Embassy of Australia
United States of America
Embassy address: 1601 Massachusetts Ave, NW Washington DC 20036 - Telephone: (202) 797 3000 - Fax: (202) 797 3168

AUSTRALIA REPORT -  March 2009

 Prime Minister Rudd to meet with President Obama

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will hold talks with President Barack Obama at the White House on 24 March. Announcing the visit on 26 February, the White House described Australia as a close ally and said the President looks forward to discussing with the Prime Minister ways to address critical global issues.

“The two leaders will consult on effective measures to respond to the global financial crisis, as well as Afghanistan, climate change, nuclear non-proliferation, and other issues.”

Mr Rudd said he looks forward to his meetings in Washington, to build on the already strong ties between the two countries.

“Our alliance with the United States is the bedrock of our foreign and security policy. A strong relationship with the United States is critical for Australia's future,” he said.




Victorian Bushfires

The recent bushfires in Victoria have caused extreme loss of life and destruction of property, and will go down as the worst natural disaster in Australia’s history to date.  A number of towns, primarily in the Yarra Valley, Gippsland and Victoria’s High Country, have been deeply affected.

Addressing Parliament on 10 February, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said Australia sincerely appreciates the expressions of sympathy extended by many foreign leaders, including United States President Barack Obama.
“In the last day or so, I’ve received calls from President Obama, from Prime Minister Brown, President Barroso of the European Union, the Secretary General of the United Nations, the Prime Ministers of New Zealand and Turkey, our ANZAC brothers,” said Prime Minister Rudd.

“President Obama said that we should know in Australia that the prayers of himself, his wife Michelle, their family and of the American people are with the people of Victoria, the people of Australia today.”

The Australian Government has received numerous and generous offers of aid from overseas, which are also greatly appreciated. The United States has sent 60 of its most highly trained fire fighters to provide assistance.

The 2009 Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund was launched in response to the fires. The Prime Minister and Victoria’s Premier, John Brumby, launched the appeal and advised potential donors to go through the Australian Red Cross (http://www.redcross.org.au). Many other charities and organisations have launched their own bushfire appeals.

International callers seeking information about family and friends they hold concerns for should call +61 3 9328 3716 or +61 8 9225 8880.

Australian soldiers search fire-affected areas near Marysville, Victoria.

Australian Government to implement $42 billion nation-building package

On 3 February the Rudd Government announced a $A42 billion Nation Building and Jobs Plan to support employment opportunities and invest in future long term economic growth – another decisive step in the Government’s response to the severe global recession.

The Australian Treasury estimates the plan will support up to 90,000 jobs through 2010. Some key measures funded by the plan include:

• Free ceiling insulation for approximately 2.7 million Australian homes
• Upgrading at least one building in every Australian school
• One-time $950 cash payments for eligible families, single workers, students and drought-affected farmers
• A temporary business investment tax break
• A significant increase to community infrastructure project funding

For more information please visit: http://www.pm.gov.au/media/Release/2009/media_release_0784.cfm

To view a video clip of the Adress to nation, 3 Feb please visit
http://www.pm.gov.au/media/video/index.cfm

Foreign Minister welcomes confirmation of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

On 22 January Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Stephen Smith, warmly welcomed the confirmation of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

“Australia could have no better partner than Secretary Clinton in advancing the causes of peace and prosperity in our own region and globally in the years ahead,” said Mr Smith. “I look forward to working closely with Secretary Clinton and the Obama Administration on the important foreign policy challenges and opportunities facing our two nations.”

Mr Smith noted that Australia and the United States are key security and economic partners both in the Asia Pacific region and globally. He said that the Australia-United States Alliance, which now spans some 60 years, is indispensable to Australia’s strategic, defence and security arrangements, and that the ongoing engagement by the United States with the Asia-Pacific remains vitally important to stability and prosperity in the region.

Australian Governor-General visits troops in Afghanistan

The Governor-General of Australia, Ms Quentin Bryce AC, and her husband Mr Michael Bryce, completed a two day visit to Australian troops serving at Tarin Kowt base in Afghanistan on 20-21 January.

During her visit, the Governor-General addressed troops in the mess hall, visited the camp hospital, toured the joint Dutch-Australian base aboard Australian Bushmaster vehicles, and met with several key figures in the area, including the Governor of Oruzgan Province, and representatives of the Kabul Children’s Hospital and the Mahboba’s Promise charity organisation.

The Governor-General of Australia, Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC, is given a tour of the Australian Camp by Major Glen Kuschert with the Australian Ambassador to Afghanistan, Mr Martin Quinn, with Regimental Sergeant Major, Warrant Officer Class 1 David Allen, leading the way.

 


First Anniversary of National Apology

On 13 February Australia marked the one-year anniversary of the Parliament’s formal apology to members of the Stolen Generations. Following the resumption of Parliament later in the month, the Prime Minister delivered a “report card” on progress in 12 months since the Apology.

The Prime Minister noted that while there was still much work to be done, progress had been made: housing improvements had begun, additional police had been dispatched and many indigenous families reported feeling safer.

“Change is coming to Indigenous Australia. And change is coming from Indigenous Australia,” said Prime Minister Rudd. “The task ahead is difficult. The transformation of communities and of lives will take many years. And there will be many bumps and setbacks on the road. The alternative is to do nothing. We are determined to have a go.”

For full details, including the Prime Minister’s statement to the Parliament, visit: http://www.pm.gov.au/media/Release/2009/media_release_0813.cfm


Australia signs historic regional Free Trade Agreement

The Minister for Trade Simon Crean joined trade ministers from the 10 members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and New Zealand in signing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA) in Thailand on Friday 27 February.

The agreement is the largest FTA Australia has ever signed and will reduce or eliminate tariffs across a region that is home to 600 million people and has an annual GDP of A3.2 trillion.

Australia’s two-way trade with ASEAN is worth $80 billion and the agreement will deliver new opportunities across the board for Australian exporters.

For full details of the Agreement, visit: http://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/fta/asean/aanzfta/

Ministers from Australia, New Zealand and ASEAN Nations celebrate the signing of the AANZFTA

OECD praises Australia’s overseas aid effort

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has praised the targeting and effectiveness of Australia’s overseas aid program.

A recent OECD review welcomes the Australian Government’s renewed commitment to reducing poverty, its promotion of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and its support for international agencies like the United Nations.

In particular, the OECD acknowledged the Government’s strategic focus on the Asia Pacific, including assistance to East Timor and the Solomon Islands; Pacific Partnerships for Development as a key feature of the aid program; commitment to a targeted engagement with Africa; and integration of gender equity into the aid program. Australia’s Agency for International Development, AusAID, was also commended for its efforts.

With the assistance provided by Australian aid programs, polio has been virtually eradicated in the Pacific; 380 new Indonesian schools have been constructed; close to 9,000 teachers have been trained in the Philippines; and more.

Australian Government announces $5.6 million in new funding for cancer research

On 20 January, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced $A5.6 million in funding for new research and clinical trial initiatives to reduce the impact of cancer on all Australians.

The bulk of the funding -- $A3.7 million – will go to the Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science (IMVS) in South Australia for its research on treatments for blood cell cancers like leukaemia. The project will be led by Professor Angel Lopez, head of the immunology research team at IMVS. Professor Lopez’s research will help Australia develop innovative drugs that are more targeted toward blood cancers and help to reduce side effects. The Rudd Government will also channel at total of $A1.9 million in funding through Cancer Australia to support four national clinical trials groups.

This funding is part of the Government’s $A20 million investment in clinical cancer trials over the next three years, and will allow established groups to continue their important work on sarcoma, neuro-oncology and children’s haematology/oncology research. It has also funded the establishment of a new Primary Care Cooperative Cancer Clinical Trials Group to focus on prevention, detection and care of people with cancer.


 

On display at the Embassy of Australia…

The Gallery at Embassy of Australia welcomes “The Exquisite Pirate by Sally Smart” – an exploration of immigration, feminism and globalization through a large-scale collage pirate ships. The exhibition will be on show from February 6 through April 3.

In conceptualizing this exhibition, renowned Australian contemporary artist Sally Smart posed the question, “Were there any women pirates?” Background research revealed that there were indeed several women pirates in history. Smart was inspired to use these figures not only to explore femininity and sexuality in a traditionally male domain, but also as a broader metaphor for personal and social identity, cultural hybridization and immigration.

For more information: http://www.usa.embassy.gov.au/whwh/events.html

Coming events

ANZAC Day – 25 April

ANZAC Day marks the anniversary of the dawn landing by allied forced at Gallipoli, Turkey, on 25 April 1915. It was the first major military campaign in which Australian and New Zealand forces operated as an identifiable national entity. ANZAC Day is a day of great significance for all Australians. It is marked by a public holiday, dawn services and marches by veterans and or their descendants in all cities and towns – however small – across the country. ANZAC day honours all Australians who have fought for their country and all those, including our allies, who have died in conflict.

This year in Washington DC, ANZAC Day will be marked the following activities:

What: Commemorative Service
Where: Washington National Cathedral
When: 10am (for 10:30am), Friday 24 April

What: Dawn Service
Where: Korean War Memorial, National Mall
When: 5:45am, Saturday 25 April

The Embassy will also feature an exhibition of contemporary war photographs from Iraq, Afghanistan, East Timor and Bouganville. This exhibit will be on display from 9 April - 29 May. 

>> For more information about ANZAC Day

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