APSNet 14 July 2010
- East Timor priority over Nauru for asylum-seeker processing centre: Stephen Smith
- Asylum-seeker linked to al-Qa’ida
- Dictator link to mobile carrier
- Chinese company cleared to buy into Woomera project
- Gillard standing firm on Afghan war after soldier’s death
- Elections in doubt, says Fiji leader
- Killings by ‘rogue’ soldier another setback for Afghanistan policy
- Papuans seek referendum from Jakarta
1. East Timor priority over Nauru for asylum-seeker processing centre: Stephen Smith, Joe Kelly, Australian, 2010-07-14
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith has played down the chances of Nauru becoming an asylum processing hub, even if it signs up to the UN refugee convention. Mr Smith said the government’s priority in efforts to establish a regional processing centre for asylum-seekers was in continuing discussions with East Timor. This is despite the East Timorese parliament unanimously rejecting Julia Gillard’s proposal.
- Timor MPs vote ‘no’ to asylum bid, Michelle Grattan, Tom Allard and Daniel Flitton, Age, 2010-07-13
2. Asylum-seeker linked to al-Qa’ida, Stephen Fitzpatrick, Australian, 2010-07-14
Indonesian authorities believe they have captured a senior Afghan al-Qa’ida-linked figure posing as an asylum-seeker trying to reach Australia. The revelation follows information from the head of Indonesia’s international crimes unit, Saud Usman Nasution, that Australian Federal Police were helping the Indonesians to compile a database to cross-check asylum-seeker and terrorist connections.
- Canberra to boost Indonesia sea blitz, Paul Maley and Brendan Nicholson, Australian, 2010-07-08
3. Dictator link to mobile carrier, Lucy Battersby, SMH, 2010-07-10
The eldest son of the Libyan dictator, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, sits on the board of the satellite company used by Australia’s newest mobile telecommunications carrier, a company that is “vigorously targeting” contracts with defence bases and personnel in remote Australia, as well as emergency services, mining and transportation companies and people in remote areas.
4. Chinese company cleared to buy into Woomera project, Clancy Yeates, BusinessDay, 2010-07-10
The federal government will allow a Chinese company to take a significant stake in mining assets in the Woomera prohibited area weapons testing range in South Australia. Mr Swan said yesterday he was satisfied the deal would not harm the national interest, provided two conditions were met. First, Outback Iron, the holding company for Cairn Hill, would have to enter into a revised agreement with the Commonwealth regarding access to land in the Woomera area. Second, the Department of Defence would also have to be satisfied that the deal was in the national interest.
5. Gillard standing firm on Afghan war after soldier’s death, ABC, 2010-07-11
Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she hopes the public will continue to support the Australian mission in Afghanistan following the death of another Australian soldier. Ms Gillard says despite the rising Australian death toll, she is determined to see the Australian mission in Afghanistan succeed.
- Our security is at stake in Afghanistan, Julia Gillard, Age, 2010-07-12
- Soldiers’ despair confronts Defence, Sean Parnell and Rory Callinan, Australian, 2010-07-10
- Robot shortage ‘puts soldiers at bomb risk’, Rory Callinan and Sean Parnell, Australian, 2010-07-12
6. Elections in doubt, says Fiji leader, Philippa McDonald, ABC, 2010-07-15
Fiji’s interim Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama has declared elections may not be held in 2014 because of strained relations with Australia and New Zealand. He is expelling Australia’s high commissioner to Fiji, Sarah Roberts, who is the second official from Canberra to be deported in the past eight months.
- Julia Gillard to protest expulsion of Australia’s senior diplomat in Fiji, Joe Kelly, Australian, 2010-07-13
- Melanesia abandons pariah of Pacific, Rowan Callick, Australian, 2010-07-14
7. Killings by ‘rogue’ soldier another setback for Afghanistan policy, Richard Norton-Taylor, Guardian, 2010-07-13
The killing of three British soldiers by an Afghan soldier, whether or not the work of the Taliban, is a dramatic demonstration of the risks involved in training Afghan security forces – the key to the government’s exit strategy. The incident coincides with growing opposition to the war in opinion polls matched by growing scepticism about US strategy, even among the upper reaches of Britain’s defence and diplomatic establishment.
8. Papuans seek referendum from Jakarta, SMH, 2010-07-10
Hundreds of protesters camped outside Parliament in Papua last night as part of a rally calling for a referendum on self-determination for the Indonesian province.
- Papua parliament to hold special session on Special Autonomy, Radio New Zealand International, 2010-07-14
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