Australia says U.S. plans to build military infrastructure - Reuters

SYDNEY (Reuters) - The United States is planning to build additional military infrastructure in Australia once Congress gives approval to the U.S. Navy for $211.5 million, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said on Tuesday.

FILE PHOTO: Australia's Foreign Minister Marise Payne speaks during a news conference at Australian Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand, January 10, 2019. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

The plans for a bigger U.S. footprint in Australia come at a time when the Western allies have become increasingly concerned by China’s efforts to expand its influence in the Pacific.

“The development of facilities will support the Force Posture Initiatives,” Payne told Sky News, referring to agreements reached in 2011 between the United States and Australia to enhance their defense relationship.

Those initiatives entail 2,500 U.S. Marines training in Australia each year, and regular joint training between the allies’ air forces.

Payne did not say what military infrastructure the United States aimed to build, but Australian media reported earlier this month that Washington had plans for a new port facility near Darwin, the capital of Australia’s Northern Territory.

U.S. Marines deployed in an annual rotation for training are housed in an Australian base at Darwin.

“A port is the missing leg of the stool in U.S. military engagement with Australia,” said Euan Graham, director of the national security program, La Trobe University.

A U.S. embassy spokesman in Canberra declined to comment, and Australia’s Defense Department said it would expect concrete plans only when the proposal is approved by the U.S. Congress.

If the United States does build a port facility in Darwin it would be located near the Port of Darwin, which China’s Landbridge Group Co secured a 99-year lease over in 2015 - much to the annoyance of the United States.

Tensions between Washington and Beijing have escalated since the 2016 election of U.S. President Donald Trump, who ignited a trade war with China, while also increasing military exercises in the Asia-Pacific region.

Reporting by Colin Packham; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore

Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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2019-07-30 06:29:00Z
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How Qantas Became The Australian Flag Carrier - Simple Flying

Founded in 1920, Qantas is one of the oldest airlines in the world. The red kangaroo on the tail and the cheery hello when you step aboard at Heathrow can lift the mood of even the most jaded Aussie. Like Pan Am, Singapore Airlines, and British Airways, the airline is a symbol of its home nation – the national flag carrier.

Predecessor to the 787-9 and the first Qantas aircraft, the Avro Dyack in 1921. Photo; Wikimedia Commons.

How did Qantas become the Australian flag carrier? There’s a pretty prosaic answer to that. It was nationalised by the Curtin Labor Government in 1947 and remained so until 1995 when it was privatised. Most Australians have always had a financial interest in Qantas, whether as a taxpayer or a shareholder.

But there is a more interesting backstory to why Qantas is a part of Australia’s psyche.

The founding of Qantas

The airline was founded in outback Queensland in the wake of World War I. At the time, aviation was in its infancy but Australians are never shy about jumping on board a trend and early aviation pioneers like Lawrence Hargrave and Charles Kingsford Smith were making significant contributions to the field from down under.

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The distances are vast in outback Queensland and the roads were, and still can be, dusty and frequently impassable. Back in 1920, it would take days to get between isolated towns. A couple of blokes, namely Paul McGuiness and Hudson Fysh, thought it would be a good idea to start an air taxi and charter service out of Winton, Queensland.

Possibly the bright idea came about after a Sunday afternoon sinking a few too many drinks.

They called the airline the Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Service (QANTAS).

Winton main street, early 20th century. Why wouldn’t you start up an airline there? Photo: aussie mob via Flickr.

If you are at all familiar with Winton, Queensland, even now, it’s not really the place to inspire confidence in a business venture.

But aviation was a novelty and they got some passengers. Then they got a mail run.

In 1922, they began their first scheduled passenger service – between Cloncurry and Charleville (both railhead towns – you can still take 20 odd hours to chug between Charleville and Brisbane on the Westlander should you so desire).

From these very humble and dusty origins, Qantas grew into what it is today.

National myth-making and Qantas

You’ve also got to appreciate that the average Australian likes to think of himself or herself as the kind of person who doesn’t mind a bit of dust between their toes and doing some hard yards out bush.

Of course, this is rubbish. Your average Aussie these days hates flies, likes pinot, uses gender-neutral language, definitely doesn’t go bush, and probably thinks Cloncurry is a kind of organic plum found at Harris Farm Markets.

I can say this because I am one. And this early Qantas backstory perfectly suits Australia’s taste for adventurous and dusty national myth-making. We’re good at it.

Qantas markets the myth

That was one hundred years ago. Credit to Qantas for surviving and prospering and taking the company from that dusty outback airstrip to airports around the world.

Australians are now a well-travelled bunch. You trip over them in London tube stations and they seem to have taken over every second coffee bar in New York. Good luck Chicago. But to get out of here, you’ve got to fly,  and for a long time, there was a significant cultural imperative to do a big trip overseas before getting married and settling down. Travelling is in the national DNA.

Qantas played a big part in that process. They were the airline you flew out on – often your first flight, certainly your first overseas flight. The airline facilitated that adventure and people of a certain age have long associated the Qantas with that first big adventure.

The old Qantas 747s took a lot of Australians off on their first big overseas trip. Photo: Phillip Capper via Flickr.

Then, six or twelve months later, when you were broke and busted out, the cheery Flight Attendant would be at the door of a Qantas jet to bring you back home.

Sometimes you’d even get the Peter Allen song prior to departure.

Finally

Qantas has succeeded as a national flag carrier not only because of ownership but because Australian’s have willingly adopted it into their national consciousness for a century. And Qantas has astutely utilised this.

Today, even when the airline does something supremely annoying, like cancelling a flight or Jetstar-tuting a route, most Australians will stick with the airline. It kind of annoys me, but then again I keep suggesting Qantas story ideas to Simple Flying so I am probably captured too.

And I’m flying them next week – three times.

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2019-07-29 03:17:39Z
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Australian Shayna Jack Tests Positive Days Before Start Of Gwangju - SwimSwam

2019 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Just days prior the start of these FINA World Aquatics Championships, Aussie freestyle ace Shayna Jack announced her sudden withdrawal from the world’s biggest swimming competition outside of the Olympics.

As we reported on June 14th, Jack stated via her social media,”It is with great sadness that I have to withdraw from world championships due to personal reasons.”

With the ambiguity arose questions and speculation, which have now been confirmed, as the 2017 World Championships medalist has tested positive for a banned substance.

Once again via Instagram, Jack reveals she has tested positive, but says, “I would never intentionally take a banned substance that would disrespect my sport and jeopardize my career.”

The St. Peters Western athlete further states, “Now there is an ongoing investigation and my team and I are doing everything we can to find out when ad how the substance has come into contact with my body.

The exact substance has yet to be revealed, but the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) says the drug test was conducted on June 26th. Jack is under provisional suspension while the investigation into the situation now begins.

According to the Swimming Australia statement, under the specific legislation governing Australia’s drug-testing regime, Swimming Australia is notified of any adverse test result as is WADA and FINA. Under the process, all details are required to remain confidential until ASADA has completed its investigations, the athlete is afforded due process and an outcome determined.

Swimming Australia CEO Leigh Russell states, “Swimming Australia is and always has been committed to a clean sport. We have consistently supported a zero-tolerance approach to doping and have been strong supporters of a rigorous and consistent approach to drug testing both here and overseas.

“Under our system, if a swimmer returns an adverse test, they are automatically given a provisional suspension and stopped from competing until such time as the ASADA process is complete and an outcome determined.

“As you would expect we are bitterly disappointed with allegations a swimmer has a prohibited substance in her system although it is important to point out that the matter is yet to be determined. We will continue to provide appropriate support for Shayna. We will also provide support for our team members who are still in Korea and our team and our organization will continue to reaffirm our zero-tolerance approach.”

This year’s World Championships has already seen two swimmers refuse to stand on the podium with China’s Sun Yang, the man who is seeking a public CAS hearing this Fall. One of the men refusing to acknowledge Sun in photographs was Mack Horton of Australia, who says the sport has no room for drug cheats, although now his countrymate is under the spotlight.

In terms of the International Swimming League (ISL), Jack had been named to the U.S.-based Cali Condors and her status there is now in potential jeopardy in light of this news. The league has been very vocal about zero-tolerance, a policy which has shut out the likes of past positive testers like the aforementioned Sun and Russia’s Yuliya Efimova, but has also denied non-positive testers like Thomas Fraser-Holmes.

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2019-07-27 10:36:15Z
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Facebook and Google Algorithms Are Secret—but Australia Plans to Change That - The Wall Street Journal

Australia’s competition regulator says U.S. tech giants wield too much influence over Australia’s news and advertising markets. Photo: william west/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images

By

Rob Taylor

Rob Taylor
The Wall Street Journal
• Biography
• @WSJRobTaylor
• rob.taylor@wsj.com

July 26, 2019 5:41 am ET

CANBERRA, Australia—Tech giants Facebook Inc. FB -1.93% and Alphabet Inc. GOOG -0.50% ’s Google could have their secretive algorithms policed by a beefed-up watchdog, under what Australia describes as world-first limits to the power that they wield over news and advertising markets.

The recommended changes—which include strengthening privacy safeguards with steep penalties of up to 10% of annual domestic turnover for the misuse of data—are listed in a report by the national competition regulator. It conducted a year-and-a-half investigation into the impact such companies have had on the country.

It comes after Facebook was hit with a $5 billion fine in the U.S. this week. A Federal Trade Commission investigation found the company had repeatedly used deceptive disclosures and account settings to lure users into sharing personal information, undermining their actual privacy preferences.

The report by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, released Friday, concluded U.S. tech giants wielded too much influence over Australia’s news and advertising markets, stifling competition. It also found many instances where companies had deprived consumers of control over their personal information.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says the Australian government will ‘lift the veil’ on how tech firms make money out of user data they collect. Pictured July 26. Photo: Bianca De Marchi/Associated Press

The Australian government directed the commission in late 2017 to hold the inquiry, with a mind to modernize the country’s media and privacy laws.

“Make no mistake, these companies are among the most powerful and valuable in the world. They need to be held to account and their activities need to be more transparent,” Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said. “The world has never seen so much commercially sensitive data collected and aggregated among two companies.”

Among the 23 recommendations is a call for the government to set up an office in the commission to scrutinize the algorithms used by Google and Facebook to rank news and advertising. The report said the office would have the power to order Facebook, Google and other tech giants to hand information over to regulators.

“This particular branch of the [commission] will be able to be approached by various companies who believe that the algorithms have been misused,” Mr. Frydenberg said. He promised the government would “lift the veil” on how tech firms made money out of user data they collect.

Other recommendations include: a change to merger-and-acquisition laws to prevent large tech companies siphoning up smaller rivals; the removal of Google as the default search option on Android devices; and, a harmonized regulatory framework covering digital markets—though the commission stopped short of calls to break up Google and Facebook, or force them to pay for news content.

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Facebook's plan to release its own currency, called Libra, has sparked a range of concerns among lawmakers. WSJ’s Paul Vigna explains. Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg News

In Europe, Google has been fined $5 billion for antitrust violations for abusing the market dominance of its Android phone system.

Facebook didn’t immediately respond to the Australian regulator’s report. A spokeswoman for Google said the company had worked closely with the commission throughout its investigation and would “continue to engage with the government on the recommendations.”

Digital-industry group DIGI—which represents Google, Facebook, Twitter and Verizon Media—said lawmakers need to think carefully about unintended consequences that could affect competition and the range of products available to Australian consumers.

Mr. Frydenberg said the government would hold a three-month consultation before deciding later this year how it will respond to the recommendations.

Since the Australian regulator launched its investigation, the U.K. Parliament released a report calling for tighter regulation of the digital world, warning of a “democratic crisis” being created by the spread of misinformation, while the U.S. FTC launched a task force in February to monitor technology markets, including reviewing tech mergers.

“ “Make no mistake, these companies are among the most powerful and valuable in the world. They need to be held to account and their activities need to be more transparent.” ”

—Josh Frydenberg, Australian Treasurer

Media organizations including News Corp have called for more regulation of digital platforms to help to stem a decline in advertising revenue and the loss of subscriptions. News Corp owns Dow Jones & Co., publisher of The Wall Street Journal.

Campbell Reid, News Corp Australia’s director of corporate affairs, said Friday the commission had exposed the impact of tech giants on Australia’s media landscape, with Facebook and its photo-sharing platform Instagram accounting for about 46% of Australian advertising revenue.

“It’s clear the government is going to do something about this,” Mr. Reid said. “I think Google and Facebook in particular should listen very carefully.”

Write to Rob Taylor at rob.taylor@wsj.com

Copyright ©2019 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

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2019-07-26 09:41:00Z
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What to See and Do in Brisbane, Australia - fodors.com

All Photos Courtesy Of Rachael Levitt

How to see the authentic side of Australia without the hubbub.

When a lot of travelers think of Australia, they think of the Sydney Opera House, the Great Barrier Reef, or maybe kangaroos in vineyards. But what doesn’t necessarily pop up on their must-see destinations list is the adorably quaint good time that is Brisbane in Queensland. And if you want to get a feel for what life is really like for Australians living down under, its a stop you can’t (and won’t want to) miss!

Sandwiched between the Sunshine and the Gold Coast, the most charmingly named beaches in the world, is the mid-sized city of Brisbane in Australia’s state of Queensland. Perched along the Brisbane River, the hilly terrain and 300 days of sunshine make for sparkling city views that meet beautifully manicured landscaping. With its Vancouver-meets-Santa Barbara, bucolic-yet-breezy vibe, nature meets urbanity with distinctly inviting appeal.

Brisbane has unique offerings that popular cities like Sydney and Melbourne can’t touch. For one, Queensland is one of only three states (including South and West Australia) where you can snuggle up with a REAL-LIFE koala, and the best place in the country to do so is undoubtedly the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, home to over 130 of the sleepy marsupials. Unlike regular zoos, the Sanctuary is also a science and research facility and wildlife hospital that also works to release injured/orphaned animals back into the wild.

Take a quick ride on the CityHopper, Brisbane’s free ferry service, to check out South Bank, the city’s riverside promenade-hang lifestyle and party scene. Everyone’s there being beautiful–scooting along on electric bicycles, drinking wine and beer at outdoor-indoor cafes and restaurants, strolling along hand in hand past the Nepalese Peace Pagoda, and generally just admiring the gorgeous views and incredible weather. If you don’t want to make the trek north or south to the ocean, there’s a city beach waiting for you to enjoy at Streets Beach in South Bank. Though man-made, it’s sparkling clean and a lively good time for all ages, with cityscape skylines crowning your shoreline views.

Want to get inside for a while after all that sunshine? South Bank’s got even more art and culture options worth exploring: the Queensland Theatre Company, Queensland Museum, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, and State Library of Queensland.

There are two things Brisbanians do extremely well: live hard and party harder.

There are two things Brisbanians do extremely well: live hard and party harder. The active culture isn’t just trendy here, its a lifestyle. So while you visit Brisbane, indulge like a local: try climbing or abseiling the Kangaroo cliffs in the afternoon, climb Brisbane’s Story Bridge for unparalleled views of the city at sunset, then get your eat and drink on along the river in the evening. For an elegant-yet-casual foodie experience with plenty of boozy concoctions, don’t miss Alchemy, where modern Australian cuisine is served with a fanciful twist–do not skip the liquid nitrogen dessert experience with head chef Brad Jolly–the visual experience of exhaling freezing fumes is as fun as the treats are tasty. Need something way wore more relaxed (and yet satiating) on your way out to party? Hit up Mister Paganini for pizza and beers before you head over to the Wheel of Brisbane to get 360 panoramic views of the hopping nightlife. For the rowdiest displays of Australian nightlife, catch a rugby match (and lose your mind cheering at the over-the-top fanfare and crowd displays) at Lang Park/Suncorp Stadium. No matter what you do, you’ll want to do it the Brisbanian way: as extra as possible, with full intention for enjoyment in every moment.

If you have more time to devote to the area and can make it out of the city limits, you’ll be rewarded with incredible landscape diversity. Beach and glamp in either direction north or south along the coast, catching the famed waves on southern Gold Coast beaches or exploring the mangrove forests before making your way north to the Great Barrier Reef for one-of-a-kind swimming, snorkeling, and glass bottom boat tours you’ll likely never forget. Queensland has more than beaches to offer your sense of majesty: UNESCO World Heritage sites like Gondwana Rainforest, the most extensive area of subtropical rainforest in the world and home to weird and wonderful Aussie marsupials such as koalas and wallabies, as well as truly spectacular waterfalls.

Need your nature with a big glass of alcohol? Visit multiple wineries (and a distillery!) on Tamborine Mountain, or check out Kooroomba Vineyard and Lavender Farm in the Fassifern Valley, where you can get the most incredible Instagram shots without taking off your high heels.

Because of the conversion rate, buying goods in Australia is cheap. An easy, very loose way to look at cost is to take one-third off the price tag to find your American dollar equivalent. That means it feels great to get spendy in Brisbane. And besides, what urban adventure would be complete with a slice of shopping? Brisbane has something for everyone’s tastes. Like to sample the goods? Hit up the Brisbane City Markets to partake in local produce and unusual delicacies, along with vendors selling homemade treats and crafts (don’t sleep on the meat pies–its an Australian delight).

Want something you can take home with you? Check out Australian-made; female and family-owned Gorman for wildly fun fashion, or keep it even more local at upcycle shop Arkive Vintage. While the Central Business District can certainly cover any lusts for high-end designer and box store necessities, the Newstead neighborhood, especially James Street, has you covered for unique boutiques. Looking for something a bit trendier? West End is the up and coming neighborhood to hang in, with hip cafes, multicultural stores, and a generally good vibe.

If you want to stick with Brisbane’s active-yet-carousing lifestyle, there’s no better place to keep up the scene than the Westin Brisbane in the heart of the Central Business District. Not only does the hotel incorporate the goodness of the urban dynamic lifestyle on the premises (with indoor/outdoor spaces, an extensive spa, rooftop infinity pool, and signature Heavenly beds), it works with guests to help you find your happy medium (because pub crawls are technically active).

Featured image by Martin Valigursky

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2019-07-25 09:00:44Z
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Hong Kong Tensions Erupt at University Campus in Australia - Bloomberg

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Hong Kong Tensions Erupt at University Campus in Australia  Bloomberg

Tensions over Hong Kong's future emerged at an Australian university, with footage Wednesday showing a fraught confrontation between supporters of China's ...

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-24/hong-kong-tensions-emerge-at-university-campus-in-australia

2019-07-24 06:34:00Z
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Qantas launch direct flights from Brisbane to Chicago starting April 20, 2020 - Traveller

Qantas Dreamliner 787 interior photos

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It's the announcement frequent flyers to the US have been waiting for.

Qantas has announced non-stop flights to Chicago commencing April 20, 2020.

Passengers will be able to fly directly from Brisbane to Chicago, with fares going on sale today. Direct flights to San Francisco are also on the way, with fares on sale February 9, 2020.

Downtown Chicago. Photo: iStock

The airline's jetlag-defying 797-9 Dreamliners will be used on the routes.

The service will be the world's fourth longest passenger flight, with the 14,326 km distance covered in around 16 hours and 20 minutes.

It will save passengers travelling return to Chicago six hours on today's shortest possible route.

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That makes the journey slightly shorter than its longest - Perth to London - which travels a distance of 14,498 km over 17 hours.

Singapore Airlines currently holds the title of the world's longest flight. Its new route to New York from Singapore takes 18 hours and 45 minutes and traverses a whopping 15,343 km.

Qantas International Acting CEO Naren Kumar said: "This is the first time Australians will have a direct link to Chicago, the third-largest US city.

"We expect the flights will be popular with corporate travellers looking to do business there, but also with tourists wanting to experience some of the culture and history that Chicago is famous for."

The new flights are expected to draw an increasing number of tourists to Queensland, pumping $150 million into the economy over the next three years.

"As the world's largest economy, the United States offers enormous potential for inbound tourism to Queensland," Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.

"These flights represent a great opportunity for Queensland, one that is forecast to support more than 1700 jobs over the next three years."

The inaugural service to Brisbane will take off at 3.30pm on Thursday, August 20, 2020 and will arrive at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport at 4.40pm the same day.

The service will initially run four times a week, although CEO Alan Joyce has said Qantas wants to increase that number to daily flights "as fast as we can."

Qantas now operates three non-stop routes to the US from Australia, currently flying directly to San Francisco and Los Angeles from Melbourne and Sydney, and from Brisbane to Los Angeles.

See also: Scientists baffled as man stays in seat for 17 hours on non-stop London-Australia flight

See also: 17 hours in economy class: Passenger verdict on first non-stop London flight

Jul 24 2019

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2019-07-24 02:52:00Z
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