AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Australian government paid millions for unusable Covid face masks from obscure online retailer

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Original article by David Conn, Christopher Knaus
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 8-Nov-23

The former Coalition government has come under renewed scrutiny over its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been revealed that the Department of Health awarded $100m worth of contracts to supply personal protective equipment to a small online retailer in April and June 2020. The contracts to supply 50 million face masks and four million isolation gowns were subsequently outsourced to two companies that are registered in Cyprus. However, some 46 million face masks were deemed to be unusable because they did not comply with quality standards. The Department of Health awarded the contracts via a limited tender.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH AND AGED CARE

PM’s China visit life and death for jailed writer

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 1-Nov-23

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has indicated that he will raise issues such as human rights and China’s growing presence in the South China Sea during his upcoming official visit to Beijing and Shanghai. The family of Chinese-Australian writer Yang Hengjun has urged Albanese to also raise his case with Chinese officials. Yang has been detained in China for nearly five years without receiving an official verdict on alleged espionage offences. Yang’s two sons are concerned that he will die from medical neglect if he is not released soon. Journalist Cheng Lei recently returned to Melbourne after three years’ detention in China on similar charges.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Global pressures on PM’s domestic agenda

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Original article by Geoff Chambers
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 30-Oct-23

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has defended his hectic overseas travel schedule, arguing that personally engaging with world leaders is critical at a time of significant economic and security shocks. Albanese has come under scrutiny over his international travel itenary amid the domestic cost-of-living crisis, a high inflation rate and rising oil prices. Albanese recently returned from his first official visit to the US, while his upcoming trip to China will be the first by an Australian prime minister since 2016. Albanese used a speech on his final day in Washington to emphasise the need to engage with China and to develop understanding, given that the nation accounts for 25 per cent of Australia’s exports. Albanese will also attend the Pacific Islands Forum and the APEC summit in coming weeks.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

ACTU calls for fairer, stronger IR reform

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 6 : 25-Oct-23

The ACTU has used its submission to the Senate’s inquiry into the Closing Loopholes Bill to propose 44 amendments that it claims would improve the legislation. Amongst other things, the peak union body wants the "employee-like" provisions of the bill to be expanded to all employees with such arrangements, rather than just gig economy workers. It also wants the Fair Work Commission to have powers to arbitrate on the question of whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor, and for superannuation to be included in the provisions of the bill regarding wage theft.

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ACTU, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

Australia to streamline information sharing with US to seal subs deal

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Original article by Farrah Tomazin
The Age – Page: Online : 25-Oct-23

The federal government will legislate changes to the nation’s export control laws as part of its deal to acquire nuclear-powered submarines via the AUKUS alliance. The proposed reforms will make it easier for Australia to share sensitive information and technology with its partners in the alliance; it is also hoped that they will help ease the concerns of some US Congress members about providing Australia with classified information regarding the US nuclear program. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says US politicians from all sides understand the value of AUKUS and want "to get it right".

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Albanese must talk with Netanyahu, send Wong to Israel: Opposition

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Original article by Paul Sakkal
The Age – Page: Online : 25-Oct-23

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he has spoken to Israel’s ambassador to Australia several times since the war against Hamas began. However, Albanese has confirmed that he has not spoken to Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and has no plans at present to visit Israel. Albanese reiterated Australia’s support for Israel at a press conference during his official visit to the US, stating that the nation has picked "a side against Hamas". Meanwhile, shadow home affairs minister James Paterson argues that Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong should visit Israel if Albanese’s schedule means that he cannot do so.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE

$2b boost for critical minerals

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Original article by Andrew Tillett, Matthew Cranston
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 25-Oct-23

The federal government initially allocated $2bn to its Critical Minerals Facility when it was announced earlier in 2023. However, this will be increased to $4bn as part of measures to be announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during his official visit to the US. Albanese said critical minerals and rare earths are the ‘building blocks’ of a clean energy future, adding that Australia is committed to building sustainable and secure critical minerals supply chains with the US. The two nations aim to reduce global reliance on China for the processing of critical minerals such as lithium and cobalt.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

ALP support plunges after the defeat of The Voice Referendum: ALP 49.5% (down 4.5%) cf. L-NP Coalition 50.5% (up 4.5%)

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 24-Oct-23

The L-NP Coalition would now win a Federal Election as ALP two-party preferred support plunged 4.5% to 49.5% and is now behind the L-NP Coalition on 50.5% (up 4.5%) after all six States voted against the proposed ‘Voice to Parliament’ at the nation-wide referendum on Saturday October 14, according to the latest Roy Morgan Poll taken in the first week after the referendum from Monday October 16 – Sunday October 22, 2023. This is the first time the Roy Morgan Poll shows the Coalition leading the Albanese Government on a two-party preferred basis since the Federal Election. Primary support for the ALP was down 3% to 32% and the Coalition increased 2% to 36%. Another 32% chose another party or independent, including the Greens on 14% and One Nation on 4.5%. The results are based on Roy Morgan surveying of a representative sample of 1,383 Australian electors. Further details on the Roy Morgan Poll on Federal Voting Intention, including the States, will be provided in Roy Morgan’s Market Research Update and Weekly Update Video.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

PM to back Biden on AUKUS, Israel and Ukraine

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Original article by Geoff Chambers, Adam Creighton
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 23-Oct-23

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese flew to Washington on Sunday for an official state visit and dinner at the White House with US President Joe Biden. Albanese says he will lobby the US Congress to pass Biden’s $105 billion military aid bill, which includes $3.4 billion to boost US submarine production to help promised sales to Australia as part of the AUKUS treaty; the bill also will provide aid for Israel and Ukraine. Albanese has also confirmed that he will visit China to meet President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang in Beijing and attend the Shanghai International Import Expo in early November.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

China wine tariffs under review

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Original article by Will Glasgow
The Australian – Page: 4 : 23-Oct-23

The Chinese government imposed tariffs of more than 200 per cent on Australian wine in 2020 as part of a widespread imposition of tariffs on Australian exports after the former Coalition government called for an inquiry into the origins of COVID-19. However, China has announced that it will review its tariffs on Australian wine. Shadow foreign affairs minister Simon Birmingham – who was trade minister at the time the tariffs were imposed – said they were "an attempt at economic coercion by China".

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET