The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Australia

  • Shell’s FLNG begins journey to Australia

    Royal Dutch Shell’s prelude floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility has left the Samsung Heavy Industries shipyard in Geoje, South Korea to Australia, marking a significant milestone for the project.

    The facility, constructed by Technip Samsung Consortium, is being towed to North West Australia, where the next phase of the project will begin.

    According to Shell, on arrival at the Prelude offshore gas field, 475 kilometres (295 miles) north-north east of Broome, Western Australia, pre-installed mooring chains will be lifted from the seabed and secured to the facility. Once secured, the hook-up and commissioning process will begin.

    Prelude FLNG is an important project in Shell’s portfolio. It will provide liquefied natural gas for customers around the world and generate cash flow that will help drive Shell’s Integrated Gas business performance. The safe and reliable start-up of prelude’s operations will be the project team’s focus throughout the next phase. Cash flow from the project is expected in 2018.

  • Australia to investigate sales of private data on dark web

    Australia to investigate sales of private data on dark web

    Australian Police have launched an investigation following reports of private medical data from the country’s public health-care system being sold on the dark web, the government said on Tuesday.

    “Claims made in the Guardian newspaper that Medicare card numbers are able to be purchased on the dark web are being taken seriously by the government and are under investigation,’’ Human Services Minister Alan Tudge said in a statement.

    “The security of personal data is an extremely serious matter,’’ Tudge said.

    The Guardian reported that one of its own reporters was able to buy his Medicare card number from a “darknet’’ trader for less than 23 U.S. dollars using bitcoin, a digital currency.

    The dark web is a part of the internet operated anonymously using tools that shield users’ identities and online activities.

    It has been linked to cybercrime and trade in illicit goods, such as weapons and narcotics.

    Australian federal police began their investigation after receiving a referral from the government “in relation to a suspected Medicare data breach,’’ a police spokesperson told dpa in a statement.

    The federal police are “undertaking an evaluation of the matter referred and as such it would not be appropriate to comment further.’’

    It is not certain how the darknet operators came to obtain Medicare card details, which are not available publicly, but the newspaper said it has sold at least 75 sets of Medicare details since October and probably many more before that.

    Tudge said that he had been assured that the information obtained was “not sufficient’’ to access personal records, but there are fears hackers could use the data for criminal purposes such as identity theft.

    The Guardian said that stolen identities have been used by drug syndicates to buy, lease goods, property or cars.

    The card details could also be used to defraud the government of tax rebates.

    “In 2015 a police strike force targeted a group that was using Medicare card details to direct rebate payments into fraudulent bank accounts,’’ the newspaper said.

    The opposition Labour party said that the government’s response was weak.

    “It is absolutely critical that the government explains today, immediately how many records have been breached, when did the government find out that this security risk was occurring,’’ Tanya Plibersek, acting opposition leader, told reporters in Melbourne.

    The Australian government has suffered series of embarrassing data breaches in recent years, including personal details of world leaders at the last G20 summit held in Brisbane in 2015 that was accidentally released by the immigration department.

  • Aussie sparkling water is world’s best

    Aussie sparkling water is world’s best

    Sparkling water from an Australian beverage producer located in the Snowy Mountains region in the State of New South Wales (NSW) has been named as world’s best sparkling water on Tuesday at the International Fine Water Tasting Competition in China.

    The minister for regional NSW, John Barilaro, said in a statement that a panel of five internationally-renowned water sommeliers chose Beloka Water out of 104 other entries, due to its extremely high quality.

    “Beloka Water has demonstrated on the world stage what incredible water we have here in NSW and to set the bar so high at a global event is outstanding.

    “Beloka Water is 100 per cent Australian, everything from the caps, labels, and boxes are sourced here, and it’s bottled using recycled glass in a sustainable manner,’’ Barilaro stressed.

    Barilaro believed that the success of the company would build on the great progress made by Aussie producers that are already exporting into China.

    NSW Trade and Industry Minister Niall Blair said the free trade deal with China has opened the door to a market with a huge appetite for high-quality products which will continue to grow.

    “China is NSW’s largest two-way trading partner in goods and a major focus for our food and beverage producers,’’ Blair said.

    Owner of Beloka Joe Commisso, who has been exporting to China for one year, acknowledged that being named the winner of the world’s best sparkling water was a huge windfall for the business.

    “We’ve been well and truly recognised on the international stage, so we hope to see Australian fine dining establishments adopt our local premium water over well-known imported brands,’’ Commisso said.

  • Russia 2017: Semi-final hopes in jeopardy as Australia, Cameroon draw 1-1

    Russia 2017: Semi-final hopes in jeopardy as Australia, Cameroon draw 1-1

    Australia fought back to draw 1-1 with Cameroon in the FIFA Confederations Cup on Thursday, a result which further dented both teams’ hopes of progressing in the tournament in Russia.

    Andre Anguissa put Cameroon ahead with the last touch of the first half, but a Mark Milligan penalty kick on the hour mark ensured a first point for both in Group B.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Australia will play Chile in Moscow on Sunday and Cameroon will face Germany at the same time in Sochi in their final group games.

    Yet the chances of both the African and Asian champions finishing in the top two and progressing to the semi-finals at the eight-team tournament look slim.

    Germany and Chile, who faced each other later on Thursday, both have three points.

    Australia and Cameroon were meeting for the first time and traded free kicks in the opening 20 minutes but it took until the 37th minute for either to create an opening.

    Australia goalkeeper Matt Ryan was called into action after a smart one-two between Cameroon captain Benjamin Moukandjo and striker Vincent Aboubakar allowed the former to fire at goal.

    The African champions ended the first half with a succession of corner kicks and then opened the scoring with the last kick before the break.

    A long ball out of defence bounced over Aboubakar but Zambo Anguissa’s deft touch steered it past the on-rushing Ryan.

    The Olympique de Marseille midfielder, who spurned a call-up to play for Cameroon when they won the African Nations Cup in Gabon at the start of the year, missed out on a second in the first 10 minutes of the second half.

    Australia levelled on the hour mark when Ernest Mabouka brought down Alex Gersbach to concede a penalty kick, after Serbian referee Milorad Mazic consulted the Video Assistant.

    Stand-in skipper Milligan stepped up and converted from the penalty kick spot.

    Mabouka sought to make amends with a strong run down the right in the 65th minute before he teed up Aboubakar right in front of goal, but the burly striker lifted the ball over the crossbar.

    Aboubakar then headed over from a similar position with 12 minutes remaining.

    After the match, Cameroon coach Hugo Broos said it was unfortunate that striker Aboubakar had an off-day.

    “This is the life of a front player, sometimes you score with your eyes closed and sometimes you miss chances you can’t afford to miss,” the coach told reporters.

    “Today was a bit unlucky for him… that can happen. It’s a pity for us that it happened today.

    “The chances were there but we didn’t score, and then you don’t win the game

  • Confederations Cup: Germany in Winning Start, Beats Australia 3-2

    Confederations Cup: Germany in Winning Start, Beats Australia 3-2

    Fresh-faced Germany were made to work harder than expected in their 3-2 victory over Australia in their 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup Group B debut on Monday.

    Perhaps the world champions’ young squad was still adjusting to tournament life, with half a dozen key players rested this summer ahead of next year’s World Cup title defence in Russia.

    Germany coach Joachim Loew has as a result brought a young team to Russia, and the players on the journey are eager to prove themselves ahead of next year’s World Cup.

    But Loew’s men would have had a far easier afternoon on the Black Sea were it not for their wasted scoring chances.

    “We played a really good first half but after an hour we lost the plot a bit,’’ Loew told reporters.

    “But you can still feel the commitment of this young team. They are hungry, they want to win matches, have the courage to play attacking football.’’

    “For many it was the first game in such a tournament. So, I am satisfied,” he added.

    Germany were dominant from the start and out sprinted their opponents, with Lars Stindl converting a perfectly-timed cutback from Julian Brandt to put them ahead in the fifth minute.

    They squandered a bagful of chances in a one-sided first half with Leon Goretzka, Sandro Wagner and Julian Brandt all coming close.

    They were punished when Tommy Rogic scored out of nowhere, his first off-target shot bouncing off a defender’s back and his rebound slipping in under goalkeeper Bernd Leno.

    Their joy lasted only three minutes with the Germans earning a penalty kick in the 44th minute and Draxler putting them back in the driving seat.

    Goretzka grabbed another in the 48th but the Germans dropped the ball with Leno letting a shot slip out of his hands and Tomi Juric tapping in.

    Germany were left to rue their poor conversion rate as they also hit the post late in the game.

    “First half they were too good for us, and we struggled to get control of the game,’’ said Australia coach Ange Postecoglou. “We made it too easy for them.

    “Second half was better. Absolutely I thought we matched it with them for periods of the game and the character and resilience they showed is unquestionable.’’

    Germans will play Chile on Thursday while Australia face Cameroon in their respective second round of matches.

  • Australia urges Islamic leaders to denounce terrorism

    The Australian government on Thursday urged Muslim leaders to be “loud in their condemnation” of Islamic extremism.

    Multicultural Affairs Minister Zed Seselja who made the call also said that Australia needs to have an “honest conversation” about the threat posed by terrorism.

    Seselja who who delivered Canberra’s strongest message yet about Islamic extremism, declaring that Australians needed to stop “pretending that Islamist terrorists are mentally ill and not driven by an extreme ideology.”

    “We must have an honest conversation about terrorism and get tough on all forms of extremism and violence,’’ Seselja posted to social media platform Twitter.

    The comments followed a terror attack on Monday that saw a gunman kill one man and take a woman hostage at an apartment building in a Melbourne suburb.

    Recently, a man forced a Malaysia Airlines flight to return to Melbourne earlier when he demanded access to the cockpit, claiming he had an explosive device.

    Seselja’s comment came after he was invited to speak at an open forum in Parramatta, during which he said it was important that the government calls out terrorism for “what it is.’’

    He said more important for moderate Muslims who had been too quiet on recent events to denounce terrorism and terrorist ideologies.

    “It’s important that we call it how we see it, we need moderate Muslims to be loud in their condemnation in their communities.

    “Our freedom, our values, and in some cases our lives are under threat from barbaric Islamist terrorists, they want to harm us as individuals, our families, our communities, and our way of life.

    “Those who believe in this Islamist ideology are a small minority of Muslims, but there are still far too many of them.

    “So it’s on the majority including the moderate, peaceful Muslims of our world to rise up against this,’’ Seselja emphasised.

    Seselja said Australia needed to have an “open discussion” about the scourge while also promoting the vast majority of good (Muslim) citizens.

    “We are surely mature enough as a nation to have an open discussion about the inspiration for Islamist terrorism in Salafist jihadist teaching.

    “We can at the same time acknowledge that most Muslims in Australia are good citizens who reject this ­extremism,’’ he said.

  • Australia pledges additional $5m humanitarian assistance to Northeast

    Australia pledges additional $5m humanitarian assistance to Northeast

    Australia has announced additional five million dollars assistance to address the humanitarian crisis in North-East Nigeria.

    The fund would be delivered by the World Food Programme and Red Cross.

    Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop announced the assistance through a statement issued by Australian High Commission, Public Affairs Officer, Hope Ayabina.

    The minister explained that the fund was to help meet the needs of over 7 million people at risk of starvation in northeast Nigeria due to ongoing conflict and drought.

    He said that this include 1.4 million acutely malnourished children in the area.

    “This funding supplements Australia’s regular funding to the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund and humanitarian organisations to respond to humanitarian crises globally, including in Africa.

    “In 2016 and 2017 Australia contributed a total of 15.7 million dollars for humanitarian assistance in North-East Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin.

    “The Australian High Commission in Abuja also supports these larger multilateral efforts through its Direct Aid Programme,” he said

    According to him the High Commission in 2017 is providing assistance to organisations to deliver projects including clean cook stoves and income generating activities for Internally Displaced Persons.

    He said that this also include production and distribution of nutritional supplements.

  • Former Australian PM calls for special ‘terror courts’ to deal with fighters

    Former Australian PM calls for special ‘terror courts’ to deal with fighters

    Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Thursday called for a “special court” to be created specifically to deal with returning Australian Islamic State (IS) fighters.

    He declared that Australia is “pussyfooting” around the role radical Islamism is playing in causing terrorism.

    The former Prime Minister said that returning foreign fighters were getting away with traveling to and from conflict zones such as in the Middle East due to a loophole in current Australian law.

    Abbott said that just two Islamist extremists have been charged in Australian courts despite dozens returning to Australia from Iraq and Syria over the last few years something that was recently made illegal by the government.

    He argued that a new courts system needed to be created in order to deal specifically with Australian jihadis who had abandoned their country to join the fight with Islamic State.

    Abbot said in a piece he penned in News Corp newspapers on Thursday, that too many extremists were putting Sharia law before Australian law.

    “The only safe jihadi is one who’s been lawfully killed, lawfully imprisoned or thoroughly converted from Islamism.

    “We need to ensure that every returning jihadi can readily be charged and convicted, possibly through the creation of special courts that can hear evidence that may not normally be admissible.”

  • Amnesty slams Australia as country begins UN human rights council bid

    Rights group Amnesty International slammed Australia on Thursday as Foreign Minister Julie Bishop prepared to launch a bid in New York for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council.

    Amnesty International Australia said in a statement that Australia’s bid for the council “glosses over” the country’s issues with refugee, indigenous and asylum-seeker rights.

    Amnesty National Director, Claire Mallinson, said: “It’s not enough to talk the talk in New York, this government must must walk the walk at home.

    “Australia must demonstrate that it would be a principled, effective and accountable Human Rights Council member.”

    Bishop arrived at the UN in New York on Monday.

    Before leaving Australia, she said the country’s campaign for the council “reflects our commitment to working with other nations to find long-term practical solutions to complex human rights challenges.”

    Since 2016, three UN special rapporteurs who have visited Australia to report on racism, indigenous affairs and migrants, have denounced the government for not doing enough on those issues.

    Australia should take the actions recommended by UN experts, Tony Kenyon, president of Australian Lawyers Alliance, said in a statement released Wednesday.

    “As Australia seeks election as a member of the UN Human Rights Council, it must demonstrate its commitment to respecting human rights by implementing the recommendations of UN experts,” Kenyon said.

    The Australian government has been condemned by the UN, rights groups and even an Australian parliamentary inquiry for the detention and deplorable living conditions of refugees and asylum seekers in off-shore processing centres in the Pacific islands.

    Hundreds of detainees, sent to the camps by Australia after they tried to reach the country by boat, have been languishing on Manus Island and Nauru for more than three years.

    The government also has been criticised for not addressing the deteriorating conditions of Aboriginal and indigenous Australians, who are near the bottom across economic and social indicators.

    “The government continues its inherently abusive offshore detention regime, and oversees astronomical rates of indigenous incarceration,” Amnesty said.

    While making up only about three per cent of Australia’s 24 million people, Aboriginal and indigenous Australians make up 27 per cent of the prison population.

    The juvenile detention rate is 24 times higher for indigenous Australians than it is for the non-indigenous, and a report said the incarceration rate for indigenous women has risen nearly 250 per cent since 1991.

    Indigenous Australians also live 10 years shorter than the non-indigenous population, and indigenous infant mortality is twice as high when compared to the rest of the population.

    Employment rates are sliding backwards, with 48.4 per cent of Aborigines in a job in 2014 to 2015, compared to 72.6 per cent for others.

  • China conducting extensive espionage against Australia

    China is conducting extensive espionage against Australia, Australia’s most senior defence department official said on Friday, in a rare public accusation against its largest trading partner.

    Chinese spying on Australia has been the subject of much speculation by analysts but senior government officials have largely steered clear of making public complaints.

    “It is no secret that China is very active in intelligence activities directed against us. It is more than cyber,” Dennis Richardson, secretary of the Defence Department, said in a speech in Canberra.

    Questions about China’s involvement in Australia arose in 2015, with the lease of a commercial and military port in the northern city of Darwin to a Chinese firm said to have close ties to China’s military.

    The deal sparked a backlash over the security implications and drew a rebuke from U.S. government officials.

    Australia has blocked several notable infrastructure bids made by Chinese companies since then.

    While authorities do not release details of their reasons for rejecting bids, Richardson said Chinese spying was a major factor in government decision-making.

    Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said he was not aware of Richardson’s comments, but said China would prefer to see Australian officials working to improve cooperation.

    “We hope that relevant people on the Australian side can say more things that can benefit the development of China-Australia relations, do more to benefit the deepening of cooperation, and not make irresponsible comments,” Geng told a daily news briefing.

    In April, Australia and China agreed that neither country would conduct or support cyber-enabled theft of intellectual property, trade secrets or confidential business information following talks between their leaders.

    Australia recently appointed David Irvine, former director of its domestic spy agency, as chairman of its foreign investment advisory committee, which advises on the government on offshore transactions.

    Irvine’s appointment came a few months after Australia created an infrastructure body that will, among other functions, check whether foreign-led bids for key assets, including power grids and ports, could pose any national security risks.

    Richardson said China’s covert activity in Australia extended into the ethnic Chinese community and media.

    “The Chinese government keeps a watchful eye inside Australian Chinese communities and effectively controls some Chinese-language media in Australia,” said Richardson.