Prime Minister Tony Abbott says the Coalition will deliver on its education election promises, not on what some voters "thought" it was going to do.

Photo: Tony Abbott says the Government is committed to matching Labor's "quantum" of funding.

Mr Abbott said the Coalition was on a "unity ticket" with Labor on the issue of school funding in the lead-up to September's federal election.

But on Wednesday Education Minister Christopher Pyne pledged to renegotiate all school funding deals made by the former government after next year.

My Pyne says he cannot guarantee individual schools will get the money they were expecting under the former government's so-called Gonski plan.

The move has drawn the ire of education ministers from Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales and the ACT, who made funding agreements with Labor.

Mr Abbott maintains the Coalition is upholding its election commitment, saying it promised to match the funding total, not the model used to distribute it.

"Under the Coalition, schools will get the same quantum of funding over the four years that they would have under Labor had it been re-elected. In fact, they will get a little bit more," he told Channel Ten.

"I think Christopher [Pyne] said schools would get the same amount of money and schools - plural - will get the same amount of money.

Video: Penny Wong tells Insiders that voters have been misled (Insiders)

"We are going to keep the promise that we actually made, not the promise that some people thought that we made, or the promise that some people might have liked us to make."

Labor's Senate Leader Penny Wong says voters have been misled.

"The Government is clearly determined to break their word," she told the ABC's Insiders program.

"Christopher Pyne has had a very bad week [and] kids around Australia, parents around Australia, have had a very bad week from a Government that's breaking their promise."

Giddings to take Coalition to task at COAG

Tasmanian Premier Lara Giddings has vowed to take the Abbott Government to task at this month's Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting in Canberra.

"This Gonski reform is one of the top issues, but from our perspective, we're also very concerned about any GST reform that might occur, what the intention is of the Federal Government around NDIS as well," she told Channel Ten.

"All of these issues are crucial for the future of Tasmania."

South Australia's Premier Jay Weatherill says his Government will consider all options to have the original funding model restored.

"We'll take some advice about that and obviously we'll pursue and campaign against them using every means possible," he told Channel Ten.

"The real penalty is the political penalty and [Mr Pyne will] be suffering political pain every day from now until he recommits himself to the promise he made before the federal election."

But Queensland Premier Campbell Newman, who refused to sign a school funding agreement with Labor, criticised state and territory colleagues who want to keep the Gonski model.

"We're very happy and frankly the screams and yowls of other state premiers are just that," he told reporters in Brisbane this morning.

"They are people who are prepared to sell the sovereignty of the states down the river."

PM Tony Abbott says Coalition never promised to keep Labor's Gonski school funding plan - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Daniel Hurst theguardian.com, Saturday 30 November 2013

Funding windfall for private schools at the expense of public system would reignite hostilities, peak body warns

Federal education minister Christopher Pyne faced heated criticism from his state counterparts at a meeting on Friday. Photograph: Nikki Short/AAP Image

A peak body for independent schools says they do not want a federal funding windfall at the expense of the public system, pleading against reviving past “wars” between education sectors.

The declaration from the Association of Independent Schools of NSW comes after several state education ministers voiced fears public schools would lose out under the Abbott government’s decision to rewrite the David Gonski-inspired funding reforms next year.

The federal education minister, Christopher Pyne, who faced criticism from Liberal, Labor, Nationals and Greens counterparts at a “very heated” meeting in Sydney on Friday, did not rule out changing the funding share between sectors but cautioned that “no one should assume that they would get less money”.

The opposition education spokeswoman, Kate Ellis, said the prospect of public school funding cuts would revive a divisive debate pitting parent against parent, school against school and state against state.

But the Association of Independent Schools of NSW’s executive director, Geoff Newcombe, said his sector was not looking for a greater federal funding share at the expense of public schools.

“Our board has made it clear that the independent schools do not want the share between the sectors to change and we don’t want more money for independent schools at the expense of government schools,” he told Guardian Australia.

The majority of extra funding allocated under Labor’s Gonski reforms was set to go to the public school sector. Newcombe said this was because the majority of people from disadvantaged backgrounds attended state schools.

While the non-government sector always wanted an increase in funding, it did not want it if it was at the expense of the public system, because it wished to avoid a resumption in hostilities between school sectors, Newcombe said.

“We don’t want to return back to where there’s a rivalry between the sectors, even at the teacher level, going to courses and so on, and that has happened in the past,” he said.

Despite not wanting an increase in the total non-government funding share, the Association of Independent Schools of NSW backed the review of how the model affected individual schools, arguing the Gonski-inspired system was a volatile “mess”.

The body also supported pleas by state governments for the commonwealth to maintain the six-year funding totals promised under deals struck with NSW and other states before the September election.

The NSW Coalition education minister, Adrian Piccoli, said ministers at Friday’s meeting were told that existing federal legislation locked in funding for the non-government school sector, raising the prospect of state schools losing out.

“Public schools overwhelmingly school disadvantaged students and if you took money away from public schools, I just can’t bear the thought of that,” Piccoli told the ABC on Friday night.

Arguing the Gonski deal had settled past disputes between school sectors, Piccoli said: “The war is over and unfortunately this week it’s been reignited. It’s taken 20 years to solve it [but] we’ve had six months of peace.”

Independent Schools Victoria supported a rethink of the funding model, while the National Catholic Education Commission said it expected the government to stick with its pledge to match Labor’s funding over four years.

The Australian Education Union argued any reduction in public school funding would betray the public.

Gonski row: independent schools don’t want a war with public system | World news | theguardian.com

By Rachel Brown

Photo: Education Minister Christopher Pyne says he will outline a new school funding model next year. (Alan Porritt: AAP)

A co-author of the Gonski report has labelled the new Federal Education Minister, Christopher Pyne, "a minister on L-plates" amid confusion over school funding.

Mr Pyne has not yet announced a new funding model for schools after scrapping the Gonski plan that was introduced under the previous Labor government.

On Friday Mr Pyne met with his state and territory counterparts, who described the talks as "very heated" and said they fear public schools will be the big losers under the new model.

Several education ministers have being fighting to maintain the funding agreed to under Gonski, but Mr Pyne insists it is time to go back to the drawing board.

In the meantime, it remains unclear where schools funding will come from after 2014.

The former head of the New South Wales Education Department and co-author of the Gonski report, Dr Ken Boston, says the situation could bring public education to its knees.

"Gonski was a done deal. This had been signed up. Mr Abbott had talked of a unity ticket," he said.

"Now we've not only backed away, apparently, from the unity ticket, we’ve potentially backed away from Commonwealth support for public education.

"It’s extraordinary. It's almost unbelievable that a Commonwealth minister would be silly enough to take such a position."

Dr Boston says public schools would struggle to survive if the current funding formula continued.

"Assuming there's no increase in enrolments by 2016/2017, the government sector would've received an additional six per cent, a little over $300m in funding," he said.

"The non-government sector would receive an increase in funding of about $2.4 billion, which is a little over 30 per cent of their current funding.

"Mr Pyne could say it's up to the states to pick up public school funding, but no state government is in a position to find an additional 30 per cent for public schools.

"He will bring public education to its knees."

'Shorten left a complete shambles'

Mr Pyne denies that public schools will bear the brunt of any future funding cuts and maintains he has not broken an election promise.

"Next year every state gets what they would have got, whether they signed the agreement with Labor or not, before the election," he said.

"So we've gone further than Labor would have."

He says speculation about future school funding is unhelpful but he has refused to reveal any information until next year.

"Labor's promise was to remove $1.2 billion of the $2.8 funding that was planned over the forward estimates," said Mr Pyne.

"[Opposition Leader and former Federal Education Minister] Bill Shorten left me a complete shambles. Victoria and Tasmania hadn't really signed up, the Catholics hadn't signed up, the model itself is quite incomprehensible.

"My job is to fix that and I intend to do it.

"More importantly we need to focus on teacher quality, robust curriculum, principal autonomy and parental engagement because funding is only one element of school outcomes."

NSW urged to divert private school funding

The New South Wales Greens are urging the State Government to re-direct private school funding into public schools, in response to the Commonwealth's education policy about-face.

NSW Greens MP John Kaye says the state's Education Minister, Adrian Piccoli, should protect public schools by pulling state funding from independent schools.

"We can not afford to let public education to be impoverished by Christopher Pyne's refusal to live up to his deal," he said.

"The O'Farrell Government has no choice but to protect public schools from Christopher Pyne's behaviour."

'Not much point behaving like children'

Meanwhile, the Queensland Government says there's no point complaining about the plan to scrap the Gonski education funding model.

Queensland Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek says the political landscape has changed and the other states are not being realistic.

"What the other states should understand is that they can't deal with a situation that is now different before the election," he said.

"The world has changed, and there is not much point behaving like children and complaining about something and that this new federal coalition government should just find money as if it were found in a suitcase on the bus stop and that is the way you are going to give equity to the other states."

Gonski report co-author labels Christopher Pyne 'a Minister on L-plates', as funding stoush heats up - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Public schools may be the big losers under the Government's plans to scrap Labor's Gonski education package, state and territory ministers say they have been told.

Video: Adrian Piccoli speaks after meeting with Christopher Pyne (ABC News)

Photo: NSW Education Minister Adrian Piccoli, flanked by his state and territory counterparts, after the meeting. (AAP: Nikki Short)

Related Story: Pyne faces hostile states after axing Gonski

Related Story: Abbott denies Coalition broke election promise on school funding

Related Story: Barnett tells states to 'get real' over Gonski scrapping

Ministers raised the concerns after emerging from a "very heated" meeting with their federal counterpart, Christopher Pyne, in Sydney today.

Mr Pyne announced this week the Federal Government would keep Labor's school funding plan in place for 2014 then replace it with a new funding model.

State and territory ministers say they have not been given any commitment over the level of school funding they will receive after 2014.

The ministers from Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales and the ACT came out of the meeting in Sydney as a group saying that all they have been given from the Government is more uncertainty.

New South Wales Minister Adrian Piccoli says the Commonwealth has plunged education across the country into unnecessary uncertainty.

"The Commonwealth has implied that if there is a reduction in funding for states that signed up to the Gonski plan the reduction may well only come out of public schools," he said.

"That is of enormous concern to all jurisdictions."

Video: Shadow Education Minister Kate Ellis reacts to Gonski changes (ABC News)

Mr Piccoli added the Gonski plan had ended the war between government and non-government schools over funding.

"For six months we've had peace in terms of that argument but unfortunately the actions by the Commonwealth have now reignited that."

Victorian Premier Denis Napthine warned Mr Pyne he will accept nothing less than the full deal agreed to under the Gonski plan.

"The Victorian Government fought long and hard and got the best deal possible for all Victorian schools," he said.

"We expect the Federal Government to stick to that deal and we'll be fighting for that for Victoria."

Tasmanian Minister Nick McKim says it is a "bombshell revelation that will rock the public education system to the core".

Education ministers present 'unity ticket' on funding

The row has united the state and territory education ministers, who had struck deals with the former Labor government and are insisting they be honoured in full.

Buyer's remorse?

Having hounded Labor, the Coalition has decided to break one of its own promises, writes Barrie Cassidy.

"Here's a unity ticket for you right here - a Labor minister, a Greens minister, National ministers, Liberal Party ministers, sticking up and unified behind Australian schools and behind funding certainty for Australian schools," Mr McKim said.

Mr Pyne played down the row and insisted the Coalition is keeping all its pre-election commitments.

"Lo and behold there is a disagreement about funding between the states and the territories and the Commonwealth," Mr Pyne said after the meeting.

"I am the national Education Minister, there needs to be national model that is fair to all states and territories and that is equitable to students and that is what we will achieve."

Mr Pyne said that "no-one should assume they will get less money".

"I'm completely committed to a sector-blind approach on the loadings that might follow students, whether they are in the public sector or the private sector and that's always what we've said."

The Federal Opposition's education spokeswoman, Kate Ellis, has accused the Coalition of preparing to sideline public schools.

"This is a shameful attempt to draw attention away from their broken promise and pit parent against parent, school against school and state against state," Ms Ellis said.

"These divisive arguments must remain in the past where they belong."

Before the meeting, the Australian Education Union urged states and territories to hold the Government to account.

AEU president Angelo Gavrielatos says the state should ensure the Gonski agreement is kept.

"The Coalition before the election made it very clear that they would honour every agreement and deliver for schools dollar for dollar what had been promised to them," he said.

"Keep the promise, keep the promise, because ultimately it is about our children, their futures, but also the future productivity and prosperity of the nation as a whole."

States say Christopher Pyne has dropped public schools bombshell in heated education meeting - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Australian Associated Press theguardian.com

Friday 29 November 2013

Leaked briefing to Abbott government also cuts revenue projections by up to 30%

Fibre optic broadband ... Coalition picked cheaper option. Photograph: Rex Features

The government's 2016 delivery deadline for the national broadband network looks likely to be blown out, according to a leaked internal NBN Co document.

The coalition has promised to deliver 25 megabits per second (MBPS) broadband services to all homes by 2016, but a brief to the incoming government, obtained by Fairfax Media, says construction and technical issues mean that may not happen.

"There are a number of conditions that will impact on NBN Co's ability to undertake a volume (fibre-to-the-node) network rollout," the report says.

"Given the complexity of these conditions, it is unlikely that NBN Co will meet the 2016 deadline to upgrade the fixed network to enable Australians to have minimum download speeds of 25MBPS."

In addition to raising issues about timing, the document also cuts revenue projections by up to 30% by 2021.

A Senate hearing this week was told by communications secretaries that NBN Co will need to lower its revenue projections because copper can't match the speeds of 250-1000 MBPS of fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP).

The Abbott government campaigned to replace Labor's FTTP model for the cheaper fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) option that will rely on Telstra's ageing copper network to connect homes and businesses.

But while FTTN is estimated to be at least $15bn cheaper and two years faster to build, the hearing was told NBN Co will need to lower its revenue projections as copper can't match the speeds of 250-1000 MBPS of fibre-to-the-premises.

Speeds on FTTN are expected to be 25-100 MBPS.

Coalition 'unlikely hit national broadband network deadline' | Technology | theguardian.com

By ABC's Barrie Cassidy

Photo: The polls already show the Abbott government going backwards, against historical trends. (AAP: Alan Porritt)

The back flip on education funding makes one wonder if the Abbott government believes it has some good will to spend. It hasn't, writes Barrie Cassidy.

They all do it. They always have. Political parties make all sorts of promises and give guarantees in the run up to elections in order to push aside troublesome issues.

They know full well they might have to renege, and they'll pay a price down the track. But they also see in the middle distance, the spoils of office, and they can't help themselves.

Julia Gillard's such moment was when she promised there would be no carbon tax "under a government I lead".

She did go on to say that Labor intended to put a price on carbon and move to an emissions trading scheme. But no matter. It was branded a tax; Gillard ducked the pedantic argument; and the mother of all broken promises took flight.

Now, just three months into its first term, the Abbott Government has inexplicably gone down the same path.

The Education Minister, Christopher Pyne, has walked away from a key election pledge to embrace the previous government's school funding arrangements.

Is there a better issue to give Bill Shorten, as he tries to build his profile and his popularity, than education funding?

Mark Latham recently wrote that when Kevin Rudd left politics, Shorten was hit in the backside by a rainbow.

Lightning might never strike twice in the same place, but clearly rainbows do.

The Coalition's change of direction impacts on so many people; everybody associated with the education system. And it brings into play the most solemn of guarantees that Tony Abbott himself offered the electorate.

The Prime Minister in opposition promised to restore public trust; to do what he said he would do, by delivering on his promises.

He said the Coalition and Labor were "on a unity ticket" on education funding, and in office, there would "no surprises".

What's more, the move revives the kind of acrimonious debate that the electorate had hoped disappeared with a change of government.

So why has Pyne done this?

It's impossible to say at this point because the minister has so far said precious little that coherently and convincingly explains his fresh thinking.

As Jennifer Hewett wrote in the Australian Financial Review Wednesday:

Perhaps Christopher Pyne should go back to school. He clearly needs urgent remedial lessons in basic politics.

This is not to deny his basic arguments about the inherited shambles of the Gonski reforms in education.

But he gets an F for his ability to explain what the Abbott government intends to do about it - and, more importantly, what really matters for schools and their students.

Pyne says he has explained himself, but the press gallery doesn't get it. There are some reasonably intelligent people in the gallery. If they don't understand what he's on about, there's a fair chance a lot of other people are left shaking their heads as well.

Pyne has set himself a diabolical challenge. He can argue that the level of spending implicit in the Gonski reforms is unsustainable over time, and he can cast doubt on the reforms genuinely improving the quality of education. But how can he explain in those circumstances why the Coalition in opposition closed down the debate by signing up to the changes?

It may be that Pyne is partly driven by ideology and a keen desire to put his own stamp on education reform. So groundbreaking are the Gonski reforms that an incoming minister embracing them all has few options of his own.

Pyne is arguing technicalities, in that the reforms as outlined by the Gillard government were incomplete. But that already threadbare argument fell apart when the states - some of them under conservative rule - rejected the notion.

It doesn't help his cause that the O'Farrell government in NSW is on the war path. While Tony Abbott's government has been denied a honeymoon, the O'Farrell government is still broadly popular, maintaining the trust of the electorate.

Perhaps the Abbott Government has misread the election result and believes it has some goodwill to spend. It hasn't.

The 2013 election was first and foremost a repudiation of a divided and chaotic government, not an embrace of an opposition with fresh ideas.

In the lead up to the election, Essential Media Communications released research which showed the electorate didn't think much would change after the election. Their expectations were low.

Even though the Coalition's primary vote was high, only a third of the electorate thought the Coalition was ready to govern.

That is why the Coalition played negative politics so rigorously. It wasn't about a brave new world.

The polls already show the Abbott government going backwards, against historical trends. It's not yet buyer's remorse. The electorate will still be well pleased they got rid of the clapped out sedan. However, they might be starting to think the Tony's trade-in is not quite what they expected either.

Barrie Cassidy is the presenter of ABC programs Insiders and Offsiders. View his full profile here.

The electorate doesn't have buyer's remorse. Yet. - The Drum (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Jonathan Swan and Dan Harrison November 27, 2013

Education Minister Christopher Pyne has blamed journalists for getting confused about his school funding promises, amid growing anger over the Coalition's reneging on its pre-election commitments.

''It's not my fault if some people in the press gallery don't understand the complicated nature of the school funding model,'' Mr Pyne told ABC Radio on Wednesday.

Education Minister Christopher Pyne has defended his decision to scrap Gonski and reduce education funding. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

Asked whether the widespread confusion over the Coalition's education funding plans was because voters were just ''not very bright'', Mr Pyne replied: ''I didn’t say voters . . . I said members of the press gallery.''

The Abbott government is under increasing pressure for breaking its election promise to replicate Labor's Gonski school funding model for the next four years.

Only a fortnight ago, Mr Pyne said he would retain Labor's funding and the overall model.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

But Mr Pyne is now refusing to repeat his pre-election assurance that ''you can vote Liberal or Labor and you'll get exactly the same amount of funding for your school''.

Mr Pyne has also said the government will be spending $1.2 billion less on education than pledged before the election, saying that money set aside before the election for states that hadn't signed Gonski had been spent.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott also declined on Wednesday to restate the pledge made by Mr Pyne in August that each individual school would receive the same amount of funding under the Coalition as under Labor.

''Our pre-election commitment was that there will be exactly the same quantum of funding under the Coalition as under the Labor Party,'' Mr Abbott told reporters in Melbourne.

''We are absolutely honouring our pre-election commitments.''

He did, however, say that the Coalition had decided to put $230 million of the $1.2 billion back into the program, which would be distributed to the states and territories that did not sign up to the Gonski funding model - Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland.

''We will have a school funding system which is both national and fair,'' he said.

The Education Minister said Labor's plan was no longer possible and the Coalition would have to go back to the ''drawing board'' after the first year of Labor's model.

''What one government does, another government can undo,'' Mr Pyne said, suggesting that he would scrap Labor's six-year Better Schools plan and redesign the system.

The overall funding would remain the same but the Coalition might redistribute the money, leaving open the possibility that some schools and states would lose out.

As recently as November 17, Mr Pyne told Sky News: ''I said that we would keep the new school funding model but [only] over the next four years because we don't believe in Labor's claims things can be promised five, six, 10, 15, 20 years down the track.

''Over the next four years we will maintain the new school funding model, and the budget that went with that in the forward estimates.''

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said that the government had "broken its promise" on schools funding, although when pressed, would not say that the Coalition had lied.

"Yesterday they were blaming Labor. This morning in Adelaide, they are blaming the media. Who are they going to blame tomorrow? Are they going to blame the parents or the kids?"

Talking to reporters in Melbourne, Mr Shorten said that the government was assuming that the "whole of Australia" had "amnesia" about the schools funding issue.

The Coalition's backflip has infuriated states that signed up for Labor's package.

Premiers from NSW, Tasmania and South Australia have attacked the Abbott government for reneging on its promise to ensure every school would receive the same funding under the Coalition as it would under Labor.

NSW Liberal Premier Barry O'Farrell said education funding had been poorly handled by the Abbott government. He has written to Mr Abbott to express his concerns.

''Can I just make this point to the federal Education Minister,'' Mr O'Farrell said. ''When you move into government, you have got to stop behaving like an opposition.''

Tasmanian Premier Lara Giddings contradicted Mr Pyne's assertion that Tasmania had not signed any agreement.

''What we have here is a heads of agreement that has been signed,'' Ms Giddings said. ''That is a deal. That is a contract. That in itself shows that Christopher Pyne and Tony Abbott are breaking an election promise.''

Victorian Premier Denis Napthine also responded on Wednesday, tweeting that his government would "fight for the agreement that was implemented & signed with the legitimate government of the day".

South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill said the government had created the impression that there was no difference between Labor and Liberal when it came to school funding.

''Within 10 weeks of the election they’ve walked away from that promise,'' he said.

''It's outrageous, and we will be extracting a political penalty for every day this federal government remains in breach of the promise it made before the election.

''Mr Pyne will reverse his decision on this and we will be campaigning against him until he does that.

''These are just weasel words. He made it absolutely clear he was on a unity ticket, there was no difference between him and Labor on the question of Gonski funding, and the reason he did that was because Labor won the political argument about the importance of these reforms.

''This is, I must say, an extraordinary federal government . . . This was a government that used to bang on about sovereign risk, and they actually breach agreements that have been solemnly entered into and people have acted on to their detriment.

''The policy chaos that’s occurring at the national level now is extraordinary.''

Mr Shorten said the Abbott government was breaking its election commitment.

"They said there would be a unity ticket before the election,” he said.

"Now what's happened is they've reneged. But there's a deeper issue here. It goes to trust. Ten weeks in, the Coalition government cannot be trusted to keep their election promises they made before the election.”

with Mark Kenny, Anna Patty, Gareth Hutchens

Christopher Pyne blames journalists for government's apparent Gonski backflip

Australian Associated Press

theguardian.com, Thursday 28 November 2013

Foreign minister Julie Bishop denies overstepping the mark in her criticism of China’s new air defence zone

A Japanese aircraft flies over the disputed Senkaku Islands, known as Diaoyu in China. Australia has criticised China's decision to impose an air-defence zone in the East China Sea. Photograph: AP

Federal Labor leader Bill Shorten says the Abbott government has had a "rocky start" to foreign affairs after China emerged as a new diplomatic hotspot.

Foreign minister Julie Bishop is standing by her criticism of China's decision to impose an air-defence zone in the East China Sea without warning or consultation.

Her initial comments drew a sharp rebuke from China but she denies she overstepped the mark.

"This is long-standing Australian policy to oppose any unilateral or coercive action by any country that could add to the tensions that currently exist in the East China Sea," Bishop told reporters in Sydney on Thursday.

She confirmed that China called in a senior Australian diplomat in Beijing to explain Bishop's comments.

"It's part of the ongoing discussion about our concerns over this issue," she said.

Shorten says the government must handle foreign affairs competently.

"I think it's fair to say the federal government has a number of spot fires which have emerged," he told reporters in Canberra.

"We accept that they've had a rocky start in foreign affairs, we want them to get it right."

But Shorten wouldn't say whether he believed Bishop was right to criticise China's actions, saying he did not intend to "coach the government from the grandstand".

Bishop said Australia was not taking sides in China's territorial dispute with Japan, and was not the only country to express concerns about China's actions.

She expects to discuss the matter with Beijing when she travels there soon.

She also said she doesn't believe the disagreement will impact on the Abbott government's hopes to secure a free trade agreement with China next year.

Treasurer Joe Hockey backed that assessment and said Bishop had done "exactly the right thing" by criticising China.

Chinese ambassador to Australia Ma Zhaoxu issued a statement overnight criticising the federal government's "finger-pointing" and defending Beijing's actions.

"The move is aimed at safeguarding national sovereignty and security of territory and territorial airspace and maintaining the order of flight," he said.

"It is not directed against any specific country or target. China does not accept Australia's groundless accusations."

China urges Australia to observe its promise of not taking sides on disputes of territorial sovereignty "to avoid damage to the co-operative relations between the two countries".

China row: Bill Shorten says Coalition has had a ‘rocky start’ in foreign affairs | World news | theguardian.com

By Stephen McDonell, Jane Cowan and wires

Photo: Julie Bishop's comments on the zone have angered China. (AFP: Emmanuel Dunand)

Australia risks becoming embroiled in another diplomatic spat in Asia, with China warning there will be consequences if Foreign Minister Julie Bishop does not withdraw criticism of a new air defence zone in the East China Sea.

At the weekend China announced the establishment of an Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) which requires aircraft to provide their flight plan, declare their nationality and maintain two-way radio communication, or face defensive emergency measures.

The move has fuelled tensions with Japan since the zone covers Tokyo-controlled islands - known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China - where ships and aircraft from the two countries already shadow each other in a potentially dangerous confrontation.

Key points

• China establishes air defence zone in East China Sea
• Zone includes airspace above several disputed islands
• Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says China's decision is "coercive"
• China says Ms Bishop's comments are "irresponsible" and "mistaken"

Japan has vowed not to cede sovereignty or even acknowledge a dispute with China, accusing its growing neighbour of trying to change the status quo through intimidation.

Ms Bishop on Tuesday announced she had summoned Beijing's ambassador to voice opposition to the zone, saying the timing and the manner of China's announcement was unhelpful and would not contribute to regional stability.

"Australia has made clear its opposition to any coercive or unilateral actions to change the status quo in the East China Sea," she said in a statement.

But China has reacted angrily to Ms Bishop's comments, labelling them "irresponsible" and "mistaken".

China's foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said China had "expressed its strong dissatisfaction" and called on Australia to "immediately correct its mistake, so as to avoid damaging China-Australia relations".

"Australia's irresponsible statements on the East Sea air defence identification zone are completely mistaken; China cannot accept them," the statement said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed a senior Australian diplomat met Chinese officials in Beijing yesterday to discuss the issue.

Ms Bishop reiterated Australia's opposition to the zone this morning.

"It's long-standing Australian policy to oppose any action on the part of any country that could increase tensions in the area over disputed territories," she told Channel 9.

The latest diplomatic incident comes as the Federal Government tries to mend ties over the Indonesian spying scandal, and faces further claims of espionage from East Timor.

It also comes ahead of Ms Bishop's planned trip to China, and may hamper the Abbott Government's attempts to finalise a free trade deal with Australia's largest trading partner.

US defies Chinese demands

Video: US defies China's air defence zone over disputed islands (Newsline)

The islands are among several contested territories considered possible flashpoints in the region, as countries attempt to maximise control over underwater resources and China looks to project its influence beyond its borders.

However, the US has signalled its intent to remain the dominant super power in the Asia-Pacific, and its network of alliances with countries, including Australia, raises the possibility of these smaller territorial conflicts escalating.

The US pledged support for ally Japan overnight, with defence secretary Chuck Hagel assuring his counterpart in a phone call that the two nations' defence pact covered the small islands where China had established the zone.

He also commended Tokyo "for exercising appropriate restraint," a Pentagon spokesman said.

US vice-president Joe Biden plans to raise objections over the zone during a long-planned visit to the region next week.

Indonesian spying row

Tony Abbott has called for a "security round table" with Indonesia as a way to move forward from the scandal.

The US is not acknowledging the zone, flying two unarmed B-52 Stratofortress bombers through it unhindered earlier this week.

The unarmed B-52 aircraft took off from Guam on Monday on a flight previously scheduled as part of a routine exercise in the area, the defence officials said.

No flight plan was submitted beforehand to the Chinese and the mission went ahead "without incident," with the two aircraft spending "less than an hour" in the zone.

China requires aircraft to provide their flight plans, declare their nationality and maintain two-way radio communication, or face defensive measures.

But in a response that disappointed some hardline Chinese bloggers, Chinese defence ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng said the the military "monitored" the flights.

"The Chinese military monitored the entire process, carried out identification in a timely manner, and ascertained the type of US aircraft," he said in a statement, which did not include any expression of regret or anger.

The Pentagon signaled that more military flights into the zone can be expected.

"We'll continue to conduct operations in the region, as we have" in the past," Pentagons spokesman Colonel Steve Warren said.

He declined to offer details on timing.

Flights of Japan's main airline similarly ignored Chinese authorities while flying through the zone.

Japan Airlines and ANA Holdings said they had stopped giving flight plans and other information to Chinese authorities following a request from the Japanese government.

China warns Julie Bishop's 'irresponsible' criticism of new air zone could hurt relations - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has rejected accusations the Coalition misled voters on education funding ahead of the election, saying Labor "utterly mismanaged" the issue.

Photo: Tony Abbott, pictured with Christopher Pyne during the election campaign, says the Coalition is "absolutely honouring our pre-election commitments". (AAP: Alan Porritt, file image)

Related Story: Coalition to ditch Gonski model and renegotiate school funding

Related Story: Fears of Gonski backpedal has Premier and parents up in arms

Related Story: Minister vows to fight 'broken promise' on Gonski funding

The Government will scrap Labor's so-called Gonski plans for school funding and renegotiate agreements with all states and territories within a year.

Before the federal election, the Coalition promised to meet Labor's funding promises for four years.

Yesterday, Education Minister Christopher Pyne announced he would honour funding for 2014 but beyond that, a new model would be implemented.

He said Labor removed $1.2 billion from the education budget before the election when it failed to clinch deals with Western Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory.

Mr Pyne said those three will receive an extra $230 million for next year to bring them into line with the other states and territories.

Mr Abbott has rejected Opposition Leader Bill Shorten's assertion the Coalition is abandoning its election promise.

"[We're] absolutely honouring our pre-election commitments," Mr Abbott told reporters in Canberra this morning.

The point I make is that we will keep our commitments. One of the hallmarks of this Government will be that we keep our commitments.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott

"In fact, we're going to do a little bit better.

"What we said before the election was that there would be the same quantum of funding, the same quantum of funding under us as under the Labor Party.

"Now that we know that Labor ripped $1.2 billion out of school funding just before the election - we're going to put some of that back in.

"We're going to put an extra $230 million into school funding that wouldn't have been there had Labor won the election.

"One of the hallmarks of this Government will be that we keep our commitments."

Video: Bill Shorten speaks with 7.30 (7.30)

The Labor Party has accused the Coalition of breaking its election promise.

"Before the election when Tony Abbott wanted people's votes he would say anything to them. Now that he has their votes, now he's walking away from his own promise," said Opposition Leader Bill Shorten.

"This is crazy and it's a broken promise to every parent in Australia."

'Policy chaos' at national level, says Weatherill

Mr Pyne is heading for a showdown with his state and territory counterparts over the issue when they meet in Canberra on Friday.

The jurisdictions which signed up with the former government's funding arrangements have made it clear they are unimpressed with Mr Pyne.

South Australia's Treasurer Jay Weatherill says the Government has backflipped on its election commitment.

Analysis: Gonski excuses

Is it surprising that Christopher Pyne has declared he is junking school funding policy and starting again? Not especially, writes Annabel Crabb.

Also on The Drum:
Jane Caro argues that Labor had it right on education funding
Kevin Donnelly writes that Christopher Pyne is right to review the Gonski reforms

"This Liberal Government has created the impression that there was no difference between Labor and Liberal when it came to school funding and within 10 weeks of the election, they've walked away from that promise," he said.

"The policy chaos that is occurring at a national level now is extraordinary. And it has to stop.

"Just at a time when people, I think, after a federal election, we're looking for a new start... we have policy chaos which is driving down these arrangements.

"These are simply agreements entered into by two sovereign governments that should be abided by.

"We shouldn't have to insist on sovereign governments abiding by their agreements. It should go without saying."

It's a 'pretty major broken election promise'

Tasmania's Premier Lara Giddings also voiced her concern about the Commonwealth's move.

"The reality is, what we have here is a Heads of Agreement that has been signed. That is a deal. That is a contract," she said.

"That, in itself, shows that Christopher Pyne and Tony Abbott are breaking an election promise.

"They're breaking a contract to the Tasmanian people.

Video: Coalition wants better model for school funding (Lateline)

"I think it's absolutely appalling that they can say one thing before the election and just a matter of weeks later backflip on it to the point that people who voted for the Liberal Party, believing that this education reform would not change, have now been told that it will.

"The reality is governments, national governments, can change their mind. You can't hold them accountable to that.

"It's the public who will hold them accountable in terms of a broken election promise and this one is a pretty major broken election promise."

Mr Pyne said last night that the Coalition was keeping its promises, not breaking them.

"We promised that we would do two things: we've got exactly the same funding envelope as Labor across the forward estimates; and we would change the school funding model to remove the command-and-control features from Canberra. And that's exactly what we're going to do," he told the ABC's Lateline program.

"We said that there was a unity ticket between the Labor Party and the Liberal Party on school funding and there is.

"I always said that we would improve the model because we didn't like the command-and-control features from Canberra, we didn't like the heavy regulation, the unnecessarily prescriptive nature of the Labor Party's school funding model."

Western Australia Premier Colin Barnett says states who signed up to the so-called Gonski school funding model need to "get real" and accept it's going to be scrapped.

Mr Barnett says the other states need to accept the agreements they made with the previous government no longer exist.

"The other states are running around saying: "We signed up!" Well, get real - it's a political process," he said.

Mr Barnett says he thinks Western Australia will ultimately secure a better deal with the Coalition.

Tony Abbott rejects claims of broken election promise on Gonski school funding - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Australian Associated Press

theguardian.com, Tuesday 26 November 2013

'No, I've studied the Gonski model closely and I have to get on with the job of being education minister'

Education minister Christopher Pyne presents a bill in the House of Representatives. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP for Guardian Australia

The federal education minister says he is too busy to sit down with an expert panel and have its needs-based school funding model explained to him.

Nor does Christopher Pyne want to get into a slanging match with his state counterparts over the Gonski school funding reforms.

"That would be unseemly," he told ABC radio on Tuesday.

Pyne said the government would "stick with what it's got" for the 2014 school year but after that he wanted a "flatter, simpler, fairer structure".

There was no reason for any state or territory to assume they would get less money over the next four years, he said.

Asked whether he was prepared to sit down with the Gonski panel and have them explain their funding model, Pyne said he was too busy.

"No, I've studied the Gonski model closely and I have to get on with the job of being education minister."

Pyne said a needs-based funding model was a very good principle, but precious funds were being spent on regulation and prescription rather than on schools.

Christopher Pyne says he's too busy to listen to school funding experts | World news | theguardian.com

By Mungo MacCallum Posted Mon 25 Nov 2013

Photo: The painstaking diplomacy devoted over the years to building trust with Jakarta has been trashed. (AFP: Adek Berry)

Tony Abbott didn't create the Indonesian spy debacle, but his attempt to brush the matter aside has done nothing to repair one of Australia's most important relationships, writes Mungo MacCallum.

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is not only the Indonesian leader most sympathetic to Australia in that country's short democratic history; he is arguably Australia's best friend in Asia.

The outgoing president has been a tireless advocate for our interests in the councils of a frequently suspicious and sometimes downright hostile region. So why on earth would we risk this invaluable relationship by a ham-fisted interception of his, his wife's and his closest associates' personal phone calls?

The answer is probably the simplest one: because we can. It is easy to see how it could have happened. After a hard day's phone tapping at the then Defence Signals Directorate, a boffin and a spook are having a quiet drink or several at the canteen. "You know," boasts the boffin, "with the new gear we've got, we can hack into just about anything. Why, I reckon we could even listen to SBY's own mobile."

"Jeez, that'd be good," replies the spook. "Let's give it a go."

So they do.

It is possible, even likely, that none of the politicians around, then or since - not Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Tony Abbott, nor any of their nominally responsible ministers - had a clue what was going on. After all, there has been no suggestion that the intercepts uncovered anything worth passing up the line. But obviously word would have spread through DSD itself and probably the wider intelligence community. And of course the material was routinely passed on to our great and powerful friends in Washington; that, after all, was what the whole operation was about.

And it was at this point that it all went wrong, because almost unbelievably lax American security meant that junior and untried operatives had access to the whole shebang, and one of them, Edward Snowden, decided that the punters had a right to know what was being done by their governments in their name. And so DSD broke the first, and perhaps the only, rule of espionage: don't get caught.

Abbott, as he must, has been trying to talk down the damage, but the hard fact is that almost all the painstaking diplomacy devoted over the years to building trust with Jakarta has now been trashed. There are still plenty of old hands around who have never forgiven Australia for its role in East Timor and since then there have been plenty of hiccups, like the arbitrary suspension of the live cattle trade and ongoing tensions over asylum seekers.

And most recently the revelations about Stateroom, the joint US-Australia spying network operating through embassies, has stretched things almost to breaking point. To find that this extends to a contemptuous disregard for the privacy of the president and his wife is too much.

Even if he wished to - and there is no sign that he does - Yudhoyono could not accept the intrusion; to do so would involve a humiliating loss of face towards the end of his highly successful term in office and a shameful capitulation by his country, now rightly proud if its emerging role as a serious player in world events. At the very least his reaction has to be as strong as that of the German chancellor Angela Merkel, when she was placed in a similar position. Some would say that it has to be stronger: Indonesia needs a clear win over Australia to prove that it has shaken off its colonial past.

Abbott's immediate response was along the lines of his old adage: shit happens. It had all been very embarrassing and unfortunate and he wishes it hadn't been in the papers. Better luck next time, if possible. But this, as a clearly angry foreign minister Marty Natalegawa pointed out, only made things worse: Abbott was trivialising a most serious matter. The first step had to be a full explanation - including, presumably, an admission that the spying had actually taken place, which Abbott has refused to give.

This is the time honoured practice, but it will not be good enough this time. Merkel got a private apology from President Obama and a public assurance that the practice would now cease. Abbott told the Australian Parliament he was not going to apologise and that he was not going to overreact, to which Yudhoyono responded with a series of outraged tweets. And he then shut down all co-operation with Australia on military and intelligence matters, explicitly including the one that hurt - joint action on people smugglers.

Nationalistic Indonesians took this as a licence to mount anti-Australian demonstrations and things continued to deteriorate as Abbott cogitated on how he should respond to Yudhoyono's demands; at least Barnaby Joyce cancelled a proposed visit, which must have helped a bit. Finally Abbott, or more probably a committee from the Department of Foreign Affairs, which had spent the previous week tearing its collective hair out as Abbott drove a wrecking ball through the relationship it has spent years, indeed decades, cultivating, prepared the swift, full and courteous reply Abbott had belatedly promised, and fired it off towards Jakarta.

But it may still prove to be too little too late. Abbott's earlier attempt to brush the matter aside has proved to many Indonesians what they always suspected about Australians: they are a brash and crude people, incapable of appreciating the niceties of civilised behaviour, and, now, under the leadership of a shambling, hairy Neanderthal, they have descended into total savagery.

We are told that Yudhoyono has received Abbott's letter and is now considering it - or just leaving Abbott dangling. Of course, even that information could be a piece of diplomatic tact. Given the way Abbott has handled the whole matter to date, it is just as likely that he put the wrong stamps on his letter and it will come back to him marked "Return to sender".

Mungo MacCallum is a political journalist and commentator. View his full profile here.

A diplomatic disaster from the spy boffins up - The Drum (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

By chief political correspondent Emma Griffiths

Photo: The poll puts Labor in front of the Coalition just two-and-a-half months after the election. (AAP: Daniel Munoz, file image)

Related Story: Government mulls next move amid spying fallout

Related Story: Opposition labels asylum seeker briefings 'a weekly embarrassment'

Federal Labor has moved to a four-point lead over the Coalition Government on a two-party preferred basis in the first Fairfax-Nielsen poll since the September 7 election.

Pollster John Stirton says the turnaround is a surprise because government's tend to poll "quite strongly" in their first year.

"It is a surprising result and I think in that case it's always wise to wait and see if it's confirmed by further polling," he told the ABC's AM program.

"But it does suggest that the Abbott Government is having one of the shortest honeymoons probably in history.

"It's unusual for a government to go behind so early in its term and that's what appears to have happened here, but we need to wait and see if it's confirmed."

Labor's primary support has also risen four points to 37 per cent while the Coalition's support before preferences has fallen five points to 41 per cent.

However, the poll also shows Tony Abbott leads Bill Shorten as preferred prime minister, 49 to 41 per cent.

Respondents' opinion of Mr Abbott's performance in the job though is neatly split in the poll, with a 47 per cent approval rating against a 46 per cent disapproval rating.

Mr Stirton says the Prime Minister's relatively high disapproval rating adds weight to the theory that voters were determined to get rid of Labor.

"The main reason for the change of government was voters were not happy with Labor, they didn't want Rudd, they didn't want Gillard. They wanted out," he said.

"And there was some reluctance to support the Coalition - and Tony Abbott was the least popular opposition leader ever to be elected to the prime ministership."

The poll of 1,400 people from Thursday to Saturday has a margin of error of 2.6 per cent.

We'll be judged at next election: Morrison

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has played down the poll, telling Radio National the Government is only concerned with implementing its policies.

"We've had almost an 80 per cent fall in illegal arrivals by boat to Australia and that's the measure we use to judge our success, that is, are we stopping the boats?

"All of our policies in border protection are designed to stop the boats coming and that's my single-minded focus.

"That's what I'm seeking to achieve for the Australian people and I believe that's what our Government will be judged on when it comes time for the next election."

Labor leads Government in first Fairfax-Nielsen opinion poll since federal election - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Australian Associated Press theguardian.com,

Saturday 23 November 2013

Former Judge Tony Fitzgerald says the Newman government is in danger of replicating the scandals he uncovered in the Bjelke-Petersen era

Queensland premier Campbell Newman. Photograph: Dan Peled/AAP

Corruption fighter Tony Fitzgerald says Queensland is effectively a one-party state, with a government that doesn't understand true democracy is about more than just having the numbers.

Fitzgerald warned that Campbell Newman's government was using its massive parliamentary majority to denigrate opponents, extend its influence by making partisan appointments to public office and foster disdain for critics, especially the judiciary and independent media.

In an opinion piece for Fairfax Media, the former judge says the political environment looks very much like it did when he headed a landmark corruption inquiry 25 years ago.

Those were the days when then premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen would say "don't you worry about that" when he came under media scrutiny.

"For what it's worth, my impression is that most Queenslanders don't want to revisit the dark days of political caprice and corruption and 'don't you worry about that'," Fitzgerald wrote.

"Not for the first time, Queensland is at the forefront.

"It is again effectively a one-party state controlled by a group who seemingly don't know, or don't care, that the use and abuse of a large parliamentary majority is not true democracy irrespective of what they claim 'the people want'."

"To me, it seems much more likely that 'the people want' to live, and have their children and grandchildren live, in an orderly but free, ethical, tolerant society which is governed in accordance with established democratic principles which have evolved over centuries."

Queensland verging on a one-party state, says corruption fighter Tony Fitzgerald | World news | theguardian.com

Labor deputy Tanya Plibersek has criticised the Prime Minister's handling of relations with Indonesia after the fallout from revelations of Australian spying.

Video: Tanya Plibersek joins Insiders (Insiders)

Related Story: Abbott refuses to break spy impasse with apology

Related Story: Abbott receives letter from Indonesian president over spying stoush

Related Story: Abbott writes back to Indonesian president over spying row

Speaking to the ABC's Insiders program, Ms Plibersek pointed to several "mis-steps" in Mr Abbott's efforts to deal with the crisis, which was sparked by news that Australian spies tapped the phones of Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his inner circle, including his wife.

An an angry Mr Yudhoyono last week said all military and intelligence cooperation with Australia was on hold until he received a proper explanation.

Mr Abbott says he has written to the Indonesian leader, without revealing the contents of the letter, and said one of his priorities as Prime Minister was to maintain a strong relationship with Indonesia.

Ms Plibersek says while the Opposition does not need to know what the letter said, it should "assure the Indonesian president that we are friends of Indonesia and that we are keen to re-establish normal relationships as quickly as possible".

"We need to see whether they re-establish normal relationships," she said.

"We've seen a number of areas of cooperation under stress or suspended. I think the proof will obviously be in the pudding, if that cooperation's restored to its normal settings then we will know that the letter has been successful."

However, the Deputy Opposition Leader believes Mr Abbott has not handled the fallout from the revelations well.

"I don't know that it has been a terrific performance when it comes to handling the diplomatic crisis," she said.

"There were, I suppose, a few mis-steps before this and then I think the two occasions when the PM's addressed the Parliament were really a long way from helping settle things down.

"I don't think really what he said to the Parliament has settled things down at all."

Labor's role in spying 'separate' to diplomatic row

Video: Bill Shorten discusses Indonesian spying row (ABC News)

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has advocated a "Team Australia" approach to diplomacy over the crisis, saying it is not a "Liberal or Labor issue."

He said today the issue is above political point-scoring and he would not give Mr Abbott advice on diplomacy through the media.

"Now is the time for cool heads and careful words. We cannot disguise the fact that our Indonesian friends have been offended - we've got to recognise that," he said.

"I think all Australians are disturbed with what's happened over the last few weeks with the [Australia-Indonesia relationship] and want to see things get back on track.

"That's what people expect their members of parliament to do when you've got these difficult situations - to see some mature experience, not simple political point-scoring."

Ms Plibersek earlier sought to distance Labor's role in the affair, saying that whether or not the spying occurred under Kevin Rudd when he was prime minister was a "separate thing" to diplomatic relations between Australia and Indonesia.

"The diplomatic relationship, how we get on, is not determined by this one event or any particular event, it's about trust and open communication and relationships at all levels of government over a number of years," she said.

I'm sure that we will get the relationship back on track, but we need to do it quickly and that's why, I guess, so much is hanging on this letter that the PM has sent to the Indonesian president.

"I'm sure that we will get the relationship back on track, but we need to do it quickly and that's why, I guess, so much is hanging on this letter that the PM has sent to the Indonesian president."

Ms Plibersek suggested the rift with Indonesia had been exacerbated by the Coalition's policy statements in the lead-up to the election, and Mr Abbott had done little since to repair any damage.

"I think certainly the Indonesians were very disappointed to hear during the election campaign the Coalition talking about stopping the boats, buying back the boats, turning back the boats, things that were - policies that were to take place on Indonesian soil or in Indonesian waters without having ever discussed that with the Indonesians," she said.

"And then of course when the PM was in Indonesia locking the Indonesian press out of his press conference, I don't think [that] has disposed the Indonesian media to be particularly interested in settling things down now either.

"The thing about a relationship between two countries is it's never one event that makes things go smoothly or diverts things from a smooth path.

"It's a relationship over very many years, and over very many years both sides of politics have sought to improve our relationship with Indonesia.

"From the 1940s onwards we've had a very good relationship that's built over time, certainly I give [former Liberal prime minister John] Howard great credit for the swift way that he responded to the tsunami and the billion-dollar contribution then certainly was a great thing for our relationship with Indonesia, just as [former Labor prime minister] Paul Keating's visits there in the '90s were very important for establishing a strong diplomatic relationship.

"Each government has done its best to improve and strengthen the relationship.

"I think we need to get back onto that track of growing friendship and growing trust as quickly as we can."

Indonesia reaction fostering 'negative attitudes': Downer

Meanwhile, Australia's longest-serving foreign minister Alexander Downer says he believes Indonesia's reaction to the spying scandal is generating negative attitudes among Australians towards Indonesia.

"I think initially Australians thought, 'whoops, it looks like we've done something wrong here'," Mr Downer told Sky News.

Video: Snowden's behaviour is abominable (Lateline)

"But the reaction from Indonesia has ramped up day by day, and a lot of the rhetoric has been very fiery rhetoric and that's made Australians recoil a little bit."

Mr Downer suggested setting up an intelligence code of conduct with Indonesia.

Ms Plibersek told Insiders unhelpful comments had been made on both sides of the dispute.

"I think if you look at what's happening in both Australia and Indonesia at the moment, you see people engaging in the public debate that are not interested in settling things down or sorting things out," she said.

"We've seen commentary in Australia, we've seen commentary in Indonesia that's not helpful when it comes to restoring the relationship. I don't agree with those sentiments."

Tony Abbott mishandling Indonesia spying fallout, says Plibersek - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd has officially resigned from Federal Parliament.

Photo: Former prime minister Kevin Rudd's resignation letter has been accepted by Speaker of the House Bronwyn Bishop. (file photo) (AAP: Alan Porritt)

Speaker Bronwyn Bishop says she received his resignation letter today and will now consider dates for a by-election in his Brisbane seat of Griffith.

Mr Rudd gave a resignation speech to the House of Representatives last week, announcing he was stepping down to spend more time with his family.

"The decision that I have made has not been taken lightly," he said on November 13.

"But for me, my family is everything, always has been, always will be, which is why I will not be continuing as a member of this Parliament beyond this week."

It brings an end to a tumultuous 15-year career that saw him serve as prime minister twice.

The Government had been calling for Mr Rudd to submit his resignation letter by Monday this week, as it would have allowed a by-election in his seat before the end of the year.

Mr Rudd issued a statement defending his timing, saying he had outstanding correspondence to deal with.

ABC election analyst Antony Green says a Griffith by-election is now likely to be held in late January or early February.

The Coalition has already endorsed former Australian Medical Association president Bill Glasson as its candidate.

He delivered a 5.5 per cent swing against Labor at the September election and was one of Tony Abbott's star candidates in the federal poll.

Dr Glasson said Mr Rudd had gone back on a promise he made during the election campaign to serve out a full term.

"In less than 90 days to announce that he now is not going to continue as the Member for Griffith is again treating the people of Griffith with some degree of contempt," he said this week.

"If they should select bill Glasson as the future member for Griffith then I will go down there [to Parliament] with a strong voice.

"As I know Mr Abbott, the Prime Minister, very well, then obviously I would think that I could influence policy in a whole range of areas to make life and the cost of living for people in Griffith easier and for those businesses in Griffith make the cost of living easier as well."

Labor candidate battle heats up

A part-time Virgin Australia pilot is among candidates vying to contest Mr Rudd's seat for Labor.

Jeremy de Lore, 43, who it is understood joined the Labor Party in February, has the backing of key sections of the party's right wing in Queensland, including the Australian Workers Union.

Aircraft noise is an issue in Griffith, which lies under the flight path to Brisbane International Airport.

Industrial relations lawyer Terri Butler is expected to be the left's candidate.

Former state MP Di Farmer, who had been thought to be a contender, is not running for the federal seat.

Kevin Rudd hands in resignation letter after quitting politics - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

By ABC's Barrie Cassidy

Photo: If the leader of the world's superpower can apologise to Germany's Angela Merkel, why can't the leader of a middle ranking power apologise to Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono? (Reuters: Beawiharta)

A Labor government created the problem with Indonesia, but only the Prime Minister can fix it. So far, he has done nothing other than place fresh impediments in the path of a solution, writes Barrie Cassidy.

Tony Abbott insists he'll have a foreign policy with a Jakarta focus and not a Geneva focus. To this point, Geneva will be well pleased.

To be fair, the Prime Minister was placed in a no-win situation by the previous government on the Indonesian spy scandal.

But that is no excuse for making a bad situation even worse. There were so many options to consider short of an apology, and he took none of them.

In the competitive world of domestic politics, it would have galled Abbott that the Leader of the Opposition, Bill Shorten, should point to the Barack Obama precedent; that is, concede, apologise, call for a review and promise it would never happen again.

Galling because the intelligence agencies breached the boundaries under Labor's watch; galling because the Prime Minister was protecting the secrecy doctrine behind international spying; and galling because nobody likes to be criticised when they are doing their best to clean up after somebody else.

But all that aside, so far, Abbott’s best is not good enough.

If the leader of the world's superpower can swallow his pride and apologise to Germany's Angela Merkel, then why can't the leader of a middle ranking power apologise to Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, or at least behave a little more conciliatory?

Abbott is right to argue that Australia should not apologise for "reasonable intelligence gathering". But tapping the phones of the Indonesian President and his wife goes beyond reasonable.

And to try to justify the tapping with talk of "protecting our country", implies that in some way, Australia regards Indonesia, the target of the taps, as a threat.

Abbott is handling the issue as he would a political fight with his opponents, when it is a diplomatic dispute that needs fixing.

No matter how the arguments stack up, it is Indonesia, not Australia, that feels genuinely aggrieved. That has to be dealt with.

The issue is being framed in the media as a black and white one: should Australia apologise or not?

But that is just one part of it. Abbott's fundamental failing so far has been his refusal to pick up the phone and talk the issue through with the President. That's what friends do when problems arise; they talk about it.

And he has compounded the issue by taking too long to respond to the President's demands for a letter of explanation.

To this point, the rhetoric has only exacerbated the problem. Abbott was wrong to use the term "if" when talking about Indonesia being upset. Clearly they are. He was wrong to say he regrets they are embarrassed by the media reporting. They say it should be Australia who is embarrassed. And not by the media reporting, but by the nature of the allegation: that the spying involved tapping the mobile phones of the President and his wife.

The Coalition's supporters among the shock jocks can shout from the rooftops that Australia should tell the Indonesians to "get stuffed".

But they have to then accept the consequences.

If the boats start arriving again in big numbers, or even worse, if an intelligence sharing breakdown leads to a terrorist attack, will they feel better having told the Indonesians to "get stuffed"?

If Australian beef producers go to the wall when orders are cancelled, will they feel better because they told the Indonesians to "get stuffed"?

Indonesia is an ally, a friend, a neighbour, and an important one, as Abbott concedes. He needs to say something to the domestic audience to put some of these idiots back in their boxes before they do any more damage.

A Labor government created the problem, but only the Prime Minister can fix it. So far, he has done nothing other than place fresh impediments in the path of a solution.

Barrie Cassidy is the presenter of ABC programs Insiders and Offsiders. View his full profile here

So far, Abbott’s best is not good enough - The Drum (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

By Dave McRae

Photo: Tony Abbott could have offered Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono an apology, a review, or some other compromise. (Reuters: Ahim Rani)

Tony Abbott's failure to proactively defuse the spying row with Indonesia has escalated it, writes Dave McRae. To restore ties he will need to change tack.

After suspending various aspects of Australia-Indonesia cooperation, Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono last night wrote to Tony Abbott demanding an explanation for Australia's wiretapping.

The Prime Minister told the parliament he will respond fully to the letter, suggesting he may go beyond Australia's pro forma public response to date. If he does, the question will be why the Prime Minister did not publicly signal any compromise sooner, particularly if reports that Australia has agreed to discontinue such wiretapping are true.

Abbott's failure to proactively defuse this situation epitomises his approach to relations with Indonesia. On both asylum seekers and in this spying row, he has refused to listen when Indonesia has made clear what course of action it hopes for from Australia. The result in both cases has been the same: the row has escalated to involve emotive nationalism and Indonesia has consequently had no choice but to take a hard line.

On asylum seekers, Abbott and the Coalition have consistently refused to heed Indonesia's objections to turning back boats. Even in opposition, the Coalition's policy spurred objections from both Indonesia's foreign minister and vice president, with the latter describing refusal of turnbacks as Jakarta's "basic position". Objections within Indonesia to the Coalition's asylum seeker policies then escalated during the election campaign, when the Coalition added buying boats and paying for information to its policy menu. Conservative commentators in Indonesia weighed in, with one describing the policies as demeaning.

Despite Indonesia's objections, the Coalition pressed ahead with these policies in their rhetoric after winning office. The Indonesian response was immediate and scathing. In particular, the Coalition's insistence that they did not need Indonesia's permission to turn back boats made asylum seekers a point of emotive nationalism, where previously they had rarely been discussed within Indonesia.

The Coalition's stance saw foreign minister Marty Natalegawa reported as telling the Indonesian parliament that Indonesia would reject the Coalition's policy. In another statement soon after, Natalegawa also told reporters that Indonesia could not accept any policy that would "violate Indonesia's sovereignty".

The ultimate result was that the Coalition did not achieve their goal of turning back boats, and in pressing for this outcome they made other forms of cooperation on asylum seekers much harder. For instance, Indonesia could not be seen to be bowing to Australia's will on this issue, contributing to their refusal to take back asylum seekers rescued within Indonesia's search and rescue zone.

The spying row has escalated along the same path. From the outset, it should have been obvious that Indonesia needed something that it could take back to its public. Indonesia's defence minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro in fact said precisely that following the first round of revelations of Australian spying. Anticipating his counterpart's visit to Jakarta, he told journalists that David Johnston's trip would allow him to explain things directly to the Indonesian public. It was an opportunity that Johnston did not take up.

When reports subsequently emerged that Australia had tried to wiretap the mobile phones of Yudhoyono, his wife and many of Indonesia's top leaders, Yudhoyono himself tweeted:

Indonesia also demands Australia for an official response, one that can be understood by the public, on the tapping on Indonesia. *SBY*

— S. B. Yudhoyono (@SBYudhoyono) November 19, 2013

He further characterised Abbott's refusal to provide anything more than a bare response to be belittling the issue, without showing any remorse. Had he listened to Indonesia's signals, Abbott could have moved in both cases to defuse the situation earlier. Turning back boats was not a crucial plank of Australia's response to asylum seekers, and could have been dropped quietly before it became a sticking point.

In the spying row, Abbott could have provided something publicly even if he had no intention of changing Australia's practice, be it an apology, a review, or some other compromise. In the absence even of the appearance of a concession, Yudhoyono's only available option was to demonstrate his firmness to the Indonesian public.

Abbott's lack of appreciation of Indonesia's politics is a curious failing for a prime minister who often allows domestic politicking to colour his foreign policy rhetoric. To put ties with Indonesia back on track, it is a failing he will need to correct.

Dave McRae is a research fellow in the East Asia program at the Lowy Institute for International Policy. View his full profile here.

Abbott's failure to listen escalates spying row - The Drum (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)