Daily Round Up - Saturday 20 December 2008

Australia

The Rudd Government’s principal climate change adviser, Professor Ross Garnaut has lashed out at the Government’s new White Paper on the subject.

“There are a number of budgetary risks in the structure of payments to trade exposed industries,” Professor Garnaut is quote in The Australian.  “There are substantial risks the scheme will not be self-funding over time.”

Meanwhile, Paul Kelly also writes in The Australian, that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has decided to push ahead with his plan for an EU style Asia Pacific community despite reports of a lukewarm reception throughout the region.

China is reportedly happy with the proposal provided it does not lead to a downgrading of established regional bodies such as ASEAN plus 3.

China

The Chinese government has cut the price of fuel earlier than expected.  Analysts are now expecting a fuel hoard to develop before China's new fuel tax is implemented on 1 January 2009.

Fiji

The Fiji Times reports that Fijian President, Ratu Josefa Iloilo has approved the contents of a report by the National Council for Building a Better Fiji (NCBBF) regarding the People’s Charter.

The Fijian Government is refusing to reveal the contents of a letter sent to the New Zealand Foreign Minister.  It has been reported the New Zealand High Commissioner to Fiji,  had been expelled from the country however he has since appeared on NZ television refuting such claims.

India

Indian Minister for External Affairs, Pranab Mukherjee has said India obliged to, “consider the entire range of options that exist,” following the failure of Pakistan to demonstrably renounced terrorism within its boarders.

His comments come after Pakistani President Zardari declared yesterday that there was no “real evidence” of Pakistani involvement in the recent terror attacks in Mumbai.

Papua New Guinea

PNG is facing a shortage of potable water following Tuesday's tidal waves.  The UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs is warning about the risk of water-bourne disease.

BBS News reports the floods have displaced as many as 75,000 people and have affected people in PNG, Bougenville, the Solomon Islands and the Marshall Islands.

Philippines

Following Thursday's twin bombing in Iligan City, the UK Government has reissued its travel advice for the Philippines.  The UK is urging British nationals to avoid travel to mainland Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago.

Meanwhile the Philippines military is linking members of the Moro Islamic Liberatoin Front (MILF) to the bombings.

South Korea

Opposition lawmakers have used sledgehammers to try to break into a parliamentary committee room as the committee debated the US-South Korea FTA.

The last South Korean troops have come home from Iraq.

President Lee Myung-bak has called for "unprecedented measures" to reform the nation's labour markets

Thailand

Thailand's new prime minister has called for his predecessor, Thaskin Shinawatra to return home and face corruption charges.

Daily Round Up - Friday 19 December 2008

Australia

Following an influx of boatpeople, the Australian Government will open the new $400 million detention facility on Christmas Island.  The Opposition has accused the Government of cutting funding the Australian Customs Service in the May budget. 

India/Pakistan

The Times of India reports that Pakistani President Zardari, after previously acknowledging the role played by Pakistani nationals in the recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai now claims there is no “real evidence” to support such a theory. 

Indonesia 

According to the Jakarta Post, The House of Representatives failed to pass the Financial System Safety Net (JPSK) on Thursday which would have given full authority to the Finance Minsiter and the Central Bank Governor to respond to the financial crisis.

Meanwhile, the House has voted in favor of a bill that would extend the retirement age of Supreme Court justices to 70 years. 

Japan

For the first time in seven years, the Japanese government is forecasting zero GDP growth.  The government is now projecting zero growth for the year ending 2010 and the Bank of Japan has cut a key interest rate to 0.1%.

New Zealand

NZ Treasury – Unemployment is tipped to rise andas many as 68,000 New Zealanders will lose their job in the next 15 months as a result of the global recession. 

Meanwhile the New Zealand Herald reports that as many as 100 New Zealanders are migrating to Australia a day.