18 November 2013: Material leaked by NSA contractor Edward Snowden reveals that Australian intelligence agencies had attempted to tap the phones of the President of Indonesia, his wife, and other officials. In response, Indonesia recalls its ambassador, and threatens other consequences.[3]
10 December 2013: Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt approves the expansion of the controversial Abbot Point coal terminal in north Queensland.
11 December 2013: Car manufacturer Holden announces it will cease production of vehicles in Australia by 2017[4]
13 December 2013: Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, holds his first Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting. The states and territories agree to have sole responsibility for the environmental assessment of major developments and to focus on boosting the school attendance rates of Indigenous children. It is confirmed that the national paid parental leave scheme will include state public servants.
18 December 2013: The Federal Government unveils its $100 million assistance package to help Holden and the manufacturing industry.
20 December 2013: A two-hour siege took place outside Sydney's Parliament House when a man in his car threatened to set himself alight.
23 December 2013: A Royal Commission into the Rudd Government's home insulation scheme begins in Brisbane.
26 December 2013: Acting Prime Minister, Warren Truss, announces that Australia will provide two military aircraft to South Sudan to aid in the current military crisis.
30 December 2013: Cyclone Christine intensifies into a category 3 cyclone causing heavy rainfall across a large section of the West Australian Pilbara coast. The towns of Roebourne and Wickham receive significant damage.
4 January 2014: Stradbroke Island suffers bushfires which burn out over 8,500 hectares (21,000 acres) of bushland.
12–15 January 2014: Perth Hills Fire; A total of 55 homes were razed, 1 fatality, and a damage bill in excess of $13 million.
15–20 January 2014:Grampians Fire – A fire starts as a result of lightning strikes in the northern Grampians National Park on 15 January. Extreme fire conditions on 17 January saw the fire grow in size to over 50,000 hectares (120,000 acres). The fire was brought under control on 18 January. By the time the fire is contained on 20 January, it had burnt out 55,000 hectares (140,000 acres) hectares. The estimated losses included 90 structures, 32 homes and 3000 sheep.
20 January 2014: New South Wales Premier Barry O'Farrell uses special legislation to cancel three coal licences worth hundreds of millions of dollars issued by corrupt former Labor minister Ian Macdonald and deny the companies that own them any compensation.
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