Refugee tribunal grants woman residency in New Zealand over Tongan persecution
A Tongan woman has been granted the right to remain in New Zealand after the Refugee Tribunal found she would face persecution in Tonga because of her sexual orientation as a lesbian.
She is currently recognised as a refugee due to the danger she may face in her home country.
Tonga is among several Pacific countries, where same sex relationships are outlawed and can carry jail time.
Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Tonga Leitis Association, the only LGBTQI organisation in Tonga, Joey Joleen Mataele said many families are not open about the sexuality of their children, especially when it comes to lesbians.
"Gay and trans communities are so open but when it comes to lesbians it is a delicate issue," Joey said.
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The Advertiser
2 days ago
- The Advertiser
PM urged to hedge bets by boosting defence spending
Anthony Albanese is digging his heels in on lifting defence spending as the US heaps more pressure on its allies to increase their share. NATO members agreed to spend five per cent of their economic output on defence and security, after calls by US President Donald Trump. The boost has led to more pressure on Washington's Indo-Pacific allies to do the same, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt saying countries such as Australia should follow suit. "If our allies in Europe and our NATO allies can do that, I think our allies and our friends in the Asia-Pacific region can do it as well," she said. Analyst Andrew Carr said defence spending was a "hedge against a potential future" that could result in money being wasted or a nation harmed without the extra resources during wartime. "Given where we are now in the kind of worsening strategic environment, including in our region, there's probably a good reason for increasing spending faster even than it was proposed in 2023," the ANU Strategic and Defence Studies Centre senior lecturer said. The defence strategic review, released two years ago, found more funding will be required and must match the strategic circumstances Australia faces. Dr Carr said Australia had made a significant investment over the past 14 years in defence that amounted to a "near doubling" of spending in real terms. NATO nations will be expected to spend 3.5 per cent of their gross domestic product on core defence and a further 1.5 per cent on broader security. This includes adapting infrastructure for military use and protecting energy sources. Australia's defence spending is set to rise from two per cent of GDP now to 2.3 per cent by 2033/34. Appearing frustrated by repeated questions on whether Australia should increase its defence budget, the prime minster said the plan - which was taken to the federal election - will be followed through. "What we're doing is making sure that Australia has the capability that we need. That's what we're investing in," he told reporters in Sydney on Friday. "We've increased it by $57 billion over the medium term and by more than $10 billion in the short term as well." Spain objected to the spending pledge and flagged it did not intend to meet the five per cent target. Mr Trump warned the European nation its exports could be slapped with fresh tariffs by the US if it did no commit to the alliance's commitment on defence spending. Asked if he was concerned Australia could face a similar threat from the US president, Mr Albanese played down the prospect. "I'm not going to comment on things between Spain and the United States. What my job is is to look after Australia's national interest, that includes our defence and security interests," he said. Foreign Minister Penny Wong is preparing to fly to the US for talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The meeting with Mr Rubio will be part of discussions between the foreign ministers of Quad alliance nations, which includes Japan and India. Quad foreign ministers previously met in January, with the alliance focusing on issues in the Indo-Pacific. Opposition defence spokesman Angus Taylor said boosting spending levels was not about doing what the US wanted. "This is not about being bullied," he said. "This is about being doing the right thing for our great country, and that's what we want to see." Anthony Albanese is digging his heels in on lifting defence spending as the US heaps more pressure on its allies to increase their share. NATO members agreed to spend five per cent of their economic output on defence and security, after calls by US President Donald Trump. The boost has led to more pressure on Washington's Indo-Pacific allies to do the same, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt saying countries such as Australia should follow suit. "If our allies in Europe and our NATO allies can do that, I think our allies and our friends in the Asia-Pacific region can do it as well," she said. Analyst Andrew Carr said defence spending was a "hedge against a potential future" that could result in money being wasted or a nation harmed without the extra resources during wartime. "Given where we are now in the kind of worsening strategic environment, including in our region, there's probably a good reason for increasing spending faster even than it was proposed in 2023," the ANU Strategic and Defence Studies Centre senior lecturer said. The defence strategic review, released two years ago, found more funding will be required and must match the strategic circumstances Australia faces. Dr Carr said Australia had made a significant investment over the past 14 years in defence that amounted to a "near doubling" of spending in real terms. NATO nations will be expected to spend 3.5 per cent of their gross domestic product on core defence and a further 1.5 per cent on broader security. This includes adapting infrastructure for military use and protecting energy sources. Australia's defence spending is set to rise from two per cent of GDP now to 2.3 per cent by 2033/34. Appearing frustrated by repeated questions on whether Australia should increase its defence budget, the prime minster said the plan - which was taken to the federal election - will be followed through. "What we're doing is making sure that Australia has the capability that we need. That's what we're investing in," he told reporters in Sydney on Friday. "We've increased it by $57 billion over the medium term and by more than $10 billion in the short term as well." Spain objected to the spending pledge and flagged it did not intend to meet the five per cent target. Mr Trump warned the European nation its exports could be slapped with fresh tariffs by the US if it did no commit to the alliance's commitment on defence spending. Asked if he was concerned Australia could face a similar threat from the US president, Mr Albanese played down the prospect. "I'm not going to comment on things between Spain and the United States. What my job is is to look after Australia's national interest, that includes our defence and security interests," he said. Foreign Minister Penny Wong is preparing to fly to the US for talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The meeting with Mr Rubio will be part of discussions between the foreign ministers of Quad alliance nations, which includes Japan and India. Quad foreign ministers previously met in January, with the alliance focusing on issues in the Indo-Pacific. Opposition defence spokesman Angus Taylor said boosting spending levels was not about doing what the US wanted. "This is not about being bullied," he said. "This is about being doing the right thing for our great country, and that's what we want to see." Anthony Albanese is digging his heels in on lifting defence spending as the US heaps more pressure on its allies to increase their share. NATO members agreed to spend five per cent of their economic output on defence and security, after calls by US President Donald Trump. The boost has led to more pressure on Washington's Indo-Pacific allies to do the same, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt saying countries such as Australia should follow suit. "If our allies in Europe and our NATO allies can do that, I think our allies and our friends in the Asia-Pacific region can do it as well," she said. Analyst Andrew Carr said defence spending was a "hedge against a potential future" that could result in money being wasted or a nation harmed without the extra resources during wartime. "Given where we are now in the kind of worsening strategic environment, including in our region, there's probably a good reason for increasing spending faster even than it was proposed in 2023," the ANU Strategic and Defence Studies Centre senior lecturer said. The defence strategic review, released two years ago, found more funding will be required and must match the strategic circumstances Australia faces. Dr Carr said Australia had made a significant investment over the past 14 years in defence that amounted to a "near doubling" of spending in real terms. NATO nations will be expected to spend 3.5 per cent of their gross domestic product on core defence and a further 1.5 per cent on broader security. This includes adapting infrastructure for military use and protecting energy sources. Australia's defence spending is set to rise from two per cent of GDP now to 2.3 per cent by 2033/34. Appearing frustrated by repeated questions on whether Australia should increase its defence budget, the prime minster said the plan - which was taken to the federal election - will be followed through. "What we're doing is making sure that Australia has the capability that we need. That's what we're investing in," he told reporters in Sydney on Friday. "We've increased it by $57 billion over the medium term and by more than $10 billion in the short term as well." Spain objected to the spending pledge and flagged it did not intend to meet the five per cent target. Mr Trump warned the European nation its exports could be slapped with fresh tariffs by the US if it did no commit to the alliance's commitment on defence spending. Asked if he was concerned Australia could face a similar threat from the US president, Mr Albanese played down the prospect. "I'm not going to comment on things between Spain and the United States. What my job is is to look after Australia's national interest, that includes our defence and security interests," he said. Foreign Minister Penny Wong is preparing to fly to the US for talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The meeting with Mr Rubio will be part of discussions between the foreign ministers of Quad alliance nations, which includes Japan and India. Quad foreign ministers previously met in January, with the alliance focusing on issues in the Indo-Pacific. Opposition defence spokesman Angus Taylor said boosting spending levels was not about doing what the US wanted. "This is not about being bullied," he said. "This is about being doing the right thing for our great country, and that's what we want to see." Anthony Albanese is digging his heels in on lifting defence spending as the US heaps more pressure on its allies to increase their share. NATO members agreed to spend five per cent of their economic output on defence and security, after calls by US President Donald Trump. The boost has led to more pressure on Washington's Indo-Pacific allies to do the same, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt saying countries such as Australia should follow suit. "If our allies in Europe and our NATO allies can do that, I think our allies and our friends in the Asia-Pacific region can do it as well," she said. Analyst Andrew Carr said defence spending was a "hedge against a potential future" that could result in money being wasted or a nation harmed without the extra resources during wartime. "Given where we are now in the kind of worsening strategic environment, including in our region, there's probably a good reason for increasing spending faster even than it was proposed in 2023," the ANU Strategic and Defence Studies Centre senior lecturer said. The defence strategic review, released two years ago, found more funding will be required and must match the strategic circumstances Australia faces. Dr Carr said Australia had made a significant investment over the past 14 years in defence that amounted to a "near doubling" of spending in real terms. NATO nations will be expected to spend 3.5 per cent of their gross domestic product on core defence and a further 1.5 per cent on broader security. This includes adapting infrastructure for military use and protecting energy sources. Australia's defence spending is set to rise from two per cent of GDP now to 2.3 per cent by 2033/34. Appearing frustrated by repeated questions on whether Australia should increase its defence budget, the prime minster said the plan - which was taken to the federal election - will be followed through. "What we're doing is making sure that Australia has the capability that we need. That's what we're investing in," he told reporters in Sydney on Friday. "We've increased it by $57 billion over the medium term and by more than $10 billion in the short term as well." Spain objected to the spending pledge and flagged it did not intend to meet the five per cent target. Mr Trump warned the European nation its exports could be slapped with fresh tariffs by the US if it did no commit to the alliance's commitment on defence spending. Asked if he was concerned Australia could face a similar threat from the US president, Mr Albanese played down the prospect. "I'm not going to comment on things between Spain and the United States. What my job is is to look after Australia's national interest, that includes our defence and security interests," he said. Foreign Minister Penny Wong is preparing to fly to the US for talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The meeting with Mr Rubio will be part of discussions between the foreign ministers of Quad alliance nations, which includes Japan and India. Quad foreign ministers previously met in January, with the alliance focusing on issues in the Indo-Pacific. Opposition defence spokesman Angus Taylor said boosting spending levels was not about doing what the US wanted. "This is not about being bullied," he said. "This is about being doing the right thing for our great country, and that's what we want to see."
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- The Advertiser
Europe talks don't rule out rejecting new US trade deal
European Union leaders have discussed new US proposals for a trade deal, with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen not ruling out that tariff talks could fail and saying "all options remain on the table". Time is running out for the bloc to find a common position before a respite from higher tariffs threatened by US President Donald Trump expires on July 9, which could hammer exporters from cars to pharmaceuticals. The EU's two biggest economies were apparently at odds at the Brussels summit. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged the EU to do a "quick and simple" trade deal rather than a "slow and complicated" one. But in a separate briefing, French President Emmanuel Macron, while also wanting a quick and pragmatic trade deal, said his country would not accept terms that were not balanced. All tools must be used to ensure a fair deal and if the US baseline rate of 10 per cent remained in place, then Europe's response would have to have an equivalent impact, he said. "Our goodwill should not be seen as a weakness," Macron added. Von der Leyen said the EU had received the latest US document on Thursday for further negotiations and the bloc was still assessing it. "We are ready for a deal. At the same time, we are preparing for the possibility that no satisfactory agreement is reached," she told reporters. "In short, all options remain on the table." The bloc is already subject to US import tariffs of 50 per cent on its steel and aluminium, 25 per cent for cars and car parts along with the 10 per cent tariff on most other EU goods that Trump has threatened could rise to 50 per cent without an agreement. The European Union has agreed, but not imposed, tariffs on 21 billion euros of US goods and is debating a further package of tariffs on up to 95 billion euros of US imports. Among the EU rebalancing options is a tax on digital advertising, which would hit US giants like Alphabet Inc's Google, Meta, Apple, X and Microsoft and eat into the trade surplus in services the US has with the EU. The EU leaders also discussed ideas to carve out a new form of trade cooperation with Asia-Pacific countries, including Australia, that would be a way of reforming what they see as an ineffective World Trade Organisation. Merz said the idea was in its early stages but could include mechanisms to resolve disputes, as the WTO was meant to do. "You all know that the WTO doesn't work any more," he said. The EU summit follows a NATO meeting this week that agreed to drastically raise defence spending in the military alliance but left some European countries finding it difficult to pay, and Spain explicitly demanding an opt-out. The EU bloc also has to tackle a raft of other issues, including its support for Ukraine and the prospect of EU membership for a country still at war against nuclear-armed Russia. Hungary is firmly opposed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had urged the EU to pass a new sanctions package on Russia targeting its oil trade and banks, as well as to give a clear signal on his country's EU accession. Before the start of the summit however, Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico said he would block a vote on the sanctions until his country's concerns on gas supplies were addressed. European Union leaders have discussed new US proposals for a trade deal, with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen not ruling out that tariff talks could fail and saying "all options remain on the table". Time is running out for the bloc to find a common position before a respite from higher tariffs threatened by US President Donald Trump expires on July 9, which could hammer exporters from cars to pharmaceuticals. The EU's two biggest economies were apparently at odds at the Brussels summit. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged the EU to do a "quick and simple" trade deal rather than a "slow and complicated" one. But in a separate briefing, French President Emmanuel Macron, while also wanting a quick and pragmatic trade deal, said his country would not accept terms that were not balanced. All tools must be used to ensure a fair deal and if the US baseline rate of 10 per cent remained in place, then Europe's response would have to have an equivalent impact, he said. "Our goodwill should not be seen as a weakness," Macron added. Von der Leyen said the EU had received the latest US document on Thursday for further negotiations and the bloc was still assessing it. "We are ready for a deal. At the same time, we are preparing for the possibility that no satisfactory agreement is reached," she told reporters. "In short, all options remain on the table." The bloc is already subject to US import tariffs of 50 per cent on its steel and aluminium, 25 per cent for cars and car parts along with the 10 per cent tariff on most other EU goods that Trump has threatened could rise to 50 per cent without an agreement. The European Union has agreed, but not imposed, tariffs on 21 billion euros of US goods and is debating a further package of tariffs on up to 95 billion euros of US imports. Among the EU rebalancing options is a tax on digital advertising, which would hit US giants like Alphabet Inc's Google, Meta, Apple, X and Microsoft and eat into the trade surplus in services the US has with the EU. The EU leaders also discussed ideas to carve out a new form of trade cooperation with Asia-Pacific countries, including Australia, that would be a way of reforming what they see as an ineffective World Trade Organisation. Merz said the idea was in its early stages but could include mechanisms to resolve disputes, as the WTO was meant to do. "You all know that the WTO doesn't work any more," he said. The EU summit follows a NATO meeting this week that agreed to drastically raise defence spending in the military alliance but left some European countries finding it difficult to pay, and Spain explicitly demanding an opt-out. The EU bloc also has to tackle a raft of other issues, including its support for Ukraine and the prospect of EU membership for a country still at war against nuclear-armed Russia. Hungary is firmly opposed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had urged the EU to pass a new sanctions package on Russia targeting its oil trade and banks, as well as to give a clear signal on his country's EU accession. Before the start of the summit however, Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico said he would block a vote on the sanctions until his country's concerns on gas supplies were addressed. European Union leaders have discussed new US proposals for a trade deal, with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen not ruling out that tariff talks could fail and saying "all options remain on the table". Time is running out for the bloc to find a common position before a respite from higher tariffs threatened by US President Donald Trump expires on July 9, which could hammer exporters from cars to pharmaceuticals. The EU's two biggest economies were apparently at odds at the Brussels summit. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged the EU to do a "quick and simple" trade deal rather than a "slow and complicated" one. But in a separate briefing, French President Emmanuel Macron, while also wanting a quick and pragmatic trade deal, said his country would not accept terms that were not balanced. All tools must be used to ensure a fair deal and if the US baseline rate of 10 per cent remained in place, then Europe's response would have to have an equivalent impact, he said. "Our goodwill should not be seen as a weakness," Macron added. Von der Leyen said the EU had received the latest US document on Thursday for further negotiations and the bloc was still assessing it. "We are ready for a deal. At the same time, we are preparing for the possibility that no satisfactory agreement is reached," she told reporters. "In short, all options remain on the table." The bloc is already subject to US import tariffs of 50 per cent on its steel and aluminium, 25 per cent for cars and car parts along with the 10 per cent tariff on most other EU goods that Trump has threatened could rise to 50 per cent without an agreement. The European Union has agreed, but not imposed, tariffs on 21 billion euros of US goods and is debating a further package of tariffs on up to 95 billion euros of US imports. Among the EU rebalancing options is a tax on digital advertising, which would hit US giants like Alphabet Inc's Google, Meta, Apple, X and Microsoft and eat into the trade surplus in services the US has with the EU. The EU leaders also discussed ideas to carve out a new form of trade cooperation with Asia-Pacific countries, including Australia, that would be a way of reforming what they see as an ineffective World Trade Organisation. Merz said the idea was in its early stages but could include mechanisms to resolve disputes, as the WTO was meant to do. "You all know that the WTO doesn't work any more," he said. The EU summit follows a NATO meeting this week that agreed to drastically raise defence spending in the military alliance but left some European countries finding it difficult to pay, and Spain explicitly demanding an opt-out. The EU bloc also has to tackle a raft of other issues, including its support for Ukraine and the prospect of EU membership for a country still at war against nuclear-armed Russia. Hungary is firmly opposed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had urged the EU to pass a new sanctions package on Russia targeting its oil trade and banks, as well as to give a clear signal on his country's EU accession. Before the start of the summit however, Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico said he would block a vote on the sanctions until his country's concerns on gas supplies were addressed. European Union leaders have discussed new US proposals for a trade deal, with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen not ruling out that tariff talks could fail and saying "all options remain on the table". Time is running out for the bloc to find a common position before a respite from higher tariffs threatened by US President Donald Trump expires on July 9, which could hammer exporters from cars to pharmaceuticals. The EU's two biggest economies were apparently at odds at the Brussels summit. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged the EU to do a "quick and simple" trade deal rather than a "slow and complicated" one. But in a separate briefing, French President Emmanuel Macron, while also wanting a quick and pragmatic trade deal, said his country would not accept terms that were not balanced. All tools must be used to ensure a fair deal and if the US baseline rate of 10 per cent remained in place, then Europe's response would have to have an equivalent impact, he said. "Our goodwill should not be seen as a weakness," Macron added. Von der Leyen said the EU had received the latest US document on Thursday for further negotiations and the bloc was still assessing it. "We are ready for a deal. At the same time, we are preparing for the possibility that no satisfactory agreement is reached," she told reporters. "In short, all options remain on the table." The bloc is already subject to US import tariffs of 50 per cent on its steel and aluminium, 25 per cent for cars and car parts along with the 10 per cent tariff on most other EU goods that Trump has threatened could rise to 50 per cent without an agreement. The European Union has agreed, but not imposed, tariffs on 21 billion euros of US goods and is debating a further package of tariffs on up to 95 billion euros of US imports. Among the EU rebalancing options is a tax on digital advertising, which would hit US giants like Alphabet Inc's Google, Meta, Apple, X and Microsoft and eat into the trade surplus in services the US has with the EU. The EU leaders also discussed ideas to carve out a new form of trade cooperation with Asia-Pacific countries, including Australia, that would be a way of reforming what they see as an ineffective World Trade Organisation. Merz said the idea was in its early stages but could include mechanisms to resolve disputes, as the WTO was meant to do. "You all know that the WTO doesn't work any more," he said. The EU summit follows a NATO meeting this week that agreed to drastically raise defence spending in the military alliance but left some European countries finding it difficult to pay, and Spain explicitly demanding an opt-out. The EU bloc also has to tackle a raft of other issues, including its support for Ukraine and the prospect of EU membership for a country still at war against nuclear-armed Russia. Hungary is firmly opposed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had urged the EU to pass a new sanctions package on Russia targeting its oil trade and banks, as well as to give a clear signal on his country's EU accession. Before the start of the summit however, Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico said he would block a vote on the sanctions until his country's concerns on gas supplies were addressed.
Sky News AU
2 days ago
- Sky News AU
Albanese refuses to budge on defence expenditure as NATO allies agree to 5 per cent
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has refused to budge on Australian defence spending following a recent agreement from NATO allies to increase to 5 per cent of GDP. This comes as White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt suggested Indo-Pacific countries should follow NATO allies and 'do it as well'. The Australian government is considering lifting its 2033 target of 2.33 per cent but has resisted the 3.5 per cent calls by President Trump's administration.
