VISITS OF STATE – AUSTRALIA

PM stares down Hard Left

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Original article by Ben Packham, James Dowling
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 11-Feb-26

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has praised the federal government’s efforts to combat anti-Semitism; however, he said the test will be in these measures’ full implementation and their outcome. Herzog also stated that he is on a mission to improve Israel’s relations with the federal government after a number of disagreements, including his nation’s right to defend itself. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has urged the people involved in violent protests against Herzog on Monday night to "turn the temperature down"; he told parliament that Herzog deserves to be treated with respect during his official visit, and stated that he will not walk away from his support for Herzog’s presence in Australia.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Herzog issues warning to Australia, and the world: Hatred of Jews never ends with the Jews

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Original article by Stephen Rice, Lachlan Leeming
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 10-Feb-26

Israeli’s President Isaac Herzog visited the Bondi Pavilion on Monday, where he laid a wreath and stones that he had brought from Jerusalem and met survivors of the Bondi Beach terrorist attack and relatives of the 15 victims. He expressed frustration that more was not done to address anti-Semitism in the lead-up to the terrorist attack, and warned that "hatred that starts with the Jews never ends with the Jews". Herzog added that the rise of anti-Semitism is a global emergency, and said that "we must all act to fight against it". Herzog also accused pro-Palestinian protesters of seeking to undermine Israel’s existence, and stressed that his country did not seek the war with Hamas that began with the attack on Israel on 7 October 2023.

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Security fears for Herzog events

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Original article by Ben Packham, Lachlan Leeming
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 4-Feb-26

NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon has advised that a Public Assembly Restriction Declaration has been extended in certain parts of inner Sydney for an additional 14 days. The move is in response to the official visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who will arrive in Sydney on Sunday. Lanyon says 3,000 NSW police will be on duty while Herzog is in Sydney; he adds that while there is "no particular known threat", the significant animosity regarding Israel could put community safety at risk. Pro-Palestine groups are organising protests in Sydney and Melbourne to coincide with Herzog’s visit. He will meet with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra on Wednesday, and attend a function in Melbourne on Thursday.

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NEW SOUTH WALES POLICE FORCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Dutton calls on Thorpe to resign

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Original article by Paul Garvey, Rhiannon Down
The Australian – Page: 5 : 23-Oct-24

Independent senator Lidia Thorpe may face a censure motion when the upper house sits in mid-November. However, shadow home affairs minister James Paterson says the measure is only symbolic, adding that Thorpe would probably wear it as a "badge of honour". Meanwhile, Opposition leader Peter Dutton says Thorpe’s disruption of a parliamentary reception for King Charles and Queen Camilla on Monday was "disrespectful". He adds that there is a very strong argument that Thorpe should resign in principle, given that she does not believe in the parliamentary system but receives a quarter of a million dollars a year from taxpayers. Thorpe is paid a base salary of $233,660 and an additional $25,702 for chairing a committee on so-called ‘forever chemicals’.

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LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

PM’s last word on press freedom as Li departs

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Original article by Paul Garvey, Will Glasgow, Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 2 : 19-Jun-24

Chinese Premier Li Qiang ended his four-day visit to Australia on Tuesday. However, the federal government failed to make any progress in getting China to lift its ban on Australian lobster imports, which is the only major export that remains subject to Chinese trade restrictions. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has belatedly responded to Chinese officials’ attempts to block freed journalist Cheng Lei from the view of cameras during a joint press conference with Li on Monday. Albanese said the action was "clumsy" and "ham-fisted", but Opposition leader Peter Dutton has called on him to "grow a backbone" and stand up for Australia. The government also waited until Li had left Australia before releasing a statement expressing its "grave concern" over an incident in which Chinese ships had rammed Philippines vessels in the South China Sea.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

PM plays down Chinese-owned lithium plant

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Original article by Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 13-Jun-24

Chinese Premier Li Qiang will visit a lithium processing plant at Kwinana during his official trip to Australia. The plant’s major stakeholder is a China-based company, and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has rejected suggestions that the federal government’s Future Made in Australia policy is being undermined by Chinese investment in critical minerals projects. He says Labor values foreign investment, although he adds that the nation must "move up the value chain" rather than merely exporting mineral resources.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Clashes to mar panda diplomacy

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Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 12-Jun-24

The federal government has confirmed the itinerary for the official visit of Chinese Premier Li Qiang. He will arrive in Adelaide on Sunday, where he will attend a state lunch and visit Adelaide Zoo; Li is expected to announce that China will extend its loan of two pandas to the zoo, which is part of the nation’s policy of "panda diplomacy". Li will travel to Canberra on Monday for talks with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, while they will both go to Perth on Tuesday to visit Fortescue’s hydrogen plant and a Chinese-backed lithium processing plant. There are concerns that Li’s official visit to Australia will be marred by disruptions caused by pro-China activists and human rights protestors.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Chinese Premier Li Qiang tipped to visit Canberra in June

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Original article by Michael Smith, Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 11 : 12-Apr-24

The office of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has declined to comment on reports that Chinese Premier Li Qiang will visit Australia in June. He would be the most senior Chinese leader to visit Australia since his predecessor Li Keqiang in 2017. Warwick Smith from the Business Council of Australia says a June trip would be logical, as it would coincide with the Australia China Business Dialogue in Sydney. The Chinese media reports also suggested that the ban on Australian lobster exports will be lifted during the visit. China recently scrapped its punitive tariff on Australian wine.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

Yang’s death sentence unlikely to stop Li visit

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Original article by Will Glasgow
The Australian – Page: 2 : 7-Feb-24

Sources have indicated that Chinese Premier Li Qiang is still is expected to visit Australia in late 2024. It would be the first visit by a Chinese leader since 2017, and is unlikely to be affected by a Beijing court’s decision to give Chinese-Australian academic Yang Hengjun a suspended death sentence on espionage charges. Associate professor Feng Chongyi says the federal government should make Li’s forthcoming state visit conditional on the release of Yang, whose sentence could potentially be reduced to life in prison after two years of good behaviour.

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Visa and minerals win for Indonesia

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Original article by Jess Malcolm
The Australian – Page: 5 : 5-Jul-23

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese held official talks with President Joko Widodo in Sydney on Tuesday. The two leaders agreed to establish closer ties via business, education and security, as well as addressing climate change. Amongst other things, Australia’s business visas for Indonesians will be extended from three years to five, while the two nations will co-operate with regard to critical miners; the federal government will also provide $50m in funding to invest in clean-energy-focused Indonesian start-ups and small businesses.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET