Latest news with #DFAT
ABC News
9 hours ago
- Business
- ABC News
Australia addresses claims of worker mistreatment within the PALM scheme
Fiji is the single largest supplier of workers to the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme — with 5000 workers currently employed on farms, abattoirs and aged care centres across Australia. The scheme is not without its problems, there's continued reports of worker mistreatment, family breakdowns, and difficulties accessing entitlements like superannuation. But Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade says it's listening – and has been working on improving the scheme for participants. DFAT's First Assistant Secretary Jan Hutton, who leads PALM and Australia's broader Pacific skills program, was in Fiji where she's been speaking with government and stakeholders.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Outrage as taxpayers foot the bill to help accused Aussie drug smuggler as he faces the death penalty in Bali after he was allegedly caught with 1.8kg of coke
Outrage has been sparked after it emerged taxpayers are set to foot the bill for assistance offered to an Aussie facing the death penalty in Bali. Former News Corp editor David Penberthy took aim at Aussies who attempt to smuggle drugs into Indonesia following the arrest of Queenslander Lamar Ahchee. The 43-year-old son of former Queensland Senior Constable Les Ahchee was arrested in Bali last Thursday after he was allegedly caught collecting two parcels sent from the UK. About 1.8kg of cocaine was allegedly hidden inside two Lindt chocolate boxes, each containing 54 individual packets with 8.3g of cocaine each. The former tech manager originally from Cairns in Far North Queensland has allegedly tested positive for drugs while in police custody. Lamar Ahchee's lawyer, Edward Pangkahila, told reporters his client firmly denied dealing drugs, but conceded he was a 'drug addict'. 'Lamar has been set up by someone called "Boss",' Mr Pangkahila said, referencing a stranger in England who allegedly sent the Lindt boxes. 'He was told to collect the package, but he actually didn't know what the package was. He thought it was a normal package.' The quantity of cocaine Ahchee is accused of trying to smuggle into Indonesia, with an estimated street value of $1.1million, puts him over the threshold for the death penalty. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has confirmed it is offering consular assistance to an Australian in Bali. Despite the harsh penalties the Aussie is facing, Penberthy believed many Australians would prefer Ahchee be left to his own devices than shoulder his bill. 'There are gigantic yellow billboards in every Indonesian airport featuring a large image of a gun and warning: "This country executes drug dealers",' he wrote in the Sunday Mail. 'Nothing too subtle about that.' The journalist used prior cases of Australians caught smuggling drugs into Indonesia, like the Bali Nine, to highlight the 'presumptuousness' of 'taxpayer-funded assistance'. 'I never saw any polling on the question but my hunch is that most Australians wouldn't have much cared if the Bali Nine actually remained in jail in Bali for the rest of their lives,' he said. 'Lamar Ahchee has become the latest Aussie to put his hand up for consular assistance. 'Maybe I've had a compassion bypass. Maybe you don't want your government to leave you high and dry by withholding any assistance before you've even been found guilty. 'But [if] you have been found guilty, I think many Australians struggle to understand our unyielding generosity on behalf of all these halfwits who are incapable of working out what the gun is alluding to on those big yellow billboards.' Ahchee's lawyer said his client was 'very upset and stressed' at the prospect he could face the death penalty if he is found guilty. He called on police to track down the person who allegedly set up his client. 'If we can get this guy, we will find out the whole story here,' Mr Pangkahila said. Bali Police Chief Inspector General Daniel Adityajaya alleged the chocolate boxes arrived in Indonesia on May 12. When the packages arrived at the Renon Main Post Office, customs officers at Ngurah Rai Airport scanned them and suspected they contained narcotics. Officers and the Bali Regional Police Narcotics Directorate organised a controlled delivery as part of their investigation. They allege the first package came from Runwell, east of London, and was addressed to 'Alex and Julie' in Kuta Utara, near Canggu. The second was allegedly sent from Braintree, a town east of London, to 'Dave Jones' in the same region. The following day, police alleged Ahchee asked a driver to collect the packages from the post office. They met at a restaurant on May 22, and the Australian businessman allegedly took the packages back to Canggu. Ahchee was then arrested by the Bali drug squad and allegedly suffered several injuries while resisting arrest. They allege he offered almost 50million Indonesian rupiah, about AU$4700, to receive and distribute the drugs. Ahchee has been charged with three drug offences, including importing drugs. Originally from Cairns, Ahchee has been living in Bali 2017. He worked in hospitality and had stepped down as the general manager of Canggu restaurant Brick Lane Bali in November after eight months. His online profiles revealed he worked as the director and co-founder of tech groups in Jakarta and Bali from 2019, as well as previously for marketing firms in Sydney.
Perth Now
6 days ago
- Perth Now
‘Shut up': Aussie family's wild Bali tirade
A solo female traveller has shared the terrifying moment an Australian woman allegedly punched her in the face after an argument escalated on a ferry in Bali. The woman, who is believed to be on a solo holiday in Indonesia, was on a Maruti Fast Boat from Penida to Sanur when she was allegedly involved in an abusive altercation with an Australian family. Taking to Reddit, the woman explained that she was approached by the family who asked if she could switch seats on the ferry. A woman has accused an Australian family of spitting verbal abuse and 'assaulting' her on a Bali boat. Vimeo Credit: Supplied The traveller turned down the request due to a lack of other available seats on the lower deck, prompting an argument to spark between the traveller and the Australian family. 'Shut up,' the Australian girl said in the footage, walking towards the solo traveller and grabbing the camera. 'She assaulted me,' the traveller said, pointing to the Australian girl. The Australian girl's mother then accused the traveller of 'initating it', labelling her a 'little b***h'. The young girl was filmed reching for the traveller's phone. Vimeo Credit: Supplied The girl then allegedly threatens to 'punch you f**kin' again'. Vimeo Credit: Supplied When the woman accused the Australian girl of assaulting her again, the mother hit back and said, 'do not blame my f**king kid because you initiated it'. 'You assaulted yourself, you stupid idiot,' the mother added. 'I sat here the whole time,' the traveller replied. '(The girl) came over to this aisle and slapped me.' The Australian girl then threatened to escalate the situation further. 'Shut up or I'll punch you f**kin' again,' she said. 'I actually didn't touch your face, I grabbed your phone. And look at your video and you can see that,' she later added. 'Talk to the police about that,' the traveller replied. '(My) glasses are on the floor.' The family was reportedly asked to move to the top deck by staff. Vimeo Credit: Supplied The argument continued between the woman and the Australian family, with the boat operator eventually stepping between them and trying to ease the the spat continued, another woman eventually sat down between the feuding tourists. The female traveller said online the Australian family were eventually told to move to the upstairs deck. 'I told the male member (seemingly the dad) of the family that this needs to be addressed with the police and he said OK,' she wrote. 'But then when alighting the boat they left quickly.' NewsWire has contacted DFAT, Indonesian Police and Maruti Group for comment.
West Australian
6 days ago
- West Australian
‘Shut up': Wild moment Aussie family launches tirade at solo female traveller on Bali ferry
A solo female traveller has shared the terrifying moment an Australian woman allegedly punched her in the face after an argument escalated on a ferry in Bali. The woman, who is believed to be on a solo holiday in Indonesia, was on a Maruti Fast Boat from Penida to Sanur when she was allegedly involved in an abusive altercation with an Australian family. Taking to Reddit, the woman explained that she was approached by the family who asked if she could switch seats on the ferry. The traveller turned down the request due to a lack of other available seats on the lower deck, prompting an argument to spark between the traveller and the Australian family. 'Shut up,' the Australian girl said in the footage, walking towards the solo traveller and grabbing the camera. 'She assaulted me,' the traveller said, pointing to the Australian girl. The Australian girl's mother then accused the traveller of 'initating it', labelling her a 'little b***h'. When the woman accused the Australian girl of assaulting her again, the mother hit back and said, 'do not blame my f**king kid because you initiated it'. 'You assaulted yourself, you stupid idiot,' the mother added. 'I sat here the whole time,' the traveller replied. '(The girl) came over to this aisle and slapped me.' The Australian girl then threatened to escalate the situation further. 'Shut up or I'll punch you f**kin' again,' she said. 'I actually didn't touch your face, I grabbed your phone. And look at your video and you can see that,' she later added. 'Talk to the police about that,' the traveller replied. '(My) glasses are on the floor.' The argument continued between the woman and the Australian family, with the boat operator eventually stepping between them and trying to ease the the spat continued, another woman eventually sat down between the feuding tourists. The female traveller said online the Australian family were eventually told to move to the upstairs deck. 'I told the male member (seemingly the dad) of the family that this needs to be addressed with the police and he said OK,' she wrote. 'But then when alighting the boat they left quickly.' NewsWire has contacted DFAT, Indonesian Police and Maruti Group for comment.
The Age
26-05-2025
- The Age
Australian identified after alleged 1.7kg cocaine bust in Bali
After the handover was made, police followed the Australian back to his apartment and arrested him. A source close to the investigation told this masthead the Australian received minor injuries while allegedly attempting to resist arrest. One of Ahchee's neighbours told this masthead there was a commotion on Thursday in the alleyway near the apartments, which the resident assumed involved immigration officials, not narcotics officers. 'Cocaine, in a Muslim country? This is a Muslim country,' the neighbour said when informed of the charges. A police statement said the seizure had 'successfully saved 2666 lives'. A conviction for an offence involving more than five grams of a category one drug such as cocaine is enough to open up the possibility of a death sentence under Indonesian law, but lesser sentences are also available. The Australian Federal Police was contacted for comment. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was providing consular assistance to an Australian detained in Bali. 'Owing to our privacy obligations, we are unable to provide further comment,' a DFAT spokesman said. According to his LinkedIn profile, Ahchee worked in public relations in Australia in the early 2000s and managed VIPs at a Sydney nightclub. After moving to Bali, he became a marketing director of a day club and co-founded a digital advertising company before turning his attention to Brick Lane, a new restaurant development in Canggu, a coastal village near Seminyak. 'This is a cutting-edge venue design and I can't wait until we get to the excitement with our menu and cocktails,' Ahchee posted on Facebook last March. By October, according to another post, he had stepped away from his position as general manager. 'It's been a ride that I will always be proud of,' he said. Corporate records show that in Australia, he has been a director and a shareholder of two companies, including L A Talent Management Pty Ltd, which he quit in 2016. If Ahchee were convicted, it would create a diplomatic headache for the Australian government, which opposes the death penalty, reminiscent of the Bali Nine case. Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, the so-called ringleaders of the Bali Nine, were executed by firing squad in 2015, 10 years after the group was arrested on suspicion of trying to smuggle more than eight kilograms of heroin out of Indonesia. The five members who remained in Indonesian prisons – Matthew Norman, Michael Czugaj, Scott Rush, Martin Stephens and Si-Yi Chen – were returned to Australia in December as new President Prabowo Subianto sought to begin his relationship with Australia on a positive footing.
