News Update: Tuesday, 6 February 2024
Eureka Free Press: Your pro-freedom Australian news source.
Australia joins US-Japan military drills for first time amid growing Chinese aggression
https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/australia-joins-2nd-us-japan-military-exercise-5580457
For the first time, Canberra has joined a military exercise that was previously exclusive between the United States and Japan. Australia's involvement comes amid the Chinese Communist Party's growing aggressiveness in the Indo-Pacific.
New Zealand mulls sharing military tech with Australia, US, UK
New Zealand is considering sharing advanced military technologies with the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia amid concerns over an increasingly assertive China. This comes after the defence and foreign ministers of Australia and New Zealand met in Melbourne to talk about deepening security ties between the neighbouring nations.
Size of average Aussie mortgages hits record high
The national average new mortgage size as of December 2023 was $624,383, the highest level on record, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. South Australia has recorded an 11.2 percent hike in mortgage size while Victoria saw a 3.8 per cent decrease over the same period of time.
Australia investing USD 6.3 billion in C130J-30 Super Hercules aircraft.
https://www.zerohedge.com/military/real-victors-all-bloodshed-us-arms-exports-hit-record-high-2023
Australia has joined the arms market amid the threat imposed by the Chinese Communist Party by investing USD 6.3 billion in C130J-30 Super Hercules aircraft. The government is also pushing ahead with plans to acquire nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS alliance with the United States and Britain.
Australia's net foreign debt balloons to $1.2 trillion
Amid rising interest rates and crippling housing and food prices, Australia's net foreign debt has ballooned to $1.2 trillion as of September 30. This amounts to about 50 per cent of GDP. Gross debt is now $2.8 trillion, about 110 per cent of output.
'Corrupt' UN agency for refugees branded as an obstacle to peace
https://www.newsmax.com/estrich/guterres-netanyahu-unwra/2024/02/01/id/1151870/
After at least nine other nations, including Australia, paused support for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the office is now branded as "an obstacle to peace and a corrupt organisation." According to Jonathan Conricus, the former spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces, the agency has "no future, and should be responsibly phased out, for the benefit of Palestinians and Israelis."
Sharma: Chris Bowen's track record shows setting targets without thinking too much
Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change and Energy of Australia, has a track record of setting targets without thinking too much through the detail of how those are actually going to be met, according to Liberal Senator Dave Sharma. Her comments came after the federal government revealed it will set minimum standards for manufacturers on fuel consumption and carbon emissions in vehicles they sell in Australia.
Commonwealth Bank shuts down thousands of ATMs amid massive investments in digital payments
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13044345/Commonwealth-Bank-close-thousands-ATMs.html
Amid moves to go digital, the Commonwealth Bank has closed 354 branches during the past five years and eyes to close down three more branches next month in populated areas of three major cities. The bank has permanently shut down Rundle Mall Adelaide, Coolangatta and Coogee branches. Meanwhile, Bankwest, a Commonwealth Bank subsidiary, is also closing branches in Perth and regional Western Australia in coming weeks.
Australia backs Joe Biden's retaliatory air strikes in Iran
Canberra has backed Washington after it carried out retaliatory air strikes on Iranian-backed militias in Syria and Iraq. A spokeswoman for Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said the US' intentions in carrying out the strikes were clear and that Australia "condemns attacks by Iran-backed militant groups on US service members in Jordan."
Australia's eSafety Commissioner accuses Big Tech of 'platitudes but no commitment'
Apple, Meta, X, Microsoft, TikTok, Snap, and Google are doing too little to address the online spread of objectionable material, according to Australia's eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant. The watchdog said these companies "weren't even using available tools and technologies to detect child sexual exploitation and abuse material, let alone detecting grooming or live-streamed child abuse."
World Economic Forum demanding $3.5 Trillion per year to 'decarbonise' the Earth
https://vigilantnews.com/post/wef-decarbonize/
The globalist World Economic Forum (WEF) is demanding at least $3.5 trillion of additional investments each year to reach net zero and restore nature. In a whitepaper that leaked to the media, WEF said private organisations should surrender their autonomy to governments in exchange for credit and business protection.
'Reckless Renewables Rally' mounted in Canberra, Queensland
https://joannenova.com.au/2024/02/reckless-renewables-protest-in-canberra-australia-on-tuesday/
More Australians are joining the 'Reckless Renewables Rally' as more than 1,000 renewable projects have been announced to be in the pipeline. The protests, mounted in both Canberra and Queensland, urge federal and state governments to cease the rollout of unreliable and environmentally destructive wind, solar, limited "firming" batteries, and high-voltage transmission lines.
Renewables-only policy seen to drive up electricity rates in Australia
The government's "renewables only" policy is behind skyrocketing electricity prices, Australian Opposition Leader Peter Dutton lamented. He said: "I think the Government's renewables-only policy at the moment is driving up electricity prices, as I say, by 20 percent, gas by 29 percent. So, every farmer has got additional costs for their fertiliser, every farmer's got additional costs for cold rooms, the glass manufacturers for the bottles of the product that you're buying in Coles, or Woolies, or IGA, or Aldi, whatever it might be."
Australia issues sanctions on businesses and banks linked to Myanmar junta
Canberra has imposed further sanctions on five entities linked to Myanmar's military junta. The sanctions will limit access to funds and materials that allow the Burmese military regime to continue to commit atrocities against its own people.
Pfizer mRNA vax linked to chronic kidney disease
New research showed that a chronic kidney disease known as IgA nephropathy (IgAN) could present shortly after the second dose of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. IgA nephropathy, also called Berger's disease, is a condition in which antibodies build up in kidney tissue.
Albo gov't accused of coming after tradies
Under a plan to overhaul Australia's fuel efficiency standards, the Albanese government has been chided of coming after tradies by eyeing significant changes to the car industry. The changes would incentivise the car industry to boost the sales of low and zero-emissions vehicles or face fines for selling too many fuel-hungry cars.