The Governor-General, His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK, MC (Retd), today presented the Meritorious Unit Citation for the Force Communications Unit, United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) during an investiture ceremony at Simpson Barracks, Victoria. The Force Communications Unit (FCU) deployed as Australia’s main contribution to UNTAC under Operation GEMINI between […]
Former US President Bill Clinton and I have witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) committing Australia and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) to work together to transform access to health in developing countries over the next five years. The MOU will support Australia’s $5 billion aid program, which encourages innovation in […]
Community groups and local organisations throughout Australia are invited to apply for awareness grants to promote organ and tissue donation. The Assistant Minister for Health, Fiona Nash, said $463,000 in grants is available to support community awareness and education activities about organ and tissue donation, and the importance of people discussing their donation decision with […]
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission welcomes the Harper Competition Review Draft Report. “The draft report is part of the most significant review in this area for over 20 years,” ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said. “The ACCC particularly welcomes the panel’s view that there is a need to reinvigorate Australia’s competition policy, and ensure that […]
The Abbott Government today welcomed the Harper Competition Review Draft Report. This is the first comprehensive review of Australia’s competition law, policy and institutional framework in 20 years and delivers on a key election commitment. The review focuses on improving outcomes for Australians, by making markets work in the long term interests of consumers. It […]
Minister for Planning Pru Goward today announced new planning guidelines for apartment design in NSW, which could see the cost of a new apartment slashed by up to $50,000. Ms Goward said the proposed changes were part of the NSW Government’s continued efforts to put downward pressure on house prices, provide more housing choice and […]
Western Australian farmers can now apply for an Australian Government drought concessional loan. Australian Minister for Agriculture, Barnaby Joyce, and Western Australian Minister for Agriculture and Food, Ken Baston, said ensuring farmers in Western Australia had access to these loans was a priority. Minister Joyce said $20 million in drought concessional loans is now available […]
Berlin, Sep 23 (IANS/EFE) A member of the executive committee of international soccer’s governing body, FIFA, said Monday that he doubted the 2022 World Cup would be held in Qatar, on account of its high temperatures and health threats to players and fans. “I personally think that in the end, the 2022 World Cup will not […]
United Nations, Sep 23 (IANS) The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has been stepping up assistance to the Turkish government to aid an estimated 130,000 Syrian Kurds who have crossed into Turkey since last Friday, the United Nations spokesman said Monday. “The Turkish authorities and UNHCR are preparing for the possibility of hundreds of thousands more refugees […]
Paris, Sep 23 (IANS) A French national was kidnapped in Algeria’s Tizi Ouzou region Sunday, the French foreign ministry said Monday. “A French national was kidnapped on Sunday in Algeria, in the region of Tizi Ouzou, while he was on holiday there,” Xinhua quoted the foreign ministry as saying. The incident came after the Islamic State […]