Australia’s failure of diplomacy in PNG shows we can’t – and won’t – understand our Pacific neighbours | Allan Behm

Anthony Albanese’s 10 days in the Pacific have been less than stellar. Last week, he could not land a $500m economic and security agreement with Vanuatu, the second such rebuff from Vanuatu in as many years. The idea that Australia should exercise...

An Australian is representing the U.S. at Russia’s Eurovision rival. After the announcement, her LGBTQ advocacy briefly vanished from Wikipedia.

American singer Brandon Howard has withdrawn from Russia’s Intervision song contest just days before it begins, with Australian-born dance artist Vassy named as his replacement. Shortly after the announcement, journalists noted that references to...

UK and Australia move to liberalize surrogacy as UN expert calls for worldwide ban

(LifeSiteNews) — The battle for the value of life against a convenience culture of death is escalating as moves to liberalize surrogacy in the U.K. and Australia are underway. A British commission, announced on August 1, presents wider access to...

'A quarter of the next generation of Australians are missing', says Love Australia ahead of public march against abortion

Love Syndey, a branch of Love Australia, is hosting the third annual walk in Hyde Park to remember aborted babies. Pictured are attendees at last year's event Love Australia A public walk in Sydney this weekend will highlight opposition to...

Parliament disallows City of Bayswater cat containment laws

The WA Legislative Council has voted to disallow a proposed City of Bayswater local law for cats after finding parts of it exceeded what is permitted under the Cat Act 2011. The disallowance motion was a recommendation by the Joint Standing...

Kologeto calls for stronger parliamentary oversight and more active political parties

By Alfred Pagepitu Acting Prime Minister, Hon. Fredrick Kologeto has called for stronger parliamentary oversight and more active political parties, as Solomon Islands commemorated the International Day of Democracy yesterday. Speaking at the event...

Australia and PNG having difficulty getting mutual security pact across the line

Prime ministers Anthony Albanese and James Marape sign a communique to advance the treaty on Wednesday morning while Richard Marles, Pat Conroy (back left), PNG Defence Minister Billy Joseph and Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko (back right) look...

South Australian politician and ‘watchdog’ Frank Pangallo caught using unverified AI generated information to prove conspiracy

A politician is under fire after admitting to using artificial intelligence to generate academic sources he then submitted to a parliamentary inquiry. However, some of the sources did not exist. South Australian Liberal upper house member Frank...

Australia-Japan Foundation Grants Recipients 2025-26

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade I am pleased to announce the 19 recipients of the Australia-Japan Foundation (AJF) grant round for 2025-26. The AJF is Australia’s oldest cultural council, advancing our foreign and trade policy interests by...

Australian state Labor governments deepen assault on cultural institutions

Scores of workers at publicly funded museums and galleries in Australia are under attack as state Labor governments in Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) impose major job cuts and other destructive measures. On August 11, Art Gallery of NSW...

Australia has an Everest to climb if it wants to protect itself from climate catastrophe. But do we have the political resolve?

It is a warm spring day in my home town in regional Victoria. The sun is shining, an ocean breeze rocks the tea trees and swarms of dragonflies dance outside my window. There is, however, a cloud over me as my mind keeps returning to the National...

WA councils 'frustrated' as parliament rejects law to stop cats roaming

The WA parliament has intervened to stop a Perth council from bringing in fines for people who allow their cats to roam. However, the state government has indicated it will put cat control into the hands of local governments in the future. The...

‘Australia’s example has spread’: Inside big tech’s global playbook to stop news media bargaining codes

For the past decade, as news outlets struggled to make money in a changing digital market, governments worldwide have been tabling laws to require major tech companies to compensate news outlets for their content. For just as long, in just about...

Australia-PNG defence pact on hold, but PM insists it'll still be inked

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will leave Papua New Guinea (PNG) without finalising a high-level defence pact between the two nations after PNG's cabinet couldn't sign off on the landmark agreement in time. The defence treaty, known as the Pukpuk...

First Indigenous parliamentarian's iconic boomerang throw immortalised

WARNING: This article contains the name and image of a First Nations person who has died. A bronze sculpture commemorating the life and legacy of Neville Bonner, Australia's first Aboriginal parliamentarian, has been unveiled in Canberra. Mr...

Conroy says Labor unconcerned by PNG-China discussions – as it happened

Key eventsShow key events onlyPlease turn on JavaScript to use this feature What we learned: Wednesday 17 September That’s it for today, thanks for reading. Here are the main stories from the day: Anthony Albanese’s strategy of pushing back...

Divisions deepen in Australia’s Liberal-National Coalition

Rifts are continuing to tear through the opposition Liberal-National Coalition following its overwhelming defeat at the May 3 Australian federal election. This is further throwing into doubt the future of this formation, which has been a pillar of...

Confusion in Papua New Guinea Delays Signing of Defence Treaty With Australia

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (2nd R) participates in an official signing ceremony with Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister James Marape (2nd L) at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on Dec. 7, 2023. Hilary Wardhaugh/AFP via...

Australian MP Tim Watts meets Maharashtra Dy CM Shinde, discusses boosting ties in agriculture, med-tech, education

Mumbai [India], September 17 (ANI): Former Foreign Minister of Australia and Member of Parliament Tim Watts paid a courtesy visit to Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Eknath Shinde at the Mantralaya on Tuesday. According to a release from the...

PNG treaty: China questions loom after Anthony Albanese’s failure to lock in pact with island nation

Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister has assured Beijing his country placed “great importance” on relations with China, just before his cabinet delayed giving approval to an historic defence alliance with Australia. Australian Prime Minister Anthony...