I work with words. Previous roles at Guardian Australia, the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Brisbane Times, Redland Times
Canberra
Joined February 2009
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It's been a bit over a year since I stopped tweeting, but I am still very keen to hear from and engage with readers. The days of the "Voice of God" style of journalism should be long gone. Best way to reach me is [email protected] - put "Reader feedback" as the subject
The trade minister, Don Farrell, has asked his European counterparts to recognise Australia as a “great migrant nation” and not force its producers to stop using terms like prosecco and feta. Interview from Berlin here he has been in talks on Aus/EU FTA: theguardian.com/australia-ne…
The Australian government is raising the case of detained journalist Cheng Lei with the Chinese government amid concerns she will face a third straight month without consular access theguardian.com/australia-ne…
DFAT spox: "The Australian government will continue to advocate at the highest levels for Australians detained in China, including Ms Cheng Lei. Australia expects Chinese authorities to provide regular access to Australian citizens in line with our bilateral consular agreement."
The Australian government has revealed it is considering using new sanctions powers against cyber-attackers for the first time, sparking calls for the Medibank hackers to be the initial targets theguardian.com/australia-ne…
Mixed bag for kanji of the year:
1. War
2. Contentment
3. Enjoyment.
4. Expensive
5. Strife
via @justinmccurry
theguardian.com/world/2022/d…
New: Australia has summoned Iran’s top diplomat in Canberra to condemn the execution of an anti-government protester - the sixth time the Australian government has summoned Iran’s chargé d’affaires since the crackdown on protests began in September theguardian.com/australia-ne…
In comments to @GuardianAus, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it had “most recently summoned the chargé on [Monday] to express our deep concern over the execution of Mohsen Shekari, the continued use of the death penalty, & the rights of religious minorities in Iran”
The opposition foreign affairs spokesperson, Simon Birmingham, has conceded the Coalition must listen “carefully to Pacific island nations” as part of what needs to be a “rock solid” bipartisan commitment to climate funding for the region. Interview: theguardian.com/australia-ne…
Come for the story so far on the China-Australia thaw. Stay for the oil painting of Whitlam and Mao: theguardian.com/australia-ne…
“When I spoke to Chinese diplomats that week, they were very clear to me they had noted Penny Wong’s caution”
Some of the steps in the stabilisation of Australia's relationship with China that may have flown below the radar:
theguardian.com/australia-ne…
21 December will mark the 50th anniversary of Australia under Whitlam opening diplomatic relations with PRC. Feature taking stock of where things stand with the Albanese government's "stabilisation" of the relationship - and the challenges that remain: theguardian.com/australia-ne…
Kathryn Campbell, one of the senior public servants being questioned at robodebt royal commission, has been appointed Aukus joint project office lead at Defence Dept. (PM had said she would have a senior defence portfolio role after moved on from Dfat) theguardian.com/world/2022/d…
Australia’s foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, will use a speech tomorrow to urge China to take up a US offer to put in place “guardrails” to prevent growing tensions from spiralling into war theguardian.com/australia-ne…
Updated news wrap: The US will increase rotations of its air, land and sea forces to Australia and also plans to preposition munitions and fuel here. US says it will not allow Australia to have a capability gap before nuclear-powered submarines are ready theguardian.com/australia-ne…
Australia should strike a deal with the US to have the first of its nuclear-powered submarines built in Connecticut as “there’s too much risk in doing it on our own”, the shadow defence minister, Andrew Hastie, has declared ahead of key talks this week theguardian.com/world/2022/d…
Govt looks for ways to compensate families of victims of alleged war crimes, 2 yrs after Brereton said payments should be offered quickly to restore “Australia’s standing”. Marles has been briefed several times as govt looks for way through "complexities" theguardian.com/australia-ne…
Exclusive: A Coalition frontbencher conducting a “grassroots” survey about nuclear power is using a website registered by a business that helps an American small modular reactor company, records reveal theguardian.com/australia-ne…
For those closely watching the discussions on #CPTPP: I asked the Australian and New Zealand ministers for foreign affairs, Penny Wong and Nanaia Mahuta, whether they had a shared position on Taiwan’s potential entry, and what that position is. Mahuta is visiting Canberra today
Quick observation from me: the focus on high standards can be interpreted as a warning that China may not be able to meet those standards in light of its recent trade disputes with Australia.