The beat

San Francisco to ban facial recognition technology

San Francisco is planning to ban the use of facial recognition technology by the city government and police. There will also be a requirement for the public to be notified before other surveillance technology, including automatic licence plate readers and predictive policing software, is adopted. The ban will be the first by a US municipality, as the city addresses the potential abuses of technology. It comes after studies showed existing racial biases in policing can be reinforced by biases in the technology.

Gang leader killed in airport raid

A suspected gang leader has been shot dead after a raid on an Austrian Airlines plane on a runway at Albania’s Tirana International Airport. Albanian police believe that the gang had prior knowledge of €10 million (A$16 million) in cash being carried as cargo on the plane. One gunman was shot in the head and the other two gang members remain at large. Albania’s central bank does not accept hard cash deposits and organised gangs have been behind previous raids on transfers to Vienna.

Indian police detain protesters

More than 50 women were briefly detained by police in India after an inquiry found Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi not guilty of sexual harassment. In April, a former court employee accused Gogoi of sexually harassing her when he was appointed to the role. His accuser decided to withdraw from the inquiry, saying she did not believe it would be fair. India’s Supreme Court had questioned the veracity of her claims, calling for a separate investigation into a possible conspiracy against Gogoi.

Checkpoint

Hundreds killed on Ethiopia–Sudan border

More than 200 people have been killed in an ongoing territorial dispute on the border between Ethiopia and Sudan . The violence in the north-eastern Ethiopian state of Amhara is said to have begun with disputes over the payment of labourers, and no arrests over the killings have been made by Ethiopian authorities. Ethnic nationalists from Amhara have been attempting to re-draw territorial boundaries between Sudan and Ethiopia since they were set in 1992.

Venezuelans caught in border shootout

A video shows people ducking for cover as a shootout between armed groups began near a crowded border crossing between Colombia and Venezuela. The incident occurred on an unauthorised dirt road border crossing, or trocha, near the Simon Bolivar International Bridge, used by Venezuelans who use Colombia as a lifeline for food and medicine. Trochas are controlled by criminals who harass and rob those using the crossing.

Masked men stop Turkish asylum seekers

Turkish asylum seekers attempting to cross the border into Greece have said they’ve been beaten and pushed back by masked men armed with batons. On a second attempt, the same asylum seekers tried to cross the border from the Evros River and were arrested by Greek police and taken into custody. A report was published by NGOs last year detailing the ‘push-back’ practices of Greek law enforcement officers.

CT Scan

Right-wing extremism on the rise in Germany

German authorities say the number of far-right extremists and fringe groups in the country has increased by 50% in two years and the German government says that monitoring far right-extremists there is becoming more difficult. This is largely due to the fragmentation of traditional extremist groups, the rise of fringe groups and the increasing potential for lone wolf attacks. Research by The Economist found a concerning similarity between German far-right voting patterns in 1933 and now.

Undocumented children a ‘ticking time bomb’

The European Union’s anti-terrorism chief says 45,000 children born in Iraq amount to a ‘ticking time bomb’ and could be the ‘next generation of suicide bombers’. As the children were born in areas then controlled by the Islamic State terror group they do not have Iraqi citizenship. Their IS-issued birth certificates are not recognised by the Iraqi government, potentially denying them the right to medical care, schooling and jobs. See this report by the Norwegian Refugee Council for more on the issue.

Foreign fighters in Ukraine

New research has examined the little-known issue of foreign fighters who join government forces or Russian-backed separatists in Ukraine. The University of Melbourne’s Sara Meger argues that similar ideas and ideologies drive people to go and fight in Ukraine as those who have gone to fight in Syria. She also found many were attracted to the conflict in Ukraine to satisfy their desire for a fight and a longing for the thrill of battle.

First Responder

Namibia declares state of emergency

Namibia’s president has declared a state of emergency due to a crippling series of droughts. Hage Geingob says the situation is dire and 500,000 people—one fifth of the total population—are at risk of malnutrition. Namibia is known for having one of the world’s oldest and largest deserts, the Namib. The government is seeking international help to provide for its citizens.

Hope for millions as UN gains access to Yemen wheat mills

The United Nations says it has regained access to important wheat mills on the outskirts of the city of Hodeidah, which has seen heavy fighting between the Saudi-led coalition and Iranian-backed Houthi militias since 2014. The mills hold an estimated 51,000 tonnes of wheat, a potential boon for millions of Yemenis suffering from malnutrition. The wheat needs to be fumigated and it’s likely to be weeks before it can be turned into flour and distributed to the population.

Quarantine lifted after Mongolians die of plague

Tourists have been allowed to leave Mongolia’s westernmost province of Bayan-Ulgii which had been closed off by authorities. All locals and tourists had been prevented from entering or leaving the region until Monday after a Mongolian couple caught bubonic plague eating raw marmot kidney last week. Cases of plague occur nearly every year in the country, as some locals believe eating the raw meat of the large rodent will bring good health.

The world

It’s the end of an era in Japan—literally. This week, the 30-year Heisei Era came to an end with the abdication of Emperor Akihito, and the Reiwa Era began with his son Naruhito’s ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne. See CNN reporter Will Ripley’s short documentary series for more on the first emperor to abdicate in more than 200 years. There’s concern about a dwindling number of heirs in the world’s oldest continuing hereditary monarchy. Women aren’t currently allowed to inherit the throne, though a poll this week found that nearly 80% of the Japanese people would support a change.

Following Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido’s call for open rebellion against President Nicolas Maduro, thousands have taken to the streets. For what we know so far, see the New York Times, and for more on the history behind the crisis, The Strategy Bridge has you covered. While the rest of the world watches on, National Interest claims the US must intervene or face the challenge of millions of refugees fleeing to the American border. And DW analyses the impact the turmoil is having on Venezuelans.

Iran has threatened (yet again) to close the Strait of Hormuz—through which 20% of the world’s petroleum passes—due to renewed US sanctions. Al Jazeera examines what the consequences of shutting the Strait would be [25:15]. The Wall Street Journal has an interesting article outlining the impacts on the relationship between Saudi Arabia and the US as the kingdom looks to boost its oil output in response to the sanctions on Iran. Here are some BBC charts illustrating the effect the sanctions are having on Iran. Brookings looks into the many unanswered questions surrounding President Donald Trump’s goals in increasing the Iranian sanctions. See The Strategist for how the sanctions could lead to increased instability in the Middle East.

In this great New York Times piece, Ameena Hussein, a Muslim living in Sri Lanka, describes how the Easter bombings affected her life. Hussein questions why and how violent extremism began to take over in her Muslim community, one which is now facing ostracism from the wider Sri Lankan population. See Chatham House for the wider implications of the attacks on Sri Lanka.

The Council on Foreign Relations has all you need to know on the Russia – North Korea relationship following the meeting between the countries’ leaders and during which Russian President Vladimir Putin highlighted the importance of denulcearisation and Russia’s relevance in the Korean peace process. For analysis of what Putin actually wants from North Korea, see the National Interest.

For those with an interest in anthropology and archaeology, a jaw bone found on the Tibetan Plateau has been revealed to be 160,000 years old, proving that early humans—in this case, Denisovans—lived in the area long before previously thought.

If you haven’t yet caught the latest episode of Game of Thrones, avert your eyes now. Those of you who have seen it may be, like us, perplexed at some of the choices made by the defenders of Winterfell in trying, and coming ever so close to failing, to defeat the Army of the Dead. Examining everything from spectacularly poor use of airpower to confused defensive positioning and Custer-like cavalry charges, Wired has the tactical analysis of the battle you’re looking for.

Tech geek

There’s an interesting story on China’s growing naval capability and ambitions, including the rapid growth of the People’s Liberation Army Navy, and how it is set to eclipse the US Navy in the Western Pacific. With that in mind, an important report on how the PLA plans to wage ‘systems confrontation and system destruction warfare’ has been released by the RAND Corporation.

There are some challenges ahead for NASA in achieving the current goal of returning humans to the moon by 2024. Ars Technica published a really hard-hitting piece on problems with funding, congressional resistance to commercial solutions and internal NASA resistance to an accelerated timetable.

Sticking with space, and keeping with China’s plans, there was an important session of the US–China Economic and Security Review in Congress this week which went into depth on China’s strategic space ambitions.

And who says the US military doesn’t do pop culture? Three advanced software labs have sci-fi names: ‘Kessel Run’ in Boston and ‘Bespin’ in Montgomery, Alabama, are both of Star Wars fame, and ‘Kobayashi Maru’ in Los Angeles comes from Star Trek. What they do at these labs is highly classified … of course!

In aircraft news, Popular Mechanics has given us the first glimpse inside the cockpit of the B-2A Spirit stealth bomber, and the US Air Force’s F-35A has had its first combat operation over Iraq.

Finally, evidence has emerged that Russia may be using beluga whales to spy on NATO bases in Norway. But the Russians aren’t the only ones putting marine mammals to military work.

This week in history

On 30 April 1945, Adolf Hitler died. The Nazi leader committed suicide in his Berlin bunker as the Red Army took the city street by street. Hitler’s death has long been the subject of conspiracy theories, including that he fled to Argentina in a submarine, though last year French scientists published analysis of bone and dental records they say proves he did indeed die in 1945.

Multimedia

Human Rights Watch has released an interactive report on its findings that authorities in China are engaging in mass surveillance and detention of Muslims in Xinjiang with the help of an app. The app has been ‘reverse engineered’ to show that the illegal monitoring of legal behaviour is being used to target the people of Xinjiang. See how the app works here.

See this Al Jazeera documentary for a look at what happens after a mass shooting in the US. Fault Lines examines the impact on survivors and the families of victims once the immediate media attention and calls for ‘thoughts and prayers’ fade away. [26:00].

Podcasts

On History Hit, Dan Snow speaks to Alexandra Churchill, who’s looked through the UK’s Royal Archives to uncover the real role of King George V of Saxe-Coburg Windsor in World War I. [27:00].

In this two-part series, Planet Money investigates how Chilean economists who studied at the University of Chicago helped dictator Augusto Pinochet take their country from socialism to capitalism at a huge human cost. Part 1 [24:27], part 2 [27:27].

Events

Sydney, 4 May, 2–3 pm, University of Sydney: ‘Islands, encounters and adaptations in the Pacific’. Register here.

Canberra, 7 May, 12.30–2 pm, Australian National University: ‘Asia’s economic outlook: what are the risks?’ Register here.

Melbourne, 9 May, 5.30–7 pm, University of Melbourne: ‘Xi Jinping’s counter-reformation and China’s new world order’. Register here.

Sea state

Today marks the 70th anniversary of the formation of China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy. Beijing has invited more than 10 countries to take part in a fleet review and is expecting naval delegations from 60 other countries. While Chinese state-run media has presented the fleet review as an attempt to build better transparency and avoid naval conflict, China will also use the parade to showcase its newest warships and submarines, including the Type 055 destroyer and Type 001A aircraft carrier.

After repeated postponements, Indonesian shipyard PT PAL in Surabaya has launched the first Indonesian-built electric submarine. The construction of KRI Alugoro was assisted by the South Korean company Daewoo under its US$1.1 billion project DSME1400. That contract has produced two other submarines; KRI Nagapasa was commissioned in 2017 and KRI Ardadedali was transferred to the Indonesian navy in 2018.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz if the country is unable to export its oil. The vow follows US President Donald Trump’s announcement that all countries importing Iranian oil will be subject to US sanctions. Exports of Iranian oil have halved since US sanctions took effect last year. The revolutionary guard was designated as a terrorist organisation by the US earlier this month.

Flight path

The US may give Japan secret information on the F-35 fighter jet to jumpstart the development of a new fighter aircraft for the country’s air force. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force will take delivery of 147 F-35s, but Japan still wants to develop its own stealth fighter jet, years after the US refused to export its F-22 Raptors. Lockheed Martin may receive US permission to give Japan information on sensitive technology.

US F-35s, meanwhile, have begun their first combat deployment to the Middle East, landing at Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates. The F-35s are replacing F-15Cs, which themselves replaced a deployment of the US Air Force’s ‘most capable’ fighter aircraft, the F-22. The stationing of F-35s in the UAE follows recent deployments of the aircraft to the South China Sea and Europe.

The first of three leased Dassault Falcon 7X aircraft has been delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force. The aircraft will be based at Fairbairn in Canberra, replacing Bombardier Challenger CL-604 aircraft used to transport government VIPs—though two larger 737-based business jets will remain on the books. The Falcon has a range of up to 11,000 kilometres and can land on remote airstrips.

Rapid fire

The US Army will deploy a ‘terminal high-altitude area defence’ interceptor to Romania in the first THAAD deployment to Europe since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. The THAAD system will temporarily replace NATO’s Aegis ballistic missile defence system, which is a land-based variant of the US Navy’s Aegis weapons system, while Romania’s Aegis Ashore site undergoes maintenance.

British defence chiefs have expressed anger over the plan to mothball a third of the army’s tanks. The British Army is planning to upgrade only 148 of its 227 Challenger 2 tanks, with the remaining 79 tanks to be used for spare parts. The Times reports that £31 billion ($57 billion) has been stripped from the army since 2010. The proposed cut to the armoured force follows rumours that the UK might try to offset some of the cost of Brexit by cutting military spending.

French military strategists met in Paris to consider the future of warfare and how the country’s army can adequately prepare for high-intensity conflict. The use of robots to supplement French ground forces was a key topic. But it doesn’t seem likely that France will integrate fully autonomous robots into the army anytime soon. The susceptibility of such systems to cyberattacks was also highlighted as a challenge to future fighting capabilities.

Zero gravity

On the sidelines of the 35th Space Symposium in Colorado, the USAF hosted a meeting with its allies—including Australia, New Zealand, Canada and European nations—about the need for greater cooperation in space as a part of the ‘Combined Space Operations’ initiative. With space situational awareness in focus, USAF Chief of Staff General David Goldfein said information-sharing in this domain will become increasingly important among allies. It’s expected that the meeting will become an annual event.

SpaceX has suffered a setback after an explosion was reported during engine testing of its ‘Crew Dragon’. The glitch is likely to delay NASA’s plans to launch astronauts from US soil. Meanwhile, SpaceX managed to land and recover rocket boosters from the first stage of its Falcon Heavy rocket. However, one booster was lost at sea. Rough conditions meant that SpaceX couldn’t send any crew members to secure the boosters once they had landed on the platform.

The US Department of Defense has awarded a US$605 million contract to Boeing to develop and build the 11th wideband global satellite communications system. The satellites are used mainly to support the USAF’s warfighting capabilities, but, through a partnership agreement, the Australian Department of Defence has access to them.

Wired watchtower

The US Central Intelligence Agency reportedly has proof that Chinese telecom giant Huawei has received funding from Beijing’s state security apparatus. A source for the Times has said that Huawei has taken money from the People’s Liberation Army, China’s National Security Commission and a third branch of the Chinese state intelligence network. If these allegations are true, Huawei will no longer be able to maintain its long-running denial that it depends on Chinese government support.

Embassies across Europe have been targeted by Russian hackers. The hackers used spearphishing attacks containing malicious Microsoft Excel files to corrupt and weaponise remote-access service TeamViewer, giving them complete access to and control over computers. The malicious files were created to resemble official documents from the US State Department. It has been reported that Nepal, Guyana, Liberia, Bermuda and Lebanon were successfully targeted in the attack.

US and Japanese officials have confirmed in a joint statement that the security treaty between the two countries could apply to cyberattacks against Japan. Foreign Minister Taro Kono and Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya met their US counterparts, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, for the first ‘2+2’ dialogue held since 2017. The joint statement also reaffirmed that the Senkaku (Diaoyu) Islands in the East China Sea are covered by the security treaty.

The world

Australia’s phoney election campaign has finally turned into the real thing. Voters will head to the polls on 18 May—joining the citizens of a number of countries that are holding elections now or soon. This analysis in the Sydney Morning Herald frames the contest as the second time in a decade that Australians seem set to remove the government despite being less than enthusiastic about the opposition. Perhaps the line of the campaign so far has come from Peter Hartcher, who boiled Scott Morrison versus Bill Shorten down to ‘a contest between an angry dad figure in a baseball cap and a sad sack who looks like he learned public speaking at a funeral parlour’. Exciting times ahead!

If you really want to get into the nitty gritty of seat-by-seat breakdowns, margins and other electoral data (who doesn’t?), check out the swing calculator and A–Z electorate list from ABC election analyst Antony Green.

Polls are already open in the world’s largest democracy. The first of seven phases of voting is underway in the Indian elections, which will run until 19 May. See this Al Jazeera explainer for a breakdown of everything you need to know about the system and the choices India’s 900 million eligible voters face.

The results are in in Israel, where Benjamin Netanyahu has, um, netted another term in office. See former Israeli foreign minister Shlomo Ben-Ami for why the result ‘amounts to a monumental indictment of Israel’s democracy’.

And what would talk of elections be without talk of election interference? The BBC has investigated the presence of Russian ‘tourists’ and ‘observers’ in Madagascar before presidential elections there last year. See the full documentary here.

Following the 16th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq last month, this National Interest piece identifies the areas in which the US hasn’t made a difference. According to Bloomberg, the US campaign hasn’t affected Iraq’s oil production, though Iraq is now challenging Saudi Arabia’s global dominance of OPEC.

In Afghanistan, peace could be just around the corner. Writing in the Australian Financial Review, Ahmed Rashid gives US President Donald Trump credit for starting the ongoing peace talks there. This article by Angelina Jolie for Time highlights the importance of including women in the Afghan peace process.

Over a million Rohingya refugees have fled to Bangladesh since 2017, where they often face poor living conditions and limited access to safe drinking water and food. ASPI’s Elise Thomas has provided some excellent insights into the Bangladeshi plan to resettle over 100,000 refugees onto a silt island that is often struck by cyclones. Despite Bangladesh looking for ways to halt the influx, NPR highlights that they are there to stay. And see these UNHCR pieces (here and here) to see how refugees are being empowered as they help prepare for Bangladesh’s cyclone season.

Moving to Europe, The Economist describes Europe’s move towards a more ‘protective’ continent, and  Chatham House has the details of Trump’s impact on the future of EU–US trade. Time examines the growth of the nationalist movement across Europe, which is threatening the EU and gaining traction despite the continent’s history. On a different note, see Forbes for a look into how Europe is tackling the ethical questions of artificial intelligence. And it would be remiss of us not to mention Europe’s latest chapter in the thrilling page-turner, There and back again: a Brexit tale. The BBC has the details of the new Brexit deadline of 31 October. Tony Blair’s former communications boss Alastair Campbell says he hopes that the extension will provide enough time for another referendum.

In other news, Julian Assange has been arrested in London after Ecuador withdrew its asylum of the Australian WikiLeaks founder. See Foreign Policy for more details.

Tech geek

This week in the US, the annual Space Symposium is underway, with important announcements about the US space force, the accelerated return to the moon, and the expansion of Australia’s emerging space sector. The symposium coincided with big news, including the historic first image of a black hole, the second successful launch of SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy booster rocket, and the unsuccessful landing of an Israeli probe on the moon.

The US Navy seems to be overcoming the debilitating lack of readiness of its fighter force with better availability of its F-35C and F/A-18E/F jets. See Breaking Defense for analysis of this positive development. But the bad news is that Japan’s Air Self Defense Force has lost an F-35A over the Pacific and its entire F-35 fleet has been grounded.

Russia may be planning to sell an export variant of its Su-57 to China in spite of the numerous technical problems the aircraft currently faces. Sputnik claims the ‘Su-57E’ may be offered to Turkey, as Ankara’s purchase of the US F-35A falls apart.

Proving that the days of showing the flag at sea are definitely not over, the US Navy sent a message to China by sailing USS Wasp, loaded with F-35Bs, near Scarborough Shoal, a reef controlled by China but claimed by the Philippines.

This week in history

This week in 1917, the United States entered World War I following events including the sinking of a passenger ship, the Lusitania, by a German U-boat and the interception of the Zimmerman telegram. The US mobilised more than 4 million soldiers and provided supplies, arms and ammunition to the Allies.

Multimedia

Al Jazeera has a great photo series showing the protestors in Sudan who have broken the military curfew over the past few months to protest President Omar al-Bashir’s rule and, last night, celebrate his removal from power.

ABC’s Foreign Correspondent investigates the ‘Trump of the tropics’, Brazil’s new president, Jair Bolsonaro. [30:18]

Podcasts

Arms Control Wonk discusses the overreaction to Saudi Arabia’s nuclear news and what exactly it entails. [41:44]

So-called grey-zone operations are becoming a part of day-to-day life in many countries. War Studies examines what hybrid warfare really is and the role of information in modern conflicts. [33:36]

Social media is affecting most aspects of everyday life, including the shape of leadership. World Affairs dives into how politics is transforming thanks to the internet. [59:01]

Events

Sydney, 16 April, 6–7.30 pm, Australian Institute of International Affairs: ‘Is peace possible in Afghanistan?’ Tickets here ($25).

Canberra, 17 April, 6.30–8 pm, Australian National University: ‘The state of Australian politics’. Register here.

Melbourne, 17 April, 6.30–7.30 pm, University of Melbourne: ‘The complex international and domestic economics of climate change’. Book here.

Intelligence and policing

AFP and ASIO get funding boost

The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and the Australian Federal Police have received $570 million over five years for counterterrorism and counter-intelligence operations. The AFP will receive $512.8 million, much of which is earmarked for improving digital surveillance capabilities. Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton says the AFP is conducting seven times more counterterror operations than it was five years ago.

Foreign interference in focus

A ‘foreign interference threat assessment centre’ will be established within ASIO as part of a broader $35 million effort to bolster intelligence and law enforcement agencies’ efforts against foreign interference. New cybersecurity teams and a cybersecurity response fund will be established by the Australian Signals Directorate to defend against cyberattacks. Interestingly, $8.5 million has been set aside to fund the prosecution of suspected foreign agents.

Child sex offender register to be established

Almost $8 million has been allocated for a national public register of child sex offenders, to be managed by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission. The register will enable the public to identify convicted child sex offenders, giving access to their names, photos, dates of birth and general details about their crimes.

Defence

Show me the money

Though the federal government is close to pushing defence spending to 2% of GDP in 2020–21, that would require a 5.3% increase in real terms—around $3 billion—from 2019–20. Defence received a modest increase of 1.2% in real terms over the last financial year. Its allocation this year reaches $38.7 billion, hovering just above 1.9% of GDP.

Defence acquisition and shipbuilding

Defence Minister Christopher Pyne announced that the development of the submarine shipyard at Osborne North in Adelaide will continue, alongside the $535 million redevelopment of the frigate shipyard at Osborne South, which is scheduled for completion in 2020 in time for the start of construction of the Hunter-class frigates. Spending on the frigates will more than double next year from $222 million to $492 million as the project gathers momentum. Spending on offshore patrol vessels is also ramping up.

Defence will spend nearly $2.4 billion in 2019-20 for further purchases of F-35 fighters. At this stage, the government has approved the acquisition of 72 of the multi-role jets. Also, the remaining four of 12 Boeing P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft will be delivered in 2019–20 with $360 million of the $5.4 billion project cost to be spent in the coming financial year.

Defeat of Islamic State cuts ADF costs

The defeat of Islamic State ground forces in Syria and Iraq has allowed spending on Operation Okra to decrease from $306.5 million to $269.3 million. Overall the cost of operations in the Middle East has declined from $792.7 million to $703.6 million.

Cost of military operations in the Philippines revealed

Under Operation Augury, Australia provided military assistance to the Philippines at the height of the Marawi crisis, assisting in fighting against terrorists who had captured the city. The budget papers reveal that Augury cost Defence $40.1 million last year, up $12.5 million on the cost of its involvement in 2017-18.

Foreign affairs and aid

Australia sharpens Pacific focus

The 2019–20 foreign aid budget includes $2 billion for a new Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility, a regional bank designed to help Pacific island states avoid Chinese debt traps. Growing concerns over China’s Belt and Road Initiative and its increasing influence in the Pacific have led Australia to refocus its commitment to the region.

Cuts to overseas aid

Aid funding will be cut by $117 million in 2019–20. Direct bilateral aid to Pakistan will decrease from $39 million to $19 million. Other countries like the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Bangladesh and Nepal will also receive less financial support.

Australia has also cut funding for measures intended to tackle climate change like the Green Climate Fund. But it’s not all doom and gloom, funding for a range of global health and education programs has increased significantly.

The government says foreign aid is being used more strategically to fund specific infrastructure and development projects in the region. But non-government organisations and aid groups have criticised the measures, highlighting that there have been six consecutive cuts to Australia’s aid budget in the past decade.

Funding allocated to Jerusalem office

The budget includes $3.9 million over five years to establish a trade and defence office in West Jerusalem. Last year, the government  was heavily criticised for announcing it would move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, but decided against immediately doing so.

Immigration and border security

Government to close newly re-opened detention centre

The government will close the Christmas Island detention centre before 1 July, just weeks after reopening it at a cost of more than $185 million. The centre was reopened in response to the passage of medical evacuation legislation which ensured that refugees and asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru could be evacuated to Australia to receive urgent medical treatment.

A total of $178.9 million was committed to cover the costs of transferring people from Nauru and Manus Island for treatment, $3.2 million was allocated to increase the Australian Federal Police presence on Christmas Island and a further $3 million was set aside to reinforce the Operation Sovereign Borders ‘offshore strategic communications campaign’.

Refugee support services hit

Refugee support services have been dealt a $77.9 million blow in the budget. New arrivals will need to wait one year to access Centrelink’s job search program, as opposed to six months under the previous scheme. It’s estimated that 3,200 refugees will be affected by these changes each year. The government has also committed $64.2 million to ‘social cohesion’ programs, which will provide funding for sport, language and community activities that ‘foster belonging and break down barriers to social and economic participation’.

Immigration intake cut by 30,000

A cut to immigration numbers will reduce the cap on Australia’s intake from 190,000 to 160,000 per year. These measures are meant to complement the building of $15 billion worth of ‘congestion-busting’ roads and rail lines. The goal is to ensure sustainable population growth in major cities. Skilled migrants will be encouraged to settle in regional areas through the use of new visas.