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Australia has a new government
Tony Abbott has become Australia‘s 28th prime minister, declaring from today “Australia is under new management .” Abbott said he was “proud and humbled” to “shoulder the duties of government”, as he...
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New Australian leader likened to George W Bush
A “compassionate conservative” in the tradition of George W Bush, a “bigoted air-head” and a leader with a markedly different view on a strike on Syria were among the international assessments of...
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Australia to continue Papua New Guinea asylum seeker scheme
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill says he expects a Tony Abbott-led government to respect the asylum-seeker processing arrangements made with former prime minister Kevin Rudd. But Mr...
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Indonesia invites Australia for controversial “turn back the boats”...
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has opened the way for Australia’s Tony Abbott to make his first foreign visit as prime minister to Indonesia, with bilateral talks on the controversial...
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Indonesia rejects Australian people-smuggler plan
Jakarta has signalled its reluctance to embrace a key plank of Tony Abbott‘s asylum-seeker policy, with the Indonesian Foreign Minister criticising the plan to pay villagers for information about...
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Indonesian asylum-seekers give up hope on Australia
As the realisation takes hold that they are shut out of Australia, growing numbers of asylum-seekers trapped in Indonesia are considering voluntarily returning to their homelands. Asylum-seekers in...
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Australia’s military takes over border protection; SAS commander in charge
Deputy Chief of Army Angus Campbell will be named Tony Abbott‘s three-star military commander of border protection, with the job of co-ordinating the new government’s tough asylum-seeker policies. The...
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New Australian government has only one female cabinet member
It’s a sad day for the nation when the cabinet of Afghanistan has more women in it than the cabinet of Australia, says acting Labor leader Chris Bowen. Prime Minister-elect Tony Abbott unveiled his...
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Indonesia warns Australia against turning back asylum-seeker boats
Indonesia has raised the ante in its dispute with the Abbott government over turning back asylum-seeker boats, saying its plan puts at risk Jakarta‘s “close cooperation and trust”. The warning came as...
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Australia bans Malaysian human rights activist; government’s new stance
A leading Malaysian rights activist who faces sedition charges at home says he was denied a visa to enter Australia, raising suggestions Canberra had buckled to pressure from Kuala Lumpur. Haris...
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Asylum seekers drown on way to Australia
About 20 people, mostly children under 15 years old, died when an asylum seeker vessel sank off the southern coast of Java on its way to Australia. Adjunct Commissioner Warsono from the Agrabinta...
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New Australian government adopts policy of media silence
You can tell that something has shifted in Canberra. The hourly, daily thunder of the hung parliament and campaign and the whirl of the election result have been replaced with something more subdued,...
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Recognition of Aborigines in Australia’s Constitution is a priority
Australian Attorney-General, George Brandis, has declared that despite being a constitutional conservative, he has an “open mind” about the way the Constitution should be altered to recognise...
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Australian senator wants to charge asylum seekers $50,000
Australia‘s Liberal Democratic Senator David Leyonhjelm has proposed a radical plan to charge asylum-seekers $50,000 to come to Australia “through the front door”. Mr Leyonhjelm, who will join the...
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Australian government’s information control policy fails dismally, reflects...
Despite his habit of making bewildering proclamations (”Some of the worst mistakes of my life have been haircuts”), Jim Morrison is responsible for a piece of wisdom that has resonated through the...
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Australia’s Prime Minister apologises to Malaysia for second time in a week
Tony Abbott has apologised to an Asian leader for the second time in a week over his robust political campaigning before he was elected, offering an “act of contrition” for Malaysian Prime Minister...
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Australian Prime Minister says “Japan is our closest friend in Asia”
Tony Abbott has declared Japan Australia’s “closest friend in Asia”, elevating the former World War II aggressor past both China and Indonesia as he continued his regional charm offensive. Mr Abbott...
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Australian government to drastically lower foreign investment thresholds as...
Coalition tensions are growing, with the Nationals expected to insist on a lowering of foreign investment thresholds as Liberals push for them to be used as a bargaining chip with China. The Nationals...
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Australian government fails to honour promised crime prevention program grants
The Australian Coalition government has backed away from distributing millions of dollars in grants promised to dozens of charities, community groups and local councils under Labor’s national crime...
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Australia backs Japan’s military buildup at risk of upsetting China
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop threw Australia’s support behind Japan’s attempts to shift its military to a more “normal” defence posture in a speech in Tokyo yesterday. Australia’s backing...
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