Tag: Simon Birmingham

Labor’s $110 Million Military Support for Ukraine Not Enough: Shadow Foreign Minister

The Australian government’s $110 million (US$73 million) military support for Ukraine is not effective enough in addressing Ukraine’s needs, the federal opposition says. Defence Minister Richard Marles unveiled the new assistance package on June 26, which includes 70 military vehicles, a supply of 105mm artillery ammunition, and $10 million to the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund. Australia…


US ‘Throwing Allies Under a Bus’: Australia’s New Ambassador Kevin Rudd

Australia’s incoming ambassador to the United States Kevin Rudd urged the nation to stop throwing its allies “under a bus” if it wants to counter China’s economic influence in the Asia-Pacific. Rudd, a former Labor prime minister of Australia who will take up his diplomatic posting in March, said the United States had “one arm…


Australia, Vanuatu Signal Closer Security Ties Amid Ongoing Beijing Competition in the South Pacific

Australia and Vanuatu have indicated closer security ties amid ongoing competition between democratic allies and Beijing in the South Pacific region. The latest move comes after the Australian government inked a security deal with the Pacific nation Fiji in October. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong spoke in Port Vila, Vanuatu, on Dec. 12 along with…


Bipartisan Group to Visit Pacific Nations

A bipartisan group of federal MPs will lead an Australian delegation to multiple Pacific island nations, the first such visit since the COVID-19 pandemic. Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Pacific Minister Pat Conroy and their opposition counterparts Simon Birmingham and Michael McCormack will visit Vanuatu, Micronesia and Palau this week. The delegation will meet with Vanuatu…


Australia Dismisses Beijing’s Claim it ‘Playing With Fire’ for Taiwan Visit

Australian politicians have dismissed Beijing’s claims it is “playing with fire” and undermining efforts to repair Australia-China relations after a delegation of six bipartisan MPs arrived in Taiwan. The Global Times, a mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), published an opinion article saying the visit will “cast a shadow” on Australia’s improving relationship with…


Australia Dismisses Beijing’s Claim it is ‘Playing With Fire’ for Taiwan Visit

Australian politicians have dismissed Beijing’s claims it is “playing with fire” and undermining efforts to repair Australia-China relations after a delegation of six bipartisan MPs arrived in Taiwan. The Global Times, a mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), published an opinion article saying the visit will “cast a shadow” on Australia’s improving relationship with…


‘It Doesn’t Change Anything’: Mixed Emotions as Court Verdict for MH17 Handed Down

Families of Australian MH17 victims found some solace in the overnight conviction of three people in the downing of the flight but said their family members would never return. A Dutch court found two Russians and one Ukrainian separatist guilty in absentia of killing 298 people, including 38 Australians, when they shot Flight 17 down in…


Australian Liberal Senator Urges Federal Labor to Avoid ‘Arms Race’ With Beijing Over Solomon Islands

Liberal frontbencher, Simon Birmingham, has urged the Albanese government to avoid an arms race with Beijing following the Chinese regime’s counter donation of police equipment and vehicles to the Solomon Islands. This follows a donation of 13 vehicles and 60 MK18 rifles made by the Australian Federal Police to the Solomon Islands that was formalised…


Australia Tells Russia to Clear Out of Embassy Site

Authorities in Australia have told the Russian government it has 20 days to vacate the site of its Embassy after failing to finish construction within the designated timeframe. Originally leased in 2008 from the National Capital Authority (NCA), which manages the diplomatic precinct in Australia’s capital of Canberra, the Russian government agreed to complete construction…


Australian Liberal Senator Says His Party Needs to Stop Their Leftist Experiment

In the wake of the Liberal Party’s election loss on Saturday, Liberal senator for South Australia, Alex Antic, has stated that his party needs to stop catering to the left side of politics and return to the centre-right, where the Liberal Party values lie. “And the reality is here that this is a centre-right conservative…