Monday 5 December 2005

Bi-weekly report from the Nautilus Institute at RMIT, Australia.

1. Iron Prices ‘Could Hurt Uranium Deals’
2. The US Can Out-Charm China
3. Terror Laws Threat To ‘Basic Civil Liberties’
4. Defence Update Highlights Global Threat
5. ASIO’s Questioning And Detention Powers
6. Crisis On Our Doorstep – HIV/AIDS Grips Papua New Guinea
7. PNG: Police Mobile Squads Disbanded
8. Unless The Nation Works Together, Our Grandchildren Face Global Disaster

1. Iron Prices ‘Could Hurt Uranium Deals’,
   Barry Fitzgerald, Age, 2005-12-02

   China has warned BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto not to increase the iron ore price. Ambassador Mme. Fu Ying confirmed China’s plan to increase nuclear power for energy from 2 to 4 per cent by 2020. China’s domestic uranium is used by the military. “There is going to be the need to import uranium,” she said, but added Australia was but one of the supply options.

2. The US Can Out-Charm China,
   Fareed Zakaria, Newsweek, 2005-12-03

   China has used soft power in the sense that it has exercised its power softly. It does this to show that it is not a bully, unlike guess who. The East Asia Summit, being hosted in Kuala Lumpur on Dec. 12, should serve as a wake-up call for Washington.

3. Terror Laws Threat To ‘Basic Civil Liberties’,
   Michelle Grattan, Age, 2005-12-05

   The Law Council of Australia has taken out newspaper advertisements accusing the Government of putting Australians’ “most basic civil liberties under threat”. The counter-terrorism legislation is due to be passed this week.

   Of related interest:
   Anti-Terrorism Bill 2005, Parliamentary Library
   Anti-Terrorism Bill (No.2) 2005, Parliamentary Library
   Anti-Terrorism Bill (No.2) When Scrutiny, Secrecy and Security Collide, Jenny Hocking, Democratic Audit of Australia, November 2005

4. Defence Update Highlights Global Threat,
   Patrick Walters, Australian, 2005-12-05

   The update says the army must grow and have more combat weight as the Government prepares to commit more troops to Afghanistan and considers new army deployments to Iraq next year. The plan cites global terrorism, weapons of mass destruction and failing states in Australia’s neighbourhood as the main security challenges.

5. ASIO’s Questioning And Detention Powers,
   ASPI, 2005-12-01

   The Parliamentary Joint Committee on ASIO, ASIS and DSD has reviewed the operation, effectiveness and implications of Division 3 of Part III in the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979. The sunset clause for this provision comes into operation on 22 July 2006. ASPI says this report is intended to inform the reintroduction of the Act next year prior to the sunset clause.

   Of Related interest:
   Review of Division 3 Part III of the ASIO Act 1979 – Questioning and Detention Powers

6. Crisis On Our Doorstep – HIV/AIDS Grips Papua New Guinea,
   Australian Red Cross, 2005-12-01

   The HIV/AIDS epidemic in PNG could rival the catastrophic situations in Africa unless immediate and large-scale actions are taken by the international community, says Australian Red Cross CEO Robert Tickner.

7. PNG: Police Mobile Squads Disbanded,
   PINA, 2005-12-02

   Police mobile squads have been disbanded pending an investigation into their actions in last month’s takeover of PNG’s police college to protest over unpaid allowances. Mobile squad officers set up road blocks, patrolled the college with semi-automatic weapons and reportedly threatened to take measures against the civilian society of Port Moresby if their demands were not met.

8. Unless The Nation Works Together, Our Grandchildren Face Global Disaster,
   Morris Iemma NSW Premier, SMH, 2005-11-29

   The Federal Government must commit to a summit on climate change. Recently I wrote to the Prime Minister requesting him to convene a three-day national summit in the first half of next year on climate change and greenhouse gas emissions trading.

   Contact editor: Jane Mullett jane.mullett@rmit.edu.au