The sixth Australian Council of Local Government (ACLG) will meet in Canberra on 5 July 2024, as the leading policy forum between the Australian Government and senior local government representatives. In recognising the broader relationship between these 2 levels of government, this Flagpost reflects on some notable federal parliamentarians who have experience in local government. Read more...
Australia’s Parliament House exists not just as the national legislature, but also as a significant tourist destination and cultural institution. As part of this expansive role, light illuminations projected onto the Parliament House façade have highlighted many cultural commemorations and celebrations. This Flagpost identifies the varied history of these illuminations, especially within the context of the annual ACT Government festival, Enlighten. Read more...
Japan is one of the only countries in the world that protects and maintains a sole custody system. On 17 May 2024, however, Japan’s House of Councillors, in a plenary session of parliament, passed a revision to the country’s Civil Code that now allows divorced parents to choose either joint or single custody while requiring them to cooperate in ensuring their children’s rights and wellbeing. Read more...
In the 2024–25 Budget, the government announced plans to introduce a pre-application ballot process for certain kinds of visas: Work and Holiday visas for nationals of China, Vietnam and India, and a new temporary visa for young professionals from India. The ballot process is new to the Australian visa system. So far, it has only been introduced for the Pacific Engagement visa, which opens for registration on 3 June 2024. Read more...
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