Latest news with #CommonwealthofAustralia
Sydney Morning Herald
5 days ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Harbour City gains unexpected cheerleader in Melbourne's lord mayor
One immutable fundamental of federation relations that founded the Commonwealth of Australia – state-on-state rivalry – was upended recently when Nick Reece, lord mayor of Melbourne, undertook a whistle-stop tour of Sydney ... and liked it. 'Sydney and Melbourne are the two best cities in the world!' Reece said glowingly of the northern metropolis on a LinkedIn post (but not in an official media release, as far as we could tell). Talk about undermining 124 years of slow burn resentment towards the Harbour City nurtured by our bitter, envious friends to the south. Reece also blew smoke in the direction of some of NSW's most prominent power players (though the state's unofficial premier, Peter V'landys, was missing). NSW Premier Chris Minns was 'a seriously smart guy … he also has an incredible knowledge of rugby league'. But Reece kept it real, musing that Minns might be lucky enough to score an invitation to the AFL Grand Final, which will be a non-event to most Sydneysiders, what with the Swans' season of woe. Loading Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore was a 'legend' who had 'copped a bit over the years' but was someone who deserves 'huge credit for her vision and determination'. He also name-checked Business Sydney's Paul Nicolau and Crown Resorts chairman John Borghetti, and mused that Melbourne had 'much to learn' from the Vivid festival, which should send chills down the spine of our snobbier southern neighbours. Still, Reece managed to straddle a line between enthusiastic guest and Melbourne advocate, ready to heap praise on his hometown. So when meeting hospitality baron Justin Hemmes, he cannily pointed out that while he loved his tour of The Ivy, the billionaire manbun's biggest project was Parkade in Melbourne, the next target of Merivale's imperial ambitions.
The Age
5 days ago
- Business
- The Age
Nothing to resent here: Lord mayor sends praise in an unexpected direction
One immutable fundamental of federal relations underpinning the Commonwealth of Australia, state-on-state rivalry, was upended recently when Melbourne Lord Mayor Nick Reece undertook a whistlestop tour of Sydney – and commented favourably on the experience. 'Sydney and Melbourne are the two best cities in the world!' Reece said glowingly of the northern metropolis in a LinkedIn post (but not in an official media release, as far as we could tell). Talk about undermining 124 years of slow-burn resentment towards the Harbour City nurtured by Melbourne since Federation. During his 36-hour outing late last week, Reece also blew smoke in the direction of some of NSW's most prominent power players. NSW Premier Chris Minns was 'a seriously smart guy … he also has an incredible knowledge of rugby league'. But Reece kept it real, musing that Minns might be lucky enough to score an invite to the AFL grand final, which, no surprises – is in Melbourne! Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore was a 'legend' who had 'copped a bit over the years' but was someone who deserves 'huge credit for her vision and determination'. Reece also name-checked Business Sydney, and Crown Resorts chairman John Borghetti while all the while being sure to heap praise on Melbourne. So when meeting hospitality dude Justin Hemmes, he was canny to point out that while he loved his tour of The Ivy in Sydney, Hemmes' Merivale Group was undertaking its biggest project (Parkade) … in Melbourne! One fascination for CBD was how deftly Reece navigated his way through Sydney's crucial but often unspoken dress codes.
Straits Times
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Australia condemns Russia's jailing of Melbourne man caught in Ukraine
Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Commonwealth of Australia Penny Wong addresses the 79th United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 27, 2024. REUTERS/Kent J. Edwards/File Photo Australia's foreign minister on Saturday condemned a 13-year prison sentence handed by a Russian court to an Australian citizen for fighting alongside Ukrainian forces. Oscar Jenkins, 33, will serve the sentence in a maximum security prison after being found guilty by a Russian court of participating in an armed conflict as a mercenary, state prosecutors in a part of eastern Ukraine controlled by Russia said on Friday. Foreign minister Penny Wong said in a statement that Australia's government was "appalled at the sham trial and 13-year sentence" given to Jenkins, previously a teacher in Melbourne. "As a full serving member of the regular Armed Forces of Ukraine, Mr Jenkins is a prisoner of war," said Wong, a long-time strident critic of Russia's war against Ukraine. "The Australian Government has made clear to Russia that Mr Jenkins must be given the protections afforded to him as a prisoner of war. Russia is obligated to treat him in accordance with international humanitarian law, including humane treatment," the foreign minister said. She said Australia's government would work with Ukraine and the International Committee of the Red Cross to push for Jenkins' welfare and release. Jenkins was serving with Ukraine's military when he was captured by Russia last year as a prisoner of war, Australian media reported earlier this year. A video taken at the time showed him, dressed in combat uniform, being asked if he was a mercenary, reports said. Australia is one of the largest non-NATO contributors to the West's support for Ukraine and has been supplying aid, ammunition and defence equipment. It has banned exports of alumina and aluminium ores, including bauxite, to Russia, and has sanctioned about 1,000 Russian individuals and entities. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
17-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Australia condemns Russia's jailing of Melbourne man caught in Ukraine
Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Commonwealth of Australia Penny Wong addresses the 79th United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 27, 2024. REUTERS/Kent J. Edwards/File Photo (Reuters) - Australia's foreign minister on Saturday condemned a 13-year prison sentence handed by a Russian court to an Australian citizen for fighting alongside Ukrainian forces. Oscar Jenkins, 33, will serve the sentence in a maximum security prison after being found guilty by a Russian court of participating in an armed conflict as a mercenary, state prosecutors in a part of eastern Ukraine controlled by Russia said on Friday. Foreign minister Penny Wong said in a statement that Australia's government was "appalled at the sham trial and 13-year sentence" given to Jenkins, previously a teacher in Melbourne. "As a full serving member of the regular Armed Forces of Ukraine, Mr Jenkins is a prisoner of war," said Wong, a long-time strident critic of Russia's war against Ukraine. "The Australian Government has made clear to Russia that Mr Jenkins must be given the protections afforded to him as a prisoner of war. Russia is obligated to treat him in accordance with international humanitarian law, including humane treatment," the foreign minister said. She said Australia's government would work with Ukraine and the International Committee of the Red Cross to push for Jenkins' welfare and release. Jenkins was serving with Ukraine's military when he was captured by Russia last year as a prisoner of war, Australian media reported earlier this year. A video taken at the time showed him, dressed in combat uniform, being asked if he was a mercenary, reports said. Australia is one of the largest non-NATO contributors to the West's support for Ukraine and has been supplying aid, ammunition and defence equipment. It has banned exports of alumina and aluminium ores, including bauxite, to Russia, and has sanctioned about 1,000 Russian individuals and entities. (Reporting by Sam McKeith in Sydney; Editing by Sam Holmes)
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists discover strange life on Antarctica's ocean floor
In the beginning of 2025, a team of scientists discovered a pristine underwater ecosystem in the Antarctic (Southern) Ocean after a large iceberg broke away from the massive continent. Now, only a few months later, a new team of scientists exploring the Antarctic Ocean floor has captured and documented several strange species that call the cold floor home. The crew on the RSV Nuyina is on a mission to study the effects of warming sea temperatures on the Denman Glacier. DON'T MISS: According to the Australian Antarctic Program website: 'The Denman Glacier is one of the fastest retreating glaciers in East Antarctica, with the potential to increase global sea levels by 1.5 metres.' Part of the team's mission is also to study and reveal what life exists on the seafloor near the glacier to understand the biodiversity of species for future conservation. Path the RSV Nuyina is taking to reach the Denman glacier on it's groundbreaking voyage. (Commonwealth of Australia/Australian Antarctic Division) Using a beam trawler, the team pulled up heavy mud containing several interesting bottom-dwelling creatures. A camera was also deployed to the ocean floor so the team could observe the creatures without disturbing them. SEE ALSO: Additionally, the ship is equipped with a specialized "wet well" which allows researchers to gently pull up small, fragile creatures from the water and into a tank where they can be collected and observed. Scientists are able to observe and take care of captured specimens in aquariums onboard the RSV Nuyina. (Commonwealth of Australia/Australian Antarctic Division) 'Nobody has ever done this in this area—it is real 'voyage of discovery' stuff,' Craig Johnson, Senior Scientist and project lead for the benthic imagery team for the Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science on the Denman Marine Voyage, said in a blog post published on April 4. 'The silence in the room gives way to sounds of delight as all manner of animals come into view. Bloated sea pigs and other species of sea cucumber, brittle stars, and sea stars feed on the organic material in the sediment, while spectacular feather stars (crinoids), sponges, fan worms, hydroids, and sea whips (octocorals) filter their food from the water.' This gelatinous-looking blob is called a "sea pig," and is a type of sea cucumber that was collected by scientists on the Antarctic ocean floor. (Commonwealth of Australia/Australian Antarctic Division) One of the species that has garnered public attention is the sea pig. No, it isn't an actual aquatic pig living on the bottom of the ocean; it's a type of sea cucumber that was named for its pig-like appearance. Another misnomer species the scientists collected is the sea butterfly. Called a butterfly for its fluttering appearance while swimming, this creature is actually a type of sea snail! Called a "sea butterfly" for its fluttering appearance when swimming in the water, this creature collected by the team of scientists is a type of sea snail. (Commonwealth of Australia/Australian Antarctic Division) Those who suffer from a fear of spiders may not want to know that large sea spiders were also collected from the ocean floor. Despite their creepy, spindly appearance, sea spiders are actually more closely related to crabs and crustaceans than to the arachnids we all know and (sometimes) love. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's news outlet, ABC News, some of the scientists onboard the vessel believe that some of the species they've collected and observed could be new to science. In addition to this research, other teams on the RSV Nuyina are investigating how clouds are formed over the Antarctic Ocean. The voyage will make its return to Hobart, Australia, in early May. Written with files from ABC News and Live Science. Thumbnail image supplied by the Commonwealth of Australia/Australian Antarctic Division.
