Aug22017

Sun bears living in China, video shows

East Asia

Scientists in Yunnan province have strong evidence that sun bears live in China.

A sun bear.[Photo provided to China Daily]

A sun bear.[Photo provided to China Daily] 

A video taken by scientists with infrared cameras on the evening of Oct 23 in Yingjiang county, clearly shows the features of sun bears－a stocky, muscular build, small ears and a short muzzle－which earned them the nickname “dog bear”.

The images, captured by researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Kunming Institute of Zoology, confirms the presence of sun bears in Yunnan for the first time in 45 years. Gathering data is difficult because of the animals’ remote habitat and shy personality.

“This precious video is the first recorded image of the species in China, and strongly supports the existence of sun bears here,” said Jiang Xuelong, a researcher at the institute, who conducted the study.

The sun bear is the smallest species of bear. It grows to about half the size of a North American black bear. Males, which are slightly larger than females, are about 1.5 meters in length and weigh up to 75 kilograms.

Sun bears are nocturnal. They have an excellent sense of smell and extremely long claws. They also sport a long tongue that’s used for extracting honey from bees’ nests－giving them another nickname, “honey bear”.

The bear is a tree-dwelling species that inhabits tropical forests in Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. It is among the top species on China’s endangered wildlife list and is under top-level protection.

In 1972, two Chinese researchers recorded a female sun bear in southeast Yunnan’s Lyuchun county, marking the first time a sun bear was officially recorded in China, Jiang said.

Even though there have been reports of sun bears since 1972, he said most of them are controversial because of a lack of detail and no photos. Some scholars have even wondered whether the sun bear was extinct in China.

“The major threats to sun bears are habitat loss and commercial hunting,” said Li Fei, the lead author of the study and a conservation officer at Kadoorie Conservation China, a department under the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, who focuses on conservation work.

“China has no previous research on the sun bear. The 10-second video is surely exciting,” he said.

“It has critical meaning in verifying the existence of the species in China. In the future, more extensive studies and necessary conservation measures will be carried out in related areas. The video will guide our further studies of the sun bear, which is crucial for its protection.”

Currently, official data about the number of wild sun bears in China is not available. The country has about 20 sun bears in a breeding center. Worldwide, 164 sun bears live in zoos, according to one report.

Aug22017

Former bank official expelled from CPC

East Asia

A former senior official of China’s top banking regulatory authority has been expelled from the Communist Party of China and removed from all public posts.

Yang Jiacai, former assistant chairman of the China Banking Regulatory Commission, has been placed under investigation for having “seriously violated the Party’s disciplinary rules”, according to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, China’s top anti-graft authority.

Also a former member of the CPC Committee of the commission, Yang was found to have interfered with a Party inspection and audit, and illegally held activities related to his promotion, the CCDI said.

The investigation found that Yang had flouted frugality rules by frequenting private clubs, and that he took advantage of his position to help his son’s business. He also violated CPC discipline by interfering in the promotion process of officials and failed to report his personal information properly, the CCDI said.

Yang also accepted a large sum of money and property in return for favors, it said.

As a former senior official of China’s top bank regulator, Yang seriously violated the Party’s code of conduct, disrupted order in financial markets and harmed the image of the commission, it said.

Yang’s illegal gains will be confiscated, the CCDI said. His case has been handed over to law enforcement departments.

A native of Hubei province, Yang started his career at the grain bureau of Zhongxiang county. He later worked for the county’s financial department.

He worked at the Zhongxiang branch of Bank of China from 1988 to 1990 and held a senior position. He then worked his way up. He was named the commission’s assistant chairman in 2013.

Aug22017

‘Be ready to win wars,’ Xi orders reshaped PLA

East Asia

China must step up transforming its armed forces into a world-class military that is ready to fight and win wars as the country will never compromise on defending sovereignty, President Xi Jinping said Tuesday at an Army Day celebration.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, addresses a grand gathering in celebration of the 90th founding anniversary of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 1, 2017. [Xinhua/Ju Peng]

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, addresses a grand gathering in celebration of the 90th founding anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 1, 2017. [Xinhua/Ju Peng]

“No one should expect us to swallow bitter fruit that is harmful to our sovereignty, security or development interests,” said Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), during a speech at a ceremony to mark the 90th anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

While hailing the PLA’s great achievements over the nine decades, Xi said the Chinese military has reshaped its political environment, organizational form, system of military strength and work style over the past five years.

The PLA should firmly safeguard the CPC’s leadership and the socialist system, protect national sovereignty, security and development interests as well as regional and world peace, Xi told senior officials and military personnel gathered at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

“The Chinese people love peace. We will never seek aggression or expansion, but we have the confidence to defeat all invasions. We will never allow any people, organization or political party to split any part of Chinese territory from the country at any time, in any form,” Xi said.

The ceremony was presided over by Premier Li Keqiang and also attended by Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli, all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

Xi’s speech came two days after China held a massive military parade involving more than 12,000 service personnel at the Zhurihe military training base in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

“Today, we are closer to the goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation than any other time in history, and we need to build a strong people’s military now more than any other time in history,” Xi said in Sunday’s speech.

GLORY & TRADITION

The PLA has come a long way since its birth at the Nanchang Uprising on August 1, 1927. Today, the PLA commands about two million service personnel.

Xi told Tuesday’s gathering that the armed forces had transformed from a “millet plus rifles” single-service force, one with only the most basic of supplies and equipment required to survive, into one that has fully-fledged services. The PLA has basically completed mechanization and is moving rapidly toward “strong” informationized armed forces, he said.

Xi attributed the PLA’s success to its glorious traditions and fine conduct under the leadership of the CPC.

“The armed forces must follow the banner, the direction and the will of the Party at all times and under any circumstances.” Xi noted, saying that the principle is an irreversible truth that the CPC has attained in struggles of blood and fire.

Behind the PLA’s glorious victories are also ideals and beliefs, as well as the reform determination, Xi said.

“Only by continuous reform and innovation, can the people’s army constantly gain development vitality and put itself in an impregnable position,” Xi said.

The PLA must be bold in reform and adept in innovation while staying away from rigidity and stagnation, he said.

The president also stressed the role of fighting spirit, revolutionary discipline and civilian-military unity in claiming victories.

As long as the armed forces stand with and win the support of the people, a “wall of iron” can be fortified, Xi said.

RESHAPED PLA

Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the Party has put forward the goal of building a strong military that follows the Party, fights to win and forges exemplary conduct, Xi said.

The Party has strengthened political work within the armed forces and made firm efforts to ensure a clean environment and fight corruption in the military, according to Xi.

A series of major structural reforms have been made in recent years, including the establishment of the PLA Army General Command, the PLA Rocket Force and the PLA Strategic Support Force.

The four general departments were reorganized into 15 agencies of the CMC, and five theater commands have replaced the seven military area commands. The CMC has taken charge of the overall military administration, while theater commands focus on operations and different services on troop developments.

“The system, structure, pattern and image of the people’s military have all been renewed,” Xi said.

Moreover, Xi said the fundamental changes have taken place in the governance of the military. Putting combat effectiveness as the “sole and fundamental” standard for the military, the PLA remains resolved in safeguarding the country’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

PARTY LEADERSHIP

Xi reaffirmed the CPC’s absolute leadership over the PLA. which is a “fundamental guarantee” for the army to maintain its great cohesion, creativity and combat capabilities.

Quoting Mao Zedong, the founder of the People’s Republic of China, Xi said: “Our principle is the Party commands the guns, and we will never allow the guns to command the Party.”

He ordered the PLA to always follow the command of the CPC Central Committee and the CMC.”There shall be no wavering, no hesitation, and no ambiguity.”

The CPC has put forward a series of new ideas and requirements concerning national defense and military building in the past five years.These theories should be constantly enriched and developed to cope with new challenges and solve new problems, he said.

FIGHT TO WIN

Xi urged the PLA to focus on war preparedness to forge an elite and powerful force that is always “ready for the fight, capable of combat and sure to win.”

“All thoughts must be put on combat, and all work should focus on combat so the military can assemble, charge forward and win wars any time the Party and the people need them to,” he said.

Xi called for a new generation of “capable, brave and virtuous” service personnel “with soul.”

The PLA must have ironclad faith, beliefs, discipline and responsibility, and retain its nature and goal as the people’s army, he said.

The PLA must step up efforts to build a modern military force system capable of winning information-based warfare, he said.

WITH THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE

China must build a national strategic system and capacity in military-civilian integration, he said.

Upgrading integrated military and civilian development as a national strategy is a major decision made in consideration of national development and overall security, and a major measure to deal with complicated security threats and gain national strategic advantages, Xi said.

He urged efforts to create the “coordinated, balanced and inclusive development” of economic and national defense construction.

Calling the modernization of national defense and military “a common cause of the Party and the people,” Xi urged central and state organs, Party committees and governments at local levels to create a favorable environment and offer strong support for building a strong military.

Xi also urged the armed forces to bear in mind the sacred duty of fighting for the people.

The PLA is deeply rooted in the people and its strength comes from the people. It must maintain a close relationship with the people and “go through thick and thin” with them, he said.

WORLD PEACE

China has always been a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and an upholder of international order, Xi said.

His words echoed his speech during Sunday’s parade where he said: “The world is not all at peace, and peace must be safeguarded.”

“Enjoying peace is a bliss for the people while protecting peace is the responsibility of the people’s army,” he told the troops in field.

The PLA will continue international military exchanges and cooperation to cope with global security challenges, Xi said in his Tuesday’s speech.

It will implement the responsibilities and duties commensurate with the country’s international status and contribute to fostering a community of shared future for mankind, he said.

Aug22017

China working to ban foreign garbage

East Asia

China customs said Tuesday it will work closely with other departments including border defence, coast guards and environmental protection agencies to stop foreign garbage smuggling.

In the first half year, China customs seized more than 260,000 tonnes of solid waste in 146 cases, according to the General Administration of Customs (GAC).

More than 70 percent of cases since 2013 occurred in the Bohai Rim, the Yangtze and the Pearl River Deltas, according to GAC spokesman Zhang Guangzhi at a press conference.

By the end of 2017, China will have ended imports of solid waste that cause great environmental damage and raise public concern, according to the State Council, China’s cabinet.

The State Council plan came after China notified the World Trade Organization last week that it will ban imports of 24 types of solid waste, including plastics, unsorted paper, textiles and vanadium slag by the end of 2017.

China started to import solid waste as raw material to make up for the domestic shortage of resources in the 1980s, but some companies illegally smuggle foreign garbage into the country for profit, damaging the environment and public health.

The government is stepping up the fight against pollution and environmental degradation as decades of fast growth have left the country with smog, polluted water and contaminated soil.

China’s medium-sized and large cities imported 47 million tonnes of solid waste in 2015, down 5.3 percent year on year, according to the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP).

On July 1, the MEP began a campaign against imported waste processing, with 60 teams of inspectors conducting investigations.

Aug22017

Doorstop with Senator the Hon. Michaelia Cash, Minister for Employment and Steve Irons MP, Member for Swan

Australia

STEVE IRONS MP – MEMBER FOR SWAN:

Good morning everyone. It is great to have the Prime Minister of Australia back in Swan again and also with my good friend Minister for Employment Michaelia Cash. And also Bradley Woods from AHA and Stephen Morahan and the team here from the Aloft Hotel. It is great to be at the Aloft Hotel. It has been open two months and it is hitting its straps and I hear it is going very well.

So, welcome all along today and to you Prime Minister, back in Swan again, and it is great to see this view of the city and the river which my electorate is named after but please feel free to say a few words.

PRIME MINISTER:

Thank you Steve, thank you and it is great to be hear with you and Cheryle, and again Bradley Woods from the AHA, thank you for your initiative which we’re going to describe in a moment. And Steve Morahan and all of the team here at the Aloft Hotel – thank you for welcoming us.

Our commitment is to drive economic growth.

We know that what Australians need is to be assured that their government is focusing on the issues that matter most to them and above all, that is ensuring that they have a good job, can get a job, their kids can get jobs, they can get better jobs, their businesses will thrive.

So everything we are doing is encouraging investment and employment. We are backing small business with tax cuts. We are backing small business and medium-sized businesses with tax cuts and infrastructure. Everything we are doing is backing employment and investment.

The PaTH program that Michaelia Cash has pioneered here and is delivering is one that is bringing young people who are on welfare into employment. It gets them an internship and then they get used to being at work, they get into the habit of work, they get to understand what the workplace is about and that enables them to transition on to full-time employment. It is a critically important initiative. And what it is doing, it is innovative, but what it does is it breaks that welfare cycle and we have already seen real success.

The AHA has made a commitment to take on an additional 10,000 entrants, interns, from the PaTH program over the next four years.

We have got funding for up to 120,000. We have seen real support. You would have seen just a little while ago from the retail traders have made a similar commitment. This is a great initiative.

Bradley, I want to thank you and all your members for the support that you are showing.

This is going to change lives.

Steve Morahan there, the chief executive was talking about how he got started in the hospitality industry and you were saying, Steve, that you started off as a young trainee and here you are now running a big magnificent new hotel. That shows the great opportunities that are available in this industry.

This is a great initiative and it is all part of a set of policies that are focused on investment and employment.

Now, on the other side of the Parliament, you have the Labor Party and Bill Shorten’s war on jobs, war on investment, war on small business.

Everything he is standing for is designed to crush business, discourage investment, discourage employment.

He does not have one policy which would encourage a business to invest or to employ.

And when he was pressed on this the other day on the radio, he thought for a minute and he said: ‘We’re in favour of public transport’.

Well, we are all in favour of investing in public transport – that’s terrific – but you have to do a lot more than that to create jobs, to create investment.

We have seen strong growth in jobs. It is vitally important, particularly here in Western Australia as it transitions from the decline in the mining and investment boom – mining and resources are stronger than ever but, of course, the construction phase was always going to come to an end – so getting new investment, new projects like this, new investment, new jobs, are vitally important in this state and, of course, right around Australia.

Michaela, congratulations on this great initiative which you’re going to describe to us in more detail.

Bradley, thank you so much for the leadership of the AHA.

And Steve, again, thank you for welcoming us to your brand new hotel and your very enthusiastic young team that you are leading.

SENATOR THE HON. MICHAELIA CASH – MINISTER FOR EMPLOYMENT:

Thank you Prime Minister.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is always fantastic to be in the electorate of Swan with my very good friend Steve Irons, of course, with the Prime Minister and a big thank you to Bradley Woods of the Australian Hotels Association and obviously to the fantastic Aloft Hotel for hosting us here today.

I am delighted to confirm the announcement by the Prime Minister that the Australian Hotels Association over the next four years have committed to increasing their commitment to the PaTH internship program to delivering 10,000 internships.

That is just absolutely sensational news and certainly builds on the work that the PaTH program is already doing.

You will be aware that this government fundamentally believes that the best form of welfare is a job. But we don’t just say that. What we do is put in place practical policies to ensure that, in particular, our youth who are on welfare have that opportunity to undertake an internship and translate that into a job.

Over the next three years, the hospitality industry is expected to grow by at least 100,000 positions. That’s good news for all Australians but, in particular, for the 10,000 young people who will get an opportunity to showcase their skills and then translate that to work in this area.

As you know, this is a significant investment by the Turnbull Government. It was announced at last year’s budget. A total package of $850 million over four years.

The signature part of that package is our youth PaTH program. A three-step program and it’s all about getting our youth ready, giving them a go and getting them a job.

I’m delighted to say that, in the short time that the program has been running – it commenced on the 1st of April – we have now had approximately 6,500 of our young people who are on welfare, they are in the middle of their employability skills training. We have had over 1,500 commence internships and again, in the short time that the program has been under way, we have now seen 200 young people get off welfare and into a job.

We certainly look forward to seeing the numbers grow from here.

Again, fantastic to be with you, Prime Minister, and Steve but, in particular, to Bradley Woods and the Australian Hotels Association, it is fantastic to work with you to commit to up to 10,000 internships for our young people and jobs for them.

BRADLEY WOODS – CEO, AUSTRALIAN HOTELS ASSOCIATION WA:

Thank you very much Prime Minister and Minister Cash and Steve Irons.

The AHA nationally is committed to the PaTH program.

Last year we announced around 5,000 positions that we would aim for and that was our target. Within the short time the program has been operating, we have already identified that there is a huge amount of interest – the uptake in the employability skills training, the internships – and we have been able to revise our figures at a national level to commit to the target of 10,000 internships and positions through the PaTH program.

This means people taking up opportunities in hotels, in pubs, in restaurants, bars, all types of hospitality businesses across the country. And they are real jobs.

The nature of our industry is service. The more people that we can employ, the better the service.

The fact that this program provides at the third part of the program the subsidy for us to engage more staff means better service and it means better delivery of service to consumers and to the customers but also more jobs for young people coming off unemployment benefits and coming off welfare.

We see this as a true initiative to convert people’s hopes and aspirations into real jobs and careers in hospitality, hotels and tourism.

As the Prime Minister mentioned, the general manager here at the Aloft started out as an intern in his original traineeship, moved through the years and there is many examples of people in our industry who have come through in very basic positions and have moved through to senior management positions and sometimes international careers because of the opportunities that were first established.

The AHA is very pleased to support this program. We are doing it a number of ways by encouraging our members and other businesses in the hospitality sector to support the PaTH program, establishing the links between the employability skills trainees, the job network and everyone else involved in the program to create those links so that there is opportunities here. But more importantly, educating and working with employers about how they can access the support, access the funding support, to create those new jobs for these young people.

And certainly over the next four years, we are looking forward to seeing many, many thousands of young people in new jobs that have been created as a result of the Turnbull Government initiative.

Thank you.

SENATOR THE HON. MICHAELIA CASH – MINISTER FOR EMPLOYMENT:

Thanks, Bradley.

PRIME MINISTER:

Do we some questions on the PaTH program and employment issues?

JOURNALIST:

Prime Minister, your MPs are basically at war over the issue of same-sex marriage. Do you accept that this is being seen as a test of your authority over the party room and what do you intend to do about it?

PRIME MINISTER:

Thank you for your question.

Our government’s policy position on this issue is very, very clear and it has not changed.

We went to the last election promising that the Australian people would have their direct say on this issue.

The only reason that plebiscite or vote has not been held, the only reason every Australian has not been given the opportunity to vote on this is because of Bill Shorten’s opposition.

The plebiscite would have been held long ago by now had it not been for Labor’s totally political opposition.

They have no interest in marriage equality or same-sex marriage at all. Their only interest is in the politics.

We made a commitment to give every Australian a say on this issue and that is our policy. It has not changed.

JOURNALIST:

There are reports that your leadership could be terminal and the right faction is lining up a ticket with Peter Dutton and Greg Hunt – will there be a spill?

PRIME MINISTER:

I know you are interested in this. Can I tell you – I’ve been in WA now for a couple of days, I have met with hundreds of people from the Mindarie pub to community meetings to schools to the train down to Mandurah – only one person has raised this issue with me.

So this is an issue of enormous interest to journalists.

I think Western Australians and Australians generally are focused on jobs, on employment, on economic growth and investment. They are focused on the issues my government is focused on, which is ensuring that we deliver the strong economic growth and the opportunities for young people to get ahead and get a job and, for example, with this PaTH program.

I think there are a lot of parents watching us today who will be really wondering why it is that not one of the journalists here has got any interest in a program that is going to give up to 120,000 young people on welfare an internship and a job. They’ll be really wondering, really wondering what the priorities are of our friends in the media here versus the government.

We are focused on delivering economic growth and jobs.

JOURNALIST:

Liberal MPs braced for preselection if they cross the floor to allow a free vote on same-sex marriage. Would you like to endorse them?

PRIME MINISTER:

I have dealt with this issue. Our policy is very clear. The traditions of the Liberal Party are very well understood.

I’ve got nothing to add on either of those points.

JOURNALIST:

If there is a debate on changing your party’s position on same-sex marriage, would you follow Tony Abbott’s lead in letting the National’s in on the debate?

PRIME MINISTER:

Again, again, your interest in this matter, I understand it but it is not our priority to be focused on and to be discussing internal Liberal Party or Coalition matters here.

Our policy is very, very clear. We have established processes through our party room which everyone is very familiar with. Our policy is very clear.

We have committed that every Australian will have a vote and the question you should be asking, if you care to take the time, is of Bill Shorten and say to him why has he gone back on his commitment that every Australian should have a vote?

He gave a commitment to the Australian Christian Lobby only a few years ago, 2013 as I recall, in which he said he favoured every Australian having a say on this issue.

Well, we took that position to the election, we gave that commitment and that remains our policy.

Now, if there are no other questions on any other issues?

JOURNALIST:

Prime Minister – can I just ask – have you got across the issue with the population change here in West Australia, the Census figures and do you hear the concerns of the Premier about the $2 billion black hole potentially in the state budget?

PRIME MINISTER:

I’m aware of the issue. I have seen some correspondence. I will be looking forward to discussing it with the Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison later today. We have a Cabinet meeting here in Perth, of course.

I imagine I will be discussing it, I’m sure I will be discussing it with the Premier but we will have more to say about that following that.

JOURNALIST:

Can you let us know when you are meeting with the Premier? His office is still saying there is no meeting scheduled so there seems to be confusion.

PRIME MINISTER:

I understand a meeting has been scheduled, but look, can I say to you I have a perfectly good, cordial relationship with Mark McGowan. We talk on the telephone – quite contemporary means of communication are employed – and look forward to catching up with him while I’m here.

Obviously, I’ve met him a number of times since he won the election. There are no problems. Always happy to have a chat with him and I look forward, as you know, I look forward to working constructively with him.

I mean, the City Deal that we have offered for Perth, for example, is a good example of the practical, constructive way we want to work with state governments and local governments regardless of their political complexion.

My job as Prime Minister of Australia is to deliver stronger economic growth, more job opportunities, more opportunities for young Australians to realise their dreams and do so in an environment which is secure.

One of the things that we should not forget is that just over the last few days we have seen the disruption of a terrorist plot to bring down an aeroplane. You can imagine the amount of time and attention that I and my ministers have been devoting to that.

So we have very serious issues to attend with.

And as I have been travelling around Western Australia, if I exclude the members of the journalistic community, the issues that people are raising with me are investment, infrastructure, national security, jobs, health, schools funding. All of those issues – that’s what young people, older people, everyone, is raising with me. They are the real issues that Australians are focused on. That is what we are focused on. That’s what my government is leading on – delivering at every level the security, which is the foundation of it all, and then the economic opportunity that enables Australians to get ahead, to realise their dreams, to ensure their kids get a job. Maybe an internship here at this hotel that leads on to great opportunities.

JOURNALIST:

I was just going to ask, how the raising the issue of GST, there has been a lot said.

PRIME MINISTER:

Yes.

JOURNALIST:

So is that being raised with you as you go about in the community?

PRIME MINISTER:

Yes, it has been, it has been – in fact, as I was saying in the Mindarie pub on Sunday night that Western Australia’s very low share, currently running at about 34 per cent of what would be its per capita share of the GST doesn’t pass the pub test and it certainly didn’t pass the pub test in that pub.

Look, we are on the case there. I am the first Prime Minister to recognise there is an unfairness here, first Prime Minister to acknowledge that. First Prime Minister to describe a pathway to dealing with it.

We are working through the discussions at COAG. Obviously, you’ve got to seek to bring the other jurisdictions along, the other states along. And we have got the Productivity Commission analysing the GST allocation formula to ask whether it is any longer fit for purpose.

But, again, I want to make a very important point and it is a point about Premier McGowan and Bill Shorten and the Labor Party – the greatest opponents, the strongest opponents to any change to the GST formula that would result in Western Australia getting a fairer share are in the Labor Party.

It is the Labor states, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, in particular, that have been most vocal about it and, of course, it is the Federal Labor Party led by Bill Shorten.

So what Mr McGowan needs to do – and I’m saying no more, I’m not talking to him through the megaphone media, I have said this to Mark directly – what he needs to do is use his considerable influence in the Labor Party to get support from the other states, from Labor states, to do that.

Clearly, what we need to do is come to a landing where we have a GST allocation formula that is fair and is seen as being fair across the country. In other words, that it passes the pub test not just in Western Australia but in Queensland, South Australia and New South Wales and so forth.

New South Wales, by the way, is supporting a change to the GST formula – that’s led by Liberal Premier Gladys Berejiklian.

On that note, I thank you all very much.

See you soon.

[ENDS]