O75 Public Administration

Teal demand 75pc emissions target by 2035

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 4 : 17-Jan-24

Teal MPs in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth are pushing for a much more ambitious 2030 emissions reduction target than the federal government’s legislated policy of 43 per cent. Some of them want this target to be reset to around 50 to 60 per cent. The independent MPs contend that people in their electorate want "real "climate action" rather than "another decade of delay". Kylea Tink, Allegra Spender and Kate Chaney are among the teals who advocate stricter emission controls beyond the 2030 target, proposing a 2035 target of around 75 per cent. The government aims to set a 2035 target by February 2024.

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‘We don’t accept’ genocide case: Wong

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Original article by Yvonne Ball, Jess Malcolm
The Australian – Page: 5 : 17-Jan-24

Foreign Minister Penny Wong says the federal government respects the independence of the International Court of Justice and its role in upholding international law. However, she has emphasised that this does mean that Australia accepts the premise of South Africa’s case of genocide against Israel in the ICJ. Wong also notes that Australia is not currently a party to the genocide claim, and that the ICJ has not yet sought international submissions on the case. Wong held talks with Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi in Amman on Tuesday, which will be followed by two days of talks in Israel. She will meet survivors of the 7 October Hamas terrorist attacks, although she will not visit the sites where the attacks occurred.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence virtually unchanged at 84.4 in second week of 2024

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 17-Jan-24

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence was virtually unchanged at 84.4 in the week to 14 January, and it has now spent a record 50 straight weeks below the mark of 85. Consumer Confidence is 3.3pts below the same week a year ago (87.7), but 6.4 points above the 2023 weekly average of 78.0. Consumer Confidence was down in NSW, Victoria and Queensland, but up in Western Australia and South Australia. Now 21% of Australians (up 2ppts) say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 52% (unchanged) say their families are ‘worse off’. Looking forward, 34% (unchanged) of Australians expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year (the equal highest figure for this indicator since late January 2023), while 31% (down 1ppt) expect to be ‘worse off’ (the lowest figure for this indicator since late January 2023). Only 11% (unchanged) of Australians now expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months (the equal highest figure for this indicator since April 2022), while 31% (down 1ppt) expect ‘bad times’ (the lowest figure for this indicator since late January 2023). Meanwhile, 24% (down 1ppt) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items, while 47% (up 1ppt) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ

Asylum centre funding behind Nauru ambush

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Original article by Andrew Tillett, Michael Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 17-Jan-24

The Minister for the Pacific, Pat Conroy, has advised that the federal government was given advance notice by Nauru that it intended to switch diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China. Conroy says Nauru did not ask the government for additional funds to prevent the diplomatic switch. Meanwhile, a Taiwan media report has claimed that the move was at least partly due to Taiwan’s decision to reject Nauru’s request for an extra $125m to address the financial shortfall caused by the temporary closure of Australia’s offshore immigration detention centre. However, the federal government contends that the facility has never been closed.

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Freed immigration detainee sues Australian government for damages for alleged false imprisonment

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Original article by Paul Karp
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 16-Jan-24

A stateless Kurdish man is suing Immigration Minister Andrew Giles for false imprisonment, following his release from immigration detention after the High Court ruled indefinite detention was illegal. Should his case prove successful, it could lead to the 149 people released as a result of the ruling to sue the government for what could be hundreds of thousands of dollars in compensation; the man in question was born in Iran and arrived with his mother by boat at Christmas Island aged 16.

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Dutton must explain Woolies boycott: PM

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Original article by Sarah Ison
The Australian – Page: 3 : 16-Jan-24

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Opposition leader Peter Dutton needs to clarify his stance on Woolworths after the retail giant advised that it will not stock Australia Day-themed merchandise. Albanese says Dutton should specify whether his call to boycott Woolworths is only meant to apply until after the national holiday or should be ongoing. Albanese adds that the boycott would presumably also apply to Kmart and Aldi, and notes that the three retailers collectively employ about 200,000 people, so Dutton should explain the impact of his proposed boycott on their jobs.

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WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, KMART AUSTRALIA LIMITED, ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD

Republic director’s fairytale grievance

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Original article by Jenna Clarke
The Australian – Page: 7 : 16-Jan-24

The Australian Republic Movement says that many people will have been pleased to see someone born in Tasmania become Queen of Denmark, but that it was a pity she had leave Australia to become a head of state. The ARM says that under a republic Mary could become an Australian head of state, while it labelled the accession of Queen Mary and King Frederik to the Danish throne as the "stuff of medieval fairytales". The ARM also claims that monarchies such as the Danish and British ones are becoming under question at a time when the average person is struggling to deal with the cost of living, while their representatives are leading a life of luxury.

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AUSTRALIAN REPUBLICAN MOVEMENT

Albanese says Australia will not participate in ICJ case against Israel and instead focus on political solution

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Original article by Daniel Hurst
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 16-Jan-24

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Australia will not take part in the International Court of Justice proceedings initiated by South Africa, which is accusing Israel of genocide as a result of its bomdardment of Gaza. Speaking as foreign affairs minister Penny Wong set off on a trip to the Middle East, Albanese said Australia would instead focus on a ‘political solution’ to the conflict between Israel and Palestine. Wong is due to visit both Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories during her Middle East visit; she will meet with survivors of the 7 October Hamas attack while in Israel, but will not visit the communities in southern Israel where the attacks were carried out, for which she has been criticised by the Zionist Federation of Australia

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

Nauru cuts diplomatic ties with Taiwan

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Original article by Michael Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 10 : 16-Jan-24

Taiwan’s foreign ministry has expressed disappoinment at the news that Pacific island nation of Nauru has decided to sever diplomatic ties with it in favour of China. Nauru’s decision comes just a matter of days after Taiwanese voters elected William Lai Ching, with Lai considered a "trouble maker" by China. Nauru’s decision is seen as a blow to efforts by the federal government to counter China’s growing influence in the Pacific region after it signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands.

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Cost-of-living relief possible before May: PM

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Original article by John Kehoe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 16-Jan-24

The federal government could potentially unveil further measures aimed at addressing the rising cost of living ahead of the budget on 14 May. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the government understands that Australians are "doing it tough", and it may be open to additional cost-of-living relief. However, the government has ruled out cash handouts, although potential measures could include further rebates for household energy bills. The upcoming by-election in the Melbourne seat of Dunkley could affect the timing any household relief.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET