Daily Round Up - 21 December 2008

Australia

The Australian Government has hit back at criticism of its Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.  Climate Change Minister, Penny Wong has told reporters the government's 5% target represents a "sustainable reduction" in carbon emissions.

Convicted terrorism supporter and former Guantanamo Bay detainee, David Hicks is today a free man after a control order on him expired at midnight.  Mr Hicks' father has said his son will now focus on his rehabilitation into society.

Australia will provide $5 million to help facilitate upcoming elections in Afghanistan.  The Prime Minister's office has said in a statement, "the international community needs to ensure that the Afghanistan Independent Election Commission is sufficiently resourced."

Bangladesh

Bloomberg reports  the Bangladeshi government has deployed almost 50,000 troops ahead of national elections to be held on 29 December.  The government says the troops will be deployed across the nation's 64 regions to quell any possible violence during the elections.

A UK court has heard that an NHS doctor was bound, gagged and injected with mind altering drugs while being held captive in Bangladesh for four months.

Bhutan

Bhutan's first daily newspaper, Bhutan Today was launched this week.  The eight page daily will be delivered by pony and on foot and could take up to a week to reach some of the country's most remote regions.  Bhuddist monks have been praying for the paper's success.

China/Taiwan

Two pandas promised to Taiwan in 2005 by the Chinese government as a goodwill gesture will finally begin  their journey to their new home on Tuesday.

Senior Taiwanese cabinet officials will soon be allowed to travel to mainland China following a change in policy  from Taipei.  Taiwan is also considering lifting a ban on military personnel traveling to the mainland.

Fiji

Leaders from the Pacific Islands Forum will meet next month  to consider suspending Fiji from the forum.

India

Following a slow down in inflation, economists are calling on India's central bank to extend the steepest interest-rate cuts since 2000.

The Indian Government is claiming to have killed three top militants from terrorist group Lashkar-e-Toiba in India controlled Kashmir.  See this APB Reader for background.

Indonesia

The Indonesian Government is refusing to negotiate  with Somali pirates who are holding 11

Japan

Cabinet has approved another $54 billion spending package to ease the recession.

Myanmar

Authorities have arrested 19 North Korean defectors. The group are said to have been trying to escape to South Korea to visit family.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka's defence ministry says it has destroyed a Tamil Tiger arms ship off the north east coast.

Responses to the Australian Carbon Polution Reduction Scheme

This week, the Australian Government released its White Paper on an emissions trading scheme (ETS) or, as the government is calling it, a carbon pollution reduction scheme.  APB takes a look at some of the commentary following the Australian Government’s announcement.

Today I announced one of the largest and most important structural reforms to our economy in a generation, the introduction of a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.  Kevin Rudd, 15 December 2008 

The Coalition will make a considered evaluation of the Government’s proposed emissions trading scheme released today.  Joint statement, Malcolm Turnbull, Andrew Robb, 15 December 2008  

Rudd, seized by the potential of the financial crisis to do greater economic harm next year, has taken the path of least possible resistance. In doing so, he has disappointed his supporters who treated climate change like an article of faith.  Dennis Shanahan (The Australian) 16 December 2008

Kevin Rudd has joined the likes of John Howard this week by walking away from treating climate change as serious threat to Australia’s future.  Simon Sheikh – GetUp! National Director

The Rudd Government has chosen to make one of the most important decisions it will ever make on the basis of lobbying by polluters instead on the clear evidence  Christine Milne 16 December 2008

Put precisely, Rudd is a green Howard. He has made climate change into a magic pudding. It is a work of political genius that would make Howard proud. Paul Kelly 17 December 2008

I regard the Australian plan ... as an opening bid, but an opening bid that is clearly not enough. Marthinus van Shalkwyk, South African Environment Minister 17 December 2008