News Stories - 15 December
AUSMIN 2006 takes place in Washington
The United States hosted the annual Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) in Washington on 12 December 2006. AUSMIN 2006 provided Ministers with a timely opportunity for frank discussion on key global and regional security challenges and on practical measures to advance and strengthen the alliance. Both sides affirmed the enduring significance and relevance of the alliance, noting close cooperation in Iraq, Afghanistan and on security capacity building in South-East Asia and in the Pacific Islands, as well as improvements in joint training and interoperability.
The Australian delegation was led by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Alexander Downer, and the Defence Minister, Dr Brendan Nelson. The US delegation was led by Secretary of State Rice and Deputy Secretary of Defense England.
Australia discussed continued close coordination with the United States on a broad range of security-related matters including:
- our shared commitment to supporting progress in Iraq and Afghanistan;
- counter proliferation challenges presented by Iran and the DPRK;
- South-East Asian security;
- security capacity building in the Asia-Pacific;
- emerging architecture in East Asia with a focus on APEC; and
- new areas of defence and intelligence cooperation.
Key announcements included:
- signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on production, sustainment and follow-on development of the Joint Strike Fighter;
- a joint commitment to working together to help counter the proliferation of Man-Portable Air Defence Systems;
- agreement to build support for the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism through outreach activities in South-East Asia; and
- an undertaking to explore with Japan areas for potential trilateral defence cooperation between Australia, Japan and the United States.
For the Joint Communique of the AUSMIN go to: http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/us/ausmin/ausmin06_joint_communique.html
Australia to introduce citizenship test
The Australian Government will introduce a citizenship test to ensure migrants integrate successfully and contribute to Australia’s national progress. The citizenship test will help migrants to understand the values, institutions and traditions that bind the Australian nation together. Permanent visa applicants and temporary visa applicants with potential for long-term stay will also be required to make a statement that they respect the Australian way of life and will abide by Australian laws.
Prime Minister John Howard and the Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, Andrew Robb, announced on 11 December 2006 that Australia will introduce a citizenship test. Applicants for Australian citizenship will also be required to sign a statement of commitment to Australia.
The test will require prospective citizens to demonstrate a basic level of English language skills, as well as knowledge of the Australian way of life and values.
The test will be computer-based and consist of around 30 multiple choice questions. It will include an oral component. Alternative arrangements will apply for people who cannot attain the literacy standards required – they will still need to take a test but in a different format. Common sense exemptions to taking the test will apply, for example for those over 60 years of age or with a physical or mental incapacity.
New requirements for permanent visa applicants and temporary visa applicants with potential for long-term stay will also be introduced.
Applicants for permanent residence, including applicants for provisional visas that lead to permanent residence, will be required to make a statement that they respect the Australian way of life and will abide by Australian laws before being granted a visa. They will also be required to indicate that they have read, or had explained to them, material made available by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs on life in Australia.
Temporary visa holders with potential for long-term stay are also likely to be required to make a statement that they respect the Australian way of life and abide by Australian laws before being granted a visa. It is expected that the new arrangements will only apply to applicants intending to stay for more than 12 months in Australia.
Certain visa classes such as visitor visas, bridging visas and safe haven and temporary humanitarian concerns visas will automatically be excluded from the new requirements. The Australian Government will be undertaking further consultation on this issue.
It is the Australian Government’s intention that the new citizenship test and permanent and temporary visa changes will commence as soon as possible following the passage of legislation to give effect to the changes.
Australian Government supporting drought-affected farmers and their communities
The Australian Government is committed to supporting farmers and their communities through the drought.
The current drought, which is now affecting much of the southern half of the continent, is considered to be one of the worst on record and in some locations the general downturn in rainfall is in its fifth year.
The Government’s main vehicle for providing drought relief is the Exceptional Circumstances (EC) arrangements:
Eligible farmers in EC declared areas can apply for income support, in the form of the Exceptional Circumstances Relief Payments, and business support, in the form of Exceptional Circumstances Interest Rate Subsidies.
Australia will continue to meet its WTO obligations by notifying domestic support measures to the Committee on Agriculture.
The Government will support farmers throughout the drought, until they have had the opportunity for a sustained recovery. The Government believes it will be important to maintain the long-term viability of Australia’s farming families and communities.
Australia and Chile move towards a bilateral free trade agreement
The Minister for Trade, Mr Warren Truss, announced on 8 December that the Australian Government had agreed in-principle to commencing a bilateral negotiation process with Chile, with a view to developing a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA).
The initial stage of the process would comprise working-level bilateral meetings in the first half of 2007 to determine the scope of the FTA.
Consultations would also be held with all interested industry groups and stakeholders, including State and Territory governments.
The Australian Government expects that this process will lead to the conclusion of a high quality, comprehensive, WTO-plus FTA with Chile, a country that has FTAs or similar trade agreements with over 50 countries.
A comprehensive FTA with Chile would be an important element in strengthening Australia’s broader strategic and political links with Chile.
It would also strengthen Australia’s efforts to promote a comprehensive approach to economic integration and trade liberalisation in the Asia-Pacific region, and would mark a new step in Australia’s relations with Latin America.
Australia’s two-way trade in goods and services with Chile reached A$487 million in 2005-06.
Australian companies also have significant investments in Chile, estimated at about US$2.78 billion.
News Stories - 8 December
Military Coup in Fiji
Australia strongly condemns the Fiji military’s unconstitutional removal of Fiji’s democratically-elected government. Australia has responded firmly to the Qarase Government’s unconstitutional removal and we urge a vigorous response from the international community.
The Commander of the Fiji military, Commodore Bainimarama’s announcement that he has assumed executive power in Fiji and dismissed the Prime Minister is completely illegal and cannot be justified on any grounds.
The Australian Government strongly condemns the Fiji military’s unconstitutional removal of Fiji’s democratically-elected government.
Australia has responded firmly with measures targeted at those responsible for the coup.
We are imposing travel restrictions on Bainimarama, his supporters and their families as well as on members of any unconstitutionally appointed government.
Defence cooperation with Fiji has been suspended and we will also support Fiji’s suspension from the Commonwealth and its suspension as Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum.
We urge a vigorous response from the international community and welcome statements from a wide range of countries, as well as the UN Secretary-General and Commonwealth Secretary-General, condemning Bainimarama’s actions.
Bainimarama’s actions will have significant consequences for Fiji’s economy and its standing in the international community.
Prime Minister Howard’s visit to Malaysia highlights strong bilateral relationship
Prime Minister Howard’s successful visit to Malaysia reaffirmed the importance of the bilateral relationship.
Prime Minister Howard made an official visit to Malaysia from 29 November-1 December.
The visit followed Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi’s visit to Australia in April 2005.
The strength of the bilateral relationship is underpinned by long-standing links in defence, education, business, and at the people-to-people level.
In his address at an Australia-Malaysia Business Council luncheon, the Prime Minister reaffirmed the Australian Government’s commitment to a free trade agreement with Malaysia and underlined the mutual benefits of such an agreement to enhance the trade and investment relationship.
In 2005-06, Malaysia was Australia’s second-largest trading partner of goods and services in ASEAN and our ninth-largest trading partner overall.
Prime Minister Howard presented 13 Malaysians with Endeavour Scholarship Awards for 2007. Part of the Australian Government’s Australian Scholarships initiative for the Asia-Pacific region, these scholarships will further strengthen educational links between Australia and Malaysia by supporting high-achieving students and professionals in their fields of study and research.
Education is a mainstay of the bilateral relationship –19,025 Malaysian students were enrolled in Australian education institutions as of October 2006, and more than 15,500 students are undertaking Australian courses in Malaysia.
Joint FTA study with South Korea announced
Australia welcomes President Roh’s positive comments during his visit to Canberra on 6 December regarding the desirability of looking into a possible Australia-Republic of Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The announced joint non-government level FTA study will likely be completed by late 2007 and will provide a useful basis for both countries to consider moving towards the commencement of negotiations.
Australia considers a comprehensive FTA with South Korea as instrumental in further strengthening and deepening an already well-developed trade relationship.
An Australia-Korea FTA potentially offers significant benefits to both countries, as our already strong commercial relationship is founded on our complementary economies.
South Korea is Australia’s 3rd largest merchandise export market, with exports of A$12 billion in 2005-06, with total two-way trade reaching a record A$20 billion in 2005-06.
An FTA, by lowering input costs through reduced tariffs, would benefit both Australia’s and South Korea’s economic and trade performance.
And would allow Australia’s already successful service providers to assist in South Korea’s aim of becoming a North Asian services hub.
The study will be conducted by private research institutions in both countries and will examine a wide range of issues relating to our trade relationship.
Tenders for the Australian partner in the joint study will be called early next year, and we expect the report to be presented to both governments by the end of 2007. Following the conclusion of the study, senior government officials will review its findings and make recommendations to their respective governments.
Operations Hub of Australian Tsunami Warning Centre opens
The new Operations Hub of the Australian Tsunami Warning System will improve the coordination of tsunami warnings for the Australian coastline and will share important information on seismic activity with other countries in the region.
On 1 December the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources, Ian Macfarlane, opened the 24-hour, seven days a week Operations Hub at Geoscience Australia, completing a key component of the Australian Tsunami Warning System (ATWS).
The Operations Hub will detect earthquakes in the region. Resulting information will be combined with data collected from the Bureau of Meteorology’s sea-level detection network to determine if a tsunami has been generated, and whether to issue a tsunami warning for Australia.
The Operations Hub will monitor 39 Australian seismic stations and around 70 overseas stations, and information obtained will be shared with countries in the region, including with the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) and the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System (IOTWS).
The Operations Hub forms part of the Australian Tsunami Warning Centre, which will be fully functional by mid 2007.
The role of the overarching ATWS project is to provide a comprehensive tsunami warning system for Australia, support international efforts to establish the IOTWS, and contribute to the facilitation of tsunami warnings for the South Pacific.
In addition, improvements to the interim Australian Tsunami Alert System were implemented on 7 December 2006. As a result of these improvements, within 20 minutes of an earthquake bulletin being received from international centres in Hawaii and Japan, a public bulletin will be issued to relevant State and Territory emergency services and the media clarifying the level of tsunami threat to Australia.
Archived News Stories 2006
Archived News Stories: 2 June to 1 December 2006