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Australian PM Albanese

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks about his government's plan for new national standards for artificial intelligence at Sydney University on July 15, 2026.

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Australia: Multiple Groups Stage Protests Across Major Cities 3

Multiple groups held demonstrations in various Australian cities on Saturday, September 13. The Australia Unites rallies, organized by far-right and anti-vaccine groups, rallied against government policies on cost of living, health, and the environment. At the same time, Indigenous and Palestinian activists held a National Day of Action against racism and fascism, partly in response to a neo-Nazi raid on Camp Sovereignty in Melbourne in August.

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Australia: Multiple Groups Stage Protests Across Major Cities 4

Multiple groups held demonstrations in various Australian cities on Saturday, September 13. The Australia Unites rallies, organized by far-right and anti-vaccine groups, rallied against government policies on cost of living, health, and the environment. At the same time, Indigenous and Palestinian activists held a National Day of Action against racism and fascism, partly in response to a neo-Nazi raid on Camp Sovereignty in Melbourne in August.

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Australia: Multiple Groups Stage Protests Across Major Cities 2

Multiple groups are holding demonstrations in various Australian cities on Saturday, September 13. The Australia Unites rallies, organized by far-right and anti-vaccine groups, are protesting government policies on cost of living, health, and the environment. At the same time, Indigenous and Palestinian activists are holding a National Day of Action against racism and fascism, partly in response to a neo-Nazi raid on Camp Sovereignty in Melbourne in August. Authorities, particularly in Victoria, are cautious of potential clashes between far-right and far-left participants, though organizers of both movements emphasize that their protests are intended to remain peaceful.

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Australia: Multiple Groups Stage Protests Across Major Cities

Multiple groups are holding demonstrations in various Australian cities on Saturday, September 13. The Australia Unites rallies, organized by far-right and anti-vaccine groups, are protesting government policies on cost of living, health, and the environment. At the same time, Indigenous and Palestinian activists are holding a National Day of Action against racism and fascism, partly in response to a neo-Nazi raid on Camp Sovereignty in Melbourne in August. Authorities, particularly in Victoria, are cautious of potential clashes between far-right and far-left participants, though organizers of both movements emphasize that their protests are intended to remain peaceful.

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Australia: Thousands Of Constructions Workers Protest Against CFMEU Takeover 4

More than 10,000 workers took to the streets across Australia to protest the federal take over of the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) on Tuesday, August 27.

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Australia: Thousands Of Constructions Workers Protest Against CFMEU Takeover 3

More than 10,000 workers took to the streets across Australia to protest the federal take over of the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) on Tuesday, August 27.

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Australia: Thousands Of Constructions Workers Protest Against CFMEU Takeover

More than 10,000 workers took to the streets across Australia to protest the federal take over of the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) on Tuesday, August 27.

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Australia: Thousands Of Constructions Workers Protest Against CFMEU Takeover 2

More than 10,000 workers took to the streets across Australia to protest the federal take over of the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) on Tuesday, August 27.

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Australian gov't to penalize supermarkets for anti-competitive behavior under crackdown

STORY: Australian gov't to penalize supermarkets for anti-competitive behavior under crackdown SHOOTING TIME: June 26, 2024 DATELINE: June 27, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:51 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of supermarket in Australia STORYLINE: Australian supermarket chains will face large fines for anti-competitive behavior under new laws. The federal government on Monday announced it has accepted all the recommendations of a review into the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct and will impose new obligations on large supermarket chains to treat their suppliers fairly. Under the new laws, legislation for which was introduced to parliament by Treasurer Jim Chalmers on Monday, the code of conduct will be made mandatory for chains with annual revenue exceeding 5 billion Australian dollars (3.3 billion U.S. dollars) after being voluntary for a decade. Supermarkets will be required to deal with their suppliers in good faith and prevented from penalizing those who complain after the rev

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Millions of Australians struggling to make loan repayments: gov't report

STORY: Millions of Australians struggling to make loan repayments: gov't report SHOOTING TIME: June 4, 2024 DATELINE: June 6, 2024 LENGTH: 0:02:15 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of banks in Australia 2. various of street views in Australia 3. various of the Parliament House STORYLINE: Millions of Australians have struggled to make debt repayments in the last 12 months, government research has found. The research, which was published by corporate regulator the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) on Monday, found that 47 percent of Australian adults with debt -- the equivalent of 5.8 million people -- have struggled to make repayments in the last 12 months. A survey conducted by YouGov on behalf of the ASIC found that cost of living pressures, reduced income, and unexpected expenses were the most common reasons given for financial difficulties. Thirty percent of respondents to the survey said they would not seek hardship assistance from their bank or lend

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Australia launches 1st National Robotics Strategy

STORY: Australia launches 1st National Robotics Strategy SHOOTING TIME: Archives DATELINE: May 29, 2024 LENGTH: 00:02:11 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: TECHNOLOGY SHOTLIST: 1. various of robots STORYLINE: The Australian government has launched its first National Robotics Strategy in a bid to maximize benefits from the technology. Ed Husic, minister for industry and science, unveiled the strategy on Tuesday, saying it would help Australia secure its future and seize opportunities. According to the strategy, robotics and automation technologies could add up to 600 billion Australian dollars (400.3 billion U.S. dollars) to Australia's annual gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030. It found that increasing the use of robotics by only 1 percent would increase Australia's productivity by 0.8 percent by automating high-value manufacturing and enabling production at scale. Husic said in a statement that Australia currently ranks 32nd in the world in the adoption of industrial robots. "Lifting the adoption of thes

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Australia And New Zealand Send Evacuation Flights Amid Unrest - Noumea

French and Australian planes stand on the tarmac on May 21, 2024 at Magenta aiport in Noumea, New Caledonia. Australia and New Zealand say they have received clearance to send planes to New Caledonia to pick up travellers stranded after unrest shut down the international airport. Australia is deploying two planes on Tuesday to evacuate some of the 300 of its citizens who have registered for assistance in the French Pacific territory. The first of "a series" of proposed flights will also leave New Zealand and bring about 50 people home, the government in Wellington said. The unrest began last week after lawmakers in Paris voted through changes that will allow more French residents to vote in local elections, a move indigenous leaders say will dilute the political influence of native people. Photo by MMIIAS/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Australia And New Zealand Send Evacuation Flights Amid Unrest - Noumea

French and Australian planes stand on the tarmac on May 21, 2024 at Magenta aiport in Noumea, New Caledonia. Australia and New Zealand say they have received clearance to send planes to New Caledonia to pick up travellers stranded after unrest shut down the international airport. Australia is deploying two planes on Tuesday to evacuate some of the 300 of its citizens who have registered for assistance in the French Pacific territory. The first of "a series" of proposed flights will also leave New Zealand and bring about 50 people home, the government in Wellington said. The unrest began last week after lawmakers in Paris voted through changes that will allow more French residents to vote in local elections, a move indigenous leaders say will dilute the political influence of native people. Photo by MMIIAS/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Australia And New Zealand Send Evacuation Flights Amid Unrest - Noumea

French and Australian planes stand on the tarmac on May 21, 2024 at Magenta aiport in Noumea, New Caledonia. Australia and New Zealand say they have received clearance to send planes to New Caledonia to pick up travellers stranded after unrest shut down the international airport. Australia is deploying two planes on Tuesday to evacuate some of the 300 of its citizens who have registered for assistance in the French Pacific territory. The first of "a series" of proposed flights will also leave New Zealand and bring about 50 people home, the government in Wellington said. The unrest began last week after lawmakers in Paris voted through changes that will allow more French residents to vote in local elections, a move indigenous leaders say will dilute the political influence of native people. Photo by MMIIAS/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Australia And New Zealand Send Evacuation Flights Amid Unrest - Noumea

French and Australian planes stand on the tarmac on May 21, 2024 at Magenta aiport in Noumea, New Caledonia. Australia and New Zealand say they have received clearance to send planes to New Caledonia to pick up travellers stranded after unrest shut down the international airport. Australia is deploying two planes on Tuesday to evacuate some of the 300 of its citizens who have registered for assistance in the French Pacific territory. The first of "a series" of proposed flights will also leave New Zealand and bring about 50 people home, the government in Wellington said. The unrest began last week after lawmakers in Paris voted through changes that will allow more French residents to vote in local elections, a move indigenous leaders say will dilute the political influence of native people. Photo by MMIIAS/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Australia And New Zealand Send Evacuation Flights Amid Unrest - Noumea

French and Australian planes stand on the tarmac on May 21, 2024 at Magenta aiport in Noumea, New Caledonia. Australia and New Zealand say they have received clearance to send planes to New Caledonia to pick up travellers stranded after unrest shut down the international airport. Australia is deploying two planes on Tuesday to evacuate some of the 300 of its citizens who have registered for assistance in the French Pacific territory. The first of "a series" of proposed flights will also leave New Zealand and bring about 50 people home, the government in Wellington said. The unrest began last week after lawmakers in Paris voted through changes that will allow more French residents to vote in local elections, a move indigenous leaders say will dilute the political influence of native people. Photo by MMIIAS/ABACAPRESS.COM

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Cost of living relief for all Australians to drive down inflation: PM

STORY: Cost of living relief for all Australians to drive down inflation: PM SHOOTING TIME: May 15, 2024 DATELINE: May 17, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:20 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Parliament of Australia 2. various of Canberra street views 3. various of utility pole STORYLINE: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has defended his government's decision to offer every Australian, including high earners, cost of living relief. Under the federal budget for 2024-25, which was handed down by Treasurer Jim Chalmers on Tuesday night, every Australian will receive a tax cut from July and every household an energy bill rebate worth 300 Australian dollars (198.7 U.S. dollars) regardless of their income. Asked on Wednesday why the energy discount was not targeted to help only those in need of financial help, Albanese said offering it to every household would deliver cost of living relief and put downward pressure on inflation. "We want to make sure that every Australian gets

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South Australia to explore social media ban for children

STORY: South Australia to explore social media ban for children SHOOTING TIME: May 13, 2024 DATELINE: May 15, 2024 LENGTH: 00:00:46 LOCATION: ADELAIDE, Australia CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the street view in South Australia 2. various of young people using mobile devices STORYLINE: Children under the age of 14 in South Australia would be banned from using social media under a proposal put forward by the state's premier Peter Malinauskas. Malinauskas on Sunday announced that his state government has appointed Robert French, former Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, to examine the legal practicalities of implementing Australia's first social media age ban. Under the state government's proposal, any South Australian under the age of 14 would be banned from using any social media and those aged 14 and 15 would require parental consent to access an account. Malinauskas said on Sunday that there is mounting evidence that social media is detrimental to children's mental health a

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Australian inflation projected to fall below 3 pct in 2024

STORY: Australian inflation projected to fall below 3 pct in 2024 SHOOTING TIME: May 13, 2024 DATELINE: May 15, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:21 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of grocery stores in Canberra 2. various of a shopping center in Canberra 3. various of a petrol station in Canberra STORYLINE: Australia's inflation rate is set to return to the central bank's target band by the end of 2024, the government has forecast. According to projections released by the Treasury on Sunday, inflation will fall to 2.75 percent by December and to 2.5 percent by the end of 2025. The Treasury projections suggest that inflation will fall back to the Reserve Bank of Australia's target band of 2-3 percent one year earlier than forecast by the bank in its outlook published earlier in May. The central bank's forecast does not account for unannounced measures included in Chalmer's budget whereas the Treasury's does. "Inflation is still the big near-term challenge in our economy which is

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Report reveals rise of Australian women killed by intimate partner

STORY: Report reveals rise of Australian women killed by intimate partner SHOOTING TIME: Earlier footage DATELINE: May 2, 2024 LENGTH: 00:00:23 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the protest demanding an end to gendered violence STORYLINE: The rate of Australian women who were killed by a current or former partner increased by almost 30 percent in 2022-23, official data has revealed. The government-funded Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) on Tuesday released the latest data from the National Homicide Monitoring Program. It revealed that there were 247 homicide victims in Australia in the 12-month period to the end of June 2023, 75 of whom were women. Of the 75 women, 34 or 45.3 percent were killed by a current or former male intimate partner, up from 26 in the previous 12 months. Overall 60 women were killed by men in 2022-23. The rate of intimate partner homicide involving a female victim increased by 28 percent from 0.25 homicides per 100,000 people in 20

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Australian scam losses decline in 2023: gov't report

STORY: Australian scam losses decline in 2023: gov't report SHOOTING TIME: April 29, 2024 DATELINE: April 29, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:02 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: LAW SHOTLIST: 1. various of Australian federal police station 2. various of Australian banks 3. various of fraud messages 4. various of card payments 5. various of city views of Canberra STORYLINE: Australians lost billions of dollars to a record number of reported scams in 2023, government data has revealed. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on Monday published its annual Targeting Scams report, revealing Australians reported over 601,000 scams in 2023, a new record and 18.5 percent increase from 2022. Despite an increase in the number of reported scams, reported losses to scams fell from 3.15 billion Australian dollars (2.06 billion U.S. dollars) in 2022 to 2.74 billion AUD (1.79 billion dollars) in 2023, a decline of 13 percent. It marks the first time since 2016 that scam losses have fallen from the previous

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Australian PM urges men, boys to prevent violence against women

STORY: Australian PM urges men, boys to prevent violence against women SHOOTING TIME: April 25, 2024 DATELINE: April 28, 2024 LENGTH: 0:00:19 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Australia STORYLINE: Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has urged the nation's men and boys to take responsibility for ending a crisis of violence against women. Albanese on Tuesday said his government would do whatever it can to tackle violence against women but said men and boys must address the underlying causes of violence. He was speaking after a 29-year-old man who was on bail for another matter was on Monday charged with the murder of a 28-year-old woman in the state of New South Wales. According to activist group Counting Dead Women, 25 women have died violently in Australia so far in 2024, including five in the Sydney shopping center stabbing spree earlier in April. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Canberra. (XHTV)

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Survey reveals Australians' misconceptions about dementia

STORY: Survey reveals Australians' misconceptions about dementia SHOOTING TIME: April 26, 2024 DATELINE: April 28, 2024 LENGTH: 0:01:09 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: SOCIETY/HEALTH SHOTLIST: 1. various of the elderly STORYLINE: A majority of Australians are not confident in their knowledge of how to reduce the risk of developing dementia, a government report has found. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) on Wednesday published results of the Dementia Awareness Survey, revealing that 22 percent of Australians mistakenly believe dementia is a normal part of the aging process. Over 80 percent of respondents said they would be more likely to adopt lifestyle changes if they knew it would help them reduce their risk of dementia but fewer than one-third were confident they knew how to reduce the risk. Dementia is a term used to describe a group of diseases characterized by gradual impairment of brain function. Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia globally, accountin

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Flags across Australia at half-mast to mourn for victims over Sydney mall attack

STORY: Flags across Australia at half-mast to mourn for victims over Sydney mall attack SHOOTING TIME: April 15, 2024 DATELINE: April 15, 2024 LENGTH: 00:00:59 LOCATION: SYDNEY, Australia CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of flags across Australia STORYLINE: Australia paid a national tribute to the six victims killed in a stabbing spree at Sydney's Bondi Junction Westfield by flying all flags across the country at half-mast on Monday. By order of the announcement, all Australian national flags hoisted outside government buildings were lowered as a symbol of respect for those killed. On Saturday afternoon, Sydney saw a violent stabbing spree unfold at one of its busiest shopping centers in Bondi Junction, which has so far left six innocent people dead. The knife-wielding attacker, who was believed to have acted alone, was fatally shot by an inspector, with police confirming that no continuing threat remained to the public. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Sydney, Australia. (XHTV)

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Australian winemakers excited about re-entry of bottled wine into Chinese market

STORY: Australian winemakers excited about re-entry of bottled wine into Chinese market SHOOTING TIME: March 17, 2024 DATELINE: March 31, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:45 LOCATION: ADELAIDE, Australia CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the Dowie Doole winery in South Australia's McLaren Vale 2. various of Chris Thomas, managing director and chief winemaker of the Dowie Doole winery STORYLINE: China's Ministry of Commerce announced on Thursday that the country will lift anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariffs on Australian wine from Friday. Australia welcomed China's decision, which comes at a critical time for the Australian wine industry, said an Australian government statement. The re-entry of Australian bottled wine into the Chinese market will benefit both Australian producers and Chinese consumers, the statement said. Australia's wine exports to China were worth 1.1 billion Australian dollars (some 713 million U.S. dollars) in 2019. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in the wine region of Hunter Valley

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Australia welcomes China's tariff lifting on Australian wine

STORY: Australia welcomes China's tariff lifting on Australian wine SHOOTING TIME: March 28, 2024 DATELINE: March 29, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:35 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: POLITICS/ECONOMY/MARKET SHOTLIST: 1. various of Australian winery 2. various of bottled wine in supermarkets STORYLINE: Australia has welcomed China's decision to lift anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariffs on Australian wine. A joint media release from Australian government agencies said that the Australian side welcomes this outcome, which comes at a critical time for the Australian wine industry, adding that "the re-entry of Australian bottled wine into the Chinese market will benefit both Australian producers and Chinese consumers." China's Ministry of Commerce on Thursday announced that the country will lift anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariffs on Australian wine from Friday. The media release introduced that Australia's wine exports to China were worth 1.1 billion Australian dollars (some 713 million U.S. dollars) in 2019.

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Australian gov't weakens vehicle efficiency standard policy

STORY: Australian gov't weakens vehicle efficiency standard policy SHOOTING TIME: March 26, 2024 DATELINE: March 28, 2024 LENGTH: 00:00:54 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of vehicles in Australia 2. various of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries 3. various of vehicles in Australia STORYLINE: The Australian government has watered down its proposed vehicle emission standards amid pressure from car manufacturers. Chris Bowen, the minister for energy and climate change, and Transport Minister Catherine King on Tuesday announced changes to fuel efficiency legislation. It came one month after Bowen unveiled the government's proposal for Australia's first New Vehicle Efficiency Standard, which will come into effect on Jan. 1, 2025. Under the changes, the average emissions of light commercial vehicles (LCVs) will need to be reduced by 50 percent by 2029 for manufacturers to avoid penalties -- down from the 60 percent target set in February. New passenger vehicles

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Cardiac conditions a major killer on Australian beaches: report

STORY: Cardiac conditions a major killer on Australian beaches: report SHOOTING TIME: March 23, 2024 DATELINE: March 23, 2024 LENGTH: 0:01:01 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of beaches in Australia STORYLINE: Cardiac conditions cause more deaths on Australian beaches than sharks or other wildlife, a research has found. A federal government-funded study published by Surf Life Saving Australia, the country's leading provider of surf rescue services, on Friday revealed that almost 40 percent of the 1,667 deaths that occurred on Australia's coasts over a 10-year period were not related to drowning. Cardiac conditions were the leading cause of non-drowning coastal deaths, the research found, accounting for 51.8 percent of the 620 over the 10-year period. Traumatic collisions and injuries accounted for 15.9 percent and falls for 10.4 percent, the study said. Marine creatures including sharks and jellyfish were identified as the cause of 5 percent of non-drowning deaths and less than

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Australian treasurer warns of falling government revenue

STORY: Australian treasurer warns of falling government revenue SHOOTING DATE: March 15, 2024 DATELINE: March 16, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:09 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the airport, port and mine in Australia 2. various of the street views STORYLINE: Australia's Treasurer Jim Chalmers warned on Thursday that falling commodity prices and an uptick in unemployment will negatively impact revenue projections in Australia's upcoming federal budget. Chalmers made the remarks in a speech to a committee for economic development while outlining the Australian government's approach to its third federal budget, which he will hand down in May. He identified global uncertainty, persistent cost-of-living pressures and slowing growth as the three biggest drivers of the government's thinking regarding the budget. He said that the Australian government can no longer rely on large revenue upgrades, caused by tax receipts coming in larger than projected, due to the falling price of iro

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Injuries from animals hospitalized 23,000 Australians in 12 months: report

STORY: Injuries from animals hospitalized 23,000 Australians in 12 months: report SHOOTING TIME: March 13, 2024 DATELINE: March 15, 2024 LENGTH: 00:02:22 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: HEALTH SHOTLIST: 1. various of venomous animals: snakes 2. various of dog attacking people 3. various of livestock: sheep, cows, hens STORYLINE: Over 20,000 Australians were hospitalized with injuries caused by animals in 2021-22 according to government data. A report published by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) on Wednesday revealed that there were 23,380 injury hospitalizations related to animals in Australia in the 12 months to the end of June 2022. Of the total hospitalizations, the report said that cats and dogs were responsible for 53 percent, livestock for 22 percent, wildlife and venomous animals for 21 percent and marine animals for 2.2 percent. Out of every 100,000 people in Australia, 90.5 were hospitalized due to injuries caused by contact with animals in 2021-22 -- up from 66.5 per 1

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Australian PM announces new fund for outback housing

STORY: Australian PM announces new fund for outback housing SHOOTING TIME: March 14, 2024 DATELINE: March 15, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:08 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of an Australian apartment 2. various of an Australian community street STORYLINE: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has unveiled a new multi-billion-dollar fund to build new homes in outback Indigenous communities. Albanese on Tuesday announced a joint 4 billion Australian dollar (2.6 billion U.S. dollar) investment from the federal and Northern Territory (NT) governments over the next 10 years for housing in remote communities across the NT. Under the scheme, the government estimates that 270 new homes will be built every year, following on from a previous agreement that has built 650 homes in 73 remote NT communities since 2018. Albanese said in a statement that the funding would help achieve the goals of the Closing the Gap framework, a government strategy to reduce Indigenous disadvantages. In

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Australia to axe hundreds of nuisance tariffs from July: Treasurer

STORY: Australia to axe hundreds of nuisance tariffs from July: Treasurer SHOOTING TIME: March 11, 2024 DATELINE: March 11, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:54 LOCATION: SYDNEY, Australia CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the business summit 2. SOUNDBITE (English): JIM CHALMERS, Australian Treasurer 3. various of Sydney city views STORYLINE: Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers said on Monday that the federal government would abolish almost 500 nuisance tariffs from July 1. SOUNDBITE (English): JIM CHALMERS, Australian Treasurer "We will permanently abolish almost 500 nuisance tariffs on a vast array of imports from the 1st of July this year. We will eliminate import tariffs on hundreds of imported goods, including hand tools and toothbrushes and fridges and dishwashers and clothing and sanitary products. This is the biggest unilateral tariff reform in at least two decades. It will cut compliance costs, reduce red tape, make it easier to do business and boost productivity." According to the treasurer, the new

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Australian treasurer warns of economic slowdown ahead of GDP data

STORY: Australian treasurer warns of economic slowdown ahead of GDP data SHOOTING TIME: March 1, 2024 DATELINE: March 2, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:03 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Australian supermarket 2. various of Australians shopping STORYLINE: The Australian economy is facing a significant slowdown but will likely avoid a recession, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said on Thursday. Speaking from the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meetings in Brazil, he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that while inflation is falling in Australia, the country is "not immune" to weak global growth. "We expect growth in our economy to be quite weak," Chalmers told ABC radio. "And as we deal with this inflation challenge, we also need to deal with the fact that people have been under pressure and that's had consequences for growth in our economy." The federal government will release the gross domestic product (GDP) figures for the final quarter of 2023 early in March.

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Australian workers' productivity falls 3.7 percent

STORY: Australian workers' productivity falls 3.7 percent SHOOTING TIME: March 1, 2024 DATELINE: March 2, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:22 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Australian construction worker 2. various of Australian factory worker STORYLINE: The productivity of Australian workers fell sharply in 2022-23, a government report has found. The federal government's principal review and advisory body, the Productivity Commission, has published its annual productivity bulletin, revealing that labor productivity fell 3.7 percent in the 12 months to the end of June 2023. By comparison, the long-term average annual growth rate for Australian productivity was 1.3 percent. The report attributed the fall in the cited period to a record-high 6.9 percent increase in the number of hours worked by Australians in the same period. "We now have a clearer understanding of what's behind Australia's productivity slump. Sharp increases in working hours have seen productivity decline, bu

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Australian student visa rejection rate rises

STORY: Australian student visa rejection rate rises SHOOTING TIME: Feb. 23, 2024 DATELINE: Feb. 24, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:09 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of international students in Canberra 2. various of the Australian National University campus STORYLINE: According to the latest Australian government data, 80.9 percent of total international student visa applications in the six months to December 2023 were approved -- down from 86 percent in the financial year 2022-23 and 91.5 percent in 2021-22. It marks the lowest approval rate since 2005-06. The fall coincided with the December release of the government's new migration strategy, which places an emphasis on greater scrutiny for student visa applicants to end exploitation of the immigration system. Under the overhaul, colleges and universities have been placed into three tiers based on their history of visa fraud or other problems with international students. Those in tier one, including Australia's largest universities, ar

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China expected to be Australia's biggest tourism market again in near future: tourism director

STORY: China expected to be Australia's biggest tourism market again in near future: tourism director SHOOTING TIME: Feb. 6, 2024 DATELINE: Feb. 8, 2024 LENGTH: 0:01:32 LOCATION: SYDNEY, Australia CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Australia 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): PHILLIPA HARRISON, Managing director of Tourism Australia 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): PHILLIPA HARRISON, Managing director of Tourism Australia STORYLINE: Managing Director of Tourism Australia Phillipa Harrison has said that China is expected to reclaim the top spot in Australia's international tourism industry in the near future. Tourism Australia is the Australian government agency responsible for attracting international visitors to the country. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): PHILLIPA HARRISON, Managing director of Tourism Australia "We are seeing more and more Chinese travelers coming back to Australia since we opened just over 12 months ago, which is great to see. We are really delighted to see that more and more Chinese are coming back

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Australian firms look forward to attending 7th CIIE

STORY: Australian firms look forward to attending 7th CIIE SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 30, 2024 DATELINE: Jan. 31, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:47 LOCATION: SYDNEY, Australia CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of the promotion event 2. SOUNDBITE (English): JAMES HUDSON, Corporate Affairs Director of EZZ Life Science Holdings Ltd. STORYLINE: Representatives from Australian firms are highly optimistic and look forward to the seventh China International Import Expo (CIIE) to be held in Shanghai in November 2024. SOUNDBITE (English): JAMES HUDSON, Corporate Affairs Director of EZZ Life Science Holdings Ltd. "Look, the CIIE is one of the most important dates on the global trade calendar. For businesses like EZZ, it's an incredible event where we can connect with the buyers, educate consumers about our products, and build higher level relationships. So for us, the CIIE is a very important event. This year, I think the CIIE is gonna be bigger than ever, better than ever." Nearly 200 representatives from government orga

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Australian universities call for free places for disadvantaged students

STORY: Australian universities call for free places for disadvantaged students SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 29, 2024 DATELINE: Jan. 29, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:08 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: SOCIETY/EDUCATION SHOTLIST: 1. various of university students on campus 2. various of tutorial rooms in Australian National University (ANU) STORYLINE: The peak body for Australia's universities has urged the government to fund free degrees in areas of skills needed to address workforce shortages. Universities Australia (UA) on Monday published its pre-budget submission to the federal government, making the case for fee-free university places for disadvantaged students to help employers overcome skilled worker shortages. According to the UA, the number of students enrolled in higher education in Australia fell by 5 percent between 2021 and 2022. In order to meet workforce needs for a future where half of new jobs are projected to require a university degree, UA acting chief executive Renee Hindmarsh said higher education partic

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Australian inflation falls to near 2-year low

STORY: Australian inflation falls to near 2-year low SHOOTING DATE: Jan. 10, 2024 DATELINE: Jan. 11, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:08 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of supermarket STORYLINE: Australia's rate of inflation has fallen to its lowest level in almost two years. According to official data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Wednesday, the consumer price index (CPI), Australia's headline measure of inflation, rose by 4.3 percent in the 12 months to the end of November 2023. It marks a fall from a 4.9 percent rise in the 12 months to the end of October 2023 and the slowest annual rate of price rises since January 2022. State media the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported that economists were expecting inflation to come in at 4.4 percent over the year to November. Treasurer Jim Chalmers welcomed the data but said that inflation is still higher than the government would like. "What this number shows is that the government's polic

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Australia to expose companies' gender pay gaps

STORY: Australia to expose companies' gender pay gaps SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 8, 2024 DATELINE: Jan. 9, 2024 LENGTH: 00:00:37 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of male and female employees during work STORYLINE: The Australian government will publish the gender pay gap at large companies in a bid to improve income equality. From Feb. 27, the pay discrepancies between male and female employees at every company with over 100 employees in Australia will be made available online under legislation aiming to improve pay transparency and female participation in the workforce. Katy Gallagher, the Minister for Women and Minister for Finance, on Saturday told the Australian Associated Press (AAP) that the move would hold companies accountable. According to data published by the government's Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) in November, the gender pay gap was 21.7 percent in 2023 - down from 22.8 percent in 2022. It means that, on average, women earned 26,393 Australian dol

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Fuel efficiency standard delays hurting Australians: climate advocates

STORY: Fuel efficiency standard delays hurting Australians: climate advocates SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 4, 2024 DATELINE: Jan. 4, 2024 LENGTH: 00:01:04 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT/OTHERS SHOTLIST: 1. various of cars on Canberra's streets 2. various of scenes of a petrol station 3. images of a proposed model for a fuel efficiency standard by the end of 2023 4. various of electric vehicles STORYLINE: Climate advocates have criticized the Australian government for failing to meet its deadline to introduce fuel-efficiency standards. The governing Labor Party in April 2023 committed to developing Australia's first fuel efficiency standard to incentivize car manufacturers to supply more low and zero-emissions vehicles. At the time the Minister for Energy and Climate Change, Chris Bowen, said that the government would release its proposed model for a fuel efficiency standard by the end of 2023. However, the government missed that deadline and is facing criticism from environmental advocates. Jennifer R

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Majority of Australians believe relationship with China improving: poll

STORY: Majority of Australians believe relationship with China improving: poll SHOOTING TIME: Dec. 19, 2023 DATELINE: Dec. 20, 2023 LENGTH: 0:01:10 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: POLITICS/SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of briefing 2. various of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Canberra 3. various of Australian Parliament House STORYLINE: A majority of Australians believe the bilateral relationship with China is improving, a poll has found. The poll, which was published by the daily newspaper the Australian Financial Review (AFR) on Tuesday, asked Australians to rate 10 key government areas of focus on whether they are improving, worsening or unchanged over the last 12 months. It found that 54 percent of respondents believe Australia's relationship with China is improving while 45 percent said it was worsening or unchanged - a net positive rating of 9 percent, up from 2 percent in December 2022. Australia's relationship with China had the highest net rating of any area and was one of two are

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Higher tax earnings slash Australian budget deficit

STORY: Higher tax earnings slash Australian budget deficit SHOOTING TIME: File/Dec. 13, 2023 DATELINE: Dec. 15, 2023 LENGTH: 00:00:59 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Parliament of Australia 2. various of tax calculating (file) 3. various of Commonwealth Bank 4. various of Australian daily grocery shopping (file) STORYLINE: Surging personal and company tax income has driven a major improvement in Australia's budget position, the government has revealed. Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Finance Katy Gallagher on Wednesday released the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO), which is delivered annually in December to update Australians on the state of the government's fiscal performance. The document forecasts that the final federal budget deficit for the current 2023-24 financial year will be 1.1 billion Australian dollars (721.4 million U.S. dollars) - down from the 13.9 billion AUD (9.1 billion USD) forecast in May. Between 2023-24 and 2026-27, budget deficits a

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Workforce shortage jeopardizing Australian infrastructure projects: report

STORY: Workforce shortage jeopardizing Australian infrastructure projects: report SHOOTING TIME: Dec. 12, 2023 DATELINE: Dec. 14, 2023 LENGTH: 00:00:57 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of construction sites STORYLINE: Major Australian infrastructure projects are under threat from massive workforce shortages, a government report has warned. Infrastructure Australia on Tuesday published its annual market capacity report, revealing a shortfall of 229,000 public infrastructure workers. According to the report, the shortfall - as well as a shortage of construction materials - is jeopardizing infrastructure projects worth 230 billion Australian dollars (151 billion U.S. dollars) over the next five years, Australia's green energy transition, and a government plan to build 1.2 million new homes. "With so much construction activity underway, the industry is finding it increasingly difficult to source key building materials and workers - particularly engineers, skilled trades a

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Australian surgery wait times hit record high: report

STORY: Australian surgery wait times hit record high: report SHOOTING TIME: Dec. 7, 2023 DATELINE: Dec. 8, 2023 LENGTH: 00:00:29 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: SOCIETY/HEALTH SHOTLIST: 1. various of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2. various of patients waiting at I-Med medicine 3. various of surgery STORYLINE: Wait times for elective surgery in Australia have surged to the highest level on record in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, new government data has shown. According to a report published by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) on Wednesday, elective surgery wait times in Australia hit the highest level on record in 2022-23 due to a backlog caused by disruptions to the health system during the pandemic. The report found that as of 2022-23, 9.6 percent of patients spend longer than one year waiting to be admitted for elective surgery, up from 2.1 percent in 2018-19. Elective surgery refers to procedures that are considered medically necessary but do not involv

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Australia to expand subsidies for renewable energy projects

STORY: Australia to expand subsidies for renewable energy projects SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 23, 2023 DATELINE: Nov. 23, 2023 LENGTH: 0:00:35 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT/ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of solar panels 2. various of electronic tower STORYLINE: The Australian government has announced an expansion of subsidies for clean energy projects to help achieve its 2030 renewables target. Chris Bowen, minister for climate change and energy, on Thursday announced that the existing taxpayer-funded Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) will be expanded to underwrite new renewable energy projects. Under the expansion, the CIS will underwrite private companies to build 32 gigawatts (GW) of new electricity projects, consisting of 9GW of storage projects and 23GW of renewable generation projects. If electricity prices are too low for the companies to generate a profit for the companies, the CIS will pay the difference, but if a company's earnings exceed a set ceiling, the government will share in i

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Report calls on Australia to reduce antibiotic use amid rise in drug-resistant infections

STORY: Report calls on Australia to reduce antibiotic use amid rise in drug-resistant infections SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 17, 2023 DATELINE: Nov. 16, 2023 LENGTH: 00:00:41 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: HEALTH SHOTLIST: 1. various of pharmacies in Canberra STORYLINE: Australia is losing the war against drug-resistant infections, a government report has warned. The report, published on Thursday by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, found that bacteria that cause golden staph infections, gastroenteritis and gonorrhea are growing increasingly resistant to the antibiotic drugs that treat them - a phenomenon known as antimicrobial resistance (AMR). According to the report, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a 19 percent drop in antibiotic use in Australia between 2019 and 2022, but the country still has one of the highest consumption rates in the developed world. In 2022, one-third of Australians were given a prescription for at least one round of antibiotics, the report said The

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Australia launches 1st AI Month to promote safe use of technology

STORY: Australia launches 1st AI Month to promote safe use of technology SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 16, 2023 DATELINE: Nov. 17, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:04 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: TECHNOLOGY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Questacon National Science and Technology Center 2. various of a robotic arm in action 3. various of AI robots STORYLINE: The Australian government launched the country's first artificial intelligence (AI) Month on Wednesday, encouraging safe and responsible use of the technology. Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic officially launched the inaugural AI Month by opening a new AI exhibition at Questacon, Australia's National Science and Technology Center in Canberra. An initiative of the National AI Centre (NAIC), which sits within the national science agency the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), AI Month will run from Nov. 15 to Dec. 15 and bring together experts, researchers, organizations and entrepreneurs to discuss Australia's plan for the AI future.

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Climate change delaying blue whale migration: expert

STORY: Climate change delaying blue whale migration: expert SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 13, 2023 DATELINE: Nov. 14, 2023 LENGTH: 00:00:54 LOCATION: Canberra CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT SHOTLIST: 1. various of the whales playing in the Water (date: Aug. 23, 2023) 2. various of the ocean STORYLINE: Warming oceans are delaying the migration of blue whales, Australian experts have warned. Karen Edyvane, a marine biologist from Australian National University, on Monday raised concerns about significant delays to the migration of pygmy blue whales past the Timor-Leste coastline. A subspecies of blue whale that grows up to 24 meters long, pygmy blue whales migrate thousands of kilometers south every year from breeding grounds off the coast of Indonesia past Timor-Leste to Australian waters in October and November. However, Edyvane told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that she is "extremely alarmed" after not sighting any whales during the last six weeks in Timor-Leste. A former senior government scienti