Today I announce the appointment of Mr John Quinn as Australia’s next Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva. Mr Quinn will also be Australia’s Ambassador for Disarmament. Mr Quinn is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was until recently an Assistant Secretary in the […]
Our proposal for a $7 co-payment to help cover the cost of accessing a medical service is an essential structural reform, which will help make public funding for our world class health care system sustainable for the long term. The key public policy challenge we face in health care financing is how best to ensure […]
More than 1200 people, eight warships and 26 aircraft from 15 coalition nations are arriving in Darwin today for the Royal Australian Navy’s largest maritime warfare exercise, KAKADU 2014, to be held from 25 August to 12 September, 2014. Participants will conduct tactical warfare planning and cultural exchanges in Darwin for the first week of […]
I am pleased to announce that the Australian Government will provide $45.5 million to activities that will support and enrich Australia’s unique Indigenous cultures. This funding will support 86 Indigenous visual art organisations, 51 Indigenous languages activities, 83 culture activities and more than 570 jobs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. An extension of […]
A 36 year-old Kiama man has been charged by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) for assaulting a passenger on-board a flight from Manila to Sydney last night (Friday, 22 August). It is alleged the 36-year-old assaulted another passenger unknown to him, punching him multiple times in the face while he was attempting to sleep. On […]
An Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (ACBPS) investigation, with assistance from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and partner agencies, has resulted in the seizure of 35 kilograms of precursor drugs, the arrest of one person and the detention of one unlawful non-citizen across New South Wales and Victoria. The investigation began last week when […]
Two Japanese nationals have been charged with drug importation offences for attempting to internally import drugs into Melbourne International Airport. The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (ACBPS) questioned the men when they arrived into Melbourne International Airport on Friday (22 August). During questioning, the ABPCS officers became suspicious the men may be concealing drugs […]
It’s an honour to be in Bali to attend a ceremony recognising the 10th Anniversary of the establishment of the Australian Federal Police Bali Office and a commemorative service at the Bali Bombing memorial site in Kuta. I am visiting Bali as part of a week-long visit to Indonesia which included attending the 10th anniversary […]
Swift investigation by the Department of Agriculture on the illegal importation of aquatic plants has r esulted in the conviction and sentencing of a Queensland man who may now spend Christmas in prison. The man pleaded guilty to five offences of illegally importing aquatic plants by using false consignee details, decoy packaging and falsely declaring […]
Damascus, Aug 24 (IANS) Syrian troops took full control of the al-Tabaqa airbase Sunday after intense battles with the Islamic State (IS) militants, state-run media said. The militants could not hold their ground, SANA news agency reported. Government forces are still striking at the positions of the terrorists in that area. An army commander said severe […]