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Plus ça change. At the turn of the millennium, Australia was in the throes of “one of its periodic bouts of angst over its place in the Asia-Pacific and the wider world”. It was doubting the reliability of its ally the US, wrestling with the issue of Indigenous reconciliation, and attracting criticism for its lack of commitment to addressing the climate crisis. And it was trying to organise a game of cricket against the English. Just released papers from Britain’s National Archives shed light on intergovernmental correspondence between the governments of Australia and the UK before a prime ministerial visit to London in 2000 to mark Australia Week, and the centenary of the Australian constitution. Correspondence between the governments of the conservative prime minister John Howard and the UK Labour leader Tony Blair reveal a suite of problems still being grappled with in Australia a quarter of a century later. “Personality notes” written for Blair describe Howard as a leader who had “started well” as prime minister, particularly on gun control after the Port Arthur massacre, but who “appeared to lose his way” during his first term. Importantly for the UK, it saw Howard as an “instinctive monarchist … well-disposed towards Britain”. The sketch says Howard was a “strong family man”, significantly influenced by his wife, Janette, that he was a “fanatical follower” of cricket, and a “great admirer” of Sir Winston Churchill and Mahatma Gandhi. In a scene-setting cable dated June 2000 prepared for Blair, the UK high commissioner noted: “Australia is going through one of its periodic bouts of angst over its place in the Asia-Pacific and the wider world”. It said Australia took “enormous national pride” in its intervention in Timor-Leste the year before (despite significant damage to its relationship with Indonesia), saying that the Australian-led peacekeeping mission “raised Australia’s stock in Asia”. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email However, “critics argue that it simply hardened a view widely held in Asia that Australia is ambivalent, even antagonist, towards Asia”. Timor-Leste, the cable noted, had also strained Canberra’s relations with Washington DC. “The [US’s] perceived reluctance to assist Australia is seen as an indication that the US could not be relied on automatically in circumstances that are of little interest to it. “More broadly, some are doubting that the US will retain interest in the alliance unless Australia increases its commitment, in terms of defence spending. “The litmus test is Taiwan: having to choose between the US and China is the nightmare scenario on Australia’s strategic and diplomatic horizon. Few doubt Australia would choose the US but the calculations are becoming less clearcut.” In 2025, the US defense secretary has insisted Australia lift defence spending to 3.5% of its GDP, while Trump administration officials have demanded assurances from Australia it would support the US in any conflict over Taiwan. On climate, Blair was briefed that although Australia had signed the Kyoto protocol to cut emissions, it had not ratified the treaty. The British government suspected Howard would not raise the matter during the two leaders’ meeting. “If Howard doesn’t mention it, you should raise climate change,” Blair’s brief states. “The Australians are in the awkward squad on Kyoto (alongside eg the Russians and the US): you should tell Howard how important we think the issues are, and encourage Australia to do more.” In the quarter-century since, Australian governments have been consistently criticised internationally for failing to adequately address the climate crisis. A federal court judge last week found previous Australian governments had “paid scant, if any, regard to the best available science” in setting emissions reductions targets. Other files reveal concern within Blair’s government about an Indigenous delegation that visited the UK in late 1999. Leading the delegation was Patrick Dodson, a Yawuru elder and later senator, often referred to as the “father of reconciliation”. During the same trip, he met Queen Elizabeth II as part of a larger effort to foster reconciliation. However, a memo written by Blair’s foreign affairs adviser, John Sawers, reflects angst within the prime minister’s office about a proposed meeting with the delegation, referring to an apparent intervention by the then Australian high commissioner, Philip Flood. “The Australians are pretty wound up about the idea of you seeing the Aborigines at all,” Sawers wrote to Blair. “Their high commissioner rang me to press you not to see them: they were troublemakers – it would be like [the then Australian prime minister] John Howard seeing people from Northern Ireland who were trying to stir up problems for the UK.” The memo suggested: “Can’t we plead diary problems?” The word “yes” is written in answer to this, in handwriting that resembles Blair’s. A quarter-century later, Dodson was a key advocate for an Indigenous voice to parliament, put to Australians in a referendum in 2023. The voice proposal was ultimately defeated. Also within the National Archives files is a prescient document from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to the UK High Commission in Canberra. It reflects on a visit from a “rising star in the Australian Labor party and a useful contact for the FCO”. The “rising star” had reflected on Australia’s place in its region (and was summarised by an FCO official): “There were two main problems to Australia being part of Asia: a large slice of the region did not accept them, probably because of a common experience of European occupation – and Australia were too white; and Australians saw themselves as Australians rather than Asian, or indeed Europeans or Americans.” The visitor’s name was Kevin Rudd, the man who in 2007 would replace Howard as the next prime minister of Australia. As the 2000 Australia Week visit from prime minister Howard approached, a flurry of correspondence between the two governments sought to put the finishing touches to the trip. The files contain flight details, hotel bookings, and to-the-minute travel arrangements. There are discussions of trumpet fanfares and processional routes. One idea ultimately discarded was a cricket match

Ballooning water prices in Australia’s largest wine grape growing region are pushing farmers to the brink, with many unable to break even.  Growers fear the soaring price on the water market will be the “nail in the coffin” for the industry. The low returns have been caused by a mixture of environmental and market conditions, including tariffs, a decline in wine drinkers and frost. A worldwide oversupply of red wine has also seen prices offered for shiraz, cabernet and merlot plummet to record lows. As drought continues to plague parts of southern Australia, growers are now faced with the increasingly tough reality of supply and demand on the water market. Wine grape growers are not immune to the impacts of drought. (ABC Riverland: Will Hunter) A ‘dire’ situation Growers are finding themselves needing more water to keep their crops viable during dry conditions as well as paying more to lease the finite resource. Some have told the ABC they have had to use 30 per cent more water, with prices as high as $350 a megalitre, and fear further rises could be on the horizon. Data by water consultancy Ricardo Group showed temporary water prices reached up to $350 per megalitre in the past year. Ricardo Group associate director and water markets lead Ben Williams said water trade prices fluctuated between $280 to $330 per megalitre between May and June. Prices were higher than the average water price in the lower Murray over the past decade, which sat around $200 per megalitre. Loveday grower Jim Giahgias is among growers feeling the impact of rising water prices, despite owning some permanent water rights. He has been forced to rely on the temporary water market — where water can be bought, sold and traded based on demand — which has seen prices increase partly due to the drought. It has left Mr Giahgias contemplating to pull out some of his red grape vines to cut costs, as he battles with the perception that grape growers are “millionaires”. Jim Giahgias has contemplated pulling out some of his red grape vines due to the oversupply. (ABC Riverland: Will Hunter) He said he wanted consumers to know while they might pay $50 a bottle at a restaurant, the grower does not see the profits. “Especially the red variety, the grower receives 20 cents from that bottle, which is probably less than the cork,” he said. He explained the 20-cent gross amount did not account for farmers expenses, including water, leaving them “$150 a tonne out of pocket”. While he said he found it difficult having to buy more water the situation was “a lot more dire” for those who leased every drop. The threat of fines Farmers in the Murray-Darling without permanent water rights, or those who do not own enough, rely on buying water from the temporary market. The longer it does not rain, the more water people need to buy, causing a spike in both demand and temporary water prices. In 2019-2021 the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) conducted a water markets inquiry, following irrigators’ claims that non-farming investors have driven up the price they pay for water. Since then, a Water Markets Intermediaries Code has been developed, and has partially come into effect from this month, regulating how eligible intermediaries water markets conduct themselves with current and proposed clients. Riverland Winegrape Growers Association board member Jack Papageorgiou said the situation on the ground was “serious” for those totally reliant on the market. Jack Papageorgiou is concerned about the effects the drought is having on growers. (ABC Riverland: Will Hunter) He said some growers had inadvertently used more water than they were allowed, due to the dry conditions, and had no funds to balance their accounts. “Their meters have been locked, and they can’t irrigate the vineyards unless they go to the marketplace and lease the water,” he said. There are significant penalties for water overuse in South Australia, which has forced water suppliers to clamp down on growers who cannot pay their bills. Suppliers to Riverland growers include the Renmark and Central Irrigation Trusts, which are collectives of irrigators and farmers who share water supply infrastructure. CIT chief executive officer Greg McCarron said water supplies were only locked as a “last resort” to avoid exposing the collective to large fines. Greg McCarron runs Central Irrigation Trust, one of the biggest water suppliers to Riverland irrigators. (ABC Riverland: Will Hunter) “Non-compliance from farmers … can result in us not being able to balance our water accounts with the state government and face significant overuse fines,” he said. A Department for Environment and Water spokesperson said no water overuse penalties had been issued in the 2024-25 financial year. The spokesperson said penalties were “at least three times higher than the price of purchasing water on the water market” and could be higher in the River Murray. Exiting the industry For growers like Amanda Dimas, who has already replaced vines in favour of more profitable varieties, the uncertainty of the water market remained troubling. “There’s been no return for so many years now, and I think this is the nail in the coffin,” she said. “Growers are really struggling, their mental health isn’t good.” She called for government support to assist growers wanting to transition to other crops or exit the industry completely. Amanda Dimas wants to see government support for wine grape growers battling through the industry crisis. (ABC Riverland: Will Hunter) “Vines are one of the hardest things to remove, they are so costly,” Ms Dimas said. “How do growers exit, when they don’t have the funds?” It costs about $7,000 per hectare to remove vines, partly because the treated pine posts are difficult to dispose of. Mr Giahgias said the only way for the industry to “survive and move forward” was to pull grape varieties which were no longer profitable. “We can’t take anymore, we’re at breaking point now,” he said.  “If the decision is to remove vineyards, to help

Luke Aisthorpe and his dog Eva have taken home an $11,000 prize for top dog at the Australian Working Cattle Dog Championships. During the five-day event in Casino, New South Wales, 80 handlers and 180 dogs competed across 400 runs to get their shot in the finals for the national titles. The sport involves the handler directing their working dog to round up and move a mob of cattle through a series of obstacles on a course. The Australian Working Cattle Dog Championships hosted 180 dogs. (ABC Rural: Kim Honan) Eva’s win capped off an incredible competition for Mr Aisthorpe and the team of dogs he had travelled eight hours to compete with across the Queensland border. “I definitely can’t complain … it’s definitely well worth the drive down,” he said. “There are a fair few names on the shield that are pretty successful dog triallers, so it’s pretty cool to be on that too.” Handlers and their dogs are scored as they herd a mob of cattle. (ABC Rural: Kim Honan) The 25-year-old said that Eva, who was bred by his father, had not been the easiest dog to train. “She’s got a few years of age on her now, she’s matured up a little bit more, and she’s just a good practical dog, and she was lucky enough that things went her way this weekend,” he said. The competition was tight across the five-day event. (ABC Rural: Kim Honan) Mr Aisthorpe’s dog Jaffa, Eva’s sire, won the “sire shootout” before helping Queensland win convincingly over New South Wales in the state of origin match. “I had six dogs in the open, seven in the novice and four in the maiden, so I had a few dogs for the weekend,” he said.  It is luck of the draw when it comes to drawing cattle. (ABC Rural: Kim Honan) Organiser Jessica Gall said there was stiff competition in the open finals. “We ended up taking top 30 in the second round, then we took another 15 for the final and then we ended up having a run-off for the first place,” she said. “It was neck and neck the whole way through. Cream always rises to the top though, so the winner should be very happy with their winnings. “If you’re lucky enough to draw good cattle and you’ve got a dog that can work them, then there were definitely some big scores up there to be had.” Handlers and dogs from Queensland and NSW battled in the state of origin round. (ABC Rural: Kim Honan) Luck was not on Ms Gall’s side during the open finals with her dog Ace. “Unfortunately, I drew a little bit of a testing beast in my final run, so I did a few points between the obstacles, but that’s the way it goes,” she said. “My dog Ace did really really well. I’m really proud of how he went, so I’m very happy with my result as well.” Double title for dog Duke While Queensland dominated this year, Clint Austin from the Upper Hunter ensured NSW took home the remaining big cheques and custom buckles. The Cassilis farmer won the maiden and novice titles with his eight-year-old border collie Duke. Clint Austin is impressed with his dog Duke’s performance. (ABC Rural: Kim Honan) “I’ve only been trialling him just on two years now, so I’m pretty happy with him,” he said. Mr Austin said the three dogs he brought to compete had plenty of work to do back home. “We’re on a block down there. We just run all breeders, finish all our weaners off too, there’s always a bit going on, they get used a bit,” he said. TV canine star steals the show A couple of other Queenslanders, Steven Elliott and Indi, who both starred in Season 2 of ABC Muster Dogs, were kept busy signing “pawtographs” for fans. “She loves the attention Indi does, and the little kids, and that’s what it’s all about … they all enjoyed it,” he said. Steven Elliott and Indi drew lots of attention from Muster Dog fans. (ABC Rural: Kim Honan) After top scoring in the first round of the open, Indi drew the wild card to be part of the Queensland state of origin team, before competing in the open finals. “We were lucky enough to beat NSW by 61 points,” Mr Elliott said.  “She was brilliant, and then she scored about 85 in the finals. She’s had a great time. “We’re pretty proud of her getting that far; she’s come along really well.” Steven Elliott says hard work makes a top dog. (ABC Rural: Kim Honan) Mr Elliott also had dogs that made it to the “sire shootout”, the maiden and novice finals. He said there was no secret or science to training some of the country’s top working dogs. “It’s just timing and hard work, and keeping a good, calm mind, I reckon,” he said. Read More

Dozens of aged care residents are dying of COVID-19 each week as facilities grapple with more than 240 outbreaks nationwide. Outbreak numbers have been steadily rising since late May, according to federal data. It reached a peak of more than 300 outbreaks, 1,752 affected residents and 34 deaths in the final week of June, according to health officials. However, a spokesperson for the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing said cases were now in decline. “[The] peak outbreak and case numbers recorded this year is lower than in previous years,” they told the ABC. “On 11 April 2025, the Chief Medical Officer and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner wrote to all aged care provider Board Chairs regarding expectations around staff and resident vaccinations and preventing and managing outbreaks. “The [department] contacted all providers of aged care homes prior to the winter season to remind them of the current vaccination recommendations and to seek assurance they have plans to vaccinate their residence.” Lagging vaccination rates, community complacency and “damaging” misinformation were all contributing to climbing cases, experts told the ABC. Rising COVID case numbers among aged care staff and patients The number of outbreaks throughout Australian aged care facilities reached a low of 57 active outbreaks nationwide in early April. Numbers then began to steadily increase with each passing week before reaching their June high point. As of July 11, there were 241 active outbreaks, with 1,159 residents and 438 staff testing positive for the virus. There have been 138 resident deaths since the beginning of June. The aged care chair at the Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP), Anthony Marinucci, said there were always “seasonal waves”. “That’s normally hand in hand with new variants of the disease,” he said. “There is certainly lower booster uptake and waning community [vaccination rates] … There’s also been a relaxation of precautions and higher exposure in aged care facilities. “During the actual COVID period, aged care restrictions were super, super tight, but now there is much higher community visitation [to] aged care. “The relaxing of precautions on one hand is very good for the mental health of people living in aged care, but it certainly does increase their potential to viral illnesses.” He added it was “the very nature of aged care” which made it more prone to outbreaks. “There’s an inherent vulnerability in the space,” he said. “It’s a shared space, which often makes containment very difficult. So the facilities themselves can lead to higher outbreaks.” Dozens of facilities seeing vaccination rates drop In dozens of facilities, less than 10 per cent of residents had received a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in the last six months, according to data from the Australian Immunisation Register. The department spokesperson told the ABC it was working with facilities to boost vaccination numbers nationally. “Vaccination remains the most important measure to protect against severe disease … particularly in high-risk settings such as residential aged care,” they said. “To further ensure boosters are being prioritised … the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission continues to make unannounced site visits across the country with a focus on providers with the lowest vaccination rates.” Vaccinating aged care residents came with its own set of hurdles, experts told the ABC. Cognitive decline meant that, for some residents, a family member needed to consent to the vaccination first. University of New South Wales professor of global biosecurity Raina MacIntyre said it was concerning to see “highest risk” settings, such as aged care, lagging in vaccine booster rates. “To me, the right to be free of infections is a basic human right,” she said. “And older people in aged care have the same right. “Aged care houses a lot of people with dementia [and] many facilities are almost 100 per cent dementia residents. “So you have to get next of kin consent for vaccination. Therefore, we need material for education of family and loved ones who are making decisions for their relatives.” RACGP’s president, Michael Wright, said health officials had known “since the beginning of the pandemic” that older patients were more at risk. “It’s true there are often additional challenges to vaccinating in aged care, but it’s literally vital to keep residents’ immunity up, as that fades over time,” Dr Wright said. He added the college was calling on operators to boost vaccination “as a matter of priority”. “Where aged care GPs and other health workers have identified barriers, aged care operators should do everything possible to increase vaccination coverage among these vulnerable patients. “That goes for other age groups, too, though. COVID can still cause serious harm, including chronic conditions like long COVID.” ‘Complacency can be very dangerous’ Many Australians now think of COVID-19 as “just a flu”, according to Professor MacIntyre. “It’s not a cold, it’s a really serious virus,” she said. “It affects the blood vessels in the body, and can damage your heart, your lungs, your liver, your kidneys, your brain.” “There’s an increased risk of cognitive damage [and] dementia as well with COVID. Up to a year, maybe even up to three years after one infection, your risk of heart attacks and strokes doubles, at least. “So, it causes these terrible complications, including long COVID, which is quite a debilitating condition. “It is a serious infection, and it’s worth preventing it.” Dr Marinucci said it was difficult to balance the psychological and physical risks when it came to protecting aged care residents. “I think that the assumption is … ‘We’ve been through this before and we were OK, and we’ll get through it again,’” he said. “But complacency can be very dangerous. “All respiratory illnesses can cause significant morbidity and mortality in a broader population. Aged care residents are a vulnerable population, there’s no doubt about that. “It’s not just [the] reduced immunisation, but overall that increased community visitation. “I’ve heard anecdotally where people have sort of said, ‘Oh, I’ve got a sniffle, but I’ll go see Mum and Dad,’ whereas a few

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India and Britain are poised to sign a long-awaited free-trade agreement during Prime Minister Narendra Modi ’s visit to London this week, a deal analysts see as a signal that New Delhi is willing to shed its traditionally protectionist stance and engage more deeply with Western partners amid rising global trade tensions. The pact, which

A Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai on Tuesday (July 22, 2025) said President Droupadi Murmu’s questions on whether the President and Governors can be restricted to a timeline while examining laws proposed by States concern the entire country. Presidential reference hearing live The Chief Justice indicated posting the Reference