site.news_by_theme Australia
Funeral held for murdered Irish woman in Australia
A private funeral was held Friday for murdered Irish woman Jill Meagher in Australia, whose disappearance gripped the nation and led to an outpouring of grief and anger.
06 October 2012
Australia hits out at Japan at whale research launch
Australian Environment Minister Tony Burke Thursday hit out at Japan's "alleged" scientific whaling as researchers hailed the testing of new acoustic tracking technology for the endangered blue whale.
04 October 2012
Australia admits neglect of Great Barrier Reef
The Australian government admits the Great Barrier Reef has been neglected for decades after a study showed it has lost more than half its coral cover in the past 27 years.
03 October 2012
S&P warns of little iron ore respite for miners
Global credit agency Standard & Poor's said Tuesday that it saw little improvement in iron ore prices in the near-term and warned that smaller single-commodity miners could see their ratings slip.
03 October 2012
Great Barrier Reef coral halved in 27 years: study
Australia's Great Barrier Reef has lost more than half its coral cover in the past 27 years due to storms, poisonous starfish and bleaching linked to climate change.
02 October 2012
Facebook won't remove murder page: Australia police
Australian police said on Monday that social media site Facebook had refused to take down a page containing offensive material about the man accused of murdering Irish woman Jill Meagher.
01 October 2012
Australian police charge man over murder of Irish woman
Australian homicide detectives Friday charged a 41-year-old man with the rape and murder of Irish woman Jill Meagher after her body was found in a bushland area north of Melbourne.
30 September 2012
BHP requests four more years for major mine plan
Mining giant BHP Billiton on Thursday asked South Australia state for a 46-month extension to the approval of its Olympic Dam project expansion, which was shelved last month on cost concerns.
27 September 2012
Australian homicide squad leads hunt for Irish woman
Australian homicide detectives on Monday took over an investigation into the disappearance of a young Irish woman in Melbourne after her handbag was found in a nearby street.
25 September 2012
Anger as Australian senator links gay marriage to bestiality
A conservative Australian senator was forced to resign from his parliamentary role on Wednesday after he linked same-sex marriage to bestiality and polygamy during a debate.
19 September 2012
Australian coal basin may be top 10 polluter: Greenpeace
A coal basin near Australia's Great Barrier Reef will rank among the world's worst producers of carbon pollution if fully mined, Greenpeace said Wednesday as it warned of devastating consequences.
19 September 2012
BHP chief Kloppers tops Australian CEO pay list
Marius Kloppers, the head of mining giant BHP Billiton, topped the list of Australia's highest paid executives in fiscal 2011, but will this year take a 40 percent pay cut after refusing his bonus.
19 September 2012
Charges over genital mutilation of girls in Australia
Many cases of female genital mutilation likely go unreported in Australia, a state minister said Friday after four people were charged over the alleged circumcision of two girls aged 6 and 7.
15 September 2012
WikiLeaks says US gave 'tacit approval' to embassy attacks
Whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks declared on Wednesday that the United States had effectively given groups an opening to attack its embassies by supporting the siege of its founder Julian Assange.
14 September 2012
Australian super-trawler ban in doubt
Australia's hopes of blocking a controversial super-trawler from fishing in its waters looked uncertain with the opposition speaking out against the move and a key independent lawmaker expressing reservations.
13 September 2012
Fresh calls for inquiry into Australian currency scandal
New documents reportedly showing that Australia's central bank knew about a banknote bribery scandal before it became public raised fresh calls Wednesday for an inquiry into the allegations.
12 September 2012
Australia breached rights of 9-year-old girl
Australia's human rights body Wednesday found the government breached the rights of a nine-year-old girl it detained for more than nine months, during which time she witnessed others self-harming.
12 September 2012
Australia slams 'sick joke' cigarette packs
Australia slammed as a "sick joke" Wednesday new cigarette packs on sale as part of the national phase-in to plain packaging which play on drab branding and claim it's "what's on the inside that counts."
12 September 2012
Asylum-seekers to live in tents in Nauru: Australia
Asylum-seekers sent to the tiny Pacific nation of Nauru will be forced initially to live in tents, Australia's Immigration Minister Chris Bowen confirmed Tuesday.
11 September 2012
Australia plans to move boatpeople this week
Australian Immigration Minister Chris Bowen on Monday said he hoped to begin sending asylum-seekers who arrive by boat to the tiny Pacific nation of Nauru later this week.
10 September 2012