It's supposed to be the Asian Century but educator Marnie Hughes-Warrington is having to turn away students keen to learn Asian languages such as Chinese and Hindi. It is a lesson in unintended consequences. This year a new diploma was launched by the Australian National University, a languages powerhouse where Professor Hughes-Warrington is deputy vice-chancellor … Continue reading Australia’s Asian Century talk is empty; language funding falls short
Category: Australian Current Affairs
Australian university funding cuts would be risk to teacher quality
Monash University vice-chancellor Ed Byrne has warned that cuts to universities could come back to bite schools. Professor Byrne said good teachers were the defining element of good schools, and teachers were educated at universities. "Universities are operating on very fine margins, and after these cuts they will be even finer. They'll survive but there … Continue reading Australian university funding cuts would be risk to teacher quality
Indonesia still stalling on asylum rescue effort; Australia expresses concern
Indonesian rescue authorities were last night still unable to find survivors or likely search sites for possibly two asylum-seeker boats that disappeared in the Sunda Strait last week. The weekend passed without Basarnas, the search and rescue agency, initiating searches for between 60 and 120 passengers thought to be missing. Basarnas officials said yesterday they … Continue reading Indonesia still stalling on asylum rescue effort; Australia expresses concern
Up to 200 Australians fighting with terrorist groups in Syria
Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr says the government is aware of reports that Australians fighting against the Syrian regime could be linking up with terrorist groups in the war-torn country. When asked if up to 200 Australians could be in Syria fighting against President Bashar al-Assad's forces, Senator Carr said the relevant government agencies were … Continue reading Up to 200 Australians fighting with terrorist groups in Syria
Australian soldier accused over deaths of unarmed Iraqis
A decorated Australian soldier was embroiled in a secret war- crimes investigation after two former high ranking US military officials accused him of ordering the killing of unarmed men during the invasion of Iraq. Fairfax Media has uncovered the extraordinary allegations directed against then army warrant officer Joe Day, who was on an exchange with … Continue reading Australian soldier accused over deaths of unarmed Iraqis
Experts warn that China’s main motive in new deal is to prise Australia away from US
The "strategic partnership" announced this week between Australia and China is widely viewed within China and by experts internationally as a move in which Beijing hopes to start prising Canberra away from Washington on security matters. But this is a long-term strategy, which is easier for China's new leaders, who anticipate a 10-year term ahead, … Continue reading Experts warn that China’s main motive in new deal is to prise Australia away from US
Australia says asylum seeker boat arrival not a new people smuggling strategy
Immigration Minister Brendan O'Connor believes an asylum-seeker vessel that made it to the mainland is an exception, and does not herald a new strategy by people-smugglers. The Sri Lankan navy has warned the vessel's arrival in the West Australian port of Geraldton will encourage more people to take the dangerous voyage, believing they can evade … Continue reading Australia says asylum seeker boat arrival not a new people smuggling strategy
Australia’s Foreign Minister brands Margaret Thatcher racist
Former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher made "unabashedly racist" comments during a conversation with Bob Carr, the Foreign Affairs Minister has told Lateline. Thatcher died on Monday morning (UK time) at the age of 87 and will be accorded a ceremonial funeral at London's St Paul's Cathedral next week. Senator Carr says he was "astonished" … Continue reading Australia’s Foreign Minister brands Margaret Thatcher racist
Australian Prime Minister strengthens military alliance with China, ignores 2009 report of threat
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard today will unveil a 10-year plan to tighten Australia's embrace of China, flagging three-nation military exercises to include the US and more Chinese investment in Australia. The declaration comes as Canberra and Beijing have clinched a deal for an annual meeting mechanism between the Australian prime minister and the Chinese … Continue reading Australian Prime Minister strengthens military alliance with China, ignores 2009 report of threat
Australia and China agree to new annual leaders’ forum; few other outcomes of China trip
Australia and China have agreed to top level strategic talks to strengthen and provide direction to an economically crucial relationship which also presents vast opportunities. In one of the few immediate outcomes from Julia Gillard's high-octane charm offensive to China which wraps up on Wednesday, a new annual leaders' forum has been agreed, effectively mirroring … Continue reading Australia and China agree to new annual leaders’ forum; few other outcomes of China trip
Australian asylum children denied right to attend school
Asylum-seeker children aged under-15 continue to be denied the right to attend schools in Tasmania, despite the state government's strong desire to educate them "outside the wire". After criticism from the state Children's Commissioner, it was yesterday announced that up to 150 children aged 15 to 17 would be allowed to attend Hobart Polytechnic colleges … Continue reading Australian asylum children denied right to attend school
Canberra doesn’t understand reality of China-Japan conflict, or consequences to Australia
In the event of a conflict between China and Japan, it's hard to think of a country that would be more exposed than Australia. Yet several leading defence scholars have warned that this prospect is receiving little attention from policy-makers and academics, and Australia is in denial about the risks. Defence specialist and consultant Ross … Continue reading Canberra doesn’t understand reality of China-Japan conflict, or consequences to Australia
Australian Prime Minister surprisingly disregards threats made by China
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has declared that Australia can grow its relationship with China while "tending" to its friendship with the US, playing down tensions caused by an agreement to allow US marines to exercise near Darwin. She seems to have totally disregarded threats made by China against Australia, particularly a warning in May … Continue reading Australian Prime Minister surprisingly disregards threats made by China
Australia raises Cebongan human rights jail killings with Indonesia
Defence Minister Stephen Smith has asked to be kept informed of Indonesian investigations into the alleged involvement of Kopassus special forces soldiers in the murder of four remand prisoners. Mr Smith confirmed today that he had raised the Cebongan jail killings on March 23 with Indonesian counterpart Purnomo Yusgiantoro at their Jakarta meeting. Mr Smith … Continue reading Australia raises Cebongan human rights jail killings with Indonesia
Australia hails “Bali Process” countries criminalisation of people smuggling
Foreign Minister Bob Carr has hailed an agreement by 37 Bali Process countries to criminalise people-smuggling and human-trafficking as a "huge advance". The Bali Process ministerial meeting yesterday also agreed to link with the Australian-sponsored Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Co-operation to train regional police forces to deal with people-smugglers and traffickers as trans-national criminals. … Continue reading Australia hails “Bali Process” countries criminalisation of people smuggling
Australia has a secret China Unit
After years of policy confusion, a high-powered task force has been quietly pulling the China threads together in the federal bureaucracy. Canberra's leading mandarins have formed a secret task force to cope with the unprecedented challenges of rising China. The Committee of Secretaries on China was formed by a cabinet decision of December 2010 following … Continue reading Australia has a secret China Unit
Australia’s “Asia Literate” plan fails: more students learning Latin than Chinese
Asian language teaching in Australian schools has declined to the point where more year 12 students are studying Latin than Chinese. Despite China's growing importance and the Gillard government's goal of creating an ''Asia Literate'' society by 2025, fewer high school students who don't speak Chinese at home are learning the language than four years … Continue reading Australia’s “Asia Literate” plan fails: more students learning Latin than Chinese
Australian navy chief says Opposition’s plan to resume turning back asylum seeker boats is dangerous
The navy chief responsible for turning back asylum boats under the Howard government has warned that any decision to reintroduce the policy would be "dangerous stuff" for all concerned. David Shackleton said the Coalition should be under no illusion that such a policy would lead asylum-seekers to sabotage their boats, jump overboard and do whatever … Continue reading Australian navy chief says Opposition’s plan to resume turning back asylum seeker boats is dangerous
Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd calls on China to calm North Korea
North Korea's nuclear program poses a serious threat to China's own relations with its neighbours, Kevin Rudd has warned officers at Beijing's main defence academy. In a speech at China's National Defence University, Mr Rudd said Pyongyang's antics threatened China's foreign policy objectives because Asian nations were beginning to co-operate on regional anti-ballistic missile defences, … Continue reading Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd calls on China to calm North Korea
Australia warned of double whammy in China’s pending debt crisis
A major Asian investment bank says the seeds of a future financial crisis in China have been sown. Nomura is warning that debt levels in China are teetering at unsustainable levels. Debt in China is believed to be between 150 and 200 per cent of GDP, pushed up by easy monetary policy the government has … Continue reading Australia warned of double whammy in China’s pending debt crisis
Australia’s population could soar to 40 million by 2050 because of temporary entry migrants
Julia Gillard is steering the nation's population on a course to more than 40 million by 2050, despite warning just three years ago against "hurtling towards a big Australia". New figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics today show net overseas migration jumped by almost a third, to 228,000, in the 12 months to … Continue reading Australia’s population could soar to 40 million by 2050 because of temporary entry migrants
Australian expert warns of more asylum seeker deaths at sea unless changes made
The Australian governments own immigration expert Paris Aristotle says it is ''absolutely certain'' there will be more asylum-seeker deaths at sea unless the government implements the full suite of measures recommended to it last year. In the wake of the deaths of two asylum-seekers this week Mr Aristotle, who is currently visiting the Nauru detention … Continue reading Australian expert warns of more asylum seeker deaths at sea unless changes made
A fifth of Australian teaching degrees will fail new government quality test
About a fifth of the 400 teaching degrees offered by universities around Australia will struggle to meet standards required for accreditation by the national teaching institute, and half of those courses are expected to close. The chairman of the Australian Institute for Teaching School Leadership, Tony Mackay, yesterday said the new national standards for accrediting … Continue reading A fifth of Australian teaching degrees will fail new government quality test
Afghan women tricked into spying on Taliban for US, Australian forces
Afghan women were tricked into spying for NATO-led forces after being lured in under the auspices of a fake aid program, a former espionage chief has revealed. Provided with phone credit and sewing and embroidery supplies, the women believed that they were being helped to start a small business. But their contact point, a female … Continue reading Afghan women tricked into spying on Taliban for US, Australian forces
Five ministers, three whips, parliamentary secretaries resign; Australian government in turmoil
Anthony Albanese says there's "no reason" for him to resign in the wake of Labor's abortive leadership coup, as he admitted the departures of fellow Rudd backers from the ministry were "big losses". The cabinet minister denied he played any role in corralling support for Kevin Rudd against Julia Gillard ahead of a Labor caucus … Continue reading Five ministers, three whips, parliamentary secretaries resign; Australian government in turmoil
Craig Hill 