Victoria

19 June 2023; MEMO: The Australian Labor Party passed a resolution yesterday, during the final day of the Victorian party conference, calling for the federal Australian government to recognise the state of Palestine.

"In re-affirming the resolution carried at the 2018 and 2021 national conferences, the Albanese government will join with 138 countries and the Vatican, which have already done so," the motion read.

Portland, Feb 20 (AP) China has failed to live up to its promise to buy more Maine lobster under a deal that opened the door to an easing of a trade war under former President Donald Trump, Maine's congressional leaders say.

Maine's lobster industry was hurt by retaliatory Chinese tariffs in 2018 and failed to see substantial export gains after China committed to buying an additional USD 200 billion in US goods, the delegation contends.

Melbourne, Feb 12 (PTI) The current situation at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) has arisen due to the disregard of written agreements by China not to mass soldiers at the border, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday.

Speaking at a joint press conference along with his Australian counterpart Marise Payne, Jaishankar further said when a large country disregards written commitments, it's an issue of legitimate concern for the entire international community.

New Delhi, Feb 11 (PTI) The foreign ministers of the Quad grouping of India, the US, Australia and Japan on Friday held extensive talks in Melbourne amid escalating tension between Russia and NATO countries over Ukraine, the Afghan crisis and increasing concerns over China's "coercion" in the Indo-Pacific region.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Australia's Marise Payn jointly called on Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison ahead of their talks.

Canberra, Feb 10 (AP) The United States remains focused long-term on the Indo-Pacific region despite concerns over Russian aggression toward the Ukraine, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday.

Blinken is in the Australian city of Melbourne for a meeting on Friday with his counterparts from Australia, India and Japan.

The four nations form the so-called Quad, a bloc of Indo-Pacific democracies that was created to counter China's regional influence.

Melbourne, Jan 7 (AP) Regardless of who made an error on the visa or the vaccination waiver or whatever, the reality on Friday for men's tennis No. 1 Novak Djokovic was spending one his important religious holidays in an Australian detention hotel working on his challenge against deportation.

Melbourne; 06 July 2021 (UMMN):  An Indian couple in Melbourne face a maximum of 25 years in jail for keeping a slave at their home for eight years when sentencing takes place in the Supreme Court on 21 July 2021.

The couple Kumuthini Kannan, 53, and her husband, Kandasamy Kannan, 57, were found guilty in a recent pre-sentencing hearing, for two counts of possessing a slave and exercising power over a slave.

Male (Maldives), May 7 (PTI) Australian pace spearhead Pat Cummins believes if hosting the ICC T20 World Cup amidst raging COVID-19 pandemic is a "drain on Indian resources" or is "unsafe", it would be prudent to shift it to the United Arab Emirates.

The postponement of Indian Premier League after multiple cases of COVID-19 inside the bio-bubble has led to a big question-mark on whether the marquee ICC event should be held in India where a third wave is expected around that time.

Melbourne, May 5 (PTI) Australia pacer Pat Cummins feels the IPL organisers, in hindsight, could have "tweaked a few things" after deciding to host the league in India amidst a raging COVID-19 pandemic.

Cummins, a key part of the Kolkata Knight Riders team, said previous edition held in UAE was incredibly "well-run" and the organisers pushed it "little step further" by organising it at home this year.

The IPL was "indefinitely suspended" on Tuesday, following multiple COVID-19 cases inside the bio-bubble.

Melbourne, Dec 21 (AP-PTI) An Australian state government leader on Monday apologised for a bungled hotel quarantine program that led to most of the nation's COVID-19 deaths.

A retired judge who investigated Victoria state's quarantine program for returned travelers criticized the use of private security guards to enforce isolation in Melbourne hotels in May and June.