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Widodo Inauguration: Abbott Stresses Jakarta Focus In Foreign Policy

Oct 19, 2014

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has flown to Indonesia to attend the inauguration of its new President, Joko Widodo.

In his weekly video message, Abbott repeated his earlier remarks that “our foreign policy needs a ‘Jakarta’ focus rather than a ‘Geneva’ one”.

He said one million Australians visit Indonesia each year. “It has the world’s largest Muslim population, it is the world’s third largest democracy and, along with India, it’s the emerging democratic superpower of Asia.”

  • Watch Abbott’s video message (3m)
  • Listen to Abbott (3m)

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Transcript of Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s weekly video message.

Today I am going to Indonesia for the Inauguration of its new President – Joko Widodo.

The transition to a new administration highlights Indonesia’s successful move to a popularly elected democracy. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Abbott, Audio, Indonesia, Video Tagged With: , ,

Cormann Says Shorten Is An Economic Girlie Man

Oct 18, 2014

The Minister for Finance, Senator Mathias Cormann, today described Opposition Leader Bill Shorten as an “economic girlie man”.

Cormann

Interviewed on the Sky News Agenda program, Cormann was asked about comments by Opposition Leader Bill Shorten that a budget surplus was more likely under a Labor government “than this current mob”.

Cormann said: “He’s dreaming. I mean the Labor Party has not delivered a surplus in Australia for 25 years. The problem that the Labor Party has today is that Bill Shorten is an economic girlie man. He doesn’t have what it takes to repair the Budget mess that they have left behind.”

Husic

ALP Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Treasurer, Ed Husic, also appeared on the program. He said Cormann should stop the “juvenile name-calling” and deal with the Budget. “The Terminator should become the Deodoriser and get the stink out of his budget,” Husic said.

Cormann’s remarks set off a Saturday media flurry. Allegations of sexism were aired on social media.

Cormann’s Belgian accent is often compared to that of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s film character The Terminator.

  • Listen to Cormann (14m – transcript below)

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  • Listen to Husic (10m)

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Transcript of Finance Minister Senator Mathias Cormann’s interview with David Lipson on Sky News Agenda.

DAVID LIPSON: G’day, welcome to the program, I am David Lipson. It is six months since the Budget was handed down and there are still more than $28 billion in savings being held up in the Senate. And though the House of Representatives returns next week, the crucial Senate has only three sitting weeks left before the summer break. The Government insists it hasn’t given up the fight but each day that passes equates to savings lost. And Labor which along with the cross bench is blocking the savings even claimed this week, rather flippantly; it could deliver a surplus sooner than the Coalition. Here is Bill Shorten with David Speers earlier this week: [Read more...]

Filed Under: A.L.P., Abbott, Audio Tagged With: , , , , ,

Government Announces Industry Innovation And Competitiveness Agenda

Oct 14, 2014

The Federal Government today announced an Industry Innovation and Competitiveness Agenda.

Abbott

Speaking at a press conference in Canberra, the Prime Minister, Tony Abbott and the Minister for Industry, Ian Macfarlane, announced a series of measures to life apprenticeship rates and encourage employee share ownership. The plan also aims to promote science and technology skills in school, reform the 457 visas programme, and establish Industry Growth Centres.

  • Listen to the joint press conference with Tony Abbott and Ian Macfarlane (37m – transcript below)

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  • Watch Abbott and Macfarlane (37m)

Downloads (PDF)

Statement from Ian Macfarlane, Minister for Industry.

Strengthening Australia’s competitiveness is the key to our future prosperity. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Abbott, Audio, Industry-Innovation, Video Tagged With: , , ,

We Shirtfront The Tsar; Abbott Says He Will Confront Putin Over MH17 At G20

Oct 13, 2014

Prime Minister Tony Abbott says he will “shirtfront” Russian President Vladimir Putin over the shooting of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17.

Abbott

Abbott made his comments at a media conference at Caval Ridge Mine in the Queensland electorate of Capricornia, held by Michelle Landry. He defended and praised the coal mining industry.

On Putin, Abbott said: “Look, I’m going to shirtfront Mr Putin – you bet I am. I’m going to be saying to Mr Putin – Australians were murdered and they were murdered by Russian-backed rebels using Russian supplied equipment. We are very unhappy about this. We accept that you didn’t want this to happen, but we now demand that you fully cooperate with the criminal investigation, and if the criminal investigation identifies suspects that you have some influence over, they’ve got to be produced and justice has got to be done.” [Read more...]

Filed Under: A.L.P., Abbott, Audio, G20, Mining, Video Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Kate Ellis Accuses Christopher Pyne Of Distraction Tactics Over Curriculum Review

Oct 12, 2014

The Shadow Minister for Education, Kate Ellis, has accused Christopher Pyne of tinkering with the national curriculum as a distraction from the government’s budget cuts.

Ellis

Speaking in Adelaide following the release of the Review of the Australian Curriculum report, Ellis said the government had cut the Curriculum authority’s funding by $20 million. [Read more...]

Filed Under: A.L.P., Audio, Education Tagged With: ,
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