I’ve always wanted to be a historian. From childhood, I was captivated by the idea of spending my days bringing the past to life. At first, I aspired to be a historical consultant on BBC period dramas. Later, I set my sights on becoming a professor.
I’ve dedicated my adult life to this goal. I jumped straight into studying history after leaving school and never really stopped. Over the 17 years since I was 17, there’s only been a single semester when I wasn’t a student or employee of a university history department.
If right-wing pundits are to be believed, this means my formative years have been spent amidst “cultural Marxists” bent on revolution. In the conservative imagination, humanities departments are where vulnerable youth are brainwashed into a radical leftist agenda. Of course, as those inside higher education know, this is a laughable notion. Today’s universities are neoliberal bureaucracies, profit-driven enterprises more akin to a giant corporation than a cultural wing of the communist party.
Yet, it’s also true that, on this continent, the history profession is a self-consciously “progressive” domain. We critique the drum-beating nationalism of Anzac mythology. We’re proud of the discipline’s role in forcing truth-telling about frontier violence. We call for greater care for our environment and question the inequities of capitalism. Feminism is embraced and women loom large among the professional leadership.
All this makes it easy to imagine historians as the good guys, truth-tellers on the right side of history. All this made it easy for me to assume innocence and pretend my own craft of history-making is removed from the bloody histories we interrogate.
Of course, I’d long known that the university and its pursuit of knowledge was part of the colonial project. I knew archaeologists had stolen Indigenous remains and anthropologists had constructed Indigeneity as a savage Other. I understood that racism was given legitimacy by scientists measuring skulls.
But I stopped short of asking how my own discipline was and remains implicated in this colonising work. A century ago, historians had celebrated powerful white men and omitted everyone else, but surely things were different these days? In the 21st century, History (as a discipline) seemed a benign force, a champion of underdogs and a voice of truth and justice.
Blood on its hands
For these reasons, Priya Satia’s Time’s Monster: History, Conscience and Britain’s Empire landed like a bomb in my brain. In this 2020 book, Satia maps how the “historical discipline helped make empire – by making it ethically thinkable”. Far from being innocent observers, “historians were key architects of empire”.
Satia is not the first to identify links between history making and imperialism. Postcolonial historians like Dipesh Chakrabarty argued back in the 1990s that the history profession reflected and reproduced Eurocentric visions of the world.
Yet Satia, an award-winning Stanford professor who specialises in British history, has written the first book-length study that explains exactly how historians helped make empire. In painstaking detail, she shows that History has blood on its hands.
How did this work, exactly?
From the 18th century, historians taught us to understand the world as a story of progress. They popularised the now taken-for-granted idea that time operates as a linear pathway, moving from a backward past towards an enlightened future.
Political philosopher James Mill, for instance, writing in his hugely influential 1818 History of British India, explained that
every society may progress if it chooses, or can be shown how to do so, but it will then follow the same road which advanced societies have taken before it and acquire the same features which everywhere distinguish barbarism from civilization.
Progress is the idea of history as a story of perpetual change and improvement. It is time as a straight line, a highway from darkness to light. This meant that the future would always eclipse what had gone before.
Green-lighting conquest
This time-as-progress thinking gave a green light to conquest and exploitation by making them “ethically thinkable”. As Satia puts it,
[t]he major forces of [modern] history – imperialism, industrial capitalism, nationalism – were justified by notions of progress and thus liable to rationalisations about noble ends justifying ignoble means.
Destruction, violence, suffering – all were excusable because they were stepping stones towards a glorious tomorrow. Thanks to the progress narratives invented by historians, “dreams of utopian ends again and again justified horrific means.”
In other words, my profession forged ways of thinking that enabled the destruction of countless lives – not to mention the unfolding destruction of the planet itself. And although History has become more inclusive and critical of power in recent decades, its foundational assumptions remain largely unchanged.
Even as we expose frontier massacres, academic historians still reproduce the linear temporal scripts that oiled the wheels of territorial expansion and ceaseless economic growth. We remain wedded to ideas about time that made empire “ethically thinkable”.
As a result, History “has yet to come to terms with its role as time’s monster”. Preoccupied with our own embattled position in contemporary culture wars, today’s historians rarely acknowledge that our forebears were not, as Satia writes, “critics but abettors of those in power”. Unlike other disciplines such as anthropology, History has largely neglected to reckon with its own troubled history.
Different notions of time
After reading Time’s Monster, I can’t unsee History’s monstrosity. After 17 years of learning to think like a historian, I’m facing up to the violence implicit in my profession’s way of making sense of the world. It’s a great unlearning, a brain-stretching effort to think outside my established habits of thought.
As a result, I’m opening up to the possibility of radically different forms of history-making. What would it look like for History to truly reckon with and learn from its past? How could we make History anew?
According to Satia, “what is required is not so much progress as recovery from the imaginary of progress”. It’s crucial that we challenge the idea of “directional history” and “recover different notions of time”.
What if, instead of assuming that time tracks along a straight line towards the horizon, we could imagine time as cyclical, as many Indigenous societies already do?
Already there are moves in this direction. In Making Australian History (2022), Anna Clark eschews conventional chronology because it “inadequately incorporates other forms of historical temporalities, such as Indigenous histories that reach across time and space simultaneously.”
New scholarship
However, for different notions of time to truly take hold, white settlers like Clark and myself may need to take a back seat. We can create space for others, we can support others, but surely the beneficiaries of empire cannot ourselves disentangle History from its imperial roots.
Instead we need to look to voices like Margo Neale, whose 2020 book Songlines, co-authored with Lynne Kelly, shares First Nations conceptions of time and archives; Mykaela Saunders, whose 2022 essay Everywhen explains that, for Aboriginal peoples, “all things that have happened are still happening now”; and Samia Khatun, whose 2018 history Australianama is an effort to “take seriously the epistemologies of people colonised by the British Empire”.
This new scholarship points to the possibility of making history that challenges rather than supports colonial ways of knowing. But this potential will only be realised if we challenge the whiteness of history-making on this continent.
This article has been republished from The Conversationunder a Creative Commons — Attribution/No derivatives license.
Contributing Authors: Yves Rees is Lecturer in History at the La Trobe University.
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.
Over eight hundred Indian students applied for this prestigious scholarship which is valued at Rs 30 million. These four winners were selected out of nine finalists who went through a selection procedure that included a group discussion and personal interview.
The scholarship winners were selected by the panel of judges which included Ravneet Pawha, Vice President (Global Alliances) and CEO (South Asia), Deakin University, Mathew Johnston, Minister-Counsellor (Education and Research), Australian High Commission and Abhilash Mishra, CEO, NSE Academy Limited. The announcement was made on the Indian news channel Times Now in an exclusive ‘Leaders of Tomorrow’ episode with Deakin University.
Professor Iain Martin, President and Vice-Chancellor of Deakin University
Professor Iain Martin, President and Vice-Chancellor of Deakin University, said in a statement:
“Indian students have been a central part of our unique university community, contributing new perspectives and ideas, helping us build our vibrant and inclusive culture, and bringing high academic standards. I’d like to congratulate the winners of Vice-Chancellor’s Meritorious 100 per cent Scholarships 2022 and I look forward to seeing them enjoying their time with us in Australia and realising their full potential.”
These prestigious scholarships, launched in 2014, are part of Deakin’s initiative ‘Changing Lives’. Under this initiative, the university aims to support Indian students who achieve high academic standards and can give back to India after gaining skills and experience in Australia.
Shruti Arora, one of this year’s scholarship recipients, said:
“This scholarship is an opportunity for me to reach my potential and give back to society by working for a cause that I strongly believe in. With this scholarship, I will be able to gain a diversity of experience by studying a Bachelor of Psychological Sciences at Deakin, and the international exposure will help me gain insight into how to destigmatise mental health in a multicultural and positive way.”
Ravneet Pawha, Vice President (Global Alliances) and CEO (South Asia), Deakin University
Ravneet Pawha, Vice President (Global Alliances) and CEO (South Asia), Deakin University, said:
“The Vice-Chancellor’s Meritorious 100 per cent Scholarship recipients this year are passionate about making the world a better place and are motivated to use advancements in technology to tackle climate change, support children with special needs and more; their vision is what sets them apart.”
The Vice-Chancellor’s Meritorious 100 per cent Scholarship 2022 winners will participate in the Vice-Chancellor’s Professional Excellence Program and commence their studies onshore at Deakin which is ranked among the top 1 per cent of universities in the world (QS Ranking) and has been working with institutions in India since the 1990s.
Missing Boys at Parramatta; Image Source: NSW Police
Police are appealing for public assistance to locate two children missing from the Parramatta area.
Palash Bhat – aged 15, and Parin Bhat – aged 10, were last seen in the Parramatta area at about 9 am on Tuesday (5 July 2022).
Missing Boys at Parramatta; Image Source: NSW Police
After failing to return home, officers attached to Blacktown Police Area Command were notified on Wednesday (6 July 2022) and commenced inquiries to locate them.
Family and police hold concerns for their welfare due to their age.
Missing Boys at Parramatta; Image Source: NSW Police
Palash and Parin are described as being of Indian/Sub-Continental appearance, with brown hair and dark-coloured eyes.
Palash was last seen wearing a black t-shirt with red writing, black trousers and shoes.
Parin was last seen wearing blue jeans, a long sleeve grey jumper, grey and white runners and a blue face mask.
Missing Boys at Parramatta; Image Source: NSW Police
Palash and Parin are known to frequent the Blacktown area.
Anyone with information about Palash and Parin’s whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: at 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.
67-year-old former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who collapsed after apparently being shot in the chest while delivering a speech in Nara City on Friday passed away in a local hospital after a “cardiopulmonary arrest.”
The local fire department said that the Japanese ex-PM was rushed to a local hospital and was to be transferred by medevac to Nara Medical University Hospital in Kashihara City in the prefecture.
Former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo has been shot during a speech in Nara city, near Kyoto. The fire department says he is showing no vital signs. Police sources say he was likely hit from behind by shotgun fire.#AbeShinzo#Japanhttps://t.co/nOJC0dkIjG
Mr Abe was campaigning on a street for Liberal Democratic Party candidate at the House of Councillors election, scheduled this Sunday when he collapsed at around 11: 30 am after people on the scene heard what sounded like a gun going off twice, local media reported.
Japanese PM Fumio Kishida told media that attack on Shinzo Abe is “barbaric & malicious”:
“It is a barbaric act that took place during the election which is the base of democracy. It is absolutely unforgivable.”
“It is a barbaric act that took place during the election which is the base of democracy. It is absolutely unforgivable.”
After this unfortunate turn of events, QUAD leaders have paid their respects to to the late Shinzo Abe. Australia’s PM Anthony Albanese has expressed his shock at “the tragic death of former Japanese PM Abe Shinzo.” He tweeted:
Shocked and saddened by the tragic death of former Japanese PM Abe Shinzo. He was a great friend and ally to Australia. Deepest sympathies to his family and the people of Japan. We mourn with you. pic.twitter.com/ms9Va9OPN4
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has a deep bond of friendship with Shinzo Abe said he was “deeply distressed” by the attack on his “dear friend Shinzo Abe”. He tweeted:
“In the passing away of Mr. Abe, Japan and the world have lost a great visionary. And, I have lost a dear friend.”
PM Modi has also penned a heartfelt blog entitled ‘My Friend, Abe San‘ in memory of “an outstanding leader of Japan, a towering global statesman, and a great champion of India-Japan friendship.”
PM Narendra Modi with PM Shinzo Abe (Twitter)
Mr Abe shared a deep bond of friendship with PM Modi which was quite evident in the meeting between both leaders in the month of May.
Sharing a picture from my most recent meeting with my dear friend, Shinzo Abe in Tokyo. Always passionate about strengthening India-Japan ties, he had just taken over as the Chairman of the Japan-India Association. pic.twitter.com/Mw2nR1bIGz
The meeting illustrated the huge goodwill and personal chemistry of PM Modi with the former Japanese PM. As a mark of respect for former PM Shinzo, India’s PM Modi has even announced a one day national mourning on 9 July 2022.
As a mark of our deepest respect for former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, a one day national mourning shall be observed on 9 July 2022.
Australia’s former PM and presently the Federal Member for Cook Scott Morrison expressed grief on this “devastating tragedy.”
PM Abe with PM Morrison (Facebook)
Mr Morrison wrote on his Facebook page:
“The assassination of former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe is a truly devastating tragedy. He possessed a grace and strength that redefined the course of his country and our region. I will never forget the humility he displayed when he visited Darwin to lay this wreath at the cenotaph and meet with our WWII veterans. He had the capacity to bridge history and shape the future. He combined a gentle nature with a giant political stature. He will be terribly missed. Vale my dear friend Shinzo. Love to Akie Abe and the people of Japan. We share in your awful grief.”
President of the United States Joe Biden in a tweet said that he was “stunned, outraged, and deeply saddened by the news that my friend Abe Shinzo, former Prime Minister of Japan, was shot and killed.”
I am stunned, outraged, and deeply saddened by the news that my friend Abe Shinzo, former Prime Minister of Japan, was shot and killed. He was a champion of the friendship between our people.
The United States stands with Japan in this moment of grief.
Mr Abe, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister stepped down in 2020 citing health reasons. He was the grandson of former prime minister Nobusuke Kishi and prime minister of Japan twice, from 2006-2007 and again from 2012-2020. He was succeeded by Yoshihide Suga and later by Fumio Kishida.
Mr Abe is well-known for introducing a unique economic policy – “Abenomics” – which is based on introducing structural reforms, deficit spending, and quantitative easing. He was also the leader to originally raise the concept of the “Quad security partnership” between Japan, the US, Australia and India and coin the phrase “free and open Indo-Pacific.”
As far as global leadership is concerned, Abe San was ahead of his times. The Quad, the ASEAN-led forums, the Indo Pacific Oceans Initiative, the Asia-Africa Growth Corridor and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure all benefited from his contributions.
News of political and gun violence is rare in Japan, and at the time of this report, therefore the assailant’s motives are not known yet. However, there are reports the suspect is a former member of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces.
Peter Brook's The Mahabharata
(Screenshot YouTube)
By Paul Rae
I can take any empty space and call it a bare stage. A man walks across this empty space whilst someone else is watching him, and this is all that is needed for an act of theatre to be engaged.
So begins The Empty Space (1968) by the visionary British theatre director Peter Brook, who died on Saturday, aged 97.
While Brook’s gendered pronouns show that not all aspects of The Empty Space have aged equally well, it remains one of the most influential books on modern drama. Its core idea, encapsulated in Brook’s opening sentence, perfectly captures his enduring but complex legacy.
Peter Brook (Wikipedia)
Born in London in 1925, Brook came of age as a precocious young director for the Royal Shakespeare Company during a period when the work of now-canonical European innovators of 20th century theatre was beginning to make its presence felt in Great Britain.
The Russian director Konstantin Stanislavski (1863-1938) advocated psychological realism in acting. The Marxist aesthetics of Germany’s Bertolt Brecht (1998-1956) sought to cultivate in audiences a critical perspective on exploitative social forces. French writer Antonin Artaud (1896-1948) imagined a primal “theatre of cruelty” directly impacting the body.
This wholesale questioning of what theatre should be inspired Brook towards methodological and aesthetic innovation, and modelled for him a way of writing about theatre for a popular readership in striking, vivid prose, that he would pursue throughout his career.
The essentials of being human
For Brook, all that is needed for theatre is a location, an actor and an audience member. Everything else is supplementary.
He set about demonstrating this with a series of intensely focused and increasingly pared-back productions.
These included an austere production of King Lear (1962) featuring Paul Scofield and adapted for film in 1971. Then there was the controlled madness of his Marat/Sade (1964), and an iconic white box production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1970).
This investigative impetus would soon take Brook beyond the British theatre establishment. He established the International Centre for Theatre Research in Paris in 1970, and began to travel widely.
His goal, as he put it, was to work “outside of contexts”, asking:
In what conditions is it possible for what happens in a theatre experience to originate from a group of actors and be received and shared by spectators without the help and hindrance of […] shared cultural signs and tokens?
In 1979, Brook took his international troupe (including a young Helen Mirren) on an 8,500 km, three and a half month trip through Saharan Africa, presenting The Conference of the Birds, a play based on a 12th Century Persian poem, to audiences with whom they expected to have nothing in common.
The Mahabharata and critical backlash
This phase of what came to be called intercultural theatre culminated in a famous adaptation of the Sanskrit epic The Mahabharata.
Premiering at the Avignon festival in 1985 (it was performed in Adelaide in 1988 and filmed in 1989) with a cast drawn from many cultures and theatrical traditions, critics praised the beauty and limpid theatricality of the production.
However, it also triggered a critical backlash which, in retrospect, had been a long time coming.
As Australians well know, there are no “empty spaces” that are simply there for the taking. There are no cultural forms that exist “outside of contexts”.
Brook was not naive about this, but he struggled to square local particularity with his universalist instincts.
He acknowledged The Mahabharata “would never have existed without India”, yet at the same time, stated
we had to avoid allowing the suggestion of India to be so strong as to inhibit human identification to too great an extent.
For a growing number of critics, this was not only intellectually unsustainable, but compounded historical wrongs.
In 1990, the Indian theatre scholar Rustom Bharucha published Theatre and the World, a broadside against western appropriations of Asian theatrical forms that went back to Stanislavski, Brecht and Artaud, and were exemplified in Brook’s work.
Bharucha accused Brook of trivialising and decontextualising Indian culture, and exploiting Indian performers.
The Mahabharata would mark a significant shift in how intercultural collaborations would be approached in future: greater attention being paid to who has the right to represent what, and how the material and intellectual resources in any given production are distributed.
A director of influence
Through the 1990s and into the new millennium, Brook remained consistently active.
He continued to create classic and intercultural performances at the Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord in Paris.
He worked with international artists on projects that would tour widely. Le Costume (The Suit), an adaptation of a 1963 story by Can Themba made seemingly limitless use of the anthropomorphic properties of an empty suit to tell a touching parable of love and loss in apartheid-era South Africa.
Brook’s clarifying focus on what really matters in theatre – paring everything back from staging to acting style and infusing what remains with complexity, nuance and intelligence – can be discerned across the spectrum of contemporary theatrical activity.
We see it, for example, in the the physical inventiveness of Complicité, the raw character work of Ivo van Hove and the compositional sensibilities of Katie Mitchell.
Then there are the intercultural experiments of Ariane Mnouchkine and Ong Keng Sen. We can even trace it to the combination of technological refinement and narrative momentum in Kip Williams’s current Australian hit The Picture of Dorian Grey.
Brook raised the bar on what audiences should expect of theatre, but also what creators could demand of their audiences.
He advocated a theatre in which a rigorous creative process underpinned an absolute commitment by actors to the present moment of performance. In response, audiences would feel compelled to bring their own investments, attention and desires.
Brook’s work was not without controversy, but it rarely strayed far from the centre of debates over the human stakes in the creation of theatre.
Brook reminded us how high those stakes can be – as long as we all work towards meeting the criteria for, as he put it in The Empty Space, “an act of theatre to be engaged”.
This article has been republished from The Conversationunder a Creative Commons — Attribution/No derivatives license.
Contributing Authors: Paul Rae is Associate Professor, English and Theatre Studies at The University of Melbourne.
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.
In an exclusive interview with The Australia Today, Mr Saran outlined the importance of the Australia-India bilateral relationship and how crucial this relationship is going to be from a strategic and economic point of view.
Q1) How important is the India-Australia relationship going to be globally and for the Indo-Pacific region from a security point of view?
Mr Saran: India views Australia as one of its most important partners in the world. The relationship has transformed in less than a decade. Today, the two countries are exploring opportunities to work shoulder-to-shoulder on new opportunities to tackle challenges that confront Asia and the world. The partnership has been catalysed by shared concerns about China and a shared responsibility to ensure a peaceful and inclusive Indo-Pacific by partnering closely with like-minded countries in the region.
Image source: Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese – Twitter.
Q2) How do you see bilateral trade between the two countries going forward, is it likely to substantially increase after the trade agreement?
Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution and Textiles and Australia’s Dan Tehan MP, Minister of Trade, Tourism and Investment; Image Source: @PIB
Q3) How important is it for Australia to diversify its international trade and reduce its exposure to China?
Mr Saran: It is extremely important. As one of the developed world’s most China-dependent economies, Australia will always be vulnerable in case of deterioration in bilateral ties. By pushing for answers on the origin of the pandemic, Australia has already angered Beijing. After being at the receiving end of Beijing’s trade weaponisation, it is extremely significant for Australia to reduce its perverse dependence on China by diversifying its export markets. Australia and others also need to invest more in trade diversification, and supply chain resilience and are conscious of the geopolitical risks.
Q4) How important is it for Australia to increase its economic engagement with India specifically given the implications not just for geoeconomics but also geopolitics?
Mr Saran: The broader trade and technology agenda is closely linked to and implicated by politics. This geopolitical convergence in the Indo-Pacific is also driving the current upward trajectory in the economic relations between India and Australia. Australia realises that even as it seeks to respond to the increase in Chinese influence within Pacific Island countries, India is staving off the overbearing presence of the dragon in South Asia. Instead of relying solely on the United States, it is time for India and Australia to increase their economic engagement and build their own capabilities to push back against Chinese expansiveness. They have obvious overlapping interests in the region and a clear motivation to make this happen.
Australia’s Resources Minister Madeleine King and Indian Minister for Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi; Image Source: Supplied
Q5) How important is Australia going to be for India from a trade and security point of view?
Mr Saran: As the first bilateral trade agreement of India with a developed country in the last decade, this FTA with Australia is extremely important. as India is not part of any significant regional or free-trade bloc. Apart from eliminating or lowering tariffs on both sides, this FTA positively influences other ongoing bilateral trade negotiations that India has with Canada, the EU and the UK.
As mentioned earlier, due to an overlap in the Indo-Pacific regional visions of the two countries and the escalating competition between US-China, India sees it important for Australia to bolster its security capacities through enhanced defence acquisitions and spending, as well as by strengthening existing defence cooperation. India and Australia, by investing in their own security and economy, are offering the other greater ability to manage and negotiate the changing political and economic landscape in Asia.
Carnegie Indian ocean initiative interactive map
Q6) Are there any specific areas where you see the potential for increased engagement that require more attention?
Mr Saran: There are four areas where there’s potential for increased engagement. First is political – both India’s and Australia’s neighbouring island countries are facing excessive inducements by the CCP to follow the Chinese way of life. We need to realise that dialogue with these island countries is not enough, we need to put money where our mouth is. India and Australia can create an islands initiative, wherein we invest in their technology futures and climate resilience, and offer them better, safer money than what is on offer from the Chinese.
Australia India Agreement; Image Source: @CANVA
The second is climate – as India transitions to a green economy, Australia can vigorously partner with us. As a country with sophisticated financial institutions, Australia can offer significant inputs in the technology, R&D and innovation space. Australia’s financial institutions can also service the significant Indian appetite for green finance and infrastructure projects.
Solar Panels in Atacama Desert, Wikkipidia
Third is technology – instead of becoming the B-teams of Silicon Valley, the India-Australia technology partnership could create tech for development, fit for our neighbourhood. This would not only help the ASEAN and island countries, but also the emerging world. India and Australia have the potential to be the A-team of the tech for a development paradigm that serves the next 6 billion that silicon valley does not innovate for.
Indian IT Firms; Image Source: @CANAVA
And finally, diaspora – we need to scale up Australia’s educational and knowledge partnership with India. We need to take Australian institutions to India and offshore the education industry, wherein the former is able to increase its presence and build to-scale education and skilling institutions in India.
Indian Australians at a citizenship ceremony
7) Do you see Quad as having substance or is it more a symbolic grouping at this stage?
Mr Saran: Quad, as of today, is a limited-purpose partnership that was born out of common concern about Chinese activities. At this stage, the Quad is beginning to become more ambitious and is seeking to shape the development and technology pathways the region treads on.
Quad Leaders Summit in Tokyo (Image Source: Twitter)
A quad must consider building more substance through institutionalisation and by delivering on specific projects in the Indo-Pacific region.
India has raised the issue of Australian Defence personnel attending an event which had Khalistani flags, banners and hoardings, with Australia.
The Australia Today, in an exclusive report, had earlier reported that ADF personnel were present alongside Khalistani separatists at the recently held Sikh Games in Griffith, NSW.
Members of the Indian Australian community were left disturbed and upset to see the Australian Defence Force Marquee at the event where Khalistani banners and posters were displayed.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said regarding reports of Australian Defence personnel attending an event alongside Khalistani separatists,
“We specifically got to know about an incident in Australia. We have raised this issue with the Government of Australia…we have taken this up with the Australian Government…there was something related to a few of their soldiers, talks are going on on the issue.”
The Australia Today had reached out to the ADF regarding this issue that had left members of the Indian-Australian community distressed and traumatised.
Griffith Sikh Games 2022; Image Source: Facebook
A Defence spokesperson said with regards to this matter:
“A small group of Australian Defence Force members attended the Sikh Games in Griffith, NSW, over the Queen’s Birthday Long Weekend. Attendance was not in any official capacity and there was no formal invitation to Defence to participate.”
Griffith Sikh Games 2022; Image Source: Facebook
“The Australian Defence Force is an apolitical organisation and Defence members are expected to remain impartial. The Defence members had no prior awareness of other organisations attending this important community event which promotes traditional Indian culture and sport.”
Griffith Sikh Games 2022; Image Source: Facebook
The Defence spokesperson further added,
“The ADF personnel who attended the Sikh Games in Griffith did so with good intentions. The ADF personnel are proud of both their service and their culture and saw an opportunity to engage positively with the Sikh community.”
“They had no prior knowledge of other groups attending the event, including political or separatist movements. The attendance of ADF personnel at this event in no way endorses any other group or organisation who may have also been in attendance.”
Griffith Sikh Games 2022; Image Source: Facebook
A Defence spokesperson also said,
“Defence regrets any distress that accidental associations might have caused the Indian diaspora in Australia.”
Griffith Sikh Games 2022; Image Source: Facebook
The Australia Today also reached out to the organisers of the Sikh games in Griffith but has not yet received a response.
The Australia Today would like to categorically state that we in no manner suggest that the ADF personnel who attended the Sikh Games in Griffith support or endorse matters associated with the ‘Khalistan’ separatist movement.
Greed, desire, wishful thinking and naivety are lucrative markets for scam artists – and their age-old hustles are increasingly being supplemented by digital chicanery.
In 2021 Australians lost an estimated $2 billion to fraudsters, more than double that of 2020, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
The consumer watchdog’s latest scam report details more than 20 different scam types, primarily based on reports made to its Scamwatch agency.
Some scams are perennials. Topping Scamwatch’s list are investment scams, dating and romance scams, remote access scams (convincing you to allow access to your computer or phone), and threats or blackmail.
This article is going to focus on the five scam types that have grown most in value from 2020.
These aren’t necessarily the scams anyone (including you) is most likely to fall for. But they provide a useful snapshot of how scam techniques that rely on human nature are increasingly being executed via technology.
1. Ransomware and malware
This type of scam has been on the wane due to the use of anti-malware protection. But in 2021 it roared back with a 1,482% rise in reported losses over 2020.
This was mostly due to 2020 numbers being much lower than 2019, but the reported costs per incident (about $21,704) are still worrying given how easily such scams can be spread.
They typically involve installing malicious software on your computer or phone to make files inaccessible or lock the device. This is done by sending a bogus email, text message or voicemail with an enticing message directing you to a link that automatically installs the malicious software when you open it. The scammer then demands a payment to “unlock” the system.
Contributing to ransomware’s resurgence was the Flubot scam, in which tens of thousands of Australians with Android phones received scam text messages about missed calls or deliveries. The malware could harvest banking details as well as use contact lists to spread to other devices.
2. Pyramid schemes
The pyramid scheme promises you riches by recruiting others to the scheme. While such recruitment is also a feature of multi-level marketing (also known as referral selling schemes), in an illegal pyramid scheme financial returns are entirely or substantially reliant on convincing other people to join.
In 2021 reported losses from pyramid schemes were 368% higher than in 2020. This was due, as with malware, to losses in 2020 being abnormally low. But even though the total number of reported cases was quite low (fewer than 500) the percentage of of those reports involving people losing money was one of the highest (44%), with an average loss of $6,239.
This suggests pyramid scams remain quite alluring to some people.
3. Identity theft
Identity theft – using your personal information to steal money from you or someone else – is one of the most challenging scams to deal with. It may involve stealing money from your own account or using your identity for credit purchases, which you then have to untangle.
This is a true growth area. In 2021 there 22,354 identity theft reports, up from 20,939 in 2020. While only 951 of these cases (about 4%) reported losses, average losses more than doubled to about $10,683. The total losses ($10,159,930) were 230% higher than in 2020.
4. Investment scams
Investment scams tempt victims with promises of large profits from share deals and crypto-currency opportunities. In 2021, 4,068 Australians reported losing more than $177 million on such scams – an average loss of about $45,350.
While investment scams come in many varieties, the Scamwatch report itemises three main types. Cryptocurrency scams accounted for $99 million of reported losses. The selling of fake high-yield corporate or government bonds accounted for $16 million. Ponzi schemes, which create the charade of investment success by paying dividends from the money of new victims, accounted for $8 million.
Ponzi schemes are named after Charles Ponzi, who in the 1920s promised to double people’s money in 45 days. One such scheme doing the rounds in 2021 was the Hope Business app, which promised windfall returns simply by paying money into an account.
Interestingly the consumer watchdog’s report says men were almost twice as likely to be victims of investment scams and reported double the losses of female victims.
5. Phishing
Phishing, closely linked to identity theft, was the most reported scam in 2021 – with 71,308 cases, compared to 44,079 in 2020 and 25,168 in 2019.
These scams are usually seeking to obtain our credentials (passwords) to various services including email, online banking and government services such as MyGov.
That just 861 cases reported a direct financial loss suggests this is one of the most recognised scams. We’ve all had emails or SMS messages asking us to confirm our details or click a link to listen to a voicemail or receive a parcel.
Even so, a total of $4.3 million was reported lost from phishing scams in 2021 – 156% more than in 2020. The average loss was slightly more than $5,000.
How to avoid being scammed
If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. If you have any inkling you may be being scammed, the best advice is to stop and think.
If you are being asked to move money, make an unexpected payment or send personal information to someone, stop.
If you are being asked to provide information or take some action, contact the organisation involved using a number you already have (bank statement, credit card etc) or find the number yourself.
This article has been republished fromThe Conversationunder a Creative Commons — Attribution/No derivatives license.
Contributing Author: Paul Haskell-Dowland is Professor of Cyber Security Practice at Edith Cowan University.
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.
Amid the rising numbers of COVID cases, an additional 7.4 million people will now be eligible to receive a fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose from next week after the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) updated its recommendations.
The Australian Government has accepted the recommendations of the ATAGI vaccine experts and will open the fourth dose to those newly eligible from Monday, 11 July.
Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler said, “We are in the early stages of a third Omicron wave and our government is absolutely committed to making sure as many people as possible are protected with the vaccine.”
This will help provide additional protection from severe disease against the emerging surge of Omicron subvariant infections and reduce the burden on Australian hospitals and the health care system in the coming months.
ATAGI specifically recommended that people aged 50 to 64 years should have their fourth dose, while people aged 30 to 49 years may choose to have a fourth shot.
ATAGI reiterated that people who had already been eligible for the fourth dose, including those aged 65 years and over, remain at higher risk of severe disease and death from COVID-19.
As of 7 July 2022, 60 per cent of people aged 65 years and over have had their fourth dose. People who haven’t already received it are strongly encouraged to have it as soon as possible.
“The vaccine experts on the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation have recommended it – and the Government has accepted this advice,”
said Minister Butler.
ATAGI also recommended the interval between vaccine doses, or prior infection (whichever comes later), be reduced from four months to three months to provide earlier additional protection.
ATAGI did not support making the fourth dose available to healthy adults under the age of 30 years as it was not clear whether the benefits outweighed the risks in this population group.
Almost 14 million people in Australia aged 16 and over have received three or more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
People aged 50 years and over who haven’t yet had a fourth vaccine are encouraged to make an appointment as soon as possible to ensure they are up to date with their vaccination and have the greatest protection possible against COVID-19.
“MY MESSAGE TO EVERYONE LIVING IN AUSTRALIA AGED 50 AND OVER IS TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE GREATEST PROTECTION AGAINST COVID-19 BY HAVING A FOURTH DOSE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. IF YOU ARE AGED 30 TO 49 AND YOU WANT THAT EXTRA PROTECTION, YOU CAN CHOOSE TO GET THE FOURTH DOSE.,”
Minister Butler further added.
Victoria COVID 19 Vaccination; Picture Source: Twitter @VicDHS
ATAGI continues to recommend that people in eligible at-risk population groups, including those who are severely immunocompromised (for these people, it will be the fifth dose) or who have underlying medical conditions, receive their fourth dose.
ATAGI has noted the number of people in Australia ill from respiratory virus infections, including from COVID-19, has increased over the past few months, placing an increased strain on the Australian health care system, particularly hospitals.
A surge in cases of COVID-19 BA.4 and BA.5 subvariant is a contributing factor and is expected to worsen in the coming months.
Increasing the uptake of fourth doses in the most at-risk population groups during this time is anticipated to play a limited, but important, role in reducing the risk to individuals of severe outcomes while taking pressure off Australia’s health care system.
ATAGI has expressed concern that the take-up of the first booster dose, and the fourth dose among those who had already been eligible, has not been high enough and emphasises the importance of vaccination in preventing severe disease and death during this time, particularly in older adults and people aged 16 years and older with a medical condition or disability.
Forbes List; Indra Nooyi, Reshma Shetty, Jayshree V Ullal, Neha Narkhede, and Neerja Sethi
Jayshree V Ullal, the president and CEO of Arista Networks, along with Neerja Sethi, co-founder of Syntel; Neha Narkhede, co-founder and former CTO of Confluent; former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, and Reshma Shetty, co-founder of Ginkgo Bioworks have found a place amongst America’s richest self-made women.
Forbes has named Jayshree V Ullal (number 15) as one of America’s richest self-made women with her current net worth of around $1.9 billion. According to the magazine, Ullal who has been heading Arista Networks since 2018 owns about 5% of Arista’s stock – “some of which is earmarked for her two children, niece and nephew.” She is also the recipient of prestigious awards such as E&Y’s “Entrepreneur of the Year” in 2015, Barron’s “World’s Best CEOs” in 2018 and one of Fortune’s “Top 20 Business persons” in 2019.
Neerja Sethi is at number 24 with a total net worth of $1b. Sethi holds an undergraduate degree in mathematics, a master’s degree in computer science and an MBA in operations research. She co-founded the IT consulting and outsourcing firm Syntel with her husband Bharat Desai in 1980 in their apartment in Troy, Michigan. The couple started the business with an initial investment of just $2,000.
Neha Narkhede, co-founder and former CTO of Confluent, is at number 57 with a total net worth of $490m. Narkhede, who grew up in Pune, India, studied Computer Science at Georgia Tech. While working as a software engineer at Linkedin, she also helped develop the open-source messaging system Apache Kafka to handle the networking site’s huge influx of data. She also advises numerous technology startups.
Indra Nooyi, the former PepsiCo CEO, is at number 85 with a total net worth of $320m. Her fortune stems from the stock she was granted while working at PepsiCo. Nooyi grew up in India and has an MBA from Yale before becoming one of corporate America’s few female CEOs in 2006.
Reshma Shetty is at number 97 with a total net worth of $220m. co-founded Gingko Bioworks, a synthetic biotechnology company, in 2009 with four others, including her husband Barry Canton. Ginkgo, named after a dinosaur-era tree, uses data analytics and robotics to speed up the process of discovering and making new organisms. Shetty has a PhD in biological engineering from MIT.
According to the magazine, the decline in the American stock market has “pushed down the combined net worth of the nation’s richest self-made women to $111 billion, a 6% drop from last year.”
Federal Education Minister Jason Clare has committed to a “reset” of relations between government and universities, and promised more effort to boost the proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds, in a major speech on higher education.
He is also speeding up visa processing to help rebuild Australia’s education export industry, and wants Labor’s September jobs summit to discuss how to retain foreign students after they complete their degrees, to enlarge Australia’s skilled workforce.
In his address, titled Reset, Rebuild and Reform, to a Universities Australia dinner in Canberra on Wednesday night, Clare announced an independent inquiry into the role and function of the Australian Research Council, which administers the national research grants program.
The higher education sector had a fraught relationship with the former government, which declined to include universities in the JobKeeper scheme in the pandemic.
Federal Education Minister Jason Clare (Twitter)
Clare said that in coming months he would appoint a group of eminent Australians to lead Labor’s planned “Australian Universities Accord”.
The accord would draw on university staff, unions, business, students, parents and all political parties, and look at “everything from funding and access to affordability, transparency, regulation, [and] employment conditions”.
It would also examine how universities, TAFEs and other providers worked together.
Highlighting the importance of more action on equity, Clare said in 2008 when the Bradley review of higher education was published, 29% of 25-34-year-olds had a bachelor degree. The review set a target of 40% by 2020.
That target was met – the figure was now more than 43%. But Bradley’s other target – that 20% of enrolments by 2020 should be students from low socio-economic backgrounds – had not been met.
“At the time it was about 15%. And it has barely moved,” Clare said.
“Where you live also matters,” he said. In capitals more than 48% of 25-34-year-olds had a degree, but in regional Australia it was just over 20%, and in more remote areas about 16%.
“And it’s even worse than that for our Indigenous brothers and sisters. That figure is less than 10%.”
“Where you live, how much your parents earn, whether you are Indigenous or not, is still a major factor in whether your are a student or a graduate of an Australian university.”
Clare said just over 70% of students who walked into a university walked out with a qualification. But the figure was lower for those from a poor family, lower again for those from regional or remote areas, and lower again for Indigenous people.
He announced $20.5 million over four years to expand the work of the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education based at Curtin University.
Clare said rebuilding the international education sector “starts with sending a clear message to students around the world that we want you to study with us”.
A visit next month by the Indian education minister would be an important opportunity for rebuilding, and “we need to do that with other countries in the region as well”.
The backlog in processing student visas was a problem and he had asked the secretary of his department to work directly with the secretary of Home Affairs on this.
“I also think there is more we can do to get more of the students we teach and train to stay after their studies end and help us fill some of the chronic skills gaps in our economy.
“Only 16% of our international students do that at the moment. In some of the countries we compete with for talent, it’s a lot higher than that. This is something I’d like to see discussed at the jobs summit in September.”
Clare said delays and political interference in the operation of competitive grants needed to end.
“It damages our international reputation. It also makes it harder for you to recruit and retain staff”, he told his university audience.
“I get it. You work with industry. We want you to work with industry. Industry want certainty. Time means money. They want to get on with it. So do you.”
Following a Senate committee recommendation from March, he would set up an independent review of the ARC’s role and function, with “a particular focus on the governance framework and reporting mechanisms”.
This article has been republished from The Conversationunder a Creative Commons — Attribution/No derivatives license.
Contributing Author: Michelle Grattan is Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra.
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.
Flying Officer Ananya Sharma with her father Air Commodore Sanjay Sharma (Twitter ANI)
Air Commodore Sanjay Sharma and his daughter Flying Officer Ananya Sharma created history on 30th May when they became the first father-daughter pair in the Indian Air Force to fly in the same formation of the Hawk-132.
This was the first time ever that a father-daughter duo flew fighter jets together in the same fighter formation for a mission in the IAF.
Air Commodore Sanjay Sharma with his daughter Flying Officer Ananya Sharma. The two fighter pilots became the first father-daughter pair in the IAF to fly in formation of the Hawk AJT in Bidar. pic.twitter.com/5OymV7fuvf
The flying mission took place at the IAF station in Bidar, India. Flying Officer Ananya Sharma is currently undertaking training at the same station before she graduates onto a superior aircraft.
In a written statement Indian Air Force said, “The father-daughter duo created history on 30 May 2022, when they flew in the same formation of Hawk-132 aircraft at Air Force Station Bidar, where Flying Officer Ananya Sharma is undergoing her training before she graduates onto faster and more superior fighter aircraft of the IAF.”
Father-daughter duo, Flying Officer Ananya & Air Commodore Sanjay Sharma,created history on May 30 when they flew in same formation of Hawk-132 aircraft at IAF Station Bidar,where Flying Officer Ananya is undergoing her training before she graduates onto superior fighter aircraft pic.twitter.com/dUW4zCmc9V
The father-daughter duo received a lot of appreciation from netizens for this incredible feat including from former diplomat and India’s Union Minister Hardeep Singh Suri.
Ananya is currently undergoing transitional fighter training at Bidar on the Hawks. The training module involves intensive combat manoeuvres and armament firing. The 24-year-old will be posted to a full-fledged fighter squadron in January next year.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak tendered their resignation from Prime Minister Boris Johnson's cabinet; Image Source: The Australia Today
UK Finance Minister Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid resigned on Tuesday, landing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government in a crisis.
In his resignation letter, Sunak said he was “sad to be leaving the government”, but has come to the conclusion that he “cannot continue like this”.
“The public rightly expects the government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously. I recognise this may be my last ministerial job, but I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning,”
Rishi Sunak said.
The public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously.
I recognise this may be my last ministerial job, but I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning.
Javid said he had lost confidence in Boris Johnson’s ability to govern following multiple scandals, saying he could “no longer continue in good conscience”.
The minister said that many lawmakers and the public had lost confidence in Johnson’s ability to govern in the national interest.
In his resignation letter, which he posted to Twitter, Javid told Johnson that “the values you represent reflect on your colleagues,” and in light of recent scandals, the public had concluded that their party was neither “competent” nor “acting in the national interest.”
I have spoken to the Prime Minister to tender my resignation as Secretary of State for Health & Social Care.
It has been an enormous privilege to serve in this role, but I regret that I can no longer continue in good conscience. pic.twitter.com/d5RBFGPqXp
The exit of the top minister comes as Johnson was apologising for keeping the former Conservative party whip Chris Pincher in his post after sexual misconduct allegations were made against him. The British PM said he regrets giving Pincher a government role as Deputy Chief Whip following the revelation of a misconduct complaint against him.
“In hindsight, it was the wrong thing to do and I apologise to everyone who has been badly affected by it. I just want to make absolutely clear that there’s no place in this government for anybody who is predatory or abuses their position of power,” he said.
UK PM names new Health Secretary, Finance Minister
Prime Minister Boris Johnson named new UK Health Secretary and Finance Minister shortly after Health Secretary Sajid Javid and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak tendered their resignation, media reports said.
UK Cabinet chief of staff Steve Barclay has been appointed as the new health secretary. Meanwhile, UK education secretary Nadhim Zahawi was named as the new finance minister.
BA.4 and BA.5 are more infectious than previous COVID variants and subvariants, and are better able to evade immunity from vaccines and previous infections. So we’re likely to see a rise in case numbers.
So what are BA.4 and BA.5? And what can we expect in this next phase of the pandemic?
How did it start? BA.1, BA.2 and BA.3
Omicron started off as three subvariants (that is, a group of viruses from the same parent virus), all appearing in late November 2021 in South Africa: BA.1, BA.2, and BA.3.
The three are genetically different enough that they could have had their own Greek names. But for some reason, this did not happen, and the World Health Organization designated them as subvariants of Omicron.
BA.1 rapidly took over from Delta in Australia in early January this year, forming a massive wave of cases, peaking at more than 100,000 a day.
However, BA.2 is even more transmissible than BA.1, and Australia saw a second wave of cases, this time caused by BA.2. This wave peaked in early April at more than 60,000 cases a day.
When were BA.4 and BA.5 detected?
BA.4 was first detected in January 2022 in South Africa. BA.5 was also detected in South Africa, in February 2022.
Both appear to be offshoots of BA.2, sharing many identical mutations. They also have many additional mutations likely to impact transmission.
They are talked about together because mutations in their spike protein (the bit that latches on to human cells) are identical. (For brevity, I refer to them as BA.4/5.)
However, they do differ in some of the mutations on the body of the virus.
How transmissible are BA.4/5?
We measure how contagious a disease is by the basic reproduction number (R0). This is the average number of people an initial case infects in a population with no immunity (from vaccines or previous infection).
New mutations give the virus an advantage if they can increase transmissibility:
BA.2, which is the dominant subvariant in Australia at the moment, is 1.4 times more transmissible than BA.1, and so has an R0 of about 13.3
a pre-print publication from South Africa suggests BA.4/5 has a growth advantage over BA.2 similar to the growth advantage of BA.2 over BA.1. That would give it an R0 of 18.6.
This is similar to measles, which was until now was our most infectious viral disease.
How likely is reinfection?
BA.4/BA.5 appear to be masters at evading immunity. This increases the chance of reinfection.
Reinfection is defined as a new infection at least 12 weeks after the first. This gap is in place because many infected people still shed virus particles many weeks after recovery.
However, some unfortunate people get a new infection within the 12 weeks, and therefore are not counted.
Likely, there are now tens of thousands of Australians into their second or third infections, and this number will only get bigger with BA.4/5.
Got COVID again? Your symptoms may be milder, but this won't always be the case https://t.co/OCzwkQ5H0M via @ConversationEDU Another good article from The Conversation
— Professor Adrian Esterman (@profesterman) May 16, 2022
How high are case numbers likely to rise?
Around Australia, we are starting to see a third wave of cases because of BA.4/5.
The effective reproduction number, or Reff tells us, on average, how many people an infected person will pass it on to, given the immunity in the population. All Australian states and territories now have a Reff greater than 1, meaning that even with the current levels of immunity, we are seeing an exponential growth in case numbers. This will inevitably lead to an increase in hospitalisation and deaths.
The second Omicron wave due to BA.2 was not as high as the first one caused by BA.1, probably because there were so many people infected with BA.1, that the ensuing immunity dampened the second wave down.
This third wave may not be as high as the second for the same reason.
How severe is the disease from BA.4/5?
A recent pre-print publication (a publication that has so far not been peer-reviewed) from a Japanese research group found that in lab-based, cell-culture experiments, BA.4/5 was able to replicate more efficiently in the lungs than BA.2. In hamster experiments, it developed into more serious illness.
However, data from South Africa and the United Kingdom found that their BA.4/5 wave didn’t see a major increase in severe disease and death.
Brief trip back into Covid data today:
Promising news from South Africa, where the BA.4 / BA.5 variant wave has passed quietly, with high levels of immunity meaning this wave has had little impact on rates of severe illness or death pic.twitter.com/C5W6iZzDLK
This is possibly because of the high rates of immunity due to previous infections. Our high rates of vaccine-induced immunity might have a similar protective effect here.
Will BA.4/5 change long COVID?
At this stage, we do not know whether any of the Omicron subvariants differ in their ability to cause long COVID.
However, we do know that full vaccination (three doses for most people) does provide some protection against long COVID.
How protective are our vaccines against BA.4/5?
Each new subvariant of Omicron has been better able to evade immunity from vaccination than its predecessor.
Although current vaccines based on the Wuhan strain will still provide some protection against serious illness and death against BA.4/5, they are unlikely to provide much, if any, protection against infection or symptomatic disease.
What about new vaccines?
The good news is second-generation vaccines are in clinical trials. Moderna is trialling a vaccine containing mRNA against the original Wuhan strain and Omicron BA.1.
Early results are very promising, and likely to give much better protection against BA.4/5.
But this third Omicron wave – along with a very severe flu season – will likely see our hospitals struggling even more over the next few weeks.
If things get bad enough, state and territory governments might be forced to reintroduce face mask mandates in many settings – in my opinion, not such a bad thing.
This article has been republished from The Conversationunder a Creative Commons — Attribution/No derivatives license.
Contributing Author: Adrian Esterman is Professor of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of South Australia.
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.
RBA to raise cash rate within week; Image Source: @CANVA
Australians will have to dig a little deeper in their pockets after the Reserve Bank hiked the cash rate to 1.35 per cent.
RateCity estimates the 50 basis point rise – the third hike in three months – will add $137 a month to a $500,000 mortgage, or $499 per month on a $750,000 loan.
“Today’s increase in interest rates is a further step in the withdrawal of the extraordinary monetary support that was put in place to help insure the Australian economy against the worst possible effects of the pandemic,”
Reserve Bank governor Phil Lowe said in a statement following Tuesday’s board meeting.
Reserve Bank Of Australia; Picture Source: @CANVA
“The resilience of the economy and the higher inflation means that this extraordinary support is no longer needed.”
He said the size and timing of future interest rate rises would be guided by “the incoming data and the board’s assessment of the outlook for inflation and the labour market”.
“The board is committed to doing what is necessary to ensure that inflation in Australia returns to target over time,”
Mr Lowe added.
Mortgage blues; Image Source: @CANVA
The board is seeking to use rate rises to push inflation down from its 21-year high of 5.1 per cent back into its two to three per cent target band. But global and domestic factors are pushing inflation towards a predicted peak of seven per cent by the end of the year.
“Inflation is forecast to peak later this year and then decline back towards the two to three per cent range next year,” Dr Lowe said.
“As global supply-side problems continue to ease and commodity prices stabilise, even if at a high level, inflation is expected to moderate.”
He said the Australian economy remained resilient and the labour market was tighter than it had been for some time.
Mortgage blues; Image Source: @CANVA
However, the board would be keeping an eye on household spending trends and the global outlook which was “clouded by the war in Ukraine and its effect on the prices for energy and agricultural commodities”, as well as the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers acknowledged household budgets were already stretched by the price of petrol, groceries, electricity and other essentials and would now be eaten up by mortgage repayments.
“Today’s decision by the independent Reserve Bank to increase interest rates by half a percentage point is very challenging news for hardworking Australians already doing it tough,”
Dr Chalmers said.
He said it was expected inflation would get worse before it got better.
“That’s why we’re working hard to deliver on our commitments to boost the capacity of the economy and reduce the cost of living, and why we fought for an increase to this year’s minimum wage for 2.8 million Australians,” he said.
Another hike is expected in August following the release of second-quarter inflation data.
But some economists say the RBA may need to slow or even pause rate rises heading into 2023.
New data released on Tuesday showed while consumers were feeling anxious, they were still keen to spend.
Mortgage blues; Image Source: @CANVA
The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported retail trade rose 0.9 per cent in May to be up 10.4 per cent in the year. The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries said new vehicle sales totalled 99,974 units in June, down 9.7 per cent from a year ago.
ANZ and Roy Morgan consumer confidence fell 1.2 per cent in the past week.
The housing market is already responding and will be closely watched as banks set their new higher loan rates.
The CoreLogic Home Value Index for June showed house prices in Sydney and Melbourne dropped by 2.8 and 1.8 per cent respectively over the quarter, with Adelaide the only city showing a solid upward trend.
Eleanor Creagh, PropTrack senior economist, said despite the market implicitly pricing a cash rate of three per cent by December, it was likely the cash rate will end the year “closer to two per cent than three per cent”.
Capital Economics’ Marcel Thieliant said he had pencilled in another 50 basis point hike in August.
“And we now expect inflation to peak at eight per cent and expect the cash rate to rise to 3.5 per cent.”
Surf Life Saving NSW assisting with evacuation (Image Source: Penrith NSW State Emergency Services Facebook)
The Federal Government has declared the current NSW floods a natural disaster. This will enable access to emergency funding for those imapcted by the flooding. Rains continue to lash Sydney and NSW and it is estimated that around 50,000 people have been affected by evacuation orders and warnings. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese who returned to Australia today from his overseas trip, which included a visit to Ukraine, had briefings with Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt upon his return.
Back in Australia – had briefings with Emergency Management Minister @MurrayWatt and Director-General of Emergency Management Australia Joe Buffone before talking to the media about the floods in NSW. pic.twitter.com/5I1kiBELGv
Disaster assistance is now available in 23 local government areas (LGAs) following severe storms and flooding from 27 June 2022, which continue to impact large areas of Sydney and the New South Wales coast.
The LGAs are Blacktown, Blue Mountains, Camden, Canterbury Bankstown, Campbelltown, Central Coast, Cessnock, Fairfield, Georges River, Hawkesbury, Hornsby, Kiama, Lithgow, Liverpool, Northern Beaches, Penrith, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Sutherland, The Hills, Wingecarribee, Wollondilly and Wollongong.
Federal Member for Hume and Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor MP visited south-west Sydney.
Devastating scenes across #Camden and south-west Sydney.
This is the fourth time this year that buildings, homes and businesses in the area have been submerged by rising flood water. pic.twitter.com/yC73lrzRmy
Assistance is being provided through the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
Minister for Emergency Management, Murray Watt, said the flooding has led to a large number of evacuations throughout Metropolitan Sydney, the Hawkesbury and the Central Coast, with major flood operations still ongoing. Minister Watt said:
“We have seen some of these impacted communities being hit by floods for a third and fourth time in 18 months, which is extremely distressing to the residents of these communities.”
Minister Watt added:
“The Australian and New South Wales governments have worked very cooperatively through this latest flood emergency, to ensure defence and other resources were deployed early and fast. Similarly, we’re now working hard together to make sure that impacted communities get the financial and other assistance they need as soon as possible.”
New South Wales Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery, Stephanie Cooke said yesterday (4th July) that significant recovery support would be required to help support communities once the major weather event passes. Ms Cooke said.
“Today’s announcement will ensure immediate assistance is available to impacted communities, including assistance for people who have lost or had damage to their homes. While we are still very much in the emergency response phase of this developing weather event, as waters recede we will work with communities to assess longer term recovery needs and ensure appropriate long-term support is provided.”
Assistance available under the DRFA may include:
Help for eligible people whose homes or belongings have been damaged (eligibility criteria apply);
Support for affected local councils to help with the costs of cleaning up and restoring damaged road and essential public assets;
Concessional interest rate loans for small businesses, primary producers and non-profit organisations; and
Freight subsidies for primary producers.
The Federal Emergency Management Minister, Murray Watt, told the ABC that these payments would be uncapped, demand driven and be avliable for anyone who qualifies for them.
The NSW State Emergency Services (SES) has set up evacuation centres in several areas including Liverpool and Castle Hill.
The SES has carried out over 250 flood rescues so far including 22 overnight related to this emergency.
For emergency help in flood or storm contact NSW SES on 132500.
For information on personal hardship and distress assistance, contact Service NSW on 137788.
Paul and Dan Kelly at Rockwood Music Hall (Wikipedia)
By Rod Davies
Most of the music we listen to is made by session musicians. These guns for hire are experts in their field, much sought after and often bring a unique sound – that extra thing that helps to make the recording what it is.
Whether we’re at home or in our cars, at the gym, the shops, a cafe or a pub, recorded performances form the soundtrack to our lives. This soundtrack includes music made by hired freelance instrumentalists and singers whose contributions are vital to the appeal and quality of those recordings.
While we get to enjoy the end product seemingly free of charge, all music that is broadcast or communicated to a listener is licensed by the owner of that recording and a fee is paid for that licence. Collection agencies such as PPCA collect these licences and disperse royalties to the rights holders of the registered recordings.
Does Australia value musicians?
Historically, Australian session musicians have had no economic claim to their recorded performances beyond a basic session fee – an unregulated fee that in real terms, has been going backwards for decades.
While many other countries support the rights of performers to ongoing royalties, Australia is one of a handful of developed economies that does not. This has denied our musicians access to important income streams at home and abroad, placed a limit on our trade with other countries and positioned us as an outlier.
We are seen as a country that does not value musicians the way they are valued elsewhere in the world, a perception that needs to change if we want to provide some incentive for the next generation to keep making music.
So, how did it get to this?
In 1996 the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) drafted the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty, which granted performers economic rights for their recorded performances and “equitable remuneration” when these performances were monetised.
Since then, free trade agreements, such as the one between Australia and the United States in 2004, have required that parties sign up to the treaty, which our government did in 2007. Unfortunately, then Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer deliberately excluded Article 15.1 from the agreement, leaving Australian musicians without the same rights as those enjoyed by musicians in other parts of the world.
For example, in the UK, US, most of Europe, as well as Mexico, Brazil, Canada and Japan, performers are assigned a percentage of the licence revenue.
According to Peter Thoms, board member of the UK collection agency PPL,
[…] in the UK, PPL royalties are split 50/50 with the labels and performers. A featured artist, who will be contracted to the label, gets a bigger performer share but session players also share in this revenue. Players who have been active on many recordings receive significant amounts annually. This helps make session playing as a vocation more viable and is a fair recognition of their contribution.
However, when the same recordings are then broadcast in Australia, these musicians are not entitled to any performance royalties. This has led to countries like the UK reciprocating our approach and no longer paying session musicians or artists on Australian recordings when they are broadcast in the UK.
The Australian musician brain drain
The extra twist is that Australian artists with international appeal are now frequently recording outside Australia to enable them to qualify for European royalties, which are paid on a qualifying territory basis.
As Australia is no longer a qualifying territory there is motivation for Australian artists to record in the UK and elsewhere to ensure they can claim equitable remuneration in the big overseas markets.
The WIPO Treaty aimed to “provide adequate solutions to the questions raised by economic, social, cultural and technological developments”, all of which have evolved enormously since 1996. If Australia is to keep up with these changes, it must stop lagging behind and adopt Article 15.1.
This has the potential to increase productivity in the recording economy, including revenue derived from export, and expand a sector that is currently heavily reliant on live music. Increasing passive income streams would also help to grow and sustain the careers of young musicians and support performers through future crises.
What can we do to fix this problem?
The current free trade agreement between Australia and the UK provides us with a political opening for this conversation. The agreement calls for a discussion about measures to ensure “adequate” remuneration for performers and producers of recordings. If we truly value our musicians, adequate must be equitable.
All performers, classical and contemporary, as well as record producers should be having this conversation right now, engaging with other stakeholders and raising awareness.
If the Australian government and recording industry will acknowledge the prevailing conditions for musicians globally and adopt the principle of equitable remuneration, we can begin rebuilding the structures that support payments to performers at home and overseas.
By valuing our musicians more we will add value to the sector, with better economic regulation and new systems connecting all Australian musicians to the larger markets.
So next time you hear music playing, think of the session musicians and producers whose skills helped to make that song a hit – the drummer on X, the trombone player on Y, or the vocalist on that annoying advertisement that’s been running for 20 years – and ask someone close by, why is it that Australian musicians are denied equitable remuneration that exists in so many other parts of the world?
This article has been republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons — Attribution/No derivatives license.
Contributing Authors: Rod Davies is Lecturer in popular music and songwriting at Monash University, Australia.
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.
Bhagwan Jagannath Rath Yatra in Sydney (Image Source: Krishna Kesava Das)
Devotees of Bhagwan Jagannath organised a Rath Yatra in Sydney and even the rain could not stop the Chariot Festival.
The event was organised in Sydney’s Liverpool suburb on 2nd July in celebration of the annual Rath Yatra that takes place in the ancient Indian city of Puri.
Traditionally the Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra consists of Bhagwan Jagannath, his elder brother Balabhadra and younger sister Subhadra being carried on chariots constructed and decorated by devotees and volunteers. The festival is attended by hundreds of thousands of devotees every year.
To mark this important event in the Hindu calender, devotees around the world celebrate this festival by taking out mini versions of the chariots in the cities they live in.
In Australia this year, the Chariot Festival was celebrated in Canberra and Melbourne along with Sydney.
The Chariot Festival in Sydney this year was attended by Indian Council General in Sydney, Manish Gupta and Indian-origin councillor of Liverpool City Council, Charishma Kaliyanda.
Take a look at the vibrant and colourful pictures and video from the festival.
Australia's Resources Minister Madeleine King and Indian Minister for Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi; Image Source: Supplied
Australia and India have strengthened cooperation on the development of critical minerals projects and supply chains after a meeting between Australia’s Resources Minister Madeleine King and Indian Minister for Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi.
Minister King announced that Australia would commit A$5.8 million to the three-year India-Australia Critical Minerals Investment Partnership.
Ms King also said, Australia and India were natural partners on critical minerals and the two countries shared a commitment to lowering emissions and boosting the use of renewable energy.
“Australia is a trusted supplier of resources and energy to India, and we can build on the success of those established supply chains as Australia’s critical minerals sector grows,”
Minister King further said.
Australia’s Resources Minister Madeleine King and Indian Minister for Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi; Image Source: Supplied
“Australia has the resources to help India fulfil its ambitions to lower emissions and meet the growing demand for critical minerals to help India’s space and defence industries, and the manufacture of solar panels, batteries and electric vehicles.”
“Australia welcomes India’s strong interest and support for a bilateral partnership which will help advance critical minerals projects in Australia while diversifying global supply chains.”
Indian Minister Joshi reminded that India has recently signed an MoU with Australia.
“We have recently signed an MoU between Khanij Bidesh India Ltd, and the Critical Minerals Facilitation Office (CMFO), Australia, which aims to ensure reliable supplies of Critical and Strategic Minerals to India.”
Australia’s Resources Minister Madeleine King and Indian Minister for Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi; Image Source: Supplied
The MoU includes joint due diligence in Lithium and Cobalt mineral assets of Australia. Both CMFO and the Indian JV KABIL will jointly fund the due diligence process with an initial total amount of US$6 million. Once the due diligence is completed and potential projects are identified, we will explore investment opportunities through different methods as envisaged in the MoU.
“India and Australia are natural partners. Not only are both Nations rich in minerals, but our trade relations have witnessed robust growth in recent years, which can be leveraged for strengthening the economies of both countries. Our Honourable Prime Minister is committed to taking the India-Australia relationship to new heights.”
“India is among the fastest-growing economies in the world and there is huge scope for collaboration in the mineral sector. Technology transfer, knowledge-sharing and investment in critical minerals like lithium and cobalt are strategic to achieving clean energy ambitions. The future looks promising for India and Australia.”
Minister Joshi added.
Australia’s Resources Minister Madeleine King and Indian Minister for Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi; Image Source: Supplied
Australia hosts vast reserves of critical minerals, such as lithium and cobalt, which are crucial for clean energy technologies such as batteries and electric vehicles, as well as mobile phones and computers.
Following the talks, Minister King and Minister Joshi toured the Tianqi Lithium Refinery at Kwinana in Minister King’s electorate of Brand.
Minister Joshi’s visit comes as the latest quarterly snapshot of Australia’s resources and energy forecasts ongoing strong demand for lithium and other critical minerals on the back of growing global demand for electric vehicles.
Australia’s Resources Minister Madeleine King and Indian Minister for Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi; Image Source: Supplied
The June 2022 Resources and Energy Quarterly publication by the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, projects the value of Australia’s lithium exports will double from $4.1 billion in 2021-22 to $9.4 billion in 2023-24. Lithium exports were worth only $1.1 billion in 2020-21.
“Australia is the world’s largest exporter of lithium and export opportunities are forecast to keep growing as global demand continues for electric vehicles and clean energy technology, and as more projects and refineries come on line in Australia,”
Minister King said.
“Australia has a reputation as a stable and reliable supplier of resources and energy, and Australian critical minerals will help both Australian and international partners to decarbonise their economies and lower emissions.”
The Albanese Government has a long-standing commitment to building a stronger relationship with India. The Government has committed to an update of the 2018 India Economic Strategy, an annual India-Australia Economic Dialogue, and the development of Indian language capabilities in Australia.
38-year-old Karthik Viswanathan, the Founder of BibVault, is promoting an innovative way of transforming the boring and broken active lifestyle in the local community.
Image source: Karthik Viswanathan.
Karthik, originally from Erode in Tamil Nadu, came to Australia in 2008 to work in the IT industry.
He told The Australia Today that the key idea behind his startup is to “empower people to lead an active lifestyle by connecting with event organisers, businesses, sports clubs, and industry experts.”
Image source: Karthik Viswanathan.
A few years ago, Karthik suffered a foot fracture which made it almost impossible for him to pursue recreational running. He says:
“During this time, I with the help of my wife, Devipriya, were using a mix of various challenges and small rewards to make rehabilitation interesting and effective.”
So, Karthik brought in his years of IT, consulting and business analysis experience and conducted thorough market research to understand deeper issues around active lifestyle transformation.
Image source: Devipriya and Karthik Viswanathan.
The couple soon managed to create this system that uses gamification and socialisation to create an activity-based rewarding platform. Karthik adds that the idea behind this startup is simple:
“When BibVault members move, walk, jog, run or cycle, they accumulate achievement points which can in turn be redeemed for rewards.”
Karthik’s startup managed to secure funding through Wyndham Council’s Small Business Entrepreneurship and Innovation Grant which provided BibVault with an opportunity to accelerate its software development.
He says:
“Recently we have onboarded six organisations under employee wellness category thus empowering organisations to transform the boring and broken active lifestyle of their employees to an inclusive, gamified, fun filled long term journey.”
These challenges can be achieved virtually from anywhere in the world thus making friends and family members participate as well.
Image source: Karthik Viswanathan.
Karthik says that he has started to build BibVault’s rewarding Partner Network and also plans to expand and launch the mobile apps for both Android and iOS. He adds:
“Our partners could be any business that wants to offer their products or services at an exclusive BibVault member discount. In this way, we recognise the achievements of members and bring meaningful potential customers to the businesses.”
BibVault has observed an increased engagement from employees as the innovative platform has seen members clocking over 1750+ active hrs. Karthik is hopeful that his start-up could help bridge the gap that exists in consistent active lifestyle care for employees in small, and medium business organisations in India and Australia.
PM Anthony Albanese in Kyiv; Image Source: Twitter
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited Kyiv on Sunday, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
During the meeting, PM Albanese reiterated Australia’s support for the brave people of Ukraine and the incredible defence of their homeland.
PM Anthony Albanese in Kyiv; Image Source: Twitter
PM Albanese said, “My visit to Kyiv and recent visits by other world leaders send a clear message that democratic nations like Australia will stand side-by-side with the Ukrainian people in their time of need.”
“I sincerely thank President Zelenskyy, the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Australian Defence Force for ensuring the safety of my visit.”
PM Anthony Albanese in Kyiv; Image Source: Twitter
Mr Albanese also saw first-hand some of the devastation caused by Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
“Russia’s brutal invasion is a gross violation of international law. I saw first-hand the devastation and trauma it has inflicted on the people of Ukraine.”
PM Anthony Albanese in Kyiv; Image Source: Twitter
Following President Zelenskyy’s request for further support, Australia has announced providing a new package of assistance to Ukraine:
A$99.5 million in military assistance, including 14 armoured personnel carriers, 20 Bushmaster-protected mobility vehicles and other military equipment supplied by Australia’s defence industry, and a contribution to NATO’s Ukraine Comprehensive Assistance Package Trust Fund.
A$8.7 million (US$6 million) to assist Ukraine’s Border Guard Service to upgrade border management equipment, improving cyber security and enhance border operations in the field.
Duty-free access for Ukrainian imports to Australia, complementing similar trade measures taken by our partners, including the UK and the EU.
Australia will intervene at the International Court of Justice in support of Ukraine in its case against Russia.
Targeted financial sanctions and travel bans on 16 additional Russian ministers and oligarchs.
Australia will prohibit imports of Russian gold to reduce Russia’s ability to fund its war, joining with partners, including Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
PM Anthony Albanese in Kyiv; Image Source: Twitter
Australia is the largest non-NATO contributor to Ukraine in the defence of their homeland. This brings Australia’s total military assistance to Ukraine to approximately A$388 million.
Mr Albanese highlighted the importance of democracy and an elected government that can work cohesively with fellow countrymen in a time of crisis.
PM Anthony Albanese in Kyiv; Image Source: Twitter
“President Zelenskyy’s leadership has rallied the Ukrainian people to defend their country and inspired the world to support humanity and freedom. The road ahead is hard but I am confident Ukraine will prevail,” He further added.
The government of Australia has decided to lift all travel restrictions which were in place for more than two years due to COVID-19.
Minister for Home Affairs, Clare O’Neil said this will give much-needed respite to holidaymakers and business travellers.
“This is great news for families coming home from school holidays who now don’t need to use the DPD,”
Minister for Home Affairs, Clare O’Neil, said.
As per the directive, People travelling to Australia will no longer have to complete a Digital Passenger Declaration (DPD) to declare their COVID-19 vaccination status, following changes to the Biosecurity Act, which comes into effect from midnight AEST on Wednesday 6 July 2022.
The Biosecurity Act changes, which were made following health advice from the Chief Medical Officer, also mean that all visa holders can travel to Australia without needing a travel exemption.
“As more and more of us travel internationally and we get more confident in managing our risk of COVID, our airports are getting busier,”
Minister O’Neil said.
International Travel; Image Source: @CANVA
“Removing these requirements will not only reduce delays in our airports but will encourage more visitors and skilled workers to choose Australia as a destination. And for Australian citizens, with the removal of these requirements, returning home will be much easier,” she added.
Anyone who has travelled internationally since the borders have opened will find this as one less thing to worry about – especially as more Australians get back to travelling overseas.
Great news – from Wednesday a digital passenger declaration is no longer required for travellers returning from overseas. I know the DPD has been a hassle – in time it will replace the incoming passenger card but not until it is much more user friendly. https://t.co/cl3Klv6VPa
Those arriving by sea will also benefit, and no longer need to complete a Maritime Travel Declaration. Airlines, cruise ship operators and other countries may still have specific requirements that travellers need to comply with.
‘Laali’ is a short film of 35 minutes duration, with a stellar performance by the much appreciated, loved, immensely popular, one and only Pankaj Tripathi. ‘Laali’, premiered at Dharamshala international film festival in 2020 and was highly appreciated. ‘Laali’ was released on Netflix on 17th June.
Director Abhiroop Basu has scripted, edited and directed this unusual story of a lonely man’s inherent longing for love. This beautiful film is shot at the same location. Actress Ekavali Khanna makes a small appearance at the end of the film.
Basu saw a laundryman, ironing clothes at his shop in Kolkata. He was surprised to see that a wedding procession with people dancing and singing, passed in front of the shop but the unperturbed ironer kept ironing the clothes. Attracted by this sight, for several days Basu went and observed the man. In the film, he shot the procession scene with Pankaj sitting uninterested.
The essence of the story is, that a true lover understands the pain of endless love enshrined in memories but is constrained to live even in its absence. Basu has shown a philosophy about two necessities of life, ‘time and love’, that time waits for no one and everyone is not lucky in love.
Basu has depicted that people doing laundry, and ironing clothes also have hidden sides and once their shop closes, no one knows what they do inside their shop.
(Image source: Abhiroop Basu Facebook)
In the opening scene, Pankaj Tripathi is seen ironing clothes in his shanty-type garage. Pankaj sees an unclaimed red dress among the clothes and affectionate thoughts come to his mind. He gently caresses the dress, carefully irons it and hangs it on the hanger.
A poster pasted on his wall shows a smiling girl in the same red dress which reads ‘Laali ka orchestra, Gopalganj, 9 September’ in Hindi. Seeing the poster, Pankaj remembers fun times enjoyed with friends and becomes nostalgic.
Dwelling with loneliness, seeing the dress, Pankaj’s romance with ‘Red Dress’ begins and he remembers his girlfriend. Pankaj addresses the dress saying, ‘‘Madamji, like me, no one is going to take you too.’’
(Image source: Abhiroop Basu Facebook)
Pankaj’s feeling of happiness and comfort after getting the red dress is depicted nicely. ‘Objectophilia,’ or ‘object sensuality’ (sexual or romantic attraction to inanimate objects) refers to individuals behaving abnormally in private, developing romantic attachments with objects.
The peculiar personality trait, ‘Objectophilia’ is defined beautifully. When it’s difficult to find a suitable partner or maintain a relationship due to the difficult human approach to relationships, people fall in love with things.
The privileged have access to porn, but for ordinary people, sexuality is in their minds. Pankaj’s staring at a picture of a woman on the roof symbolises this. Pankaj shows the hidden sides and weaknesses of vulnerable humans, playing this hidden human aspect with much ease and making the performance highly appreciable. The stalwart genius of acting, Pankaj acted without rehearsals, using the psychic ability to disguise himself behind the character.
He told Abhiroop Basu,
‘‘You have made a communist film.’’
(Image source: Abhiroop Basu Facebook)
Pankaj is a quintessential actor who breathes life into the character and makes a huge impact, even without dialogues. In an opening nine-minute shot, using a different body language, he is shown gently pressing the dress, and erasing the folds with his hands. Instead of an arthouse extravaganza, performing amazingly, he turned the scene into reality.
He has been able to capture past memories through unique, nuanced body language. In his monotonous, lonely life, after getting the dress, he is happy with a lovable feeling, but one day a lady comes asking about the dress, shattering his dream and waking him.
Abhiroop Basu narrated ‘Laali’s’ story to Pankaj Tripathi at the Mumbai airport and believing in it, he immediately agreed to act in this unusual story. Basu announced only first-takes for the film as an experiment because instead of polishing it, he wanted an organic feel.
In spite of the absence of a lover and the never-forgettable pain from the past, those who have learned to live through their true love’s memories, only they can realise that the ‘silence and red dress’ are fragments of lost love.
‘Laali’ is a must-watch for sensitive audiences.
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 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.
Waterproof Mobile phone (Representative image); Source: @Canva
By Ritesh Chugh
While manufacturers have successfully increased the water-repelling nature of smartphones, they are still far from “waterproof”. A water-resistant product can usually resist water penetration to some extent, but a waterproof product is (meant to be) totally impervious to water.
Last week, Samsung Australia was fined A$14 million by the Australian Federal Court over false representations in ads about the water resistance of its Galaxy phones. The tech giant admitted that submerging Galaxy phones in the pool or sea water could corrode the charging ports and stop the phones from working if charged while still wet.
Similarly, in 2020, Apple was fined €10 million (about A$15.3 million) in Italy for misleading claims about the water-resistance of iPhones.
It’s very common for phones to become damaged as a result of being dropped in water. In a 2018 survey in the US, 39% of respondents said they’d dropped their phones in water. Othersurveys have had similar results.
Waterproof Mobile phone (Representative image); Source: @Canva
So why is it in 2022 – a time when technological marvels surround us – we still don’t have waterproof phones?
Waterproof vs water-resistant
There’s a rating system used to measure devices’ resistance against solids (such as dust) and liquids (namely water). It’s called the Ingress Protection (IP) rating.
An IP rating will have two numbers. In a rating of IP68, 6 refers to protection against solids on a scale of 0 (no protection) to 6 (high protection), and 8 refers to protection against water on a scale of 0 (no protection) to 9 (high protection).
Interestingly, the benchmark for the water-resistance rating varies between manufacturers. For example, Samsung’s IP68-certified phones are water-resistant to a maximum depth of 1.5m in fresh water for up to 30 minutes, and the company cautions against beach or pool use. Some of Apple’s iPhones with an IP68 rating can be used at a maximum depth of 6m for up to 30 minutes.
Yet both Samsung and Apple are unlikely to consider repairing your water-damaged phone under their warranties.
Waterproof Mobile phone (Representative image); Source: @Canva
Moreover, IP rating testing is done under controlled laboratory conditions. In real-life scenarios such as boating, swimming or snorkelling, factors including speed, movement, water pressure and alkalinity all vary. So, gauging a phone’s level of water resistance becomes complicated.
How are phones made water-resistant?
Making a phone water-resistant requires several components and techniques. Typically, the first point of protection is to form a physical barrier around all ingress (entry) points where dust or water could enter. These include the buttons and switches, speakers and microphone outlets, the camera, flash, screen, phone enclosure, USB port and SIM card tray.
These points are covered and sealed using glue, adhesive strips and tapes, silicone seals, rubber rings, gaskets, plastic and metal meshes and water-resistant membranes. After this, a layer of ultra-thin polymer nanocoating is applied to the phone’s circuit board to help repel water.
Nevertheless, a phone’s water resistance will still decrease with time as components age and deteriorate. Apple admits water- and dust resistance are not permanent features of its phones.
Cameras are not entirely impervious to water, but some can tolerate submersion a lot better than smartphones. Often that’s because they’re relatively simpler devices.
Waterproof Mobile phone (Representative image); Source: @Canva
A smartphone has much more functionality, which means internal components are more sensitive, and fragile, and must be built into a smaller casing. All of these factors make it doubly difficult to afford phones with a similar level of water resistance.
Adding water resistance to phones also increases their price for consumers (by 20% to 30%, according to Xiaomi’s co-founder). This is a major consideration for manufacturers – especially since even a small crack can render any waterproofing void.
Keeping devices dry
Apart from nano coating on the internal circuit boards, applying a water-repellent coating to the exterior of a phone could boost protection. Somecompanies are working on this technology for manufacturers.
Future phones might also have circuitry that’s fabricated directly onto (waterproof) silicone material using laser writing techniques, and further coated with water-repellant technologies.
For now, however, there’s no such thing as a waterproof phone. If your phone does find itself at the bottom of a pool or toilet and isn’t turning on, make sure you take the best steps to ensure it dries out properly (and isn’t further damaged).
Waterproof Mobile phone (Representative image); Source: @Canva
You can also buy a waterproof case or dry pouch if you want to completely waterproof your phone for water activities.
This article has been republished from The Conversationunder a Creative Commons — Attribution/No derivatives license.
Contributing Authors: Dr Ritesh Chugh is an Associate Professor – Of information and Communications Technology, at CQUniversity Australia.
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.
Saima Beg, a Sydney-based illustrator and painter of Indian origin loves to create material appropriate for children learning and explain them to her 4-year-old daughter.
On 26 June Sunday afternoon as Saima was watching ABC’s Play School program (broadcast around 3.30 pm) with her daughter, she was “shocked and dismayed” to see the distorted map of India showcased to teach young children about Indian culture.
Saima told The Australia Today that whenever something educational related to India comes on Australian TV channels she makes sure her daughter watches it.
“I make it a point to watch it with my daughter Kyra so that she keeps connected with our rich culture and heritage.”
Kyra watching ABC Play School (Supplied)
She further said, “While watching this episode of Play School about Indian culture, a range of emotions ran through me as I was not just shocked but also very dismayed, and to some extent even angered, to see the lack of research in portraying the map of India.”
“To my horror, this map showcased on ABC’s program had integral parts of India such as Jammu and Kashmir and the majority of North East India missing.”
added Ms Beg.
The regions clearly missing from this representative map of India include Jammu and Kashmir, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Nagaland, and Tripura.
Play School is Australia’s most-watched TV show for children. In 2021, Fiji-Indian origin actor and screenwriter Leah Vandenberg created one of the first Indian episodes from ABC Play School featuring a Punjabi tune for kids using Tumbi and Dhol.
Saima who is an illustrator and artist said that she understands “artistic license” but this was an “outright misrepresentation of the geographical boundaries of India”.
She believes,
“Trying to educate children with such ‘an ill-researched program’ will ‘mislead’ Indian-Australian children.”
Just a few hundred kilometres away in Melbourne with the largest Indian Australian community impact of such distorted map specifications can be seen in the younger generation who are born in Australia and are learning through tools like ABC Play School.
Gaurav Kumar Solanki is a healthcare worker with one of the major Hospitals in Melbourne.
He told The Australia Today, I and my wife both work shifts ranging morning, evening and night. We rely on childcare and ABC Playschool programs for kids’ learning and entertainment.
“I could not believe it when my 7-year-old son showed me the map of India he drew while watching ABC Playschool in his childcare.”
Map of India drawn by Gaurav’s son Aditya
Gaurav told The Australia Today, “I was so upset with it that I wrote a letter complaining about the distorted map to ABC.”
He is yet to hear back from ABC.
This is not the first instance of misrepresentation of Indian borders by a public broadcaster. In 2017, the Indian community and India’s High Commissioner in Australia had lodged a formal complaint when Australia’s multicultural public broadcaster SBS had used a map of India showing the entire region of Jammu and Kashmir as disputed territory ironically in a program broadcast on 15 August, India’s Independence Day.
Complaints were filed with SBS for showing the above map (SBS screenshot)
A change.org petition noted: “This act is highly offensive for Indian Diaspora and seems to be agenda-driven on the part of SBS. Jammu and Kashmir, like any other state, is an integral part of India and such attempts by SBS would be seen as a direct attack on the sovereignty of India. No Indian, whether in India or overseas would tolerate such propaganda.”
The anger in the Indian community also prompted Michelle Rowland MP (currently Federal Minister for Communications) to write a strong-worded letter to then SBS CEO Michael Ebeid: “I am informed by a number of my constituents that this map has caused great offence to many Indian-Australians in our community… I would be very grateful for your serious consideration of these concerns.”
An SBS spokesperson was quoted in local media: “SBS World News appreciates that both India and Pakistan lay claim to Kashmir and administer separate parts of the region. The map is designed to be seen as an element within a video, not as a still image. The video shows the changes in boundaries over the past 70 years. It also makes it clear that the Kashmir region is a disputed territory.”
Inaccurate map of India – BBC – Twitter.
Last year, the UK’s public broadcaster BBC had to issue an apology for displaying an incomplete map of India which didn’t include Jammu and Kashmir. This map was part of a video broadcast about President-elect Joe Biden on BBC World Service titled ‘US Election 2020: What do countries around the world want from Joe Biden’.
A BBC spokesperson said: “From London we mistakenly published a map of India online which contained inaccuracies and is not the standard map used by BBC News. It has now been corrected. We apologise for any offence caused.”
Political map of India (https://surveyofindia.gov.in/documents/polmap-eng-11012021.jpg)
The first set of data from the 2021 census has been released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and it shows that in 2021 more than 600,000 residents were born in India. In this surge, India-born people have now overtaken people born in China and New Zealand. This is an increase of 220,000, or 47.9% per cent, since the 2016 census.
Saima hopes that public broadcasters and other media organisations in the future will do due diligence before reporting on the ever-increasing Indian diaspora and the rich and vibrant socio-cultural traditions they bring to Australia.
The Australia Today has emailed ABC regarding their policy on using map of India and will update the story with their response.
Fiji Elections 2022; Image Source: Dr Shailendra Singh
By Shailendra Singh
In Fiji’s politically charged context, national elections are historically a risky period. Since the 2022 campaign period was declared open on 26 April, the intensity has been increasing. With three governments toppled by coups after the 1987, 1999 and 2006 elections, concerns about a smooth transfer of power in 2022 are part of the national discourse.
Fiji’s major parties
The frontrunners in the election, which must be called by January 2023 but is likely to be held later this year, are two former military strongmen, both with a coup or two to their names — Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and former prime minister Sitiveni Rabuka.
Rabuka took power through the 1987 coups in the name of Indigenous self-determination. He became the elected prime minister in 1992 but lost power in 1999 after forming a coalition with a largely Indo–Fijian party. Bainimarama staged his 2006 coup in the name of good governance, multiracialism and eradicating corruption before restoring electoral democracy and winning elections under the FijiFirst (FF) party banner in 2014 and 2018.
FF was formed by the leaders and supporters of the 2006 coup, with the post-coup interim government promulgating the 2013 constitution, which represented substantial changes in Fiji’s electoral system (Nakagawa 2020). These changes include a single multi-member constituency and a single national roll. For the first time, ethnic-based voting was eliminated, which won the Bainimarama government some praise (Lal 2021). Bainimarama garnered 69 per cent of FF’s total votes in 2014 and 73.81 per cent in 2018, demonstrating the extent to which his party’s fortunes rest on his personal popularity.
Following his split with the major Indigenous Fijian party, Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA), Rabuka formed and now heads the People’s Alliance Party (PAP). The split came after Rabuka lost a leadership tussle with SODELPA stalwart Viliame Gavoka. Rabuka’s departure is seen as a setback for SODELPA, given that he attracted 77,040, or 42.55 per cent, of the total SODELPA votes in 2018. Data on ethnic voting patterns is not available, but in 2014, SODELPA won 28.18 per cent of the total national vote, improving to 39.85 per cent in 2018.
Fiji Elections 2022; Image Source: Dr Shailendra Singh
The formation of PAP could divide the Indigenous Fijian voting bloc, the largest in the country. If Rabuka maintains his popularity, the Indigenous Fijian votes could go to PAP at SODELPA’s expense. Ratuva (2016) estimated that about half of Indigenous voters supported FF in 2014.
In all, there are eight opposition parties vying for 55 seats in this election compared to 51 in the last election. Under the electoral system, pre-election coalitions are of little, if any, consequence, as they are not considered in the allocation of seats. All parties must meet the five per cent election threshold individually to make it into parliament.
Any bickering in the opposition ranks also advantages the sitting party, such as the war of words between National Federation Party (NFP) leader Biman Prasad and his Fiji Labour Party counterpart, former prime minister Mahendra Chaudhry, as well as between Rabuka and the Unity Party’s Savenaca Narube. In his Grubsheet blog on Facebook, Fiji-born Australia-based journalist Graham Davies described the ruckus as the ”Balkanisation” of opposition politics’ and called it a ‘tragedy’.
Key campaign issues
The key election issue is the economy, including cost of living and the national debt. COVID-19 brought a sudden halt to tourism, which constituted 39 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) and threw 115,000 people out of work. According to the Ministry of Economy (2022), heavy borrowing saw the:
“debt-to-GDP ratio increase to over 80 per cent of GDP at the end of March 2022 compared to around 48 per cent of GDP prepandemic … [It] is projected to increase to 88.6 per cent of GDP at the end of July 2022.”
The government stated that it borrowed to prevent economic collapse (Ministry of Economy 2022), while the opposition accused it of reckless spending. The World Bank put the poverty level in Fiji at 24.1 per cent in April 2022, but NFP’s Prasad estimates it at over 50 per cent due to unemployment and pay cuts.
Fiji Parliament Chambers (Wikimedia Commons)
Amid the criticism, Bainimarama cut a confident figure in April, proclaiming: ‘I will win this election. There are no two ways about this’. His government is touting nine years of consecutive economic growth on the back of strong investment in infrastructure development and a successful vaccination campaign that allowed the revival of tourism, with arrivals forecast to exceed 440,000 in 2022.
However, inflation reached 4.7 per cent in April (up from 1.9 per cent in February), and while the government blames price increases in wheat, fuel and other staples on the war in Ukraine, the opposition attributes it to poor economic fundamentals. In its campaign, the opposition is also highlighting problems in the health sector due to shortages in drugs, staffing and dilapidated equipment in addition to accusing the government of corruption and suppressing human rights and media freedom.
Apprehension
Against the background of pressing economic and social issues loom concerns about a smooth transfer of power should FF lose. Besides Fiji’s coup culture, such anxieties are fueled by a constitutional provision seen to give the military carte blanche to intervene in national politics. Section 131(2) of the 2013 Fijian constitution states: ‘It shall be the overall responsibility of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces to ensure at all times the security, defence and well-being of Fiji and all Fijians’ (Constitution of the Republic of Fiji 2013).
Last December, NFP President Pio Tikoduadua called for a national dialogue on Section 131(2) to clarify perceptions that the constitution legitimised the military to ‘intervene freely in the governance of the State’. All of these dynamics play into what is expected to be the most intense of the three elections held under the 2013 constitution, especially given FF’s razor-thin 50.02 per cent win in 2018 compared to its 59.14 per cent win in 2014.
Though the opposition thinks it has a chance to win, it feels disadvantaged by certain electoral provisions, including the Electoral Act 116(4C), which requires political party representatives making campaign promises to provide written explanations on how the revenues will be raised and used, with a FJ$50,000 fine and/or maximum 10 years imprisonment for non-compliance.
It is thought that another proposed working arrangement between Labour, Unity Fiji and Sri Lankan-born Jagath Karunaratne’s Freedom Alliance party will have a minimum impact due to their small voter base. That said, as the former governor of the Reserve Bank, Unity leader Narube’s commentary on economic matters has catapulted him into the national debate, although he and his party trail both Bainimarama and Rabuka.
While the pre-election partnership between PAP and NFP could be a viable multiethnic alternative to FF, it is not without risks in the country’s complex political milieu. In the 1999 election, the coalition between Rabuka’s Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei Party and NFP failed when Rabuka’s 1987 coup history was highlighted during campaigning.
This saw NFP’s Fijian supporters of Indian descent desert the party. Whether history will repeat itself is one of the intriguing questions in this election. According to some estimates, FF received 71 per cent of Indo–Fijian votes in 2014 (Nakagawa 2020), and capturing this support base is crucial for the opposition’s chances. For its supporters, FF represents stability, continuity and progress; whether they are willing to risk the status quo by voting for the opposition in large enough numbers remains to be seen.
Conclusion
Director of the Pacific Islands Program at the Lowy Institute Jonathan Pryke expects a ‘hotly contested’ election:
“I think there will be a lot of personality politics thrown into the middle, but I hope that there is a lot of focus as well on these big policy issues that are going to define Fiji’s economic and development trajectory for the next decade.”
Though the election may be intensely contested, the hope is for a smooth transfer of power should opposition efforts prevail, or else risk the potential derailment of Fiji’s social and economic trajectory.
Contributing Author: Dr Shailendra Singh is an associate professor in Pacific journalism, the head of the University of the South Pacific (USP) journalism program and the 2022 Pacific Research Fellow with the Department of Pacific Affairs.
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.
Million Dollar House; Image Source: Creative commons
The inevitable decline in house prices is underway and falls are expected to accelerate in the coming months as rising interest rates take their toll.
CoreLogic’s home value index has fallen for the second month in a row, after declining 0.6 per cent in June when the central bank delivered another rate hike.
“Considering inflation is likely to remain stubbornly high for some time, and interest rates are expected to rise substantially in response, it’s likely the rate of decline in housing values will continue to gather steam and become more widespread,” CoreLogic research director Tim Lawless said on Friday.
The national fall in home values was driven by sharp monthly declines in Sydney (down 1.6 per cent) and Melbourne (down 1.1 per cent)
Market-Mantra-Stocks; Picture Source: @CANVA
But Adelaide is defying the downward trend in other capital cities and regional areas, with home values rising by 1.3 per cent.
Since the central bank started hiking the cash rate in May for the first time in years, most housing markets around the country have seen sharp reductions in the rate of growth of home values.
The last hike in June took the cash rate to 0.85 per cent, prompting many banks to raise rates on their variable and fixed mortgage products.
“Home prices have begun their descent,” Commonwealth Bank head of Australian economics Gareth Aird said.
Image source: Big Four OZ banks – Wikipedia.
In May, the CoreLogic home value index fell for the first time since September 2020, led by declines in Sydney, Melbourne and Australia’s second most expensive property market, Canberra.
Still, the national home value index is up 11.2 per cent over the year ended June 30.
Since values peaked in May 2021, consumer sentiment has soured, hitting its lowest level since April 2020 and the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The May and June Reserve Bank cash rate increases have put an end to an era of home loan interest rates below two per cent, something we may never see again,” financial comparison website Canstar’s Steve Mickenbecker said.
The housing boom had already pushed housing affordability to extreme levels but now would-be buyers are facing high inflation and a higher cost of debt, which is flowing through to less demand for housing.
NEERAJ CHOPRA Indian javelin thrower; Image Source: @Instagram @NeerajChopra
Tokyo Olympic gold medallist Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra gave another sterling performance on as he clinched gold in the 2022 Kuortane Games in Finland.
Neeraj threw 86.69 meters to clinch the top prize in tricky and wet conditions. In rainy conditions, Chopra started well but there was a foul in his second throw.
The Indian javelin thrower hit the spot on his very first try at the tournament, had a foul on his second try, and bore a nasty slip in his third attempt, following which he chose to skip the remaining two attempts.
Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad settled for silver with a throw of 86.64m while Anderson Peters claimed bronze with a throw of 84.75m. India’s Sandeep Chaudhury was eighth in the standings with a throw of 60.35m.
The 24-year-old Chopra slipped after his third attempt in Kuortane on Saturday. He took to his Twitter and posted a video of himself and wrote,
“Tough conditions with the weather, but happy to get my first win of the season here at Kuortane. I’m feeling good and looking forward to kicking off my Diamond League season at @BAUHAUSGALAN on the 30th. Thank you for all the messages and support.”
It felt amazing to be back on the Diamond League circuit and even better to get a new PB! All the throwers put up a great show tonight for the crowd in Stockholm!
Earlier this month, Neeraj took part at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland and won a silver medal while setting a new national record with a throw of 89.30m. The Golden Boy of India will next take part in the Stockholm leg of the Diamond League on June 30.
Indian Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur lavished praise on Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra for clinching gold in the 2022 Kuortane Games in Finland.
“Gold for Neeraj! He’s done it again, what an incredible champion! Best throw of 86.69m in his 1st attempt at the #KuortaneGames2022@Neeraj_chopra1 clinches the top spot and goes on to win his 1st of the season. BRILLIANT,”
tweeted Anurag Thakur.
Olympic Champion @Neeraj_chopra1 sets the new National Record and Personal Best at 2022 #StockholmDL with a throw of 89.94m, finishing 2nd
By Mary Anne Kenny, Ali Reza Yunespour, Carol Grech, and Nicholas Procter
The election of the Albanese Labor government brings an opportunity to end one of the most detrimental elements of Australian refugee law and policy in the past decade: the use of temporary visas.
Temporary protection has been the only option available for asylum seekers who arrived by boat a decade ago and were recognised as refugees. Known as the “legacy caseload”, these people are caught in a system of law and policy that keeps them in a state of perpetual limbo.
As the new government committed to end temporary protection, we have just published a policy brief with the Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law outlining how this could be achieved.
Our report sets out practical reforms that can be implemented relatively simply, within existing legislative provisions and with only minimal changes to policy and regulations.
The 17 recommendations were produced in consultation with refugees and asylum seekers living on temporary protection visas and bridging visas. We also consulted civil society, including former and current temporary protection visa holders and legal groups working with refugees.
The impact of temporary protection and the fast-track system on refugees and asylum seekers has left many depressed and suicidal. Expectations from those living on temporary visas and the wider refugee advocates are high and there is significant apprehension about the transition.
The new government understands it will need to approach reforms carefully. Our recommendations are accompanied by a trauma-informed strategy to help reduce mental distress, deterioration and retraumatisation of asylum seekers, while also increasing community engagement.
In 2014, the Coalition government reintroduced a Howard-era three-year Temporary Protection Visa (TPV) and a five-year Safe Haven Enterprise Visa (SHEV) for the more than 30,000 people who arrived by boat between August 13 2012 and January 1 2014.
However, unlike the earlier Howard policy, the temporary visas this time provided no realistic prospect of applying for permanent protection.
The number of people in this “legacy caseload” as of May 2022 is 31,256.
They come from many countries. The largest number are from Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The majority – around 19,500 people – have been found to be refugees and have been granted TPV and SHEV.
The 10,000 who have been refused a visa were assessed through a “fast-track” process that has been neither fair nor fast.
People who have been refused have been living in the Australian community for ten years or more while awaiting the outcome of appeals.
There are also many asylum seekers from Afghanistan who have been refused visas but who cannot return due to the reemergence of the Taliban in August 2021.
In other words, some of those refused visas may well be refugees or have other ties to the Australian community. However, the current legal system does not allow them to apply for other visas without going through cumbersome, expensive appeals and ministerial intervention processes.
People who hold TPVs and SHEVs are allowed to work but not to reunite with family or travel freely overseas.
Others live on precarious short-term bridging visas, some without the right to work. Many are without access to income support. In either situation, the uncertainty is damaging people’s mental health and well-being.
Key recommendations
The focus of the policy brief was to set out reforms either within the current legislative and policy framework, or with minimal changes.
This means changes can occur within a relatively short time frame.
Key recommendations include:
refugees on TPVs and SHEVs should be moved onto permanent visas known as Resolution of Status visas. People who have not yet been assessed or who have previously been refused protection should also be able to apply for a permanent visa that does not require another assessment of their protection claims
restrictions on travel for TPV and SHEV holders should be removed, pending the grant of a permanent visa and includes specific recommendations in relation to travel documents. Travel is essential for re-establishing links to separated family
family reunion, particularly partners and children, should be prioritised. Granting people permanent visas allows them to begin the process of family reunion through the family or humanitarian programs
the government should establish a specialised team in the Department of Home Affairs to work closely with migration agents, lawyers and refugee communities. This group could identify other options for allowing reunification of close relatives and children who, under current law, may not fall within the definition of “member of a family unit”. Families have been separated for at least 10 years; many left children at home who have now reached ages where they will no longer be considered dependent.
In 2014, the new minister for immigration, citizenship and multicultural affairs Andrew Giles said
Labor has a longstanding policy of opposing TPVs, for good reason. They do not provide a sustainable solution for refugees. The uncertainty exacerbates real mental health issues and denies people the capacity to live full lives. As well as significant international law concerns with these provisions, they put people in limbo. There is no deterrence value here, even if you accept that to be a valid policy objective – they only place vulnerable people in a place of uncertainty.
He now has significant power to put those words into action.
This article has been republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons — Attribution/No derivatives license.
Contributing Authors:Mary Anne Kenny is Associate Professor in School of Law at Murdoch University. Ali Reza Yunespour is Academic Internships Coordinator at The University of Melbourne. Carol Grech is Professor, University of South Australia. Nicholas Procter is Professor and Chair: Mental Health Nursing at University of South Australia.
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.
Each year Australians waste around 7.6 million tonnes of food across the supply and consumption chain. According to experts, this wastage equals about 312kg per person which is equivalent to around one in five bags of groceries or $2,000 to $2,500 per household per year. The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (AWE) has observed that this food waste costs around $36.6 billion each year to the Australian economy.
Dr Kiran Mahale, a 38 years old Research Scientist from the University of Southern Queensland (USQ), Toowoomba has discovered an innovative approach to convert Agricultural and food processing waste to value-added products like nutraceutical, important bioactive compounds and Ethanol to blend with petrol to produce efficient E10 fuel.
Dr Kiran Mahale (Facebook)
Dr Mahale, who is orginally from Shada district Nandurbar in Maharashtra, India, received his Master of Biotechnology (Honours) from Deakin University in 2011 and Ph.D. in 2021 from the University of Southern Queensland (USQ-Australia) in food waste as a source of energy: conventional and innovative approach.
He told The Australia Today that since childhood he was taught to respect food and not to waste it. Dr Mahale mentioned that even Hindu Vedas say: “Anna he purn Bramha” (food is next to God). This led to his interest in researching on ways to utilize agricultural and food processing waste for value-added products and energy production and storage devices. Dr Mahale adds:
“Reducing food waste is respectful to the growers who spent their lives growing it. Food is meant to be consumed not thrown. I first started looking at winery waste. I found after they had crushed the grapes and taken the juice, the residue was discarded.”
The solid discarded residue, according to Dr Mahale, actually has “many different chemical compounds which are pharmaceutically very important and in high demand.” He adds:
“ONE OF THE COMPOUNDS I EXTRACTED AND PURIFIED WAS MALVIDIN-3-GLUCOSIDE, WHICH HAS A MARKET PRICE OF $317 FOR 10MG. THIS SHOWS THAT, IN SOME CASES, WINERIES CAN MAKE MORE MONEY BY REPROCESSING THEIR WASTE THAN SELLING WINE.”
Dr Mahale believes this could solve the world’s fuel problems and give a cheap and eco-friendly alternate reusable fuel option.
Dr Kiran Mahale (Facebook)
Dr Mahale says that repurposing food waste could also help save water. He believes that keeping in mind the recently signed MOU of rural and urban water management, his research could be used in bringing Australia and India closer as the carbon he made from processing left-over food has demonstrated as an excellent water purifier. He observes:
“Reducing food waste is respectful to the growers who spent their lives growing it. Food is meant to be consumed not thrown.”
Dr Mahale is confident that his research produces a value-added product that can both help keep the environment clean and provide additional revenue for the farmers.
R Madhavan plays the role of the eponymous, Indian scientist, Nambi Narayanan, a former ISRO scientist and aerospace engineer, and has also directed, produced and written the film.
Tracing the life of Dr Narayanan, renowned for developing the Vikas Engine – one of the most efficient liquid fuel engines in the world today that continues to be a workhorse at The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in almost every launch with the unique distinction of never having failed – the former ISRO scientist and aerospace engineer was inevitably embroiled in a spy scandal.
The biographical drama will unveil the truth behind the mystery as it unravels in an interview with celebrated superstars of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan (in English and Hindi) and Suriya Sivakumar (in Tamil) on a TV programme.
Like many great minds, Dr Nambi is also deeply flawed, his genius and obsession earning him enemies and detractors, thus making him a compelling modern protagonist.
Beyond serving as a treatise for the vindication of quiet achievers in society, the film also challenges the audience to take up the responsibility of recognising, and celebrating these special contributors, whether it be a Dr Nambi Narayanan or a teacher educating poor kids, soldiers at the border, doctors serving in remote villages, or volunteers helping the needy.
It also raises a powerful question – Why aren’t we standing up collectively to defend the innocenct and powerless against the hegemony of the powers that be? For every Nambi, there are a thousand more quiet achievers fighting for justice.
R Madhavan in an exclusive interview told The Australia Today that The movie Rocketry: The Nambi Effect has been shot simultaneously in multiple languages including Hindi, Tamil and English, with the English version premiering at the prestigious Cannes international film festival.
The movie’s theatrical release, scheduled for 1st July, will also feature Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada versions.
Staged on a mammoth scale, the film has been shot in India, France, Canada, Georgia, Serbia and Russia. It features an ensemble star cast comprising acclaimed, international actors Phyllis Logan, Vincent Riotta and Ron Donachie alongside R Madhavan,Simran, Rajit Kapur, Ravi Raghavendra, Misha Ghoshal, Gulshan Grover, Karthik Kumar and Dinesh Prabhakar, with special appearances from superstars, Shah Rukh Khan and Suriya.
Language: English, Hindi (With English subtitles) Director: R. Madhavan Producer: Tricolour Films; Varghese Moolan Pictures Cast: R. Madhavan, Shah Rukh Khan, Gulshan Grover
India’s motor giant Mahindra has revealed in a tweet that its 2023 Mahindra Scorpio-Nwill be released has in Australia in 2023. This will be released in Australia alongside its popular XUV700 medium SUV which has been delayed from its initial late 2022 launch.
The All-New Scorpio-N from Mahindra. Combining performance, technology, capability, and a rich legacy of Mahindra’s Authentic SUV DNA
It is reported that the seven-seater Scorpio-N has a body-on-frame four-wheel-drive with new styling, more space, and a modern interior. Other available interior features include a sunroof, wireless phone charging, dual-zone climate control, second-row air vents, a cooled glovebox, reversing camera, USB-A and USB-C ports, and push-button start.
The Scorpio-N measures 4662mm long, 1917mm wide and 1857mm tall, and sits on a 2750mm wheelbase. In India, Scorpio-N is sold between 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol and 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engines, mated to a choice of six-speed manual and automatic transmissions, and rear- or four-wheel drive.
However, drive.com.au has reported that Scorpio-N is not available with any form of advanced safety technology such as autonomous emergency braking (AEB) or lane-keep assist.
The Australian government has set 1 March 2023 as the cut-off date for the mandatory fitment of AEB on newly-launched vehicles. So, if Mahindra plans to launch its Scorpio-N without AEB, the Indian car giant must go into production before this deadline. Further, to keep selling its Scorpio-N in Australia, Mahindra must gain the AEB technology before March 2025.
Recently, India’s Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari has approved the draft notification to introduce Bharat NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) crash testing program. In his tweets, Gadkari said that this is similar to international standards such as Australia’s ANCAP: “The testing protocol of Bharat NCAP shall be aligned with Global Crash Test Protocols factoring in the existing Indian regulations, allowing OEMs to get their vehicles tested at India’s own in-house testing facilities.”
I have now approved the Draft GSR Notification to introduce Bharat NCAP (New Car Assessment Program), wherein automobiles in India shall be accorded Star Ratings based upon their performance in Crash Tests. @PMOIndia
Scorpio-N in India costs just under two million rupees that is equal to around $AU36,000. Experts believe that Mahindra will announce the full pricing and specifications of Scorpio-N closer to its Australian launch.
Australia’s Omicron wave earlier this year was much larger than we thought, recent research has confirmed. We also heard Health Minister Mark Butler acknowledge Australia can expect a “very big wave” of people with long COVID over the next few years.
New data has revealed the first wave of Omicron was at least twice the size of initial reports.
Doctors and researchers have been warning about the growing threat of long COVID, as restrictions ease and case numbers climb.
So we need to take an urgent look at how we manage and treat it.
hat’s long COVID?
More than 7 million Australians have had COVID; most have recovered from the acute illness. But some have lingering symptoms for months, or longer.
The World Health Organization defines long COVID as symptoms present three months after infection, lasting at least two months, that cannot be attributed to other diagnoses.
The most common symptoms include: fatigue, especially after activity, shortness of breath, brain fog or difficulty concentrating, sleep problems, chronic cough, muscle aches and pains, loss of smell or taste, depression and anxiety.
But there is no one test that diagnoses long COVID. So this multitude of complex symptoms makes it a difficult condition to track down, study and treat.
Who’s more likely to get long COVID?
The risk of long COVID is increasedin peoplewho have had more severe COVID, women and people with a chronic illness, such as diabetes, or chronic lung or heart disease.
A US study looked at 4.5 million people treated in the community or in hospital, and followed them to see if they developed long COVID. At six months, 7% had symptoms.
Worryingly this study also suggests being vaccinated only reduced the risk of long COVID by 15%. Symptoms such as brain fog and fatigue were present and vaccination seemed only partly protective against them.
Tens of millions of Americans may already have long COVID, leading to a tidal wave of disability. Australia lags about 24 months behind the US, but this will hit us too, upending the narrative that #COVID19 is no worse than a cold @billshortenmphttps://t.co/EKKNBRDJRR
Australia’s National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce’s recommendations for treating long COVID were updated in May. But these borrow heavily from UK recommendations and the evidence backing these recommendations is at best weak.
In the UK “long COVID clinics” have adopted a medical-led holistic model of care. This involves GPs, specialists and allied health workers, such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists and exercise physiologists. Similar clinics have been set up in Australia.
However, the advice for such clinics is based on consensus and experience of similar conditions, such as chronic fatigue, and what we know about how people recover after leaving intensive care, rather than the results of robust studies focusing on long COVID.
UK advice for treating long COVID involves looking for and managing COVID complications that may affect the lungs, lead to heart disease and managing other existing conditions, such as obesity and diabetes. It also recommends assessing and managing anxiety and depression, which not surprisingly is common in people with long COVID.
UK guidelines advise supporting people to manage their own symptoms, including getting support from their GP, then referral to specialist services when needed.
If people had COVID pneumonia – especially those who went to intensive care, still have breathing problems and are weak – there is some limited evidence pulmonary rehabilitation helps. This is out-patient care with specialist physiotherapists and nurses, involving breathing exercises, education and support.
Two small trials have shown pulmonary rehabilitation, improves breathlessness, exercise capacity, fatigue and quality of life. So this is now recommended.
How to manage fatigue, pain and brain fog?
However, breathing problems are only one component of long COVID.
For people with long COVID and severe fatigue or pain following exertion, a standard exercise program may make things worse. Here, the recommendation is for an initial period of rest then incremental increase in activity, often over many months. However, the optimal approach is not defined.
Neurological symptoms of poor concentration or brain fog, sleep disturbance and altered taste are common, but as yet there are no agreed or proven therapies.
Some people with the most severe neurological symptoms and fatigue develop a disabling condition known as postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome or POTS. When people stand up, their heart races and blood pressure falls. This leads to severe fatigue, headaches and difficulty concentrating.
This condition can be treated by modifying someone’s diet and taking medication. We know this because we see POTS after other infectious diseases or other prolonged, severe diseases that lead to hospitalisation. However, we need clinical trials for these therapies for long COVID to see which treatments work and for whom.
“One of the things I'm seeing in the majority of my patients is a high heart rate or something called POTS [postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome],"
There are many aspects of long COVID that health authorities, doctors and researchers have yet to pin down.
We still don’t know what causes long COVID, we don’t have a universally accepted definition of it, robust data to say how many Australians are or will be affected, nor a concrete plan of how to manage the many thousands of cases we can expect. So evidence-based treatments for long COVID are only part of the picture.
What causes Long Covid? Nice discussion of approach to potential mechanisms – microthromboses – persistent virus – enduring immune activation https://t.co/Hy2Y2niP38
But the problem we face is here now. We cannot wait for gold-standard evidence to come in before we start treating people.
In the meantime, people need reliable information about the symptoms of long COVID, what to expect and where to go for help. And health professionals need to take their symptoms seriously.
Health professionals also need training in how to manage people with long COVID, targeting appropriate investigations and treatments that will benefit people the most.
That does not just mean specialised long COVID clinics in capital cities, though it is likely we will need these to help people with the most debilitating problems.
Our response will also need to leverage help from a range of existing health providers, and a coordinated response to deal with symptoms that range from mild to severely debilitating. People need support for rehabilitation, mental health and return to work or study.
If we do not start planning and preparing now, the problem will only worsen.
This article has been republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons — Attribution/No derivatives license.
Contributing Authors: Peter Wark is Conjoint Professor in the School of Medicine and Public Health at the University of Newcastle.
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.
Harshjot Gill at IFBB NSW 2022 (Image source: Harshjot Gill)
Harshjot Gill, who hails from Ganganagar, Rajasthan, moved to Australia in 2017 to pursue a bachelor’s in Information Technology. Besides his passion for computers, Harshjot is also passionate about fitness and is pursuing a career in bodybuilding.
He recently took part in the IFBB (International Federation of Bodybuilding) Australia NSW 2022 competition held in April this year. The Australia Today spoke with the 24-year-old to know more about his journey and his plans ahead.
Tell us about your background and how did you get into bodybuilding?
When I started this journey I didn’t really have a goal to complete or make a career in this field. I used to be tech-savvy and was really passionate about computers and video games. But somewhere a part of me always wanted to become an athlete like my grandfather. He has always been my inspiration and would encourage me to do whatever I want to do.
And with time, I grew a lot of interest in training. When I saw my body changing and people would come up to me to appreciate my hard work then I realised this isn’t just a hobby, it’s my passion and that’s when I decided to pursue it further.
(Image source: Harshjot Gill)
How was your experience taking part in IFBB competition in Australia?
This competition wasn’t just a game for me, instead, it was a game-changer. It made me disciplined in my life. Before this competition I wasn’t sure what I’m going to do in my life but after I went on stage I fell in love with that feeling when everyone was cheering me and had a faith in me, that moment made me feel alive and I decided that this is what I want to do rest of my life.
What kind of effort is required to have the physical fitness to become a professional bodybuilder?
First and foremost, you need to have a set goal that that’s what you want to achieve and then you have to discipline yourself to have a healthy diet plan not just at the time of competition but throughout your entire life. You have to balance your binge eating and be consistent with your training with a structured plan.
(Image source: Harshjot Gill)
As an Indian-Australian have you ever felt disadvantaged competing here or that has never been the case?
I don’t really think that there is any kind of disadvantage to me being an Indian- Australian.
(Video source: Harshjot Gill)
What advicewould you give to youngsters in Australia or India who want to get into it?
My advice to youngsters would be to be that everyone can do what they want to do if they set their mind onto something, Because me being an ectomorph it was really hard for me to gain muscle, no matter how much I would eat. So, it took me a fair bit of time to be where I am but patience and consistency are the keys.
Hindu man Kanahiya lal beheaded by Islamist terrorist; Image Source; The Australia Today
A Hindu man named Kanhaiya Lal was beheaded by two radical Muslim men in the Indian state of Rajasthan’s Udaipur city on Tuesday afternoon.
The incident took place in Udaipur’s Maldas area.
Soon after committing the crime, the two accused posted a video on social media boasting about the beheading and threatened Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s life as well
The victim Kanhaiya Lal, a tailor, reportedly had recently shared a social media post in support of Nupur Sharma– former BJP spokesperson who had made remarks on a TV debate that many in the Muslim community found controversial.
Since then Mr Lal was receiving death threats from local radical Islamist groups. The victims’ family has accused local police of not responding to their complaints.
Gaus Mohammed and Riyaz, who beheaded Kanahiya lal (Left); Image Source; The Australia Today
Following the gruesome murder, local markets in the area were shut as the traders demanded justice for the victim.
One of the assailants, who was identified as Riyaz Akhtar, attacked Kanhaiya Lal with a sharp-edged weapon while the other, Ghos Mohammad, recorded the crime on his mobile phone, Udaipur Police told media.
The arrested accused, namely Gaus Mohammed and Riyaz, who beheaded a man, both the residents of Surajpole in Udaipur on Tuesday. (Image Source: Udaipur Police)
“Both the accused have been detained and the law and order situation is under control. Some people were attempting to come out of the bylanes but were controlled. Curfew imposed in the nearby areas,”
Manoj Kumar, SP, Udaipur said.
The accused are from the Surajpole area of Udaipur.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot told the media “Both the accused who brutally murdered a man in Udaipur were arrested from Rajsamand.”
Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot speaks on media to Udaipur Murder incident, in Jodhpur on Tuesday; Image Source: Twitter
“The investigation, in this case, will be done under the Case Officer Scheme and by ensuring speedy investigation; the criminals will be punished severely in the court,”
Mr Gehlot added.
State Chief Secretary has ordered a temporary suspension of internet services for the next 24 hours in all districts of the Rajasthan and a Curfew was imposed in the nearby areas.
Hours after a video went viral on social media wherein a shopkeeper is seen being attacked by two men in Udaipur, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot “It is a sad and shameful incident. There is a tense atmosphere in the nation today.”
Locals protest after two men behead youth in Udaipur’s Maldas on Tuesday. Image Source: Twitter
“It is a very sad incident. It is not a small incident, what has happened is beyond one’s imagination. The culprits will not be spared,”
Mr Gehlot said.
Udaipur Divisional Commissioner Rajendra Bhatt appealed to the people to maintain peace.
Radical Islamist Riyaz Akhtar and Ghos Mohammad: Image Source: Screen Shot online video
“The (victim Kanhaiya Lal’s) dependents have been assured of recruitment through placement service in UIT, and the family will be given compensation of Rs 5 lakhs,”
said Bhatt.
They wanted to spread fear and have accomplished their task. Hindus have faced it for centuries but they are not martial-minded. It will change nothing.
Meanwhile, a team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) rushed to Udaipur following the incident, said local media. The NIA team includes a Deputy Inspector General (DIG)-rank officer, the move comes following an order issued by the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
As per government sources, the NIA team is likely to file a case under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act after visiting the crime spot.
This is the chilling video of the murder of Hindu tailor Kanhaiyalal by Islamist radicals who posed as customers and then suddenly attacked and killed him on the spot with knives chanting religious slogans. Tailor screams asking them for a reason why they were attacking him… pic.twitter.com/yNuf8isbCh
Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind on Tuesday condemned the Udaipur killing incident and called it against Islam and the law of the land.
“Maulana Halceemuddin Qasmi, General Secretary of the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, has condemned the incident of brutal killing in Udaipur apparently on the pretext of the insult to the Prophet (PBUH) and called it against the law of land and against the religion of Islam,”
reads the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind statement.
“He has said whoever has perpetrated this incident cannot be justified in any way, it is against the law of the land and our religion. In our country, there is a system of law, no one has the right to take the law into his own hands. Maulana Hakeemuddin Qasmi appealed to all the citizens of the country to restrain their emotions and maintain peace in the country,” it added.
The Background:
Earlier, the Indian ruling party BJP had suspended party spokesperson Nupur Sharma this month for her remarks during a TV debate that was considered objectionable by a large section of the Muslim community.
“Kamlesh Tiwari was killed 5 years later, we won’t leave Nupur Sharma too. Insulting Prophet is signing the suicide note”: Open threat by so called Cleric
— Flt Lt Anoop Verma (Retd.) (@FltLtAnoopVerma) June 20, 2022
The video of her remarks was made viral and religious sentiments were provoked by many social media influencers including journalists and civil society activists. After this, a lot of radical Islamists made calls for Nupur Sharma’s murder and rape.
She along with her family has been living in hiding since then, Indian police are providing her security as it has been classified by security agencies that there is an imminent threat to her life from radical Islamists.
A lot of people globally who oppose Islamic blasphemy laws have come out in support of Nupur Sharma and free speech.
Victim Kanhaiya Lal was one of them, however, he had to pay the price with his own life.
There have been other religiously motivated gruesome murders in the recent past in different countries by radical Islamists.
In April 2017 Mashal Khan, a Muslim student, was lynched to death in Mardan, Pakistan, on a university campus after allegations of ‘blasphemy’
In October 2019 Indian politician Kamlesh Tiwari was murdered in Lucknow in India. His throat was slit and he was shot.
In October 2020 French teacher Samuel Paty was beheaded on the streets of Paris in France.
In October 2021 British MP David Amess was stabbed to death in his constituency of Essex in England.
In May 2022 Deborah Samuel Yakubu, a Christian student who was accused of ‘blasphemy’, was lynched and burned alive by a mob in Sokoto in Nigeria on a university campus.
The first set of data from the 2021 census has been released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and it shows that in 2021 more than 600,000 residents were born in India.
Australia’s national population grew by about two million people to 25.4 million since the last census. In this surge, India-born people have now overtaken people born in China (excluding SARs* and Taiwan) and New Zealand. The most common country of birth still remains Australia, followed by England.
673,352 people living in Australia have reported India as their country of birth. This is an increase of 220,000, or 47.9% per cent, since 2016.
ABS Census 2021. Indian Australian family: Image Source: @CANVA
This census took place in August 2021, during the height of Covid-19 restrictions and lockdowns. According to the census, more than a million new migrants have arrived in Australia since 2017; but about 80% of them arrived before the pandemic.
David Gruen, the Chief Statistician of the Australian Bureau of Statistics, told the media:
“The census was conducted at an unprecedented time in Australia’s history and provides a unique snapshot of the population during the Covid-19 pandemic, which is different from previous censuses.”
Australia has been fast emerging as a popular destination for skilled Indians, especially from IT and engineering backgrounds. Dr Michiel Baas, an anthropologist at the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology, points this surge to the long history of Indian migration as well as the result of Indian student migration to Australia. He says:
“This started picking up pace from 2004 onwards… and reached its zenith in 2009. The reason Australia became a popular destination for Indian students was the possibility to obtain a PR after graduation. This group has now matured and many have started families. Those who graduated around 2009 were in their early twenties and thus now in their mid-thirties.”
Rath Yatra (Amit Sarwal – Facebook)
Dr Yadu Singh, Secretary and spokesperson Federation of Indian Associations of NSW, says that the population data from the latest census once again shows that Australia continues to be an attractive place for migrants from India and South Asia. He adds:
“With increasing numbers of migrants from Hindu-majority nations like India and Nepal, it is not surprising to see the growth of migrants from the Hinduism faith (2.7% of the Australian population now, which is an increment of 55% in the last 5 years).
Dr Singh further emphasizes the need for “effective and collaborative community organizations representing and helping the social and cultural needs of various national groups.” He says:
“There is a need for a pan-South Asian organization to look after the political needs and aspirations of these communities. All of us from South Asian backgrounds can and should work together as our issues are indeed similar. It is imperative for the South Asian communities to evolve into a collaborative, loosely representative, and inclusive block in order to achieve our well-deserved and realistic representation in the politics of Australia.”
ABS Census 2021.
The second-largest increase in the country of birth was Nepal which is now the 11th most common nationality in Australia. Nepal saw an increase of 123.7% thus bringing the total Nepalese population to 122,506 in Australia.
Dr Hemant Ojha, Associate Professor, University of Canberra, says that South Asian migrants in Australia are becoming stronger with such great rates of growth. This is also creating new opportunities for “promoting shared culture and identity in Australia.” Given the positive increase in numbers, Dr Ojha suggests:
“South Asian diaspora groups in Australia can also interact more closely through the myriad of community organizations to advance their common identities as well as to create a new cultural group in their new homeland. South Asian diaspora can also reshape the cooperation between Australia and South Asian nations in the spheres of technology, trade, education, and development. To what extent these possibilities will be materialized will only be clear with the passage of time.”
This surge in migrants has also helped in increasing religious diversity in Australia. The ABS data also reveals that around 684,000 people in Australia, or 2.7 per cent of the population, identify with Hinduism. This is an increase of 55 per cent over the past five years, reflecting an influx of migrants from countries such as India and Nepal.
Indian Australian family: Image Source: @CANVA
The number of people who identify with Sikhism in Australia is 210,400 accounting for 0.8 per cent. Victoria has the highest number of Sikhs at 91,745. Further, around 813,000 people in Australia identify with Islam. Its share of the national population has grown to 3.2 per cent, up from 2.6 per cent in the 2016 census.
ABS reports that the proportion of people answering the census questions rose from 91 per cent in 2016 to 93 per cent in 2021. Data will continue to be released until mid-2023.
*Special administrative regions (SAR) of China which include Hong Kong and Macau.
That’s if you can even find such produce. Supermarket shelves for leafy greens are often bare.
This is a strong hint as to why prices have risen so much. As well as growers facing higher input costs – in line with pressures pushing up food prices globally – these price hikes are being driven by lack of supply – with crops and stores wiped out by rain and floods in eastern Australia.
The price hikes have led to calls for supermarkets to impose price caps to ensure shoppers can still afford to feed their families healthy food.
But price ceilings on goods or services rarely, if ever, work. Prices play an important role in allocating resources efficiently. They send a signal to both customers and suppliers. To arbitrarily reduce prices would only increase shortages – both now and in the longer term.
Source: Wikipedia
Supply, demand and market equilibrium
The laws of supply and demand are fundamental concepts in economics. The law of demand says buyers will demand less of an economic good the higher its price. The law of supply says sellers will supply more of a good the higher the price. There are some rare exceptions, but generally these laws describe all markets.
British economist Alfred Marshall was the first to illustrate the interaction of these two laws graphically, in his 1890 book Principles of Economics. Market equilibrium (balance) occurs at the price and quantity where demand equals supply.
If the quantity supplied falls, the market response is for prices to rise, achieving a new equilibrium. If the quantity supplied falls but prices remain the same, demand will outstrip supply, leading to shortages.
Fresh fruit and vegetables are particularly prone to significant price fluctuations because they are perishable and cannot be easily stored for a long time. This why seasonal price fluctuations are common.
Higher prices provide a signal both to consumers and producers. They tell consumers to buy less and switch to alternatives. They provide an incentive for producers to grow more – though this process is fairly slow given the time needed to grow and harvest fruit and vegetables.
But eventually, if the market is left to its own devices, prices will eventually return to “normal”, consistent with historical prices.
Capping the price, on the other hand, will benefit those lucky enough to grab supplies when they available. But it will likely reduce supply even further, by affecting the decision of producers unwilling to supply at below-market prices.
It could also lead to a “black market”, with some customers sourcing supplies by other means at higher uncapped prices.
Evidence from rent controls
The economic theory of price caps is well supported by empirical evidence. The best-known involve rent controls, which are used in US cities such as New York City and Los Angeles, and in European cities such as Stockholm, Berlin and Dublin.
Rent controls mean some are lucky enough to find an affordable apartment. Many others miss out – or engage in “deals” with landlords to get around the controls. The most disadvantaged tend to lose out most since landlords can discriminate in favour of what they consider the “more desirable” tenants.
As Stanford University economist Rebecca Diamond has written:
While rent control appears to help current tenants in the short run, in the long run it decreases affordability, fuels gentrification, and creates negative spillovers on the surrounding neighborhood.
As with housing, so too with broccoli and cabbage.
If there are suspicions of wholesalers or retailers exploiting shortages, this is best handled by the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission. Though “price gouging” is generally not illegal, the consumer watchdog can prosecute companies for makes misleading claims about the reasons for price increases and for unconscionable conduct (in the case of extreme gouging for an essential good).
What else can be done? Only what consumers have always done, which is to substitute relatively cheaper goods for those becoming more expensive.
We’ve seen this before. Queensland’s floods in 2011 destroyed vast crops of bananas and watermelons, causing prices to skyrocket. Shoppers switched to other fruits. Banana farmers recovered. Prices dropped.
These high prices for lettuce and such now may be a shock, but they are not a sign of market failure requiring intervention. If we let the market do its thing, shortages will end and prices return to “normal” – at least until the next natural disaster.
This article has been republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons — Attribution/No derivatives license.
Contributing Authors: Phil Lewis is Professor of Economics at the University of Canberra in Australia.
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 54-year-old multi-sport athlete Allan Jefferson from Queensland won the Solo Male (50-59)Race Across America (RAAM).
Allan, who is a rescue helicopter crewman, cycled 20 hours a day and finished the 4,889 km race in 10 days and 15 minutes.
Allan Jefferson (Facebook)
Surprisingly, India’s ultra-cyclist Kabir Rachure also achieved a podium finish at RAAM in the Solo Male (under-50) category. He finished the 4,889 km competition in 11 days, 11 hours and 25 minutes.
Kabir, who is from Maharashtra, is an advocate at the Bombay High Court and has now become the first Indian to do so in what is known as the world’s toughest cycle race.
Route of RAAM 2022 (RAAM)
RAAM has been running for four decades and covers terrain from desert to mountain ranges thus challenging the athletes.
12 days 3000 miles
Race Across America (RAAM) is considered one of the toughest ultra-distance road cycling race in the world!
Ultrahuman athlete Kabir Rachure didn't just finish the race in 11 days but also secured 3rd place in the solo category!
Technically, the race is about 30 per cent longer than the Tour de France and route of RAAM crosses 12 states from California to Maryland, while climbing 55,000 metres.
By Jacob Deem, Adrian Miller, A J Brown and Susan Bird
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his new government have committed to enshrining a First Nations Voice in the Australian Constitution. To do so, a majority of Australians in a majority of states will have to vote “yes” at a referendum.
But what are the other challenges along the way? Why might people support a Voice, or why might they be against it?
The survey measured attitudes towards the Voice from more than 1,500 respondents. Through quota sampling across participants’ location, age, education and voting preference, we were able to obtain a nationally representative sample.
Our survey found substantial support for a constitutional Voice (51.3%). Twice as many people supported the Voice as were against it (20.8%, with 27.9% undecided). But just as important are the reasons why participants said they were in favour, against or undecided.
Here are four key challenges that need to be addressed, our data suggests, on the journey towards a Voice.
1. Why have a First Nations Voice in Parliament?
As a first step, people must see a good reason to establish a Voice. The Uluru Statement from the Heart, which formalised calls for a constitutional Voice, is framed as a generous invitation toward reconciliation from First Nations Peoples. The sentiments in the Uluru Statement are reflected in many survey respondents’ support of the Voice. For example, one participant said:
“I believe that if Australia really wants to reconcile with the Indigenous community – that this is a very important step in that process.”
However, some people remain sceptical. While it seems most First Nations Peoples support a Voice, this view is not unanimous. Some First Nations scholars and respondents to our survey questioned whether supporting the Voice further legitimates the Constitution, a colonial document.
At the other end of the spectrum, 10% of respondents did not see the need for a Voice at all. Evidence of the disadvantages faced by First Nations Peoples under all existing political institutions continues to suggest otherwise. For example, the inability to “close the gap” is often attributed to the government’s failure to genuinely engage with Indigenous Australians. Nevertheless, the view that reform is not needed is one the Voice campaign will need to confront.
Advocates for the Voice will be encouraged by the substantial number of survey respondents who are already convinced that institutionalising an Indigenous advisory body is a positive step. Many respondents cited the value in constitutionally recognising First Nations Peoples, and viewed it as the “right thing to do”. Further, when supporters of the Voice were asked how important this issue was, one in three thought it should be a priority for the government.
2. The general public’s lack of knowledge
The Voice was proposed in the Uluru Statement in 2017, and calls for an Indigenous advisory body are even older. Despite this, public awareness remains a core issue.
More than half of respondents to the survey had never heard of the Voice before. Of the 27.9% of respondents who were unsure whether they would be in favour of or against a constitutional Voice, most cited a lack of knowledge as the reason.
Encouragingly, the responses also suggest there is an appetite to learn more. Some 19% of undecided participants said they wanted more information about the Voice, while 17.7% had specific questions, such as how representatives would be chosen, and what powers the body would have.
The Indigenous Flag: “It belongs to all Australians now”; Image Source: Supplied
3. The role of bipartisanship
While bipartisanship may not necessarily be essential to obtain a yes vote in a referendum, a proposal with the support of the major parties is far less likely to fail. So far we know Labor is committed to pursuing a constitutional Voice, although the Coalition’s position following its election loss is less clear.
One thing is clear from our survey: differences between the major parties’ positions do not reflect voters’ attitudes in a significant way. This is an important result, as it suggests the major parties should be able to find common ground in supporting the Voice. Senator Patrick Dodson’s appointment as Special Envoy for Reconciliation and the Implementation of the Uluru Statement is an important step, as Senator Dodson is highly regarded on both sides of politics.
4. Delivering a Voice with substance
Support for Indigenous constitutional recognition is clearly strongest if believed to be likely to deliver practical benefits as well as its symbolic value. Many survey respondents saw tangible outcomes such as improved healthcare and learning from Indigenous land management as reasons to support the Voice. When asked, 75% thought the Voice would improve the lives of First Nations Peoples. Therefore, the Voice many Australians want to enshrine is one that can make a practical difference in the lives of First Nations Peoples.
The new government’s commitment to the Uluru Statement is a hopeful sign for all those seeking constitutional change. While there is still a long journey ahead for the First Nations Voice, if these four challenges are met then a majority of Australians are clearly ready to engage in this important step in the reconciliation process.
This article has been republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons — Attribution/No derivatives license.
Contributing Authors: Jacob Deem IS Lecturer – Law at CQUniversity Australia. Adrian Miller is Deputy Vice-President Indigenous Engagement & Director of the Jawun Research Centre at CQUniversity Australia. A J Brown is Professor of Public Policy & Law, Centre for Governance & Public Policy at Griffith University. Susan Bird is Senior Lecturer in Law at Charles Darwin University.
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.
Hindus at Sri Durga Temple; Image Source; The Australia Today
The first set of data from the 2021 census has been released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). This census took place in August 2021, during the height of Covid-19 restrictions and lockdowns. According to the census, more than a million new migrants have arrived in Australia since 2017; but about 80% of them arrived before the pandemic.
David Gruen, the Chief Statistician of the Australian Bureau of Statistics, told the media: “The census was conducted at an unprecedented time in Australia’s history and provides a unique snapshot of the population during the Covid-19 pandemic, which is different from previous censuses.”
Australia’s national population grew by about two million people to 25.4 million since the last census.
The data shows that just 44 per cent of Australians now identify as Christian, this is down from 52 per cent in 2016 and 61 per cent in 2011. When the first Australian census was conducted in 1911, 96 per cent listed Christianity as their religion.
Hindus at Sri Durga Temple; Image Source; The Australia Today
The ABS data also reveals that around 684,000 people in Australia, or 2.7 per cent of the population, identify with Hinduism. This is an increase of 55 per cent over the past five years, reflecting an influx of migrants from countries such as India and Nepal.
The number of people who identify with Sikhism in Australia is 210,400 accounting for 0.8 per cent. Victoria has the highest number of Sikhs at 91,745.
Further, around 813,000 people in Australia identify with Islam. Its share of the national population has grown to 3.2 per cent, up from 2.6 per cent in the 2016 census.
Interestingly, Australians identifying as “non-religious” has increased. 39 per cent of Australians now identify as “non-religious,” which is up from 30 per cent in 2016. The figures reflect an increase of more than 25% since census data was last collected in 2016.
Hindus at Sri Durga Temple; Image Source; The Australia Today
A growing number of Australians, 812,728 people, have identified as Indigenous – Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander – which is equal to 3.2% of the population.
ABS reports that the proportion of people answering the census questions rose from 91 per cent in 2016 to 93 per cent in 2021. Data will continue to be released until mid-2023.
Victoria Police have released CCTV footage of a gunman who was seen threatening a couple in the garage of an apartment building in Melbourne’s inner west last month.
CCTV footage shows a white station wagon driving into the underground car park of a residential complex in West Footscray at 8.50 pm on May 16.
A man wearing a red hoodie and jeans runs after the car and pulls out a handgun, pointing it at the vehicle.
The man threatened a 27-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman who were inside the car.
The driver managed to turn the car around and speed out of the car park.
The gunman gives chase but does not appear to fire the gun.
The investigators are trying to identify the gunman and have appealed to anyone who recognizes the man or has any information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au.
India’s Supreme Court, in a recent judgement, upheld the findings of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) that had cleared Prime Minister Narendra Modi of any involvement in the 2002 Gujarat riots.
A three-judge bench headed by Justice AM Khanwilkar upheld the SIT’s 2012 decision to give a clean chit to Modi and observed that Teesta Setalvad, co-petitioner in the case, exploited the emotions of Zakia Jafri.
The SC said in its order: “All those involved in such abuse of process need to be in the dock and proceeded with in accordance with the law.”
It added:
“Antecedents of Teesta Setalvad need to be reckoned with and also because she has been vindictively persecuting this lis [dispute] for her ulterior design by exploiting the emotions and sentiments of Zakia Jafri, the real victim of the circumstances.”
After this observation from the Supreme Court of India, Teesta Stalvad was arrested by Indian police.
However, the Asia Director of Australia’s Human Rights Watch (HRW) Elaine Pearson joined the so-called global experts on India to express concern over the arrest of Setalvad.
Let's not kid around Elaine! When was the last time you spoke out for #Hindus? Ummm……never. What is the going rate for @HRW to stop raising human rights issues? Ken Roth would know, right? As a white privileged person you don't think you are above Indian courts. Do you? https://t.co/KcpymNdyC6pic.twitter.com/WwgAC9NqIb
— Stop Hindu Hate Advocacy Network (SHHAN) (@HinduHate) June 26, 2022
This has drawn sharp reactions from concerned netizens who schooled Australia’s HRW boss over her biased tweet overlooking the SC judgment.
Sarah Gates, a well-known Australian activist, pointed to HRW’s dwindling reputation and questioned political partiality.
Others also started throwing facts at Ms Pearson.
Image Source: TwitterImage Source: Twitter
Teesta Setalvad, who is a Mumbai-based journalist and a founding trustee and secretary of the NGO Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP), in her two-decade-long campaign, had given false information to the various courts and SIT in a bid to tarnish the image of Modi.
Image Source: Twitter
Based on an FIR by Darshansinh B. Barad, the Gujarat Police’s Crime Branch picked up Ms Stealvad from her Mumbai home under sections 468, 471, 194, 211, 218, and 120B of the IPC.
Image Source: Twitter
In 2009, 2012 and 2020, it was reported that HRW “accepted a sizable donation” from UAE which was “a potential violation of the rights group’s own fundraising guidance.”
HRW was forced to publish a statement on its website saying that accepting the funding was a “deeply regrettable decision”.
Blockade Australia said it was trying to raise awareness about climate change.
Australia will keep its operation churning through what is left. Australia will keep blocking climate action and repressing climate activists – the system was set up that way.
It was reported that around 100people marched through the Sydney CBD disrupting traffic.Sydney – blocakde Australia (Twitter)
A 22-year-old woman was arrested after locking herself to the steering wheel of a car and parking it across the entrance to the tunnel. This is one of only two ways to cross the harbour.
Under NSW legislation, illegal protests organised by “anarchist protesters”) which disrupt any public roads, rail lines, tunnels, bridges and industrial estates can now be fined $22,000 or jailed for two years, or both.
Indian Minister for Commerce Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food Public Distribution, and Textiles Piyush Goyal exchanges greetings with Director-General, World Trade Organization (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, in New Delhi (ANI Photo)
After decades of conflict that has neutered its work, the World Trade Organization looks to be back in business.
Its highest decision-making body – a conference of ministers from the organisation’s 164 member nations – has just met for the first time since 2017.
None of what the ministerial conference (dubbed MC12 due to being the 12th such meeting) agreed on was particularly groundbreaking. But the fact there was agreement at all – on areas such as agriculture, fishing, intellectual property, e-commerce and food insecurity – was itself a milestone.
The question is what happens now, with considerable challenges ahead for the WTO and its role in promoting and protecting a global rules-based trading system.
Fighting for relevance
The WTO’s job is to be the forum for multilateral rule-making, to observe the implementation of these trade rules, and to settle disputes among members.
In most situations, decisions must be made by consensus. This means a single detractor can scuttle initiatives supported by the rest of the WTO’s membership.
This has proved particularly problematic for the WTO’s rule-making function, which has largely been comatose for two decades since negotiations on reducing trade barriers ground to a standstill at the ill-fated Doha Round launched in 2001.
Particularly damaging to the WTO has been the hostility of the US. Past administrations, especially the Trump administration, stymied the WTO’s dispute-settlement function by blocking the appointment and reappointment of judges to its appeal court (known as the Appellate Body). By 2019, there were not enough judges to hear appeals, leaving disputes in limbo.
The WTO has also been criticised for having few to no answers to the world’s most pressing issues: how to craft modern trade rules that support climate action and sustainability.
The rise of economic nationalism and unilateralism has increased trade friction making the WTO look increasingly irrelevant.
WTO 2022 (WTO)
Reaching agreement
Given this, the ministerial conference held in Geneva last week delivered welcome agreements on several sometimes long and strongly contested areas.
It agreed on limiting government subsidies for harmful fishing operations in an attempt to slow the depletion of rapidly declining fish stocks. This agreement will aid in curbing food insecurity and increase the sustainability of certain fish species.
Importantly, it is the first WTO treaty with environmental protection and sustainability as its objective.
Countries such as South Africa have been pushing for a waiver from provisions in the Agreement on Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights so they can produce cheaper generic versions of vaccines. The impact should be limited, given vaccine supply is now enough to meet demand, but the concession may serve as a blueprint for the future.
It agreed to extend the moratorium on customs duties on “electronic transmissions” first agreed to in 1988.
It also agreed on reforming the WTO dispute settlement process, committing members – including the US – to “conduct discussions” to arrive at a “fully and well-functioning dispute settlement system accessible to all Members by 2024”.
Such soft language is a far cry from reinstating the Appellate Body. It was likely the only way to bring the US on board.
WTO 2022 (WTO)
But fundamental differences remain
The ministerial conference is only the first step. It will be difficult – and take time – for WTO members to reach a compromise on many important issues.
Compromise is needed between the policy space governments demand for themselves and effective international trade rules.
For example, the US and its allies have been pushing for tightening the rules on China’s state-owned enterprises and industrial subsidies. China has shown strong resistance to any new rules it views as being against its interests.
Another issue is support measures adopted during the pandemic. Some governments understandably adopted policies to support domestic businesses in a time of crisis. But some of these measures are arguably against the WTO’s rules to eliminate trade distortions.
These points are symbolic of the larger disagreements between WTO members, with economic nationalism and unilateralism presenting a fundamental challenge to the organisation’s reason for being.
Examples abound. There are US tariffs on steel and aluminium on national security grounds. China’s trade sanctions against Australia on products such as wine, coal, lobster, barley and beef. China’s Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law and the European Union’s Anti-Coercion Instrument allow these governments to retaliate against any foreign actions they deem to be unfair.
A common feature of these instruments or actions is governments taking the law into their own hands, ignoring the WTO’s rule book and its dispute resolution mechanisms.
To overcome these existential challenges, the multilateral trading system will need strong and sustained commitment from member governments.
Contributing Authors:: Markus Wagner, Associate Professor of Law and Director of the UOW Transnational Law and Policy Centre, University of Wollongong and Weihuan Zhou, Associate Professor, Director of Research and member of Herbert Smith Freehills CIBEL Centre, Faculty of Law and Justice, UNSW Sydney, UNSW Sydney
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.
Meet the immensely popular Indian actor Sumedh Mudgalkar who has won your hearts playing the character of Bhagwan Krishna in the serial ‘Radha Krishna’ (airing on Star Bharat since October 2018).
Sumedh can now be seen as Darkie in the new web series ‘Escaype Live’ (streaming on Disney+Hotstar) created and directed by Siddharth Kumar Tewary under his One Life Studios banner.
In an Australian Exclusive Sumedh told The Australia Today’s Entertainment Editor Dr Amit Sarwal that he “wants to be a good actor and not just a hero.”
Catch this refreshing and candid interview with Sumedh.
Sumedh made his TV acting debut with Channel V in the serial ‘Dil Dosti Dance’. He is also known for his work in ‘Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat’ on Colours TV where he played the character of Shushim.
Sumedh is also a well known dancer. He took part in the Marathi dance reality show ‘Dance Maharashtra Dance’ in 2012 at the young age of 15. He was also 3rd runners up in ‘Dance India Dance’ season 4 in 2013.
Historian Lord Acton famously said, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. Hence the principle of checks and balances is applied in democracies to ensure good governance by preventing the concentration of power. But the counterbalancing of power among the executive, legislature and judicial branches of the government is creating gridlock in the United States, the oldest and the most powerful democracy in the world.
The Biden administration is unable to get an effective gun control law and an infrastructure bill passed or prevent Republican states to pass anti-abortion laws in spite of overwhelming public support and the need for such legislation.
Democracy in gridlock; Image Source: CANVA
India, the largest democracy in the world, appears to be heading for a similar fate. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is unable to implement some of the key reform bills in spite of a comfortable majority in the parliament. Mr Modi, for all practical purposes, seems to have put the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in cold storage, which was designed to fast-track Indian citizenship for persecuted religious minorities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, after vociferous public protests.
In 2015, the Modi government was forced to roll back amendments to the Land Acquisition Bill to make the process of land acquisition simpler and faster for the industry. Then the long overdue farm reforms had to be withdrawn after long and protracted protests by the farmers. Widespread youth protests erupted against the proposed reforms in the recruitment process for the Armed Forces. Economic and labour reforms and privatisation had to be put into cold storage and adoption of a Uniform Civil Code is no longer on the plate for now.
Democracy in gridlock; Image Source: CANVA
In a parliamentary democracy like India, the balance of power between the legislative and executive is established by allowing the legislative oversight over the government through the process of vote of no-confidence and by granting the prime minister the right to dissolve the parliament. The judiciary applies checks and balances through the constitutional review of the law and its implementation. The three branches of government are expected to work in harmony.
The role of a well-functioning civil society can also be crucial in ensuring that democratic governments are responsive. What appears to be happening in India is that the legislative is almost abandoning its role of scrutinising the legislative process and the government through parliamentary debate and teaming up instead with the active elements of civil society to veto economic and social reform programmes.
Democracy in gridlock; Image Source: CANVA
The Modi government came to power in 2014 with a promise of job creation by cleaning up corruption and red tape and furthering economic reforms. But the legislative programme of the government soon ran into rough waters as the opposition got united to derail it staging incalcitrant protests in the parliament and on the streets. Most of the sessions were wasted on acrimonious sloganeering and walkouts on controversial non-legislative issues such as hate speech and phone tapping or executive orders such as demonetisation and abrogation of Article 370 that gave the special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
The intensity and the language of protests became sharper and louder when the government rolled out its agenda of social reforms including the CAA, national digital identity and a national register of citizens. Since the opposition didn’t have the numbers in the parliament to stop the legislative programme of the government, it teamed up with pressure groups that launched protest campaigns to frustrate and derail them. Civil society protests against the CAA and farmers’ protests against farm reforms forced the government to shelve or roll back its programmes. Youth protests against the Agnipath scheme and short service recruitment to modernise and revitalise the Armed forces are the latest in the series.
Democracy in gridlock; Image Source: CANVA
The opposition looks at the protests as a rising of a civil society increasingly frustrated by an unresponsive government. Some observers like to see them as a sign of a vibrant democracy taking on an autocratic government. But is it so? Modi’s government has been elected by an overwhelming majority of people with a mandate to legislate and implement the policies promised in the manifesto.
Who has mandated the pressure groups of the civil society to impose their will and grind an elected government to a halt? Do they represent a majority of the people? Why bother electing a government if pressure groups are allowed to veto whatever it does? At least in the case of the US, it’s the partisan politics of the duly elected members of Congress who are causing gridlock. But in India, the gridlock is caused by the unelected pressure groups of the civil society which can’t be good for an accountable democracy.
In 1978, the Chinese leadership realised the country cannot progress without massive capital investment and technology. They agreed to own up that the Maoist model of development failed them completely and they will have to adopt the American and European models to grow faster and attract the all-important capital and technology from the US and Europe. India too had a similar realisation, though late, in 1991 and launched economic reforms. But there was never a consensus on giving up the Nehruvian socialist policies responsible for a tepid growth. This dichotomy of aspiring for massive investment and technology for rapid growth but keeping the socialist framework intact is one of the main causes behind the political gridlock.
Democracy in gridlock; Image Source: CANVA
Whenever a government tries to acquire land for industrial development, throw open the market for healthier competition, liberalise rules for foreign investment, privatise low-performing public sector companies and lower corporate tax to make India more attractive for investment, the opposition teams up with various pressure groups to launch protests that often get violent. India’s political spectrum needs to reach a consensus on economic policy if it seriously wants the country to realise its true potential. Gridlocking legislation through pressure group protests is not only undemocratic but also economically disastrous.
Contributing Author Shiv Kant is a senior media professional, editorial leader and strategist. He worked with the BBC for 24 years in a range of senior positions across multiple platforms including radio, TV and online. Mr Sharma is a Content Quality Consultant for Netflix and Language Consultant for the Cambridge University International Examinations. He is a regular columnist with several Indian publications. He has won a number of international awards including the Asian Broadcasting Union award and the Global Media Award. He is also on the roster of the UN Peacekeeping Mission for the position of the Chief of Radio. He specialises in Sanskrit, Indian culture and ecology.
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.
Due to the impacts of COVID-19, international students in Victoria are temporarily eligible (up to 30 June 2022) to receive mentor services that can help them gain employment.
Under this scheme, a mentor will work with international student(s) and help them understand work goals, aspirations and pathways to achieve them. A mentor can support an international student:
apply for jobs
assist to develop resume and prepare for job interviews
support to become job ready
help enrol in training or obtain qualifications
assist with personal needs, including transport to attend interviews
provide support for six months after getting a job
connect with other community services.
International students in Victoria can register to talk to a Jobs Victoria Advocate online, or can speak to them in their local community spaces such as the local libraries and shopping centres throughout Melbourne and regional Victoria.
If you are an international student looking for work you can apply for jobs posted by employers in your local area by registering in the Jobs Victoria online hub. This is a free job search service and has both part time and casual roles available.
Internationals students must remember that due to workforce shortages in Australia, the federal government has temporarily relaxed student work visa limits for all sectors of the economy. This means that international students can currently work more than 40 hours a fortnight.
Each month international students, especially the newly arrived ones, can also meet with experts from employment agency Asuria, career development consultant CEAV and youth organisation City LLEN at The Couch International Student Centre which is located at 69 Bourke St Melbourne.
You can register for these two upcoming events via eventbrite:
On the year of the centenary birth anniversary of Gautam Adani’s father Shri Shantilal Adani, and Gautam Adani’s own 60th birthday, the Adani Family has committed a donation of Rs 60,000 crore (A$12 billion) to a range of social causes. This corpus will be administered by the Adani Foundation.
To utilize the potential of India’s demographic advantage, there is an ever-growing need to focus on the areas of healthcare, education, and skill development. The shortfalls in each of these areas are roadblocks for an ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat.’
Gautam Adani at School; Image Source: Twitter
The Adani Foundation has gained rich experience in working with communities focused on integrated development efforts across all these areas. Addressing these challenges can significantly enhance the competence and competitiveness of future workforce.
“In addition to being the 100th birth anniversary of my inspiring father, this year also happens to be the year of my 60th birthday and therefore the family decided to contribute Rs. 60,000 crores towards charitable activities related to healthcare, education, and skill development, especially in the rural regions of our nation”. said Mr. Gautam Adani, Chairman, Adani Group.
“This contribution from the Adani Family intends to draw upon some of the brightest minds that have a passion to make a difference in the Adani Foundation’s journey to do more towards fulfilling our ‘Growth with Goodness’ philosophy.”
“At a very fundamental level, programs related to all these three areas should be seen holistically and they collectively form the drivers to build an equitable and future-ready India. Our experience in large project planning and execution and the learnings from the work done by the Adani Foundation will help us uniquely accelerate these programs,” added Mr Adani
On our father’s 100thbirth anniversary & my 60thbirthday, Adani Family is gratified to commit Rs 60,000 cr in charity towards healthcare, edu & skill-dev across India. Contribution to help build an equitable, future-ready India. @AdaniFoundationpic.twitter.com/7elayv3Cvk
Azim Premji, Chairman of Azim Premji Foundation and Founder Chairman of Wipro Limited and widely recognized as one of the greatest philanthropists of our times said, “Gautam Adani and his family’s commitment towards philanthropy should set an example that we can all try to live Mahatma Gandhi’s principle of Trusteeship of Wealth at the peak of our business success and need not wait for our sunset years”.
He further added
“the challenges and possibilities of our country demand that we work together as one, cutting across all divides of wealth, region, religion, caste, and more. I wish Gautam Adani and his Foundation the very best in this important national endeavour”
Over the years, the Adani Foundation has responded to society’s changing needs in alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – be it sustainable livelihoods, health and nutrition, and education for all or addressing environmental concerns – with an enhanced focus on the empowerment of women, working with multiple stakeholders at the grassroots.
Today, it covers 3.7 million people in 2,409 villages across 16 states in India.
Panchayat’ aired on Amazon Prime, is one of the most popular Hindi web series. The first season aired in May 2020 and second season released in May 2022.
‘Panchayat’ depicts human feelings, relationships, showing reality of simple truths. ‘Panchayat’ depicts rural life beautifully, in spite of problems, facing small things of daily life with happiness and ease. ‘Panchayat’ stands apart from the rubbish content often being shown. All characters, all frames are indigenous, without any frills, the simplicity speaks volumes, having a nice fragrance of village life. ‘Panchayat’ shows a picture of India’s real village where the internet doesn’t reach properly and the funny part shows a CCTV camera being used to search a lost goat.
Eight episodes of ‘Panchayat-2’ are titled ‘Naach, Bolchaal Band, Kranti, Tension, Jaise ko taisa, Aukaat, Dost yaar and Parivar’, showing an astonishing end. Director ‘Deepak Kumar Mishra’s direction is superb. Screenplay writer ‘Chandan Kumar’ wrote the entire season so well. The dialogues are cheeky with many situations making the viewers tickle, like ‘The culture of the village is that food and drink should be done before the electricity goes off’ and ‘Loyalty doesn’t even make pickles nowadays’ are worth mentioning. Well composed songs can be heard separately.
The casting is perfect, all artists are fit for their roles, very real as if they haven’t acted. Jitendra Kumar as Panchayat secretary ‘Abhishek Tripathi’ has acted suitably for the country-like-character, proving himself a superb actor with calm yet sharp facial expressions. ‘Sanvika’ as ‘Rinki’ having few scenes and dialogues, leaves a nice impression, as the daughter of Panchayat head Manju Devi (Neena Gupta) and her husband Brijbhushan Dubey, (Raghubir Yadav) who are paired well with occasional amusing tussles between them. ‘Vikas’ (Chandan Roy) as Abhishek’s assistant and ‘Prahlad Pandey’ (Faisal Malik) as deputy head are amazing. Despite small space, few scenes, ‘Pankaj Jha’ as the local MLA, ‘Chandra Kishore Singh’ has registered his place, increasing heat in the story. The brick-kiln owner Parmeshwar (Srikanth Verma) indulges in politics for the sale of mud, excavated from the pond. Bhushan (Durgesh Kumar) addressed as ‘Banrakhas’ (demon of the forest) by the villagers and his wife Kranti Devi (Sunita Rajwar) both plan to contest the election of the village head, accordingly indulging in petty politics, adding a bit of temper to ‘Panchayat’. Ashok Pathak who plays ‘Binod’ (the villager waiting endlessly for his toliet to be built) has also delivered a stellar performance doing full justice to his character.
Panchayat (Publicity poster)
‘Panchayat’ season one’s last episode showed Abhishek and Rinki coming face to face for the first time. Season 2 starts with a conversation between Vikas and Prahlad, feeling that Abhishek and Rinki are having an affair. Abhishek and Rinki, whenever together, are shown with a feeling of hesitation. It gradually evolves to the manifest concern-care for each other. Considering it a state of love, the director has beautifully threaded and woven this unspeakable love skillfully.
Episode ‘Aukaat’ narrates the reality that Panchayat is established with the goal of decentralization of power. The MLA is the center of power and authority, for him the Secretary and Pradhan hold the status of two pennies. MLA is the perfect example, representative of the values of capital which has made manlessness a value of power. He repeatedly emphasizes his caste over his position, declaring with conceit that Panchayat authorities will explain to him, also proving that more than being MLA, his strength lies in being a Thakur. The village people and officers are scared of him. MLA using Manju Devi’s husband Brijbhushan rudely shows that he has turned him into a mere machinery for collecting votes for the MLA.
Abhishek inadvertently becomes prey to the dirty politics of MLA who gets furious, abusing, humiliating him. In the scene where MLA abuses Abhishek, it seems as if common people are abused by power. The MLA’s humiliating behavior hurts Abhishek, making the viewers start feeling humiliated too.
Panchayat (poster)
On the contrary, Abhishek holds human values, not letting them go even in the midst of most tense situations and annoyance, thus raising high faith in humanity. Be it an episode of a dancer girl, a drunk driver, searching for a goat, construction of toilet or inviting the MLA for Akhand Ramayan program, Abhishek’s humanity is displayed resulting in the viewers affectionately loving his character. Abhishek’s character is crafted well, Jitendra has acted effortlessly, strengthening the faith in human emotions, virtues in the midst of adverse times and circumstances.
The issues making the village drug-free and open defecation free are raised nicely. The issue of one km. road full of potholes and dust, connecting the village to the main road is handled well. Another story shows the invisible trap related to the illusion created by capital and youths entangled in it. After completing B.Tech, Abhishek is preparing for MBA and planning to leave the village soonest possible. Meanwhile he becomes Panchayat Secretary, earning 20,000 salary. Knowing this, a drunk driver sarcastically taunts Abhishek that after marriage, he’ll not be able to manage life in 20,000, resulting in getting drunk like him.
Panchayat-season-2; Panchayat (Screenshot)
In another episode, Abhishek’s America returned classmate Siddharth Gupta, working in Gurgaon on an annual package of 1.25 crores, visits Phulera village. Knowing this, Abhishek has a sense of insecurity which creates tension in the story, showing this trap as a reality and Abhishek as a symbol of stressed youth.
In the last episode, when Manju Devi doesn’t allow the MLA to enter the village, viewers feel a sense of relief and happiness. Such distance and gap between power and common people shows the hollowness, lack of democracy accepted in India.
The attitudes of simplicity, mediocrity, honesty, truthfulness, compassion, love, virtues and immense humanity against the items of capital, power, conceit, falsehood, hypocrisy, inequality and anti-human conduct, all these essence make ‘Panchayat’ a loved and popular web series, making the basic heart of the series coming to the fore. ‘Panchayat’ is a must watch for those interested in light-hearted stories executed well, other than stories soaked in crime-blood, sensation-mystery, thrill and sex. Viewers who have watched first season, will not be disappointed after watching the second season of ‘Panchayat.’
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 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.
Federal MP from Paramatt, Andrew Charlton meeting with the Indian-Australian business community in Sydney's Harris Park (File Image source: Indranil Halder)
By Indranil Halder
Hon. Andrew Charlton MP, the newly elected Labor MP from the Sydney suburb Parramatta, has said that he wants to make Harris Park (a precint in Parramatta) a vibrant tourist destination like no other in the Southern Hemisphere which will be like Little India in Singapore, Bricklane in London or Little India Village in Los Angeles.
Parramatta MP, Andrew Charlton meeting Indian-Australian businesspeople and speaking about ‘Little India’ (Video source: Indranil Halder)
Mr Charlton said this in a meeting organised by The Little India Harris Park Business Association Inc to discuss the development of Harris Park which included Donna Davis – Lord Mayor of Parramatta and Deputy Mayor Sameer Pandey. There were also talks of constructing an ‘India Gate’ in Sydney at this meeting.
Mr Sanjay Deshwal (President of Little India Harris Park Business Association) who organised this meeting along with Mr Nitin Setia (Ginger Indian Restaurant), requested collaboration between Council and the community for vibrant streets, events, support for local businesses, heritage conservation for residential areas and construction of a potential ‘India Gate’.
Image Source: Indranil Halder
The Parramatta Council and Mr Charlton expressed their vision to make ‘Little India’ a tourist precinct in the years to come and have already initiated this by consulting local businesses.
Image source: Indranil Halder
The meeting that was held at Momozz restaurant in Harris Park was also attended by Mr Abbas Ramsada who was recently mentioned by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a childhood friend.
Mr Abbas Ramsada (Image source: Indranil Halder)
Mr Charlton mentioned that it was time to work towards more commitments from the Government for the Indian community.
Mayor & Deputy Mayor of Parramatta also showed their eagerness to bring changes in Harris Park at the earliest.
Image Source: Indranil Halder
Mr Charlton welcomed suggestions from the community and mentioned that talk is going on between Australia and India for free trade, which is very good news for both countries. He said he hoped that the agreement would be the first part of a relationship that comes right to the centre of Australia’s economy in the next 20 years.
Mr Charlton also spoke about the importance of shifting the pivot to India for enhanced economic engagement. He mentioned about Labor government’s commitment to India as the future is in IT, digital and cyber technology.
The meeting was attended by businesspeople from the Punjabi, Gujarati and Bengali communities.
Image Source: Indranil Halder
Contributing Author: Indranil Halder is Multicultural Ambassador for MHF (Mental Health Foundation) and ex Ambassador for FOMA (Fabrics of Multicultural Australia). He is also Brand Ambassador for Bollywood Car (Australia’s only vintage Indian style taxi), ex Ambassador for IABCA (India Australia Business and Community Alliance) and Social Media Influencer on Bengal Heritage, Lifestyle & Culture.
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.
Victorian retiring Ministers; Image Source: The AUstralia Today
Four senior Victorian Labor government ministers have announced their retirement ahead of the November state election, prompting a cabinet reshuffle.
Deputy Premier James Merlino, Health Minister Martin Foley, Police Minister Lisa Neville and Sports Minister Martin Pakula issued a flurry of statements on Friday morning revealing their decisions not to recontest their seats and to step down from the cabinet.
“Renewal is critical for any government – fresh ideas and new energy,” Mr Merlino said.
Retiring Deputy Premier of Victoria James Merlino
“As hard as this is, I believe in my heart that renewal, new cabinet ministers around the table, is the best thing for the government and our state.”
Mr Foley took over from Jenny Mikakos as health minister following her resignation in September 2020, and his exit amid the COVID-19 pandemic means the party will appoint a fourth health minister in as many years.
Retiring Health Minister of Victoria Martin Foley
“The past two years have been a tough time for all Victorians,” Mr Foley said.
“Many of us have come to reflect on what we aspire to achieve. I am no different. I am looking forward to contributing to a better, fairer, sustainable Victoria in a different capacity.”
Mr Pakula’s lower house seat of Keysborough has been scrapped as part of an electoral redistribution, but he had been expected to move to the upper house.
Retiring Sports Minister of Victoria Martin Pakula
“Politics is an all-consuming endeavour. It’s a job which often demands an unhealthy measure of emotional and mental commitment,” Mr Pakula said.
“As politicians, we are notoriously bad at appreciating when considerations for our own well-being demand that we stop and find something else to do with our lives. I’d like to think I’m not one of them.”
Ms Neville took extended leave last year while battling severe Crohn’s disease flare-ups, and shed the emergency services portfolio when she returned to work in August.
She said her decision to retire was one of the hardest of her life and had been made in consultation with doctors.
Retiring Police Minister of Victoria Lisa Neville
“My recovery in 2021 allowed me to resume work in late 2021, but I know I cannot give another four years,” she said.
“I wish it were otherwise, but I must be honest with myself, the wonderful people I work with and the Bellarine community.”
Premier Daniel Andrews thanked the ministers for their service, as his government seeks to secure a third straight term in office.
Twenty-two Victorian Labor MPs were sworn into the cabinet after the party’s crushing election win in 2018.
As few as 10 will remain following the latest pre-election resignations, including Mr Andrews, Tim Pallas, Jacinta Allan, Jaclyn Symes, Ben Carroll, Lily D’Ambrosio, Gabrielle Williams, Melissa Horne, Jaala Pulford and Gayle Tierney.
Opposition Leader Matthew Guy argued the exits were more a revolt than party renewal.
“The only true renewal we’ll see is at the November election when Daniel Andrews is defeated,” he told reporters.
Moiz Akash, a Perth Uber driver, was left temporarily blinded in one eye after a terrifying attack from a passenger.
WA Police told media that Akash, who is in his 20s, picked up a passenger from a residence on Clayton Street in Koongamia. Police said:
“The passenger entered the car in an aggressive manner, before assaulting the driver, resulting in facial injuries.”
The dashcam of Akash’s vehicle captured the horrifying assault that happened around 11 pm on Sunday.
Daschcam footage.
Akash who is now too afraid to drive Uber told 7 NEWS about the assault:
“He said I’m going to kill you tonight, you going to die tonight. And with that 10 seconds at that time when he choked my neck and I can’t breathe, I say okay… I think it’s done. At that time his finger gets into my mouth and I bite him, that’s why he removes his arm. I get out of the car, he runs behind me and saying ‘I’m gonna kill you tonight’.”
Akash believes that such an attack in this line of work was inevitable, however he feels lucky to have escaped this “horrible experience”.
Moiz Akash (7News screenshot)
After investigation, Midland Detectives charged a man over this incident that resulted in a number of facial injuries for Akash.
The 22-year-old was charged with one count of assault and another of impeding a person’s normal breathing or blood circulation. Midland Magistrates Court refused him bail.
Members of the Indian Australian community were left disturbed and upset to see the Australian Defence Force Marquee at the recently held Griffith Sikh Games where Khalistani banners, posters and flags were displayed.
Gurusharn Singh* who lives in Melbourne with his wife and two kids is one of them.
He booked accommodation two months earlier for the Griffith Sikh Games which returned after two years during the Queen’s Birthday long weekend (11-12 June 2022) at the Ted Scobie Oval in Griffith, a small town in New South Wales (NSW).
But within a few hours of attending the games venue, upset and frustrated Mr Singh returned back to Melbourne.
Griffith Sikh Games 2022; Image Source: Facebook
Gurusharn Singh told The Australia Today, “I was shocked seeing the Khalistani posters, banners and flags.”
“Do you understand what it does to people like me who have lost their loved ones to Khalistani terrorism,”
questioned Mr Singh.
Griffith Sikh Games 2022; Image Source: Facebook
He adds: “I went to the people who were managing the administration at Griffith games, and asked them it is upsetting for us to participate alongside hundreds of Khalistani flags and banners.”
“When nothing was done about removing these banners and hoardings, I left with my family because it was very traumatising to be around those horrifying memories,”
said Mr Singh.
Griffith Sikh Games 2022; Image Source: Facebook
Mr Singh told The Australia Today, “Most of my family has served in India in the uniform, and both my daughters are also preparing to join Australian Defence Force.”
“I was shocked to see an Australian Defence Force marquee and uniformed officers at the Griffith Sikh Games where Khalistani propaganda was spread on posters, banners, hoardings and on loudspeakers,”
said Mr Singh.
Doesn’t the Australian Defence Force understand the seriousness of such participation alongside Khalistani propagandists,” questioned Mr Singh.
A Defence spokesperson told The Australia Today:
“A small group of Australian Defence Force members attended the Sikh Games in Griffith, NSW, over the Queen’s Birthday Long Weekend. Attendance was not in any official capacity and there was no formal invitation to Defence to participate.”
Griffith Sikh Games 2022; Image Source: Facebook
“The Australian Defence Force is an apolitical organisation and Defence members are expected to remain impartial. The Defence members had no prior awareness of other organisations attending this important community event which promotes traditional Indian culture and sport.”
Gurusharn Singh told The Australia Today, “I also didn’t have any prior information about the presence of Khalistani propagandists presence in the Griffith Sikh games, but I left after seeing what is not acceptable to me.”
Griffith Sikh Games 2022; Image Source: Facebook
“Why didn’t Australian Defence Force officers leave when they noticed the Khalistani banners, posters and hoardings,”
questioned Mr Singh.
On further inquiry, a Defence spokesperson added,
“The ADF personnel who attended the Sikh Games in Griffith did so with good intentions. The ADF personnel are proud of both their service and their culture and saw an opportunity to engage positively with the Sikh community.”
“They had no prior knowledge of other groups attending the event, including political or separatist movements. The attendance of ADF personnel at this event in no way endorses any other group or organisation who may have also been in attendance.”
Griffith Sikh Games 2022; Image Source: Facebook
The Australia Today would like to categorically state that we in no manner suggest that the ADF personnel who attended the Sikh Games in Griffith support or endorse in any way matters associated with the ‘Khalistan’ separatist movement.
Mahadevan Shankar is a Queensland-based Defence expert and committee member of The Current and Strategic Affairs Forum.
Mr Shankar told The Australia Today, “This is a serious issue for serving ADF personnel in uniform, having a stall with ADF merchandise, and being seen at the same place with the Khalistani separatist sympathisers movement.”
“It is common knowledge that the Khalistani separatist movement has been declared a militant & terrorist organisation by the Government of India, Canadian & other global institutions,”
said Mr Shankar.
Griffith Sikh Games 2022; Image Source: Facebook
Australian Defence Force spokesperson in a statement conceded that they have identified an internal process issue and are working to address it.
“While the attendance of the ADF personnel at this event was well-intentioned, it has identified some internal process issues around attendance at community events and a requirement for further awareness training, both of which are being addressed.”
Australia and India both are members of QUAD which is keen to enhance defence and security ties between both countries.
Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles was recently in India to boost ties between the defence industries of the two countries. While on his visit, Minister Marles observed in an op-ed for a local newspaper:
“Australia’s interests don’t just align with India’s, they are inextricably entwined. Expect this relationship to grow & prosper, our cooperation to deepen.”
India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Australian Deputy Prime Minister & Minister for Defence Richard Marles (Twitter)
Mahadevan Shankar further added, “Important for ADF to disassociate itself urgently from such organisations, especially with new Defence Minister Richards Marles visiting India to strengthen Defence cooperation between both countries, against such terrorism and common global threats.”
Defence spokesperson further said,
“Defence regrets any distress that accidental associations might have caused the Indian diaspora in Australia.”
The Indian government has previously raised its concerns with Australia about the Khalistani militant groups active in recruiting Australian citizens for radical activities.
In a Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting on Counter-Terrorism, the Indian authorities informed their Australian counterparts that they should keep a close watch on certain social and religious organisations active in their country.
The Australia Today has contacted Griffith City Council which had provided permission for this event.
A council spokesperson said they were not aware that Khalistan posters were going to be put up at the venue. “No permission was sought, granted or denied” for putting Khalistani posters, banners, hoardings and flags.
Ironically Griffith City councillor Manjit Lally is one of the organisers of the Griffith Sikh games. The Australia Today has reached out to Mr Lally. He has not yet responded.
The Australia Today has also reached out to the main organisers of Griffith Sikh games 2022, Griffith Singh Sabha Society, they had also not responded till the time of the publication of this report.
In case we receive any response we will update the story.
Khalistan Terrorism Background:
India was rocked by Khalistan terrorism through the 1980s. Thousands of Hindus and Sikhs were killed in the Indian state of Punjab by terrorists who were allegedly supported by Pakistan’s intelligence agency the ISI.
Griffith Sikh Games 2022; Image Source: Facebook
The Khalistani terrorists wanted a separate state for the Sikhs carved out only from Indian Punjab leaving no one in doubt about who was pulling the strings (the posters in the event also show the same).
When India was partitioned based on the communal agenda of leaders like Mohammed Ali Jinnah who believed that Muslims can’t live with Hindus, Punjab was partitioned too. Given the communal nature of the new state carved out of India, not just the Hindus but all other minorities in these areas suffered a huge blow.
Before the partition of India, it is estimated that over 2 million Sikhs lived in what is now the territory of Pakistan, especially in Pakistan’s Punjab region. Today that figure ranges between 10,000 to 50,000 approximately around 0.01% of Pakistan’s population. On the other hand, in India during this time the Sikh population has grown from an estimated 700,000 to over 20 million. Sikhs are involved in every sphere of activity in India with two of the past ten Army Chiefs in India belonging to the Sikh faith.
The birthplace of the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Devji, is located in Nankana Sahib, Pakistan. The Pakistani city of Lahore was the capital of the Sikh King Ranjit Singh (popularly known as Sher-e-Punjab or the ‘Lion of Punjab’) who ruled in the early half of the 19th century. Given the near ethnic cleansing of the Sikhs from Pakistan in spite of the rich Sikh history of the region, the agenda of the Khalistani separatists is a matter of grave concern for Sikhs in India and around the world.
Griffith Sikh Games 2022; Image Source: Facebook
While Khalistan terrorism was brought to an end by India within its territory almost thirty years ago, some groups of Khalistani separatists and their supporters have remained active in some western countries allegedly with support from Pakistan’s spy agency ISI.
Given the asymmetry between India and Pakistan in terms of defence capabilities, Pakistan has had a doctrine of bleed India by a thousand cuts. The doctrine involves using non-state actors like terrorists against India as it cannot win against India in a conventional war. Terrorism emanating from Pakistan is not only responsible for terror attacks in India but has its footprints in many other terror attacks around the world. The world’s most wanted terrorist Osama Bin Laden was found in a Pakistani Army cantonment.
In one of the deadliest terror attacks in aviation history before 9/11, 329 people were killed by Khalistani terrorists on Air India flight 182 which was flying from Montreal to Mumbai via London and New Delhi on this very day 37 years ago.
Newspaper clippings related to the bombing of Air India flight 182: Supplied
The terrorists planted a bomb on the flight which blew up mid-air while flying from Montreal to London killing everyone on board. Among those killed were 268 Canadian citizens, 27 British citizens and 24 Indian citizens.
Newspaper clippings related to the bombing of Air India flight 182 (Twitter)
Terry Milewski, a well-known Canadian journalist, was the senior correspondent for CBC News at the time of the Air India bombing and has dedicated significant time to researching Khalistan terror links with ISI. On the 37th anniversary of the terror attack Mr Milewski tweeted:
37 years now since the Air India bombing – yet still, fans of the bomber openly revere him as a martyred hero and spew mad, long-debunked theories claiming a) he didn't do it or, b) it's OK, he was a freedom fighter. Don't let these lies go unchallenged. https://t.co/u8p2x6dnpe
In the foreword to a report authored by Mr Milewski, titled “Khalistan: A Project of Pakistan”, Ujjal Dossanjh, former British Columbia Premier, and Shuvaloy Majumdar, MLI Program Director, observed that “It should be essential reading for any who wish to understand Pakistan’s influence in guiding the Khalistan proposition, its perversion of the Sikh faith, and its ongoing campaign of extremism and terrorism in two of the world’s important democracies.”
Mr Dossanjh, who is a Sikh himself, was attacked and viciously beaten for his opposition to the Khalistani extremism in 1985 in the parking lot of his office in Vancouver, Canada. He was targeted again in 1999, while he was a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in Canada when his constituency office was attacked. Mr Dossanjh tweeted in 2018: “Indian Sikhs have a country: They call it India. Punjab has been India for untold centuries until it was cut into two to make Pakistan.”
The question really is what will the security and intelligence establishment in Australia choose to do given the seriousness of this issue not just for its strategic ally India but also for security considerations at home.
The Fair Work Ombudsman has secured a total of $204,000 in penalties in court against a Brisbane fast food business.
The Fair Work Ombudsman began its investigation after receiving a request for assistance from a Nepalese visa holder. The person was employed as a casual kitchen hand at the commercial kitchen from April 2018 to August 2019.
As per the report, the court fined Riddhi Siddhi Pty Ltd, which operates the ‘Vege Rama’ fast food outlet, after the business used false records to try to frustrate an ongoing Fair Work investigation.
The Federal Circuit and Family Court imposed a $185,000 penalty against Riddhi Siddhi Pty Ltd and an associated commercial kitchen in Fortitude Valley.
The Court further imposed an additional $19,000 penalty against company director Ruchika Sharma.
Judge Salvatore Vasta found that Riddhi Siddhi and Ms Sharma had falsified records to make it appear the Nepalese worker had been paid Award rates. They knowingly provided these records to the Fair Work in “an attempt to obfuscate the truth and to ensure that any proper investigation was never able to be pursued”. Judge Vasta added:
“The severity and seriousness of what (Riddhi Siddhi and Ms Sharma) have done cannot be overstated. This was a deception that went to the heart of the fair industrial and employment system of this country.”
Fair Work notes that the penalties have been imposed in response to Riddhi Siddhi breaching the Fair Work Act. The Brisbane operator made false records and handed them to Fair Work Inspectors during the investigation.
Further, Riddhi Siddhi also breached the Fair Work Act by giving false or misleading payslips to an employee and failing to comply with a Compliance Notice requiring the company to back-pay the worker, who worked up to 66 hours per week and was paid $11 to $13 an hour.
It was only after the Fair Work Ombudsman’s commencement of legal action that the Brisbane fast-food operator back-paid the worker $59,400, plus interest and superannuation.
Fair Work said in its statement that Ms Sharma was involved in the provision of the false records to Fair Work Inspectors and the failure to comply with the Compliance Notice.
Fair Work Ombudsman Sandra Parker said employers who use false records to try to frustrate an investigation into underpayment allegations will face serious consequences.
“Falsifying records and providing them to the Fair Work Ombudsman is extremely serious conduct and it will be met with the strongest possible enforcement action.”
Ms Parker further adds:
“Employers also need to be aware that taking action to protect vulnerable workers, including visa holders, and improve compliance in the fast food, restaurant and café sector continue to be priorities for the FWO. Any employees with concerns about their pay or entitlements should contact us for free advice and assistance.”
Judge Vasta said in his statement that “the need for the Court [is] to impose a deterrent penalty.”
“The Courts will simply not tolerate such brazen contraventions of the intentions of the Commonwealth Parliament.”
Further, Judge Vasta described the conduct of the Brisbane fast-food operator as “extremely difficult to detect”. he said:
“If it were not for the employee having the sense to take photographs of each of the time sheets, if it were not for the employee going to work via public transport and using a go card, and if it were not for the employee having a Google phone that was able to GPS-track his movements for over six months, the scheme, or device, used by (Riddhi Siddhi and Ms Sharma) would never have unravelled as it has now.”
The Fair Work Ombudsman has an agreement with the Department of Home Affairs. This is called the Assurance Protocol and under this valid visa holders can ask for FWO’s help without fear of their visa being cancelled for breaches of their work-related visa conditions.
India's Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh and Australian Deputy Prime Minister & Minister for Defence Richard Marles (Twitter)
India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Australian Deputy Prime Minister & Minister for Defence Richard Marles held a bilateral meeting in New Delhi on June 22, 2022.
The two ministers reviewed the existing defence cooperation activities between the two nations which have been increasing despite challenges of COVID-19 pandemic and discussed ways to enhance further cooperation.
India’s Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh and Australian Deputy Prime Minister & Minister for Defence Richard Marles (Twitter)
Further, the Ministers reviewed the defence and security pillars of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Mr Singh tweeted: “Had excellent deliberations with Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Mr. Richard Marles in New Delhi today. We reviewed the full range of defence & strategic cooperation between both the countries and paved way for deepening it further.”
In a media statement, the defence ministers reaffirmed their commitment towards implementation of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership based on mutual trust and understanding, common interests and shared values, of democracy and rule of law.
Both ministers welcomed “the growing diversity and frequency of defence exercises and exchanges between the two countries and undertook to build upon operational engagements through the India-Australia Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement.”
Mr Marles in an op-ed published in the Indian Express said:
“Australia’s interests don’t just align with India’s, they are inextricably entwined. Expect this relationship to grow & prosper, our cooperation to deepen.”
Defence ministers have also committed to the India-Australia Joint Working Group (JWG) on Defence Research and Materiel Cooperation which is a crucial mechanism for boosting ties between defence industries.
Rajnath Singh (Twitter)
The Ministers discussed opportunities for industrial cooperation between India and Australia to increase the resilience of supply chains and deliver capabilities to their respective defence forces. Both sides agreed to explore means to grow connections and opportunities between Indian and Australian defence industrial bases.
Both Ministers welcomed the plan to commence the landmark General Rawat Young Officer Exchange Programme in the latter half of 2022, which was announced during the virtual summit meeting between the Prime Ministers of the two countries on March 21, 2022.
Richard Marles (Twitter)
Mr Marles visited Goa to see India’s indigenous drone development and autonomous vehicle technology.
The two ministers reviewed strategic challenges and the regional security situation and reaffirmed their shared objective of an open, free, inclusive, prosperous and rules-based Indo Pacific region.
Dr Ashutosh Misra, CEO of Institute for Australia India Engagement (Twitter)
Dr Ashutosh Misra, CEO of Institute for Australia India Engagement, observed:
“The best thing about our a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is that our strategic and bilateral interests are mutually complementary and cannot be seen in isolation. Progress in one drives the other too.”
Mr Marles looked forward to India’s participation in the Indo Pacific Endeavour exercise in October 2022 organised by Australia.
The Defence Minister of Australia also visited the National War Memorial and paid homage to the war heroes by laying a wreath at the monument.
Mr Marles is on an official visit to India from June 20-23, 2022.
Anthony Albanese, Leader of Labor Party; Image Source: Supplied
Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese has announced his recommendation to the Governor-General for the appointment of four new secretaries of Australian Public Service departments. Albanese said in a statement:
“I congratulate Mr Betts, Ms Adams, Ms James and Ms Wilkinson on their appointments. The appointment of Secretary of the Department of Industry, Science and Resources will be made shortly. Acting Secretaries will be appointed by Ministers as required.”
As per the released statement, Jim Betts will be appointed as Secretary of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts. Mr Betts has extensive experience in the New South Wales and Victorian public services, including as Secretary of the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, Secretary of the Victorian Department of Transport, and CEO of Infrastructure NSW. He will bring to the Federal level a deep understanding of the priority challenges facing Governments in this space. Mr Betts’ appointment will commence on 11 July 2022.
Jan Adams AO PSM will be appointed as Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Ms Adams is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and is currently Australia’s Ambassador to Japan. She has previously served as Ambassador to China, as a senior trade negotiator and as Ambassador for Climate Change. Ms Adams will commence her appointment on 1 July 2022.
Natalie James will be appointed as Secretary of the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. Ms James has an extensive career in public service and employment and workplace relations. From 2005 until 2010, she was Chief Counsel to the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, becoming a State Manager of that Department in 2010. In 2013, she was appointed the Fair Work Ombudsman for the Commonwealth. Recently, Ms James has been a Partner at Deloitte Australia. Ms James will commence her appointment on 11 July 2022.
Jenny Wilkinson PSM will be appointed as Secretary of the Department of Finance. Ms Wilkinson, currently Deputy Secretary at Treasury, has held positions across several departments and agencies. This includes running the Parliamentary Budget Office, from July 2017 to January 2020. Prior to that, she held senior positions at Treasury, the Department of Industry, the Department of Climate Change, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and the Reserve Bank of Australia. Working in these roles, she has provided advice on a wide range of economic policy issues. She was awarded a PSM in 2021 for outstanding public service in the development of fiscal policy. Ms Wilkinson will take up her appointment on 9 August 2022, on Rosemary Huxtable’s retirement.
Additionally, David Fredericks PSM will be leaving his role as Secretary of the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, to lead the newly created Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. Mr Fredericks has extensive senior experience engaging on policy and Budget within the APS and ministers’ offices. As well as Secretary experience in both the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, and the Department of Environment and Energy, he has experience at the Deputy Secretary level at the Attorney-General’s Department and the Department of Finance. He has held senior Ministerial Adviser roles at both the Commonwealth and state levels. Prior to that he served in the Solomon Islands’ Ministry of Treasury and Finance.
Each of these appointments will be for five years.
Dr Gordon de Brouwer PSM will return to the Australian Public Service as Secretary for Public Sector Reform. Working to the Minister for the Public Service and in close partnership with Peter Woolcott AO, the Australian Public Service Commissioner, he will lead and implement a wide range of public sector reforms which will support my commitment to place greater value on the public service and to grow its capability.
Simon Atkinson and Kathryn Campbell AO CSC will conclude their Secretary roles with effect from 1 July 2022. I thank them both for their service to the Australian Public Service over many years. They have both brought great professionalism and deep experience to the range of roles they have held, and I wish them both the best. Ms Campbell will be taking up a senior appointment in the Defence portfolio in an AUKUS-related role.
APS Departments and Secretaries as at 1 July 2022
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
Prof Glyn Davis AC
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Mr Andrew Metcalfe AO
Attorney-General’s Department
Ms Katherine Jones PSM
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
Mr David Fredericks PSM
Department of Defence
Mr Greg Moriarty
Department of Education
Dr Michele Bruniges AM
Department of Employment and Workplace Relations
Ms Natalie James [from 11 July 2022]
Department of Finance
Ms Jenny Wilkinson PSM [from 9 Aug 2022]
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Ms Jan Adams AO PSM
Department of Health and Aged Care
Prof Brendan Murphy AC
Department of Home Affairs
Mr Michael Pezzullo AO
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts
Aditya Khurana crowned 'Man of the WORLD 2022 - Image Source Facebook
22-year-old Aditya Khurana from India has won the 4th Edition of the ‘Man of the World’ pageant held at Baguio Convention Center in Baguio City, Philippines.
He bested over 20 other contestants to win the title and during the question and answer phase, Aditya was asked to respond to a quote by Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai.
Jason Wood, Liberal MP for Berwick, with members of the Ahamadiyya mosque (Facebook).
Baitul Salam Mosque in Melbourne’s Langwarrin was allegedly vandalised over the weekend. Police have charged eight men for the alleged attack on the Mosque.
The police have said in a statement that so far there are no indications that the alleged attack was religiously motivated. According to the police, the alleged attack took place around 1:50 am on Sunday as intruders broke into the Mosque damaging property and riding bicycles through the prayer room.
Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs Jason Wood visited the Mosque after the attack to check the vandalism and damage caused. He said in his Facebook post:
“After repeated attacks on the mosque, I call on anyone who has further information on the offences to contact Victoria Police. So far, 8 people have been arrested and charged with involvement in the attack.”
Ahmadiyyas are an Islamic sect with an estimated population of between 6000-8000 in Australia.
Local community leader Aziz Bhatti told the Herald Sun that the community is in shock and afraid. He mentioned that many Ahmadiyyas arrived in Australia as refugees after Pakistan declared Ahmadiyyas to be illegitimate Muslims and the community is no stranger to persecution. He added that they felt safe in Australia but this attack has sent a shockwave.
Baitul Salam Mosque in Melbourne’s Langwarrin (CCTV footage)
The Mosque’s CCTV footage shows the alleged attackers (a group of 12 men) entering the Mosque.
The eight men – one aged 62, two aged 18 and five aged 19 – who have been charged by the Frankston Crime Investigation Unit are set to appear before a magistrates court on 28th October.
Victoria's Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes: Image Source: The Australia Today
Victoria has become the first Australian state or territory to ban the public display of the Nazi symbol. This step has been taken in recognition of its role in inciting antisemitism and hate.
The Summary Offences Amendment (Nazi Symbol Prohibition) Bill 2022 which has been passed makes it a criminal offence for a person to intentionally display the Nazi symbol (the Hakenkreuz, often referred to as the Nazi swastika) in public.
The legislation will come into effect in six months to allow for time to implement this awareness campaign.
The ban will be supported by a community education campaign to raise awareness of the origins of the religious and cultural swastika, its importance to the Buddhist, Hindu and Jain communities and its distinction from the Nazi symbol.
Hindu Swastika; Picture Source: @CANVA
Victorian Hindu, Jain and Buddhist communities are concerned that reducing the education campaigns time from twelve months to six months will potentially leave them in a vulnerable position.
Makrand Bhagwat, Victorian President of the Hindu Council of Australia told The Australia Today, “It will be very challenging to educate politicians from council to parliament, 21,399 strong victoria police department, media, educators and academicians who will be the first to be targeted by education campaign.”
“Imagine just after the six months, someone complains to the Victoria police about ‘Swastika’ on a shop or home’s front door drawn on Diwali. Unknowingly police officers can treat us like criminals,”
added Mr Bhagwat
In a statement Victoria’s Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes said:
“The Nazi symbol glorifies one of the most hateful ideologies in history – its public display does nothing but cause further pain and division.”
Ms Symes tweeted:
Victoria has now become the first in Aus to ban the public display of the Nazi symbol, recognising its role in inciting antisemitism & hate.
It’s a proud moment to see these important laws pass – it sends the strongest possible message that this vile behaviour wont be tolerated
“IT’S A PROUD MOMENT TO SEE THESE IMPORTANT LAWS PASS WITH BIPARTISAN SUPPORT – I’M GLAD TO SEE THAT NO MATTER WHAT SIDE OF POLITICS, WE CAN AGREE THAT THIS VILE BEHAVIOUR WILL NOT BE TOLERATED IN VICTORIA.”
Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes (Twitter)
This landmark passing sends a clear message that the dissemination of Nazi and Neo-nazi ideology through the public display of the Nazi symbol has no place in Victoria.
Victoria’s Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs Craig Ondarchie in a parliamentary debate said, “People use the term ‘swastika’. I want to correct that for the record to make sure we are talking about the right thing.”
“I am talking about the Nazi hate symbol, the Hakenkreuz, often referred to, which is a symbol with a cross with the arms bent at right angles in a clockwise direction or a symbol that so nearly resembles it that it is likely to be confused or mistaken for that symbol. This bill only applies to the Nazi swastika or the Hakenkreuz.”
Victoria’s Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs Craig Ondarchie; Source: FACEBOOK
“I say that because there are a number of elements in our community where this could be confused. I think carefully about our Hindu community, our Buddhist community and our Jain community, who use a form of this symbol that people may confuse about, and I want to get that right,” added Mr Ondarchie.
The Bill recognises the cultural and historical significance of the swastika for the Buddhist, Hindu, Jain and other faith communities as an ancient and sacred symbol of peace and good fortune.
‘The Bill does not prohibit the display of the swastika in such religious and cultural contexts.’
Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ros Spence (Twitter)
The Victorian government undertook extensive consultation with religious, legal and community groups on the offence, including understanding the religious use of the Swastika and ensuring exceptions are in place for appropriate displays of the Nazi symbol, such as for educational or artistic purposes.
Yesterday, I had the privilege of speaking in favour of new laws to ban the hateful display of Nazi symbols across Victoria – the first of their kind anywhere in Australia.
The Victorian Government has assured that it will continue to monitor the use of hate symbols and may consider the inclusion of additional symbols at a later stage. Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ros Spence said:
“These laws are part of our unwavering commitment to challenge antisemitism, hatred and racism wherever and whenever they occur.”
Anyone who intentionally displays the Nazi symbol in public will face penalties of up to almost $22,000, 12 months imprisonment or both.
Former Indian-Australian cricket captain Lisa Sthalekar has become the first woman president of the Federation of International Cricketers’ Association (FICA).
The FICA said in a statement:
“Lisa Sthalekar has been confirmed as FICA’s President at the FICA Executive Committee meeting held in Nyon, Switzerland this week.”
The Executive Committee meeting was held ahead of the FICA and World Players’ Association Player Development Conferences and was the first in-person meeting of the group since the COVID-19 pandemic.
FICA is pleased to announce Lisa Sthalekar as its new President
Sthalekar told media that she is looks forward to working on behalf of our member players’ associations and players. She added:
“We are entering a new phase of the game which covers more cricket than ever before for our male and female players. More countries are playing the game which demonstrates that cricket is certainly becoming a global game.”
Sthalekar made her cricket debut as a hard-hitting batter in 2003. She played a key role in Australia’s victory during the 2010 T20 World Cup final against New Zealand. She represented Australia in 187 international matches and retired from the game after Australia’s win in the 2013 ODI World Cup held in Mumbai.
GREAT NEWS!
The former Australia captain Lisa Sthalekar was confirmed for the role at the FICA Executive Committee meeting held in Nyon, Switzerland.
Sthalekar was the first femaler cricketer to score 1000 runs and take 100 wickets in ODI cricket. She still remains among the top 10 wicket-takers in 50-overs cricket.
I'm delighted that we've appointed Lisa Sthalekar @sthalekar93 as our new President. She was clearly the best candidate for the job and is going to do a great job representing @FICA_Players and our members as the game continues to grow and evolve. https://t.co/8DvQDpkBzN
“Lisa was clearly the best candidate and her credentials are unparalleled as both a former player and broadcaster. Her previous roles as an independent director of FICA and on the board of the Australian Cricketers’ Association demonstrate her long standing commitment to the players’ association movement and advancing player rights.”
42-year-old Sthalekar will take up a position that has previously been held by former stalwarts such as South African batter Barry Richards, former West Indies all-rounder Jimmy Adams, and England batter Vikram Solanki.
Sajida Tasneem, Murdered by Father in law: Image Source: Supplied
Australian Sajida Tasneem has allegedly been hacked to death with an axe by her father-in-law in the Pakistani city of Sargoda. According to local media, Ms Tasneem wanted to bring her children back home to Australia which led to an argument following which her father-in-law allegedly killed her.
Sajida Tasneem was allegedly gagged and killed in front of her own father on 11th June. The alleged murder took place at a home she shared with her in-laws.
The BBC Urdu reported that Ms Tasneem’s husband, Ayub Ahmad, had pressurised Ms Tasneem to leave their home in Perth and move to Pakistan with their three children.
Australian media is reporting that according to a Pakistani police report, Ms Tasneem was arguing with her father-in-law who had confiscated the family’s passports after hearing of her intention to relocate back to Australia.
Ms Tasneem’s husband was reportedly working as an engineer in Bahrain at the time.
Ms Tasneem’s father Sher Muhammad Khan sharing his grief with BBC Urdu said that Ms Tasneem wanted her children to get higher education in Australia and not see the deprivations of life that are with them.
Never forget the name Sajida Tasneem – an Australian citizen murdered two days ago in Pakistan after years of horrific domestic abuse – inflicted by her husband and her in-laws. Forced to go back to Pakistan under threat she wanted to return to Australia and was murdered by
Police in Pakistan’s Punjab have confirmed that one person had been arrested and charged with Ms Tasneem’s murder.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has offered their condolences and consular assistance is being provided to the family.
In one of her final Facebook posts, as reported by the news.com.au, Ms Tasneem wrote about women being killed by their “brothers, father or husband”.
“God knows how long this law of horror and ignorance will continue here, not the jungle,”
she wrote.
SHE MATTERS: SAJIDA TASNEEM!
June 14, 2022: This is Sajida Tasneem – an engineer, a mum of three children and an Australian. On Monday, Sajida was murdered in Pakistan by her father-in-law. pic.twitter.com/F6bcicKulL
— Sherele Moody (Femicide Researcher) (@ShereleMoody) June 15, 2022
“Why is it that a woman is killed every time in the name of honour?”
Victoria Police seeing assistance; Image Source: Victoria Police
Mernda Sexual Offence and Child Abuse Investigation Team detectives are seeking assistance from the public following three incidents at parks in Mill Park and Lalor in April and June.
Investigators have been told a woman was walking alone on a football oval at Lalor Reserve when she observed an unknown man expose himself and perform a lewd act on 15 April around 12.50 pm.
Two other women have come forward to police to report similar incidents at WA Smith Reserve in Lalor around 10.50 am on 7 June, and at Sycamore Reserve in Mill Park around 3.50 pm on 13 June.
The man is described as being of South-Asian appearance, approximately 160cm tall, with a solid build and a dark-coloured beard.
Investigators believe the three incidents are linked and have released a computer-generated image of a man who may be able to assist with their enquiries.
Anyone with information that could assist police is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, the Hon Richard Marles MP, has reached India to participate in his first bilateral Defence Ministers’ Meeting. He tweeted a photo of himself performing early morning yoga: “In early morning start with some yoga, ahead of a busy couple of days here in India.”
An early morning start with some yoga, ahead of a busy couple of days here in India.
Deputy Prime Minister Marles said in a statement that he is looking forward to meet with India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh:
“Australia and India are Comprehensive Strategic Partners. I am committed to strengthening Australia’s defence and security cooperation with India. Minister Singh has been instrumental in advancing India-Australia defence ties and I look forward to working with him to enhance the defence pillar of our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.”
The Deputy Prime Minister further said India is one of Australia’s closest security partners and Labor government is focused on revitalising Australia’s historically deep engagement. Deputy Prime Minister Marles added:
“Australia stands ready to work closer with India in support of an open, inclusive and resilient Indo-Pacific”.
During his visit from 20-23 June 2022, Deputy Prime Minister Marles will also meet India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar. This meeting is expected to discuss national security and defence policymakers.
Arrived in India – a top-tier partner + close friend to Australia.
I look forward to advancing our ongoing defence engagement as Comprehensive Strategic Partners and reiterate our commitment for closer cooperation in the #IndoPacific. pic.twitter.com/68bxyCkxyf
An online post on social media by a western yoga teacher was postulating how yoga was not religious and could be practised by anyone from any faith whilst adhering to their religion without fear of conversion.
Does practising yoga make one a Hindu? As a yoga teacher who teaches westerners, I come across this oft-asked query to which I have a counter-question.
Do they think of Hinduism, as a religion, and Hindus as a class of people practising a set discipline? My reply is based upon their response to this question.
If Hinduism is a religion, Yoga cannot be divested from it just because people from ‘other’ religions want to practice and reap the benefits of this time-tested ancient technique without getting out of the comfort zone of their belief system. They have to understand that Yoga is part of a great spiritual philosophy, now known as Hinduism. It is a culmination of rigorous self-study, imposed austerities, and deep reflection on the nature of the self and is based on a solid foundation of a sustained practice of thousands of years.
Many who are called Hindus today believe the ‘ism’ and the term Hindu were imposed upon them by the Greek, Mughal and Colonial marauders to put them in a box they could comprehend, as comprehending the diversity of this land was impossible for their small limited minds.
The present-day Hindus themselves believe their roots are deep in the Sanatana Dharma philosophy, an eternal way of life that evolved/is evolving, is alive and is the result of extensive study, introspection and realisation of the nature of humankind and their relation to the divine, with many paths and movements branching out from this study, of which Yoga is one. There was never felt the need to give this a limiting label of an ism. This system accepts even atheism as a philosophy and they are free to adopt, refute and challenge the belief systems of scholars.
This is proof of an enlightened spiritual tradition not an excuse for marketing Yoga as not a religion and giving examples of atheists practising yoga to draw in students.
Therefore, to understand that Yoga is not a religion you have to yourself be realised that extent. But to frivolously mouth yoga is not a religion and that one can continue being a Christian or Muslim or Jew while practising Yoga is insulting the universality of yoga and extension, the religion now called Hinduism of which it is a part.
So yes, if you think Hinduism is a religion then Yoga is Hindu. But if you have broken the shackles of religion, in all its limitations, then not only yoga but all the paths that have come out of this deep reflective philosophy are not a religion but an invitation to explore and realise.
“The pilgrim, the path and the goal become one – LOVE,” says Yogiraj Siddhanath a realised Kriya Master, a foremost example of how versatile and evolving Sanatana Dharma is.
Author: Jyoti Subramanianis a Kriyacharya who has been teaching the practices of the Siddhanath Yoga Parampara since 1999.
This article was first published on www.esamskriti.com/. We have republished it with kind permission.
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.
We all love to ‘dream big’ and achieve them by all means. However, some dreams always seem to slip out of our hands. Something similar has happened to the Liberal ticket aspirant and former councillor of Wyndham City Intaj Khan.
Mr Khan needs no introduction to the political and social circles of Victoria for multiple reasons.
Thursday evening’s Liberal Party Administrative Committee meeting bought bad news for Mr Khan, who has applied for preselection for the outer-western Melbourne seat of Tarneit for the November 2022 state parliament elections.
Don’t be confused, we are not talking about Labor Party pre-selection it’s for the Liberal party ticket!
But, but when did Intaj Khan make the switch from Labor to Liberal?
Oh, while you were busy saving your business or job because of the after-effects of the pandemic, multimillionaire Mr Khan was busy planning for his political future after being told by one of the most influential power brokers in the Labor Party that Premier Daniel Andrews doesn’t want him around.
There is a saying when the ‘Captain’ shuts the door on you, good idea is to find another team. Realising no prospects in Labor Party, Mr Khan resigned very quietly in the year 2019.
When your chips are down you rely on friends to bring some opportunity to push you back in the game, Mr Khan also has a friend Goldy Brar with access to the Liberal Party ‘captain’.
Intaj Khan and Goldy Brar; Image Source: Facebook @Intajkhan
Indian Australian Goldy Brar is a former adviser to Liberal leader Matthew Guy when he was Minister for Planning from December 2010 to 2014. Both came close as the then councillor Mr Khan was in-charge of the planning portfolio for Wyndham City Council.
Fast forward to the year 2022, Goldy Brar arranged multiple meetings with Mr Khan and Mathew Guy; before Mr Guy agreed to induct Mr Khan into the party.
Two highly placed sources who don’t want to reveal their identity told The Australia Today that Mr Khan made a promise to bring the multilingual Muslim communities in Melbourne’s western and northern suburbs to the Liberal Party’s fold. He also agreed to spend a substantial amount via his real estate networks in the election if he gets a Liberal ticket from the western seat of Tarneit.
The proposition was really interesting for both the aspirant and the captain, but there was a catch. Mr Khan lives in the western suburb of Tarneit and local Liberal Party leaders in these branches were preparing for elections and didn’t like the idea of Intaj Khan joining the party and taking their spot.
Intaj Khan, Goldy Brar and Mathew Guy; Image Source: Facebook @GoldyBrar
Goldy Brar was once again instrumental in finding a way with the help of captain Guy and Mr Khan joined the eastern electorate of Bulleen’s branch as a member of the Liberal Party.
I want Tarneit
Tarneit electorate is one of the most multicultural seats in the victorian parliament with a significant number of Indian Australians. The local residents have shown their anger and frustration on many occasions over the lack of political will to fix issues of lack of facilities in this electorate.
Probably seeing these concerns, Labor Party’s current Tarneit MP Sarah Conolley has decided to move to the Laverton electorate and a non-local candidate Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) organiser Dylan Wight has been parachuted to fight for Tarneit.
The Australia Today understands that there were several direct and indirect communications between senior Liberal party leaders from western suburbs who were opposing Mr Khan’s induction and Liberal leader Mathew Guy.
After a lot of deliberations, a compromise was reached in mid-April. As per this compromise formula, Intaj Khan was almost certain to get the Liberal Party’s endorsement for the Tarneit electorate.
Intaj Khan and Mathew Guy; Image Source: Facebook @IntajKhan
What went wrong for Intaj Khan?
As per a Liberal insider, after this compromise formula was reached, Mr Khan started introducing himself as the Liberal candidate for Tarneit, organised meetings and posted big boards in Tarneit.
The insider also told The Australia Today that Mr Khan invited Mr Guy twice to Wyndham for community interactions but not once local liberal leadership was invited to participate in it.
Another insider told The Australia Today about an announcement made by Liberal leader Mathew Guy in Mr Khan’s party that he will facilitate a call of ‘Azaan on special days’ via loudspeakers, this became really upsetting for local Islamic leadership in Wyndham.
After which, party insider says, Islamic leadership had made it known to the Liberal leaders that such an important announcement should have been made at an appropriate place and in the presence of the wider Muslim community.
(In a video posted on Facebook Mr Mathew Guy can be heard saying the Islamic community in Victoria should be allowed to voice “Aazan” via loudspeakers on religiously important days to them.)
The Australia Today understands that post has been deleted from Mr Khan’s Facebook profile.
Intaj Khan and Mathew Guy; Image Source: Facebook @IntajKhan
The Australia Today understands a lot of phone calls were made by Premier Daniel Andrew’s Muslim community outreach team to Islamic leadership in western and northern suburbs reminding them of the Victorian Labor government’s support.
After this incident, a lot of prominent Liberal voices from northern and western suburbs raised their concerns about Mr Khan’s candidacy to Mathew Guy.
The Last straw
As a Liberal Party member, one is allowed to apply for preselection from any electorate regardless of the branch they represent.
Intaj Khan applied for pre-selection for the Tarneit electorate two weeks back, but again there was an issue with party rules as he only joined the Liberal Party in March 2022.
As per Liberal Party rules: “To be eligible for endorsement applicant must have been a Member of the Party for the whole of the 12 months immediately preceding the close of applications unless the Administrative Committees decides by a three-quarters majority.”
Of course, Mr Khan was made aware of this rule and he applied for an exemption from the all-powerful Administrative committee.
Thursday 16th June evening, Liberal Party’s Administrative Committee meeting was held which sealed Mr Khan’s fate at least for this Victorian election.
The Australia Today understands that Liberal Party’s Administrative Committee unanimously rejected Mr Khan’s exemption application saying that “he needs to work for the party before we try him.”
Party leader Mathew Guy is a member of the administrative committee, however, he didn’t attend Thursday’s meeting.
The Australia Today tried to contact Intaj Khan however he declined to comment.
India will invest $30 billion to overhaul its tech industry and also build up a resilient chip supply chain ecosystem. This will help India boost local production of semiconductors, batteries, electronics, advanced chemicals, displays, networking and telecom equipment.
Indian PM Narendra Modi’s government introduced “Digital India,” the nation’s flagship economic transformation program to upgrade its industries in 2015 and has since then developed several tech hubs in the south.
Gourangalal Das, the Director-General of the India-Taipei Association told Nikkei Asia in an interview that India’s chip demand is growing at nearly double the global rate each year.
“There is a rise in demand for semiconductors. By 2030, India semiconductor demand will reach $110 billion. So by that time, it will be over 10% of global demand.”
PM Modi – Digital India – 2015 (ORF)
He further added that this investment is to ensure that the nation is not “held hostage” to foreign providers.
“We need some assurance that our demand for semiconductors is not held hostage to the vagaries of supply chains — something that we saw during the pandemic.”
Mr Das said that India is looking to bring in more “mature” chips that include chips made with the relatively less advanced 65-nanometer to 28-nanometer production technologies. These chips are widely used in connectivity chips, display drivers, and controller chips for electronics products and electric vehicles.
Mr Gourangalal Das, the Director-General of India-Taipei Association (Facebook)
Mr Das added that India has a large number of skilled engineers who can help the country attract foreign investors and overhaul the domestic electronics industry.
India is also looking at display technology – liquid crystal diode (LCD) and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) – and hopes to become more self-sufficient in the production of TVs, smartphones, tablets, and automobiles. Mr Das said:
“The demand is going to grow and you cannot be in a perpetual state of import dependency.”
At this stage, India is looking to meet both domestic and international skills shortages by setting a target of producing 85,000 highly qualified engineers in the next decade.
Mr Das said that around $10 billion of the investment sum will go toward two-chip facilities and two display plants. Further, about $7 billion is planned to be given to the electronics industry, including those manufacturing giants like Foxconn and fellow iPhone assembler Pegatron. The remaining $13 billion will be reserved for “affiliated services like telecom, networking, solar photovoltaic, advanced chemistry and battery cells.” He added:
“Even though India has not gone into the semiconductor [industry] in a big way, it has all the associated industrial capabilities, which can be tweaked a little bit or upgraded a little bit to meet the demands. It’s not like India’s learning curve is going to be very steep… But we will be patient and we will be quite persistent.”
Mr Das said India is open to collaborations with tech players who have semiconductor, display and electronics manufacturing expertise.
Sydney School students chanting mantras on International Yoga Day; Image Source: Indranil Halder - The Australia Today
International Yoga Day celebrations kicked off in Sydney today where students from John Colet School in Sydney recited Sanskrit Mantras at Sydney Town Hall.
The event ‘ Yoga for Humanity’ was organised by the Indian Consulate in Sydney.
Students from John Colet School in Sydney chanting Sanskrit Mantras (Video source: Indranil Halder)
Indian-Australian Indranil Halder who was at the event shared his feelings with The Australia Today,
“It was a great day for yoga as Sydney participated in International Yoga Day at Sydney Town Hall, inside the majestic town hall building was lit in green, orange and white”
Image Source: Indranil Halder
Mr Halder told The Australia Today that he could feel the enthusiasm in the room,
“It was extremely well organised. There was an enthusiastic vibe from participants in the room. Consular General (Mr Manish Gupta) was very welcoming in his speech. Over 400 participants had gathered for the event. There was wonderful flute and table music”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mother Heeraben Modi celebrated her 100th birthday on June 18. PM Modi met his mother Hiraba at her residence in Gandhinagar and sought her blessings.
On this occasion, PM Modi penned a heartfelt blog that paid tribute to her. He tweeted: “Maathis isn’t a mere word but it captures a range of emotions. Today, 18th June is the day my Mother Heeraba enters her 100th year. On this special day, I have penned a few thoughts expressing joy and gratitude.”
Maa…this isn’t a mere word but it captures a range of emotions. Today, 18th June is the day my Mother Heeraba enters her 100th year. On this special day, I have penned a few thoughts expressing joy and gratitude. https://t.co/KnhBmUp2se
Hiraba lives with Pankaj Modi, PM Modi’s younger brother. PM Modi recalled that his family stayed in a small mud house in Vadnagar with clay tiles for a roof. He also mentioned the innumerable everyday adversities that his mother encountered and successfully overcame.
Abbas (Twitter)
PM Modi recalled his childhood friend, Abbas, who stayed in their home and Hiraba was as affectionate and caring towards Abbas as she was with her own children. He wrote in the blog:
“A close friend of my father used to stay in a nearby village. After his untimely death, my father brought his friend’s son, Abbas, to our home. He stayed with us and completed his studies. Mother was as affectionate and caring towards Abbas just like she did for all of us siblings. Every year on Eid, she used to prepare his favourite dishes.”
Abbas, who used to work as a Class 2 employee in the Food and Supply Department for the Gujarat government, recently retired from service. As per local media reports, PM Modi’s younger brother identified a picture of Abbas and confirmed that it was him.
Abbas now lives with his younger son in Sydney, Australia while his eldest son still lives in Kheralu Tahsil of Gujarat’s Mehsana district.
Note:The Australia Today would like to connect with Mr Abbas in Sydney to do a full story.
Gurudwara attacked in Kabul (Image source: Twitter-Tolo News)
A Gurudwara in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul came under attack when acccording to reports it was hit by a bomb and unidentified armed assailants entered the Gurudwara early today morning.
It is being reported that there were upto 30 people inside the Gurudwara when the attack happened. So far the number of casualties is unknown but reports suggest that atleast two people have been killed. The Karte Parwan Gurdwara is the last remaining Gurdwara in Kabul.
Terrifying visuals from Gurdwara Karte Parwan in Kabul, Afghanistan which was attacked by terrorists early morning today. Multiple blasts reported at Gurdwara Sahib premises. Praying for peace and safety for all in Gurdwara Sahib @thetribunechd@ANI@PTI_News@TimesNowpic.twitter.com/tF3n5wgrMl
India, where a majority of the world’s Sikh’s reside, has condemned the attack.
The cowardly attack on Gurudwara Karte Parwan should be condemned in the strongest terms by all.
We have been closely monitoring developments since the news of the attack was received. Our first and foremost concern is for the welfare of the community. https://t.co/ocfuY0RBhN
Visuals from inside the Gurudwara after the attack show the carnage that took place today morning.
I strongly condemn the cowardly terrorist attack on Gurdwara Karte Parwan in Kabul. My heart goes out to the families of those who lost their lives in blast.I pray for the safety of the Sikh families trapped inside & for the speedy recovery of those injured in the tragic incident pic.twitter.com/P4Nw0FwzTd
— Harsimrat Kaur Badal (@HarsimratBadal_) June 18, 2022
Former Vice President of Afghanistan Amarullah Saleh has also condemned the attack and called it a ‘heinous terrorist attack’.
Can't find lethal enough words to express condemnation of the henious terrorist attack against the Gurdwara in Kbl targetting pceful Sikh citizens of Afg.With ISI backed HQN ruling Kabul & LeT/Jaish roaming free a fair investigation can't be expected. Attck hz all halmrks of HQN
When you have as much content as you see these days, it’s pretty rare to find a show with heart. This is why I was pleasantly surprised when I watched Marvel’s latest Disney+ show, Ms Marvel. To be honest, I’ve become sort of desensitized to visual flares and CGI shenanigans, having already seen so much of it. I mean, I can still appreciate a nicely shot scene and be excited about a well-executed superhero fight sequence. But the sheer amount of jaw-dropping technical brilliance we get these days has unfortunately made it something to be passively expected, especially from a behemoth such as Disney. What we are often not given, however, is a story that gets who we are. A story that is not only earnest enough for those it represents but also for people from other communities. And Ms Marvel does that.
So, the story starts with the character of Kamala Khan (played by Iman Vellani), a Pakistani-American teenager and superhero-obsessed fangirl. She lives with her mother Muneeba (played by Zenobia Shroff), father Yusuf (played by Mohan Kapur) and brother Amir (played by Saagar Shaikh). Since this is an origin story, the episode mainly revolves around a pre-superpower, Kamala, her friends and her family. And I think that was the biggest strength of this debut episode. Most people often forget that it’s never the powers that make a superhero; it’s the person underneath the costume. For all his powers, what makes Superman a beacon of hope is the uncrushable goodness he has. For all the gadgets and prep time, what Batman the Dark Knight is the pain he carries within him. It is the person who is the hero, never the power. And I like the person Kamala is.
The reason why I like Kamala is stupidly simple and incredibly effective. She is relatable. As a matter of fact, she is so relatable that within the first ten minutes of the episodes, I started reliving unwanted childhood memories. Any kid who was raised in a South Asian family anywhere will immediately know what Kamala is going through. When Kamala mentions how her mother always says no whenever she wants to do something fun, I nodded my head in agreement so hard I’m surprised it didn’t just fall off. When I was young, my mother said no to me so many times I thought that was her default setting. Even today, when I tell her I’m doing something, and she says “yes”, I’m momentarily stunned. In my head, I’m like, really? You knew that word? Or is this a newly acquired ability? I love my mother to death, and I know now that it was her way of protecting me. For many parents, the best way to protect their kids from the world is to keep them away from it. That’s what my parents did, and that’s what Kamala’s parents do. And boy, do I feel her pain. I feel it in my bones.
Ms Marvel (Screenshot)
It’s not just the lack of permissions; it’s also the uncanny valley of support and guilt trips in which we South Asian kids live. Early in the episode, Kamala gives a driver’s test but ends up rear-ending her instructor’s car. Next, we see Mr & Mrs Khan not give an inch as they defend their daughter in front of her underpaid and emotionally distressed driving instructor. After he refuses to pass Kamala, thereby preventing her from causing unintentional vehicular assault in the future, the Khans verbally berate him and walk off. You’d think that would be the end of it. A heart-warming and vigorous show of support, right? Oh, you sweet summer child. In the next scene, we see Kamala in the back seat of her parent’s car as her mother passive-aggressively chides her for fantasizing all the time. You know, at this point, I really started to think, “When did people record my childhood, and why didn’t anyone tell me?” The many times my parents have defended me in public and then whooped my ass in private would fill a very confusing book. But that’s how our parents are. No one has the right to put the fear of the gods in their child apart from them.
By now, you must’ve noticed that I don’t really talk much about Kamala’s powers. Well, that’s because I don’t much care. I don’t care if she uses “Hard Light” (as the show calls it), I don’t care if she can “embiggen” herself, and I don’t care whether she gets her power from a bracelet or Terrigen mist or latent genetic abilities triggered by multiples snaps of the Infinity Gauntlet. I don’t care, not because it doesn’t matter, but because I care more about Kamala’s character. I care that she is a confused kid for whom the future is a blur. I care that she is a person brought up in the middle of two worlds, holding onto her roots while branching out towards her dreams. I care that she has to fight her parents to show who she is. And I care that she doesn’t need the courage to defy her parents; she needs it because she fears that she might hurt them. I care about the person, not the powers.
This is a huge thing and an achievement that the MCU has been struggling to land in recent times. I don’t know how this show will eventually pan out, but this is as good a start as I could’ve hoped for. A lot can be forgiven when you admire and relate to a character. And that includes terrible shows and movies. I mean, I watched X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and I will still fight anyone who argues that there can be a better Logan than Hugh Jackman. Also, it is not just Kamala who’s fantastic; it’s the rest of the cast. From the sexist aunt who thinks a woman backpacking through Europe is blasphemous to Bruno struggling to be more than a friend to Kamala, they all make this a living, breathing and curious world. I love insane superhero fights as much as the other geek, but sometimes it just feels so nice to know that there are others like you. And it felt great to look at Kamala and think, “Been there and done that, kid”.
Ms Marvel (Screenshot)
At the end of the day, Ms Marvel is an origin story. Most of these are pretty similar. You have an unsuspecting person, you have some sort of life-altering event, you have said person struggling with powers and/or the right course of action, and, finally, you have them taking a stand. The same trope will take place here. But I love that Marvel realized this and decided to focus on building the characters around the origin story instead. These people feel real, and their reality helps ground the more nebulous concepts of superpowers and abilities. But I would like to end on a more cautious note. Marvel doesn’t have the most excellent track record for sticking the landing on their shows. If the focus of the showing remains on fleshing out who Kamala is, what she wants, and who she can become, things are in good hands. However, if they suddenly begin to go all out on stuff like flashy CGI, over-the-top fights, and unnecessary cameos, then they are in trouble. Make the base; the rest can wait. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go wait for Wednesday to come around.
Contributing Author: Sayan Mukherjee is a PhD student at Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information Technology in Gandhinagar, India. He is currently working on the semiotic structure of Indian graphic narratives. His areas of interest include graphic narratives, visual culture, gender studies, cultural studies, and popular culture.
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.
42-year-old Mr Srinivas Gowda, an Indian IT software engineer and a native of Ramanagara near Bengaluru in Karnataka, quit his job to start a donkey milk farm.
He startedAisiri Farms, an agriculture and animal husbandry, veterinary services, training and fodder development centre, on 2.3 acres of land at Ira village in Dakshina Kannada district near Manguluru with an investment of Rs 42 lakhs (AUD 75,000).
Donkeys – Aisiri Farm (Website)
Mr Gowda told news agency ANI:
“I was previously employed in a software firm until 2020. This is one of a kind in India and Karnataka’s first donkey farming and training centre.”
As per reports, there are two other farms – one in Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli and another in Kerala’s Ernakulam.
Mr Gowda claimed that he came up with this idea because of the decline in the number of donkeys, who are harmless and neglected.
Presently we have 20 donkeys and I have made an investment of around Rs 42 lakhs. We are planning to sell donkey milk which has a lot of advantages. Our dream is that donkey milk should be available to everyone. Donkey milk is a medicine formula: Srinivas Gowda, farm owner pic.twitter.com/Mo0KxVJ9nN
Mr Gowda says that donkey’s milk has a medicinal formula and it is his dream to make the milk easily accessible to everyone in India and abroad.
“Donkey milk has a lot of advantages as it is a medicine formula.”
The idea of donkey’s milk may sound new to some but it has been around for thousands of years. The Greek physician Hippocrates is reported to have used this milk as a treatment for arthritis, coughs, and wounds. Freeze-dried and pasteurised donkey milk is sold in Europe and the US
Last year, donkey’s milk was being sold for Rs 10,000 per litre (AUD180) in Maharashtra. A local livestock development officer Dr Dattatraya Ingole told Lokmat it has been used to treat heart ailments, infectious diseases, liver-related diseases, fever, and asthma.
Aisiri Farm (Facebook)
Ms Jayashree R. Karkera, co-founder and director of Aisiri Fram, told Discover Agriculture that this is a unique and unusual concept:
“We are into this sector only because of medicinal values … People in INdia are not aware regarding this farming as they have a mindset that donkeys are used only to carry luggage.”
Mr Gowda is selling 30ml packets of donkey milk for Rs 150, which will be supplied through malls, shops and supermarkets. He claimed that with just 20 donkeys he has already received orders worth Rs 17 lakh.
Mr Sunit Ganjoo* a Kashmiri Pandit student of the University of NSW (UNSW) has been seeking counselling for what he calls bullying and harassment that the Hindu students have faced in the last two weeks.
Mr Ganjoo told The Australia Today that he felt like what his grandparents and parents would have felt when they were forced to flee from their ancestral homes in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) 32 years ago (January 1990) by terrorists.
“My mother was of almost my age when she heard slogans calling for ‘Ralive, Tsalive Ya Galive’ in her home at Srinagar.’
The words mean Ralive=surrender (convert to Islam), Tsalive=leave (your homes to be a refugee elsewhere), or Galive=perish (to be killed if not complying with demands).
“These words changed the course of life of lakhs of Kashmiri Hindus including my mom and their coming generations which is me.”
“Given the choice what would anyone of us opt for?”, Mr Ganjoo questions.
He further adds:
“I am having nightmares, I hear people saying- you have only these choice, I wake-up in middle of the night and feel as if I need to runaway somewhere safe.”
What happened thousands of miles away from Kashmirat UNSW
Members of UNSW Hindu Society were allegedly bullied, harassed and intimidated by students representing the UNSW Muslim Students Association (UNSWMSA) against the screening of the movie ‘The Kashmir Files’.
How it happened
To understand and discuss the truth behind the Genocide of Hindus in Kashmir, the UNSW Hindu Society voted to screen the movie at the Colombo theatre on campus on 9th June.
They published it on their Instagram account.
The Australia Today has learned that students from the UNSW Muslim Students Association wanted the UNSW Hindu Society to not go ahead with the screening.
The UNSW Hindu Society as a responsible student body agreed to a Zoom meeting with UNSWMSA to resolve any issue. The threats against Hindu students were allegedly made during this “Zoom meeting’ which took place on 7th June and was recorded.
In this meeting, the spokesperson of UNSWMSA Usman Mehmood took names of religious leaders, journalists and politicians to allegedly intimidate the Hindu students. During the meeting, he, who allegedly made the threats, acknowledged that he had not seen the movie.
Nevertheless, the spokesperson for UNSWMSA allegedly warned the Hindu students against screening the movie with words to the effect:
“Let me be clear and blunt with you guys. If you guys agree, all well and good, we really appreciate it on behalf of the Muslim Society of UNSW and greater Muslims abroad.
If not, ‘there’s other actions that can be taking place. ..these other actions are not lovely actions…
Either we can go about this nicely or we can go about the other route. The other route is as we mentioned right now.”
To put pressure on Hindu society students he claimed,
“We’ve got dozens of contacts, from Senators to newspapers, to news channels, to charity organisations, to religious organisations as well… I’m going to mention just a few names that we have direct contact with…that will basically be helping us in our fight against this.”
The spokesperson of UNSWMSA then went on to mention some names. Among them, prominent were Greens Party’s senator – Mahreen Faruqi, Journalist – Mustafa Rachwani, Grand Mufti of Australia- Mufti Ibrahim Abu Mohammed, Chief of Staff of ABC News, Asia Pacific – Mosiqi Acharya , Deputy Editor ABC News – McCarthy (Joanna McCarthy), Australian National Imams Council member – Sheik Wisaam, United Muslims of Australia member – Sheik Omar El-Ghaz.
Mr Ganjoo told The Australia Today, “Some people from multicultural communities are supported and empowered by politicians, media and other not for profit groups but than these people using this power as weapon against other minorities like Hindus is unacceptable.” Mr Ganjoo questions:
“Why is the system so not looking at us and our plight when we are targeted as Hindu minorities in Australia?”
The Australia Today reached out to the people whose names were taken to allegedly threaten the Hindu students.
Among those who have responded are journalists Mostafa Rachwani from The Guardian, Joanna McCarthy and Mosiqi Acharya from the ABC, and Dr Shabbir Ahmed from Masjid Qubaa. They have categorically denied that they permitted anyone at UNSW to use their name.
The Guardians Mostafa Rachwani categorically denied when asked if he has given permission to anyone at UNSW to use his name.
“To answer your question: No.”
In a written statement via ABC’s Communications lead, Ms Acharya and Ms McCarthy said,
“I have no idea who this person is, am not associated in any way with either of those organisations and have not given permission for anyone to use my name.“
When questioned about giving permission to use his name by spokesperson of UNSWMSA, Dr Shabbir Ahmed from Masjid Qubaa replied…
“I did not give any permission. Where is a proof?”
During the meeting, some allegedly insensitive and Hinduphobic comments were also made by the spokesperson of UNSWMSA.
Mr Mehmood went on to ask the Hindu students:
“how many Kashmiri Hindus were killed or tortured?”
He repeated this insensitive question several times until one of the Hindu society member replied that the fact that Hindus were killed and targetted in the Kashmir valley was enough to make a movie on it.
Mr Ganjoo* told The Australia Today, “Two of my mothers relatives were killed that year by terrorists in Kashmir. I have grown up hearing stories about those uncles (Killed in Kashmir terrorist attacks) and seeing their pictures in our family albums.” Mr Ganjoo added:
“Seems like our lives, our lived experience, our trauma, our pain and suffering has no meaning for some.”
The Australia Today sought a response from UNSW specifically asking if the university was aware of any alleged threats by any student against their Hindu counterparts at UNSW and if so what action has been taken so far.
In response, UNSW neither confirmed nor denied these allegations but said in a statement,
“The screening of ‘the Kashmir Files,’ organised by the UNSW Hindu Society, proceeded without incident.
The University is committed to providing a working and learning environment that is free from discrimination, harassment, and vilification.
Response from University of NSW
Religious persecution is unacceptable at UNSW. Our university fosters an environment that is a safe and inclusive community. We are proud of the rich perspectives that cultural, linguistic, and religious diversity brings to student and staff life at UNSW.“
The Australia Today has reached out to the UNSW Muslim Students Association and the Islamic Society of UNSW (ISOC) and via them to the spokesperson of UNSWMSA Usman Mehmood, who made the comments but has not yet received a response.
The Australia Today is also still awaiting responses from others whose names were taken to allegedly coerce the students into not screening the film ‘The Kashmir Files’ including from Green’s Deputy Leader Mehreen Faruqi, founder of UMA (United Muslims of Australia), Sheikh Shadi Alsuleiman and Grand Mufti of Australia Mufti Ibrahim Abu Mohammed.
This film was cleared by the Australian Classification Board and was released in Australian theatres in March this year. The Australian Classification board describes The Kashmir Files as,
“The aftermath of the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in 1990 due to ethnic and religious violence.”
Kashmiri Pandits, who are Hindus, are the indigenous people of Kashmir with a history dating back thousands of years.
The movie is a cinematographic account of the horrific events that started unfolding in the early 1990s as Pakistan-sponsored terrorist groups started a wave of violence in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir including groups like Lashkar-E-Taiyyiba and Harkatul Mujhahiddin which are on an UN-designated sanctions list for terrorism.
Mr Ganjoo* told The Australia Today, “I want you to use my real name, my picture for this story but my mom doesn’t agree.”
“She doesn’t want me to suffer like she had, her friends turning enemy one fine morning just because she is Hindu,”
said a teary Mr Ganjoo*.
Pakistan-based terror groups have also been responsible for terrorist attacks in other parts of India including the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008 on 26/11. International affairs analysts like Christine Fair have also spoken about Pakistan using terrorism as an instrument of state policy “that arches across the countries of South Asia” including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka as well as throughout India”.
Pakistan has been on the FATF (Financial Action Task Force) grey list since June 2018 which monitors countries for money laundering and terror financing.
Former Pakistani President and Army Chief Pervez Musharraf, in a televised interview in 2016, admitted that Pakistan was training ‘mujahideen’ (religiously motivated terrorists) in Pakistan to fight in Kashmir. He also admitted to Pakistan training the Taliban as part of a ‘religious militancy’.
In the same interview, he said Osama Bin Laden was considered a hero in Pakistan.
Osama Bin Laden, head of terrorist organisation Al-Qaeda and architect of the 9/11 terror attacks in the US, was found to be living in Abbottabad in Pakistan and killed in a US raid in 2012. Abbottabad is a cantonment area of the Pakistani army. Pakistan Military Academy which is an officer’s training school is also located in Abbottabad.
Former chief of Pakistan’s spy agency, ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence), Lt Gen (retd) Asad Durrani, in a televised interview in 2015, also confirmed that Pakistan was on one hand taking billions from the US and its allies to fight against the Taliban and on the other helping and sheltering the Taliban. “We fooled them” said Gen Durrani.
The Taliban which overran Afghanistan last year is responsible for killing 41 Australian soldiers and wounding many others. Asad Durrani, in the same interview, also mentioned that the terror attack on school children in Peshawar, Pakistan, in December 2014 was ‘collateral damage’ for Pakistan’s policies.
* Name changed on request.
Note: The Australia Today will update the story in case we receive a response from any other individual named in the write-up.
Chief of Army Lieutenant General Rick Burr, with 1st Division's Dr Madhu Patel, celebrating her 50 years of service in the Australian Army at Gallipoli Barracks in Brisbane, Queensland. Photo: Corporal Miguel Anonuevo (Twitter)
Dr Madhu Patel, 80-year-old, from the Australian army’s Joint Health Command’s Enoggera Health Centre, 1st Division, is still going strong.
She commenced her employment as a general practitioner with the Australian Army in 1971 at a time when there were hardly any women or people from different cultures in the defence force.
Dr Madhu Patel recently celebrated 50 years of service and for this achievement was awarded a commendation by Chief of Army Lieutenant General Rick Burr.
Meet #OurPeople || 1st Division’s Dr Madhu Patel recently celebrated her 50 years of service and was awarded a commendation by @ChiefAusArmy LTGEN Rick Burr.
Dr Madhu Patel was presented with the commendation at Gallipoli Barracks on 27 May 2022.
She told Defence News that the secret of her longevity is the focus and dedication to soldiers.
“One hundred per cent of my concentration is for soldiers and what I can do for them for them to have a better life, for them to be happy at work and be able to provide a service to Defence.”
She adds:
“In managing soldiers either administratively or medically, I won’t take no for an answer. I will get things done in a timely manner to get them ready to deploy.”
Dr Madhu Patel further said that she had enjoyed her career in the Australian defence force.
“I have been privileged through my relationship with my commanders, and their trust upon me has helped me look after my soldiers. I’m for them, with them and will always want to help them and serve the people of this country.”
She further thanked her commanders for supporting and recognising her capabilities.
“My commanders have always looked after me and understood my capability and that’s the most important thing – that they enable you to do your job and do it well. This recognition of my service is very fulfilling. For Defence to know who I am, what I am and what I have done – serving the country through our people – it means a lot to me. I never expected it. They know me personally, professionally and they know how I look after people at all levels.”
Dr Madhu Patel and her family at Gallipoli Barracks in Brisbane, Queensland. (Source: Kumarsmedia – Facebook)
Dr Madhu Patel who is 80 has no plans for retirement, as for her the Army is still the best and most important part of her life. She said:
“Defence has been the most important part of my whole life. “I don’t wear the uniform, but it exists in every cell in my body.”
In 2019, Dr Madhu Patel was awarded her 3rd Silver Land Commander Award which is the 2nd highest commendation in the Australian Army.
I've been privileged to grow up with a loving and strong woman and mother. So proud of her for achieving her 3rd Silver Land Commander Award (2nd highest commendation in the Australian Army)! pic.twitter.com/oqBPedwdU0
As an advice to people who are new to this country and Australian defence family, Dr Madhu Patel says that respecting the commitment they make is very important.
“You committed to do something and you need to fulfil that commitment. You need to know that you are there to look after people in your country who you don’t even know. Be proud to be a soldier.”
Over these 50 years, Dr Madhu Patel has worked across numerous units and regiments which has helped her forge strong professional and personal relationships resulting in a successful career.
School children (Papatoetoe North School - Facebook).
Papatoetoe North School in South Auckland has become the first of its kind school in New Zealand to start a “Hindi bilingual class.”
This class, as per reports in the Indian Weekender, will offer an opportunity for young children to acquire subject learning in Hindi medium.
This was announced in the presence of esteemed guests such as the Hon Consul of India Bhav Dhillon; Satya Dutt, leading Hindi language activist; Kanwaljit Bakshi, former National Party MP; and more than 200 members of the local community.
Mr Mahendra Singh, Mr Alvin Chand, Mr Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, Ms Sheetal Singh, Mrs Lata Singh, Mr Bhav Dhillon (India’s Hon Consulate General), Mr Satya Dutt, Mr Stan Tiatia (Papatoetoe North School – Facebook).
Bhav Dhillon told audience:
“This is a great milestone in the growth and acceptance of the Hindi language in Aotearoa New Zealand as a mode of communication. It will remove the barrier in learning for many children who comes from households where Hindi is a primary language of communication.”
Dhillon added that the classes in this primary school will give an opportunity to young children to learn Hindi as an additional language.
Mr Stan Tiatia (Papatoetoe North School – Facebook).
Stan Tiatia, the principal of Papatoetoe North School, said that they were proud of this initiative to open the first Hindi bilingual class which is built on a the idea of Maori bilingual class.
“The roadmap to establishing the bilingual Hindi class was developed by our bilingual Maori classes ‘Te Whanau Tupuranga’, and we have been developing language learning progressions in Hindi Samoan and Te reo Maori.”
This school has around 30 per cent of students who speak Hindi at home. The principal thanked the local Indian community for their support and hoped to develop more such community initiatives. Mr Tiatia added:
“We have a committed management team and passionate classroom teachers, like Mrs Sheetal Singh, who have made this inaugural initiative possible.”
Mrs Shiraz, Ms Singh, Mrs Singh, Mrs Dean & Mrs May (Papatoetoe North School – Facebook).
Sheetal Singh, the teacher coordinator running the Hindi bilingual class, explained the rationale behind these classes to the Indian Weekender:
“We were noting that many of our young student’s learning was being affected due to language barrier and therefore we have worked together to remove that barrier. This bilingual class is different than any other Hindi language learning in NZ school as in those schools Hindi is taught as a subject, while in this bilingual class Hindi is a medium of communication where all other subjects are also taught in Hindi medium along with English medium.”
Papatoetoe is predominately a suburb populated by Indian and Fiji-Indian communities. The movement to teach Hindi language in an organised way started in 2002 due to the growth in migrants from India and Fiji-Indian community in New Zealand.
The Hindi bilingual classes had been operational from the beginning of the term in February 2022. However, the official opening ceremony was delayed due to COVID-19 lockdown and restrictions in New Zealand.
The IPL TV and digital rights for the 2023-2027 cycle have been sold to Star India and Viacom18 respectively for a whopping A$7.25 billion (Rs 48,390 crore) for 410 matches at e-auctions on Tuesday. IPL is now the world’s second most valued sporting league in terms of per match value.
“Since its inception, the IPL has been synonymous with growth and today is a red-letter day for India Cricket, with Brand IPL touching a new high with e-auction resulting in A$7.25 billion (INR 48,390 cr) value. IPL is now the 2nd most valued sporting league in the world in terms of per match value!,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah tweeted.
IPL trophy; Image Source; IPL @Twitter
The Package A (of TV) has been sold to Star India at US$ 2.72 billion approx (Rs 23,575 crore) which is Rs 57.5 crore per match and Package B of Digital Rights as well as Package C for selected 18 games in digital space for India each season has been sold to Viacom-18 at Rs 23,758.
Reliance-owned Viacom-18 also won Australia, South Africa and United Kingdom rights. Times have got MENA (Middle East North Africa) and the United States and the Rest of the World’s Rights.
“I am thrilled to announce that STAR INDIA wins India TV rights with their bid of Rs 23,575 crores. The bid is a direct testimony to the BCCI’s organisational capabilities despite two pandemic years,
“Jay Shah said.
“Viacom18 bags digital rights with its winning bid of Rs 23,758 cr. India has seen a digital revolution and the sector has endless potential. The digital landscape has changed the way cricket is watched. It has been a big factor in the growth of the game and the Digital India vision,” he added.
Viacom18 bags digital rights with its winning bid of Rs 23,758 cr. India has seen a digital revolution & the sector has endless potential. The digital landscape has changed the way cricket is watched. It has been a big factor in the growth of the game & the Digital India vision.
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly said that the event shows how strong the game is in the country.
“The game has never been just about money..it is about talent. The IPL e-auction just showed how strong the game is in our country..the numbers should be the biggest motivation for all the young players to take their ability and Team India to the highest level,”
Ganguly tweeted.
The game has never been just about money..it's about talent .The IPL e auction just showed how strong the game is in our country..the numbers should be the biggest motivation for all the young players to take their ability and Team India to the highest level ..This will
Director of Reliance Industries Ltd. Nita Ambani said that they have a ‘Mission to take IPL to cricket fans in every part of the world.’
Viacom18 has acquired the rights to digitally stream Indian Premier League matches in the Indian sub-continent for the seasons from 2023 to 2027. It has also won the India digital rights for a special package of 18 games in every season.
Globally, Viacom18 has won television as well as digital rights in three out of five international territories, including major cricketing nations.
“Sports entertain us, inspire us and bring us together. Cricket and IPL personify the best of sport and the best of India, which is why we are proud to be deepening our association with this great game and this wonderful league. Just like with everything we do, our mission is to take the joyful experience of IPL to cricket fans wherever they are – in every part of our country and around the world”,
said Nita Ambani according to an official Viacom18 release on Wednesday.
The media rights value has grown more than two-and-a-half times than what Star India paid in the year 2017.
The process was divided into a total of four packages (A, B, C and D). Package A was exclusive for TV (broadcast) for the Indian subcontinent while package B was for digital-only grouping for the same region.
There were four specific packages in which e-auction was conducted for 74 games per season for a five-year period with a provision of increasing the number of matches to 94 in the final two years. Package C is for 18 selected games in each season for digital space.
In Package D all games will be for combined TV and digital rights for overseas markets. All bidders made separate bids for each package.
Chai Pani, an Indian street food-style restaurant based in Ashville, North Carolina, has been voted the Most Outstanding Restaurant in the US by the James Beard Foundation Awards.
— James Beard Foundation (@beardfoundation) June 14, 2022
The restaurant, which opened in 2009, serves okra fries, samosas, desi chaat, bhel puri, aloo tikki chaat, sweet potato chaat, pav bhaji, Vada Pav, Crispy masala Fish Roll, Keema Pav, uttapam and paneer tikka roll.
Dawn Padmore, the Vice President of awards, said the awards and audience represent “true diversity”:
Image Source: Chai Pani (Instagram)
“Looking at the audience and seeing so many different people, it feels different. It’s about reflecting the true diversity of the industry.”
Image Source: Chai Pani (Instagram)
Meherwan Irani, Chai Pani Founder, Chef & Chief Chaiwalla, said in a statement on Instagram: “… it’s such an honour to be considered a restaurant that demonstrates consistent excellence in food, atmosphere, hospitality, and operations while contributing positively to its broader community.”
Image Source: Chai Pani (Instagram)
Irani has earlier been nominated five times for the Best Chef category in these awards. This family-run business is spread across seven locations, including in Georgia and North Carolina.
Shrey Patel (South Australian Cricket Association - Facebook).
16-year-old Indian-Australian cricketer Shrey Patel of Gaza Cricket Club in South Australia has made his debut for the Australian Deaf Cricket Team.
Four South Australians – Lachlan Wallace and Michael Zannis (National Blind Squad), Shrey Patel (National Deaf Squad) and Jesse Goodman (National ID Squad) – received a national call up for the Commonwealth Bank International Cricket Inclusion Series.
Nick Hockley, Cricket Australia CEO said in a statement:
“I wish the three squads all the best for this series, and I have no doubt they will inspire more people to get involved in the game.”
The series, which will be held at the National Cricket Campus, will see the three Australian national disability squads – deaf, blind, and intellectual disability (ID) – play five T20Is and three ODI matches from 8-17 June.
Australia’s National Deaf and National ID squads will host England.
Shrey, whose family is originally from Gujarat in India, received his cap from former Australian Deaf Cricketer and team manager, Chris Ashenden.
Shrey Patel with team manager, Chris Ashenden (South Australian Cricket Association – Facebook).
The deaf cricket includes players who have at least 55 decibels of hearing loss – that’s about the volume of normal conversation. No hearing aids or cochlear implants are allowed to be worn on the field of play at any stage. Otherwise, the playing conditions are largely the same as the standard laws of cricket.
Commonwealth Bank’s partnership with Cricket Australia makes cricket the only non-paralympic Australian sport to have fully funded national disability squads.
WATCH VIDEO: The incredible story of Australia’s National Deaf Squad
The Fair Work Commission has decided on a pay rise of 5.2 per cent, or $40 a week, for more than 2.6 million Australians on the award and minimum wages.
The national minimum wage will now sit at $812.60 per week or $21.38 per hour.
The industrial umpire unveiled its decision on Wednesday, as inflationary pressures and the increasing cost of living continues to strain household budgets.
The decision was based on key differences in economic indicators, FWC president Iain Ross said.
“The most significant changes since last year’s review decision have been a sharp increase in the cost of living and the strengthening of the labour market,”
he said while handing down the decision online.
Cafe; Image Source: @CANVA
“At the aggregate level, labour market performance has been particularly strong.
“The unemployment rate has fallen to 3.9 per cent compared to 5.5 per cent in April 2021 at the time of the last review.
“The improvement in the labour market is forecast to continue in the period ahead.
“There has also been a sharp rise in the cost of living since last year’s review.”
Inflation is expected to peak at around six per cent by the end of the year, impacting businesses and workers, and this also influenced the decision,
Mr Ross said.
“Inflation also erodes the real value of workers’ wages and reduces their living standards.
“The lowest-paid are particularly vulnerable in the context of rising inflation.
“We have concluded that the changes in the economic context weigh in favour of an increase in the national minimum wage.”
Cafe; Image Source: @CANVA
The modern minimum award wage will go up 4.6 per cent, subject to a minimum increase of $40 a week.
“The present circumstances warrant an approach which gives a greater level of support to the low paid while seeking to contain inflationary pressures,”
Mr Ross said.
“We propose to award a proportionately higher increase to lower-paid employees.”
Mr Ross says the adjustments will not have a negative effect on the performance and competitiveness of the national economy.
“We acknowledge that the increases we have determined will mean a real wage cut for some award-reliant employees,” he said.
“This is an issue that can be addressed in subsequent reviews.”
The changes come into effect from July 1, unless there are exceptional circumstances.
But the aviation, tourism and hospitality sectors will have their pay increases deferred to October 1.
Last year, the national minimum wage increased by 2.5 per cent to $772.60 a week, or $20.33 an hour.
The Albanese government had argued for a rise that ensured wages did not go backwards when compared to inflation, which sits at 5.1 per cent.
Unions pushed for a 5.5 per cent increase which they say will prevent a further real wage cut for a quarter of all workers.
The Australian Industry Group urged the commission to limit its increase to 2.5 per cent, arguing the union bid would “add substantially to the risks of entrenching inflation and greater increases in interest rates”.
The wages decision comes after federal politicians, judges and senior public servants were granted a pay rise of 2.75 per cent from July 1 following a determination from the independent remuneration tribunal.
New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has reshuffled her cabinet. She has called it this a ‘minor’ reshuffle; involving reshuffle some big names. In a statement, the prime minister said:
“These changes are triggered by two departures. It’s also an opportunity to give newer Ministers greater responsibility and to bring new members onto the team.”
Priyanca Radhakrishnan: Image Source: Supplied
Political experts believe that Jacinda Ardern is looking for significant changes given the rising frustration and anger amongst kiwis towards her government.
43-year-old Priyanca Radhakrishnan has been appointed as the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities. On her appointment, Jacinda Ardern said:
“Priyanca Radhakrishnan moves into Cabinet, retaining all her current portfolios and adds Associate Workplace Relations and Safety with a focus on migrant exploitation. Since becoming a Minister outside of Cabinet in 2020 she has overseen the establishment of a new Ministry for Ethnic Communities, and worked on complex issues like foreign interference and social cohesion.”
With this promotion, Priyanca has become the first Indian-origin person to become a Cabinet Minister in New Zealand. She has also been placed in additional charge as Associate Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety.
“I strongly believe that everyone should have the opportunity to live with dignity—that means having equitable access to safe and affordable housing, quality education and healthcare and decent, secure work.”
Priyanca who was born in Chennai, India, went to school in Singapore, and then moved to New Zealand to a pursue Master of Development Studies from Victoria University. She worked as a policy advisor to former Labour MP, Hon Phil Goff and lives in Auckland with her husband.
Priyanca Radhakrishnan (Facebook)
In 2020, Priyanca became New Zealand’s first-ever Indian-origin minister outside of the Cabinet. She was elected as a Member of Parliament in September 2017. She is a member of the Asia New Zealand Foundation Leadership Network, and National Council of Women (Auckland) and has worked with our diverse communities across Aotearoa.
RESHUFFLE HIGHLIGHTS:
Priyanca Radhakrishnan: Image Source: Supplied
Kris Faafoi resigns from Parliament. Kiri Allan is promoted to Justice Minister, Michael Wood picks up Immigration
Speaker Trevor Mallard to end his 35-year parliamentary career in mid-August as he prepares to take up a diplomatic post in Europe. Adrian Rurawhe to be nominated as Speaker
Priyanca Radhakrishnan moves into Cabinet and gains Associate Workplace Relations and Safety
Kieran McAnulty becomes a Minister outside of Cabinet with a focus on regional issues – picking up Emergency Management and Racing. Duncan Webb to take over as Chief Whip
Chris Hipkins takes over Police and passes COVID-19 Response to Ayesha Verrall
A 31-year-old man who rudely threw hot coffee at 7-year-old Suman Dhital, a barista working at Soul Bowl cafe in Rosehill in western Sydney, has been charged.
CCTV footage posted to social media by the owner of the coffee shop showed the whole incident when a customer threw hot coffee at Suman last week.
Suman was left deeply shaken after an angry man, described by the NSW police as being of Mediterranean/Middle-Eastern appearance, threw two hot cups of coffees at him over a disagreement.
Suman Dhital (9News screenshot)
Lily Semaan, the owner of the cafe, told media that the customer had insisted to pay for a young woman’s coffee. However the young woman refused to accept this offer. She told 9News:
“Our staff member was respecting the young lady’s wishes because of that he was harassed, sworn at and abused. He grabbed the two coffees and aggressively threw them at him.”
In the CCTV footage, Suman could be seen refusing to accept the money and the customer began swearing and yelling at him.
The barista told 9News he has never experienced this kind of behaviour at this cafe before. He added:
“I was trying to make a good day with a coffee, but he was abusing me and swearing at me.”
Suman, who can be seen handling the situation very professionally, was left with burns to his face and hands after this rude attack.
Officers from Cumberland Police Area Command attended and were told that a 27-year-old employee allegedly had coffee thrown at him by a customer.
The middle-eastern looking customer fled before the police arrived and was last seen wearing a white and grey ‘Champion’ hooded jumper at the time.
As the NSW Police began investigation and appealed the public for information, the customer handed himself in to Granville Police Station at 6.30pm on Friday. He was issued a court attendance notice for common assault. He is due to appear at Parramatta Local Court on Tuesday 26 July.
She believes that the scammer was able to remotely access her text messages and NetBank code and withdraw from London amount ranging from $200 to $900 on May 10. Sarah shared in the video:
“They managed to turn off my NetBank notifications which allowed them to get a NetCode without me ever knowing.”
She feels that the scammers were able to register their CommBank app that allows users to register up to five devices at one and thus make “authorised transactions”.
Sarah was finally able to gain access and change the pin code of the app, but it was too late!
Soon, she was booted out from her account following too many incorrect pin entries from the scammer.
Sarah called the bank’s helpline number and also visited her local branch. She observed:
“I did have to wait until Monday to go into a branch to help me, because they were no help over the phone. The branch I go to are super nice, I’m just so disappointed with their security and decision.”
Sarah had just $200 remaining in her account by the time her account was closed by CommBank.
Sarah’s reports that her transaction dispute claim was reviewed three weeks later and the bank claimed that because she was aware of the money leaving her account it was “authorised” and bank cannot compensate.
Sarah made a complaint to the Australian Cyber Security Centre and also contested the decision of the outcome with CommBank.
The case was reopened with a case manager and a CommBank spokesperson told 7NEWS.com.au:
“We are always very concerned when we are made of aware of frauds and scams affecting customers and the wider community. We review frauds and scams on a case-by-case basis however it is widely recognised that scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated which has prompted increased investment across the sector.”
Sarah posted an update on TikTok and reported that she had been reimbursed by CommBank.
“My original video did a lot better than I was expecting, it reached quite a large audience, so large in fact that even the higher ups at Commonwealth Bank saw it.”
As “a gesture of goodwill” CommBank reimbursed Sarah with the full amount lost in the scam. Sarah notes in the video:
“Typically in my case they wouldn’t have given me back my money, which kind of also just confirms the fact that the only reason they’re giving it is because of the social media attention.”
After her ordeal, the Australian university student has changed banks.
Banks in Australia have various systems in place to prevent financial crime including internet fraud, phone scams or identity theft. If you area victim of a scam, please contact your bank immediately to report the matter to bank’s fraud and security teams are ready to help. You can also report your scam to SCAMwatch which is run by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. You can also contact IDCARE if you were involved in a scam, data breach, cyber incident or your identity has been compromised.
Indian government’s Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for technical cooperation in urban water management.
The cabinet was apprised the MoU between the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Government of India, and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Government of Australia.
This MoU, titled or Technical Cooperation for Australia-India Water Security Initiative (AIWASI), has been signed in December, 2021.
#Cabinet approves Memorandum of Understanding between India and Australia for Technical Cooperation for Australia-India Water Security Initiative (AIWASI)https://t.co/vf5CJSg94D#CabinetDecisions
As per press release, this MoU would reinforce bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the area of urban water security.
Australia’s High Commissioner to India, the Hon. Barry O’Farrell has welcomed this approval. He tweeted: “This partnership will contribute to India’s AMRUT2.0 mission & reinforce close collaboration between Australia and India towards achieving a #watersecure future.”
welcomes 's approval on the @MoHUA_India & @dfat MoU for Water Security Initiative (#AIWASI). This partnership will contribute to 's AMRUT2.0 mission & reinforce close collaboration between & towards achieving a #watersecure future. https://t.co/Cc9kMMznC8
27-year-old Suman Dhital, a coffee shop barista, was left deeply shaken after an angry man, described by the NSW police as being of Mediterranean/Middle-Eastern appearance, threw two hot cups of coffees at him over a disagreement in Sydney, New South Wales.
This incident occurred at Soul Bowl in Rosehill just after 11 am. The owner of the cafe said the customer had insisted to pay for a young woman’s coffee. However the young woman refused to accept this offer. Lily Semaan told 9News:
“Our staff member was respecting the young lady’s wishes because of that he was harassed, sworn at and abused. He grabbed the two coffees and aggressively threw them at him.”
Lily posted the full CCTV footage of the incident to social media. She says that the local community could help identify the offender who attacked the barista.
SCCTV footage shows a man allegedly throwing the hot coffee (9News screenshot)
The impact of the attack marked Suman’s face, clothes and also there was coffee everywhere.
Suman told 9News he has never experienced this kind of behaviour at this cafe before.
“I was trying to make a good day with a coffee, but he was abusing me and swearing at me.”
Suman, who can be seen handling the situation very professionally, was left with burns to his face and hands after this rude attack.
NSW Police are now investigating the assault and are looking to speak with the customer. Police said in a statement:
“Inquiries continue to identify and locate the man depicted who is described as being of Mediterranean/Middle Eastern Appearance, aged in his 30s, with short black hair and a beard.”
The middle-eastern looking customer fled before the police arrived and was last seen wearing a white and grey ‘Champion’ hooded jumper at the time.
Queens Birthday Awards; Image Source: The Australia Today
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia has announced Honours to 992 Australians, including 669 in the General Division of the Order of Australia, and awards for meritorious, distinguished and conspicuous service.
Investiture Ceremony at Government House (Govt. House WA)
“On behalf of all Australians, I congratulate the Australians recognised in today’s Honours List. Recipients share some common traits – including selflessness, excellence and a commitment to service. They’re from different backgrounds, their stories are each unique, and each has served in different ways. This diversity is a strength and each has impacted their community and made it better.“
The recipients’ achievements span various fields such as community service, science and research, industry, sport, the arts and more.
The Queen’s Birthday 2022 Honours List also includes the following thirteen Indian-Australians:
Among the Indian-Australian recipients, Distinguished Professor Suresh Bhargava is a world-renowned interdisciplinary scientist with decades of leadership in academia and industry and a lifelong commitment to Australia’s relations with India. He has always had a lifelong commitment to connecting India and Australia. Through advisory roles with Australian PMs, Premiers and Governors on Indo-Australian relations, he has been a founding architect of the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund.
Asha Bhat leads the award-winning regional Southern Aboriginal Corporation (SAC), which provides services and programs that address the Noongar peoples’ needs and aspirations in cooperation with other community and business organisations.
Prof. Sameer Bhole is the Director of the Oral Health Alliance, a partnership between UQ’s School of Dentistry and Metro-North Oral Health Service. He has vast experience in Dentistry which spans his work in private practice, Government (Public) Oral Health Services, Universities, Dental Associations, and dental professional bodies in Australia, Singapore, Papua New Guinea and India. Over the years, he has dedicated his career to improving oral health for disadvantaged populations with a specific focus on health inequities, access barriers and social determinants of health.
Prof. Sameer Bhole (LinkedIn)
Babette Francis AM
Babette Francis is the National and Overseas Co-ordinator of Endeavour Forum Inc. – an NGO with special consultative status with the Economic & Social Council of the UN. Mrs Francis is the Australian representative of the Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer. She lived in India during the Partition of the sub-continent into India and Pakistan.
Dr Sathya Rao is a pioneer in the treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder and his passion for research, evidence-based practice and teaching has inspired hundreds of health professionals to specialise in this area within Australia and overseas.
Gurpreet Pinky Singh is president of the Australian Punjabi Welfare Association (APWA) and has been proactively working for the welfare and safety of the Punjabi community in Queensland, Australia. She is also the Immigration and Citizenship Policy Chair for the Liberal National Party (LNP) and fought the 2020 elections from Brisbane’s McConnell. She was actively involved in raising funds and awareness about the tragic killing of Indian-origin bus driver Manmeet Alisher in 2016.
Gurpreet Pinky Singh (Facebook)
Kersi Meher-Homji OAM
Kersi Meher-Homji, who is of Indian Parsi descent, is an Australian journalist, author and biographer. He is is the author of 15 cricket books including The Waugh Twins, Cricket’s Great Families, Cricket’s Great All-rounders, Six Appeal, Nervous Nineties, Cricket’s Conflicts and Controversies (foreword by Greg Chappell).
Kersi Meher-Homji (Facebook)
Dr Smita Shah OAM
Dr Smita Shah who is the Director of Prevention Education and Research Unit at the Western Sydney Local Health District and Clinical Professor at the Sydney Medical School’s Faculty of Medicine and Health arrived in Australia in the early 1980s to work at Sydney Children’s Hospital.
Dr Smita Shah
Dr Jacob George OAM
Dr Jacob George, the former Consultant Psychiatrist at Royal Derwent Hospital and former Director of the Alcohol and Drug Service of Tasmania, has been recognised for his service to the community of Tasmania.
Dr Jacob George
Dr Marlene Kanga AO
Dr Marlene Kanga who is an alumnus of IIT Bombay and Imperial College London has been recognised for her advocacy for women in STEM and leadership roles in engineering and technology organisations. In 2014, she was also the recipient of Member of Order of Australia and in 2019 won both the CHEMECA Medal and the Institution of Engineers India Centenary Award.
Dr Marlene Kanga
Mr Hector Simon Soans OAM
Mr Hector Simon Soans is the first President of the Australian Residents Anglo-Indian Association (ARAIA). He is a well-known philanthropist in New South Wales and his flowing script “ITP” is the most recognised financial institution in Australia. He was earlier honoured as a Patron of ARAIA for his Vision to preserve Anglo-Indian identity.
Mr Hector Simon Soans
On giving the 2022 Queen’s Honours, the Governor-General added:
“The Order of Australia belongs to all Australians. In addition to the characteristics of selflessness, excellence and service, each recipient in the Order has something else in common: someone has taken the time to nominate them for recognition.”
In addition to the 669 recipients of awards in the General Division of the Order of Australia (8 AC, 33 AO, 200 AM and 428 OAM), in Honours list includes:
37 recipients of awards in the Military Division of the Order of Australia (1 AC, 2 AO, 16 AM and 18 OAM)
201 Meritorious awards
85 Distinguished and Conspicuous awards
Other features of the list include:
45.9 per cent of awards in the General Division to women
43.6 per cent of awards in the General Division for community service
92 Australians were recognised for their contribution in support of Australia’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic (these recipients will be added to the COVID-19 Honour roll).
If you know anyone from the Indian-Australian community, please do consider nominating them for recognition. Nominations are generally processed in order of receipt and the nomination process can take between 18 months and two years. All nominations are confidential, and the nominated person should not be advised of the nomination or approached for information.
“It went way beyond the cricket space, especially in countries like Uganda, Botswana, Malaysia, and Indonesia. It’s relatable because it fits into any situation that involves an unpopular decision.”
Pakistan lost the World Cup 2019 clash to Australia, losing by 41 runs and Warner went on to score 107 runs in the match. However, Akhtar won many fans worldwide. He soon received friend requests on his personal Facebook profile and decided to start public Instagram and Twitter for other disappointed cricket fans to connect.
Akhta’s meme is part of the Museum of Memes which was opened by online platform 9GAG.
My sister found the video of the Hongkong K11 mueseum of memes on YouTube scroll to 0.37 sec https://t.co/wIgAU1yLGB
He has also decided to cash his fame in the digital realms by introducing a new non-fungible token (NFT) project called DFans, or Disappointed Fans.
I’m proud to announce that I’ll be collaborating with @nft_alter to bring an exclusive NFT project – DFans for NFT enthusiasts, sports collectors and fandom communities around the world
Dismantling Global Hindutva (DGH) conference was held online by some anti-Hindu professionals online in September 2021. During the conference, various aspects of Indian (Bhartiya) culture were systematically targeted by the so-called academicians across the world, predominantly consisting of people of Indian origin or working in several Indian organisations.
Similar to the other aspects, Ayurvedá, which is the traditional Bhartiya health system was also targeted and falsified and non-factual framing of this system was done over the course of DGH.
While the actual science and principles behind were either brushed over or not put for discussion, the individual components such as Samhitas and texts were negatively highlighted by the presenters. A “broad brushing” methodology was used by professionals and members of DGH who either are not academically trained, are biased or can abuse their position. One of the common features seen throughout was presenting of minimal to no facts (read scientific data) and open bashing of the current Indian government.
Through this article, I try to present a counterargument to the presenters of DGH. However, I also highlight the necessity of employing the technology to retell Ayurvedá and yogic sciences in the lexicon that the wide-scientific community understands worldwide.
Ayurveda; Image Source: @CANVA
My recommendation is that making the west understand the lexicon of our natural and health sciences is the first step to teaching them the deeper aspects and principles of these Indic sciences i.e., how the basics are taught to the kids in kindergarten. Moreover, Indian universities should also promote research and have mandatory courses that recognise the science and philosophy of India.
However, before that happens, it is important that the false propaganda is countered and demolished. For this, a ‘Poorva Paksha’ is needed, starting with the background of the work that the presenters who peddled their propaganda against Ayurvedá.
Background of the Presenters at DGH
Between the 3 “eminent” presenters who bashed Ayurvedá and Indian natural health sciences at DGH, there appears to be a combined of about 144 pieces of writing (journal articles, review papers, book chapters and books). Of these, one has a total publication list of 5 career research articles in Microbiology/Biochemistry based research, all before 1990, none after that. About 100 publications in social aspects of science and science history.
The second one, although quotes “Infectious Disease’ in the profile, does not even have any experimental STEM article listed in its profile throughout its whole career. The third presenter, despite being from a biology background, has all the career articles focused on the fields of social aspects of science studies and philosophy of science in general. There is no publicly available research article on publication on evolutionary biology or biological experiment-based studies that this presenter shows on their career records.
Furthermore, it is important to note that out of about 144 articles these 3 presenters share between themselves, none of them has any background in biomedical and biological experimentation. Therefore, it is a big question how many of the aspects (broader or finer) these academicians know of regarding the research and development aspects of biomedical sciences.
Some of the key points on which they bash Ayurvedá and Indian cultural aspects of Bhartiya health sciences, in general, include the points given below, to which I have provided a detailed rebuttal, with research articles and governmental documentation supporting my assertions.
Ayurveda; Image Source: @CANVA
Claim 1: Ayurvedic herbs for COVID-19 are untested and potentially dangerous
Claim: Sashimivati and Coronil contain a herb called Guduchi (Giloy) which has been found to cause serious liver damage in a number of studies conducted in India, Europe, and the USA.
Rebuttal: The Coronil regimen consists of 3 ingredients of Giloy, Ashwagandha and Tulsi in addition to the Anu taila (nasal oil drops). In fact, in the studies conducted over 2020, results of which are now published, the team of Patanjali (1) did conduct a double-blind clinical trial with 100 patients who were screened for any pre-existing co-morbidities so that, if present, their possible impacts can be tracked. The study observed that within 7 days of treatment, the patient recovery was 100% as against 60% in the placebo group. Also, the level of pro-inflammatory proteins such as interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha decreased in the treated patients. In addition to this, the authors have explicitly indicated that the respective herbs were selected because traditionally, they have been observed to be effective against asthma and similar respiratory conditions, in addition to the immunological modulatory properties.
While the speaker at DGH speaks repeatedly about the liver toxicity of Gudduchi (Tinospora cordifolia), it has been shown by:
Sharma and Pandey (2) that in the mouse model, the aqueous leaf and stem extracts (0.4 g/kg body weight) of this plant provides protection to the liver cells against lead injury. The intake of the extracts also increased the levels of antioxidant proteins such as Catalase and Superoxide dismutase which correlated with the depletion of lead nitrate from mouse liver.
Huang, Tu (3) that within the clinical applications, businesses, and scientific and popular media, more than 35% of websites (e.g., Wikipedia) misidentify Tinospora cordifolia (TCF)/gudduchi with Tinospora crispa (TCP)/ Patawali (Figure 1). They indicated that through a detailed web review, it was observed that while TCF/Gudduchi provided liver protection, TCP/Patawali, owing to its active ingredient of cis-clerodane terpenoids, causes hepatotoxicity.
Figure 1. The general appearance of Tinospora crispa and Tinospora cordifolia
Nagral, Adhyaru (4) who claimed that TCF caused liver injury in 6 cases, indicated that 4 patients were taking plant twigs boiled in water. Also, 4 patients who were taking commercially available Gudduchi had previous cases of diabetes, hyperthyroidism or chronic liver disease as co-morbidity. Based on the report of Huang, Tu (3), it was likely that the patients were mistakenly consuming TCP rather than TCF. Additionally, co-morbidity such as hyperthyroidism is known to cause jaundice or jaundice-like symptoms (5, 6).
The same details also would be applicable to other areas beyond the above-mentioned herbs used in COVID-19 medication as well. For example, this is one of the recent tweets I have been interacting with in relation to the misunderstanding of western medical professionals and non-natural medicine professionals (Figure 2).
Figure 2. Misunderstanding of Ayurveda is deep within the Indian medical community, a snippet.
The context is one section of Charaka Samhita (Figure 3) that provides information about the benefits of ‘धूमपान’ (Dhoomapaanaa).
Figure 3. Importance of धूमपान as described in Charaka Samhita, Chapter 18 (7) .
The non-natural medicine professionals with whom I interacted (and also the translator of this test), fallaciously limited the meaning of ‘Dhoom’ to ‘smoke’ and, thus, equating the term धूमपान to ‘smoking’. However, the standard Sanskrit translation services such as Macdonell’s (https://dsal.uchicago.edu/dictionaries/macdonell/) indicate that
धूम = smoke/vapour/mist/incense/fume
Going by this translation, treatments such as Asthma inhalers and reliever puffers, and any aerosol-based treatments, would also fit in the same category of treatment that is described in the Charaka Samhita above. When read by a person who doesn’t understand Sanskrit or Ayurvedá, the said translation appears to be in a bad light. Therefore, a thorough critical translation has now become very important so that the meaning reaches the reader in a very clear manner.
Furthermore, as the digitisation of these documents increases, it becomes very necessary that a good scientific context is provided in addition to the translation. Although this will make the document lengthy, it will act as a very important bridge between the language of our Maharishis and the lexicon/linguistics of modern science. In the context of the above document, the components mentioned in paragraph 1 of the translation include Realgar, Orpiment, Madhuka, Mamsi, Musta, Inguda, milk and jaggery.
Realgar (मनःशीला; Red Orpiment): Mineral arsenicals such as Realgar or Red orpiment have been used not only in Ayurved but also in the Traditional Chinese medicine. Realgar has been reported to be used in oral manner to address antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, antiulcer, anticonvulsive and anti-schistosmiasis problems (8 – 10) and lung cancer (11) .
Mamsi (जटामांसी): Popularly called Jatamansi (Nardostachys jatamansi) has been indicated to provide protection from oxidative stress (12) , cardiac toxicity (13, 14) tissue injuries in liver and lungs (15) in animal models and cell culture experiments.
Musta (मुस्तक/ मुस्तकगंधा): Known as Musthakam or Nagarmotha (Cyperus rotundus) has been reported to be a neuroprotective, cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, antiuropathogenic, and anticonvulsant (16) . Its extracts have shown cellular protection in breast cancer cells (17) , lung injury (18) , and potentially against a SARS-CoV2 replication (19) .
Inguda (इङ्गुद): Referred to as akantaka, angaravrksa or ingudi (Balanites aegyptiaca L.). Has been experimentally shown to be an anti-viral (20) , anti-helminthic (21) and hypoglycaemic (22) .
Claim 2: AYUSH ministry is giving false information
Claim: AYUSH is giving false information, putting untested herbs which are more dangerous than they are helpful. AYUSH downplayed the well-observed toxicity studies preferring the time-worn defence of thousands of years of use.
Rebuttal: In its guidelines dated 26th April 2021, The Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) has explicitly indicated that the Ayurvedic medications are to be prescribed by the Vaidyas (doctors) as either an immunity booster (recovery and rejuvenation) or Add On treatment (preventive, symptomatic or integrated care). Importantly, India’s AYUSH Ministry looks after the fields of Ayurvedá, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy medications, as its name and mandate suggest. Common sense suggests that beyond these areas, it has no jurisdiction. So, it is natural that the ministry would only suggest the methods under its jurisdiction, which have traditionally shown effects against respiratory infections and disorders (23, 24). Clear statement disclaimers such as given below (Figure 4), among others, present AYUSH’s position that until the scientific wide-scale results come in, as have come for vaccines, the Ayurvedá medicines remain as the adjuvants and immunity boosters. In its disclaimer, AYUSH has clearly indicated that,
In all severe cases and life-threatening conditions, immediate medical care should be provided and, Ayurvedic drugs may be used as adjuvants along with contemporary management with proper consent procedures”.
Patients need to have a general consultation/advice from qualified physicians before starting any intervention.
Figure 4. Disclaimers issued by AYUSH for Ayurvedic practitioners in April 2020 regarding COVID-19 management.
Claim 3: AYUSH plays modern science as and when it suits them
Claim: AYUSH appropriated modern science when it suits them, but is kept out when examination of foundational aspects of remedies and practices of Ayurvedic principles.
The presenters stated that,
“AYUSH ministry who spoke their medicines to be scientifically effective defended the scrutiny of Ayurvedá by saying that it is a holistic science and cannot be subjected to the testification by double-blind studies. Using this principle, AYUSH became a purveyor of potentially dangerous drugs which have been untested and unsubstantiated. In the pandemic period, AYUSH and Hindu Mahasabha promoted dubious measures and prophylactics.”
However, the publically available information on the AYUSH ministry’s website shows a different story, completely opposite to what this ‘eminent’ scientist stated. In their notification dated 21st April 2020 (Figure 5), AYUSH released the public gazette stating the importance of clinical and research studies in the areas of its purview. It also has clearly mentioned that the tests, experiments and trials are necessary to set in the regulatory provisions in these natural health sciences, and has provisioned the research guidelines (25).
Figure 5. A public gazette issued by AYUSH in April 2020, stated the importance of clinical and research studies in the areas of its purview.
Additionally, in the vein of these presenters, the same rule would also apply to some of the very popular pharmaceutical drugs that have been tried and prescribed by the WHO and medical researchers. Just a cursory search indicates that multiple drugs such as Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, remdesivir, lopinavir + ritonavir, dexamethasone etc. have been authorised by FDA and WHO. However, Infectious Disease Specialists from Mayo Clinic (Figure 6) and several research articles have stated that
In light of the uncertainties such as these throughout the medical world, AYUSH in particular has been very explicit in its guidelines in the Order (F. No. Z 25023 /09/2018-2020-DCC), dated 1st April 2020 stating
Figure 7. AYUSH guidelines for action against rumours, dated 1st April 2020.
In this context, it is clear that AYUSH and the Government of India in general, have been careful and responsible about the management of the pandemic from the perspective of Ayurvedá. However, the big population of India and the difficulties it brings with it, are often underplayed by these “eminent scientists”.
Claim4: Ayurvedá is kept out of the purview of modern science
Claim: Whatever is written in Sushruta and Charaka Samhita has been kept outside the purview of science
The presenter states, both in the conference and in their work (Figure 7), that modern science was scrubbed clean of its eistimology and turned into a materialistic and reductionist way of knowing something which was already known to the sages. It is also mentioned that
“The empiricism of modern science was simultaneously claimed and ridiculed in favour of eternal truth of Ayurvedá”
One of the presenter’s primary works indicates that
Figure 7. Excerpts from the works of one of the presenters regarding their views on Ayurveda. Note the non-provision of citation to the statement.
However, no direct evidence or citation is provided in the presenter’s work when stating that the works of Charaka and Sushruta are outdated and not scientific. On the other hand, the prominent translations and transliterations such as that of Sharma (7)(Figure 8) indicate that
Figure 8. Excerpts from Sharma (7), indicate the scientific follow-up process in Charaka Samhita.
This contradiction between the opinion of DGH presenter and primary translation is very evident, especially since before the tools of modern science arrived, symptoms, etiology, pathogenesis, and principles of treatment would be considered the empirical and scientific approach in the ten practised health sciences.
But what do we need to counter this?
Indian medical professionals and so-called eminent scholars treat our traditional health system of Ayurvedá very badly. This behaviour comes not only from an incorrect language translation/ transliteration, but a very limited or no knowledge of physical, chemical, and biological philosophies (or principles) of how Ayurvedic/Yogic treatments and practices work. Although there is a considerable amount of text available from the works of Maharshi Sushruta, Charak and others, the lexicon of that rich era is not being carried on in modern science. Therefore, a considerable amount of knowledge has either been lost or still remains uncoded. For example, the ‘smoking’ regimen is shown in the above example.
This conversation brought me to two key conclusions.
The necessity of developing critical translations
Similar to the errors or omissions we see in our school history syllabus, there are several lacunas in critical translations of our Ayurvedá texts (something on the lines of Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, but in a better way). Prof. Priya Vrat Sharma who produced an excellent translation to Charaka Samhita (7) for Chaukhambha Orientalia has also stated this back in 1998 (Figure 9). Due to the advent of technology and the increased importance of human health, especially during the COVID-19 and the era which follows, it is becoming increasingly important to follow this through in a personal and institutional manner, on both private and government fronts.
Figure 9. Excerpts from Sharma (7) indicate the importance of critical translation and transcribing of historical Ayurvedá texts.
Elaborating the principles of how Ayurvedic medication works
There is also an absence of explaining the importance and principles behind various components in ayurvedic treatments and practices (why and how of things). as the digitisation of these documents increases, it becomes very necessary that a good scientific context is provided in addition to the translation. Although this will make the document lengthy, it will act as a very important bridge between the language of our Maharishis and the lexicon/linguistics of modern science and vice versa.
Retelling the narrative of Ayurvedá and Yogic practices in modern science’s lexicon: Utilise the high throughput analytical platforms
Molecular biology and biochemical aspects when combined with the evolving machine learning tools, have the potential to build up a knowledge database for both Ayurvedic and Yogic practices. These 2 steps will be instrumental in resolving, to a great degree, the risks of:
Losing the acceptability by a large part of the population, thereby causing severe erosion of our cultural background, and intertwining of Ayurvedá with day-to-day life
Appropriation of Ayurvedic methods by commercial entities, causing a loss of the spread of this vital knowledge
Currently, the methodologies and protocols used for qualitatively/quantitatively analyzing the effects of Ayurvedic medication and yogic practices are limited to a few arrays of tests only. For example, in case of pranayama, techniques such as optical coherence tomography have been used for measuring intraocular pressure (26) . Other methods include resting heart rate variability (27) , spatial memory scores (28) , blood pressure, ECG and end-tidal CO2(29) and oxyhaemoglobin levels (30) . In addition to those, a limited number of studies have performed advanced analyses of blood superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione, and lactate levels (31, 32) .
In a recent framework document, Schmalzl, and Powers (33) while indicating several quantitative and qualitative assessments, have indicated the limitation of the Western scientific paradigm in the greater elaboration of yogic practices. In Ayurvedá or similar natural medicinal systems, primary tests used in animal/clinical trials include of basic clinical tests such as blood biochemistry (21), inflammatory cytokine and Myeloperoxidase (18) , and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) (15) expressions. However, there is limited availability of studies that consider the whole body’s biochemistry to assess the changes that are caused by the application of natural medicines in the human body.
Hence, there is an increased need to integrate the cognitive, physiological, and biochemical aspects to provide a better understanding of Ayurvedic and yogic practices on the human body. Current health monitoring platforms measure the physiological and biochemical (such as blood sugar and lactate) aspects of personnel health.
Molecular and biochemical studies have recently gained traction in the early detection of preventable health issues. These include assessing genetic and biochemical markers and exploring them longitudinally for deviations from a normal state. In endurance sports, “biological passports” are developed for professional athletes which help them to alter their nutrition and training, to optimise performance (Figure 10) (34, 35).
Figure 10. A general pathway to generate impactful data by using developed platforms in the field of Ayurvedic treatments and understanding the chemistry of medicines and their action mechanism on the human body.
Similarly, genomic studies of blood samples have been used to determine the effects of stress on several key genes and immune proteins among post-deployment PTSD patients (36, 37) post-deployment personnel exposed to combat trauma during active service (38) . Furthermore, metabolic studies have indicated reduced cortisol signalling in urine following stress and trauma events (39, 40) .
These platforms have also been used to understand the mechanisms of infections (34, 41 – 47) , chronic diseases and disorders such as irritable bowel disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, cancers (48 – 53, 55) and many others.
Building scientific and popular narrative of Ayurvedá and Yogic practices on global platforms
Throughout the countries we count as superpowers, there is active work to build the storytelling of their achievements and innovation through heavyweight platforms. These involve:
Governmental organisations:
NCBI, NLM, PubMed from National Institutes of Health, USA.
National Science Foundation, USA.
European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), EU.
UniProt Consortium, USA, and EU
China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), PRC
Chinese Academy of Sciences, PRC
Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), Japan
Non-Governmental:
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, USA
The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, The UK
J. Craig Venter Institute, USA
Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID), USA
ResearchGate, Germany
Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., USA
Organisations such as these are very influential not only in science but also in forming the opinions of science and its communication among the global audience. We can say that they are the organisations that in addition to being scientific repositories, drive the science and its language of their places of origin throughout the world.
The influence of some of these organisations can be indicated by 2 examples. First is the Wellcome trust which funds research and development in the UK. The trust’s funding charter for various research projects indicates that it provides free, online access to published research covered through its grant funding. The policy (https://wellcome.org/grant-funding/guidance/open-access-guidance/open-access-policy) indicates (Figure 11) that
Figure 11. Open access research publication policy of Welcome Trust.
A slightly different route is used by Chinese organisations such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences and, several universities support the research paper publication funding. All the authors (primarily from Chinese institutes) have to do is do the research and put it in prominent journals such as Science Magazine, Institute of Physics Publishing (IOP Science) and Springer, among others (Figure 12). It is important to mention here that this list does not include a majority of scientific publishers (> 95%) in scientific and humanities journals, such as Elsevier, Springer, Sage, IEEE, Wiley etc. which are based in the USA and European countries.
Figure 12. Article-processing sponsorships are provided by organisations to some representative scientific journals.
From a cursory search, it appears that about 85 journals listed on the Springer Open website in 2016, were sponsored for open access publication by various organisations across the World, none featuring any Indian Organisation. A 2018 study by Hajar and Zahra (54) has indicated that both institutionally and as a country, India does not figure at all in the Open access funding model for any research articles. The top 10 countries in terms of absolute numbers include the Netherlands (48.33%), the USA (4.13%), Germany (6.35%), UK (6.05%), China (2.56%), Japan (2.2%), Poland (14.14%), Italy (2.4%), France (2.06%) and Norway (10.8%), in that order. Even less developed countries such as Kenya, Armenia, and Swaziland feature in this list when the data is normalized (54). This is very unfortunate and Indian organisations, both governmental and non-governmental need to focus on this. Small things such as these help the nations to drive their strategic scientific fields and subjects worldwide, especially in an era of the Internet coupled with Artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Conclusions
Through this paper, I aim to address the necessity by:
Leveraging strategic partnership and expertise of multiple organisations and Indian diaspora across the world through ‘research and scale-up engagements. Such collaborations offer a valuable opportunity for proving an elaboration of our cultural Ayurvedic and Yogic sciences to a global audience. Similarly, it will also aid to connect Natural medicine and related indigenous practices followed across those countries with India’s indigenous cultural knowledge and make them more global.
Providing a good entry point for the Western medical community to increase their understanding of our cultural practices in health, well-being, and spirituality. At the moment, some of these are seen simply as either spiritual or unscientific bunkum. Establishing a solid platform by achieving the above-mentioned objectives will introduce the Western scientific community to the deeper aspects of Ayurvedá and Yoga which go beyond just curing a patient or increasing the flexibility of the body.
I hope that the items I have mentioned here come to fruition over the coming years through the cross-collaboration of Bhartiya people (born or naturalized) with Indian and global establishments. Defending our sciences is a difficult and tall task, but going by our history over millennia, I am sure that we can destroy these Taamsik forces and demonstrate the scientific rigour of Ayurvedá and yogic sciences in the lexicon of modern science so that they learn and graduate this proverbial ‘science’s kindergarten’ and move up the ladder, from Intellect to Intelligence.
असतो मा सद्गमय । तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय । मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय । ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
From ignorance, lead me to truth. From darkness, lead me to light. From death, lead me to immortality Om śhānti śhānti śhāntiḥ Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (1.3.28)
Contributing Author:Avinash V Karpe, Visiting Research Scientist at CSIRO and Swinburne University of Technology.
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.
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Associate Professor Munish Puri, left and Research Associate Dr Adarsha Gupta from Flinders University's College of Medicine and Public Health - Flinders University.
The global market for nutritional supplements is increasing in value with the growing popularity of vegan and vegetarian diets. Many people are turning to new meat-free products for health and diet benefits. Animal-free products can now also be seen on the shelves of major supermarkets in Australia.
Associate Professor Munish Puri from Flinders University’s College of Medicine and Public Health is researching on the animal-free meat movement and has discovered a new way to develop nutritional supplements.
Dr Puri, who completed a PhD. Biotechnology from India is recognised as an established leader in the area of industrial biotechnology.
The major area of his research includes “microbial cell manufacturing” where the emphasis is laid upon developing technologies to produce and purify novel molecules.
Vegan products (PETA)
Dr Puri believes that the key to manufacturing animal-free meat is the requirement of proteins, fats, and nutrients from thraustochytrids, the oily microbes sourced from the waters of South Australia which play an important role in the production of single-cell oils (SCO).
According to Dr Puri, SCOs are considered a promising oil alternative to those from fish and land-based plant sources. He says:
“By tuning thraustochytrids through fermentation we can produce SCO, which can be used in the nutraceutical industry for supplements and biodiesel, with the added advantage that it doesn’t require agricultural land and can be cultivated in a controlled environment, keeping them free from contamination.”
SCOs, Dr Puri notes could also prove vital in making everything from medicines, supplements, and biofuels to cosmetics and animal-free meat.
Associate Professor Munish Puri, left and Research Associate Dr Adarsha Gupta from Flinders University’s College of Medicine and Public Health – Flinders University.
Dr Puri says the oily microbes produce a high lipid (fat) content, expected to mimic the structure of animal fats, resulting in similar sensory properties including taste.
“The biggest challenge faced by food producers is to create animal-free meat with fine texture, flavour and meat-like mouthfeel. It’s anticipated that this can be improved by adding fat and its substitutes.”
He is confident that with the integration of fermentation and advanced manufacturing, “the Australian food industry could deliver a safe, sustainable, and competitive supply of this ‘superfood’ – SCO.” DR Puri adds:
“This technology will protect the environment, minimise reliance on animal fats, and support sustainability as well as affordable and enhanced human nutrition.”
Dr Puri says the primary drivers behind the meat-free or plant-based meat diet boom are health, environmental consciousness and animal welfare. He adds:
“Australia has the food-agricultural capacity, commercial appetite and research know-how to become an international leader in new protein industries including plant-based meat.”
In 2022, the Australian federal government awarded $2.829 million to Dr Puri and his research team along with Nourish Ingredients Pty Ltd.
This research funding was from government’s Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) Grants to develop environmentally friendly lipid using the fermented oily microbes.
International students; Image source: Study Adelaide
Many international students find filling out tedious admission forms a waste of time especially when the process becomes repetitive as a student applies to multiple universities. Now, imagine a new and less complex way to admit international students to Australian universities – one window admission.
Under this method, ‘students don’t apply to individual universities – instead, they just create a single portfolio, showcasing their grades, interests and other relevant information. After this, the universities and colleges would look at the student portfolios and make offers of admission and scholarships.
The share of Indians among foreign students in Australia has grown from 17 per cent in 2019 to 23 per cent in 2022. The availability of employment opportunities and permanent residency for international students has contributed to this growing interest.
A company called Concourse has been using this system to admit international students to American and international universities for the last two years.
International Students; Image Source: @CANVA
The idea, as per the company’s website, is called “flipping the script on traditional admissions.”
Joe Morrison, the CEO of Concourse, told Inside HigherEd that while working in the higher education recruitment industry he was struck by how much time is wasted in the admissions process.
He noticed that for international students in addition to filling out multiple admission forms for individual universities or colleges, students must submit SAT or ACT scores and the Test of English (IELTS or PTE).
Adam B. T. Wu, who is the Director of the undergraduate admission at the University of La Verne in California, says they have used the system to recruit only international students. He added that the new system “has helped us to expand the international reach of our admit pool.”
The university admitted 223 international students from 45 countries most notably from Vietnam, Mexico, Brazil, Canada, Bangladesh, and Hong Kong.
International Students: Picture Source: @CANVA
It is reported that Concourse has access to a wide range of international high schools that most universities are unable to reach with their present student recruitment system.
The company charges international students US$75 when the university or college offers admission.
Morrison observed that the fees are to make sure that the international students “understand that it’s not just a marketing gimmick.”
The university or college that wishes to access Concourse’s pool of international students is charged $200 per student that they finally opt to admit.
At this stage, international universities such as the University of Waterloo, in Canada; the University of York, in Britain; the University of Auckland, in New Zealand; and the University of Adelaide, in Australia are participating in this news system.
Morrison says the Concourse admissions program is definitely new but he is hopeful to expand it by four or five times in 2023.
Do you think that more Australian universities will adopt this system for international student admissions?
Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) has presented a new map of Khalistan to the Pakistani media and sought support from the Government of Pakistan.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, the founder of the banned organisation SFJ has described Shimla as the capital.
In addition, local media reports, SFJ’s founder held a meeting at the Lahore Press Club to announce the dates for the ‘Punjab Independence Referendum’ (January 26, 2023).
“The referendum seeks to liberate Punjab from India. On June 6, 1984, the Indira Gandhi government attacked Darbar Sahib and killed Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his followers.”
Gurpatwant Singh Pannu (Wikipedia)
Pannu has claimed that Shimla will be the ‘future capital’ of Khalistan and will also include Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Sikh-dominated areas of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. However, Pannu’s map left “Kartarpur Sahib’ one of the holiest Sikh pilgrims out of Khalistan.
“Today we are also releasing the map that when Indian Punjab becomes independent, these areas will be included in Khalistan.”
Vidhan Sabha Himachal Pradesh (Wikipedia)
Recently, Khalistani flags were discovered at the state Assembly building in Dharmshala, Himachal Pradesh. Pannu had released a video taking responsibility for this act and also issued threats to Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and DGP Sanjay Kundu.
“War is on against you, CM Thakur. You did not learn from AAP CM Bhagwant Mann of not starting a conflict with SFJ.”
Pannu has been booked under anti-terror law UAPA and other penal offences under section 13 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and sections 153 A and 153 B of the India Penal Code, besides section 3 of the HP Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1985.
Khalistan map (SFJ)
He has asked the government of Pakistan to acquire a ‘new and friendly neighbour’’ in Khalistan. Pannu said:
“Once independent, Khalistan along with Pakistan will shift the balance of power in South Asia and bring the necessary stability, peace and prosperity to the region.”
Now, time will tell if Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto will extend diplomatic support to Pannu’s fantasies!
Indian students who wish to pursue a Bachelor of Medicine or Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree abroad have been given a jolt by India’s Supreme Court.
The court bench comprising of Justices Hemant Gupta and V. Ramasubramanian upheld the regulatory validity of the National Medical Commission (Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate) Regulations 2021 and the National Medical Commission (Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship) Regulations of 2021.
As per this regulation, it will remain impossible for students to practice in India after completing their MBBS course in a foreign country. National Medical Commission (Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate) requires foreign medical graduates (FMGs) to:
undergo a medical course for a minimum of 54 months;
an internship for a minimum duration of 12 months in the same foreign medical institution;
to be registered with a professional regulatory body competent to grant a licence in the same foreign country; and
further, undergo a supervised 12-month internship in India after applying to the National Medical Commission.
“Courts, sometimes, were swayed by sympathy to the plight of a few students, little realising that the plight of the patients who would go to them will hardly come to light and the impact such decisions would have on the population would never be known.”
This strict regulation clearly says that foreign graduates can practice in India only if they are registered with the professional regulatory body of the country they have obtained the MBBS degree and have got a license to practice there.
Medical experts and practitioners note that the license to practice in a foreign country depends on the immigration policy and requirements of the field in that particular country. It doesn’t reflect on the recent graduate doctors’ skill and training.
Countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal, Russia, China, Ukraine, Armenia, Georgia, the Philippines, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan receive Indian students for the MBBS courses. However, given the immigration norms, none of these countries issues a license to practice medicine only on the basis of a degree obtained there.
Recently, war-affected Ukraine-returned Indian MBBS students have been allowed to complete their who may not have been able to complete their mandatory 12-month internship in India provided they have cleared the foreign medical graduate exam (FMGE) before applying for such internship here.
The NMC circular stated: “It has been observed that there are also some foreign medical graduates with incomplete internship due to such compelling situations, which are beyond their control such as the pandemic COVID and war, etc. Considering the agony and stress faced by these graduates, their application to complete the remaining part of an internship in India is considered eligible. The same may be processed by state medical councils provided the candidates have cleared the FMGE before applying for completion of internship in India.”
There are many universities offering MBBS degrees in Australia. It is offered as both an undergraduate and postgraduate program. An undergraduate-level MBBS in Australia is 5-6 years while a postgraduate-level MBBS degree (including Doctor of Medicine (MD) is 4 years long. The average fees of MBBS in Australia can range from AU$255,200 to AU$630,000. Upon completion of a medical degree, an international student can undertake 47 weeks of internship in a hospital. After completion of this accredited internship year in Australia or New Zealand, medical graduates are awarded general medical registration through the Medical Board of Australia.
Medical students; Image Source: CANVA
As per Aphra, the medical board of Australia, international medical graduates (IMGs) who have medical qualifications from outside of Australia or New Zealand must provide evidence of eligibility to undertake a recommended assessment pathway. This is to show appropriate medical knowledge, skills and performance to ensure that they deliver appropriate and safe care to patients.
Similarly, in the United States international MBBS degree-holders can practice if they pass the US Medical Licensing Examination. This is a three-step test to practice medicine in the US.
Justice Ramasubramanian added that it was “true that the country needs more doctors, but it needs really qualified doctors and not persons trained by institutions abroad, to test their skills only in their motherland”.
The Supreme Court rejected the argument that the Indian regulations encroach into the sovereignty of other countries. Justice Ramasubramanian dismissing the appeals noted:
“Thus the contention that the country needs more doctors and that by restricting the registration of foreign medical graduates, the fundamental right of the professionals under Article 19(1)(g) and the fundamental right of the citizens under Article 21 are impaired, is to be stated only to be rejected.”
These norms had come into force on November 18, 2021, and this judgment will affect more than 15,000 students who are studying MBBS abroad.
Brisbane taxi driver, Amritpal Singh, has been jailed after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a 20-year-old woman after she got into his cab.
The Courier-Mail reported that the 35-year-old, Brisbane taxi driver, pleaded guilty in Brisbane’s District Court to eight counts of sexual assault and one count of aggravated sexual assault.
The court heard that the 20-year-old victim wanted to get home in Forest Lake in the early hours of June 25 2021 and got into Singh’s cab in Fortitude Valley.
Shortly after commencing the journey, Singh pulled over in Herston requesting payment. The court heard when the woman was unable to pay with a phone app he said “they could f**k and that was the only option”.
The woman insisted she could pay by card and the trip resumed.
What followed involved Singh placing his hands between her legs on or near her genitalia multiple times and telling her it “tastes good” while licking his finger.
He continually pestered her for sex and placed her hands on his penis, at one point spraying himself with cologne.
During the journey, she told him she was scared and couldn’t breathe.
Singh told the woman, who was visibly intoxicated, not to sleep during the trip.
He asked to perform oral sex on her and the woman replied no twice.
But Singh pulled off the motorway, parked the car and placed his head between her legs and contacted her genitalia with his mouth, the court heard.
When they got to her house he asked for a kiss, she gave him one and he grabbed her breast, the court heard.
Crown prosecutor Steve Dickson said when police, who were informed later that day, spoke to Singh he said the victim didn’t have enough money to pay and claimed it was her who initiated the sexual contact as payment, reported The Courier-Mail
“The (woman) was vulnerable being in a taxi with no other way home. The defendant’s offending was predatory and exploited that weakness,” he said.
“This was a protracted offence where the complainant was clearly uncomfortable for the whole of the trip.
“There were moments where the complainant kissed the defendant back but it was obtained through pressure.”
Barrister Terry Morgans said his client had no criminal history and had sought professional counselling since being charged.
Mr Morgans said his client, a taxi driver since 2008, was “close to his faith” and demonstrated remorse through his early plea of guilty.
“He readily accepts on numerous occasions that she communicated to him that his behaviour was not okay,” he said.
Judge Katherine McGinness said the victim was “clearly distressed” throughout the ordeal.
“She was clearly intoxicated and disoriented and helpless, really,” she said.
Judge Katherine McGinness
“You were in a position of significant trust as a taxi driver transporting a young woman who was alone, it was nighttime, and she was entitled to feel safe and secure.
“I would be very surprised if this has not had some adverse impact on her of a longer nature.”
Singh was sentenced to 18 months in jail suspended after four months.
Just last week another Indian-Australian was sentenced to go to jail after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a 34-year-old woman. The Advertiser reported that Cairns taxi driver Harmeet Singh was sentenced Singh to six months in prison, suspended immediately, and 18 months parole, and ordered that he pay $2000 restitution over eight months.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) and researchers from Monash University’s Faculty of Information Technology have worked together to create My Pictures Matter.
Do you know that by uploading your childhood photos you could help police combat online child sexual exploitation?
My Pictures Matter an initiative of the AiLECS Lab is a crowdsourcing campaign with a difference. Here, people who are aged 18 and above can contribute photographs of themselves as children.
The research behind My Pictures Matter is funded by Monash University, the Australian Federal Police and the Westpac Safer Children Safer Communities grant program.
Associate Professor Campbell Wilson (Monash University)
AiLECS Lab Co-Director Associate Professor Campbell Wilson said to develop AI that can identify exploitative images, we need a very large number of children’s photographs.
“By obtaining photographs from adults, through informed consent, we are trying to build technologies that are ethically accountable and transparent.”
According to the AFP media release, these pictures will be used “to train artificial intelligence (AI) models to recognise the presence of children in safe situations, to help identify unsafe situations and potentially flag child exploitation material.”
My Pictures Matter.
Further, world first ethically-sourced and managed image bank will support Australian police officers and the children whom they are trying to protect from exploitation.
People who contribute photos to this initiative will be able to get details and updates about each stage of the research.
In case, as per AFP, a person doesn’t wish to be associated with the project they can even “opt to revoke their research consent and withdraw images from the database at a later date.”
Dr Nina Lewis (Monash University)
Project lead and data ethics expert Dr Nina Lewis adds that the principles of data minimisation have been applied to maintain privacy around the images submitted.
“We are not collecting any personal information from contributors other than the email addresses associated with consent for research use, and these email IDs will be stored separate to the images.”
In 2021, the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation received more than 33,000 reports of online child exploitation and each report can contain many images of children being sexually assaulted or exploited.
Investigators need to review that material, which can be a slow and horrific process. It can also cause significant psychological distress.
Dr Janis Dalins AFP Co-Director AiLECS Lab and Data Science Lead for Digital Forensics at Go8 AI Summit on the use of AI in AFP work in child sexual abuse detection #Go8AIpic.twitter.com/OY6q7xxAyd
AiLECS Lab co-director and AFP Leading Senior Constable Dr Janis Dalins said the ultimate goal is to more rapidly identify victims and material not previously seen by law enforcement.
“This will enable police to intervene faster to remove children from harm, stop perpetrators and better protect the community.”
Associate Professor Ritesh Chugh (Facebook)
Associate Professor Ritesh Chugh, Information and Communications Technology expert at CQ University, told The Australia Today that law-enforcement agencies globally are using AI to fight crime.
“Data generated through surveillance cameras, social media communication and audio conversations is a gold mine for assistance in public safety.”
Dr Chugh warns that there is a fine line to tread between public safety and privacy, which agencies need to consider in their AI applications and usage. He is hopeful that with time law-enforcement agencies would be able to perfect their Machine learning tools and AI systems to counter online child exploitation.
“Nevertheless, we’ll continue to see an increased use of AI and machine learning by law-enforcement agencies as they train their automated systems to identify forensic trends and correlations missed by the human eye.”
The researchers at AiLECS Lab are aiming to have a database of at least 100,000 ethically-sourced images for training the AI algorithm by the end of this year.
BJP National Spokesperson and Dalit scholar, Guru Prakash, who was recently in Australia spoke exclusively with Editor-in-Chief of The Australia Today, Jai Bharadwaj and addressed many important social issues relevant to India and the Indian diaspora.
Mr Prakash, in this interview, mentioned the attempts by forces inimical to India who try to create fake narratives through their echo chambers in western countries. Tune in for this must-watch interview.
Australia India Leadership Dialogue 2022; Image Source: Supplied
Australia India Institute will partner with Australian-founded global software company Atlassian as the principal corporate partner for the Australia India Leadership Dialogue in 2022.
The Track 1.5 Dialogue will be held on 6 September in New Delhi, bringing together 50 of the best and brightest leaders from both countries including Ministers, business leaders and academics for the fifth year for an invitation-only forum.
The Dialogue will be co-chaired by Atlassian co-CEO and co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes and Australia India Institute CEO, and former Australian Labor Senator, the Hon. Lisa Singh.
During the one-day event, the pair will invite experts from the sector as well as leaders in Australian and Indian government, academia and business to contribute to solutions to global challenges. The high-level sessions will have an emerging tech focus and cover evolving security architecture, Digihealth and Medtech, Clean-tech, sustainability and global tech talent.
Australia’s High Commissioner to India Barry O’Farrell, India’s High Commissioner to Australia Manpreet Vohra and Australia’s new Assistant Foreign Affairs Minister Tim Watts were present for the announcement in Canberra with Mr Cannon-Brookes and Ms Singh.
Mike Cannon-Brookes, Atlassian co-CEO and co-founder said: “We’re excited to be involved in the most important bilateral dialogue between Australia and India.
“India is not only Atlassian’s fastest-growing R&D site but our fastest growing talent location since opening our office in 2018. This is an important partnership for us as we continue to invest and grow our ambition in such a key tech market.”
Mike Cannon-Brookes, Atlassian Co-CEO; Image Source: Courtesy: Atlassian
Lisa Singh, CEO of the Australia India Institute said the partnership was about lifting the brand of Australian tech in India and Indian tech in Australia, to invest in talent for the long haul.
“This will be a distinctive future-facing one-day event that will be a vehicle to harness the expertise and create meaningful impact for both countries,”
Ms Singh said.
“The Australia-India tech story has not yet been fully told. Yet the innovation and growth for both countries are immense,” she said. “Through actively building stronger relationships and profiles, engaging experts and thought leaders, this 2022 Australia India Leadership Dialogue can act as a gamechanger for the future Australia-India technology footprint.
“As one of Australia’s business champions of India and through partnering with the Institute for this high-level Dialogue, Mike Cannon-Brookes has shown how committed he is to meaningful engagement with Indian counterparts. This would have to be a first for an Australian tech company to proactively demonstrate its support for closer ties with India,” she said.
“Indian tech companies in Australia continue to play a pivotal role in advancing our economic ties. The innovation shared by these players as well as the boom in start-ups makes this such an exciting and dynamic growth area.”
“We are enriched by the global perspectives and values of Atlassian and their collaborative approach through supporting this Dialogue as our principal partner.”
Assistant Foreign Affairs Minister Tim Watts tweeted, “Delighted to speak at the launch of the 2022 Australia-India Leadership Dialogue in Canberra today.”
“The new Albanese Government has made clear that accelerating our economic ties is a central priority for the India relationship.”
Assistant Foreign Affairs Minister Tim Watts; Image Source: Supplied
The partnership will run for two years and be held in India in 2022 and in Australia in 2023.
Australia India Institute is also partnering with The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Tata Consulting Services (TCS).
The Dialogue will enhance Australia’s ICT brand in India and globally as a key player in building the relationship between both countries through technology and innovation. It will showcase the importance of India to Australia in developing its commercial tech footprint.
Addressing the challenges and opportunities of living in a disruptive world, the Dialogue will investigate how both countries can change the conversation around collaboration, mobility, skills, and talent.
Since 2008, the Australia India Institute has enhanced understanding and cooperation between Australia and India and provides thought leadership on India-specific engagement for Australians. The previous principal corporate sponsor of the Australia India Leadership Dialogue was Anthony Pratt’s Visy Industries.
Dr Martin Cole, CEO of Wine Australia; Image Source: The AUstralia Today
India has emerged as one of the main destinations for Australian wines. Australian wine exports to India grew by 81 per cent in value to reach $12 million and 72 per cent in volume to reach 2.5 million litres in 2021.
This positive development in the light of the recent India-Australia trade pact gives Dr Martin Cole, CEO of Wine Australia, a lot to look forward to as far as Australia’s wine business with India is concerned. He believes the trade pact will make India a more viable proposition for small to medium winemakers from Australia who have not previously contemplated entering the Indian market.
Dr Martin joined this apex wine body at a particularly critical time when Covid-19 had taken its toll on Australian wine exports and the country lost its biggest wine export market – China.
Q: What is the key focus of Wine Australia at present?
Dr Martin: The key focus for Wine Australia currently has been diversifying and intensifying its efforts in the market and driving innovation and investment across research, development and adoption to maintain a competitive wine sector for Australia.
Q: As the Head of Wine Australia, what is your strategy to ensure that Australian wines do well in the global market and compete with the old world wine countries?
Dr Martin: Reigniting growth through market diversification is a key priority for Wine Australia and we are supporting this through our market insights, marketing and regulatory functions. We are encouraging businesses to make use of our free resources and services, including tailored consults for those looking to explore new markets.
We are delivering market entry programs, such as Export Ready USA, Explore Canada & Explore UK, and the US Market Entry Program, to help wine exporters from Australia look to enter these markets.
We are also working very closely with the Australian Government to build opportunities and trade relationships in other markets. We have developed the Australian Wine CONNECT platform to help Australian wine producers connect with distributors and retailers.
Q: Give us a sense of the current status of Australian wines in international markets and tell us which countries are the largest buyers of Australian wines.
Dr Martin: Global shipping issues and Covid-19 have taken their toll on our wine exports – and the loss of the China market has been a challenge. Export of Australian wines in volume declined by 17 per cent, while it declined by 29.8 per cent in value, in the year ended on December 2021 against the year ended on December 2020.
Still, red wine is leading in all the categories of wine exports from Australia with A$1364.9M value followed by still white wine, sparkling wine, still rose wine and other wines. After China’s mainland imposed tariff restrictions on Australia, the UK emerged as a leading export destination for Australian wines, followed by the US and Hong Kong.
India has also emerged as one of the main destinations for Australian wines as available export data for the year ended December 2021 shows. As per the data, Australia’s wine exports to India surged by 81 per cent in terms of value in the year ended in December 2021 against the year ended in December 2020. During that period the export of wines from Australia to India escalated from A$ 6.5 M to A$11.8m.
Australia’s wine export data to India reflects that sparkling wine’s export was leading in all categories of wine exports. Exports of sparkling wines from Australia to India impressively rose to 251.9 per cent in December 2021 as compared to December 2020.
The priority for us is to re-energise our traditional wine markets like the UK and the US, continue the wine education process and emphasise the innovations underway in Australian wine while exploring new opportunities.
Q: How seriously has the Australian wine trade been affected by China’s imposition of a high anti-dumping tariff on Australian wines?
Dr Martin: China was a $1.2 billion market for Australian wines so the impact of China’s tariffs on bottled Australian wine imports has been significant. The trick for Wine Australia is to capitalise on new opportunities for our wineries and exporters.
Australian wine exports to India grew by 81 per cent in value to reach $ 12 million and 72 per cent in volume to 2.5 million litres in 2021.
A couple of Asian markets are soaking up some of the higher-value red wines that would otherwise have gone to China; our wine exports to Singapore and South Korea escalated by 108 per cent and 74 per cent respectively.
In the UK, we had good news late last year with the signing of the free trade agreement between the two countries that sees the removal of a small but significant customs tariff, which places Australian wines on an equal footing in the UK; with wines from competing countries like Chile and South Africa.
And when the AI ECTA comes into force, preferential tariff treatment will be afforded to premium Australian wines exported to India.
Q: What kind of support was extended to wineries and wine companies by the Australian government and Wine Australia in marketing and sale of their products in those difficult months?
Dr Martin: In order to maintain a regular connection between buyers, media and the winemakers during the Covid-19 lockdowns, the Wine Australia team worked closely with the regional associations to provide virtual tastings via the CONNECT site. Typically reaching over 200 attendees live, many with sample packs of wine to taste along with the winemakers, these have proven an invaluable source of up-to-date information for the trade, and have delivered a wide range of exclusive and new vintage wines to the markets.
In terms of financial support, the Australian Government is investing $85.9 million to help Australian agri-businesses expand and diversify their export markets through the Agri-Business Expansion Initiative (ABEI).
The Government’s Agricultural Trade and Market Access Cooperation (ATMAC) Program is expanding trade in Australia’s agricultural, forestry and fisheries sectors into emerging export markets and/or export markets with high-growth potential. This will be achieved through support for diversification efforts that align with industry priorities.
Q: What is your outlook for 2022-23? Are you looking at any significant change in the production volume & sales of wines during the current financial year?
Dr Martin: The average wine grape production in Australia over the past 5 years is around 1.8 million tonnes. This can vary by up to 20 per cent due to the normal range of seasonal conditions. Outside of that, we are not expecting any significant change in production volume in the 2022 and 2023 vintages.
Australia exports around 60 per cent of its wine, while the other 40 per cent is sold in the domestic market. These proportions are not expected to change significantly in 2022-23, although the mix of our wine export markets has changed as a result of changes in the trading environment.
Q: Why has wine consumption of premium Australian wines not grown significantly over the years?
Dr Martin: The 150 per cent tariff on imported wine has been an impediment to the growth of the premium wine market in India.
Q: India has agreed to significantly reduce custom duty on Australian premium wines. How optimistic are you about better market access to premium Australian wines in India after this duty reduction?
Dr Martin: The signing of the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI ECTA) is a positive step for the wine business in our countries. There is potential for growth in the sale and consumption of Australian wines in India.
In particular, the AI ECTA will make India a more viable proposition for small to medium winemakers from Australia who have not previously contemplated entering the Indian market.
When the AI ECTA comes into force, preferential tariff treatment will be afforded to premium Australian wines imported to India, which currently represents a small portion of Australia’s wine exports.
Tariffs on Australian wines with a cost, insurance and freight (CIF) value of more than US$5 per 750ml bottle will decrease to 100 per cent upon coming into force of the treaty, with a further phased reduction of 5 per cent per year for 10 years down to 50 per cent.
Tariffs on Australian wines with a CIF value of more than US$15 per 750ml bottle will decrease to 75 per cent upon coming into force of the treaty, with a further phased reduction of 5 per cent per year for 10 years down to 25 per cent.
As an example of what could happen once the agreement comes into force, the wine that leaves Australia at an average value of A$10/litre FOB would be eligible for lower tariff benefits through the AI ECTA.
According to estimates determined using Wine Australia’s FOB to the retail calculator, the Australian wine that currently retails at around Rs.4300 per bottle in India can expect to fall to around Rs. 3600 per bottle when the AI ECTA comes into force (a 15 per cent reduction) and to around Rs.3000 per bottle after 10 years (a 30 per cent reduction).
Q: India’s wine importers are always looking for marketing support for building the market for new wine portfolios in the country. Does your organisation extend financial help to the wine companies to fund their marketing expenses?
Dr Martin: Wine Australia doesn’t have any grant or financial support available to help wine companies fund their marketing expenses. However, the Australian Government offers Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) program to help Australian businesses grow their exports in international markets. These grants encourage small to medium enterprises from Australia to market and promote their goods and services globally.
Q: Give our readers a peek into some prominent Australian wine regions.
Dr Martin: Australia began making wines over two centuries ago. We have always made great Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Riesling, Grenache and Semillon, but our passion extends to ‘alternative’ varieties such as Fiano, Grüner Veltliner, Sangiovese and Nebbiolo.
Australian wine regions are spread in Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland wine region, New South Wales, and Tasmania region.
Western Australia’s wine history dates back to 1840 and the region has earned the reputation of being a producer of premium wines. It comprises the Great Southern wine region and Margaret River wine region. The producers in Western Australia grow over 36 different grape varieties that span the alphabet from A to Z or Arneis to Zinfandel.
South Australia wine region comprises Adelaide Hills Wine Region along with other regions. Adelaide Hills Wine Region is Australia’s most vibrant wine region with its distinctive premium wines, viticulture and stunning scenery.
Coonawarra is one of South Australia’s premier red wine regions; home to the most famous vineyard soil in the world. With a winemaking history that dates back more than a century, Coonawarra is one of Australia’s oldest wine regions too.
The Queensland wine region has a wine history dating back to 150 years. The region produces world-class wines, thanks to a bunch of dedicated and passionate producers.
New South Wales wine region is the birthplace of Australian wine. It is a small seaside region making waves with its elegant cool-climate wines.
Located in the south of mainland Australia, the pristine island of Tasmania is a tourist hotspot that is also one of the top cool-climate wine regions down under. With nothing but ocean between Tasmania and Antarctica, the region has a cool, maritime climate. Quality-obsessed producers, there are making some of Australia’s best wines, including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and world-class sparkling wines.
Q: Which are the top wine tourism destinations in Australia?
Dr Martin: We are fairly spoiled for choice in Australia when it comes to wine tourism experiences. The latest figures on wine tourism in Australia show that 5.5 million visitors went to wineries in Australia in the year ending September 2020; they spent $5.9 billion in Australia during their trip there and stayed for an average of six nights.
The top 3 GI regions where Australian travellers went to a winery were Margaret River, Hunter, and Mornington Peninsula. When it comes to international tourists, the top three wine tourism destinations in Australia were Yarra Valley, Margaret River, and Hunter Valley.
Disclaimer: This exclusive interview was done by Bishan Kumar, Editor-in-Chief of Spiritz magazine.We have published it under our global collaborative project.
Tasmanian Greens leader Cassy O’Connor has apologised for “the hurt and confusion” caused by her comments made in support of Hollywood superstar Johnny Depp.
And statements like these below.
Amber Heard doesn’t speak for victim survivors of intimate partner & family violence. As a confirmed-by-a-jury violent abuser and liar, she mocks us all. pic.twitter.com/1VRCJ1dp64
Australian media reported that she also raised the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial in state parliament, interjecting during a debate to criticise Labor MP Michelle O’Byrne, whom Ms O’Connor said was “about as good at that lectern as Amber Heard is in the Johnny Depp trial, a total fake”. Cassy O’Connor was asked to withdraw the comment after Ms O’Byrne raised a point of order.
Cassy O’Connor (Wikipedia)
Cassy O’Connor said in a social media post that she had “watched too much” of the defamation trial involving Johnny Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard.
To victim survivors, and those who represent them, as well as Greens supporters, I am sorry not to have bitten my tongue in this instance. I had watched too much of the trial.
I hope my record of advocacy and law reform over the past 14 years will, ultimately, speak for itself.
She posted on Twitter: “I acknowledge the trial & verdict have been weaponised by those who hate women, abusers, & hard right elements.”
I acknowledge the trial & verdict have been weaponised by those who hate women, abusers, & hard right elements.
To have a world that is safer for women and children, & all vulnerable people, we have to maintain the just rage against those forces, as I have throughout my life.
Johnny Depp won his US defamation case against Amber Heard and was awarded $US10.35 million. The seven-member jury found a statement that Amber Heard made about domestic abuse in a 2018 opinion piece published in the Washington Post clearly referred to Johnny Depp.
The jury also found that Amber Heard was also defamed by Johnny Depp’s lawyer when he called her abuse allegations a hoax and awarded her $US2 million.
Melbourne-based writer Danielle Binks tweeted: “That’s not an apology from Cassy O’Connor.”
That’s not an apology from Cassy O'Connor. “Sorry not to have bitten my tongue,” is “sorry I Tweeted and liked shit that you all saw.” And “I had watched too much of the trial,” has real “I did my own research,” energy.
Jeffrey Blackman tweeted “Surprising to see a Green saying this although society is all for man bashing.”
Greens leader Cassy O'Connor sparks backlash over Johnny Depp and Amber Heard trial comments https://t.co/ip9CDIOrS9 Surprising to see a Green saying this although society is all for man bashing. The Higgins case also appears to lack evidence.
— Jeffrey Blackman/AustFirst (@BaronBlacky) June 6, 2022
Dipti Dhyani with Sooraj Thapar (Image source: diptisthapar - Instagram)
Indian actress Dipti Dhyani recently shaved off her head for her husband Sooraj Thapar.
Last year Sooraj had contracted Covid and was admitted in the ICU. Dipti had prayed to Tirupati Balaji (Lord Venkateswara) for Sooraj’s recovery and made a sacred pledge that upon Sooraj’s recovery she will donate her hair.
Sooraj Thapar, Dipti Dhyani’s husband who himself is also a well-known actor, told the indianexpress.com that he felt lucky to have a partner like her. Describing the moment he said that while he didn’t know if he would ever be fine doing this but that Dipti sat at the temple and just chanted God’s name and that it was an emotional moment for both of them. He commented that she is confidently flaunting her new look and refuses to wear a scarf or band and that she is looking prettier now.
Tirupati Balaji (Sri Venkateswara Swami Vaari Temple) is a famous Hindu temple situated in Tirumala, India. It is the abode of Lord Venketeswara who is considered an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
Millions of Hindu devotees visit the temple every year from India and abroad. The devotees, if they wish to, can pledge to shave their head off and donate their hair to the temple, if their prayers are answered.
The temple also gives free food to pilgrims known as anna prasadam. According to the Deccan Chronicle in the year 2019 the temple served free food to 6.45 crore or 64.5 million devotees.
Indian Currency to have Gandhi, Kalam and Tagore; Image Source: @CANVA
According to recent unsubstantiated reports in the Indian media, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is considering using images of two famous personalities Rabindranath Tagore and Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, other than Mahatma Gandhi on the banknotes.
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam and Rabindranath Tagore (Wikipedia)
This is the first time that the RBI and the Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India (SPMCIL), which is under the Finance Ministry, have sent two separate sets of currency samples using Gandhi, Tagore and Kalam watermarks to IIT-Delhi Emeritus Professor Dilip T Shahani.
Padma Shri awardee Prof. Shahani, who specialises in Electromagnetic Instrumentation, has been told to choose from the given two sets and present them for final consideration by the Modi government.
Modi government sources told the media that a final decision on picking one or all the three images will be taken at the “highest levels of the government”.
According to these sources, the design of the three watermark samples had already received official sanction. However, no firm decision has yet been made regarding this move as the government wishes to explore the possibility of including watermarks of multiple figures on currency notes.
As per reports, RBI internal committee had submitted a detailed report in 2020, proposing that besides Gandhi the watermark figures of Tagore and Kalam should also be developed for inclusion in all currency notes. The committee also recommended that the Rs 2,000 note whose printing had already stopped should continue with Gandhi’s watermark.
Indian Currency to have Gandhi, Kalam and Tagore; Image Source: @CANVA
It is reported that Prof. Shahani has had several rounds of discussions with RBI and SPMCIL officials on the “finer aspects” of the samples.
Nobel Leuterate Rabindranath Tagore is West Bengal’s greatest icon and Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, popularly known as the Missile Man, was India’s 11th President.
Mahatma Gandhi was first featured on Indian currency notes in 1969 as the Congress-led government-issued notes honouring him on his 100th birth celebrations.
The Australia Today could not independently verify the report.
Hate mail campaign; Image Source: The Australia Today
A Sydney man has been convicted and sentenced over an offensive email campaign directed at Federal politicians and candidates in the 2019 Federal Election and 2020 by-election.
The 34-year-old man from Blacktown was sentenced in Penrith District Court on 2 June 2022 after pleading guilty to 12 charges.
According to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) media release, the man was sentenced to an aggregate of 21 months and released with conditions that include showing good behaviour for three years.
These included using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence; dealing in identification information; possession of identification information; and misleading or deceptive publications.
Search warrant image (AFP)
In June 2020, the AFP launched Operation BALAH after receiving a report from the Electoral Integrity Assurance Taskforce (EIAT) and the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC), about a mass disinformation campaign leading up to the Eden-Monaro by-election.
This report related to offensive and harassing emails being sent from an unidentified user to members of the public and various other organisations.
AFP technical analysis identified the offender at a Blacktown address and in July 2020 AFP conducted a search warrant at that address.
Using world-leading capability, AFP technical analysis identified the offender at a Blacktown address.
Items located by AFP during the warrant, including phone SIM cards, were examined and found to be subscribed under different names.
Further investigations into the matter revealed that those individuals had their identification fraudulently obtained by the offender.
Hate mail campaign; Image Source: @CANVA
Operation BALAH investigations revealed that the same offender had engaged in a similar offence related to the Wentworth electorate during the Federal Election in May 2019.
During the Eden-Monaro by-election, the offender sent more than 23 million emails to members of the public and organisations and is believed to have sent a similar number related to the Wentworth electorate during the Federal Election.
AFP Leading Senior Constable Glen Brazendale said: “The matter is in many ways unique because no person has been successfully prosecuted for an offence under section 329(1) of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918.”
According to the AFP, the targets of the offender’s email campaigns had no knowledge of this offending nor any association with the offender, and have also condemned his actions.
The targets of the offender’s email campaign include Dr Fiona Kotvojs, Kristy McBain MP, Dave Sharma former MP and Dr Kerryn Phelps AM (and their political parties).
“Ye ishq nahi aasaan bas itna samajh lijiye / Ek aag ka dariya hai aur doob k jaana hai…” [This love is not so easy / It is like a river of fire and you must swim through it].
A 22-year-old woman from Bangladesh has proved the above couplet true by swimming 22 miles across the border to marry her boyfriend whom she met on Facebook.
Krishna Mandal, from Bangladesh, met Abhik Mandal, from India, on the social media platform, Facebook, and instantly fell in love.
Since Krishna or Abhik did not have a passport, India Today reports, Krishna decided to cross the border.
Sunderban (Wikipedia)
She entered the wild forests of Sunderban, known for its Royal Bengal Tigers, and then swam for an hour in the river to enter India to marry Abhik.
The couple got married at Kalighat Temple in Kolkata and the tales of Krishna’s bravery began doing rounds on social media.
Kalighat Temple in Kolkata (Wikipedia)
However, the love story was cut short when Krishna was arrested on Monday by the Narendrapur Police for trespassing Indian territory via unauthorised water route.
Police sources told media that Krishna may be handed over to the Bangladesh High Commission.
Krishna is not the first one to try something adventurous to meet a loved one. In a similar incident, a 24-year-old resident from Nadia in West Bengal travelled across India to meet his 18-year-old lover from Nerail in Bangladesh. The Border Security Force (BSF) arrested the couple in Nadia for illegally crossing the international border.
Eralier, a Vietnamese man who had not seen his wife, who works in India, decided to row 2,000 kilometres on a rafting boat. Media reported that Thai fishermen found the man with a suitcase, a bottle of water, and about 10 packets of instant noodles. This man had spent 18 nights alone in the sea with no map, compass, or GPS.
In another intance, Eman Hossain, a Bangladeshi teen, was arrested for illegally swimming into India to buy his favourite chocolates. The teen was handed over to the local police, after which he was produced before the court and remanded to 15 days in judicial custody.
Representing 
(@Globalbiosec) 
(@UltrahumanHQ) 
Deputy Prime Minister & Minister for Defence 
(@ShereleMoody) 
By Corporal Miguel Anonuevo
Australian Deaf Cricket Team 
12th June 2019, 
and it proved to be an iconic day for me 
scroll to 0.37 sec 
(@CassyOConnorMP) 
