Oceania

Australia hints it could recognise Palestinian state

Australia's foreign minister has suggested the country could recognise Palestinian statehood, to increase momentum towards peace. However Hamas could have no role in its governance, Penny Wong said. Both Australia's…

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New Zealand tightens visa rules amid near record migration

New Zealand said that it was making immediate changes to its employment visa program after a near record migration last year which it said was "unsustainable". The changes include measures…

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Flood warnings issued as Sydney hit by torrential rains

SYDNEY, April 5 (Reuters) - Torrential rains pummelled Australia's southeast on Friday, dumping almost a month's worth of rainfall on Sydney and triggering flood warnings, with authorities urging people to…

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Climate change, AI in focus at Commonwealth’s Oct meet in Samoa

Climate change and efforts to keep up with advances in artificial intelligence top the agenda for a Commonwealth meeting set for the small Pacific Islands nation of Samoa in October,…

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Australia to recommend minimum wage rise in line with inflation

SYDNEY, March 25 (Reuters) - Australia's government will support a minimum wage increase in line with inflation this year as low-income families continue to grapple with costs of living, although…

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Australia, UK to boost defence cooperation

By Kirsty Needham and Renju Jose SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia and the United Kingdom on Thursday signed a new defence and security cooperation agreement that makes it easier for their…

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Australian regulator demands social media firms disclose anti-terrorism efforts

An Australian regulator has sent legal letters to social media platforms from YouTube, X and Facebook to Telegram and Reddit, demanding they hand over information about their efforts to stamp out terrorism content. The e-Safety Commission said it was concerned…

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Australia Foreign Minister Penny Wong marries longtime partner

SYDNEY, March 17 (Reuters) - Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong, the country's first openly gay female parliamentarian, has married her partner Sophie Allouache, Wong said on Sunday. "We are delighted…

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Much of Australia set for warm and dry autumn, weather bureau says

CANBERRA, Feb 29 (Reuters) - Australia could be heading for its third-warmest summer on record, with many places likely to experience a warmer and drier period than normal from March…

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‘Leap year glitch’ shuts some New Zealand fuel pumps

By Lucy Craymer WELLINGTON, Feb 29 (Reuters) - A number of New Zealand petrol pumps stopped working on Thursday due to a "leap year glitch" in payment software, fuel stations…

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Thousands told to flee homes in Australia amid heat spike, bushfire threat

SYDNEY, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of residents in Australia's southeast were told to evacuate on Wednesday due to an intense heatwave that authorities said could further spread…

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New Zealand set to scrap world-first tobacco ban

New Zealand will repeal on Tuesday a world-first law banning tobacco sales for future generations, the government said, even while researchers and campaigners warned of the risk that people could…

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More Australian towns threatened by massive bushfire

By Renju Jose SYDNEY, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Fresh evacuation warnings were issued on Friday for dozens of rural Australian towns as around 1,000 firefighters battled a bushfire in Victoria…

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Australia boosts defence spending, aims to double warships

Australia said on Tuesday it would boost its defence spending by an additional A$11.1 billion ($7.25 billion) over the next decade to procure six 'optionally crewed' warships and 11 new…

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Australia lists nickel as ‘critical mineral’ to unlock billions in support

MELBOURNE, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Australia classified nickel as a "critical mineral" on Friday, opening the way for the crisis-hit industry to access billions of dollars in government support. Australia…

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Australia wants China to lift trade barriers

Australia's trade minister said on Tuesday he would meet his Chinese counterpart at a World Trade Organization conference in Abu Dhabi this month and push for the removal of restrictions…

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Australia to allow workers to ignore after-hours calls from bosses

By Praveen Menon SYDNEY, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Australia will introduce laws giving workers the right to ignore unreasonable calls and messages from their bosses outside of work hours without…

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The US military is preparing for a potential conflict with China by storing supplies in Australia

When US and Australian troops practised amphibious landings, ground combat and air operations last year, they drew headlines about the allies deepening defence cooperation to counter China’s growing military ambitions.…

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Ship carrying 16,000 sheep and cattle stranded off Australia

By Peter Hobson CANBERRA, Jan 31 (Reuters) - A ship carrying around 14,000 sheep and 2,000 cattle is marooned off the coast of Australia in sweltering heat after it was…

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Australia sweats in heatwave, lifting bushfire risk amid El Nino

SYDNEY, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Large swaths of Australia sweltered again on Sunday through a widening heatwave, which the national weather forecaster said raised the bushfire risk in an already…

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Australia jobs engine slows as labour market loosens

By Stella Qiu SYDNEY, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Australian employment fell sharply in December after two months of surprisingly strong growth, while the jobless rate stayed at a 1-1/2 year…

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New Zealand ex-Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern weds longtime partner

WELLINGTON, Jan 13 (Reuters) - New Zealand's former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern married her longtime partner Clarke Gayford in a private ceremony on Saturday, finally tying the knot after cancelling…

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Residents in Western Australia urged to flee as wildfire rages

SYDNEY, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Residents in the state of Western Australia were urged to evacuate their homes on Saturday, as a bushfire burned out of control near the state's…

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Australia struggles to ditch SUV habit even as electric vehicle sales hit record

By Lewis Jackson SYDNEY, (Reuters) - Electric vehicle (EV) sales in Australia hit an all-time high in 2023, according to the country's automotive association, however light vehicle sales remained dominated…

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Australia PM considers extra inflation relief as families struggle

By Renju Jose SYDNEY, Jan 3 (Reuters) - Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday his centre-left government would consider new cost-of-living relief measures ahead of the May budget…

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Thunderstorms batter Australia’s east, heatwave grips north

SYDNEY, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Severe thunderstorms battered parts of eastern Australia on Saturday, bringing heavy rain, giant hail and strong winds, days after another storm hit the region over…

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Australian police investigate beach cocaine finds

Australian police said Wednesday they were searching beaches in the eastern state of New South Wales (NSW) after packages believed to contain more than 120 kilograms (260 pounds) of cocaine washed…

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Nine dead in Australia after thunderstorms

By Renju Jose and Lucy Craymer SYDNEY, Dec 27 (Reuters) - Nine people were killed in Australia after severe thunderstorms battered the country's east over the Christmas holidays, authorities said…

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Large parts of Australia endure heat wave, lifting bushfire risk

SYDNEY, Dec 24 (Reuters) - Large swaths of Australia on Sunday sweated through heat wave conditions as authorities warned of a high bushfire risk in many parts of the country's…

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Australia swelters through heat wave as firefighters battle bushfires

SYDNEY, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Large parts of Australia on Saturday sweltered under heat wave conditions that prompted the nation's weather forecaster to issue bush fire warnings in several states.…

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Australia plans to halve migrant intake, tighten student visa rules

By Renju Jose SYDNEY, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Australia on Monday said it would tighten visa rules for international students and low-skilled workers that could halve its migrant intake over…

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Health experts decry New Zealand’s scrapping of world-first tobacco ban

LONDON, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Health and tobacco campaigners said on Monday that New Zealand's plan to repeal laws that would ban tobacco sales for future generations threatened lives and…

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New Zealand’s new government sworn in, parliament expected to open next week

LINGTON, Nov 27 (Reuters) - New Zealand’s new right-of-centre government was sworn in on Monday, with parliament expected to sit next week and begin working on new policies including a…

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Plague of rats hits Australia

Rats are destroying cars, clambering onto boats and washing up dead on beaches in northern Australia after a plague of the rodents hit the region. The vermin have swarmed through…

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Australian warship sails through Taiwan Strait

TAIPEI, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Taiwan said on Friday that an Australian warship had sailed through the Taiwan Strait, the sensitive and narrow waterway that separates the democratically governed island…

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Australia says ports operator cyber incident ‘serious’

SYDNEY, Nov 12 (Reuters) - The Australian government on Sunday described as "serious and ongoing" a cybersecurity incident that forced ports operator DP World Australia to suspend operations at ports…

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Australia in a new COVID wave. What can it expect this time?

Australia is now into its next COVID wave. We’ve seen hints of this for a while. Case numbers and indicators of severe disease began rising in Victoria in August. But…

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UPDATED: Australia signs climate, migration and security pact with Pacific’s Tuvalu

By Alasdair Pal and Lewis Jackson SYDNEY, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday signed a bilateral agreement with Tuvalu, aimed at countering China's influence in…

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Optus outage causes chaos in Australia

By Renju Jose and Byron Kaye SYDNEY, Nov 8 (Reuters) - An outage at No.2 Australian telco Optus left nearly half the population without internet or phone on Wednesday, throwing…

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Australia records driest October since 2002 due to El Nino

CANBERRA, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Australia recorded the driest October in more than 20 years due to an El Nino weather pattern which has seen hot, dry conditions hit crop…

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Five killed in Australia after car ploughs into pub patrons

SYDNEY, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Five people, including two children, were killed and several injured at a popular tourist town in rural Australia after a car crashed into a crowd…

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EPA’s Eye In The Sky: Birdsville, Australia

An aerial view of the Big Red dune in the Simpson desert near Birdsville, Queensland, Australia. The tiny outback town, situated on the edge of the Simpson Desert, about 1,600km…

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Residents in Australian state urged to flee as wildfires blaze

By Alasdair Pal SYDNEY, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Residents in three areas in Australia's northern Queensland state were ordered to evacuate their homes on Wednesday, as bushfires burned out of…

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Australia, EU say trade deal likely years away after rejecting terms

Australia has rejected European Union proposals for a free trade agreement, and a deal is now unlikely to be reached for several years, Australian government ministers said. Australia's agriculture minister, Murray…

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Australia says EU trade deal is likely years away after rejecting terms

CANBERRA, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Australia has rejected European Union proposals for a free trade agreement, and a deal is now unlikely to be reached for several years, Australian government…

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Australia set for hot, dry weather for next three months

SYDNEY, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Large swathes of Australia are set for below average rainfall and a greater chance of record temperatures over the next three months, the Bureau of…

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Australia deploys more aircraft, personnel to Middle East

By Renju Jose SYDNEY, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Australia said on Wednesday it had deployed two more military aircraft and a "significant number" of defence personnel to the Middle East…

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Sydney Opera House celebrates 50th birthday with light show and free tours

By Alasdair Pal SYDNEY, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Sydney Opera House celebrated its 50th birthday on Friday, with a laser show planned to illuminate the iconic building. Officially opened by…

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New Zealand Prime Minister-elect Luxon to get cracking on building coalition relationships

New Zealand's prime minister-elect, Christopher Luxon, said on Monday while his party was waiting for special votes to be counted, they were working on building relationships with both ACT New…

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Reconciliation is dead’: Indigenous Australians vow silence after referendum fails

By Praveen Meno SYDNEY, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Australian Indigenous leaders called on Sunday for a week of silence and reflection after a referendum to recognise First Peoples in the…

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New Zealand PM-elect Luxon, National leaders to start planning coalition

By Lucy Craymer and Renju Jose WELLINGTON, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Senior members of New Zealand's National Party will meet on Sunday to plan forming a coalition government after the…

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Australia police weigh special powers ahead of pro-Palestinian protest

By Lewis Jackson SYDNEY, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Australian police are considering applying special stop-and-search powers for the first time in almost two decades for people attending a pro-Palestinian rally…

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New Zealand election campaign winds down with Labour facing defeat

By Lucy Craymer WELLINGTON, Oct 13 (Reuters) - New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins on Friday urged voters to get out and re-elect Labour in Saturday's national election, as polls…

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Australians to reject Indigenous Voice in referendum – final YouGov poll

SYDNEY, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Australians are set to overwhelmingly say 'No' to a proposal to constitutionally recognise the country's Indigenous people in a referendum on Saturday, one of the…

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Australia PM votes in struggling referendum on Indigenous rights

SYDNEY, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese voted on Saturday in a referendum to recognise the country's Indigenous people in the constitution, a week from a national…

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Photo Story: New Australian currency featuring King Charles III

A prototype of the new coin is seen at an event for the release of new Australian currency featuring the effigy of King Charles III, at The Royal Australian Mint…

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Driest September on record worsens Australia’s rain shortfall

CANBERRA, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Australia's weather bureau said on Friday that areas of severe rainfall deficiency had expanded after the driest September on record, putting farm production in one…

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