Online Press review 28 April 2015 The articles in purple are not available online. Please contact the Press and Information Department. FRONT PAGE Nepal earthquake: nation mourns as it fears the worst (AUS) Hodge Australians stranded in Nepal following the deadly earthquake will be offered military flights out of the country. Bali Nine: Andrew Chan marries on eve of death (AUS) Alford, Owens Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has defended Tony Abbott after he was told to show “some balls” over the impending execution of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran. 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. Bali nine 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 Tanya Plibersek 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 The age 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 Australia. This is simply untrue. Ambassade de France en Australie – Service de Presse et Information Site : http://www.ambafrance-au.org/ Tél. : 61 (02) 6216 0150 Email : [email protected] 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 Adelaide 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 Indonesia 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.