Australian Embassy and Permanent Mission to the United Nations
Austria
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia

Embassy News

Embassy News - Archive

 

Australia supports the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative and the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict in the OSCE

On 19 June 2014, the Australian Embassy delivered a statement in the OSCE Permanent Council in support of the UK’s Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI) and the recently concluded Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict which was held on 10-13 June in London. Natasha Stott Despoja, AM, Australia’s Ambassador for Women and Girls, led Australia’s delegation to the Global Summit, where she was joined by the Chief of the Australian Army, Lieutenant General David Morrison, AO.


Australia’s Foreign Minister, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, is an official champion of the UK’s Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative, and recently announced funding of programs in Afghanistan, Timor Leste, Liberia and Uganda to help end violence again women and to support their participation in peacebuilding. The Foreign Minister’s media release in the lead-up to the Global Summit can be viewed here.
 

 

Dr Anita Heiss in Vienna
 


On 4 June, the Australian Embassy hosted a talk by Dr Anita Heiss, one of Australia’s most prolific and well-known authors of Aboriginal literature, at the Café Prückel in Vienna. Anita Heiss is a member of the Wiradjuri nation of central New South Wales, and held a lecture on “Same but Different – How can we be the same when we have different cultural heritages and identities?” On 5 June, Dr Heiss gave the keynote Stephen Wurm lecture at a half-day seminar on “Languages, Literatures and the Australia-Europe Connection”. Read the full story about Dr Heiss's visit to Austria here. Image above (l-r): Anita Heiss, Elisabeth Jaquemar and Gaia Puleston (Australian Embassy), Australian Ambassador David Stuart.
 

Please click here to read an interview with Dr Anita Heiss.

 

2014 Anzac Day Dawn Service


On 25 April, the Australian and the New Zealand Embassies held a dawn service in the Karlsplatz square. Wreaths were laid by representatives of the UK, Canada, France, Turkey and the United States, as well as Hungarian attendees. Approximately 120 guests attended, including Australian Rotary exchange students, and a group of about 20 Hungarians of the Békés-Australian Community group in Hungary.

 

New opening for Australian uranium sales to UAE

15 April 2014

The Hon Andrew Robb AO MP published a media release on 15 April, saying that the entry into force of a Nuclear Cooperation Agreement between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Australia opens up new uranium sales opportunities for Australia. Read more here.

 

Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Initiative (NPDI) Meeting in Hiroshima

13 April 2014

At a meeting of the NPDI in Hiroshima, Australia’s Foreign Minister, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, issued a statement expressing Australia’s commitment to this initiative to bring about the eventual elimination of nuclear weapons. Read more here.
 

 

Conference on Disarmament in Geneva

28 March 2014

At the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva on 28 March 2014, Foreign Minister, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, called upon the international community to work methodically to attain the necessary confidence and transparency to bring about nuclear disarmament; to redouble efforts to bring the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty into force; and negotiate a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty to prohibit further production of fissile material.
 

 
Foreign Minister conducts humanitarian and security talks in Geneva

28 March 2014

Australia’s Foreign Minister, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, held useful discussions on a range of humanitarian and security issues during her visit to Geneva on 28 March 2014. Read more here.

 

Nuclear Security Summit combating nuclear terrorism

25 March 2014

At the Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague on 25 March 2014, Foreign Minister, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, reminded the international community that although a nuclear terrorist attack, might be unlikely, improbable, or unthinkable, we cannot allow a failure of imagination to ignore the possibility of such a catastrophic ‘black swan’ event.

 

Helping secure the Indo-Pacific against nuclear terrorism

26 March 2014

The Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, announced at the Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague that Australia will contribute A$1 million to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA’s) Nuclear Security Fund (NSF). Read more here.
 

 

Nuclear Security Summit combating nuclear terrorism

24 March 2014

Australia has a strong history as a global leader on nuclear security. The Foreign Minister, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, will attend the Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague, which will focus on the danger of terrorists acquiring nuclear material or sabotaging nuclear facilities.

 

Joint Statement on the Contributions of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT) to Enhancing Nuclear Security

20 March 2014

The Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT) has made valuable contributions in strengthening global capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to nuclear terrorism. To date, the 85 partner nations have completed more than 60 activities under the auspices of the GICNT aimed at building partners’ capability to prevent, detect, deter, and respond to acts of nuclear terrorism. Read more here.

 

Australia co-hosts CND side event on increasing access to controlled drugs for medical purposes

Australia places a high priority on promoting appropriate access to controlled substances for medical purposes. On 20 March, Australia was pleased to co-host a side-event on this issue with the UNODC, World Health Organisation and the Union for International Cancer Council at the 57th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs. For further information, please refer here.


OSCE launches new guidebook on community policing in preventing of terrorism

On 17 March 2014, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) launched, with support from Australia, a new guidebook on the role of community policing in preventing terrorism and countering violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism. For further information, please refer here.

 

Australia's Statement to the High Level Review at the fifty-seventh session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs

On 14 March, Australia's head of delegation, Mr Nathan Smyth of the Department of Health, delivered a statement to the High Level Review at the fifty-seventh session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs. The intervention describes Australia's strategy to address drug abuse as a public health and social issue while upholding the law and its enforcement, highlights the challenge of new psychoactive substances and calls for international action to urgently address the barriers to access and availability of controlled drugs for medical purposes, in particular pain relief and palliative care.


The State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic, Mr Milos Koterec, received the Ambassador of Australia David Stuart
 

 

Photo: Courtesy of www.mod.gov.sk

The State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Milos Koterec received the Ambassador of Australia David Stuart on 11 March 2014. The main topic of the meeting was the current situation in Ukraine.

Koterec said: "The Slovak Republic is actively interested in the development of the situation in Ukraine. Diplomatic negotiations are the only way to defuse the crisis".

Ambassador of Australia expressed concern about the current situation in Ukraine. "The situation in Ukraine is really worrying. Perusing interests through serious military force recalls a paradigm which should have remained in past centuries", said David Stuart.

Currently, the Slovak Republic has two observers from the Armed Forces within the OSCE observer mission in Ukraine.

In the past, the Slovak Republic and Australia cooperated in the military operation ISAF in Afghanistan, where troops from both countries jointly served at the base of Tarin Kowt from 2008 to 2012. The cooperation was positively evaluated by soldiers, and therefore according to the State Secretary our relationships will continue to develop and intensify. " For us, Afghanistan is the most important mission, and it will be important to discuss its continuation with our partners in NATO", said the State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence .

Currently, the Slovak Republic has 291 soldiers in the ISAF mission in Afghanistan.

(Source: Website of the Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic, 11 March 2014)

 

International Women's Day 2014

On 3 March 2014, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women, issued a joint media release on the occasion of International Women's Day 2014.

The Australian Government gives priority to gender equality and women's empowerment in our foreign policy and in our overseas aid program. For a booklet on how Australia is supporting women's economic empowerment in the Indo-Pacific region, please refer here.

 

The Humanitarian Consequences Of Nuclear Weapons

In an op-ed article on 14 February, the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, reiterated Australia’s commitment to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation and underlined the need for taking sustained, practical steps towards effective disarmament and non-proliferation and underlined the need for taking sustained, practical steps towards effective disarmament.



Australia first in world for nuclear security

In a media release on 10 January 2014, the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, welcomed Australia’s top ranking in a global review of nuclear security.
 

 

 

A Circle Closed – Australian Tim Bonyhady Traces His Austrian Heritage


© Leonhard Hilzensauer

Australian author and academic Professor Tim Bonyhady recently brought back to Austria the fascinating story of his family, a Jewish family that escaped as refugees from Nazi Vienna in 1938 and settled in Australia. Professor Bonyhady wrote about the family’s experiences in his award-winning book “Good Living Street – The Fortunes of my Viennese Family”. The book was recently published in German by Austrian Zsolnay publishers as “Wohllebengasse. Die Geschichte meiner Wiener Familie”. Professor Bonyhady visited Vienna and Salzburg to present it to Austrian audiences in early November. Read the article here.
  

Australian Artist at White Night show in Kosice, Slovakia


On 5 October 2013, Australian artist James Tapscott represented Australia’s cultural talent at the international arts project 'White Night', which formed part of the activities of the Slovak city of Kosice during its term as European Capital of Culture 2013. James created a site specific outdoor light installation called 'Transference Field' made of optical cables. With the installation relying on wind, James had to struggle with an unusually still Kosice evening.
 

Australia Inspires Europe in River Management


The Australian International RiverFoundation (IRF), Brisbane, has partnered with the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) to launch the first European Riverprize, which is modelled on an Australian sister prize. On 12 September 2013, Ambassador David Stuart delivered a speech at the award ceremony in Vienna and highlighted Australia’s commitment to, and achievements in, sustainable development and water management. The prize was awarded to the river Rhine. Senior EU representatives, including the EU Commissioner for Environment and national as well as local government and community representatives from across Europe attended. For more information, please refer here.
 

 

Australian Ambassador David Stuart - Presentation of Letters of Credence


 

 

On 12 September 2012 , Ambassador David Stuart presented his Letters of Credence to the Austrian President, His Excellency Dr Heinz Fischer, at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna. In addition to Austria, Ambassador Stuart is also Australian Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Kosovo, as well as Ambassador-designate to Hungary. Ambassador Stuart is Australia’s resident Representative and Governor on the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Vienna, as well as Australia’s Permanent Representative to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBTO) Preparatory Commission. For more information on Ambassador David Stuart, please refer here http://www.dfat.gov.au/homs/at.html



 

Australia to support the OSCE’s anti-human trafficking work in Central Asia 

Australia will support the Organization for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) in an effort to combat the effects of human trafficking in Central Asia.

On 21 February 2012, the Australian Ambassador and Permanent Representative in Vienna, Michael Potts, and the Secretary General of the OSCE, Lamberto Zannier, signed a three year grant agreement that will promote human rights protection for trafficked persons and vulnerable groups in Central Asia. Australia’s support for the initiative was first announced by the then Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd at the OSCE Ministerial Council in December 2011 held in Vilnius, Lithuania. The agreement marks the deepening of Australia’s cooperation with the OSCE. See the media release and images here.

 

 

Australia pledges its continuing support for efforts to combat the opiates trade originating in Afghanistan

On 16 February 2012, the Third Ministerial Conference of the Paris Pact Partners on Combating the Afghan Illicit Opiates Trade was held in Vienna. The Paris Pact is a partnership of countries and organisations to counter the trafficking and consumption of opiates originating in Afghanistan. Australia formally joined the Paris Pact as a governmental partner at this meeting, a step welcomed by UNODC Executive Director. In his remarks to the Conference, the Australian Ambassador and Permanent Representative, Mr Michael Potts, spoke of the corrosive effect on Afghanistan's stability of the opiates trade and Australia's commitment to play its part in combating this illicit trade. Read here for more information on the Conference outcomes.


 

International Anti-Corruption Day

On 9 December 2011, the Hon Brendan O'Connor MP, Minister for Home Affairs and Justice, issued a media release on the occasion of International Anti-Corruption Day. For the full text of the media release, please refer here.
 


Australian seminar on awareness-raising to combat human trafficking

On 11 October 2011, the Australian Embassy, in cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the University of Queensland (UQ), held a seminar on trafficking in persons at the United Nations Headquarters in Vienna. The seminar focused on the role that public education campaigns can play in preventing people trafficking, in identifying, supporting and protecting victims, and in prosecuting this crime. Dr Andreas Schloenhardt, Associate Professor and Associate Dean (International) from UQ presented on Australia's "Be Careful What You Pay For" campaign. Distinguished guests from Mexico and Serbia also presented their experiences of awareness-raising and provided information on the UN's Blue Heart Campaign Against Human Trafficking.

The event was also an opportunity for students from UQ's Human Trafficking Working Group to participate - read their story here.
 


 

Exchange of letters on civil nuclear energy cooperation between ASNO and ROSATOM
 

On 20 June 2011, Dr Rob Floyd, Director General, Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office (ASNO), and Sergey Kirienko, Director General, Russian State Atomic Energy Co-operation (ROSATOM), exchanged letters on civil nuclear energy cooperation between Australia and the Russian Federation. The signing took place in the margins of the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety in Vienna. Image below (l-r): Dr Rob Floyd and Sergey Kirienko signing the letters.
 


Image below: Australian Ambassador Michael Potts delivering Australia's statement at the IAEA Ministerial Conference on 21 June 2011.