AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND AND PACIFIC REGION

AUSTRALIA

Siege at a Sydney Café Raises Nationwide Alarm
A lone gunman seized the Lindt Chocolate Café at the heart of Sydney's administrative and commercial center, Martin Place, at 9:45 AM (local time) on December 15, 2014. The gunman, Man Haron Monis, forced hostages to stand facing the glass window and holding a Islamic State-emblazoned flag. Monis, an Iranian immigrant, was known to the police as he faced plethora of charges including the murder of his wife. After a tense 17-hour standoff, police raided the café after fire was shot inside, and ended the siege early morning on December 16, 2014. Two hostages beside the gunman were killed. Two hostages killed were 38-year-old lawyer Katrina Dawson and cafe's manager Tori Johnson.

Premier Acknowledges Legal System's Failure
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott on December 18, 2014 admitted that the system had failed as questions arose why Man Haron Monis was outside prison despite several charges pending against him.

Australia's New Premier not to Push Presidency to Replace Queen
Six days after becoming the prime minister, Australian premier Malcom Turnbull on September 21, 2015 said that he won't push for the new office of president as a way of replacing Queen Elizabeth II as titular head of the country. Turnbull unsuccessfully led an effort in 1999 under the umbrella of Australian Republican Movement in a referendum to abolish monarchy.

Australian Poll Results Points to Political Instability
The political gamble by the conservative premier Malcom Turnbull to call early polls turned out to be a boomerang for the ruling Liberal National Party as it was projected to win about 68 seats compared to Labor Party's 70. In the 150-seat national legislature, neither Turnbull nor Labor leader Bill Shorten now has a majority to form a government. The polls were held on July 2, 2016.

Netanyahu's Visit to Australia Faces Criticism
Ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's four-day Australia visit (February 22-25, 2017), about sixty prominent Australians, including notable scientists, scholars, entrepreneurs and cultural icons, wrote a joint letter to Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull opposing Netanyahu's visit. The joint letter decried the discriminatory Israeli policies toward Palestinians, including defying "all U.N. calls for it to comply with international law in respect of its illegal settlement building and its treatment of the indigenous Palestinian people". Demonstrations opposing Netanyahu's visit, aimed at consolidating a bilateral trade of 1.3 billion Australian dollars, or $1 bllion, were already held in Melbourne and Canberra.

Turnbull Ousted by Party Rebels
Australian political instability turned a new corner on August 24, 2018 as a former treasurer and once a hardliner on immigration, Scott Morrison, emerged as a premier choice to replace Malcom Turnbull. Morrison, 50, will be the country's sixth premier in the past 11 years, illustrating the degree of instability in Australian politics in recent years. This time the rebellion in the conservative Liberal Party was led by a hard-charging stricter immigration control proponent Peter Dutton, a former home affairs minister. How far Liberal Party veered toward right in recent years could be gauged by the fact that Morrison, once hard right-wing politician and proponent of much decried policy of detaining asylum seekers out of mainland Australia, was now seen as moderate in the party and Dutton had taken over his mantle to charge from the right. The end of political pinnacle of Malcom Turnbull, who himself rode to power after orchestrating a political coup in 2015, came last weekend when Turnbull had tried to push his energy agenda to reduce electricity prices and emissions to fight climate change, infuriating the party's right-wing, conservative base. Subsequent party vote pitted Scott Morrison, Peter Dutton and 62-year-old, respected Foreign Minister Julie Bishop. However, sensing her lagging fortune amongst rising tide of extreme right wing in the party, Julie Bishop dropped out of race, and Morrison defeated Dutton in the internal party vote. Then came the second, and final, vote for Liberal Party on August 24, 2018, and Morrison's hold over the party was officially sealed. He appeared at a news conference later in the day along with his new deputy party leader, Josh Frydenberg, and called the new leadership as a "new generation" of party leaders. However, ousted premier, Turnbull, was less than flattering, decrying the "disunity" in the party and Australian politics and blasting Dutton's "deliberate insurgency" this week.

Morrison Unveils his New Cabinet
Australia's sixth premier in the past 11 years, Scott Morrison, on August 26, 2018 unveiled his new cabinet that had a mix of holdovers and new members.

Australia Recognizes West Jerusalem as Israel's Capital
Australian government of Prime Minister Scott Morrison on December 15, 2018 announced a strategic shift in regards to Israel-Palestinian conflict by clearly stating a pro-Israeli stand with its declaration to recognize West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, thus following the United States and Guatemala. In the same breadth, Australian government kept the option of East Jerusalem as the eventual capital of a future Palestinian state. Israel's foreign ministry on December 15, 2018 commended Australia's stand as a "step in the right direction". Palestinian spokesman Saeb Erakat blasted the Australian stance, calling it "irresponsible".

Australia Faces Parliamentary Poll
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on April 11, 2019 called a parliamentary poll on May 18, 2019 to seek a third three-year term for his conservative coalition. However, strong fight is expected to be put up by opposition leader Bill Shorten, a vocal critic of U.S. President Donald Trump. If Bill Shorten becomes premier, he will be the eighth premier since 2007 in a period of extraordinary instability in this nation.

Morrison Wins a "Miracle" Victory
Comparing his parliamentary victory to births of his daughters, Abbey, 11, and Lily, 9, in natural way after years of failed IVF treatment and the subsequent endometriosis suffering to his wife, Jenny, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison called his party's upset victory in May 18, 2019, parliamentary election as "miracle". Opposition leader Bill Shorten earlier in the day conceded defeat in the polls to elect a 151-seat parliament.

Australian Academic Released as part of an Apparent Prisoner Swap 

An Australian academic, Kylie Moore-Gilbert, 33, was freed from Iranian prison in exchange for Thai authorities sending three Iranians to Tehran in what could be viewed a complex prisoner exchange plan. An Australian private plane took off from Thailand on November 25, 2020, and three Iranians, who had been accused of planning to carry out multiple bomb attacks against Israeli targets in 2012, were received at the Tehran airport with heroic welcome. Kylie Moore-Gilbert spent more than two years in Iranian prison on spying charges. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that he was “thrilled and relieved” by the release of Kylie Moore-Gilbert. Thai Deputy Attorney-General Chatchom Akapin told The Associated Press that Thailand had worked out the prisoner exchange program with Iran.

New Defense Alliance Irks China, Disbalances Aussie-French Relation over Submarine Deal

As part of Biden administration's re-pivoting of strategic focus, spotlighting brightly on the Indo-Pacific region, U.S., U.K. and Australia formed a defense partnership on September 15, 2021. President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Prime Minister Scott Morrison virtually attended the summit to announce the new defense alliance, known as AUKUS. Under the September 15, 2021, defense partnership, U.S. will provide technology and related aid to Australia to build eight nuclear-powered submarines. 

On September 16, 2021, Chinese state-owned Global Times called the defense partnership as "an anti-China spearhead", the U.S. as a nation that was "losing its mind trying to rally its allies against China", and Australia a "running dog" of Washington. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian described the agreement as "extremely irresponsible" and warned Australia that the country had now made itself an "adversary" of China. However, the maximum strain that had been inflicted by this agreement is not on China, but on an unlikely ally of U.S., U.K. and Australia as France is likely to lose out billions of dollars in trade as Australia has informed Paris that it will cancel its contract with state majority-owned firm DCNS to build 12 large conventional diesel-electric submarines. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on September 16, 2021 that France was "stabbed in the back" by this "unacceptable" deal. 

France Recalls Ambassador to U.S., Australia

At the instruction of President Emmanuel Macron, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on September 17, 2021 recalled country's ambassadors to the U.S. and Australia. The recall is the first ever for France with respect to one of its most trusted allies, the USA, as it "is justified by the exceptional seriousness of the announcement" two days ago by the U.S., U.K. and Australia to form a defense partnership. Under the defense partnership, Australia is to cancel almost $66 billion contract to buy diesel-electric conventional submarines manufactured by the French company DCNS in favor of building U.S.-assisted nuclear submarines. Previously, France recalled its ambassadors in high-profile foreign policy spats with two of its fellow NATO member nations. In 2019, Paris recalled its ambassador to Italy after Italy's then-ruling regime had made critical comments about French government. In 2020, France recalled its ambassador to Ankara after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan commented that Macron needed mental health treatment. 

Biden, Macron to Talk in the Coming Days; North Korea Warns Australia over Nuclear Submarines

French government spokesperson Gabriel Attal told the BFMTV on September 19, 2021 that U.S. President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron would talk in the coming days as part of overcoming the crisis that had been triggered by a new defense pact among Australia--which had cancelled a 2016 contract worth $66 billion to buy 12 diesel-electric, conventional submarines from France in favor of building nuclear submarines using the U.S. technology--U.K. and U.S. Attal said that "now, we must advance". 

Meanwhile, an unusually stern warning came from Pyongyang on September 19, 2021 as North Korea labeled the AUKUS agreement as "extremely dangerous act" that might lead to "chain reactions of arms races" in the Asia-Pacific region. 

Submarine Deal Fallout Continues to Roil Allies in U.N.

As leaders arrive at New York for the annual U.N. General Assembly meeting, the fallout from the September 15, 2021, defense pact among U.S., U.K. and Australia that has led to the cancellation of $66 billion French-Aussie submarine contract continues on September 20, 2021 to cast a shadow over the annual gathering as the European Union has rallied behind France on this issue. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian is in no forgiving mood, railing against the AUKUS Partnership and calling the Australian cancellation of the submarine deal as "a brutal, unexpected and unexplained breach of contract". France cancelled meetings with British and Australian officials, and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian called an EU foreign ministerial level meeting at New York City on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. EU's foreign policy chief, Joseph Borrell, has met with Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne on September 20, 2021 at New York City as both of them are here to attend the U.N. General Assembly, and stressed on "more cooperation and coordination" rather than "confrontation". 

Blinken to Soothe the Ruffled Feathers in Paris

U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will attend a conference at Paris beginning in the week of October 3, 2021, but use the opportunity to strengthen the “vital U.S.-France relationship on a range of issues including security in the Indo-Pacific region”, according to an October 1, 2021, statement issued by the U.S. State Department. On October 1, 2021, Blinken met with the recalled, but now returned, French Ambassador Philippe Etienne on his return to Washington. However, the complexity of the situation can not be underestimated as America’s newly confirmed top diplomat for Europe, Karen Donfried, said that mending the fence “will take time and hard work".

Labor Set to Return to Power Almost after a Decade

Labor Party seems to be all set to emerge victorious in May 21, 2022, parliamentary polls, having won 72 seats in 151-seat legislature. Prime Minister Scott Morrison's Liberal-National Coalition has won about 54 seats. The Labor Party's prime ministerial candidate, Anthony Albanese, has a very compelling life story. He was raised by a single mother at a public housing. Giving a victory speech before the Labor supporters on May 21, 2022 night, Anthony Albanese, 59, emphasized on his personal life story: "It says a lot about our great country that a son of a single mum who was a disability pensioner, who grew up in public housing down the road in Camperdown, can stand before you tonight as Australia's prime minister". Labor Party's return to power for the first time since 2013 was not overwhelming as its 32% vote share would be the worst for a winning party since World War II. 

Rollout Plan on AUKUS Unveiled 

Leaders of AUKUS alliance on March 13, 2023 unveiled a deal that would deliver nuclear-capable submarines to Australia. The first three subs will be made in the U.K. Components will come from all three countries. U.S. will share sensitive technologies with Australia, a key provision of the agreement that U.S. has shared that sort of sensitive technologies only with Britain as part of the deepening of defense partnership dating back to 1958. Under the deal, U.S. and U.K. will begin rotating submarines at Australian ports beginning 2027. The construction of new subs will begin in 2030s as Britain needs to expand its production capacity. President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met at San Diego naval base on March 13, 2023. 

Constitutional Referendum on Aborigines Fails 

Circa 60% of the Australian voters rejected creating an Indigenous Voice committee in an October 14, 2023, referendum, leading to the defeat of the "indigenous Voice to Parliament" to be enshrined in the constitution. The campaign rhetoric in the run-up to the plebiscite took a racist color as Opposition Leader Peter Dutton dismissed the initiative as a divisive tactic by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. After the sound defeat of the "Indigenous Voice to Parliament" constitutional amendment, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles vowed to push forward with deep seated reform to fight discrimination against the aborigines. Marles took a sharp shot at Dutton's rhetoric and rigid stance that had led to the rejection of the referendum. Australian cabinet minister for Indigenous people, Linda Burney, herself an aborigine, was teary eyed after the referendum results were out. 

Australia, U.S. Reinforce Their Bond with Aussie Premier's State Visit

The high-profile state visit by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to the White House turned into a political jamboree as President Joe Biden on October 25, 2023 rolled out a red carpet for one of the most trusted partners in the Indo Pacific region. Premier Albanese was feted with the honor of a military band and a guest list of 4,000 people assembled on the South Lawn. 

Six Stabbed to Death, Attacker Killed in Mayhem at One of the Busiest Malls in Australia

An elegant Saturday Fall afternoon brought scores of people to the Westfield Shopping Centre at Bondi Junction in the eastern suburb of Sydney. The mall was teeming with people. Moms were walking with their joyful children. Young people were going about their own relaxing pastime with their friends and buddies. The normal, joyful rhythm of the Fall afternoon was torn apart as an attacker randomly began stabbing people. Five women and a man were stabbed to death. Eight people were injured. A police officer shot the attacker dead. Eight people were injured in the April 13, 2024, stabbing spree. 

Attacker Reported to be Suffering from Mental Illness

A day after a lone attacker went berserk at one of busiest malls in Australia, killing six people and wounding 12 others, the New South Wales police on April 14, 2024 identified the attacker as 40-year-old Joel Cauchi. NSW police also said that Cauchi was affected my unknown mental illness, had acted on his own and was not known to be linked to any terrorist cell. 

NEW ZEALAND

Key's Party Emerges Victorious
In the September 20, 2014, parliamentary polls, ruling National Party led by Prime Minister John Key won a convincing victory by garnering 48 percent vote. The trend in poll tally indicated outright majority for the National Party, a scenario that had always eluded since proportional representation system was put in place in 1996. The opposition Labor Party suffered an ignominious setback by getting just 25 percent vote. The concession speech by Labor Party leader David Cunliffe was part soul-searching, part nod to the strong state of economy under the rule of National Party. The Kiwis economy, under the Key regime, has been growing at 4 percent rate, unemployment rate fell to 5.6 percent, and after several years of deficit, the country will have budget surplus in the coming year. The voter turnout was 77 percent this time as compared to 74 percent in the last parliamentary polls three years ago in 2011. The official tenure of the Kiwis government is usually three years.

Key Announces to Resign
Still riding on a popularity wave, New Zealand's premier John Key, widely expected  to lead his party to an easy victory in 2018 polls, wanted to leave on a high note and announced on December 5, 2016 that he would leave office after the ruling National Party would meet, most likely a week later, and choose a new leader.

Worst Mass Killing in Kiwis History Targets Two Mosques by a White Supremacist
A 28-year-old self-proclaimed Australian White supremacist, Brenton Harrison Tarrant, on March 14, 2019 carried out the worst mass killing in New Zealand and destroying a laidback, peaceful innocence of this Pacific island nation forever. Mounting a video-cam on his helmet that live-streamed gruesome streak of killing by the minute, Harrison Tarrant first struck Al Noor Mosque in Auckland, killing at least 41 people who had congregated at the mosque for Friday prayer. He then drove three miles to continue his carnage at the Linwood Mosque where he had killed another eight people before being chased by a brave Muslim man. Brenton Harrison Tarrant fled the scene of the second mosque in car, and was subsequently arrested by police. Before he had begun his carnage, he put a 74-page manifesto on the internet, rambling what was anti-immigrant tirade and lamenting the marginalization of Whites. Meanwhile, his live-streamed videos stayed online for hours before Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms took them down. Reacting to the worst massacre in the country, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that the country had suffered an "extraordinary and unprecedented act of violence" and the country's gun laws were sure to change.

Suspect Appears in Court
Suspect Brenton Harrison Tarrant appeared in the court on March 15, 2019 and was ordered remanded in custody. He was charged with one count of murder, and the judge said that the suspect would be slapped with additional charges.

Spontaneous Outpouring of Support at Makeshift Memorial
Hundreds of Auckland residents turned out to show solidarity with Muslim community on March 17, 2019 at the city Botanic Garden, and placed flowers, teddy bears and other memorabilia at the makeshift memorial.

Premier Refuses to Acknowledge the Gunman by Name
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in an impassioned speech on the parliament floor said on March 19, 2019 that "he is a terrorist. He is a criminal. He is an extremist. But he will, when I speak, be nameless." Prime Minister Ardern's refusal to take the name of gunman, Brenton Harrison Tarrant, was part of her effort to deny the White supremacist any credence. Meanwhile, Tarrant's court-appointed lawyer, Richard Peters, told the New Zealand Herald that he had been fired by the defendant on the same day, March 15, 2019, he had appeared in the court, Tarrant is due to be back in court on April 5, 2019.

Turkish President Incites Century-old Venom against Australia and New Zealand
Facing a tough local election in which the ruling party may lose control of Istanbul and Ankara, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on March 20, 2019 spewed venom by bringing an out-of-context historical incident related to World War I-era Gallipoli Battle in which Australia and New Zealand had sent their troops against the army of the Ottoman Empire. The casualties on the both sides of Gallipoli Battle were high, and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's March 20, 2019, provocative comment that any visiting Australian or Kiwis harboring Islamophobia would be sent back in coffins "as their grandfathers" were in the Gallipoli campaign evoked strong condemnation from Australian  Prime Minister Scott Morrison who summoned Turkish ambassador and pressed him to urge Erdogan to retract his comment. New Zealand's foreign minister, Winston Peters, is planning to take up this issue with Turkish authorities during his upcoming Turkey visit.

New Zealand Marks the First Week of the Worst Attack
New Zealand on March 22, 2019 paused at 1:30PM to mark the one week to the time the worst attack in the country that had killed 50 people. A huge gathering was held under a solemn atmosphere in Christchurch's Hagley Park, across the Al Noor Mosque, where Australian Brenton Harrison Tarrant systematically killed 42 worshippers a week ago. In solidarity with Muslim community, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern wore a hijab.

Aussie Pleads Guilty
The gunman, Brenton Harrison Tarrant, who carried out the worst massacre in New Zealand a year ago pleaded guilty on March 26, 2020 to 51 counts of murder and 40 counts of attempted murder.

Maximum Sentence Handed out to Aussie
After four-day hearing, a court in Christchurch on August 27, 2020 sentenced Brenton Harrison Tarrant to life without parole, maximum punishment allowed by Kiwis law. 

Ardern Sweeps to Victory for a Second Term

In what has been a historic election in a historic year when New Zealand may be one of the few nations on the earth—may be the only developed nation—that has stamped out community spread of novel Coronavirus in its early cycle, paving the way for what is now a normal Kiwis lifestyle that doesn’t require social distancing or wearing face masks, Kiwis voters are giving an overwhelming degree of support to their rock star premier, Jacinda Ardern, in October 17, 2020, parliamentary election. As of late evening, Ardern-led Labour Party won 49% vote, while the opposition conservative National Party won only 27% of popular vote. Jacinda Ardern doesn’t need to form any alliance with other political parties in her second term, first time it is happening in New Zealand after parliamentary proportional system has been introduced 24 years ago.

Ardern Apologizes for Harassment against Pacific Islanders

Kiwis Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on August 1, 2021 participated in an ifoga ritual, a Samoan ritual seeking forgiveness, at the Auckland Town Hall and formally apologized for so called Dawn Raids and other harassments that security forces carried out in 1970s in New Zealand that targeted the Pasifika people. The infamy of Dawn Raids still haunts the moral encompass and conscience of New Zealanders as security forces would barge into people's homes in the early morning to deport them for overstaying their visa timelines.

"Terrorist" Shot Dead by Kiwis Police after Knife Attack on Shoppers

A police cell, which had been monitoring a terrorist suspect, averted a larger massacre as the suspect entered a grocery store at New Lynn and got a knife from within the store to attack shoppers. Six people were injured. Three of them have been taken to Auckland hospitals in critical condition. One was in serious condition, while injuries to two others were reported to be moderate. Police on September 3, 2021 followed the suspect, identified as a Sri Lankan national by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, from his home in the suburb of Glen Eden to the supermarket at New Lynn, and shot him dead as he began the attacking spree. Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said that, although law enforcement agencies had deep concern about the man, there was no reason to arrest him earlier. 

Arden Shocks the Nation by Resignation Announcement, Ed Minister to Step in

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arden on January 19, 2023 shocked the nation of 5 million people by announcing that she didn't have any "gas in the tank" to carry forward. Her resignation announcement, the date is yet to be determined, marks a beginning to an end of a remarkable five-and-half-year tenure that encompasses around some of the significant events in Kiwis history such as 2019 worst terrorist attack by a right-wing Aussie and managing a healthcare emergency to tackle a once-in-a-century pandemic. 

On January 21, 2023, Education Minister Chris Hipkins emerged as the only leader for the position. Labor Party has to approve his candidacy on January 22, 2023, which is a mere formality now. 

New Zealand Swings Right

The October 14, 2023, parliamentary election set the course for New Zealand for a conservative path after six years of Liberal rule. Conservative National Party led by former businessman and executive Christopher Luxon won 40% of the vote. Christopher Luxon, a former chief executive of Air New Zealand and Unilever Canada, is likely to form a coalition government with a Libertarian political party, ACT Party. Christopher Luxon campaigned on middle-class tax cut and reining in crimes. Luxon also vowed to do away with Maori Health Authority, a separate healthcare system for indigenous people, on the ground that there was no need to have a dual healthcare system. Incumbent Prime Minister Chris Hipkins called that position tantamount to condoning racism. 

China Rebukes Wellington for Flirting with AUKUS 

Chinese Embassy in Wellington on February 2, 2024 issued a statement, condemning the meeting a day before at Melbourne between Kiwis and Aussie ministers on the possibility of collaboration related to the Pillar Two of the AUKUS pact. Pillar Two relates to issues that encourage deepening bilateral relationship over quantum computing and AI. The U.S., U.K. and Australia signed the Pillar One of the pact in September 2021 that, among others, called for supplying nuclear submarines to Australia. New Zealand has a nuclear-free official policy. Chinese Embassy statement reminded Wellington of that, stating that "like all peace-loving countries, China has serious concerns over AUKUS". The embassy statement reminded Wellington that China remained New Zealand's largest export market. Under center-of-right Christopher Luxon regime, New Zealand veered towards the western alliance.