Oceania

A collection of 41 posts

Australia Plans to Limit Early Access to Retirement Funds, Cut Tax Breaks

On Thursday, Australia's center-left Labor Party government announced plans to change superannuation rules, reportedly including restricting early access to funds and limiting tax breaks for high-earners. The changes come as pressure continues to mount on the federal budget....

Money

US Opens Solomon Islands Embassy

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Wednesday that the US has opened an embassy in Honiara, the capital of Solomon Islands, after a 30-year absence in which the US was represented there by an ambassador based in Papua New Guinea.

World

New Zealand Braces for Flooding from Second Atmospheric River

Residents of New Zealand's largest city, Auckland, are preparing for more heavy rain this week following its worst downpour on record Friday, which left at least four people dead and some 350 in need of emergency accommodation.

World

Australia: Officials Hunt for Missing Radioactive Capsule

Western Australia's Dept. of Fire and Emergency Services has announced that a radioactive capsule containing cesium-137, a material used in gauges for mining in the resource-rich region of the country, went missing during transport between Newman and Perth.

World

Australia: Thousands Attend 'Invasion Day' Protests

Thousands of Australians on Thursday protested the nation's Australia Day holiday, which commemorates the first British fleet to land in the nation on Jan. 26, 1788. Opponents of the holiday call it "Invasion Day" due to the impact colonialism had on Indigenous peoples.

Social issues

New Zealand: Labour Party Selects Chris Hipkins as PM

On Sunday, New Zealand's ruling Labour Party approved Chris Hipkins to replace Jacinda Ardern as leader, making him the 41st prime minister in the country's history.

World

New Zealand: PM Ardern Resigns

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced on Thursday that she will step down from her position on Feb. 7 in advance of the national election scheduled for Oct. 14. She reportedly plans to remain a member of Parliament until April.

Politics

Australian Open Bans Russian, Belarusian Flags

On Tuesday, the organizers of the Australian Open announced a ban on Russian and Belarusian flags being displayed on Melbourne Park property during the two-week tennis tournament.

World

Australia, Papua New Guinea Pledge New Security Pact

In a joint statement on Thursday, Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) pledged to execute a new security pact over the next four months that will include provisions aimed at combating climate change and protecting "independence, sovereignty, and resilience."

World

Cardinal George Pell Dies at 81

Cardinal George Pell, who served as Archbishop of both Melbourne and Sydney before becoming the treasurer of the Vatican, died on Tuesday at age 81 after heart complications following hip surgery, according to Church officials.

World

Australia: "One-in-100-Year" Floods Force Evacuations

A "one-in-100-year" flood has struck the Australian outback forcing military-supported evacuations of area residents. The western region of Kimberley received a torrent of rain from former tropical cyclone Ellie — dropping a year's worth of rain in just a few days.

Weather

Tennis: Australian Open Loosens COVID Rules

On Monday, Australian Open director Craig Tiley announced that players won’t have to be tested for COVID, and could even play if they have the virus at this year’s tournament.

Sports

Report: Australia's Health Chief Urged Against COVID Checks for PRC Flights

Internal documents made public on Tuesday, reveal that Australia's Chief Medical Officer, Paul Kelly, had advised the government against imposing any restrictions on travelers coming from China just a day before Canberra announced new testing requirements.

Coronavirus

Australia, Canada Join Nations with PRC COVID Curbs

By imposing testing requirements, Australia and Canada are the latest among over a dozen countries to impose restrictions on travelers arriving from China. This comes as COVID cases continue to surge in the PRC after the easing of the "zero-COVID" policy.

Health

Australia to Extradite Former US Marine Over China Training

The Australian Attorney-General’s Dept. has approved a request to extradite former US Marine Corps pilot Daniel Duggan to the US. He is accused of money laundering and conspiracy to export defense services to the PRC by training Chinese pilots.

Politics

Djokovic Returns to Australia After Deportation

Tennis star Novak Djokovic is back in Australia, nearly a year after he was detained and deported over his COVID vaccination status.

Sports

Australia: Indigenous 'Voice' Referendum to Be Held Next Year

On Wednesday, while speaking at the Woodford Folk Festival, Australian PM Anthony Albanese confirmed plans to legislate the Indigenous Voice to Parliament early in 2023 and hold a referendum on it by next Christmas.

World

Asia's Meth Kingpin Extradited to Australia

On Thursday, Australian police said that Tse Chi Lop — Asia's most-wanted meth kingpin — had arrived in Australia to face "conspiracy to traffic commercial quantities of controlled drugs" charges following a legal battle with Dutch authorities.

Australia

Fiji's Military Called in After Disputed Election

On Thursday, the Fiji Police requested military assistance to maintain security and stability in the country due to alleged threats against minority groups, just over a week after outgoing PM Frank Bainimarama lost power in a general election.

Politics

Australia: Two Police Officers Survive Deadly Shooting

In Australia, the Queensland Police has stated that Constable Keely Brough was discharged from hospital on Tuesday and Constable Randall Kirk was expected to be released on Wednesday — a "miracle" conclusion to a shooting in remote Wieambilla.

Australia

Australia Raises Rates to 10-Year High

In its eighth hike in eight months, the Royal Bank of Australia (RBA) on Tuesday raised interest rates by 0.25% to a 10-year high of 3.1% while doubling down on its stance that more hikes will be needed to slow inflation.

World

Australia: Government to Censure Former Prime Minister

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed on Monday that his cabinet agreed to introduce this week a censure motion on former PM Scott Morrison. This is due to findings that his actions to secretly swear himself into five portfolios undermined the principles of responsible government.

World

New Zealand Delivers Record Rate Hike to Fight Inflation, Flags 2023 Recession

New Zealand's Reserve Bank (RBNZ) on Tuesday announced a raise in the official cash rate (OCR) by 75 basis points to 4.25%, as it steps up to fight inflation. According to Adrian Orr, the Reserve Bank's Gov., the rate remains "well above the 1 to 3% target range."

World

Djokovic to be Granted Visa for Australian Open

After being deported in January due to his unvaccinated status, Australia will reportedly overturn tennis star Novak Djokovic's three-year ban and grant him a new visa to play in the 2023 Australian Open.

Sports

Australia Might Ask China to Lift Trade Restrictions

Australia's PM Anthony Albanese told ABC Radio on Friday of possible talks with China's Xi Jinping ahead of his departure to Cambodia for the East Asia summit, asserting that Beijing must lift "counterproductive" trade sanctions on his country.

World