DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

SYDNEY, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Australia's top civil servant in its interior ministry was sacked on Monday after an inquiry found he breached impartiality rules. Michael Pezzullo, the powerful head of the department responsible for internal security, stepped aside in September while the investigation was conducted. It was not immediately possible to reach Pezzullo for comment. The inquiry followed a joint investigation by two Australian newspapers and a TV programme that alleged Pezzullo had intervened in politics to promote favoured politicians, attack opponents and push for media censorship. Reporting by Alasdair Pal in Sydney; Editing by Lincoln FeastOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Michael Pezzullo, Anthony Albanese, Pezzullo, Alasdair Pal, Lincoln Organizations: SYDNEY, Australian Public Service, Liberal Party, Thomson Locations: Sydney

Erin Patterson speaks to the media outside her home in Leongatha, Victoria, Australia in a screengrab obtained on November 3, 2023, AAP/Nine News via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. Patterson, 49, is charged with three counts of murder and five of attempted murder, according to court documents. Local media reported Don and Gail Patterson were the parents of Erin Patterson's ex-husband Simon Patterson, who was also present at the lunch. The mysterious deaths have gripped Australia, where deaths from eating mushrooms are relatively rare. "Anyone who collects and consumes wild mushrooms of unknown species is putting themselves at risk of potential poisoning and serious illness," the state's health department said.

Persons: Erin Patterson, Patterson, Don Patterson, Gail, Heather Wilkinson, Don, Gail Patterson, Erin Patterson's, Simon Patterson, Ian, Dean Thomas, Alasdair Pal, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Nine, ZEALAND, Melbourne . Local, Police, Thomson Locations: Leongatha, Victoria, Australia, AUSTRALIA, SYDNEY, Melbourne ., Sydney

SYDNEY, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Residents in three areas in Australia's northern Queensland state were ordered to evacuate their homes on Wednesday, as bushfires burned out of control. People in two adjacent areas, near the town of Dalveen, were on Wednesday ordered to evacuate immediately. AAP Image/Darren England via REUTERS Acquire Licensing Rights"Every Australian's heart goes out to the people... who are being impacted once again by these bushfires," Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers, whose electorate is in the state, told a news conference on Wednesday. "It was a pretty horrifying experience," NSW resident Michelle Balint told state broadcaster ABC on Wednesday, recounting a wall of flames racing across the family's land. Authorities on Wednesday imposed a third evacuation warning in the far north of the state, near Watsonville.

Persons: Darren England, Jim Chalmers, Michelle Balint, Alasdair Pal, Gerry Doyle Organizations: SYDNEY, Firefighters, REUTERS Acquire, NSW, ABC, Authorities, Stefica Bikes, Thomson Locations: Australia's, Queensland, Australia, New Zealand, Dalveen, Wallangarra, New South Wales, NSW, Watsonville, Sydney

Former architect and tour guide Peter Sekules poses for a photo at the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia September 29, 2023. REUTERS/Alasdair Pal/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Sydney Opera House celebrated its 50th birthday on Friday, with a laser show planned to illuminate the iconic building. Officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 20 October 1973, the Opera House is widely regarded as one of the greatest architectural designs of the 20th century, with 10.9 million people visiting every year. As part of the 1956 Opera House international design competition, 233 designs were submitted by architects from around the world with Jorn Utzon from Denmark chosen as the winner. The Sydney Opera House was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2007.

Persons: Peter Sekules, Alasdair Pal, Queen Elizabeth II, Robin Fox, Anthony Albanese, Jorn Utzon, Construction, Utzon, Lincoln Organizations: Sydney Opera House, REUTERS, Rights, Opera, Sydney Opera, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, Australian, Denmark

SYDNEY, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Australia's top court on Wednesday quashed a levy on electric vehicles (EVs) by the state of Victoria, in a case that could make it more difficult for other states to pursue similar legislation. In 2021, Victoria introduced a levy of between A$0.02 ($0.013) and A$0.025 per km travelled in EVs, a tax that faced a wide range of opposition. After a case brought by two EV owners, the High Court ruled Victoria's excise duty can only be levied by the federal government. The states of New South Wales and Western Australia have previously announced plans to introduce similar legislation. Reporting by Alasdair Pal in Sydney; Editing by Christian SchmollingerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: David Hertzberg, Noah Schultz, Alasdair Pal, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: SYDNEY, EV, ABC, Australia Institute, Thomson Locations: Victoria, EVs, New South Wales, Western Australia, South Australian, Sydney

SYDNEY, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday he accepted his share of blame for the failure of a referendum question on Indigenous recognition that could weaken his authority. Albanese staked significant political capital on a "Yes" vote, pushing ahead despite the opposition Liberal party opposing it. He faced Liberal leader Peter Dutton during parliamentary question time on Monday for the first time since the referendum failure. The referendum outcome is seen as a major setback for reconciliation efforts with the country's Indigenous community and risks damaging Australia's image in the world regarding how it treats people in that community. Remote areas dominated by Indigenous communities voted strongly in favour of the referendum question, Albanese said, in contrast to the rest of the country.

Persons: Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Peter Dutton, " Albanese, Tracey Nearmy, Dutton, Alasdair Pal, Kirsty Needham, Stephen Coates, Gerry Doyle Organizations: SYDNEY, Australian, Liberal, Old Australian, House, REUTERS, Labor, Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Financial, Thomson Locations: Canberra, Australia, Great Britain, Sydney

Voters walk past Vote Yes and Vote No signs at the Old Australian Parliament House during The Voice referendum, in Canberra, Australia, October 14, 2023. REUTERS/Tracey Nearmy/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Australia's parliament will on Monday meet for the first time since the failure of a referendum on Indigenous recognition that could weaken the authority of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Albanese staked significant political capital on a "Yes" vote, with the opposition Liberal party opposing it. The outcome is a major setback for reconciliation efforts with the country's Indigenous community and damages Australia's image in the world regarding how it treats them. The country's main business newspaper, the Australian Financial Review, called the result "heartbreaking" for the country's Indigenous community, that make up around 3.8% of the population and have suffered from centuries of neglect and discrimination since colonisation by Great Britain in 1788.

Persons: Tracey Nearmy, Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Peter Dutton, Alasdair Pal, Stephen Coates Organizations: Old Australian, House, The, REUTERS, Rights, Liberal, Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Financial, Thomson Locations: Canberra, Australia, Great Britain, Sydney

Christopher Luxon, Leader of the National Party, speaks at the New Zealand National Party’s election campaign launch in Auckland, New Zealand, September 3, 2023. REUTERS/David Rowland/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Support fell further for New Zealand's incumbent Labour party in an opinion poll released on Monday, with the populist New Zealand First party emerging as a potential kingmaker in next month's general election. In the Oct. 14 vote, the centre-right National led by Christopher Luxon is expected to emerge as the largest party in a coalition government. The biggest winner from Monday's poll was Winston Peters and his populist New Zealand First party, which crossed the 5% threshold required to elect lawmakers from the centralised list. New Zealand First's six projected seats in the 120-member parliament would make the party the kingmaker in a coalition led by National and potential partners ACT New Zealand, another right-wing party.

Persons: Christopher Luxon, David Rowland, Chris Hipkins, Reid, Winston Peters, Alasdair Pal, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: National Party, New Zealand National, REUTERS, Rights, New, Labour, New Zealand First, National, Reid Research, Zealand, ACT New Zealand, Thomson Locations: Auckland , New Zealand, New Zealand, Sydney

[1/5] Children study the Dharug language at Lethbridge Park Public School in Sydney, Australia May 8, 2023. "Opening our own schools, that's sovereignty in action," said Webb, one of those seeking to revive the Indigenous language spoken in Coffs Harbour, a coastal town about 500 km (310 miles) north of Sydney. Authorities often relocated Indigenous people from their traditional lands, known as Country, and forcibly separated Indigenous children from their families, resulting in a "stolen generation" because of policies that ran from the mid-19th century to the 1970s. As late as the 1980s, authorities punished Indigenous people for speaking their languages. At the time of European colonisation, more than 250 Indigenous languages, including 800 dialects, were believed to have been spoken continent-wide, the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) says.

Persons: Alasdair Pal, Clark Webb, Webb, Jayalaani, Ray Ingrey, Captain James Cook, you've, you'll, Ingrey, Jasmine Seymour, Maria Lock, Seymour, James Redmayne, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: Lethbridge Park Public School, REUTERS, Freedom, Torres, Authorities, Australian Institute of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Gujaga Foundation, Lethbridge Park Public, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, COFFS HARBOUR, Australian, Coffs Harbour, Australia’s, New South Wales, Torres Strait, Great Britain, Dharawal, British, Lethbridge, Sydney's

SYDNEY, Aug 20 (Reuters) - England and Spain go head-to-head in the final of the Women's World Cup on Sunday, capping off a tournament that has broken attendance and TV records and raised hopes of a surge in interest for the women's game. The last Women's World Cup in France four years ago attracted more than 1.1. million fans to 52 matches with an average crowd of 21,756. "We need funding in our development, we need funding in our grassroots," she said. "We need funding, you know, we need funding everywhere." The Matildas' standout World Cup campaign has led to calls for more support to women's soccer in Australia, where it lags more popular football codes like rugby league and Australian rules.

Persons: Sam Kerr, Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Jorge Vilda, Alasdair Pal, Edmund Klamann Organizations: SYDNEY, Australia, England, Seven Network, FIFA, White Ferns, GAP, Sweden, Australian, Sunday, Spanish, Thomson Locations: England, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Sydney, France

REUTERS/Florence Tan/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Unions at Woodside Energy Group's (WDS.AX) North West Shelf offshore gas platforms on Sunday announced plans to strike as early as Sept. 2, which could eventually disrupt shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from top global exporter Australia. The strike threat escalates a long-running dispute between Woodside and workers over pay and conditions on its North West Shelf gas platforms, which feed Australia's biggest LNG plant. Unions in Australia are required by law to give companies seven working days' notice before any industrial action but can elect to call off any action before then. "Offshore Alliance members don’t take industrial action lightly, but Woodside is really leaving them with little choice here." Workers there on Friday began voting on whether to grant unions permission to call for strike action, with the first results due by Thursday.

Persons: Florence Tan, Woodside, Brad Gandy, Alasdair Pal, Lewis Jackson, Sonali Paul, William Mallard Organizations: Woodside Energy, World Gas, REUTERS, Rights, West, Sunday, Australia, North West Shelf, Unions, Offshore Alliance, Maritime Union of Australia, Australian Workers ' Union, Woodside, Workers, Thomson Locations: Daegu, South Korea, Woodside, Australia, Sydney

SYDNEY, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Australia coach Tony Gustavsson was left to wonder what might have been after the Matildas were dumped out of the Women's World Cup semi-finals 3-1 by European champions England on Wednesday. But after the game he said the tournament co-hosts had created the same amount of chances as England. Australia had the wind in their sails but England refused to wilt under the pressure and on 71 minutes Player of the Match Hemp put them back in front. We've felt the love all over the country," Kerr told Seven. "It's hard to think about (the third place playoff) now but Tony's already said it's a quick turnaround," Kerr said.

Persons: Tony Gustavsson, Ella Toone, Lauren Hemp, Alessia Russo, talismanic, Sam Kerr, Gustavsson, Kerr, Millie Bright, Mary Earps, Ellie Carpenter, Russo, they've, We've, Tony's, it's, Alasdair Pal, Peter Rutherford Organizations: SYDNEY, England, Australia, Sweden, Thomson Locations: Australia, Sydney, Sweden, England

Soccer Football - FIFA Women?s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 - Quarter Final - Australia v France - Brisbane Stadium , Brisbane, Australia - August 12, 2023 Australia's Mackenzie Arnold and teammates celebrate winning the match after a penalty shootout REUTERS/Dan Peled/File photoSYDNEY, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday backed calls for a public holiday if its team win the Women's World Cup. They play European champions England in Sydney on Wednesday in a match likely to smash Australian TV viewing figures for a soccer game. Chris Minns, the leader of country' most populous state of New South Wales, on Monday pledged to declare a public holiday within a week of the final if the Matildas win. But the Matildas' World Cup matches have sold out months in advance, with millions watching at home in numbers not seen since the Sydney Olympics in 2000. Reporting by Alasdair Pal in Sydney; Editing by Peter RutherfordOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Mackenzie Arnold, Dan Peled, Anthony Albanese, I've, it's, " Albanese, Albanese, Chris Minns, Bob Hawke, Alasdair Pal, Peter Rutherford Organizations: Soccer Football, FIFA, Brisbane, Australia, New Zealand, France, England, ABC, Soccer, Sydney Olympics, Australian, Thomson Locations: New Zealand, Australia, France, Brisbane, SYDNEY, Sydney, New South Wales

They are intended to complement traditional economic indicators such as gross domestic product, inflation and employment. "I think that they can be in concert and that is what the national wellbeing framework is all about." In a 127-page report titled "Measuring What Matters" issued to accompany the dashboard, the government painted a mixed picture of wellbeing. But measures of chronic health conditions, national security, biodiversity and fiscal sustainability had all declined. Several countries have attempted to diversify policymaking beyond economic benchmarks in recent years, most famously Bhutan, whose "gross national happiness" index is considered more important than GDP.

Persons: Carl Recine, Jim Chalmers, Wayne Cole, Alasdair Pal, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: Soccer Football, FIFA, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: New Zealand, Sydney, Australia, Bhutan

SYDNEY/AUCKLAND, July 20 (Reuters) - Australia and New Zealand will open the ninth Women's World Cup co-hosted by the two nations on Thursday, despite a shooting near the Norwegian team hotel in New Zealand's largest city of Auckland that left three dead and six injured. Tracey Taylor, a professor of sports management at RMIT University in Melbourne, said many members of grassroots football clubs expected the tournament to have a transformative effect for participation in women’s sport in Australia. Several participating nations, including tournament heavyweights England and Spain, have been in dispute with their administrators over working conditions and pay in recent months. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many New Zealanders to experience a top-tier FIFA World Cup event,” he said. Reporting by Alasdair Pal in Sydney; Additional reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney and Philip O'Connor in Stockholm; Editing by Lincoln Feast.

Persons: Chris Hipkins, Maren Mjelde, Sydney –, Tracey Taylor, ”, Sam Kerr, Anthony Albanese, Fatma, “, Grant Robertson, “ It’s, Alasdair Pal, Renju Jose, Philip O'Connor, Lincoln Organizations: SYDNEY, Police, New Zealand, New Zealand’s Football Ferns, Norway, Gang, Australia, RMIT University, England, rugby, Blacks, FIFA’s, Kiwis, Zealand, Wednesday, FIFA, Thomson Locations: AUCKLAND, Australia, New Zealand, Norwegian, New Zealand's, Auckland, Eden, Norway, Republic of Ireland, Sydney, England, Melbourne, Spain, France, Zealanders, Stockholm

SYDNEY, July 6 (Reuters) - Australian Home Minister Clare O'Neil on Thursday called Donald Trump Jr. a "big baby", after the son of the former U.S. president cancelled a planned speaking tour. "Geez, Donald Trump Jr is a bit of sore loser," she said in a series of posts on Twitter that were later deleted. "Donald Trump Jr has been given a visa to come to Australia. Albanese also said the eldest son of former President Donald Trump had not been blocked from entering. The younger Trump has long been a vociferous supporter of his father who is the front-runner in the 2024 Republican presidential nominating contest.

Persons: Clare O'Neil, Donald Trump Jr, Trump, O'Neil, Anthony Albanese, Geez, Donald Trump, didn't, He's, Albanese, Alasdair Pal, Robert Birsel Organizations: SYDNEY, Home, Sunday, Labor, Thomson Locations: Australia, Sydney

SYDNEY, June 27 (Reuters) - New Zealand's Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said on Tuesday she had a "very robust" discussion during an earlier meeting with her Chinese counterpart, as the leaders of the two countries prepare to meet. A report by the Australian newspaper said Mahuta received an "epic haranguing" and an "almighty dressing down" during a March meeting with China's foreign minister Qin Gang, in a potential sign of tensions in the relationship between New Zealand and its largest trading partner. "I would say that China is very assertive in the way that it conveys its interests," Mahuta told reporters on Tuesday, characterising the March meeting as "very robust". Mahuta did not elaborate further on the topics discussed in the meeting. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins is currently leading a delegation to Beijing that arrived on Monday and includes some of New Zealand's biggest companies.

Persons: Nanaia Mahuta, Mahuta, Qin Gang, Chris Hipkins, Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Alasdair Pal, Michael Perry Organizations: SYDNEY, Zealand's, National People's Congress, Australia, Thomson Locations: New Zealand, China, Beijing, New, Sydney

SYDNEY, June 26 (Reuters) - The Australian government will provide a new A$110 million ($73.5 million) package to Ukraine including 70 military vehicles to defend against Russia's invasion, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday. The fresh commitments take Australia's total contribution for Ukraine to A$790 million, including A$610 million in military support, since the conflict began in February 2022. Australia is one of the largest non-NATO contributors to the West's support for Ukraine and has been supplying aid, ammunition and defence equipment including scores of Bushmaster armoured vehicles. To prop up Ukraine's economy and trade, Albanese said Australia will also extend duty-free access for goods imported from Ukraine for another 12 months. The latest military assistance package will include 28 M113 armoured vehicles, 14 special operations vehicles, 28 medium trucks and 14 trailers.

Persons: Anthony Albanese, " Albanese, Vladimir Putin's, Albanese, Renju Jose, Alasdair Pal, Stephen Coates Organizations: SYDNEY, Australian, Ukraine, Bushmaster, Russian Federation, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Canberra, Russia, Russian, Rostov, Australia, Kremlin, Sydney

SYDNEY, June 23 (Reuters) - Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday the contested site of a proposed Russian embassy was secure, after it emerged a Russian diplomat was squatting on the land following an Australian decision to cancel the lease. This month, Australia passed a law to prevent Russia from moving its embassy from a Canberra suburb to a prime site close to parliament and the Chinese embassy, citing national security concerns. The Australian newspaper reported on Thursday a Russian diplomat was squatting on the land under the watch of police, who were unable to arrest him as he has diplomatic immunity. "Australia will stand up for our values and we will stand up for our national security, and a bloke standing in the cold on a bit of grass in Canberra is not a threat to our national security," Albanese told a press conference on Friday. A view of an entrance to the site of the blocked new Russian embassy in Canberra, Australia, June 16, 2023.

Persons: Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Tracey Nearmy, Alasdair Pal, Stephen Coates, Robert Birsel Organizations: SYDNEY, Australia, Australian, REUTERS, Russia, Thomson Locations: Russian, Australia, Russia, Canberra, Sydney, Moscow

SYDNEY, May 29 (Reuters) - The leader of Western Australia resigned on Monday in a surprise announcement, citing exhaustion, after guiding the resource-rich state through the COVID pandemic. Premier Mark McGowan, elected in 2017, is a member of Australia's ruling Labor Party, which also holds a large majority in Western Australia. But the truth is I'm tired, extremely tired. McGowan won a landslide re-election in 2021, with his COVID policies that effectively isolated the state from the rest of Australia proving wildly popular. Western Australia is the country's largest state by area and is rich in resources including iron ore and natural gas.

SYDNEY, May 15 (Reuters) - PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) said the former CEO of its Australia business, who stepped down just last week, will retire from the firm, while the auditor also announced an independent review into a leak of confidential government tax information. Tom Seymour will retire as a partner at the firm on Sept. 30, PwC Australia said in a statement on Monday. According to recent local media reports, another former PwC partner had been banned by Australia's tax practitioners board for sharing government tax plans with other staff at the firm. PwC has confirmed the "unauthorised sharing of confidential tax policy information", but has not named the individuals involved. That includes if the report recommends "exiting" further people and partners from the firm, PwC added.

[1/3] King Charles receives Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during an audience at Buckingham Palace, London. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his New Zealand counterpart, Chris Hipkins, have travelled to London where they are due to meet Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Friday. King Charles is head of state in Australia, New Zealand and 12 other Commonwealth realms outside the United Kingdom, although the role is largely ceremonial. I want to see an Australian as Australia's head of state," Albanese said in an interview with state broadcaster ABC on Friday. Albanese said would take the oath of allegiance to King Charles at the ceremony.

The report made 51 recommendations, including moving to a clearer monetary policy framework and greater accountability. LEGISLATE FINANCIAL STABILITY ROLE"The Review seeks a firmer foundation for the RBA’s financial stability role and clarification of the scope of its responsibilities. IMPROVE PROCESSES"The RBA and Monetary Policy Board should make changes to deepen the Board’s deliberation on monetary policy and ensure it is open to a wide range of inputs. STRENGTHEN TRANSPARENCY"Monetary Policy Board members should be more accountable for their role in setting monetary policy. There must be a clear division of responsibilities within the RBA between the Governance Board, Monetary Policy Board and Payments System Board."

SYDNEY, April 11 (Reuters) - Australia has reached an agreement with China to resolve their dispute over barley imports, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Tuesday, the latest sign of improving ties between the countries. Australia will suspend its case at the World Trade Organization (WTO) while China conducts a review into duties imposed on the grain, Wong told a news conference. "China has agreed to undertake an expedited review of the duties imposed on Australian barley over a three-month period, that may extend to a fourth, if required," she said. "In return, we have agreed to temporarily suspend the WTO dispute for the agreed review period." Australia lodged a formal complaint with the WTO in 2020 over anti-dumping and countervailing duties imposed by China on Australian barley, one of several sources of friction between the two countries in recent years.

MELBOURNE, April 4 (Reuters) - Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will take up an unpaid role leading the country's efforts against violent online extremism, the government said on Tuesday. Ardern stepped down as leader earlier this year, in a surprise decision that brought ally Chris Hipkins to power as head of the centre-left Labour Party. Attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand's second-largest city, in March 2019 left 51 people dead and 40 injured. "The Christchurch Call is a foreign policy priority for the government and Jacinda Ardern is uniquely placed to keep pushing forward with the goal of eliminating violent extremist content online," Hipkins said in a statement. "Terrorist and violent extremist content online is a global issue, but for many in New Zealand it is also very personal."

Search resuls for: "Alasdair Leads The Team Covering Breaking News In Australia"

25 mentions found