“APEC’s member economies comprise around three quarters of Australia’s trade. The forum provides us with a seat at the table to shape our region’s economic future.”  

“A focus of my participation at the Summit was reiterating Australia’s commitment to sustainable growth, trade and investment – and sharing our perspectives on trade liberalisation.”

“I look forward to working closely with President Biden as the US assumes its position as APEC Chair for 2023.”

I am pleased to confirm that Professor Sean Turnell has arrived safely home to Australia, and has been reunited with his wife and family, after more than 21 months of unjust detention in Myanmar.

His return will be an enormous relief to his family, friends and many supporters in Australia and across the region.

The Australian Government has worked tirelessly for Professor Turnell’s release, and we will continue to provide whatever consular support he and his family require.

Australia thanks all those who have advocated for his release, including regional partners, and especially members of ASEAN.

We are grateful for the efforts of Cambodia and Brunei Darussalam, the ASEAN Chairs over the term of his detention, and the Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair on Myanmar.

We appreciate the arrangements that were made by Myanmar authorities for Professor Turnell’s release and welcome the news of the release of other prisoners alongside Professor Turnell, including foreign nationals from the UK, US and Japan.

The Australian Government remains deeply concerned about the deteriorating situation in Myanmar, and we will continue to advocate for the release of the remaining political prisoners.

As Professor Turnell returns to his life in Australia and reunites with this family, we ask that the media respect his family’s wishes for privacy.

Australia has been steadfast in our enduring commitment to seeking truth, justice, and accountability for the victims of the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17.

Yesterday, the District Court of The Hague found Igor Girkin, Sergey Dubinskiy and Leonid Kharchenko, guilty of contributing to the downing of Flight MH17 and the murder of all 298 individuals on board. A sentence of life imprisonment was imposed on the three men, who have been tried in absentia. A fourth man has been acquitted.

While nothing can take away their grief, we hope the outcome of the trials brings some comfort to the bereaved loved ones of the victims, 38 of whom called Australia home.

The delivery of these verdicts is an important milestone in our collective efforts to hold those who are responsible to account.

We commend the work and professionalism of the Joint Investigation Team officials, including the Australian Federal Police, that have conducted rigorous investigations to support bringing those responsible to justice.

The Australian Government committed financial support to ensure that Australian next of kin could meaningfully engage in the trial process, both virtually and in person.

Our thoughts remain with those who lost their lives, their families and loved ones.

The Greens spokesperson for schools, Senator Penny Allman-Payne, has written to Education Minister Jason Clare calling on the government to make public funding to private schools conditional on full transparency of how those funds are used.

The call comes after a report that headmasters in some Sydney private school are being paid five times more than their counterparts in government schools, and revelations earlier this year that the King’s School – which received $17.2 million in federal funding in 2020 – had planned to pay for a plunge pool for the headmaster’s residence and business-class flights for staff to attend a sporting event in England.

Greens spokesperson on schools, Senator Penny Allman-Payne said:

“The Department of Education conceded during budget estimates last week that they have no ‘clear line of sight’ to how private schools are using the money

“This is unacceptable. Not only is the federal government over-funding the non-government school sector by giving private schools more than the Schooling Resource Standard says they need, it has absolutely no idea how or where the money is being spent.

“The government has committed to $70 billion in private school funding over the forward estimates. It’s not unreasonable for Australians to want to know precisely how that $70 billion is being used, particularly during a cost of living crisis when most people are having to watch every dollar.

“In the next National Schools Reform Agreement the government should ensure that every non-government school is required to give a full, itemised accounting of how they spend government funding as a condition of receiving that funding.

“I also call on the government to ensure that every public school is funded to 100% of the Schooling Resource Standard from the commencement of the next Agreement. The persistent underfunding of our public schools is a national shame that punishes students and families and widens inequality.”

Letter to Minister Clare

No child should be in detention. 

In WA First Nations youth are 21 times more likely to be incarcerated, making up 60% of the youth in detention. Most of the youth in detention under 14 are First Nations. 

However WA Premier, Mark McGowan, has categorically ruled out raising the age of legal responsibility to at least 14, defying the experts and his own party.

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

“As a former police officer and researcher in this space, I know there are better solutions than locking children up and treating them like animals.

“Recommendations have previously been presented to the government so why are they now calling for a meeting with ‘stakeholders’? 

“When will the WA government start listening to the advice already presented to them from experts?

“We already have guidance on the solutions to the crisis, we should be looking at fast tracking the use of the $81.5 million dedicated to restorative justice by the federal Labor government.”

Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that the Universities Accord process, expected to be announced later today, must begin the task of rebuilding and reimagining our public universities, and involve staff and students at every step.

Senator Faruqi said:

“After a decade of neglect, it’s refreshing to see the government take the future of our universities seriously. But we have to get this right.

“We can’t leave this task up to a few eminent people to run. Current staff and students should be brought into this process in a meaningful way from day one. Frankly, corporate voices should be deprioritised. 

“The review must really dig into university governance and democracy on our campuses. The corporate university model has been so damaging and corrosive.

“Greens analysis has found that over the last two decades, there has been a 43 per cent reduction in the number of elected positions on university councils. We have to give power back to staff and students.

“Casualisation and enormous workloads are completely unsustainable and crushing for university staff. The Accord process has to address this head-on. 

“Ultimately the government has to accept that a big boost to public funding – including to research funding – will be required to set our universities up for the long term. Universities are a public good and should be treated as such.

“The Accord process should not be used as an excuse to delay changes that can and must be made now: scrapping Liberal-era fee hikes and funding cuts, and tackling the student debt crisis.”