Online Press review 28 April 2015

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FRONT PAGE

 Nepal earthquake: nation mourns as it fears the worst (AUS) Hodge stranded in Nepal following the deadly earthquake will be offered military flights out of the country.  Nine: Andrew Chan marries on eve of death (AUS) Alford, Owens Foreign Minister has defended after he was told to show “some balls” over the impending execution of Andrew Chan and .  David Murray says banks would be hit by AAA credit downgrade (AFR) Eyers Financial system inquiry chairman David Murray says the federal government could lose its prized AAA credit rating, and the downgrade would hit all the large banks.  US Treasury pressures Tony Abbott to drop 'Google tax' (AFR) Kehoe The Obama administration is pressuring the Abbott government to back away from plans to target American technology multinationals with higher taxes in next month's federal budget.  pair Chan and Sukumaran choose their execution witnesses (CAN+SMH) Topsfield The families of Bali nine pair Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan have received the news they were dreading - they will be forced to say their final farewells on Tuesday afternoon.

DOMESTIC AFFAIRS

POLITICS  The ‘leader who cares’ has no time for fiscal reality (AUS/Opinion) Cater Are you being short-changed by the frightful Abbott government? Should childcare subsidies be larger? Should your pension be rising faster? Should taxpayers underwrite universities more generously than they do?  Plibersek call for binding vote on gay marriage fires factions (AUS) Maher, Lewis Deputy Labor leader has unleashed a factional firefight over gay marriage and is at odds with her leader after she called for the ALP national conference to bind federal MPs to vote in favour of it.  Medicare savings for Medical Research Future Fund: Ley (AUS) Lewis The government has vowed to push ahead with its Medical Research Future Fund and Health Minister Sussan Ley has revealed it would be partly funded by savings from a review of Medicare.  Pension changes are unfair (AUS/Opinion) Macklin pension is about $20,000 a year; hardly a lavish income. Yet if you believe Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison’s rhetoric you’d think pensioners are bankrupting . This is simply untrue.

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 Josh Frydenberg: Labor’s tilt on super unjust (AUS/Opinion) Frydenberg Last week, Labor proposed two changes to superannuation tax concessions. It was a political solution to a policy problem.  Gay marriage call easy for Tanya Plibersek, not for Labor (AFR) Coorey Never underestimate Labor's capacity for self-destruction.  Tanya Plibersek's same-sex marriage push sends shockwaves through ALP (CAN+SMH) Ireland Acting Labor leader Tanya Plibersek's push to make Labor MPs vote for same-sex marriage has sent shockwaves through the party, with at least one MP promising to cross the floor if they had to support the reform and others pledging to fight the binding vote proposal.  Has Tanya Plibersek misread the Labor Party's mood for change? (SMH/Analysis) Peatling Conscience votes are a wonderful thing. Anyone who has sat in Parliament and watched MPs grappling with difficult moral issues such as stem cell research, euthanasia and same-sex marriage has seen our political system at its finest.  How is Tony Abbott's leadership, three months since the spill? (SMH/Opinion) Reith The Prime Minister's political scare is sure to have made him more wary of the ramification of his decisions.

BUDGET 2015  Attacking multinationals comes tax-free politically (AFR/Comment) Hewett Announcing new "integrity measures" sounds a whole lot safer to the Abbott government than announcing new taxes or, worse still, announcing specifics of spending cuts rather than vague promises about getting spending under control.  Fire public servants, cut welfare, stop funding research; David Leyonhjelm's libertarian budget (AFR/Feature) Leyonhjelm Libertarian senator David Leyonhjelm wants lower taxes, fewer public servants and a balanced budget. This is his alternative budget for 2015.

ECONOMY  Ideas needed for next economic growth phase (AFR) Emerson Economic growth The idea of de-regulation has sustained a lot of growth, but need some new ideas for the next growth phase.

CLIMATE CHANGE  Auction winners say Direct Action alone won't meet CO2 targets (AFR) Winestock The winning bidders at the $660 million carbon emissions reduction auctions last week have told the federal government it cannot meet its climate change targets by Direct Action alone.

EDUCATION/SCIENCE  University staff changes ‘will pipe $14m to research’ (AUS) Hare The University of will create 100 teaching-only positions and set out strict performance guidelines detailing academic staff duties in a move that will save at least $14 million a year to be redirected to research activities.  UCL to maintain Adelaide presence (AUS) Trounson Prestigious University of College London is to partner with the University of South Australia to maintain a downscaled presence in Adelaide once it shuts down its branch campus at the end of 2017.  Adelaide Uni to boost research by $14m from productivity savings (AFR) Dodd The University of Adelaide will boost its research spending by $14 million a year using money saved from higher productivity of its teaching staff.

Ambassade de France en Australie – Service de Presse et Information Site : http://www.ambafrance-au.org/ Tél. : 61 (02) 6216 0150 Email : [email protected]

INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS  Jay Weatherill urges Nigel Scullion to restore APY federal funds (AUS) Neill The Labor government in South Australia has urged the Coalition to reinstate federal funding to the state’s troubled remote indigenous lands, although it concedes concerns remain about governance and financial management.  Mixed feelings for indigenous delegates as artefacts go public (AUS) Owen For Jason Eades and Peter Yu, visiting a landmark British Museum exhibition of indigenous artefacts — including a shield and spears collected by Captain James Cook’s crew — will be emotional “on many levels”.

MEDIA  ASIO Act could conceal ‘torture, murder by agents’ (AUS) Martin Human rights groups and civil libertarians have backed calls from media organisations to repeal national security laws that could jail journalists for 10 years.  Malcolm Turnbull denies pushing for SBS reporter’s sacking (AUS) Bodey Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has denied influencing the sacking of an SBS journalist despite admitting he alerted managing director Michael Ebeid to the reporter’s - inflammatory comments.  SBS within its rights to sack Anzac Day tweeter Scott McIntyre (AUS/Opinion) Wilson Accountability is essential to ensure free speech is exercised with respect for others.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

FOREIGN POLICY  China’s rise will drive defence policy: Kevin Andrews (AUS) Sheridan How the Asia responds to China’s rise will be the “major driver of the Indo-Pacific’s strategic future”, says Defence Minister Kevin Andrews.

ABBOTT IN FRANCE  'I once was lost but now am found': Anzac's grave finally named (CAN+SMH) Miller The grave of an unknown soldier on the Western Front has at last been granted a name, rank, and the tears of a long-separated family.

BALI 9  Bali Nine: Judges’ ‘bribery’ guilt won’t delay duo’s executions (AUS) Alford Allegations of bribery in the death sentences of Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan could not change the verdict, even if proved.  Government anger grows as Bali execution nears (AFR) Coorey Australia is planning to downgrade diplomatic ties with as Jakarta ignores a last- minute offensive and proceeds with plans to execute convicted drug smugglers Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan early on Wednesday morning.  Indonesian AG in key post when alleged intervention led to Bali nine death penalty (CAN) Allard Indonesia's Attorney-General and chief advocate for executing drug felons, H.M. Prasetyo, was a senior figure in the office of the Attorney-General in 2006 when it allegedly intervened to insist the Bali nine duo get the death penalty.  Bali nine: Australia considers recalling Indonesian ambassador over executions (CAN+SMH) Wroe, Massola Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop are considering all options – including the dramatic step of recalling Australia's ambassador to Indonesia – in a sign of the federal government's growing fury at the looming executions of Bali nine duo Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan.

Ambassade de France en Australie – Service de Presse et Information Site : http://www.ambafrance-au.org/ Tél. : 61 (02) 6216 0150 Email : [email protected]

 "They asked for $130k and then more": new claims of bribes in Bali nine duo death penalty case (SMH) Allard The former lawyer of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran has outlined explosive allegations of corruption by the judges that sentenced the Bali nine duo to death, saying they asked for more than $130,000 to give them a prison term of less than 20 years.  Indonesian President Widodo under corrupt thumb of Megawati (SMH/Opinion) Hartcher Despite worldwide appeals for clemency for the Bali nine, President Widodo may not stop the executions to please his party and public.

ISLAMIC STATE  Islamic State poses biggest threat since WWII: Julie Bishop (AUS) Nicholson The Islamic State terror group poses the greatest threat to civilisation since World War II — “including the rise of communism and the Cold War” — Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has warned.  Islamic State doctor ‘a good person’ at mosque (AUS) Kohlbacher, Baxendale Worshippers at a Perth mosque frequented by the doctor who spruiked Islamic State in a propaganda video are surprised he joined the terrorist group.  Islamic State bigger threat to world order than Cold War communism: Julie Bishop (SMH) Wroe The Islamic State terror group and similar violent jihadist movements are an even greater threat to world order than communism was during the Cold War, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has said.

NEPAL  Nepal earthquake: Aussie Renu Fotedar dead, hundreds more missing (AUS) Schliebs, Aikman About 200 Australians remain officially missing amid chaos in earthquake-stricken Nepal, with officials confirming Australian woman Renu Fotedar perished on Mount Everest and others are - injured.  Canberra commits $5m to Nepal disaster as world help pours in (AUS) Owens Australia has deployed a nine-member consular crisis team and remains poised to send further - assistance, as the world leaps to action in response to the Himalayan earthquake emergency.  Nepal earthquake: 'Grave fears' for missing Australian as rescuers rush to earthquake zones (CAN+SMH) Browne Grave fears are held for an Australian climber still missing from the Mount Everest base camp in Nepal where the death toll continues to mount as rescue organisations scramble to the disaster zone amid challenging weather conditions and terrifying aftershocks.

ECONOMY  Fall of China's finance great wall will shake up world markets (AFR/Opinion) Cripps Chinese finance China is Australia's largest export market by far, but with the Chinese gradually de-regulating its finance market and currency, the new opportunities may be in finance.  Trade talk scrutiny must be improved (AFR/Opinion) Carmichael Trade Minister Andrew Robb has dismissed my proposal to reduce the secrecy surrounding trade negotiations ("Secrecy in free-trade talks can hurt business at home", AFR, April 14), on the grounds that it would compromise his negotiating freedom. He has clearly misunderstood the proposal, which would leave him free to conduct trade negotiations in secret while introducing greater public input to negotiations.

Ambassade de France en Australie – Service de Presse et Information Site : http://www.ambafrance-au.org/ Tél. : 61 (02) 6216 0150 Email : [email protected]

FRANCE

 Airbus A380 haunted by lack of orders marks decade in the skies (AFR) Rothman, Bloomberg At the tender age of 10, the Airbus A380 is already entering a mid-life crisis.  Peter Carey, five others, to skip gala after Charlie Hebdo award (CAN+SMH) Schuessler The decision by PEN American Center to give its annual Freedom of Expression Courage award to the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo has prompted six writers - including Australian Man Booker winner Peter Carey - to withdraw as literary hosts at the group's annual gala May 5, adding a new twist to the continuing debate over the publication's status as a martyr for free speech.

WORLD

 ASEAN Summit bombing averted: Malaysia police (CAN+SMH) Murdoch Malaysian authorities say they have foiled a plot by Islamic extremists to detonate a series of bombs across the capital Kuala Lumpur, ahead of a summit of South-East Asian leaders.

EDITORIALS

The Australian  Not too late to intervene on behalf of the Bali Two After so many months of heartfelt appeals, faint hope and rebuffs, the cause of Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan may seem hopeless. On Saturday these two members of the 2005 Bali Nine drug-smuggling network were put on notice; they may be shot as soon as Wednesday morning. But the fact it has taken so long to come to this point reinforces a central truth of this sad affair: the state-sanctioned killing of these young men will achieve nothing and put at risk much that is precious to Australia and Indonesia.  Lomborg an asset to UWA A highly qualified, original thinker with a flair for evidenced-based research in an Australian university? Ring the alarm bells. That’s what The Morning Herald did on Saturday in a one-sided news story headlined “Academic likens Lomborg appointment to putting Brian Burke in charge of economy”.

The Australian Financial Review  Recovery with no reward in UK Days before the 2010 British election, Bank of England chief Mervyn King remarked that whoever won government would be out of power for a generation thereafter, such would be the pain of economic repair needed to fix Britain's post-2008 bust.

The Sydney Morning Herald  Bali nine sentencing claims demand thorough investigation President told interviewers eight days ago that "we respect the legal process. Indonesia has the rule of law".

The Canberra Times  Huge humanitarian relief effort essential for Nepal More than 3200 people are now known to have died after Saturday's 7.8 magnitude earthquake in central Nepal, and that toll seems certain to rise as contact is re-established with villages in the country's more remote regions. Many thousands of people remain missing or unaccounted for, including several hundred Australians. Transport links have been severely disrupted, power supplies and sanitation services lost, and hospitals overrun. With the monsoon season beginning in June the immediate outlook for the survivors is wretched.

Ambassade de France en Australie – Service de Presse et Information Site : http://www.ambafrance-au.org/ Tél. : 61 (02) 6216 0150 Email : [email protected]

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]