Latest news with #COP31
Scoop
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Pacific News In Brief For 2 July
Fiji/Australia - visit Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka is leading a delegation on a high-level visit to Australia this week. The Fiji government said Rabuka will meet with the Fijian diaspora in Canberra and Brisbane and tour some significant Australian institutions and sites that reflect the ties between the two nations. As part of the visit, discussions would focus on strengthening border and ports capabilities, deepening security cooperation, and reinforcing regional solidarity in support of a safe, stable, and resilient Blue Pacific. On Tuesday, Rabuka met with Sam Mostyn, governor-general of the Commonwealth of Australia, where they reaffirmed the enduring strength of the renewed and elevated Fiji-Australia Vuvale Partnership. Rabuka also reiterated Fiji's support for Australia's bid to host COP31. Vanuatu - information Vanuatu's Parliament has passed an amendment to the Right to Information (RTI) Act, exempting all decisions made by the Council of Ministers (COM) from public disclosure. The amendment, introduced during the first ordinary session of Parliament this year, has drawn concern from civil society leaders, media organisations, and transparency advocates. Vanuatu Daily Post reported a major concern for critics is the delay in releasing the Citizenship Report from the Commission of Inquiry, recently submitted to Justice Minister Job Andy. A government source warned shielding Cabinet decisions from scrutiny could damage public confidence, adding that when decisions are made behind closed doors, without accountability, it opens the door to abuse of power. In New Zealand, the Official Information Act allows people to request government documentation, including correspondence. Samoa - babies In Samoa, a church leader has called on the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) to only give 1000 tala (US$366.28) to babies whose parents are married - and not to babies born out of wedlock. Preaching at the HRPP manifesto launch in Savai'i last week, Reverend Tuigamala addressed their proposal to give money to every newborn baby. He said such promises must be carefully reviewed through a spiritual lens. HRPP deputy leader Lauofo Fonotoe acknowledged the reverend's comments and confirmed that the party has taken note of his concerns. Tuigamala also raised concerns about the state of Samoa's prayer buildings, urging for their restoration as a sign of national spiritual alignment. Fiji - dynamite Dynamite and a detonator normally used by mining companies have been found on a farm in Sigatoka, Fiji. The dynamite stick, mining blast cables and detonator were found by a farmer at the weekend. Police spokesperson, Ana Naisoro, said they were found inside a water tank about 200 metres away from his house. The scene has been cordoned off and the Republic of Fiji Military Forces have been asked to investigate.
West Australian
2 days ago
- Business
- West Australian
Michaelia Cash urges Albanese to maintain ‘vital' Pacific relations after Vanuatu dumped a key strategic pact
Shadow Foreign Minister Michaelia Cash has urged the Albanese Government to maintain Australia's 'vitally important' Pacific relations after Vanuatu dumped a key strategic pact. Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat has refused to ratify the agreement in its current form, demanding relaxed immigration be added in what experts describe as a 'eyebrow raising' ultimatum. Shortly after he was elected in February, Mr Napat had flagged his intention to revisit the Vanuatu-Australia Nakamal Partnership Agreement — which was first penned in 2022. 'It is up to the Albanese Government to negotiate a pact in Australia's best strategic interests,' WA's most senior Liberal said. 'Australia's immigration settings with our Pacific neighbours are vitally important and should not be compromised.' Lowy Institute's Pacific Islands program director Mihai Sora said how Australia responds could set a precedent for other negotiations with Pacific leaders who 'almost universally seek easier access'. 'Vanuatu knows that Australia really wants this security pact to be ratified,' he said. 'I'm not sure that it will be a successful line in the sand that he's drawn. I'd say it's an eyebrow raising condition. 'It's not realistic that Australia would be able to grant visa free access to Vanuatu nations even for short term temporary access.' He said it was unlikely Australia would relax migration policies due to transnational crime concerns, as under passport investment schemes people without links to the nation can buy citizenship. 'If Vanuatu then has that visa free access to Australia, then Australia becomes vulnerable to these new elements of transnational crime,' he warned. Mr Napat hasn't yet made it clear whether he's seeking temporary or permanent immigration measures in his demands. But Mr Sora said either way it was 'disingenuous' to say that the pact wasn't 'win-win' in attempting to leverage better terms — as it would likely be a boon for the small Pacific nation. Mr Napat's decision comes amid a joint bid by Australia and Pacific countries for the COP31 in 2026 — the world's biggest clean energy trade summit. Mr Sora said Vanuatu has long been one of the 'most activist' and leading voices in the region on climate change, so their continued endorsement of Australia to host COP 31 was 'very important'. 'That continued endorsement from Pacific countries for Australia to cohost COP31 is really important,' he said. 'So, the relationship with Vanuatu bilaterally is among the most important for Australia right now, as well as obviously, one of the most difficult or delicate.' ANU College of Asia and the Pacific PhD candidate Henrietta McNeill said the timing amid the COP31 bid likely wasn't a coincidence. 'In terms of the COP31 pitch, Türkiye is still going for it and Australia is trying really hard, so it needs to have its Pacific neighbours on board. So maybe for Vanuatu, now is the time to strike in terms of getting something that it wants in its negotiations,' she said. Ms McNeill also said there was 'quite a lot of geopolitical competition' for Pacific nations in the region, allowing them to exert their agency. 'There are lots of countries that are trying to get security agreements with Pacific Island countries. Australia and China have a kind of equal influence,' she said. 'Australia is seeking to get their trust signed on the dotted line in this kind of uncertain geopolitical environment. I think China's going about things in slightly different ways. 'They've got a strong influence. They will be watching, definitely.' China's growing influence in the region has included police training and equipment gifts in Vanuatu. Anthony Albanese on Tuesday talked up Australia's Pacific relations in a breakfast blitz of TV interviews as his foreign minister Penny Wong travelled to Washington to meet her US counterpart. The Prime Minister said along with investing in Defence assets to suppose Australia's capability — maintaining Pacific relationships was a priority. 'Our relationships in this region are very important,' he said, citing increased relationships with Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu and Nauru. 'The announcements that we've made with Tuvalu and Nauru (are) important relationships for the Indo-Pacific region. We are doing all of that and making an enormous difference,' he said. Amid the increased tension in the region, the PM also told reporters he was not prioritising China above the US. It comes as he will travel to China to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in coming weeks but has not yet secured a face-to-face meeting with US President Donald Trump. 'We're an important ally for the United States. We are a middle power who exercise a great deal of influence in the Indo-Pacific, in ASEAN, and we play a very important role in peace and security in the region,' the PM said.
Scoop
3 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Francesca Muskovic Joins The Investor Group On Climate Change As Executive Director, Policy
One of Australia's most influential and expert climate policy leaders Francesca Muskovic will join IGCC in late July after almost ten years at the Property Council of Australia. As the council's National Policy Director, Francesca has led the property industry's national policy and advocacy agenda on sustainability, cities, housing and regulatory affairs. Francesca represents industry on numerous Government advisory boards, including as a Non-Executive Director of the Australian Building Codes Board. In November 2024 The Australian recognised Francesca as one of the country's top 100 energy players. Francesca also co-hosts the popular climate and energy podcast Let Me Sum Up, which has become industry and policy insiders' go-to source of specialist analysis and commentary. Investor Group on Climate Change CEO, Rebecca Mikula-Wright said: 'Francesca's record at the Property Council shows all the reasons she'll be an excellent fit leading IGCC's policy work. 'She has organised and amplified the voices of a sector that is Australia's largest industry and biggest employer. 'Her exceptional networks in policy-making circles, her deep climate expertise, and her deft navigation through a complex environment have been instrumental in policy outcomes that are good for the industry and maximise Australia's climate opportunities. 'Just like the property industry, institutional investors need a supportive policy environment to manage the risks and take advantages of Australia's transition to a resilient, net zero economy.' Francesca Muskovic said: 'I'm delighted to be joining Rebecca and the IGCC team to drive ambitious policy reform in what is a critical decade for climate action. "Investors need certainty on Australia's long-term policy trajectory and competitive settings to ensure Australia is at the forefront of the global race for capital and investment in the net zero transition. 'With the prospect of Australia hosting COP31 in 2026, the eyes of the world will be focused on us and our Pacific neighbours. There is no better backdrop to commit to the strongest possible 2035 emission target, drive the reform necessary and attract investment to the vast opportunities the transition provides. 'I've long admired IGCC's impact and look forward to working with their dedicated team to advance the mission towards a climate-resilient, net zero economy.'
France 24
25-06-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Turkey tussles with Australia to host 2026 UN climate talks
At a meeting of climate diplomats, Turkey promised a world-class COP31 venue in Antalya, a seaside city that has previously hosted G20 and NATO conferences. "We are ready to make COP31 accessible, functional and inspiring," Aysin Turpanci, an official from Turkey's directorate of climate change, told delegates at mid-year UN negotiations in the German city of Bonn. She said Turkey's strategic position between Europe and Asia and its ability to bridge divides between developed and developing nations made it the ideal host. As anxiety grows over the cost and availability of accommodation for this year's summit in the Brazilian city of Belem, she said Antalya boasted more than 600,000 hotel beds. "The prices are able to serve participants from all levels," she told diplomats and non-governmental representatives at a special side event in Bonn to push Turkey's case. Nearly 200 nations attend the annual COP summits, which rotate through five groups of countries that must nominate, by consensus, a candidate to host the marathon climate negotiations. The "Western European and Other States" bloc is hosting in 2026 and two bids have emerged -- Turkey and Australia, which has proposed co-hosting with neighbouring Pacific Island nations. Persistent An Australian official in Bonn told AFP that Canberra was "working very hard to resolve the COP31 bid". Earlier this month, the country's environment minister, Murray Watt, also used a platform on the world stage to push Australia's case. "It's time for a climate COP in the Pacific region," Watt told government ministers at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France. "COP31 would be an unprecedented opportunity to bring global attention to the unique challenges and opportunities in the Blue Pacific." The Pacific is severely threatened by rising seas and worsening storms, and many small island leaders have urged Turkey to withdraw from the race. But Ankara shows no sign of budging. "We reiterate our candidacy for COP presidency," the country's deputy environment minister, Fatma Varank, told delegates in Bonn. Veteran climate analyst Alden Meyer said Turkey was "definitely being very persistent in their bid". "Everyone is wondering, what is the game here? What does Turkey really want?" Meyer, from think tank E3G, told AFP in Bonn. "And it may or may not be anything related to climate", he added, pointing to possible trade or political goals. What is clear -- a winning candidate is not now expected to be declared during Bonn as hoped, Meyer said.
Bloomberg
25-06-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Turkey Steps Up Race Against Australia to Host COP31 Talks
By Updated on Save Turkey is ramping up a campaign to host next year's annual United Nations climate talks, rivaling a competing proposal from Australia for the event that attracts tens of thousands of delegates. The nation aims to stage the COP31 talks, scheduled to open in November 2026, in the resort city of Antalya, according to a government statement Wednesday.
