Heavy downpours and severe weather are again forecast in Victoria, NSW and Queensland, as Penny Wong is set to announce huge aid plan in French Polynesia today. Follow all the day’s news
Marles ‘very concerned’ by reports China hired former western pilots to train military
Patricia Karvelas:
You’ve announced an investigation into allegations China hired former Western air force pilots to train its military. Is there any evidence Australians have been involved?
We’re very concerned by the reports, which is why I’ve asked for the department to come back to me as quickly as possible with a report about whether this is an issue which presents a material danger to Australia or not.
The point I would make really quickly to people who have helped me say read these reports is that Australians who work for the government in any capacity – but that very much includes the the military, that would include someone flying a fighter jet – who come into possession of the nation’s secrets have an obligation to maintain those secrets beyond their employment with, their engagement with the Commonwealth. That’s an enduring obligation and to reveal any of those secrets is a crime.
We understand that countries in the Pacific have choices. What we need to be focusing on is Australia’s place and our engagement with the Pacific on our own terms and making sure that we are present, that we are there providing support, and that our focus and intent is on the development of the countries of the Pacific and that very much includes Kiribati.
But what we’ve seen over the last decade is a former Australian government which was not doing the work and that’s, that’s part of the issue here. There’s a lot of catch up that we need to do but we are intent on doing it. And we are here in a very present way and that it very much includes Kiribati.
Continue reading…Heavy downpours and severe weather are again forecast in Victoria, NSW and Queensland, as Penny Wong is set to announce huge aid plan in French Polynesia today. Follow all the day’s newsMarles ‘very concerned’ by reports China hired former western pilots to train militaryPatricia Karvelas:You’ve announced an investigation into allegations China hired former Western air force pilots to train its military. Is there any evidence Australians have been involved?We’re very concerned by the reports, which is why I’ve asked for the department to come back to me as quickly as possible with a report about whether this is an issue which presents a material danger to Australia or not.The point I would make really quickly to people who have helped me say read these reports is that Australians who work for the government in any capacity – but that very much includes the the military, that would include someone flying a fighter jet – who come into possession of the nation’s secrets have an obligation to maintain those secrets beyond their employment with, their engagement with the Commonwealth. That’s an enduring obligation and to reveal any of those secrets is a crime.We understand that countries in the Pacific have choices. What we need to be focusing on is Australia’s place and our engagement with the Pacific on our own terms and making sure that we are present, that we are there providing support, and that our focus and intent is on the development of the countries of the Pacific and that very much includes Kiribati.But what we’ve seen over the last decade is a former Australian government which was not doing the work and that’s, that’s part of the issue here. There’s a lot of catch up that we need to do but we are intent on doing it. And we are here in a very present way and that it very much includes Kiribati. Continue reading…