Australia - Page 219

December 11, 2015

Abbott sworn in as Australia's new PM

Tony Abbott was sworn in as Australia's new prime minister on Wednesday and immediately ordered the scrapping of the nation's carbon tax and the halting of asylum-seeker boats.

December 11, 2015

Sea Shepherd loses Australia bid for charity status

Militant anti-whaling organisation Sea Shepherd Australia suffered a blow to its fundraising hopes when a court rejected a bid for donations to be tax-deductible.

December 11, 2015

O'Driscoll axed as Lions go Welsh for final Test

There will be no fairytale ending to his British and Irish Lions career for Brian O'Driscoll after the Irish legend was ruthlessly axed from the deciding third Test against the Wallabies in Sydney on Saturday.

December 11, 2015

England tighten Ashes grip as 'gulf widens'

Australian cricket commentators on Sunday were preparing for the worst, pointing to the widening gulf between Michael Clarke's team and England as the hosts tightened their grip on the second Ashes Test.

December 11, 2015

Australia's jobless rate jumps to 5.7%

Australia's jobless rate jumped to 5.7 percent in June, its highest level in almost four years, as the mining-driven economy gears up for a bumpy transition away from its reliance on commodities.

December 11, 2015

Aussie O'Grady admits to EPO use - report

Newly-retired Australian cycling great Stuart O'Grady has admitted to using the banned blood-booster EPO before the 1998 Tour de France, reports said Thursday.

December 11, 2015

Arthur sues Australia for racial discrimination

Australia's first foreign-born coach Mickey Arthur confirmed he was suing Cricket Australia for racial discrimination after being dumped from the job, while blasting the leaking of explosive case details to the media.

December 11, 2015

Abbott outlines harsh Australia refugee plan

The conservative frontrunner to become Australia's next prime minister declared "this is our country" as he launched a harsh new temporary visa policy Friday that would strip boatpeople of basic rights.

December 11, 2015

Australians should be told of boat turn-backs: ex-navy chief

A retired Australian navy chief, who once led the turning back of asylum-seeker boats, Tuesday criticised the government's decision to keep operations to repel vessels under wraps.

December 11, 2015

Australia nurse gets life sentence for nursing home fire

A nurse who set a Sydney nursing home on fire, killing 11 residents and wounding several others, was sentenced Thursday to life in prison, with the judge slamming the man's actions as heinous and reprehensible.