Australia news live: Kevin Rudd ‘honoured’ to be appointed ambassador to US; national cabinet to discuss firearms | Australia news

Attorney general’s department sign off on privacy act review

The attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, has received the review of the Privacy Act carried out by his department. He says one of the major problems is the fact that it’s “not fit for purpose in our digital age.”

The review will provide some light summer reading for Dreyfus who says he’ll be carefully considering ahead of the overhaul of the act to take place next year.

Coalition wishes Rudd and new diplomats well in ‘important’ roles

Victorian teenagers conveyed to hospital after night stranded in hut

Victorian police have released more details behind the four teenagers who were found alive this morning on Swan Island after getting caught up in strong winds which swept them across Port Phillip Bay.

The four teens miraculously found alive on Swan Island this morning spent the night drifting in the cold choppy bay.

They set out on two standup paddle boards from Rosebud Foreshore yesterday evening and after getting caught in strong winds, drifted into the middle of the bay.

The four couldn’t fight against the easterly wind so floated with the tide and ended up on Swan Island – the opposite side of the bay – around 2am.

Cold and disorientated, the four found shelter in a hut. Once the sun rose, they wandered the island and were located by security.

Police say the teenagers have been conveyed to hospital following the rescue. They’ve also provided some tips to help others have a safe summer as they hit the beach.

All options on the table in 2023, RBA minutes reveal

The Reserve Bank is keeping its options open going into the new year as uncertainties continue to complicate its soft landing for the economy.

At its last meeting in December, the central bank board considered a pause, a 25 basis point hike and a larger 50 basis point lift as possible options.

The central bank ultimately landed on the 0.25 percentage point lift to the official cash rate in December in its bid to chase down inflation that’s still “too high”.

In the minutes from the December meeting, board members again pointed to the lagging effect of rate hikes on economic activity.

The minutes said:

Moreover, it was possible that the policy changes might be transmitted to the economy more slowly than usual, given the higher share of mortgages taken out with fixed interest rates, households’ large savings buffers and a summer holiday season without social restrictions for the first time in several years.

Despite the delayed impact of rate hikes, board members said it was still too early to hit the brakes given it would take “several years” to return inflation to the target range and there was no new evidence to the contrary.

The board also said no other central bank had paused yet.

A return to the larger 50 basis point increments seen earlier in the year was also discussed, with the possibility of strong wages growth triggered by the enduringly tight labour market a key point of concern.

RBA board members said some countries were starting to see evidence of a wage-price spiral and would potentially be forced to inflict a recession to return inflation to target.

Australia was not yet in such a situation, but the inflation mindset was shifting, with firms more willing to put up prices than a year earlier and upside risks to wages growth potentially building.

For policy setting into the new year, the board has not ruled out any options.

The board did not rule out returning to larger increases if the situation warranted.

Conversely, the board is prepared to keep the cash rate unchanged for a period while it assesses the state of the economy and the inflation outlook.

– from AAP

We can grow relationship with China and uphold our national interests, PM writes in the Australian

Anthony Albanese has written an opinion piece for the Australian in which he says it is the “principles” behind Gough Whitlam’s vision for China relations that continue to drive the Albanese government.

Albanese wrote that when he met China’s president, Xi Jinping, in November, they spoke about “our highly complementary economies” and that it “is clearly in Australia’s best economic interests to be able to export our high-quality barley, wine, meat, seafood, resources and more to China”.

We spoke honestly and frankly about our differences, and I made clear Australia would always be guided by our interests and values.

Australia seeks a stable relationship with China between two equal partners; we will co-operate where we can, disagree where we must and always act in the national interest. We will continue to support the rules-based order and regional stability.

As Penny Wong has said, we can grow our bilateral relationship alongside upholding our national interests if both countries navigate our differences wisely.

The Foreign Minister’s visit to China on Tuesday to commemorate the 50-year anniversary is part of the effort to continue to move us down that path.

You can read the rest of the piece here.

And right below Rudd’s tweet is none other than Malcolm Turnbull, another former PM, congratulating Rudd and saying he could not think of “any Australian with better connections”.

Kevin Rudd ‘greatly honoured’ to be appointed ambassador to US

Former PM Kevin Rudd has responded to his appointment as the next ambassador to the US in a statement, saying he is “great honoured” and that Australia currently faces “its most challenging security and diplomatic environment for many decades”.

Rudd posted the statement on Twitter, where he also espoused his credentials for the job, mentioning his work at the Harvard Kennedy School (researching US-China relations) and serving as the inaugural president of the Asia Society Policy Institute at the Asia Society in New York.

I also look forward to returning to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, where my diplomatic career began in 1981. I will of course comply fully with all DFAT and APS guidelines to ensure any institutional associations I retain are consistent with my obligations as Ambassador.

Wong en route to Beijing

Sky News are showing footage of the foreign minister Penny Wong boarding the Royal Australian Air Force plane headed to China after that press conference.

‘Fantastic outcome for the family’: Victoria police’s relief at teenagers’ rescue

Supt Terry Rowlands tells the media the four teenagers who set out paddleboarding from Rosebud beach on the Mornington peninsula were carried by the tide across Port Phillip Bay. They were found on Swan Island on the Bellarine peninsula by a local doing their routine walk this morning.

Rowlands:

What an absolutely fantastic outcome. All too often, members of Victoria police in these circumstances see tragedy, but on this occasion, I’m happy to say that the four missing people that went missing yesterday have been found safe and well across the other side of Port Phillip Bay. So absolutely sensational, a fantastic outcome for the family.

He has a reminder for Australians who will be hitting the beach this summer to stay safe:

Can I just highlight, though, as we enter summer, the dangers that swimming on our beaches can and do pose. Highlighted particularly today or last night is the fact that four people have entered Port Phillip Bay to have some fun and they have ended up in what could have been tragic circumstances. So a sensational outcome, but just to remind everybody, please, about the dangers that our waters pose, particular over the summer period.

He says the teenagers were found by a local on their routine walk.

So they were actually found by a local on a beach across near Queenscliff, so that’s how we were alerted to the fact that they had been found … it was part of their routine walk.

PM thanks press for ‘constructive engagement’ and says ‘politeness incentive scheme’ will continue

Albanese (wearing a red and white festive tie) finished the press conference wishing everyone a merry Christmas, as well as reflecting on media conference protocol. Guardian’s very own Paul Karp gets a shout out for his politeness, but not his question answered.

I conclude by wishing everybody here – … a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year. I thank you for your constructive engagement all year. All of you – each and everyone of you – have been constructive at all times, and I thank you for that.

Paul Karp expresses some cynicism at this, and he’s still very hopeful with a polite hand in the air. I intend to continue to have my politeness incentive scheme in the way that we hold as conferences next year.

I thank you for noticing, by the way, that I do give gender equality at these press conferences as well. It’s taken a while for you to notice that that happens, but now that you’ve all noticed, maybe next year you can bear that in mind as we flow through. The loudest bloke shouting at the front won’t get the first question every time.

Thanks very much and have a great Christmas.

Government defends Rudd appointment following abolishing AAT

Reporter:

Last week the attorney general announced abolishing the AAT [administrative appeals tribunal] because it had been too much stacked with mates. How does the appointment of Kevin Rudd gel with that rhetoric?

Wong:

I have appointed a great many career diplomats in the short time that I’ve been in this job. The government has. I made clear when we made an announcement, along with a whole range of appointments that were political appointments under the former government being replaced with career diplomats.

I also made clear that there would be a few occasions when we would be looking to former experienced political appointments, and this is one of the posts I identified.

But I’d invite you to look at the list of people who we’ve appointed since we’ve come to government.

Albanese:

We have appointed now former foreign ministers to both the UK and the United States. It’s no accident that we are engaged in Aukus, and those decisions require significant diplomatic [knowledge], but also, of course, a knowledge of the political structures that are in place. Kevin Rudd is an entirely appropriate appointment to the US.

Can I make a point about the AAT. The AAT has been abolished because it is dysfunctional. It is not getting decisions made and people are waiting for decisions about their social security, about their engagement with government, for considerable periods of time

The political appointments on the AAT number into the triple figures. If you were someone who had run for council in some part of Australia, or you were vice-president of a local Liberal party branch, you are eligible for appointment to the AAT. The lists and the appointments that were made to the AAT are absurd.

My government is appointing people on merit … I want the best people representing Australia. Today’s announcements, whether it be career public servants [like] Heather Ridout, or Kevin Rudd, they certainly fit that bill.

Reporter asks about ‘delicate issues’ of Rudd’s opinions of Murdoch and Trump

Questions return to whether Kevin Rudd is suitable to be appointed as ambassador to the US.

Reporter:

There’s no doubting the former PM Kevin Rudd’s knowledge of China and the US. There are also delicate issues here. He’s been particularly critical of two US citizens, one of whom is Rupert Murdoch [into whom Rudd is] calling for a royal commission, and the other is Donald Trump, who could be the next president. What are your expectations on Mr Rudd in terms of managing the strong opinions he has of those two men?

Albanese:

My expectations are very clear: that Kevin Rudd will be an outstanding Australian representative in Washington DC. And that he will conduct himself in a way that brings great credit to Australia. Kevin Rudd will be seen in the United States as a very significant appointment by appointing a former prime minister. I am very pleased that Kevin Rudd is prepared to do this. He certainly doesn’t need to do this. He’s doing it out of a part of – what he sees – as his service obligation to the country that he loves. I am sure that he will serve very well.

Release of Australian detainees ‘would be beneficial’ to Australia-China relationship: Wong

The Australian’s Sarah Ison asks if Wong’s visit to China will be a precursor to a prime ministerial/ presidential visit. She also asks a second question:

If I may, without previewing the outcome, do you think the Australian-Chinese relationship can move forward in the medium term without the release of the detainees?

Albanese:

As I said, I will visit the United States next year at some stage. The president will visit Australia when I host the Quad leaders meeting next year.

Wong:

In relation to the second part of your question, I agree with you. It would be beneficial not just for the individuals, which is, I think, important in its own right, but it would be beneficial to the relationship for those consular matters to be dealt with.

‘Not all countries in the world share our views’ on human rights: Wong

Our own Daniel Hurst asks the foreign minister for more details about her intentions to raise human rights issues in Beijing:

What specifically will you be asking for when it comes to Xinjiang and Hong Kong? And has the government ruled out sanctions in relation to Xinjiang?

Penny Wong:

As I said in my announcement on human rights day, where we announced a number of things, I also set out the Magnitsky sanctions that were put in place on Russia and Iran, but I made the point that you have to have a broad set of strategies with how you deal with advocacy for human rights.

Obviously not all countries in the world share our views on these issues, and we have to think through how we press for the observation of human rights. Dialogue is part of it.

Of course, we will, as always, be advocating our views in relation to the observance of human rights, as a principle.

Albanese responds to question on Rudd being ‘essentially a second foreign minister’ in US

Kevin Rudd’s appointment as US ambassador is coming under quite a bit of heat with questions from reporters.

ABC’s Andrew Greene asks about the criticisms that the former PM has copped from within the Labor party.

Is this the person who your government needs to have in Washington? Are you worried about essentially having a second foreign minister in the United States?

Albanese backs Rudd:

Kevin Rudd is an outstanding appointment. He brings a great deal of credit to Australia by agreeing to take up this position as a former prime minister, as a former foreign minister, as someone who’s been head of the Asia Society, and as someone who has links with the global community, based in Washington DC, will be a major asset in working to assist the foreign minister, as other ambassadors do in their job.

Gun reform will be on agenda at next national cabinet meeting

Albanese government appoints first human rights ambassador

Wong to advocate on consular cases and lifting of trade sanctions

On consular cases and trade, Wong says:

I will be advocating on the consular cases as I always do, just as I will be advocating for trade sanctions to be lifted, because we do believe, as the prime minister said, it is in both countries’ interests to do so.

I want to emphasise that Australian business has done an outstanding job in diversifying its markets. It is always going to be in our interest to continue to prioritise that diversification.

‘We will cooperate where we can, we will disagree where we must’: Wong on China dialogue

The foreign minister, Penny Wong, steps up after the prime minister.

First, on today’s visit to China, I certainly welcome the opportunity to continue dialogue, as the prime minister said. We have been working very carefully and methodically and patiently towards stabilising the relationship between our two countries.

As I have said in the past, this will take time, but I do see this visit as another step in the road. The visit will see us hold the sixth Australia-China foreign and strategic dialogue, dialogue that was last held in 2018. It obviously builds on recent very constructive meetings that the prime minister had with President Xi on the sidelines of the G20 Summit.

The prime minister has made it very clear we seek a stable relationship with China. We will cooperate where we can, we will disagree where we must and we will engage in our national interest.

There has been a lot of speculation in the last 24 hours or more about what will happen. I will say this: The expectation should be that we will have a meeting, and that dialogue itself is essential to stabilising the relationship. Many of the hard issues in the relationship will take time to resolve in our interests. Speculation about outcomes obviously has implications for leverage, and I am not interested in giving any country leverage other than Australia.