DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Australia's budget is expected to target housing crisis as prices keep climbing
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Vivien Soo | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Recent reports indicate that Australian home prices are set to continue their upward trend, driven by increasing migration rates and a shortage of housing supply. Treasurer Jim Chalmers is set to deliver the budget on Tuesday, which is expected to focus on addressing the nation's housing crisis. The Albanese government has already said it plans to allocate 88.8 million Australian dollars ($58.7 million) to train 20,000 local workers for the construction and housing sector. The National Housing Supply and Affordability Council (NHSAC) said Australia's limited housing supply has been further stretched by a number of factors, including "the resumption of migration at pace, rising interest rates, skills shortages, elevated construction company insolvencies, weak consumer confidence and cost inflation." She also said high housing prices have "ugly" long-term effects.

Persons: Andrew Merry, Eliza Owen, Jim Chalmers, Albanese, Peter Dutton, Owen, CoreLogic's Owen Organizations: Australia, Reserve Bank, Australian Bureau, Statistics, CoreLogic, ABS, Housing Supply, Authorities, Australian Bureau of Statistics Locations: North Bondi, Sydney, Australia, CoreLogic Australia

☆ Chinese warplane fired flares, put Australian Navy helicopter in danger, Canberra says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The Chinese jet “dropped flares about 300 meters (984 feet) in front of the Seahawk helicopter and about 60 meters (197 feet) above it,” Marles said in an interview with 9 News on Monday. The MH-60 Seahawk is a twin-engine helicopter and carries a crew of three, according to the Australian Navy. “They’re in international waters, international airspace, and they’re doing work to ensure that the sanctions that the world has imposed through the United Nations on North Korea, due to their intransient and reckless behavior, are enforced,” the prime minister told CNN affiliate Nine News. According to Australian public broadcaster ABC, Australian Navy Vice Adm. Mark Hammond raised the Toowoomba incident in a meeting with Chinese navy Adm. Hu Zhongming at an international naval symposium in Qingdao. Earlier in 2022, Australia said a Chinese warship used a laser to “illuminate” an Australian P-8A aircraft in waters north of Australia.

Persons: Anthony Albanese, Richard Marles, ” Marles, Albanese, “, ” Albanese, “ We’ve, ”, Maj, Rob Millen, Peter Dutton, Xi Jinping, ” Dutton, Mark Hammond, Hu Zhongming, Hammond Organizations: South Korea CNN —, Seahawk, Nations, Defense Ministry, Australian Defense, Australian Navy, United Nations, North, Australian Defense Ministry, CNN, Nine, Royal Canadian Navy, Australian Defence Force, Nine News, Australian, ABC, ” ABC, Pilots Locations: Seoul, South Korea, South Korea CNN — Australia, North Korea, Canberra, Beijing, China, Canadian, South, Ottawa, Australia, Philippines, Japan, United States, Chinese, Toowoomba, Qingdao, “, South China Sea, ”, Australian

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Anthony Albanese has become the first Australian prime minister to get engaged while in office, revealing Thursday that his partner accepted his marriage proposal on Valentine's Day. The first-term prime minister said he had planned both the date and place of the proposal and even helped design Haydon’s diamond ring. Albanese wants Australia to become a republic with an Australian head of state. “I’ll be there, throwing roses out in front of you, prime minister. Albanese is only the second prime minister to live with a common law partner at the Lodge.

Persons: — Anthony Albanese, Jodie Haydon, Albanese, ” Albanese, Australia's, “ We’ll, Haydon, “ It’s, ” Haydon, Peter Dutton, King Charles III, Dutton, ” Dutton, “, Julia Gillard Locations: MELBOURNE, Australia, Italian, British, Australian, Indonesia

☆ Australia marks national day that stokes patriotism and anger
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Angus Watson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Sydney CNN —“Australia Day is Dead!” Indigenous activist Gwenda Stanley chants into the loudspeaker, as a crowd of thousands breaks into applause. This is not a day to celebrate.”Nearby, Kevin Shaw-Taylor agrees January 26 is “absolutely not” an appropriate day for national celebrations. On the other side of the city, the Australia Day party was in full swing. A yacht sails in Sydney Harbor to mark Australia Day on January 16, 2024. Instead of guilt on Australia Day, a vast number of Australians “associate it with summer fun,” says Bongiorno, from the ANU.

Persons: Gwenda Stanley, It’s, Lynda, June Coe, Jenny Evans, ”, Grace, Elise, Kevin Shaw, Taylor, Arthur Phillip, Dan Himbrechts, EFE, Frank Bongiorno, –, Asanka Ratnayake, Chelsea Watego, “, Peter Dutton, ” Dutton, Dutton, Brad Banducci, Banducci, ” Banducci, Captain Cook, Queen Victoria, Queen, Diego Fedele, “ I’m, UQ’s, we’ve, we’re Organizations: Sydney CNN —, Indigenous, “, CNN, Australia, First Nations, Sydney, British Royal Navy, Australian National University, ANU, Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islanders, Voters, Nations, Curumba, Sea, Indigenous Voice, Coalition, Woolworths, Sovereign Movement, Blak Locations: Sydney, “ Australia, Belmore, Sydney’s, Australia, Sydney Harbor, Melbourne, Queensland, Queen Victoria

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

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

☆ Australia's referendum failure could lead to more divisive politics, analysts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] 'Yes' campaigners drive past voters lining up at a polling booth during The Voice referendum in Queanbeyan, Australia, October 14, 2023. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese misread the public mood, analysts said on Sunday, as he took responsibility for the referendum result, in which only the national capital voted "Yes" from among eight states and territories. Elected in 1996, Albanese saw the failure of the 1999 referendum for Australia to become a republic. Dutton may not try to win back these Teal seats at the next election, Kenny said, adding that almost all of Labor's rural and outer-suburban, working class seats voted "No". Former Liberal Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who will join the board of Fox Corp next month, praised Dutton's "courageous" campaign against the referendum in an interview with Sky News.

Persons: Tracey Nearmy, Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Chris Wallace, Peter Dutton, Dutton, Mark Kenny, Kenny, " Albanese, Bridget McKenzie, Tony Abbott, Dutton's, Abbott, Simon Banks, Hawker Britton, Wallace, Kirsty Needham, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, First, Aboriginal, First Nations, University of Canberra, Liberal, Australian National University, Labor, Trump, Nationals, university's Australian Studies Institute, Victoria, Sunday, Fox Corp, Sky News, Liberal Party, Thomson Locations: Queanbeyan, Australia, Torres, U.S, New South Wales

[1/2] A ‘No’ sign sits in front of the Tent Embassy near the Old Australian Parliament House as voters arrive during The Voice referendum, in Canberra, Australia, October 14, 2023. An Australian referendum requires a majority vote in at least four of its six states, as well as nationally. Ultimately, no state supported the "Voice" and the national vote was 40% "Yes" to 60% "No", according to preliminary counting. After the votes were counted, Dutton said his party supported Indigenous reconciliation but he made no mention of an alternative measure. Albanese, asked on Saturday why the vote had failed, said no referendum had succeeded without bipartisan support.

Persons: Tracey Nearmy, Anthony Albanese, Kos Samaras, Matt Qvortrup, Peter Dutton, Dutton, Timothy Graham, Graham, Cate Blanchett, Russell Crowe, Chris Hemsworth, Jason Mamoa, Shaquille O'Neal, Samaras, Donald Trump, Paul Smith, Smith, Albanese, Qvortrup, Byron Kaye, Praveen Menon, Edmund Klamann Organizations: Tent Embassy, Old Australian, House, REUTERS, Rights, Labor, Redbridge Group, Australian National University, Liberal Party, Queensland University of Technology, Qantas, NBA, Labor Party, U.S, European Union, Liberal, Thomson Locations: Tent, Canberra, Australia

[1/2] 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 Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Australian Indigenous leaders called on Sunday for a week of silence and reflection after a referendum to recognise the First Peoples in the constitution was decisively rejected by a majority of the population. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people make up 3.8% of Australia's 26 million population and have inhabited the country for about 60,000 years. The leaders said they would lower the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island flag to half-mast for the week and urged others to do the same. 'REFLECT HARD'Prime Minister Anthony Albanese staked significant political capital on the Voice referendum, but his critics say it was his biggest misstep since coming to power in May last year.

Persons: Tracey Nearmy, Lloyd Walker, Walker, Jade Ritchie, it’s, Anthony Albanese, Peter Dutton, Cordelia Hsu, Jill Gralow, Chizu Nomiyama Organizations: Old Australian, House, REUTERS, Rights, Peoples, Aboriginal, First Peoples, national rugby, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Canberra, Australia, Torres, Canada, New Zealand

☆ Australia's Referendum Failure Could Lead to More Divisive Politics, Analysts Say
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

By Kirsty NeedhamSYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's decision to deny constitutional recognition to its First Peoples could herald a more divisive "Trump-style" politics at the next national election, while pushing the prime minister to pivot to cost of living issues, some analysts said. Now he is expected to pivot to addressing cost of living issues pressing on voters, which had made it harder to win the referendum, she added. Elected in 1996, Albanese saw the failure of the 1999 referendum for Australia to become a republic. Dutton may not try to win back these Teal seats at the next election, Kenny said, adding that almost all of Labor's rural and outer-suburban, working class seats voted "No". Former Liberal Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who will join the board of Fox Corp next month, praised Dutton's "courageous" campaign against the referendum in an interview with Sky News.

Persons: Kirsty Needham SYDNEY, Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Chris Wallace, Peter Dutton, Dutton, Mark Kenny, Kenny, " Albanese, Bridget McKenzie, Tony Abbott, Dutton's, Abbott, Simon Banks, Hawker Britton, Wallace, Kirsty Needham, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: First, Aboriginal, First Nations, University of Canberra, Liberal, Australian National University, Labor, Trump, Nationals, university's Australian Studies Institute, Victoria, Sunday, Fox Corp, Sky News, Liberal Party Locations: Torres, Australia, U.S, New South Wales

☆ Australians overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to give Indigenous people greater rights in a major setback for reconciliation
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Australians voted "No" on a proposal to give Indigenous peoples greater rights in the country. The proposal was to create a body to advise parliament on Indigenous issues. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementAdvertisementCANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australians resoundingly rejected on Saturday a referendum proposal to create an advocacy committee to offer advice to Parliament on policies that affect Indigenous people — the nation's most disadvantaged ethnic minority. Opponents said the Voice would divide Australians along racial lines without reducing Indigenous disadvantages.

Persons: —, resoundingly, Anthony Albanese, Albanese, " Albanese, Tanya Hosch, we're, Hosch, Peter Dutton accused Albanese, Dutton Organizations: Peoples of Australia, Service, Voice Locations: CANBERRA, Australia

☆ Australia to hold independent inquiry into handling of COVID pandemic
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Renju Jose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Loren Elliott/file photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Australia's centre-left Labor government on Thursday said it would hold an independent inquiry into the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic to better prepare for future health crises. Australia closed its international borders and locked down cities among other pandemic restrictions that helped keep infections and deaths far below levels in other comparable developed economies such as the United States and Britain. A three-member panel, which includes an epidemiologist, public service expert and economist, will conduct the inquiry, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told a media conference. "We need to examine what went right, what could be done better with a focus on the future," Albanese said. "Because the health experts and the science tells us that this pandemic may ... not likely to be the last one that occurs."

Persons: Loren Elliott, Anthony Albanese, " Albanese, Albanese's, Peter Dutton, Renju Jose, Miral Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Labor, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, United States, Britain, Victoria, Melbourne

☆ More than half of Australians oppose Indigenous panel in constitution, poll shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( Renju Jose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] A Yes23 volunteer holds pamphlets while speaking with commuters about the upcoming Voice to Parliament referendum, in Melbourne, Australia August 30, 2023. AAP Image/James Ross via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Sept 4 (Reuters) - More than half of Australians would reject the inclusion of an Indigenous advisory panel in the constitution, a newspaper poll showed on Monday, as the government struggles to lift support for the landmark proposal ahead of a vote in about six weeks. The centre-left Labor government is under pressure to improve its messaging amid a steady fall in support for the referendum in opinion polls. On a two-party preferred basis, Labor still enjoys a lead of 53-47%, though that was down from 55-45% in the previous poll. Over the weekend, opposition leader Peter Dutton said he would hold a second referendum on Indigenous recognition if the Voice referendum fails but would not support a constitutionally-enshrined body, drawing criticism from the Voice support group.

Persons: James Ross, Anthony Albanese, Peter Dutton, " Albanese, Renju Jose, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, Rights, The Australian, Labor, Thomson Locations: Melbourne, Australia, Sydney

☆ Voice referendum: Australia sets date for historic referendum on its First Nations people
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Hilary Whiteman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Brisbane, Australia CNN —Australia has set the date for its first referendum in 24 years as polls suggest the government is on course for failure unless it can reverse declining support. As soon as the date was announced, the no campaign sent a text message calling for tax deductible donations that read: “It’s on! Votes in the territories – the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory will only be included in the national total. The Voice, if approved, would enshrine a body in the constitution made up of Indigenous people to advise the government on laws that relate to them. Tamati Smith/Getty ImagesNo vote strengthening in the pollsBut recent polling suggests if a vote was cast now, it would likely fail.

Persons: ”, Anthony Albanese, –, Richard Wainwright, Peter Dutton, they’d, ” Dutton, “, Anna Clark, Clark, ” Cedric Marika, Tamati Smith, Oscar, ” Oscar, she’s, Albanese, “ Don’t, don’t Organizations: Australia CNN —, Peoples of Australia, Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Australian, Territory, Nations, WA Liberals, Reuters, Labor, Liberal Party, National Party, Australian Electoral Commission, Liberal, AEC, Sky News, Australian Centre for Public, University of Technology, Garma, Torres, Torres Strait Islander Social, Australian Human Rights, ”, Torres Strait Locations: Brisbane, Australia, Australia CNN — Australia, Nations, Northern Territory, Perth, University of Technology Sydney, East Arnhem, Torres Strait

☆ Australian senator quits Liberal Party after allegations of misconduct
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, June 18 (Reuters) - A senator from Australia's main opposition Liberal Party facing accusations of sexual misconduct by several female politicians has resigned from the party but will stay in parliament, the senator's office said on Sunday. The claims against Liberal Party Senator David Van follow a 2021 inquiry into Australia's parliament house culture that found one in three people working there had experienced sexual harassment. Van, who denies the accusations, said in a message to the president of the Victorian division of the Liberal Party that he would resign his membership immediately. Following Thorpe's comments, former Liberal senator Amanda Stoker said in a statement that Van inappropriately touched her at a party in 2020 by squeezing her bottom twice. A third claim has also emerged against senator Van, Dutton told the media on Friday, without giving details.

Persons: David Van, Van, Peter Dutton, Lidia Thorpe, Amanda Stoker, Dutton, Scott Morrison, Sam McKeith, Lincoln Organizations: SYDNEY, Liberal Party, Liberal, Victorian, Reuters, Thomson

The referendum, which comes amid a wider reckoning over race relations, proposes to change the constitution and establish an advisory body called the Indigenous Voice to Parliament to give Indigenous Australians a direct say in policies that affect them. Five of those polled were funding or planned to fund the "Yes" campaign, while none endorsed nor were contributing to "No". Commonwealth Bank told Reuters it plans to fund the "Yes" campaign and had hosted two panel discussions with Indigenous speakers. Rio Tinto, which faced criticism in 2020 for destroying Indigenous rock shelters, said the Voice would bring an "additional lens" to government decision-making. Aurora Milroy, a lecturer in Indigenous affairs at the University of Western Australia, said supporting the Voice was easy publicity for companies.

Persons: Rita Wright, Loren Elliott, Anthony Albanese, Intifar Chowdhury, Albanese, Meg O'Neill, Ross Piper, Baker McKenzie, Thomas Mayo, Kate Gillingham, Peter Dutton, Coles, Rio Tinto, Fortescue, Aurora Milroy, Byron Kaye, Praveen Menon, Melanie Burton, David Crawshaw, Devayani, Anant Chandak, Veronica Khongwir, Sujith Pai Organizations: Australian, REUTERS, Australia's, BHP, Rio Tinto, Woodside Energy, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Labor, Voice, National, Nine Entertainment, Reuters, Commonwealth Bank, Ethical Investment, Qantas, Australian Financial, Liberal, Fair Australia, Miners, Fortescue Metals, University of Western, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, Rio, Western Australia, Woodside, Queensland, University of Western Australia, Melbourne

☆ Australian senator asked to resign after allegations of misconduct
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, June 16 (Reuters) - Australia's main opposition Liberal Party leader asked a senator to resign on Friday following allegations of sexual misconduct against him by female senators, which he has denied. The accusations against Liberal Party Senator David Van follow numerous previous complaints about the culture in Australia's parliament house, which led to an inquiry in 2021 that found one in three people working there had experienced sexual harassment. Earlier this week Thorpe, speaking under parliamentary privilege, said she had been sexually assaulted by Van in the previous parliamentary term, which Van immediately denied. Following Thorpe's comments, former Liberal senator Amanda Stoker said in a statement that Van inappropriately touched her at a party in 2020 by squeezing her bottom twice. A third allegation has also emerged against senator Van, opposition Liberal Party leader Peter Dutton told the media on Friday, without giving details.

Persons: David Van, Thorpe, Van, Amanda Stoker, Peter Dutton, Dutton, Scott Morrison, Morrison, Praveen Menon, Stephen Coates Organizations: SYDNEY, Liberal Party, Liberal, Nine Radio, Thomson

☆ Australian senator alleges assault in parliament house; calls for safer workplace
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, June 15 (Reuters) - An Australian senator on Thursday said she was followed, aggressively propositioned and inappropriately touched by another senator in parliament house, and called on the government to make the building safer for women. "I experienced sexual comments and was inappropriately propositioned by powerful men," Thorpe told the Senate, where her comments are protected by parliamentary privilege. Thorpe made the comments on Thursday, after the previous day accusing Liberal Party senator David Van of harassing and sexually assaulting her during the previous parliamentary term. "I will fully cooperate with the investigators and answer any questions that they may have of me and Senator Thorpe should do the same," Van said. Thorpe's claims follow numerous reports of sexual abuse and misconduct in parliament, which led to an independent inquiry into parliamentary workplace culture which found one in three people working there had experienced sexual harassment.

Persons: Lidia Thorpe, Thorpe, David Van, Van, Peter Dutton, Dutton, Thorpe's, Praveen Menon, Lincoln Organizations: SYDNEY, Senate, Liberal, Liberal Party, Thomson Locations: Australian

☆ Australia opposition lawmaker quits shadow cabinet over Indigenous referendum stance
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, April 11 (Reuters) - An Australian opposition lawmaker quit the shadow cabinet on Tuesday in disagreement with his Liberal party's decision to campaign against a proposal to constitutionally recognise the country's Aboriginal and Torres Island people. Explaining his decision to resign as shadow attorney general and shadow minister for Indigenous Australians, Julian Leeser said he was unable to persuade his Liberal colleagues to support the proposed constitutional changes. "I resign without rancour or bitterness and I remain a loyal Liberal," Leeser said during a media briefing, pledging his support to opposition leader Peter Dutton. Leaving the shadow cabinet will give Leeser the freedom to campaign for the recognition of Australia's Aboriginal people in the constitution and the establishment of an Indigenous advisory group, called the "Voice". Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who has staked significant political capital on the referendum, welcomed Leeser's decision.

☆ 'Judas betrayal': Indigenous Australians denounce opposition for rejecting referendum
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Praveen Menon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Loren Elliott/File PhotoSYDNEY, April 6 (Reuters) - Senior Indigenous leaders on Thursday criticised Australia's main opposition party's "Judas betrayal" for declaring it would campaign against a proposal to constitutionally recognise the country's Aboriginal and Torres Island people. Noel Pearson, an Indigenous leader and a key campaigner for the community, said he had a sleepless night after hearing the decision of the Liberal Party. "I was troubled by dreams and the spectre of the Dutton Liberal party's Judas betrayal of our country,” he told ABC radio. Uluru Dialogue spokeswoman and Indigenous leader Pat Anderson said the Liberal decision was a vote for “business as usual”. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's government has staked significant political capital on the referendum, but no referendum has succeeded in Australia without bipartisan support.

☆ Australia opposition says opposed to Indigenous body in parliament
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, April 5 (Reuters) - Australia's main opposition Liberal party said on Wednesday it would oppose setting up a consultative body in parliament that could advise lawmakers on matters affecting the country's Indigenous people. The move comes after the centre-left Labor government moved a bill last week to hold a national referendum, the first step towards enshrining an independent advisory body for Indigenous people in the constitution by setting up an Indigenous "Voice to Parliament". He said regional and local committees in Indigenous communities could be more effective than having a national body. Any constitutional alterations in Australia require a national referendum and to succeed, it requires a double majority. That means it requires a national majority of votes as well as a majority of votes in at least four of the six states.

[1/3] Yunupingu, an influential Australian Indigenous leader, is seen with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in this July 29, 2022 handout photo in Australia. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called Yunupingu a "national treasure" who worked to unite Australia's leaders with its Indigenous community. Born in 1948 in Australia's remote Northern Territories, Yunupingu also worked with successive prime ministers to draft legislation on Indigenous rights. The Australian government last week took the first formal step towards holding a referendum to recognise Indigenous people in the constitution and set up an Indigenous "Voice to Parliament" to advise lawmakers on matters that impact their lives. Opposition leader Peter Dutton, whose Liberal party is yet to clarify its position on the referendum, called Yunupingu "one of our greatest Australians".

☆ Australia PM Albanese boosted by historic by-election win
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Renju Jose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

But despite calling the election result "a historic win", Albanese said his government would remain grounded. "This was a significant victory ... but we don't get carried away with this," Albanese told ABC Radio in an interview. The last time the opposition lost a by-election to a government candidate was in 1920, in the Western Australia state goldfields electorate of Kalgoorlie. The by-election win comes a week after Labor returned to power in New South Wales, Australia's most populous state. The win means the party now governs at state and federal levels across Australia's mainland, leaving island state Tasmania as the conservative outlier.

☆ Australia's nuclear submarine plan to cost up to $245 billion by 2055 -defence official
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Lewis Jackson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

CANBERRA, March 14 (Reuters) - Australia's nuclear-powered submarine programme with the United States and Britain will cost up to A$368 billion ($245 billion) over the next three decades, a defence official said on Tuesday, the country's biggest single defence project in history. Albanese said the programme would start with a A$6 billion ($4 billion) investment over the next four years to expand a major submarine base and the country's submarine shipyards, as well as train skilled workers. The total cost of the submarine program is estimated to be A$268 billion to A$368 billion by 2055, or roughly 0.15% of gross domestic product per year, a defence official told Reuters. U.S. nuclear-powered submarines will visit Western Australia more frequently this year, with British submarines making port visits starting in 2026. From 2027 the Perth base, HMAS Stirling, will be host to a rotational presence of British and U.S. nuclear-powered submarines to build Australia's experience.

☆ Australia marks anniversary of 'Stolen Generation' apology; promises more funds
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Praveen Menon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Day after day, week after week," he said. Opposition leader Peter Dutton apologised for boycotting the national apology in 2008. "I've apologised for that in the past and I repeat that apology again today," Dutton told parliament in his speech. "I failed to grasp at the time the symbolic significance to the Stolen Generation of the Apology." Australia’s First Nations people were not included in the census and recognised as part of the Australian population until 1967.

Search resuls for: "Peter Dutton"

25 mentions found