Pine Gap is an international political thriller which is set around the Australian and American joint defence intelligence facility at Pine Gap, south-west of the town of Alice Springs, Australia.. Even so, sometimes the old girl does us proud. Pine Gap is the commonly used name for a satellite tracking station approximately 18 kilometres (11 mi) south-west of the town of Alice Springs in the centre of Australia which is operated by both Australia and the United States. In one of the letters, John Kerr describes his alleged CIA connections as 'Nonsense of course', and assured the Queen of his continued loyalty.[22]. What Lies Below Pine Gap Australia? Pine Gap features prominently in the third and fourth thriller novels of the Jack West Jr. seriesThe Five Greatest Warriors and The Four Legendary Kingdoms, respectivelyby the Australian writer Matthew Reilly. The West is making a big miscalculation when it comes to a conflict with China and it could be a very costly mistake. Overview []. She praised the series for its realistic low-stakes political thriller plot and for defying conventional Hollywood spying tropes by exploring the everyday challenges of its main cast members. Speaking to news.com.au, he said security around the facility was very tight with police patrols taking place every 10 minutes. Q3. The site conjures up images of secrecy and power and has attracted the odd conspiracy theory or two. "That I'm afraid still makes Pine Gap vulnerable. Groups such as IPAN, which is holding its annual conference next weekend, claim the facility has a darker side. You and the employee also will sign a Declaration that is to be provided to the ATO to inform it that your employee has not and will not claim the foreign earned income exclusion for JDFPG employment income, and thus the exemption from Australian tax for this income is appropriate.Added: 05-22-2019 Source: ATO/IRS, A4. Leidos. Peter "Turbo" Teatoff is seen delivering heavy machinery to JDFPG in season 4's 11th episode of series Outback Truckers. In addition, you would be required to file an income tax return reporting your JDFPG employment income to the ATO. What if I do not know whether my JDFPG employee has entered into a closing agreement with the IRS in which the employee agrees not to claim the foreign earned income exclusion for JDFPG employment income? [12] The purpose of the facility was initially referred to in public as "space research". These FAQs do not apply to U.S. citizen and resident alien employees of U.S. federal government contractors at locations other than JDFPG because the Pine Gap Agreement does not apply to them. Indeed, Pine Gap had no neighbours close enough to do that, and ASIO advised Canberra that Alice Springs was a "clear area" of local communists. "These employees have the benefit of an enterprise agreement, and Raytheon has to comply with this enterprise agreement," he said. Each morning the Joint Reconnaissance Schedule Committee meets to determine what the satellites will monitor over the next 24 hours. Terrifying reality of China war laid bare, Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainability, Independent and Peaceful Australia Network argue Pine Gap and its value to the US makes us a target. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), abc.net.au/news/pine-gap-defence-contractor-sued-employees-raytheon-secretive-nt/10959388, Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article, Australia's biggest drug bust: $1 billion worth of cocaine linked to Mexican cartel intercepted, 'Pincers are closing': Ukrainian forces under pressure as Russians shell roads out of Bakhmut, Four in hospital after terrifying home invasion by gang armed with machetes, knives, hammer, 'We have got the balance right': PM gives Greens' super demands short shrift, Crowd laughs as Russia's foreign minister claims Ukraine war 'was launched against us', The tense, 10-minute meeting that left Russia's chief diplomat smoking outside in the blazing sun, 'Celebrity leaders': Mike Pompeo, Nikki Haley take veiled jabs at Donald Trump in CPAC remarks. The majority of Pine Gap's 1000 staff are Americans drawn from branches of the US military, including the National Security Agency, Army and Navy Information Operations Command, US Navy and Combined Support Group, Air Intelligence Agency, US Air Force, 704th Military Intelligence Brigade, 743rd Military Intelligence Battalion, Marine Cryptologic The Pine Gap Agreement applies only to U.S. employees of U.S. federal government contractors at the JDFPG who went to Australia solely to work at JDFPG. Conversely, both U.S. and Australian tax would be withheld if the employee does not enter into a closing agreement.Added: 05-22-2019 Source: ATO/IRS, A3. He also criticised the series for what he regarded as its poor story-writing and unsatisfactory acting, giving it one out of five stars. The job of the satellites controlled from Pine Gap was to eavesdrop on Soviet missile tests. In other words, where possible, treaties should be read harmoniously with other later enacted international agreements and domestic law. ECT Mentor - offering you support and advice. [11], Since the end of the Cold War in 1991 and the rise of the War on Terror in 2001, the base has seen a refocusing away from mere nuclear treaty monitoring and missile launch detection, to become a vital warfighting base for US military forces. "It is disappointing that a company this well-resourced is still trying to dodge their responsibilities and pay the redundancies entitled to these workers.". When they established the facility in 1966, the governments signed an agreement (the Pine Gap Agreement). Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. His remarks also seemed to suggest that Australia is much more powerful than what all of us think. But how much do we really know about this significant site? [1], Luke Buckmaster of The Guardian gave Pine Gap a critical review, writing that the series was "less a spy drama than an attempt to cure insomnia." By 2020 the population of the Alice Springs local government area, which reaches to the eastern boundary of the Pine Gap Prohibited Area, had increased by 10,000 since the early 1980s to 26,448. Article 25 of the United States-Australia income tax treatyPDF (Treaty) allows the United States and Australia competent authorities to exchange information, including tax returns and return information, that is relevant to administering U.S. and Australian income tax laws. No, you may not revoke a closing agreement that has been signed by you and the IRS. The facility does, however, employ hundreds of workers and make up a large part of the Alice Springs economy. 15 Wilkinson Street, Alice Springs NT 0870 Save Contact. Kath invites the spies for dinner to gather for information for their investigation. Pine Gap is one of the most important U.S. military bases outside of America, used in both surveillance and military operations. For the TV series, see, Alleged CIA involvement in the Whitlam Dismissal, "Australian outback station at forefront of US spying arsenal", "Mission Ground Station Declassification (NRO)", The Base: Pine Gap's Role in US Warfighting, The U.S. Spy Hub in the Heart of Australia, "An American Spy Base Hidden in Australia's Outback", "Expanded Communications Satellite Surveillance and Intelligence Activities utilising Multi-beam Antenna Systems", "Pine Gap's role in US drone strikes should be investigated rights groups", "Tantalising secrets of Australia's intelligence world revealed", "The British-American coup that ended Australian independence", "Gough Whitlam dismissal: What we know so far about the palace letters and Australian PM's sacking", http://nautilus.org/publications/books/australian-forces-abroad/defence-facilities/pine-gap/pine-gap-protests/protests-hist/, http://www.readperiodicals.com/201001/2224850971.html#b, "AABCC Pine Gap Protest Sept 2002 report", "Christian Pacifists Challenge Pine Gap In Court", "The Queen v Law & Ors [2008] NTCCA 4 (19 March 2008)", An Agreement to extend the period of operation of the Joint Defence Facility at Pine Gap, "Pine Gap gears for war with eye on Iraq", "Judge rejects Pine Gap house arrest bid", "Pine Gap protest linked to Iraq war, pacifists tell court", Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation, Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre, Secretaries Committee on National Security, National Intelligence Coordination Committee, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Defence Strategic Policy and Intelligence Group, Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security, Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, Independent National Security Legislation Monitor, Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force, 1st Division (Deployable Joint Force Headquarters), Australian Defence Force ranks and insignia, Sexual orientation and gender identity in the Australian military, Australian Defence Force Basic Flying Training School, Australia, New Zealand, United States Security Treaty, Defending Australia in the Asia Pacific Century White Paper, Review of Australia's Defence Capabilities Report, Australian National University Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group, Australian Defence Force colours, standards and guidons, History of the Royal Australian Air Force, Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands, Military intervention against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Official History of Australia in the War of 19141918, The Official History of Australia's Involvement in Southeast Asian Conflicts 19481975, Official History of Australian Peacekeeping, Humanitarian and Post-Cold War Operations, Australian military involvement in peacekeeping, Ambassadors of Australia to the United States, Ambassadors of the United States to Australia, AustraliaUnited States Free Trade Agreement, Friends of Australia Congressional Caucus, United States presidential visits to Australia, U.S./Australia Parliamentary Friendship Group, Implications of U.S. gene patent invalidation on Australia, International Maritime Security Construct, 2018 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup Final, Category:AustraliaUnited States relations, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pine_Gap&oldid=1142284672, Buildings and structures in Alice Springs, AustraliaUnited States military relations, Military installations of the United States in Australia, Military installations in the Northern Territory, Articles with dead external links from March 2023, Articles with permanently dead external links, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in Australian English, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2017, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Mission 8300 with 4 geosynchronous satellites that covered the former Soviet Union, China, South Asia, East Asia, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and countries on the Atlantic Ocean, On 11 November 1983, Aboriginal women led 700 women to the Pine Gap gates where they fell silent for 11 minutes to commemorate, On 57 October 2002 a number of groups (including Quakers and the. The show was set around the political scene between 2 different governments, Australia and America, and also with a joint defense intellect facility at Pine Gap. Article 19 does not apply to income earned by employees of U.S. federal government contractors. Note, however, that as a U.S. citizen or resident alien your worldwide income is subject to U.S. federal income tax, subject to any available deductions, credits, exemptions, or exclusions, such as the foreign earned income exclusion. Pine Gap, an Australian armed thriller, premiered on Netflix (Ozark) on December 7, 2018. It is jointly operated by Australia and the United States, and since 1988 it has been officially called the Joint Defence Facility Pine Gap (JDFPG); previously, it was known as Joint Defence Space Research Facility. In 1982 the Australian band Midnight Oil released "Power and the Passion", which contains a reference to Pine Gap. "What that tells them [is]where the Russian forces areand then how they're moving and what they're planning to do.". Plan and deliver a wonderful program for them. This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. If your employer does not have proof that you entered into the closing agreement, your employer must withhold Australian taxes on your JDFPG employment income, which would then require you to apply for any applicable refund in Australia. Raytheon and the Joint Defence Facility Pine Gap did not respond to requests for a comment. If an international agreement does not contain language addressing the impact of an earlier agreement, provisions of the earlier international agreement, if it has not been terminated or suspended, apply to the extent they are consistent with provisions in the later agreement. How does the availability of the U.S. foreign earned income exclusion affect my obligations as a withholding agent? He also viewed the show's release on Netflix as a sign of what he regarded as the deteriorating quality of the streaming company's content. Does the Treaty supersede the Pine Gap Agreement? Article 19 applies only to individuals who are paid by, or from the funds of, the United States; a state or other political subdivision of the United States; or an agency or authority of the United States, a state, or other political subdivision. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The amount of withholding would depend on various circumstances, including the contents of the employees U.S. Forms W-4 and Form 673, and whether the employee has an Australian tax file number (TFN).Added: 05-22-2019 Source: ATO/IRS, A5. The ABC's Pine Gap is a stinker. "Once their positions were made redundant they were retrenched, they were entitled to redundancy payment.". How long does the closing agreement apply? Lead your team to success. However, as a U.S. citizen or resident alien, you must file a U.S. income tax return reporting and paying taxes on your worldwide income, including your JDFPG employment income. In 2004, the base began operating a new satellite system known as the Space-Based Infrared System, which is a vital element of US missile defense. Is the income of my U.S. citizen or resident alien employee working at JDFPG exempt from taxation in the United States and Australia? I am a U.S. federal government contractor with employees working at JDFPG. As the US and China enter into diplomatic mediation, Simon strikes a deal with Kath to get back his job as an analyst in return for identifying the spy. As stated in FAQ Q3, the IRS and ATO developed voluntary procedures allowing you to enter into a closing agreement with the IRS in which you agree that you will not claim the foreign earned income exclusion for JDFPG employment income earned during the taxable period(s) listed in the closing agreement. "It's quite frankly outrageous that a large, multinational defence contractor like Raytheon, who has lost the contract at Pine Gap through no fault of its workforce, is trying to get out of paying these workers their redundancies," he said. "There's a very high chance that Pine Gap would be attacked quite simply because it provides critical targeting information for the United States in a nuclear war. While groups such as the Independent and Peaceful Australia Network argue Pine Gap and its value to the US makes us a target, the Australian Government maintains its presence here is crucial. . [14] The number of staff had increased from around 400 in the early 1980s to 600 in the early 1990s and then to 800 in 2017, the biggest expansion since the end of the Cold War. [6], One of Pine Gap's primary functions is to locate radio signals in the Eastern Hemisphere, with the collected information fed into the US drone program. The United States and Australian governments jointly operate the Joint Defense Facility Pine Gap (JDFPG) in Alice Springs, Australia. Q10. Polygraph. "Between the two of those satellites, the footprint of them covers everything from the edge of the Pacific, China and Japan, in this case, right through to Russia and Ukraine. Suggestions will appear below the field as you type, Listed more than thirty two thousand twenty three days ago, subClassification: Teaching - Early Childhood. Pine Gap is actually the name of the location whcih is situated in the south-west of Alice Springs town in Australia. A Defence Department spokesman told news.com.au it made an important contribution to our national security. [citation needed]. Pine Gaps secrets are slowly starting to emerge. Amentum Jobs - Jobs in Alice Springs, AUS 4 Jobs in Alice Springs, AUS Safety Specialist, Senior Alice Springs, Australia Project Manager (Australia) Alice Springs, Australia Project Coordinator - Australia Alice Springs, Australia Building Information Modeling Integrator Alice Springs, Australia Current Search Criteria Alice Springs, AUS Parker Sawyers as Gus Thomson, an American mission director; Tess Haubrich as Jasmina Delic, a Serbian Australian communications intelligence team leader A former US agent lifts the lid on some of the top secret projects he worked on while at Australia's remote Pine Gap "spy station". Your Australian income tax reporting and payment obligations will differ depending on whether you elect to exclude your JDFPG employment income from U.S. tax under the foreign earned income exclusion. Nationwide News Pty Ltd 2023. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), abc.net.au/news/pine-gap-base-gathering-information-russia-ukraine-conflict/100878478, Help keep family & friends informed by sharing this article, Australia's biggest drug bust: $1 billion worth of cocaine linked to Mexican cartel intercepted, 'Pincers are closing': Ukrainian forces under pressure as Russians shell roads out of Bakhmut, Four in hospital after terrifying home invasion by gang armed with machetes, knives, hammer, 'We have got the balance right': PM gives Greens' super demands short shrift, Crowd laughs as Russia's foreign minister claims Ukraine war 'was launched against us', The tense, 10-minute meeting that left Russia's chief diplomat smoking outside in the blazing sun, 'Celebrity leaders': Mike Pompeo, Nikki Haley take veiled jabs at Donald Trump in CPAC remarks. It was only in the 1970s they gained even mid level positions. Today, there are 1,000 workers at Pine Gap, about half of whom are believed to be Australians, including the base's deputy commander. According to the paper, Pine Gap makes a critical contribution to the security interests of Australia and the United States, delivering information on intelligence priorities such as terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and military and weapons developments, while contributing to the verification of arms control and disarmament agreements. The IRS and the Australian Taxation Office cooperated to develop these FAQs. To receive a pro forma closing agreement and consent to disclose document with respect to such income, please contact us at (202) 317-8535 for more information. Mr Blundell-Thornton said it wasn't uncommon to see companies refuse to pay redundancy entitlements while "trying to save dollars". Pine Gap is a joint United States-Australia military spy base located on Arrernte country near Alice Springs, Northern Territory. [9]:p 4546[10], The location is strategically significant because it controls United States spy satellites as they pass over one-third of the globe, including China, the Asian parts of Russia, and the Middle East. What are the implications for me, as the employer, if my JDFPG employee enters into a closing agreement with the IRS in which the employee agrees not to claim the foreign earned income exclusion for JDFPG employment income? The series is a political thriller, portraying the lives of the members of the joint AmericanAustralian intelligence team. All times AEDT (GMT +11). A highly secretive defence intelligence facility, on the outskirts of Alice Springs, is likely gathering information about the escalating situation in Ukraine. Q8. For example, U.S. tax but not Australian tax would be withheld from an employees JDFPG income if the employee enters into a closing agreement with the IRS.