Australia is to reduce the number of troops in East Timor to 650 by early 2009. The announcement was made today by the Minister for Defence, Joel Fitzgibbon. [Read more...]
Rudd Sends More Peacekeepers To East Timor
Feb 11, 2008
More Australian peacekeeping personnel will be sent to East Timor, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced today.
The decision follows the assassination attempt on the East Timorese President Jose Ramos-Horta.
Speaking at a press conference in Canberra, Rudd emphasised the significance of an attack on the democratic process in one of Australia’s near neighbours.
Listen to Kevin Rudd’s press conference:
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Alexander Downer: Earle Page Politics Speech
May 17, 2005
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer, has delivered a speech on Australian foreign policy and politics at the University of New England in Armidale.
Downer gave the Earle Page College’s Annual Politics Dinner speech. [Read more...]
Government Increases Medicare Levy To Pay For Increased Commitment To Timor
Nov 23, 1999
The Federal Government today announced an increase in the Medicare levy for people earning in excess of $50,000 to pay for an increased Australian commitment to East Timor.
The levy, to be known as the “Defence – East Timor levy”, will apply for the financial year 2000-01 only. Taxpayers earning between $50,000 and $100,000 will pay an additional 0.5% levy. Taxpayers earning over $100,000 will pay an extra 1%.
Speaking to Parliament today, Prime Minister Howard said that the commitment to East Timor would cost around $1.1 billion dollars in 2000-01. He said that combined with changes to the GST legislation negotiated with the Democrats earlier this year, the budget in the next financial year would record an underlying cash deficit of approximately $500 million. The increased levy is designed to prevent the budget going into deficit.
The Prime Minister also announced the formation of two additional infantry batallions for the Australian Army.
