by JESSIE ZHANG – FOREIGN Minister Penny Wong has offered asylum to all residents of the small Pacific nation of Tuvalu claiming “climate change could impact their homeland”.
The move provides a pathway for Tuvalu citizens to relocate and access Australian services and social benefits.
- PM pledges both countries commit to mutually agreed security partnerships, arrangements or engagements.
- Australia has also committed to provide a special pathway to Tuvalu immigration, with access to all services.
- Visas to be granted to 2.5 per cent of Tuvalu’s population each year.
The move was supported by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last week while attending the Pacific Islands Forum in the Cook Islands.
“We believe the people of Tuvalu deserve the choice to live, study and work elsewhere, as climate change impacts worsen,” Mr. Albanese said.
PATHWAY
“Australia has committed to provide a special pathway for citizens of Tuvalu to come to Australia, with access to Australian services that will enable human mobility with dignity,” he added.
“We know there is no prosperity without security and that climate change remains the single greatest threat to the livelihoods, security and wellbeing of the peoples of Tuvalu.”
Australia’s climate visa will be granted to 280 Tuvaluans each year, equivalent to 2.5 per cent of Tuvalu’s population of 11,200.
It will also allocate funds for land reclamation in the capital, Funafuti, to increase its size by approximately 6 per cent.
Mr Albanese confirmed Australia would contribute $350m to the Pacific Climate Infrastructure Financing Partnership.
“In addition to that, we have at least $2b of climate financing commitment across the globe as part of our existing commitments that we’ve made,” he said.
“There’s a recognition that my government is committed to climate action and that we’re playing a positive role, not just with our commitment to reduce our emissions by 43 per cent by 2030 and to reach net-zero by 2050.
“But that, importantly, we are playing a role in the region, and indeed, around the globe.”
DISASTER
Additionally, the agreement also adds health, disaster relief and security elements to it amid Beijing’s growing influence in the region.
“Australia commits to provide assistance to Tuvalu in response to a major natural disaster, to a health pandemic, or to military aggression,” the PM said.
“To allow for effective operation of Australia’s security guarantee, both countries commit to mutually agree to any partnership, arrangement or engagement with any other State or entity on security and defence-related matters.”
This will effectively give Australia the power to veto any third-party security-related agreement that Tuvalu tries to enter into.
Concerningly, this agreement also appears to give the tiny island State veto power over Australia’s strategic and military alliances.
Tuvalu is one of the few countries in the world to continue maintaining official diplomatic ties with Taiwan, setting it apart from Pacific nations that have switched over to Beijing.PC
Well that should really help the housing crisis (and the burgeonig welfare bill) !
Yes, but what about a sinking prime minister, Penny?
When next he lands hand him a life raft and recommend an island.
All the evidence you need that there has been NO climate change effects on ANY of the Pacific Islands can be found at the Bureau of Meteorology here:
http://www.bom.gov.au/pacific/projects/pslm/index.shtml
If this witless, conniving government is either ignorant or lying about this what else are they ignorant of or lying about: everything.
Will they be required to provide proof or once again do we taxpayers just fall into line & cough up.
A recent peer-reviewed study found eight of Tuvalu’s nine large coral atolls have grown in size during recent decades, and 75% of Tuvalu’s 101 smaller reef islands have increased as well.
Further evidence can be found in Tuvalu’s population records. Many climate activists have warned that rising seas have started to cause or will soon cause waves of climate refugees seeking to flee islands like Tuvalu.
However, Tuvalu’s population, like the population of many other island nations, has consistently grown in recent years, not declined.
The population of Tuvalu has increased by 20% over the previous 30 years, and it has doubled compared to its population recorded in 1970.
Albanese and Wong have been deceived by climate activists and Pacific Island leaders who are simply playing them for the fools they are. There is no evidence of any likely climate disasters in the Pacific region but Australia has nonetheless been committed to huge financial payments amounting to billions of dollars together with a potentially massive influx of so-called ‘climate refugees’ during a cost-of-living and housing crisis.
Our government is lurching from one brainless issue to another all in the name of virtue-signalling based on a non-existent climate ‘crisis’.
The sooner it is booted from office the better it will be for all of us.
On that very subject, a petition has been initiated.
‘By signing this petition, you are stating that you have no confidence in the Labor Party. You believe that they are reckless and does not serve the majority of its constituents. And that you wish to vote for a new parliament at the earliest possible time.’
https://www.aph.gov.au/e-petitions/petition/EN5636
I don’t know if this can actually achieve the desired effect, but I figure that every signature on it is another sleepless night for the Labor clownshow.