listen windows media >

A key issue for the Australian prime minister's talks in East Timor will be the future of nearly 800 Australian troops in East Timor since last year's political crisis.

Presenter - Graeme Dobell
Speaker - Bob Lowry, previously an adviser on East Timor's national security structure, and the author of a new study on Australian interests in East Timor

listen windows media >

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's first overseas talks, with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, coincided with the UN climate change conference in Bali.

Presenter - Natasha Simpson
Speaker - Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd; Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

listen windows media >

Just over two weeks after being elected, Australia's new prime minister, Kevin Rudd, is heading overseas to Indonesia for the UN climate conference, and then to East Timor on his way home. Already, the commentary is starting on the sort of the foreign policy approach that will be adopted by the new Labor Government.

Presenter - Graeme Dobell
Speaker - Australia's foreign minister, Stephen Smith; Dr Michael Fullilove, Lowy Institute for International Policy; Dr Malcolm Cook; Lowy Institute program director of Asia and the Pacific

listen windows media >

Australia's new Prime Minister has pledged to work with New Zealand to deal with common security interests in the South Pacific and climate change issues. Kevin Rudd has had his first leaders meeting with New Zealand's Prime Minister, Helen Clark, who flew to Brisbane for the talks.

Presenter - Graeme Dobell
Speaker - Australia's prime minister, Kevin Rudd; New Zealand's prime minister, Helen Clark

listen windows media >

A senior American diplomat has sought to dispel doubts about the strength of the US-Australia alliance under a new Labor Government. After meeting senior ministers, including deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard, the US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Nicholas Burns heaped praise on the week-old government.

Presenter - Simon Lauder
Speaker - Executive Director of the Australia Defence Association, Neil James; US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns; Australian foreign affairs minister Stephen Smith

listen windows media >

Australia's business community is divided on the prospects for the economy under the new Labor government. Small business in particular is fretting about Labor's promise to revamp the previous administration's controversial workplace relations changes. Big business won't take kindly to any signs of a return to protectionist industry policies. And the new ministers will start work amid renewed warnings of troubled waters ahead for the global economy.

Presenter - Karon Snowdon
Speaker - Heather Ridout, Chief Executive of the Australian Industry Group, Chris Richardson, Director of Access Economics

listen windows media >

Australia's Prime Minister-elect Kevin Rudd has lost little time turning his election promises into what he's called "an agenda for work." First on the list is deciding on a cabinet lineup by tomorrow. Mr Rudd says he's already taking advice on bringing Australia into the Kyoto Protocol fold on climate change, and on how to offer Australia's indigenous people the apology his predecessor, John Howard, refused to give. Then there's industrial relations, and contentious workplace laws which he's promised to dismantle. The new Labor government has also promised an education revolution and a rapidly filling diary of international visits, starting with Indonesia next month.

Presenter - Sen Lam
Speaker - Shaun Carney, associate editor of The Age newspaper in Melbourne