Australia

The Australian newspaper quoted Mr Shorten saying the Turnbull government's approach towards Australia's friends in the Pacific had been found wanting.

He said it was neglecting the South Pacific as Chinese influence in the region grows.

China has reacted angrily to claims it is burdening small island states with infrastructure debt, buying influence in the South -Pacific with "gifts" for projects and proposing ports that could be used by the Chinese navy.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that 80 percent of Australians do not support any further spending on foreign aid.

Ms Fierravanti-Wells revealed the results of the government's polling as she called for Britain to partner on infrastructure development in the Pacific.

Speaking to aid agencies on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London, she said the Australian aid budget will be kept at US$3 billion dollars and would not increase until the economy was back on a sustainable footing.

While Mitchell was dismantling Test batting lineups around the world, and his namesake was warging into wolves and giants beyond the Wall, Brandon Starc was plugging away in track and field, claiming an eighth place here (Glasgow 2014), or a 15th place there (Rio 2016 Olympics) in international high jump.

But now, after an immaculate showing in front of a riveted home crowd, Starc claimed gold with a personal best jump of 2.32 metres — his first medal, let alone a gold, in a senior athletics meet.

The group told officials at Brisbane airport that they had arrived to cover the Commonwealth Games.

If convicted of human trafficking, the journalist, who had a valid media pass, faces up to 20 years in jail.

The Commonwealth Games will be held in Australia's Gold Coast between 4 and 15 April.

The group had travelled through Bangkok, where officials suspected them of carrying fraudulent documents and alerted authorities in Australia.

Half-time substitute Borja was denied from the spot by birthday boy Danny Vukovic and hit the post twice – the second coming in the last minute of stoppage time – as Colombia failed to show the clinical edge that saw them come from two goals down to beat Les Blues 3-2 in their previous outing.

Jose Pekerman's team were by far the better side at Fulham's Craven Cottage and produced plenty of the fast attacking breaks and skilful forward play they hope will bring them success at the World Cup, but ultimately failed to convert a number of excellent chances.

About 150 of the animals were found beached at Hamelin Bay, about 300km (180 miles) south of Perth.

Their discovery by a local fisherman on Friday prompted a major rescue effort to return them to deeper waters.

However, by nightfall, more than 140 of the whales had died, with deteriorating weather conditions and the threat of frenzied sharks impeding efforts.

More than 100 volunteers, wildlife personnel and others came to the aid of the beached short-finned pilot whales, a species known to strand en masse.

The additional package of assistance will help restore community infrastructure such as schools and water supplies, and support farmers whose crops were devastated.

Tropical Cyclone Gita hit Tonga on 12 February, damaging almost 4,000 houses and leaving 60,000 people without power.

The first Australian Defence Force flight arrived within 24 hours of the cyclone hitting Tonga.

Australia has already made a substantial contribution in aid following last month's devastating cyclone which caused widespread destruction across the main island of Tongatapu and on 'Eua.

The minister of international development and the Pacific, Concetta Fierravanti-Wells said she and the Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, who have travelled to Tonga, want to help the country to bolster its resilience to major climatic events.

The Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop is using a trip to Papua New Guinea and Tonga to tell Pacific nations that they are Australia's biggest beneficiaries.

Speaking in the PNG province of New Ireland, Ms Bishop said Australia is funding programmes which promote good governance and would strengthen relationships.

"We believe that we are the natural partner of choice along with New Zealand for the islands of the Pacific where we work across a whole range of areas," she said.

At the same time there is a need for workers to lift their game in several areas.

These are some of the recommendations made by a team led by Internal Affairs Minister Akosita Lavulavu following from an official visit to Australia to investigate the programme.

Kaniva News reports a three-year visa has been piloted for workers from Kiribati and Nauru.

The Ministry’s report said a three-year multiple visa would reduce the cost and time of having to do health and police checks every year.