Archive
AU: Prime Minister and Minister for Defence – Joint Media Release – Release of the 2013 Defence White Paper
Prime Minister and Minister for Defence – Joint Media Release – Release of the 2013 Defence White Paper
Source: Australian Government, Department of Defence
Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Defence Minister Stephen Smith today released the 2013 Defence White Paper.
The 2013 Defence White Paper complements the National Security Strategy released on 23 January 2013, and the Australia in the Asian Century White Paper released on 28 October 2012.
These three documents are a statement of the priority the Government places on Australia’s security and prosperity, and on maintaining a strong Australian Defence Force to meet Australia’s national security challenges.
The White Paper addresses the range of significant international and domestic developments since 2009, which influence Australia’s national security and defence settings, including their impact on force posture, future force structure and the Defence budget.
These developments include:
- the ongoing economic strategic and military shift to the Indo-Pacific;
- the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) operational drawdown from Afghanistan, Timor-Leste and Solomon Islands;
- the United States’ re-balance to the Asia-Pacific;
- Australia’s substantially enhanced practical cooperation with the United States pursuant to our Alliance relationship; and
- the ongoing adverse effects of the Global Financial Crisis, which have continued to have a significant deleterious impact on the global economy, domestic fiscal circumstances and Defence funding.
The White Paper outlines the Government’s judgement that the strategic shift to the Indo-Pacific means growing prosperity, but also brings some uncertainty and risk.
Regional military modernisation is increasing the ability of nations to exert military power.
Regional Economic Outlook: Asia and Pacific
Regional Economic Outlook: Asia and Pacific
Source: International Monetary Fund
Growth in the Asia-Pacific region shows signs of improving as extreme risks emanating from advanced economies have receded and domestic demand remains resilient, supported by relatively easy financial conditions and robust labor markets. A small and gradual pick-up in growth to over 5¾ percent is projected in the course of 2013. Risks to the outlook from within the region, such as rising financial imbalances and asset prices in some economies, are coming clearer into focus. Although Asia’s banking and corporate sectors have solid buffers, monetary policymakers should stand ready to respond early and decisively to shifting risks, and macroprudential measures will also have a role to play. In many Asian economies, some fiscal consolidation could also rebuild the space needed to respond to future shocks and preempt potential overheating pressures from capital inflows. In particular, there is a growing need to make tax and spending policies more efficient. To sustain high growth rates and alleviate the “middle-income trap” across Emerging Asia, the policy agenda will vary by jurisdiction but will also often include strengthening infrastructure investment and reforming goods and labor markets.
Prisoners in Australia, 2012
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics
This publication presents information from the National Prisoner Census about persons held in Australian prisons on the night of 30 June 2012. The National Prisoner Census covers all prisoners in the legal custody of adult corrective services in adult prisons, including periodic detainees in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. It excludes persons held in juvenile justice institutions, psychiatric custody and police custody. It is based on data extracted from administrative records held by the corrective services agencies in each Australian state and territory. These statistics provide a profile of the legal status, sentence details and demographic characteristics of Australian prisoners in the legal custody of adult prisons.
Users of this publication should note that it provides a statistical picture of the persons in prison at a point in time (30 June 2012), and does not represent the flow of prisoners during the year. The majority of prisoners in the annual Prisoner Census were serving long-term sentences for serious offences, whereas the flow of offenders in and out of prisons consists primarily of persons serving short sentences for lesser offences. Complementary information to this publication about Australian prisoners is available in the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) quarterly publication, Corrective Services, Australia (cat. no. 4512.0).
CRS — The Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations and Issues for Congress
The Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations and Issues for Congress (PDF)
Source: Congressional Research Service (via Federation of American Scientists)
The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a proposed regional free trade agreement (FTA) being negotiated among the United States, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. On March 15, 2013, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced that Japan would seek to participate in the TPP negotiations. U.S. negotiators and others describe and envision the TPP as a “comprehensive and high-standard” FTA that aims to liberalize trade in nearly all goods and services and include commitments beyond those currently established in the World Trade Organization (WTO). The broad outline of an agreement was announced on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) ministerial in November 2011, in Honolulu, HI. If concluded as envisioned, the TPP potentially could eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade and investment among the parties and could serve as a template for a future trade pact among APEC members and potentially other countries. Congress has a direct interest in the negotiations, both through influencing U.S. negotiating positions with the executive branch, and by passing legislation to implement any resulting agreement.
The 16th round of negotiations concluded in Singapore on March 14, 2013, and the 17th round is scheduled to be held in Lima, Peru in May 2013. The current goal is to reach an agreement in time for the October 2013 APEC summit in Indonesia. For this deadline to be achieved, outstanding negotiating positions may need to be tabled soon in order for political decisions to be made. The negotiating dynamic itself is complex: decisions on key market access issues such as dairy, sugar, and textiles and apparel may be dependent on the outcome of controversial rules negotiations such as intellectual property rights or state-owned enterprises.
Twenty-nine chapters in the agreement are under discussion. The United States is negotiating market access for goods, services, and agriculture with countries with which it does not currently have FTAs: Brunei, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Vietnam. Negotiations are also being conducted on disciplines to intellectual property rights, trade in services, government procurement, investment, rules of origin, competition, labor, and environmental standards and other issues. In many cases, the rules being negotiated are intended to be more rigorous than comparable rules found in the WTO. Some topics, such as state-owned enterprises, regulatory coherence, and supply chain competitiveness, break new ground in FTA negotiations. As the countries that make up the TPP negotiating partners include advanced industrialized, middle income, and developing economies, the TPP, if implemented, may involve substantial restructuring of the economies of some participants.
The TPP serves several strategic goals in U.S. trade policy. First, it is the leading trade policy initiative of the Obama Administration, and is a manifestation of the Administration’s “pivot” to Asia. If concluded, it may serve to shape the economic architecture of the Asia-Pacific region by harmonizing existing agreements with U.S. FTA partners, attracting new participants, and establishing regional rules on new policy issues facing the global economy—possibly providing impetus to future multilateral liberalization under the WTO.
As the negotiations proceed, a number of issues important to Congress are emerging. One is whether the United States can balance its vision of creating a “comprehensive and high standard” agreement with a large and expanding group of countries, while not insisting on terms that other countries will reject. Another issue is how Congress will consider the TPP, if concluded. The present negotiations are not being conducted under the auspices of formal trade promotion authority (TPA)—the latest TPA expired on July 1, 2007—although the Administration informally
CRS — New Zealand: U.S. Security Cooperation and the U.S. Rebalancing to Asia Strategy
New Zealand: U.S. Security Cooperation and the U.S. Rebalancing to Asia Strategy (PDF)
Source: Congressional Research Service (via Federation of American Scientists)
As part of its strategy to rebalance toward Asia the Obama Administration has greatly expanded cooperation and reestablished close ties with New Zealand. Changes in the security realm have been particularly notable as the two sides have restored close defense cooperation, which was suspended in the mid-1980s due to differences over nuclear policy. The two nations are now working together increasingly closely in the area of defense and security cooperation while also seeking to coordinate efforts in the South Pacific. The United States and New Zealand are also working together to help shape emerging architectures in the Asia-Pacific such as the 11-nation Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement negotiation in which New Zealand has played a key role.
Members of Congress interested in oversight of the Obama Administration’s rebalancing to Asia strategy and the United States’ presence in the South Pacific as well as Members associated with the Friends of New Zealand Congressional Caucus may be interested in these new developments in the bilateral relationship. Congressional interest has also been demonstrated through Members’ participation in the Pacific Partnership Forum with New Zealand.
In discussing how the United States is updating alliances to address new demands and “building new partnerships,” then-Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton cited in November 2011 the outreach effort to New Zealand, among other countries, as “part of a broader effort to ensure a more comprehensive approach to American strategy and engagement in the region.” She added that “We are asking these emerging partners to join us in shaping and participating in a rulesbased regional and global order.” It is of interest to note that New Zealand, a nation that like Australia has fought alongside the United States in most of its wars, is now being reconceived as a “new” partner.
While the current right-of-center government of Prime Minister John Key has moved forward in restoring bilateral ties with the United States, some analysts in New Zealand are concerned that if this trend is taken too far it may threaten New Zealand’s trade interests with China. Others in New Zealand are also concerned that moving too far too fast with the United States may jeopardize New Zealand’s independence in foreign policy.
The Obama Administration’s move away from old restrictions on bilateral ties, as demonstrated by the opening of U.S. naval ports to New Zealand ships, will likely continue to move bilateral ties forward. This desire on both sides to continue to strengthen relations was demonstrated by the 2010 Wellington Declaration and the 2012 Washington Declaration. In the view of many, the improvement in bilateral relations marked by these two agreements will better enable both nations to navigate the shifting geopolitical dynamics of both the South Pacific and the larger the Asia Pacific region, including the rise of China. New Zealand’s national identity, values, and economic interests will all likely influence its external engagement in the years ahead. Values, as well as interests, have played a role in explaining past differences between the United States and New Zealand and why the two nations are once again close Pacific partners.
What Matters to Australians: Our Social, Political and Economic Values
What Matters to Australians: Our Social, Political and Economic Values (PDF)
Source: Australia Research Council (Anatomy of Civil Societies Research Project)
Societies are complex entities with competing and conflicting and supporting and reinforcing characteristics. This study, part of a multiyear project sponsored by the Australian Research Council (ARC) in conjunction with the University of Technology, Sydney and Melbourne Business School, seeks to chart the social, economic and political preferences of our society using a unique methodology that provides us with a more accurate and robust picture of how we, as citizens, make fundamental trade-offs about things of material interest to our society.
The study was conducted in Australia with more than 1,500 participants chosen to match the profile of the voting age population. Similar studies were conducted in the UK, USA and Germany. Examined were 16 categories of general social, economic and political issues that ranged from the local (e.g., crime & public safety) to the global (e.g., global security) along with 113 subissues that also varied from the local (e.g., public transport and children’s schooling) to the global (e.g., nuclear non-proliferation and third world debt). This information was linked to information on the population’s religious and political activities, its general demographics, and donating and volunteering activities with civil society organisations.
Some obvious and not so obvious results arise from this study. What is perhaps most obvious is that local issues dominate global issues. Most fundamentally – at both the category and individual issue levels – Australians are much more concerned about issues that relate to them and their local community. A less obvious finding is how little these preferences of Australians vary across the demographic spectrum. There is a tendency to believe that the ‘rich’ are different from the ‘poor’ or that the ‘old’ are different from the ‘young’ or men from women. However, our results show that this is less likely than expected. Although some demographic differences exist, they are fundamentally marginal and do not really drive the big issues motivating the population at large. More important is that these preferences are related to people’s political orientation.
What is potentially the most critical finding is the degree to which a strongly emotive issue – environmental sustainability – has fallen in the general preferences of Australians. A critical issue of concern in 2007, environmental sustainability – both as a general category and when examined at the specific issue level – is today a middling issue that is neither salient nor not salient.
Overall, our results present a nuanced view of the social, economic and political preferences of the Australian population. It is valuable in informing businesses, policy makers, politicians and civil society organisations in developing their strategies for the future.
Telecommunications and Lawful Access: The Legislative Situation in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia
Source: Library of Parliament, Canada
This paper deals with “lawful access,”an investigative technique used by law enforcement agencies and national security agencies. It involves the interception of communications and seizure of information during a search, where authorized by law.
Targeting crime prevention to reduce offending: Identifying communities that generate chronic and costly offenders
Source: Australian Institute of Criminology
There has recently been renewed interest in place-based approaches for targeting crime prevention, such as justice reinvestment. This project linked research from life course and place-based criminology to explore whether some communities generated chronic and costly offenders. The Semi-Parametric Group-based Method was used to identify non-normative or chronic offenders in the 1990 Queensland Longitudinal Dataset (n=14,171). The postal areas generating chronic offenders were identified based on the proportion of the population who were chronic offenders and the overall cost of chronic offenders. The offender’s first recorded postal area was used to assign location. The top 10 percent of postal areas generating chronic offenders accounted for 20.5 percent of chronic offenders. The top 10 percent of most costly locations contained 40.4 percent of chronic offenders and 50.5 percent of the total cost of chronic offenders. The identified locations had a high proportion of Indigenous youth, were in remote or very remote locations and experienced high levels of disadvantage. The authors conclude that there is an urgent need for therapeutic and place-based interventions to reduce crime and victimisation in these communities.
Perspectives on Migrants, 2012
Perspectives on Migrants, 2012
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics
This article uses the ABS 2010 General Social Survey (GSS) to analyse several characteristics of social and community connectedness of two migrant arrival groups – those arriving before 2006 and those arriving between 2006 and 2010. It explores the types of social activities migrants engaged in and with whom, frequency of engagements, types of social organisations participated in, as well as their general levels of life satisfaction and trust. The article aims to analyse ‘life outcomes‘ variables collected in the 2010 GSS to similar variables that formed part of the Settlement Outcomes of Newly Arrived migrants survey (SoNA) that was independently commissioned by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.
Small Island States in the Pacific: the Tyranny of Distance
Small Island States in the Pacific: the Tyranny of Distance
Source: International Monetary Fund
This paper seeks to document key characteristics of small island states in the Pacific. It restricts itself to a limited number of indicators which are macro-orientated – population, fertility of land, ability to tap into economies of scale, income, and geographic isolation. It leaves aside equally important but more micro-orientated variables and development indicators. We show that small island states in the Pacific are different from countries in other regional groupings in that they are extremely isolated and have limited scope to tap economies of scale due to small populations. They often have little arable land. There is empirical evidence to suggest that these factors are related to income growth.
Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific 2012
Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific 2012
The Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific 2012 (Key Indicators), the 43rd edition of this series, includes the latest available economic, financial, social, and environmental indicators for the 48 regional members of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). This publication aims to present the latest key statistics on development issues concerning the economies of Asia and the Pacific to a wide audience, including policy makers, development practitioners, government officials, researchers, students, and the general public. Part I of this issue of the Key Indicators is a special chapter—Green Urbanization in Asia. Parts II and III comprise of brief, non-technical analyses and statistical tables on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and seven other themes. This year, the second edition of the Framework of Inclusive Growth Indicators, a special supplement to Key Indicators is also included.
AU — First-response police officers working in single person patrols: A literature review
First-response police officers working in single person patrols: A literature review
The AIC undertook a literature review on single person police patrols both in Australia and internationally. This report examines challenges faced by first-response police officers when working alone and the impact this had on them, operational decisions to deploy single person patrols and how the community view this issue. It concludes that there has been limited research on single person patrols in policing and of the research findings available in the literature, results are mixed and updated research needs to be undertaken.
AU — Socioeconomic dimensions of pokie machine losses
Socioeconomic dimensions of pokie machine losses
Source: Parliamentary Library of Australia
A recent Age article has highlighted the disproportionate financial losses incurred from pokie machine gambling in low income areas of Victoria, when compared to higher income areas. Using statistics from the Victorian regulator the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR), Craig Butt compared net weekly expenditure per adult (ie player losses) on pokies across local government areas (LGAs), with the average weekly income of those LGAs based on census data provided to the Age.
In 2010—11 in Greater Dandenong, where average weekly income was reported to be $426, pokie losses were $1110 per adult. In wealthier Boroondara where average income was $836 per week average losses were $153 per adult. Furthermore, VCGLR figures show that the density of pokie machines in LGAs with lower average incomes was higher than for more wealthy areas. In Greater Dandenong there were 8.94 pokie machines per 1000 adults, while in Boroondara there were just 1.55.
While these figures are disturbing, looking in more detail at the VCGLR data on these LGAs paints a grimmer picture of the inequitable burden of pokie losses. Unemployment in Greater Dandenong was 8.2% in 2010—11, significantly higher than in Boroondara where it was 3.2%. Census data also reveals that less than half the adult population in Greater Dandenong had completed Year 12, while in Boroondara 76% had done so. In terms of social and economic disadvantage, Greater Dandenong is ranked as the lowest of all Victorian LGAs, while Boroondara is ranked the highest. In 2011—12, the VCGLR data shows the 15 pokies venues operating in Greater Dandenong generated some $117.5 million in player losses, up from $117.2 million in 2010—11. In comparison, player losses in Boroondara were $20.1 million in 2011—12, or nearly 6 times less.
The association of high player losses on pokies in lower socioeconomic areas has been noted elsewhere. This Victorian Auditor General’s report in 2009, noted the differential in player losses between low and high income LGAs. It also found player losses on pokies, and pokie numbers, were higher in lower-income communities such as Greater Dandenong. A number of other studies (see examples from researchers at the University of New England and Victoria University) show disadvantaged areas generally experience higher poker machine losses relative to more advantaged areas.
Problem gambling prevalence studies, including from the Victorian Department of Justice, show that higher problem gambling rates are associated with higher spending on the pokies. The study found Greater Dandenong, which it classified as an area which spends high on pokies, had a higher rate of problem gamblers—0.8%—and moderate risk gamblers—2.4%—compared to Boroondara where the rates were respectively 0.0% and 1.2%.
Report card shows Australia’s oceans are changing
Report card shows Australia’s oceans are changing
Source: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
Launched today, the 2012 Marine Climate Change in Australia Report Card demonstrates that climate change is having significant impacts on Australia’s marine ecosystems.
The report card provides information about the current and predicted-future state of Australia’s marine climate and its impact on our marine biodiversity. The report card also outlines actions that are underway to help our marine ecosystems adapt to climate change.
…
Key findings show
- warming sea temperatures are influencing the distribution of marine plants and animals, with species currently found in tropical and temperate waters likely to move south
- new research suggests winds over the Southern Ocean and current dynamics are strongly influencing foraging of seabirds that breed in south-east Australia and feed close to the Antarctic each summer
- some tropical fish species have a greater ability to acclimatise to rising water temperatures than previously thought
- the Australian science community is widely engaged in research, monitoring and observing programs to increase our understanding of climate change impacts and inform management
- adaptation planning is happening now, from seasonal forecast for fisheries and aquaculture, to climate-proofing of breeding sites for turtles and seabirds.
See: Report Card Shows Australia’s Oceans Are Changing (Science Daily)
World Cities Culture Report 2012
World Cities Culture Report 2012 (PDF)
Source: Mayor of London (UK)
The Mayor of London’s World Cities Culture Report 2012 is the biggest international survey of its kind. It has collected an unprecedented amount of data on the scope and impact of the cultural assets and activities that are produced and consumed in 12 major cities:
Berlin
Istanbul
Johannesburg
London
Mumbai
New York
Paris
São Paulo
Shanghai
Singapore
Sydney
Tokyo
Using 60 indicators and reports from each of the participating cities, the World Cities Culture Report 2012 shows that culture is seen as important as finance and trade and sits at the heart of public policy.
Suicides, Australia, 2010
Suicides, Australia, 2010
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics
Suicide is a major public health issue. Although death by suicide is relatively uncommon (approximately 1.6% of all deaths), the human costs are substantial and can impact broadly across communities. As such, suicide prevention is a key focus for both government agencies and non-government organisations.
Over recent years there have been two government enquiries which have made recommendations on improving suicide data. The Senate report – ‘The Hidden Toll: Suicide in Australia’, was released in June 2010. This report highlighted issues with data quality and availability, focussing especially on under-reporting of suicide deaths. The House of Representatives report – ‘Before it’s too late’ was released in July 2011. This report made specific recommendations on extending the scope of social and demographic data that is routinely collected on suicide deaths, and the availability of disaggregated data for research purposes.
The ABS has responded to challenges concerning the quality of suicide data through the implementation of new coding guidelines, and a three year revisions program for coroner certified deaths (see Chapter 2 for more information). This revisions process allows time for coroners to investigate potential suicide deaths and make a determination on whether the death was as a result of intentional self-harm.
In terms of expanding the availability of data on suicide, there were several additional data items, the importance of which were highlighted by the House of Representatives report – ‘Before it’s too late’, including ethnicity, culture, geography, educational attainment, employment status and socio-economic status. Many of these data items are not captured in current datasets, and the viability of collection in the future will need further investigation. However, additional information that can be publicly reported is available in current datasets. This information can provide further insight into the impacts of suicide across particular segments of the Australian community, and is presented in this report.
AU — Mental disorder prevalence at the gateway to the criminal justice system
Mental disorder prevalence at the gateway to the criminal justice system
Source: Australian Institute of Criminology
Many criminal justice practitioners have observed that offenders experience poor mental health. While international studies have found mental health to be poorer among prisoners than in the general population, less information is available either about offenders who are not imprisoned or alleged offenders detained by police. The mental health of offenders is of key policy interest from both health service and crime prevention perspectives.
This is the first Australian study to measure the prevalence of mental disorder among offenders nationally, using information provided by 690 police detainees who participated in the Australian Institute of Criminology’s Drug Use Monitoring in Australia (DUMA) program. Around half reported having been diagnosed with a mental disorder in the past.
The study was also the first to use the Corrections Mental Health Screen (CMHS), an instrument validated for gender-specific screening, on an Australian offender population. Results suggest that almost half of detainees may have a diagnosable mental disorder at the time of arrest, including 42 percent of women and 28 percent of men with no previous diagnosis. In the routine screening of police detainees as they enter the criminal justice system, the CMHS could be used to identify for the first time those who would benefit from psychological assessment and appropriate intervention.
AU — Firearm trafficking and serious and organised crime gangs
Firearm trafficking and serious and organised crime gangs
Source: Australian Institute of Criminology
Despite strict regulations on the import, export, ownership, use, transfer and storage of licit firearms, there exists in Australia a potentially large pool of illicit firearms, some of which are acquired, stockpiled and used for serious and organised crime. This report follows a modest group of publicly released examinations of firearm trafficking operations in Australia, to describe what can be determined about the composition and maintenance of the illicit firearm market, its use by serious and organised crime groups and the diversity of transaction arrangements used to vend illicit firearms.
Big investments needed in Asia-Pacific’s dwindling natural capital
Big investments needed in Asia-Pacific’s dwindling natural capital
Source: World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
Booming economic development and per-capita consumption across the Asia-Pacific region is burning up more natural resources than are available, placing enormous pressure on the region’s already heavily taxed forests, rivers and oceans, says a new WWF report on the value of Asia’s natural capital.
Produced in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Ecological Footprint and Investment in Natural Capital in Asia and the Pacific report – a regional perspective on elements of the recently-released Living Planet Report – focuses on attainable methods of preserving key regional ecosystems including the unique forests of Borneo, the marine wealth of the Coral Triangle, the Mekong region’s diverse habitats, as well as the mountainous Eastern Himalayas.
…
The new report uses the Living Planet Index (LPI) to measure changes in the health of ecosystems across the Asia-Pacific region. The global index fell by 28 per cent from 1970 and 2008, while the Indo-Pacific region saw a shocking 64 per cent decline in key populations of species over the same period.
Office politics: Improving public sector property management
Shrinking budgets are driving fundamental changes to the size and shape of governments around the world. Leaders are exploring a more compact, dynamic government workforce, and in turn, their underlying asset needs are changing. Simply put, a reduced workforce translates to reduced property needs. But tackling the effective management of one of government’s largest spending areas is easier said than done.
While each government faces its own unique set of barriers to improving property management, there are a number of critical success factors to creating and employing smart property strategies. This report examines five areas that would enable more streamlined and efficient handling of government property through best practices and examples from across the globe.
