Sydney, Sept 12: The ongoing strife between the Islamic and tribal militants on the one hand and the US-led NATO forces, on the other, in Pakistani tribal areas along the Pak-Afghan border is not only a bilateral issue between the two countries, but had international community implications, said Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith who is currently on a visit to India.

He said that he wished to go to Pakistan next year to discuss with its government the “hot-bed” of international terrorism on that country’s border with Afghanistan.

New Delhi, Sept 12: Australia and India remain committed to addressing the critical challenge of nuclear non- proliferation and disarmament visiting Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said on Thursday.

Smith, who is on a five-day visit to India, met Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh here last evening and is scheduled to meet and discuss bilateral relations with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Friday.

New Delhi, Sept 11 : Describing India as a committed champion of multilateralism, Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said on Thursday that New Delhi should be given a permanent seat on a reformed United Nations Security Council, so that the world body reflects the modern international geo-political reality.

He said that the extent to which India will be a rapidly growing is indicative of the positive force and influence it will have on the future of Asia.

Delivering a speech at the Indian Council of World Affairs here, Smith praised India''s ‘Look East’ policy, saying it clearly reflected the country''s growing engagement in Asia.

Melbourne, Sept. 11 : The first open prison in Australia, which has been built according to human rights principles, has been officially opened in Canberra.

According to news. com. au, the 131 million Australian dollar Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC) is an open campus style prison that can house up to 300 male and female inmates.

It will take in remand and sentenced prisoners with low to high security classifications. It has no bars on the windows.

Razor-wire fencing has also been discarded and prisoners will be issued with swipe cards so they can leave their rooms, but not the facility, when they please.

Sydney - Australian officials Thursday defended its purchase of a 910-square-kilometre cotton farm so the 20 billion litres of water it uses can be returned to the draught-stricken Murray-Darling basin that the nation relies on for its food and fibre production.

Toorale Station, only slightly smaller than Hong Kong, was bought at auction for 24 million Australian dollars (19 million US dollars) from its British owners.

"Returning this water to the Darling will begin to turn around the long-term decline of this once great river," Climate Change Minister Penny Wong said.

But she warned that the gains - water equivalent to 20,000 Olympic swimming pools - would not reach the Murray-Darling estuary near Adelaide.

Sydney, Sept. 11 : New South Wales Police Minister who lied about dancing around his office in his underwear and allegedly simulating a sex act with another MP, has resigned.

Matt Brown quit on Wednesday night after reports emerged about the party. There were also reports that he had simulated a sex act on a female MP, but the MP denied that had happened.

"I''m a human being and I made a mistake and I''m going to cop the consequences of that mistake,'''' news. com. au quoted him, as saying.