TRANSCRIPT
- Ties between PNG and Australia celebrated during James Marape's visit to Australia
- A historic apology for children who suffered abuse and neglect in institutional care in Victoria
- Fifteen-year-old table tennis sensation Aditya Sareen excited to represent Australia
The prime ministers of Papua New Guinea and Australia have celebrated the close relationship between the two countries at the fifth annual leaders dialogue.
James Marape met with senior members of the Anthony Albanese government, after becoming the first Pacific Islands leader to address Australia's parliament.
Mr Albanese says the countries have always had a close relationship, and that has continued in the years after PNG gained independence from Australia in 1975.
"Ours is a relationship between our peoples. You spoke very powerfully about our shared history, you spoke about how that informs where we are in 2024, and guides us an in your words, provides important tailwinds behind us as we work towards our common future."
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The Minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney, says governments at all levels in Australia need to do better in working with First Nations organisations to embrace self-determination.
The remarks come after a Productivity Commission report found progress on the National Agreement on Closing the Gap was weak.
It recommended governments embrace power-sharing and greater accountability.
Minister Burney told NITV, she will be looking at steps to implement the report's recommendations.
"The other thing that is crucial is that there be a commitment from all governments across this country to do better. Better data sovereignty for example. Better trust and commitment to Aboriginal community organisations - and also that everything has to be underpinned by the policy of self-determination."
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Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan has formally apologised to victims of historical abuse and neglect in the state's institutional care system.
Between 1928 and 1990, an estimated 90,000 Victorian children were placed in orphanages, children's homes and missions run by the state or religious groups, with thousands suffering abuse and neglect.
Ms Allan delivered the apology in the state's parliament, saying she is "deeply sorry" the state "failed" them.
"Of course I understand that these words are not a magic salve. You've been hurt in ways that cannot be undone and witnessed things that cannot be unseen, but I do hope, I do hope that this apology can be the start of something new, for you, a start to healing, a start to recognition and to change, and for us, a start to saying 'never again', and meaning it."
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Preparations for Lunar New Year celebrations this weekend are underway.
Worldwide some two billion people will usher in The Year of The Dragon this weekend - said to be one of the biggest migrations of people in China.
Celebrations happen in China and other East Asian countries, including Korea, Vietnam, and Japan, with diaspora communities in Australia also marking the occasion.
The celebrations in Australia are some of the biggest outside of Asia, drawing nearly 1.5 million revellers in Sydney alone.
Architect and interior designer Anthony Ho says he has enjoyed being involved in creating the outdoor atmosphere through installations in Sydney's Chinatown.
"It's the year of the dragon, the most powerful zodiac of the Chinese mythology. And what we did specifically here was to make it as magnificent as possible. We want to do the community proud. We chose to show it as a dragon that was energetic appearing and disappearing amongst the clouds, visiting the local economy and the presence of laterns bouncing the energy around every corner of Dixon Street."
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In sport, 15-year-old Aditya Sareen says he is looking forward to representing Australia at the World Team Table Tennis Championships in Busan, South Korea later this month.
The US-based athlete, who first left Australia as a toddler, has experienced a rapid rise to the national team despite only picking up a racquet six years ago.
His performance in the tournament could secure his ticket to Paris for the Olympics.
He is currently the world number one at under-15s level and has already worked his way up to world number 41 in the senior men's ranking, with a high of 37 back in September.
In an interview with SBS Sport he says the event in Busan will be his first time playing in such a big event and his strategy is to maintain focus on playing his own game - and see where that takes him.
