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Cables mirror and Afghan War Diary
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| Identifier | Subject | Date | Office | Classification | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05CANBERRA1047 |
AUSTRALIA ON TRACK FOR VWP REQUIREMENTS [...] (U) Post demarched Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Passport Systems and Technology Director John Osbourne on June 15 regarding the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) biometric passport requirements (reftel). Osbourne identified DFAT as the responsible ministry and designated [...] |
2005-06-17 02:54:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | CVIS CPAS AS |
| 05CANBERRA1118 |
NEW AUSTRALIAN VISA CATEGORY FOR AMERICANS [...] (U) A letter to the Charge' from the Australian Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) Temporary Entry Branch Assistant Secretary Arja Keski-Nummi, announced that starting July 1, 2005, in addition to the Electronic Travel Authority (ETA), American citizens [...] |
2005-06-29 00:59:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | CVIS CPAS CMGT AS |
| 05CANBERRA1129 |
AUSMIN 2005: INITIAL LOGISTICAL ISSUES AND [...] (C) Summary: The GOA convened an initial AUSMIN interagency planning session with Emboffs on June 29 to consider logistics issues: dates, accommodations, security, transportation, number of delegates, advance teams, media, etc. DFAT and other GOA agency representatives stressed the importan [...] |
2005-06-30 09:02:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | OVIP OTRA PREL ASEC PGOV AS |
| 05CANBERRA1167 |
AUSTRALIA ON USG CANDIDACY FOR SEAT ON WORLD [...] No summary [...] |
2005-07-08 05:05:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | SCUL AS UNESCO |
| 05CANBERRA1201 |
AUSTRALIA ON UZBEK ASYLUM SEEKERS [...] No summary [...] |
2005-07-15 06:12:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | PREF PHUM PREL AS |
| 05CANBERRA1218 |
AUSTRALIA DOES NOT SUPPORT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE [...] (SBU) On July 11, Poloff delivered ref A demarche to Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) ASEAN, Burma, and Cambodia Director Lynette Wood and Executive Officer Gillian Walker seeking to gauge Australian interest in establishing a Management Committee for the Khmer Rouge Tribunal. [...] |
2005-07-18 06:55:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL KAWC CB AS |
| 05CANBERRA1253 |
AUSTRALIA'S LOST AND STOLEN PASSPORTS REPORTING [...] (U) Action request for CA at para 3. 2. (U) At present post does not receive information on lost and stolen passports (LASP) directly from the Australian Government. Occasionally, post receives reports from other embassies advising us of LASP and we usually forward this information on to [...] |
2005-07-24 21:33:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | CVIS CMGT KPAO AS EUN |
| 05CANBERRA1270 |
GOA SUPPORTS UN DEMOCRACY FUND, SEEKS SEAT ON BOARD [...] (U) Sensitive But Unclassified. Protect Accordingly. 2. (SBU) We delivered ref A demarche on July 21 to Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) United Nations and Commonwealth Director Nicholas Turner, and at a July 28 follow up discussion with AusAid Acting Assistant Director Gen [...] |
2005-07-28 06:14:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL KUNR AS UNSC UNGA ECOSOC KPKP |
| 05CANBERRA1301 |
AUSTRALIA TO ACCEPT 50 UZBEK ASYLUM SEEKERS [...] No summary [...] |
2005-08-03 01:21:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | PREF PHUM PREL AS |
| 05CANBERRA1314 |
SECURITY SECTOR SUPPORT FOR THE PALESTINIAN [...] (U) This is an action request for State. Please see para 4. 2. (C) We presented reftel demarche points on July 1 to Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Middle East Section Director Octavia Borthwick, who told us that the GOA was considering whether and what sort of equipment [...] |
2005-08-03 08:06:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | MASS PREL KWBG KPAL AS IS |
| 05CANBERRA1361 |
AUSTRALIA COUNTRY CLEARANCE FOR RADIOACTIVE [...] Embassy Canberra, with the concurrence of Consulate General Sydney, welcomes and grants country clearance to Mark Samuel Soo Hoo, Paul Ebel, and Frederick Allen Morris to travel to Sydney, Australia on August 27 - September 2, 2005. The purpose of their visit is to participate in a Regional T [...] |
2005-08-12 01:02:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | ENRG TRGY AORC KNNP OTRA AS IAEA |
| 05CANBERRA1381 |
MUSLIM COMMUNITY'S RESPONSE TO LONDON BOMBINGS [...] (C) SUMMARY: The London terrorist incidents of July 7 and 21 have sparked a debate in Australia about the value and meaning of multiculturalism and about the need for the Muslim community to condemn more forthrightly violent extremist propaganda within its own ranks. Australia's relatively [...] |
2005-08-12 07:25:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PGOV PINR ASEC KCRM AS |
| 05CANBERRA1399 |
REVISED CHILD LABOR REPORT ON AUSTRALIA [...] Per reftel, we raised child labor issues with the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) on August 11 and 16, and with the domestic NGO Child Wise and the Australian Council of Trade Unions on August 12. Our Australian counterparts responded that they shared U.S. concerns ab [...] |
2005-08-16 21:50:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ELAB KTDB AS |
| 05CANBERRA1423 |
AUSTRALIA: LONDON BOMBINGS PROMPT CT SUMMITS [...] (U) SUMMARY: The July London bombings have prompted Australia to conduct a national, government-wide counterterrorism review to assess Australia's capacity to respond to a terrorist attack. PM John Howard will meet with state and territory leaders in late September at a national counterterr [...] |
2005-08-22 08:17:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PGOV PINR AS |
| 05CANBERRA1433 |
GOA AND UNIONS TAKE THEIR FIGHT TO THE ILO [...] (SBU) Australia's union leaders have gone overseas to seek guidance from their counterparts in the U.S. and elsewhere to strengthen their campaign against the Howard Government's proposed labor law reforms. The Government of Australia (GOA), meanwhile, has restarted its regional labor diploma [...] |
2005-08-24 22:19:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ELAB KTDB AS |
| 05CANBERRA1453 |
AFGHAN FM VISITS AUSTRALIA: GOA MOVING TOWARD [...] (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 8. 2. (C) Summary: Australia strongly supports the process of bringing stability and democracy to Afghanistan. During his August 17-20 visit to open the new Afghan embassy in Canberra, Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah lobbied GOA offic [...] |
2005-08-29 06:51:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MARR ASEC EAID XD AF NL AS |
| 05CANBERRA1454 |
CANBERRA VISAS VIPER REPORT FOR AUGUST 2005 [...] (U) VISAS VIPER 2. (SBU) The A/DCM chaired Embassy Canberra's August 26 Visas Viper committee meeting. There were no Visas Viper submissions for the month of August 2005. STANTON [...] |
2005-08-29 07:25:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KVPR PTER CVIS PINR ASEC CMGT AS PREL |
| 05CANBERRA1455 |
PM HOWARD ENLISTS MUSLIM LEADERS TO COMBAT [...] (C) SUMMARY: Prime Minister John Howard and thirteen Australian Muslim leaders met at an August 23 "summit" to find ways in which the government and Islamic leaders could work together more closely to combat the spread of extremism within Australia's Islamic community (Refs A and B). After t [...] |
2005-08-29 07:54:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PGOV PINR AS |
| 05CANBERRA1460 |
AUSTRALIAN DOD READOUT ON FIJI GUARD UNIT [...] (C) Summary: Australian Department of Defense (ADOD) officials told us on August 29 that they were exasperated by Fiji,s threat to renege on its commitment to provide guard units to the UN in Basra and Erbil, and they planned to advise Defense Minister Hill and the Department of Prime Ministe [...] |
2005-08-30 02:56:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MARR PGOV PINR IZ FJ AS UNSC |
| 05CANBERRA1461 |
AUSTRALIA-PHILIPPINES MINISTERIAL FURTHERS CT [...] (C) SUMMARY: The inaugural Australia-Philippines Ministerial Meeting (APMM), held in Canberra August 11-12, focused on security issues, in particular strengthening joint efforts by Australia and the Philippines to combat the terrorist threat in the region. The two governments agreed to star [...] |
2005-08-30 06:41:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PTER AS RP |
| 05CANBERRA1471 |
SINGAPORE-AUSTRALIA MINISTERIAL HIGHLIGHTS DEPTH [...] (C) Summary: Australian and Singaporean foreign, defense, and trade ministers exchanged views on security issues, counterterrorism, East Asian regional architecture, defense cooperation, and economic integration during the fifth biennial Singapore-Australia Joint Ministerial Committee (SAJMC [...] |
2005-08-31 08:25:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PTER ETRD EINV EAIR MARR MOPS ECPS AS SN |
| 05CANBERRA272 |
AUSTRALIA WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT TIMOR [...] (U) We delivered reftel demarche on February 11 to Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Assistant Secretary for Maritime South-East Asia Penny Burtt. Burtt said that the GOA was in "heated agreement" with the U.S. that UNMISET should conclude in May and that the Governme [...] |
2005-02-11 03:45:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | KPKO PREL TL AS UNSC |
| 05CANBERRA284 |
BALANCED AUSTRALIAN REACTION TO MAMDOUH HABIB MEDIA [...] (SBU) Summary: Australian former detainee Mamdouh Habib's first media appearance since his release from Guantanamo received predictably wide coverage here, but overall the reporting has balanced his accusations of torture with questions about why he refuses to account for his pre-9/11 activiti [...] |
2005-02-14 05:29:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PTER MARR PHUM OPRC AS |
| 05CANBERRA287 |
AMBASSADOR RAISES EUROCOPTER ENGINES WITH DEFMIN [...] (C) During his February 14 farewell call on Australian Minister for Defence Robert Hill, Ambassador raised the issue of the Australian Government's purchase of engines for the MRH-90 from Eurocopter. The Ambassador told DefMin Hill that the U.S. would appreciate it if the GOA requested General [...] |
2005-02-14 06:31:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | MASS MARR PREL PGOV AS |
| 05CANBERRA293 |
AUSTRALIA WANTS TRILATERAL STRATEGIC DIALOGUE, [...] (C) Summary: Australian Foreign Affairs Secretary Michael L'Estrange told the Ambassador on February 14 that he hoped another round of the U.S.-Japan-Australia Trilateral Strategic Dialogue could be held in the near future. He also asked that the U.S. encourage Japan to use its influence with [...] |
2005-02-15 00:43:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | AS CN JA PREL ARF |
| 05CANBERRA310 |
AUSTRALIA'S VIEW ON THE EU'S INTENTION TO LIFT ITS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Several articles in the Australian press over the past several days have miscast the GOA's policy on the EU's professed intention to lift its ban on arms exports to China. Contacts at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) have assured us that the GOA fully shares the [...] |
2005-02-17 07:01:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM PREL ETTC ETRD AS CH |
| 05CANBERRA322 |
NPT ENVOY AMBASSADOR SANDERS HEARS AUSTRALIAN [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY: In a February 9 lunch with Australian officials, Ambassador Jackie Sanders, Special Representative of the President for the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons, discussed mainly IAEA matters, hearing Canberra's views on the prospects of a third term for IAEA DG ElBaradei and i [...] |
2005-02-18 04:21:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL AORC PARM AS IAEA |
| 05CANBERRA323 |
NPT ENVOY SANDERS DISCUSSES IRAN WITH AUSTRALIAN [...] (C) SUMMARY: At a February 10 luncheon with senior Australian officials hosted by the DCM, Ambassador Jackie Sanders, Special Representative of the President for the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons, discussed how to handle Iran's nuclear programs at the IAEA. GOA officials were candid i [...] |
2005-02-18 04:28:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KNNP AORC PARM AS IR IAEA |
| 05CANBERRA329 |
NO GOA POSITION YET ON ARF CBM SEMINAR ON MISSILE [...] (C) PolMilOff delivered ref A points and concept paper on February 14 to Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Section Chief Paula Watt, ARF Action Officer Fiona Couchaud, and Defence Policy and Liaison Section Chief Jane Lambert, and separately to ADOD Assis [...] |
2005-02-18 06:02:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM PREL AS ARF |
| 05CANBERRA331 |
AUSTRALIA: PRELIMINARY VIEW OF THE REPORT OF THE [...] (U) Please see action request in para 3. 2. (SBU) We delivered reftel demarche to relevant Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) IO staff on February 10 and discussed matters contained therein at a February 18 follow up call with UN Executive Officer Lara Nassau. Nassau emphasiz [...] |
2005-02-18 07:03:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL KUNR AS UNSC UNGA |
| 05CANBERRA341 |
NPT ENVOY AMBASSADOR SANDERS CONSULTS ON NPT [...] (C) SUMMARY: During February 10 consultations at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) in Canberra on preparations for the May 2005 Review Conference (RevCon) on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), Ambassador Jackie Sanders, Special Representative of th [...] |
2005-02-22 08:06:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KNNP AORC PARM AS IR IAEA |
| 05CANBERRA342 |
AUSTRALIA TO SEND ADDITIONAL 450 TROOPS TO IRAQ [...] (C) SUMMARY: Prime Minister John Howard announced February 22 that Australia would increase its troop contribution to Iraq by 50 percent by sending 450 additional ground forces to protect Japanese military engineers engaged in reconstruction efforts in Al Muthanna province. Some of the new [...] |
2005-02-22 08:06:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | MOPS MARR PREL PTER PGOV IZ AS |
| 05CANBERRA354 |
COMMANDER OF UN FORCES IN KOREA GENERAL LAPORTE [...] (C) SUMMARY: In a meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer on February 16, U.S. General Leon LaPorte, Commander of the UN Command in Korea, described the dramatic changes taking place in the ROK, in particular at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), where the UN Command's role is a [...] |
2005-02-24 06:39:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET//NOFORN | MARR PARM PREL KNNP AS KS KN IAEA |
| 05CANBERRA361 |
MTCR: AUSTRALIA AGREES WITH USG'S SMALL GROUP [...] (C) We presented ref A points on February 24 to Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Counterproliferation Section Director Peter Sawczak, soliciting Australian views on the three USG proposals for the April 4 Small Group meeting of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) and as [...] |
2005-02-25 07:11:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM PREL AS MTCRE |
| 05CANBERRA374 |
AUSTRALIAN VIEWS ON STRENGTHENING THE IAEA AND [...] (C) We presented Ref A demarche on February 7 to DFAT Arms Control Office Director David Mason and ASNO DG John Carlson, and continued discussions during and after the visit of NPT Envoy and CD Ambassador Jackie Sanders (Refs D - F) about the U.S. proposals to strengthen the IAEA. Mason, Car [...] |
2005-02-28 05:36:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KNNP AORC PARM AS IR IAEA |
| 05CANBERRA386 |
AUSTRALIA'S FIFTH ANNUAL ANTI-TRAFFICKING IN [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Australia remains a destination country for Southeast Asian women trafficked for prostitution. Many of these women travel to Australia voluntarily to work in both legal and illegal brothels but can be deceived or coerced into debt bondage or sexual servitude. The Government [...] |
2005-03-02 01:18:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG ELAB PREF KFRD ASEC AS |
| 05CANBERRA387 |
NPT REVCON: AUSTRALIAN VIEWS ON USG PROPOSALS [...] (C) Summary. GOA officials have provided additional comments on U.S. preparations for the 2005 NPT Review Conference (Ref A) to those they offered to NPT Envoy Ambassador Jackie Sanders (Ref B) during her February 9-10 visit. The additional comments reinforce Australian support for the over [...] |
2005-03-02 02:26:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM PREL KNNP AORC AS IR IAEA |
| 05CANBERRA403 |
AUSTRALIA WANTS MORE PRESSURE ON NORTH KOREA [...] (C) SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST: In a February 25 courtesy call on DFAT Secretary L'Estrange, North Korean Ambassador Chon engaged on the question of whether North Korea would return to the Six-Party Talks (6PT). According to DFAT, Chon launched into the DPRK's "standard diatribe" about the U. [...] |
2005-03-02 07:16:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM PREL KNNP MNUC AS KN IAEA |
| 05CANBERRA432 |
DISCUSSIONS BEGIN FOR CHINA TO BUY AUSTRALIAN [...] (C) SUMMARY: John Carlson, Director General of the Australian Safeguards and Nonproliferation Office (ASNO), told us his late-February trip to Beijing to begin exploratory discussions on an "agreement for cooperation" on uranium sales to China went well overall. He described his interactions [...] |
2005-03-04 04:34:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET | PARM ENRG KNNP PREL ETTC MNUC AS CH |
| 05CANBERRA436 |
AUSTRALIAN REACTION TO BA'ASYIR VERDICT [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY: Australian officials welcomed the March 3 Indonesian Court decision to convict Abu Bakar Ba'asyir (ABB) for his involvement in the Bali bombings, but were disappointed by the short 30-month sentence he received. The Australian Ambassador to Jakarta raised GOA concerns over the [...] |
2005-03-04 07:30:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PTER PGOV KJUS KISL KPAO ASEC ID AS |
| 05CANBERRA509 |
IRAN: FM DOWNER TO EXPRESS AUSTRALIAN VIEWS ON [...] (C) DFAT Arms Control Assistant Secretary Peter Shannon told us March 9 that Iranian MP Boroujerdi, Chairman of the Parliament's National Security Committee, would visit Canberra on March 15. On March 11 we raised with Ben Burdon, Policy Director of the Iraq Task Force (ITF), Ref A points ur [...] |
2005-03-14 06:16:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL KNNP PARM AS IR IZ IAEA |
| 05CANBERRA510 |
PSI: AUSTRALIA UNWILLING TO PRESS FOR IMMEDIATE [...] (C) SUMMARY: Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) officials balked at the U.S. request (Ref A) for the GOA to endorse Washington's message calling upon Thailand to publicly support the Proliferation Security Initiative Statement of Interdiction Principles (PSI SOP) in orde [...] |
2005-03-14 07:56:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM KNNP PREL MNUC ETTC AS TH |
| 05CANBERRA576 |
AUSTRALIA-INDIA BILATERALS: INDIA'S UNSC BID AND [...] (C) SUMMARY: The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) hosted a Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) and a strategic dialogue with India March 7-8. The SOM's principal topics were the promotion of bilateral economic ties and Australian support for India's bid for permanent UNS [...] |
2005-03-24 04:53:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PARM PINR KNNP ETTC ETRD ENRG AS IN UNSC |
| 05CANBERRA626 |
AUSTRALIA WEIGHING COUNTERNARCOTIC CONTRIBUTION TO [...] (U) After coordinating with UK counterparts, we delivered reftel points and nonpaper on April 1 to Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) Afghanistan Program Director Carmel Ryan and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Afghanistan Section Director Peter Howarth. Ry [...] |
2005-04-04 01:07:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL SNAR AF UK AS |
| 05CANBERRA691 |
MTCR: AUSTRALIA WILLING TO SPONSOR TWO SMALL GROUP [...] (C) We presented ref A points on April 15 to Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Counterproliferation Section Director Peter Sawczak and MTCR Action Officer Lucinda Bell, asking whether Australia would be willing to sponsor two of the five Small Group proposals that had emerged fro [...] |
2005-04-15 07:50:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM PREL MNUC ETTC AS MTCRE |
| 05CANBERRA704 |
CHR 61: DEMARCHE REQUEST ON RESOLUTION ON [...] . (SBU) Polcouns raised reftel points on April 19 with Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Assistant Secretary for International Organizations Richard Sadleir. SIPDIS Sadleir assured us that Australia would vote against a Cuban resolution on Guantanamo if one came to a vote. Sadl [...] |
2005-04-19 05:14:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PHUM AS UNHRC EUN |
| 05CANBERRA725 |
GOA CONSIDERING EXTENSION OF INTERNATIONAL POLICE [...] (U) In an April 22 meeting, Poloff delivered reftel demarche to Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Iraq Task Force Director Jeremy Bruer and Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) Iraq Program Manager Katherine Krilov. Krilov indicated that Australia [...] |
2005-04-22 05:39:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | KCRM KJUS MARR MCAP MOPS PGOV PINR PINS PREL PTER SNAR SOCI AU AS HU IZ |
| 05CANBERRA729 |
COMMUNITY OF DEMOCRACIES ELECTION STANDARDS [...] (U) On April 20 Poloff delivered reftel points to Nick Turner, Director of the United Nations and Commonwealth Section at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Turner told us on April 22 that he had conferred with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) and the Australian Agen [...] |
2005-04-25 22:20:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL KDEM AS |
| 05CANBERRA749 |
FM DOWNER MAY RAISE IDEA OF RICE/DOWNER JOINT [...] (U) Poloff delivered on April 27 Ref A talking points on activities related to the second anniversary of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) International Security Division Executive Officer Lucinda Bell. Bell expressed [...] |
2005-04-28 05:57:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | MNUC PARM PGOV PHSA PREL KNNP GG KPAO OIIP AS |
| 05CANBERRA772 |
GOA STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE IRAQI TRANSITIONAL [...] (U) On May 2, Poloff delivered reftel demarche to Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Iraq Task Force Executive Officer Bernadette Siely. Siely noted that Foreign Minister Alexander Downer had issued a press release on May 1 welcoming the formation of the new Iraqi gove [...] |
2005-05-02 22:55:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL IZ AS |
| 05CANBERRA779 |
FIRST AUSTRALIAN HOSTAGE IN IRAQ WILL NOT ALTER [...] (U) SUMMARY: The GOA responded strongly to the first kidnapping of an Australian citizen in Iraq by decrying the actions of the insurgents who seized him, rejecting their demands for a withdrawal of Australian troops, and affirming that Australia's commitment to Iraq would not waiver. Short [...] |
2005-05-04 02:01:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | PTER PREL AS IZ |
| 05CANBERRA791 |
AUSTRALIA WILL WORK TO PREVENT UNMANDATED SESSION [...] (U) We presented reftel talking points on May 5 to Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Director for Human Rights and Indigenous Issues Gerry McGuire. McGuire told us late on May 5 that the USG could rely on the GOA's support in opposing the Commission reform resolution in ECOSOC, [...] |
2005-05-05 07:57:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM AS UNCHR UNGA |
| 05CANBERRA806 |
APEC: AUSTRALIA WILLING TO CO-SPONSOR USG'S [...] (C) We presented ref A points on May 4 to Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Assistant Secretary for Arms Control and Counterproliferation Peter Shannon, and separately to International Safeguards Director Russell Leslie in the Australian Safeguards and Nonproliferation Office (AS [...] |
2005-05-09 05:03:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM PREL MNUC ETTC EAID ETRD KNNP KSTC AS |
| 05CANBERRA807 |
AUSTRALIA ANTICIPATES EAS INVITATION: WILL MAKE [...] (C/NF) Summary: Australia will sign ASEAN's Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC), with conditions, in exchange for an invitation to the first East Asian Summit (EAS) to be held in Kuala Lumpur this December. The conditions include ensuring that the TAC does not hinder Australia's obligations [...] |
2005-05-09 07:09:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PGOV AS ARF |
| 05CANBERRA808 |
AUSTRALIAN HOSTAGE CASE: OUTLOOK BLEAK, NEW PLAYERS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Australian government expectations for the release of the first confirmed Australian hostage in Iraq, Douglas Wood, remain low, according to Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Iraq Task Force Director Bassim Blazey. Prominent Australian Sunni cleric, Sheik [...] |
2005-05-09 08:51:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PREL AS IZ |
| 05CANBERRA837 |
GOA ARF SOM DELEGATION [...] (U) On May 12, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) officials told poloff that First Assistant Secretary for International Security David Stuart and SIPDIS Assistant Secretary for Strategic Affairs Susan Dietz-Henderson would head the GOA delegation to the May 18-20 AS [...] |
2005-05-12 07:14:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | PARM MARR PREL AORC AS |
| 05CANBERRA859 |
MTCR: AUSTRALIA WILL SPONSOR SMALL GROUP PROPOSAL [...] (C) We presented ref A points on May 13 to Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Counterproliferation Section Director Peter Sawczak and MTCR Action Officer Lucinda Bell, asking for Australia's confirmation that it would sponsor the fifth Small Group proposal on transshipment best pra [...] |
2005-05-17 08:37:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM PREL MNUC ETTC AS MTCRE |
| 05CANBERRA865 |
AUSTRALIA PULLS POLICE FROM PNG: ECP IN DANGER [...] (C) SUMMARY: On May 16 the GOA decided to withdraw Australian Federal Police (AFP) forces deployed in Papua New Guinea (PNG) as a result of the May 13 ruling by PNG's Supreme Court which overruled the legal immunity given to Australian police and bureaucrats under the Enhanced Cooperation Pr [...] |
2005-05-19 00:42:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PGOV EAID AS PP |
| 05CANBERRA879 |
AUSTRALIA: EAP A/S HILL'S DFAT ROUNDTABLE, SESSION [...] (C) In a May 17 roundtable attended by senior Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) officials, DFAT Deputy Secretary Geoff Raby told EAP Assistant Secretary Christopher R. Hill that Australia supports the U.S. approach to the DPRK nuclear problem and would continue to conv [...] |
2005-05-23 23:27:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PGOV PTER MARR AS CH TW ID TT ARF APEC NK SK |
| 05CANBERRA882 |
EAP A/S HILL'S MEETING WITH FOREIGN AFFAIRS [...] (S) EAP Assistant Secretary Christopher R. Hill told Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Secretary Michael L'Estrange on May 17 that there was a SIPDIS growing sense of urgency in Washington about the DPRK's nuclear program. L'Estrange agreed that the current state of [...] |
2005-05-24 04:24:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET | PREL MNUC AS KN CH KS JA ID ARF |
| 05CANBERRA884 |
GOA COUNTERTERRORISM UPDATE: RELEASE OF CT BUDGET [...] (C) SUMMARY: Australia augmented its counterterrorism efforts in the Asia-Pacific region with its recent announcement of a four-year, A$40.3 million (USD$30.6 million) regional counterterrorism package and with progress on a counterterrorism memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Pakistan. [...] |
2005-05-24 07:32:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PTER PREL PGOV PK AS XC |
| 05CANBERRA898 |
AUSTRALIA IN WAIT-AND-SEE MODE ON ILO DIRECTOR [...] (U) We passed reftel talking points to Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) Director of International Relations Scott J. Evans on May 23. We also raised the issue during a dinner Charge hosted for Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Kevin Andrews on May 25. A [...] |
2005-05-26 05:26:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ELAB KTDB AS |
| 05CANBERRA944 |
UNIONS/ALP SEEK TO BLOCK GOA LABOR LAW REFORMS [...] (SBU) The Government of Australia on May 26 announced a major reform of laws governing industrial relations. If passed, the reform package would dramatically reduce the bureaucratic hurdles that currently characterize how Australian workers are hired, fired, and paid. The GOA expects that in [...] |
2005-06-01 06:45:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL ELAB ECON KTDB AS |
| 05CANBERRA987 |
Australia: Labor Commission Lifts Minimum Wage [...] No summary [...] |
2005-06-08 04:23:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PREL ELAB ECON KTDB AS |
| 06CANBERRA1009 |
DPRK: AUSTRALIAN REACTION TO JULY 5 NORTH KOREAN [...] (C/NF) Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Foreign Minister Alexander Downer issued separate statements to local media on July 5 publicly condemning the North Korean Taepo Dong-2 missile launch and calling on the DPRK to return to the Six-Party Talks. The Foreign Minister's media statemen [...] |
2006-07-05 21:47:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PARM MNUC MOPS KNNP MARR AS KN |
| 06CANBERRA1161 |
PM HOWARD DECLARES HE WILL SEEK 5TH TERM; [...] (C/NF) Summary: Prime Minister John Howard announced July 31 that he would contest the next election as Prime Minister, thus ending months of speculation about his intentions. Treasurer Peter Costello, who had established himself as a somewhat impatient heir apparent, called a press conference [...] |
2006-07-31 08:40:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV AS |
| 06CANBERRA1201 |
FURTHER AUSTRALIAN RESPONSE TO NATO GLOBAL [...] (C) Australia is willing to participate in NATO's Global Partnership but only under a flexible, informal arrangement that stresses practical cooperation and that avoids a new formal institutional structure, including fixed requirements for meetings and expenditure of resources. The GOA plans [...] |
2006-08-08 10:27:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL MARR AS |
| 06CANBERRA1224 |
AUSTRALIA WELCOMES UN SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION [...] (U) Acting POLCOUNS delivered ref demarche on UNSC Resolution 1701 to Richard Maude, Assistant Secretary for Global Affairs and Director, Lebanon Crisis Management Center, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, on August 12. 2. (U) Maude responded by referring to Foreign Minister Alexande [...] |
2006-08-12 10:26:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL PTER MOPS UNAUS UNSC IS LE AS |
| 06CANBERRA1229 |
PM HOWARD WITHDRAWS CONTROVERSIAL REFUGEE ASYLUM [...] (C/NF) Summary: Prime Minister Howard was forced to withdraw legislation from Senate consideration on August 14 that would have required all future unauthorized boat arrivals to be processed offshore for asylum claims. Facing almost certain defeat in the upper house where the Government enj [...] |
2006-08-14 08:48:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV PREL PREF PHUM AS ID |
| 06CANBERRA1238 |
AUSTRALIAN RESPONSE ON BERN PROCESS JOINT/PARALLEL [...] (C) Poloff delivered reftel demarche request August 16 to Rachel White, Acting Branch Chief in the Human Rights and Indigenous Issues Section of DFAT,s International Organizations Division. She noted that the GOA would raise the issues separately, as part of their follow-up with the Chinese a [...] |
2006-08-16 06:36:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | CH PGOV PHUM PREL |
| 06CANBERRA1244 |
PM HOWARD STEPS OUT TOWARD THE 2007 ELECTIONS [...] (C/NF) With his declaration July 31 that he would seek a fifth term in office effectively ending months of speculation about his intentions (ref A), Prime Minister John Howard can now focus on the national elections that must be held in 2007. A renowned morning power-walker, Howard has good [...] |
2006-08-17 04:29:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV ECON AS |
| 06CANBERRA1311 |
AUSTRALIAN RESPONSE TO SRI LANKA CONTACT GROUP [...] (U) This is an action request. Please see para 6. 2. (SBU) Poloff met with Nigel Stanier, Executive Officer for South and West Asia, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, on August 28, 2006, to follow up Ref A invitation for Australia to participate in the Contact Group's expert level m [...] |
2006-08-28 07:54:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | MARR PHUM PINS PREL PTER AS |
| 06CANBERRA1366 |
AMBASSADOR'S INTRODUCTORY CALL ON OPPOSITION [...] (C/NF) Opposition Leader Kim Beazley told the Ambassador during his September 6 introductory call that the alliance continued to enjoy broad bipartisan support in Australia. The Labor Party, for its part, could be counted on to continue to support the alliance,s core elements of ship visits, [...] |
2006-09-08 06:10:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV PREL MARR PARM AS |
| 06CANBERRA1410 |
ORGANIZED LABOR THROWS DOWN THE GAUNTLET [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY. At a September 13 luncheon speech at the National Press Club, Greg Combet, the Secretary of the Australian Confederation of Trade Unions (ACTU), fiercely attacked the Howard Government and its labor reforms saying that the new industrial relations laws were unfair and calling [...] |
2006-09-14 06:53:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV ELAB AS |
| 06CANBERRA1425 |
KIM BEAZLEY TAKES A HIT AND SCORES A HIT ON [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY: On September 11 Labor Party (ALP) leader Kim Beazley proposed that all Australian visa forms contain a commitment to respect Australian laws and institutions. Prime Minister John Howard -- who also used the anniversary of the twin towers attack for his own anti-terrorism message [...] |
2006-09-15 05:13:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV SMIG AS |
| 06CANBERRA1430 |
AUSTRALIAN COMMENTS ON DOD REPORT ON CHINA'S [...] (S/NF) An Australian Government interagency review of the U.S. Defense Department's 2006 Report on China's Military Power has yielded broad agreement with most of the report's key conclusions. Australia estimates that China's military spending for 2006 is approximately USD 70 billion, twice th [...] |
2006-09-15 07:38:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET//NOFORN | PARM MOPS PREL CH PM AS |
| 06CANBERRA1444 |
LIBERAL PARTY DIRECTOR CONFIDENT PRIME MINISTER [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY: Liberal Party Federal Director Brian Loughnane (Protect) told Poloffs September 18 that Prime Minister John Howard was in a good position to win reelection as long as the economy continued to do well. The Labor Party's (ALP) slight lead in most of the national polls conducted [...] |
2006-09-19 05:51:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | MARR PGOV PREL AS |
| 06CANBERRA1517 |
OPPOSITION LEADER BEAZLEY WILL FIGHT PM HOWARD FOR [...] (C/NF) During a meeting with poloffs on September 25, Opposition and Australian Labor Party (ALP) Leader Kim Beazley's principal advisors vowed to fight John Howard,s coalition for the political center. Though the ALP remains strongly supportive of the alliance with the United States, it will [...] |
2006-09-26 07:17:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV PREL MARR ELAB AS |
| 06CANBERRA1574 |
INTEREST RATES MORE IMPORTANT POLITICALLY THAN [...] (C/NF) Interest rates will be a key political issue for the 2007 federal elections, according to a number of observers Embassy poloffs met with during a visit to Sydney. The consensus was that changes to the industrial relations laws will be at most a contributing factor. So far, the impact o [...] |
2006-10-05 07:28:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV ELAB ECON AS |
| 06CANBERRA1586 |
QUESTIONABLE POLL CLAIMS STRONG PUBLIC OPPOSITION [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY: A poll of Australian citizens released by the Lowy Institute in Sydney October 2 found that 84 percent of respondents did not believe the war in Iraq would reduce the threat of terrorism. Two-thirds of those surveyed thought the war would not lead to the spread of democracy in [...] |
2006-10-06 07:34:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | MARR PGOV PREL SCUL AS |
| 06CANBERRA1628 |
WESTERN AUSTRALIA MUSLIMS WORRY THAT MOSQUE [...] (C) Summary: West Australian police told Perth Consul General privately that they have no firm leads on the September 29 drive-by shooting at a northern Perth mosque, in which a single bullet narrowly missed women and children among the 400 worshippers at a Friday night service. No one was i [...] |
2006-10-15 21:11:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM KISL PTER AS |
| 06CANBERRA1804 |
PM ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILLEN'S CONSULTATIONS IN [...] (C/NF) A/S Hillen held productive talks with a wide range of Australian Government officials in Canberra November 2-5. He secured GOA consent to meet again bilaterally to consider an Article 98 agreement before the December 12 Australia-United States Ministerial (AUSMIN) consultations. Austra [...] |
2006-11-09 22:20:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL MARR MOPS PGOV PINR AS |
| 06CANBERRA1933 |
KEVIN RUDD IS NEW OPPOSITION LEADER [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY: Kevin Rudd won the vote in the Labor Party (ALP) caucus on December 4, beating Kim Beazley 49-39 to become the new leader of the Opposition. The press is reporting that the uncommitted caucus members swung to Mr. Rudd over the weekend. Voting for the shadow cabinet and other [...] |
2006-12-04 05:13:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV PREL AS |
| 06CANBERRA1940 |
AUSTRALIA DECLINES FIJI'S REQUEST FOR MILITARY [...] (C) Australia declined a request by Fijian Prime Minister Qarase for Australian military intervention to prevent a coup by the RFMF Commander Bainimarama. In reaction to events, the Australian Foreign Minister announced December 5 Australia would suspend defense ties with Fiji, including impo [...] |
2006-12-05 06:44:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL MARR MASS AS FJ NZ |
| 06CANBERRA2043 |
INFORMING MTCR PARTNERS ABOUT SPECIALTY STEELS [...] No summary [...] |
2006-12-28 04:50:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET | ETTC MNUC MTCRE PARM PREL AS |
| 06CANBERRA2044 |
AUSTRALIA PLANS TO IMPLEMENT UNSCR 1737 SANCTIONS [...] (U) In a media statement released December 24, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer affirmed that Australia would proceed to implement sanctions on Iran's nuclear and missile programs, in accordance with the terms of UN Security Council Resolution 1737. He noted specifically the requ [...] |
2006-12-28 06:49:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | MNUC KNNP IR AS |
| 06CANBERRA577 |
AUSTRALIA DEPLOYS TROOPS, POLICE TO SOLOMON ISLANDS [...] (U) Prime Minister Howard announced on April 19 that Australia would deploy 110 Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel and about 70 police to Honiara to help maintain law and order in response to post-election rioting in the Solomon Islands capital (reftels). Four C-130 aircraft are preparin [...] |
2006-04-19 06:40:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | MOPS PGOV PINR PREL AS BP |
| 06CANBERRA810 |
INDONESIAN EARTHQUAKE: AUSTRALIAN AID UPDATE [...] (U) Australia has provided AUS$7.5 million (US$5.7 million) in assistance in response the May 27 earthquake in Indonesia to date. The lead agency for the Australian disaster relief effort, AusAID, had sent or was preparing to send more than 80 disaster, logistics and relief specialists to aff [...] |
2006-05-31 10:35:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | AEMR EAID PGOV PREF PREL AS ID |
| 06CANBERRA814 |
AUSTRALIA SUPPORTS U.S. ANNOUNCEMENT ON IRAN [...] (C/NF) Charge presented reftel U.S. demarche on Iran to Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer on the morning of June 1. Responding positively to the U.S. proposal, the FM said he would be happy to support it publicly. He told his staff participating in the meeting to draft a press re [...] |
2006-06-01 02:42:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PARM AS IR |
| 06CANBERRA849 |
EAST TIMOR: UPDATE ON AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE AND [...] (C/NF) The GOA confirmed that the Australian Defence Force (ADF) could include U.S. Embassy in Dili in its patrolling arrangements and could mount a rapid reaction capability to respond to a security threat at the U.S. Embassy, if needed. The GOA planned to double the number of police currently [...] |
2006-06-08 07:58:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | MOPS MARR AORC PREL KDEM AS PO TT |
| 06CANBERRA889 |
EAST TIMOR: AUSTRALIA CONCERNED ABOUT UN SLIPPAGE; [...] (U) This is an action request. Please see para 3 below. 2. (C/NF) Michael Bliss, International Law Director in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Legal Branch, told Poloff June 13 that the GOA was concerned about delays in moving forward with next steps to establish a new U [...] |
2006-06-13 08:15:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PHUM PREL AS TT |
| 06CANBERRA952 |
EAST TIMOR: AUSTRALIAN BRIEFING ON LOBATO ARREST [...] (C/NF) Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Acting East Timor Director provided us a briefing on the arrest of former East Timor Interior Minister Rogerio Lobato on June 22. Ferguson confirmed that a prosecutor, possibly a UN-provided international prosecutor, from the East Timor Of [...] |
2006-06-22 08:13:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | MARR MOPS KCRM AS TT |
| 07CANBERRA1018 |
DEMARCHE ON HEAVY-CALIBER AMMUNITION FOR LEBANESE [...] (SBU) Poloff delivered reftel demarche to Adrian Lochrin, Director for Defence Policy and Liaison, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) on July 5, emphasizing the urgency of the issue for the Lebanese Armed Forces and the need for a rapid response. 2. (SBU) Lochrin advised the GOA [...] |
2007-07-05 06:11:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR MASS MOPS PGOV PARM PREL LE AS |
| 07CANBERRA1021 |
PM HOWARD'S JULY 5 SPEECH ON AUSTRALIA'S STRATEGIC [...] (SBU) Prime Minister Howard used the July 5 release of the Australian Department of Defense's 2007 Defense Update to deliver a wide-ranging address on Australia's strategic future and implications for national security policy. In remarks to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute that refle [...] |
2007-07-05 11:18:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | MOPS MARR PINR PREL AS |
| 07CANBERRA1480 |
AUSTRALIA DRAWS UP TARGETED SANCTIONS AGAINST BURMA [...] (C) Jeannie Henderson, Director of the Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Burma Section, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, briefed poloff on the sanctions the Government of Australia is currently contemplating in response to the Burmese government's bloody crackdown on recent protests. 2. [...] |
2007-10-04 07:20:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PHUM PREL UNSC BM AS |
| 07CANBERRA1496 |
AUSTRALIA RESPONSE TO AGREEMENT ON SECOND PHASE [...] (U) Poloff delivered reftel points and paper to Andrew Willis, Acting Director for Korean Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), on October 5. 2. (U) Willis referred to Foreign Minister Downer's media release the previous day in which Downer welcomed the agreement on "Seco [...] |
2007-10-05 08:14:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PARM KNNP EAID |
| 07CANBERRA1547 |
DUTCH, CANADIAN AMBASSADOR'S VIEWS ON AFGHANISTAN [...] (C/REL AUS, UK, CANADA) At our quarterly U.S.-UK-Canada-Netherlands lunch on October 19, Dutch Ambassador to Australia Niek van Zutphen commented that senior Dutch officials were sincere in voicing continuing support for the Netherland's troop commitment in Afghanistan, but faced formidable do [...] |
2007-10-19 07:20:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | MOPS MARR PREL PGOV AS |
| 07CANBERRA1560 |
AUSTRALIA SET TO IMPOSE ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ON 418 [...] (C) In a meeting with poloffs on October 23, Jeannie Henderson, Director of the Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Burma Section, DFAT, advised that Foreign Minister Downer had agreed to a recommendation to impose targeted financial sanctions against 418 individuals associated with Burma's military r [...] |
2007-10-23 07:19:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM CVIS ETRD AS BM |
| 07CANBERRA1561 |
AUSTRALIA: ENCOURAGING SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRACY IN [...] (U) Poloffs presented ref demarche to Jeannie Henderson, Director of the Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Burma Section, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), on October 23. 2. (C) In a preliminary reaction to the points, Henderson noted that Australia ended its programs in Burma speci [...] |
2007-10-23 07:20:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM AS BM |
| 07CANBERRA1576 |
AUSTRALIA COMMITTED TO PARTICIPATE IN ASIA PACIFIC [...] (U) Arthur Spyrou, Director of the United Nations and Commonwealth Section, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, confirmed to POLCOUNS during an October 26 meeting that Australia was commited to participate in the Asia Pacific Democracy Partnership (APDP). Jonathan Richardson, Australia's [...] |
2007-10-26 07:13:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM AS |
| 07CANBERRA1580 |
ARGENTINA'S REQUEST FOR INTERPOL APPROVAL OF RED [...] (S) Argentina Embassy Counselor Carlos Chiappe told Polcouns on October 26 that he didn't anticipate "any problem" at the Marrakech INTERPOL General Assembly on the question of Australian support on the question of red notices against Iranian officials charged in the AMIA bombing. In declini [...] |
2007-10-26 08:06:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET | AR AS IR PREL PTER |
| 07CANBERRA1581 |
CARETAKER STATUS PRECLUDES AUSTRALIA FROM ACTING [...] (U) We presented Ref A and B demarches to Paul Foley, Assistant Secretary for the Middle East and Africa, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) on October 29. (Australia had been inadvertently omitted as an action addressee on Ref A, per Ref D, thus the delayed delivery.) Foley, who [...] |
2007-10-29 06:22:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | KNNP PTER PREL PARM EFIN IR AS |
| 07CANBERRA1593 |
AUSTRALIA WILL SUPPORT U.S. CANDIDATE DAVID WALKER [...] No summary [...] |
2007-10-31 05:51:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL AORC UNGA AS |
| 07CANBERRA1603 |
AUSTRALIAN IRAQ DEPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS DEPENDENT [...] (C) Australia's requirements to deploy forces to Iraq following expiry of the MNF-I mandate will depend heavily on which party forms the government following the November 24 election. The Liberal/National Coalition government under Prime Minister John Howard has been solidly behind the missio [...] |
2007-11-02 06:34:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR MOPS PREL AS PM |
| 07CANBERRA1604 |
HOWARD GAINS LITTLE AT CAMPAIGN MIDPOINT [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY: At the halfway point of the campaign, there is little indication that the Coalition is turning its position around. Buoyed by a better Newspoll (that cut the Australian Labor Party's (ALP) lead over the Coalition to eight points) and a gaffe by the ALP's environment minister, [...] |
2007-11-02 07:06:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV AS |
| 07CANBERRA1610 |
AUSTRALIA: 2007-2008 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS [...] SUMMARY ----------- Australia is a committed partner in international efforts to combat illicit drugs. Domestically, Australian government policies are designed to address fully both the law enforcement needs and the demand reduction sides of the equation. Australian law enforcement agencies [...] |
2007-11-06 00:13:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | SNAR AS |
| 07CANBERRA1615 |
AUSTRALIA UPDATES PARTICIPATION IN ASIA PACIFIC [...] No summary [...] |
2007-11-08 04:55:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM AS |
| 07CANBERRA1622 |
COMMEMORATING THE GREAT WHITE FLEET [...] No summary [...] |
2007-11-09 05:29:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | KPAO MARR MAS PREL AS |
| 07CANBERRA1624 |
HOWARD STILL WELL BEHIND AS INTEREST RATES [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY: The interest rate rise announced by the Reserve Bank this week (ref. a), has paradoxically, turned the political debate to the Coalition's strength - economic management - but given the ALP ammunition to undermine the Coalition's credibility on this important issue. The Coalit [...] |
2007-11-09 06:24:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV AS |
| 07CANBERRA1630 |
AUSTRALIA CLARIFIES POSITION ON UNGA RAPE [...] In a November 13 conversation with poloff, Colin Milner, Director, Human Rights and Indigenous Issues Section, International Organizations Branch, International Organizations and Legal Division, DFAT clarified the GOA's position on the Resolution Condemning Rape As An Instrument Of State Po [...] |
2007-11-13 06:27:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | AORC UNGA SOCI AS |
| 07CANBERRA1642 |
RUDD STAYS CONSERVATIVE AT LABOR CAMPAIGN LAUNCH [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY: Ahead by eight points in the polls, Australian Labor Party (ALP) leader Kevin Rudd protected his lead at the ALP campaign launch in Brisbane November 14. Union leaders were kept in the background; past Labor prime ministers were introduced to the crowd; and Rudd hammered the th [...] |
2007-11-16 04:13:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV AS |
| 07CANBERRA1645 |
RUDD EIGHT DAYS FROM A LIKELY ELECTION VICTORY [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY: With only eight days left before the November 24 federal election, and with a new A.C. Nielsen poll that gives Australian Labor Party (ALP) leader Kevin Rudd an eight-point lead over Prime Minister John Howard's Coalition, the chances that Howard can close the gap look increasi [...] |
2007-11-16 06:48:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV AS |
| 07CANBERRA1651 |
AUSTRALIA: INTERIM RESPONSE ON IRAQI WMD SCIENTIST [...] (S) Poloff provided Ref A responses to Australia's questions on the Iraqi WMD Scientist Relocation Plan (Ref B), along with notification that we would be seeking Australia's acceptance of a specific case, to Gerry McGuire, Director of the Counter-Proliferation Section, Department of Foreign Af [...] |
2007-11-19 09:46:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET | PTER PINR PINS PARM PREL PREF AS |
| 07CANBERRA1662 |
AUSTRALIAN RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON DEMOCRACY IN [...] (SBU) We presented reftel demarche points to John Owens, Assistant Secretary for Canada and Latin America, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, on November 20. Owens was joined by John M.L.Woods, Director for the Canada and Latin America Section, and Philip C.W.Lowday, Executive Officer. [...] |
2007-11-20 07:11:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV PHUM AS VE |
| 07CANBERRA1671 |
OPPOSITION LABOR PARTY SET TO WIN AUSTRALIAN [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY: Absent a sudden, highly unlikely turnaround, the Kevin Rudd-led Australian Labor Party (ALP) will win the Australian federal election on November 24. Although there has been a small shift towards the Coalition since the campaign started, the ALP appears headed to win an additio [...] |
2007-11-21 08:02:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV PREL AS |
| 07CANBERRA1678 |
LABOR WINS MANDATE FOR CHANGE IN AUSTRALIAN [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY: With the polls consistently favoring Australian Labor Party (ALP) leader Kevin Rudd over Prime Minister John Howard's Liberal-National Party Coalition since last December, it was no surprise that the ALP won the November 24 federal parliamentary election (ref A). The overall [...] |
2007-11-26 06:24:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV PREL AS |
| 07CANBERRA1679 |
COSTELLO RULES OUT BECOMING LIBERAL PARTY LEADER [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Treasurer and Deputy Liberal Party Leader Peter Costello announced the day after his party lost the federal election on November 24 that he would not contest the Liberal leadership, throwing plans for a smooth transition into chaos. Mark Vaile also announced on November 26 that [...] |
2007-11-26 07:08:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV AS |
| 07CANBERRA1682 |
SCENE SETTER FOR YOUR VISIT TO AUSTRALIA [...] (C/NF) Your visit comes on the heels of Australia's November 24 federal election in which voters decisively rejected John Howard and his Liberal/National coalition government after more than eleven years in office, and embraced opposition Australian Labor Party (ALP) leader Kevin Rudd. Rudd, [...] |
2007-11-27 06:22:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PGOV OTRA AS |
| 07CANBERRA1683 |
SCENE SETTER FOR YOUR VISIT TO AUSTRALIA [...] (C/NF) Your visit comes on the heels of Australia's November 24 federal election in which voters decisively rejected John Howard and his Liberal/National coalition government after more than eleven years in office, and embraced opposition Australian Labor Party (ALP) leader Kevin Rudd. Rudd, [...] |
2007-11-27 10:47:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PGOV OTRA AS |
| 07CANBERRA1697 |
RUDD ANNOUNCES NEW CABINET [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY: Prime Minister-elect Kevin Rudd announced his 20-member Cabinet November 29. It is a talented line-up that strikes a balance between different regions and the Labor Party's left and right-wing factions. Rudd honored his undertaking to retain his core economic team - Julia Gilla [...] |
2007-11-29 07:42:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV MARR ECON ETRD AS |
| 07CANBERRA1712 |
RUDD'S CABINET: WINNERS, LOSERS, AND SURPRISES [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY: Prime Minister-elect Kevin Rudd announced a 42-member Australian Labor Party (ALP) Ministry November 29. Twenty of the positions are in the Cabinet. Ten are in what is known as the "outer ministry," and 12 are parliamentary secretaries, who assist the minister in the portfol [...] |
2007-12-03 07:23:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV AS |
| 07CANBERRA1717 |
AUSTRALIA RESPONSE TO NIE ON IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM [...] (C) DCM delivered Ref A unclassified non-paper and points to David J. Ritchie, Deputy Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), on December 4. Ritchie was joined by Olivia Borthwick, Director, Middle East Section. (Other Mission personnel conveyed the classified version separ [...] |
2007-12-04 05:07:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | MNUC PARM KNNP IR AS |
| 07CANBERRA1721 |
CSIRO'S PERSPECTIVE ON WIRELESS PATENT LEGAL [...] (C) Summary: The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation's (CSIRO) ongoing defense in U.S. courts of its wireless patent against alleged infringers is unusual but not unprecedented. CSIRO is open to negotiating a settlement of its case. The $4/unit royalty that CSIRO has [...] |
2007-12-05 05:26:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | ECON KIPR AS |
| 07CANBERRA1724 |
PM AA/S MULL'S CALL ON AUSTRALIAN DFAT DEPUTY [...] (C) During a November 30 call by Acting Assistant Secretary Stephen Mull (reftel), David J. Ritchie, Deputy SIPDIS Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade SIPDIS (DFAT), said new Trade Minister Simon Crean wanted to examine the U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement as part [...] |
2007-12-06 00:45:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | ETRD AS |
| 07CANBERRA1728 |
NEW OPPOSITION SHADOW CABINET [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Liberal Party leader Brendan Nelson announced his new Shadow Ministry December 6, the same day Prime Minister Rudd held his first Cabinet meeting. Nelson's front bench is a mixture of veterans from the Howard Government and newcomers. None of the veterans were in the same port [...] |
2007-12-06 07:32:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV PREL MARR AS |
| 07CANBERRA1734 |
AUSTRALIA ON UNCITRAL [...] No summary [...] |
2007-12-07 06:28:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | AORC |
| 07CANBERRA1738 |
MEETING THE PRIME MINISTER [...] (C/NF) Summary: At a December 8 meeting with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, the Ambassador offered his congratulations and noted the positive tone set by the recent meetings of Under Secretary of State Nicholas Burns with the Foreign and Defense Ministers and the Deputy Prime Minister. The Amb [...] |
2007-12-10 04:50:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | AF AS CH IR IZ NZ PREL |
| 07CANBERRA1739 |
PARIS DONOR MEETING: AUSTRALIAN RESPONSE [...] (C) At his December 8 meeting with Prime Minister Rudd, (Ref. B) the Ambassador urged that Australia's attendance at the Paris donors conference be at the ministerial level and stated the need for major assistance pledges from the participants. He told the PM that the Secretary would attend [...] |
2007-12-10 05:55:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | AS IS KPAL KWBG PREL |
| 07CANBERRA1740 |
PSI 5TH ANNIVERSARY CONFERENCE: NOTIFICATION TO [...] No summary [...] |
2007-12-10 06:05:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | PARM PREL KNNP KSTC AORC AS |
| 07CANBERRA1741 |
FINAL VOTE COUNT GIVES LABOR NARROWER WIN [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: With the vote count in several of the most closely contested seats in the November 24 federal election almost complete, it appears the Australian Labor Party (ALP) increased its margin by 24 seats, giving it 84 of the 150 seats in the House of Representatives - a comfortable ma [...] |
2007-12-10 06:05:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV AS |
| 07CANBERRA1742 |
AUSTRALIA'S PARTICIPATION IN DECEMBER 12 [...] (C/NF) Gerry McGuire, Director for Counter-Proliferation, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, told poloff December 11 Australia agreed with the U.S. judgment that Jakarta's December 12 seminar on "PSI in the Framework of Maritime Security" does not meet its requirements as a venue to adv [...] |
2007-12-11 02:14:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PARM PREL PHSA PBTS MNUC ETTC KNNP EWWT AS ID |
| 07CANBERRA1744 |
U/S BURNS' 12/4 MEETING WITH AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE MINISTER [...] (C) Under Secretary Nicholas Burns, accompanied by the Ambassador, called on newly sworn-in Minister for Defence Joel Fitzgibbon on December 4. Fitzgibbon reaffirmed the Rudd government's commitment to the alliance with the United States, asserted his government's long-term commitment to Afgh [...] |
2007-12-11 23:33:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR MOPS KNNP PREL AS |
| 07CANBERRA1745 |
U/S BURNS' 12/5 MEETINGS WITH AUSTRALIAN DPM [...] (C/NF) Summary: During wide-ranging conversations December 5 with newly appointed Australian Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith, and Agriculture Minister Tony Burke, Under Secretary Nicholas Burns emphasized the importance Washington placed on a continued cl [...] |
2007-12-12 00:27:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | AS CH ID IN IR IZ JA MNUC PREL PTER |
| 07CANBERRA1763 |
AUSTRALIA'S RESPONSE TO CLUSTER MUNITIONS DEMARCHE [...] (C) Pol/Mil Officer delivered reftel demarche on cluster munitions December 17 to Dr. Ada Cheung of the Arms Control and Counter-Proliferation Branch in DFAT's International Security Division. Australia remains in agreement with the USG position on cluster munitions, particularly on the need [...] |
2007-12-18 00:06:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | MOPS PARM PREL AS |
| 07CANBERRA1771 |
CHINESE RESPONSE TO AUSTRALIAN M/V IRAN MATIN [...] (S) Further to Ref A, Counter-Proliferation Director Gerry McGuire gave us a readout December 18 of the results of Australia's demarche in Beijing on December 14 on the M/V Iran Matin. Upon the U.S. request for Australia and the UK to demarche China (Ref D), DFAT had sought authorization to [...] |
2007-12-18 05:25:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET//NOFORN | PARM PREL MASS PTER AS CH |
| 07CANBERRA1782 |
U/S BURNS' 12/4 MEETING WITH AUSTRALIAN DFAT [...] (C/NF) Summary: In a December 4, 2007 meeting in Australia, Under Secretary Burns and DFAT Secretary L'Estrange agreed the election of a new Australian government would not affect the strength of our alliance, but underlined the urgency to identify a new date for the Australia-U.S. Ministerial [...] |
2007-12-19 23:00:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL AS MARR |
| 07CANBERRA1783 |
U/S BURNS' 12/4 MEETING WITH JAPAN DEPUTY FOREIGN [...] (C/NF) Summary: In a December 4, 2007 meeting in Canberra, Australia with Under Secretary Burns, Deputy Foreign Minister Mitoji Yabunaka outlined Japan's goals to improve the relevance of multilateral fora in Asia and its desire for greater United States engagement in the region. The two also [...] |
2007-12-20 03:03:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL AS |
| 07CANBERRA1788 |
RUDD SHAKES UP AUSTRALIA'S FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has announced that he will change the structure and responsibilities of parts of Australia's civil service to better enable him to oversee the implementation of his policy agenda. He has broken up and created new Cabinet Departments, and has merged the [...] |
2007-12-21 04:03:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV AS |
| 07CANBERRA1792 |
LIBERAL PARTY AT ITS LOWEST EBB [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The Liberal Party is in its weakest position since its formation in 1944. Out of office in every state and territory, its local branches are in disarray, and it is divided on the extent to which it should abandon the Howard Government's policies. The Liberal Party's post-electi [...] |
2007-12-21 06:24:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV AS |
| 07CANBERRA1799 |
BHUTTO ASSASSINATION AND U.S. POLICY FOR [...] No summary [...] |
2007-12-31 05:34:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | AS PGOV PINR PINS PK PREL PTER |
| 07CANBERRA266 |
AUSTRALIA TO DEPLOY ADDITIONAL MILITARY TRAINERS [...] (SBU) The Government of Australia, in a National Security Committee of Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, February 14, approved a recommendation to deploy an additional 70 Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel to assist in training Iraqi Army forces. 2. (C) Robert Garran, Assistant Secretary [...] |
2007-02-20 07:08:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | MOPS MARR PREL AS IZ XF ZP |
| 07CANBERRA293 |
AUSTRALIAN PLANS TO INCREASE FORCES IN AFGHANISTAN [...] (S/NF) The Government of Australia, concerned about the upcoming Taliban offensive and worried that Dutch preparations to counter the expected Taliban offensive in southern Afghanistan are not robust enough, are making preliminary plans to deploy an additional 250 Australian Defence Force (ADF [...] |
2007-02-22 03:35:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL MARR MOPS AS |
| 07CANBERRA329 |
AUSTRALIA WANTS ADDITIONAL FORCES FOR AFGHANISTAN [...] (S/NF) Summary: On February 28, we received a briefing from Australian Defence Force (ADF) CMDR Jonathan Sadlier and Australian Department of Defence (ADOD) Afghanistan Section Assistant Director Malcolm Brailey, which provided additional information about the proposed Australian troop increas [...] |
2007-03-02 07:34:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL MARR MOPS AS |
| 07CANBERRA334 |
AUSTRALIA - JAPAN JOINT DECLARATION ON SECURITY [...] (U) This message contains an action request - please see para 6 below. 2. (C) On March 5, DFAT North Asia Division First Assistant Secretary (FAS) Peter Baxter and Japanese Embassy SIPDIS Minister-Counselor Shinichi Hosono briefed DCM on the Australia - Japan Joint Declaration on Securit [...] |
2007-03-05 07:28:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR KTIA ASEC PREL AS JA |
| 07CANBERRA472 |
AUSTRALIAN READ-OUT OF PIF FOREIGN MINISTER'S [...] (C) Summary: Australia was very pleased with the outcome of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Foreign Minister's meeting on March 16. GOA officials strongly favor early elections in Fiji, and are examining modalities for making electoral preparations in the absence of a Parliament. They have s [...] |
2007-03-28 04:14:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL PHUM FJ AS |
| 07CANBERRA519 |
AUSTRALIAN FM DOWNER URGES IRANIAN FM MOTTAKI TO [...] (C) On April 3, Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade David J. Ritchie gave the DCM a readout of Foreign Minister Downer's March 29 telephone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki regarding the 15 British naval personnel seized by Iran. 2. (C) According to Ritchie, Down [...] |
2007-04-03 06:02:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | MOPS PREL PTER INRA IR IQ AS |
| 07CANBERRA539 |
AUSTRALIA TO NEARLY DOUBLE MILITARY FORCES IN [...] (S/NF) Stephanie Foster, First Assistant Secretary for International Policy, Australian Department of Defense, advised DCM April 5 that the Government of Australia had approved a planned deployment of Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel to Oruzgan Province in Afghanistan that would nearly [...] |
2007-04-05 08:04:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET//NOFORN | MOPS MARR PREL PTER AS |
| 07CANBERRA571 |
RUDD'S POLICY ADVISER ON IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN AND ASIA [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY: Ahead of Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd's April 19-21 trip to Washington and New York, his foreign policy adviser, Peter Khalil, told poloffs that Rudd was committed to a close relationship with the United States. While he would withdraw Australian combat troops from Iraq if he b [...] |
2007-04-13 08:33:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL MARR PARM AF IZ AS |
| 07CANBERRA609 |
AUSTRALIA ON EAST TIMOR ELECTIONS [...] (C) SUMMARY: Although the Fretilin Party candidate won the most votes in the first round of East Timor's April 9 presidential election, it appears the party has lost considerable support and will be hard-pressed to increase its vote totals for the second round, according to the East Timor desk [...] |
2007-04-20 07:23:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PGOV KDEM TT AS |
| 08CANBERRA1003 |
WESTERN AUSTRALIA ECONOMY - MORE THAN ROCKS AND [...] (SBU) Summary: Canberra-based econoff visited Perth, Western Australia (WA) September 18-19 for meetings with local government and business figures. On this trip, econoff hoped to meet with people to discuss topics OTHER than Western Australia's booming resources sector, which includes nicke [...] |
2008-10-01 07:12:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON ETRD ENRG AS |
| 08CANBERRA1004 |
JAPANESE AMBASSADOR COMMENTS ON WHALING, CHINA AND [...] (C/NF) Summary: Japanese Ambassador Takaaki Kojima told Ambassador McCallum that Japan was not going to reduce or cancel the upcoming whaling season, as Australia hoped (ref B), because it had already made a concession last year to drop the planned killing of 50 humpback whales in an effort [...] |
2008-10-01 07:49:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | ETRD ASJA PREL |
| 08CANBERRA1005 |
AUSTRALIAN VIEWS ON REVISED CIV-MIL CELL FOR [...] (C) Australia is broadly supportive of the revised Civil-Military Planning and Coordination Cell concept but will not be ready to deploy staff by the November 1 target. In other comments on the revised concept paper, the GOA acknowledged the requirement for flexibility in the role and responsi [...] |
2008-10-02 09:34:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR MOPS NATO PREL AF AS |
| 08CANBERRA1010 |
AUSTRALIAN CENTRAL BANK SLASHES OFFICIAL BANK RATE [...] (U) Summary: Australia slashed its official cash rate by 100 basis points on Tuesday, based on fears that the economy will slow down and on concerns about international financial markets. Initial reactions have been positive, with Australia share prices rising on Tuesday. End summary. 2. [...] |
2008-10-07 06:03:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON AS |
| 08CANBERRA1012 |
AUSTRALIA SEEKS PARTNERS ON KOSOVO ICJ RESOLUTION [...] (SBU) This is an action request. See paragraph 3. 2. (C/NF) DCM delivered reftel points to Annabelle Anderson, Acting First Assistant Secretary, Europe Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Anderson replied that the GOA will vote "no" on the Kosovo ICJ UNGA resolution, [...] |
2008-10-07 07:21:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL UNGA AS |
| 08CANBERRA102 |
GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO COMBAT NUCLEAR TERRORISM - [...] (U) Australia's plan to participate in the March GI Model Guidelines Document Workshop in Washington was confirmed to Poloffs by Mohan Mathews, Executive Director, Counter-Terrorism Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Section, International Security Division, DFAT, during a Februar [...] |
2008-02-07 01:55:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PARM KNNP PTER EAIR ETRD EWWT PREL AS |
| 08CANBERRA1020 |
TOUGH WEEK FOR AUSTRALIAN ECONOMY [...] (U) Summary: This was a bad week for Australia's economy, primarily because of the effects of the global financial crisis. Stocks down 16%. Australian dollar down over 10%. Commodities softening, confidence down, unemployment up. Rudd is making reassuring statements and announced a new b [...] |
2008-10-10 05:38:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN AS |
| 08CANBERRA1025 |
2008 U.S.-AUSTRALIA POL-MIL TALKS: PART I [...] (SBU) This is Part I of a three-part cable reporting on the annual U.S.-Australia Political-Military Talks held in Canberra, Australia on October 9, 2008. Part I covers Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as providing a summary and list of participants. Part II (septel) covers Persian Gul [...] |
2008-10-14 05:13:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET | PREL MARR MOPS AS |
| 08CANBERRA1026 |
2008 U.S.-AUSTRALIA POL-MIL TALKS: PART II [...] (SBU) This is Part II of a three-part cable reporting on the annual U.S.-Australia Political Military Talks held in Canberra, Australia on October 9, 2008. This section covers Persian Gulf security (Iran), Nonproliferation and Disarmament, Regional Architecture, China and India. Part I (reft [...] |
2008-10-14 06:07:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET | PREL MARR MOPS AS |
| 08CANBERRA1027 |
2008 U.S.-AUSTRALIA POL-MIL TALKS: PART III [...] (SBU) This is Part III of a three-part cable reporting on the annual U.S.-Australia Political-Military Talks held in Canberra, Australia on October 9, 2008. This section covers Southeast Asia, Trilateral Strategic Dialogue, Pacific Islands, Defence White Paper, Enhanced Defense Cooperation, a [...] |
2008-10-14 06:09:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET | PREL MARR MOPS AS |
| 08CANBERRA1028 |
TURNBULL OFF TO A GOOD START AS OPPOSITION LEADER [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: In the first Newspoll that measured Malcolm Turnbull's performance as Opposition Leader, voters gave him a satisfaction rating of 50 percent, 10 points higher than former Leader Brendan Nelson's top of 40 percent and nine points better than Kevin Rudd when he first became Opposit [...] |
2008-10-14 07:07:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV AS |
| 08CANBERRA103 |
AUSTRALIAN DEFENSE TEAM TO VISIT U.S. RE IRAQ [...] (C) David Hallett, Director for Iraq, International Policy Division, Australian Department of Defense, outlined GOA thinking about the nature of arrangements Australia will need to govern deployment of Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel and civilian contractors in Iraq when the current r [...] |
2008-02-07 06:01:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR MOPS PREL KTIA AS |
| 08CANBERRA1037 |
AUSTRALIA ANNOUNCES NEW SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAN; [...] (C/REL AUS) Addressing Parliament on October 15, Foreign Minister Smith announced Australia would impose new travel and financial sanctions against Iran, with immediate effect, that go beyond requirements of United Nations Security Council resolutions. The sanctions, similar to those previous [...] |
2008-10-15 06:17:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | KNNP PARM PREL EFIN AS |
| 08CANBERRA1039 |
AUSTRALIA WILL NOT ATTEND GEORGIA DONORS CONFERENCE [...] No summary [...] |
2008-10-16 00:02:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAID EFIN GG PREL RS EUMEM KMCA KCRS AS |
| 08CANBERRA104 |
UNIONS KEY FUNDING SOURCE FOR ALP [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY: Unions provided the Australian Labor Party (ALP) with a significant financial advantage during last year's election campaign. In the year to June 30 2007, the ALP raised A$66 million (USD 60 million) - almost 20 percent more than the Liberal and National Coalition - with unions [...] |
2008-02-07 06:11:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV ELAB AS |
| 08CANBERRA1048 |
AUSTRALIAN CONTRIBUTION TO AFGHAN ELECTIONS [...] No summary [...] |
2008-10-17 05:35:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | KDEM PGOV EAID PREL AS |
| 08CANBERRA1053 |
GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO COMBAT NUCLEAR TERRORISM: [...] Poloff passed reftel data on ISN/WMDT and DTRA plans to launch a second generation GI Information Portal (GIIP), along with a request to update contact information, to Mohan Mathews, Australia's principal Global Initiative Point of Contact, on October 15. Mr. Mathews, who is the Executive Of [...] |
2008-10-20 00:01:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | PTER PARM PREL MCAP PINR AS |
| 08CANBERRA1054 |
PUBLIC SUPPORTS RUDD BUT PUNISHES LABOR IN STATE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: According to a new A.C. Nielsen poll, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's approval rating has increased by 10 points to 71 percent, the highest rating he has ever recorded. Seventy-six percent of those surveyed supported Rudd's handling of the economic crisis and his economic package, [...] |
2008-10-20 06:18:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ECON AS |
| 08CANBERRA1064 |
GOA UPDATES SANCTIONS LIST FOR INDIVIDUALS [...] (U) Foreign Minister Stephen Smith announced October 22 that Australia had added new members of the Burmese regime who are subject to government of Australia (GOA) financial sanctions, bringing the total to 463. (Note. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) signaled to post in Jul [...] |
2008-10-23 06:41:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | PGOV PHUM BM AS |
| 08CANBERRA1073 |
TORRES STRAIT: LATEST LETTER DELIVERED [...] (C/NF) Australia should be able to accept the key elements of reftel letter, according to Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade International Legal Division Assistant Secretary Adam McCarthy. Stressing that he could only give a very preliminary response based on his initial reading of the l [...] |
2008-10-24 06:28:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | AS EWWT PHSA PREL |
| 08CANBERRA1074 |
FORMER HOWARD ADVISOR ON RUDD'S STIMULUS PACKAGE [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY: A former adviser to John Howard says the Rudd Government likely made a purely political decision rather than a carefully thought out economic one when it decided on the size of the A$10.4 billion stimulus plan (reftel). New Liberal Party MP Jamie Briggs, who won the seat of [...] |
2008-10-24 07:06:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV ECON AS |
| 08CANBERRA1075 |
NEW NUCLEAR NONPROLIFERATION/DISARMAMENT GROUP [...] (C) Commissioners at the inaugural meeting of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (ICNND) in Sydney October 19-21 agreed on an ambitious work program involving seven meetings in different capitals over the course of the next 18 months, and production of 20 [...] |
2008-10-24 07:10:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM AORC PREL KNNP AS |
| 08CANBERRA1079 |
AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR TAKES A DIVE [...] (SBU) Buffeted by falling commodity prices, fear of global economic recession, and dropping domestic interest rates, the Australian dollar has lost 37% of its value against the U.S. dollar, falling faster since July than even the Icelandic krona. The Aussie dollar has lost 27% of its trade-wei [...] |
2008-10-27 06:04:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON ETRD AS |
| 08CANBERRA1080 |
AUSTRALIA ON INDONESIAN STRAIT OF MALACCA PILOTAGE SCHEME [...] (C/NF) Australia has not been approached recently by Indonesia about either Australia,s Torres Strait Mandatory Pilotage Regime or Indonesia,s reported proposal to introduce a mandatory pilotage regime in the Strait of Malacca. Australia strongly opposes the Indonesian proposal, which it bel [...] |
2008-10-27 06:54:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | AS EWWT PHSA PREL |
| 08CANBERRA1081 |
GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO COMBAT NUCLEAR TERRORISM: [...] This is an action request -- please see para 4 below. 2. Poloff presented the fact sheet (inadvertently marked as a "White Paper" in reftel) on the November 13 Workshop on Excercise Design and Planning and the November 14 Exercise Planning Group Meeting to Mohan Mathews, Counter-Terrorism [...] |
2008-10-27 07:28:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | KNNP PARM PTER PREL AORC MCAP PINR AS |
| 08CANBERRA1086 |
AUSTRALIAN WHALING OPTIONS DWINDLING [...] (C/NF) Summary: Australian Whaling Envoy Sandy Hollway is returning to Japan NLT October 30, despite Japanese signals that no deal is possible this year. Hollway hopes to secure some agreement from Japan to reduce the number of whales taken in the upcoming Japanese scientific whaling season [...] |
2008-10-28 06:22:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | EFIS SENV ECON AS |
| 08CANBERRA1097 |
G-20 LEADERS SUMMIT: LATEST AUSTRALIAN VIEWS FROM [...] (C/NF) Australian thinking about the goals for the upcoming G-20 leaders summit has evolved, according to newly-appointed Prime Minister's Special Envoy for the International Economy Mike Callaghan. Callaghan was about to leave later in the day for China, the UK and the United States. Sharin [...] |
2008-10-30 06:33:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | EFIN ECON PREL AS |
| 08CANBERRA1098 |
G-20 SUMMIT: BACKGROUND ON AUSTRALIA [...] (SBU) The following is keyed to State 114420. AUSTRALIAN G-20 SUMMIT KEY OBJECTIVES AND PRIORITIES --------------------------------------------- ------- 2. (C/NF) Australia has three key objectives: -- To ensure that any reforms to global financial mechanisms do not threaten the effect [...] |
2008-10-30 23:36:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | ECON EFIN AS |
| 08CANBERRA11 |
REQUEST TO ALLIES FOR NEW DEMARCHE TO CHINA [...] No summary [...] |
2008-01-08 05:04:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET//NOFORN | AS CH MARR MNUC PARM PREL |
| 08CANBERRA1101 |
AUSTRALIA DELAYS FUNDING DECISION ON AFGHAN [...] (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 4 below. 2. (C/NF) Australia has postponed until early 2009 a decision on the U.S. request to provide US$85 million per year from 2010 to 2014 to fund the expansion of the Afghan National Army (ANA). Jon Merrill, Director, Afghanistan [...] |
2008-10-31 06:05:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | MARR MCAP PREL AF AS |
| 08CANBERRA1102 |
AUSTRALIA 2008-2009 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS [...] No summary [...] |
2008-10-31 06:31:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | SNAR AS |
| 08CANBERRA1105 |
DEMARCHE RE IRAN DESIGNATIONS DELIVERED TO [...] No summary [...] |
2008-10-31 07:08:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | MNUC PREL PARM EFIN KNNP AS |
| 08CANBERRA1106 |
NSG: AUSTRALIA SUPPORTIVE OF U.S. OBJECTIVES AT [...] (SBU) During an October 31 meeting with Chris King, Acting Director for Arms Control, and Tim Bryson, Executive Officer for Arms Control, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, with responsibility for the Nuclear Suppliers Group, poloff delivered reftel points, stressing the importance of rea [...] |
2008-10-31 07:29:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | KNNP PARM IAEA TRGY ENRG ETTC AS |
| 08CANBERRA1107 |
AUSTRALIA 2009 INTERNATIONAL WOMEN OF COURAGE [...] Embassy Canberra is pleased to nominate June Oscar for the 2009 Secretary's Award for International Women of Courage. In response to hard-hitting reports of abuse in Aboriginal communities in Australia, Ms. Oscar successfully campaigned for a controversial six-month ban on take-away alcohol [...] |
2008-10-31 07:34:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | KWMN PHUM PREL PGOV KPAO AS |
| 08CANBERRA1111 |
DAUSTR BELL'S AUSTRALIA MEETINGS: TPP, WTO, AND [...] (C) Summary. DAUSTR Doug Bell visited Canberra October 19-21 for meetings with Australian trade officials and to discuss the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Australia has begun its internal processes to gain formal approval for joining the TPP, which should be concluded by the end of the ye [...] |
2008-11-03 03:50:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | ETRD ASEAN AS |
| 08CANBERRA1112 |
AUSTRALIAN REGULATOR GRANTS LIMITED ACCESS TO [...] (SBU) Summary: Australian regulators on October 31 announced new procedures to grant limited access for investors to their frozen mortgage funds. Funds faced problems before GOA announced bank guarantees, but the guarantees made their situation more uncertain. Financial industry response to [...] |
2008-11-03 04:56:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | EFIN AS |
| 08CANBERRA1114 |
AUSTRALIAN CENTRAL BANK SLASHES INTEREST RATES - [...] (U) Summary. On November 4 the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) slashed the official cash rate by 75 basis points, to 5.25%. Again, the cut was greater than expected, showing the RBA has placed protecting growth ahead of restraining inflation. This comes in the wake of a whole series of unif [...] |
2008-11-04 04:36:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON AS |
| 08CANBERRA1119 |
CORRECTED COPY - AUSTRALIA AND FATF IRAN STATEMENT [...] (U) This message replaces Canberra 1117. 2. (SBU) In response to points raised in reftel, DFAT International Legal Branch Sanctions and Transnational Crime Section Director Peter Scott told us on November 5 that Australia, a member of FATF, has issued a circular on the Australian Transac [...] |
2008-11-05 06:28:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN KNNP PARM PREL AS |
| 08CANBERRA1121 |
AUSTRALIAN MID-YEAR ECONOMIC UPDATE - GROWTH, SURPLUSES [...] (SBU) Summary. On November 5, Treasurer Wayne Swan released the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) 2008-09, the annual update to the Australian Government's budget for the 2008-2009 fiscal year, which runs from July 1 to June 30. The update lowered the estimated growth rate from 2.75 [...] |
2008-11-06 06:02:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN AS |
| 08CANBERRA1131 |
INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL LEVEL [...] Greg Wilcock of the office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs confirmed receipt of Australia's invitation to the National Level Exercise 2009 (NLE 09). Wilcock told PolOff November 10 that the Minister's office will contact post with information regarding attendees to NLE 09 as soon as there [...] |
2008-11-10 06:16:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | PTER PGOV PREL OPDC |
| 08CANBERRA1134 |
NEW AUSTRALIAN CAR PLAN ANNOUNCED [...] (U) Summary. On November 10, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Industry Minister Kim Carr released the GOA's response to the Bracks Review of the car industry. The 'New Car Plan for a Greener Future' aims to make the car industry more responsive to changing consumer demand, environmental policy an [...] |
2008-11-12 04:05:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EIND ECON ETRD AS |
| 08CANBERRA1136 |
STAFFDEL JOHNSON (NOV 29-DEC 16) POC CANBERRA [...] Embassy warmly welcomes the visit of Staffdel Johnson to Australia and confirms that our Administrative Points of Contact are: James Cole, Political Counselor, at (W) 612-6214-5884, (H) 612-6290-2454, colejf@state.gov, AND Carol Hanlon, Political Officer, at (W) 612-6214-5718, (H) 612-6251-9 [...] |
2008-11-12 05:27:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | OREP AMGT ASEC AFIN AS |
| 08CANBERRA1137 |
AUSTRALIAN AID TO PAKISTAN'S TRIBAL BELT [...] (C/REL AUS) Lisa Rice Madan, Assistant Secretary, Southwest Asia Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), confirmed Australia's continued support for health and education programs in Pakistan's border regions ref B. In addition, Australia started an AUD $250K (USD $175K) coun [...] |
2008-11-12 05:30:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PTER ECON EAID AS |
| 08CANBERRA1138 |
DEMARCHE - INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE RETURN [...] (U) Jon Merrill, Director of the Afghanistan section at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) told PolOff November 12 that Australia stands shoulder to shoulder with USG on the International Conference on the Return and Reintegration of Afghan Refugees. He said that Australia is [...] |
2008-11-12 05:57:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | PHUM PREF |
| 08CANBERRA114 |
NEW PARLIAMENT TO MEET: LEADERS FACE SCRUTINY [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY: The ALP and Coalition will be under the media spotlight next week when the new Parliament sits for the first time. In Question Time, the Opposition will seek to put the Rudd Government on the defensive, particularly on the key issue of the economy. The performance of Liberal [...] |
2008-02-08 06:23:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | AS PGOV |
| 08CANBERRA1140 |
TRIAL COMMENCES FOR FIVE MEN ACCUSED OF PLOTTING [...] (U) The trial of five Sydney men accused of conspiring to commit a terrorist act or acts began November 11 in Parramatta, a New South Wales suburb of Sydney. The men, Khaled Cheikho, 35, Moustafa Cheikho, 31, Mohamed Ali Elomar, 43, Abdul Rakib Hasan, 39 and Mohammed Omar Jamal, 24 were foun [...] |
2008-11-12 06:12:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | PTER PGOV AS |
| 08CANBERRA1141 |
INTERVENTION REVIEW FUELS POLITICAL AND SOCIAL [...] (U) Summary: Sixteen months after the Australian government mounted a controversial intervention in indigenous communities in the Northern Territory to combat reported widespread sexual abuse of Aboriginal children, a review panel has concluded that the emergency remains acute and has endors [...] |
2008-11-13 05:32:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | AS PGOV PHUM SOCI |
| 08CANBERRA1151 |
PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION AT US EMBASSY CANBERRA [...] No summary [...] |
2008-11-14 04:52:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | ASEC |
| 08CANBERRA1155 |
STAFFDEL JOHNSON (NOV 29-DEC 16) INFORMATION [...] (SBU) This is an action request. Please see paragraphs 2 and 3 for details. 2. (SBU) To facilitate logistical and security arrangements, Embassy Canberra would appreciate receiving the following information for all members of the StaffDel: -- Security clearance level and SCI confirma [...] |
2008-11-14 06:21:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | OREP AMGT ASEC AFIN JA ID AS |
| 08CANBERRA1157 |
2008 ANNUAL INR-ONA INTELLIGENCE EXCHANGE [...] (S//NF) Summary: The 2008 intelligence exchange between the Department of State Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) and the Australian Office of National Assessments (ONA) was held in Canberra, Australia on Tuesday, 14 October 2008. The ONA-hosted event covered a wide range of countries [...] |
2008-11-14 07:03:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET//NOFORN | PINR PREL AS |
| 08CANBERRA1159 |
CORRECTED COPY: 2008 ANNUAL INR-ONA INTELLIGENCE [...] (S//NF) Summary: The 2008 intelligence exchange between the Department of State Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) and the Australian Office of National Assessments (ONA) was held in Canberra, Australia on Tuesday, 14 October 2008. The ONA-hosted event covered a wide range of countries [...] |
2008-11-17 01:12:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET//NOFORN | PINR PREL AS |
| 08CANBERRA1163 |
AUSTRALIAN AID AGENCY CONDUCTING SURVEY IN IRAQ RE [...] (SBU) Lloyd Brodrick, Iraq Director, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), advised poloff November 17 that a representative from AusAID, the Australian government's overseas aid agency, is currently in the middle of a two-week fact-finding mission to Iraq to study possible Australia [...] |
2008-11-17 08:56:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAID EAGR PREL AS |
| 08CANBERRA1166 |
AUSTRALIA APPROVES TPP PARTICIPATION [...] No summary [...] |
2008-11-18 22:58:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | ETRD AS |
| 08CANBERRA1172 |
AUSTRALIA'S DEFENSE WHITE PAPER UPDATE [...] (S/NF) Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon has directed that Australia's Defense White Paper be completed no later than April 2009, despite internal pressures to delay its release owing to the global financial crisis, according to the senior Department of Defence official heading the White Paper [...] |
2008-11-19 07:54:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET//NOFORN | MARR MOPS PREL AS |
| 08CANBERRA1180 |
AUSTRALIA RESPONDS UNGA RESOLUTIONS WITH [...] (C/NF) Justin Whyatt, Director, Middle East Section, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) informed Poloff that the GOA would likely not vote differently than in the past on reftel resolutions. He advised that voting recommendations would be shared with the US UN Mission once appro [...] |
2008-11-24 07:29:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL UNGA AS |
| 08CANBERRA1191 |
AUSTRALIA DELEGATION TO DOHA CONFERENCE ON FFD [...] (SBU) Econoff delivered reftel points to Treasury, AusAID, and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Vanessa Hegarty of AusAID noted they were working with State on a joint "statement by international development assistance donors on the impact of the current financial crisis on donor comm [...] |
2008-11-26 04:24:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EAID UNGA AS |
| 08CANBERRA1192 |
AN OPENING ON AUSSIE QUARANTINE? [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The Australian quarantine regulator has ruled that Philippine bananas can be imported into Australia. The Deputy Prime Minister publicly asserted the agency's independence and implicitly defended the decision. This could be an indication of a changing direction in Australian [...] |
2008-11-26 05:19:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR ETRD AS |
| 08CANBERRA1194 |
AUSTRALIA RESPONSE ON GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR AGRICULTURE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Post Economic and Agriculture officers met with officials from Australian Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and AusAID to discuss the Global Partnership on Agriculture and Food (GPAF). The GOA expressed s [...] |
2008-11-26 06:15:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR EAID ECON ETRD AS |
| 08CANBERRA1196 |
RUDD GOVERNMENT - ONE YEAR REPORT [...] (C/NF) The Rudd government has generally been competent and centrist during its first 12 months, notwithstanding some significant foreign policy blunders, and criticism over Rudd's media-focused management style. The Government is unified, has avoided scandal, kept its major election promises [...] |
2008-11-28 01:11:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PINR PGOV ECON AS |
| 08CANBERRA1197 |
FILM/TV INDUSTRY FILES COPYRIGHT CASE AGAINST [...] (C) Summary: On November 20 several media companies filed legal action against Australia's #3 internet service provider (ISP) iiNet, seeking a ruling that iiNet has infringed copyright by not taking reasonable steps to prevent unauthorized use of films and TV programs by its customers. This i [...] |
2008-11-30 23:13:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | KIPR ECPS ECON ETRD AS |
| 08CANBERRA1199 |
AUSTRALIA RESPONSE ON GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR AGRICULTURE [...] (SBU) The following is the written response to ref A demarche on behalf of the GOA, provided to Embassy by AusAID following our November 26 meeting (ref B). Begin text of GOA response: "1. The Australian Government is generally supportive of improved coordination and increased transparenc [...] |
2008-12-01 04:30:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAGR EAID ECON ETRD AS |
| 08CANBERRA1201 |
AUSTRALIA PREPARES TO SIGN CONVENTION ON CLUSTER [...] (C/NF) Gerry McGuire, Director, Arms Control and Counter-Proliferation Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), confirmed Foreign Minister Smith will sign the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) in Oslo this week. He advised that the Australian Department of Defence and Attor [...] |
2008-12-01 06:30:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PARM MOPS PREL NATO AS |
| 08CANBERRA1202 |
AUSTRALIAN VIEWS ON DECEMBER ASEAN MEETINGS IN [...] (C) Australia expects only modest outcomes from the ASEAN meetings in Thailand during mid December, to include adoption of the ASEAN Charter and the development of the Human Rights Body, but believes these achievements could be threatened by Thailand's current political tensions. In the ASEAN [...] |
2008-12-01 09:26:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL ECIN EFIN AS |
| 08CANBERRA1205 |
AUSTRALIA SEEKS MORE INFO ON PAKISTAN CONFERENCE [...] (SBU) Summary. Econoff met with Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and AusAID officials December 2 to discuss reftel potential Pakistan donors conference. The GOA officials were unable to make any commitments, but are clearly interested. However, they need more details before they [...] |
2008-12-02 05:13:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAID ECON EFIN IBRD IMF AS PK |
| 08CANBERRA1207 |
AUSTRALIA SHARES CONCERNS ON PROTECTIONISM [...] (C) GOA shares US concerns about protectionism in some G20 members. Australia has already made approaches in several G20 capitals, and is ready to cooperate closely with US. DFAT said the UK should be added to the list of countries taking protectionist steps because of how it has raised i [...] |
2008-12-02 07:05:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | EFIN ETRD PREL ECON WTRO AS |
| 08CANBERRA1208 |
AUSSIE RESERVE BANK AGAIN SLASHES INTEREST RATES [...] (U) Summary. On December 2, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) announced a 100 basis points reduction in the cash rate to a record low of 4.25 per cent. RBA continues to prioritize demand ahead of inflation. End summary. RBA SLASHES RATES AGAIN 2. (U) The RBA today slashed the officia [...] |
2008-12-02 20:46:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON AS |
| 08CANBERRA1215 |
AUSTRALIA BARELY AVOIDS NEGATIVE GROWTH [...] (SBU) Summary. Australia's economy grew by less than 0.1% in the September quarter; excluding farms, the economy contracted 0.3%. Despite the fiscal stimulus package and aggressive interest rate cuts, contraction in the current quarter and recession in 2009 seem likely. End summary. LATES [...] |
2008-12-03 23:46:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN AS |
| 08CANBERRA1222 |
GOVERNMENT PROPOSES REVISED LABOR LAWS FOR [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Labor unions are generally happy with the Rudd Government's major industrial relations bill, introduced on November 25. This bill proposes a new labor relations scheme for Australia, providing stronger collective bargaining rights, easier worksite access for union officials, th [...] |
2008-12-04 20:53:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ELAB AS |
| 08CANBERRA1230 |
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR DUNCAN LEWIS [...] (U) SUMMARY: Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced the appointment of Duncan Lewis to the newly-created post of National Security Advisor (NSA). The creation of the position of NSA is the first step in the formation of the Rudd Government's new national security structure. The NSA will be resp [...] |
2008-12-05 06:32:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL PINR MARR AS |
| 08CANBERRA1231 |
GOA REPLY TO DEMARCHE ON WAY FORWARD WITH IRAQ [...] (S) The Australian government, while pessimistic about achieving a legally binding SOFA with Iraq, is actively exploring options for the continued employment of imbedded Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel serving in MNF-I, particularly those whose missions keep them within the confines [...] |
2008-12-05 07:56:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET | PREL PGOV MARR MOPS IZ ES RO AS EN |
| 08CANBERRA1232 |
AUSTRALIA RESPONDS TO COUNTER-PIRACY EFFORTS [...] (C/NF) Australia cannot offer an immediate response to USG inquiries on counter-piracy efforts according to Jon Richardson, Director, Africa Section, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Richardson advised that contributions of Australian Defence assets is tied to pending decisions on the [...] |
2008-12-08 03:34:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | MOPS PBTS PHSA PTER AS |
| 08CANBERRA1238 |
SURGE IN BOAT PEOPLE BECOMES POLITICAL ISSUE [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The Opposition is blaming a surge in the number of illegal boat people on the Rudd Government's relaxation of the former Howard Government's border protection policies. Since the policy toward illegal refugees was changed in August, six people-smuggling boats traveling from Ind [...] |
2008-12-08 06:52:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV SMIG PREF AS |
| 08CANBERRA1241 |
AUSTRALIA COMMENTS ON SYRIAN TECHNICAL COOPERATION [...] (C/NF) Australia viewed the approval by IAEA's Technical Assistance and Cooperation Committee of Syria's project SYR/0/020 as a compromise outcome according to Chris King, Executive Officer, Arms Control and Counter-Proliferation Branch of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. King in [...] |
2008-12-09 03:14:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | MNUC PARM IAEA TRGY KNNP AS |
| 08CANBERRA1244 |
POLLING GETS WORSE FOR LIBERAL PARTY [...] (U) SUMMARY: A Newspoll released December 9 indicates that the Opposition is going backwards since it switched leaders to Malcolm Turnbull in September. Support for the Coalition is at its lowest level since June. Since the last Newspoll two weeks ago, the Australian Labor Party (ALP) has in [...] |
2008-12-09 06:13:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV AS |
| 08CANBERRA1246 |
AUSTRALIAN RESPONSE: CHINA MILITARY POWER, U.S. [...] (C/NF) SUMMARY: Australian views and efforts on Chinese military modernization largely mirror those of the U.S. according to John Quinn, Assistant Secretary, Strategic Issues and Intelligence Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Quinn reiterated to Poloffs on December 9 the need [...] |
2008-12-09 21:02:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | MARR PREL AS |
| 08CANBERRA125 |
TIMOR LESTE: DFAT OFFICIAL DISCUSSES MILITARY, [...] (SBU) Summary. Director of the ASEAN Regional Issues and East Timor section of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Linda Worthaisong told PolOff on February 13 that along with his planned trip to East Timor on February 15, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has been in constant contact [...] |
2008-02-13 22:38:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PGOV ASEC MARR AS TT |
| 08CANBERRA1250 |
AUSTRALIAN MINISTERS MAKE QUICK TRIP TO BEIJING TO [...] (C/NF) Summary: Treasurer Swan and Trade Minister Crean made a weekend visit to China to push on bilateral FTA talks and on Doha, at PM Rudd's instruction. GOA trade officials hope that China's interest in easier terms for its state owned enterprises to invest in Australia will give some leve [...] |
2008-12-10 05:32:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | ETRD EINV PREL AS CH |
| 08CANBERRA1252 |
Pressure on Australia's Current Account Deficit? [...] (SBU) Summary. Australia's current account deficit (CAD) fell sharply to its lowest level in six years from almost A$20 billion in the March quarter (7 per cent of GDP) to A$9.8 billion in the June quarter (3.2 per cent of GDP) due to a boost to export prices (especially coal and iron ore) and [...] |
2008-12-10 06:02:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ETRD ECON AS |
| 08CANBERRA1258 |
SOFA UNLIKELY FOR AUSTRALIA THIS YEAR [...] (S/NF) SUMMARY It is highly unlikely that Australia will negotiate a SOFA with the Iraqi government before the end of the year. The Australian Department of Defence (ADOD) is developing an alternative plan where personnel who work at the Australian Embassy or Camp Victory will remain in place [...] |
2008-12-11 06:04:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PGOV MARR MOPS AS IZ ES EN RO |
| 08CANBERRA1259 |
AUSTRALIA OUTLINES SPECIAL OPS IN AFGHANISTAN [...] (U) Australian Special Operations Commander, Major General Tim McOwan, held a special media briefing on Australia's Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) activities in Oruzgan Province on December 11. He highlighted the effectiveness of SOTG efforts to create an improved security environment [...] |
2008-12-11 06:14:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | MARR MOPS PGOV AS |
| 08CANBERRA126 |
RUDD SAYS "SORRY" TO INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The House of Representatives passed a motion February 13 apologizing for the treatment of indigenous Australians, particularly the "Stolen Generations" - which refers to the Aboriginal children who were taken from their families by white Australia between 1910 and 1970. Prime Mi [...] |
2008-02-13 22:38:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM SOCI AS |
| 08CANBERRA1265 |
AUSTRALIA FEELING HEAT AT POZNAN [...] (SBU) Summary: A year after being widely praised for signing the Kyoto Protocol at the Bali Climate Change Conference, PM Kevin Rudd's government is now coming under fire to an unexpected degree for appearing to take a more conservative approach at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change [...] |
2008-12-12 03:34:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | SENV KGHG PREL AS |
| 08CANBERRA1266 |
AUSTRALIA TACKLES EXECUTIVE PAY - DON'T EXPECT TOO [...] (SBU) Summary. Prime Minister Rudd has been outspoken on the need for reform of executive pay to better balance compensation with risk management. Australian regulators are working on high-level general principles on executive pay with an eye on what emerges as the international consensus. T [...] |
2008-12-12 04:16:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EFIN ECON AS |
| 08CANBERRA1269 |
THE TSD HA/DR OFFICIAL MEETING IN CANBERRA [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: The Japanese delegation, the American delegation and Australian hosts agreed upon a set of Australian written guidelines for the Trilateral Security Dialog's work in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HA/DR), but the task of the coming year will be the editing and [...] |
2008-12-12 05:27:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL EAID MARR MOPS ASEAN ARF JA AS |
| 08CANBERRA1270 |
AUSTRALIA UNDECIDED ON PAKISTAN CONFERENCE [...] (SBU) GOA remains uncertain whether it will be able to attend a Pakistan donors conference at the Foreign Minister level, and on what sort of commitment it could make. DFAT Pakistan Director Lisa Rice-Madan reiterated that the uncertainty about the details of the conference (now including its [...] |
2008-12-12 05:56:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EAID ECON EFIN IBRD IMF PK |
| 08CANBERRA1271 |
AUSTRALIAN REQUIRES IMMEDIATE HELP WITH IRAQ SOFA [...] (S/NF) SUMMARY: Foreign Minister Smith has told Ambassador McCallum that Australia needs immediate help from the United States in order to keep its remaining troops in Iraq. The FM noted that GOA was requested by the US to defer its negotiation with the GOI so as not to complicate US negotiat [...] |
2008-12-12 07:32:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL PGOV MARR MOPS IZ AS |
| 08CANBERRA1277 |
TELSTRA OUT OF BROADBAND BIDDING [...] (SBU) Summary. The GOA confirmed December 15 that Telstra has been excluded from the National Broadband Network bidding process because its bid failed to conform to bid guidelines on SMEs. Telstra's chairman criticized the decision over a "trivial" point. Minister Conroy was caught in a diff [...] |
2008-12-15 07:06:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECPS ECON AS |
| 08CANBERRA1278 |
CLIMATE CHANGE: PM TARGETS 5% EMISSIONS CUT BY 2020 [...] (SBU) Prime Minister Rudd released the Government's White Paper on the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) on December 15, which commits Australia to reducing emissions by 5% from 2000 levels (4% from 1990 levels) by 2020. The plan holds out the option of increasing the target to 15% of [...] |
2008-12-15 20:53:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | SENV KGHG ECON AS |
| 08CANBERRA1279 |
CLIMATE CHANGE: PM TARGETS 5% EMISSIONS CUT BY 2020 [...] (SBU) Prime Minister Rudd released the Government's White Paper on the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) on December 15, which commits Australia to reducing emissions by 5% from 2000 levels (4% from 1990 levels) by 2020. The plan holds out the option of increasing the target to 15% of [...] |
2008-12-15 20:53:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | SENV KGHG ECON AS |
| 08CANBERRA128 |
U.S. CONCERNS ON OSLO PROCESS TO BAN CLUSTER [...] No summary [...] |
2008-02-13 22:38:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET//NOFORN | AS MOPS PARM PREL |
| 08CANBERRA1281 |
AUSTRALIA CONSIDERS SUPPORT FOR AFGHAN ELECTIONS [...] (C/NF) Deborah Stokes, First Assistant Secretary, South and West Asia, Middle East and Africa Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, told DCM on December 16 that Australia is very conscious of the importance of suppoQing the Afghan elections. The request for election support for [...] |
2008-12-16 06:17:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | NATO PREL MOPS MARR AF AS |
| 08CANBERRA1282 |
AUSTRALIAN REPLY ON EU REGULATIONS ON RECOGNIZED [...] No summary [...] |
2008-12-17 02:20:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EWWT EUN IMO AS |
| 08CANBERRA1285 |
AUSTRALIA EXTENDS SANCTIONS TO ADDITIONAL MUGABE [...] (SBU) Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed to Embassy December 17 that the GOA has announced it will extend sanctions against 75 more supporters of the Mugabe regime in Zimbabwe, and against four extra companies. DFAT Director for Sanctions and Transnational Crimes Peter [...] |
2008-12-17 06:35:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ETRD AS ZI |
| 08CANBERRA1290 |
AUSTRALIA CLARIFIES CLUSTER MUNITIONS ISSUES FOR [...] (C/NF) Gerry McGuire, Director, Arms Control and Counter-Proliferation Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), confirmed Australia's interpretation of Article 21 of the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) in a follow-up meeting held December 17. McGuire advised that Austral [...] |
2008-12-18 02:51:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM MOPS PREL AS |
| 08CANBERRA1291 |
BROADBAND ALLEGATIONS - CHINESE TELCOM [...] (C/NF) Summary. A major Australian daily ran an article today reporting that Optus was believed to have included China's Huawei Technologies as a vendor in its bid for the National Broadband Network (NBN) and claiming it could threaten Optus' bid. The GOA is conducting a review of all NBN bi [...] |
2008-12-18 06:25:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | ECPS AS |
| 08CANBERRA1292 |
AUSTRALIA AWAITING SOFA DEVELOPMENTS [...] (C) Poloff delivered information from reftel to the director of the Iraq section at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Lloyd Broderick, on December 18. Broderick said Australia is awaiting developments. One issue that is repeatedly raised by the Australian negotiating team in Baghda [...] |
2008-12-18 06:28:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | AS EN ES IZ MARR MOPS PGOV PREL UK RO NATO |
| 08CANBERRA1298 |
NO ANTI-PIRACY CONTACT GROUP DECISION UNTIL 2009 [...] (SBU) On December 19, Lee Kerr, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), United Nations and Commonwealth Section, told poloff that the GOA will not make a decision on either participation in a Contact Group or on any request for resources to combat Somali piracy until early 2009. DFAT [...] |
2008-12-19 05:51:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | MOPS PBTS PHSA PTER AS |
| 08CANBERRA1299 |
TORRES STRAIT: AUSTRALIAN RESPONSE ON NON-PAPER [...] (C/NF) Australia can accept reftel draft paper with one change, according to DFAT International Legal Division Assistant Secretary Adam McCarthy. Econcouns delivered reftel to McCarthy and several of his staff December 19. Recognizing that this was a U.S. draft designed to lay out our views, [...] |
2008-12-19 05:58:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | EWWT PHSA PREL AS |
| 08CANBERRA1302 |
AUSTRALIA ROLLS OUT FURTHER STIMULUS [...] (SBU) The Australian Government announced a $4.7 billion (USD 3.2 billion) nation building package, on 12 December 2008, with the aim of strengthening the economy and creating up to 32,000 jobs. The package provides new funds for rail investment, brings forward road spending, allocates funds [...] |
2008-12-19 06:31:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ECON EFIN AS |
| 08CANBERRA1307 |
BILL OF RIGHTS FOR AUSTRALIA? [...] (U) SUMMARY: On the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Government announced it would establish a consultation process on how best to protect and promote human rights in Australia. A committee will canvass public opinion on whether human rights need any addition [...] |
2008-12-22 06:01:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM AS |
| 08CANBERRA1308 |
AUSTRALIAN RESPONSE - CONTACT GROUP ON SOMALI [...] (U) We delivered the USG invitation to the Contact Group on Somali Piracy (CGSP) meeting in January to Lee Kerr, Director, UN and Commonwealth Section, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). She will forward the invitation, CGSP objectives, and meeting details to senior DFAT officials [...] |
2008-12-22 06:17:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | MOPS PBTS PHSA PTER AS |
| 08CANBERRA1314 |
DESIGNATION OF ADDITIONAL IRANIAN ENTITIES - [...] No summary [...] |
2008-12-23 21:34:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | KNNP EFIN PARM IR AS |
| 08CANBERRA1316 |
GOA SUPPORTS NEW GM/HOLDEN SMALL CAR [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: On 22 December, Prime Minister Rudd announced an agreement with GM Holden and the South Australian Government to support production of a new, fuel-efficient, low-emission small car in Australia. The agreement provides A$179 million (US$122 million) over 3-4 years to Holden under [...] |
2008-12-23 23:50:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | EIND ECON AS |
| 08CANBERRA1324 |
HANEEF INQUIRY RECOMMENDS REVIEW OF CT LAWS AND [...] (U) SUMMARY: A judicial inquiry into the collapsed prosecution of former terrorism suspect Dr Mohammed Haneef, which occurred during the Howard Government in July 2007 (reftel), found no evidence connecting Haneef to terrorist activities. It recommended an independent review of counter-terror [...] |
2008-12-29 05:08:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PTER AS |
| 08CANBERRA1326 |
AUSTRALIAN RESPONSE TO BURMESE AND DONOR CONCERNS [...] No summary [...] |
2008-12-29 06:26:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PREL ETRD EAID PHUM BM AS |
| 08CANBERRA133 |
SCENE SETTER FOR AUSMIN 2008 [...] (SBU) AUSMIN 2008 takes place just three months after the Australian Labor Party (ALP) government of Kevin Rudd swept to power, decisively defeating John Howard and his Liberal/National coalition after eleven years in office. While domestic issues such as workers' rights, climate change, healt [...] |
2008-02-14 07:36:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET//NOFORN | PREL MARR OTRA AS |
| 08CANBERRA1335 |
AUSTRALIA SIGNS MOU ON EMBEDDED FORCES IN IRAQ [...] (C)SUMMARY: The Iraqi Ministry of Defense and the Australian government signed an MOU in Baghdad on December 30 that covers activities of Australian military personnel embedded with American troops in Iraq during the period Jan 1, 2009 until July 31, 2009. Full text of the MOU is at para 4 bel [...] |
2008-12-31 05:52:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | MOPS PREL MARR IZ AS |
| 08CANBERRA1336 |
MAY 2009 PSI OEG MEETING: NOTIFICATION TO AUSTRALIA [...] On December 29, we delivered the notice of the May 12-14, 2009, Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) Operational Experts Group (OEG) and Outreach meetings to Gerry McGuire, Director for Counter-Proliferation, Arms Control and Counter-Proliferation Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs and [...] |
2008-12-31 05:52:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | MNUC KNNP PARM PREL AS |
| 08CANBERRA140 |
RUDD HAS A VERY GOOD WEEK [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Kevin Rudd burnished his leadership image this week by issuing an emotional apology to indigenous Australians, particularly the "Stolen Generations" and by coolly managing his first foreign crisis, the attack on East Timorese President Ramos-Horta. By closing the apology issue [...] |
2008-02-15 05:55:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV AS |
| 08CANBERRA150 |
AUSTRALIA RECOGNIZES KOSOVO [...] (SBU) The GOA Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade announced at mid-day on February 19 that it formally recognized the Republic of Kosovo as an Independent State. The announcement noted that both the United States and the U.K. had issued their recognitions (earlier in the day a DFAT offic [...] |
2008-02-19 03:56:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | AS PREL YI UN |
| 08CANBERRA178 |
AUSMIN 2008: SESSION I (IRAQ, IRAN, MIDDLE EAST) [...] (U) February 23, 2008; Parliament House, Canberra, Australia. 2. (C) SUMMARY. The 2008 Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) -- the first AUSMIN hosted by the recently-elected Labor government -- opened with Foreign Minister Smith and Defence Minister Fitzgibbon strong [...] |
2008-02-25 04:10:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET | OVIP GATES ROBERT NEGROPONTE JOHN PGOV |
| 08CANBERRA179 |
AUSMIN 2008: SESSION III (TURKEY, [...] (U) February 23, 2008; Parliament House, Canberra, Australia. SUMMARY ------- 2. (S) The third session of the U.S.-Australia Ministerial (AUSMIN) consultations included a brief update from the U.S. on the Turkish incursion into northern Iraq and the status of prospects for further progre [...] |
2008-02-25 04:11:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET | OVIP GATES ROBERT NEGROPONTE JOHN PARM |
| 08CANBERRA180 |
AUSMIN 2008: SESSION IV: ALLIANCE AND DEFENSE [...] (U) February 23, 2008, Parliament House, Canberra, Australia. SUMMARY ------- 2. (S) Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Australian Minister for Defence Joel Fitzgibbon led the fourth and last U.S.-Australia Ministerial (AUSMIN) session, which focused on bilateral alliance issues, prima [...] |
2008-02-25 04:13:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET | OVIP GATES ROBERT NEGROPONTE JOHN MARR |
| 08CANBERRA181 |
ADVANCING THE U.S. POSITION FOR CHANGE IN CUBA [...] No summary [...] |
2008-02-25 05:51:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | AS CU EU PGOV PREL |
| 08CANBERRA185 |
AUSMIN 2008: SESSION II (DPRK, INDIA, CHINA, [...] (U) February 23, 2008; Parliament House, Canberra, Australia. SUMMARY ------- 2. (C/RL AUS) U.S. and Australian officials dedicated the second session of the 2008 AUSMIN conference to a consideration of regional security issues throughout Asia. They agreed to coordinate in managing the st [...] |
2008-02-25 07:47:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET | OVIP GATES ROBERT NEGROPONTE JOHN MOPS |
| 08CANBERRA186 |
AUSMIN 2008: JOINT COMMUNIQUE AND MEDIA EVENTS [...] (U) The Joint Communique issued at the conclusion of the Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) in Canberra on February 23 reflected a reaffirmation of the strength of the U.S.-Australian alliance, and a reiteration by both countries of their commitment to work together to [...] |
2008-02-25 20:54:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | MARR PREL AS |
| 08CANBERRA198 |
AUSTRALIA GROUP: PLENARY INFORMATION EXCHANGE AND [...] (SBU) Polmiloff provided the general and Australia-specific points in reftel to Michael Kourteff, Acting Director for Counter-Proliferation, and Alexandra Jones, Executive Officer, Counter-Proliferation Section, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, on February 27. (The delay in delivery of [...] |
2008-02-27 06:09:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM PREL ETTC AS |
| 08CANBERRA199 |
WELLINGTON CLUSTER MUNITIONS MEETING OUTCOMES [...] (C/NOFORN) The meeting in Wellington of the Oslo Process on cluster munitions was fraught with drama, Dr. Ada Cheung, Executive Director, Arms Control and Counter-Proliferation Branch of DFAT's International Security Division reported to Poloff on February 27th. Nevertheless, progress was mad [...] |
2008-02-27 21:03:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM MOPS PREL AS |
| 08CANBERRA209 |
AUSTRALIAN ASSISTANCE FOR UN ACTION ON SOMALIAN PIRACY [...] No summary [...] |
2008-02-29 05:07:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PBTS KCRM AS PREL |
| 08CANBERRA220 |
RUDD SHINES IN FIRST 100 DAYS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: In its first several months, the Rudd Government has made a smooth transition to Government, enjoying a continuing honeymoon with the media and the public. To mark 100 days in office, the Prime Minister issued a report card outlining the Rudd Government's achievements and imple [...] |
2008-03-04 05:45:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PREL ECON AS |
| 08CANBERRA222 |
AUSTRALIAN RESPONSE TO UNSC RESOLUTION 1803 ON IRAN [...] (U) Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith issued a statement March 4 within hours of the UN Security Council's near-unanimous vote on Resolution 1803, welcoming its adoption, urging Iran to suspend its enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, and pledging that Australia would prompt [...] |
2008-03-04 06:18:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | MNUC PARM KNNP AS |
| 08CANBERRA225 |
AUSTRALIAN RESPONSE ON ASSISTANCE FOR UN ACTION ON [...] No summary [...] |
2008-03-05 03:46:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PBTS PREL KCRM AS |
| 08CANBERRA230 |
AUSTRALIA MULLS ADDITIONAL INPUTS TO AFGHANISTAN [...] (C) Beyond Australia's contribution of an Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team (OMLT) to be embedded with the Afghan National Army's (ANA) Kandak battalion in Afghanistan's southern province of Oruzgan, which Defense Minister Fitzgibbon previewed for the Ambassador and later announced in Par [...] |
2008-03-06 05:59:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | NATO PREL MOPS MARR AF AS |
| 08CANBERRA234 |
AUSTRALIAN PARTICIPATION IN PSI FIFTH ANNIVERSARY [...] Embassy delivered Acting Under Secretary Rood's invitation to attend the PSI Fifth Anniversary events, along with the logistical information and proposed agendas, to Mr. David J. Ritchie, Deputy Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), on March 11, 2008. 2. Mr. Michael Ko [...] |
2008-03-11 06:12:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | PARM KNNP PREL KSTC AS |
| 08CANBERRA237 |
AUSTRALIAN STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR UNSYG SPECIAL [...] Coincident with the receipt of the demarche request contained in reftel, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith issued a media statement on March 12 welcoming the appointment of Ambassador Kai Eide as the UNSYG's Special Representative for Afghanistan, calling it an important step forward in strength [...] |
2008-03-12 02:58:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL OFDP AS |
| 08CANBERRA240 |
SUPPLEMENTAL TIP QUESTIONAIRE RESPONSE - AUSTRALIA [...] (SBU) Below are supplemental responses to the questions posed in ref A, which were initially answered in ref B. The answers correspond to the question numbers in ref A. PART I: OVERVIEW OF ACTIVITIES TO ELIMINATE TRAFFICKING B. Sex Trafficking Arrests ----------------------- On Ma [...] |
2008-03-12 07:06:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | ELAB KCRM KFRD KWMN PHUM PREF SMIG ASEC AS |
| 08CANBERRA246 |
UNIONS ASK FOR THE SPOILS OF VICTORY [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Jeff Lawrence, the new Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Union (ACTU), the unions' national umbrella organization, said in a speech March 12 that organized labor would lobby for real wage increases for low-paid workers, higher retirement contributions from employers, [...] |
2008-03-17 04:52:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ELAB AS |
| 08CANBERRA247 |
AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE ACQUISITION CHIEF REASSURES [...] (C/NOFORN) In a meeting with Ambassador McCallum and other Embassy staff on March 17, Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement, Mr. Greg Combet, indicated that the GOA will probably not abandon any U.S. defense contracts, other than the recently terminated contract with Kaman Corporation [...] |
2008-03-17 07:34:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR PREL MCAP AS |
| 08CANBERRA258 |
AUSTRALIAN POLICE AID TO AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ [...] (C/NF) Ahead of the NATO Summit in Bucharest, Australia is considering deploying a small force of Australian Federal Police to southern Afghanistan to focus on counternarcotics. To assist Iraq enhance its policing capability, Australia is reviewing options for training outside Iraq, including i [...] |
2008-03-18 05:45:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | MARR MOPS SNAR PTER PREL AS |
| 08CANBERRA262 |
CORRECTED COPY - AUSTRALIAN POLICE AID TO [...] (C/NF) Ahead of the NATO Summit in Bucharest, Australia is considering deploying a small force of Australian Federal Police to southern Afghanistan to focus on counternarcotics. To assist Iraq enhance its policing capability, Australia is reviewing options for training outside Iraq, including i [...] |
2008-03-19 04:30:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | MARR MOPS SNAR PTER PREL AS |
| 08CANBERRA265 |
AUSTRALIA NOTIFIED OF DESIGNATION OF FUTURE BANK, [...] No summary [...] |
2008-03-19 06:38:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | MNUC KNNP AS |
| 08CANBERRA266 |
AUSTRALIA RECEIVES MOROCCAN TRANSSHIPMENT [...] No summary [...] |
2008-03-19 06:39:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | ETTC PARM PREL KSTC MO AS |
| 08CANBERRA267 |
SCENESETTER: PRIME MINISTER RUDD'S VISIT TO THE [...] (SBU) Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is coming to Washington with a message that Australia will continue its friendship and close cooperation with the United States across a wide spectrum of issues, from non-proliferation and counterterrorism to climate change and trade liberalization. Rudd, a form [...] |
2008-03-19 22:24:00 | Embassy Canberra | SECRET//NOFORN | AS OVIP PREL US |
| 08CANBERRA276 |
ASIA PACIFIC DEMOCRACY PARTNERSHIP: AUSTRALIA [...] (U) Poloff met with Assistant Secretary for International Organizations Andrew Goledzinowski March 20 to deliver the non-paper and points in Ref A. Goledzinowski, who will shortly transfer to New York to take up his new posting as Deputy Permrep, was joined by Evan Gallagher, Secretary-Genera [...] |
2008-03-20 05:45:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM AS |
| 08CANBERRA277 |
URGING PSI ENDORSEMENT BY KEY ASIAN STATES: [...] No summary [...] |
2008-03-20 05:46:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | MNUC PARM PHSA PREL KNNP AS |
| 08CANBERRA278 |
AUSTRALIA GROUP: REQUEST FOR SUMMARY OF U.S. [...] (U) This message contains an action request for ISN/CB -- please see para 3 below. 2. (SBU) Poloff delivered the U.S. proposal to redefine the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus (HPAI) on the AG's animal pathogen common control list (reftel) to Gerry McGuire, Director for Counter-Proli [...] |
2008-03-20 05:47:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PARM ETTC AS |
| 08CANBERRA287 |
RUDD HONEYMOON MEETS BUDGET REALITIES [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: From March 7-12, the dominant political issue was speculation over whether the Rudd Government would axe budget allocations for carers (family members who care for invalids) and seniors in his fight against inflation. With Rudd overseas for most of this period, the Government di [...] |
2008-03-25 06:47:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV SOCI AS |
| 08CANBERRA298 |
INTERIM AUSTRALIAN COMMENTS ON THE ASIA PACIFIC [...] (U) This message contains an action request - please see para 6 below. 2. (SBU) On March 26, poloff spoke with Evan Gallagher of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's (DFAT) International Organizations Branch, who has been designated the action officer of the Asia Pacific Democracy [...] |
2008-03-27 05:16:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV PHUM AS |
| 08CANBERRA299 |
AUSTRALIA COMMITTED TO RESULTS ORIENTED PIF [...] (SBU) A representative from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Pacific Regional Section confirmed Australia is hopeful of a results-oriented outcome to the March 26 Pacific Island Forum Ministerial on Fiji. A meeting of Australian and New Zealand Foreign Ministers preceded the FFAM [...] |
2008-03-27 05:16:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL FJ UN AS |
| 08CANBERRA30 |
KOSOVO: AUSTRALIA RECOGNITION TO FOLLOW US, EU [...] (SBU) This is an action request. Please see para 5 below. 2. (C) Summary: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) will recommend recognition of Kosovo in the early stages, but only "in good company", that is, after the US, most of the EU and Canada. The issue will be put f [...] |
2008-01-14 06:12:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PREL UNAUS UNMIK PGOV YI EU |
| 08CANBERRA301 |
AUSTRALIA'S IMPLEMENTATION OF FINANCIAL PROVISIONS [...] (C) Australia recently completed updating laws and regulations designed to facilitate its implementation of financial and other provisions of Iran-related Security Council resolutions, including UNSCR 1803. Australian banks are fully compliant with the measures, which entered into force on M [...] |
2008-03-27 05:54:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | ETRD EFIN ETTC PARM KNNP MNUC AS |
| 08CANBERRA302 |
AUSTRALIA'S IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DUAL USE ITEM [...] (SBU) We presented Ref A demarche and non-paper to Valerie Grey, Director for Arms Control, and Peter Scott, Director for Sanctions and Transnational Crime, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, on March 25. 2. (C) Our GOA interlocutors welcomed the points and non-paper. Grey assured [...] |
2008-03-27 06:16:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL | PARM MNUC KNNP AS |
| 08CANBERRA303 |
ADVANCING AUSTRALIA'S GLOBAL INTERESTS [...] (U) SUMMARY: In his first foreign policy address as Prime Minister, and before leaving for the United States, Europe and China on March 27, Kevin Rudd said that the challenges Australia faces in areas like climate change, terrorism and the development of the Pacific Islands will require it to b [...] |
2008-03-27 06:53:00 | Embassy Canberra | CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN | PREL PGOV ECON ETRD SENV AS |
| 08CANBERRA310 |
RUDD MOVES TO OVERHAUL FEDERAL-STATE RELATIONS [...] (SBU) SUMMARY: Since becoming Australian Labor Party (ALP) leader, Rudd has spoken repeatedly about "ending the blame game" between the federal and state governments. At the heart of the "blame game" is the funding imbalance between the federal and state governments. The federal government r [...] |
2008-03-28 06:01:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | PGOV ECON AS |
| 08CANBERRA322 |
POLLING POTENTIAL DONORS ON ASSISTANCE TO KOSOVO [...] Per ref. B, DFAT has provided a formal response to our approach regarding assistance to Kosovo. DFAT Europe Division Acting First Assistant Secretary John Griffin wrote to Polcouns on 28 March that Australia is best placed to assist Kosovo through support and advocacy in multilateral organiz [...] |
2008-04-02 04:27:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | EAID EFIN EU EUN KV AS |
| 08CANBERRA332 |
AUSTRALIA FOLLOW-UP ON PIF MINISTERIAL [...] (U) Stephen Henningham, head of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Fiji Task Force confirmed the responses given by DFAT Pacific Regional Section (reftel Canberra 299) immediately following the 26 March FFAM in an April 2 meeting with Poloff. Australia fully supports the PIF [...] |
2008-04-03 06:25:00 | Embassy Canberra | UNCLASSIFIED | PREL |