Elbridge Colby trying to ‘embarrass' the Australian government
US Undersecretary of Defence Elbridge Colby, who's leading the AUKUS review, wants to know if the nuclear submarines Australia purchases will then be used to help the US in any invasion by China of Taiwan.
Mr Siracusa said Australia's government is "too smart" to let the US humiliate them.
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ABC News
a few seconds ago
- ABC News
New Tasmanian crossbencher Carlo Di Falco says gun law reform will be one of his bargaining chips
Newly elected Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party MP Carlo Di Falco says gun law reform will be one of his bargaining chips in the next Tasmanian parliament. Mr Di Falco claimed a seat in Lyons with 6.7 per cent of first-preference votes. He said the party's priorities on gun law reform included amendments about silencers, mandatory three-month sentences for those who steal guns, and to extend the ability to hunt feral animals. He said deer-culling programs involving helicopters and aerial shooting were not the best way to control fallow deer. "It makes more sense to allow shooters to go in and clean up the same deer with one or two shots, and not only that, so the meat's not wasted," he said. The Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service has said the aerial shooting program has been successful in recent years. Stephen Bendle, an advocacy adviser for the Alannah & Madeline Foundation said gun violence was still an issue in Australia. "It is still something we need to be vigilant about and [gun control] can't be taken for granted," Mr Bendle said. The foundation was set up by Walter Mikac, whose wife Nannette and daughters Alannah and Madeline were murdered in the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. Mr Di Falco said the incident was a tragedy. "But that was that was 30 years ago … and from my personal point of view, people who keep on milking this tragedy get points, it's morally reprehensible," he said. Mr Bendle said that type of language was disrespectful, especially in Tasmania. He said gun safety advocates knew there were legitimate uses for guns in Australia, such as on farms. "However, the 97 per cent of the Tasmanian, and in fact the Australian population, who don't have any connection with firearms need to be respected," Mr Bendle said. "Just because a small percentage of Australians have a recreation activity, that shouldn't lead to the proliferation of firearms." Whichever party forms government after the recent state election, it will need support from crossbenchers. Mr Di Falco said that in his negotiations with the Liberals and Labor, he would push for reforms not only to gun laws, but also to telecommunications and health. He said he did not want to jeopardise his bargaining position by disclosing who he intended to support. For the Liberals to form government, they need the support of four crossbenchers, Labor would need the support of eight. And gun law reform is a difficult issue in Tasmania, as the Liberals found out in 2018 when they abandoned an election promise to make changes to gun laws, citing the community's "deeply held concerns" about safety and confidence in the law. A Shooters, Fishers and Farmers bill is expected to be debated in NSW parliament this week, which, if passed, would enshrine a "right to hunt", and open up more Crown land for hunting. NSW Premier Chris Minns said his government would not allow gun restrictions to go backwards. "We will not be voting to water down gun laws in NSW, that's very important they stay consistent following the horror of the Port Arthur massacre," Mr Minns said. Mr Di Falco said he did not understand the opposition to the NSW bill. "All they're doing is letting the shooters go in and clean up feral animals, I would have thought even the Greens would have had agreed to that," he said. Mr Bendle said the changes in NSW were worrying.
Perth Now
a few seconds ago
- Perth Now
‘Important': Huge boost to key Aus sector
Australia will lift the number of foreign students allowed to study in the 2026 academic year to 295,000, in a bid to safeguard the 'incredibly important export industry'. The figure is 25,000 higher than the number allowed by Education Minister Jason Clare for the 2025 academic year, but is still 8 per cent lower than the influx of international students after borders opened post-pandemic. It will also not account for students at TAFE or those who enrol in a public-funded university but previously attended an Australian high school. Universities will be able to request an increase to their 2025 allocations, but they must be able to show an increased engagement with Southeast Asia - as part of Australia's Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040 - and that they have enough student accommodation to cater to both domestic and international students. The largest proportion of students from overseas were from China (23 per cent), India (17 per cent) and Nepal (8 per cent). Education Minister Jason Clare said the sector 'doesn't just make us money, it makes us friends'. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia Mr Clare said international education - worth $51bn to the Australian economy in 2023-24 and employing more than 250,000 workers - was an 'incredibly important export industry', but needed to be sustainably managed. 'International education doesn't just make us money - it makes us friends,' he said. 'This is about making sure international education grows in a way that supports students, universities and the national interest.' Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the government's priority was ensuring the international education sector maintained the 'integrity of the migration system'. 'We are making sure student visa processing supports genuine education outcomes and our strategic priorities – including increasing provision of student accommodation,' he said. 'This is about backing providers who do the right things and giving them the certainty they need to grow sustainably.' Skills and Training Minister Andrew Giles also welcomed the exclusion of TAFE from the cap, saying it would allow the international VET sector to grow sustainably and better meet skills needs. 'The diverse nationalities of international VET students present an opportunity to strengthen our international partnerships,' he said. 'From today, VET providers can plan recruitment with confidence for 2026, knowing they will continue to enjoy equitable access to student visa processing.'
ABC News
15 minutes ago
- ABC News
Breakfast Wrap: Will plastic pollution treaty talks go far enough?
Representatives from 170 countries are gathering in Geneva today in the hopes of finalising a global treaty limiting plastic pollution. December talks in South Korea collapsed after a small number of fossil fuel producing nations blocked attempts by 100 countries to introduce a legally binding treaty that limits plastics production. But ahead of this week's summit, health experts have urged the UN to take a stronger stance against plastic pollution, which they describe as a "grave, growing and under-recognised danger to human health". Then, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will convene a meeting of his security cabinet this week to discuss how to achieve its military objectives in Gaza. There are reports from local media that he is proposing a total occupation of Gaza. It comes as the Australian government is facing renewed pressure to indicate when it will recognise Palestinian statehood, after authorities estimate more than 100,000 people marched over Sydney Harbour Bridge to call for an end to the war in Gaza. Recap the morning's news, politics and global affairs with the Breakfast Wrap
