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☆ Australia Says AUKUS a Response to Arms Race, Not Fuel for It
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY (Reuters) - The Indo Pacific region is in the midst of a substantial arms race that Australia is responding to, not fuelling, with its planned acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines, Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy said on Tuesday. The $245 billion AUKUS project with Britain and the United States to build a new class of nuclear-powered and conventionally armed submarine has been criticised by China as having the potential to spark an arms race. "The arms race is the greatest its been since 1945, and that is why I reject assertions... that Australia is somehow fuelling that arms race. "Conflict is far from inevitable," he said, adding that Australia cannot afford to under-invest in defence. Australia's nuclear-powered submarine fleet will be used for intelligence gathering in peacetime and to strike enemy targets during a war, Conroy said.

Persons: Defence Industry Pat Conroy, Conroy, AUKUS, Kirsty Needham, Gerry Doyle Organizations: SYDNEY, Defence Industry, National Press Club Locations: Australia, Britain, United States, China, Canberra, Southeast Asia, Philippines, South, Darwin

☆ Taiwan says Australian warship sailed through Taiwan Strait
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TAIPEI, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Taiwan's defence ministry said on Friday that an Australian warship had sailed through the Taiwan Strait, the sensitive and narrow waterway that separates the democratically governed island from China. The ship, which it did not name, entered the strait on Thursday and sailed in a southerly direction, the ministry added. Last week, Canberra complained of an incident involving a Chinese warship and an Australian navy vessel in Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in which an Australian military diver was injured. The U.S. Navy sends ships through the strait around once a month in what it calls "routine" transits. Taiwan has over the past four years complained of repeated Chinese military activity around the island, especially in the strait.

Persons: Ben Blanchard, Kirsty Needham, Diane Craft, Stephen Coates Organizations: U.S . Navy, Thomson Locations: TAIPEI, Australian, Taiwan Strait, China, Australia, Canberra, Taiwan, Sydney

☆ Australia to form rapid cyber assist teams for Pacific Islands
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A man holds a laptop computer as cyber code is projected on him in this illustration picture taken on May 13, 2017. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Australia said on Wednesday it would spend A$26.2 million ($17 million) to establish "rapid assistance" teams to respond to cyber crises in the Pacific region, and another A$16.7 million to identify cyber vulnerabilities in the Pacific Islands. The cyber security boost comes after Australia and the United States committed last month to funding two new undersea cables to be rolled out by Google in the Pacific Islands to increase connectivity for eight remote island countries. Minister for the Pacific Pat Conroy said the rapid response teams would "build long-term resilience in the Pacific" and provide critical support. A second undersea cable would connect the United States to Australia via French Polynesia.

Persons: Kacper, Pacific Pat Conroy, Kirsty Needham, Stephen Coates Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Google, Pacific, Thomson Locations: Australia, Pacific, United States, Fiji, French Polynesia

☆ Fiji PM: China likely to collaborate on key port, shipyard project
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Lincoln Feast/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka told parliament on Wednesday the Pacific Islands nation was likely to collaborate with China on a key port modernisation and shipyard project, after discussing it in a meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping. Fiji previously sought Australia's involvement to build a modern ship-building facility at Lautoka, officials and a consultant to Rabuka on the project told Reuters. Rabuka told Fiji's parliament on Wednesday his government was focused on upgrading infrastructure, "particularly the modernisation of port facilities and shipyards". An Australian-based ship design company said Rabuka had earlier sought the involvement of Australia, Fiji's largest aid donor, in the shipyard project. China has been pushing for greater security and trade ties with Pacific Islands countries.

Persons: Sitiveni Rabuka, Xi Jinping, Rabuka, Xi, Stuart Ballantyne, Ballantyne, Vajira Piyasena, Kirsty Needham, Lincoln, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: REUTERS, Lincoln, Rights, Fiji Prime, Wednesday, Reuters, APEC, Wednesday Fiji, Fiji Ports, Fiji Ships, Heavy Industry, Pacific, Thomson Locations: Fiji, Suva, China, Lautoka, Australia, San Francisco, Australian, tradespeople, Pacific, Solomon Islands, United States, Papua New Guinea

☆ Australia PM says Chinese navy incident that injured diver was 'dangerous'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Loren Elliott/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said a Chinese warship acted in a dangerous and unprofessional manner during an incident with an Australian navy vessel that injured a military diver, his first comments on the matter which he said had damaged ties. In an interview on Monday with Sky News Australia, Albanese said the incident caused injury to one person and shows the need for "communication guardrails" between militaries. "This was dangerous, it was unsafe and unprofessional from the Chinese warship," he said. A People's Liberation Army Navy destroyer closed towards HMAS Toowoomba, despite the Australian vessel notifying the Chinese warship of a diving operation, and operated its hull-mounted sonar in a manner that posed a safety risk, Marles previously said. The Chinese embassy in Australia did not respond to a request for comment.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Anthony Albanese, Loren Elliott, Richard Marles, Albanese, Xi, we've, Marles, Kirsty Needham, Lincoln Organizations: Australia's, Economic Cooperation, REUTERS, Rights, HMAS, Defence, Sky News Australia, APEC, Liberation Army Navy, Thomson Locations: Asia, San Francisco , California, U.S, Australian, HMAS Toowoomba, San Francisco, China, Australia

☆ Australia plans to boost AUKUS tech-sharing, restrict 'foreign' access
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The law is meant to replicate U.S. export controls to defence technology, seen as a key step to beginning the AUKUS plan to build a new class of nuclear-powered submarine in Australia and Britain. The proposed law creates three criminal offences, further restricts sharing of defence technology to foreign persons inside and outside Australia, while allowing licence-free sharing among the AUKUS partners. "This is pivotal legislation which is critical for establishing a seamless industrial base with our AUKUS partners," Defence Minister Richard Marles said in a statement on Tuesday. Australia needs to reform its defence industry to remove "burdensome red tape" with Britain and the U.S., he added. Australia's science academy said on Tuesday it was concerned at the impact on scientific collaboration with other nations, including China.

Persons: Richard Marles, Leon Neal, Chennupati Jagadish, Jagadish, Kirsty Needham, Gerry Doyle Organizations: UK Artificial Intelligence, Rights, U.S . State Department of, U.S . Congress, Australian Academy of Science, Thomson Locations: Bletchley, Britain, United States, Australia, Virginia, U.S, China, Canberra

☆ Australia Plans to Boost AUKUS Tech-Sharing, Restrict 'Foreign' Access
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

Persons: Kirsty Needham SYDNEY, Richard Marles, Chennupati Jagadish, Jagadish, Kirsty Needham, Gerry Doyle Organizations: U.S . State Department of, U.S . Congress, Australian Academy of Science Locations: United States, Australia, Britain, Virginia, U.S, China, Canberra

SYDNEY/BEIJING Nov 13 (Reuters) - Australia scored a significant win for influence in the Pacific Islands region with a trump card that China, seeking to expand security ties, doesn't have: the opportunity of resettlement. "It is something China can't do," said Australian National University Pacific expert Graeme Smith. "China can turn up and offer more infrastructure money... they can't turn up and offer this kind of resettlement relationship. Australia also will be able to block any policing deal between China and Tuvalu - as well as any telecommunications, energy or port deal - under its treaty. "Cooperation in the Pacific region tends to focus on non-traditional security, including maintenance of public security and infrastructure to deal with climate change," he added.

Persons: Anthony Albanese, Kausea Natano, Graeme Smith, Richard Marles, Peter Dean, Smith, Wang Yiwei, Kirsty Needham, Martin Pollard, Miral Organizations: SYDNEY, Pacific, Australian National University Pacific, Pacific Islanders, Defence, United States Studies Centre, Albanese's, Pacific Games, State, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, Renmin University, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, Australia, China, Tuvalu, Washington, Beijing, Rarotonga, Sydney, Pacific Islands, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Taiwan, Kiribati, U.S, United States, Pacific

☆ Pacific Islands leaders confirm former Nauru president as next top official
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nauru President Baron Divavesi Waqa addresses the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 26, 2018. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Nov 10 (Reuters) - The Pacific Islands Forum confirmed the selection of former Nauru President Baron Waqa as the 18-member bloc's next top official at a meeting on Friday in the Cook Islands. Current Nauru President David Adeang had abruptly left the annual leaders meeting a day earlier after objections were raised by at least one Pacific Islands leader over Waqa's nomination. Adeang did not travel with the other leaders to the island of Aitutaki, where meetings resumed on Friday. "I inherited a fractured Pacific forum.

Persons: Baron Divavesi Waqa, Eduardo Munoz, Baron Waqa, bloc's, David Adeang, Adeang, Waqa, Sitiveni Rabuka, Henry Puna, Kirsty Needham, Tom Hogue Organizations: United Nations General Assembly, REUTERS, Rights, Pacific Islands Forum, Nauru, Fiji, Thomson Locations: Nauru, U.N, New York, U.S, Cook, Aitutaki, Taiwan, China, Micronesia, Polynesia, Melanesia

☆ Australia signs security, migration pact with Pacific's Tuvalu
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] A man riding a motorbike is seen reflected in a puddle of water in Funafuti, Tuvalu, August 13, 2019. Under the treaty announced by Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Tuvalu counterpart Kausea Natano, Australia will also vet Tuvalu's security arrangements with other nations. An Australian government official said this requirement covered any defence, police, port, telecommunications, energy or cyber security arrangements by Tuvalu. Although Australia has defence agreements with other Pacific Islands nations, in a region where China recently struck a security pact with Solomon Islands and is seeking to expand its policing ties and infrastructure projects, the Tuvalu treaty goes much further in positioning Australia as its primary security partner. Australia sees deeper economic and social integration with the Pacific Islands as a way to ensure the security of the region, a government official said.

Persons: Mick Tsikasvia, Anthony Albanese, Kausea Natano, Albanese, Natano, " Albanese, Kirsty Needham, Alasdair Pal, Lewis Jackson, Kim Coghill, Christopher Cushing, Lincoln, Michael Perry Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Australia's, Tuvalu, Pacific, Tuvalu Falepili, Australia, Canberra, Thomson Locations: Funafuti, Tuvalu, Australia, Taiwan, Beijing, Cook, China, Solomon Islands, Hawaii, Washington, Sydney

☆ Chaos as Optus outage disconnects half of Australia
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Byron Kaye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"Because of the outage it won't load," Rogers told Reuters while he was waiting at the pharmacist for the internet to return. Optus, which is owned by Singapore Telecommunications, (STEL.SI) gave no explanation for the outage except to say it was investigating it. Until then, even taking a walk became more difficult, at least for people who needed directions. An office worker from Sydney told Reuters he could not get into his building because the door required an internet-connected smartphone application to unlock. ($1 = 1.5538 Australian dollars)Reporting by Byron Kaye with additional reporting by Kirsty Needham and Sam Holmes; Editing by Stephen CoatesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Chris Rogers, Rogers, I've, Michael Clements, Angela Ican, we've, Roderick Geddes, Byron Kaye, Kirsty Needham, Sam Holmes, Stephen Coates Organizations: SYDNEY, Optus, Reuters, Reserve Bank of Australia, Royal Australian College of General, Singapore Telecommunications, Sydney, Thomson Locations: Sydney

☆ China, Australia to restart annual meetings as trade resumes
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese meets with China's President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, November 6, 2023. President Xi Jinping said on Monday stable ties between China and Australia served each other's interests and both should expand cooperation, sending a clear signal that China was ready to move on from recent tensions. The Australian prime minister said he had used the four-day visit to advocate for Australia's interests in trade, human rights, regional and global issues. "While there are differences between us, both Australia and China benefit from cooperation and dialogue," Albanese said. Australia and China had agreed to cooperate on trade, climate change and agriculture, the Australian government said in a statement.

Persons: Anthony Albanese, Xi Jinping, Lukas Coch, Li Qiang, Albanese, " Albanese, Li, Xi, Kirsty Needham, Ellen Zhang, Robert Birsel Organizations: Australia's, of, People, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, U.S, Islands Forum, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights BEIJING, SYDNEY, Australia, People . China, India, Japan, Pacific, United States, South China, Britain, Sydney

☆ Chaos as Optus Outage Disconnects Half of Australia
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

"Because of the outage it won't load," Rogers told Reuters while he was waiting at the pharmacist for the internet to return. Optus, which is owned by Singapore Telecommunications, gave no explanation for the outage except to say it was investigating it. Until then, even taking a walk became more difficult, at least for people who needed directions. An office worker from Sydney told Reuters he could not get into his building because the door required an internet-connected smartphone application to unlock. ($1 = 1.5538 Australian dollars)(Reporting by Byron Kaye with additional reporting by Kirsty Needham and Sam Holmes; Editing by Stephen Coates)

Persons: Byron Kaye SYDNEY, Chris Rogers, Rogers, I've, Michael Clements, Angela Ican, we've, Roderick Geddes, Byron Kaye, Kirsty Needham, Sam Holmes, Stephen Coates Organizations: Optus, Reuters, Reserve Bank of Australia, Royal Australian College of General, Singapore Telecommunications, Sydney Locations: Sydney

☆ Australia's Albanese to highlight trade on China visit as ties warm
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A quarter of Australia's export earnings come from China, more than the next three trade partners, the United States, South Korea and Japan combined, Albanese said on Tuesday. "Trade as an anchor provides stability and certainty to allow greater engagement while we navigate uncertain currents and obstacles that lie beneath," said Australia China Business Council president David Olsson. Chairman of the Business Council of Australia's global engagement committee, Warwick Smith, said Albanese would highlight the complementary nature of bilateral trade in a speech on Sunday to 500 business people. DIFFICULT TOPICSChina has lauded the visit's timing, on the 50th anniversary of the first to China by an Australian leader, then Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. Although the Albanese government has put dialogue at the centre of its approach to China, most policy remains the same, he said.

Persons: Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Xi Jinping, Richard Marles, David Olsson, Li Qiang, Fortescue, " Olsson, Warwick Smith, Gough Whitlam, Penny Wong, Xiao Qian, Richard Maude, Thomas, Maude, Kirsty Needham, Robert Birsel Organizations: SYDNEY, Australia China Business, Fortescue Metals, Rio Tinto, BHP, Business Council, Asia Society Australia, America, Thomson Locations: China, Shanghai, South, Beijing, Australia, United States, Canberra, Britain, Washington, South Korea, Japan, Rio, CIIE, Philippines, Taiwan

☆ Australia, U.S. Leaders to Discuss Pacific Infrastructure, Critical Minerals
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Kirsty NeedhamSYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia and the United States will announce plans to cooperate on critical minerals and bolster Pacific Islands infrastructure as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visits Washington this week, a senior Biden administration official said. The two leaders will flesh out details of further cyber security cooperation, in addition to a $5 billion Microsoft investment in Australia, the Biden administration official said. The minerals that will power the globe in the 21st century are things that Australia has significant amounts of," he told reporters in Washington on Monday. Albanese and Biden will also discuss the South China Sea, where tensions between China and the Philippines are rising. The partnership aims to sell Australia nuclear-powered submarines and build a new class of submarine in Australia by 2040.

Persons: Kirsty Needham SYDNEY, Anthony Albanese, Albanese's, Biden, Albanese, Kirsty Needham, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Biden, U.S, U.S . Department of Defense, USAID, Australia, U.S . Congress Locations: Australia, United, Pacific, Washington, United States, U.S, China, Papua New Guinea, Solomon, Philippines, Britain

☆ Fiji and Australia boost cyber security cooperation
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Prime Minister of Fiji Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka addresses the 78th United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York City, New York, U.S., September 22, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Fiji and Australia will cooperate on cyber security, with Australia also boosting aid to its Pacific Islands neighbour under an enhanced partnership, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said after meeting his Fijian counterpart on Wednesday. Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, on his first three-day official visit to Australia since becoming leader in December, said the relationship with Australia was warm. Under Rabuka's government, Fiji has put a decade-old policing agreement with China on hold, and sought to increase defence ties with Australia. Albanese said Australia had agreed to provide more budget support to Fiji "to help economic recovery and to boost growth", and would sell it 14 Bushmaster protected vehicles to support the Fiji military's peacekeeping operations around the world.

Persons: Mike Segar, Anthony Albanese, Sitiveni Rabuka, Rabuka, Albanese, Kirsty Needham, Lincoln Organizations: United Nations General Assembly, REUTERS, Rights, Australian, Fijian, Fiji, Australia, Lowy Institute, Pacific, Fiji military's, Thomson Locations: Fiji, U.N, New York City , New York, U.S, Australia, China, Canberra, United States

☆ Australia hopes for China wine breakthrough as deadline nears
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Bottles of Australian wine are seen at a store selling imported wine in Beijing, China November 27, 2020. Australia lodged a complaint over China's tariffs on its wine at the WTO in 2021. Until the tariffs, China was Australia's top wine export market, peaking at A$1.2 billion ($770 million) for the 12 months to January 2020. Officials are unable to comment publicly on a WTO report prior to publication. Australia wanted to take the faster path of negotiating an outcome with China on wine, as it did in the barley dispute.

Persons: Florence, Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Don Farrell, Farrell, Kirsty Needham, Gerry Doyle, Barbara Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Canberra, World Trade Organization, Australian, WTO, Trade, China Business Council, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Australia, Canberra

☆ Australia 'hopeful' on China wine breakthrough as deadline nears
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Bottles of Australian wine are seen at a store selling imported wine in Beijing, China November 27, 2020. REUTERS/Florence Lo/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday he remained "very hopeful of a breakthrough" in a trade dispute with China over wine tariffs, as a deadline for the publication of a World Trade Organization ruling nears. "I'm very hopeful of a breakthrough that removes the impediments when it comes to wine," Albanese told reporters on Tuesday, noting Australia's wine industry had substantial exports to China before the tariffs were imposed in 2020. Officials are unable to publicly comment on a WTO report until it is published. Australia last month rejected China's proposal for a "packaged solution" that would tie the wine dispute to those about duties on Australian imports of Chinese steel.

Persons: Florence, Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Don Farrell, Farrell, Kirsty Needham, Gerry Doyle Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Australian, World Trade Organization, WTO, Trade, Sky News, COVID, Trans, Pacific, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Australia

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

☆ 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

☆ Australian journalist Cheng Lei back home after China release
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/6] Australian journalist Cheng Lei poses for a selfie at an unknown location in this undated picture obtained by Reuters on August 11, 2023. Nicholas Coyle/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Australian journalist Cheng Lei, who had been detained in China on national security charges for more than three years, returned home on Wednesday after being released, Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. Cheng, who was tried in secret in March 2022, arrived in Melbourne and has been reunited with her two children and family, Albanese told a press conference. Albanese said he expected to visit China this year and told reporters dialogue with China was "a good thing". Albanese said Australia "continued to advocate" for another detained Australian journalist, Yang Hengjun, who has been held since January 2019.

Persons: Cheng Lei, Nicholas Coyle, Handout, Anthony Albanese, Cheng, Albanese, Penny Wong, I've, Xi Jinping, Ryan Neelam, " Albanese, Yang Hengjun, Yang, Adam Ni, Kirsty Needham, Laurie Chen, Alasdair Pal, Clarence Fernandez, Miral Organizations: Reuters, REUTERS, Rights, Australia's, Lowy Institute, Independent, Thomson Locations: Australian, China, Melbourne, Australia, Beijing, Independent China, Canberra, Sydney

☆ Exclusive: East Timor president says China military cooperation was 'never discussed'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The agreement also provided scope for funding from China including government and commercial loans to East Timor, he said. "It was never discussed in terms of military cooperation, never discussed, and the Chinese side also never raised this issue," Ramos-Horta said. East Timor, also known as Timor Leste, aims to join the Southeast Asian regional bloc ASEAN by 2025 as it seeks to reduce high poverty rates. Australia has appointed an envoy to speed up negotiations between East Timor and Woodside; Gusmao's government wants gas to be piped to East Timor and not Australia. Australia's relationship with East Timor is "stronger than at any time in the last decade", Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

Persons: Jose Ramos, Caitlin Ochs, Horta, Xanana Gusmao, Xi Jinping, heightening, Ramos, Kirsty Needham, Lincoln Organizations: Sustainable, United Nations, REUTERS, Rights, East, Reuters, Southeast, ASEAN, Canberra, Woodside Energy, Greater Sunrise, Greater, Australia, UN's, Fund for Agricultural Development, Global Citizen, Pacific, Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs, Thomson Locations: Horta, Timor, New York City , New York, U.S, East Timor, China, Australia, Indonesia, Canberra, Solomon Islands, 2,000km, Timor Leste, ASEAN, Singapore, Malaysia, East Timor's, Dili, Greater Sunrise, Southeast Asia, Woodside, New York

☆ Exclusive: Timor president says China military cooperation 'never discussed'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The agreement also provided scope for funding from China including government and commercial loans to East Timor, he said. Some Australian politicians expressed concern after China's state media reported on Saturday that Beijing's agreement with East Timor, around 700km (450 miles) north-west of Australia, also covered military exchanges. "It was never discussed in terms of military cooperation, never discussed, and the Chinese side also never raised this issue," Ramos-Horta said. East Timor, also known as Timor Leste, aims to join the Southeast Asian regional bloc ASEAN by 2025 as it seeks to reduce high poverty rates. Australia has appointed an envoy to speed up negotiations between East Timor and Woodside; Gusmao's government wants gas to be piped to East Timor and not Australia.

Persons: Jose Ramos, Caitlin Ochs, Horta, Xanana Gusmao, Xi Jinping, heightening, Ramos, Kirsty Needham, Lincoln, 私 Organizations: Sustainable, United Nations, REUTERS, Rights, East, Reuters, Southeast, ASEAN, Canberra, Woodside Energy, Greater Sunrise, Greater, Australia, UN's, Fund for Agricultural Development, Global Citizen, Pacific Locations: Horta, Timor, New York City , New York, U.S, East Timor, China, Australia, Indonesia, Canberra, Solomon Islands, 2,000km, Timor Leste, ASEAN, Singapore, Malaysia, East Timor's, Dili, Greater Sunrise, Southeast Asia, Woodside, United States, New York

☆ US backs Pacific undersea internet cable amid China competition
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( Joe Brock | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Workers install the 2Africa undersea cable on the beach in Amanzimtoti, South Africa, February 7, 2023. The Central Pacific Cable would connect American Samoa with Guam - two U.S. territories - and extend to up to 12 more Pacific islands, according to a document showing the cable route. Undersea internet cables typically take at least 3-5 years to be developed and installed. Tonga was cut off from global telecommunication networks for a month last year after a volcanic eruption and tsunami severed its only undersea cable. Washington intervened two years ago to block a Chinese company from building another subsea internet cable in the Pacific islands, Reuters reported at the time.

Persons: Rogan Ward, Paul McCann, John Hibbard, APTelecom, Hibbard, McCann, Joe Biden, Biden, Solomon, Joe Brock, Kirsty Needham Organizations: REUTERS, Pacific, Reuters, Central Pacific Cable, Futuna, Federated, World Bank, U.S . Trade, Development Agency, U.S, East Micronesia Cable, Thomson Locations: Amanzimtoti, South Africa, China, SINGAPORE, United States, American Samoa, Guam, U.S, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tuvalu, Fiji, Nauru, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Cook Islands, Wallis, Federated States, Micronesia, Australia, New Zealand, Washington, Tonga, Beijing, Japan, Sydney

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