PM Modi said that though India declared cheetahs extinct in 1952, it is unfortunate that no constructive efforts were made to reintroduce the fastest land animal for decades. He added:
“Project Cheetah, under which the cheetahs were reintroduced in the country after they became extinct seven decades ago, is our endeavour towards environment and wildlife conservation. 21st century India is giving a message to the whole world that economy and ecology are not conflicting fields”.
However, many people didn’t like the fact that PM Modi was successful in bringing back the endangered species ‘big cats’ to India.
Cheetah (image source: Narendra Modi – Twitter)
Indian National Congress party was quick to point out that the proposal for ‘Project Cheetah’ was prepared in 2008-09 and approved by the then Manmohan Singh-led UPA government. It added that in 2013, the Supreme Court had stayed the project, before approving it in 2020, paving the way for the return of the cheetahs.
'प्रोजेक्ट चीता' का प्रस्ताव 2008-09 में तैयार हुआ।
मनमोहन सिंह जी की सरकार ने इसे स्वीकृति दी।
अप्रैल 2010 में तत्कालीन वन एवं पर्यावरण मंत्री @Jairam_Ramesh जी अफ्रीका के चीता आउट रीच सेंटर गए।
2013 में सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने प्रोजेक्ट पर रोक लगाई, 2020 में रोक हटी।
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is busy on his Bharat Jodo Yatra, took some time out of his busy schedule and asked on Twitter: “8 cheetahs have come, now tell me, Why didn’t 16 crore jobs come in 8 years?”
8 चीते तो आ गए, अब ये बताइए, 8 सालों में 16 करोड़ रोज़गार क्यों नहीं आए?
However, amongst these disconcerted voices the Former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav stood out for his tweets and ignorance of cheetahs.
Yadav who is now the Leader of the Samajwadi Party and the Leader of Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, tweeted: “सबको इंतज़ार था दहाड़ का… पर ये तो निकला बिल्ली मौसी के परिवार का.” [We were waiting for a roar … but this animal turned out to be a member of the cat family.]
Netizens were quick to highlight and point out the failure of the Australian education system as Yadav ironically holds a Master’s degree in environmental engineering from the University of Sydney.
This man allegedly holds a masters degree in environmental engineering from the University of Sydney, Australia. https://t.co/QzRiHDDkfN
सिडनी यूनिवर्सिटी में पढ़े लिखे टोंटी जी नहीं पता था तो ट्विट करने से पहले कम से कम गूगल मैप पर ही सर्च कर लेते की चीता दहाड़ता में या बिल्ली की तरह आवाज निकालता है
So you're saying that you have a master's degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Sydney and still don't know that a cheetah does not roar but it meows and purrs. https://t.co/VF4DSXB5Ty
— Indian Leftists Posting Their Ls Online (@LeftistLs) September 17, 2022
Yadav’s tweet can be a reference to an earlier floated idea of finding a second home for Gir lions. In the early 1990s, the Madhya Pradesh government has started developing Kuno as a second home for Asiatic lions. However, the Gujarat government refused to share lions with Madhya Pradesh, saying they were the pride of Gujarat.
Cheetahs are part of the felidae animal family with more than 36 species that includes cats, lions, lynx, snow leopards, and tigers.
Happy #InternationalCatDay! #Didyouknow that the felidae animal family – including cats, lions, cheetahs, lynx, snow leopards, and tigers, has more than 36 species of cats within the family tree! What's your favourite feline? pic.twitter.com/lNMHaVcCNG
— TELUS Spark Science Centre (@TELUS_Spark) August 8, 2018
According to the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), an international not-for-profit organisation, the five female cheetahs are aged between two and five years, while the males are aged between 4.5 years and 5.5 years.
As part of Project Cheetah, PM Modi released three of the eight cheetahs that arrived in India from Namibia. The eight cheetahs were brought in a cargo aircraft in Gwalior as part of an inter-continental cheetah translocation project and were released from enclosure number one following which about 70 meters away, another cheetah was released from the second enclosure.
WATCH VIDEO: PM Modi releases wild cheetahs at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh
An earworm has gnawed its way into my brain, looping the same melody over and over. It is Italy’s most famous resistance song, Bella Ciao, which I recently heard played as a high-decibel dance remix in an exclusive Balinese bar overlooking the Indian Ocean. Well-heeled patrons of diverse nationalities bopped to the catchy tune in the glow of a glorious sunset and, fuelled by exotic cocktails, chanted the chorus. I wondered how a sacred anthem of radical credentials could have strayed so far from its original meanings and contexts.
Bella Ciao began as a partisan anthem, possibly with roots in folk laments sung by exploited workers in the north of Italy. It is associated in Italian minds with the resistance of 1943–45.
The song’s popularity peaked when it was used as a soundtrack for the popular Netflix series Money Heist (2017). It was sung from balconies in Europe during the pandemic; it is de rigueur at political rallies by groups of all political leanings. It is used to sell burgers in Korea and to celebrate quashing an opponent in football matches (“Messi Ciao”). Unanchored from its local habitation as a protest folk song, Bella Ciao is now a tune that can travel anywhere and represent everyone and everything.
The less benign phrase “cancel culture” (and its cognate “cancelling”), which has roots in oral Black vernacular traditions, has suffered a similar semantic drift.
“Cancelling” originally referred to a practice among the disempowered of “calling out” socially unacceptable behaviour and discrimination. It has now become a catch-all phrase, imprecisely applied to all manner of people, places and things. It is used to signify everything from vigilante justice, hostile debate, intimidation and harassment, to levelling statues and de-platforming books and lectures in universities and school syllabi.
Cancel culture is often conflated with adjacent phenomena such as outrage culture, boycotts and backlashes. It is linked to debates about censorship, free speech, decolonising the curriculum, “wokeness” and “political correctness”. The noisy doxxing and bad faith piling-on feels, to many, like a rudderless surrogate of the judicial process, at once chaotic and ritualised, and has invited comparisons by some commentators to ancient, ritualised practices of scapegoating.
A real phenomenon
While cancel culture may be a hot topic among journalistic and intellectual elites, a recent UK YouGov survey found that only around a third of Britons (35%) think they know what “cancel culture” means. Of the two-thirds who don’t know what it means, close to four in ten claimed never to have heard the expression in the first place (38%).
That many people have not heard of “cancel culture” doesn’t mean the phenomenon isn’t real. On August 19, the NSW Minister for the Arts, Ben Franklin, demanded that Sydney’s Festival of Dangerous Ideas cancel a talk about bestiality by eminent historian Joanna Bourke. After being contacted for comment by 2GB talkback radio host Ben Fordham, Franklin’s office said he was
deeply concerned by the contents of Bourke’s scheduled talk entitled “The Last Taboo”, and is demanding festival organisers remove it from their program.
Festival curator and Ethics Centre director Simon Longstaff refused to comply with the request, stating Bourke’s views have been misunderstood. “If somebody was to provide a history of cannibalism or slavery,” said Longstaff, “does that mean they are therefore encouraging us to eat each other or enslave our fellow man?” As a result of this media attention, he added, Bourke has been “trolled by lowlifes”.
In 2019, the Macquarie Dictionary committee named “cancel culture” Word of the Year, noting it captured an important aspect of the zeitgeist.
According to its definition, it describes community attitudes that,
call for or bring about the withdrawal of support from [for] a public figure, such as cancellation of an acting role, a ban on playing an artist’s music, removal from social media, etc., usually in response to an accusation of a socially unacceptable action or comment.
Franklin’s attempt to cancel Bourke falls squarely within this circumscribed definition.
The strikethrough option
Is this attempt to “cancel” Bourke simply another example of the anti-intellectualism evident across the political spectrum? Is vitriolic misinterpretation really replacing thoughtful debate?
Attempts at “cancelling” often aim to inflict maximum reputational or economic damage to otherwise out-of-reach public figures and celebrities. But as the case of author J.K. Rowling suggests, the more famous you are, the more difficult you are to topple. Rowling appears to have suffered no significant career setbacks following calls for her cancellation after she tweeted controversial views on gender identity and biological sex.
Cancelling, in this sense, is a bit like executing the strikethrough option on the keyboard: a function that enables you to draw a line through a word while allowing it to remain legible and in place.
Cancel culture is not always discerning in its targets. The transnational #MeToo movement, to cite one example, has contributed to the exposure of high-profile sexual predators such as Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein, leading to criminal convictions. But other cancellations enact more casual cruelty on ordinary, innocent people. I am reminded of the US writer Shirley Jackson’s story The Lottery (1948), in which a member of a small American community is selected by chance and stoned.
Origins in social justice
The idea of cancelling or calling out transgressions has its origins in the creative spaces occupied by marginalised groups. Exemplified by hashtag-oriented social justice movements such as #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo, the strategy has been successfully deployed by activists to call out real harm and demand accountability.
Journalist Aja Romano notes the idea of cancelling a person, place or thing has long circulated within the Black culture and traces it to Nile Rodgers’s 1981 single “Your Love Is Cancelled”.
Writer and researcher Meredith D. Clark argue that “calling out”, which begat cancelling, is “an indigenous expressive form” of “useful anger” perfected by Black women. The practice was colourfully deployed to name individual transgressions. In its networked forms, it became a critique of systemic inequality.
It developed into a socially mediated phenomenon with origins in queer communities of colour. In the early 2010s, Black Twitter – a meta-network of culturally connected communities – made the language of being “cancelled” into an internet meme.
The term “cancel culture”, however, has become unmoored from its history and its original signification. In its clamorous current form, it has no coherent ideology: cancellations come just as steadily from the right as the left. Reframed by the dominant culture, and amplified by the media, it has come to be used as a term of approbation wielded against minorities to maintain the status quo.
In the attention economy of the 24-hour news cycle, journalists routinely extract and decontextualise rich traditions of collective resistance (or in Bourke’s case, scholarly research) to meet the demand for attention-grabbing content. In doing so, they often fail to explain why these debates should or shouldn’t be part of mainstream public discourse.
Franklin is on record as championing freedom of expression and diversity of opinion. Earlier this year, he stated an artist’s boycott of the Sydney Festival was “censorship” and that it risked silencing diverse voices and important perspectives to the “great detriment” of society.
Given free speech is a sovereign human right many liberals and conservatives claim to hold dear, attempting to cancel a reputable academic seems an awkward spot to be occupying. Bourke is a prizewinning author of 14 books and a Fellow of the British Academy. She is an expert on the history of violence in British, Irish, US and Australian societies. Her work includes histories of rape, fear and killing. Her most recent book, Loving Animals: On Bestiality, Zoophilia and Post-Human Love (2020), has been widely reviewed in scholarly journals.
Mediated speech
How is it that the most ardent defenders of free speech and diversity are often the same people who seek to silence those with whom they do not happen to agree, without a sound knowledge of the ideas on which they are passing judgement?
Let’s be clear. Platitudes about freedom of expression, in the contexts we are discussing, are not about the abstract principle of free speech as such. They are about the greyer areas where we draw the boundaries. What kind of discourse and actions are considered acceptable? Which are morally out of bounds? And, crucially, who gets to decide?
All societies place some limits on the exercise of speech because it always takes place in the context of competing values. And in the case of cancel culture, this exercise of free speech is mediated by commercially owned social media platforms such as Twitter – the main arena of cancel culture – which, while free, thrives on the scandal that generates profit.
In this respect, it is useful to remember that the kinds of speech and actions that society deems acceptable are historically contingent and an effect of power relations.
Societies evolve; norms change; attitudes progress; the boundaries of moral acceptability are redrawn over time. It is also in the nature of linguistic meaning to be fluid and provisional, not fixed or rigid. As Judith Butler explains in Excitable Speech: A Politics of the Performative (1996), speech acts are constrained by a larger set of discursive rules. Those rules are negotiable. In this sense there is, strictly speaking, no such thing as free speech, in the sense of unlimited and decontextualised speech.
An idea deeply embedded in liberal democracies is that people are equally empowered to engage in debate and freely express their ideas. But is this really so? The public sphere is a fractured space of competing elites. Idealistic visions of equal access fail to acknowledge disparities in knowledge and resources between social elites and disempowered groups.
Right-wing politicians and commentators have claimed in recent years that a progressive cancel culture has silenced alternative perspectives and stifled robust intellectual debate. The pejorative label “cancel culture” has been misappropriated to discredit social justice movements like #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo.
The question that remains to be answered is why, even as pundits condemn cancel culture as the mob running amok, the injustices and systemic inequalities that cancelling strategies evolved to name remain largely in place. The example of Franklin and Bourke suggests hypocritical censoriousness remains part of the dominant political culture.
Understanding the genealogy of “cancel culture”, and how its language has been reframed and mobilised, may help us see such moral condemnations for what they really are: a reactive rearguard reflex by those in power, who are no longer congruent with the progressive liberal culture that dominates a fractured public sphere.
Screenshot from Video posted on TikTok shows a tense incident between an RCMP officer and a group of young men in Surrey, B.C., on Sept. 11, 2022.
Forty Punjabi youths face the serious charge of obstruction of justice and could be deported from Canada for blocking an RCMP officer’s duty car in Surrey, British Columbia.
The spokesperson for the Surrey RCMP detachment, Cpl. Vanessa Munn told the media that the officer was called to the parking lot after the complex’s security staff complained of a vehicle with “an extremely loud and disruptive exhaust system (that) had been unnecessarily driving around the parking lot and causing a disturbance for the preceding three hours.”
She added:
‘”The behaviour of the group escalated as the officer re-entered his police vehicle and attempted to leave. Persons involved blocked the police vehicle, attempted to open the driver’s door and could be heard swearing and name calling while filming the incident.”
It is being reported that the car driver was roaming around Strawberry Hill Plaza-72nd Avenue playing loud music for three hours. The lone police officer on duty issued a notice to remove the loudspeakers from the car. But soon, several Punjabi youths obstructed the officer and misbehaved with him. The youth even made a TikTok video and captioned it as an alleged “racist” and “bully” confrontation with the officer.
Constable Sarbjit Sangha told the media that the group of Punjabi youth indulged in lawlessness when a police officer stopped and issued a traffic notice to a car driver. She adds that the video of the case is being investigated and these forty youths, mostly students and visitors, can face deportation.
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose statue at Delhi's Central Vista (Image source: Amit Paranjape Twitter)
By Shonit Nayan
What is the true meaning of ‘freedom’? Perhaps a person suffering the brunt of exile, a soldier standing on the border or he/she who has lost thirty six springs of his/her life in imprisonment can know better.
The air we breathe in a free country and safe borders are fundamental to this ‘freedom’. But, if we turn into a relaxed zone, feeling thinking that it is our innate right, then we are far from understanding the philosophy of ‘freedom’. Freedom is not something that comes for free. For this one has to fight. Every citizen of India must commit to keeping it intact.
War memorial New Delhi (Image source: Amit Paranjape)
As, we all are celebrating glorious 75 years of our Independence (Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav) from colonial rule and entering into the 76th year of independence, we all have a common as well as individual responsibility that while we ceebrate our freedom as Amrit (nectar), we as a nation also have to combat the Vish (poison) persistent in our country in various forms of irregularities, corruption and others maladies. These poisons are pushing us away from our fundamental duties which is not only an integral part of freedom but also a true companion of fundamental rights.
There is a lot that has to be done and we as Indians have to be constantly aware of both our fundamental rights and our duties. Only then, we will be able to understand the real meaning of freedom.
Image source: CANVA
This glorious ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ is an opportunity for all of us to understand the real meanings of freedom. Real Freedom for a citizen means that s(he) has the right to sovereignty, s(he) can freely express his/her views, experience respect and s(he) has due participation in the system. And, who can better understand this than the citizens of the largest democracy in the world, which has very recently elected its maiden lady tribal (Santhal Tribe) President.
New Delhi Central Vista (Image source: Kiraan Kumar Twitter)
A person, who is in captivity, cannot be free in mind. Therefore, s(he) cannot enjoy the pleasant music of a group of birds singing at sunset or the beauty of the beautiful moon rising in the sky, as a free person can. For a prisoner, being out of jail means ‘freedom’. But freedom is certainly a broader concept from a social perspective. Any society can give absolute freedom to its entire people only in relative form. This is because if everyone in society does whatever they want to do, even if it is wrong, there will be anarchy. That is, there are some rules and regulations to exercising freedom as well. Enjoying our freedom also does not mean that we ignore the rights of others.
Today’s new civilization is bringing with it new family relationships, a new way of working, a new way of life, a new scientific system, a new political struggle and above all a new changed consciousness, which is allowing people to share their thoughts and providing power to bring positive change.
Image source: CANVA
In the new era, many types of challenges are now emerging, which are constantly being dealt by the government. Digital India is giving our country new technical edge on domestic and international front, Smart Cities Mission is turning our engines of growth i.e. cities into sustainable smart habitation hubs, several flagship schemes brought by Union and State governments are contributing to economic and social upliftment of citizens, these all are new dimensions of freedom for an Indian citizen.
A series of inclusive schemes targeting women, who comprise half the population, and marginalized communities, have also inculcated a new meaning of azadi (freedom) among them, which not only makes them dream bigger, but also, is enabling them to turn those dreams into real actions.
Image source: CANVA
Nevertheless, today’s India needs to work fast to get rid of corruption, poverty, pollution, malnutrition etc. Economic freedom is important for long-term progress, paving the way for people to break free from poverty. Also, extensive use of technology has given rise to the so called virtual world or cyber world and apart from ‘citizen’ a new word ‘netizens’ has also become popular. This has further given rise to the concept of virtual freedom/social media freedom, which is undoubtedly like a do dhaari talwar (double edged sword).
On the completion of seventy-five years of independence, it would be appropriate to examine the themes, personalities and ideas related to India’s independence from a different angle and not take for granted the freedom that we have as the citizens of the world’s largest democracy.
Jai Hind ! Jai Bharat !
Contributing Author: Shonit Nayan is presently a Smart Cities Fellow-India Smart Cities Fellowship Program, NIUA-MOHUA, Government of India.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The Australia Today is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information in this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts, or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of The Australia Today and The Australia Today News does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
Today, on Australian Citizenship Day, we welcome people from all across the country who are taking the pledge to become a citizen. More than 5,700 people have been invited to over 70 Australian citizenship ceremonies nationwide.
Australian Citizenship Day is a chance to reflect on the meaning and significance of citizenship – a common bond that unites all Australians.
In recognition of Australian Citizenship Day, the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, Andrew Giles had the pleasure of attending a ceremony in his electorate of Scullin, in Melbourne’s North.
He said:
“Australian citizenship is both a privilege and a responsibility. We all can contribute to making this country one of the best places in the world to live. This Australian Citizenship Day I encourage everyone to celebrate our diversity and reflect on how we can all support a welcoming and inclusive Australia.”
Over 150 new Australian citizens were invited to attend the ceremony with the City of Whittlesea council where the Minister participated in formally welcoming them into the community.
Mr Giles said:
“Australia has a long and proud history of welcoming migrants to our shores— we are home to migrants born in almost every country worldwide, and over 50 per cent of Australia’s population were either born overseas or has a parent born overseas. More than 5.7 million people have chosen to become Australians since Australian citizenship was introduced in 1949.”
He further added:
“Our nation has been built on successive waves of migration, making us one of the world’s most successful multicultural countries.”
This Australian Citizenship Day, Minister Giles has announced a new initiative, where primary school students across Australia are being encouraged to write welcome messages that will be shared with new citizens by local government councils hosting citizenship ceremonies.
Ads are coming to Netflix, perhaps even sooner than anticipated.
The Wall Street Journal has reported that Netflix has moved up the launch of their ad-supported subscription tier to November. The Sydney Morning Herald, meanwhile, is reporting that Australia is amongst the first countries likely to experience ads on Netflix later this year.
Netflix first announced they would introduce a new, lower-priced, subscription tier to be supported by advertising in April. This was an about-face from a company that had built an advertising free, on-demand television empire. Indeed, it was only in 2020 that Netflix CEO Reed Hastings ruled out advertising on the platform, saying “you know, advertising looks easy until you get in it.”
The change of heart followed Netflix’s 2022 first quarter earnings report which saw a subscriber loss for the first time in over a decade. The addition of ads to the platform is a clear sign of the emerging period of experimentation across the streaming landscape.
How will it work?
It’s important to note that not every Netflix subscription tier will carry advertising. The current plan is there will be one newly introduced and cheaper subscription tier supported by advertising, targeting in the US market around USD $7-9 a month as the price point. This will represent a discount from the current cheapest plan of US $9.99 (AUD $10.99) a month. These prices will be adapted to the different currency markets Netflix operate across and the existing price points in those markets.
By bringing a hybrid advertising/subscription tier, Netflix is adopting a business model already present on other streamers like Hulu. Netflix is keeping this a hybrid tier, meaning while the new tier will be cheaper, it will not be free, like ad-supported streaming available on Peacock.
Advertising presents complex new technological and business challenges for Netflix, which has not worked in this market before. To enter this new market, Netflix announced advertising would be delivered through a partnership with Microsoft.
Partnering with Microsoft allayed some fears around Netflix entering a new media market and gives Netflix access to Microsoft’s extensive advertising delivery infrastructure.
Netflix has announced that original movie programming may stay free of ads for a limited period upon release, and that both original and some licensed childrens’ content will remain free of ads.
As well as staying away from children’s advertising, which in Australia is highly regulated by government and industry codes, Netflix is also avoiding any advertising buyers in cryptocurrency, political advertising, and gambling.
Advertising will run around 4 minutes per hour of content – for context Australian commercial free-to-air TV networks are limited on their primary channels to 13 minutes per hour and 15 minutes per hour on multi-channels between 6am and midnight.
Netflix will also have limits on the number of times a single ad can appear for a user and there is expectation that ads for movie content will be delivered in a pre-roll format, not interrupting the feature.
Advertising in the streaming sector
Netflix is not the only subscription service to announce advertising as part of new pricing strategies. Earlier this year Disney announced a highly successful quarter from a subscriber uptake perspective, growing by 15 million subscribers, however streaming-induced losses were $300 million greater than estimated.
Disney also announced that an ad-supported Disney+ subscription option will become available in December. The Wall Street Journal reported that the December timeline given by Disney is what drove Netflix to bring forward their ad plans.
TV consumers are historically well accustomed to advertising in television – in Australia, commercial free-to-air networks Seven, Nine, and Ten carry advertising, public broadcaster SBS carries a limited amount of advertising, and even pay-TV provider Foxtel is supported by both subscription fees and advertising. Advertising itself is not new to audiences, but it has not been present on a number of premium streaming platforms like Netflix before.
Streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney+ are seeking ways to both reach new audiences and to maximise their revenues from each user. There is a belief amongst top executives that providing a cheaper ad-supported tier will tap into the market of audiences who both do not mind advertising and see current subscription prices as too high.
There is also evidence from other streaming platforms, such as Hulu and Discovery+, that have offered ad-supported subscription tiers, that these tiers can generate greater average revenue per user (ARPU) than higher priced subscription-only tiers.
The ARPU is a metric used in the streaming industry that looks at how much money a company makes from each subscriber after deducting business costs. Having higher revenues from a subscriber can be driven by increasing subscription prices, driving subscribers to more expensive subscription tiers, reducing business costs, or by adding additional revenue streams like advertising.
In 2021, Discovery CEO David Zaslav noted that Discovery+ was generating more revenue per subscriber from their cheaper ad-supported tier than their more expensive subscription-only tier thanks to the advertising revenue. Zaslav commented that advertisers were keen to reach an audience that was largely not accessible through other television means.
With this in mind, Netflix and Disney are betting that their ad-supported tiers can perform similarly and increase the revenue they can generate per subscriber.
Experimentation across the streaming sector
Experimentation around established business strategies is ruling the current streaming landscape.
HBO Max, under newly merged corporate parent Warner Bros. Discovery, is now switching to licensing content in select markets rather than streaming on its own platform. With the airing of The Lord of the Rings prequel The Rings of Power, Amazon Prime Video is discovering whether its experiment with the most expensive television production ever at US $715 million (AUD $1.05 billion) will pay off with audiences.
There is experimentation across the streaming industry in licensing strategies, spectacle television, pricing models and beyond. The results of this experimentation will take time. But what the arrival of advertising on Netflix signals is that established strategy no longer rules the streaming landscape.
A new study by Associate Professor Melissa O’Shea from Deakin University’s School of Psychology has found significant mental and physical health benefits for men who practice yoga.
Dr O’Shea is a registered Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Academic with over 20 years of experience. She has led one of the first clinical trials to examine therapeutic yoga as an adjunct to cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT).
Associate Professor Melissa O’Shea from Deakin University’s School of Psychology (Image source: Kyo Yoga)
Dr O’Shea told The Australia Today that she herself practices yoga in the tradition of Krishnamacharya:
“I have had a long interest in yoga and returned to the practice over the years before deepening my practice when time permitted.
Through a deeper and more consistent practice, I experienced the benefits physically, emotionally and spiritually, and with this, an interest to learn more about yoga. This inspired me to enroll and complete a teacher training program in the Krishnamacharya tradition.”
In her research project to use yoga to treat mental health treatments amongst men, Dr O’Shea observes:
“As my understanding of the practice and philosophy of yoga developed, I could see synergies with my own professional discipline of Clinical Psychology and was interested in how the practice could complement other mental health treatments.
I was fortunate that my academic role allowed me to bring my interests in psychology and mental health and yoga together and I have led a range of studies to further understanding of the benefits of yoga for mental health.”
However, she adds that the biggest hurdle for many men is having the courage to join a class.
Yoga (Image source: Canva)
Dr Shea’s study entitled “’The only man on the mat’: yoga as a therapeutic pathway for men’s mental health” published in the journal Australian Psychologist asked men who were engaged in a yoga practice: what mental health benefits if any, they experienced as a result of their practice? Further, she also asked the participants what barriers they overcame when they considered taking up yoga.
Dr O’Shea adds that often yoga studios are seen as women’s spaces and some men found that intimidating and were embarrassed to exercise with women.
She observes:
“Yoga combines breathing exercises, physical postures and meditation and has been shown to help with depression and anxiety but men represent less than 20 per cent of participants in Australian yoga classes.”
She further adds:
“We wanted to find out what was stopping more men taking up yoga, given the physical and mental health benefits of regular yoga practice.”
Yoga (Image source: CANVA)
Dr O’Shea said separate research published last year revealed up to 25 per cent of Australian males, aged 10 to 55, have experienced a diagnosed mental health disorder in their lifetime.
She adds:
“We know many more men struggle alone undiagnosed as they are less likely than women to seek mental health support and, when they do, the drop-out rates for men are as high as 44 per cent.”
Dr O’Shea said the research findings were raw and revealing.
“The men told us they felt like they were “the only man on the mat” or “it was a little intimidating the fact that there were a lot of people there, like young girls, super flexible and they all seemed to know what they were doing” or “I couldn’t touch my toes…I was pretty embarrassed really”.”
She says that joining a men’s only class in Geelong, Victoria, was a turning point for a group of men. These men “discovered a space where they felt motivated by each other’s presence, enjoyed a sense of comradery and laughter and it felt ‘like a safe space for men.'”
Yoga (Image source: CANVA)
Dr Shea reveals that participants reported initial physical health benefits that often extended to mental health benefits, including stress reduction.
She adds:
“One participant described feeling “calmer in all situations . . . a lot calmer”.
11 of the 14 participants in Dr Shea’s study started practising yoga after the age of 40. The participating men in this study said they now saw yoga as a form of physical activity they could maintain as they age.
Further, the low-impact nature of yoga helps both their physical health and ongoing mental health benefits.
She observes:
“This study tells us yoga can be an effective means for men to self-manage their mental health. Increasing the availability of men’s only yoga classes may be a great way of supporting men to step onto the mat for the first time.”
Dr O’Shea visited India in 2019 and shared the findings of her research work with colleagues. She plans to continue to explore yoga as a complementary approach to mental health alongside psychological interventions for a range of mental health conditions.
UG students - representative image (Source: CANVA)
Australia’s Charles Sturt University (CSU) is offering a second chance to all students who scored as low as 40 per cent in a subject.
It is reported that CSU’s School of Social Work and Arts, which also teaches students from the education faculty, told teaching staff about a new strategy to allow those who finish a subject with a mark of between 40 and 49 to sit another assessment within 10 days.
The Head of School, Dr Sally Totman, wrote to colleagues that the aim was “to improve the retention and success of our students.”
Some lecturers fear that such a strategy on the university’s part will compromise their rigorous academic standards just to keep fee-paying domestic and international students.
Under new Australian federal laws, domestic students who fail to pass 50 per cent of their subjects lose their Commonwealth funding. However, CSU has told SMH that the sole purpose was to allow students to demonstrate they have met learning outcomes.
“The trial will be evaluated based on staff feedback, and the number of additional assessment tasks issued and their outcomes.”.
One lecturer in their response to Dr Totman, according to SMH, questioned whether universities were still places of learning and teaching or had become businesses chasing money.
“As an institution, does CSU intend ensuring every graduate is competent and proficient to carry out the role their CSU qualification suggests they are?”
The academic further added:
“When I fail a student I actually mean it. It is not an easy thing to do. The pressure to pass students who don’t deserve it (to the detriment of those who work hard and have earned the honour) has passed endurance.”
Prof. Salvatore Babones, who has written about international students, said CSU’s move could strengthen academic standards. He adds that most students juggle university study with work and also caring responsibilities:
“Instead of pressuring academics to lower their standards and pass students through, they’re saying it’s okay to fail students, we then want them to improve their standards.
It’s very difficult to fail at the arts and social sciences at any of our universities.
Failure is typically the result of non-completed work, rather than low performance.”
An academic at a different Australian university, who doesn’t wish to be named, told The Australia Today that giving undergraduate students another chance at passing a course is common in countries such as India and even the United Kingdom. He added that in Australia such a strategy is not just designed for domestic students but also to pass and retain low-performing international students who when unable to pass drop the course and leave the university.
Bollywood star Ranveer Singh has claimed to Mumbai Police that one of his photos in the nude photo shoot published in Paper Magazine on 21 July 2022 was morphed.
This nude photo shoot triggered a controversy that ultimately lead to a case being registered in Mumbai against Ranveer Singh.
The Bollywood star was shown all the photos by the police and it is reported that he denied uploading one of the pictures in which his private parts were allegedly visible.
Indian media reports that Ranveer Singh claimed in his statement to the Mumbai Police on 29 August 2022 that his photo was tampered with and morphed.
“Everything’s gone to shit. I understand that this journey of life is an agonizing f**king journey. It’s agonizing to just exist. I am hyper-sensitive to everything around me, it’s just the way I am, it’s how I’m wired.”
“It’s so easy for me to be physically naked, but in some of my performances I’ve been damn f*ing naked. You can see my f*ing soul. How naked is that? That’s being actually naked. I can be naked in front of a thousand people, I don’t give a s*t. It’s just that they get uncomfortable.”
Some praised the Bollywood superstar while others used social media to post various reactions and rib-tickling memes since the release of the naked pictures.
The police case was registered under sections pertaining to obscenity and insulting the modesty of women, and under the Information Technology Act, at the Chembur police station in July 2022.
Ranveer Singh (Image source: Paper magazine)
The complainant, an office-bearer of an NGO, had claimed that Ranveer Singh “hurt the sentiments of women in general and insulted their modesty through his photographs.”
It was on the basis of this complaint, a notice was served to the Bollywood star to join the investigation.
Ranveer Singh appeared before the Mumbai Police on August 29 and was questioned for around two hours.
Krishna Kant Upadhyay, the Deputy Commissioner of Police – Zone VI, told HT:
“We had asked the actor to come to the police station by August 30. He visited the police station on Monday at 7:30am and was present in the police station till 9:30am.”
Ranveer Singh will next be seen in Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani and Rohit Shetty’s Cirkus.
Last week’s news of a Chinese couple’s audacious plot to set up a mini-state in the Republic of the Marshall Islands by allegedly bribing members of parliament and officials was deeply disturbing: if successful, it could have seen the creation of a ‘semi-autonomous region’ on the remote Rongelap Atoll to expand foreign access to the Marshall Islands, according to reports.
Even more absurd than the scheme itself was how far the pair were able to get before they were busted. As reported by the BBC, a bill supporting the plan actually made it into parliament in 2018, where it was defeated by then president Hilda Heine’s government. Heine went as far as to accuse the bill’s promoters of working for China to turn the Marshalls into a ‘country within a country’. However, after Heine’s loss in the 2019 election, the new parliament endorsed the concept in 2020, paving the way for its establishment.
As it is often rightly argued, island countries’ sovereignty and their right to do business with whomever they please should be respected. However, this case demonstrates that sovereignty can put at risk by the very people entrusted with safeguarding it, which is why any such dealings should not be above question, and scrutinising them should not be seen, or portrayed, as a breach of sovereignty.
According to the charge sheet, Cary Yan and Gina Zhou bribed several Marshall Islands lawmakers with US$7,000 to US$22,000 to support the scheme. Yan also invested in a private business venture on behalf of one official, who then appointed Yan as a ‘special adviser’ on Rongelap. Both Yan and Zhou became naturalised Marshall Islands citizens.
Despite the seriousness of the case, the Marshall Islands government has ignored opposition calls for clarification, which is puzzling; in such situations, a quick and unequivocal response can help clear the air and allay undue suspicions. On the other hand, a non-responsive attitude creates public distrust and disquiet—particularly when it’s a question of threats to territorial integrity by a potentially corrupt, treasonous undertaking.
Contrary to Heine’s claims in 2018, there is no clear indication of China’s direct involvement, although the charge sheet indicates a typical Chinese strategy of conducting business by building personal connections, sometimes with elements of chequebook diplomacy. Besides cash bribes, the accused paid for the travel, accommodation and entertainment of Marshallese lawmakers to Hong Kong for a conference to establish the ‘Rongelap Atoll Special Administration Region’. One official gave a speech in praise of the concept.
This tactic is reminiscent of ‘elite capture’, often associated with the Chinese state and Chinese businesses, with the two elements said to operate in concert. Some Pacific commentators argue that the ambitions of Chinese businesses are often closely intertwined with the ambitions of the state.
Although the involvement of Chinese state officials is unclear at this stage, there’s no denying that the Marshall Islands would be a prime target and major prize for them. The country is one of only 13 that maintain diplomatic ties with Taiwan, and, for China, it would be a major scoop to persuade it to defect, especially after having coaxed Solomon Islands and Kiribati to switch sides in recent years.
On top of this, the Marshall Islands’ Compact of Free Association with the United States is due to expire next year, and Washington has made it a priority to renew the longstanding treaty. Among other things, the compact guarantees the US free and open military access to the Marshalls, while denying others the same rights.
Given the stakes, it’s not inconceivable that China would try to gain influence in the Marshall Islands, especially in the context of recent developments in the region, such as Kiribati’s decision to ditch Taiwan, rewarded with a US$66 million Chinese grant, followed by its shocking move to lift the moratorium on commercial fishing in the Phoenix Islands. When Kiribati withdrew from the Pacific Islands Forum in July, its former president Anote Tong quipped that something was ‘cooking’ between Beijing and Tarawa, while opposition leader Tessie Lambourne was adamant that China influenced the decision.
Likewise, in Solomons Islands, claims by an ABC Four Corners report that a Chinese state-owned company was negotiating to buy a deep-water port and World War II airstrip raised deep suspicions. Like the Marshall Islands case, there were allegations of bribery and influence buying, with Four Corners purporting to show documents of a Chinese slush fund that dispersed nearly US$365,000 directly to MPs loyal to Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare. Head of Solomon Islands Transparency International Ruth Liloqula claimed: ‘China is keeping this government together. We all assume that China is remotely controlling the government and Solomon Islands affairs.’
While China denied the allegations and an angry Sogavare threatened a national ban on foreign journalists, the Four Corners’ claims are not easily dismissible given China’s involvement in chequebook diplomacy in the region. That said, the topic of China in the Pacific is a delicate one that’s not helped by speculation. The media don’t always get it fully right, such as reports of alleged Chinese attempts to develop a deep-water port in Vanuatu. However, playing down Chinese actions in the Pacific, and underestimating Beijing’s ambitions and power, is quite risky as well.
Evidence of the impact of China’s activities in the other regions of the world is clear and it would be naive to believe that the Pacific is somehow different and immune to trends gripping other countries where China is active.
If anything, the Marshall Islands case indicates that while national sovereignty is sacrosanct, it shouldn’t be allowed to be used as a shield to deflect legitimate questions—especially by those who may be prepared to trade national sovereignty for personal gain. In other words, national sovereignty cannot be divorced from the reality that crucial decisions in a country are often the prerogative of a few elite, potentially bribable leaders who operate in secrecy, can circumvent the wishes of the people and don’t always act in the national interest.
Contributing Author: Dr Shailendra Bahadur Singh is Associate Professor and head of journalism at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The Australia Today is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information in this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts, or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of The Australia Today and The Australia Today News does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
Dussehra, also known as Dasara or Dashain, is a major Hindu festival celebrated at the end of Navaratri every year. This festival is also a celebration of the Divine Feminine as it marks the killing of demon Mahishasura by Goddess Durga. During this time preparations also take place for Diwali (the festival of lights) which is celebrated twenty days after Dussehra.
Colourful clothes and authentic food are a part of these festivals. This year Sydney based ‘U Creations’, founded by Urmi Talukdar, is organising a Dussehra Exhibition to promote ethnic wear and support women in business. The exhibition will have stallholders mainly women running small boutiques from home, showcase and sell ethnic costumes, jewellery, other items, and traditional food.
This is the first ever Dussehra exhibition to be organised in Western Sydney.
The exhibition will have more than 30 vendors who will showcase traditional women’s wear, men’s wear, kid’s wear, jewellery, shoes, clutches, gift items, puja decorations and authentic food. Shoppers can directly buy from them.
The exhibition will give an opportunity to Sydneysiders or shoppers to complete their festival shopping under one roof. There will also be ‘Fashion at Dussehra’by models where they will showcase traditional wear from the vendors for promotion in the evening. The venue is “The Granville Centre” and the event is free beginning at 11 am and finishing at 9 pm this coming Sunday (18th September 2022).
‘U Creations’ is founded by Urmi Talukdar who arrived in Australia in 2004. Urmi started her career in National Australia Bank in 2008 and is currently a Credit Associate with the Bank. Urmi told The Australia Today that from childhood she was passionate about music, dance, art, culture, and design.
Urmi has previously been involved with theatre and is also a classical dancer. She says that classical dancing has taught her to keep learning, improving and remain motivated.
Urmi mentions that she started ‘U Creations’ with an aim to promote women in business specially those who operate from home like a small boutique.
“Opportunity in the digital world is endless and I wish to help them to reach out to their very defined customers and be successful in business and what they love to do like myself. I aim to work towards empowering and supporting women in business. If I can do it, all the mums and women out there can, too!”.
LeadSquared CEO with Indian High Commissioner to Australia (Image source: LeadSquared - twitter)
India’s new global tech unicorn, LeadSquared, has selected Victoria as the base to build its Oceania headquarters for Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Island Nations.
LeadSquared team (Image source: LeadSquared)
Founded by Nilesh Patel, Prashant Singh, and Sudhakar Gorti in 2011, LeadSquared is India’s leading Software as a Service (SaaS) platform. It is a recognised leader in end-to-end sales, marketing, and onboarding automation solutions. It raised over $220 million in its series-C round to achieve its unicorn status, pushing its valuation past $1.3 billion.
“We are excited to be expanding into Australia and New Zealand with great support from the Victorian government. As we expand internationally, Melbourne’s innovation culture, technology infrastructure and talent will play a key role in supporting our efforts, not just from a market expansion perspective in the Oceania and APAC region, but also in leading our Go-to-market training efforts globally.”
The Bengaluru-based firm has more than 1,000 staff with operations in India, the US, Singapore, the Middle East and South Africa. It has clients including global Edtech companies such as Byju’s, Unacademy, Cuemath and UpGrad.
Victoria’s Minister for Economic Development Tim Pallas (image source: Twitter)
This move is supported by the Andrews Labor Government, as a LeadSquared headquarter and global training hub in Melbourne will bring new job opportunities for local university graduates.
Victoria’s Minister for Economic Development Tim Pallas said:
“The arrival of LeadSquared builds our tech excellence and provides terrific new jobs. Tens of thousands of Victorians do great things in tech every day and it’s vital that we continue to grow and create opportunities for the coders, engineers and developers of the future.”
LeadSquared CEO Nilesh Patel (image source: LinkedIn)
In Melbourne, LeadSquared staff will focus on sales, marketing, engineering, and servicing. Further, Melbourne will be its global hub for all training needs and the company is looking to partner with a Victorian university to deliver its training program.
Glad that we could spend some time with Mr. Abhay Mehta, Chief Representative of the Confederation of Indian Industry, Australia, and discuss how the partnership and support that CII Australia is enabling, has helped businesses scale internationally.#australia#leadsquaredpic.twitter.com/qD3f7Ktmke
On creating Oceania headquarters in Melbourne, LeadSquared CEO Nilesh Patel said:
“Melbourne’s innovation culture, technology infrastructure and talent will play a key role in supporting our global expansion efforts in the region and will also lead in our go-to-market training efforts globally.”
Victoria’s tech sector contributes more than $38 billion to the economy annually and supports almost 140,000 workers across 20,000 businesses.
Three Indian nationals from Kerala were taken into custody by the Australian Border Force (ABF) officials when they landed at Perth Airport on 1 September 2022.
Polachan Vareed, Shibu Lonakunji and Shaju Kunjuvareed who are members of the same family were questioned for 12 hours and then detained for 110 hours in an immigration detention facility in Perth.
The three men and their spouses were granted three-year-long tourist visas by the Department of Home Affairs in May and June. They travelled to Perth, Western Australia for a holy communion celebration for their brother-in-law Biju Pallan’s daughter. With Mr Pallan, trio also planned to take a tour around the state and to South Australia for a holiday.
It is being reported that the ABF cancelled their tourist visas and decided to deport them believing that the three men while in Australia intended to work for their brother-in-law Biju Pallan.
ABF also observed that the three men did not arrive with their wives, “stated travel companions,” as originally listed on their visa applications.
ABF’s notice of intention to cancel the visa reads:
“Departmental systems confirm that the person you claimed as your spouse in your visa application is currently not in Australia. The above information confirms you have provided an incorrect answer on your current Subclass 600 (Visitor) visa application.”
The men told ABF that their wives made a last-minute decision to remain in India. Polachan Vareed, told SBS Malayalam, that he was “questioned like a criminal.”
He added:
“I was kept in detention for five days, just because I didn’t bring my wife with me. Is this how tourists are treated here?”
Immigration officials’ decision was later overturned by a Melbourne bench of the Federal Circuit Court where officials conceded that the decision to cancel the Indian tourists’ visas was affected by a “jurisdictional error.”
The three Indian tourists were released from detention following a court order quashing the government decision.
The court order said in its ruling:
“The [minister’s] delegate misconstrued section 101(b) of the Migration Act 1958 in finding that the applicant had provided incorrect answers.”
The September 6 court order further read:
“The respondent concedes there was no evidence before the delegate that the information provided by the applicant, being who he intended to travel to Australia with, was incorrect at the time the application was lodged.”
Ethnic Communities Council of Western Australia president Suresh Rajan told SMH that the whole saga “smacked of stereotyping”:
“I question whether it is stereotyping based on the colour of their skin because I don’t think that they would have applied this type of analysis to someone coming in from the UK or from Europe, who happens to be white-skinned.”
Shibu Lonakunji, one of the tourists, said he never imagined would happen in Australia:
“We never expected this kind of treatment, we were treated as people who had broken the law and that is wrong. It will take us some time to get over those feelings of hurt.”
ABF spokesman said it did not comment on individual cases due to privacy reasons and also rejected suggestions that racism played any role in the decision to detain Indian tourists.
The court has asked the Ministry of Immigration to pay the legal costs of the visitors.
Among the many similarities between California and Australia, both are impacted by bushfires and climate change, and both are home to larger cars and trucks than is the norm in developed countries. They are dissimilar, though, when it comes to electric vehicles and vehicle regulations. While California has been pursuing low-carbon and electric vehicles for decades, Australia has trailed most developed nations.
Plug-in electric vehicles accounted for 16% of new light-duty vehicle sales in California in the first half of 2022. In Australia, electric vehicle sales are only 2% of the market, and mostly from one carmaker, Tesla.
The proposed Australian target would result in a slow transition, which new research suggests will have little or no effect on the transport sector’s CO₂ emissions.
The rationale for a slow transition is the same as was heard for decades in California: electric vehicle prices are too high, there isn’t enough infrastructure to support these vehicles, their driving ranges are too short, and certain models aren’t available (electric utes, for example).
These concerns have some validity, but are largely out of date. Australia in 2022 faces a very different situation from California when it started down the electric vehicle path.
Let’s deal with why each of these four concerns might now be overstated.
1. Limited range
Drivers in both Australia and California travel similar distances per year. In both regions, most trips are well within electric vehicle range.
Further, in both regions most households own two vehicles. This means buyers can, if needed, use another vehicle for longer trips.
Electric vehicle range has also improved: the average range of available electric vehicles in 2013 when electric vehicle sales in California reached Australia’s current level of 2% was 179 kilometres (111 miles). Now, it’s 443 kilometres.
In California and other markets like Norway, most early electric vehicle buyers charge at home on their driveway or in a garage. In Australia even more people live in a detached house than in California. Drivers in these households could charge their vehicle at home, which reduces the need for public charging stations.
Public charging may be needed to support occasional charging, to enable longer journeys and to support the smaller proportion of households without home charging. But public infrastructure is not a prerequisite for early market growth.
Australia already has as many charging stations per person as California had in 2016. In fact, Australia might be only a few years behind.
Is Ampol Missing the Point with Electric Vehicles?: Starting in six months, Ampol Australia is building out 121 ultra-fast charging stations across its service network. These are being built on the east coast in metropolitan centres… https://t.co/Tntm2EYbPT#Renewable#Energypic.twitter.com/o8tLkLIsGs
In Australia the average new car is AU$40,729 (US$28,000). Electric vehicles with ranges of around 400km could be made available at that price.
For example, the 2023 Chevrolet Bolt starts at US$25,600 (AU$37,000) in the US. And until 2020 the Renault ZOE was sold in Australia for AU$37,400. Both models have a range of about 400km.
The lack of choice and of lower-cost electric vehicles in Australia is because carmakers prefer to send these models to markets with supportive electric vehicle policies . Making these models available in Australia may be as simple as giving carmakers the motivation to sell them there.
Australia may be well positioned for a rapid transition to electric vehicles if it adopts more supportive policies. If Australia brings in policies such as ambitious fuel-economy standards or a zero-emission-vehicle sales mandate, the country could benefit in the same ways as California did.
All that’s needed now is supportive policy
Supportive policies like these help set the stage for the early electric vehicle market to grow. They do this by:
giving carmakers the confidence to develop and supply electric vehicles at multiple price points, in multiple body styles and with long driving ranges
giving providers confidence to roll out charging infrastructure
giving consumers the supply of electric vehicles they are waiting for.
Australia is not the first nation to grapple with these challenges. South Korea, despite being a global producer of electric vehicles, was experiencing slow domestic market growth. Many Korean electric vehicles were exported to regions with policies more friendly to the technology.
The government responded with policies to support electric vehicles. Since then, domestic sales have tripled. South Korea is now the seventh-largest electric vehicle market in the world, up from 11th in 2019.
And as federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen noted at the EV Summit last month, with the right policy settings, Sweden increased its proportion of electric vehicle sales from 18% to 62% in just two years.
Similar approaches could yield similar results for Australia. While some nations may need a slower transition for a variety of reasons, Australia need not be one of them. Concerns about range, infrastructure and model availability can be readily overcome.
The country is well placed for early market growth. All states already offer incentives for electric vehicle buyers, including rebates, registration discounts and road tax exemptions.
All that may be needed is for the federal government to adopt policies that support electric vehicles. Based on the remarkable improvements in the technology and what has been learned in California and elsewhere, Australia is well placed for rapid market growth.
An Indian-origin Queensland-based accomplished Mathematician Dr Ekta Sharma, at the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) with several years of experience in the STEMM discipline, was recently awarded a prestigious fellowship in the next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) space satellite challenges by the Australian Government.
Dr Ekta Sharma (Image source: supplied)
The award was nationally competitive with less than five projects selected Australia-wide. Dr Sharma told The Australia Today:
‘I design technologies that will help to create an early warning, fair and inclusive AI-based future for all people’.
Dr Sharma, who received her PhD with an Excellence in Doctoral Research award from UniSQ, has earlier designed a technology to help vulnerable people such as elderly people or children with respiratory concerns to help manage their exposure to pollutants that are a risk to their health.
She is hopeful that AI systems designed in her research would be used globally to help respond to the effects of climate change and natural disasters such as bushfires.
Dr Ekta Sharma with the Chancellor of UniSQ (Image source: supplied)
Dr Sharma says she is thankful to UniSQ to award her the Vice Chancellor Postdoctoral Fellowship for Women in STEMM discipline. She adds:
‘I am very passionate about working and enhancing opportunities for Women in STEMM and being awarded for something you believe in, is a cherry on the cake.
I am hopeful, that gradually this support and fellowship opportunity will turn the tide on Australia’s maths deficit, and strengthen maths education and participation of women across the discipline.’
Dr Sharma graduated in Mathematical Sciences and majored in Operations Research from the University of Delhi. With All India Rank 2, she undertook higher degree research and simultaneously Lectured at various Government and Privately funded colleges in Delhi. She later moved to Europe to work as a Scientist at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences.
Dr Ekta Sharma (Image source: supplied)
She recalls:
‘I was the only female Scientist in my team, and I felt very proud while contributing to the projects of the Commission for Technology and Innovation which is one of the world’s most successful Swiss state funding agencies for innovations in research.’
In 2013, she moved with her family to Australia and became the only Queenslander chosen for the CHOOSEMaths grant by The Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute in 2019.
The CHOOSEMATHS Grants are part of a broader program being delivered by AMSI with support from the BHP Foundation to solve the big challenges facing Maths in Australia, particularly for women.
Dr Ekta Sharma (Image source: supplied)
Dr Sharma has showcased her research on best practices to measure and forecast the catastrophic effects of air pollutants and how the accurate prediction helps in reducing the ongoing and future healthcare costs reducing the public health risk in Australia, and globally.
She says:
‘Interventions need to happen much earlier on. I have seen students, particularly women, greatly improve in Maths because of the encouragement and training from teachers who have both a passion for and strong academic knowledge in Mathematics. Young girls need to be shown more female role models. Later, the challenge of returning to the workforce after having children can be challenging, especially if it has been a long career interruption. I think the grants will be quite helpful in assisting such women to get a foot in the door.’
Dr Sharma says her mother was her role model who taught her the relationship between Maths and real life and that she will use Maths every day in her life.
Dr Ekta Sharma (Image source: supplied)
Dr Sharma observes:
‘I am a part of UniSQ’s School of Mathematics, Physics and Computing and Advanced Data Analytics Research Lab. We have a very supportive group of researchers. Apart from the wonderful research support, we always encourage students to pursue Maths as a career, and conduct training and regular meetings for the members who are interested to pursue AI.’
Following a successful project with the Australian Department of Defence in 2020-2021, Dr Sharma designed efficient AI models and codes for satellite and radio communications. This project received extensive media coverage and went on to develop highly advanced AI for a radio system that will transform the way soldiers communicate on the battlefield.
Dr Ekta Sharma (Image source: supplied)
The multi-talented Dr Sharma is also an accredited translator for Hindi, German, and Indo-Aryan languages and a non-accredited translator for Japanese. In 2022, she was a lead coordinator in a short story collection for women published by Bose Creative Publishers (BCP), Switzerland.
She adds:
‘Working as volunteers, besides our day jobs is not easy but the smile on the faces of children who benefit from the profit of book sales make it worthwhile for each member of our BCP team. Getting a book together by March 8th every year shows geographical and time zone challenges don’t matter if there is determination.’
On being asked where she sees herself in five years, Dr Sharma confidently replies:
‘Hopefully doing something I love! I have worked both in academia and industry and I envisage myself in pursuit of developing maturity in AI through the synergy of industry experience, student mentoring, and academic activities with a healthy work-life balance.’
When not researching, Dr Sharma also writes poems in Hindi and works as an active volunteer for children from 4-14 years of age with mathematical and statistical learning disabilities.
Qantas direct flight to southern India; Image Source: Qantas
Today the first non-stop flights between Australia and southern India by any airline took to the air as Qantas began direct services between Sydney and Bengaluru.
Operating four times a week on our Airbus A330 aircraft, QF67 will cut nearly three hours off the current fastest travel time between the two cities and significantly boost connectivity between India and New South Wales.
The first flight was celebrated with an entertaining display from Bollywood dancers at the check-in gate, with a tasty southern India-inspired menu on offer in First Lounge and onboard.
Qantas direct flight to southern India; Image Source: Qantas
Passengers also received a special souvenir certificate to mark the historic flight, with a touchdown in Bengaluru expected just before 5 pm local time.
With these direct flights between Australia and Delhi or Bengaluru (Bangalore), Passengers can connect to and from destinations throughout India on Indigo’s extensive network.
Commencing from
Direct flights operated by Qantas (between Australia and India)
Qantas codeshare flights operated by Indigo (connecting destinations in India)
14 September 2022
Melbourne <> Delhi
Amritsar Kochi
14 September 2022
Sydney <> Bengaluru (Bangalore)
Delhi Mumbai Hyderabad Kolkata Chennai Pune Goa Kochi Ahmedabad Patna Lucknow
Before you fly
There are a range of benefits available that can be booked ahead of your trip when flying on a Qantas codeshare flight with IndiGo.
.
Benefits included for services operated by IndiGo
Business
Economy
Platinum One/ Platinum
Gold
Silver
Qantas Club
Bronze
Seat selection (paid or complimentary) via qantas.com
No
No
No
No
No
No
Seat selection (paid or complimentary) via airline partner
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Online check-in via qantas.com
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Online check-in via airline partner
No
No
No
No
No
No
Complimentary food and drinks
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Special meal request
No
No
No
No
No
No
Purchase additional / excess baggage prior to departure
No
No
No
No
No
No
Qantas direct flight to southern India; Image Source: Qantas
At the airport
The operating carrier is responsible for checking in customers travelling on Qantas codeshare services. Check your itinerary to locate the departure terminal and ensure you check in with IndiGo.
Benefits included for services operated by IndiGo
Business
Economy
Platinum One/ Platinum
Gold
Silver
Qantas Club
Bronze
Baggage Through Check from Qantas operated flight
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Boarding Pass Through Check from Qantas operated flight
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Extra checked baggage allowance
No
No
No
No
No
No
Priority airport check-in
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
Priority boarding
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
Priority baggage handling
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
Lounge access
Eligible customers and their guests booked on a Qantas flight number on the codeshare routes can access the following lounges.
Benefits included for QF codeshare services operated by IndiGo
Business
Economy
Lounge Access
Platinum One/ Platinum
Gold
Silver
Qantas Club
Bronze
Delhi
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
IndiGo partner lounges in India
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
Qantas direct flight to southern India; Image Source: Qantas
Qantas Frequent Flyers
Qantas Frequent Flyers~can maximise Qantas Points and Status Credit* earn by booking the codeshare flight (‘QF’ airline code) where possible.
To benefit from the following special requests, choose a flight operated by Qantas or contact IndiGo directly:
assistance for children travelling alone
medical assistance
transporting oxygen for medical purposes
transport on a stretcher
travelling with a guide/service dog
travelling with a child seat or bassinet
travelling with a battery-powered wheelchair
Sometimes everything doesn’t go to plan. Qantas recognises the impact delays and missed connections can have on your plans and on your life. In the event, this happens to you, below is some key information.
Missed connections:
If you missed a connection due to the late arrival of your aircraft, the delivering carrier is responsible for ensuring you make your final destination.
Lost baggage:
If your baggage doesn’t arrive on the same flight as you, contact the Arrival Service desk of the delivering carrier in the arrivals hall. A delayed baggage report will be created.
PM Anthony Albanese updating about pandemic payments; Image Source: The Australia Today
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced the Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment (PLDP) at current rates will continue indefinitely.
This decision was taken in a National Cabinet meeting held virtually to discuss the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and to receive an update from Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly.
All state and territory leaders agreed to Prime Minister Albanese’s proposal to keep payments at current rates beyond 30 September 2022.
“The payment will remain available for as long as mandatory isolation periods are applied by all States and Territories.”
Highlights:
Pandemic leave payments will be kept as long as mandatory isolation is required
The $540 payments were due to expire this month
The government will limit how often the payment can be claimed
Announcement: Paid pandemic leave payments will remain for as long as all the states and territories have mandatory isolation requirements in place.
In the meeting, PM Albanese said, “While the government requires mandated isolation, the government has a responsibility to provide support.”
“We remain obviously of the view if people are sick, whether from COVID or from other health issues, they should not be at work,”
added Mr Albanese
However, there is a limitation to the number of claims to be made.
“One can only make three claims over a period of six months, except for some extraordinary cases.”
The payment will remain at a maximum of $540 for people required to isolate for five days.
Prime Minister also cautioned against some evidence of people defrauding the payment scheme.
“With 2.6 per cent of claims automatically triggering fraud checks since July, with more than half of those claims ultimately rejected,”
said Mr Albanese.
National Cabinet agreed the Commonwealth and States and Territories would continue 50:50 cost-sharing arrangements for the payment.
Overall the scheme has paid out $2.2 billion, with costs now equally shared between the Commonwealth and states and territories.
It was notified that in the first six months of this year, more than half of the claims made were by people who had claimed more than once, and 13 per cent were by people who claimed four or more times — or once every six and a half weeks.
NAPLAN is a nationwide test of literacy and numeracy that all students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9 are expected to take. It doesn’t impact entrance to high school or university but is a measure of how a child is performing at school.
Just like every year, some students will bring home results that are lower than what they hoped for. If this happens to your child, you can play an important role in helping them overcome some of the disappointment and limit any impact on their wellbeing.
What should you say – and what shouldn’t you say – when discussing NAPLAN results with your child?
Do talk about the context
One thing parents can do for their students is to help them understand the broader context of NAPLAN.
For one thing, the purpose of NAPLAN is for the government and public to get a broad understanding of how schools are performing.
This provides important information about where to allocate more resources to support schools in need. While individual families also receive information about how their students performed, this was not the original purpose of the test.
Another key aspect is the impact of COVID cannot be overstated when it comes to interpreting this year’s NAPLAN results. Countries around the world are reporting that annual test scores are significantly down this year, and it shouldn’t be a surprise.
School disruptions might explain some of these drops, but we can’t forget the levels of fear, loss and trauma that many families have experienced due to the pandemic and floods. NAPLAN participation rates were historically low this year, which says a lot about the challenging circumstances students have faced.
NAPLAN Examination (Image source: CANVA)
Do talk about life beyond NAPLAN
Without fail, NAPLAN attracts national attention every year. To a student, it is hard to believe that NAPLAN could be anything but a very big deal.
Unfortunately, research has shown students’ self-esteem can be negatively impacted by lower-than-expected test results.
Parents can help students understand that NAPLAN is only one indication of their learning progress. They can encourage their child to focus on their strengths and other indicators of achievement. These may be achievements in subjects not tested by NAPLAN, or involvement in extracurricular activities.
Most importantly, if you have any questions about your student’s NAPLAN results, discuss these questions with your child’s teacher.
Teachers have the most valuable information about how your student is progressing through school.
Regardless of what NAPLAN results say, teachers are the ones who spend every day watching your student grow. They are constantly assessing learning, and they will be able to explain how your student is doing and how to interpret NAPLAN scores more holistically.
Don’t compare your child’s results
Please resist the urge to compare your student’s NAPLAN results to their peers’ or even their own previous scores.
I would say this every year, but it’s even more important now. The last few years have been extremely disruptive, and families have been impacted in very different ways.
It is impossible to know exactly how the effects of the pandemic influenced each student’s NAPLAN performance. Because of this, comparisons across students, classrooms or years can be misleading.
NAPLAN Examination (Image source: CANVA)
Don’t focus on what NAPLAN ‘means’ for the future
It is critical that students and parents understand that NAPLAN is only one narrow measure of learning.
NAPLAN only provides a small snapshot of how they performed on one day. NAPLAN will never be able to capture everything a student has learned or the progress they have made.
It is also true that NAPLAN doesn’t tell us much about what a student might do in the future. Most importantly, students should be reminded that NAPLAN does not define who they are, or what they are capable of achieving.
And don’t panic!
Regardless of how your student performs on NAPLAN this year, do not panic or get overly excited.
Remaining calm and encouraging your student to see NAPLAN as but one measure of achievement is crucial for supporting students’ well-being and future prospects.
Overreactions can have multiple consequences. They can lead to unnecessary pressure to perform better next time, which will likely have the opposite effect.
They can also lead to the incorrect belief that NAPLAN scores are true predictors of what students will be capable of doing in the future. It is not worth jeopardising a student’s sense of worth simply because of one test score.
ABC Bullion, Australasia’s leading independent precious metals and bullion dealer, has launched two new, limited-edition products – gold and silver coins embossed with Lakshmi, the Hindu Goddess of Wealth and Prosperity in celebration of Diwali. The coins were launched at an exclusive event attended by prominent Indian community and business leaders recently in Sydney.
ABC Bullion’s Diwali coins are part of the annual mintage. The exquisitely crafted 5g gold coin and 1oz silver coins have been launched in anticipation of Diwali, the festival of lights, which is celebrated by one of the largest and fastest growing diasporas in Australia, in commemoration of India’s 75th year of Independence.
The Indian diaspora has registered 47 per cent growth in the past four years according to Census 2021.
MD ABC Bullion Janie Simpson shares her plans for Diwali (Image source: Multiconnexions)
Janie Simpson, Managing Director of ABC Bullion, said: “ABC Bullion is a leading and inclusive organisation who understands their customers’ special needs, especially aligned to festive periods such as Diwali. Australian Indians have made significant contributions to the Australian economy and enriched our multicultural society. To celebrate Indian people, culture, and accomplishments, we wanted to create something specifically for this flourishing community which we hope will be well received. Diwali celebrations are the perfect opportunity to tap into the very auspicious tradition of buying gold and silver among Indians.”
Each coin is backed by its purity certificate also commemorating India’s 75th year of Independence and comes in a luxurious presentation box. These limited-edition Diwali coins will be available for purchase on a special Diwali link on the ABC Bullion website which will go live from 20th September 2022 onwards.
Gold coins to celebrate Diwali (Image source: Multiconnexions)
Australian Indian CEO, Sheba Nandkeolyar from MultiConnexions Group, said: “I am absolutely blown away by the beauty of these intricately designed Diwali limited-edition silver and gold coins. What a gift to the Australian Indian community, who will be celebrating Diwali next month. ABC Bullion is certainly an organisation which connects with the hearts of their audience and understands their special needs.”
ABC Bullion & MCX team (Image source: Multiconnexions)
Consul General of India, Sydney, Manish Gupta, prominent members of the Indian community and business leaders were present at the VIP launch.
Consul General of India launches special limited edition Diwali coins on India’s 75th Independence year (Image source: Multiconnexions)
ABC Bullion’s initiative of crafting these beautiful gold and silver coins for Diwali drew praise from guests present at the launch.
Team India Plate of Origin (Ash and Simran Gulati) shares the excitement with ABC Bullion CEO Janie Simpson (Image source: Multiconnexions)
According to information provided by ABC Bullion the price and other details of the limited edition Diwali coins are as follows,
A video of Dr Govind Nandakumar, a Gastroenterology surgeon at Manipal Hospital in Sarjapur, Karnataka, India, running on the Bengaluru road has gone viral on social media.
“It normally takes 30-45 minutes from my home in Cunnigham road to Sarjapur. On August 30 (Tuesday), there was a traffic jam. When I checked on Google, it showed 45 minutes to cover the last stretch, which otherwise takes 5-10 minutes. The traffic was not moving and it wouldn’t have moved even if I waited for 5-10 minutes. That day I had to conduct a laparoscopy surgery and had to start on time as it was important for the patient and others who were awaiting treatment. I left my car with my driver and ran about three kilometres to the hospital.”
Dr Nandakumar had to leave his car at 10 am on 30 August 2022 in the peak traffic jam and run 3km to reach the hospital premises on time for conducting the surgery. He wrote on his Instagram page: “Sometimes you got to do what you got to do!”
Image source: Manipal Hospital (Website)
Dr Nandakumar’s team, which was ready to induce anaesthesia on the patient, got into the act as soon as he reached the operation theatre.
It is reported that Dr Nandkumar changed into surgical attire to perform the procedure and was successful in surgery.
The female patient who had been suffering from a gallbladder illness for a long time was discharged after a successful surgery.
As of 2021, the previous federal government cut nursing student contributions by 40% to just under A$4,000 a year. The Victorian government is going a step further, temporarily covering tuition costs for nursing and midwifery undergraduate degrees. As Premier Daniel Andrews describes the move, it is part of “building an army of homegrown health workers to care for Victorians”.
Neither policy is likely to have much impact on the numbers of students who start nursing courses. But if redesigned as a cash payment, the Victorian policy would make it easier for nursing students to complete their courses.
The Victorian government policy on nursing and midwifery courses
The Victorian government policy will apply to students beginning undergraduate nursing and midwifery courses in 2023 and 2024.
These students will still have to pay, or defer under the HELP loan scheme, some student contributions while they study. The Victorian government will pay $9,000 while the student is enrolled, $3,000 less than the $12,000 total course cost for a three year nursing degree.
Nursing and midwifery graduates who work in the Victorian public health sector for two years after finishing their course will receive an additional $7,500. This could clear their remaining HELP debt.
Nursing degree fees are not an obstacle
Thanks to the HELP loan scheme, tuition fees are not a major obstacle to domestic students signing up to higher education.
HELP repayments should be considered in educational decision-making, but in the context of the financial benefits of a degree. It is important to note HELP loans are only repaid on annual earnings above $48,361.
Using Census 2016 data, the Grattan Institute calculated a female nursing graduate with mid-range income earned about $650,000 more over her career, after tax, than a woman who finished her education at Year 12.
While other careers are more lucrative than nursing, reducing nursing student contributions to zero cannot make a significant financial difference to the choice between nursing and other courses. It will save nursing graduates about $12,000 – equivalent to two or three months difference in the length of a working life – not the difference in lifetime earnings between occupations.
Living expenses
Although student contributions can be deferred with a HELP loan, most students fund their own living expenses. Student income support payments are low and, apart from a COVID-related spike, the number of students receiving them has trended down.
To finance themselves while studying, most full-time tertiary students – about 70% in recent months – have paid jobs. According to the higher education Student Experience Survey released last week, 37% of students say paid work interferes with their studies.
For nursing students, clinical training requirements create additional living expense issues. They must undertake at least 800 hours of supervised activity in a hospital or another clinical setting.
Clinical training may take place at a location far from the student’s home. Nursing students have often reported this as an issue, as they may not be able to do their normal paid work and they incur additional travel costs.
Scholarships paid in cash would help most
The Victorian government announcement refers directly to tuition costs. But some of it will be paid in cash, as the total value is $16,500 for students who complete their nursing degrees and then spend two years working in the Victorian public sector.
This exceeds the cost of a three-year nursing degree by several thousand dollars.
Either way, a nursing graduate who meets all the program conditions will be $16,500 better off. The timing of this financial benefit is the only difference between paying student contributions and giving the student cash.
If the student has all or most of their student contributions paid while studying the cash benefit comes after graduation in early career, through reduced HELP repayments. This benefits them when their annual income already exceeds $48,361.
If the student is paid while studying, it delivers cash when their income is much lower. Nursing and midwifery students could use their cash scholarship to help manage the cost of clinical training. It could also reduce the number of students who drop out because they cannot afford to keep studying, or who study part-time to fit in with paid work, delaying course completion and the start of their nursing career.
Can the Victorian scheme increase nursing commencements?
If paid in cash, the Victorian nursing and midwifery financial assistance could improve course completion times and rates. But it won’t increase the number of people commencing nursing and midwifery courses.
Demand for nursing courses already exceeds the supply of student places. Universities face two constraints on increasing the number of nursing students – limited capacity for clinical training and the total funding per student they receive, including both Commonwealth and student contributions.
Ensuring all students can complete the clinical training component of their course is a major practical issue for nursing faculties. In response to the Victorian government announcement, the head of nursing at the Australian Catholic University said they could take another 100 students at their Ballarat campus if professional experience placements were available.
Nursing schools are looking for ways to expand, but for a stretched health system, taking on more students creates additional work before it leads to additional workers.
Another problem for universities is that as part of its Job-ready Graduates policy, the Morrison government cut total funding per nursing student place by 8%.
The new funding rate was based on estimated average teaching and scholarship costs of nursing, but created problems for universities with above-average costs and reduced financial incentives for all universities to enrol more nursing students. The current government is reviewing Job-ready Graduates, but no quick financial fix is likely.
Solving the right problems
For high-profile occupations like nursing, student demand usually mirrors the labour market. COVID-19 increased the need for nurses and demand for nursing courses spiked.
For the higher education system to meet workforce needs, the issues are more often the supply of student places than the demand for them, and course completions rather than commencements.
More clinical placement capacity and scholarships aimed at living expenses should be favoured over cutting student course costs.
Nidhi Lalji Hirani and Ruxmi Premji Vaghjihani, both aged 20, have been identified as the two young students who drowned near Perth, Western Australia.
Dhanji Bhudia, a family friend, told g to Perth Now that Nidhi nad Ruxmi have come to Australia about four months ago to study nursing at Edith Cowan University.
The two friends were on their way to work, at a deli in Ballajura, at about 6.40 am on Sunday when their Toyota Corolla lost control and veered off the road into the lake at Egerton Park.
Picture Source: Nine News Perth
Nidhi and Ruxmi were trapped in their car after it ploughed into a lake in Aveley.
Ruxmi’s uncle K. P. Halai told Nine News Perth thathe received a call from his panicked niece who was trapped inside the car, asking for help. He remembered:
“Nidhi just said, uncle we are drowning, the car is going down.”
Picture Source: Nine News Perth
According to Perth Now, the first responders rushed to help the two friends as they cried for help.
The first person at the scene who has been only identified as 40-year-old Mr Singh told Nine News Perth that when he arrived the car had completely submerged in the water. He heard the two young women banging on the windows screaming for help.
Mr Singh added that as he cannot swim, he was unable to enter the water to try to save the young women. He further said that as his phone battery was dead, he tried to stop cars to call triple-0.
Mr Singh recalled:
“I stopped two or three cars and we grabbed a spanner,” Mr Singh said.
“I can see the girls starting to bang on the windows by that time. A gentleman who (could) swim, we give him the spanner to go and swim and break the glass. By the time he reached the car, in two or three minutes … it was too late, we could not smash the doors and get things open.”
Image Source: Nine News Perth
Mr Singh said police arrived quickly but by then the car had sunk and the two friends who were earlier struggling to get out of their sinking car couldn’t be saved.
Dhanji Bhudia confirmed that arrangements were now underway for their bodies to be repatriated back to Kenya. he said the parents of Nidhi and Ruxmi are in “shock”.
Mr Bhudia added:
“I was a little bit worried about how I would tell their parents … they went quiet for some time and obviously the mum started crying straight away. It was very, very hard to believe that they passed away and the circumstances. Even now we cannot understand that actually happened.”
Nidhi and Ruxmi are remembered as being deeply religious and followed the Shree Swaminarayan Temple in Bennett Springs.
Mr Bhudia said:
“These girls are very, very well mannered, no alcohol, no smoking, we are a very strict religious group.”
The crash is now subject to a probe by major crash detectives. State operations command Inspector Craig Collins told media that it was unknown what caused the car to travel across the median strip and crash into the lake.
Global Australian Award winners and finalists (Image source: Advance.org)
Indian-origin talent took a front-row seat in this year’s Global Australian Award finalists list which received over 400 nominations.
The Global Australian Awards are offered every year by not-for-profit organisation Advance. Since its founding in 2002, this organisation has grown to serve members globally and provide valuable opportunities to Australian expats.
Johanna Pitman, CEO of Advance.org (Image: Advance.org)
Johanna Pitman, CEO of Advance.org, said in a statement that celebrating the 2022 Global Australian Awards was an absolute thrill. She added:
“As the Global Australian Awards demonstrate, there are so many ways in which individuals connect Australia with the world – through their careers, education and/or migration – all resulting in a more globally engaged Australia.”
Now in their 11th year, these awards are given to Australians living and working overseas, Australians who have built their career overseas in the past, international alumni of Australian universities, and recent migrants to Australia.
Dr Sonu Bhaskar – Australian Global Talent Awardee
Dr Sonu Bhaskar, a medical entrepreneur and global health leader responsible for establishing the world’s first Blood Clot Biobank in Sydney, won the Australian Global Talent Award. He started his career in his home country of India, where he was inspired by his grandfather to work hard and overcome financial challenges to obtain a leading education. He remains inspired by the teachings of his late Grandfather who instilled in him the belief that no matter what your resources may be, you can always make a difference in the lives of others.
Dr Bhaskar is also the Founding Director and Chief Investigator at the NSW Brain Clot Bank and is counted amongst the world’s top specialists in the fields of stroke and cerebrovascular disorders. He is a two-time winner of the 2019 European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Investigator Award, the 2020 Rotary Vocational Excellence Award, and 2021 Paul Harris Fellow recognition
Anuradha Gupta – Asia Impact Awardee
Anuradha Gupta, who is Deputy CEO of Gavi (the Global Vaccine Alliance), has won the Asia Impact award. She is recognised global health leader whose work has saved the lives of millions of children in communities around the world. She led the push to identify ‘zero-dose’ children, aiming to ensure all children have access to critical immunisation and no one is left behind.
Ms Gupta completed a Master of Business Administration at the University of Wollongong. In 2015, Ms Gupta was named one of “300 Women Leaders in Global Health” by the Global Health Centre of the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies and in 2021, she received the University of Wollongong Alumni Award for Social Impact.
Dr Shafali Gupta – Australian Global Talent Finalist
Dr Shafali Gupta, who is Co-founder and Co-CEO of sustainable packaging startup Uuvipak, is a molecular biologist by training. Her goal is to replace 1 billion plastic products with their biodegradable, vegan, edible eco-packaging by the end of 2025.
Dr Gupta completed a Masters in Biotechnology in Mumbai and in 2015 received Ph.D. scholarship at the University of Queensland’s Institute of Molecular Biosciences. Her passion for the environment was the final motivation for her to take the leap and start her own venture.
Madhavi Shankar – Alumni Award Finalist
Tech entrepreneur Madhavi Shankar, who is co-founder and CEO of one of India’s fast-growing tech startup SpaceBasic, was this year’s Alumni Award Finalist. She came to Australia in 2012, after completing her Bachelor of Engineering at home in India. In Sydney, she completed to a Master of Engineering Management and a Master of Business Administration at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Her company SpaceBasic empowers colleges and universities drive student success with a connected campus experience.
In 2019, Ms Shankar was named as one of the Top 30 Women Transforming India by the Indian government and the United Nations. In 2020, she was recognised by Forbes in the 30 Under 30 list for Enterprise Technology in Asia. She attributes the learnings and experiences she had during her post-graduate studies and startup job in Australia with helping create the launchpad for her career as an entrepreneur, instilling in her a belief in her own potential to bring her big ideas to life.
These awards showcase the achievements of these inspiring global Australians who are innovating in their field and shaping the world. A statement by Advance.org notes:
“The addition of this Australian Global Talent Award in 2022 recognises that Australia’s pipeline of internationally-experienced talent includes many skilled migrants and “new Australians” working and building businesses in Australia.”
In 2022 awards, the achievements of migrants in the following future-facing sectors are being celebrated: Advanced manufacturing, Agrifood and agtech, Circular economy, Culture, tourism and leisure, Defence, Digitech, Education and research, Energy and renewables, Financial services and fintech, Health and life sciences, Infrastructure, Resources and critical minerals, Space, Transformative technologies and sciences including: biosciences, blockchain and digital ledger technologies, cybersciences, data services and digital technologies, materials sciences, nanotechnologies, quantum technologies and robotics.
India’s Reliance Industries is considering a plan to build a green energy plant in Australia.
According to AFR this hydrogen manufacturing project could crystallise deeper economic ties between the two countries. Reliance also plans to use its expertise in solar panel manufacturing to establish a solar farm in Australia to produce carbon-free hydrogen for export.
However, a Reliance company spokesman did not confirm the plan to AFR. The spokesman said:
“our company evaluates various opportunities on an ongoing basis. We have made and will continue to make necessary disclosures in compliance with our obligations.”
Mukesh Ambani (Image source: Wikipedia)
According to a company announcement to the National Stock Exchange of India, Reliance signed an MoU with the government of Gujarat state earlier this year to invest US$80 billion in green projects.
In May 2022, Reliance representatives visited Australia to explore opportunities and processing costs of producing carbon-free fuel. To cater to a low-carbon economy, Reliance has also hired 2500 scientists, engineers, and professionals.
India is the world’s third-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases and is seeking to decarbonise its economy and reduce imports of fossil fuels.
As of November 2021, India’s installed renewable energy capacity had reached 150 GW, nearly 40% of the total installed electricity capacity of 392 GW. The country aims to have 500 GW of installed renewable energy capacity by 2030 and be net carbon zero by 2070. Analysts predict that India may need AUD14.8 trillion in investments to reach its net zero goal by 2070.
Ambani has vowed to produce green hydrogen at $1 per kilogram, a more than 60% reduction from today’s costs. “Reliance will aggressively pursue this target and achieve it well before the turn of this decade,” Ambani said last year.
Reaching a $1 price point will require a dramatic drop in the cost of electrolyzers, the equipment needed to make green hydrogen, according to Debasish Mishra, a Mumbai-based partner at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu.
Inflation is pushing up interest rates. Interest rates are pushing up mortgage costs. There’s talk of a rental supply crisis. This means there’s a good chance your landlord wants to increase your rent.
So what are your rights as a renter? That depends on where you live, because residential tenancy laws are determined by state and territory governments. There are, however, many commonalities. Here’s a rundown.
When can your landlord raise the rent?
In every state and territory there are limits on when and how often your landlord can raise the rent.
If you are on a fixed-term lease your rent cannot be increased during the lease period, unless the lease itself specifically provides for such an increase. This makes it worthwhile to negotiate a longer fixed-term lease if you can.
If you are on a periodic (month-to-month) lease, state and territory laws set limits on the frequency with which the rent can be increased. For the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia, rent can be raised every six months. Elsewhere, it is every 12 months.
What must the landlord inform me of?
Landlords do not need to provide a reason for increasing the rent.
They are, however, required to strictly follow notification procedures – informing you in writing, using forms that are specified in relevant regulations, and giving you advance notice of the increase.
Minimum notice periods for increasing rent differ, from 30 days in the Northern Territory to 90 days in New South Wales. For the other state and territories it is about 60 days (see the table above).
If your landlord does not comply with these requirements, you are not obliged to pay the higher rent.
Is there any limit on how much my rent can increase?
The Australian Capital Territory is the only jurisdiction that puts a cap on rent increases. They are limited to no more than 10% above the Consumer Price Index for Canberra. Any larger increase must be approved by the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
In all jurisdictions, however, you can appeal to the tribunal or court that oversees residential tenancy laws if you believe a rent increase is excessive.
These bodies have the power to reduce or refuse the increase. They can also order landlords to reduce the rent in some circumstances (such as if disrepair or damage makes the property less fit for living).
No state and territory residential tenancy legislation defines what makes rent “excessive”. But they do include similar lists of things a tribunal or court may consider to determine whether rent is excessive.
These include the rent of comparable premises, and the property’s value and condition. You will need to provide this evidence, because the burden of proving your rent is excessive is on you.
Tenants (Image source: CANVA)
Can I be evicted so the landlord can charge more rent?
A landlord can terminate a fixed-term lease at its expiry for any reason (as long as they follow the notice provisions).
They cannot terminate a fixed-term lease earlier than its expiry just so they can raise the rent for new tenants. They must have a legitimate reason, for instance if you are continually breaching the terms of the lease, or making the property uninhabitable. They must provide the reason in writing.
With the exception of Victoria, a landlord can terminate a periodic lease for any reason. The only requirement is a minimum notice period. In Victoria, your landlord must give and substantiate a valid reason. Wanting to lease out the property at a higher rent is not a valid reason.
In short, what to check?
1) Check your lease. If it’s a fixed-term lease, look to see if the terms allow for a rent increase.
2) Check your landlord has used the correct form for the notice and given you at least the minimum notice period.
3) Seek advice from your local tenants’ advisory service or relevant government tribunal or agency if you are in doubt. The organisations in the following table are a good place to start.
Queen Elizabeth II, Kohinoor diamond and Maharajah Ranjit Singh (Image source: Wikipedia)
After the announcement of the death of the longest serving British monarch Queen Elizabeth II, the word “Kohinoor” surprisingly started to trend on social media.
The Kohinoor diamond, the world’s most famous and precious gemstone, is one of the main gemstones set in the crown made for the Queen Mother, Elizabeth II’s mother.
The Kohinoor, a 105-carat oval-shaped jewel now part of the crown, was mined (793 carats uncut) in Andhra Pradesh during the Kakatiyan dynasty of the 12th-14th centuries. Experts and historians record its possession in the hands of Moguls, Persians, the Afghans, the Sikhs, and the British.
Author and columnist Monidipa Bose-Dey tweeted a brief history of this precious gemstone: “The Kohinoor was owned by the Kakatiya dynasty. Malik kafur attacked Warangal fort 5 times, which was capital of the Kakatiyas. The deadliest attack was launched during the 2nd attack in 1309, when diff Kakatiyan cities were brutally destroyed by Khilji’s army.”
To the question what was the name of the diamond before it was named Kohinoor by Nadir Shah, 1739.
Answer- it was the eye of the Devi Bhadrakali during the Kakatiya reign period, hence had no particular name. It remained nameless as such, until Nadir shah named it as Kohinoor. pic.twitter.com/QKWXrlN1u1
Malik kafur attacked Warangal fort 5 times, which was capital of the Kakatiyas. The deadliest attack was launched during the 2nd attack in 1309, when diff Kakatiyan cities were brutally destroyed by Khilji’s army. 1/2@LostTemple7pic.twitter.com/w4bIVgtTEq
When the Persian Emperor Nader Shah, the conquerer of Delhi in 1739, saw the diamond, he exclaimed “En Koh-i-Noore” – “This is a Mountain of Light!” in Persian.
Maharajah Ranjit Singh brought it back to India from Shah Shujah Durrani. However, it was then looted by the British during the annexation of Punjab.
The East India Company took the Kohinoor diamond in the late 1840s by threatening 10-year-old Maharajah Dunjeep Singh to surrender his lands and possessions.
The diamond was then presented to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert who got it recut and set in the crowns of Queen Alexandra and Queen Mary before being placed in the Queen Mother’s crown in 1937. The Queen Mother also wore the crown at her daughter’s coronation in 1953.
Now with the death of the Queen, many Twitter users in India have demanded that Kohinoor diamond must be returned to its rightful owner.
Analyst and author Saurav Dutt said in a tweet: “Speaking of big, the Kohinoor diamond should be dispatched back to Indian hands with haste and alacrity.”
The Empire is a vestige of a bruised and thankfully dessicated past. She was a lady of impeccable class and divine character, but she is not the biggest star of anything. Speaking of big, the Kohinoor diamond should be dispatched back to Indian hands with haste and alacrity. https://t.co/pNTsZYgGmB
In April 2016, the Indian government stated it would make “all possible efforts” to arrange the return of the Kohinoor diamond to India.
Shri Mahant Sudhirdas Maharaj reminded netizens that chances of getting Kohinoor back to India are dull as in 2016 the government today told the Supreme Court that “it cannot force the United Kingdom to return the famous jewel to India since it was neither stolen nor forcibly taken away, but gifted to the British.
18-Apr-2016 The legendary #KohinoorDiamond may never return to India. The government today told the Supreme Court that it cannot force the United Kingdom to return the famous jewel to India since it was neither stolen nor forcibly taken away, but gifted to the British. pic.twitter.com/8Le2TBuT2d
Rupa Murthy tweeted that even if it was “gifted” India should get the diamond back: “Can INDIA get her #KohinoorDiamond, and the precious Indian artefacts, “gifted by British to British” that are housed in the British museum, back now?
Can INDIA get her #KohinoorDiamond , and the precious Indian artefacts, “gifted by British to British”that are housed in the British museum, back now? #QueenElizabeth
In 1976, Pakistan has also asserted its ownership over the diamond. And in a response to Pakistan’s request, Prime Minister of the UK James Callaghan wrote a letter to his counterpart Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
Prime Minister of the UK James Callaghan and his Pakistani counterpart Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
“I need not remind you of the various hands through which the stone has passed over the past two centuries, nor that explicit provision for its transfer to the British crown was made in the peace treaty with the Maharajah of Lahore in 1849. I could not advise Her Majesty that it should be surrendered.”
In 2019, Pakistan’s Information Minister Fawad Chaudhary also reiterated that the Kohinoor diamond “must be returned to Lahore museum, where it belongs.”
Interestingly, the Taliban too has demanded the return of the Kohinoor. The Taliban’s foreign affairs spokesman said earlier that the diamond was the ‘legitimate property’ of Afghanistan and should be handed back to them than India “as soon as possible.”
His Majesty The King was formally proclaimed King Charles III at the Accession Council held at St James's Palace.
In Windsor and Balmoral, members of The Royal Family have viewed floral tributes that have been left in memory of The Queen.https://t.co/hXIgRRjf3U
With the accession of Prince Charles as His Majesty The King Charles III, his wife the Queen Consort Camilla will receive the Queen Mother’s Kohinoor crown.
Even with bleak chances to get the Kohinoor back, Indians are still hopeful that King Charles III should come forward and acknowledge the dark history of both the Kohinoor diamond and the British Raj.
“How good are novels!” So thinks protagonist Alice Fox in This Devastating Fever, the third novel from former publisher Sophie Cunningham. Alice is preparing to chair a panel at a writers’ festival, just as Covid-19 hits the headlines in March 2020.
The exclamation is slightly hysterical: do books and stories really matter when a deadly disease is sweeping the globe? Months later, in the grim, dark days of 2021, Alice’s worries are buttressed by a prize-winning author, who muses “maybe novel writing won’t even exist after the pandemic”.
Image source: Sophie Cunningham (Facebook)
Review: This Devastating Fever – Sophie Cunningham (Ultimo)
This Devastating Fever, Cunningham’s first novel since Bird (2008), is ostensibly about Leonard Woolf – the author, publisher and would-be politician most famous for being Virginia’s husband – and Alice, the writer who is attempting to craft a novel about him. Most importantly, though, it is a novel about novels, about their weight and worth in a complicated world.
Big ideas, but not a polemic
Image source: Sophie Cunningham (Facebook)
In recent years, the novel form has been forced to fight for legitimacy on multiple fronts. Against attention spans hobbled by (take your pick) social media, eco-anxiety or long Covid. Against the systematic defunding of the arts and humanities departments. Against suspicion that writing and reading fiction are particularly frivolous pursuits at a time of (take your pick) ecological collapse, economic downturn, war, pandemic and the decline of democracy. To all these concerns, This Devastating Fever is a powerful but finely drawn riposte.
I spend a significant portion of my time reading, teaching and thinking about novels. But I don’t think I’ve read a creative work quite this aware of so many contemporary conversations about what the form can and should be.
This Devastating Fever engages with the tricky relationship between fiction and non-fiction and the question of how literature engages with climate change. It also asks what it means to represent the past ethically, and what historical fiction might offer the future.
But for all its big ideas, This Devastating Fever is not a polemic or a tract: it is wry and clever and earnest – and yes, devastating when it needs to be. If the novel slips occasionally into a more essayistic mode, Cunningham is such an accomplished stylist that it is easy to forgive these lapses.
Cunningham proves that novels of ideas don’t need to be dour. This Devastating Fever is often very funny, as when Alice, irritated by her agent Sarah’s demand for more scintillating details of the Bloomsbury group’s infamous couplings, composes a dot point “SEX LIST or Who Fucked Who”, to which Sarah responds, via email, “it would be more grammatically correct to ask who fucked whom”.
Image source: Sophie Cunningham (Facebook)
An era of disasters
The novel is anchored by two interwoven narratives, neither told chronologically. It follows Leonard from 1904, the year he went as a very young man to then-Ceylon as a colonial administrator, to 1969 and his death. And it follows Alice, from when she begins the novel in 2004 (when Sri Lanka was devastated by the Indian Ocean tsunami) to her attempt to finish it in 2021, at the height of the pandemic.
Despite their many differences, Leonard and Alice are united in their sense that they are living, as Cunningham wrote in a 2020 essay, in an “era of disasters”, and a belief – sometimes faint but never fully surrendered – that there is meaning to be made by writing about, and in spite of, catastrophe.
Since 2016, when Amitav Ghosh declared the modern novel incapable of properly representing climate change, a wave of fiction has attempted to prove him wrong. This Devastating Fever joins a small but significant body of renovated historical fictions that range non-chronologically across time to show humans’ far-reaching impact on the earth.
Richard Powers won commercial and critical success with the form in The Overstory (2018). Bestselling writers Anthony Doerr (in Cloud Cuckoo Land, 2021) and Hanya Yanagihara (To Paradise, 2022) have attempted it. What makes Cunningham’s iteration different is that through Alice, who never stops feeling anxious about the legitimacy of her project and her capacity as a novelist, Cunningham lets us behind the curtain to see how the fiction gets made.
Autofiction and blurred lines
It is tempting to characterise the part of the novel focused on Alice – who is similar, but pointedly not identical to Cunningham – as autofiction, a term coined in the 1970s to describe certain French works that combined autobiographical and fictional elements. Today, autofiction sells well, while regularly attracting dissent.
Cunningham playfully evokes and denies the label. Readers are told that during her novel’s long gestation, Alice debates whether “Alice, who was, in one iteration of the manuscript, called ‘The Author’ should and could exist”. Cunningham reminds us that writers have always blurred the boundaries of fiction and non-fiction: Leonard Woolf’s The Wise Virgins (1914), a memoir masquerading as a novel, caused some distress to the friends and family he fictionalised.
Through Alice, Cunningham comments on the precariousness that comes of trying to live a creative life within our fragile arts ecosystem. But writing and reading remain as vital to Alice in the 2000s as they were to Leonard more than a century earlier.
This Devastating Fever is a love letter to the global writing fraternity – quotations from writers pepper the text – and to the archive; to the slow, good work of research, which becomes a way for Alice to (literally) speak with the dead. She is regularly visited by “Imaginary Leonard” and “Ghost Virginia”, who comment on the manuscript in progress.
The phenomenon of contemporary writers reanimating modernism’s major figures, methods and concerns (though few as playfully as Cunningham’s apparitions) is widespread enough for critics, including David James and Urmila Seshagiri, to call it “metamodernism”. Virginia Woolf in particular has generated experimental, hybrid fictions, like Michael Cunningham’s Pulitzer Prize-winning The Hours (1998) and Olivia Laing’s environmental memoir/biography To The River (2011).
Contemporary writers and artists of colour have returned to Woolf’s work, alert to the complexities of race and class it often omitted. Between 2009 and 2014, artist Kabe Wilson rearranged the 37,971 words of Woolf’s proto-feminist tract A Room of One’s Own (1929) to create “Of One Woman or So by Olivia N’Gowfri” (both the title and author name are anagrams of the originals). In this novella, a young, mixed-race Cambridge University student grapples with the invisibility of race and class in institutional and canonical literary studies.
Earlier this year, Michelle Cahill returned to Mrs Dalloway (1925) in Daisy and Woolf, exploring the undercurrents of race and imperialism in Woolf’s novel. Like Cunningham, she considers what it means to write and read ethically in contemporary life.
The Woolfs
Virginia Woolf is a forceful presence in This Devastating Fever. Cunningham captures her racism and her snobbery, her trauma and her genius – and her dependence on the man who sometimes clumsily, but always valiantly nursed her and nurtured her creativity. It is this man, Leonard, who is the beating heart of the novel.
Cunningham works hard to neither romanticise nor demonise a man who “disliked fascists, gave apples to children, and liked leopards”, but also “once almost beat a horse to death and who tenaciously argued and truth-told until all around him were beaten or bored into submission”.
When we meet him, young Leonard is just realising the terrible absurdity of his role as a cog in the colonial machine. The novel neither forgives nor excuses his complicity. Cunningham connects the imperial project Leonard was involved in to the 1-in-6 inland vertebrates at risk of extinction in contemporary Sri Lanka, and with Australia’s detainment of the Nadesalingam family, which has only just come to an end.
One of my favourite pieces of recent non-fiction writing is Cunningham’s essay “The Age of Loneliness”, from her collection City of Trees (2019). It is about Ranee, the first elephant in Australia, and her long walk from Port Melbourne to the Royal Park Zoo in 1883. Even as Cunningham builds a larger theme about cruelty and loss in the Anthropocene, her portrait of Ranee is deeply felt and essentially true.
This Devastating Fever is full of similarly well-drawn animals: cats and a pandemic kitten, Bogong moths gathered around a light bulb, Leonard’s series of much-loved spaniels, a Marmoset named Mitz at whose death I shed actual tears. These animals are there to show the debt we owe to the non-human creatures whose planet we are destroying. In one scene, a diminishing number of flamingos rising from a lake take us forward from 1910 to 2005, their “flight feathers cutting through time” – but there is nothing instrumental about how they are written.
It is not always easy to write non-human beings into the very-human form of the novel, but Cunningham fits animals into her narrative like they fit in everyday life: with the rightness and naturalness of a pet curling up at one’s feet, or bees clustering around flowers in the front garden.
In many ways, Alice Fox and Leonard Wo(o)lf are of the same genus: they are both writers attempting to do their best by others, in the midst of what seems like the end of the world. Leonard’s role as a carer for Virginia is well-trodden but often misunderstood territory, which Cunningham writes with originality. It’s mirrored by the relationship between Alice and Hen, a beloved friend who unwillingly enters a nursing home with dementia.
Virginia and Leonard Woolf.
Caring and what we owe
Caring, ultimately, is what this novel is about. It asks what caring means and explores how hard it can be to act with care in complicated circumstances. This Devastating Fever contains the joy and pain and terror of caring deeply for another living thing: whether a loved one whose mind is failing, or cicadas destined to be incinerated in the Black Summer fires. It is also about the need to read carefully, write carefully, and think carefully – about the past and how we respond to it, and about what we owe the dead, the living, and the future.
Leonard Woolf always claimed to live by the motto “nothing matters”, because in the great warp and weft of cosmological time, human beings are only a tiny blip. “It doesn’t matter,” his imaginary avatar says to Alice, about her novel. “We don’t matter. Nothing really does.”
In line with this sentiment, Alice never really reconciles the anxiety she feels over her project, and Cunningham offers no grand affirmation of the power and purpose of the novel form. But a good novel – and This Devastating Fever is a very good novel – doesn’t need to justify its existence so directly. The reader already knows.
“We can’t save them, can we?” Alice asks Imaginary Leonard at one point. Her question is ostensibly about Virginia and Hen, but could just as feasibly be about animals, reading and writing, the earth. Leonard doesn’t reply, but Cunningham’s novel answers for him: maybe not, but there is infinite grace in the trying.
Jodi McKay and Ravneet Pahwa, AIBC Leadership; Image Source: The Australia Today
Australia India Business Council will be led by two women Jodi McKay, former NSW Leader of the Opposition and Ravneet Pawha, Vice President (Global Alliances) and CEO (South Asia) at Deakin University.
Ms McKay and Ms Pawha’s election as National Chair and National Vice Chair of the Australia India Business Council Ltd (AIBC) comes at a momentous time in the history of Australia-India relations, with the two countries agreeing on an interim free trade agreement and negotiations underway for an Australia India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement.
Ms Jodi and Ms Ravneet will be supported in the AIBC national leadership team by Irfan Malik, CEO and Managing Director inQ Innovation Global and Ashok Mysore, Vice President of Delivery and Operation at Infosys.
Irfan Malik, CEO and Managing Director inQ Innovation Global and Ashok Mysore, Vice President of Delivery and Operation at Infosys
Ms McKay said, “India is the fastest growing major economy in the world, and Australia has been positioning itself to realise the mutual benefits of growing trade ties.”
“However, the relationship between Australia and India is not solely a government responsibility – business must be prepared to step up and it is AIBC’s role to support and facilitate opportunities.”
“Ravneet and I lead the AIBC at a crucial time in the bilateral relationship. We are excited about the opportunities for Australia and the role of AIBC as the voice for business and an advocate for strengthening economic, social and cultural ties.”
The AIBC was established in 1986 by the respective Prime Ministers of both countries of the time – Bob Hawke and Rajiv Gandhi.
“The history of AIBC and the India Australia story is underpinned by business-to-business and people-to-people links. AIBC must be the voice for business and trade while harnessing the tremendous potential of the Diaspora in this critical relationship.”
Ravneet Pawha said, “I’ve had the opportunity of being a voice in building robust government-to-government, business-to-business and people-to-people linkages between India and Australia for almost three decades in various roles including as the President of the AIBC Victoria chapter for the past two years,”
“India is Australia’s seventh-largest trading partner and fifth-largest export market, and the signing of the historic India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement has given significant momentum to the deepening of the bilateral relationship.”
“Both governments recognise there is significant potential in cooperation in areas of trade and business, AIBC is well-positioned to advance this engagement by facilitating, nurturing, and promoting industry, business, start-ups ecosystem through commercial and economic development between India and Australia.”
“I look forward to working with Jodi in strengthening AIBC’s role as a platform for leaders of businesses in both countries to transform and influence decisions that promote mutual awareness and understanding that makes it easier for Australian businesses to operate in India and vice versa,” Ms Pawha added.
Ms McKay and Ms Pahwa thanked the outgoing leadership team of Jim Varghese and Sanushka Seomangal.
Jim Varghese: Image Source; AIBC/Harmohan’ Click
“Jim and Sanushka have placed AIBC in a strong position to champion the India-Australia trade cause,”
added Ms McKay.
“Ravneet and I hope to build on that work for the mutual benefit of our two great nations, said Ms McKay.
Dr Asha Chand, with notebook and pencil in hand, standing next to Queen Elizabeth II (Image source: Supplied).
By Asha Chand
While the world is mourning the passing away of Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest reigning monarch, who served the Commonwealth for 70 years, I am reflecting on my moment of fame “rubbing shoulders” with Her Majesty.
It was November 1, 1982. In January of that year, after completing high school, I had begun my journalism career as a cadet reporter for the then Fiji Sun, a daily newspaper in Fiji which was shut down at gunpoint during the 1987 military coup.
Not trained or told about the etiquette, I was ‘rostered’ to cover the Queen’s visit to Lautoka City, Fiji’s second largest city after the capital, Suva.
The Queen had arrived in Fiji to a thunderous welcome by the cheering, smiling, carefree Fijian communities who left their homes and paid duties to line up alongside the streets and main roads just to be able to wave to the queen.
I was covering her visit to the town hall where she planted a tree. Not familiar with the British accent, I had extreme difficulty grasping what the queen was saying. I was nervous about ‘missing the story’. Like any journalist would do instinctively, I pushed among the crowds to stand close to the Queen. I remember leaning forward as well. At this point her personal security guard appeared from nowhere, picked me up and put me away.
Dr Asha Chand, with notebook and pencil in hand, standing next to Queen Elizabeth II (Image source: Supplied).
This move sent across a wave of panic among the local Fijian police force. A senior inspector, the late Govind Raju, who had a few months earlier become my good source of information with the police force, came along and issued a strong verbal warning to me.
I am sure the police too did not know about the ‘physical distancing’ rules because I was warned not to speak!
I had no idea about my wrongdoing and continued listening carefully to get an exclusive story on the queen’s query about a tree that Princess Anne had planted as part of her visit to the city some years earlier.
Earlier that day the Queen had visited the Lautoka Hospital and I was instructed to wait for her arrival in the visitors’ lounge. Excited by the crowds of people who had lined up the streets and gathered outside the hospital, I remained outside, excited about seeing the Queen closely. My media pass gave me the opportunity of a privileged view.
The Queen had to duck to avoid an accident as the driver of the van failed to slow down or stop when approaching a concrete roof area at the entrance to the hospital.
The title of the story was “Queen ducks to avoid accident.”
The Queen came to the throne on 6 February 1952 and her coronation took place on 2 June 1953.
News Clipping from Fiji Sun dated 2 Novemeber 1982 (image source: Supplied).
Today I know that there is ‘no-touch’ rule for example when meeting the Queen. Visitors must wait until she extends her hand to take it. They are not supposed to grip it tightly or pump it, said Rachel Kelly, a public relations executive at VisitBritain, the United Kingdom’s official tourism office.
In 1992, Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating was assailed by the media when he put his arm around the Queen. It is generally not acceptable to touch Her Majesty in any kind of way, thus one could not hug, kiss on the cheek, or touch the shoulder of the Queen.
In 1997, Fiji’s then Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka (who staged the 1987 military coup when he was brigadier general of the Fiji army), met with the Queen in London without his shoes. Rabuka was following the Fijian tradition of taking off one’s shoes before entering their (hosts) home.
This photo was published in the Fiji Times and in other media across the globe. I was covering the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) for the Fiji Times and other Pacific media in Edinburgh, Scotland.
British women would normally curtsy the queen while men bow their heads when meeting Her Majesty.
Her Majesty’s first Commonwealth tour, as Queen, began on 24 November 1953, and included visits to Canada, Bermuda, Jamaica, Panama, Fiji, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, the Cocos Islands, Ceylon, Aden, Uganda, Libya, Malta, and Gibraltar. The total distance covered was 43,618 miles.
Contributing Author: Dr Asha Chand is Associate Dean International in the School of Humanities and Communication Arts at the Western Sydney University, New South Wales.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The Australia Today is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information in this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts, or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of The Australia Today and The Australia Today News does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
Australian Prime Minister Alfred Deakin (Wikimedia Commons)
In my recent award-winning article entitled “’Behind the white curtain’: Indian students and researchers in Australia, 1901–1950,” published in the journal History of Education Review (with Prof. David Lowe, Deakin University), we looked at the experiences of Indian students in Australia during the first 50 years of the White Australia Policy (WAP).
Our key purpose in this article was to highlight the reasons behind the involvement of the Australian government in the provision of scholarships and fellowships to Indian students and researchers during the period of WAP.
Using contemporary Australian newspaper reports and exploring popular representations of sponsored Indian university-level students and researchers in Australian media, from 1901 to 1950, this article provided a historical account of their experiences in Australia in the first half of the 20th century.
Post-1901, some Australian intellectuals and diplomats made compelling arguments for productive collaborations between Australia and India, especially in education and training. With the prevailing ethos of equal rights among citizens of the British Empire, the rising wave of Indian nationalism, and the subsequent decline of the British Raj, educated and rich Indians wanted to engage with Australia within similar positions of privilege and power.
In 1904, the Australian government relaxed the administration of the Immigration Restriction Act (IRA) to allow “Indian merchants, students, and tourists” to enter the Commonwealth temporarily. People in these categories were often allowed to remain in Australia for up to 12 months (in rare cases seven years) with the condition that they must hold a valid passport issued by the government of India. Under this Act, only the Minister was empowered to grant a “certificate of exemption” from the dictation test. These were usually given to someone who would work in a local business of “community value”. However, the effect of the 1904 reforms was minimal in encouraging Indian students, as the maximum 12-month stay was hardly a good match with university study.
Representative image: Documentation for William Perera in 1915 (Source: National Archives of Australia)
In 1905, an Indian man named Mool Chand, obtained permission to enter Western Australia from Lahore as a former “Indian Civil Servant” or as an “Indian student”. It is not clear if he was an officer of the ICS or just a “babu” (clerk) or a student preparing for the ICS. The “List of Indian Members of the Indian Civil Service” does not have an entry on Mool Chand, which makes his claim as an ICS dubious. He was given only a six months’ Certificate of Exemption from the Dictation Test (CEDT) by the authorities in Freemantle.
However, it was later found out by Australian authorities that Mool Chand had overstayed his visa as a student and was illegally employed by another Indian, Messer Inder Singh, in his shop. After detailed inquiries by the local police, he was adjudged “a prohibited immigrant” under the IRA 1901 and on 24 July 1905, orders were issued for his immediate deportation from Australia. The local newspapers reported that two plainclothes constables located Mool Chand at Inder Singh’s residence in South Freemantle and kept him under surveillance.
On 25 July 1905, Mool Chand was delivered a letter requesting him to appear before the Collector of Customs in person the same day. Mool Chand immediately complied with the request as he had no idea of what was to befall him. From the Collector of Customs office, Mool Chand was unceremoniously deported without his luggage and belongings on RMS Orontes, which was on its way to London from Freemantle, to Colombo and from there on another ship to Madras.
Image source: RMS Orontes (Wikimedia Commons)
Onboard the ship Mool Chand told his plight to European passengers who in sympathy offered him some money to buy clothes and food. As soon as he set down in Madras, Mool Chand, with monetary help from his friends, started legal proceedings against the Australian government and customs officials.
Mool Chand, through Cecil John Reginald Le Mesurier, an orientalist and a barrister of the Western Australian Supreme Court, officially filed a case against the Western Australian government and Clayton Turner Mason, the Collector of Customs, claiming £10,000 in damages against assault, false imprisonment and illegal deportation. Another writ for £10,000 compensation was filed against the Federal authorities, particularly Alfred Deakin, then Prime Minister of Australia and also the Minister for External Affairs, for issuing the deportation order.
Image source: Prime Minister of Australia Alfred Deakin (Wikimedia Commons)
Although no direct action could have been taken against the Prime Minister, it was clear from the blame game and correspondences that IRA 1901 and deportations made under it were questionable. As expected, Mool Chand’s case was dismissed by the judge because he was not on a valid visa or a resident of any state in Australia at the time of his deportation.
As expected, the case of Mool Chand, “the deported Indian student”, “a deported Hindoo” or “a deported Afghan”, became historic and was reported sensationally in Australian newspapers as the first such case of its kind involving an Indian in Australia.
Amritsar-born and Mumbai-educated Bulchandani completed degrees in English and Psychology at St Xavier’s College in Mumbai, before moving to the US in 1990 to pursue a Master’s degree in communications from the University of South California.
Bulchandani most recently served as Global President and CEO of Ogilvy North America. Prior to joining Ogilvy, she spent 26 years at McCann in various leadership roles including President of McCann North America.
Ogilvy said in a press release that Bulchandani will be responsible for all aspects of the creative network’s business across 131 offices in 93 countries.
Mark Read, CEO of WPP, said in a statement:
“Devika is a champion of creativity who brings passion, purpose, and an uncompromising focus on generating impact to everything she does. In partnership with Andy and Liz Taylor, she has been instrumental in Ogilvy’s recent growth and development.”
Commenting on her elevation, Devika Bulchandani said:
“I am honored and humbled to take on this role, and to do it with all our incredibly talented people all over the world.”
With her appointment, Bulchandani will join the following growing group of Indian-origin business leaders at the helm of multinational corporations: Laxman Narasimhan – Starbucks, Sundar Pichai – CEO, Google LLC & Alphabet Inc, Satya Nadella – CEO, Microsoft, Parag Agrawal – CEO, Twitter, Leena Nair, Chanel, Arvind Krishna – CEO, IBM Group, Shantanu Narayen – CEO, Adobe Inc, and Ajaypal Singh Banga – CEO, Mastercard.
Virat Kohli at Asia Cup 2022; Image Source: @BCCI Twitter
Star Indian batter Virat Kohli completed his much-anticipated 71st international century and powered India to a massive 212/2 in their 20 overs during their last Super Four clash against Afghanistan at the ongoing Asia Cup 2022 on Thursday.
Virat scored the highest individual score by an Indian player in T20 international cricket. He smashed an unbeaten 122 in just 61 balls with 12 balls and six sixes.
He has overtaken the score of 118 posted by Rohit Sharma against Sri Lanka in 2017. It is followed by 117 by Suryakumar Yadav against England in 2022, Rohit Sharma’s 111 not out against West Indies in 2018 and an unbeaten 110 by KL Rahul against West Indies in 2016.
This inning would be extremely memorable as not only did a 119-run stand between KL Rahul (62) and Virat Kohli (122) help Team India reach a huge score, but Virat also brought his much-anticipated ton after almost three years.
Put to bat first by Afghanistan, openers KL Rahul and Virat Kohli got Team India off to a great start. The running between the wickets by the duo was good as usual. Openers really started to open their arms in the third over, with Virat smashing pacers Fazalhaq Farooqi for two fours.
From that point on, KL and Virat feasted on Afghan bowlers. Virat Kohli looked in really good touch and hit spinner Mujeeb ur Rahman, for two fours and a six in the sixth over. At the end of six overs and the power play, India stood at 52/0, with Virat (25*) and Rahul (26*) unbeaten.
Virat and KL continued their domination over Afghanistan, even after the power play. The duo kept the scoreboard running at a good speed. At the end of 10 overs, India stood at 87/0, with Rahul (42*) and Virat (44*).
Virat brought up his 33rd half-century in the format with a single. KL Rahul helped the team cross the 100-run mark with a four in 11.2 overs and scored another four on the next ball to bring up his fifty. Medium-pacer Fareed Malik ended the 119-run stand between the duo in the 13th over, dismissing Rahul for 62 off 41 balls after the batter was caught by Najibullah Zadran at long-on.
Suryakumar Yadav was next and he started his innings with a six on the very first ball, but Fareed got his wicket on the very next ball.
Rishabh Pant was up on the crease. He continued to tick the scoreboard with Virat and took India into the final five without further damage. At the end of 15 overs, India was at 134/2, with Pant (6*) and Virat (59*).
Pant and Virat continued their assault on Afghanistan bowlers. Virat was the aggressor and mercilessly hit boundaries.
With two overs to go, Pant-Virat brought up their 50-run stand. Virat also entered into the 90s. Finally, he completed his much-anticipated 71st international century and his first in T20Is.
India finished its innings at 212/2, with Virat Kohli (122*) and Rishabh Pant (20*). Fareed Malik took 2/57 for Afghanistan.
Queen Elizabeth II in Australia (The Royal Family - twitter)
By Giselle Bastin
“Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God Queen of Australia and Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth” has died. Given her advanced years, this has long been expected, yet it still seems incredible this woman who has been Australia’s queen for the duration of most Australians’ lives is no longer with us.
While the focus of the formalities and ceremony of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II will centre on London and the UK, there is no doubt it will be keenly observed by many Australians.
The queen liked Australia and Australians. She came here 16 times throughout her reign and was, famously, on her way to our shores in 1953 when she learned her father had passed on and she was now queen.
Her visits to Australia – from her first in 1954 through to her last in 2011 – offer a snapshot of the changing relationship Australians have had with their sovereign and with the monarchy.
Queen Elizabeth II in Australia (The Royal Family)
An enthusiastic nation
The queen’s 1954 tour took place during a time described by historian Ben Pimlott as the age of “British Shintoism”. Deference to the Crown was paramount in Britain and the Commonwealth, and many Australians were madly enthusiastic about their queen.
After her arrival at Farm Cove in Sydney on February 3 1954, Elizabeth II became the first British monarch to set foot on Australian soil. The royal tour lasted nearly two months and consisted of a gruelling schedule taking in visits to every state and territory apart from the Northern Territory.
During the tour, the queen greeted over 70,000 ex-service men and women; drove in cavalcades that took in massive crowds; attended numerous civic receptions; and opened the Australian Parliament in Canberra. The tour saw Elizabeth travel 10,000 miles by air and 2,000 miles by road – including 207 trips by car and by appointed royal trains.
It is estimated as much as 75% of the population saw the queen and Prince Philip during this tour.
No Australian prime minister has ever had a reception on this scale or exposure to so many of the country’s citizens.
Queen Elizabeth II in Australia (The Royal Family)
A “new” and prosperous country
During her first two tours in 1954 and 1963, the Australia laid-out for display for the queen was depicted as having gone from being a small colonial settlement to a thriving economy that had ridden to prosperity “on the sheep’s back”.
The queen was treated to endless displays of sheep shearing, surf carnivals, wood chopping, whip cracking, and mass displays of dancing and singing by school children. Federal and state dignitaries, mayors and civic leaders from across the political divide jostled to meet and be seen with her; the country’s florists were emptied of flowers for the hundreds of bouquets presented to her by dozens of shy, nervous school children nudged gently forward by awe-struck parents.
During the early tours, Aboriginal Australians were kept at a discreet distance. Apart from a demonstration of boomerang and spear throwing, the closest the queen came to experiencing anything of Indigenous Australian culture was a ballet performed by the Arts Council Ballet titled Corroboree, with no Aboriginal dancers but dancers with blackened faces.
During the 1970 visit, the queen witnessed the re-enactment of Captain James Cook’s arrival at Botany Bay, with Cook and his crew meeting “the resistance of the Aborigines with a volley of musket fire”.
By 1973, Indigenous Australians were given a more significant role in the royal tours. Aboriginal actor Ben Blakeney, one of Bennelong’s descendants, gave the official welcome during the opening of the Sydney Opera House, and the then unknown actor David Gulpilil was among those performing a ceremonial dance.
Queen Elizabeth II (Twitter)
Invited guest, not ruler of the land
As early as the 1963 tour, the nation-wide royal fervour had dimmed a little. The 1963 visit witnessed smaller crowds and fewer mass public events. When Prime Minister Robert Menzies courted the queen with the now-famous line, “I did but see her passing by, and yet I love her till I die”, the ensuing blushes – including the queen’s own – reflected many Australians’ growing sense of embarrassment at public displays and unquestioning expressions of deference.
Despite this, Menzies’ displays of public ardour saw him being granted The Order of the Thistle shortly after, a bestowal which must surely remain the envy of some subsequent prime ministers.
The 1977 Silver Jubilee and 1988 Australian bicentenary visits perhaps marked the end of a period of royal tours as overt celebrations of Australia’s ties to Britain. This new flavour of tours positioned the sovereign as an invited guest to an independent, modern and multi-cultural nation.
On her 10th tour in 1986, the queen returned to sign the Australia Act, which brought to an end the ability of the UK to create laws for Australia.
Her role as our sovereign subtly transformed from cutting ribbons and opening Parliament to signing the documents that slowly, by degrees, contributed to the cutting of Australia’s ties to the UK and the Crown.
Queen Elizabeth II in Australia (NFSA archives)
A question of the republic
By the 12th tour in 1992, the cost of the queen’s visits to Australia were increasingly scrutinised by a public feeling largely indifferent about the royal family. The prime minister of the day, Paul Keating, was seen not so much as an entranced liege lord revelling in the opportunity to see his sovereign “passing by” as one who instead – unthinkingly – committed an act of lèse majesté by placing his bare hand on the royal back and waist as he guided her through the crowd.
The gloves, it seemed, were coming off.
The queen made it clear in her last visits to our shores that whether or not Australia should become a republic was a decision for its own citizens to make. Her official announcement after she learned of the result of the 1999 Republic Referendum confirmed this:
I have always made it clear that the future of the Monarchy in Australia is an issue for the Australian people and them alone to decide, by democratic and constitutional means. … My family and I would, of course, have retained our deep affection for Australia and Australians everywhere, whatever the outcome.
In the last decades of her life, the queen retained the affection of many. Her popularity seemed to grow in line with Australians’ increased disenchantment with their home-grown political leaders: the former prime ministers Malcolm Turnbull and Julia Gillard are right to have sensed that any discussion about an Australian republic would have to wait until after Elizabeth II’s death.
Queen Elizabeth II reigned across seven decades and her tours to Australia served as a marker of Australia’s changing relationship with the Crown as well as with its own colonial past and national identity.
Almost certainly, Elizabeth II’s reign as the stalwart, loyal, dutiful, and most cherished and admired of “Glorianas” is one we are unlikely ever to see again.
Albanese said “Australian hearts go out to the people of the United Kingdom”, remarking that she always performed her duty with “fidelity, integrity and humour”.
Anthony Albanese, the Prime Minister of Australia (Twitter)
Albanese added:
“With the passing of Queen Elizabeth the Second, an historic reign and a long life devoted to duty, family, faith and service has come to an end. The Government and the people of Australia offer our deepest condolences to the Royal Family, who are grieving for a beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother—the person whom for so long was their greatest inner strength.”
India’s PM Narendra Modi with Queen Elizabeth II (Twitter)
India’s Prime minister Narendra Modi has also paid tribute to the Queen. He recalled two memorable meetings with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II during his UK visits in 2015 and 2018.
“I will never forget her warmth and kindness. During one of the meetings she showed me the handkerchief Mahatma Gandhi gifted her on her wedding. I will always cherish that gesture.”
I had memorable meetings with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II during my UK visits in 2015 and 2018. I will never forget her warmth and kindness. During one of the meetings she showed me the handkerchief Mahatma Gandhi gifted her on her wedding. I will always cherish that gesture. pic.twitter.com/3aACbxhLgC
The Queen was born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, in Mayfair, London, on 21 April 1926. Her father became King George VI and, at age 10, Lilibet, as she was known in the family, became heir to the throne. She came to the throne in 1952 and witnessed enormous socio-political changes.
Experts note that her commitment to the Commonwealth was a constant – she visited every Commonwealth country at least once.
Her son King Charles III said in a statement that the death of his beloved mother was a “moment of great sadness” for the family. He added:
“We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished sovereign and a much-loved mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.”
During the coming period of mourning, he said he and his family would be “comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which the Queen was so widely held”.
The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.
The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/VfxpXro22W
Senior royals had gathered at Balmoral after the Queen’s doctors became concerned about her health earlier in the day.
The UK’s new Prime Minister Liz Truss with Queen Elezabeth II (Twitter)
Prime Minister Liz Truss, who was appointed by the Queen on Tuesday, said the monarch was the rock on which modern Britain was built, who had “provided us with the stability and strength that we needed”.
“We offer him our loyalty and devotion, just as his mother devoted so much, to so many, for so long. And with the passing of the second Elizabethan age, we usher in a new era in the magnificent history of our great country, exactly as Her Majesty would have wished, by saying the words ‘God save the King’.”
On the Queen’s death, Prince William and his wife, Catherine, became the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Cornwall.
All the Queen’s children travelled to Balmoral, near Aberdeen, after doctors placed the Queen under medical supervision. The King and his wife, Camilla, now Queen Consort, will return to London on Friday, Buckingham Palace said. Her grandson and now heir to the throne, Prince William, and his brother, Prince Harry, also gathered there.
From today opens a marvellous exhibition, ‘Weavers, Merchants and Kings: Cadrys 70th Anniversary,’ at the Powerhouse Museum in Ultimo, New South Wales, celebrating the 70th anniversary of Cadrys, the first Persian-owned carpet business in Sydney.
Prof. Pedram Khosronejad with the Cadry family (Image source: LinkedIn)
Sydney’s first Persian-owned carpet business was founded in 1952 by immigrant Jacques Cadry (1910–2003), who had been born into a Jewish family in the trade.
L5684/6 Family photograph, Sydney, Australia, 1990s (Image source: Supplied)
For 70 years, Cadrys Rugs has been at the forefront of introducing Australian designers and artists, including Florence Broadhurst, to the unique craftsmanship of Persian rugs.
Prof. Pedram Khosronejad (Image source: Facebook)
Prof. Pedram Khosronejad, who is the curator of Persian arts, says this will provide a rare glimpse into Indo-Persian history. He says:
“Loaned by Cadrys, it is one of only a handful of examples known to feature an architectural scene as the central design and provides a rare glimpse into a period of Indo-Persian history during the late 19th Century.”
The highlight of the exhibition for the visitors would be an antique Persian Dorokhsh carpet believed to have been created for a royal palace.
“Persian Dorokhsh carpets revived ancient textile-making traditions in Khorassan, a region renowned for woven art, and transformed the nomadic craft of carpet-weaving into a specialised artisan industry.”
Exceptional Persian artefacts from the Cadry family’s expansive collection and a selection of objects they have donated to the Powerhouse will also be displayed in the exhibition.
This will allow a whole new generation of enthusiastic and curious audiences to experience stories and folk traditions through eye-catching textile and craft pieces.
Exhibition highlights include four tempera illustrations by Paul Ratzer and an Asfar carpet previously owned by Ratzer and acquired by Jacques Cadry in 1983.
The exhibition (8 September 2022 – 29 January 2023) recognises the Cadry family’s decades of generosity as Powerhouse donors.
It will be complemented by documentary film screenings in the Kings Cinema and a scholarly panel at Powerhouse Ultimo on 15 October 2022 discussing the cultural significance of the objects on display.
From online to on/off field how Pakistan targets and terrorises opponents
In a thrilling Super 4 match at the ongoing Asia Cup 2022 on Wednesday, Pakistan defeated Afghanistan in the last over but it left a sour taste for cricket lovers worldwide.
Pakistan’s Asif Ali went against Afghanistan’s Fareed Ahmad in a heated exchange. Both players exchanged words as Asif raised his bat close to Fareed´s face and they pushed each other before Afghanistan players rushed to separate the two.
As reported by several media outlets incident happened in the 19th over when Pakistan’s batsman Asif hit a huge six on the fourth ball of Fareed Ahmad. However, on the next ball, Fareed got his magic back and outsmarted the batter with a bouncer as Asif top-edged the delivery straight into the hands of the short fine-leg fielder.
Jubilant Afghan players were celebrating on the ground, After getting out Pakistan’s Ali wasn’t happy with the bowlers’ reaction and he immediately pushed the bowler Fareed Ahmad back for celebrating on his face.
While Fareed did not shy from standing his ground, Pakistan’s batter Ali went one step further as he hurled his bat at the Afghan bowler before the players and umpires intervened and brought the situation under control.
Afghanistan skipper Mohammad Nabi said after the match, “The boys were brilliant with the ball and the field. But again we didn’t finish well, we didn’t control our nerves at the end. We didn’t give up at any stage.”
Pakistan’s vice-captain Shadab Khan played down the incident, saying it happened “in the heat of the moment” and was best left on the field.
Most will leave incidents like this to the field however a lot of commentators have pointed out that Pakistan takes advantage of such incidents to score political points by dividing communities due to the social, cultural, political and religious complexities of the Indian subcontinent.
Meanwhile, coming to the game, after the win Pakistan team’s supporters were busy teasing and provoking Afghanistan supporters in the stadium.
Which defiantly didn’t go well for them as a fight broke between the two groups. Pakistan-based journalist Fakhr-e-Alam tweeted the video of the fight and called on International Cricket Council to take action, however, he didn’t say a word about Pakistan’s supporters.
“This behavior by Afghan cricket fans is so very shameful & disappointing… @ICC must ensure all cricketing venues are safe for fans..this violent behavior cannot be allowed. Hope local authorities take action against all the culprits. Very very sad and disgusting. #AsiaCup“
This behavior by Afghan cricket fans is so very shameful & disappointing… @ICC must ensure all cricketing venues are safe for fans..this violent behavior cannot be allowed. Hope local authorities take action against all the culprits. Very very sad and disgusting. #AsiaCuppic.twitter.com/QGQzFoSEmn
An Afghan journalist who is also the founder of Afghan Peace Watch tweeted, “Even Pakistani players act like terrorists, intimidating Afghans on the playground.”
He further said, “Terrorists will always be terrorists. #AFGvsPAK“
Just three days back after India- Pakistan match an Indian bowler Arshdeep Singh was targeted by Pakistan’s troll army. They used Arshdeep Singh’s religion to fuel tensions among the global Indian diaspora in the name of Khalistan propaganda.
What happened with Arshdeep?
Arshdeep became the target of vicious online trolling after he dropped a crucial catch in the death overs resulting in the defeat of his side against Pakistan in the Asia Cup game on Sunday night.
Criticism/trolling of players for poor performance or crucial misdeeds is part of the fan-player relationship. In the Indian subcontinent fans, sometimes take things to the far end when they run protests, and burn an effigy. However, in the social media age memes and redesigned pictures are in thing.
Vimal Kumar, an Indian senior cricket journalist told The Australia Today, “Some Indian fans trolled Arshdeep for the dropped catch which is understandable but pictures were shared on social media, stating that “he was named in Khalistan squad for the 2018 under-19 World Cup which is just insane.”
Vimal Kumar even confronted a person after the match who was trying to invoke Arshdeep Singh’s religious identity for dropping the catch
The word India was replaced with Khalistan on Singh’s Wikipedia page by an anonymous user even as these changes were shortly undone by another editor.
The edit history of Arshdeep’s Wikipedia page revealed that the user who made those changes was unregistered and was using the internet protocol (IP) address 39.41.171.125.
The address allocation records showed that the particular address was allocated to the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL).
Following Sunday’s match, Arshdeep Singh became the top trend on social media with most users originating from Pakistan and North America.
A Delhi-based self-proclaimed fact-checker Mohammed Zubair, who was recently arrested for his allegedly misleading tweets jumped the gun again with allegedly misleading claims about Arshdeep trolling.
Delhi-based Sikh leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa sought a police probe into the role of fact checker Mohammed Zubair, alleging that his “screenshots” were used by Pakistani users to fuel a hate campaign and defame India as part of a “conspiracy”.
Mr Sirsa said he had lodged a police complaint regarding the attempt to create an anti-India narrative following an Asia Cup match where cricketer Arshdeep Singh dropped a sitter.
Taking to Twitter, Mr Sirsa claimed,
“Police complaint against @zoo_bear who worked with Pak agencies to set “Khalistani” narrative against #ArshdeepSingh in India. Zubair’s screenshots were used by Pak handles to defame India and fuel a hate campaign against Sikhs in India. He was a part of a planned conspiracy against Sikhs.”
According to Mr Sirsa, Zubair’s screenshots were used by Pak handles to defame India and fuel a hate campaign against Sikhs in India.
I have filed a police complaint against @zoo_bear as he was a part of Pak’s conspiracy to defame Sikhs and fuel hate campaign against Sikhs in India. His screenshots are used by Pak handles. I have demanded enquiry into who supported Zubair in creating this “Khalistani” agenda pic.twitter.com/xtc5U5yEsj
“This is a planned conspiracy to create communal disharmony in our nation. We demand an enquiry into who supported Zubair in creating this Khalistani agenda,” said Mr Sirsa.
In another tweet, he demanded a strong message from Wikipedia.
“Wikipedia must be given a strong message that they can’t let Pak Agencies use its platform to run a hate campaign in India. See how Pakistan agencies started this “Khalistani” campaign in the context of Arshdeep,” he said.
Another video went viral which explained the origin of most social media posts calling Arshdeep Singh as a Khalistani from Pakistan and North America.
Interesting video.
Khalistani trend on Arshdeep originated in Pakistan first.
Social Commentator Anshul Saxena explained how accounts from Pakistan were running Khalistan propaganda & calling Arshdeep a Khalistani.
Mr Saxena said, “Pakistan is running propaganda & fake news that Indian media channel ABP news is calling Arshdeep Singh a Khalistani. They are making a narrative that the people of India hate Sikhs.”
“It’s clear that accounts from Pakistan started targeting Arshdeep Singh by calling him Khalistani Sad part is that some people of India also fell into the trap & trolled Arshdeep in the same way This is what Pakistan wants,” he added.
1) Indian cricket player Arshdeep dropped a catch in the 2nd match of India Vs Pakistan, Asia Cup 2022.
And, now accounts from Pakistan are running Khalistan propaganda & calling Arshdeep a Khalistani.
This is not the first time Pakistan’s deep state using the religion of Indian players as a tool to plant their divisive agenda.
Indian ace bowler Mohammed Shami was also targeted in the same manner when India lost to Pakistan in the T20 World cup match.
1) When India lost to Pakistan in T20 cricket world cup, all India players were trolled on social media
But, Pakistan played major role in targeting Indian player Mohammed Shami so that they can make narrative that Shami was targeted only because of his religion.
Visitors on board INS Satpura (Image source: India in Fiji - Twitter)
By Dr Sakul Kundra
The Indian navy ship INS Satpura docked at the capital city of Suva, Fiji from 1 to 3 September 2022 with the goal of commemorating the 75 years of India’s Independence ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ by visiting six continents, 3 oceans and 6 time zones.
INS Satpura displayed the Indian Navy’s capacity to assist national goals through global deployment. The Indian Navy’s INS Satpura is a 6,000-ton guided missile stealth frigate that was planned and constructed entirely in India. It can actively hunt down and kill aerial, surface, and submerged enemies.
Satpura literally means ‘Seven mountains’, the name is laid after the mountain ranges in Central India. INS Satpura is the first in four years to visit Fiji as a part of the operational deployment in the Pacific Region.
The “ship has a displacement of 6,300 tonnes, a length of 143 metres, beam of 17 metres and is capable of speed upto 30 knots. It is equipped with long-range surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles, medium and short range guns, anti-submarine rockets and an advanced electronic warfare and communication suite” (Chand, FT, 29 August, 2022).
This has the capacity to operate helicopters that makes it suitable for multitasking roles including coastal and offshore patrolling, monitoring of Sea Lines of communication, maritime diplomacy, counter-terrorism and anti-piracy operations. This vessel is a combat-ready asset of the Eastern Fleet’s Visakhapatnam home base.
INS Satpura is seen as a symbol of further strengthening the friendship and cooperation between Fiji-India. This was a goodwill visit that was welcomed by a spectacular live band parade at the port. After arriving, the captain invited the Indian High Commissioner to Fiji, P.S. Karthigeyan to visit and tour the ship.
On the first day, the ship was open to the members of the public for a short duration, but around 300 visitors thoroughly enjoyed touring it. This was later followed by social welfare activities and the planting of 10,000 mangrove saplings at the Nasese Foreshore in Suva.
The next Day, the Indian High Commissioner to Fiji, P.S. Karthigeyan organised a Yoga Session on the Deck of this navy ship, which was led by Yoga instructor from Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, which was well received and participated extensively by visitors and high officials.
A great way to start the day! Yoga session in INS SATPURA , currently docked in the port of Suva. officers/staff of the @FijiNavy and Yoga enthusiasts for joining the crew members and officials of @HCI_Suva and @iccr_suva for the session. pic.twitter.com/vBsDI3iQaM
The officers from the INS Satpura laid a wreath at the National War Memorial, Suva to pay homage to the martyred soldiers who laid their lives to safeguard their nation.
‘Lest we forget’ Capt. Saket Khanna, Commanding Officer INS Satpura accompanied by Defense Advisor, Capt. Akhilesh Menon laid a wreath at National War Memorial, Suva to pay homage to the fallen heroes & those who sacrificed their lives to safeguard their country. pic.twitter.com/NlmkGRNeD3
On 2 September 2022, the High Commissioner of India to Fiji also organized a Free Health Screening camp at Albert Park in Suva that was conducted in joint collaboration of INS Satpura, Sai Prema Foundation Fiji and the Fijian Navy. Over 240 people benefited from this free medical camp with expert cardiologists, General Physicians, dentists, Nutritionists and others.
Ongoing Health Screening Camp in Albert Park, #Suva. On service, highly skilled Pediatric Cardiologist, General Physician, Dentist and Nutritionist. A joint initiative of the Doctors and Technicians from INS Satpura, @FijiNavy and @SaiPremaFiji Wishing you all good health. pic.twitter.com/h3I426jPeY
The visit of the ship ended with an evening dinner reception onboard the INS Satpura organized by High Commission of India and the INS Satpura. This was attended by Hon. Dignitaries of Fiji and many members of the Parliament, with members of the Diplomatic Core.
The next day, INS Satpura departed from Suva for its further journey. This short trip of INS Satpura must have given an opportunity to locals to establish connections and be part of the activities conducted onboard and inland activities.
History reveals that Fiji and India shares close friendship bond in the past, where India has been sending medical and relief help after many cyclones, donating COVID-19 vaccines to Fiji; handing over vehicles to Fijian Election office; sending disaster relief supplies; supporting Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Children’s heart hospital in Fiji; supplying medical supplies to the government of Fiji; and many more welfare activities.
In this context, the coming of INS Satpura has added another chapter to the growing friendship between these two nations. India has been the frontrunner in supporting Fiji in technology and human capital. These developments strengthen the bond between the two nations. These efforts of the Indian government and the High Commissioner of India to Fiji is praiseworthy and it has further fostered the relations between India and Fiji.
Image source: High commissioner of India to Fiji with officers of INS Satpura (India t Fiji – Twitter)
The long-distance between India and Fiji can not create a barrier, as their bilateral relations are growing. Hoping, soon, one can have a direct flight from Fiji to India at an affordable price; more scholarships for Fiji students to do tertiary education in India; India to financially support Fiji’s academicians to lead projects on common themes.
Expect more medical experts to visit Fiji regularly to support the medical cause. Future seems progressive, that can only happen with the cooperation of both the nations, and the real benefit should come to commoners.
Contributing Author: Dr Sakul Kundra is an Associate Dean (Research) and Assistant Professor at the College of Humanities and Education at Fiji National University. The views expressed are his own and not of this newspaper or his employer. Email dr.sakulkundra@gmail.com
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The Australia Today is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information in this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts, or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of The Australia Today and The Australia Today News does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
A single, pregnant rodent floating on driftwood across the treacherous waters between Asia and New Guinea 8.5 million years ago may be behind the eventual colonisation of native rodents in Australia, our new research suggests.
Today, Australia has more than 60 species of native rodents found nowhere else in the world. When you count their close relatives across New Guinea and island neighbours, there are over 150 species. These include the rakali, an otter-like rodent with webbed feet, and desert hopping mice that get around like tiny kangaroos.
Until now, we’ve had an incomplete picture of how there came to be so many species. Our new research unites genomic sequencing and museum collections to reconstruct the evolutionary tale of native rodents, including many extinct and elusive species – and they have a fascinating origin story.
Native rodents have also suffered the highest rate of recent extinction of any mammal group in Australia, with 11 mainland species declared extinct since European colonisation in 1788. Many surviving native rodents remain at serious risk of extinction, with urgent conservation action needed to secure their future.
New methods, old specimens
We extracted and sequenced DNA from museum specimens collected up to 180 years ago to unlock the secrets of the most elusive species.
In one case, we sequenced DNA from a specimen of Guadalcanal rat from the Solomon Islands collected over 130 years ago. The Guadalcanal rat was last seen alive when these specimens were collected in the 1880s, and hasn’t been recorded since.
Like the Guadalcanal rat, every single specimen we studied has its own fascinating history. Together, they tell an 8-million-year long evolutionary story.
The genetic relatedness of distant rodent relatives tells us the ancestor of Australia’s native rodents originated in southeast Asia. There’s never been a land connection between Asia and New Guinea, and so we know this must happened via over-water colonisation – possibly on a piece of driftwood.
Our research dates this event to around 8.5 million years ago. Both New Guinea and Australia looked very different back then.
In contrast to the large and high-elevation island of modern New Guinea, 8.5 million years ago it was likely made up of a series of smaller, disconnected islands.
Our results show the earliest arriving rodent ancestors, probably tropical forest specialists, initially spread across this earlier New Guinea. But they then stayed put for 3.5 million years.
A shared evolutionary story
Around 5 million years ago, New Guinea experienced a big geological change. Tectonic activity triggered the uplift of an impressive mountain range through the centre of New Guinea, and led to the formation of expansive lowlands.
This expansion opened new environments for rodents to adapt to, and increased connectivity between New Guinea, Australia, and neighbouring islands.
From there, things really took off.
Rodent ancestors first arrived from New Guinea into Australia around 5 million years ago, probably via a land bridge exposed during a period of low sea level.
In Australia, they have adapted to many new environments including the harsh arid desert. In the last few million years, rodents have been especially mobile – repeatedly moving between New Guinea, Australia and neighbouring island archipelagos, generating many new species in the process.
Native rodents first arrived to New Guinea from Asia 8.5 million years ago, and then arrived to Australia 5 million years ago. Over the past few million years, they also have spread across the Solomon and Maluku Island archipelagos.
In our region alone rodents have transitioned between different geographic areas or islands at least 24 independent times in the past 5 million years.
Quite often, this has happened via over-water colonisation. Just like their ancestor, who crossed the waters from southeast Asia 8.5 million years ago, native rodents have continued to leverage their impressive rafting skills.
And yet, despite this remarkable flexibility across evolutionary time, native rodents have not been able to tolerate the dramatic changes to their environment that have occurred in the past 200 years.
Protecting native rodents
Since 1788, we’ve lost 11 native rodent species to extinction. These include the white-footed rabbit-rat and the lesser stick-nest rat, once common on the Australian landscape.
Native rodents are particularly susceptible to predation by feral cats and foxes, land clearing, competition with pest rodents, and introduced disease. These ongoing threats place surviving species at serious risk of extinction.
One of Australia’s most critically endangered mammals, the central rock-rat, is on the brink of extinction after extensive habitat loss and predation by cats and foxes. Captive breeding programs are underway to boost population numbers.
We know even less about the conservation status of many species in New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Maluku Islands.
By combining genetic data from both modern and historical specimens, our new research takes stock of the diversity of native rodents, and will help to define and prioritise species for conservation efforts.
By understanding how our native rodents evolved, we can make more informed decisions about how best to protect them into the future.
Indian democracy gets a bum rap. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a bum rap as an American slang term for “an unfair claim that someone has committed a crime or done something wrong,” that about covers it.
Despite a vibrant free press, a tenaciously independent judiciary, and 75 years of free and fair elections (including during the 1975-1977 Emergency, when the all-powerful Indira Gandhi called and lost the most important election in Indian history), India has somehow gained an international reputation as an authoritarian state bordering on fascism.
The Economist Intelligence Unit considers India a “flawed democracy”; Sweden’s Varieties of Democracy Institute calls India an “electoral autocracy”, and the Washington think tank Freedom House rates India as only “partially free”.
Academic commentators often use even harsher language. Thomas Blom Hansen, the Reliance Industries—Dhirubhai Ambani Professor of South Asian Studies at Stanford University, has said that “the Modi government is a regime of low-intensity terror”. Yale University professor Jason Stanley, the author of How Fascism Works, says that “India demonstrates just how global ethno-nationalism, and its more violent sibling, fascism, have become”.
And here in Australia, Craig Jeffrey, the former CEO of Melbourne University’s Australia-India Institute, has written that “Narendra Modi’s regime may be described as an instance of authoritarian populism”.
How can a country that has been so successful at developing democracy at home have such a bad reputation abroad?
It is often said that India is the world’s largest democracy. It is less well understood that India is by far the world’s poorest country to possess a well-institutionalised democratic system and to have maintained its democratic institutions throughout its entire history as an independent country.
Many of the criticisms levelled at Indian democracy are actually criticisms of poverty, and Indian democracy should be admired for its persistence in the face of deprivation, not discounted for the shortcomings of the Indian economy.
Other criticisms of Indian democracy are actually criticisms of outdated (often British colonial) institutions, and again Indian democracy should be admired for its longevity, not discounted for its age.
However, the most egregiously misplaced criticisms of Indian democracy are actually no more than criticisms of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), often criticisms that are levelled at it by its domestic political opponents. These are then amplified and broadcast by academics, international organisations, and overseas Indian intellectuals.
In research published this month by Quadrant magazine (“Indian Democracy at 75: Who Are the Barbarians at the Gate?”), I have shown how the three major international evaluations of Indian democracy are “suffused with wanton speculation, misleading statistics, and uncritical reproductions of activist accusations” against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP.
In several specific incidences, the data presented by international critics as evidence of the declining quality of Indian democracy shows signs of intentional deception.
One obvious example of data misrepresentation is the claim that in 2021, more journalists were killed in India than in any other country outside China. Even taking the underlying data at face value, they show that India’s rate of deadly violence against journalists was 3.5 per billion people. The rate for the rest of the world outside China was 6.3 per billion people.
A fair appraisal would conclude that journalists are actually safer in India than in the rest of the world. But by failing to adjust for India’s extraordinarily large population (and accordingly a large number of journalists), the data are made to tell a different story.
Another misrepresentation is the claim that the BJP uses sedition laws to silence critics.
When carefully examined, the data adduced in support of this claim actually show no trend in the filing of sedition accusations. Moreover, those who make the claim routinely fail to note that in the Indian justice system, virtually anyone can file a First Indication (information) Report for sedition (or any other crime).
Thus of the thousands of sedition accusations filed during the period of the BJP government, very few have actually resulted in prosecution (there are no data on prosecutions under the previous Congress-led government).
One of the strangest findings of democratic decline concerns is the lack of Muslims winning seats in the Lok Sabha (Indian Parliament’s lower house). The number of Muslim Members of Parliament (MP) is in fact relatively low, compared to the concentration of Muslims in India’s overall population. But the number of Muslim MP’s has been rising since the BJP came to power, not falling.
If the number of Muslim MP’s is to be taken as an indicator of the quality of Indian democracy (a suggestion that is itself open to question), then the quality of Indian democracy has improved over the last eight years, not declined.
It is no secret that most Indian intellectuals vehemently oppose Narendra Modi and the BJP.
Understandably, International organisations would turn to Indian intellectuals—academics, journalists, think tank analysts, and award-winning writers—for insights into Indian democracy.
‘Prestigious organisations’ like the Economist Intelligence Unit, the Varieties of Democracy Institute, and Freedom House have a responsibility to be critical in their use of evidence and sceptical of highly politicised views. However, these organisations have themselves become politicised and are losing the credibility that made them prestigious in the first place by justifying these views.
Whatever individual Indians may think of Narendra Modi and the government he leads, all of the objective indicators show Indian democracy to be in good health. In fact, India’s democracy is in much better health than that of peer countries with similar levels of education and income.
At 75 years old, it might reasonably be said that Indian democracy is healthier than ever. Almost uniquely, India seems to have solved the problem of how to run a liberal democracy in a relatively poor country.
The world should be looking to India as a model, not of democratic backsliding, but of democratic success.
(In an exclusive interview with The Australia Today’s Editor, Pallavi Jain, Salvatore Babones said that internationally India enjoys tremendous goodwill at the official and geo-political level but that it was Indian intellectuals who were poisoning India’s reputation.)
Author: Salvatore Babones is an Associate Professor at the University of Sydney and the author of “Indian Democracy at 75: Who Are the Barbarians at the Gate?”, a research paper on India’s democracy rankings that appears in the September issue of Quadrant magazine.
Disclaimer: The Australia Today is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information in this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts, or opinions appearing in the article do not necessarily reflect the views of The Australia Today and The Australia Today News does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
Australia Alludu, an Indian students association, organised a spectacular Ganesh Chaturthi celebration at Monash University’s Clayton campus in Melbourne.
Image source: Australia Alludu
Telangana Agriculture Minister Niranjan Reddy and many local Members of Parliament participated in this ceremony along with hundreds of Ganesh devotees.
Image source: Australia Alludu
The organisers of the event Pallavi and Charan told The Australia Today that the need to respect Indian culture and promote a multicultural vibe in Australia inspired them to organise this event. They said:
“This is the most incredible Ganesh Chaturthi celebration in Melbourne. We feel spiritually uplifted while attending the celebrations. The vibrant ambiance, colours, festive spirit, and coming together of the community are incredible.”
The event attracted hundreds of devotees to witness a majestic five-foot eco-friendly idol of Ganesh that was specially made in Hyderabad, India, and resplendent with rich adornments, artistic décor, lavish flowers, and fruit garlands.
Image source: Australia Alludu
The Ganesh Mahotsava celebrations began with Ganesh puja and special aarti. Throughout the day, elaborate Hindu rituals and archana were performed with shlokas and mantras by priest Murthy.
Ayyapa Seva Samithi Melbourne performed Ganesh Bhajans mesmerising everyone present at the Mahotsava.
Image source: Australia AlluduImage source: Australia Alludu
The day was also marked with nonstop entertainment and Dhol performances marked by a unique spiritual fervor.
Image source: Australia AlluduImage source: Australia Alludu
In the presence of devotees and special visitors, organisers conducted a Laddu Auction at the Ganesh Immersion. Through this auction, the organisers were able to raise $23,000.
Pallavi and Charan added:
“By participating in such events, our children can learn about the rich Hindu culture, festivals and traditions. We would recommend all Indians in Australia to attend such celebrations in their area and support the organisers. As such events and celebrations are not possible without active volunteers.”
Image source: Australia Alludu
The organisers said that they would like to thank Carina Garland MP for Chisholm, Julian Hill MP for Bruce, and Meng Heang Tak MP, State Labour Member of Parliament for Clarinda.
Australia is facing an “unprecedented” teacher shortage. The federal government projects a shortfall of more than 4,000 high school teachers by 2025, but shortages are being felt across the board, especially in rural and remote schools, and in maths and science.
One of the possible solutions being touted by politicians is bringing in more teachers from overseas. This has happened before: in response to teacher shortages in Australia in the 1970s, teachers were brought in from the United Kingdom, United States and Canada.
Education Minister Jason Clare has asked Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil to fast-track visas for those with teaching qualifications. As he said earlier this month:
One of the things that we’ve got to do is prioritise visas for teachers from overseas who want to come and work here.
Primary Teacher; Image Source: @Canva
New South Wales Education Minister Sarah Mitchell has even proposed fast-tracking citizenship for teachers. But how realistic is this strategy when similar countries have their own teacher shortages?
How does it work?
Teachers from New Zealand have automatic recognition of their qualifications. But those from other countries need to meet conditions imposed by state teacher registration boards, or similar bodies.
For urgent cases, employers can apply for limited registration, for individuals who do not (yet) meet such requirements. The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership also provides skills assessment for overseas trained teachers, and it is also possible to do a bridging course.
Teachers want to quit in the UK
The signs from overseas, where COVID made pre-existing shortages worse, are not encouraging.
In England, a recent survey revealed 70% of teachers had considered resigning, with poor pay cited as a key factor by more than half of respondents. Another survey showed almost 50% of head teachers or principals planned to resign after the COVID pandemic, citing crushing workloads, poor pay and difficulties recruiting staff.
Lack of staff has already lead the UK to combine classes and it is now looking to recruit foreign teachers, including from Australia.
Primary Teacher; Image Source: @Canva
Extreme measures in the US
The US is following a similar trend: widespread teacher shortages compounded by the COVID pandemic. A pre-pandemic survey in 2018 estimated the shortage at 112,000, particularly in maths, science and special education.
A 2021 survey has since revealed 75% of school principals and districts were having trouble finding enough substitute staff to cover teacher absences.
States are having to resort to extreme measures to fill teaching positions during the pandemic. One school district in Texas asked parents to work as substitutes to fill the shortage. Some Texan schools have also moved to a four-day week.
Meanwhile, New Mexico has used National Guard members and state employees as volunteer substitute teachers to cover COVID shortages. Arizona now allows people without a college degree to begin teaching (as long as they’re enrolled in a degree).
Canada is also suffering from a significant teacher shortage, especially in special needs, early childhood and at the upper secondary level.
High levels of teacher attrition (as much as 40% in the first five years of service in some provinces) is blamed.
The pool of substitute teachers has also shrunk. In Quebec, British Columbia and Ontario, school boards are contacting retired teachers and instructors without certification to fill gaps. Saskatchewan and Ontario are offering final year education students temporary permits as substitute teachers.
Manitoba has introduced a “condensed training program” of 30 hours, that promises to teach basic classroom skills to those with a limited teaching permit.
Canada is also searching internationally. Somewhat like the priority accorded to skilled workers in Australia’s migration scheme, Canada’s Federal Skilled Worker program allocates substantial points to those with foreign education credentials, including teachers.
Primary Teacher; Image Source: @Canva
Migration unlikely to work
So, if migration is seen as a solution to Australia’s teaching shortage, the question needs to be asked: where are they going to come from?
Although poor pay in the UK and some states in the US might make Australia seem attractive, current teacher shortages in England, the US and Canada make it unlikely that many will be found there.
While it is possible teachers can be found in other countries, such as India, Malaysia and Singapore, they are unlikely to be found in significant numbers, partly due to lengthy registration procedures and some discrimination when seeking employment.
Ganesh utsav in Brisbane - Image supplied: Mayur Divate, Brisbane.
By Kiran Mahale
Brisbane Maratha Warriors and Brisbane Dhol Tasha Pathak celebrated the Ganesh Festival and annual Sports Prize Distribution on Sunday 4th September 2022.
Dr Amol Deshmukh the President of Dhol Tasha Pathak Brisbane told The Australia Today:
“Ganesh Mirvanuk has been etched into our memories since our childhood. The soulful sounds of drums bring alive sweet childhood memories and reinvigorate the spirit of community and multiculturalism. Our goal is to showcase our young generation’s centuries-old rich traditions and Motivate them to keep the culture and the passion alive.”
Brisbane Dhol Tasha Pathak’s performance was the highlight of the function where little Adit stole the heart of people with his power-packed Tasha performance.
Brisbane Maratha Warrior Sports club President Harry Sathe said:
“it is not just showcase of Marathi cultural but overall to promote the sport in the multicultural community and provide a sporting platform to young emerging kids and showcase their sporting talent while learning about our tradition.”
Mr Bhushan Joshi performed all the rituals and chanted all the shlokas for the Ganesh stahpana and explained it well to the wider community to understand why we celebrate the festival.
27-year-old Indian-origin auditor at Ernst and Young Aishwarya Venkatachalam died by falling from the 11th floor of her workplace building in Sydney’s CBD on August 27.
The tragic incident happened after when reportedly she had been kicked out of a work function and needed her house key from her office to go home – and told some kind, women, that building security would not let her in to get it.
Ms Aishwarya’s long-time friend Neeti Bisht told Daily Mail Australia she was dealing with bullying and racism at work.
“I think things had just started to brew then… Her colleagues and the racist angle was at play,”
Ms Bisht said.
An Ernst & Young spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia that the company ‘has a zero-tolerance response to bullying, harassment and racism, and we take any allegations that relate to these issues very seriously.
She added:
‘The review we launched last week following this tragedy is ongoing and it would be inappropriate to comment further until it is complete. We are continuing to offer all our people counselling and support.’
We (The Australia Today) are absolutely not suggesting Ernst & Young, which is now known as EY, or Aishwarya’s co-workers, were in any way responsible for her death.
Aishwarya’s uncle, who lives in Canada, told Daily Mail Australia that the whole family is struggling to come to terms with her death.
He said:
‘She was very educated, beautiful and brilliant. She was a very good lady, she was brought up very well. I do not know how this could happen. Her mother and father are very caring and kind. They were supporting her, and she was supporting of them.’
In 2015, Aishwarya graduated from Symbiosis College of Arts and Commerce in Pune, and in 2019, she joined Grant Thornton LLP in Bengaluru as a senior auditor. In November 2021, she moved to Australia to join EY as a Senior Auditor and was thriving in her new role.
Aishwarya and Nakul (Image source: Instagram)
Aishwarya got married to Nakul in Chennai last year in January. Her close friend Neeti Bisht, who was a bridesmaid at her wedding, told Daily Mail Australia that she recently complained about ‘racism’ in Australia and ‘mean colleagues’. Neeti said
‘She was a happy soul and was finding her feet in Australia … She mentioned how mean some of her colleagues were.’
Ernst & Young building
It is reported that At 8 pm Aishwarya spoke on the phone to her husband, Nakul, in Singapore before he got on a flight back to Sydney after a work trip.
Further, three women told the Daily Mail Australia that they found Aishwarya ‘crying her eyes out’ in a nearby car park about 30 minutes before the fall.
Aishwarya Venkatachalam (image source: Instagram)
These women said when we tried to help Aishwarya, she initially flinched from us, saying ‘all white people are racist’ and cowering in a corner.
But we told her: ‘We are three women here to support you and be here for you and get you home safely. Tell us what’s going on…
‘She just kept repeating herself…. and how she got kicked out of her work function.
‘She said that over 10 times whilst crying her eyes out. She was having a panic attack and had been drinking but wasn’t completely drunk.
‘Once we calmed her down, she said she needed to get into her work office at EY as she forgot her house key and they wouldn’t let her up [but] she had her swipe tag.’
Helping women added: ‘She didn’t have anybody. I saw that she was wearing a wedding ring so I asked about her partner and she said he’s in Singapore and getting a flight back.
‘I asked if anyone else had a spare key to her home or if we can drop her somewhere safe or call her a cab – I even offered to pay for a cab if she didn’t have money.’
She said at that point another woman and two men appeared who offered to drop her off at the EY building to get her key.
‘I think they made a welfare call out to the police but it was too late,’ said one of the women.
It is also being reported that she allegedly fell in a ‘drunk and distraught’ state after returning to the office following a work function at the nearby Ivy nightclub.
NSW Police spokesman told media that a report continues to be prepared for the coroner. They were unable to comment on when Aishwarya’s body will be repatriated to India.
Invest India CEO and Managing Director Deepak Bagla was recently in Australia for the inaugural Australia India International Business Summit (AIIBS) organised by the Australia India Business Council (AIBC).
Invest India is the advisor, guide, and facilitator to every investor looking to make a home in India.
In an exclusive interview with The Australia Today, Mr Bagla said that India is going through one of the most unprecedented transformations in human history regarding the pace and scale of change.
Mr Bagla also spoke about the importance of the Diaspora in further strengthening the Australia-India bilateral relationship. He added that the time to invest in India is now!
Michael Sharpe, National Director of Industry, AMGC (Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre Ltd) recently took part in a round table hosted by the AIBC after the business summit at Sydney StartUp Hub connecting with Investors, Startups and Manufacturing businesses looking to engage with India on market opportunities.
Mr Sharpe told The Australia Today that Australia and India will be stronger and that the new agreements between Australia and India are opening up vast opportunities for Australian manufacturers to partner with India.
He said that the opportunities in the manufacturing sector for the two countries are very vast and include everything ranging from food production to space industry and everything in-between. He added that Australian manufacturing needs to ramp up collaboration efforts with India.
James Stewart is Venture Partner at Loyal VC. Speaking with The Australia Today after the round table, Mr Stewart said that we are at one of the most exciting points in the history of the Australia-India economic relationship.
He added that it was about building understanding between the two communities to grasp opportunities.
Representative image - Human rights abuse (Source: Canva)
By Justine Nolan
The Chinese regime’s treatment of Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim groups in the province of Xinjiang may constitute crimes against humanity, says a long-awaited report from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
It describes as “credible” allegations of torture, including rape and sexual violence, discrimination, mass detention, forced labour and widespread surveillance.
Multiple reports over the past five years have documented human rights abuses in the far-western province. These include the arbitrary detention of at least 800,000 people, and possibly millions.
Former detainees have testifed about being forced to work in textile factories, producing goods possibly supplied to foreign companies.
In January 2021 the then US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, said he believed the Chinese government was committing genocide in a “systematic attempt to destroy Uyghurs”.
But this latest report, published just minutes before midnight on High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet’s last day in office, comes with the imprimatur of the United Nations.
It is no longer possible for anyone – including the many companies that continue to source products from Xinjiang – to claim plausible deniability.
Companies implicated in slave labour
Xinjiang is China’s largest region. Along with mining resources such as coal, gas, lithium, zinc and lead, it produces about 45% of the world’s polysilicon, a key component in photovoltaic solar panels.
It also produces the vast majority of cotton (84% is a commonly cited number) for China’s textiles and garment manufacturing industry.
A 2018 satellite image shows detention camps built near the Kunshan Industrial Park in China’s Xinjiang region. Planet Labs/AP,
The following month the Chinese government finally acknowledged the existence of what it called “vocational training centres”.
But it justified these as necessary to counter “terrorism” and “extremism”.
The latest UN report leaves no doubt large-scale arbitrary detention has occurred. Attempts to pass off camps as vocational or training centres are simply not credible.
As well the possibility of goods sourced directly from Xinjing being made with slave labour, this new UN report also notes the “labour transfer schemes” that force people from Xinjiang to work elsewhere in China.
These transfers mean goods produced in factories throughout China may be tainted with modern slavery.
A 2020 report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified 83 Chinese and foreign companies that allegedly benefit from the use of Uyghur workers outside Xinjiang.
The list featured Adidas, Amazon, Apple, BMW, Calvin Klein, Dell, Google, H&M, Hisense, Hitachi, Huawei, Lacoste, Mercedes-Benz, Microsoft, Mitsubishi, Nike, Nintendo, Sony, Victoria’s Secret, Volkswagen and Zara.
So where to next?
The UN report calls on the Chinese government to release those who have been arbitrarily detained, and to investigate the allegations of human rights violations. This is like asking a fox to guard the hen house.
What is needed is international action and pressure to force change.
This should also be a catalyst for individual nations to do more to stamp out modern slavery from supply chains, ensuring goods produced with forced labour – in China or elsewhere – cannot be imported.
This is also provides a clear signal for anyone doing business with China (not just Xinjiang) on the need to conduct adequate due diligence to ensure they are not benefiting indirectly from human rights abuses.
This includes technology companies that sell surveillance and security products to China.
Until there is broader access and independent verification of working conditions in Xinjiang, business should now assume that goods connected with this region are tainted with modern slavery.
Justine Nolan, Professor of Law and Justice and Director of the Australian Human Rights Institute, UNSW Sydney
The annual Insurance Business Awards is the leading independent awards event in the Australian insurance industry. These awards showcase the leading brokers, brokerages, insurers, underwriting agencies, BDMs, and much more across various categories. The award recognises the achievements, leadership, innovation, and excellence in the insurance profession.
Sumit Sopori and Tanushree Arora-Sopori (Image: supplied)
Sumit Sopori, the Founder and Managing Director of IIFS, told The Australia Today that he is very ecstatic about receiving this prestigious and iconic industry award.
He adds:
“My team and I feel really pleased to receive the national award as it’s quite a honourable award and well recognised in the insurance industry.
It is a reflection of our hard work and effort being recognised on a national level. It will only strengthen our motivation to serve the community even better.”
Sumit Sopori (Image: supplied)
Sumit who came to Australia in 2005 as an international student to study Business Management at Edith Cowan University, has over 13 years of experience working with broking giants and large insurers.
He says that he is always striving to create awareness about insurance among various communities and is always ready to mentor young graduates.
He adds:
“To create more awareness about the insurance industry among the culturally diverse communities and the fresh graduates about career pathways.
To combine technology with a human approach and work towards constant improvements by incorporating digitalisation to promote a user-friendly environment for the consumers. Promoting multiculturalism, equal opportunities, and meritocracy in the organisation.”
Insurance Business Awards 2022 (Image source: Insurance Business Australia website)
The Insurance Business Awards is presented by Insurance Business Australia magazine. On 2 September, after two years of virtual gatherings, the Insurance Business Awards 2022 were presented at a glamorous gala event in Sydney.
From Friday September 9, the isolation requirements for people with COVID and no symptoms will be cut from seven days to five days. Masks will no longer be required on domestic flights.
While Australian Medical Association President Steve Robson called for the release of the science behind the National Cabinet decision, the change shows we are now rapidly pushing towards a “business-as-usual” pandemic. This political strategy requires the elimination of protections or restrictions, so that life and business can go “back to normal”.
Setting a reasonable duration of isolation depends on balancing the risk to the community of ongoing transmission and the benefit of enabling individuals with COVID to go back to work, school and normal activities as quickly as possible. Seven days was already a compromise. And now New South Wales premier Dominic Perrottet has called for isolation to be scrapped altogether. Has the evidence changed with respect to this balance?
There are a number of recent studies in vaccinated people in the Omicron era evaluating how long people shed virus and are potentially infectious after testing positive for COVID. This fresh research shows a significant number of people (between one-third and one-half) remain infectious after a five-day isolation period. Another study shows two thirds are infectious after this time.
So, of the 11,734 people reported to be COVID positive on September 1, at least 3,900 would still be infectious on day five. If released from isolation, they could infect others.
With onward transmission, this could result in many additional COVID cases that would not have occurred if an isolation period of seven days had been retained.
While the reduction of the duration of isolation applies only to people who do not have symptoms, it is well accepted transmission without symptoms occurs. Unfortunately, our politicians have equated the absence of symptoms with the inability to transmit the virus to justify the changes. Decision-makers clearly need to be better informed.
But what about businesses?
Mandatory isolation places stress on people and businesses. But with numbers of COVID cases falling from the peaks of the BA.4/5 wave throughout Australia, fewer people are now testing positive for COVID than at any time this year. The pressure on individuals and businesses due to mandatory isolation is at a low point for 2022.
So why make the change now? Perhaps the hope is that while we are experiencing reduced transmission due to the large number of people recently infected with COVID, easing our protections will not lead to an immediate increase in cases.
In this confidence trick, politicians can make these changes with no apparent impact. They will continue to do so until all mitigations against transmission are gone. This is all part of a strategy which, in the words of the NSW premier, has “less reliance on public health orders and more reliance on respecting each other”. As if the two concepts are mutually exclusive instead of mutually reinforcing.
Unfortunately, reinfection is common, and we will face another epidemic wave in the future, likely before the end of the year. Then our systematic dismantling of all existing protections will make the next wave come on sooner and affect more people.
Mitigate transmission instead
Allowing a substantial proportion of people to go back to work while still infectious is not a solution to solving the workforce disruptions COVID is still causing. This is because there will be an increase of infections in workplaces and schools due to the shortened isolation. When our next wave comes, this will result in even more people being furloughed because they are sick with COVID or caring for others, defeating the ultimate purpose of the change.
And, as we have learned with the BA.5 wave – the highest number of people hospitalised with COVID in Australia since the beginning of the pandemic – reintroducing mandates once they have been removed does not happen even when medically advised. Once a protection is relaxed there is no going back – it’s a one-way road.
The best way to protect business interests and keep the economy productive is to mitigate transmission of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID) as best we can using a vaccine-plus strategy.
In other countries that have shortened the isolation and then abandoned it altogether, such as in the United Kingdom, transmission has only been worsened and the economic impacts compounded.
Removing mask mandates on planes will mean a greater risk of having your travel disrupted by COVID and also of airport disruptions because of flight crew off sick from increased exposure.
According to overseas studies, the reduction of the isolation period from 7 to 5 days means that of the 13,232 new COVID-19 cases reported today, around 6,500 will be infectious on Day 5 when they will take the virus to their workplaces, schools and shops where few wear masks.
By reducing isolation and thereby increasing workplace transmission, we make the workplace less safe. The rights of people to a safe workplace must be considered alongside business continuity.
Allowing increased transmission will impact the economy by resulting in higher numbers of people affected by long COVID. In the UK, the model we appear to be emulating, up to one in four employers are reporting their productivity is affected by long COVID.
The move to a business-as-usual pandemic leaves us unnecessarily vulnerable and will ultimately disrupt business even more.
The emergence of COVID variants that are more and more infectious and increasingly vaccine-resistant, along with the simultaneous removal of mitigations such as isolation and masks, dooms us to recurrent and disruptive waves of disease.
Our best chance of business continuity is not the one-way road to a disruptive business-as-usual pandemic but a layered strategy. This would include improved booster rates, safer indoor air, masks in public indoor settings and maintaining the current isolation period for those with COVID.
Naga Bharat Daka (Left) and Pawan Kumar Chandana (Right), co-founders of Skyroot Aerospace (Skyroot Aerospace)
Hyderabad-based commercial Skyroot Aerospace, the rising star of India’s growing commercial space startup sector, has successfully raised $51 million through a Series-B financing round.
In a tweet, Skyroot Aerospace said: “We are elated to announce our US $51M (INR 403 Cr) Series-B #funding round led by GIC.”
We are elated to announce our US $51M (INR 403 Cr) Series-B #funding round led by GIC.
We are proud to welcome one of the world’s leading institutional investors as a long-term partner in our mission to #OpenSpaceForAll
With this round, Skyroot has expanded its shareholder base including Myntra & CultFit founder Mukesh Bansal, Greenko Group founders (Anil Chalamalasetty & Mahesh Kolli), Solar Industries India Limited, Google board member Ram Shriram’s Sherpalo Ventures, Neeraj Arora (Former-WhatsApp Global Business Chief), Wami Capital and others from past funding rounds.
Ajay Kumar, Defence Secretary in the Government of India congratulated Skyroot team in his LinkedIn post. He said:
“The ecosystem of innovation created through iDEX is creating waves in various sectors. An iDEX startup making waves in Space sector!!”
Skyroot Aerospace was founded in 2018 by former ISRO engineers Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharat Daka. The 200-member strong team is working on developing its flagship Vikram series of launch vehicles.
Skyroot completes 4 splendid years today!
We thank every member of Team Skyroot for keeping the fire burning throughout; our Investors, @isro and @INSPACeIND for all the support, and everyone who rooted for us over the years.
With $51 million back-up, this makes it the highest funding round ever in India’s space technology sector by far. This investment, led by the Singapore-headquartered long-term investment firm GIC, will help Skyroot Aerospace boost its launch vehicle capabilities. It will further help tap into the fast-expanding global space economy that was cumulatively worth $469 billion in 2021.
Image source: Naga Bharat Daka (Left) and Pawan Kumar Chandana (Right), co-founders of Skyroot Aerospace (Skyrrot.in)
Pawan Kumar Chandana, the Co-founder and CEO of Skyroot, told Business Today that this funding will enable them to build “infrastructure to meet high launch cadence” required by their satellite customers.
The space-tech startup aims to cater to the growing demand from the international small satellite market. Its Vikram series rockets built using an all-carbon fibre structure are capable of carrying up to 800 kg payloads to the Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
In a major milestone, we’re thrilled to announce #successful Proof Pressure Test (PPT) of ‘Kalam-250’ – the 2nd Stage of our #launch vehicle Vikram-1.
This was built with ultra-high-strength #carbon fibre and tested to the required maximum expected combustion pressure of 77 bar. pic.twitter.com/hLlQb7D2o9
Skyroot’s co-founder and COO Naga Bharat Daka says:
“We have validated all three propulsion technologies in our Vikram space launch vehicles, and completed a full duration test of one of our rocket stages in May this year. We are also planning a demonstrator launch to space this year.”
Skyroot has successfully built and tested India’s first privately developed cryogenic, hypergolic-liquid, and solid fuel-based rocket engines.
Skyroot (Twitter)
In 2021, Skyroot became the first space technology startup to ink an MoU with the national space agency, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for sharing facilities and expertise.
Further, Accenture has recently announced that it has invested $25 million in Pixxel in a series A funding round and Chennai-based Agnikul Cosmos has raised $11 million in Series A funding, and Hyderabad-based Dhruva Aerospace has raised Rs 22 crore or around $2.7 million.
The global space launch services market is projected to grow from $14.21 billion in 2022 to $31.90 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 12.25 per cent.
Fiji Times’s cover story ‘Gone With the Wind’ (18/8/2022), follow up story ‘Lawyer abdicated roles’ (19/8/2022) of a legal battle is making headlines. This case is about a “lawyer [who] failed to appear in court on Monday where he was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment by the High Court in Suva for contempt of court” (FT, 18/8/2022). Both parties have reputed lawyers, who may take the best legal options during the trial and after judgement.
Every litigation, when it comes on to the court, has some rules and precedents to be considered by the Hon judges and law professionals. Thus the theory of precedent is of huge importance in the eyes of law.
If a system of law lacks stability, then it would create a huge concern for many. This would create uncertainty in achieving the best possible legal advice, and giving the freedom to apply any judgement without binding on the earlier judgements made by higher courts would lead to losing the similarity to justice and fairness, and the impartiality of the Court could not be maintained (Catlett, 1946).
This op-ed enlightens a debatable concept in law, i.e. Stare Decisis, its benefit, limitations, and critics to comprehend the concept based on available sources. It is highly relevant in Pacific Island nations that have borrowed laws from imperial, colonial, customary, and post-colonial laws.
Court (Image: Wikimedia commons)
What is Stare Decisis?
Stare Decisis is a Latin word meaning “To let the decision stand and not to disturb settled matters” or “to maintain former adjudications” or “to uphold precedents” in the law that is a binding Case Law.
The simple meaning is that the case at hand is to be decided in accordance with the decisions of similar cases in the past with similar facts and similar legal issues.
The decisions taken by the competent court “will no longer be considered open to examination, or to a new ruling, by the same tribunal or those which are bound to follow its adjudications” and “the judges are bound to follow that decision so long as it stands unreversed unless it can be shown that the law was misunderstood or misapplied in that particular case” (The American Law Register, December 1886).
This was the authority in a similar case. The preceding decisions should have binding authority; otherwise, the previous decisions will merely have persuasive value. The past decisions are identified as precedents.
In the colonies, this idea was employed as the foundation for their judicial judgements, which originated in England. The doctrine of Precedent guarantees that law is certain, consistent, and clear. This gives stability, predictability, adaptability, uniformity, and integrity to the rule of law.
This applies when higher court judgement/decisions with similar facts and legal issues have a binding effect on the subordinate courts. Thus, many cases of law in lower courts will be decided based on precedent.
Similarly, judges are bound by the precedent that comes from the higher court above their court. It is useful, as every case is no longer susceptible to endless re-examination thanks to this doctrine. Judiciary trust increases when legal standards are regularly implemented and judged by an objective, non-personal and logical process.
Stare Decisis is important to know what the law says as it curtails the practice of the court to decide freely on its own merit, irrespective of similar cases that have the judgement in the past. It saves time in making decisions as well as eliminated ambiguity in making decisions for the lower court to follow the decision taken by the higher court. It also establishes uniformity in decision-making.
All judges in a jurisdiction must apply the ‘rule of law’ until it is overturned by a superior court. These legal rules assist the public in understanding the ramifications of their actions, which makes it easier for them to make informed decisions. The persuasiveness of precedent primarily dependent on the
The doctrine works in both horizontal and vertical manner, the horizontal Stare decisis means the court is referring to its precedent, whereas vertical stare decisis is applying the precedent from the judgements made in the higher court.
However, another scholar stated that Courts have consistently emphasised that Stare decisis is a flexible “principle of policy” as opposed to “inexorable command” (ct. Kozel, 2010). The scholar emphasised the reasons for overruling the precedent based on questions of logical and consequential considerations (soundness and practical workability); Temporal and Doctrinal Considerations ( evolving understandings, antiquity, Remnant and Anachronisms; Unclean hands; Synchronization); Technical consideration (Nature of Decision rule and voting margin and dissents); Reliance Lite; and Rethinking Reliance (Kozel, 2010).
Limitation and Critics
According to The American Law Register, December 1886, the principle of Stare decisis is the:
Overruled cases [where the decisions are overruled by the same court that gave the judgement or the court exercising appellate jurisdiction, that cannot be cited as a precedent];
Decision manifestly Erroneous [the incorrect decisions of the past will not be able to be corrected and the duty lies with the court to correct the mistakes done in the past as some past decision has become obsolete due to change in the circumstance and space];
Isolated cases [“A single decision upon any given point of law is not regarded as conclusive as a precedent in the same degree that a series of decisions upon that point would be”];
Obiter Dicta;
Illustration and Argument; and
Two extremes to be avoided.
Some criticize Stare Decisis for its effect of limiting the free development of law. The precedent has also been criticised for its rigidity and unwillingness to allow any change. Lastly, whatever mistake has been made in judicial decisions in the past continues to be used as a precedent law.
In the long run, courts are reluctant to depart from precedent, mainly if it has been considered authoritative law for a considerable period (Schubert, 2012). The weight of a precedent is also affected by the number of judgements issued on the same rule of law. As per general scholar views, courts need to overturn precedents when they are no longer relevant because of changing economic, political, and social situations to benefit society.
Conclusion
The ongoing high-profile legal case in Fiji will be judged based on the best legal judgement if it is challenged in appellate court. Every doctrine has benefits and limitations, but the best practice is to adopt the precedent to establish the uniformity of adjudication.
However, I do believe in the sociological theory of law which may have a different perspective compared to the positive and natural theory of jurisprudence. As a social scientist, I think that society’s expectations and requirements should be the principle to make changes in obsolete and erroneous precedents.
Contributing Author: Dr Sakul Kundra is an Associate Dean (Research) and Assistant Professor at the College of Humanities and Education, at Fiji National University. The views expressed are his own and not of his employer. Email dr.sakulkundra@gmail.com
Dr Sakul Kundra (Image: supplied)
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The Australia Today is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information in this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts, or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of The Australia Today and The Australia Today News does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
Indian independence by the Australia India Chamber of Commerce; Image Source: The Australia Today
No, it wasn’t Mumbai, It was actually Melbourne that shined with glitter, glamour and glory while celebrating the 75th anniversary of Indian independence by the Australia India Chamber of Commerce.
More than five hundred guests represented the success of the Indian Australian community and the depth of the Australia-India relationship after the trade agreement at a star-studded Gala Dinner.
The Chairperson of Australia India Chamber of Commerce, Chris Mooney set the tone of the evening by outlining the six most important factors about an upbeat India to open the celebrations.
Chris Mooney, Chairperson, Australia India Chamber of Commerce
“First, India is soon to be the world’s biggest population, proving that democracy and large populations can work.
Second, India is now a major regional security power in the Indo-Pacific Region.
Third, it is leading in many areas of innovation – for example, the two-wheeler market in India could reach 100% electric by 2026. Innovation and change.
Fourth, India is the world’s most diverse democracy with 22 separate official languages, a total of 121 languages and 270 mother tongues.
Fifth, the Indian economy is the fastest growing of all developed nations’ economies – showing the “can do” drive of modern India.
Sixth, India has gifted the practice of yoga and ayurvedic medicine to the world.”
The room was filled with cheers when Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell announced next week he is leading a delegation of business leaders to India to strengthen the hard work of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) in the last couple of years.
Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell; Image Source: The Australia Today
And yes, Minister Farrell didn’t miss to tease Melbournites about the sunny and hospitable weather of Adelaide, his home city and almost invited AICC to organise a similar event there.
Victorian Treasurer and Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Industrial Relations, and Minister for Trade Tim Pallas had to bite his tongue and leave it there on the weather.
However, Mr Pallas was quick to remind that Melbourne is one of the most attractive destinations for Indian international students, tourists and businesses looking for investment.
Victorian Treasurer and Minister for Trade Tim Pallas
Leader of opposition Peter Dutton and Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs Jason Wood’s presence in the evening indicates how important India and the Indian Australian community are for the future of Australia.
Leader of opposition Peter Dutton and Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs Jason Wood with AICC’s Harish Rao
Indian High Commissioner Manpreet Vohra characterised Australia-India relations as one of the best among the current world order.
Mr Vohra emphasised the need to strengthen business and community organisations to fully utilise the growing cooperation and collaboration between the two countries.
Manpreet Vohra, High Commissioner of India in Australia
Neeraj Das is Managing Director of ElecSome & Ojas Group. Ojas Group runs multiple projects in India and Australia in the sectors of renewable energy specializing in solar, wind and hydrogen upcycling.
Mr Das said, “Though Australia-India diplomatic relation was incepted in 1941, 2022 is the historic year of the Australia India Economic Co-Operation and Trade Agreement (ECTA).”
Neeraj Das, Managing Director of ElecSome & Ojas Group
“From here on it’s the only way up where Australia can assist India with next-gen infra n cutting edge research to manage waste for a truly circular economy. At the same time, India can assist Australia with the largest pool of young professionals to support its growth.”
Rebekah Grindlay is Assistant Secretary of the India Branch with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Ms Grindlay told The Australia Today, “It’s wonderful to see so much energy in the Australia-India relationship. This event was a celebration of a special milestone for India but also for our close bilateral relationship.”
“It was an opportune time for the AICC to bring together government and business leaders ahead of Trade and Tourism Minister Farrell’s visit to India in September to further advance our trade and economic partnership.”
The evening was not a dull business conference, it was filled with some very exciting shows within. Sapphire Bollywood Dance group and Brad Blaze, Australia’s top International Speed Painter & Performance Artist lived up to their reputations to spellbound the guests.
Sapphire Bollywood Dance group
Brad Blaze’s paintings were sold in a silent auction to raise funds by Australian Friends of Asha for Slums’ work to support and raise awareness of the work of the internationally acclaimed Dr Kiran Martin and the Asha Society in Delhi, India. With a particular focus on advancing education as a means of breaking the cycle of poverty.
Brad Blaze, Australia’s top International Speed Painter
Molina Swarup Asthana is the National President of the Asian Australian Lawyers Association.
Ms Asthana told The Australia Today, “The AICC dinner was a great celebration of 75 years of India’s Independence bringing together business from both countries.”
Molina Swarup Asthana With Andrews Giles, Minister for Immigration
“Our bilateral relationship has never looked better and it can only go upwards from here based on our common values, particularly the rule of law and our people-to-people links.”
Molina Swarup Asthana is the National President of the Asian Australian Lawyers Association
Molina Asthana is also a sports diplomacy advocate. She says the business of sport and business with sports can be one of the best ways to discover possibilities between Australia and India.
Organisers interestingly had a good understanding of this fact and made the most uncompromising cricket player and former Australian captain Ricky Ponting part of it.
Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting with Chris Mooney, Chair, AICC and Harish Rao
Wine is one of the commodities which is turning out to be gaining the most benefits in a recent Australia-India Economic Co-Operation and Trade Agreement. Ricky Pointing perhaps knows this and is playing on the front foot to be in a commanding position through his brand ‘Ponting’.
Mitu Bhowmick Lange is the founder of Mind Blowing Films and the force behind the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne.
Mitu Bhowmick Lange, Founder, Mind Blowing Films with Indranil Halder
Ms Lange says I am so proud to be part of this historical movement to celebrate ‘Azadi Ka Amratmahotsav’ right in the heart of Melbourne.
She told The Australia Today, “It was wonderful to be at the AICC India at 75 celebrations and see how far we have come .”
“Listening to maestro Zubin Mehta talk about His father playing at clubs in India where Indians were not allowed during the Raj, was very special… there is so much to celebrate and look forward to as our two countries get closer and closer.”
Mitu just took away my lines, the heartbeat of the celebration was ‘Maestro Zubin Mehta’.
The only person in the room who was present at the Gateway of India, Mumbai when an Independent India was sending off the last British officer.
Maestro Zubin Mehta and Greta Bradman
Some tears were flowing under the dim lights in the room while the conversation between Maestro Zubin Mehta and Greta Bradman was time travelling us through the 75 years long journey of India.
Nirzari Seth, Director of Augment Group was one of those emotional souls who were wiping tears and smiling through the chat.
She says while we have assisted many individuals with accomplishing their extraordinary Australian dream of owning a house and making pathways for expats, however, listening to Mr Mehta has left me with a thirst to do more.
Nirzari Seth, Director, Augment Group with her associates
Ms Seth told The Australia Today, “We (Augment Group) feel privileged to be associated with AICC. As part of the business community, we embrace innovative ways of contributing to the rising India-Australia relationship.”
“The cultural diversity and bonding witnessed at the 75th anniversary is incredible and explains the long-lasting relationship between the two nations.”
The evening was such that a lot of people wanted it to go till maybe midnight.
Harish Rao, Executive Director of Australia India Chamber of Commerce was perhaps one of them.
Mr Rao says It was a dream evening celebrating the courage of India and complimenting it with the friendship of Australia and naming it a celebration of the 75th anniversary of Indian independence.
He doesn’t forget to remind, that Melbourne-based AICC is a National Organisation set up along the lines of national industry groups with a sectoral focus, initially in Tech & Innovation, Defence, Critical Minerals and Education.
Harish Rao, Executive Director of Australia India Chamber of Commerce
“We at AICC want to drive commercial outcomes between Australia and India with the strong support of DFAT and our business community.”
With leading corporates as premium members, the AICC in a short span of 3 years has become the go-to bi-lateral business body in Australia under the able guidance of the founding patron of Former Premier of Victoria, Ted Baillieu, AO.
You’ve heard of the gig economy and the portfolio career. Now quite popular terms, they come from the ways artists work. Think musicians gigging across small bars and large arenas, visual artists with portfolios of work in print, in galleries and online, or actors engaged on a range of short-term projects across a given year.
Once celebrated for flexibility and personal choice, these terms are now synonymous with exploitative, casual and precarious employment, or working conditions lacking entitlements, such as superannuation and sick leave.
But there is much to be learnt from the creative industries when it comes to understanding the future of work.
Creativity is complex. It’s not straightforward to teach and it’s not straightforward to understand. That’s what’s so exciting about it.
Learning creativity
“Innovation”, “disruption” and “agile thinking” are frequently touted as necessary for productivity and economic growth.
Often overlooked by political and business leaders, however, none of these innovations can be generated without a creative approach.
Developing creative skills requires a sophisticated approach to education and training. You don’t learn critical thinking, ideas generation and problem-solving by rote.
That kind of learning comes from art schools, design studios and humanities degrees. This is education that asks questions, delves deeply and takes time.
For artists and arts educators, the outcomes have been devastating.
But it’s not just artists who are impacted by a collapse in creative education. In 2020, leading epidemiologist Michael Osterholm told 7:30 that “the capacity to envision” the pandemic’s consequences would be crucial to saving lives.
When asked why the world was so woefully unprepared for COVID-19, Osterholm declared decision-makers “lack creative imagination”.
The ways our imaginations are trained and supported are vital to the skills and jobs of the future – and indeed, to securing that very future itself.
Working creatively
While more creative jobs and workplaces might be difficult to envision, the pandemic has already normalised the kinds of flexible working arrangements employers would previously have considered damaging to productivity or impossible to implement. Retaining that flexibility is now seen as crucial to retaining staff.
Care must be taken, however, to avoid the exploitative consequences of the gig economy and portfolio career. While it might once have been a bastion of freedom for an artist to have a wide-reaching and variable working life, we are now more aware than ever of how the gig economy can be synonymous with falling wages.
Questions of where and what hours we work are just the basics of workplace flexibility – and this flexibility shouldn’t be offered at the expense of other entitlements. Workers with multiple jobs generally aren’t entitled to the sick pay and leave provisions as someone working the same hours at just the one job. We need to move beyond those basics.
We need to start taking more adventurous approaches to understanding what work is, what skills are prized and how those skills are developed.
If we don’t, innovation and productivity will continue to suffer, and the most creative employees will continue to frustrate employers by engaging in classic workplace activism such as the work-to-rule or go-slow protests glamorised today as “quiet quitting”.
Worse, we won’t have any means for unlocking unexpected solutions to the unexpected problems we continue to face.
Ours is an era of compound crises – climate change, fires and floods, housing affordability, cost of living, the rapid spread of disease – and we’re not going to get through these by doing what we’ve always done before.
The best way to secure the jobs and skills of the future is to understand how artists train, and invest in the most creative approaches to education and professional development across our working lifetimes.
This means an approach to education that exercises the hands and the body as well as the mind: making, testing, crafting, performing and experimenting.
Arts education balances theory and practice, invites students to be inventive and rewards risk-taking. It trains an artist’s entire body to think differently and prepare for any scenario. And in doing so, it promotes wellbeing, self-esteem and resilience.
A creative future
Arts Minister Tony Burke – also Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations – held two industry roundtables on Monday to hear from arts leaders who could not attend the jobs summit.
Now, the summit must consider how creative skills can be taught extensively and affordably in Australia – well beyond art, design and humanities programs.
Employers must be trained to recognise and value creative skills, and understand how best to deploy them.
And we need to ensure the working conditions of the future are fair and supportive for everyone.
Only the most creative approaches will secure that future.
This article is part of The Conversation’s series looking at Labor’s jobs summit. Read the other articles in the series here. It has been republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
The Indian economy is forecast to become the fifth biggest by 2027 despite its large population which creates the lowest per-capita GDP.
This news comes after the Indian government put out the GDP data for the first quarter of 2022 according to which the Indian economy grew at 13.5 per cent year-on-year.
Image: Countries by Nominal GDP at Current U.S. Dollar Exchange Rates (Source: investopedia)
India’s ‘nominal” GDP on an adjusted basis using the dollar exchange rate on the last day of the March quarter of 2022 stood at $854.70 billion, while that of Britain was $816 billion.
Commissioning of the first Indian indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant; Image Source: @PIB
Experts believe that India extended its lead in the first quarter, according to GDP figures from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The IMF’s forecasts show India overtaking the UK in dollar terms on an annual basis in 2022. This will put India behind just the US, China, Japan, and Germany.
Further, the Indian economy is forecast to grow more than 7% in 2021 as per calculations done using the IMF database and historic exchange rates on the Bloomberg terminal.
Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss (Photo: CNBC screenshot)
In 2021, Australia was the 13th-largest economy by nominal GDP and 18th-largest by PPP-adjusted GDP. Its economy grew 0.8% during the March quarter 2022 and 3.3% over the past year.
Almost ten years ago, China was in 13th place (now at 2nd) and India ranked 11th among the largest economies. The United Kingdom (UK) was 5th and has now slipped to 6th place as the people grapple with the increased cost of living and an unstable socio-political environment.
Commissioning of the first Indian indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant; Image Source: @PIB
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi commissioned the first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant today. During the event, Prime Minister Modi also unveiled the new Naval Ensign (Nishaan), doing away with the colonial past and befitting the rich Indian maritime heritage.
Addressing the gathering, PM Modi said, “here on the coast of Kerala, India, every Indian, is witnessing the sunrise of a new future. This event being held on the INS Vikrant is a tribute to the rising spirits of India on the world horizon.”
He said,
We are seeing a manifestation of the dream of the freedom fighters where they envisioned a capable and strong India.”
A landmark step which will further national pride and rid our nation of colonial baggage. pic.twitter.com/2sirq92xAw
Prime Minister Modi exclaimed “Vikrant is huge, massive, and vast. Vikrant is distinguished, and Vikrant is also special. Vikrant is not just a warship. This is a testament to the hard work, talent, influence and commitment of India in the 21st century.”
“If the goals are distant, the journeys are long, the ocean and the challenges are endless – then India’s answer is Vikrant. The incomparable Amrit of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav is Vikrant. Vikrant is a unique reflection of India becoming self-reliant,”
He added
Commissioning of the first Indian indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant; Image Source: @PIB
Every part of INS Vikrant has its own merits, a strength, and a development journey of its own. It is a symbol of India’s indigenous potential, indigenous resources and indigenous skills.
The steel installed in its airbase is also indigenous, developed by DRDO scientists and produced by Indian companies.
Explaining the massive proportions of the Carrier, the Prime Minister said it is like a floating city. It produces electricity that is sufficient to power 5000 households and the wiring used will reach Kashi from Kochi, he said.
The Prime Minister talked about the Indian Maritime tradition and naval capabilities. Chhatrapati Veer Shivaji Maharaj, he said, built such a navy on the strength of this sea power, which kept the enemies on their toes.
Commissioning of the first Indian indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant; Image Source: @PIB
“When the British came to India, they used to be intimidated by the power of Indian ships and trade through them. So they decided to break the back of India’s maritime power. History is witness to how strict restrictions were imposed on Indian ships and merchants by enacting a law in the British Parliament at that time,” Prime Minister Modi said.
PM Modi noted that on the historic date of September 2, 2022, India has taken off a trace of slavery, a burden of slavery. The Indian Navy has got a new flag from today. Till now the identity of slavery remained on the flag of the Indian Navy. But from today onwards, inspired by Chhatrapati Shivaji, the new Navy flag will fly in the sea and in the sky.
As a symbol of Indian national pride, the erstwhile Indian Naval Ensign included the National Flag in the upper left canton, red vertical and horizontal stripes and a golden yellow State Emblem superimposed on the intersection of the red stripes.
The national motto ‘Satyamev Jayate’ engraved in the Devanagari script, was included underneath the State Emblem. This White ensign has been flown by all formations, ships and establishments of the Indian Navy till September 1.
The White Ensign identified nationwide with the Navy, now comprises two main constituents – the Indian National Flag in the upper left canton, and a Navy Blue – Gold octagon at the centre of the fly side (away from the staff). The Octagon is with twin golden octagonal borders encompassing the golden National Emblem (Lion Capital of Ashoka – underscribed with ‘Satyamev Jayate’ in blue Devnagri script) resting atop an anchor; and superimposed on a shield.
Below the shield, within the octagon, in a golden bordered ribbon, on a Navy Blue background, is inscribed the motto of the Indian Navy ‘Sam No Varunah’ in golden Devnagri script.
Commissioning of the first Indian indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant; Image Source: @PIB
The design encompassed within the octagon has been taken from the Indian Naval crest, wherein the fouled anchor, which is also associated with a colonial legacy, has been replaced with a clear anchor underscoring the steadfastness of the Indian Navy.
The Navy Blue colour of the above octagonal shape depicts the Blue Water capabilities of the Indian Navy. The twin octagonal borders draw their inspiration from Shivaji Maharaj Rajmudra or the Seal of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, one of the prominent Indian kings with a visionary maritime outlook, who built a credible Naval Fleet that earned grudging admiration from European Navies operating in the region at the time.
Naval Ensigns are flags that naval ships or formations bear to denote nationality. The current Indian Naval Ensign consists of a St. George’s Cross — a red cross with white background.
The Octagonal shape also represents the eight directions (four cardinal and four intercardinal), symbolising the Indian Navy’s global outreach. The Octagon stands for good fortune, eternity, and renewal and draws positive energy from all directions. The new Naval White Ensign is thus, rooted in the glorious maritime heritage of India, as well as reflective of our Navy’s present-day capabilities.
The new Naval Ensign unveiled by @PMOIndia Shri @narendramodi on #02Sep 22, during the glorious occasion of commissioning of #INSVikrant, first indigenously built Indian Aircraft Carrier & thus, an apt day for heralding the change of ensign.
The President of India has approved the introduction of the new designs of the Naval Ensign, as also the Distinguishing Flags, Masthead Pennants and Car Flags for the Indian Navy. Formations, ships and establishments of the Indian Navy would be adopting the new Naval ensign, as also the new distinguishing flags, car flags and masthead pennants.
PM Modi said,
“INS Vikrant is a floating airfield, a floating town.”
INS Vikrant is 262 metres long and 62 metres wide. It is the largest warship built in India. The warship can accommodate a crew of nearly 1,600. INS Vikrant consist of 14 decks with 2,300 compartments that can carry around 1,500 sea warriors and to cater to the food requirements, around 10,000 chapatis or rotis are made in the ship’s kitchen, which is called the ship’s galley.
Commissioning of the first Indian indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant; Image Source: @PIB
INS Vikrant is named after its predecessor, which played a key role during the 1971 war against Pakistan for the liberation of Bangladesh.
The ship would be capable of operating an air wing consisting of 30 aircraft comprising of MIG-29K fighter jets, Kamov-31, MH-60R multi-role helicopters, in addition to indigenously manufactured Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) and Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) (Navy).
Using a novel aircraft-operation mode known as STOBAR (Short Take-Off but Arrested Landing), the INS is equipped with a ski- jump for launching aircraft, and a set of ‘arrester wires’ for their recovery onboard.
The Australian Government will increase the duration of post-study work rights of international students to strengthen the pipeline of skilled labour with Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil’s announcement to increase the permanent skilled migration number to 195,000.
It was earlier set at 160,000 places for 2022-23.
Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil; Image Source: Twitter
Speaking at the government’s jobs and skills summit in Parliament House she said,
“Based on projections, this could mean thousands more nurses settling in the country this year, and thousands more engineers.”
Minister for Education Jason Clare said at the moment, only 16 per cent of international students stay on after their studies end.
Federal Education Minister Jason Clare MP visiting Sacred Heart Primary School in Villawood (Image source: Twitter – Jason Clare MP)
Today’s announcement will mean they can stay on longer and use the skills they’ve gained in Australia to help fill some of the chronic skills shortages we have right now.
Post-study work rights for select degrees in areas of verified skill shortages will be increased from:
Two years to four years for select Bachelor’s degrees
Three years to five years for select Masters degrees
Four years to six years for select PhDs.
A working group will be established to advise the Ministers for Home Affairs and Education on the development of this and other relevant issues.
Members of the working group will include representatives from the Council of International Education, the National Tertiary Education Union, Universities Australia, and the Departments of Home Affairs and Education.
The group will report to Ministers by 28 October 2022.
No change to international students’ work hours
Minister O’Neil also announced today that work hours for international students will be capped again in June next year following feedback from stakeholders.
The number of hours will be subject to consultation with a view to striking the right balance between work and study.
Minister for Home Affairs Clare O’Neil argues, that there is nothing in this room without universal support, but an area where almost everyone agrees is that we need to lift the permanent migration numbers for this year.
“I want to emphasise that one of Labor’s priorities is to move away from the focus on short-term migrants, toward permanency, citizenship and nation-building.”
To the state and territory premiers, she clarified, “we are building in a big lift under the state and territory sponsored visas – from 11,000 last year to 31,000.”
Immigration Minister Andrew Giles said, “There were almost a million visas waiting for this government after the election, today, that number is around 900,000.”
Immigration Minister Andrew Giles; Image Source: @Twitter
He claims the government is getting on with the job of ending this crisis. To ease visa processing time an additional 180 staff are working on visa processing and another 190 staff are being on-boarded, and up to 200 staff are working regular overtime.
Now, the median number of days it takes for a person coming to Australia on a temporary skilled visa is down, from 53 days in May, to 42 days in July. And the median time taken to approve new businesses for sponsorship has halved, from 37 days to 18.
“In May, students outside of Australia had to wait on average 40 days for their visa. Today, that figure is down to 31.“
Importantly, over half of all working holiday visas for young people overseas are now finalised in less than a day.
Minister Giles said,
“We will invest 36.1 million dollars in visa processing, to surge staff capacity by 500 people for the next nine months.”
Minister Giles assured people waiting for visas that the backlog will be cleared.
These prizes are most comprehensive national science awards that honour excellence across the areas of research & innovation, leadership, science engagement, and school science.
Congratulations to the 2022 Australian Museum Eureka Prize winners!
Their achievements demonstrate that we have the resources and ideas to tackle some of today's major global challenges.
— Australian Museum Eureka Prizes (@eurekaprizes) August 31, 2022
Prof. Sumeet Walia of RMIT University is a noted award-winning researcher as a named inventor on ten patents covering multi-sector technological innovations and products. He has been awarded with ‘Eureka Prize for Emerging Leader in Science.’
Image source: Prof. Sumeet Walia (Eureka Prize website)
In a tweet, Prof. Walia said: “Absolute honour for the recognition @eurekaprizes 2022. Brilliant science stories and the people behind them on display.”
Prof. Walia is an entrepreneurial leader whose research is being translated into products that improve lives and promote equity. His ground-breaking projects include artificial vision technologies, smart window coatings, UV exposure skin sensors, and infection prevention platforms. Prof. Walia is also a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in STEM and conducts public outreach programs in both English and Hindi.
Well-known scientist Prof. Veena Sahajwalla from the University of the New South Wales (UNSW) has been awarded ‘Celestino Eureka Prize for Promoting Understanding of Science.’
Image source: Prof. Veena Sahajwalla (Eureka Prize website)
In her tweet, she said: “Such an honour last night being named the Australian Museum’s 2022 Eureka Prize winner for Promoting Understanding of Science.”
Such an honour last night being named the Australian Museum's 2022 Eureka Prize winner for Promoting Understanding of Science
Prof. Sahajwalla is the pioneering inventor of a new generation of ‘green’ materials and sustainable products. Through her rigorous research and extensive community and industry engagement, Prof. Sahajwalla is shifting the mindset of the nation to see unwanted materials not as waste, but as a valuable resource.
Dr Arunima Malik from the University of Sydney is part of the team that was awrded ‘Eureka Prize for Excellence in Interdisciplinary Scientific Research.’
Image source: Prof. Manfred Lenzen, Prof. David Raubenheimer, Dr Arunima Malik, Dr Mengyu Li and Navoda Liyana Pathirana, University of Sydney (Eureka Prize website)
Dr Malik is Senior Lecturer in the Integrated Sustainability Analysis group. She coordinates and teaches postgraduate units for the Masters of Sustainability program.
Her reserach team from diverse fields such as economics, engineering and nutrition developed advanced data modelling techniques to trace billions of supply chains, linking food producers and consumers. Further, their work highlights the drivers of dietary choice and is informing policy for the United Nations and other international bodies.
Since the prizes were established in 1990, close to 500 Eureka Prizes have been awarded. This year 15 individuals and teams were recognised across categories in the 2022 Australian Museum Eureka Prize.
Laxman Narasimhan, 55-year-old, has been named as the new CEO of coffee chain giant Starbucks.
Starbucks today announced that Laxman Narasimhan will become the company’s next chief executive officer, working closely with Howard Schultz, before assuming the role and joining the Board on April 1, 2023. https://t.co/AQCCDiT0bt
Narasimhan holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the College of Engineering, University of Pune, India. He has an MA in German and International Studies from The Lauder Institute at The University of Pennsylvania and an MBA in Finance from The Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania.
Narasimhan brings nearly 30 years of experience leading and advising global consumer-facing brands. He was most recently serving as CEO of U.K.-based Reckitt, which owns brands like Lysol, Durex and Mucinex. He announced earlier Thursday he was stepping down from that role.
Image source: Laxman Narasimhan (Twitter)
Narasimhan has previously worked at PepsiCo as its global chief commercial officer and as a senior partner at McKinsey. He join Starbucks in October 2022, learning about the company and its reinvention plan, before assuming the top job in April 2023.
He is also a trustee of the Brookings Institution, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, served as a member of the UK Prime Minister’s Build Back Better Council, and is a member of Verizon’s Board of Directors.
Starbucks board chair Mellody Hobson said in a statement that “We really do believe that we have found an exceptional individual to be our next CEO. He’s a tested leader.”
Hobson added:
“His deep, hands-on experience driving strategic transformations at global consumer-facing businesses makes him the ideal choice to accelerate Starbucks growth and capture the opportunities ahead of us.”
Image source: Howard Schultz (Wikimedia commons0
Howard Schultz, who is presently the interim CEO of Starbucks, said in a statement that Narasimhan is “the right leader”.
Schultz observed
“When I learned about Laxman’s desire to relocate, it became apparent that he is the right leader to take Starbucks into its next chapter. He is uniquely positioned to shape this work and lead the company forward with his partner-centered approach and demonstrated track record of building capabilities and driving growth in both mature and emerging markets.”
In a tweet, Indian-American venture capitalist, Asha Jadeja Motwani said: “The humility & hard work ethic of Indian-born CEOs has strengthened corporate America like never before.”
Yet another Indian executive is brought in to lead an iconic American company, as it faces its largest Union battles.
The humility & hard work ethic of Indian born CEOs has strengthened corporate America like never before. https://t.co/CxXb5glAwL
Neil Saunders, who is the Managing Director of GlobalData Retail and founder of Conlumino, said ina. tweet that Narasimhan is “a good appointment for Starbucks CEO. A safe and proven pair of hands for the upcoming challenges of unionization and margin compression.”
I think Laxman Narasimhan is a good appointment for Starbucks CEO. A safe and proven pair of hands for the upcoming challenges of unionization and margin compression. Thanks to Axios for including my comments…https://t.co/R61N85Nftu
There were 33.83 thousand Starbucks stores worldwide in 2021. The company is also holding an investor day on September 13 in Seattle. It is expected that the management will reveal some more details about their planned changes.
Narasimhan will relocate from London to Seattle as incoming CEO in October and Howard Schultz will continue as interim CEO of the coffee chain giant till April 2023.
Melbourne-based Burger Road run by the husband-wife team of Ishu Singh Wadhawan and Anna Dewan is ready to move into the interstate competition.
Ishu came to Australia in 2006 with a degree in hospitality along with an extreme passion for cooking delicious food. He worked in the food industry for more than 12 years as Head Chef and Manager of a fine-dining restaurant.
Anna and Ishu’s Burger Road; Image Source: Supplied
In 2017, Ishu and Anna decided to open their own American-styled burger joint in the northside suburb of Fairfield. At present, Burger Road has three corporate stores and four franchisee-owned stores in Melbourne. Ishu and Anna plan to more than double their presence by next year with the opening of 15 new stores in Melbourne alone.
Burger Road (Supplied)
Although, like other restaurants and fast-food chains, Burger Road too is affected by the shortage of staff. However, Anna and Ishu told Buiness News Australia that they have devised a unique way through their dedicated recruitment strategy that consists of a six-week training program to address this shortage. Ishu says:
“We hire local staff and have made a number of changes to our onboarding, which includes offering in-house training; meaning anyone, regardless of their prior experience, can get a job at Burger Road, grow themselves, their skills and their career with our team.”
He adds that the purpose of their strict training is to equip the team with all the necessary tools to successfully operate their own Burger Road stores.
Burger Road (Supplied)
Anna says that Burger Road is on track to expand into Queensland, South Australia, and New South Wales. She says:
“Now that our stores are established and running strong in Melbourne, we want to expand further into franchising. We aim to open at least one corporate store in each state by 2023 and begin franchising.”
She adds that as part of interstate expansion assessment of suitable locations on the Sunshine Coast, Adelaide, Sydney, and Albury is underway.
Burger Road (Supplied)
The growth of Burger Road as a brand, according to Anna and Ishu, is driven by the success of their existing franchisees. Anna says that one franchisee has two sites and another one is also planning to open at an additional location. She adds:
“We encourage and aim for our franchisees to own multiple stores, as it’s beneficial for the entire Burger Road brand.”
Further, Anna and Ishu credit their success to focus on maintaining quality which is led by their signature Wagyu beef burgers of 100 per cent organic and premium grass-fed beef. Ishu says that Burger Road also has plant-based options and the chain uses and will continue to use, despite inflation, only fresh produce from local suppliers to ensure consistency and happiness of its customer base.
Further, the police added that Nirvair was on his way to a job site when he was struck by the out-of-control Kia. The car also hit two other vehicles and then a jeep.
The police said Nirvair died on the spot and the 23-year-old driver of the sedan has been arrested and charged by Victoria Police.
Nirvair Singh (Image source: Facebook)
The driver will now face charges of dangerous driving causing death and causing serious injury, reckless conduct endangering life, reckless conduct endangering serious injury, and unlicensed driving.
Students chanting at John Colet School, Sydney (Image source: The Australia Today)
Thousands of kilometres away from India, students in a school in Sydney are learning Sanskrit as a part of their curriculum. Their chanting can leave you mesmerised.
The John Colet School in Sydney has been teaching Sanskrit for the last 37 years. It is an independent (private) school. Its sister school in Melbourne, Erasmus, also teaches Sanskrit to its students.
Headmaster of John Colet School, Julian Wilcock, told The Australia Today that teaching Sanskrit was part of the founding curriculum of the School in 1985.
“The School was fortunate to have members of staff who were skilled and passionate in Sanskrit. JCS operates what is often termed a dual curriculum, that is we follow the NSW Education Curriculum and also incorporate subjects and practices that are central to our vision. These include the teaching of Sanskrit, Choir, Philosophy and Shakespeare and the practice of regular mindfulness ‘pauses’ throughout the day. This program is taught from kindergarten.”
Headmaster Julian Wilcock with students
Headmaster Wilcock added that the School has seen an increase in the number of students enrolling in Sanskrit over the years.
“Parents are often unaware of Sanskrit and can be hesitant. We take time to explain to parents the reasons and benefits behind its study. Once students have been at the school for some time, parents are more appreciative, and many students decide to continue with Sanskrit, which is optional from 5th Class. The School has continued to see a steady increase in enrolments.”
John Colet School Sydney
“As our School has grown over the years, we have certainly seen more parents applying that are aware of Sanskrit and in many cases interested because we are offering its study.”
“Sanskrit has many benefits such as the grammar, sound, and history but also I believe in terms of overall brain development and transdisciplinary learning. We also teach it in a fun accessible way”, said Headmaster Wilcock.
Students at John Colet School Sydney
The Deputy Headmistress of the school, Diane Renshaw, told The Australia Today that Sanskrit has been taught at John Colet since its foundation in 1985 and was chosen for several reasons.
“The wealth of literature and spiritual texts, the beauty of the language and the precision of its grammar. The study of the language itself confers significant benefit to the intellectual development and agility of the students. Sanskrit prayers are learned by heart which also brings benefits in the form of stillness and presence”.
The Australia Today spoke to two students at the school, Eloise and Padma, who shared their experience of learning Sanskrit with us.
Ms Carine Chane’s son is currently studying in 6th class while her daughter graduated from John Colet School in 2021. Ms Chane told The Australia Today that she feels happy that her children have the opportunity to learn and recite Mantras in Sanskrit.
“I don’t have an Indian background, but I have been practising yoga and meditation, including chanting mantras, for some time now, visiting ashrams in NSW, and even learnt to become a yoga teacher. A few of the reasons we enrolled our children at John Colet School was the School’s practice of mindfulness, meditation, and pausing. Learning Sanskrit, and chanting, were an added bonus.”
Carine Chane, parent of a student who is studying Sanskrit at John Colet School
“I feel happy that my kids have the opportunity to learn and recite mantras and prayers in Sanskrit – I feel the ones the school chooses carry some universal wisdom, that (consciously or not) may open a “spiritual door” for them to explore maybe later in life, the same way they did for me. That’s my hope”.
Ms Chane has never visited India but going to India, visiting sacred places and staying in ashrams are on her bucket list. She added that she knew a little bit about Sanskrit before enrolling her children to learn the language and had learnt and chanted mantras in Sanskrit, and attended local kirtans, prior to the kids attending school.
Renu Natarajan and Libby Levay teach Sanskrit at the School. They told The Australia Today that students have expressed experiencing Stillness when chanting.
“When we talk about the richness and the fact that it’s the origin of all Indo-European language, they are highly engaged and curious to explore words in the English language which have derived from Sanskrit.”
Students chanting at John Colet School, Sydney
“The infant children love experimenting with the various mouth positions to sound the alphabets and the novelty makes the class lively. The primary children love translating Sanskrit to English and often describe it as putting the pieces of a puzzle together”.
“The children are ever fascinated by Krishna and Rama stories and they have often talked about how these characters and their lives have enriched their appreciation of our school values – Stillness, Truthfulness, Service, Courage and Respect”, added the teachers.
Students from John Colet School recently recited Sanskrit Mantras on International Yoga Day on 21st June 2022 at a programme organised by the Indian Consulate in Sydney.
The 2022-23 Migration Program has been designed to boost Australia’s economic recovery and drive social cohesion outcomes in the post-pandemic environment.
The Migration Program will have a planning level of 160,000 places with the following composition:
Skill (109,900 places) – this stream is designed to improve the productive capacity of the economy and fill skill shortages in the labour market, including those in regional Australia.
Family (50,000 places) – this stream is predominantly made up of Partner visas, enabling Australians to reunite with family members from overseas and provide them with pathways to citizenship.
From 2022-23, Partner visas will be granted on a demand-driven basis to facilitate family reunification. This will help reduce the Partner visa pipeline and processing times for many applicants.
40,500 Partner visas are estimated for 2022-23 for planning purposes, noting this estimate is not subject to a ceiling.
3000 Child visas are estimated for 2022-23 for planning purposes, noting this category is demand-driven and not subject to a ceiling.
Special Eligibility (100 places) – this stream covers visas for those in special circumstances, including permanent residents returning to Australia after a period overseas.
The Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs can redistribute places between Skill stream visa categories on an ongoing basis to respond to changing economic conditions as they occur.
Skilled Visa; Image Source: @CANVA
Migration Program planning levels as announced as part of the 2021-22 and 2022-23 Federal Budgets
Visa Stream
Visa Category
2021-22
2022-23
Skill
Employer-Sponsored
22,000
30,000
Skilled Independent
6,500
16,652
Regional
11,200
25,000
State/Territory Nominated
11,200
20,000
Business Innovation & Investment
13,500
9,500
Global Talent (Independent)
15,000
8,448
Distinguished Talent
200
300
Skill Total
79,600
109,900
Family
Partner* (Demand-driven: estimate, not subject to a ceiling)
72,300
40,500
Parent
4,500
6,000
Child* (Demand-driven: estimate, not subject to a ceiling)
3,000
3,000
Other Family
500
500
Family Total
77,300**
50,000
Special Eligibility
100
100
Total Migration Program
160,000
160,000
*Planning levels for these categories are estimates only as they are demand driven and not subject to a ceiling. **The total for the Family stream in 2021-22 does not include the Child category. For planning purposes, both Child and Partner visa categories are counted towards the total Family stream in 2022-23.
Skilled Visa; Image Source: @CANVA
Program size and composition
The size and composition of the Migration Program are set each year alongside the Australian Government’s Budget process.
To inform the planning levels and policy settings of the 2022-23 Migration Program, the Department of Home Affairs (the Department) consulted widely with state and territory governments, representatives of academia, industry, unions and community organisations between November and December 2021.
The Department also invited public submissions as part of the 2022-23 Migration Program planning process. This process has now closed. See Australia’s 2022-23 Migration Program for additional information.
Public submissions, economic and labour force forecasts, international research, net overseas migration and economic and fiscal modelling are all taken into account when planning the program.
State and Territory nominated visa categories – 2022-23 nomination allocations
Under the 2022-23 Migration Program settings, nomination allocations are made available to States and Territories in the following visa categories:
Skilled – Nominated (subclass 190)
Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) (subclass 491)
Business Innovation and Investment Program (BIIP)
Skilled Visa; Image Source: @CANVA
States and Territories each assess eligible applicants against criteria unique to their jurisdiction.
Further information on State and Territory nomination requirements can be found at:
Federal Resources Minister Madeleine King yesterday handed Australia’s fossil fuel industry two significant wins.
The minister announced oil and gas exploration will be allowed at ten new Australian ocean sites – comprising almost 47,000 square kilometres. And she approved two new offshore greenhouse gas storage areas off Western Australia and the Northern Territory, to explore the potential of “carbon capture and storage” (CCS) technology.
The minister said the new oil and gas permits will bolster energy security in Australia and beyond, and ultimately aid the transition to renewables. King also said controversial carbon-capture and storage was necessary to meet Australia’s net-zero emissions targets.
The world’s energy market is going through a period of disruption, largely due to Russian sanctions and the Ukrainian war. But expanding carbon-intensive fossil fuel projects is flawed reasoning that will lead to greater global insecurity.
Research shows 90% of coal and 60% of oil and gas reserves must stay in the ground if we’re to have half a chance of limiting global warming to 1.5℃ this century.
Ignoring the facts
The new sites for offshore gas and oil exploration comprise ten areas off the coasts of the NT, WA, Victoria, and the Ashmore and Cartier Islands. King’s announcement came at a resources conference in Darwin, where she said:
Gas enables greater use of renewables domestically by providing energy security. Australian [liquefied natural gas] is also a force for regional energy security and helps our trading partners meet their own decarbonisation goals.
The problem with this assessment is that it ignores two things.
First, Australia exports nearly 90% of domestically produced gas and lacks robust export controls to moderate this. Without these controls, increasing domestic production will not improve Australia’s energy security.
Second, gas can only enable greater use of renewables domestically and provide energy security where it is “decarbonised” through the use of carbon-capture and storage. If it isn’t decarbonised, using gas undermines energy security by risking further global warming.
However the deployment of CCS technology is complex, expensive and faces many barriers. To date it has a history of over-promising and under-delivering.
Carbon-capture and storage typically involves capturing carbon dioxide at the source (such as a coal-fired power station), sending it to a remote location and storing it underground.
Offshore CCS involves injecting and storing CO₂ in suitable rock formations. Doing so safely requires robust monitoring and verification, but challenging ocean conditions can make this extremely difficult.
For example, Chevron allegedly failed to capture and store CO₂ at its huge offshore Gorgon gas project, after the WA government approved the project on the condition the company sequester 80% of the project’s emissions in its first five years.
A report in February suggested the project emitted 16 million tonnes more than anticipated due to injection failure. King calls CCS a “proven” technology, but Chevron’s experience indicates this is far from the case.
King did say the federal government won’t rely entirely on CCS, adding “it’s one of the many means of getting to net-zero” and renewable energy remained central to Australia’s emissions reduction efforts.
But critics labelled the technology a “smokescreen” behind which fossil fuel companies can continue to pollute.
Fossil fuels are not the future
Putting gas in competition with renewable energy will end badly for the fossil fuel industry. As renewable energy’s market share expands, fossil fuels will become uneconomic due to their environmental impacts and higher costs.
Eventually, natural gas will be used only during periods of peak demand or when wind and solar are not producing electricity – in other words, when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing. It will not provide the steady, constant electricity supply that makes up our baseload power system. This reality will significantly reduce gas demand and negate the need for carbon-capture and storage.
Opening up new gas and oil exploration is a reactive and dangerous move that does not support Australia’s long-term energy future. Many of our international peers already acknowledge this.
The United Kingdom, for example, now generates 33% of its electricity from renewable sources such as onshore and offshore wind, solar and biomass. The subsequent decline of fossil fuels means the UK has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by more than 50% on 1990 levels.
Gas in the UK is valuable for its ability to provide rapid, flexible power supply during peak periods, to integrate with other renewable technologies and to improve system flexibility. During periods of high demand, storage devices can discharge into the grid and maintain security of supply.
Wrong way, go back
Clearly, Australia is heading in the wrong direction by opening up new fossil fuel exploration.
The move will damage our longer-term security and undermine our climate imperatives. It ignores the glaring economic realities that will eventually push gas out of the market.
And opening new gas fields while carbon-capture remains uncertain is dangerous for the planet.
Recent analysis released from the Australian Bureau of Statistics has revealed more than half of baby boomers (50.4 per cent) had a long-term health condition reported in the 2021 Census.
Baby boomers (aged 55-74 years) represented 21.5 per cent of the Australian population.
According to the 2021 Census, baby boomers accounted for more than one third (34.2 per cent) of those who had at least one long-term health condition.
Dr David Gruen AO, Australian Statistician (ABS)
Statistician Dr David Gruen AO said that the data offers important insights for the planning and delivery of health care services across Australia. He observed:
“For the first time, provides a snapshot of these long-term health conditions for every community across Australia.”
Further, Dr Gruen said:
“The insights from the analysis about household income of people living with long term health conditions, or their cultural and/or linguistic backgrounds are similarly useful, as this impacts their ability to afford and access health care services.”
As per the data, most reported long-term health conditions varied between various states and territories.
Mental health was the most reported condition in Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory. While, Asthma was a widely reported condition in New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania it was arthritis, and in the Northern Territory.
Data also shows more than half (51.5 per cent) of people living in lone person households had a long-term health condition compared to 29.4 per cent of those living in other types of households.
Dr Gruen is hopeful that with such set of data Australians will be able to receive the required help. He said:
“By providing a picture of how Australians are living with long-term health conditions – where they live, whether they live alone, and whether they’re living with multiple conditions – we’re helping build a better understanding of the complex needs of people seeking health services.”
This long-term health information, captured in the 2021 Census, is now being analysed with other Census information, including the type of illnesses reported in each state and territory and what co-morbidities are most common.
You want your superannuation savings to be invested in things that also serve the planet’s long-term interests. But how can you be sure your fund’s values align with yours – or even its own claims?
This question has become increasingly pertinent as demand for environmentally and socially sustainable investments grows – and with it incentives for financial institutions to put the best spin on their offerings.
One consultancy specialising in “responsible investment” reckons 10% of the funds it has examined do not have the sustainability orientation they claim.
Among those accused of greenwashing in recent months is one of Australia’s biggest super funds, HESTA (the industry fund for health and community service workers), which has promoting its “clean energy” credentials while still holding shares in fossil-fuel companies Woodside and Santos.
So how can you check what your superannuation fund invests in?
Super funds are legally obliged to disclose how they invest your money in two different disclosure documents – a Product Disclosure Statement and a Portfolio Holdings Disclosure.
Both will be available on a super fund’s website, though how easily you can find them will vary.
The rest of this article is going to explain what information these documents provide, how useful this information is likely to be, and your best bet to ensure your super fund reflects your values.
The Product Disclosure Statement
Product disclosure statements are required by the financial regulator (the Australian Securities and Investments Commission) for all financial products.
This document outlines the most basic but important information of an investment product’s features, benefits, risks and costs, including fees and taxes. The format is standardised, with one section (Section 5) covering with “How we invest your money”.
The information it contains is broad. At best you’ll learn how the fund splits its investments between safe and riskier assets, and between different asset classes – Australian shares, international shares, property trusts, infrastructure trust, cash and so on.
Examples of the ‘how we invest your money’ sections in product disclosure statements from the REST and HESTA super funds. REST; HESTA, CC BY
Portfolio Holding Disclosure
For a comprehensive look at where your money is invested in, you can consider the Portfolio Holdings Disclosure.
This document lists a fund’s complete holdings – including the percentage and value of every single company stock held.
Portfolio holdings disclosures are relatively new, being obligatory only since March 2022 under legislation meant to improve transparency in the sector.
However, super funds aren’t obliged to provide this information in a consistent, easily understandable way.
For a non-expert who doesn’t know what to look for, the level of detail can be mind-boggling. You may find yourself scrutinising a spreadsheet listing thousands of items.
The Australian Retirement Trust’s Portfolio Holdings Disclosure for its “Lifecycle Balanced Pool”, for example, has more than 8,000 line items.
Some super funds have made the effort to provide this information in a more user-friendly format. An example is Future Super, which allows you to search and filter portfolio holdings by asset class and country of origin.
But if your concern is to avoid investing in some specific activity such as in mining fossil fuels or gambling, you’ll need to know the companies and other assets you want to avoid for this to be helpful.
Your best options
This is not to say portfolio holding disclosure obligations are useless. They are incredibly useful – a huge leap forward in the sector’s accountability. They just aren’t designed for consumers.
So there is still much work to be done to make the sector truly transparent.
What would really help is independent certification and ratings of super products, similar to government websites and programs that certify energy efficiency and allow comparison of electricity plans.
In the meantime, I can offer you one big tip.
Choose a specific superannuation product that markets itself on its environmental or social sustainability credentials. Most super funds now provide these choices alongside their more traditional investment options.
There is a variety of “screening” approaches to ethical investments. Some exclude entire sectors. Others include the best environmental and social performers even among “sinful” industries such as tobacco or weapons.
So just because a super product is marketed as “ethical” or “sustainable” doesn’t guarantee you will agree with all its investments.
But there is a much higher likelihood of it living up to its claims due to greater scrutiny by third parties such as environmental groups as well as the financial regulator.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission put super funds on notice earlier this year with a “guidance note” about the growing risk of greenwashing in sustainability-related financial products.
It reminded funds that “making statements (or disseminating information) that are false or misleading, or engaging in dishonest, misleading or deceptive conduct in relation to a financial product or financial service” is against the law.
So super funds know their portfolios are being scrutinised.
Switching your investment option or fund is simpler than you think. You only need to fill out and lodge a form. Just be sure to compare fees and performance, and seek a second opinion from trustworthy adviser before “voting with your wallet”.
In a joint statement issued through the Office of the Human Rights Proceedings, New Zealand’s Auckland University of Technology (AUT) has unreservedly apologised to Australian Labor MP Dr Marisa Paterson for the handling of her complaint of sexual harassment.
AUT noted:
“We recognise that our investigation into your complaint was not adequate and our communication with you throughout the process failed to recognise and reflect the very sensitive and serious nature of the issues and the impact on you.”
The University added:
“AUT considers that the actions it has taken, including its apology to Dr Paterson, reflect the positive shift in institutional culture, and a survivor-centred approach.”
Dr Marisa Paterson was director of Australian National University’s (ANU) Centre for Gambling Research in 2020 when she publicly accused a high-profile academic of stalking and harassing her. In November 2021, she first laid a complaint with the Human Rights Commission but it was not resolved.
Today, there is some justice. The sexual harassment I experienced and the inadequate handling of my complaint are being publicly recognised. My voice is being heard – most importantly by Auckland University of Technology #AUT. @Alisonmauhttps://t.co/4OrkhLvn0P
In an interview with the ABC, Dr Paterson said she had made her complaint public after being supported by by ANU to do so.
“I believe my experience will contribute to AUT, and hopefully other NZ workplaces, being safer worker environments — and that does give me some peace.”
Following her complaint, an independent review was undertaken by Queen’s Counsel Kate Davenport, whose report and recommendations were accepted by AUT.
Marisa Paterson (Twitter)
Dr Paterson said she made the complaint because she wanted the harmful behaviour to stop and for the situation to be investigated. She added:
“My desperation in lodging a formal complaint was extreme – my career was everything to me and I knew that making a complaint would have significant implications. The independent report that was commissioned by AUT and this apology, are public recognition that I did not experience the appropriate or adequate response to the harm I experienced.”
She further observed:
“I have suffered long-term distress and implications from what I experienced and what I had to do to seek justice and resolution. But today, what I went through is being publicly recognised. And my voice today is being heard, most importantly by AUT. It is accounted for and it is being recognised as an equal through this joint statement. My statement today is not one of forgiveness. This is a public step in leadership.”
AUT’s Chancellor Rob Campbell said the university has offered its unreserved apology to Dr Paterson for its poor investigation into her complaint and lack of communication through the process. He added:
“We would also like to recognise your courage in coming forward, and to thank you for providing the opportunity for AUT to learn from this and initiate a process of culture change which we are confident will improve the experience of people learning and working in the university.”
In 2020, as a Member of the ACT Legislative Assembly Dr Paterson used her first speech to say that she had been a victim of sexual harassment while working at AUT.
AUT is now working to respond the 36 recommendations in the independent review, including the development of a stand-alone sexual harassment policy, a new three-tier complaints process, and training for all managers.
The Office of the Human Rights Proceedings told the media that the apology and joint statement was a positive outcome for both sides.
The Georges river flows through much of New South Wales and includes the Liverpool area. The river has served as a place of customs, traditions and rituals for many communities over time.
This led artist Jiva Parthipan to conceive The River Project – A walk along the Georges River, Casula, with performance, video, installation, sound and tree planting.
The project was created in partnership with Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre and was presented by the 23rd Biennale of Sydney and STARTTS.
The project involved collaboration between Indian and Indigenous artists with an immersive experience across the customs and rituals of many communities who want to pass on an unbroken link of traditions reimagining the Georges river. This one-of-a-kind project was a transformative event for the Australian Art landscape involving multiple communities sharing their lived traditions.
In 2020, when Jiva’s brother-in-law passed away, as per Hindu tradition, he looked for a place to immerse his ashes symbolically. At that time he came across Satyam Ghat, a council-approved space for this purpose along the Georges River.
The River Project (Image Source: NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors)
This got Jiva thinking of the river’s ‘function’, and how we ascribe our personal, political, environmental and cultural histories to landscapes. Jiva’s late brother-in-law came to Australia to undertake his PhD on water pollution, so he was very attached to rivers in Australia.
Jiva says that as a river of sustenance in contemporary Australia, the Georges River has multiple living and concurrent histories. This includes ceremony, ritual and leisure, as ascribed to it by various communities who live near it. He adds:
“From Indigenous usage and histories, to the baptisms of the Mandaeans, a pre-Christian ethno religious group from Iraq, through Anglo Australians who use it for leisure and Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs who use it for the immersion of cremated ashes.”
Artist Jiva says that the river flows, taking our DNA along with it. He observes:
“Connection to land and its waterways has been important to the Dharug people over millennia, in addition to it being a source of sustenance and ritual. In recent history many have etched their own meanings onto this river to find meaning and sense of place which at times has been heavily contested, including massacres and other dark histories.”
Jiva adds: “The Mandaeans in Sydney see it as a reimagining of Yardena, after the River Jordan, whilst for Hindus, it is the River Ganga (Ganges) in India, it has various significances. Georges River is the name given to it by British colonisers after King George III.”
(Image credit: Jiva Jehanathan Parthipan Facebook)The River Project (Image Source: NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors)(Image credit: Jiva Jehanathan Parthipan Facebook)(Image credit: Jiva Jehanathan Parthipan Facebook)(Image credit: Chantel Bann)
One of the attendees, Sam Thabiplliai who visited The River Project said that this was an outstanding collaboration and he really enjoyed the ability to learn more about the river and the way in which diverse communities interact with the theme of water, natural environments and how these traditions have been adapted to Australia and the Georges River in particular.
“There were many artful touches that fused the different elements of the performances together and Jiva did a great job in anchoring the performance with the wider meta narrative of the Ganges and the Hindu rites of passage. I particularly enjoyed learning about the Mandaeans, the Indigenous traditions and the modern water skiing element was a lovely contemporary surprise too.”
(Image credit: Chantel Bann)(Image credit: Jiva Jehanathan Parthipan Facebook)(Image credit: Jiva Jehanathan Parthipan Facebook)The River Project (Image Source: NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors)
Indian-origin classical dancer Hamsa Venkat was a part of this collaboration. She told The Australia Today that it was a great experience and an absolute privilege to work with the First Nations dancers.
“Presenting dance in a setting that is unconventional, as in an outdoor space was especially a big learning curve for us as dancers and it helped us explore possibilities which we would have never considered in a traditional stage string indoors. Hence, it was a great experience of creative exploration”.
Hamsa Venkat (Image credit: Chantel Bann)
“Working with the First Nations dancers, the Jannawi dance clan and Auntie Julie was an absolute privilege which we cherished and the positivity with which the groups encouraged each other and interacted was testimony to the passion that we all shared for our art and for the project.”
Ms Venkat added that the event was curated with a lot of clarity and sensitivity. This made it easy for many segments of the walk from different genres of dancing, sport, sculpture, and varied communities to flow seamlessly.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced young Queenslanders will continue to have access to free TAFE and free apprenticeships until June 2023.
In a tweet, Palaszczuk said: “This will give young people access to 26 free TAFE programs and 139 free apprenticeship programs.”
BREAKING: Free TAFE and apprenticeships for Queenslanders under 25 will be extended until 30 June, 2023.
This will give young people access to 26 free TAFE programs and 139 free apprenticeship programs. pic.twitter.com/tvPrMpcDy6
The extension will see Queenslanders under the age of 25 will be able to apply for 26 free TAFE courses and 139 free apprenticeship programs until June 30, 2023.
As per the Queensland government, Queensland’s unemployment rate is at 3.8 per cent and this free TAFE and apprenticeships for under 25s initiative has already helped 56,000 Queenslanders get the skills and training employers value.
This initiative is an additional $21 million investment to provide young people with access to free certificate III TAFE courses across a wide range of specialities.
Minister for Training and Skills Development Di Farmer (Twitter)
Minister for Training and Skills Development Di Farmer told the media that she would urge “young Queenslanders is find out about these free courses and change your life by training for a career they are passionate about.” She added:
“With 83.9 per cent of TAFE graduates going on to employment or further study after completing their training it’s further proof of the Palaszczuk Government’s commitment to delivering good jobs, better services and a great lifestyle for Queenslanders.”
The initiative from the Queensland Government comes ahead of a National Cabinet meeting and the Jobs and Skills Summit. This Summit will focus on the current acute skills shortages affecting the Australian workforce.
As of next year, a Melbourne private school will open to online-only enrolments for years five to 12.
It will cost A$18,000 per year in fees, and parents will have to supervise their child the whole time they are “at school”. It is billed as giving families flexibility and providing opportunities for those who live far away from the school. This comes as new data shows there has been a 44% rise in students homeschooling in Victoria since 2019.
There are good reasons why the mainstream school system does not work for some students. And there are multiple options for families to explore if they are considering learning from home.
At-home education in Australia
With a small population spread across a vast continent, Australia has a long history of distance and at-home education. There are public distance education schools in all states and territories.
Access, and pricing, depends on your state or territory. In Queensland, for example, anyone can access state distance education. Those who are “homeschooling by choice” are required to pay around $1,600 for the service; those who are “homeschooling by limited choice” don’t have to pay. In Western Australia, it is also available to students who require more “flexibility” or who want to study subjects not available at their school.
It may also suit students who are geographically isolated or whose circumstances mean they are unable to access school on a regular basis, perhaps because of health issues or extracurricular commitments such as elite sports training.
We also know in-person learning may not suit students with special education needs, such as those with autism or ADHD, students who are bullied, or those who feel the school system does not suit them.
Learning away from the mainstream system can also help accelerate gifted students.
In the wake of COVID lockdowns, many of these children have drifted toward homeschooling or private, often Christian, distance education offerings instead of going back to in-person learning at school.
Homeschooling enrolments have been rising
Mainstream school has been losing enrolments for a number of years – even before COVID. Home education/homeschooling is the fastest-growingeducation cohort in the world.
A recent study found that, in Australia, it’s grown 53% compared with the next closest alternative, independent schools. There were around 26,000 young people home educating in Australia in 2021 out of about four million school students overall, and that number has grown since then.
But at-home learning is not limited to home educators, nor is it new. Distance education, particularly by choice and among those in city or regional areas, has also seen significant growth in the past few years.
There is some evidence that many parents would like to keep their children home, at least some of the time, if they could. Some parents report they wanted more time with their children, or they want more control over they way their children learn.
The issues faced by many young people in mainstream schools, as well as high rates of anxiety diagnosed among young people, suggests there is a market for more flexibility at school. School refusal also appears to be on the rise.
While it requires a lot of parental support, those families who can find the flexibility in their lives to support this school enrolment might find it suits their child, even for a limited period of time.
Some studies suggest this approach is effective because it allows parents and educators to better meet the child’s learning needs.
What options do you have?
Most parents and students prefer the mainstream system, but for some, it doesn’t meet their needs or they want something different.
If you would like to enrol your child in an online-only school, but don’t have the time to supervise your child all day or $18,000, there are some alternatives.
In Victoria, parents can enrol their child part-time in school and keep their child home the rest of the time. This option is at the principal’s discretion and needs to be negotiated with the school.
There are also other, private distance education schools that do not charge as much as this Victorian school. These include some secular options.
If your child is around 15 or older, TAFE might be an option and it may also provide avenues into higher education.
And there is always homeschooling, in which parents take full responsibility for their child’s learning, independent of a formal educational institution.
Whatever parents decide, if in-person, mainstream school is not working for your child, the chances are, if you look around, you’ll find something that might work better. Your options might be a lot cheaper than $18,000, too.
Aged care homes struggling to meet staffing needs are increasingly relying on externally contracted care workers to make up shortfalls.
However, our new study, shows homes that rely more heavily on externally contracted care staff provide significantly worse quality of care.
With the government convening a national jobs and skills summit next week, much attention is focused on addressing current staff shortages across the economy. Legislation has just been passed to increase the numbers of workers in aged care homes, and our research indicates workers’ employment conditions are critical to ensuring higher quality of care is provided to senior Australians.
‘Agency’ staff across the sector
Within the residential aged care sector, approximately 9% of all the registered nurses, enrolled nurses and personal care workers are external contractors. Employed by third-party labour hire agencies, these “agency” staff work across different aged care homes on a temporary basis.
This sort of employment arrangement can help homes deal with short-term fluctuations in demand and staffing shortfalls. So it’s not surprising that as shortages have become more acute, this workforce strategy has become more commonplace.
In particular, as homes have struggled to maintain sufficient staff during the COVID pandemic, the use of agency staff has increased across the sector.
As agency staff tend to work intermittently, there are concerns they lack familiarity with individual residents and their unique needs. This can be disruptive and distressing for residents and their families and undermine the continuity of their care.
Also, as agency staff frequently work across different homes, they tend to be less efficient and require more supervision. This can can increase workload pressures, stress and turnover of permanent workers.
The relationship between staffing and quality care
Our study of 1,709 aged care homes over five years investigated the relationship between the quality of care provided by aged care homes and their reliance on agency contract care staff.
We found the use of agency staff was relatively common, with the majority of homes using agency care staff at some point.
More importantly, we found homes that rely more heavily on agency staff have worse quality of care. Specifically, they have higher rates of workforce-related complaints to the regulator, occurrences of missing residents, reportable assaults, preventable hospitalisations and instances of non-compliance with accreditation standards.
While this is the first such study in Australia, these results align with international evidence. One striking similarity is how sensitive care quality is to even tiny increments of agency staffing. We found that even if just 5% of care time is delivered by agency staff, homes deliver significantly poorer quality outcomes.
But we’re in the middle of a workforce crisis
Our findings suggest one way to improve quality of care is for homes to reduce their reliance on contract care staff. This could involve efforts to improve the recruitment, retention and rostering of permanent nurses and care workers.
However, in the current context, this might be easier said than done. With the industry in the midst of a massive workforce crisis, homes may have no choice but to continue to rely on agency workers.
In such cases, homes should adopt strategies to mitigate the potential for bad outcomes. For example, they might improve residents’ continuity of care by drawing from a pool of regular agency workers and investing in better orientation and shift handover processes.
In terms of policy, much of the recent reform agenda has focused improving staffing numbers and skills in aged care, through funding for training programs, mandatory care minutes, 24/7 registered nurses and addressing workers pay.
Another of Labor’s election promises was to implement a recommendation from the Royal Commission to require aged care providers to preference direct employment over using contracted “agency” workers. This issue is now being investigated by the Productivity Commission, which will hand its report down next month.
No quick fixes
Simply putting limits on agency staff is unlikely to work in the current context. Imposing caps may result in homes providing less total care to residents.
Rather, the widespread use of agency across the sector reflects a need to understand and address its root causes. As will be discussed next week at the jobs summit, staffing shortages are not isolated to aged care but widespread across the economy.
Policymakers also will have to be mindful of the impact of other reforms in play. For instance, the use of contractors may well increase as providers attempt to increase staffing levels to meet incoming mandatory minimum standards, while managing the demands and disruptions of COVID outbreaks.
Despite these challenges our research highlights the importance of finding ways to sustainably curb the use of contract staff so as to deliver the quality of care all senior Australians deserve.
An Indian-American family based in New Jersey has installed a life-size statue of Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan in their home.
Gopi Seth (Twitter)
It was reported that around 600 people gathered outside the home of Rinku and Gobi Seth as prominent community leader Albert Gassani officially unveiled the statue amidst dancing by Bachchan’s fan club.
This life-size statue showing Bachchan seated in the pose of his popular TV show “Kaun Banega Crorepati” was specially designed and manufactured in Rajasthan. The statute was then shipped to the United States, costing Seth more than US$75,000 for the entire project.
Amitabh Bachchan in “Kaun Banega Crorepati” (Twitter)
“Installing a statue in the United States involves a lot of challenges, and this one was more difficult than others.”
Gopi Seth, who is an Internet security engineer and migrated to the United States from Dahod in eastern Gujarat in 1990, told PTI that Amitabh is no less than a god. He added:
“The most important thing in him inspires me is not only his virgin life, but also real life … how he conducts himself in public, how he conveys and conveys … everything you know. He is very humble. His fans take care of him. He is not like many other stars That is why I thought I should have his place outside my house.”
Seth, who met Bachchan in 1991, has also been running www.BigBEFamily.com, a website for “Big B Extended Family”, for the past three decades.
Gopi Seth (Twitter)
The statue is in Edison which is popularly called Little India for being home to the Indian-origin population. According to Seth, the 79-year-old Bollywood superstar is aware of the statue.
The inaugural Australia India International Business Summit (AIIBS) organised by the Australia India Business Council (AIBC) in Sydney once again underscored the importance of the Australia-India bilateral relationship.
Our relationship is built on many things, but fundamentally, it is built on shared interests. And it is why we think of our relationship as one of dosti – our friendship. So together, there is just so much that our two nations can achieve, and your work is central to that. Our partnership extends well beyond the bilateral because we share a region and whichever region is being reshaped. Our relationship is profoundly important. It is profoundly important that countries with shared interests work together” said Senator Penny Wong, Foreign Minister of Australia, delivering the Australia India Address at the summit.
Senator Wong’s words were a powerful message signalling what lies ahead for these two democracies,
“Tonight we celebrate an extraordinary nation, an extraordinary nation’s past and present, for we look forward to an even brighter future. Jai Hind, Happy Independence Day”.
The three-day Summit (23-25 August 2022) emphasising the special significance of the bilateral trade relationship and celebrating the 75th Indian Independence Day included a large contingent of business leaders, from both Australia and India, dignitaries, Members of Parliament across the political spectrum and high ranking Government of India officials.
I was honoured to join @AIBC_Ltd to celebrate #IndiaAt75 – the world’s largest democracy.
The relationship between our countries is one of Dosti – friendship.
Among the guests were former Prime Minister of Australia Tony Abbott, Indian High Commissioner to Australia Manpreet Vohra, Australia’s Assistant Minister for Trade and Manufacturing Tim Ayres, CEO and Managing Director of Invest India Deepak Bagla, Australian Federal MP and former chair of Parliamentary Friends of India Julian Leeser, Former Leader of Opposition and Cabinet Minister in NSW Parliament Jodi Mckay, NSW Parliament MP and Government whip in the Legislative Council Scott Farlow and Council General of India, Sydney, Manish Gupta.
In an exclusive interview with The Australia Today on the first day of the summit, Australia’s Assistant Minister for Trade and Manufacturing, Tim Ayres, said that the Australia-India relationship is vital for the Indo-Pacific.
He further added,
“The Indian community in Australia is one of our great strengths as a multicultural society. 1 in 35 Australians has Indian heritage it’s something that we celebrate that enriches our culture enriches our economy and makes Australia a stronger place”.
Welcoming the Chief Guest, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and other eminent guests, National Chair of AIBC Jim VargheseAM said,
“AIBC applauds the Australian Indian diaspora celebrating the 75th Anniversary of Indian Independence Day. There are no boundaries to the India-Australia relationship.”
“India is the right partner for Australia and Australian businesses must look to India as a market to supply rather than a market for consumption. The partnership between Australia and India will generate trade in many sectors.”
High Commissioner of India in Australia, Manpreet Vohra, in his address, emphasised that it was time for Australian businesses to understand the potential India has to offer.
“India has emerged as the fastest economy in the world. As we celebrate the 75th Anniversary of Indian Independence, India-Australia relations have strengthened during the last decade and upgraded to CSP. This is an acknowledgement of our convergent views on geo-strategic and geo-economic issues, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region. ECTA is a watershed moment and opens large opportunities for businesses in both countries. It is time that Australian businesses appreciate New India. Even during the pandemic, the Foreign Direct Investment in India by many countries has grown tremendously. It is time the business leaders to understand this potential India offers.”
Indian High Commissioner to Australia, Manpreet Vohra (Image source: Natasha Jha Bhaskar Twitter)
Many Government and partner organisations including the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, High Commission of India Canberra, Consulate General of India, Sydney, Investment NSW, Invest India, Austrade, Kerala Start-up Mission, Confederation of Indian Industry, Business Council of Australia, Business NSW, Export Council of Australia, NSW Indigenous Chamber of Commerce, Australia India Travel & Tourism Council participated in the Summit deliberations, business showcase and B2B sessions held during the three days.
Second from left, Consul General of India, Sydney, Manish Gupta, second from right Fmr Leader of Opposition in NSW Parliament, Jodi McKay (Image source: Indranil Halder Facebook)
The business outcome-focused sessions, scheduled over the three days of the Australia India International Business Summit (AIIBS 2022), showcased the “New India – new bilateral business to business opportunities across several key industry sectors”.
These sessions included the participation of leaders from the Australian and the Indian Governments, Corporate leaders, AIBC member organisations, First Nations Businesses, AIBC business partners and Startup founders. Several sectors such as Education & Future of Learning, Defence, Aerospace, Cyber Security, Financial Services & Fintech, Tourism & Hospitality were showcased at the summit.
The program also included a strong focus on advanced manufacturing, smart/sustainable infrastructure, sustainable renewable energy, circular economy, and waste-to-energy solutions with large participation by several businesses across Australia and India both in person and digitally.
There were several business outcomes including a business launch, solution showcase and MOUs facilitated during the summit. The Annual address and a panel discussion hosted by Jodi McKay, with esteemed business and Govt delegates highlighted the need to create ongoing business-to-business connections, India opportunities literacy initiatives and a regular showcase of business case studies and success stories to build continued momentum on this bilateral engagement.
Jodi McKay spoke to The Australia Today about the momentum in the Australia-India bilateral relationship at the Australia India International Business Summit.
The Gala event held at the Four Seasons Sydney also showcased several business outcomes themed “Cultural Extravaganza” highlighting opportunities for collaboration in Art & Culture, First Nation businesses and Textile – Design Industry collaboration at scale with India.
Indigenous Australian dancers enthrall the guests with their rhythm at the AIIBS Gala dinner
President of AIBC NSW State Chapter and Chair of the AIIBS 2022 Business Summit, Irfan Malik, said
“For the first time in the history of Australia India trade programs, the AIBC Business Summit had a strong focus on Australia – India bilateral opportunities for the Indigenous and First Nations Businesses to leverage and accelerate engagement with the Indian market.”
In a special interview with The Australia Today preceding the summit, First Nations and Indigenous business owner and advocate, Susan Moylan-Coombs and Senior Atlantic Fellow Indu Balachandran, who were co-chairing the session around this initiative, highlighted its significance.
Mr Malik added,
“This summit is also expected to spark-off unprecedented levels of cross-industry engagement bringing industry bodies, university research centres, government agencies, startup ecosystems and business groups looking to collaborate on market validation and scaling up opportunities”.
Immediate Past National Chair of AIBC and co-organiser of the Business Summit,Sheba Nandkeolyar said “AIIBS 2022 Business Summit has created a huge momentum and successes to accelerate business to business outcomes and will be a key enabler for Australia India bilateral trade and engagement”.
Indian and Indigenous Australian dancers presenting a dance together at AIIBS Gala dinner
Speaking at the AIIBS Gala dinner CEO and Managing Director of Invest India, Deepak Bagla, said: “our journey has just begun”.
“There are huge opportunities for Australian businesses in India. We can work together in many sectors such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, Airports and aviation services, Electric Vehicles, Renewable Energy, Hydrogen, logistics, biotech and Defence”.
Saree Fashion show by ‘Five Pleats by Poornima Menon’ at the AIIBS Gala dinner
AIBC also launched three new initiatives, AIBC Digital, AIBC Young Business Leaders Chapter and AIBC First Nation & Indigenous Chapter at this Business Summit.
Announcing another important milestone in bilateral relations at this Summit, Senator Wong said “my colleague, the Education Minister, Jason Clare, and his counterpart have discussed how Australian universities can help India deliver its plan to see 50% extraordinary objective 50% of young Indians enrolled in higher education by 2035. It is an extraordinary achievement. If they believe we can work together to do so“.
Hardik Pandya at Asia Cup 2022; Image Source: @BCCI
The crucial partnership between Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya helped India defeat arch-rivals Pakistan in a thrilling clash by five wickets in the second match of the Asia Cup 2022 here at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma said after the match said, “Halfway through the chase, we still knew that we can win irrespective of the situation and did not panic. We had the belief and when you have that belief, these things can happen. It’s about giving clarity to the guys so that they know their roles well. It was a bit challenging but I’ll take wins like this any day over usual victories.
Asia Cup 2022; Image Source: @BCCI
“Yes, India’s pace bowling has come a long way in the last year or so and they have adapted well to different situations. Since the time Hardik has made his comeback, he’s been brilliant both with the bat and ball. He is a lot calmer now and more confident about what he wants to do.”
Asia Cup 2022; Image Source: @BCCI
Jadeja smashed 35 while Pandya hammered 33* in 17 balls. For Pakistan Mohammad Nawaz bagged three and Naseem Shah scalped two wickets. Chasing 148 runs, India got off to a bad start as they lost their opener, KL Rahul, without even scoring a run. Rahul’s wicket brought Virat Kohli out on the crease, who is playing his 100th T20I today.
With one wicket loss, the Indian experienced duo of Rohit Sharma and Kohli played with caution but kept smashing the boundaries to keep the scoreboard running.
Virat Kohli was in red-hot form as he kept smashing boundaries to keep India in a hunt of the run chase. Rohit also opened his hand but his stint was cut short as he was dismissed by Mohammad Nawaz after scoring 12 runs.
Asia Cup 2022; Image Source: @BCCI
Star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja then came to bat on the crease. Nawaz struck again in the same over as he cut short Kohli’s blistering form sending his back to the pavilion after scoring 35 runs in 34 deliveries.
At that point, Kohli’s wicket put India under pressure, but that was instantly eased by Jadeja who smashed Nawaz for a six. After 10 over India’s score read 62/3.
Suryakumar Yadav then joined Jadeja in smashing Pakistan bowlers all around the ground. Both batters played some big shots with grit to keep India’s run chase hunt alive.
Asia Cup 2022; Image Source: @BCCI
Pakistan made a stunning comeback in the match as their bowler Naseem Shah bowled out Suryakumar Yadav after scoring 18 runs in 18 balls. All-rounder Hardik Pandya came to the crease to join hands with Jadeja.
In the 18th over equation for the win went down to 32 runs needed in 18 balls. Jadeja smashed a four and a six in the 18th over of the innings.
In the 19th over Pandya smashed three boundaries and took India to near the win as they needed seven runs in six balls. In the last over Nawaz gave a big blow to the Indian team as he dismissed Jadeja after scoring 35 runs in 29 balls.
Asia Cup 2022; Image Source: @BCCI
Dinesh Karthik then came to bat. Pandya then smashed a huge six on the fourth delivery of the last over and took his team home by five wickets against Pakistan.
Team India after winning the toss was successful in restricting Pakistan to a total of 147 courtesy of some fantastic bowling from Bhuvneshwar Kumar who picked 4 wickets giving away just 26 runs.
While the spinners contained the scoring from one end, it was Hardik Pandya who kept picking wickets at crucial times. Virat Kohli showing signs of form made a well-composed 35 to lay down a good foundation after the team lost a few early wickets.
Asia Cup 2022; Image Source: @BCCI
Hardik Pandya was judged the Player of the Match.
He said, “In bowling, it’s important to assess the situations and use your weapons. For me, bowling short and hard lengths have been my strengths. It’s about using them well and asking the right questions to make the batters commit a mistake.”
Asia Cup 2022; Image Source: @BCCI
“In a chase like this, you always plan over by over. I always knew that there is one young bowler and also one left-arm spinner. We only needed 7 off the last over but even if we needed 15, I’d have fancied myself. I know the bowler is under more pressure than me in the 20th over. I try to keep things simple.”
Asia Cup 2022; Image Source: @BCCI
Babar Azam, Pakistan Captain said, “We started well with the ball. In the end, we were about 10-15 runs short. Bowlers did really well to make a match of this. Our tail also stepped up to add those handy runs. The thought was to take the game deep. Idea was to create pressure but Hardik finished well.”
Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews; Picture Source: The Australia Today
In a statement, Premier Daniel Andrews said that Year 12 students who are thinking about studying nursing or midwifery will have their HECS fees covered. He added:
“Every health system in the country is under enormous pressure due to the pandemic. The best thing we can do to support our hardworking staff is give them more support on the ground – that’s why this package will train and hire more nurses than ever before.”
Through this $270 million boost to Victoria’s health system, more than 17,000 nurses and midwives will be recruited and trained as part of a massive hiring and upskilling initiative.
Further, more than 10,000 students will have the cost of their nursing or midwifery undergraduate studies paid for by the Victorian government. This will also include scholarships for thousands more students who plan to complete postgraduate studies in areas of need including intensive care, cancer care, paediatrics and nurse practitioner specialities.
All new domestic students enrolling in a professional-entry nursing or midwifery course in 2023 and 2024 will receive a scholarship of up to $16,500 to cover course costs.
Students will receive $9,000 while they study and the remaining $7,500 if they work in Victorian public health services for two years.
Minister for Training and Skills and Higher Education Gayle Tierney (Twitter)
Victoria’s Minister for Training and Skills and Higher Education Gayle Tierney said that by providing more pathways and incentives to education, the government is “giving our nurses and midwives the practical support that they need to continue caring for Victorians.”
The Andrews government is confident that with this initiative more midwives will join the workforce through an expanded postgraduate midwifery incentive program.
The initiative, together with the $12 billion Pandemic Repair Plan brings the number of nurses and midwives being supported to more than 20,000, including funding 13,000 nursing and midwifery positions and scholarships, and funding the upskilling of 8,500 nurses.
Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas (Twitter)
Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas said that this step is important in investing in hardworking nurses and midwives. She observed:
“You can’t deliver a health system with empty hospitals, which is why we are investing in hardworking nurses and midwives that are helping Victorian patients every single day.”
The package also includes:
Scholarships for postgraduate nurses to complete studies in specialty areas such as intensive care, emergency, paediatrics and cancer care – worth an average of $10,000
$11,000 scholarships for enrolled nurses to become registered nurses, covering course costs and boosting the number of registered nurses
$12,000 scholarships to support training and employment of 100 new Nurse Practitioners in both acute and community settings
More than $20 million to provide more support to the growing numbers of graduates and postgraduates as they transition to working in our hospitals – ensuring they have access to the clincial educators, preceptors and study time they need.
In the past eight years, the number of nurses in the public system has risen by more than 26 per cent – increasing by 9,400 to more than 45,000 nurses. The Labor Government has overseen a net increase of more than 22,000 healthcare workers in the system since 2014 – up by 27.6 per cent.
The masses approach the court for dispute resolution, but in pre-colonial eras, the settlements were done by warfare or by traditional authorities/leaders. The Europeans introduced the court system in the Pacific during the colonial period.
This court system saw modifications and regional inclusions, but most of the colonial drafted system remained in the post-independence phase. Many Pacific communities try to resolve their disputes via alternative dispute resolutions. The op-ed refers to one of the popular readings, Introduction of South Pacific Law by Jennifer Corrin and Don Paterson, 2007 to explain the complexity of the court of hierarchy in the Pacific Islands.
Many are unaware of the court hierarchy and their general jurisdiction, Original and Appellate jurisdiction, unlimited and limited jurisdiction, ordinary and special jurisdiction, Concurrent and exclusive jurisdiction, and review jurisdiction.
The Pacific Islands’ court structure or organisation has been shared with Anglo-American jurisdiction about the hierarchy of courts and the legal system. Some nations have a single court hierarchy, while others have dual court hierarchies (especially in Australia and FSM). The op-ed begins to discern the classification of courts followed by Pacific nation case studies.
Pacific Judicial System; Image Source: @CANVA
Classification of courts
Generally, the hierarchy of courts is based on a three-tiered level, where the highest is the Appeal/Appellate courts (including Court of Appeal, Supreme Court or Privy Council), followed by the Superior court (including High Court). The last is Inferior Courts (including Magistrate courts/specialised Courts and tribunals set up by Legislation). The variety of cases heard by these courts differs.
The higher courts have binding authority over the lower courts. The appeals courts do not exist permanently in every Pacific nation, and it meets between one to four times a year to hear the appeals (Corrin and Paterson, 2007). As the highest courts, their decisions usually have a binding effect on the lower courts. Most Pacific nations have a single appellate court, known as the Court of Appeal.
Foreign-appointed judges sit on the Court of Appeal in certain countries. Some nations have two types of appeals that courts of appeal handle: ‘first appeals’ from judgments made by superior courts in their original jurisdiction, and ‘further appeals’ from decisions made by superior courts operating in their appellate jurisdictions (Corrin and Paterson, 2007). Some nations allow an additional level of appeal to the Privy Council in England.
Pacific Judicial System; Image Source: @CANVA
The superior courts have the authority to handle petitions submitted under the constitution or concerning interpretation. These are usually below the appellate courts and above inferior courts. They are mostly referred to as High Courts, whereas nations like Nauru, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu refer to them as Supreme Court, while Fiji and some other nations have ‘Supreme Court’ is the highest appellate courts.
They are authorised to consider various cases, including civil, criminal and other concerns. The appeals from the lower courts are heard in the Superior courts. These courts have original, appellate and review jurisdictions’ powers.
In addition, some Pacific nations established separate courts to handle the customary and administer customary law. The inferior courts are subordinate or lower courts with limited jurisdiction. These courts preside over minor civil and criminal cases, whereas higher courts hear complicated cases. Some Pacific nations have Special Courts that hear over cases of special nature (mostly about land disputes) that ordinary courts do not hear.
Pacific Nations: Court of Hierarchy
It is pertinent to discuss the hierarchy of courts in the Pacific; Fiji’s final appellate is the Supreme Court (the Highest Court of Fiji hears appeals from lower appellate and also provides constitutional interpretations if requested; has ‘exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine appeals from all final judgments of the Court of Appeal, with leave of the Court of Appeal or special leave of the Supreme Court’ (Corrin and Paterson, 2007).
Pacific Judicial System; Image Source: @CANVA
Below is the Court of Appeal (appellate), which hears and determines appeals from the High Court’s judgements. It also has civil and criminal jurisdiction. Next is the High Court (Superior with substantial civil and criminal jurisdiction) has original, inherent, Exclusive, concurrent, summary, Appellate and review jurisdiction. This has unlimited original jurisdiction to hear and determine civil cases and also has similar powers in criminal matters.
These courts also have specialised divisions. The cases of serious nature can be heard here at first instance. Followed by Magistrate Court (Inferior with limited civil and criminal jurisdiction). This nation also has special courts with limited jurisdiction that deal with specialised subject areas.
Corrin and Paterson (2007) explained that the Cook Islands has a three-tier Court hierarchy that includes the Privy Council, Court of Appeal, High Court (presided over by a judge) and High Court (presided over by judges of the peace); Kiribati has a Privy Council (in England on a limited range of matters) (Appellate), Court of Appeal (Appellate), High Court (Superior) and Magistrates’ Courts(inferior); The hierarchy of the courts of Samoa includes the Court of Appeal, Supreme Court, District Courts and Village fonos; The Solomon Islands has a Court of Appeal, High Court, and Magistrate Courts, and additional separate courts are set up to deal with customary land and minor local disputes. Also, they have the Local Court (a case may usually be brought to a local court when all traditional means have been used to resolve the dispute).
Pacific Judicial System; Image Source: @CANVA
The court of Tokelau has the Court of Appeal of New Zealand, High Court of New Zealand and Village courts. In contrast, Tonga consists of the Privy Council (of Tonga), Court of Appeal, Supreme Court, separate Land Court (consider cases relating to land disputes in the kingdom), and Magistrates Courts. Vanuatu has a Court of Appeal, Supreme Court, Magistrate Courts and Island Court.’
Conclusion
The awareness of the hierarchy of courts makes the citizens of the Pacific Islands much more informed about the law and will certainly help them to take their assistance to resolve their disputes.
Dr Sakul Kundra; Picture Source: Supplied
Author:Dr Sakul Kundra is an Associate Dean (Research) and Assistant Professor at the College of Humanities and Education at Fiji National University. The views expressed are his own and not of his employer. Email dr.sakulkundra@gmail.com
Disclaimer: The Australia Today is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information in this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts, or opinions appearing in the article do not necessarily reflect the views of The Australia Today and The Australia Today News does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
Colonel Rajiv Chauhan is an astute professional with an impressive career of over four decades plus of experience in General Administration, Security Management, and Human Resource Management.
In a career spanning over 37 years of meritorious service in the Indian Army as a frontline soldier, Col. Chauhan has fought against insurgencies in Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Tripura, Assam, and other northeastern states.
He had the distinction of being selected on merit to represent India in the Indo-Canada Youth Exchange Program with the Government of Canada and the Government of India. He was also awarded a certificate for outstanding performance during the conduct of this program.
Col. Chauhan also had the opportunity of representing India at the 7th Summit Conference of Heads of State or Government of the Non-Aligned Movement in New Delhi in 1983and was detailed with the President and Prime Minister of India to receive all the Presidents and Prime Ministers of all the foreign Nations attending this meeting.
Here’s an exclusive interview with Col. Rajiv Chauhan who is currently serving as a Registrar of the Mahindra University in Hyderabad:
Keeping in mind the ongoing Exercise Pitch Black in Darwin, can you please comment on the importance of Australia-India collaboration in defence in the Indo-Pacific region?
The return of Exercise Pitch Black 2022 marked an excellent opportunity to strengthen partnerships and promote regional stability and foster close ties throughout the Indo-Pacific region. It’s a biennial exercise to enhance interoperability and strengthen relations among the participants. I believe it will also give a much-needed platform to our Indian Air Force (IAF) to exchange valuable knowledge and experience with the other participating countries in a dynamic warfare atmosphere hosted by Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).
You were privileged to be commissioned in the 11th Battalion Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Rifles. Please tell us about some stories of operations that lead to the clearings of Pakistani marauders as 11th battalion was one of the very first to fight for defending the integrity of our nation.
First of all, I feel very proud to be a second-generation officer joining the Indian defence forces from my family. My father Late Major R. L. Chauhan was the first Indian Officer to be decorated with the Veer Chakra from the corps of Artillery in 1947 operation in the battle of Mahura in J&K. I have had the privilege to operate in all the insurgencies in India from J&K, Punjab, Mizoram, Assam, Tripura, Manipur, and other eastern states.
Fighting insurgents in operational areas is a part and parcel of the job in the line of duty, but saving the lives of other troops when stuck up in adverse conditions is a very satisfying job where it’s a matter of just touch & go situation. There are a number of incidents, in one such situation I had six causalities on my air-maintained post in the peak of insurgency in Mizoram and the complete post was surrounded by floods due to heavy rains and these six Jawans were to be evacuated by air. The helicopter could not come due to bad weather and the condition of these six Jawans was very critical.
I could see the fear of death in their eyes for three days we were waiting for the weather Gods to clear up and their condition was going from bad to worse on the third day. There was a slight clearance of the clouds, a small window opened up in the sky for just about 15 to 20 minutes and we saw the helicopters approaching to lift the causalities from my air-maintained post. The input was got on very short notice, we moved these causalities to the helipad, the ray of hope that we could see in the eyes of these soldiers and the faith they had that our company commander would try his best to get them out to the hospital at all cost was seeming a dream come true for all of them. That faith kept them alive for these three days.
The daredevil pilots all came in and landed on our post. As we moved the six critical Jawans to the helicopters and before they all could leave, they got caught in bad weather, we saw these helicopters getting hard to get through this small window of clouds and looks of the six soldiers. I could not forget to date tears in their eyes as I waved goodbye to them. That’s the day I realized taking a life is so simple, but saving a life that’s what gives a tremendous amount of satisfaction and inner peace.
The Jammu & Kashmir Rifles (J&K) is a unique Indian Regiment raised in 1821, not by the British but by the Indian ruler Gulab Singh. What are your views and experiences being part of this regiment?
The Jammu and Kashmir Rifles from the erstwhile state forces of the Jammu and Kashmir state had the distinction of having captured territories up to Mongolia under Gen Zorawar Singh and the trophies of the captured flags still are kept in the Regimental museum in Jabalpur in our Regimental Centre of JAK RIF RC (Jammu & Kashmir Rifles Regimental Centre at Jabalpur). This Regiment has the distinction of being awarded 28 battles honours which it has won for its bravery and valour in various wars; also this is the only Regiment in the Indian army who are permitted to wear these battle honours on the buckle of their uniform belts.
The regiment has the distinction of being decorated with the two highest gallantry awards of Param Veer Chakras in one single battle which was achieved during the Kargil operation by 13 JAK Rifles. It is a regiment that any soldier worth his salt would love to be commissioned in as it has excellent troops who are professional fighters and have proven their worth on the battlefields.
With more than three decades of service in the active Army formations as a frontline soldier fighting all the insurgencies Pan India can you please tell us something about your roles and experiences of being part of the natural disaster management operation?
One such incident is a natural disaster operation when I was posted at my Regimental Centre of the Jammu & Kashmir Rifles at Jabalpur. Heavy rains caused a heavy flood situation in Madhya Pradesh and the army was put on alert to move their rescue columns into the Raipur division of Madhya Pradesh where the situation was very alarming. The army was requested to keep their operational flood relief columns ready to take a move out on zero notice of being requisitioned by the state government.
It was sometime in July 1994 we got the orders to move to Raipur division some time in 2nd week of July which had been inundated badly due to floods and a lot of property and lives had been lost. I was detailed as the last force commander to move with my troops from the army which had detachments from the core of engineers also as they hold the OBMs (out boat motors) and flood relief equipment. A column of approx. 100 troops from all arms with complimentary of engineering with their out-boat motors moved along with me as force commander for flood relief operation to Raipur subdivision which was approximately 375 km and we had to ford through all the flooded areas of Madhya Pradesh with the heavy flow of water current throughout our journey.
The column took off from Jabalpur immediately and we had about 10 vehicles en route, the areas were inundated and most of the bridges were submerged. We could only see the side pillars which were over the water. We tied a toe to all the vehicles and this is how managed with great risk to cross the roads & bridges and finally reached the next day after traversing the hazardous route where we had to face a lot of difficulties in driving on the tarmac road where we could hardly see the road because of them being submerged in water.
We pressed in to force one column for rescue operation and we moved out in our out boat motors. The current was very heavy but our operators of OBM were very good and experienced in handling the out boat motors in such current. We could see the people stuck on the rooftops, trees, and high-rise buildings of about 3 to 4 floors. They saw our boats from the army coming in and cheers came up on their faces as if a lease of life has come to them.
I wonder how on the tress they survived and kept clinging to the trees for 2-3 days without any food and sleep. When we got them down on our boat, the gratitude and tears in their eyes showed it all to us. The ray of hope and light generated into them, for them we were like demi-Gods. It gave such a pleasure to each one of us to save their lives from this disastrous rage of nature. Approximately 1000 plus lives were saved and rescued in this operation in the Raipur division of Madhya Pradesh during our stay for approximately a week plus operating under flood relief conditions.
The administration of the Raipur Subdivision was extremely grateful for the support and excellent work of relief done by the Indian army which has never failed in bringing the situation under control in relief operations undertaken by the Indian army. An appreciation from the Government of Madhya Pradesh and the division of Raipur was handed over by the collection of Raipur division in acknowledgement of the lives saved and good work done by the Indian Army troops deputed on flood relief operations in the water disaster-prone areas.
Operation Bluestar was an Indian Army operation that took place at Sikhism’s holiest shrine in Amritsar. The June 1984 Operation is among the most controversial events in modern Indian history. How would you narrate the entire operation and can you also please tell us if you had any experience of being a part of this Operation?
Operation Blue Star which took place in 1984 was a very sad incident to have happened. One of the finest Indian regiments, the Sikh Regiment and the Sikh Light Infantry Regiment got involved into this incident. A lot of innocent lives were lost during Operation Blue Star and one of most unfortunate incidents to have taken place with such a marshal race in my opinion.
It was a failure of the Intelligence system which had happened at the national level where they really did not have real-time information as to how so much of arms, ammunition, and explosives had moved into the state of Punjab, especially into the Golden Temple at Amritsar. To top it all the then Prime Minister Mrs Indira Gandhi was shot by her own security personnel who happened to be Sikh whereby riots broke out in the capital city of Delhi and other parts of India wherein the Sikhs had to bear the brunt and were brutally killed by the mobs for which really no one was held responsible.
I too was involved in this Operation and the planning of encircling the Golden temple on the outskirts of Amritsar. Apart from this, I was involved in controlling the highway coming from Pathankot to Amritsar and blocking any reinforcement being pumped into Amritsar by the Sikh villagers trying to move into Amritsar for saving the Golden Temple and blocking the armed forces in the conduct of their Operation. It was indeed a very sad state of affairs that the Indian army had to fight with their own mislead people but we had to carry out the operations for bringing the state of Punjab under control.
The people who were inside the Golden temple and were ready to fight the armed force tooth and nail unfortunately were trained by the retired army personnel from the Sikh background which caused very heavy causalities to the troops who entered the Golden temple as they were fired upon from well-fortified locations within the Golden Temple complex and they were not ready to surrender too till the last moment.
However, the army exhibited full restraint and used minimum firepower to minimise causalities and achieved the best of results whereby the army had to suffer a lot of causalities on their part. Overall, I feel very strongly that such situations could have been avoided, had our intelligence agencies worked in tandem and cohesiveness in collating the inputs from various intelligence agencies and disseminating the same to the various forces operating to bring the situation under control.
After your superannuation from the Indian Army, you became part of a few renowned Universities and presently you are a Registrar of Mahindra University. How would you describe the shift from being an active soldier to becoming a part of an educational institution?
I feel the shift from the Indian Army as a front-line soldier and now working with the universities, the change, of course, is dynamic and I feel that whatever I have learned during my service in the elite Indian army, it is my responsibility to give back to the society. It has been my endeavour to share these experiences with the present organisation to the best of my ability. It has been a great learning and an eye opener to step into the arena of higher education and get educated on the functional aspects of the administration at the higher education level i.e at the universities which are apex organizations for educational purposes in India.
I feel if the military services are made compulsory for all citizens of India it would go a long way in inculcating a sense of discipline, punctuality, responsibility, nationalism, comradery, interior economy, and oneness amongst the youth of India which are urgently required in today’s environment.
There has been an increase in ceasefire violations along the LOC in recent years. These indicate Pakistan’s insincerity towards maintaining peace and tranquillity along the borders. What are your views on POK infiltration and how to stop them.
There are far too many border violations on LOC by the Pakistanis. I am of firm opinion that root of the dialogue and diplomacy does not work wherein the Pakistanis are concerned. They only understand the rugged answers given to them with the form signal that we mean business with them and any loss of life will be retaliated with full force and a befitting reply would be given to them for any human and border violation.
I also feel that it is high time we take back PoK from the Pakistanis’ illegal occupation. Our territories should be recaptured and taken back from all concerned. Not an inch of land should be given to any other country due to forcible occupation or intrusion.
There is a broad national consensus towardforce modernization and self-reliance to reduce pitfalls of arms export control, induction of niche technology, and retain strategic autonomy. In your view, what are the priority areas that need to be brought to the notice of the defence ministry and policy-makers?
The modernization of Indian armed forces and self-reliance to reduce pitfalls of arms, export control, induction of niche technology, and retaining strategic autonomy is needed. I personally feel that every nation should rely on its own resources as in real time if you base your imports from other nations and if they do not supply the war equipment in time, it can be a disastrous situation.
The answer is to become self-reliant on the production of war-like equipment indigenously as that will never fail you in real-time. As regards the priority areas, modernization of war-like equipment and self-reliance in all such equipment should be preferred at all costs keeping our adversaries in view.
Do you think our progress on infrastructure development is slow? As per your view, what should be done to improve construction speed and remove bottlenecks?
Yes, I feel that progress in infrastructure development is a bit slow. In my view, R&D should be privatised and the indigenous private sector should be given an opportunity to develop the infrastructure and produce. Such equipment products within the country would tie up the fast production and bringing in the latest technology which suits our requirements as per our terrain.
Looking back, what has been your biggest achievement as an astute professional in an impressive career of over four decades?
The biggest achievement as a soldier, I feel, one can see the stand of India in fields today internationally be it Siachen Glacier, the Eastern sector China borders, the Pakistan borders, the UN forces and rescue operations all over the world, etc. The defence forces of India have etched their competency training and fighting capabilities all over the world.
I think this is an achievement that is creditable and we can very comfortably say that the Indian subcontinent is a force to reckon with the Indian Flag flying high. Our military technology with regard to the armament technology equipment and the leadership has jumped and improved in all areas of its implementation. It is a proud moment for the whole nation to feel safe and secure in India with such diverse culture and traditions but yet when it comes down to Mother Nation, there is only one voice that echoes loud and clear ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai.’
Do you think that there’s a need to increase the number of promotions from soldier ranks to commissioned officers in the Indian Army as some say that at the moment it is very less when compared to the Navy and Air Force?
I don’t think that the promotions are less as compared to the Indian Air Force and Navy. Marginal differences can be there but the system requires to be thought of where different entry levels at various ranks could be considered and taken up to a certain rank of officers in the Indian Army and proportional aspects are further improved.
This means that we could have a direct entry system of Havaldars, JCOs and promotion of other ranks through a merit-based system. The other ranks could be promoted up to lieutenant levels by qualifying for certain examinations. The direct entry Havaldar could be taken up to Captain level and JCOs could be promoted up to Major Level and each stage will have to qualify for promotion examinations to all these levels. This promotion procedure can be tested out and if found efficient could be executed in the promotion policies.
How did you imagine army life before you joined? Did your perceptions change after serving and was there anything you especially missed about civilian life?
Since my father was an Army officer and I too joined the Indian Army so I had seen seen the Army life. My perception before joining and after I joined the Indian Army did not change at all as my sole aim was to join the services from day one. I didn’t miss anything specifically from civilian life, I really do not feel that I missed anything as life in the services was far more challenging, interesting, and fulfilling for me! I enjoyed every moment of serving in the defence forces.
As a Retired Army official, what advice would you give to the youth of India looking forward to joining the Indian Army?
As a retired officer, the advice I will give to the youth of India is that the Indian Army is very disciplined, dedicated, and one of the best Armed Forces in the world. They should join in case they are found fit to serve their motherland with utmost dedication and enthusiasm.
The Indian Army groomed me to be a leader who has the compassion to understand his subordinates, camaraderie in the hour of need, fearlessness on the battlefield, capable of a tremendous amount of mental and physical stress, understanding of human psychology, looking after the welfare of subordinates, courage of conviction, tenacity, honesty and unrighteousness and to learn the art of being friendly but not familiar.
Contributing Author: Khushboo Agrahari is a journalist based in India. An alumna of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), she is also a special correspondent for well-known international agencies and magazines.
Disclaimer: The Australia Today is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information in this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts, or opinions appearing in the article do not necessarily reflect the views of The Australia Today and The Australia Today News does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
Representative image regional home (image source: CANVA)
By Tania Lewis, Andrew Glover, and Julian Waters-Lynch
In 2020, propelled by the pandemic and the push to work from home, thousands of Australian households made the decision to move from the city to the country. A significant swathe of these internal migrants were “e-changers”, workers holding on to their city jobs and working remotely.
During the thick of the lockdown period, as growing numbers of city slickers swapped their urban lifestyles to work in remote and rural settings, we undertook online interviews with householders in e-change coastal hotspots and “lifestyle towns” in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. We were interested in their experiences of lifestyle migration, including the challenges facing these pioneers of remote working and living. We then spoke to our e-changers one year later to see how they fared.
Author provided, Author provided
One of the early pandemic e-changers was Charles and his partner. They relocated to a coastal location two hours’ drive from Melbourne in March 2020.
Before the pandemic Charles was a busy librarian in a large inner-urban university. Working in the buzzing heart of the city, his day job involved regular face-to-face engagement with academic staff and students in the library and across the campus.
Fast forward to today and Charles’s daily routine when working remotely looks very different. His workday – now largely spent online – is still extremely busy, but it might start with a surf and end with a walk on the beach.
These days a workday for Charles might start with a surf and end with a walk along the beach. Author provided
To many, this scenario probably sounds like a dream lifestyle, especially for those of us who spent large chunks of the past two years under lockdown. But is the shift to remote regional work as idyllic as it seems? What kinds of people decided to become e-changers? And what have their experiences been?
3 kinds of e-changers
The e-changers in our study were a diverse group of people with various motivations for moving to the country. We found three broad groups of e-changers, marked by different stages of life.
The first group – represented by older couples like Charles and Di – had often been planning a lifestyle change for some time, in early anticipation of retirement.
The second group were younger couples and singles. They were often motivated by a desire to live closer to natural amenities such as beaches, forests or mountains. Research manager Irene and her partner, for instance, moved from inner Melbourne to Mt Macedon in Victoria in May 2020. Irene recalled:
We’d been talking about this for a while because we’re both from regional areas. But after the first Melbourne lockdown, we thought ‘let’s just do it’, so we found a rental here. For us it was about having greater access to the outdoors – we both enjoy biking, hiking, running and climbing.
The third and largest group were households with dependent children. They were generally seeking more affordable and larger homes with space for their children to spend time outdoors. Kevin, an engineer whose family relocated from Sydney to Wollongong, is a good example of these aspirations:
When we had our second child […] we wanted to buy a family house but were priced out of Sydney, so we cast our net around remote and regional areas – the Blue Mountains, the Central Coast, but Wollongong came top of the list based upon distance to my office, a more relaxed lifestyle, closer to beach and bush, good schools, good health care, wasn’t too small, wasn’t too large.
When Mick, a senior manager, and his wife moved to the country from Melbourne, he converted part of a farm shed into an office space. Author provided
Different groups, different outcomes
We spoke with our e-changers one year later. How were they finding the experience of living a significant distance from the cultural life and amenities of a major city?
While they miss the cosmopolitanism and vitality of the city, Charles and Di are still enjoying the calmness, daily encounters with wildlife and close connection to neighbours in their small coastal locale. But they now rent an Airbnb in Melbourne for a couple of nights a week. These regular commutes enable them to reconnect with colleagues and get a dose of urban vibrancy.
By contrast, Irene and her partner have returned to Melbourne from Mount Macedon. While the e-change experience was a “fun break from the city and an experience of regional life”, Irene’s commitment to her career meant she wanted to be near her office. Lengthy commutes on the train – made worse by service cancellations and delays – made her city workdays long and tiring.
Long-term e-changers Kevin and his family have no regrets about the move. They cannot imagine returning to the city. For Kevin, the flexibility of working from home has enabled him to share more of the role of home care, such as cooking dinner and doing school drop-offs, with his partner, a busy healthcare worker.
It’s [working from home] the way forward. I don’t think anyone’s gonna go back.
However, for professionals like Kevin, living and working remotely still has some limitations in terms of access to transport and airports.
We have to have access or a link to a major centre, whether through rail, public transport, so we never lose that ability to be able to go into a meeting in the city if they need to. And I think Australia is going to get better at that.
Kevin enjoys working from home but hopes public transport access to the city will improve. Author provided
Australia’s leading research-intensive universities are working toward boosting the number of high-value IT and Computer Science graduates.
The Group of Eight (Go8) is advocating for courses in ICT that are underpinned by research-led experience as part of a long-term strategy to address Australia’s workforce needs in this field.
Go8 CEO Vicki Thomson (go8.edu.au)
Go8 CEO Vicki Thomson said in a statement that the role of research is critical in underpinning the education of ICT students. She observed:
“Our focus, as the universities which educate 42 per cent of Engineering and 23 per cent of ICT students is very much on ensuring there is a strong, reliable long-term supply of graduates for roles that are increasingly high-value, high wage and will not be addressed solely by VET. The role of research is also critical in underpinning the education of our students.”
IT staff; Image Source: @CANVA
To achieve this goal, Go8 is organising ‘IT and Computing Workforce Summit’ that is bringing together industry, university, and government stakeholders.
Through this Summit the Go8 plans to identify the challenges which are a hindrance to the growth in this critical area of the workforce.
Thomson added that meeting the Australian Government and industry agreed objective of 1.2 million tech jobs by 2030 will require effort from all stakeholders. She said:
“The pandemic has delivered shocks to supply chains and other aspects of our economy. The nature of work and skills needed for Australia to remain economically competitive has changed and there is an unprecedented demand for a high skilled IT enabled workforce, requiring a university bachelor degree or higher.
We can all agree that there is a desperate shortage of IT professionals now, and that sustainable development of our economy and society requires exponential growth in future supply. This supply will need to be met from several sources.”
IT staff; Image Source: @CANVA
According to the Tech Council of Australia, job vacancy rates are 60 per cent higher than the national average. The ICT industry projections to reach 1.2 million tech jobs by 2030 will mean Australia needs an extra 653,000 by the end of this decade. To meet this need, the number of university and VET graduates will need to increase by a further 42,000 by 2030.
Thomson is confident that the Go8 is “well placed to deliver the highly skilled technology-enabled workforce Australia needs for the future.”
The Hon Ed Husic MPMinister for Industry and Science (Image source: https://www.minister.industry.gov.au/ministers/husic)
Participants in Go8 Summit include representatives from IBM Australia, Telstra, Oracle Labs Australia, Google Research Australia, Raytheon Australia, BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, and Accenture Consulting.
The Summit will help provide recommendations to the Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic to inform discussion at next week’s National Jobs and Skills Summit.
The 2022-23 General Skilled Migration (GSM) program is now open and the South Australian Government has published a revised skilled occupation list, outlining the skills it seeks to fill through overseas talent as well as migrants already living and working in South Australia.
The list is one of the nation’s most extensive, with skilled migrants, including highly talented international graduates, able to seek state nomination from over 500 occupations.
The number of occupations open to overseas migrants has returned to pre-COVID pandemic levels with over 470 occupations this year, up from 380 in 2021-22.
The 2022-23 Skilled Migration Program will prioritise nominations for skilled migrants
1- They should be with backgrounds in in-demand industries, such as Health, ICT, Education, Engineering, Agribusiness and Trades, or 2- Who can bring their skills to growing sectors such as Hi-Tech / Digital, Health and Life Sciences, Green Energy, Defence, Space and Cyber Security.
Humanitarian migrants seeking asylum in South Australia on the Safe Haven Enterprise visa (SHEV) are also set to benefit from more flexible pathways to permanent residency.
The state’s focus is to nominate migrants who are already living and working in South Australia—to retain those with in-demand skills—as well as nominate skilled and experienced migrants from overseas who can fill critical shortages.
Once a skilled migrant with the relevant skills and experience has been nominated by the South Australian Government, they are able to submit a visa application to the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs.
My phone pings and it’s a message from my brother. Do we have an old white dress my niece could borrow for a Book Week costume for school?
Book Week is upon us once again and all around Australia, family WhatsApp groups are lighting up with similar requests from parents and carers of primary school-aged children.
Mothers are staring at cardboard boxes wondering how they can help their child transform into a rainbow fish. Fathers are corralling children down the aisles of Spotlight trying to find the costume section. Carers are asking children about how they want to dress for the Book Week parade, and what’s needed to complete the look.
In the scramble for costumes, which can add to the work of already stressed parents and carers, the point of Book Week – for kids to fall in love with reading – can get lost.
Book Costume; Image Source: @CANVA
In fact, a vast body of research evidence shows what’s crucial to building a love of reading is allowing children the time and freedom to read what interests them.
Dressing up as a fictional character does have benefits
I’m not saying the Book Week costume is pointless; dressing up as your favourite book character is a great way to celebrate reading, particularly when all students and teachers take part.
In Australia – where most school students wear uniforms – every school day out of uniform has a sense of celebration.
Some children will use their Book Week costumes to play around with the fictional character and interact with the role.
Book Costume; Image Source: @CANVA
A child I know revelled in dressing up as Professor Snape from Harry Potter and playfully patrolled the playground in character. He was pursued by a gang of younger Potter fans with their house colours on, yelling out to him in role and giggling when he responded gruffly as Snape.
These children were playing but they were also learning; it was an opportunity to improvise scenes based on a novel they loved to read, and to celebrate this reading across the school.
“Snape” himself had read the novels when he was younger; his love of the text and pleasures of the fictional world spurred him on to read a much more difficult text than he normally would at that age.
What really matters is not the costume, but falling in love with reading
Extensive research shows reading for pleasure improves young people’s overall reading skills, as well as test outcomes.
Creating a culture of reading in school can help children fall in love with reading, where children read books they choose for their own pleasure.
Providing time for sustained, self-selected reading is important, as many children do not read for pleasure outside school time.
Finding a book they love, with help from another child, a teacher, or a librarian, can help a child to develop the habit of reading.
So what would work to help my child fall in love with reading?
Encourage your child’s reading of fiction and let them choose books for themselves.
Facilitate trips to the library if you can, and spend time with them selecting what interests them.
Book Costume; Image Source: @CANVA
Don’t judge your kids on what they love, and don’t force your kids to read what you deem a “worthy” book.
Too often kids experience what author and teacher Kelly Gallagher calls “readicide”: the “systematic killing of the love of reading, often exacerbated by the inane, mind-numbing practices of schools”.
It’s possible to commit readicide in the home if it becomes a forced, systematic chore where your child has no choice over what they are reading.
So, rather than judging, enjoy their pleasures and invite them to share their books with you.
Share your own reading with them, and make it visible to them.
I read novels on my phone, which I love, as I can read in bed with the light off. But it’s not as obvious when I am reading fiction as it would be if I was reading a printed book – so I try to bring up my reading in my conversations with my children.
It’s a small action, but anything you can to do help establish a culture of reading in the family helps establish reading for pleasure as a normalised behaviour.
So this Book Week, don’t stress about the costume, and don’t worry about what the other mums or dads are sewing or buying.
Just let your kid read what they want and enjoy it together.
Poornima Menon (Image source: Supplied, pic by Arvind Singh)
Poornima Menon converted her love for Sarees into a business venture when she started ‘Five Pleats by Poornima Menon’ in Sydney in 2017.
‘Five Pleats by Poornima Menon’ takes you through the by-lanes of rural India where the artisans weave, and embroider this six-yard wonder with love. The brand was created to support the Indian handloom weavers and artisans, revive the love for sarees outside India and introduce the various Indian weaves to the Indian diaspora. All sarees are sourced directly from the weavers and the majority of the proceeds go back to the weavers.
Poornima Menon in a free-flowing interview told The Australia Today that as an Army wife she travelled across India and discovered the wonders of Indian weaves from different parts of the country and that inspired her to start her own venture here.
Poornima is also the founder of ‘The Saree Club’. She says it is “more than a six yard long connection where empowered women, empower women”.
“It is a network of passionate women who share their love for sarees through stories, culture, traditions and memories. Along the way they empower and educate each other on social issues, fund raise for purposeful causes and provide a safe space for support. They remain connected through their daily conversations and monthly catch-ups. Saree Club is a testament to the fact that from little things big things grow,” says Poornima Menon.
(Image source: Supplied)
Just this month on 14th August, in an Australian first, Poornima and her friends from ‘The Saree Club’ took part in City2Surf (Sydney’s popular road running event) wearing Sarees.
(Image Source: Supplied)
Poornima Menon is married to an ex Army officer and migrated to Australia with her family in 2003 as a trained teacher. She started her career in Australia as a high school English teacher in the public school system. Later she completed her Masters in Special Education and was part of the Executive team in two different schools in South West Sydney, first as Head Teacher Student welfare and later as the Head Teacher of a Support Unit with nearly 100 students with special learning needs.
She resigned from her career in teaching to join the family business in 2016.
Poornima’s two sons Nishant and Tushar started ‘My Muscle Chef’ in 2013. It is an Australian founded and owned company that started as a small family business in a small kitchen in Potts Point, Sydney.
(Image source: Supplied)
Currently ‘My Muscle Chef’ is the top rated ready meal delivery service that delivers over 2 million fresh, high protein meals, drinks and snacks to Aussies nationally every month. It is the story of two brothers who believed in their dream and through commitment, hard work and perseverance grew an idea into a leading brand.
By Kelly E Matthews, Jason M Lodge, and Melissa Johnstone
Each year tens of thousands of higher education students complete the Student Experience Survey. It’s a litmus test of student engagement, satisfaction and educational quality. But do the ways in which institutions and governments try to understand student experiences still add up?
The pandemic has transformed enrolment patterns and the ways in which students interact with their institutions and the courses they offer. We suggest the data from the 2021 survey released today no longer adequately capture students’ experience of study. The current version of the survey was designed for a time when modes of the study were more clearly defined than they have become since COVID-19 emerged.
The student survey is part of the Australian Quality Indicators of Learning and Teaching (QILT) suite of measures for higher education. The 2021 report shows ratings are more positive compared to 2020 for younger and internal (classroom-based) students. According to the report, this “can likely be attributed to some return to on-campus learning and also a change in the expectations and experience of students”.
But how are “internal” students engaging in their studies? Does learning look the same today compared to 2019, and should it?
New forms of flexibility in student mode of study have to be matched with new forms of support to enable students to make smart choices. The mode of study categorised as internal for the survey now includes so much variation that it no longer serves a useful function for reporting and analysis purposes.
Why QILT results matter
Individual higher education providers might use results to:
set key performance indicators – for example, “by 2030, we will be in the top 3 universities for learner engagement”
market themselves – “we are the top Australian university for teaching quality”
undertake evidence-informed planning – “develop sense-of-belonging roadmap to increase scores”.
Student survey data are also used in research that informs policymakers. Drawing on many years of survey results, social scientists analyse datasets to answer big, high-level questions.
It’s more than a matter of comparing universities and providers. Questions of equity and access are investigated. For example, how are rural and regional students engaging in higher education?
external: online, correspondence, and electronic-based (the language used for data-collection purposes shows how outdated it is)
multimodal: mix of internal and external.
In 2019, about 75% of Australian higher education students were enrolled as internal students. Multimodal studies accounted for roughly 14%.
Even at that time, it could have been argued that the lines between internal (classroom-based) and external (online) were already becoming blurred. Lecture recordings, learning management systems, flipped classrooms, endless debates about the “lecture”, and growth in digital technologies not only broadened access to knowledge but also enabled a mix of online and in-class interaction.
The use of existing technologies was a key reason the higher education sector could pivot online in a week when the pandemic hit in early 2020. Imagine if the pandemic had happened in 2005 instead of 2020? Higher education institutions would have simply shut down without these technologies.
Now we have had two years’ experience of online learning and new modes of study. Examples include attendance via Zoom rooms, live online, hi-flex (making class meetings and materials available so students can access them online or in person), swapping from on-campus to online due to lockdowns, students moving between internal and external study on a week-by-week basis. Does the either-or categorisation of modes of attendance – internal or external – still make sense?
Higher education; Image Source: @CANVA
5 problems with categorising attendance this way
We have identified at least five problems with the current survey categorisation of modes of attendance:
1. categorising attendance as purely one or other mode, rather than a combination of modes, stifles research and analysis of important national datasets
2. the existing categorisations stifle innovation, limiting institutions from creating distinctive blends of modes of teaching and learning
3. it perpetuates an outdated, either/or mindset that permeates discussion in the sector
4. it masks important implications of differences between new and established modes of attendance, including:
hidden workloads for staff, leading to questions of burnout and mental health
unclear expectations for students, which hinders decision-making and effective study approaches
hidden costs and unclear planning processes for differing modes of study
lack of clarity about blurred modes of study being offered, which can restrict access to higher education and create obstacles to success for equity students.
5. the sector is missing opportunities to gather relevant mass-scale data on modes of attendance to guide policy and practice.
The sector needs to agree on a new model
The crude categorisation of modes of study is hindering evidence-based decision-making. Across the sector, institutions are scrambling to sort out how best to maintain the flexibility many students now demand while ensuring students meet expected learning outcomes. And institutions need to do so in ways that are sustainable and healthy for staff.
As the chaos of the pandemic hopefully subsides, the higher education sector would benefit from a sector-wide process of developing an agreed way of describing the full range of modes of attendance. A framework is needed that enables a shared understanding of all these modes. This will enable institutions to better plan, resource, innovate and engage students and staff.
Such a framework could then inform ongoing national data collection, such as QILT, so social scientists and educational researchers can, in turn, better guide policy and practice.
The SA Science Excellence and Innovation Awards showcase the critical importance of science, research, and innovation to the development of industry and society as a whole. The awards page notes:
“The Awards provide a remarkable opportunity to recognise the work of inspiring Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) leaders and teams working in research and education institutions, schools, industry and the community.”
Prof. Kumar holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Physiotherapy, a Master of Physiotherapy in Manipulative and Sports Physiotherapy, a Graduate Diploma in Education Studies (Digital Learning), and a PhD from the University of South Australia.
In a tweet, Prof. Kumar said: “What a great honour to be a finalist in #SAScienceAwards and share this recognition with such amazing and talented people.”
Prof. Kumar is passionate about teaching and communicating science and research. Over a career spanning nearly two decades, he has taught thousands of allied health students. He is an active researcher, contributing to the evidence base of healthcare, and has supervised and mentored 28 research students.
Prof. Sarvana Kumar (Twitter)
Prof. Kumar is also involved in teaching beyond the classroom, especially with the New Colombo Plan. He strives to create a safe, friendly, and positive learning environment for students where they thrive and succeed. His teaching approaches and expertise have been widely sought by a global audience.
Prof. Kumar was the NHMRC NICS-MAC Fellow from 2008-2010 and in 2020 he was appointed as the UniSA – Calvary Clinical Lead. He has been repeatedly recognised for his outstanding teaching, including commendations, scholarships, and a national award as the Allied Health Educator of the Year in 2019.
He was also the finalist for the National Allied Health Inspiration Award (2017) and Physiotherapist of the Year (2019), and won the President’s Award from South Australian Indian Medical Association (2019).
The winners will be announced on 25 November 2022 and the STEMM Educator of the Year awardee will receive a prize to the value of $10,000 to use towards their career development.
Adani media arm AMG Media Networks Ltd’s (AMNL) wholly-owned subsidiary VCPL, which holds warrants of NDTV’s promoter group company RRPR Holding Private Ltd (RRPR) entitling it to convert them into 99.99 per cent stake in RRPR, has exercised the option to acquire 99.5 per cent stake in RRPR and acquire control of it.
RRPR holds 29.18 per cent stake in NDTV. The news channel made its announcement to BSE about the acquisition. 26% shares of NDTV is being purchased at Rs. 294 per share amounting to 492.81 Crores.
Image source: www.barandbench.com
NDTV is a leading media house that has pioneered the delivery of news for over three decades. The company operates three national news channels – NDTV 24×7, NDTV India, and NDTV Profit. It also has a strong online presence and remains one of the most followed news handles on social media with more than 35 million followers across various platforms.
NDTV recorded revenue of Rs 421 crore with an EBITDA of Rs 123 crore and net profit of Rs 85 crore in FY22 with negligible debt.
“This acquisition is a significant milestone in the journey of AMNL’s goal to pave the path of new age media across platforms,” its CEO Sanjay Pugalia said.
AMNL, a wholly-owned subsidiary of AEL, houses the media business of the Adani Group. The company was recently incorporated to set up a credible next-generation media platform with an emphasis on digital and broadcast segments, amongst others. VCPL, which was recently acquired by AMNL, is its wholly-owned subsidiary.
While legal challenges against federal and state vaccine mandates have come to nothing, in recent months two Australian workers have won unfair dismissal cases after being sacked for not complying with their employer’s vaccination orders.
These wins in the federal industrial relations tribunal, the Fair Work Commission, confirm employers do not have carte blanche to insist employees be vaccinated.
The victories do not signal a “change in the narrative” – or that future legal claims against government mandates in other courts may succeed. But they do affirm and refine principles previously applied in vaccination-related cases heard by the commission.
The cases have turned on matters of procedure.
The commission’s rulings have confirmed the general validity of employer-imposed vaccination policies but highlighted the need for fair processes when applying such policies.
Key to these two unfair dismissal rulings were that the employers went about things the wrong way and failed to consider individual circumstances.
Robyn Pskiet vs Nocelle Foods
One case involved Adelaide woman Robyn Pskiet, sacked on 12 January 2022 by Nocelle Foods, a food wholesaler and distributor.
Pskiet was working as a quality assurance manager alongside about 60 office and factory workers at Nocelle’s Adelaide factory. She had been with the company since 2005.
The company told staff in late November 2021 it was considering implementing a COVID vaccination policy, due to workplace health and safety concerns and increasing levels of community transmission after South Australia opened its borders on November 22.
It implemented its vaccination policy on December 29. Staff were required to show evidence of their first vaccination by January 10 2022. Pskiet was dismissed for failing to provide a vaccination certificate or medical exemption.
Pskiet’s case to the Fair Work Commission was that she was concerned about the safety of then available COVID vaccines but willing to take a “safer vaccine”, such as Novavax, which the Therapeutic Goods Administration did not provisionally approve until January 20 2022.
She argued Nocelle’s vaccination policy was not reasonable or lawful because it did not give her the option to work from home or grant her leave until Novavax was approved.
Commissioner Peter Hampton agreed.
He ruled Nocelle Foods’ vaccination policy was a lawful and reasonable direction, and refusing to comply was a valid basis for termination. But Pskiet’s dismissal was still unfair, because of her position and long-standing service, and the timing and manner of applying the policy to her.
He said “proper consideration of her circumstances” could have avoided, or at least delayed, the need to sack Pskiet.
He ordered the company to compensate her $3,462 plus superannuation. He did not, however, order the company to reinstate Pskiet – the first option when workers win unfair dismissal cases.
Bradley Dean vs Rex Airlines
The second unfair dismissal case involved pilot Bradley Dean, sacked by regional airline Rex, on December 1 2021, after 27 years of service, for breaching a policy requiring staff members to be fully vaccinated by November 1.
Dean’s position was similar to Pskiet’s. He wanted to wait for the Novavax vaccine. He asked to be given alternative duties – for example, working as a flight simulator – and requested more time to get vaccinated.
In finding for Dean, Commissioner Donna McKenna ruled the airline could validly dismiss an employee for failing to be vaccinated, but the way it had treated Dean had been unfair.
Rex’s failure to comply with procedural considerations included not discussing options to dismissal, despite assuring Dean it would.
Dean received his two Novavax vaccinations once they became available, after he was sacked. Commissioner McKenna ordered his reinstatement, with no loss in continuity of service.
Individual circumstances matter
A key message from these rulings is that employers making COVID vaccination a condition of employment is generally lawful and reasonable – at least where COVID remains a significant hazard and workers are in roles requiring proximity to others.
These principles were affirmed in a December 2021 decision of the Fair Work Commission’s full bench.
In that case, the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union successfully challenged a vaccine policy introduced by the BHP subsidiary operator of the Mt Arthur coal mine in NSW’s Hunter Valley.
The full bench agreed the vaccination mandate was unreasonable because the employer had failed to properly consult with employees in introducing the policy – but confirmed the general validity of vaccination policies.
Procedure also counts when it comes to dismissing an employee for failing to comply with a vaccination requirement. The same general principles have also been upheld in unfair dismissal cases concerning mandatory influenza vaccination policies.
Employers can have a general vaccination policy but must treat every individual case on its own merits and circumstances – including the timing and manner of applying the vaccination policy to the particular employee.
Extra latitude must be given to longer serving, senior employees or those with good performance records.
Varun Anthony with Sudhir Dhavan at Arshiya Free Trade Warehousing Zone in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra (LinkedIn - Varun Anthony)
Wine lovers in India now have an opportunity to experience South Australia’s best wines. In September 2021, the South Australian Government launched its ‘South Australian Indian Wine Expansion Program‘ (SA-IWEP).
SA-IWEP is a year-long multi-activity wine expansion program focused on “building consumer awareness and creating strong brand loyalty for South Australian wines entering India for the long-term.”
Further, the program aims to match South Australian wineries with consumers, buyers, importers, distributors, and stakeholders across India’s HoReCa and retail sector.
Image source: Sonal Holland MW.
This program is led by India’s only Master of Wine – Sonal Holland MW, in an official capacity as South Australia’s Wine Ambassador for India.
Under SA-IWEP, the Department for Trade and Investment – South Australia in India has partnered with R. E. Rogers India Private Limited as its official Logistics Partner and GEL Events Australia as its on-ground partners in Australia to work with both the established and the new-to-market South Australian wineries. They will further bridge a key component of market entry in wines and book clearance of samples.
image source: Varun Anthony, South Australia’s In-Market Representative for India (LinkedIn)
Varun Anthony, South Australia’s In-Market Representative for India, says key partnerships with industry stakeholders in India’s logistics, import and distribution network have been key to the Department for Trade and Investment – South Australia’s long-term strategy for India. He adds:
“The availability of samples in-market enables the overseas office to smoothly engage with industry stakeholders in showcasing South Australia’s quality and diverse New World Wines.”
As per Austrade, in 2021, Australia was India’s largest source of wine imports with Australia taking a total of 43% share of the Indian market valued at a record A$12 million.
Image source: South Australian wine (Department for Trade and Investment – South Australia in India).
The SA-IWEP will tap the opportunity in India’s wine sector through the Australia-India Economic Co-operation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA). Under this bilateral trade agreement, signed on 2 April 2022, tariffs and taxes paid on imports of premium Australian wine exports to India will be substantially reduced.
After facing flak over their latest advertisement featuring Hrithik Roshan, food delivery platform Zomato issued an apology for hurting people’s sentiments.
“We offer our sincerest apologies, for the intent here was never to hurt anyone’s beliefs and sentiments,” the company said in a Twitter post.
Zomato’s statement comes after priests and devotees of Ujjain’s Shree Mahakaleshwar Temple demanded immediate withdrawal of the particular advertisement in which Hrithik was seen ordering food from ‘Mahakal’ when he felt like having a ‘thali’.
“Mahakal temple does not deliver any thali. Zomato and Hrithik Roshan must apologize for this ad,” said priest Mahesh Sharma.
“The company has made misleading publicity about the Mahakal temple in its advertisement. The company should think before issuing such advertisements,” Sharma said, adding that the ad hurt religious sentiments.
Prasad is served to the devotees on a plate, but there is no provision for delivery if anyone asks for it, the priest added.
Priest Mahesh Sharma said their prasad is distributed among devotees on a plate (thali) free of cost and is not something that can be ordered online through a food delivery app. The Mahakal temple of Lord Shiva in Ujjain is one of twelve Jyotirlingas.
In its statement, the company said that the ad “referenced ‘thalis’ at ‘Mahakal Restaurant’, and not the revered Shree Mahakaleshwar Temple.”
“The video is part of a pan-India campaign for which we identified top local restaurants and their top dishes based on popularity in each city. Mahakal restaurant was one of the restaurants chosen for the campaign in Ujjain. We deeply respect the sentiments of the people of Ujjain and the ad in question is no longer running. We offer our sincerest apologies for the intent here was never to hurt anyone’s beliefs and sentiments,” the statement concluded.
Dharmendra Pradhan and Jason Clare (Twitter - Dharmendra Pradhan)
Australian and Indian ministers of education held a bilateral meeting in Sydney to collaborate on education and skills development initiatives between the two nations.
India’s Minister of Education and Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan met with his Australian counterpart Jason Clare MP as part of the Australian India Education Council (AIEC) at Western Sydney University’s Parramatta City Campus.
Dharmendra Pradhan and Jason Clare (Twitter – Dharmendra Pradhan)
With AIEC 2022, India and Australia aim to collaborate in areas such as Ayurveda, Yoga & Agriculture, skill development, curriculum development and Digital University.
The education ministers launched two landmark initiatives – Australian Researcher Cooperation Hub-India (ARCH-India) and the Australia India Research Students Fellowship (AIRS Fellowship) program – that will boost bilateral research collaboration, and showcase research excellence of India and Australia.
I raised the issue of pending visas of Indian students going to Australia as well as areas our countries can work together, especially in advancing research collaborations in Ayurveda, Yoga & Agriculture, skill development, curriculum development and Digital University.
During his discussion, Minister Pradhan also raised the issue of the impact of visa backlog on Indian students who are hoping to come to Australia for further study. He told the media that the issue has been raised and his office has been assured by the Australian Government that the whole process will be sped up.
(Twitter – Dharmendra Pradhan).
Minister Pradhan added:
“Australian Government is happy – I believe I trust my friend. He assured me when our Prime Minister – both our Prime Minister discuss also this issue, and he personally assured me he will look into the backlog issue. Yes, backlog issue is a concern for India because a lot of student have already budgeted their fees and entrance charges and are waiting for coming to Australia for their career, so I’m confident my friend will look into that answer.”
Minister Clare added that the Australian Government is keen to address the issue of backlog of student visas. He observed:
“It’s a serious issue. Indian students have paid up. They’re keen to come here. We want them here in Australia being part of our higher education system.”
He further updated that the Department of Home Affairs has added an extra 140 staff to help speed up the visa processing task.
“We’re seeing double the number of Indian students having their visas processed and approved in July as happened in June, but there’s still a backlog. There’s still more work that we have to do, and I’m working closely with Clare O’Neil, the Minister for Home Affairs on that task.”
India is Australia’s second-largest source market for international student enrolments, accounting for 15.2% of international students in 2019, pre- COVID, and 16.3% in 2022. Indian international students studying in Australia contributed more than $6.4 billion to the economy in 2019, pre-COVID.
Dharmendra Pradhan, Jason Clare and Lisa Singh (Twitter – Dharmendra Pradhan).
Both ministers also discussed ways to recognize Indian education qualifications. Minister Clare said that he hopes this issue would be discussed at the Jobs and Skills Summit that will be held next week.
Minister Clare added:
“We want people with qualifications to be able to use them in Australia. We have a skills shortage at the moment. Australian businesses are screaming out for skilled workers. Brendan O’Connor, my colleague, the Minister for Skills, is looking at issues like this.”
Further, he was of the opinion that mutual recognition of educational qualifications “will help to underpin the growth in students studying here in Australia as well as Australian students being able to study in India.”
Currently, more than a quarter of permanent skilled migrants in Australia work in jobs that are beneath their skill level. Both ministers were hopeful that some progress on this front will be made by the end of this year.
The popularity of plant-based proteins, or “fake meat”, has increased in recent years as consumers look to eat fewer animal products. In fact, plant-based protein is projected to be a A$3 billion opportunity for Australia by 2030.
Many consumers believe these fake meats are better for their health, as well as better for the environment, but is that right?
What is fake meat?
It may sound obvious, but the first thing to say is that fake meat is not meat. Referring to these products as meat has been widely criticised by the meat industry, resulting in a recent Senate Committee report recommending mandatory regulation for the labelling of plant-based products.
Fake meats fall into two categories: plant-based proteins and cell-based proteins.
The plant-based burgers and sausages found on supermarket shelves are made by extracting the protein from plant foods, often pea, soy, wheat protein, and mushrooms.
But a myriad of additives are needed to make these products look and taste like traditional meat.
For example, chemically refined coconut oil and palm oil are often added to plant-based burgers to help mimic meat’s soft and juicy texture. Colouring agents, such as beetroot extracts, have been used in Beyond Meat’s “raw” burger to mimic the colour change that occurs when meat is cooked. And the additive soy leghemoglobin, produced by genetically engineered yeast, has been used to create the Impossible Foods “bleeding” burger.
Something not yet available on supermarket shelves in Australia is cell-based or “cultured” meat. This fake meat is made from an animal cell that is then grown in a lab culture to create a piece of meat. While it may sound like a far-off concept, Australia already has two cell-based meat producers.
Is fake meat healthier?
Not necessarily.
In good news, an audit of over 130 products available in Australian supermarkets found plant-based products were, on average, lower in calories and saturated fat, and higher in carbohydrates and fibre than meat products.
But, not all plant-based products are created equal.
In fact, there are considerable differences in the nutrition content between products. For example, the saturated fat content of plant-based burgers in this audit ranged from 0.2 to 8.5 grams per 100 grams, meaning some plant-based products actually contained more saturated fat than a beef patty.
Salt levels in plant-based products are high, but vary between products. Plant-based mince can contain up to six times more sodium than meat equivalent products, whereas plant-based sausages contain two thirds less sodium on average.
The question then is, does swapping animal-based foods for plant-based foods improve health?
An eight week trial of 36 US adults investigated this, and researchers found switching to eating more plant-based products (while keeping all other foods and drinks as similar as possible) improved risk factors for heart disease, including cholesterol levels and body weight. However, research in this area is still in its infancy, and longer term trials are needed.
The bottom line is most fake meats are classified as ultra-processed foods.
They have undergone extensive industrial processing and include substances of “no or rare culinary use”, which means you would not find them in your average kitchen cupboard.
There is an opportunity for government and the food industry to ensure these highly processed plant-based products are re-formulated to contain less saturated fat and sodium, and to minimise the use of chemically derived additives.
Is fake meat better for the environment?
Yes, it can be.
The US Beyond Meat burger claims to use 99% less water, 93% less land and produce 90% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than a traditional beef patty.
Yet, the environmental footprint of plant-based products is a contentious topic, especially since ultra-processed foods have been widely criticised as being environmentally unsustainable.
A study published this month in The Lancet Planetary Health looked at the ethical and economic implications of eating more plant-based products. Researchers concluded switching from beef to plant-based products would reduce the carbon footprint of US food production by 2.5–13.5%, by reducing the number of animals needed for beef production by 2–12 million.
However, researchers noted any benefits to the agricultural workforce and natural resources were less clear.
So, should we be eating fake meat?
Fake meats can be enjoyed as part of a healthy diet as a “sometimes food”.
When choosing plant-based products, check the label to choose lower salt and higher fibre options.
If you are looking for an alternative to meat that is both healthy for you and the environment, then whole plant foods are by far the best option for a plant-based or flexitarian diet.
Fresh or canned legumes, beans and chickpeas can be used to make your own meat-free burgers, and herbs and spices can add flavour to tofu.
Eating these whole plant foods also aligns with the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, that recommends choosing lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, and legumes/beans, and eating fewer processed meats such as salami, bacon, and sausages.
Susan Moylan-Coombs, Indu Balachandran (Image Source: AIIBS, Atlantic Fellows website)
A path-breaking ‘Indigenous and First Nations business connect’ program has been initiated by the Australia India Business Council (AIBC). This program will host well-known First Nations and Indigenous business owner and advocate, Susan Moylan-Coombs, and Senior Atlantic Fellow, Indu Balachandran, both will be co-chairing the session.
Susan Moylan-Coombs is the founder of The Gaimaragal Group. She has extensive experience working with First Australian communities nationally and internationally, with specific expertise in community consultation, empowerment and the facilitation of voice and storytelling. She also previously held the positions of Executive Producer ABC’s Indigenous Programs Unit and Head of Production, NITV a division of SBS.
Indu Balachandran has over 20 years of experience in innovation and leadership in the Indigenous, arts and community development sectors. Her work has been recognised by the UTS Human Rights Award for Reconciliation, and as a Fellow of the Global Atlantic Fellowship for Social Equity.
In an exclusive interview with The Australia Today, Susan Moylan-Coombe and Indu Balachandran shared their insights into the significance of this initiative.
Susan Moylan-Coombs told The Australia Today that there are opportunities across the board for engagement. Indu Balachandran also emphasised that while areas like textiles, food, art and history are starting points, there are possibilities for Indian and Indigenous businesses to interact in every sector like infrastructure, cyber security, education or any of the traditional, conventional, large sectors.
Ms Moylan-Coombs said,
“We have the ability to share knowledge about different ways of doing business as Indigenous people so it’s not just that we are being included into this bigger opportunity that is I guess a ‘mainstream’ way of doing things.”
She further added, “as original people as Indigenous people and our world view which is about sustainability about caring for the planet and our way of original economies and how to do things that care deeply about humans but also country, whether it is India or Australia, it is still about being able to live sustainably on your home ground, that we also have something to offer mainstream.”
“It’s not just about profit and loss it’s a different lens through which we see success,” said Ms Moylan-Coombs
Indu Balachandran felt that the community should open up ‘Indianness’ to First Nations people. She said
“if we open up Indianness to the First Nations people here, my vision is that the Indian community can actually lead the way on what relationality and kind of lawful relationship between migrants, first people, business cultural social can look like and it’s a celebration.
It’s actually a celebration of coming together, that’s what it is and coming together respectfully, knowingly and truthfully”.
The Australia India Business Council (AIBC) is holding its inaugural Australia India International Business Summit (AIIBS) in Sydney this week (23-25 August). The summit will include many high-level programmes and sessions covering key sectors.
Australia India Institute’s CEO The Hon Lisa Singh with India's Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan and his Australian counterpart Jason Clare MP at the Western Sydney University Campus (Twitter - Lisa Singh).
Australian and Indian ministers of education held a bilateral meeting in Sydney to collaborate on education and skills development initiatives between the two nations.
India’s Minister of Education and Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan met with his Australian counterpart Jason Clare MP as part of the Australian India Education Council (AIEC) at Western Sydney University’s Parramatta City Campus.
India’s Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan with his Australian counterpart Jason Clare MP at the Western Sydney University Campus (Twitter – Dharmendra Pradhan).
The education ministers have launched two landmark initiatives – Australian Researcher Cooperation Hub-India (ARCH-India) and the Australia India Research Students Fellowship (AIRS Fellowship) program – that will boost bilateral research collaboration, and showcase the research excellence of India and Australia.
In a tweet, Minister Pradhan said: “We had fruitful discussions on further strengthening our cooperation in education, skill development, research collaborations, innovation and entrepreneurship.”
Delighted to meet my Ministerial counterpart in Australia HE @JasonClareMP ahead of the 6th meeting of the AIEC.
We had fruitful discussions on further strengthening our cooperation in education, skill development, research collaborations, innovation and entrepreneurship. pic.twitter.com/Es6AbUg0zR
Minister Pradhan also raised the issue of pending visas of Indian students coming to Australia for further studies.
He tweeted:
“I raised the issue of pending visas of Indian students going to Australia as well as areas our countries can work together, especially in advancing research collaborations in Ayurveda, Yoga & Agriculture, skill development, curriculum development and Digital University.”
India and Australia are partners with a strong history of bilateral cooperation in education and research. Minister Pradhan has also welcomed Australian universities and TAFEs to set their campuses in India and explore areas of collaboration.
I welcomed Australian universities and skilling institutions to set their campuses in India and also explore areas of collaboration.
“Today’s meeting will reaffirm this partnership including through the Australian Researcher Cooperation Hub and the Australia-India Research Students Fellowship. These programs are run by the Australia India Institute and funded by the Australian Government to drive collaboration and innovation between our two countries.”
A great morning in Parramatta with Indian Education Minister @dpradhanbjp discussing ways and can work more closely together to tackle the skills challenges we both face. pic.twitter.com/ISHpa0z0fF
There are currently 59,000 Indian students in Australia. Both countries agreed to expand the cooperation in learning, skilling, and research.
HE @JasonClareMP and I agreed to expand our cooperation in learning, skilling and research and to take forward our engagements with a view to make education an important pillar under the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. pic.twitter.com/EZjEF5LaJI
Minister Clare said that he hopes Indian students enjoy and love Australia. He added:
“Indian students benefit from a world-class education at one of Australia’s quality higher education institutions. They take home new skills and knowledge to help create new businesses, drive research and innovation, to continue to grow India’s economy and contribute to Indian society.”
(Twitter – Dharmendra Pradhan).
The Australia India Institute’s CEO The Hon Lisa Singh also attended the launch of the Australian Researcher Cooperation Hub-India (ARCH-India) and the Australia India Research Students Fellowship (AIRS Fellowship) program.
In a statement, Ms Singh said:
“Australia and India have a long history of partnership and cooperation. Yet there remains untapped potential to deepen our research links. Both countries have advanced research and development capabilities. Here is an opportunity to reveal and connect the unique expertise of both nations and work together to address the complex challenges facing the Indo-Pacific and the world.”
ARCH-India is a digital platform designed to advance research linkages between Australia and India. It is a rich resource for researchers, providing information on 15 key areas of bilateral importance, funding opportunities, case studies of successful research collaboration, and more.
The new AIRS Fellowship program will support research students and early career researchers from India and Australia to undertake short-term research exchanges. Up to seventy fellowships will be offered with up to 35 grants to be offered to cohorts from each country.
Australia India Institute’s CEO The Hon Lisa Singh with India’s Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan and his Australian counterpart Jason Clare MP at the Western Sydney University Campus (Twitter – Lisa Singh).
These two initiatives will be delivered by the Australia India Institute and supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Education as part of the India Economic Strategy to 2035 Action Plan.
While in Australia, Minister Pradhan will meet with Australian university leaders and representatives of various vocational education training and skills sectors to address challenges in Australia-India bilateral relationship and explore areas for cooperation.
Western Australia’s Government has made changes to its migration program to support skilled workers looking to migrate to Western Australia including increasing occupations eligible for skilled migration in WA by around 60 per cent.
New occupations have been added to the Western Australian Skilled Migration Occupation List Schedule 1 (WASMOL Schedule 1) and the Western Australian Skilled Migration Occupation List Schedule 2 (WASMOL Schedule 2).
They have also waived the $200 application fee and have made changes to the requirements for new applicants as of 1 July 2022, including:
Removal of the requirement to demonstrate sufficient funds for WA State nomination.
Reduction in the English requirements for applicants at the Manager and Professional occupation level to the “competent” level of English.
Changes to the document requirements for the WASMOL Schedule 1&2 and the Graduate Occupation lists based on the visa the applicant is being nominated for, as explained below.
190 Visa requirements
WASMOL Schedule 1
WASMOL Schedule 2
Graduate stream
Work Experience
At least one year of work experience onshore or overseas in the nominated (or closely related) occupation
N
N
Contract
Full Time employment contract in WA for a minimum of 6 months in the nominated (or closely related) occupation
Full Time employment contract in WA for a minimum of 6 months in the nominated (or closely related) occupation
N
Evidence of two years Western Australian study
N
N
Y
491 Visa requirements
WASMOL Schedule 1
WASMOL Schedule 2
Graduate stream
Work Experience
At least one year of work experience onshore or overseas in the nominated (or closely related) occupation
N
N
Contract
N
N
N
Evidence of two years Western Australian study
N
N
Y
Applicants who have a nominated occupation identified on the Western Australian skilled migration occupation list (WASMOL) or Graduate occupation list (GOL) may be eligible for Western Australian State nomination using one of the following visa subclasses:
The occupations identified on the occupation lists do not relate to any specific job vacancies, nor represent any guarantee of a job, but rather identify occupations that are considered a priority for the State. It is recommended that you research employment opportunities in Western Australia (in your occupation) before making the decision to migrate. State nomination applicants will have to compete with all potential employees in the Western Australian labour market to secure any available or advertised position.
Those considering applying for Western Australian nomination are advised to check with the appropriate licensing or registration authority to verify their suitability for licensing or registration.
Occupations available across all WA State Nomination streams (WASMOL schedule 1 and 2, and GOL) are now listed together for easy reference in the WA State nominated combined occupation list.
Using the new WA State Nomination – Combined occupation lists
Occupations may have the following status.
Eligible visas
WASMOL Schedule 1
WASMOL Schedule 2
Graduate
190 visa
491 visa
Occupation is available for nominations invitations.
Occupation is under review and invitations to apply for State nomination will be limited pending the outcome of the review.
Occupation is closed for invitations.
2022-23 WA State Nomination – Combined occupation list (WASMOL schedule 1 and 2, and GOL)
The GOL has been expanded to include 331 occupations.
The WASMOL – Schedule 1 has been expanded to include 90 occupations.
The WASMOL – Schedule 2 has been expanded to include 189 occupations.
ANZSCO code
Skilled occupation
Eligible visas
WASMOL Schedule 1
WASMOL Schedule 2
Graduate
*190 visa
**491 visa
141999
Accommodation and Hospitality Managers, nec
NEW
221111
Accountant (General)
252211
Acupuncturist
233911
Aeronautical Engineer
NEW
231111
Aeroplane Pilot
234111
Agricultural Consultant
NEW
233912
Agricultural Engineer
NEW
234112
Agricultural Scientist
311111
Agricultural Technician
334112
Airconditioning and Mechanical Services Plumber
342111
Airconditioning and Refrigeration Mechanic
323111
Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Avionics)
NEW
323112
Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Mechanical)
NEW
323113
Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (Structures)
NEW
411111
Ambulance Officer
NEW
311211
Anaesthetic Technician
NEW
253211
Anaesthetist
NEW
261311
Analyst Programmer
121311
Apiarist
121111
Aquaculture Farmer
362212
Arborist
232111
Architect
NEW
312111
Architectural Draftsperson
312199
Architectural, Building and Surveying Technicians, nec
** 491 – Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491)
*** For the purposes of Western Australian State nomination General stream schedule 1, only applicants with the specialisation of Medical Physicist are eligible. Any evidence required as part of your application must relate to this specialisation. Closely related occupations will not be considered. Visit the General stream WASMOL schedule 1 requirements page for more information on the requirements.
**** For the purposes of WA State nomination General stream schedule 2, only applicants with a specialisation in Mental Health are eligible. Any evidence required as part of your application must relate to this specialisation. Closely related occupations will not be considered. Visit the General stream – WASMOL schedule 2 requirements page for more information on the requirements.
***** For the purposes of WA State nomination General stream schedule 2, only applicants with the specialisation of Harbour Master are eligible. Any evidence required as part of your application must relate to this specialisation. Closely related occupations will not be considered.Visit the General stream – WASMOL schedule 2 requirements page for more information on the requirements.
Clueless actor Alicia Silverstone recently told a podcast she co-sleeps with her 11-year-old son, explaining she is “just following nature”.
“Bear and I still sleep together,” she told The Ellen Fisher Podcast last month. “I’ll be in trouble for saying that, but I really don’t care.”
As Silverstone predicted, a backlash followed. Fans accused her of “ruining” her child, while others called it “creepy”. One psychologist said it would create “boundary issues”.
I am a psychologist who directs a clinic specialising in sleep difficulties in children from birth to 18 years. I am also a researcher in paediatric sleep. I have seen first-hand the strong opinions people have about parents co-sleeping (or not) with their children.
While we need to be mindful of safety and SIDS when co-sleeping with infants, there is no problem with co-sleeping with older children in and of itself.
How common is co-sleeping?
Co-sleeping, like many aspects of parenting, is often the subject of vehement disagreements.
While proponents argue it nurtures the parent-child attachment, reduces children’s anxiety and helps children sleep, critics say it stunts a child’s independence and disrupts parents’ sleep and intimacy.
CO-SLEEPING WITH YOUR 11-YEAR-OLD? Alicia Silverstone, who has been outspoken about her unique style of parenting, revealed that she co-sleeps with her 11-year-old son — #TheView panel weighs in. https://t.co/cVclFZyKV0pic.twitter.com/RBfTaq7ah1
But it is more common than people may realise and is under-reported. I have found in my work that before their child is born, parents often say they don’t want to co-sleep, but often end up doing it over time.
Data of rates of co-sleeping in school-age children in western countries are scarce. But recent studies show in China, 25% of pre-adolescents co-sleep. In Brazil up to 47% of school-aged children sleep in their parents’ bed at least sometimes, while 30% of school-aged children co-sleep in Italy.
Why do western countries frown on co-sleeping?
In western societies, the idea that children should sleep on their own only emerged during the 19th century.
Before this, the communal house and communal bedroom, shared by siblings and parents, was the norm (and still is in many societies).
But with the emergence of nuclear families in Victorian times came the need for increased discipline with children who were independent from their parents. Bedrooms were “privatised” and sleeping alone was thought to instil self-regulation in children.
Co-sleeping was also seen as something “poor people” did, as wealthier families could afford a bed for each child.
By the early 20th century, there were fears over-indulgent parenting styles would spoil children and co-sleeping became synonymous with raising lazy, difficult children.
What does the research say?
As social animals, children are not biologically primed to sleep alone. This is something they often need to learn with support from a parent or other trusted adult. Gaining the confidence and resilience to sleep alone is not a given and some children, especially sensitive or anxious children, need more time and assistance.
There is no scientific time frame in which this needs to occur, only societal expectations. Indeed, research confirms supporting and nurturing a sensitive child while learning to sleep alone (if necessary or desired) is more effective than forcing them to sleep alone.
One of the key arguments against co-sleeping is that, children who co-sleep become more dependent on their parents both at sleep time and also in general. It is viewed as a bad habit that will be difficult to break.
Parents may be warned “once a co-sleeper always a co-sleeper”. The research does not support this claim.
In fact, research shows that while co-sleeping may result in a temporary dependence on a parent, in the longer term it results in a child who is more resilient, gaining the skill of solo sleeping when they are more able to cope.
A child who co-sleeps also does not necessarily continue to co-sleep. As they get older, sleeping alone is often simultaneous with increasing independence. Similar to all other learned habits in older children such as dressing and tidying their rooms, children will not always need their parents to do it for them, and when parents deem this appropriate they can be taught and guided to do it themselves.
There is no guideline for an age when co-sleeping should be stopped or started, just as there is no guideline for when comfort toys should be kept or discarded.
These factors are largely driven by societal expectations and parents’ own choice (which is of course, is influenced by society).
Worried your kids are ‘too old’ for co-sleeping?
If parents are enjoying co-sleeping with their children but think they “should” stop, keep these points in mind:
co-sleeping has a bad reputation. There are social myths that co-sleeping is “bad” and it develops inappropriate daytime or night-time behaviours, dependency on parents and bad habits for life. But co-sleeping does not have negative outcomes in an of itself
if your child is co-sleeping consider the reasons they doing this. Is it due to anxiety, sensitivity or sleep disturbance? If so, these can be effectively treated by a professional
maybe you just like co-sleeping. As long as there are no obligations – both parties are doing it because they want to – there is no issue
both parent and child can stop co-sleeping when they want. Co-sleeping is a learned behaviour, and can be unlearned at any time. Child psychologists and some GPs are increasingly offering interventions to get children used to sleeping alone, and offer parenting strategies to help this happen in a child friendly and supportive way.
Raksha Dubey Choubey’s, first collection of poems ‘Sahsa kuch nahin hota’ is reflective of an impeccable, highly emotional poet with a sensitive conscience. In today’s artificial world when everyone is hesitant to speak the truth, in these times of conspiratorial silence, in her conscious defense of duty, she considers it her dharma to write on pains, sufferings and burning issues.
In today’s times, when the so-called, self-proclaimed great writers of the literary world, patting themselves on their backs, are drenched in the conceit of pseudo-intellectuality, are afraid to write about important issues, Raksha writes impeccably and fearlessly. She exposes the naked truths about the sickly-contaminated mentality prevailing in society in her poems, unmoved by the fear of becoming controversial and making readers angry.
Raksha’s poems, expressing humanity with their ethos, are excellent poetic expressions with subtle sentiments. She describes the amalgamation of ancient and modern with its antiquity and cultural richness. Her poems are inspirational for budding writers. Those who’ve read her poems are convinced of her high intellect. She writes after a keen observation of happenings around her and influences the reader’s mind.
Raksha Dubey Choubey (Image source: Supplied)
Raksha’s short poems compel the mind to think deeply as to in which direction the society is heading. The experiences of the ironies, quirks, adversities prevailing in the society disturb her. Nothing escapes from her subtle eyes. The readers establish their identity with the characters of her poems, composed in simple style.
Many poems have women as central characters, other poems are based on diverse subjects in which along with the masks of lies, delusions, the bitter truths of society are exposed. The ironical current conditions of society like hunger and inequality are also well defined. Her expressions have a depth of emotion and latent sobriety.
Raksha has written in her poems about the downtroddens, poverty strickens who ask for alms to pacify their intestines’ appetite, poor marginalized class wandering around the vehicles to sell small goods, making a tamasha on the streets with the monkey-damru. They are seen with contempt and treated inhumanely.
Raksha does not talk about Feminism, but is well aware of the exploitation-oppression, pain and suffering of women. Raksha believes in equality as a protector of human values. In the characters of her poems, readers can easily recognize women of their families, relatives, acquaintances. Presenting half the population of the world, her poems define all forms of women like rural, urban, working, rebels, women following traditions, women adapting to the modern age, women with compromising attitudes, some following customs with settled conscience, few logical minded not blindly accepting traditions etc.
Imagw Source: Supplied
Raksha’s poems are literary and creative. Her compositions have indigenous, similar words, i.e, in the poem ‘Friend’, its ‘Garmaish’ instead of ‘warmth.’ In the poem ‘Roots’, there’s a combination of Arabic word ‘Khafeef’ and Persian word ‘Zumbish.’ She has used sophisticated Hindi words like ‘Utkanthita’, ‘abhisarika’, ‘vipralabdha’, ‘avartan’, ‘vasaksajja’ etc. She has used indigenous words beautifully such as ‘Chinhari’, ‘Paniyayi Aankh’, ‘Aamkatna’, ‘Luchai’, ‘Chupam-Chupai’, ‘Pachua-Purva’ and ‘Parchi-Duaar.’ She didn’t feel embarrassed writing these indigenous words, like the so-called other gimmicky conceits who are ashamed of writing indigenous words.
May Raksha continue walking on the thorny path of truth where there’s very little competition, exposing the forcibly imposed, rotten beliefs and unwanted inequalities prevalent in the society.
A few excerpts from Raksha’s hardhitting and moving poems….
‘Traffic Signal’ – The ruthless, naked truth narrating the boundless pain of women – ‘These girls of raw age are ready-to-sell ready-made goods.’
‘Pain’ – Unbelievable heartache – ‘No one knows what she counts on the tips of her fingers, the distance of uterus from the stomach, trembling desires in the water inside, slaps, sobs or those blood clots which could have been a woman.’
‘Majority of women’ – More or less the pain of every woman – ‘The sculpted body of other women glimmers in their man’s eyes in intimate moments’ / ‘Under what desire do they paint their hair, lips and nails?’
‘Product’ – ‘Earlier the market was in their range, now they are in the range of the market, like a product, for the cheap convenience of entertainment.’
‘Diyasalai’ (matchbox) – ‘Apart from lighting up, the candle and the match have the power to destroy the world.’
‘The evening of life’ – Plea of an old woman – ‘The only dream of her sleepy eyes is that besides being a woman, she should be treated as a human being too.’
‘Earth is expecting’ – ‘Women and earth are born together / The salt of creation constantly flows in the navels of both.’
‘That day’ – Depiction of a woman’s heartache – ‘The contractor does not call her to take her wages after dusk’ / ‘When all the phrases in abusive language, of making intimate relations with women will disappear from the language’ / ‘The day when instead of her body, the woman’s hard work, her sweat will be praised beautifully in the poetry’ / ‘The balance of the earth on its axis will be highest on that day.’
‘Feat’ – The bitter truth of poverty-starvation-helplessness- ‘No one can see the hunger between two stomachs from one end of the bamboo to the other, behind the skill and audacity of a man and a child.’
‘When will you come cloud’ – A description of the pathetic plight of farmers, dependent on rain.’
‘Defeated Father’ – Emotional expressions, similar to famous ‘Sarveshwardayal Saxena’s poem’, ‘To the late father.’
‘Volume of Tears’ – Like Poet Kedarnath’s poem ‘Weight of Tears’, with a deep meaning – ‘Floods on earth do not come only by raining of clouds, they also include the volume of tears.’
‘Strength’ – Recognition of the power of butterflies wing’s – ‘The growth of trees does not trample anyone’s chest.’
‘The grit of the eye’ – A flat statement of the workers’ relentless struggle, poverty and fervent livelihood.
‘Speak’ – A call to speak for the retaliation for injustice – ‘Speak so that our silent killers do not make the time fearless.’
Contributing Author: Sushma ‘Shandilya’ is a well-known Hindi poet and writer based in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. Her short stories, articles and plays have been published in leading Indian publications. Sushma ‘Shandilya’ writes on various contemporary issues including themes around women empowerment. She is also a yoga teacher.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The Australia Today is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information in this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts, or opinions in the article do not reflect the views of The Australia Today and The Australia Today News does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
India and Australia from space (Image source: CANVA)
Australia-India relations today have moved beyond the three C’s (Curry, Cricket and Commonwealth) and encompass a broad range of sectors including space technology. As part of our National Science Week coverage in Australia (13th-21st August) we spoke to the Director of NCRA (National Centre for Radio Astrophysics) in India, Dr Yashwant Gupta, who is one of the key Indian scientists collaborating with his Australian counterparts in this sector.
Dr Yashwant Gupta – 2nd from Left (Image source: Supplied)
The NCRA is involved in the building of the Square Kilometre Array Telescope project which involves collaboration between Australia, India and several other countries. The NCRA is part of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR).
Hundreds of thousands and eventually up to a million low-frequency antennas will be located in Western Australia (Image Source: SKA CC BY 3.0)
Square Kilometre Array Telescope Project
The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project is an international effort to build the world’s largest radio telescope, with eventually over a square kilometre (one million square metres) of collecting area. As one of the largest scientific endeavours in history, the SKA will bring together a wealth of the world’s finest scientists, engineers and policy makers to bring the project to fruition.
Both South Africa’s Karoo region and Western Australia’s Murchison Shire were chosen as co-hosting locations for many scientific and technical reasons, from the atmospherics above the sites, through to the radio quietness, which comes from being some of the most remote locations on Earth. India is one of the member countries in the SKA organisation and is involved in the design and operation of SKA (phase I)
Logo of SKA India. According to the designers, “The logo resembles a simple three antenna radio interferometric telescope with feeds on the top, also conveys a message ‘let us come together and join hands and chase our dream’. Together we can make it India’s most successful scientific endeavour.” (Image Source: NCRA Website)
One of the fundamental parts of this project is the ‘Telescope Manager’ (TM). The Telescope Manager element includes all hardware and software necessary to control the telescope and associated infrastructure. The TM includes the co-ordination of the systems at observatory level and the software necessary for scheduling the telescope operations. It also includes the central monitoring of key performance metrics and the provision of central co-ordination of safety signals generated by Elements of the SKA. The TM provides physical and software access to, and at, remote locations for transmission of diagnostic data and local control.
Dr Yashwant Gupta (Image source: Supplied)
Dr Gupta leads the TM consortium which involves the collaboration of nine institutions from seven countries including Australia’s CSIRO and India’s TCS Research and Innovation along with NCRA.
The NCRA also operates the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) in India which has been at the forefront of making significant discoveries. Most recently it discovered the oldest known fossil radio galaxy in the Universe.
In an exclusive interview with The Australia Today, Dr Yashwant Gupta spoke about the SKA, GMRT and also about the collaboration between Australia and India in the space technology sector.
GMRT Discoveries
A team of Indian astronomers led by Dr Surajit Paul of Savitribai Phule Pune University recently discovered an extremely aged remnant of the ‘lobes’ of a once active radio galaxy. This pair of gigantic lobes of a radio galaxy spanning 1.2 million light-years is located inside the galaxy cluster Abell 980 and it was created about 260 million years ago. The detection of these ‘fossil lobes’ via their low radio-frequency radiation, became possible due to the high sensitivity of the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) which is located near Khodad village, 80 km north of Pune.
This front-ranking radio telescope was established and is operated by the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA). The other telescopes which contributed to this technically challenging study were the Very Large Array (VLA), Low Frequency Array (LoFAR) and Chandra X-ray observatory.
This the not the first time that the GMRT has been involved in a significant discovery. Among its many finds is the 2018 discovery of the most distant radio galaxy known so far in the Universe about 12 billion light years away.
Iluminated GMRT Antennas at Twilight (Image source: NCRA website)
The GMRT is one of the world’s largest telescopes and the biggest radio telescope of its kind. NCRA set up this facility for radio astronomical research using the metrewavelengths range of the radio spectrum. GMRT consists of 30 fully steerable gigantic parabolic dishes of 45m diameter each spread over distances of upto 25 km.
GMRT is an indigenous project and is one of the most challenging experimental programmes in basic sciences undertaken by Indian scientists and engineers.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison; Image Source: Supplied
By Frank Bongiornoand Emily Millane
The go-to defence of pretty much everyone who is entangled in the scandal of Scott Morrison’s self-appointment to five ministerial portfolios other than his own is that no laws were broken. But this alleged legality – which remains unclear – is barely relevant to any judgement that might be offered on the affair.
Australia’s system of government would cease to function without its actors being willing to observe conventions that do not have the status of law. It is no defence of one’s behaviour to say that no law was broken as a result of it.
Australia has a written constitution, but any casual reader of its text would gain little idea of how the political system actually works. Ministers hold office “during the pleasure of the Governor-General”. The document does not mention the office of prime minister. It does not speak of a cabinet.
The lifeblood of the system is convention and practice. They are not to be found in the ink of the Constitution. Many of these conventions and practices were inherited, and then adapted, from Britain. In Australia, following developments in Canada in the late 1830s and ‘40s, this agreed practice was sometimes called “responsible government”.
“Responsible government” was a colonial adaptation of a model that was also evolving in Britain. That is why we use the term “Westminster system” as a catch-all for Australia’s system of parliamentary government.
The most famous and influential account of the Westminster system appears in Walter Bagehot’s The English Constitution (1867). Its central feature, he said, distinguishing it from the more drastic separation of powers and antagonism between branches of government characteristic of the presidential system of the United States, was “the close union, the nearly complete fusion, of the executive and legislative powers”.
The lower house of a parliament, ostensibly elected to make laws, would in practice find “its principal business in making and in keeping an executive” that “should be chosen by the legislature out of persons agreeable to and trusted by the legislature”. Under Westminster convention, a cabinet required the confidence of the popularly elected chamber which, in turn, was the mechanism for the government’s accountability to the nation.
Morrison did not apparently see that in secretly having himself sworn into a range of portfolios, he was misleading parliament and preventing the accountability that Bagehot saw as the essence of the system. Instead, in seeking to justify his behaviour, he used a phrase that US President Harry S. Truman had as a sign on his desk: “The buck stops here”.
In this vein, during his press conference yesterday, Morrison referred multiple times to the popular expectations of him. He was responsible for “every drop of rain”. Morrison seems to imagine the public believed government started and ended with him.
President Harry S Truman’s famous sign on his desk – a saying from which Scott Morrison seems to have borrowed. Harry S. Truman library
Morrison has since apologised to cabinet colleagues for not having told them he signed up to their portfolios in secret. But it is telling that he has not apologised to the parliament for misleading it, nor to the Australian people for misleading them.
There was a time, not all that long ago, when phrases such as “individual ministerial responsibility” and “collective ministerial responsibility” were meaningful. The first was the principle that ministers were responsible to parliament and therefore to the people for what went on in their portfolios. They could not pass the buck to advisers or public servants, even if an error or misdeed had occurred in those quarters.
Collective ministerial responsibility referred to cabinet’s responsibility as a body for its own decisions. If a minister felt so strongly opposed to a decision agreed by cabinet that they could not publicly support it, the solution was clear. They would need to resign.
These were textbook concepts in high school Australian politics classes. It was widely understood that they were ideals and theories, that they would be applied differently according to context.
But they were understood as Westminster conventions with genuine force and importance, even if an abrogation of convention did not carry the same consequence as a breach of law.
In contrast, we now seem to have a system in which it is considered a legitimate defence of one’s highly unconventional behaviour to say that no law was broken. But this is not a legitimate defence in a system of parliamentary government that rests substantially on convention. It is rather a serious menace to democracy.
The electorate’s concerns with institutional integrity were manifested in this year’s federal election result. But Morrison’s highly secretive, underhanded accumulation of power would likely not be the fodder of a federal anti-corruption commission. This is all the more reason to be concerned at his “nothing to see here” attitude.
When the agreed way in which our politics is conducted is eroded, what happens then? Conventions are enforced by their usage. As the parliamentary practice guide notes, “conventions are subject to change by way of (political) interpretation or (political) circumstances and may in some instances be broken”.
But they cannot simply be set aside without serious and detrimental effects on the way we are governed.
The Chautauqua Institution, southwest of Buffalo in New York State, is known for its summer lectures – and as a place where people come seeking peace and serenity. Salman Rushdie, the great writer and influential public intellectual, had spoken at the centre before.
On Friday, August 12, he was invited to speak on a subject very close to his heart: the plight of writers in Ukraine and the ethical responsibility of liberal nation-states towards them. Rushdie has been an outspoken defender of writers’ freedom of expression throughout his career.
In the audience of around 2,500 at Chautauqua was Hadi Matar, 24, of New Jersey, who jumped on stage and stabbed Rushdie in the neck and the abdomen.
The fatwa and the spectre of death
It was more than 30 years ago – February 14, 1989 (Valentine’s Day) – when Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, 88, the then spiritual ruler of Iran, condemned Rushdie to death via a fatwa, a legal ruling under Sharia Law. His crime was blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad in his novel The Satanic Verses, on a number of levels.
The most serious was the suggestion that Muhammad didn’t solely edit the message of Angel Gibreel (Gabriel) – that Satan himself had a hand in occasionally distorting that message. These, of course, are presented as hallucinatory recollections by the novel’s seemingly deranged character, Gibreel Farishta. But because of a common belief in the shared identity of author and narrator, the author is deemed to be responsible for a character’s words and actions. And so the author stood condemned.
Blasphemy against Muhammad is an unpardonable crime in Islam: a kind of divine sanctity surrounds the Prophet of Islam. The latter is captured in the well-known Farsi saying, Ba Khuda diwana basho; ba muhammad hoshiyar (Take liberties with Allah as you wish, but be careful with Muhammad).
Salman Rushdie attacked in New York
Since the fatwa, the spectre of death has followed Rushdie – and he knew it, even when the Iranian government ostensibly withdrew its support for the fatwa. (But without the important step of conceding that a fatwa by a qualified scholar of Islam – which Khomeini was – could be revoked.) Rushdie himself had not taken the occasional threats to his life seriously. He had lived more freely in recent years, often dispensing with security guards for protection.
Although Rushdie is now off a ventilator, his wounds remain serious. As his agent Andrew Wylie has said, he may lose an eye and perhaps even the use of an arm. He will recover, but it seems unlikely he’ll return as the raconteur of old (as I knew him during my visits to Emory University, Georgia, where for five years during 2006-2011 he was a short-term writer-in-residence, and where his archive had been installed).
Exposing fault lines between East and West
We do not know what motivated Hadi Matar to act in the manner in which he did, but his action cannot be de-linked to the 1989 fatwa, reported by Time magazine in a lead essay titled “Hunted by An Angry Faith: Salman Rushdie’s novel cracks open a fault line between East and West”.
Rushdie made it to the cover of Time on September 15, 2017, when the magazine profiled him, and praised his new novel, The Golden House. In the profile, Rushdie reflected on the effect of the fatwa and the controversy around The Satanic Verses on people’s perceptions of his writing. The humour in his books was overlooked, he said, and his later works began to acquire the “shadow of the attack” on The Satanic Verses.
The Satanic Verses was published more than 30 years ago – some years before Rushdie’s attacker, Hadi Matar, was born. But the insult to Islam felt by Rushdie’s detractors seems to have endured regardless of the decades that have passed.
The ongoing debate over Rushdie (as the 1989 Time essay on the fatwa implied) has exposed fault lines between the West and Islam that had once remained hidden. These fault lines insinuated the argument went, a radical difference between what constitutes artistic responsibility in the West and in the East (the latter narrowly defined as the Islamic Orient and what V.S. Naipaul called the nations of Islamic “converts”).
This discourse of radical difference had already entered European humanist scholarship, as Edward Said recorded in his magisterial 1979 book, Orientalism. Many have argued Salman Rushdie’s Satanic Verses gave the debate a focus – and a tangible object that could be pointed to as a definitive example of the West’s antagonism towards Islam.
To most readers who value the relative autonomy of the novel as a work of art, this is a false, even misleading reading of the mediated nature of the relationship between art and history. But as Rushdie’s recent stabbing shows, the reading is still potent.
Sadly, Rushdie is overwhelmingly identified (by some) with anti-Islamic sentiments. This has distracted from his achievement as a writer of some of the finest novels written in the long 20th century – a great writer whose name is regularly put forward as a likely recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature.
More than a writer
Salman Rushdie, an Indian Muslim, was born into a secular Muslim household and grew up with books and cinema. The long-held wish of his father, Ahmed Rushdie, was to reorganise the Quran chronologically.
Rushdie was born a few months before India gained its independence. The India he experienced before he left for a prestigious English boarding school, Rugby, in 1961 was the unquestionably secular India of Nehru. That Nehruvian liberal vision, which India seems to have now lost, guided his writing and was the inspiration behind the spectacular success of his Booker prize-winning second novel, Midnight’s Children (1981) – and the critical acclaim that followed his more creative novels, namely, Shame (1983), The Moor’s Last Sigh (1995), The Ground Beneath Her Feet (1999) and The Enchantress of Florence (2008).
Like another writer of the global Indian diaspora, V.S. Naipaul, Rushdie had come to the West with the express purpose of becoming a novelist. The fatwa dramatically turned him into something more than a writer: in fact, into a cultural icon representing the importance of a writer’s freedom of expression.
This claim to freedom is different from the general freedom of speech enjoyed by all in liberal democracies. A writer’s freedom is of a different order. It is a freedom earned through labour and artistic excellence. This freedom is conditional: it is not available to any writer. It has to be earned, by entering the canon of world literature – though not necessarily in terms of a European definition of literariness. Rushdie’s body of work indicates that he has earned it.
But we cannot leave it at that. The Rushdie experience also presents the challenge of how to negotiate that freedom across cultures – especially with cultures governed by carefully defined moral and religious absolutes.
The violent hysteria engendered by Rushdie’s magical treatment of Muhammad in The Satanic Verses was ultimately limited to a small minority. But it is often this small minority that fails to read absolutes allegorically, as intended.
The Chautauqua incident should not have happened, but it did. It is a price that art periodically pays, especially when it is taken as an easy scapegoat for more complex historical differences.
Representative Image: The black hole named Cygnus X-1 formed when a large star caved in. This black hole pulls matter from the blue star beside it. Credits: NASA/CXC/M.Weiss
By Luke Barnes, Miroslav Filipovic, Ray Norris, and Velibor Velović
Astronomers at Western Sydney University have discovered one of the biggest black hole jets in the sky.
Spanning more than a million light years from end to end, the jet shoots away from a black hole with enormous energy, and at almost the speed of light. But in the vast expanses of space between galaxies, it doesn’t always get its own way.
Taking a closer look
At a mere 93 million light-years away, the galaxy NGC2663 is in our neighbourhood, cosmically speaking. If our galaxy were a house, NGC2663 would be a suburb or two away.
Looking at its starlight with an ordinary telescope, we see the familiar oval shape of a “typical” elliptical galaxy, with about ten times as many stars as our own Milky Way.
The radio waves reveal a jet of matter, shot out of the galaxy by a central black hole. This high-powered stream of material is about 50 times larger than the galaxy: if our eyes could see it in the night sky, it would be bigger than the Moon.
While astronomers have found such jets before, the immense size (more than a million light years across) and relative closeness of NGC2663 make these some of the biggest known jets in the sky.
Shock diamonds
So, what did we see, when the precision and power of ASKAP got a “close-up” (astronomically speaking!) view of an extragalactic jet?
This research is led by doctoral student Velibor Velović of Western Sydney University, and has been accepted for publication in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (preprint available here). Our Evolutionary Map of the Universe (EMU) survey sees evidence of the matter between galaxies pushing back on the sides of the jet.
This process is analogous to an effect seen in jet engines. As the exhaust plume blasts through the atmosphere, it is pushed from the sides by the ambient pressure. This causes the jet to expand and contract, pulsing as it travels.
As the image below shows, we see regular bright spots in the jet, known as “shock diamonds” because of their shape. As the flow compresses, it glows more brightly.
Black hole jets from NGC2663 compared to a jet engine. Top image: observations from the ASKAP radio telescope. Bottom: a methane rocket successfully being tested in the Mojave Desert. Note the patterns of compression ( Mike Massee/XCOR, used with permission, Author provided
Biggest one yet
As well as in jet engines, shock diamonds have been seen in smaller, galaxy-sized jets. We’ve seen jets slam into dense clouds of gas, lighting them up as they bore through. But jets being constricted from the sides is a more subtle effect, making it harder to observe.
However, until NGC2663, we’ve not seen this effect on such enormous scales.
This tells us there is enough matter in the intergalactic space around NGC2663 to push against the sides of the jet. In turn, the jet heats and pressurises the matter.
This is a feedback loop: intergalactic matter feeds into a galaxy, galaxy makes black hole, black hole launches jet, jet slows supply of intergalactic matter into galaxies.
These jets affect how gas forms into galaxies as the universe evolves. It’s exciting to see such a direct illustration of this interaction.
The EMU survey, which is also responsible for identifying a new type of mysterious astronomical object called an “Odd Radio Circle”, is continuing to scan the sky. This remarkable radio jet will soon be joined by many more discoveries.
As we do, we’ll build up a better understanding of how black holes intimately shape the galaxies forming around them.
Murthy Muthuswamy at the award ceremony; Image Source: Supplied
Two years ago Murthy Muthuswamy created InSimplify, a highly innovative system that integrates every stage of a construction company’s process with a leading-edge cloud-based software system.
Murthy Muthuswamy with family in India (Image supplied)
Born in a rural village to a farming family in Karnataka, India, Murthy told The Australia Today that he used to work on his family farm and sold milk to make ends meet. He adds:
“I was born in India and grew up in a small village near a town called Hiriyur, three hours from Bangalore. We were an agricultural family and used to work on the farm every day. We would get up at 5am, milk the cows and buffaloes by hand, then take the milk by bicycle to the nearby town to sell. I used to sell milk, go to school, and then work on the farm again.”
Murthy Muthuswamy at the award ceremony; Image Source: Supplied
Murthy says that initially he never thought of doing a formal degree at university. However, when he finished school, someone suggested that he should consider studying engineering. So, Murthy enrolled in mechanical engineering and graduated in 2003. He observes:
“I ended up studying mechanical engineering, and when I graduated in 2003, everyone was going to Bangalore to find work in software engineering. They used to say: ‘You can’t throw a rock in Bangalore without hitting a dog or a software engineer.'”
Murthy’s passion and problem-solving ability landed him a role with IBM where he excelled. However, since Murthy’s brother was in Australia, in 2012, he too decided to migrate down under.
In Australia, Murthy started working as an IT manager with a property marketplace startup, Investorist, which then only had four other staff members.
Murthy Muthuswamy with his family (Image supplied)
Murthy says that it was while constructing his own family home in Tarneit that he started meeting local builders and noticed a big gap in communication and record management – “everything was on paper or in various excel sheets.” Here, Murthy got a breakthrough prototype idea for a start-up. He adds:
“I proposed to the builder that I build some software to address the issue. It was just a simple one-page application that could create quotes, but he got very excited and began asking other people to use it too. I didn’t have plans to launch a startup then, I just built it for him and to solve my own problem, but it became a kind of prototype for InSimplify.”
Murthy launched his start-up InSimplify in 2018 to offer software products for home builders in Australia. He adds:
“I bootstrapped the company from our savings. I began with just two builders, but have been acquiring about two construction companies on an average per month.”
Murthy Muthuswamy with the Director of Ashton Homes (Image supplied)
Murthy says that the company’s product is primarily for builders, but they can allow customers to access the system too. He explains:
“It’s an end-to-end solution for builders — they can use it for sales, capturing leads from different sources, online colour selection, construction, and maintenance. It allows builders and customers to rely on one system from start to finish.”
Using InSimplify builders can manage and document the customers’ preferences through the portal. murthy says that based on his own experience he realised that every customer is different:
“Everyone has different requirements when you’re building your own home — like different colours for different rooms — customers can select these through the software portal rather than having to go to the builder’s office.”
Murthy Muthuswamy at his family farm (Image supplied)
For his innovative startup idea, Murthy was also accepted into ‘Innovate to Excelerate’ by Wyndham Council in 2019. Here, Murthy connected with a business coach who helped him rebrand the product and become more commercially minded. He says:
“My vision is to create an offering for the entire construction industry in Australia, with modules for different suppliers or customers, but all connected internally, like the Google Suite for construction. This will give us an overview of data in the industry. Once we get several hundred builders on our platform, we’ll be able to produce some really good reports on the home construction industry.”
Murthy says he likes to give back to the local community. His startup supports Wyndham-based sports club, Westgate Cricket club, through sponsorship. He is also associated with the Australian India Foundation Inc (Aifi). Aifi is involved in promoting the backyard gardening project which helps more than 100 families in Wyndham to help grow their backyard garden before Covid and is planning to organise the same this year.
Murthy Muthuswamy at a local blood donation camp (Image supplied)
Further, Murthy has facilitated donations to Aifi through InSimplify’s clients and other channels. Murthy’s good work is not restricted to Australia, he has also helped some schools in remote India which need urgent infrastructure, academic, and technical support.
In 2020, InSimplify was one of the finalists in the Australian Construction Awards in the category Construction Software of the Year 2020. However, the finals event did not take place due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Today, through sheer hard work and with a keen interest in helping others, Murthy has successfully onboarded more than 100 home builders onto the InSimplify system from all over Australia, and once again his startup InSimplify is a finalist in the Wyndham Council Awards 2022.
A damaged boat was found near Harihareshwar Beach in Raigad, Maharashtra (India) by fishermen that had three AK-47 rifles, bullets, small arms, and important documents on it.
It is reported by local media that the Australian-owned boat was found 190 km from Mumbai.
The 16-meter boat, called ‘Lady Han’, belongs to an Australian woman, Hana Laundergun, and her husband, James Harbert, is the captain. They were travelling from Muscat to Europe and were rescued in June 2022 by the Korean navy amid rough seas.
Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister told the media that the boat had drifted towards the Maharashtra coast.
“The boat is owned by an Australian lady whose husband is captain… boat was travelling from Muscat to Europe (starting on) June 26. Captain gave a distress call after boat was caught in rough seas (and) Korean navy rescued and handed them over to Oman authorities.”
Fadnavis said that there was no visible terror angle:
“As of now, there has been no terror angle. But investigation is going on. We can’t rule out any angle as of now. I am just sharing primary information so there is no panic”.
However, he further added that Indian authorities should stay on high alert:
“We are not ruling out anything, investigating all aspects. Police have been asked to be on high alert.”
Boat with 3 AK-47s and 10 boxes of bullets found near Mumbai coast
Indian government officials have contacted the arms vendor and the serial numbers of the weapons found onboard have matched with the vendor’s inventory. An Indian official told local media:
“Since a yacht moves slowly, it is permitted to carry small weapons. When the people onboard abandoned the boat, they did not carry the weapons with them.”
Maharashtra Police and the Anti-Terror Squad are investigating the matter as from August onwards major religious festivals are to be celebrated in India.
Charkha and Kargha, exhibition view, including two Rabari dowry bags (1900s), three Indian cotton textiles (2000s), and a replica floor charkha, Powerhouse Ultimo, August 2022. Image: Zan Wimberley.
The Powerhouse Museum in Sydney has a new exhibition, Charkha and Kargha, presenting highlights from the museum’s expansive collection of Indian textiles to celebrate 75 years of Indian Independence. The exhibition opened on 13 August 2022 and will run for six months.
This exhibition is being presented with the support of the Consulate General of India, Sydney.
Consul General of India Sydney Manish Gupta, Powerhouse Chief Executive Lisa Havilah [Image source: India in Australia (Consulate General of India, Sydney) Facebook]
Taking its title from Charkha (spinning wheel) and Kargha (loom), the exhibition features over 100 rare items that date back to the foundational collections of the Powerhouse acquired in the 1870s.
In addition to their beauty, many of the textiles featured in the exhibition incorporate spinning, weaving, dyeing and embroidery techniques. Highlights include block-printed textiles, known as Fustat fragments, believed to be made in Gujarat in the 1400s.
A fine pashmina shawl woven in Kashmir between 1840–60 exemplifies the double-interlock twill tapestry weave Kani, which has proven impossible for Europeans to replicate, nor match the extreme softness of pashmina shawls. The design reflects the reciprocal influence of French jacquard-woven shawls of the early to mid-1800s.
Image source: Dr Gaytri Singh Facebook
Another highlight is a textile embellished with iridescent jewel-like beetle wings, likely made in Chennai or Hyderabad in the 1800s. It is indicative of India’s successful export trade in dress panels, muslin stoles, flounces and table linen.
Textile length decorated with beetle wings, India. The powerhouse collection was acquired in 1883. Photo by Zan Wimberley
Traditional men’s clothing on display includes a hand-sewn silk coat with brocaded floral designs, made between 1900–25, and a silk and velvet vest featuring Zardozi (gold work embroidery), including Salma (densely set small coils) and sequins made in the Punjab region during the 1800s.
Charkha and Kargha, exhibition view, detail of Punjabi men’s vest with zardozi work (1850–59), Powerhouse Ultimo, Image: Zan Wimberley.
The exhibition also features a recently acquired work by artist Sangeeta Sandrasegar, What falls from view, 2019. The work features Khadi and silk pieces, hand-dyed in Indian indigo and Australian native cherry.
Charkha and Kargha, exhibition view, What Falls From View by Sangeeta Sandrasegar (2019), Powerhouse Ultimo, Image: Zan Wimberley.
Anu Kumar’s medium format photographs that document the Australian-Indian diaspora are another highlight of the exhibition. The opening of the Charkha and Kargha exhibition coincided with the 75th anniversary of India’s independence celebrated every year on 15 August.
Charkha and Kargha, exhibition view, including three untitled photographs from the Ghar project by Anu Kumar (2017–19) and a Kashmiri table cover (1850–1900), Powerhouse Ultimo Image: Zan Wimberley.
The exhibition demonstrates the role that textiles played in India’s movement towards independence from colonial rule. Charkha and Kargha feature live demonstrations of spinning and weaving in the Textile Centre, talks on Indian textiles, masterclasses on textile weaving, dyeing and spinning by Master Vankar Vishram Valji, daily storytelling of Indian folktales and documentary film screenings in the Kings Cinema.
The donation from the Indian Government’s Ministry of Textiles includes 60 exemplary examples of handwoven sarees, turban cloths and other textiles from across India, two handlooms from Hyderabad and Varanasi and two charkha models. 62 documentary films about textile production were also donated by the Indian Government’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
(Video credit: Dr Astha Singh)
For the opening week of the exhibition, Powerhouse is hosting India Master Weaver Shri Naseem Ahmed, accompanied by assistant weaver Shri Tauseef Ahmad Ansari, providing weaving demonstrations on the traditional wooden Banarasi (Varanasi) loom.
Master Weaver Shri Ramesh Tadaka, accompanied by assistant weaver Shri Yadagiri Paladi, is also providing demonstrations on the Hyderabad loom.
Video Source: Dr Astha Singh
Consul General of India in Sydney, Manish Gupta, said that he commended the curatorial team at the Powerhouse for their nuanced and exemplary work.
“We are honoured by the opportunity to support the Charkha and Kargha exhibition in this landmark year. The Indian Ministry of Textiles has generously provided exquisite handwoven fabrics from different parts of India depicting its rich heritage, including silk and cotton sarees, textile accessories, and handlooms, and by sending highly accomplished master weavers from India for live demonstrations to complement the exhibition. Each item on display in the exhibition has its unique aesthetic signature and glorious history behind it”, said Consul General of India, Sydney, Manish Gupta
“Charkha and Kargha pays homage to the skill and creativity of generations of textile artisans and embroiderers from across India. Powerhouse is excited to be sharing this extraordinary collection with many of these objects being on display for the first time,” said Powerhouse Chief Executive Lisa Havilah.
Image source: Dr Gaytri Singh Facebook
“Textile production has always occupied an important place in India and among its craftspeople and weavers. Charkha and Kargha highlights a selection of unique Indian textiles collected by Powerhouse, shedding light on the diverse techniques of textile craft, design and production. These include botanical specimens used for dying, spinning wheels and loom; woodblock prints; and diverse Indian textiles and garments,” said Powerhouse Curator Pedram Khosronejad.
The Powerhouse Museum worked in collaboration with IABCA (India Australia Business & Community Alliance) to generate community engagement.
IABCA Founder Sonia Sadiq Gandhi with Powerhouse Chief Executive Lisa Havilah
Australian High Commissioner to India Barry O'Farrell with India;s Vice President Jagdesh Dankad; Image Source: Barry O'Farrell
India and Australia should work together in framing an ethical regulatory framework for the sixth generation (6G) technology, Australian High Commissioner to India Barry O’Farrell said on Wednesday.
Speaking at a conference organised by the Consumer Unity Trust Society (CUTS), O’Farrell highlighted the need for India and Australia to work together on framing an ethical regulatory framework for the emerging and critical 6G technology.
He called the two countries natural partners based on their shared democratic values and facing common cyber threats from state and non-state cyber actors.
Consumer Unity Trust Society (CUTS) organised a conference titled ‘Identifying Elements of Ethical and Regulatory Framework for 6G and Creating Opportunities for India Australia’, in partnership with the Australian Risk Policy Institute (ARPI), and the International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIIT-B).
The conference was supported by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Department of Telecommunication (DoT), Government of India. Recognising India as a leader in the Indo-Pacific region, he re-emphasised Australia’s commitment to invest in and collaborate with India to develop its potential in the cyber-space. Apart from government-to-government interaction, he called for close collaboration between different stakeholders (civil society organisations, think tanks, industry etc) from both countries to unlock opportunities in this regard.
The India-Australia partnership was also considered to be imperative for ensuring an open, safe, and resilient cyberspace in the Indo-Pacific region.
S P Kochhar, Director General, Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), echoed similar views but called for a focus on the implementation of the India-Australia partnership on the subject, else the effort may remain an academic exercise. Thus, taking industry onboard from both countries assumes importance.
He also emphasised the importance of focussing not just on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) but expanding it to include Electronics and Cyberspace as well, calling it ICTEC. He also cautioned against individual countries trying to establish country-specific standards, which deviate from international standards and could be detrimental to a global and interoperable 6G.
Abhay Shanker Verma, Deputy Director General (Mobile Technologies), Telecom Engineering Centre, DoT, confirmed that India and Australia are already working together at the Quad level on relevant subject areas. He further traced India’s steps from being far behind and a mere adopter of international telecommunication standards at the time of 2G/ 3G, to now aspiring to become a contributor to the international 6G standards. He also mentioned that the DoT’s technology innovation group is currently preparing a vision document for 6G.
Pradeep Mehta, Secretary General, CUTS, said the emerging 6G technology will be crucial in bolstering artificial intelligence, the internet of things, blockchain and other advanced technologies. However, the uptake and success of such technologies were stated to be dependent upon framing optimal regulations on privacy, cyber-security, and consumer protection.
Lastly, he suggested the India-Australia partnership to also focus on bolstering mobile manufacturing in India and unlocking opportunities for enabling trade and investment between the two countries.
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