More on events in Thailand

Refer to link on the rhs under D.F.A.T links called ‘Stranded in paradise’ to learn more about Australians stranded in Thailand.

Smith urges caution in Thailand

August 31st, 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

Australian travellers caught up in Thailand’s political protests are not in danger provided they stay away from the demonstrations, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith says.

The department of foreign affairs estimates about 300 Australians have been directly affected by anti-government protests in Thailand that have forced the closure of three airports in the country’s south, including the popular holiday destination of Phuket.

Mr Smith said the protests had caused delays and frustration to Australian travellers in Phuket, about 20,000 of whom were visiting the tourist haven at any one time.

But no Australians were believed to be in danger at this stage, he said.

“Providing Australians stay away from demonstrations … our assessment at this stage is that there is no direct or immediate threat to them,” Mr Smith told reporters in Perth.

“Of course, there’s inconvenience and frustration, but Australians in Phuket or Thailand should speak to airlines or travel agents before making plans to travel.”

He said the department’s best estimates put the number of Australians directly affected by the protests in the hundreds, and probably a “ballpark figure” of about 300.

Before Phuket airport resumed flights, about 15,000 airline passengers had been stranded since anti-government protesters marched on the island’s airport on Friday, forcing a cancellation of all the nearly 120 daily flights.

Similar protests closed down the airport in nearby Krabi and the southern commercial centre of Hat Yai, although Hat Yai had since reopened.

The anti-government protests are centred on Bangkok, where up to 25,000 people have occupied the main government complex calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej.

The protests turned violent on Friday when activists clashed with police, and about 35 people were injured.

Mr Samak, who again insisted he would not resign, has so far resisted invoking emergency rule, which would see the army called in.

Force Aborigines ‘to work or cut dole’

August 21, 2008 – 5:49AM

Welfare laws should be overhauled to force Aborigines to take jobs or face immediate cuts to their dole payments, indigenous leader Warren Mundine says.

The Labor powerbroker told The Australian that the federal government should introduce hardline welfare reforms that force Aborigines to take work all over the country.

Mr Mundine said welfare reforms started with the quarantining of payments in the Northern Territory but must now extend to the reform of labour laws.

“How stupid does Australia look when we are flying people in from overseas to do these jobs,” Mr Mundine told The Australian.

“There’s not enough encouragement in the system to get people off the dole and into these jobs,” he said.

“If you’re not prepared to put your hand up for a job, no matter where it is, we shouldn’t have to continue paying the dole.”

Cape York indigenous leader Noel Pearson joined Mr Mundine in attacking the government’s proposal to import 2,500 workers from Tonga, Vanuatu, Kiribati and Papua New Guinea to fill seasonal shortages.

“It would be a tragedy if it had to be farmed out to other nations,” Mr Pearson told The Australian.

MPs seek forced sales of water rights

August 22, 2008 – 5:51PM

Farmers could be forced to sell their water to the federal government as momentum grows for compulsory acquisitions.

With the crisis in the Murray-Darling Basin worsening, the government has $3.1 billion to spend buying water rights so that it can return more water to the parched river system.

Currently, farmers only have to sell if they want to – and if they like the government’s price.

But the Greens and Independent Senator Nick Xenophon plan to join forces in the Senate in a bid to make the water buy-backs compulsory.

The government has repeatedly rejected compulsory acquisition and some farmers and irrigators strongly oppose such a move, but Senator Xenophon said it was the best way forward.

“If you want to give the Murray-Darling Basin a fighting chance, then compulsory acquisition, obviously on just terms, is the way to get things done,” he told AAP.

Senator Xenophon said forced buy-backs should apply fairly across the whole basin – which means Queensland, NSW, Victoria and South Australia.

The government does not hold a majority in the Senate so will have to horse-trade with the Greens and two independent senators to pass much of its legislation.

The South Australian senator warned he would stand firm on the Murray issue.

“What the government needs to know is that this is the biggest issue facing my state … they can expect me to be absolutely determined to get a fair result for my state,” Senator Xenophon said.

Greens water spokeswoman Rachel Siewert said her party would table amendments to the Water Act to allow for the compulsory acquisition of water, which is currently not permitted.

“Of course, most people want to have a choice,” Senator Siewert told AAP.

“But we’re talking about a system now that has been grossly over-allocated, and unless we do something … we’re not going to be able to save that system.

“I appreciate it is a very emotional issue.”

Victorian Farmers’ Federation (VFF) water spokesman Richard Anderson said many farmers were warming to the idea of compulsory buy-backs.

“I’ve got a lot of members here in Victoria that think that’s the way to go,” he told AAP.

“I get a lot of people that say to me you know, why not, why not just take a hit and that’s it.”

However, Mr Anderson said the VFF’s position remained to oppose compulsory acquisitions.

Meanwhile, federal Liberal leader Brendan Nelson said he would table legislation in parliament next week to provide $50 million to the communities and businesses of the lower lakes area, which is at the Murray’s mouth in South Australia. He announced the proposed fund recently.

Campaigning for the Mayo federal by-election in South Australia, Dr Nelson said the $50 million would go towards projects identified by the Liberals and local people.

“Everything from water carting to the preservation of turtles, to the compensation of businesses, to the lifting of boats that are stuck in the mud,” Dr Nelson said.

He said he would be shocked if the other parties did not support the fund.

Dr Nelson also announced the Liberals would support a Greens bill to hold a Senate inquiry into solving the Murray-Darling’s problems. The inquiry now seems set to go ahead.

He said the Liberals would oppose the building of a weir across the Murray River, which would be a preliminary step to flooding the lower lakes with seawater.

Shale oil project not in my backyard: MP

August 22, 2008 – 5:52PM

The Bligh government is under pressure from within its ranks to veto a proposed multi-million dollar shale oil project in north Queensland.

Whitsunday MP Jan Jarratt said there were too many unanswered questions about the proposed shale oil mine at Proserpine and she was unable to support it.

Queensland Energy Resources is investigating a plan to mine up to 1.6 billion barrels of oil from the McFarlane deposit, south of Proserpine. Mining will not start for several years, if approved.

Ms Jarratt said residents in her electorate had objections.

“This project, unlike other industrial projects that we’ve had around the region, has triggered an unprecedented level of anxiety in the community, and opposition as well,” Ms Jarratt said.

“At the end of the day, the community is adamant, and I represent this community.”

Her constituents had raised concerns over environmental integrity, effects on health and its incompatibility with a local tourism industry based on the Whitsunday Islands and surrounding environment.

“I’ve come out and taken what is pretty well an unprecedented step, I think, to let the Premier know this industry is not compatible with the values of this region,” Ms Jarratt said.

She said the process to arrive at an environmental impact statement will take years.

“For this to be hanging over this community for five or six years is not good for the health of the community,” she said.

Ms Jarratt said already business investors had put their plans on hold until the mining proposal was settled.

“I haven’t had anyone, other than the company, come to me to say this a project that will bring good things to this region,” she said.

Since revealing her opposition she had received a “great” reception from the community, Ms Jarratt said.

Conservationists fear the project could affect tourism in the Whitsundays region, pollute the Great Barrier Reef and Goorganga wetlands, pose risks to health and disrupt local farming operations.

A spokeswoman for Mines Minister Geoff Wilson declined to comment on Friday, instead referring AAP to the premier’s office.

A spokesman for Premier Anna Bligh said: “The premier is taking a close interest in this project.”

Queensland Energy Resources corporate affairs director Simon Eldridge said he was disappointed by Ms Jarratt’s views, which he said were “premature in our view”.

“We will continue to meet her and brief her, as we would with any and all stakeholders, but we don’t propose to further a public debate with her about it,” he said.

Child trafficking allegations hit Qld

August 22, 2008 – 7:24PM

The Queensland government will assist authorities investigating claims poor Indian children have been kidnapped and adopted out to Australian families.

More than a dozen attractive children kidnapped from Indian slums have been adopted in Australia, TIME Magazine has reported.

The magazine interviewed an Indian mother named Fatima whose two-year-old daughter Zabeen was allegedly kidnapped seven years ago.

According to the magazine, police in India now say she was processed by Malaysian Social Services (MSS) and adopted by a family in Queensland.

Queensland Child Safety Minister Margaret Keech described the allegations as concerning.

“This is a terrible predicament for a family who loves their adoptive children,” Ms Keech said.

“Adoption Services Queensland (ASQ) will offer any assistance it can to Indian, federal and state agencies investigating the claims.

“We were not aware of the child kidnap allegations until last year … ASQ conducted an audit of Indian children who were adopted into Queensland between 1995 and 2007.”

She said they found only two of the 23 adoptions were through MSS and one was adopted two years before the period of 1998-99, when children were allegedly kidnapped in India.

Adoptions from India had to be authorised by a court, she said.

“The adoption of the Queensland child who was allegedly stolen was authorised by the Madras High Court in March 2000,” she said.

TIME Magazine said Indian police believed at least 13 kidnapped children have been adopted by Australian families.

Australian Attorney General Robert McClelland said the government was treating the allegations seriously.

“I am aware of allegations regarding child trafficking and share concerns for the safety of children adopted from overseas,” Mr McClelland said.

“I have asked my department to make direct contact with the Indian authorities and provide me with a brief on any potential legal issues arising in India and Australia.

“I will ensure that any matters arising are duly acted upon by my department and where relevant are passed on for states and territories to implement.”

The top ten recipient countries for Australian ODA (overseas development aid), 2002-03 budget

The majority of Australia’s ODA goes to neighbouring countries in the Asia-Pacific region. This region contains some of the poorest countries in the world, with per capita incomes, life expectancy and literacy rates much lower than those in Australia. Over 700 million people in the Asia-Pacific region live in poverty and have less than $2 a day to live on.

The top ten recipient countries of Australia’s ODA in 2002-03 were:

Papua New Guinea $333.6 million

Indonesia $151.7 million

Vietnam $72.1 million

The Philippines $62.4 million

China $50.7 million

Cambodia $44.4 million

East Timor $42.5 million

Solomon Islands $37.4 million

Bangladesh $32.3 million

Vanuatu $22.7 million

DFAT – International Aid

Australia’s international aid program aims to help people in developing countries lift themselves out of poverty. The program also responds when disaster strikes.

The Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) administers the aid program, working with developing countries to identify and address needs. Australia’s primary focus is the Asia–Pacific region, which has the world’s highest concentration of people living in poverty—more than 700 million people in the region survive on less than $2 per day. Australia also provides aid to developing countries in Africa and the Middle East.

Australia is playing a leadership role in improving governance in the Asia–Pacific region, working with partner countries and regional organisations to improve economic and financial management, the rule of law and public sector performance and so foster democracy.

The Australian aid program invests heavily in education, with programs ranging from improving the standard of schooling for primary school-aged children to offering an extensive scholarship program.

Strengthening health systems and tackling major disease are other priorities for Australia’s aid program. Key areas are protecting women’s health and preventing children dying from poor nutrition and infections that are rarely fatal in the developed world.

With a long and proud tradition of rapid and generous support for the victims of humanitarian crises, both regionally and globally, Australia has successfully led international responses to crises and natural disasters in East Timor, Papua New Guinea, the Pacific islands and Indonesia.

Australia’s support was highlighted after the Indian Ocean tsunami in December 2004, when it provided $1 billion to Indonesia for reconstruction and development projects. Australia continues to make a real impact in helping tsunami survivors to re-establish themselves. Australia has also made major contributions to humanitarian relief efforts in Africa, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Through the overseas aid program, Australians make a practical and positive contribution to meeting the challenges facing Australia’s region.

Online

• Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID)

Australia’s foreign aid boost (ABC Radio National)

The Australian government has given the aid community a budget shot in the arm, kicking in half a billion Australian dollars towards overseas assistance. According to Paul O’Callaghan, head of the Australian Council for International Development; Parliamentary secretary for international development Bob McMullan; Jenny Hayward-Jones, Australia’s Lowy Institute. Wednesday May 14th 2008.

Australia rates low in foreign aid (April 30th 2003, Tim Colebatch)

Australia has been ranked third bottom of 21 rich countries in its commitment to assist developing countries, in an assessment published by the prestigious United States magazine Foreign Policy.

The Commitment to Development index, compiled by the magazine and the Washington-based Centre for Global Development, rates Australia highly for its trade policies, in the middle on immigration, but among the most unhelpful countries in every other category.

Australia ranked in the bottom third of the rich world in its contribution to development aid, investment in developing countries, peacekeeping and impact on the world’s environment.

The Netherlands was rated the most committed to assisting developing countries, followed by Denmark, Portugal and New Zealand. Japan was rated worst, followed by the US and Australia.

The index savaged Australia for low foreign aid, its insistence that 80 per cent of aid be spent on Australian goods and services and its low support for refugees.