It says The Australian Defence Force has unique logistics capability which the Australian Government can draw on for major regional crises to meet critical humanitarian needs are most needed. Australia maintains a standing agreement with a logistics company to provide logistics, procurement, shipping and personnel services, also appropriate and cost‑effective relief supplies, such as generators, tarpaulins, family tents and water containers.

“There are rising demands for accountability of international humanitarian action. It needs to respond better to sudden‑onset and slow‑onset disasters. They require coordinated, sustained long‑term responses,” the action policy explains one of its main goals.

The Prime Minister has been reaching out to the business community amidst the criticisms over key issues like carbon tax and the government’s insistence on delivering a budget surplus. 

Kelly said business leaders should engage constructively with the Prime Minister. She acknowledges that Gillard is reaching out and consulting to all sectors affected. 

The support of the financial services chief is a much-needed boost for the Prime Minister, who suffers from a low approval rating. 

Kelly said that based on her personal experience, she knows that the Prime Minister listens. She added that even when one has a different point of view, Gillard will try to understand. 

The chief executive also said that she has had many discussions with the Prime Minister over policy issues. She said that although they may have different standpoints on things, they enjoy a healthy respect on each other. 

It is not a surprise that Kelly is showing support to Gillard. Westpac and its competitors also faced tough criticism over different issues like job cuts in the bank and mortgage pricing. The banking sector was also criticized for failing to meet the cuts of the Reserve Bank. 

Just last week, Westpac’s retail bank passed just 37 basis points of RBA’s 50 basis point cut. 

Kelly, however, declined to comment whether her talks with Gillard also focused on banking issues.

The amount will be wired directly to their bank accounts in June. This also essentially replaces the current education tax refund, which requires parents to save receipts issued for purchases on school uniforms and computers.

The current education tax refund, however, will be scrapped in the May 8 budget deliberations. Reports have also shown that more than a million families eligible under the scheme are not claiming their full benefits. Around 600,000 families do not even claim at all.

This amounts to close to $300 million in unclaimed benefits.

This will now be replaced with the new SchoolKids Bonus. Under the new scheme, families can claim up to $820 for every teen in school and about $410 for every child in primary school. The benefits will be paid from 2013 in two installments.

If a family has two teenaged kids in high school, then the family can receive as much as $1,640. The one-off lump sum will be credited to the family’s bank account in June.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard said that a million families will receive extra money to help defray school costs. She added that this year’s Budget will have a surplus and families would be able to benefit from it.

Gillard also reiterated that the payment not only help the families but also the economy in general. The retail sector, for one, would be able to benefit because families can buy more with the money.

The victory also marks Nationals MP Tony Crook joining the Coalition formally. Crook has voted for more than 30 times with Labor. He will also sit with party colleagues in the parliament from Tuesday.

Labor clinched 71 seats while Coalition won 72. Although Prime Minister Julia Gillard still has control over the house, Opposition leader Tony Abbott now has more members and, in turn, more discipline over Crook’s vote.

Crook’s move was clearly welcomed. Nationals Leader Warren Truss said Crook’s decision to sit on the crossbenches was made after consultations with Nationals WA colleagues and constituencies. Truss added that Abbott believes that the move will serve the interest of the nation.

Crook has always a staunch critic of the Gillard government, especially its stand on carbon and mining taxes.

The politician has been a member of the National Party of Western Australian since 2010. He also served 10 years as Western Division chairman for the Royal Flying Doctor service. He retired from the post in 2009.

Recently, he sat as crossbencher, representing Western Australia. At around the same time Crook ran at the 2010 election, a hung parliament resulted. Crook said he would best serve Western Australia if he sat as a cross-bencher.

Political analysts said that the current developments are additional blows to Prime Minister Julia Gillard. The Prime Minister’s approval ratings have been down, following several scandals that rocked government officials.

These controversies include the Health Services Union and sexual allegations against Speaker Peter Slipper.

The public, it seems, has lost faith over its current officials and are prepared to move on from a Gillard government, which is currently embroiled in a pair of controversies.

The poll also showed that more than half of Aussies believe the Labor Party is clinging on to power and that PM Julia Gillard failed to exercise political judgment to properly address matters dealing with corruption.

Two officials in the Gillard government are facing controversies, which have been talk of the town in the last few weeks.

Speaker Peter Slipper is facing sexual allegations from a former aide named James Ashby. He is also accused of improper use of Cabcharge vouchers.

Health Services Union head Craig Thomson, meanwhile is being accused of corruption. He allegedly used credit cards issued to the union for his personal gain.

The Prime Minister has announced yesterday that she is benching the two officials. Gillard also admitted that she underestimated public sentiment over these issues.

She, however, held that these MP’s are to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. Gillard also stressed that so much damage has been done to the reputation of the Parliament because of these scandals hounding her officials.

The Prime Minister was in Canberra this morning when she made the announcement. She said the controversies hounding Thomson and Slipper have cast a dark cloud and Australians are becoming more concerned about how the two have conducted themselves in public.

Gillard said she spoke to Thomson over the phone and suspended him from the party. She, however, clarified that she has not consulted the cabinet about it. She added that Thomson said he is mulling things over and moving to the cross-bench may be the best move.

The Prime Minister, meanwhile, said she asked Slipper to vacate his post as Speaker for a longer period as an act of respect for the Parliament. Deputy Speaker Anna Burke has temporarily replaced Slipper.

The embattled Speaker has accepted the Prime Minister’s recommendation and said he is looking forward to resuming his post soon.

Opposition leader Tony Abbott was quick to criticize Gillard, saying that the move is meaningless. He said that Gillard continues to count on Thomson’s vote so that Gillard can maintain control of the Parliament.

Abbott added that both Thomson and Slipper should not be eligible to vote in the Parliament.

Thomson is facing accusations for allegedly using the Health Services Union credit card to pay for the services of prostitutes. Slipper, meanwhile, is facing allegations of sexually harassing a former staffer. Both politicians have denied the claims.

In a statement he released today, Slipper continues to deny the allegations made against him by former staff James Ashby. He also explained that because the allegations are criminal in nature, he believes that it is not appropriate for him to remain as Speaker.

Labor MP and Deputy Speaker Anna Burke is set to temporarily replace him as Speaker.

Former staff James Ashby filed a formal case again the Speaker. He accused Slipper for making unwanted sexual advances against him, including sending him inappropriate text messages, asking him to massage Slipper, and hiring him specifically to pursue an intimate relationship with the Speaker.

Calls have been growing for Slipper to resign. Earlier, Opposition leader Eric Abetz said Slipper must be removed from parliament. Treasurer Wayne Swan, however, was quick to pacify disgruntled quarters. Swan said that everyone is presumed innocent until proven otherwise. He told the ABC Television that there is a need to respect the legal proceedings.

Swan also fired back at the Opposition, saying the group is using the issue to distract the public from the economic debate.

Opposition leader Tony Abbott, meanwhile, echoed Abetz’s sentiments, saying Prime Minister Julia Gillard should be proactive in restoring the parliament’s integrity. He added that the Prime Minister should make it clear that Slipper that he needs to resign.

Abbot added that Gillard has been washing her hands especially in the case of Craig Thomson, who is under fire for alleged financial mismanagement in Health Services Union.

James Ashby has accused Slipper for allegedly making sexual advances and comments to him. He claims Slipper deliberately hired him so pursue a sexual relationship with him, adding that the Speaker would send kisses via adding the letter X to his text messages.

The 33-year-old male adviser has formally filed a case against the Peter Slipper. James Ashby is asking the court to require Slipper to have counseling and attend anti-discrimination sessions. He also filed a petition that he be compensated by Slipper and the Federal Government.

Ashby also cited in court documents that Slipper asked him to shower with him. Slipper also arranged for a massage after complaining of a sore neck. Ashby said Slipper made moaning noises like he was having an intense sexual pleasure.

It appears that is not the first time that Slipper figured in a sexual scandal. Court documents showed that in 2003, the Speaker was also the subject of a sexual harassment complaint.

Slipper’s former adviser Megan Hobson approached Tony Nutt that she and two other women saw a video of Slipper lying on a bed with another bed. Hobson alleged that the two were hugging in an intimate fashion. Tony Nutt was then John Howard’s senior adviser.

When Hobson told Nutt about the tape, Nutt shrugged it off and told her to forget about it.

Gillard has also outlined a timetable for the withdrawal of troops. This will also be presented to the NATO Summit to be held in Chicago, United States in May.

The Prime Minister said she is confident that participants of the NATO Summit will recognize that middle of 2013 is the best time for a pull-out. The original date for military withdrawal was originally scheduled for end of 2014.

Gillard furthered that a gradual withdrawal of troops will be enforced once Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai declares that the Afghan people can be responsible for their own security. The pull-out will include 1,550 Australian special forces troops, who are detailed in the Oruzgan province.

Observers expect President Karzai to make the announcement before the end of April.

Troops withdrawal may take from 12 to 18 months.

Gillard said Australia’s involvement in Afghanistan will be much different in the next few months. The training and mentoring of the Afghan 4th Brigade have been completed, which meant Australian troops will no longer perform frontline operations.

She added that the Australia’s reconstruction team is also expected to complete its work soon.

Despite the withdrawal, Australia will continue to monitor the peace and order situation in Afghanistan. She added that special forces will remain to help in counterinsurgency operations and training.

Australian troops have been present in the war-torn country since 2001. As a result of this, more than 200 personnel have been wounded with 32 soldiers killed.

Milne issued a warning to Prime Minister Julia Gillard, saying that the budget surplus was not untouchable. She also said that the Greens would not support any budget cuts or changes that could hurt families nor would it agree to abolish the carbon tax.

Milne said that carbon price is vital to address climate change and that her agreement with Julia Gillard over guaranteed supply does not mean agreement with the budget cuts. Julia Gillard recently announced a carbon tax bonus for families to help sell the unpopular plan to constituents.

According to Milne, negotiations should be held to any legislated that is unrelated with supply. She added that everyone’s hard at work to raise revenue and subsequently, avoid cuts to services.

Milne emphasized that the Greens seek strong reforms in the May budget to help improve dental health in the country, especially the low-income families. She acknowledged that because she’s a mother of two children, she feels the need of other families, as well.

The Tasmanian MP envisions a “decarbonised” economy in the next 38 years. She said the country should be enjoying electric cars, electricity-powered trains and solar planes on every roof by 2050.

Milne became leader of the Greens after Senator Bob Brown announced his resignation a few days ago. Milne first gained prominence when she opposed the building of the Wesley Vale pulp mill, saying that it posed negative impact on the environment.