Focus on Australia - 06/02/2015

Julie Bishop says Australia will consider giving more to help Iraq fight Isis

However, the foreign affairs minister says Iraq had asked for more weapons, equipment and training, but not for more troops

Malcolm Turnbull declares national security is not a bravado issue – politics live

Tony Abbott confronts Cabinet over leaks on national security split; says discussion was 'come to Jesus moment'

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has confronted his Cabinet colleagues over extraordinary leaks of a split on national security, describing it as a "come to Jesus moment" for senior ministers.

Migrants 'turned away by Australia' saved in Indonesia

Asylum seekers tell rescuers that Australian authorities turned their boat back from reaching the country's waters.

Scuffles in Melbourne as anti-Islamic protesters & anti-racism activists clash

Clashes have broken out in Melbourne between anti-Islam protesters and anti-racism activists, as police battled to keep them apart. Verbal insults and punches were traded, while parts of the city were closed off.

Security laws passed in 2014

‘Free speech clampdown’: New Australian law sees journalists facing 10yrs in prison

AUSTRALIAN KCA JOURNALIST TO GO TO JAIL FOR BREACHING SUPPRESSION ORDER PUT ON A SUPPRESSION ORDER BY 7’S KERRY STOKES

Abbott and climate change policy

Abbott stonewalls on global questions around emissions targets

The Abbott government has responded to the dozens of questions about its climate policy posed by most of its major trading partners, but continues to stonewall about whether it can meet its modest 2020 target, and how it would address any future target agreed to in Paris later this year.

Last week, without any announcement, Australia formally responded to the unprecendent level of questions about its climate targets posed by the US, China, Brazil, the EU, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia and even New Zealand.

It comes as Australia prepares for direct questioning about these and further questions in Bonn this Thursday, during a UN-sponsored conference that will be a critical lead-up to the big conference due to be held in Paris in December.

The questions from the other countries mainly focused on Australia’s 2020 target, which is currently as a modest 5 per cent reduction, an explanation of its Direct Action policy, and its accounting for land use measurements, which has effectively allowed Australia to turn a 31 per cent increase in industrial emissions to a country-wide fall of 2 per cent since 1990.

And the economy 

Australia's Current Account Deficit Widens

SYDNEY--Australia's current account deficit widened to a seasonally adjusted A$10.7 billion in the first quarter of the year from the fourth quarter of 2014, the Australia Bureau of Statistics said Tuesday.

Economists had expected a deficit of A$10.9 billion in the first quarter. The fourth-quarter deficit was revised upwards to A$10.2 billion from the A$9.6 billion figure initially reported.

Reserve Bank of Australia keeps interest rates on hold

75% drought declared - Western Qld graziers say droughts are getting worse