Page 21 - Australia

Global housing shortages hinder immigration-driven growth across world

For decades, the rapid inflow of migrants helped countries including Canada, Australia and the UK stave off the demographic drag from aging populations and falling birth rates

Oz carrier Qantas Airways faces $79 mn penalty for flight cancellations

Qantas was sued in August by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), which accused it of selling tickets to thousands of flights after they were cancelled

Australia to grow more yellow chana after India removes 40% import duty

The removal of 40% import duty on desi chana by India will incentivise Australian farmers to increase both the acreage and production of Bengal gram for export to India

Defence chiefs from US, Oz, Japan, Philippines vow to deepen cooperation

Defence chiefs from the US, Australia, Japan and the Philippines vowed to deepen their cooperation as they gathered on Thursday in Hawaii for their second-ever joint meeting amid concerns about China's operations in the South China Sea. The meeting came after the four countries last month held their first joint naval exercises in the South China Sea, a major shipping route where Beijing has long-simmering territorial disputes with a number of Southeast Asian nations and has caused alarm with its recent assertiveness in the waters. US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters at a news conference after their discussion that the drills strengthened the ability of the nations to work together, build bonds among their forces and underscore their shared commitment to international law in the waterway. Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said the defense chiefs talked about increasing the tempo of their defense exercises. Today, the meetings that we have held represent a very

South Korea confirms talks on joining AUKUS pact with US, UK and Australia

AUKUS, formed by the three countries in 2021, is part of efforts to push back against China's growing power in the Asia Pacific region.

Australia expels 2 Indian spies for espionage attempt in 2020: Reports

Australia expelled two Indian spies in 2020 for allegedly trying to "steal secrets" about sensitive defence projects and airport security, the Australian media reported on Tuesday. While The Australian and The Sydney Morning Herald said two Indian spies were booted out, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) did not mention any number. There was no immediate comment from Indian officials on the Australian media reports. "Indian spies were kicked out of Australia after being caught trying to steal secrets about sensitive defence projects and airport security, as well as classified information on Australia's trade relationships," the ABC report said. The so-called foreign "nest of spies" disrupted by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) in 2020 was also accused of closely monitoring Indians living in Australia and developing close relationships with current and former politicians, it said. The reports came a day after The Washington Post named an Indian RA

Australian regulator looking at MDH, Everest spices for possible recall

Earlier, some MDH and Everest spice mixes were recalled in Singapore, while Hong Kong suspended their sales over high levels of ethylene oxide

Enough is enough: Australia unites against gender violence, demands action

Protests have swept across Australia in response to a surge in recent instances of violence against women, with demonstrators advocating for the declaration of gender-based violence as a national emer

Teens plotted to buy guns, attack Jews after Sydney bishop was stabbed

Four teenagers plotted to buy guns and attack Jewish people days after a bishop was stabbed in a Sydney church, according to police documents cited in news reports on Monday. Five teens, aged 14 to 17, were charged in a Sydney court on Thursday last week with a range of offenses including conspiring to engage in or planning a terrorist act. Police alleged they all adhered to a religiously motivated, violent extremist ideology and were part of a network that included a 16-year-old boy charged with stabbing Assyrian Orthodox Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel on April 15 as a church service was being streamed online. According to a police fact sheet tendered to the Sydney Children's Court, two of the defendants charged last week discussed buying guns on April 19, the same day the bishop's alleged attacker was charged, News Corp Australia newspapers reported. Gun ownership is heavily restricted in Australia under tough national laws, but there is a black market for firearms in Sydney. Four of

Australian PM describes domestic violence as a 'national crisis'

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday described domestic violence as a national crisis after thousands rallied around the country against violence toward women. Thousands protested in cities around Australia on Sunday to draw attention to the deaths of 27 women so far this year allegedly caused by acts of gender-based violence in a population of 27 million. Albanese said on Monday the rallies were a call to action for all levels of Australian government to do more to prevent gender-based violence. "Quite clearly, we need to do more. It's not enough to just have empathy, Albanese told Nine Network television. "The fact that... a woman dies every four days on average at the hand of a partner is just a national crisis, he added. There were 17 rallies held across Australia over the weekend, with an estimated 15,000 people demonstrating in the city of Melbourne. Albanese said he will host a meeting or Australian state and territory leaders on Wednesday to discuss a ...

Musk slams Australian court over 'censorship' of alleged X terror posts

The pushback by the world's third-richest person sets up a new front in the battle between the world's largest internet platforms and countries and nonprofits

Elon Musk loses Australia court hearing over Sydney knife attack posts

In a hearing Monday night in Sydney, the Federal Court of Australia ordered X must hide all recordings of a terrorist attack at a church in the city on April 15 until Wednesday

Australia condemns X's fight against removal of Sydney attack images

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese criticised the broadcast of violent images and said some social media content exacerbated the pain of many people

Woodside Energy revenue falls from prior quarter on lower LNG, oil prices

Australia's largest LNG exporter said production from its Bass Strait project in Victoria and Pyrenees and Pluto LNG projects in Western Australia fell in the first quarter

Six victims die in Sydney stabbing, attacker shot, say police officials

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese extended condolences to those affected via a post on X

Australian prosecutors drop billionaire Andrew Forrest's case against Meta

He had pursued the lawsuit under Australian laws that allow an individual to criminally prosecute a foreign corporation with the consent of the attorney general

After Australia, New Zealand tightens work visa rules for immigrants

New Zealand aims to introduce several measures, such as an English language requirement for low-skilled jobs and a minimum skills and work experience threshold for most employer work visas

'Huge opportunities to enhance Australia, India collab in skills training'

There are huge opportunities to further enhance collaboration between India and Australia in the skills training area in sectors such as digital technology, renewable energy and infrastructure, High Commissioner of Australia to India Philip Green said on Monday. He said Australia's skill training is globally competitive and its training courses are developed in consultation with the industry. "We would like to be a bigger part of India's journey as it goes to fill its skills demand which is so massive over the next decade," Green said here at the Australia-India Skills Partnership Summit. India is the fifth largest economy in the world and is growing at 8 per cent per annum and that makes it the fastest growing large economy on the planet. "Every country in the world will be interested in India at this moment," he said, adding that the economies of the two countries are highly complementary. "We have many of the skills and attributes, metals and minerals and energy that India woul

Commonwealth Games Federation to announce new 2026 host next month

The Commonwealth Games Federation plans to announce a new host for its 2026 event next month, saying it has multiple proposals to replace Australia's Victoria state. The CGF on Monday said it was keeping the proposals confidential. Victoria state lawmakers last July withdrew from plans to host the 2026 Games in three regional hubs, citing escalating costs. Significant progress has been made and we are excited by the early concepts, which aim to reset and reframe the Games, the CGF said in a statement following its April meeting. We are working collaboratively with the relevant (members) to undertake further detailed assessments, and aim to announce the 2026 Commonwealth Games host in May. Victoria state agreed to a compensation package with the Commonwealth Games Federation, which will help offset costs for the next hosts. Australia's Gold Coast, which held the 2018 Commonwealth Games, was flagged as a potential host for 2026 but couldn't get state or federal funding. The CGF said

Oz Navy delegation visits WNC; discuss interoperability, challenges

A Royal Australian Navy delegation visited the Indian Navy's Western Naval Command (WNC) and discussed matters of mutual interest and interoperability, which will further strengthen the bilateral ties between the two navies, an official release said. The five-member delegation was briefed on the activities of the Indian Navy's Western Fleet in the backdrop of the security situation in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, it said. During its visit on Friday, the delegation also took a tour of an indigenously built destroyer and a submarine at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. The delegation was briefed on the capabilities of Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited when it visited the facility and was informed about its ongoing projects for the Indian Navy. A five-member delegation of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), led by Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, AO, Chief of RAN, visited Headquarters, Western Naval Command, Mumbai on April 5. The delegation interacted with Vice Admiral Sanjay J Singh, Flag Office