Online Press review 22 April 2015
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FRONT PAGE
ALP eyes super tax hit for wealthy (AUS) Maher Up to 170,000 Australians face higher superannuation taxes under Labor plans to tackle the budget deficit by raising $14 billion during the next decade from wealthier workers and retirees. British terror links extend to second investigation (AUS) Schliebs, Wallace Authorities have established links between Australian and British men in two separate terrorism •investigations in recent months, with different groups of people in both countries questioned over their ties to alleged plots. Labor's $14b superannuation hit to well-off (AFR) Coorey The well-off would lose $14 billion in superannuation tax concessions over the next decade under a new Labor policy that it says is needed to keep the system sustainable and restore equity.
DOMESTIC AFFAIRS
POLITICS Let’s educate the upper house pygmies about democracy (AUS/Opinion) Craven Traditionally, there were two routes to certain social death in Australia. One was barracking for Collingwood. The other was membership of an upper house of parliament.
MELBOURNE TERROR ARRESTS Teenage terror accused set up, father declares (AUS) Akerman The father of a teenager accused of conspiring to plan a terrorist attack has pleaded his son’s innocence, declaring the youth has been “set up”. Melbourne's al-Furqan Islamic centre a key focus for ASIO (AUS) Baxendale When the founders of the al-Furqan Islamic centre in Melbourne’s Springvale South applied to the City of Greater Dandenong for “place of assembly” and “information centre” permits in 2011, they were refused on the grounds of parking, noise and safety. UK counterterrorism police in Melbourne for alleged Anzac Day terror plot (CAN) Mills, Cooper, Russell Counterterrorism police from Britain who provided information leading to raids in Melbourne on Saturday have flown in to assist the Anzac Day terror plot investigation.
TAX REFORM Joe Hockey 'undermining' tax reform process, experts say (AFR) Mather Tax professionals have taken a swipe at the federal government for "pre-empting" the white paper process by announcing new policies before anybody has had a chance to make a submission.
Ambassade de France en Australie – Service de Presse et Information Site : http://www.ambafrance-au.org/ Tél. : 61 (02) 6216 0150 Email : [email protected]
ANZAC DAY Tony Abbott hails role of the the 'Anzac story to the Australian story' (AFR) Walker Tony Abbott has hailed the Anzacs as being part of Australia's foundation story as a nation. Exemplary Anzac spirit guides successive generations (SMH/Opinion) Abbott On a still spring night a century ago the ships carrying the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps stole in towards the high coastline of the Gallipoli peninsula.
ECONOMY Reform should be Tony Abbott's path of least regret (AFR/Opinion) Mitchell Economy Reform is Australia's best answer to the risk of secular stagnation. Tony Abbott's task is to carry the voters with him.
SOCIAL SERVICES Sussan Ley pushes new Medicare deal (AUS) Parnell Doctors and specialists will be enticed to help the Abbott government find new Medicare savings — such as might be achieved through a crackdown on inappropriate practice — if they want a contentious freeze on rebates •lifted.
SECURITY/TERRORISM Charity sector ‘faces high risk’ (AUS) Butler Australian authorities are not investigating enough money laundering offences and the nation’s charity sector is at risk of being used to channel funding to terrorists, an intergovernmental policymaking group has found. Tony Abbott issues Anzac Day rallying call: let’s all defy terror (AUS) Hudson Tony Abbott has urged the millions of Australians who have never been to an Anzac Day event not to let this anniversary pass, saying attending a ceremony is the best way to defy terror threats and support Australian values. Anzac plot to alienate police from Muslims (AUS/Opinion) O’Brien Yet more counter terrorism arrests in Australia, this time with an apparent connection overseas where a 14-year-old boy has been arrested by the North-West Counter Terrorism Unit in Britain.
NAVAL SHIPBUILDING PLAN Launching a new deal for naval shipbuilding (AUS/Opinion) Andrews The Abbott government is committed to a sustainable Australian naval shipbuilding industry. Sadly, years of neglect by the former Labor government have left shipbuilding in a precarious and uncertain state.
RET ‘Wait for wind inquiry before changing RET’: Bob Day (AUS) Lewis Family First senator Bob Day has asked Tony Abbott and Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane to delay a vote to change the Renewable Energy Target for six months, until the conclusion of a Senate inquiry into wind turbines.
CLIMATE CHANGE Coalition warned of catch-up on carbon (AUS) Maher The Climate Change Authority is pressing the Abbott government to dramatically lift its 2020 emissions reduction target, as it recommended the nation take a 30 per cent cut by 2025 to the UN Paris climate change conference.
EDUCATION/SCIENCE International student recruitment agency used by Australian National University willing to accept forged transcripts (CAN) Colley The Australian National University will investigate an agency it uses to recruit international students after allegations the company accepts forged school transcripts from students trying to secure a place in Australian universities.
Ambassade de France en Australie – Service de Presse et Information Site : http://www.ambafrance-au.org/ Tél. : 61 (02) 6216 0150 Email : [email protected]
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
FOREIGN POLICY Dumped Liberal senator Brett Mason gets post in Europe (AUS) Martin Julie Bishop has appointed her former parliamentary secretary Brett Mason as ambassador to The Netherlands, a month after he announced his resignation from the Senate. Bishop's mission to Iran raises more questions than it answers (CAN/Opinion) Yusuf What a crazy few weeks leading up to Anzac Day period it's been. We've had Reclaim Australia holding rallies in most major cities calling for jihad against halal vegemite. We've had hundreds of police swoop on a bunch of kids accused of plotting to kill more police, giving The Daily Telegraph an opportunity to report of "a devastating new terror threat planned for its most revered day", with one columnist reminding us: "Oh, Islam. How the left so cravenly folds when that particular grievance card hits the table".
ECONOMY Rush for the exits or reach for the stars (AUS/Opinion) Newman Landing at an Australian airport from a major Asian city leaves you conscious that the look and feel of your destination is significantly inferior to the standard at your departure. Compared to Asia, the facilities pale and a sense of indifference is what greets you. There are no dedicated APEC channels and express lanes are honoured in the breach. The Prime Minister may boast “Australia is open for business”, but you wouldn’t guess that from your arrival
DEFENCE/SECURITY US says it won’t share intelligence with Iran (AUS) Lewis The US will not share intelligence with Iran in the fight against •Islamic State and wants more •detail on the deal with Australia. We need a wider national security ethos for the world of 2015 (AFR/Opinion) Medcalf Galipolli anniversary The Anzacs will always be an inspiration, but modern Australians have to deal with a much more complex strategy equation than the one in 1915, writes Rory Medcalf
IMMIGRATION We’re willing to help Europe stop boats: Peter Dutton (AUS) Owens Australia is willing to help Europe implement “sensible measures” to stop asylum-seeker boats on the Mediterranean, but a long-term solution must centre on •resolving bloody conflicts across the Islamic world, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton says.
CLIMATE CHANGE Climate Change Authority presents a compelling case for deeper Australian emissions cuts (SMH) Arup In the complex world of climate change diplomacy Australia is attracting a lot of heat. Reduce emissions by 30pc before 2025, says CCA (AFR) Ludlow The Climate Change Authority has recommended Australia cut greenhouse gas emissions 30 per cent by 2025 – a significant increase on the current commitment of 5 per cent by the end of the decade that would likely hit big emitters such as electricity and aluminium production. Australia should 'get off sidelines' with 30 per cent emissions cut by 2025: report (SMH) Cox, Arup Australia has been urged to rapidly accelerate its cuts to greenhouse gases, with the independent Climate Change Authority recommending the Abbott government adopt an ambitious 30 per cent reduction target on 2000 levels by 2025.
Ambassade de France en Australie – Service de Presse et Information Site : http://www.ambafrance-au.org/ Tél. : 61 (02) 6216 0150 Email : [email protected]
MEDIA Focus on Ebola fight earns Pulitzer for Aussie Daniel Berehulak (AUS) Hodge “Ebola is a virus that preys on our humanity,” Australian photographer Daniel Berehulak tells The Australian after returning from 10 weeks documenting the health crisis in Liberia and Sierra Leone last November. Australian photojournalist Daniel Berehulak wins 2015 Pulitzer Prize for feature photography (CAN+SMH) Kembrey With bodies lying in the streets and treatment facilities overflowing, photojournalist Daniel Berehulak knew he had to stay as long as he could.
FRANCE
Charlie Hebdo attack: Julie Bishop presents French cartoonists with David Pope's famous work (CAN+SMH) Miller A new cartoon sits on the crowded walls of Charlie Hebdo's offices in Paris.
WORLD
Mediterranean death boat captain arrested as UN puts toll at 800 (AUS) Magnay Italian police yesterday arrested two suspected people traffickers who were among the survivors of an asylum boat that capsized off Libya, as the UN said 800 people died in the Mediterranean’s worst migrant disaster. Libyan militia, tribesmen pocket millions in deadly migration (AUS) Stevis The deaths of more than 1000 Italy-bound migrants in the Mediterranean Sea in the past week are the product of a multi-million-dollar people-smuggling enterprise run by Libyan militias, tribesmen and bandits, law-enforcement officials and migrant-aid groups say. Mediterranean survivors clung to corpses as rescuers arrived (AUS) Kington Survivors clung to corpses as rescuers struggled to save hundreds of migrants from a fishing boat that capsized in the Mediterranean with up to 900 people on board, witnesses said yesterday. The cold reality of Europe's migrant crisis (AFR/Comment) Rachman, FT When 12 people were murdered by terrorists in the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris earlier this year, more than 2 million came out on to the streets of France to demonstrate in sympathy and protest. It seems unlikely that there will be a similar outpouring of public emotion in response to the deaths of hundreds of would-be migrants who drowned in the Mediterranean over the weekend as they attempted to cross into Europe. Captain and crew arrested, bodies brought ashore as shocked Europe vows to do more to stop migrant deaths (CAN+SMH) Mackenzie, Reuters The Tunisian captain and a Syrian crew member of a boat that capsized off the coast of Libya, killing 800 migrants, have been arrested. Tighter borders will not stop refugee deaths (SMH/Opinion) McAdam International co-operation is the only way to address global refugee crises.
Ambassade de France en Australie – Service de Presse et Information Site : http://www.ambafrance-au.org/ Tél. : 61 (02) 6216 0150 Email : [email protected]
EDITORIALS
The Australian Labor’s retrograde thinkers Some 18 months after Labor’s election defeat, the party’s think tank, the Chifley Research Centre, has come up with an idea. Australia has vital lessons for Europe asylum trauma The tragic loss of life among so-called “Mediterranean boatpeople” poses a humanitarian and security challenge for Europe that demands urgent action. The Italian government projects that 500,000 refugees from North Africa will try to make the dangerous crossing to Europe this year — mostly to Italy, Greece and Malta. With at least 1600 men, women and children drowning this year (400 in one incident earlier this month and up to 900 in another this week) the Catholic charity Caritas speaks of the Mediterranean becoming “a cemetery without tombstones.”
The Canberra Times Funding boost for WA Last Friday, Western Australia's call for the GST distribution formula to be rewritten to take account of declining state revenues caused by falling iron ore prices was rejected outright by the states and Territories. Adjudicating on the matter, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said he accepted the majority view, adding that changes to the funding formula ought to be the outcome of discussions and consultations flowing from white papers on tax and federation. On Tuesday, however, Mr Abbott pledged $660 million of Commonwealth money to the Barnett Coalition. The amount matches exactly the level of GST revenue which would have flowed to WA over the next two years had the state's share remained at 38 cents in the dollar and not fallen to 30 cents in the dollar on July 1, the recommendation of the Commonwealth Grants Commission.
CAPTIONS & CIRCULATION
AUS = The Australian (News Limited); Circulation WK: 126,901, Sat.: 277,386; Digital WK: 31,240, Digital SAT: 31,381. AFR = The Australian Financial Review (Fairfax Media Ltd); Circulation WK: 68,425, Sat.: 69,012. SMH = The Sydney morning Herald (Fairfax Media Ltd); Circulation WK: 161,169, Sat.: 265,457; Digital WK: 56,559, Digital SAT: 56,113. CAN = The Canberra Times (Fairfax Media Ltd); Circulation WK: 30,420, Sat.: 49,965, Sun.: 31,308.
Ambassade de France en Australie – Service de Presse et Information Site : http://www.ambafrance-au.org/ Tél. : 61 (02) 6216 0150 Email : [email protected]
Ambassade de France en Australie – Service de Presse et Information Site : http://www.ambafrance-au.org/ Tél. : 61 (02) 6216 0150 Email : [email protected]