China has rejected Penny Wong’s comments about the South China Sea as Australia considers whether to increase joint patrols in the region following what Wong described as “destabilising” missile testing. At the same time, Victorian teachers are striking today after rejecting the state government’s latest pay offer, disrupting public schools and forcing families to make other arrangements.
Wong raised Australia’s concerns in Manila, where she is attending the Asean foreign ministers’ meeting, and is due to warn China today that Australia will not be bullied as Beijing builds up its military strength. Separately, federal education minister Jason Clare defended teachers’ pay and said the Victorian dispute should be resolved quickly for parents and students.
How did China respond to Penny Wong’s comments?
China’s foreign ministry said Australia was not party to the South China Sea issue and had no right to intervene. The response came after Wong said Australia was not ruling out stepping up joint patrols with the United States and Japan following missile testing in the region.
“The maritime zone is critical to stability in the region so, when we have a conversation about the South China Sea, that is something I’m sure we should all keep in mind,” she told reporters in Manila where she is attending the Asean foreign ministers’ meeting.
“We are concerned about some of the aggression we are seeing, we are concerned about some of the destabilising conduct we are seeing, and the countries of the region have a choice to make about how we all respond to that.”
Wong met her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the talks on Tuesday evening to highlight her concerns.
“You speak about the importance of mutual understanding,’’ she said.
“I agree, and I expect we will discuss our concerns ... including around peace and stability in our region, safe and professional military conduct, and the importance of transparency and reassurance of intent.”
China’s foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a regular briefing in Beijing that “China urges relevant countries to stop stirring up tension and inciting confrontation”.
It came as Wong prepared to warn China in a speech today that Australia would not be bullied by Beijing as it builds up its military strength.
“The maritime zone is critical to stability in the region so, when we have a conversation about the South China Sea, that is something I’m sure we should all keep in mind,”
“We are concerned about some of the aggression we are seeing, we are concerned about some of the destabilising conduct we are seeing, and the countries of the region have a choice to make about how we all respond to that.”
“You speak about the importance of mutual understanding,’’ she said.
“I agree, and I expect we will discuss our concerns ... including around peace and stability in our region, safe and professional military conduct, and the importance of transparency and reassurance of intent.”
“China urges relevant countries to stop stirring up tension and inciting confrontation”
What did Lin Jian say about the South China Sea and the missile test?
Lin Jian said the root cause of tension at sea lay with the Philippines, not China. He said “Relevant countries are not parties in the South China Sea, and are in no position to interfere in the maritime issues between countries concerned.”
He also said: “Apparently, whenever something happens at sea, the same few countries immediately point their fingers at China regardless of who exactly is at fault. Are they trying to keep the South China Sea peaceful and stable, or simply to destabilise? I think the answer is quite clear. We urge relevant countries to stop hyping up tensions and sowing confrontation.”
Lin said China would “continue firmly safeguarding its sovereignty, rights and interests” in the South China Sea. On the test launch, he said it was a “routine training activity” not directed at any specific country or target, and said China had notified relevant countries including Australia beforehand.
“Relevant countries are not parties in the South China Sea, and are in no position to interfere in the maritime issues between countries concerned.”
“Apparently, whenever something happens at sea, the same few countries immediately point their fingers at China regardless of who exactly is at fault. Are they trying to keep the South China Sea peaceful and stable, or simply to destabilise? I think the answer is quite clear. We urge relevant countries to stop hyping up tensions and sowing confrontation.”
“continue firmly safeguarding its sovereignty, rights and interests”
“routine training activity”
What did Jason Clare say about Pauline Hanson’s comments on domestic violence?
Federal education minister Jason Clare also responded to comments from Pauline Hanson on domestic violence. On Wednesday, Hanson told 4BC that domestic violence in Australia was a scourge but that society was under “so much pressure”, when asked to call out the issue, describing it as “wrong” but a “two-way street”.
Clare said domestic violence was a crime, not a mutual conflict.
“One in four Australian women are victims of domestic violence … that’s one in four women who are violently attacked by people who tell them that they love them. You know, that’s not a two-way street. That’s a crime.”
Asked whether it would be a “big topic” at this week’s Labor conference, he said: “I suspect it’ll be a topic”.
“I suspect it’ll be a topic”
He added: “I think when people hear these comments, if they’re thinking about voting for Pauline Hanson, they think, hang on. I didn’t for that.”
How is the Victorian teacher strike affecting schools?
Students in Victoria will be kept at home as a second teacher strike disrupts public schools, leaving thousands of families to make alternative arrangements. More than 35,000 teachers, principals and education support staff are expected to gather in Melbourne’s CBD today after rejecting a pay deal proposed by the state government.
While all public schools were set to remain open, many classes will be disrupted. Australian Education Union Victorian members on Tuesday knocked back the government’s updated offer of a 28.3% pay rise over the next four years, calling for a better offer to combat ongoing resourcing and staffing pressures.
Victorian branch president Justin Mullaly said: “The government’s done precious little to do anything meaningful to address that and our members are carrying the weight of all the excessive workload.”
Union educators have been locked in a pay dispute with the government for nearly a year, with graduate teachers – the worst paid in the country – earning $13,000 less than those in the Northern Territory, the best paid.
Former deputy principal Melinda Davis said the strike was about more than pay and focused on conditions and class sizes.
“The government has cut funding to government schools over the past 10 years and that slow decrease in funding has meant we have schools needing repairs, but also we have lost so many teachers in the profession,” the Swinburne education expert said.
“The government’s done precious little to do anything meaningful to address that and our members are carrying the weight of all the excessive workload.”
“The government has cut funding to government schools over the past 10 years and that slow decrease in funding has meant we have schools needing repairs, but also we have lost so many teachers in the profession,”
What did Jason Clare say about teachers’ pay?
Clare appeared on ABC News Breakfast as Victorian teachers went on strike for the second time this year. Asked what he had to say to parents affected by the strike, he said: “I hope this gets sorted out as quick as it possibly can”.
He said teachers do the most important job in the world and should be paid as well as possible.
“The teachers do the most important job in the world. I want to see them being paid as good as they possibly can be. We know that when you pay people more, more people want to do the job. In New South Wales, we’ve seen the evidence of that …”
He said the Victorian government had a big offer on the table: “I know the Victorian government’s got a big offer on the table here of a 28% pay rise, which would be even bigger than New South Wales. So that’s a good thing and I really hope that the Victorian government and the teachers can get together and sort this out for parents and for our kids as quick as possible.”
Asked if Victorian teachers should get a better offer, Clare said he would not involve himself in individual negotiations, but said there was a teacher shortage and they should be paid “what they deserve”.
“I think that the government is determined to get a good outcome here for our teachers and I’m pretty confident that this will be worked out.”
Who will lead Australia at the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony?
Pole vault star Nina Kennedy and decorated para-swimmer Tim Hodge will lead the Australian team at the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony, Australian Associated Press reports. Kennedy will carry the flag and Hodge will be the Games baton bearer when the team marches out early tomorrow morning AEST at Glasgow’s Hydro indoor arena.
While Kennedy will be the 24th Australian to carry the flag at a Commonwealth Games opening ceremony, the baton bearer is a new honour. For the first time, all 74 countries and territories were given their own baton to decorate and bring to the opening ceremony rather than a single King’s baton.
King Charles III started the main Scotland baton relay in March last year and it contains the full message he will read at the opening ceremony. The other batons each contain one word from his message.
Kennedy and Hodge won gold four years ago at the Birmingham Games and remain at the peak of their sports.
After winning pole vault gold at the Paris Olympics, Kennedy needed an extended break because of a hamstring injury.
But Kennedy showed only last week that she will be one of the top competitors in Glasgow, breaking the Australian record with her 4.95m vault to win the Monaco Diamond League.
“The teachers do the most important job in the world. I want to see them being paid as good as they possibly can be. We know that when you pay people more, more people want to do the job. In New South Wales, we’ve seen the evidence of that …”
“I know the Victorian government’s got a big offer on the table here of a 28% pay rise, which would be even bigger than New South Wales. So that’s a good thing and I really hope that the Victorian government and the teachers can get together and sort this out for parents and for our kids as quick as possible.”
“I think that the government is determined to get a good outcome here for our teachers and I’m pretty confident that this will be worked out.”
“I hope this gets sorted out as quick as it possibly can”
“I suspect it’ll be a topic”
What happened at the start of the live blog?
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it will be Caitlin Cassidy with the main action.
More than 35,000 teachers, principals and education support staff are expected to gather in Melbourne’s CBD today as they go on strike after rejecting a pay deal proposed by the state government. More coming up.
Australia is not ruling out stepping up joint patrols of the South China Sea after “destabilising” missile testing in the region, Penny Wong said last night as she attends the Asean summit in Manila.
But China has hit back, with its foreign ministry spokesman urging “relevant countries to stop stirring up tension and inciting confrontation”. We have more on this soon.
“relevant countries to stop stirring up tension and inciting confrontation”
