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Official News - February 2007
Australia remains committed to the security and reconstruction of Afghanistan
The Australian Ambassador to Afghanistan opened a Vocational Training Centre at Tarin Kowt in Oruzgan province in southern Afghanistan on 17 February. The training centre was built by the Australian Defence Force (ADF) Reconstruction Task Force (RTF) and is further evidence of Australia’s commitment to the security and reconstruction of Afghanistan.
On 17 February the Australian Ambassador to Afghanistan opened a Vocational Training Centre at Tarin Kowt in Oruzgan, southern Afghanistan.
Australia’s RTF built the centre, which is already delivering trades skills training to local residents.
Afghanistan’s Minister for Rehabilitation and Development and Oruzgan’s representatives in both houses of the Afghan National Parliament attended the opening. The Minister is keen to further the Afghan Government’s association with the Australian Government.
The RTF is part of the Netherlands-led Provincial Reconstruction Task Force (PRTF) in Oruzgan province and is mainly composed of reconstruction engineers, who are undertaking infrastructure development and skills training.
The RTF is a key element of Australia’s commitment to Afghanistan which also includes:
- a 110-strong aviation support element;
- a major aid commitment of up to $150 million over five years; and
- by March 2007, four Australian Federal Police officers who will work on police training and counter-narcotics.
Australia provides $6 million to support displaced Iraqis
Australia providing $6 million to support Iraqi refugees and internally displaced persons.
Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis were displaced under Saddam Hussein’s regime. Current terrorist and sectarian violence have further exacerbated this problem.
Australia will provide further assistance to Iraqi refugees and internally displaced persons. $3 million will go to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to help Iraqi refugees in neighbouring countries like Syria and Jordan. $3 million is for the International Organisation for Migration to assist Iraqis who have been forced from their homes and are living elsewhere in Iraq.
Since 2003 Australia has committed $173 million to help Iraq meet is humanitarian and reconstruction needs.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Australia welcomes the release of the first part of the fourth report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ("Physical Science Basis"). The IPCC has released the first part of its Fourth Assessment Report, which demonstrates the seriousness of climate change with temperatures projected to increase by 1oC-6.3oC by 2100. Projected sea level rise has been downgraded from previous IPCC reports to between 18-59cm by 2100. Further chapters, to be released through the year, will provide greater detail on projected impacts and potential economic instruments for mitigation. Over 30 Australian scientists contributed to the report.
IPCC findings underscore the seriousness of climate change, further demonstrating that the Kyoto Protocol, which does not engage major emitters, will not deliver the environment outcomes needed. Under Kyoto global emissions are set to increase 40 per cent to 2010 as opposed to 41 per cent without Kyoto.
Australia is leading practical international technology cooperation with key emitters China, Japan, India, the United States and South Korea through the Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate (AP6).
Australia has already committed some $2 billion to practical domestic efforts:
- making crucial technology investments through the $500 million Low Emissions Technology Demonstration Fund, including supporting the world's largest capture and storage project;
- introducing a Mandatory Renewable Energy Target to underpin more than $3 billion in renewable energy spending by 2010;
- supporting solar innovation through the $75 million Solar Cities project; and
- reducing emissions by providing incentives to farmers to avoid land-clearing - with already 1.3 million tonnes worth of emissions saved.
As a result of these measures, Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2010 will be 87 million tonnes per year less than business as usual.
Multilaterally, we will keep pushing for a more effective response that engages all major emitters, and we aim to meet our own Kyoto target through national measures alone.
Australian Government contributes $8 million towards Islamic Studies
The Australian Government recently committed A$8 million to support the establishment of a National Centre of Excellence for Islamic Studies. The Centre will be hosted by a consortium of Australian universities comprising the University of Melbourne, the University of Western Sydney and Griffith University in Brisbane.
The Australian Government’s decision to provide support to establish the centre was made after consultation with Australian Islamic religious leaders, Muslim community leaders, members of the higher education sector and members of the wider Australian community.
The centre will provide university accredited undergraduate and post graduate courses, which will advance knowledge and understanding of Islam.
Courses will be delivered on campus in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane and eventually across Australia via distance education.
The universities involved will build upon the funding provided by the Australian Government and establish, over time, a world-class facility with a specialist focus on the study of Islam and associated subjects.
For more information please see: www.dest.gov.au/highered/nceis
Australia committed to ensuring quality education for international students
Australia continues to be one of the world’s most popular destinations for international students. The Australian Government is committed to ensuring that international students receive a high quality education. Over the past 18 months the Australian Government has enhanced the Education Services for Overseas Students legislative framework to provide even greater protection for international students and ensure that existing high standards are maintained.
The Australian Government continues to work with universities to ensure that the quality of our $10.1 billion international education industry, our fourth largest export, is maintained.
Australia is one of the few countries in the world where safeguards designed to protect international students are based on legislation.
The Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000 includes a National Code that allows the Government to monitor quality issues and ensures institutions maintain high standards of education and that students visa requirements are met.
The standards in the National Code apply equally to public and private universities and cover issues such as teaching staff qualifications, facilities and specialist equipment. Ongoing checks and controls by Commonwealth and State and Territory governments, higher education institutions and professional bodies also ensure high standards are maintained. Dozens of countries use the Australian quality assurance system as a best practice model.
Australian universities are self-accrediting institutions and are responsible for the quality of the courses they offer and the degrees they confer. They are responsible for ensuring that international students have a sufficient level of English language ability to be able to complete their course of study. The onus is on universities themselves to ensure that appropriate standards are met at the commencement of, and throughout a course of study.
Australia has an international reputation for best practice in accreditation, qualifications recognition, and quality assurance and student consumer protection.