Sydney  - Australian Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon was fighting to keep his job Thursday after admitting he failed to declare trips to China paid for by family friend and prominent local businesswoman Helen Liu.

"This was a mistake, and for that, I apologize," the embattled minister said after being carpeted in Canberra by Education Minister Julia Gillard, who is standing in for Prime Minister Kevin Rudd while he tours abroad.

Canberra/Washington, July 30 : Australia’s Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon has said that his country is ready to offer military advisers to Pakistan to help train security forces to fight the Taliban and al Qaeda.

Fitzgibbon has called for an international effort to combat Taliban insurgents based in Pakistan''s tribal border areas, including economic and military aid in a television speech today.