News Stories - 26 February 2009
Outcomes of the Australia-Indonesia Conference (Sydney 19-21 February)
The Australia-Indonesia Conference succeeded in adding new depth to the strong relationship we have fostered at the government-to-government level, and generated new ideas to take the partnership forward to 2020 – in particular, ways to strengthen people-to-people links.
The 19-21 February Sydney Conference was a landmark event in Australia-Indonesia bilateral relations.
This is the first time we have brought together 140 current and future leaders from both countries from different backgrounds including politics, business, the public service, media, academia, civil society and the arts/culture, frank and informal discussions among participants were a feature of conference sessions on governance, trade and investment, the environment, and people-to-people links.
The Conference helped enhance people-to-people networks across different sectors that will be vital in strengthening the bilateral relationship. Addressing the conference opening dinner, the Prime Minister highlighted the importance Australia placed on our emerging close partnership with Indonesia to address common regional and global challenges such as climate change and the global economic crisis.
Participants raised a host of ideas on how we can strengthen links with a vital regional neighbour including ways to establish multi-layered links between ordinary Australians and Indonesians.
This includes ideas on how we might encourage the study of our respective languages and cultures in each other’s schools and universities were a constant theme as was the need for further two-way exchanges of youth/students, media and community leaders.
We will now be assisting delegates and their respective organisations to take forward some of these ideas. For example, the Lowy Institute for International Policy, a conference partner, announced that it will launch an annual public lecture series on Australia-Indonesia strategic issues, and will continue its public surveys of Indonesian attitudes towards Australia (and vice versa).
DFAT and the Lowy Institute are compiling a summary of conference discussions which will be published by the Lowy Institute shortly.
First Pacific Islanders begin work under Australia’s Pacific Seasonal Worker Pilot Scheme (PSWPS)
On 22 February 2009, Australia’s Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs, Duncan Kerr SC, welcomed the first group of Pacific seasonal workers to arrive in Australia under the Pacific Seasonal Worker Pilot Scheme. This Australian Government initiative responds to calls for help from the Australian horticulture industry while helping our Pacific island neighbours tackle their economic and social challenges.
The Pilot Scheme is a three-year trial program to allow up to 2,500 seasonal workers from Kiribati, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Tonga and Vanuatu to work in the Australian horticultural industry for up to seven months a year in areas of unmet labour demand.
Up to 100 Pacific seasonal workers will be employed in the first phase of the Scheme, in response to employer demand, and the 50 workers welcomed on 22 February had arrived in Australia from Tonga on 16 February to work on the almond harvest in Robinvale, Victoria.
Recruitment of other groups of workers from other participating Pacific island countries will proceed in step with emerging Australian labour market needs and employer demand. This scheme reflects the Australian Government's initiative in exploring innovative solutions to help our Pacific island neighbours tackle their economic and social challenges.
This also responds to calls for help from the Australian horticulture industry, where up to $700 million of fresh produce is left to rot annually because of a lack of reliable workers. Australia has signed intergovernmental agreements (MOUs) with Kiribati, Tonga and Vanuatu that set out arrangements for the Pilot.
These MOUs were signed in Canberra on 24 November 2008.
The pilot will also include PNG, and we are working to support PNG in establishing reliable labour-sending arrangements to enable early inclusion of workers from PNG in the pilot.
All seasonal workers will be employed in accordance with Australian work standards and awards, and will receive the same protection from exploitation as Australian workers: they will not be "cheap labour".
Reinvigoration of the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnationals Crime (Bali Process)
Senior officials enhanced regional engagement on people smuggling and trafficking in persons at a meeting in Brisbane on 24-25 February, which laid the groundwork for a Ministerial Meeting to be held in Bali.
Australia and Indonesia co-chaired the Bali Process Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) in Brisbane from 24 to 25 February involving over 150 delegates from 45 countries and five international organisations.
This meeting took place five years after the previous SOM; this meeting was a valuable opportunity to refocus regional attention on people smuggling and trafficking in persons and represents a significant reinvigoration of the Bali Process.
As a destination country for people smuggling and trafficking, Australia takes these issues very seriously and plays an integral role in regional and international efforts to counter them.
The SOM discussed emerging regional challenges on irregular migration and current trends in people movements. Senior officials reviewed past activities and also considered the forward agenda for the Bali Process agreeing to convene a ministerial-level meeting in Bali in the first half of 2009 to engage political attention on the pressing need to address people smuggling and trafficking in persons in our region. The previous Ministerial-level meeting was held in 2003.
News Stories – 19 February
Australia committed to helping Pakistan
Australia is committed to helping Pakistan address the security, economic and social challenges it faces.
Foreign Minister Smith’s visit to Pakistan on 16-18 February is a sign of Australia’s strong interest in a secure and democratic future for Pakistan.
Mr Smith met Foreign Minister Qureshi, and travelled to Peshawar and the Khyber Agency to receive detailed briefings on Pakistan’s efforts to combat militants in Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
Mr Smith and Mr Qureshi discussed the importance of Pakistan taking determined steps to dismantle extremist networks.
This is important for Pakistan’s security as well as the security of the South Asian region, including in Afghanistan where Australia has nearly 1100 troops. Australia is committed to strengthening Pakistan’s ability to combat terrorism, narcotics, people-smuggling and money-laundering.
Australia will quadruple its training programs for Pakistani security and defence personnel, and the Chiefs of Australia’s and Pakistan’s defence forces will hold talks shortly.
We will assist Pakistan to combat terrorist financing through the provision of technical assistance and training to Pakistan’s Financial Intelligence Unit and Australia and Pakistan will shortly finalise MOUs on police cooperation and counter-narcotics.
Mr Smith also announced that Australia will substantially increase development assistance to Pakistan, focusing on health, education and governance.
Australia will contribute $5.2 million to support a new phase in the Fred Hollows Pakistan-Australia Sub-Specialty Eye Care Project recognising the importance of democratic institutions, government accountability and transparency in Pakistan; we will contribute $2.9 million to build community participation through the Strengthening Participatory Organisations program.
Australia will extend until 2011 its programs to assist in irrigation management for the mango and citrus and dairy sectors, through the Agriculture Sector Linkages Program. Our trade and investment relationship in the area of agri-business will be boosted by a $100,000 project at to deepen the business and science links between our two countries.
Asialink index tracks Australia’s growing engagement with Asia
A new survey by Asialink has shown that Australia’s involvement with Asia has grown substantially since 1990.
The Minister for Trade, Simon Crean, launched the inaugural “PricewaterhouseCoopers Melbourne Institute Asialink Index” on 13 February.
The index provides an in-depth perspective on the evolution of Australia’s engagement with 25 Asian economies from 1990 to 2007. It tracks seven key sectors including trade, investment, education, tourism, migration, research and business development, and humanitarian assistance.
The index, which will be issued annually, shows that Australia’s engagement with Asia has quadrupled since 1990 – once again underscoring the importance of Asia for Australia’s economic future.
Our engagement with China grew most strongly, increasing 16-fold, and our engagement with ASEAN grew fivefold.
Australia’s involvement with the rest of the world tripled.
The index suggested substantial room for growth in Australian investment flows toward Asia, which had been slower and more volatile than investment in the rest of the world.
In 2007, Australian investment in Asia was $14.2 billion compared to $67.5 billion for the rest of the world.
News Stories - 12 February 2009
Victorian Bushfires 2009
The recent bushfires in Victoria have caused extreme loss of life and destruction of property, and will go down as the worst natural disaster in Australia’s history to date. Australia appreciates the expressions of sympathy extended by many foreign leaders and governments and international organisations, as well as the numerous offers of assistance from overseas.
A number of towns across the state of Victoria in Australia’s south east have been deeply affected by fires, including the loss of life and destruction of property. The regions of Victoria that are affected include the Yarra Valley, Gippsland and Victoria’s High Country.
Much of Victoria has not, however, been damaged by fire. The areas not damaged include the city of Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road, Goldfields, Grampians, Phillip Island, the Mornington Peninsula, Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula and the Murray River region.
In parliament on 10 February, Prime Minister Rudd acknowledged the offers of condolences and support from foreign leaders and governments.
A 2009 Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund has been launched in response to the weekend fires. The Prime Minister and Premier John Brumby launched the appeal and advised that people can donate to the fund through the Red Cross: http://www.redcross.org.au.
Many other charities and organisations have launched their own bushfire appeals.
International callers seeking information about family and friends should call
+61 3 9328 3716 or +61 8 9225 8880
The Australia-Chile free trade agreement (FTA) starts next month
The Australia-Chile free trade agreement enters into force on 6 March 2009.
Both Australia and Chile have now completed their domestic processes for the entry into force of the Australia-Chile Free Trade Agreement.
Both Parties exchanged diplomatic notes to this effect in Santiago de Chile on 4 February 2009 and agreed that the Treaty would enter into force on 6 March 2009.
Australian exporters will be able to take advantage of the Australia-Chile free trade agreement when it enters into force next month.
The agreement will immediately eliminate Chile’s tariffs on almost 92 per cent of tariff lines, covering 97 per cent of goods currently traded.
This includes Australian coal, meat, wine, key dairy exports and all other industrial goods of interest to Australia.
Tariffs on all existing merchandise trade will be eliminated by 2015.
The FTA includes access to and strong protections for Australian investment in Chile.
Australia is one of the largest sources of foreign direct investment in Chile.
The agreement includes commitments by Chile to maintain an open and non-discriminatory market for Australian services.
This includes important sectors for Australia such as education, professional services, mining, and engineering.
This is the first free trade agreement to be concluded by the Rudd Government and Australia’s first with any country in Latin America.
At a time of significant downturn in the global economic outlook, this FTA demonstrates Australia’s commitment to expanding trade opportunities, and to Australia’s broader efforts to drive economic growth through international trade.
News Stories - 6 February 2009
Open trade flows must be part of the solution to stimulate global growth
The Australian Government opposes protectionism. Trade is not the problem – it is part of the solution to the global downturn.
Open trade flows must be part of the solution to the current global downturn.
Resorting to protectionism would only hamper efforts to stimulate global growth.
Raising trade barriers would only drive up prices and hurt consumers and businesses. Such action will send the world into a retaliatory downward spiral.
The Australian Government will continue to oppose protectionist measures – a message we will continue to advocate both at home and abroad.
At the G20 Meeting last November, Leaders agreed to refrain from raising new barriers to trade and investment, imposing new export restrictions, or implementing measures to stimulate exports that are inconsistent with WTO rules.
This was followed by a similarly robust commitment by APEC Leaders
we have objected strongly to the European Commission’s re-introduction of dairy export subsidies.
We have also expressed our strong concerns about the “Buy American” provisions in the US stimulus package.
The Minister for Trade has welcomed US President Barack Obama’s comment that the US “can’t send a protectionist message”.
Open trade flows will help the world take maximum advantage of the coordinated stimulus packages being put in place.
Trade reform is therefore more important than ever at this time. The world needs to conclude the Doha Development Round to keep trade flows open and to combat protectionist pressures.
The Australian Government is taking decisive steps in responding to the global financial crisis, such as announcing a $42 billion fiscal stimulus package and
strengthening engagement with Africa;
The OECD praises Australia’s overseas aid program.
Prime Minister’s announcement of a ‘Nation Building and Jobs Plan’
The Australian Government is taking a decisive step in responding to the global financial crisis through a $42 billion fiscal stimulus package which will boost Australia’s economic growth.
The Prime Minister announced a $42 billion Nation Building and Jobs Plan in Parliament on 3 February.
A package worth approximately 3.6 per cent of GDP; and a further decisive step in the Government’s response to the severe global recession.
The Government’s announcement is consistent with the call by G20 Leaders in Washington on 15 November 2008 for internationally coordinated fiscal measures to stimulate domestic demand.
Key measures funded by the Nation Building and Jobs Plan include:
- free ceiling insulation for around 2.7 million Australian homes;
- build or upgrade a building in every one of Australia’s 9,540 schools;
- build more than 20,000 new social and defence homes;
- $950 one-off cash payments to eligible families, single workers, students, drought effected farmers and others;
- a temporary business investment tax break for small and general businesses buying eligible assets;
- significantly increased funding for local community infrastructure and local road projects.
This package is before Parliament and will require legislative passage.
The initiatives in the Nation Building and Jobs Plan would provide a boost to economic growth of 0.5 per cent of GDP in 2008-09 and around 0.75 to 1 per cent in 2009-10.
Real GDP growth is now expected to be 1 per cent in 2008-09 and 0.75 per cent in 2009-10 (Treasury forecasts).
Stimulus measures already implemented by the Australian Government include the $10.4 billion Economic Security Strategy, the $300 million program to build local community infrastructure, the $15.2 billion Council of Australian Governments (COAG) funding package and the Nation Building Package announced in December 2008.
Mr Smith’s visit to the African Union: strengthening engagement with Africa
The Government is committed to enhancing Australia’s relationships with the states and continent of Africa, focusing on areas where our expertise and experience can make a unique and positive contribution.
Mr Smith attended the Executive Council (Foreign Ministers) meeting of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 27-30 January.
Mr Smith met with 30 African counterparts as well as the Chairman of the AU Commission (Ping), and addressed the Executive Council.
He conveyed Australia’s commitment to enhancing engagement with African countries, including through:
- intensified high-level and diplomatic contact;
- support for trade and investment;
- significantly expanded development and humanitarian assistance;
- and cooperation on international peace and security issues.
The Government has committed to strengthening engagement in Africa in light of our growing interests across the continent.
Australia’s commitment to Africa is for the long-term: Australia’s trade relationships with African countries have been growing steadily
over 300 Australian mining and oil companies are active in Africa, and current and prospective Australian investment in the resources sector has been estimated at USD 20 billion.
Australia needs to have closer dialogue with Africa to find collective solutions on issues like climate change and global trade and financial reform.
We share common interests as agricultural producing countries in bringing down trade protection levels, and to working to this end in the Doha Round of WTO negotiations.
Australia will implement a new and expanded development assistance strategy to give effect to our renewed commitment to Africa, including a substantial increase in our development assistance.
We have already increased funding for Africa by 23 per cent this financial year, we will increase scholarships across Africa by up to ten-fold, to as many as 1,000 scholarships and fellowships annually, and we will support Africa in efforts to enhance food security, where Australian expertise can be utilised to help build productivity, raise farming incomes and improve access to global markets.
Australian Minister for Defence, Joel Fitzgibbon, will visit Africa soon to discuss African peace and security issues and future Australian defence cooperation.
Australia has long participated in peacekeeping missions in Africa, and currently has personnel in UN missions in Darfur and Sudan.
OECD praises Australia’s overseas aid program
An Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) review has praised the targeting and effectiveness of Australia’s overseas aid program.
The OECD review welcomes the Government’s renewed commitment to reducing poverty, its promotion of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and its support for international agencies such as the United Nations.
In particular, the OECD acknowledges the Government’s:
- Strategic focus on the Asia Pacific, including assistance to East Timor and the Solomon Islands;
- Pacific Partnerships for Development as a key feature of the aid program;
- Commitment to a targeted engagement with Africa; and
- Integration of gender equity into the aid program.
The review also welcomed Australia’s commitment to increase its support for developing countries to 0.5 per cent of Gross National Income by 2015.
Development assistance provided by Australia has meant that:
- Polio has been virtually eradicated in the Pacific;
- 380 new Indonesian schools have been built;
- More than 1.5 million children in PNG have received measles vaccinations;
- Almost 9,000 teachers were trained in the Philippines; and
- More than 980 schools have reopened in East Timor.
A complete copy of the OECD review is available at www.oecd.org/dac/peerreviews/australia.
News Stories - 9 January 2009
Pacific Islands Forum Special Leaders meeting on Fiji
Australia welcomes the very strong outcome of the Pacific Islands Forum Special Leaders meeting in Port Moresby on 27 January 2009.
This is a landmark decision that reaffirms that military rule in the Pacific is unacceptable.
The Fiji Interim Government has been given a clear message that Fiji must be returned to democracy.
The Interim Government has 11 months to restore Fiji to democracy. This is more than enough time to organise an election. The international community, including Australia, stands ready to assist Fiji with its elections by providing funding and technical support.
The Interim Government has until 1 May 2009 to begin serious preparations for elections by the end of 2009, including by announcing a firm date for the election.
Failure to take these steps will result in the suspension of the Interim Government from the Forum. In addition, the Interim Government would be suspended from receiving assistance from the Forum, other than assistance related to returning Fiji to democracy.
It is important to stress that the Forum’s measures are targeted at the Interim Government. The Forum’s and Australia’s friendship with the people of Fiji continues despite the actions of the Interim Government.
Australia calls on the international community to implement the Forum’s call for complementary measures against the Interim Government to encourage Fiji’s return to democracy.
Pacific leaders have given the Interim Government one final chance the future of Fiji is in their hands.