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Australia budget blues in land of mining boom

Agence France-PresseMay 12, 2013 05:00
As China's economy slows and Australia begins its painful transition away from a decade-long mining boom, Treasurer Wayne Swan will have little to offer voters seeking an election-year spending spree Tuesday. The government has spent months priming the public for a significant plunge in revenues -- due to sluggish corporate tax earnings -- when Swan unveils his final budget before Australia goes to the polls on September 14.

Australian Treasurer says deficit 'uncomfortable'

Agence France-PresseMay 12, 2013 04:15
Australian Treasurer Wayne Swan admitted Sunday it was politically "very uncomfortable" to fail to return the budget to surplus as forecast, but blamed unprecedented shortfalls in government revenue. Swan, who will deliver his sixth annual budget on Tuesday, said a year ago that the national accounts should come out of deficit this financial year. But a fall in tax revenues has forced him to delay the surplus. "What has changed has been a fundamental writedown of revenue, which is unprecedented, which couldn't be forecast or predicted," Swan told the Nine Network.

Fired-up Australian PM insists election can be won

Agence France-PresseMay 5, 2013 00:00
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard Sunday insisted she can win another term in office at September elections, giving a fiery defence of her chances when the "white noise" of politics falls away. She was responding to newspaper reports citing unnamed MPs from her Labor party saying they expected a drubbing, with recent opinion polls showing Gillard was headed for a crushing defeat to opposition leader Tony Abbott.

Australia unveils $12bn revenue slump

Agence France-PresseApril 29, 2013 03:15
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Monday warned voters to brace for an austere election-year budget, unveiling a Aus$12 billion (US$12.4 billion) slump in revenues due to the strong dollar. Gillard, who is tipped to lose her bid for a third Labor government term in September, said the "unusually low revenue, which wasn't forecast even a few months ago" would require serious belt-tightening.

Australia unveils $12bn revenue slump

Agence France-PresseApril 29, 2013 01:15
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Monday warned voters to brace for an austere election-year budget, unveiling a Aus$12 billion (US$12.4 billion) slump in revenues due to the strong dollar. Gillard, who is tipped to lose her bid for a third Labor government term in September, said the "unusually low revenue, which wasn't forecast even a few months ago" would require serious belt-tightening.

Titanic tycoon launches political party in Australia

Agence France-PresseApril 26, 2013 00:00
Australian billionaire Clive Palmer, the tycoon who is building a replica of the ill-fated Titanic, on Friday unveiled his new political party and said he would run in the September 14 elections. The flamboyant mining magnate was a long-time supporter of the opposition Liberal-National coalition but gave up his membership last year after a bitter and public dispute with the government in his home state of Queensland.

Australian PM vows no change on gay marriage stance

Agence France-PresseApril 18, 2013 01:45
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard vowed not to alter her stance on same-sex marriage despite New Zealand giving it the go-ahead, as hundreds of local couples planned to journey to tie the knot. Australia's near neighbour became the first Asia-Pacific country to legalise same-sex marriage on Wednesday after a decades-long campaign, with parliament voting 77-44 in favour. It made New Zealand the 13th nation to allow gay marriage, according to Human Rights Watch, with Britain and France both expected to adopt similar legislation in the near future.

Billions extra to reform education in Australia

April 14, 2013 04:30
Australia announced a Aus$14.5 billion (US$15.2 billion) plan to boost funding for schools Sunday in one of the country's biggest education reforms in decades. Under the proposal, the extra cash will be made available over six years from 2014 with the government setting a goal for Australian schools to be among the world's top five in reading, numeracy and science by 2025. "A world class school system is a key part of a strong economy for the future," said Prime Minister Julia Gillard, a former education minister.

Divisions renewed in Australia's fractured ruling party

April 13, 2013 00:30
An ex-Australian minister behind last month's failed coup against Julia Gillard accused the Prime Minister of being divisive and media-driven in an interview Saturday, reviving ruling party tensions. Former arts minister Simon Crean, a veteran and past leader of the Labor party, condemned Gillard as having a "real tin ear" on political strategy in a damning break with earlier vows of unity following the March machinations.

Australia, China sign historic deal

April 10, 2013 16:47
Australia has taken advantage of China's leadership change to seal a historic deal that lifts 40 years of diplomatic relations with the Asian giant to a new level, the Australian Associated Press reports. Under the agreement signed by Prime Minister Julia Gillard and China's new Premier Li Keqiang, three types of annual "strategic dialogue" will be held between prime ministers, foreign ministers, and economic ministers. "This is a great step forward," Gillard said at the start of the inaugural leaders' meeting in the Great Hall of the People on Tuesday. Premier Li said at
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