Category: anthony albanese

Australia’s Reserve Bank December Rate Rise on Course

All eyes will be on the Reserve Bank of Australia this week to see how it’s factoring in recent strong wages and jobs data, ahead of its next interest rate meeting in December. At its board meeting earlier this month, the central bank floated the near term possibility of keeping the cash rate steady at…


We Must Be Able to Raise Concerns Without ‘Retaliatory Acts’: New Zealand PM to Meet Xi

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she needs to be able to raise areas of concern with Chinese leader Xi Jinping without the country being on the receiving end of retaliation. The comments come ahead of her expected meeting on Nov. 18 with Xi on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum…


Little Value in a ‘Diplomatic Thaw’ With Beijing: Foreign Policy Experts

Foreign policy experts say a diplomatic thaw with Beijing should not be the end goal of U.S. and Australian leaders, instead, the focus should be on compelling the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to uphold human rights and international rules around trade. John Lee, the former senior advisor to Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, said recent…


China’s Diplomatic Thaw Doesn’t Bring Relief From Economic Coercion: Australian PM

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has warned the country’s exporters that it may take a long time before China removes its $20 billion (US$13.5 billion) trade sanctions on Australia. The warning comes after the Albanese met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Nov. 15 on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali. Speaking at…


Beijing’s Diplomatic Thaw Doesn’t Bring Relief From Economic Coercion: Australian PM

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has warned the country’s exporters that it may take a long time before China removes its $20 billion (US$13.5 billion) trade sanctions on Australia. The warning comes after the Albanese met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Nov. 15 on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali. Speaking at…


Australia Can No Longer Rely on the US as a Our ‘Security Guarantor’: Defence Minister

Defence Minister Richard Marles has warned that the situation in the Indo-Pacific has become “far too precarious” to depend on the United States as Australia’s security guarantor. Australia’s alliance with the United States has been central to the country’s view of the world and national security since World War II. However, in a keynote address…


Australia, China Leaders to Meet on the Sidelines of the G20

Leaders from Australia and China have agreed to meet on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia, suggesting a thawing in diplomatic relations. This will be the first time in over two years that leaders have met after the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) took issue with the Australian Morrison government calling for an…


Australia Commits $50 Million to Global Pandemic Fund

Australia has pledged $50 million (US$33.4 million) to the new Pandemic Fund, a new global fund launched by Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Bali on Nov. 13. The Pandemic Fund, hosted by the World Bank, is the result of global lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic, designed to improve preparedness capabilities for future pandemic threats…


Aussie PM and Chinese Premier Meet in Cambodia

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has met informally with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at a gala dinner for world leaders. It’s a significant development as work continues behind the scenes to secure a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The dinner was hosted by King of Cambodia Norodom Sihamoni and Prime Minister Hun Sen, for leaders…


Russia-Based Group Identified as Hackers Behind Medibank Data Breach

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has identified a group of “loosely affiliated” cyber criminals based in Russia as those behind the cyber attack on health insurer Medibank. AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw said the agency has been able to find the identities of the hackers but didn’t name them. “These cyber criminals are operating like a…