Indian-origin Harini Logan wins US National Spelling Bee championship

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3 June 2022 4:25 PM

Indian agribusiness delegation at Agritech and Logistics Hub in Toowoomba (Image source: Austrade)

A delegation of Indian officials and business leaders are in Australia to explore economic opportunities across agtech, food and consumer goods sectors arising from the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA).

Organised by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), the delegation includes officials of India’s Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and representatives from major agtech and e-commerce businesses.

Following a welcome reception in Sydney on Monday, the agtech and e-commerce groups split for a week of visits to agricultural innovation hubs and networking events to explore e-commerce opportunities with Australian food and consumer goods companies as they travel through New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Delegates-1024x640.jpg — Indian delegates to the AIBX Agribusiness Mission at the Sydney Startup Hub this morning (Image source: Austrade)

Head of Austrade South Asia, Catherine Gallagher said the bilateral relationship is “at an all-time high” after the recent signing of the economic cooperation and trade agreement.

Once in force, it will see tariffs eliminated on more than 85 per cent of Australian goods exports to India (valued at more than $12.6 billion a year), rising to almost 91 per cent (valued at $13.4 billion) over 10 years.

“Australia’s reputation for quality goods and services – from agriculture, technology, food, health and consumer products to education and resources – is rapidly growing in India,” Ms Gallagher said.

“By supporting the Australian and Indian business communities to engage with each other, Austrade hopes to build on existing momentum and support commercial success.”

Joint Secretary for India’s Ministry of Agricultural and Farmers Welfare Shomita JS Biswas, said, “the delegation is a learning opportunity for the Indian side and the sharing of experience will deepen the relationship between India and Australia.”

Indian agribusiness leaders from fintech to climate-smart technology are getting to know about Australia’s agricultural innovation by touring world-class agtech hubs in Orange, Wagga Wagga and Toowoomba. The delegates attended the Digital Agrifood Summit in Wagga Wagga, which brings together farmers, researchers and industry.

Keynote speaker at the summit Professor David Lamb, Chief Scientist Food Agility and Adjunct Research Professor Charles Sturt University said the visit was an opportunity to exchange ideas and explore partnerships.

John Southwell, Austrade’s new India-based Trade and Investment Commissioner who specialises in agribusiness (Image source: Austrade)

“Agricultural innovation is booming in Australia, with data and technology underpinning the drive for agriculture to be a $100 billion export industry. We have a lot to offer to countries like India,” he said.

Australia’s agtech solutions can help India increase production while managing scarce resources, variable climates and meeting consumer demands for healthy, convenient and traceable foods, said Austrade Trade and Investment Commissioner to Mumbai John Southwell.

“The signing of the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA) will fuel mutually beneficial ag-tech collaboration.”

“Austrade encourages Indian and Australian agribusinesses to forge partnerships from manufacturing products using Australian intellectual property to food processing to bring benefits to both nations,”
he said.

Among the delegates in Australia is Mr T.R. Kesavan, Group President, Corporate Relations & Alliances for TAFE Limited, the world’s third-largest tractor manufacturer and India’s largest exporter of tractors and agricultural equipment, including to Australia.

Mr Kesavan said: “I’m particularly interested to look at the advances Australia is making in water management and robotic weeding technology. It all adds up to potentially huge savings for both the farmer and the wider environment. At the same time, there’s much that India is doing, for instance in the area of traceability, that is equally applicable to Australia. There is much that we can and should collaborate on. The strengthening ties between our two countries open up so many opportunities for our agtech companies.”

Mr Kesavan at Agritech and Logistics Hub in Toowoomba (Image source: Austrade)

Mr Kesavan told The Australia Today that there are a lot of similarities in what’s happening in India and Australia’s agriculture sectors and emphasised on cooperation between the two countries in this sector.

“We face similar challenges, like variable climates and water scarcity. Australia’s innovation is easily transferable and adapted to India’s needs.”

“I believe cooperation between Australia and India in the agricultural space is a win-win for both countries. Australia’s agricultural technology can be brought to India not just for usage but for scaling and then marketed to the world” said Mr Kesavan.

Indian agribusinesses joining TAFE as part of the delegation include Captain Agri Machinery, DCM Shriram, Samunnati and Sangha Group.

The rapid growth of India’s e-commerce sector, which is now worth $63.4 billion, has also seen an increasing number of online platforms cater to over 658 million internet users. The diversity among online players and the growing demand for Australian products create opportunities for Australian businesses to reach more customers.

At the same time, India’s middle class has developed a taste for Australian consumer goods from beauty and skincare, health and wellness to food and fashion.

Representatives from India’s leading e-commerce platforms are meeting with Australian consumer goods companies and learning about Australian products while exploring opportunities to expand their portfolios. The delegation of Indian e-commerce companies includes Aim Direct Global, Amazon, Evolve Digitas, Ninjacart, Pagariya Food Products Limited, Tyche Retail and Marketing Private Limited.

Indian agribusiness delegation in Brisbane (Image source: Austrade)

As part of the mission, the delegates visited Australian-founded vitamins, supplements and skincare brand Swisse in Melbourne. Since 2020, Swisse has successfully pursued an all-digital strategy in India with brand ambassadors including Nicole Kidman and Chris Hemsworth.

“We are delighted to host an inbound e-commerce delegation from India to our home in Collingwood. Our digital and e-commerce-first strategy in India has been integral to our market entry,” said Nick Mann, Regional CEO, H&H Group.

“We’ve partnered with leading platforms in India that have been able to showcase our range of premium vitamins, herbal and mineral products, beauty supplements and natural skincare with Indian consumers.”

The delegation is part of the Austrade’s Australia India Business Exchange (AIBX) program aimed at growing two-way commercial partnerships and outcomes.

Austrade aims at building a stronger economy by accelerating the growth of Australian businesses through international trade, attracting foreign investment and stimulating recovery in the visitor economy.

Albanese asks Fair Work Commission to increase minimum wage, hesitates to give a figure

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3 June 2022 11:15 AM

PM Anthony Albanese; Image Source: Twitter @Albo

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has signed submission to the Fair Work Commission, recommending that “lowest-paid workers not go backwards.”

Workers on the minimum wage deserve a pay rise.

Yesterday I signed my Government's submission to the Fair Work Commission, recommending Australia’s lowest-paid workers not go backwards. pic.twitter.com/xXNBwxABFa
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) June 3, 2022

Labor government has asked the Fair Work Commission to target the lowest paid for large minimum wage increases.

They have also requested the Fair Work Commission to draw a distinction with millions of other workers who are on a higher award rates.

The Prime Minister has blamed the previous Liberal government for making “costs are harder to meet because of a decade of deliberate decisions” that kept the “wages low.

Rising costs are putting real pressure on family budgets.

And these costs are harder to meet because of a decade of deliberate decisions by the previous government to keep wages low.

My Government wants more Australians to be able to get ahead.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) June 3, 2022

However, the Prime Minister has not specified the rate to which the minimum wage should be raised.

PM Albanese told ABC that the submission is consistent with what he said during the election campaign: “There won’t be a number in the submission. What there will be though, is the strong view that we have, that people who are on the minimum wage simply can’t afford a real wage cut.”

This hesitation on not recommending comes after “absolutely” endorsing an increase of at least 5.1 per cent during the Federal election campaign.

The Reserve Bank has also noted recently that wages growth in Australia doesn’t align with the soaring inflation.

The Fair Work Commission is going to meet today to carry out its annual wage review that would affect three million people.

The national minimum wage for Australia’s lowest paid workers is $20.33 per hour. The Australian Council of Trade Unions in their submission has requested for a 5.5 per cent increase in the minimum wage to $21.45 per hour.

Two people die in a house fire in Sydney’s west

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3 June 2022 10:14 AM

Representative image - House_Fire; Image Source: @CANVA

Two people have died in a house fire in Glendenning, an area in Sydney’s west.

Emergency services were called when neighbours found the one-storey home alight and the roof collapsed.

Firefighters arrived at the home around 4.45 am and forced entry to rescue a 74-year-old woman. Paramedics performed CPR, but could not revive the woman.

Firefighters also found the body of a 77-year-old man.

A nearby residents told ABC it was a “big loss for the community”.

Representative image – House_Fire (Wikipedia)

Fire and Rescue Superintendent Adam Dewberry told media: “Firefighters did rescue one occupant from the burning under intense fire conditions and handed that occupant over to the paramedics.”

Mr Dewberry added: “Unfortunately, the person that was rescued by firefighters has not been able to be revived. Once the smoke and heat cleared in the property, firefighters found a second person. The cause and origin of this fire is being investigated by police and fire investigators. It is a developing incident. It is a tragedy.”

Emergency crews have also reminded people to make sure that they have working smoke alarms.

NSW Police have established a crime scene and are now searching the burnt home for clues.

Do you want to apply Fast-track residency visa? Applications close July 2022

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2 June 2022 5:41 PM

Visa Application approved; Image Source: @CANVA

Migration experts believe that by the end of 2022 New Zealand will have a record number of new residents than they have seen in the past intakes.

In 2021, Jacinda Ardern’s government had a ‘planning range’ for new residents. This included overseas-born spouses of New Zealanders and humanitarian categories resulting in an annual target of 30,000 to 40,000. At the present speed of migration, New Zealand case officers could take five years to approve 200,000 residency applications.

According to NewsHub, the latest immigration figures from New Zealand show that the country has in fact created more residents in the last six months.

Till now, New Zealand immigration had received 97,179 applications that included 194,632 people. Immigration has approved 21,364 applications thus granting residence visas to 48,327 people.

Jacinda ArderN (Image source: Wikipedia)

Ardern has further pledged that 80 per cent of applications will be decided within 12 months. The government announced that the border would reopen fully and visa processing for overseas applicants would restart on the last day of July.

However, national immigration spokesperson Erica Stanford told NewsHub that Immigration New Zealand’s present processing rate meant it would not hit the target until October 2023.

Residence Application (Image source: Wikipedia)

In terms of applicants, the top four migrants are from India (69,594), the Philippines (47,304), China (35,451), and South Africa (31,248). In terms of application rejection, Chinese applicants with a 3.9 per cent decline rate are less likely to be approved compared to only a 2 per cent decline rate for Indians and South Africans.

Applications for fast-track residency visas are due to close in July 2022.

In September, the New Zealand government is also planning to start a new fast-track residence programme for skilled professionals such as engineers, doctors, and scientists in addition to the Accredited Employer Work Visa that was recently opened. The reopened processing centres would include a Green List/fast-track to residence for highly skilled workers.

Why is China so interested in Australia’s neighbourhood?

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2 June 2022 12:29 PM

Return of the Great game of Pacific; Image Source: Twitter @MichaelFieldNZ

By Lt Col JS Sodhi (Retd)

Robert Gilpin’s quip “There is a pressing need to integrate the study of international economics with the study of international politics to deepen our comprehension of the forces at work in the world” holds apt for the just concluded Quad Summit on May 24, 2022, in Tokyo, Japan which apart from being a super success has rattled China like never before.

With a commitment of US$ 50 billion of infrastructure investment in the Indo-Pacific region in the next 5 years, the launch of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and The Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness in the recent Tokyo Quad Summit, China knew its dreams and desires of hegemony over the Indo-Pacific region had been dealt a serious blow.

Quad Leaders Summit in Tokya (Image Source: Twitter) — Quad Leaders Summit in Tokyo (Image Source: Twitter)

Not wasting any time further, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, embarked on an 8-nation tour of the Pacific Islands from May 26-June 04, 2022 commencing from the Solomon Islands with whom China recently signed a security pact. In his itinerary are also visits to Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and East Timor.

The Indo-Pacific region is of vital importance to China for its security and commercial shipping and the 15 island nations in this region are called the Pacific Islands which are sub-grouped into three ethnogeographic groupings – Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia.

Melanesia has four nations – Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Micronesia comprises seven nations – Palau, Nauru, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Northern Mariana Islands. Polynesia is made up of four nations – New Zealand, Tonga, Tuvalu and Samoa.

The Pacific Islands have a combined population of about 13 million (1.3 crores) and span a little over 15% of the world’s surface.

Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong meeting with Fiji’s Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama (Image Source: Twitter)

The distance between Australia and Papua New Guinea is just 6 kilometres and the atolls in eastern Kiribati are 3000 kilometres from Hawaii and 1300 kilometres from Guam, both of which are important US military bases.

During World War II the geostrategic importance of the Pacific Islands was critical since they were important for military force movements and for maintaining the logistical supply lines. For six decades after the end of World War II till 2005, this region saw less activity as China did not take much interest in this region and the USA had complete supremacy over this area.

Pacific Islands (Image source: Kahuroa - Wikipedia) — Pacific Islands (Image source: Kahuroa – Wikipedia)

Things drastically changed in the Pacific Islands from 2006 onwards when China started an aggressive commercial, aid and diplomatic activity in this region. Between 2006-2017 China provided US$ 1.5 billion in aid to the Pacific Islands and the Chinese construction activities in this region were US$ 958 million.

Geographically of the four oceans – Arctic, Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans, the Arctic Ocean is of least interest to the USA as it is frozen for nine months of a year and the Atlantic Ocean is safe as it is between the USA and western Europe, majority of whom are NATO members. It is the Indian and the Pacific Oceans that the USA is most worried about as China has been steadily increasing its influence in this region.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meeting Samoan Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa (Image Source: Twitter)

The USA has repeatedly voiced concern that China is seeking to establish a military base in the Pacific. The statement by the US National Security Council coordinator for Indo-Pacific, Kurt Campbell on January 10, 2022, that the Pacific region is most likely to see a strategic surprise from China proved to be correct when China signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands on April 20, 2022.

This announcement shook the entire world as now China has a foothold in the island nation which played a decisive role in World War II. China can now use this foothold to block shipping routes whenever the need arises.

Even as the shock waves did not subside, the Solomon Islands signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Chinese firm on April 30, 2022, to make a regional aeronautical hub in the island nation.

China has agreed to pump in millions of dollars to boost up infrastructure in the island nation. Of course, there aren’t any free lunches in the world. The take-over of Hambantota port in Sri Lanka and the Gwadar port in Pakistan by China for failure to repay the Chinese loans are a stark reminder of what awaits the Solomon Islands in the near future.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi tmeeting Samoan Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa (Image Source: Twitter)

In May 2021 China upgraded a disused airstrip on the Kanton Island of Kiribati, which is strategically located midway between Asia and the Americas, which was a major stop for commercial trans-Pacific flights and a military aircraft base during World War II.

China has loaned money to 166 nations of the world, of which 40 nations are reeling under its debt trap. This predatory tactics by China in entrapping economically weaker nations by the financial largesse it offers, make the debt trapped nations impossible to wriggle out of its strangulation.

The importance of the Pacific Islands can also be gauged from the fact that the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken visited Fiji on February 12, 2022, the first such visit by a US Secretary of State in 36 years.

US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken’s Fiji visit (Image Source: Twitter)

The game for control of the strategic Pacific Islands between the USA and China is now in full force and fury with China’s renewed interest in this area.

Abraham Lincoln’s prophetic words “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe” has a great bearing on the precarious geopolitical scenario that the Pacific Islands find themselves in.

Contributing Author: Lt Col JS Sodhi (Retd) retired from the Corps of Engineers of the Indian Army and is an alumnus of IIT Kanpur. He is an M.Tech in Structures and has also done MBA and LLB. The views expressed are personal.

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.

Scientists discover a new species of monkey in India

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2 June 2022 10:14 AM

Image source: Macaca_leonina_mother_with_baby_-_Khao_Yai - Wikipedia.

Scientists at the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) in Kolkata have discovered a new species of macaque monkey that roams the forest of Arunachal Pradesh.

Genetic analysis by a team of scientists, led by Mukesh Thakur, revealed that this monkey is genetically different from the other species of monkey found in the western and central region of Arunachal Pradesh.

The researchers have named this new species as ‘Sela macaque’ (scientific name: Macaque selai) after the Sela Pass.

This mountain pass separates the new species from the Arunachal macaque, an endangered and recently discovered cercopithecine primate, which is found in the Tawang district.

Scientists at ZSI collected DNA samples from the Sela macaque species and carried out a detailed phylogenetic analysis. They found that the Sela macaque is genetically closer to the Arunachal macaque. Further, members of these two species also share some physical characteristics like a heavy-built shape and long dorsal body hair.

Image source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1055790322001269?via%3Dihub

However, the individuals of the two species acquired some distinct morphological features when they evolved separately. According to the researchers, this happened because Sela Pass acted as a barrier and restricted the mixing of these two species for nearly two million years.

“On genetic analyses of Arunachal macaques, we observed spatially distributed substantial inter-species genetic divergence among the samples collected from Arunachal Pradesh. The results suggested that Arunachal macaque evolved into two phylogenetic species about 1.96 mya following allopatric speciation by means of Sela mountain pass in Arunachal Pradesh, India,” notes the scientists.

The Sela macaque has a pale face and brown coat colour, while the Arunachal macaque has a dark face and dark brown coat colour.

It has been observed that some Sela macaque is used to human presence while others avoid humans. The villagers also reported that the Sela macaque is known to destroy crops in the West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh.

The new research has identified gap areas for undertaking further surveys to document populations of macaques through multinational, multi-lateral cross border collaboration.

ZSI scientists are confident that these findings will help in the conservation efforts of the Arunachal and Sela macaque.

Unheard, misunderstood and ignored in modern-day Australia, parents of three children seek answers

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1 June 2022 3:55 PM

Indian Australian young children: Image The Australia Today

The death of three young children in separate incidents in three different states has left hospitals across Western Australia, Queensland and Victoria scrambling to conduct reviews of policies and procedures.

The tragic deaths that came within a year of each other share commonalities which show just how vulnerable Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) families are, when forced to navigate an overstretched, underfunded and under-resourced health care system.

The three children, all of Indian heritage and aged between 5-9 years old died after receiving inadequate treatment at the hospital while their parents struggled to get help from medical staff.

It is no secret that the public healthcare system has been struggling in recent times. Faced with the pressures of chronic under-funding, under-resourcing, and an ever-increasing patient load, it was stretched to breaking point when the COVID pandemic hit.

Around Australia, it led to a serious understaffing of doctors and nurses as skilled migration came to a halt. Hospitals and especially emergency departments were overrun by critically ill patients and the availability of ambulances and hospital beds was at a record low.

Aishwarya Aswath’s Parents; Image Source: Supplied

The system has supposedly been limping back to its suboptimal normal in recent months but the issues with understaffing and inadequate triage in emergency rooms persist, worse than ever before. It is only obvious that there would be mistakes made, and some with dire consequences when the hospitals are so overwhelmed.

However, it is against the backdrop of this failing system, that we need to understand the impact on migrant and culturally diverse families and how they end up at the worse end of the outcome spectrum. Medical paternalism is an attitude that’s well on its way out but in the instance of migrant communities, this attitude persists as is.

Unheard, misunderstood and ignored in modern-day Australia, parents of three children seek answers that will do little to ease their unfathomable grief.

On the 3rd of April,2021, 7-year-old Aishwarya Aswath was brought to the Perth Children’s hospital by her parents. She had been complaining of stomach pain and a headache.

Aishwarya Aswath; Image Source: Supplied

A perfunctory triage that completely ignored her parents’ obvious concern scored her as a low-risk patient. Although she was meant to be examined by medical staff within one hour, this did not happen for almost two hours.

Aishwarya’s condition began to deteriorate in the waiting room, and her distressed mother approached the triage desk five times for help. Each time she was turned away with the assurance that the child would be attended to, soon.

WA Medical Staff protesting; Image Source: Supplied

The medical staff failed to record the parent’s visible concern and agitation even as her mother spoke to various members about unusual discolouration in her child’s eyes, her floppy limbs and ice-cold extremities.

Aishwarya was finally seen by a doctor a couple of hours later, but it was too late. She went into cardiac arrest and could not be revived.

Aishwarya Aswath’s Funeral; Image Source: Supplied

The hospital launched external and internal reviews into the events leading to her death and the results have been made public.

Recommendations include improving triage processes, escalation pathways for parents, and a review of cultural awareness amongst staff when treating CALD families.

The report also noted that there is an inadequate recording of data on the needs of CALD families across Western Australia.

Aishwarya’s parents slammed the findings of the review saying that the critical question of “Why were we not heard” has still not been answered. How did a mother’s distress caught on CCTV camera as she paced the emergency room floor not register with the staff?

While Aishwarya’s case made national headlines, similar tragedies were waiting to unfold in two other states.

In late April 2022, just a year after Aishwarya’s death,
Little Amrita Lanka was taken to Monash Children’s hospital in Melbourne after complaining of a stomachache. She had to wait for two hours to be assessed by medical staff and was then diagnosed with gastroenteritis. Her parents were told that she would be discharged soon.

However, her condition began to worsen, and she developed breathing difficulties. Her distraught mother approached medical staff on numerous occasions only to be told that her daughter had an empty stomach which was causing laboured breathing.

After six hours of struggling to breathe and repeated requests for help, she was finally seen by a doctor and a blood test was performed.

Amrita Lanka's Parents; Image Source: Supplied — Amrita Lanka’s Parents; Image Source: Supplied

The results revealed that she was dangerously ill.

She went into cardiac arrest shortly thereafter and passed away 21 hours after having arrived at the hospital.

Monash Children’s hospital; Image Source: Supplied

Less than a month after Amrita’s death,
Five-year-old Hiyaan Kapil was referred to Logan hospital in Queensland by a GP. The child had severe stomach pain and had been vomiting.

The parents were told that the child had gastroenteritis and despite their requests for IV fluids, the child was not given any. Shockingly, he was discharged from the hospital despite witnesses claiming that he looked extremely unwell.

His parents’ vocal protests were ignored, and they were made to take him home.

Less than two hours later, he collapsed at home and was rushed back to the hospital where he was unable to be revived and declared dead.

Both Monash and Logan hospitals have promised a full review of the matter.

However, there is already enough damning evidence that the common theme across all three deaths is a complete dismissal of parental concern, and an inability of hospital staff to recognise and register the distress and anxiety of parents from ethnically diverse backgrounds.

The last two incidents are especially alarming and distressing.

Despite recognition of the fact that migrant parent voices were not heard in Aishwarya’s case, there was no nationwide recommendation for paediatric hospitals to review their policies when treating CALD patients.

Logan Hospital: Image Source: Goggle Image

A review is so much more effective when conducted prior to a mishap.

While there is no denying the fact that the hospitals are overwhelmed, it is not acceptable that patients from a certain background suffer such devastating consequences.

It is imperative to further examine the implicit or unconscious bias that exists in the medical community when treating patients belonging to a CALD community.

The question that whether Australian medical professionals tend to treat complaints from patients of diverse backgrounds less seriously than the local population, needs to be thoroughly examined.

Adequate training to remove this bias is not only a step toward ensuring equality and fairness, but it may also well be what is required to ensure no parents goes through such devastation again.

It is perhaps equally important to educate parents about their rights in the hospital, especially if they feel they are not being heard.

Parents and carers in Queensland can invoke Ryan’s rule which allows them to request an urgent clinical review if they feel their child or ward is deteriorating and is not getting adequate care. This rule has been credited with many positive outcomes in Queensland Hospitals.

Ryan's Rule; Image Source: Queensland Health — Ryan’s Rule; Image Source: Queensland Health

However, the knowledge that the rule exists is key for parents to be able to invoke it.

Other states have different variants of this rule.

In Victoria, the Hear Me program and in NSW, REACH programs are in place for parents to request immediate additional assistance while in hospital.

Whether the eventual outcome would have been any different, had the three children been treated appropriately, within recommended time frames, is a difficult question to answer.

Results from Monash and Logan hospital reviews will not be available until much later.

However, it is imperative that the discussions start across hospitals in Australia around better communication with parents from diverse backgrounds and that learnings are shared across the board.

Australia-India Indo-Pacific Oceans initiative partnership grant for Jindal School of International Affairs

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1 June 2022 1:11 PM

OP Jindal Global University patners with University of Wollonwong; Image Source: Supplied

ANCORS, the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security at the University of Wollongong (UOW), and the Jindal School of International Affairs (JSIA) at OP Jindal Global University, India, have been awarded a grant under the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI). The Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs announced the USD 100,000 grant recently.

Australia-India Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative Partnership grant recipients

Senator the Hon Penny Wong — Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong

The grant flows from the Australia-India Partnership 2nd Grants Round (2012-22), established under their Joint Declaration on a Shared Vision for Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific between the Republic of India and the Government of Australia.

It is “to progress the IPOI initiative to a stage where more intergovernmental activities take place.” Prof Greg Rose from ANCORs at UOW said that this project will build Indo-Pacific maritime cooperation to achieve two objectives:

(1) develop a framework for integrated oceans management across seven pillars of cooperation, and (2) develop a model marine plastic debris mitigation action plan for the Indian Ocean that provides a case study for building coherence within the maritime ecology pillar across Indo-Pacific sub-regions.

The seven pillars of cooperation under the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative were announced in 2019 by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as:
– Marine ecology;
– Maritime security;
– Marine resources;
– Capacity building and resource sharing;
– Disaster risk reduction and management;
– Science technology and academic collaborations; and
– Trade, connectivity and maritime transport

The Founding Vice-Chancellor of OP Jindal Global University, Prof (Dr) C Raj Kumar said, “JGU is committed to promoting the India-Australia bilateral relationship. Since the establishment of the Centre for India Australia Studies at our university, we have provided opportunities for our faculty and students to connect with our partner institutions in Australia, and we are delighted to be partnering with the University of Wollongong for this exciting project.”

“I am confident that this Australian-Government funded grant will present my colleagues and our partners in Wollongong with opportunities to contribute to an important policy discussion on issues which impact both countries in the Indo-Pacific.”

The first part of this ground-breaking project will identify ways toward coherence and cohesion across the seven pillars and between maritime sub-regions of the Indo-Pacific. The second part will be a case study of the way to design a marine plastics action plan for the Indian Ocean in a manner complementary to other action plans in other maritime sub-regions of the Indo-as a sectoral case study under the second pillar.

The project on ‘Integrated Maritime Management and Security across the Indo-Pacific: A Framework to Unify the Seven IPOI Pillars, with a Case Study to Reduce Plastic Debris in the Indian Ocean’ will produce a conference, workshop and book. ANCORS and JSIA will complete the project in 2023.

Singer Krishnakumar Kunnath, better known as KK, passes away

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1 June 2022 9:43 AM

Singer KK passed away on Tuesday evening.

Krishnakumar Kunnath better known as KK fell ill while performing at an event in Kolkata and was brought to the CMRI hospital, where he was declared dead.

He was just 54 years old. One of the most versatile singers in the Indian film industry, KK has recorded songs in several languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Bengali.
He is survived by his wife and children.

KK’s songs reflected a wide range of emotions, struck a chord with people: PM Modi

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed grief over the demise of singer Krishnakumar Kunnath, popularly known as KK.

Saddened by the untimely demise of noted singer Krishnakumar Kunnath popularly known as KK. His songs reflected a wide range of emotions as struck a chord with people of all age groups. We will always remember him through his songs. Condolences to his family and fans. Om Shanti.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 31, 2022

The Prime Minister said that his songs reflected a wide range of emotions and struck a chord with people of all age groups.

“Saddened by the untimely demise of noted singer Krishnakumar Kunnath popularly known as KK. His songs reflected a wide range of emotions as struck a chord with people of all age groups. We will always remember him through his songs. Condolences to his family and fans. Om Shanti,”
tweeted PM Modi on Wednesday.

KK was a great singer, family man, says singer-turned-politician Babul Supriyo

Singer-turned-politician Babul Supriyo on Wednesday recalled his experiences with his friend and popular singer Krishnakumar Kunnath, popularly known as KK, who passed away on Tuesday evening.

In a conversation with ANI, Babul Supriyo said, “KK was a great singer and a family man. He lived a simple and calm life. I never saw him attending many parties. I have a lot of memories with him.” Notably, both Supriyo and KK hail from Kolkata.

Music director and composer Jeet Gannguli also interacted with media over the demise of legendary singer KK. He said, “He sang many songs for me. He was just 53 years old. I lost a friend today.”

From Sonu Nigam to Shreya Ghoshal, Indian music industry mourns the demise of singer KK

Several celebrities from the Indian music industry paid heartfelt tributes to Krishnakumar Kunnath, better known as KK, after the demise of the popular playback singer.

Popular singer and a Padma Shri recipient Sonu Nigam took to Instagram and wrote,

“KK mere bhai, not done.”

Notably, the popular Bollywood song ‘Mehki Hawaon Mein’ was sung both by KK and Sonu Nigam.

Singer Shreya Ghoshal, who is a recipient of four National Film Awards, tweeted,

“I am unable to wrap my head around this news. Numb. #KK Why! This is too hard to accept! Heart is shattered in pieces.”

One of the most humble, gentle, pure human being I have met in my life. God’s dear child was sent to spread love in the lives of millions of fans, friends and colleagues. Now God needed him back? So soon?! Cruel!! Cant imagine what his family is going through. pic.twitter.com/AwDqAGnT3E
— Shreya Ghoshal (@shreyaghoshal) May 31, 2022

Vishal Dadlani, who is also a renowned singer, songwriter and music composer and vocalist of one of India’s leading rock bands called Pentagram also expressed grief over the incident.

“The tears won’t stop. What a guy he was. What a voice, what a heart, what a human being. #KK is FOREVER!!!,”

he tweeted.

This cannot be real.@K_K_Pal , nothing will be the same without you. Nothing. My heart is in tatters.

The voice of purity itself, of kindness of decency, of a true heart of gold. Gone.
— VISHAL DADLANI (@VishalDadlani) May 31, 2022

Popular singer Mohit Chauhan paid heartfelt tributes to KK’s demise.
He tweeted,

“KK… not fair man. Not your time to go. This was the last time we were together to announce a tour together. How can you just go??? In shock. In grief. A ear dear friend, a brother is gone. RIP KK. Love you.”

KK is best known for his songs like “Zindagi Do Pal Ki” from the movie Kites, “Aankhon Mein Teri” from the movie Om Shanti Om, and “Khuda Jaane” from the movie Bachna Ae Haseeno, “Tadap Tadap” from the movie Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.

Dimag ghar Bhool ke Bhaiya, enjoy kar Bhool Bhulaiya!

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31 May 2022 4:15 PM

What is the formula for a mass entertainer? A catchy start, a captivating end, and entertainment in between. And to top all that, if you have a popular and good looking lead pair then the producers have a hit movie! Bhool Bhulaiya 2 exactly follows this formula and, no doubt is a successful masala entertainer.

Horror Comedy in itself is an interesting genre, probably a first for Anees Bazmee. The movie continues the theme of Manjulika from the original Bhool Bhuliya, but this new film is a standalone story.

Typical of Anees Bazmee movies, the story builds up on situational comedy, with dollops of confusion topped with quirky one-liners.

Manjulika is a ghost who has been locked up in a deserted haveli by the Thakur family. Kiara, the Thakur’s daughter, and Karthik land up in the haveli to hide from the family, but accidentally the entire family lands up there. To add to the confusion, Kiara is presumed dead and Karthik Aaryan holds the reins together as the fraud psychic who talks to the ghost of Kiara.

The story has many senseless angles and side stories that are needed in a slapstick comedy, but it does not slip from the entertainment quotient. The horror elements are well placed and keeps the audience on the edge of their seat. However, this is mostly a comedy movie. While watching, I couldn’t spot a single dull moment in the movie. The climax is very intriguing and unexpected thus hinting at Part 3!

The film is bustling with character actors and all have supported it well. The comedy fort is held up high by Rajpal Yadav, Sanjay Mishra, Ashvini Kalsekar, Rajesh Sharma, and the young kid Potlu aka Samarth Chauhan. They are a laugh riot! We also see Govind Namdeo and Milind Gunaji after a very long time.

Since the ghost is central to the plot, all three lead actors get to play the ghost in parts – Tabu, Karthik and Kiara. Tabu has a double role and balances well between the good and bad. Kiara has little to do, but she is very comfortable in her role and pleasant to watch. Karthik shoulders the movie effortlessly. Bazmee exploits all talents of the actor.

In the lingo of masses:

iss performance mein comedy hai, emotion hai, horror hai, dance hai, romance hai, but most importantly bahut lively hai!

Credit goes to the writer and director, Anees Bazmee. I feel that Anees Bazmee is a writer at heart and is a very effective storyteller. If this movie feels like a David Dhawan comedy, it is because most of Dhawan’s films were written by Bazmee (Swarg, Shola aur Shabnam, Aakhen, Bol Radha Bol, Raja Babu, Deewana Mastana, etc.). His own directorial have been runaway hits too – Welcome, Singh is King, No Entry, Ready. But his last few movies have been a mixed bag: Welcome Back, Mubarakan, Pagalpanti.

The audience has thronged the theatres to get lost in this Bhool Bhulaiya! I watched it in the second week in Melbourne and it was a housefull. And the best part is that 70% of the audience were ladies. This is a testimony to the female fanfare of Karthik Aaryan even across the ocean. And the fans weren’t disappointed!

100 crore wali smile #BhoolBhulaiyaa2 pic.twitter.com/dDobk4XJpu
— Kartik Aaryan (@TheAaryanKartik) May 29, 2022

Now that movies are crossing the Rs 1000 crore ($200m) mark, Rs 100 crore ($20m) in the opening week may seem a bit low, but by box office standards this movie is definitely a super hit. So it is a SauKaror comedy movie!

I would recommend that you go and watch this film in the theatres or wait till it hits OTT. Once you have seen the film, you will be in splits and this movie will certainly be on your repeat watch list on OTT.

In case you are still looking for theatre:

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Contributing Author: Sanjiv Kulkarni is an ardent Indian cinema and music buff with an interest in the art of movie-making. He shares his take on movies and some rarer movies too. He lives in Melbourne and works as an IT Sales leader.

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.

Is there an Australian link to Sidhu Moose Wala’s gruesome murder

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31 May 2022 12:55 PM

Sidhu Moose Wala; Image Source; Instagram -Sidhu Moose Wala

Controversial Punjabi singer and Congress leader Sidhu Moose Wala was shot dead on Sunday, May 29, in the driver’s seat of his car. This crime has shocked India and Sidhu Moose Wala’s fans across the world.

Sidhu Moose Wala left his house around 4:30 pm along with Gurwinder Singh and Gurpreet Singh. Punjab Police informed media that when Moose Wala reached Jawahar Ke village, their Mahindra Thar was followed by another vehicle. Soon, Sidhu Moose Wala’s vehicle was intercepted from the front by two vehicles and shots were fired from three weapons that appear to be 9 mm and 455 bores.

Graphic footage from the crime scene in the Mansa district of Punjab shows a large crowd gathered around the vehicle where the rapper sits covered in blood.

Well known Punjabi singer #Sidhumoosewala Shot Dead in Mansa district .
Security was withdrawn ystrdy.
Heartfelt condolences to the grieved family.
It’s an intelligence failure & @ArvindKejriwal should own this responsibly . pic.twitter.com/GEr6Gn6iqE
— Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) May 29, 2022

It is reported that more than 30 rounds were fired into Sidhu Moose Wala’s vehicle by the assailants and the passengers died from gunshot wounds.

Punjab Police have called it a gang-related activity and Inspector-General of Police (Faridkot range) Pradeep Yadav told PTI that police have got important leads in connection with the murder of Moosewala:

“We have got some important leads and some people have been rounded up. Not only that, we have got several leads from important places and Punjab Police is working on that.”

Further, the Delhi Police have also arrested a person called Shahrukh on charges of using a messaging app to communicate from jail with Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar.

According to the Delhi Police, during interrogation Shahrukh has revealed that he was given the task to eliminate Siddhu Moosewala by Goldy Brar (real name is Satinder Singh,) and Lawrence Bishnoi. Goldy Brar is a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi group which had taken the responsibility for the whole incident that unfolded in Punjab’s Mansa.

Earlier in a social media post, Goldy Brar claims the singer’s name came up in the murder investigation of an Akali Dal leader, Vikramjit alias Vicky Middukhera, but no action was taken against him.

“I, along with Sachin Bishnoi Dhattaranwali, Lawrence Bishnoi group, take responsibility for the killing of Sidhu Moose Wala. His name came up in connection with the murder of Vicky Middukhera and Gurlal Brar and despite this, the police did nothing”.

The Australia Today cannot independently verify if this particular Facebook post was written by Goldy Brar or his associates.

Punjab’s Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has ordered his condolences to Sidhu Moose Wala’s family and fans. He has also ordered an inquiry into the decision to reduce the security of Sidhu Moose Wala.

I am Shocked and Deeply saddened by the gruesome murder of Siddhu Moosewala. Nobody involved will be spared. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and his fans across the world. I appeal everyone to stay calm.
— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) May 29, 2022

Now, Indian media has revealed that Sidhu Moose Wala’s killing could be a ‘revenge killing’.

As per reports from sources in Delhi Police’s special cell, Sidhu Moose Wala and his manager Shaganpreet Singh were involved in the murder of Vicky Middukhera in August 2021.

Delhi Police special cell has arrested three shooters identified as Sunny, Anil Lath and Bholu in connection with the murder of Vicky Middukhera in Mohali, while Shaganpreet was named as the accused in the FIR registered in this case.

Sidhu Moose Wala’s manager Shagunpreet had soon fled to Australia as reports emerged that Vicky was a close friend of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.

Lawrence Bishnoi is presently serving time in jail in Bharatpur, Rajasthan since 2017 for various crimes. On Monday, a court in Delhi refused to entertain his plea seeking a direction from the Rajasthan jail authorities not to give his custody to Punjab police.

*Sidhu Moose Wala’s father Balkaur Singh* and his letter to Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann.

Balkaur Singh, father of Sidhu Moose Wala, has written to CM Bhagwant Mann demanding a CBI and NIA investigation into his son’s death.

An Indic Muslim exploring Vedic knowledge and cultural heritage through music

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31 May 2022 12:17 PM

Omer Ghazi, who grew up in the cities of Aligarh and New Delhi describes himself as “an Indic Muslim who is exploring his cultural heritage through music, science and philosophy”.

He caught our attention when we saw his video on Twitter playing Adi Shankaracharya’s Nirvana Shatakam in the lap of Mount Kailash.

On the birthday of #Adi_Shankaracharya, sharing my video of playing Nirvana Shatakam, a poem written by him in praise of #Lord_Shiva.

Beautifully composed by Manish Vyas, it was magical playing it sitting in the lap of #Mount_Kailash. pic.twitter.com/srFfJEG7Ro
— Omer Ghazi (@OmerGhazi2) May 6, 2022

Omer Ghazi told The Australia Today, “A few years ago, I happened to listen to Shri Hari Stotram, an ode to Lord Vishnu written by Adi Shankaracharya. I was blown away by the lyrical beauty, the rhythm, the thought and the timelessness of the composition.”

“I started exploring the life and works of Adi Shankaracharya and discovered a treasure of ancient wisdom. It was mind-boggling that complex concepts of consciousness, human experience and the nature of reality were beautifully depicted through rhythm and poetry. Everything I had ever loved was suddenly at one place, it felt like coming home.”

Further expounding on the works of Adi Shankaracharya Omer Ghazi mentions that Adi Shankaracharya was one of the founding fathers of Advaita Vedanta, a school of philosophy built upon the Upanishads and the ancient Vedic knowledge.

“The Advaita Vedanta states that all reality in the experienced world has its roots in the unchanging consciousness, i.e. Brahman.

He writes in Nirvana Shatakam:

“Without hate, without infatuation, without craving, without greed;

Neither arrogance nor conceit, never jealous I am;

Neither dharma, nor artha, neither kama nor moksha am I;

I am Consciousness, I am Bliss, I am Shiva, I am Shiva.”

Omer Ghazi told The Australia Today that he also discovered that the cosmic dance of Shiva denotes constant creation and destruction, it depicts that reality, at its fundamental level, only exists as multiple postures at once and it requires a conscious observer to take a form.

“Modern physicists see it as a beautiful metaphor for the constant creation and destruction of subatomic particles and how fundamental reality exists as quantum fluctuations and probabilities. This is the reason that a huge statue of Shiva Nataraja is installed at the CERN facility in Geneva, which casts its shadow on the building where scientists attempt to understand the dance of subatomic particles.”

Omer also strongly feels that today, Indians are largely unaware of the pearls of wisdom hidden in the ancient Indian texts that have survived for thousands of years.

“The reason that Indian civilization is the oldest living civilization of the world is that it has timeless knowledge, poetic beauty, colourful depictions and universal stories all fused into one historical tradition.”

Omer also came across musical legends like Manish Vyas and Prem Joshua who have rediscovered the storms and poems written by Adi Shankaracharya and composed them with modernistic musical elements. He started playing their compositions on djembe and other percussion instruments.

Describing how he felt while playing the Nirvana Shatakam in the lap of the Himalayas, Omer Ghazi gave The Australia Today a moving and vivid description,

“When I visited Kalpa, a small town in Himachal Pradesh, in the summer of 2021, I found myself surrounded by the beautiful valleys with brooks running through them and colourful flowers dancing to the light breeze.”

“One glance at the majestic Kailash Parvat told me why this mountain peak holds central importance to the Hindu faith. It looks both intimidating and inviting at the same time and there is certainly a mystical air about it which can hardly be missed.”

Since I always carry my djembe on my mountain trips, I found a solitary spot in a meadow nearby and started playing “Shivoham”, a composition by Manish Vyas based upon Nirvana Shatakam written by Adi Shankaracharya.”

“For a moment, I felt one with the surroundings, connected with thousands of years old spiritual tradition. The words of Adi Shankaracharya, the voice of Manish Vyas and beats on my djembe echoed through the valley.

It seemed as if the trees and the mountains are themselves swaying with the rhythm of Shivoham:

I am Shiva, I am Shiva, I am Bliss, I am Bliss…”

Omer’s video playing Shivoham garnered a lot of attention on social media with hundreds of comments appreciating and applauding the effort, which he says was very encouraging.

He also took the opportunity to play Shri Hari Stotram, also written by Adi Shankaracharya and sung by G Gayathri Devi, S Saindhavi and R Shruti. This was the composition that introduced him to Adi Shankaracharya and the gems of Indic philosophy.

Omer says that he aims to explore and unveil more and more of this ancient knowledge through his music and writings so that the seekers in the new generations get aware and are able to seek guidance for the times to come.

Omer is a student of philosophy and had always been fascinated by the ancient wisdom of thinkers and philosophers across human history.

He also felt drawn toward music from a young age and started writing raps in high school. He discovered that hip-hop originated as a political movement and being a philosophy buff himself, started writing and performing raps on social and philosophical themes under the stage name “MC Square.”

Since RAP stands for Rhythm and Poetry, he found himself exploring the rhythm part of the music even more and taught himself multiple percussion instruments including Drums, Cajon, Djembe, Tambourine and Congas. He is the co-founder of a multi-genre band called “The Mixtape”.

Indian Court asks Twitter to take down several tweets made by controversial academic Audrey Truschke

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31 May 2022 11:40 AM

Audrey Truschke, Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey; Picture Supplied by Aabhas Maldahiyar

India’s Delhi High Court has asked microblogging site Twitter to take down several tweets made by controversial academic Audrey Truschke in which plagiarism allegations were made against author and historian Vikram Sampath in relation to a two-volume biography of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.

The bench of Justice Amit Bansal also sought the response of Meta Inc, the parent company of social media platform Facebook, on an application filed by Vikram Sampath alleging defamatory content has been circulated on the platform. Advocate Raghav Awasthi and Advocate Mukesh Sharma appeared for plaintiff Vikram Sampath.

No criminality if something said with a smile, says HC on Delhi riots hate speech case - India News

Earlier, in an interim order court had restrained several historians including controversial American academic Audrey Truschke, Ananya Chakravarti, Associate Professor of History at Georgetown University, and Rohit Chopra, Associate Professor of Communications at Santa Clara University, from publishing any defamatory content (online and offline) about Vikram Sampath and observing that the plaintiff has made a prima facie case.

Recently controversial academic Audrey Truschke and others have accused Vikram Sampath of plagiarism and wrote a letter dated February 11, 2022, to the Royal Historical Society (RHS) in London and made serious allegations of plagiarism against Sampath with respect to his two-volume biography of Savarkar. Sampath is also a fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

Justice Bansal earlier noted that the continued publication of said letter has been causing considerable damage to the plaintiff’s reputation and career. Court further asked the counsel for the plaintiff to supply a copy of the plaint to the defendants and sought their response within four weeks.

The court fixed the date for April 1, for further hearing in the matter.

Heartfelt tributes to #VeerSavarkar on his 139th birth anniversary- a life of suffering & sacrifice for the nation. I consider myself truly fortunate to be destined to be his biographer & to bring his true story to the people of India #Savarkar #Savarkarjayanti pic.twitter.com/5iMRVuzBGR
— Dr. Vikram Sampath, FRHistS (@vikramsampath) May 28, 2022

The Court is presently hearing a civil suit filed by Vikram Sampath against other historians who made alleged defamatory tweets against him. Sampath also sought a decree of damages of Rs 2,00,00,100 in favour of the plaintiff and against the defendants.

The petition stated that the said letter makes it clear that the allegation against the plaintiff is that in an essay written for the journal, the plaintiff has plagiarised from an essay written by one Vinayak Chaturvedi.

It is submitted that the said allegation is quite absurd inasmuch as a perusal of the article in question would clearly establish beyond all reasonable doubt that Vinayak Chaturvedi has been cited. References are there in the article and have given extensive and exhaustive footnotes in the book. The relevant extract has been reproduced, as stated in the petition.

It further added that the alleged defamatory letter in question is being quoted extensively on the platform of the microblogging site Twitter by various unscrupulous elements and Twitter users. It is clear that the same is part of the motivated smear campaign against the plaintiff and each and every time the defamatory material is being retweeted, a new cause of action arises.

Jaskaran Singh found guilty of killing Libby Ruge

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30 May 2022 6:03 PM

Jaskaran Singh found guilty of killing Libby Ruge; Image Source; Instagram, Twitter

Indian national Jaskaran Singh, 19-year-old, has been found guilty in Wollongong District Court to a count of dangerous driving causing death and two counts of dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm.

According to media reports, Crown prosecutor Nerissa Keay told the court that Jaskaran Singh was driving a Toyota Camry recklessly on November 7, 2020. This caused a crash that killed Ms Libby Ruge and seriously injured Eva Harrison and Tye West.

Defence barrister Ben Hart had observed that the front-seat passenger Arpan Sharma, 21-year-old, was in control of the vehicle.

The court also heard evidence from Nilesh Mishra, 37 -year-old, who was a rear-seat passenger at the time of the crash. Nilesh worked with Arpan at a car wash while studying at the University of Wollongong.

Arpan Sharma and A Current Affair reporter Dimity Clancey. (A Current Affair)

Nilesh told the court that he went to a party at his colleague’s house on the evening of the crash and only briefly met Jaskaran at the party. Soon, Arpan offered to give him a lift back to student accommodation on campus. The court was told that Arpan sat in the passenger seat while Jaskaran drove the car.

Further, Nilesh told the court that shortly after leaving the party he felt the car skid while overtaking another car on Burelli Street. He said, “Arpan’s hand was on the handbrake, and I felt a skidding.”

The court was told that the car skidded a second time outside the Hotel Illawarra. Nilesh said, “They were playing loud Punjabi music. … He opened the window he was playing loud music and he was yelling at people outside who were just waiting to cross the road… it was very disrespectful.”

Trial: Having heard the closing submissions from prosecution and defence, jurors now have to decide if Jaskaran Singh was in control during the crash that killed Libby Ruge. Picture: Supplied — https://www.ulladullatimes.com.au/

Nilesh added that he was concerned about the way the vehicle was being driven. He told the court, “I was very uncomfortable during the trip because he is not a good driver. I said ‘what are you guys doing? Drive safely.”

Nilesh was told by Arpan not to worry. Soon, he noticed four pedestrians walking on the footpath who appeared “very happy”. Nilesh once again felt the car skid as it turned onto Flinders Street. He said, “I felt skidding again, that was the worst one. I heard a screeching noise for three to four seconds and I felt the back of the car go sideways. It went on to the footpath and I heard a bang… it hit a pole and ran into the pedestrians.”

Jaskaran Singh (Screenshot – news.com.au)

The car mounted the kerb and crashed into the three pedestrians on the footpath outside the Collegians Rugby League Club.

Nilesh told the court that the car filled up with smoke after the crash. Then he saw Jaskaran leave the scene when he got out of the car. He said, “He saw the people and turned around and ran away.”

Police Sergeant David Weaver told the court they had a strong case based on the people who witnessed the crash and CCTV footage. The court was also shown police bodycam footage recorded in the aftermath of the crash. This footage clearly showed Arpan being asked to describe what had occurred. Arpan said, “I think he don’t know how to drive or something.”

Jaskaran Singh was approached by A Current Affair reporter Dimity Clancey. (A Current Affair)

Arpan also told the officer that he had consumed “three or four shots” but Jaskaran had not consumed any alcohol.

Jaskaran Singh and Arpan Sharma had both pleaded not guilty to driving dangerously and causing a fatal crash. Jaskaran had also pleaded not guilty to an additional charge of failing to stop and assist after a crash causing death.

Prosecutor Nerissa Keay told the court and jury in the closing remarks that how this crash could have been avoided if Jaskaran Singh could have acted within just two seconds to stop the car and avoid killing Libby Ruge.

In a statement to the media, the family offered thanks for the love and support they have received since Ms Ruge’s death.

India’s diversity is its hallmark, says Modi

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30 May 2022 4:27 PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasised and praised India’s linguistic diversity in his monthly radio broadcast ‘Mann Ki Baat‘. He observed that the diversity of attire, cuisine and culture found in different regions is the hallmark of India. PM Modi said,

“Our country is a rich treasure house of many languages, scripts and dialects. Varied attire, cuisine and culture in different regions is our hallmark. As a nation, this diversity strengthens us and keeps us united.”

Sharing this month's #MannKiBaat. Tune in. https://t.co/pa2tlSlVCD
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 29, 2022

Modi also shared the story of a young girl Kalpana who had been suffering from Tuberculosis (TB) and lost her eyesight in grade three. Recently, Kalpana passed her grade tenth examination in Karnataka but the most surprising thing is that Kalpana did not know the local language, Kannada, till some time ago. Kalpana not only learned Kannada in three months but was also able to score 92 marks in her examination. Modi said Kalpana’s endeavour is full of the true spirit of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’:

“Where there is a will, there is a way. … Today, through her hard work, she has set an example for all of us. I congratulate Kalpana for her fortitude.”

In 2003, the 92nd Constitutional Amendment Act added Santali to Schedule VIII to the Constitution of India, which lists the official languages of India, along with the Bodo, Dogri and Maithili languages. Modi observed that there are many people in India who are working towards strengthening the linguistic diversity of the country through translation. He mentioned Dr Shripati Tudu, an assistant professor of Santhali language at Sidho-Kaano-Birsa University, Purulia, West Bengal.

“He (Tudu) has prepared a version of the country’s Constitution in his native ‘Ol Chiki’ script for the Santhali community. Shripati Tudu ji asserts that our Constitution makes every citizen of our country aware of one’s rights and duties. It is important for every citizen to be familiar with it. Therefore, he prepared a copy of the Constitution in his own script for the Santhali community and offered it as a gift. I appreciate this thinking of Shripati ji and his efforts,” Modi said.

Dr Tudu was delighted to hear his name in Modi’s address. While talking to Tv9, he said, “When I started reading the Constitution, I saw that there was a lot in it which we did not know. In this our diversity, fundamental rights and various other benefits have been mentioned.”

‘Mann Ki Baat’ is a monthly radio programme broadcast since 2014 where Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks about new topics in every episode.

The 89th radio address to the nation comes at a time when Modi has completed eight years in office on May 26.

Did you miss the 89th edition of 'Mann Ki Baat'?

Listen now – https://t.co/MB3120eHAF #MannKiBaat pic.twitter.com/7RGl22Cikc
— Mann Ki Baat Updates मन की बात अपडेट्स (@mannkibaat) May 29, 2022

#Opposition: Peter Dutton elected new Liberal leader while Nationals chose David Littleproud

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30 May 2022 1:51 PM

Liberal and Nationals Leaders; Image Source: @Canva

Peter Dutton has been elected unopposed as the new Liberal leader, and former environment minister Sussan Ley will become his deputy.

Mr Dutton, the former Defence Minister, won a party room leadership spill in Canberra on Monday and will replace Scott Morrison who led the coalition to defeat at the federal election.

He is the first Queenslander to lead the Liberal Party since it was founded in 1944.

The Dickson MP had been touted as Mr Morrison’s likely replacement since the coalition lost government on May 21.

Mr Dutton, a former police officer, had spruiked his credentials for the job of opposition leader.

“In a prime minister you need someone who won’t buckle in hard times and will stand up for our country and I have proven that in the portfolios I’ve had,”
he wrote on Facebook.

“My work ethic is second to none and I have the skill and experience having served five leaders and have learnt from each.”

Mr Dutton has pledged to take the party back to its core values and represent the aspirational “forgotten people” of Australia.

“We aren’t the Moderate Party. We aren’t the Conservative Party. We are Liberals,”
the post said.

Mr Morrison congratulated Mr Dutton and Ms Ley on winning the leadership positions.

“They are incredibly experienced, well versed, deeply, deeply committed Australians to both the Liberal cause and of course the cause of the nation and I think they’ll do an outstanding job and I look forward to giving them all of my full support,” he said.

“It was a good opportunity for me to thank my colleagues for their great loyalty and support over these past more than three and a half years and to do that both on my behalf as well as on behalf of my dear friend Josh Frydenberg, who we’re all very sad couldn’t be with us today. There was a rousing cheer for Josh, as there should be.”

David Littleproud is the next Nationals leader

David Littleproud has been chosen as the next leader of the Nationals.

Mr Littleproud ousted former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce following a post-election leadership spill in Canberra on Monday morning, with NSW Senator Perin Davey elected deputy.

Three people each had been nominated for the leader and deputy positions.

Addressing the media post-spill, Mr Littleproud described his win as “the proudest day of my professional life”.

“I believe passionately in the National Party because we are all there is about regional and rural Australia. We are the conscience of rural and regional Australia right here in this parliament,”
he said.

Mr Littleproud said the Nationals would draw upon the “strength” of Ms Davey and Senate leader Bridget McKenzie in his leadership team.

“And I’m proud to say that part of my leadership is two bright, articulate, powerful women. That’s the National Party way.”

Hardik Pandya powers Gujarat Titans to IPL 2022 title, debutants beat RR by 7 wickets in final

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30 May 2022 12:05 PM

Gujarat Titens win IPL 2022; Image Source: Twitter @IPL

Hardik Pandya’s all-round performance of 34 runs with the bat and a three-wicket haul with ball powered debutants Gujarat Titans to a seven-wicket win over inaugural champions Rajasthan Royals here at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.

Chasing a modest 131-run target, Gujarat Titans got off to a poor start losing opener Wriddhiman Saha for 5 as he was cleaned up by pacer Prasidh Krishna for 9 in the second over. Gujarat was dealt with a second blow as Matthew Wade was dismissed by Trent Boult for 8 to leave them tottering at 23/2.

Gujarat Titans desperately needed a partnership, opener Shubman Gill and skipper Hardik Pandya did exactly that taking their team’s total beyond the 50-run mark in 9.2 overs.

Hardik Pandya-Shubman Gill notched up a 50-run partnership in 43 balls as the hosts steadily moved closer to the target. The 63-run partnership was broken as leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal dismissed Hardik for 34 to take his 27th wicket of the season going past Wanindu Hasaranga’s tally of 26 to become the leading wicket-taker of the season.

David Miller walked in to bat with Gill and the duo took the team’s total beyond the triple-figure mark in 15.2 overs. Miller-Gill pair looked solid and their partnership took the team closer to the target.

Shubman Gill’s massive six off Obed McCoy’s bowling helped debutants Gujarat Titans win the final by seven wickets to bag the maiden IPL title. Gill remained unbeaten at 45 and Miller scored an unbeaten 32 off 19 balls as Gujarat Titans chased the target in just 18.1 overs.

Earlier in the day after opting to bat first, Rajasthan made a good start to their innings with openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler scoring 21 runs in 3 overs. But the duo faced a blow after Yash Dayal dismissed Jaiswal in the 4th over, leaving the team’s total at 31/1.

Rajasthan skipper Sanju Samson joined Buttler at the crease and kept the scoreboard moving for their side. The duo took Rajasthan across the 50-run mark in 7 overs and kept the momentum alive.

Gujarat got another breakthrough in the 9th over, when Hardik Pandya dismissed Samson, who was caught by Sai Kishore, after scoring 14 runs. His departure brought Devdutt Padikkal on strike, who could not do much and was caught by Mohammed Shami on Rashid Khan’s delivery.

It was followed by another setback for Rajasthan as they lost the most precious wicket of Buttler in the very next over, as he fell prey to Hardik’s spell, leaving his side struggling at 79/4 in 13 overs.
Shimron Hetmyer and Ravichandran Ashwin joined hands at the crease and tried to anchor the innings for some time. Hetmyer was then caught and bowled by Hardik in the 15th over and Ashwin got dismissed by Sai Kishore in the 16th, with the team’s score at 98/6.

Riyan Parag and Trent Boult came to the crease as the last hopes for Rajasthan but could not stand long. Boult got caught by Rahul Tewatia on Sai Kishore’s delivery in the 18th over.

Parag was then joined by Obed McCoy, who got run out in the 20th over and it was followed by the former getting bowled by Mohammed Shami, ending Rajasthan’s innings at 130/9.
The IPL debutants now required 131 runs in 120 balls to clinch their maiden title.

Rajasthan Royals spinner Yuzvendra Chahal held the Purple Cap in the 15th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Chahal scalped a total of 27 wickets, at an average of 19.51 and an economy of 7.75 in 17 matches of IPL 2022. He was followed by Royal Challengers Bangalore spinner Wanindu Hasaranga with 26 wickets.

Brief scores: Rajasthan Royals 130/9 (Jos Buttler 39, Yashasvi Jaiswal 22; Hardik Pandya 3/17) vs Gujarat Titans 133/3 in 18.1 overs (Shubman Gill 45*, Hardik Pandya 34; Trent Boult 1/14).

Controversial Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala shot dead

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29 May 2022 11:16 PM

Punjabi singer and rapper Sidhu Moose Wala (born Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu) was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Mansa village on Sunday, May 29.

According to media reports, two others were injured in the incident in which more than 30 rounds were fired.

Well known Punjabi singer #Sidhumoosewala Shot Dead in Mansa district .
Security was withdrawn ystrdy.
Heartfelt condolences to the grieved family.
It’s an intelligence failure & @ArvindKejriwal should own this responsibly . pic.twitter.com/GEr6Gn6iqE
— Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) May 29, 2022

Media is also reporting that Canada based gangster Goldy Brar has claimed responsibility for the singer’s murder.

Sidhu Moose Wala had also contested the Punjab assembly election on a Congress ticket from Mansa. He was defeated by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Vijay Singla by a margin of 63,000 votes.

With Congress granting Sidhu Moose Wala ticket, then sitting Mansa MLA, Nazar Singh Manshahia, had revolted against the Congress party saying that he would oppose Moosewala’s candidature.

Last month, Sidhu Moose Wala had targeted the AAP and its supporters in his latest song ‘Scapegoat’.

In the new song, the controversial singer had allegedly called AAP supporters ‘gaddar’ (traitor).

After graduation, Sidhu Moose Wala moved to Canada where he worked and alos released his first song “G Wagon”.

On 4 May 2020, Moose Wala’s videos with AK-47 went viral and in December 2020, he released the single “Panjab: My Motherland” glorifying Khalistani separatist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.

Shocked at the killing of Sidhu Moose Wala, Sikhs for Enlightenment Values Association (SEVA) tweeted: “Yes he sang about guns & once even cheered Bhindranwale but was just a kid living in Khalistani ghettos of Canada.”

#Moosewala—once in generations talent with unmatched following in both Punjabs, shot dead!
Yes he sang about guns & once even cheered Bhindranwale but was just a kid living in Khalistani ghettos of
The prodigious talent could write song as deep as 295 in his mere 20s!
Ver sad..
— Sikhs for Enlightenment Values Association (SEVA) (@SikhsSeva) May 29, 2022

Meanwhile, well-known Indian filmmaker Ashoke Pandit has called thiskiling an “intelligence failure”.

Well known Punjabi singer #SidhuMoosewala Shot Dead in Mansa district. Security was withdrawn yesterday. Heartfelt condolences to the grieved family and fans.

It’s an intelligence failure & the @ArvindKejriwal Govt. should own the responsibility. pic.twitter.com/X5Vq7gQQiL
— Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) May 29, 2022

Punjab Police, under the new AAP government, has recently withdrawan security of 424 people, including Sidhu MooseWala.

Revival of Indigenous Languages: Perennial question

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29 May 2022 4:45 PM

By Dr Sakul Kundra

The decade from 2022-2032 is proclaimed as the International Decade of Indigenous Languages by the United Nations General Assembly. The mission of the resolution is to promote, revitalize, preserve and reinvigorate native languages. According to UNESCO there are approximately 3,000 languages that may disappear by the end of the century, and out of 7,000 languages currently spoken in the world the indigenous languages come to 6,700 that are under threat.

Many scholars feel that the European languages were imposed on indigenous populations, while others argue that strategies of assimilation acted as a type of ethnocide or linguistic genocide. As per UN, all of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Languages are under constant threat that need urgent attention. There are many indigenous languages in the Pacific Islands, like approximately 138 in Vanuatu, 76 in the Solomon Islands, 28 in New Caledonia and 832 living languages in Papua New Guinea (Tamata, 2019). Languages are a pivotal means to connect to their cultural roots and heritage, and if these languages are declining, that raises eyebrows.

In Oceania, the youngest constitution of Fiji (2013) has recognised the languages of indigenous people or the iTaukei; Rotuman Language; Language of descendants of the indentured labourers from British India; languages of descendants of the settlers and immigrants to Fiji. The provisions are made in legal and constitutional governments to safeguard the indigenous language in many other Oceania nations’ constitutions. This op-ed elucidates the theme of a historical discourse on the threat to Indigenous languages of Oceania and focuses on the most spoken languages of Fiji.

Conquest from the top: Colonial Era

Colonization exacerbated the long-term process of erasing Indigenous culture, tradition, and language. The period underwent a drastic transformation in identity and traditional practices. The suppression of dominant language by the colonizers was the rule of the day. In Oceania, there was a decline of indigenous languages, i.e. in Fiji most spoken languages are I-Taukei and Fiji-Hindi/Fiji Baat, followed by Rotuman.

Many may question the criteria to categorize these languages as indigenous, but this article focuses on the discourse of decline and revival strategies. With the enforcement of colonial language over the Pacific nations, the native languages witnessed a slow decline. Europeans saw the native languages as primitive and were also unable to present their mission to propagate their religion. Their motive to expand in the Pacific Islands was 3Gs Gold (exploring fortunes), God (propagating religion) and Glory (expanding politically). Under this mission, they wanted their language to become the means of communication.

Gradually, under their political-imperial motives, colonizers changed the names of sites and landmarks and attempted to rewrite history to reflect the ‘civilizing mission’ of Europeans as a motive behind conquering Oceania. The new narratives of history did not give much space to indigenous people’s achievements and accomplishments in context. They attempt to mould the culture and heritage of indigenous people and supersede the native language. Their mission of systematic marginalization of native local languages and imposing superstructures and institutions was a well-drafted objective. The colonizers shared a vision that indigenous languages created a hurdle in their mission to achieve ‘modernity’ under their ‘civilizing mission’. Thus they made strategies to eliminate indigenous languages.

iTaukei Language

Due to the country’s diversity of cultures and languages, Fiji has worked to preserve and safeguard its indigenous languages. Warning of extinction of indigenous iTaukei and Fiji Hindi language is stated by renowned Professor Subramani, he stated “Simply because there is no writing in the language. I’m concerned that the indigenous iTaukei language is not being enriched by writing. And when the language is not enriched by writing, it is not recorded in writing. Then there’s a gradual demise of the language”. In recent times, there has been an awareness to safeguard the indigenous languages and the emergence of the renaissance movement to rediscover the indigenous culture and language (Nabobo-Baba, 2013). The revival and transmitting of the indigenous language by concrete measures are necessary to safeguard the treasure of language, oral tradition, dances, ceremonies, literature, histories, and knowledge for future generations.

Fiji-Hindi

Fiji-Hindi language came along with the indentured labourers from India to Fiji as a purported Girmit era from 1879-1916, with approximate 60,000 labourers. The language usage is declining overall, but this decline is researched at the university level by Prashneel Gounder and Preetika Prasad (2017). Among the reasons for decline are array of barriers like young children being taught English language from birth and employment sector demanding English over any other language. Other similar factors can be social causes, where people moving to urban areas are immersed in learning English. Many scholars have debated the “where,how and in what forums it [Fiji Hindi or Fiji Baat] should be spoken, sung, read or taught” (Delaibatiki, Fiji Sun, 12 Feb 2020).

This op-ed evaluates the reasons for the decline without going into past divisive and factual debates. The gradual decline of indigenous languages is a danger to losing the mother tongue, traditional values, and identity and cultural roots. Many students are learning English in English medium schools, where speaking in English is preferred over another language except for their mother tongue language classes. The number of students studying in their own mother tongue is declining.

Learning English is associated with being associated with high class and having a distinction among their peers, which is the popular belief. The lack of indigenous institutions that promote all studies in the mother tongue has become another deciding factor. This perennial question needs to be further brainstormed to make way for future pathways. Similarly, the Rotuman language needs to be protected in Fiji and Rotuma, UNs Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation has put the Rotuman language as an endangered language. In a nutshell, there is a long way forward to take initiatives to protect these languages.

Conclusion

In Fiji, the protection and preservation of Indigenous languages like iTaukei, and other languages, Fiji-Hindi, Rotuman and similar languages is the need of the hour. The objective is to safeguard the lingua franca of all communities that are facing a challenge from the colonial language. Many efforts are made to revive these languages and many people are becoming aware of safeguarding the language, culture, tradition and heritage. Social media have used languages besides English, to express their views in indigenous languages.

Progressive means of propagating the indigenous language are telecasting programs in indigenous languages; airing the radio in the native language; use of the internet and its diverse forms to spread the language; use of audio-visual technologies; advocating for teaching indigenous languages in the primary and secondary language; printing newspapers, magazines, official documents and other reference material in indigenous languages; supporting the music, film and television programs in indigenous languages. The responsibility should be shared among all stakeholders like parents, community, society and policymakers.

Dr Sakul Kundra; Picture Source: Supplied

Author: Dr Sakul Kundra is an assistant professor in history and Acting Head of School, School of Arts and Humanities, College of Humanities and Education, at Fiji National University.

Disclaimer: The views expressed are his own and not of The Australia Today or his employer. Email dr.sakulkundra@gmail.com

The River Project: A feeling of Maa Ganga in Sydney

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Tickets are strictly limited and registration is essential via The Biennale of Sydney

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29 May 2022 12:34 PM

The River Project (Image Source: NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors)

A walk along the Georges River, Casula, with performance, video, installation, sound and tree planting in partnership with Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre is being presented by the 23rd Biennale of Sydney, STARTTS and artist Jiva Parthipan.

The River project conceived by Jiva Parthipan is one of more than 330 artworks by 89 participants invited to participate in the 2022 edition of the Biennale of Sydney. As cultural development officer at STARTTS and an advocate for cultural diversity in arts in Australia, Jiva Parthipan’s work mediates artists from diverse emerging communities.

The 23rd Biennale of Sydney (2022) titled rīvus is articulated around a series of conceptual wetlands situated along waterways of the Gadigal, Burramatagal and Cabrogal peoples.

“Too often refugees are told to re-enact their refugee narratives in their art. Whilst this is also important, I believe as future Australians – their cultural practices need to be explored in a nuanced manner with all other communities to redefine Australia and locate them in the centre of art practice within the Australian cultural landscape,”
said Jiva Parthipan, co-director of THE RIVER PROJECT.

Like a river of sustenance in contemporary Australia, the Georges River has multiple living histories. This includes ceremony, ritual and leisure, as ascribed to it by various communities who live near it.

From Indigenous usage and histories to the baptisms of the Mandaeans, a pre-Christian ethnoreligious group from Iraq, through Anglo Australians who use it for leisure and Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs who use it for the immersion of cremated ashes and other ritual purposes.

The Mandaeans in Sydney, from a refugee background, mostly residing in the Liverpool area, see the river as a reimagining of Yardena, after the River Jordan, whilst for Hindus, it is the River Maa Ganga (Ganges) in India, it has various significances.

Georges River is the name given to it by British colonisers after King George III. Using this as a starting point and mediated by contemporary art practice, THE RIVER PROJECT will engage with Dharug, Mandean, Hindu and Anglo Australian artists and communities to understand the place making traditions along the Georges River.

THE RIVER PROJECT is open to the public for two days only commencing Saturday 4 June and Sunday 5 June from 3–5 pm.

Since its inception in 1973, the Biennale of Sydney has provided a platform for art and ideas, showcasing the work of nearly 1,900 artists from more than 100 countries.

Today it is considered one of the leading international contemporary art events, recognised for commissioning and presenting innovative, thought-provoking art from Australia and around the globe.

The 23rd Biennale of Sydney, titled rīvus, meaning ‘stream’ in Latin, will feature new work and commissions responding to water ecology and relationships with the natural world.

Audiences will experience large-scale immersive installations, site-specific projects and living works by international participants.

THE RIVER PROJECT has been commissioned by the Biennale of Sydney with generous support from the Australia Council for the Arts, Create NSW, Crown Resorts Foundation and Packer Family Foundation.

The 23rd Biennale of Sydney runs from 12 March – 13 June 2022.
STARTTS (NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors) was established in 1988 in Sydney.

arts@STARTTS is the arts and cultural wing of NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors. It develops, produces, curates and enables arts practice with refugee communities and artists in partnership with mainstream venues and organisations in Australia.

Jiva Parthipan is a curator, director and community artist based in Sydney and working internationally. Trained in Classical Indian dance, gaining his Masters in Performance from Goldsmith College, London, Jiva was the first male dancer to perform with Shobana Jeyasingh, the pioneering British Indian contemporary dance company.

Jiva’s multidisciplinary performance works have been seen at Tate Modern; ICA London; International Network for Contemporary Performing Arts, Paris / Dublin; National Review of Live Arts, Glasgow; Performance Space, Sydney; Bone Festival Switzerland; Jomba Festival South Africa to name a few.

Since migrating to Australia, my credits as a creative producer include Handfed, MCA; Little Baghdad with Powerhouse Youth Theatre and the Australian Museum; Dance Africa Dance, Riverside, Parramatta. As cultural development officer at STARTTS in Western Sydney, Jiva‘s work mediates artists from diverse emerging communities.

As an advocate for cultural diversity in arts in Australia, Jiva was recently a panellist at the APAC conference and on Radio National’s Big Ideas. He is an alumnus of Australia Council’s leadership programme and in 2020 curated PARAI YAH! for the Biennale of Sydney, and co-curated with Nina Miall OLDER THAN LANGUAGE at Salamanca Arts Centre.

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Indian PM Modi pays tribute to Veer Savarkar on his birth anniversary

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28 May 2022 4:53 PM

Veer Savarkar; Image Source: The Australia Today

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid tribute to freedom fighter, social reformer and proponent of Hindutva, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, on his birth anniversary.

Taking to Twitter, PM Modi said, “Respectful tribute to Veer Savarkar, the hardworking son of Mother Bharti, on his birth anniversary.”

मां भारती के कर्मठ सपूत वीर सावरकर को उनकी जयंती पर आदरपूर्ण श्रद्धांजलि। pic.twitter.com/AHk7L6qBib
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 28, 2022

Indian Home Minister Amit Shah also remembered Veer Savarkar on his birth anniversary and said his “sacrifices will continue to give us inspiration and strength”.

“Tributes to the symbol of nationalism, freedom fighter Veer Savarkar on his birth anniversary. Savarkar ji’s life is a classic example of how one can live for the country. His sacrificing life will continue to give us inspiration and strength,”
he tweeted.

Shah further said that his unparalleled contribution to the freedom movement and his efforts to remove untouchability from society can never be forgotten.

राष्ट्रीयता के प्रतीक स्वातंत्र्य वीर सावरकर की जयंती पर उन्हें कोटि-कोटि नमन।

शरीर के कण-कण में देशभक्ति का ज्वार संजो खुद को तिल-तिल जलाकर देश के लिए कैसे जिया जा सकता है सावरकर जी का जीवन उसका उत्कृष्ट उदाहरण है।

उनका त्यागपूर्ण जीवन हमें निरंतर प्रेरणा और शक्ति देता रहेगा। pic.twitter.com/we1kmq4YON
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) May 28, 2022

“Veer Savarkar ji received two life imprisonment in one life and the inhuman tortures of the dungeon could not deter his resolve to take Mother Bharati to the ultimate glory,” Shah added.

India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh paid tribute to Veer Savarkar and said that the effective role he played in India’s freedom struggle is inspiring.

“Veer Savarkar was the epitome of courage, determination and sacrifice. The effective role he played in India’s freedom struggle is inspiring. His entire life was devoted to the service of the country and society. I bow down to such a brave Savarkar on his birth anniversary,” Singh said in a tweet.

The writer of most extensive work on Veer Savarkar Dr Vikram Sampath said, “Heartfelt tributes to #VeerSavarkar on his 139th birth anniversary- a life of suffering & sacrifice for the nation.”

Heartfelt tributes to #VeerSavarkar on his 139th birth anniversary- a life of suffering & sacrifice for the nation. I consider myself truly fortunate to be destined to be his biographer & to bring his true story to the people of India #Savarkar #Savarkarjayanti pic.twitter.com/5iMRVuzBGR
— Dr. Vikram Sampath, FRHistS (@vikramsampath) May 28, 2022

“I consider myself truly fortunate to be destined to be his biographer & to bring his true story to the people of India,”
he added in a tweet.

Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, popularly known as Veer Savarkar, was born on 28 May 1883 in Nashik.
He was a freedom fighter, politician, lawyer, and writer. Savarkar is known for coining the term ‘Hindutva’.

Jayeshbhai Jordaar: A film with its heart in the right place

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28 May 2022 3:32 PM

To be frank, acting is the only Jordaar thing in this movie, baki sab boredaar hai (rest all is boring) from an entertainment point of view!

We have seen several movies made on sensitive topics of late – The Kashmir Files, Badhai Do, Shubh Mangal Savadhan, Padman, Article 15, Toilet, Mulk, Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui, and many others. Some of these movies present the topic in an entertaining manner thus emphasizing the message at the right time, while others tread a serious path not straying from the topic or the message. Jayeshbhai Jordaar has its heart in the right place with the story, the message and the format, but the execution goes horribly wrong in the second half.

The movie deals with the sensitive topic of female infanticide that is still sadly rampant in some parts of India. This story is set in a fictional town in Gujarat called Pravingarh, which is currently helmed by a male-heir obsessed patriarch, portrayed by Boman Irani.

The first half of the film very effectively paints a picture of how deep rooted the evil of female infanticide is spread in this fictional society. It shows how even women of the village knowingly or unknowingly are a party to spreading this evil from generation to generation.

As I watched this movie, I could not help but remember a tragic incident with my close friend whose wife desperately expected only a male heir as the second child. She was so desperate that she lost her mental balance when a female child was born. She tried to take the child’s life and her own too, and unfortunately ended her life in a tragic manner – all because she wanted a male heir for the family. And this happened in a loving and supportive family setting where the husband and the family were happy to have a child regardless of the gender. Now imagine the situation of the poor mother where the entire family and the society around you expects a male heir. And a family where they are even willing to kill the female child through abortion or post birth. This is what the film depicts in the first half. The intricacies shown are entertaining, yet eye opening on the ways of rural India.

The protagonist, played brilliantly by Ranveer Singh, is shown as a timid husband who fears his father, yet wants to stand by his wife, played very well by Shalini Pandey (of Arjun Reddy fame), and to protect her from this evil tradition, at least after five abortions of prior female foetuses. Their first born, played by Jia Vaidya, is a tech savvy and feisty 9-year-old who is old enough to understand this sin, support her parents, and often ending up filling them with courage.

The story takes so many turns in the second half that the key message of the story is completely lost. This results in an unending cat and mouse chase which gets repetitive and boring after some time. Audiences feel that this is a concoction of too many virtues thrown in (non-violence, women empowerment, good etiquettes, etc. etc.) to fight one evil; and most importantly, spoiling a crucial climax moment with a ridiculously silly comparison of how a kiss is the definitive binding between a man a woman!

The storytelling completely loses its plot and, I think, debutant writer director, Divyang Thakkar, should own this up. The film has Yash Raj banner, the topmost Indian actor, brilliant supporting star cast and a sensitive plot, yet Divyang seems to have missed to capitalise on it completely.

As I said earlier, acting is the only jordaar in this movie. Boman Irani is as dependable as ever playing the male chauvinist father. He makes you hate him all throughout the movie. For a film focused on female infanticide, the females in the movie have a limited role. It appears as they killed the female role as well! However, the three key women Ratna Pathak Shah, Shalini Pandey and Deeksha Joshi (playing the protagonist’s sister) shine in their limited screen time. Watch out for the little girl named Jia – she is phenomenal and a natural actor, very comfortable in front of such stalwarts like Boman Irani, Ratna Pathak Shah and Ranveer Singh. She clearly steals the show in all her scenes!

It appears the makers planned to completely rest the film on Ranveer’s shoulders. He holds it very well till the last. Since Bajirao Mastani, I am increasingly in awe of this actor. He picks up each role that is different from the last – Dil Dhadakne Do, Padmavat, Simba, Gully Boy, and 83. He immerses himself completely into each character. This particular character is completely opposite to Ranveer’s on or off-screen persona. In fact, one cannot even imagine him as a timid person. Yet, he is very convincing as one right from the first frame of the film. Most of the actors are native Gujarati speakers, but Ranveer has the best accent and mannerism amongst them. This is hallmark of a true actor!

If you plan to watch this film, I would say go and just watch Jayeshbhai Jordaar for him. Even in the goofed up climax as he mouths the most horrendous dialogues, you can see his sincerity to his craft. Bravo Ranveer!

Contributing Author: Sanjiv Kulkarni is an ardent Indian cinema and music buff with an interest in the art of movie-making. He shares his take on movies and some rarer movies too. He lives in Melbourne and works as an IT Sales leader.

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.

From a tiny village in India to MBA in Australia: Gurwinder’s amazing journey

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27 May 2022 6:33 PM

Gurwinder Kaur who recently graduated with an MBA from Torrens University Australia shared her academic story with fellow graduates.

In her speech, she recalled her amazing experience of travelling from a small village in India to becoming an international student in Australia.

Gurwinder expressed how this had been a moment that she had been waiting for her whole life but was at loss of words.

“In this celebrated moment, it is my emotions, nervousness and overwhelming attachment to the university that have taken the driving seat.”

Gurwinder said her father “broke every rule” for her. She recalled how she fought really hard to defy societal expectations. She also remembered a very apt advice given to her by one of the lecturers:

“Throw history out of the window if it is not working for you.”

Gurwinder was the first girl from her family to attend a convent school, to study abroad, and to work so far away from her village in India. Further, she recalled studying during COVID-19 pandemic:

“From the very first day, it has been a rollercoaster ride for me. It was fun, it was challenging, and it was, indeed, a learning experience like no other.”

Gurwinder felt grateful to her new friends and teachers who shared their experiences and helped her learn.

“In and out of the classroom, in the cafeteria, over conversations and chats, through arguments as well as through agreements, we learned, we enjoyed, we lived an experience of a lifetime.”

Jim Varghese AM - Image source: Facebook - Torrens University. — Image source: *Jim Varghese AM –* Facebook – Torrens University.

Jim Varghese AM, the Chancellor of Torrens University Australia, applauded both Gurwinder and her mentors for this inspiring achievement.

“This a very inspiring story about Gurwinder who just graduated with her MBA from Torrens University. I also applaud Professor Deepa Matthews for her teaching and mentoring of Gurwinder.”

She acknowledged that for many people who choose to study their MBA, this is just a stepping stone to greater career opportunities.

“Learning is not limited to our mark sheets or certificates. It is part of our decision-making process in all spheres of life. I have lived my dream during the last 24 months (about 2 years) of my life, and I can vouch for our classmates that they have lived their dreams as well.”

Gurwinder is excited to begin a new chapter of her life in the next stage of her journey in Australia.

“And who knows, maybe some of us here today could become the next generation of lecturers who are helping other girls from tiny villages on the other side of the world realise their potential.”

Gurwinder thanked her husband for paying the university fees and joked that she would buy anyone lunch if they could find her tiny village on Google maps.

Murugappan family gets bridging visas after long struggle in detention

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27 May 2022 4:34 PM

Murugappan family; Image Source: Twitter @AnthonyAlbanese

The Murugappan family – Priya, Nades, Kopika and Tharnicaa – will be allowed to return to their former home of Biloela in Queensland after more than four years.

They have been granted bridging visas so that the family can work towards resolving their immigration status.

Interim Home Affairs Minister Dr Jim Chalmers tweeted that he had used his ministerial powers to intervene in the family’s case.

Speaking with the Murugappan family about my decision today as interim Home Affairs Minister to enable them to return #HometoBilo, the big-hearted QLD town which has embraced them so warmly #auspol pic.twitter.com/uw6vlZV2co
— Jim Chalmers MP (@JEChalmers) May 27, 2022

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has backed this decision and wished the Murugappan family well for their return.

When I visited Biloela in 2019, I saw just how much the community loves Priya, Nades, Kopika and Tharnicaa. Today my Government has enabled them to return home. #HometoBilo pic.twitter.com/PqYa59d1rD
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) May 27, 2022

Kon Karapanagiotidis, Founder & CEO of Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC), has decribed this decision as “great first step”.

I know there’s lots of questions amongst the excitement that Priya, Nades, Tharni & Kopi can finally go #HomeToBiloela! What does today’s announcement actually mean? I explain in 3 minutes. #bilo #hometobilo #albo #auspol #biloela pic.twitter.com/HD9avtgPMP
— Kon Karapanagiotidis (@Kon__K) May 27, 2022

Priya and Nades Murugappan are two Tamil asylum seekers who came to Australia by boat from Sri Lanka during the civil war a decade ago. They settled in Biloela and lived until their visas expired.

The couple were removed from their home and sent to Christmas Island in August 2019 with their two Australian-born daughters Kopika and Tharnicaa. Later, the family was moved to Perth after three-year-old Tharnicaa suffered a blood infection.

Image source: Kopika and Tharnicaa Murugappan (Instagram)

The Morrison government had refused the Murugappan family permanent residency of Australia because the parents arrived by boat.

The family received a lot of community help (Home to Bilo group) including support from former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce and some Coalition MPs who called for them to be allowed to return to Biloela.

Dr Chalmers told media that this is a case based decision and the new Labor government is committed to Operation Sovereign Borders and deterring people smugglers.

Gender Disparity: Stereotypes and Norms in Parliament and Politics

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27 May 2022 2:25 PM

Gender Disparity: Stereotypes and Norms in Parliament and Politics; Image Source: @Canva

Every person’s identity is shaped by their gender, not just from the time of birth but notions of gender even come into the mind of parents before conception. But the ability to identify oneself by one’s gender does not come naturally to children; it is instead learned via behaviour and experience. Parents, siblings, grandparents, friends, and the wider community all significantly impact children’s development.

As soon as a kid is born, they are regarded physiologically and socially differently because of their genitalia. Both sexes’ newborns are clothed differently, have distinct names, and even their parents act in accordance with socially prescribed gender norms and stereotypes. Education plays a powerful role in empowering the gender discrimination that has changed the scenario of women’s participation in politics.

But there has been gender disparity in the parliaments of many nations like Fiji and Australia. The underrepresentation of females in politics and parliaments is a pressing issue. The op-ed gives a holistic view of discourse on Gender stereotypes and their current impact on present-day politics.

Gender Stereotypes and Norms

Gender is a socially constructed concept that establishes different social standards for males and females. The socio-economic factors play a huge role in identifying gender stereotypes and norms. These gender roles may differ from the society where the individual child is born and the impact of social norms plays a determining role. It is up to the culture to establish how each gender is supposed to act or think. This has something to do with how men and women anticipate one another to behave.

The goal of gender roles is to set limits between what is considered proper for men and women in private and public life. Because of the widespread social and moral pressure to conform to traditional gender norms, most countries place a high value on gender equality. It is usually compartmentalization of conventional roles, males are seen as the breadwinners and women as the housekeepers, but this is changing as literacy and societal acceptance of new behaviours increase. These norms have been surpassed on many occasions to change the mindset of society, but the stereotype roles still prevail in the masses.

Many children’s books leave a significant impression on the innocent minds of young ones to identify the gender roles through the books they read. The protagonist and its activities are mostly male-dominated, whereas women are reflected as eye candy. Mostly the plot revolves around the brave and adventure hero. This is also reflected in the cartoon characters, i.e. Superman, Batman, Spiderman, Aquaman, Hercules, Phantom, Spartan and others. When it comes to physical strength and adventure, men are portrayed to have more strength than ladies, who are often confined to housework and personal grooming.

Children are impacted by their peers, teachers, parents and community when it comes to teaching gender behaviour, i.e. Man is considered to take the initiative during the expression of feelings in a love affair. As a society, we have a long history of gender roles and expectations that are both expressed and unwritten norms and expectations. Gender roles are identified by society, where it is expected for both genders to participate in certain activities and in a particular manner defined by society. The behaviour of boys and girls in the school and the physical activities or sports they are expected to play are some examples of these preconceived notions.

Gender in Education

Sustainable Development Goal 4 of ‘Quality Education’ also raises an issue of gender inequality in education where girls are not given equal access to education in comparison to boys. In the education system, mostly boys are given priority over girls to get educated, as the society believes that boys earning education have to attain employment and support their families. In contrast, the girls are considered to be dependent on their marital families in future.

Male and female gender stereotypes are based on the belief that boys are better in physics, math, science, computing and technical subjects, whereas girls are considered to be better in home science, sociology, psychology etc. Boys are usually considered to be more capable than girls in academics, whereas girls are perceived to be better in home-making roles. Boys are expected to be better in Sciences, technology, engineering and math [STEM] in comparison to girls. Even the colours are derived from the gender prism, where males are considered to wear blue and dark colours whereas a woman is expected to like pink or soft colours.

These gender stereotypes have influenced the behaviour, as one noticed when a boy cries, then they are teased for doing girlish behaviour. In contrast, when girls do a macho act, they are criticised for being tomboys. The boys in school are looked at to implement hyper-masculinity in their performance in sports and physical activities, but these notions are challenged by contemporary schools. The gender-sensitive expectations are diluted to observe equal gender performances. In contemporary changing times, the acceptability of girls as financial support to their parents is becoming common. The educated women are becoming self-independent and challenging the discriminatory norms of gender bias.

Efforts are made to bridge the gender gap in world agencies, i.e. UN has adopted this issue for the 2030 agenda for SDGs. SDG’s Goal 5 of Gender equality for ‘empowering women and girls to take control of their bodies and lives is seen as a pressing issue.

Conclusion: Gender Gap in Politics

Women’s representation in the political era, especially in the legislature, has been a concern for nations. This is an election year for Australia and Fiji, and this issue has always been highlighted to capture the vote bank of half of the population.

Gender representation in Australia is far better than in other developed nations, as an article in the Guardian stated women made up 31% of the 151 members in the House of Representatives, whereas above fifty per cent in the Senate (Antoun Issa, March 2021). Fiji, however, there has been an improvement in women’s participation in Fiji in the last two decades. However, a general perception is that Politics have been seen as a male bastion.

There has been a focus of SDGs on women’s equal participation and leadership in public and political platforms. In a nutshell, gender disparity in politics can be changed by changing the mindset and providing equal opportunities to both genders based on merit, not on biological differences.

Author: Dr Sakul Kundra is an assistant professor in history and Acting Head of School, School of Arts and Humanities, College of Humanities and Education, at Fiji National University. Email dr.sakulkundra@gmail.com

Disclaimer: The views expressed are his own and not of The Australia Today or his employer.

Baljeet Kaur becomes first Indian climber to scale four highest peaks in a season

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26 May 2022 7:16 PM

On Sunday, Baljeet became the only Indian woman mountaineer to scale four 8,000-metre peaks, including Mt Annapurna (April 28), Mt Kanchenjunga (May 12), Mt Everest (May 22), and Mt Lhotse (May 23) in one season.

She along with her guide Mingma Sherpa scaled Mt Lhotse, the fourth highest mountain in the world at 8,516-meter, early on Sunday – a day after she had scaled Mt Everest, the highest peak in the world standing tall at 8,848.86-metre.

Baljeet Kaur with Mingma Sherpa (Instagram)

The 27-year-old from Himachal Pradesh’s Panjrol village in Solan district is daughter of Amrik Singh, a bus driver with Himachal Road Transport Corporation.

Baljeet’s passion for mountaineering started after getting admission to Degree College where she enrolled herself with the National Cadet Corps (NCC).

At the age of 20, Baljeet was selected for a NCC expedition to Mt Deo Tibba followed by a team of 10 NCC mountaineers for an expedition to the 7,120-metre high Mt Trishul.

In 2016, Baljeet was part of NCC expedition to Mt Everest, a climb where the team reached 8,548-metre before the ascent was called off.

In 2021, she became the first Indian female mountaineer to successfully climb the 8,167-m high Mt Dhaulagiri.

Baljeet’s mother Shanti Devi told The Indian Express: “Meri beti ne jo kar dikhaya hai, woh toh hamare liye sabse uncha kam hai (Our daughter’s feat is the highest honour for us).”

With this achievement, Baljeet has ensured that her name will enter the record books.

Baljeet will be back in Kathmandu, Nepal, later this week before flying back to India.

Who are Australia’s First Nations Parliamentarians?

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26 May 2022 6:38 PM

Linda Burney MP — Image source: v - Twitter.

May 26 is National Sorry Day.

On #SorryDay we remember the systematic racism and oppression of Aboriginal peoples under government policies and pay our respects to the Stolen Generations. Sadly though, current statistics remind us the unwarranted removal of our kids from communities isn't a thing of the past. pic.twitter.com/ERcORoxSVS
— AbSec (@AbSecNSW) May 25, 2021

This day commemorates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were forcibly removed from their families under Australian government’s policies during the Assimilation era (1910 to 1970).

Each year, 26 May marks National #SorryDay. ILSC staff proudly wear the Stolen Generation Commemorative Flower – For the mothers and children of the #StolenGeneration. #IndigLandSea #NationalSorryDay #BringingThemHome @HealingOurWay @AusHumanRights @RecAustralia pic.twitter.com/nQRr3sSnR3
— Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (@IndigLandSea) May 25, 2020

The first National Sorry Day was held on 26 May 1998 and on 13 February 2008, then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd delivered an apology to members of the Stolen Generations.

This is the right time to reflect on the equal participation of First Nations people in the federal parliament to create a shared meaning and purpose for all Australians.

No doubt the new parliament will be going to be one of the most diverse in years. However, the total percentage of First Nations peoples in the Federal Parliament is mere 4.4 percent.

Voted in:

Linda Burney, NSW Labor Member for Barton and new Indigenous Australians Minister.
Marion Scrymgour, NT Labor Member for Lingiari.
Gordon Reid, NSW Labor Member for Robertson.
Lidia Thorpe, Greens Senator for Victoria and spokeswoman for Indigenous Affairs.
Dorinda Cox, Greens Senator for Western Australia.
Malarndirri McArthy, Labor Senator for Northern Territory.
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, Country Liberal Senator for Northern Territory.
Jana Stewart, Labor Senator for Victoria.

Existing Senators:

Pat Dodson, Labor Senator for Western Australia
Jacqui Lambie, Jacqui Lambie Network Senator for Tasmania

Voted out:

Ken Wyatt, Liberal Member for Hasluck and former Indigenous Australians minister.

This parliament will also see a number of First Nations parliamentarians but we can do much more!

Five years ago, the Uluru Statement from the Heart that was endorsed by more than 250 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders. First Nations leaders have also put forward two potential dates for a referendum: either May 27, 2023 (anniversary of the 1967 Indigenous referendum), or January 27, 2024 (day after Australia Day).

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in his acceptance speech has already acknowledged Indigenous Australians. He said: “On behalf of the Australian Labor Party, I commit to the Uluru Statement.”

My statement on National Sorry Day. pic.twitter.com/YjYmRvVmMs
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) May 26, 2022

All eyes are now set on Linda Burney who would become the first female Aboriginal minister for Indigenous affairs. She recently told The Sydney Morning Herald: “This is an exercise in nation-building, and this will change Australia. It’s just so exciting.”

On this Sorry Day, as always, Australia’s multicultural communities stand with the First nations people in sharing their grief, suffering and injustice.

WATCH: Intergenerational Trauma Animation by The Healing Foundation

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk deletes tweet misrepresenting Nazi hate symbol Hakenkreuz as Swastika after community backlash

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26 May 2022 2:08 PM

Swastika is not Hakenkreuz (Nazi Symbol); Image Source: @CANVA

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has faced social media backlash after a tweet in which she referred to the Nazi hate symbol Hakenkreuz (“hooked cross”) as the Swastika, a religious symbol for the Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh and Jain communities.

The Premier has now deleted her tweet after hundreds of the Hindu, Jain and Buddhist community members expressed their disappointment over her misrepresentation.

The deleted tweet clearly misrepresents the Nazi hate symbol Hakenkreuz as Swastika.

Premier Palaszczuk also posted on her Facebook account the same unacceptable terms about the religious symbol of Swastika.

However, after community backlash, she first added a reply saying…

“We will consult further with the legal community and others and introduce a bill in the second half of this year.”

Which angered the community more.

Perhaps it was not the best start of the morning for Premier and her media team.
The next reply came almost an hour and a half after the original post which tried to control some damage caused to public perception of Premier Palaszczuk. It is also clear from her reply that Ms Palaszczuk is aware of what the Swastika means for many communities living in Australia.

This update had little respite for Premier and her team.

The Hindu and the Jewish communities in Australia have been working together to clear this misrepresentation. The Victorian Parliament has recently introduced legislation to ban Nazi symbols including the Hakenkreuz. The legislation clearly makes a distinction between the Hakenkreuz and the Swastika.

Well known Academic Sarah L Gates wrote an open letter to the Premier of Queensland following her now-deleted tweet,

After all the morning corrections and deletion, this is what her edited Facebook post looks like.

However, you can still see what Premier Palaszczuk wrote about Swastika by clicking the view edit history option on Facebook.

Gagandeep will be forced to leave Australia without his son and wife, Here’s why

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25 May 2022 5:04 PM

Gagandeep Singh aka Gavy who lives in Gippsland, Victoria, with his Australian wife and son is moments away from being forced to leave for India. According to A Current Affairs Gavy has lived in Australia for fourteen years and is waiting for a ministerial intervention to extend his stay.

Gagandeep came to Australia on a student visa from India in 2009 and in 2012 he met Phoebe. Both were married and now have a four-year-old son, Jarro.

The couple told ACA that Phoebe has fibromyalgia, deemed a chronic illness, which makes her husband the breadwinner for the family.

Image: Gagandeep Singh and Phoebe (A Current Affair – screenshot)

If Gagandeep is forced to leave Australia, Phoebe believes she will have to live on government welfare. She told ACA: “Some days I can be good, some days I can be bad. I’d be going and getting government help, which I don’t really like doing … I’ve got no choice really … we’re basically living in limbo.”

Gagandeep who runs a truck business will have to abandon his truck business and leave behind his family. He is worried that his wife won’t be able to pay even the rent and his young son, Jarro, will be left without a father.

Phoebe told Gippsland Times that “Gagandeep has always been legal in this country, he’s never broken the immigration laws at all.”

Image source: https://www.change.org/p/immigration-minister-let-gagandeep-stay-with-his-family

Gagandeep’s lawyer, Joseph Italiano, told ACA that the outgoing minister could have solved this issue by granting a valid visa. He said, “This family is owed an explanation … to me it’s inexplicable. There are no character concerns for this man, there are no health issues that would cost the public purse. It seems inhumane, it seems lacking compassion. Three years later, the minister decided it was not consistent with his guidelines. In my opinion, it flies in the face of his guidelines because there’s a child involved.”

The local community had started a petition campaign that has gathered 1600 signatures. However, an overwhelming amount of local community support for the Singh family hasn’t been enough for the outgoing immigration minister Alex Hawke to intervene and give Gagandeep a partner visa to stay in Australia.

The family now hopes that the new immigration minister in the federal Labor government will be able to do help them. Gagandeep’s lawyer with the support of federal MP Darren Chester has once again put in an application to reconsider the case.

MP Chester in fact even wrote a letter of support to the outgoing government. He told ACA, “They’ve been employing people and keeping themselves employed at a time when we need people who want to make that contribution to our region. We’ve got a skill shortage in our region.”

Gagandeep believes that if he is allowed to stay, eventually he can re-establish his truck business, buy a house, and have another child. He said, “Don’t make us apart. We would like to stay together, as a family.”

Gagandeep had applied to extend his visa but till now the immigration department has refused a tourist visa, a protection visa, and a partner visa.

On May 11, 2022, Gagandeep was put a bridging visa that limits his work rights and entitlements. He cannot leave Australia and has to report to Immigration every month. Further, he has been told by immigration that he should apply for a new visa from India, a process that Gagandeep and Phoebe feel could take up to three years.

Statement by a departmental spokesperson to ACA:

The Department does not comment on individual cases.
Portfolio Ministers have personal intervention powers under the Migration Act 1958 that allow a Minister to grant a visa to a person if the Minister thinks it is in the public interest to do so.
Ministers only intervene in a relatively small number of cases that present unique and exceptional circumstances, and where the Minister considers that it is in the public interest to do so. What is or is not in the public interest is entirely a matter of the Minister considering each case on its own merits. The decision to intervene is made by the Minister based on the individual circumstances of each case.
After a first request is received any subsequent request is a repeat request for the purposes of assessment against the Minister’s guidelines.
The guidelines set out that the Minister does not wish to consider repeat requests unless the Department assesses they raise new, substantive issues that were not provided before or considered in a previous request and which present unique or exceptional circumstances as described in the guidelines.

Nine year old girl shot by terrorists in Kashmir

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25 May 2022 3:34 PM

Kashmiri Girl shot by Terrorists; Image Source: The Australia Today

A police officer in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir has been killed by terrorists. Saifullah Qadri was with his 9-year-old daughter when the terror attack took place.

His daughter was also shot by the terrorist and received bullet injuries. The attack happened in Srinagar’s Soura area.

Many in India are praying for the little girl.

A long & anxious night awaits the entire nation as it prays for the brave nine year-old daughter of police officer Saifullah Qadri shot dead tonight by the terrorists. She shielded her dad even as the monsters fired at him. She has sustained bullet injuries.

A billion prayers.
— Anand Ranganathan (@ARanganathan72) May 24, 2022

According to Jammu and Kashmir police, the terrorists shot at the child when she came to her father’s rescue.

Our personnel Saifullah Qadri got martyred in a cowardly terror attack outside his home in Soura while he was on leave. His 9 year old daughter was also shot in arm by terrorists while she came to his rescue. pic.twitter.com/v6oeM3W624
— Srinagar Police (@SrinagarPolice) May 24, 2022

Local media says, an offshoot of the Pakistan based terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba, The Resistance Front, has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Local media also reported that a wreath laying ceremony was held for Police officer Saifullah Qadri.

#BREAKING | J&K: Wreath laying ceremony held for Police officer Saifullah Qadri martyred in terror attack.

Tune in to watch here-https://t.co/bbyaMwOij9 pic.twitter.com/YGXyRzo4MA
— Republic (@republic) May 24, 2022

100 Indian CEOs attend the 2022 World Economic Forum

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25 May 2022 12:46 PM

Image Source: Piyush Goyal at WEF 2022 - tWITTER.

At the 2022 World Economic Forum (WEF) held in Davos, Switzerland, India is represented by nearly 100 CEOs.

WEF has also launched the India chapter of the Alliance of CEO Climate Action Leaders. This Alliance will help supercharge India’s climate action and decarbonization efforts. It will continue efforts to achieve the vision outlined in the white paper released last year, Mission 2070: A Green New Deal for a Net Zero India, on India’s low-carbon transition by 2070.

Sumant Sinha, Co-Chair, Alliance of CEO Climate Action Leaders India, and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, ReNew Power, says:

“As a major global economy, India’s role in mitigating climate change is critical and India Inc. must add its full weight to the country’s efforts, as well to the global endeavour, against global warming.”

.@orfonline, in partnership with @wef & @kearney, is delighted to announce the launch of the India chapter of the Alliance of CEO Climate Action Leaders.

⁦@borgebrende⁩ @sumant_sinha @anishshah21 @Davos #ClimateAction #NetZero https://t.co/poxQwFGKlX
— Samir Saran (@samirsaran) May 23, 2022

According to the Hindu, Indian CEOs feel that there is a strong need to focus on creating necessary infrastructure for fighting any future pandemic.

Are we doing enough to prevent future pandemics? @JeremyFarrar @wellcometrust #wef22 https://t.co/IeFEW33q91
— World Economic Forum (@wef) May 24, 2022

Ministers Piyush Goyal, Mansukh Mandaviya and Hardeep Singh Puri are also participating in the event.

Team India is working for the future of the country and that is the message we want to send out @WEF in Davos.

When you invest in India, you are investing in the ‘India Story’ as we all work collectively towards a better and brighter future. pic.twitter.com/cQF1eSjTrH
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) May 24, 2022

Further, the Indian political contingent is represented by Karnataka Chief Minister BS Bommai, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy, Telangana Minister KT Rama Rao, Maharashtra Minister Aaditya Thackeray, and Tamil Nadu Minister Thangam Thennarasu.

All set to participate in World Economic Forum Summit at Davos. Will be interacting with business heads of 18 countries about important economic & environmental issues. Davos will give great impetus to upcoming #InvestKarnataka2022 Global Investors' Meet.
— Basavaraj S Bommai (@BSBommai) May 22, 2022

Maharashtra government representatives have signed 24 memorandum of understanding (MoU) worth over ₹80,000 crore in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, information technology, data centres, textiles, food processing, packaging, paper and pulp, and steel.

State’s industries minister Subhash Desai tweeted: “The MoU helped us to reach a milestone of 24 MoUs worth INR 80000 Cr.”

Chairman & MD of @ReNew_Power @sumant_sinha signed a MoU with GoM today @wef @Davos. ReNew Power will be investing INR 50000 Cr in renewable power generation in State. The MoU helped us to reach a milestone of 24 MoUs worth INR 80000 Cr. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/LmNqXIbagq
— Subhash Desai (@Subhash_Desai) May 24, 2022

India’s representatives, including government officers, will discuss fight against the cureent COVID19 pandemic.

Other prominent issues expected to spark debate during the conference include climate change, cryptocurrencies, the role of multilateral institutions, and rising cost of living across the world.

WEF has been the international organization for public-private cooperation to discuss solutions for a more sustainable and inclusive future.

Photo of Modi leading Quad leaders creates social media storm

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25 May 2022 10:18 AM

Image: PM Modi 'leading' from front at Quad Summit (Source: Twitter- Amit Malviya)

The four leaders of the Quad — the United States of America, Japan, India and Australia — have wrapped up 2022 summit in Tokyo with a joint statement showcasing their “steadfast commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient.”

In his opening address, India’s Prime MInister Narendra Modi emphasised that the Quad is a force for good and that the Quad has ensured peace, prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Before leaving Tokyo, Modi tweeted: “Glad to see the Quad emerge as a vibrant forum to further global good.”

Leaving Japan after a fruitful visit in which I attended various bilateral and multilateral programmes. Glad to see the Quad emerge as a vibrant forum to further global good. Also had excellent bilateral meetings with all the Quad leaders.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 24, 2022

However in all the discussion and dialogue that happened in Tokyo, the photo that has gone viral on social media is the one showcasing Modi in front of everyone.

The photo was tweeted by Amit Malviya who is in-charge of Bhartiya Janta Party’s (BJP) National Information & Technology Department.

Malviya took to Twitter and shared the photo with the caption: “Leading the world… a picture is worth a thousand words”.

Leading the world… a picture is worth a thousand words. pic.twitter.com/T4lJ8rFt1u
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) May 24, 2022

In this photo, widely shared on social media as #pictureoftheday, Modi can be seen walking down the stairs with his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida with US President Joe Biden and Australia’s new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese walking behind them.

Highlights from Japan. Have a look. pic.twitter.com/haYnljDnfx
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 24, 2022

Many BJP leaders and followers of Modi hailed the Indian prime minister as a “global leader”.

Pradhan Sevak — knows the way , goes the way , shows the way pic.twitter.com/QTpN8ODxhR
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) May 24, 2022

Arunachal Pradesh’s chief minister Pema Khandu shared the photo to express their admiration.

Standing apart, and ushering India into a new era.

Pride @narendramodi #PMModiInJapan pic.twitter.com/LwzDj7GNaU
— Pema Khandu པདྨ་མཁའ་འགྲོ་། (@PemaKhanduBJP) May 24, 2022

BJP’s national spokesperson Sambit Patra shared the photo with caption: “Vishwa guru Bharat” [world leader India].

विश्व गुरु भारत! pic.twitter.com/wRgyxwzYsu
— Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) May 24, 2022

While many opponents have questioned the hype of this picture, Union Minister Piyush Goyal tweeted: “Seeing is believing.”

Seeing is believing pic.twitter.com/pRsLwmywpo
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) May 24, 2022

During his interaction with Australian prime minister, Modi extended an invitation to Anthony Albanese to visit India at an early date.

I’m proud to have represented Australia at the Quad Leaders meeting in Tokyo with @potus, @JPN_PMO and @narendramodi.

I am looking forward to hosting these leaders in Australia at the next Quad summit in 2023. pic.twitter.com/f6BeLd0lTI
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) May 24, 2022

As Indian-Australians what are your thoughts on this photo?

What was the position of women in ancient India?

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25 May 2022 9:42 AM

Mahishasurmardini, Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu, seventh century CE. The theme of Goddess Durga vanquishing the demon Mahisha is one of the most popular representations of Hindu art. She represents the vigour and power, the determination and courage within us, with which we must battle the evil of our ignorance of the truth. (Image Source: Benoy K Behl)

By Benoy K. Behl

In Hindu thought, the personification of courage and the energy within us with which we would combat the demons of our ignorance, is a female deity Durga. In Buddhist thought, while compassion finds a male personification, wisdom is represented in female form.

The theme of Goddess Durga vanquishing the demon Mahisha is one of the most popular representations of Indian art. She represents the vigour and power, the determination and courage within us, with which we must battle the evil of our ignorance of the truth. Today we may find it remarkable that, in early Indian thought, these qualities were personified in a female figure. The most beautiful depiction of Mahishasurmardini is in a 7^th century cave at Mamallapuram. Another exquisite depiction is in the Virupaksha Temple at Pattadakal.

The two principal qualities of Buddhahood are seen to be Wisdom and Compassion. While compassion is personified in a male deity Avalokitesvara, wisdom and knowledge are represented in female form Prajnaparamita. Thus, we see that the important quality of wisdom and knowledge is visualized in feminine form. Tara, another important female personification in Buddhism, came also to be largely worshipped by the 5^th-6^th century CE, as is seen in the Buddhist caves of Western India.

Half the patrons of monuments were women

Is it also not wonderful that about half the patrons of monuments of ancient India were women? It is housewives, nuns, tailors and others who were responsible for the glorious architectural and artistic heritage which we have from early times!

631 donation inscriptions survive at the Great Stupa at Sanchi. These show that the magnificent art of the toranas (or gateways) of the Sanchi Stupa was patronized by the common people. It was fishermen, tailors, housewives, nuns and others who paid for the making of the grand monument.

**Great Stupa, Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh** – The greatest surviving Buddhist stupa of the BC period is on top of the hill at Sanchi. The stupa was originally made in the 3^rd century BC. In the middle of the 2^nd century BC, it was doubled in size. Four gloriously carved stone gates or *toranas*, each 34 feet high, were added to the railings in the 1^st century AD. (Image Source:Benoy K Behl)

An individual states that he is the patron of a sculpted pillar. Another states that she is paying for the making of an architrave of the torana. About half the donation inscriptions are of women.

The same holds true of the other great monuments of ancient India. Thousands of inscriptions survive in the early monuments all across India, which testify to this. This wondrous heritage was created by the people and very largely by women. Obviously, in ancient times, women in India had the financial independence to patronize places of worship of their own choice.

**Karle Buddhist Caves, 1^st Century CE, Maharashtra** – A remarkable freedom and ease of interaction is seen between women and men in ancient India, as depicted in the art. A woman is seen here with an arm around another woman and her other arm around a man. This is surely how human beings were meant to be, comfortable, warm and affectionate with each other. (Image Source: Benoy K Behl)

If we look at the Buddhist caves at Nasik, we find an inscription of around 150 CE of Gautami Balashree. It is a donation inscription and I take your attention to this because while she is making the inscription for making a donation for a Buddhist cave, she is also mentioning that her son (in fact the Satavahana King Gautamiputra) is in fact a worshipper of Hindu deities.

So there you see that not only do women have the capacity, the right, the freedom to make donations for establishments on their own, but in fact there can be donations for a faith other than that of for instance in this case her son who happens to be the king. You might also note that the king’s name Gautamiputra also gives an idea of the respect for the lady in question here.

While we are on the caves of Western India, we realize that we are talking about approximately a thousand caves that were carved deep out of the heart of the rock, the hard basalt rock of the hills. This is a great heritage!

Please remember that the numerous caves that you see in China and in Central Asia are, most of them, all carved out of gravel conglomerate, whereas here you are looking at caves which are hewn out of the heart of the mountain, the hard rock. Besides, they are beautifully, absolutely beautifully sculpted and gloriously painted.

We may also note that, at the site of the Ajanta caves, there is a donation inscription of the wife of the ruler Harisena, for one of the later Buddhist caves of Ajanta, around the end of the 5^th century. You may note that the king himself is a worshipper of Hindu deities but here we see that his wife has the complete freedom to donate and to worship Buddhist deities. The same holds true for inscriptions that we find of the wives of people in Andhra Pradesh and other locations of Buddhist sites.

Naturalness and grace in interactions between men and women

There is a sense of natural ease in the depiction of interactions between men and women in ancient sculpture, which opens a beautiful window to how warm and easy such relations can be. This is so unlike the constrained, tense and artificial interactions of modern times.

In the BCE period and the early CE period, we find art from which there is much that we can learn. At the early Buddhist caves of Karle and Kondavane, we find depictions of men and women interacting with each other in a way which is easy and joyous.

**Kondavane Buddhist Caves, 1^st century BCE, Maharashtra** – On the facade of the grand *chaitya-griha,* are made these playful scenes of interaction between men and women. It is wonderful to see the easy interaction in which a woman is playfully pulling the *dhoti* of the man. Affection is also being expressed warmly. (Image source: Benoy K Behl)

There is a naturalness and grace in these interactions, which shows us how life is meant to be. There is equality and mutual respect between men and women and the women are seen expressing themselves with freedom, warmth and confidence. This is so different from modern life, in which men and women play defined roles and are much more constrained and artificial in their behaviour with each other. There is a grace and ease seen in the art of early times which is extremely inspiring and could help us to shape a modern world with much more peace, equality between the genders, harmony and joy.

Art brings to us attitudes and norms of society, frozen in stone and in colour. These are often a wonderful record of the vision of life in ancient times. Amidst all the noise and clamour of the materialistic world around us, there is so much that we can gain by looking at the simplicity and grace of ancient times.

Contributing Author: Benoy K. Behl is a filmmaker, art historian, and photographer who is known for his prolific output of work over the past 44 years. He has taken over 53,000 photographs of Asian monuments and art heritage and made 145 documentaries which are regularly screened at major cultural institutions worldwide. His photographic exhibitions have been warmly received in 74 countries around the world. He holds the Limca Book Record for being the most travelled Indian photographer and art historian.

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.

Narendra Modi invites new Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to India

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24 May 2022 7:45 PM

Image source: Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese - Twitter.

The meeting between Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and the newly elected Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese took place in Tokyo as part of the second in-person Quad Leaders Summit.

In his opening remarks, PM Modi congratulated PM Albanese on winning the recently held Australian Federal elections.

PM Modi added that PM Albanese coming to the Quad meeting only 24 hours after his swearing-in reflected the strength of the Quad friendship and his commitment to the Quad.

India’s Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Australia is robust and benefits not only the people of our nations but also the world.

Was delighted to meet PM @AlboMP and take stock of bilateral ties. We discussed ways to add even greater momentum across key sectors. pic.twitter.com/8J9tqqAdu9
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 24, 2022

PM Modi further emphasised that the Quad is a force for good and that the Quad has ensured peace, prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

According to the statement released by MEA, both leaders reviewed the multi-faceted cooperation under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

MEA | Press Release on the important first meeting and comprehensive discussions between Prime Minister @narendramodi and Prime Minister @AlboMP in Tokyo today.
https://t.co/ed6tW0slqD @PMOIndia @MEAIndia @dfat @HCICanberra
— Manpreet Vohra (@VohraManpreet) May 24, 2022

This includes “trade & investment, defence manufacturing, renewable energy including green hydrogen, education, science and technology, agricultural research, sports and people-to-people ties.”

Both leaders affirmed their desire to continue the positive momentum in the bilateral relationship.

Warmly welcomed my meeting with @narendramodi for an engaging discussion on Australia and India’s full strategic and economic agenda, including on clean energy technology. Australia-India ties have never been closer. pic.twitter.com/XF6g2mu3xH
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) May 24, 2022

India’s Prime Minsiter also extended an invitation to the Australian Prime Minister to visit India at an early date.

“Doctors wanted! Come to Australia!”: Dr Reddy retires after providing 50 years of medical service

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24 May 2022 5:46 PM

In the early 1970s, Dr Sanganakal Reddy, MBBS, FRACGP, saw an advertisement: “Doctors wanted! Come to Australia!” So, with the lure of an additional $20 incentive, Dr Reddy made the long plane journey from India to Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia.

Dr Reddy was one of the first people from his village to go to a university, and specifically to get a medical degree.

In Australia, he commenced work at the then Royal Newcastle Hospital where there were only a handful of Indians in town. A year later, Dr Reddy was joined by his wife and son, Praveen Reddy, and soon the family moved to Melbourne.

Image source: Praveen Reddy – Executive Director, Freight Victoria at Department of Transport – LinkedIn.

In Melbourne, Dr Reddy ran two private practices: one in Coburg (morning to late afternoon) and the second in Craigieburn (evening to late at night).

Reminiscing about those years, Praveen, who is Executive Director, Freight Victoria at Department of Transport, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“we didn’t get to see much of him in those years. My mum with the support of a growing Indian community and a welcoming Australian community supported dad and took care of my sister and I while dad worked long hours.”

Praveen notes that the first hurdle for his dad was obviously to understand the Aussie slang and phrases such as: “I am feeling a bit crook”; “I’ve had the runs really badly”; and “I have a bun in the oven.”

Dr Reddy eventually decided to focus on just Coburg practice and while working, he not only learnt Australian colloquialisms but also common phrases in Italian, Greek, Turkish, Lebanese and various other subcontinental dialects thus making his patients feel at home.

According to Praveen, this reflected the growing multiculturalism in the Moreland City Council through the 70s and beyond. Here, Dr Reddy not only treated some patients for free but also helped train young migrant doctors.

“Dad treated many immigrants for free, has been the physician of choice for three to four generations of longstanding patient families, only booked one consultation where families of around five to six came to see him, trained young migrant doctors and also until recently still did house calls as he was concerned about patients who were not able to get to the doctor.”

Recently, Dr Reddy retired at the age of 80 years old after spending 50 years in service – from Royal Newcastle Hospital to years in solo and group practice providing medical services to the community.

Praveen says that he has learnt a few valuable lessons from his dad’s journey in Australia:

“1. The importance of hard work and sacrifice for family; 2. Community matters; 3. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you are from, you deserve to be treated with respect and dignity; and 4. Being driven by your heart and showing generosity is the greatest gift you can give (many of dad’s patients waited for two to three hours to each say goodbye to him over the last couple of weeks).”

Praveen adds, “if you ever bump into my Dr Reddy, don’t be surprised if he greets you with a “G’day mate!” He has become such an Aussie!”

“Quad not a passing fad, a force for good”

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24 May 2022 3:37 PM

The meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and the newly elected Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese took place in Tokyo today as part of the second in-person Quad Leaders Summit.

Quad is a strategic security dialogue between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States that aims to provide a free and open Indo-Pacific.

In his opening remarks, Indian PM Modi congratulated Australian PM Albanese on winning the recently held Australian Federal elections. He added that PM Albanese coming to the Quad meeting only 24 hours after his swearing-in reflected the strength of the Quad friendship and his commitment to the Quad. PM Modi emphasised that the Quad is a force for good and that the Quad has ensured peace, prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. He added that mutual cooperation between Quad countries is encouraging a free open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region which is our shared goal.

My remarks at the Quad Leaders Meeting in Tokyo. https://t.co/WzN5lC8J4v
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 24, 2022

Australian PM Anthony Albanese reaffirmed the Quad’s commitment to a free, open and resilient Indo-Pacific.

Today I had the pleasure of meeting with PM Kishida @JPN_PMO, @POTUS and @narendramodi at the Quad Summit in Tokyo. We affirmed our shared commitment to the Quad, and to a free, open and resilient Indo-Pacific. I look forward to hosting Quad Leaders in Australia in 2023. pic.twitter.com/pQ97B1nufQ
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) May 24, 2022

US President Joe Biden in his opening remarks at the meeting said,

“We share the same goal of ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific that will deliver greater prosperity and greater opportunity for all of our children. I am looking forward to continuing to work with all of you and strengthening economic cooperation to deliver inclusive growth and shared prosperity.”

“We’ve shown that Quad is not just a passing fad, we mean business. We’re here to get things done for the region, and I’m proud of what we’re building together I look forward to our vital partnership flourishing and for many years to come.”

Professor Emeritus in the Department of Asian Studies at the University of Adelaide, Prof Purnendra Jain told The Australia Today that in their opening remarks at the beginning of the Tokyo summit, all four leaders reconfirmed and recommitted to the Quad aims and objectives, sending a strong message about the importance of the Quad as a mini-lateral security framework.

He also emphasised that the world is watching the Quad closely.

“The world is closely watching developments in Tokyo and the path that the four nations set out to move forward with their policy agenda and implementation in a way that not only promotes the interests of Quad partners but the region as a whole, and indeed the entire global community,” said Prof Jain.

US President Joe Biden also launched the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework ahead of the Quad leader’s meet in Tokyo.

The future of the 21st century economy is going to be largely written in the Indo-Pacific. That’s why we launched the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity to help all of our countries’ economies grow faster and fairer. pic.twitter.com/Bihpfumlt1
— President Biden (@POTUS) May 24, 2022

This was the first in-person meeting between the Quad leaders after the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. US President Joe Biden during a joint press conference with Japanese PM Kishida, prior to the Quad meeting suggested that the US would defend Taiwan militarily if it was attacked, seeming to clear the ambiguity around the issue.

#BREAKING: President Joe Biden said he'd be willing to use military force to defend Taiwan. pic.twitter.com/Vf7gdkK8UF
— Moshe Schwartz (@YWNReporter) May 23, 2022

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida earlier in a statement had said that Japan-Australia-India-U.S. (Quad) share fundamental values and are committed to strengthening a free and open international order based on the rule of law.

He added that the four countries have been promoting practical cooperation in various fields, including vaccines, infrastructure, climate change, and critical and emerging technologies and have also concurred on the importance of making a positive contribution to the region.

The statement also mentioned that the Quad has been promoting practical cooperation in various areas, including quality infrastructure, maritime security, counter-terrorism, cyber security, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, with the aim of realizing a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP).”

Five year old child dies hours after being discharged from hospital

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24 May 2022 1:02 PM

A family in Brisbane is mourning the loss of their young son who died within hours of being discharged from a hospital in Brisbane’s south.

According to local media Hiyaan Kapil was feeling unwell and experiencing stomach pains for several days and was taken to an emergency room in Logan Hospital.

Hiyaan’s family says, he spent four hours in the hospital where he was vomiting before he was discharged at 10 pm last night.

They claim, he was still in pain when they returned from the hospital and to their utter shock two hours later the little boy collapsed to the floor at his home. Hiyaan was rushed back to the hospital by his father but died shortly after.

The family is now searching for answers as to how Hiyaan, a seemingly healthy kid, deteriorated so quickly and why was he discharged from the hospital.

A family friend while speaking to local media said that the family is looking for answers as to what happened.

Queensland Police is preparing a report for the Coroner on the circumstances surrounding Hiyaan Kapil’s death.

Western propagandists continue to spin tales of Hinduphobic rhetoric

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23 May 2022 12:00 PM

By Abha Shankar

Western Islamists and their supporter organisations continue exaggerating the depth of violence in Hindu-majority India and pushing alarmist rhetoric about an impending genocide of Muslims.

“Germany 1932 is here and now in India,” warns an editorial in the May-June issue of Islamic Horizons. “It won’t matter to the latter’s 212 million Muslims when, years later, some sages clumsily whisper ‘never again’ and then snicker. And yet the U.S. State Department refused to categorise India as a ‘country of concern’ on its religious freedom list.”

The editorial describes India’s democratically elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a reincarnation of Adolf Hitler.

The magazine’s cover shows India’s ruling nationalist Bhartiya Janata Party’s (BJP) lotus flower symbol alongside a bloodied knife. , “MODICAUST—THE FINAL SOLUTION FOR MUSLIM INDIANS,” the headline says.

Islamic Horizons is the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)’s flagship publication. ISNA was founded in 1981 by U.S.-based members of the Muslim Brotherhood and was included on a list of unindicted co-conspirators in the Hamas-financing prosecution of the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF). The 2008 trial ended with guilty verdicts on 108 counts. ISNA’s conventions, attended by tens of thousands of people, have featured rhetoric in support of convicted terrorists and other radicalism.

Hamas is an Australia and U.S.-designated terrorist group that has been responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Westerners and Israelis.

This partisan narrative of Muslim persecution and looming genocide at the hands of Hindus is also being pushed by the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) their Australian supporters and collaborative organisations.

“Viral videos that have flooded social media show Hindu extremist mobs armed with swords, guns and rods, taking out processions through Muslim areas, blasting Islamophobic songs, chanting Hindu religious slogans, attacking mosques, shrines, Muslim families, homes and their businesses,” said an April 19 press release.

“Muslim homes, businesses, mosques and shrines were attacked, vandalised and burnt in the BJP ruled Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. In Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone city, the epicentre of violence, the local administration demolished Muslim homes and shops, doubly victimizing them after Hindu extremist mobs had terrorised and targeted them.”

But news reports show that the IAMC is misreporting violence during Hindu religious processions in Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone city and other Indian cities by painting Muslims as hapless victims of one-sided Hindu aggression and violence.

“Curfew was clamped in the entire Khargone city of Madhya Pradesh after stones hurled at a Ram Navami procession here triggered arson and torching of some vehicles and houses,” The Hindu newspaper reported.

“At least 24 people, including six policemen, were injured in the violence and Khargone’s Superintendent of Police Siddharth Choudhary received [a] bullet injury.”

More than 180 people are in police custody in connection with the violence. The BJP-ruled state government took strict action against the rioters by bulldozing illegally constructed properties used by stone-throwers to target the religious procession.

Muslim media personality Amber Zaidi said that the bulldozed properties, including businesses and houses, were “illegal encroachments” and belonged to both Muslims and Hindus.

She blamed Pakistan and “several other anti-India forces who are constantly conspiring to malign India’s image,” including the radical Islamist Popular Front of India (PFI) that has been implicated in the 2020 Delhi riots that left 53 dead and more than 200 injured.

Zaidi called for countering the “mindset” that radicalizes Indian Muslims and leaves them feeling “insecure” and encourages the belief that “their rights are being violated” in Hindu-majority India. “External forces” are seeking to sow disruption in the country where ordinary people live in harmony with each other and celebrate their festivals together, she added.

IAMC describes itself as “the largest Washington, DC-based advocacy organisation of Indian American Muslims, with chapters across the US.”

An OpIndia report lists examples of violence perpetrated on Hindu religious processions by stone-pelting Islamists.

“Many incidents of stone-pelting, arson, and vandalism during the celebration of Hindu festivals have been reported in recent years, and each year the intensity has only increased,” said the report. “This year, like other previous years, has been no exception. Whether it’s a Hindu religious procession for Hanuman Jayanti, Ram Navami, or Saraswati Puja, Islamists haven’t missed an opportunity to wreak havoc.”

Similar violence broke out in New Delhi’s Jahangirpuri neighbourhood. A fact-finding report led by Indian Supreme Court advocate Monika Arora described the area as “a ticking bomb’ of illegal immigrants, radicalisation, demographic stress and illegal encroachments.”

It said that “a mob of local Muslim residents with swords, lathis, iron rods, and some carrying pistols emerged from … chanting ‘Allah hu Akbar'” and attacked the procession leading to “a dangerous street riot,” the news site OpIndia reported.

The attack was “pre-planned,” said the report.

“Men, women, and children gathered on the rooftops shortly after the stones and bottles were arranged. There was a large throng assembled, armed with stones, petrol bombs, and swords, ready to attack the procession.”

Thirty-six people, including three juveniles, have been arrested in connection with the violence.

Selective accusations of Muslim victimization where blame is placed solely on India’s Hindu majority are also evident in American Islamists’ reaction to the hugely popular and highly acclaimed movie, “The Kashmir Files.”

The film graphically depicts the horrors of the 1989-90 genocide of indigenous Hindus from the Kashmir Valley.

The US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO), an umbrella group of America’s top Islamist organizations, condemned a May 9 screening of the movie at the California state capitol in Sacramento. “‘Kashmir Files’ cherry-picks the truth, and exploits it emotionally to further the Islamophobic objective of BJP,” says the USCMO press release. “The film devolves into a piece of pure vitriol and hatred by generalizing a violent episode in Kashmir’s history into collective blame on Muslims in general and Kashmiri Muslims in particular. This is a blatant effort of the BJP government to polarize the Indian population on religious grounds to gain political power.”

The movie played in packed theatres and was based on true-life accounts of Kashmir Hindu victims. Hundreds of thousands of Kashmiri Hindus were slaughtered or kicked out of their homes by Islamist terrorists who left them with three options: Ralive, Tsalive, ya Galive [Convert to Islam, Leave or Perish].

“The Kashmir Files has peeled the complex layers of the final chapter of the systematic genocide of Kashmiri Hindus since the 14^th century in Kashmir, beautifully and intelligently,” writes veteran journalist Aarti Tikoo Singh, a displaced Kashmiri Hindu who witnessed the genocide firsthand.

“The most gruesome acts of terror unleashed on Hindus in Kashmir and later their life in displacement and destitution in refugee camps in Jammu, have been shown with remarkable intensity, and yet poignantly.”

The film has also won praise from several Kashmiri Muslims, including Khalid Baig, Sualeh Keen, Emaad Makhdoomi, Yana Mir, Raja Muneeb, Javed Beigh, and Sajid Yousuf Shah.

The 1989-90 violent expulsions have been described as the seventh genocide of Hindus from the valley starting with the 14^th century founding of Islamist rule in Kashmir. Islamist accusations of Indian “occupation” of Jammu and Kashmir as a “settler colony” are false, argues the Hindu American Foundation.

“Historically, Kashmir was inhabited by Hindus and Buddhists and had a majority Hindu population until the 14th century. As the region was taken over by Islamic invaders from Central Asia, the indigenous population of Hindus and Buddhists was gradually replaced, eventually becoming overwhelmingly Muslim.”

The killings of Kashmiri Hindus continue. A 35-year-old Kashmiri Hindu government employee was killed Thursday by Lashkar-e-Tayyiba terrorists.

But Islamist groups such as the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) and their Australian supporters and collaborative organisations continue to promote genocide deniers such as Kashmiri journalist Raqeeb Hameed Naik.

During an online “CAIR on Air” episode, last month titled, “Crosshairs of Hindutva Extremism,” Naik claimed that the “Kashmiri genocide … is actually a Hindu nationalist construct that they have been long pushing to target Kashmiri Muslims.”

Western Islamists and supporter organisations are known to cherry-pick facts to exaggerate the alleged misdeeds of their foes, especially when it comes to issues concerning the ummah [global Muslim community]. But selectively blaming Hindus for the April violence on Hindu religious processions and diminishing the Kashmiri Hindu genocide at the hands of Islamist terrorists can only go to further fuel communal disharmony and inflame passions for reactionary violence.

Author: Abha Shankar.
She is Director of Research at the Washington, D.C.-based Investigative Project on Terrorism.

Disclaimer: This article was first published in The Investigative Project on Terrorism and we have republished it with the kind permission of the author. 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.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese becomes the 31st Prime Minister of Australia

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23 May 2022 8:15 AM

PM Anthony Albanese with Governor General of Australia David Hurley (Image Source: Twitter)

Labor leader Anthony Alabanese has been sworn in as the Prime Minister of Australia by the Governor General David Hurley today in Canberra.

59-year-old Anthony Albanese was born in Sydney and raised by a single mother. He has been a Member of Parliament for the division of Grayndler since 1996. He became the leader of Opposition in 2019 after Labor lost the last federal election under the leadership of Bill Shorten.

Mr Albanese was the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia in 2013 in the second Kevin Rudd government. He also served as a cabinet minister from 2007 to 2013 in both the Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard governments.

Anthony Albanese, Leader of Labor Party; Image Source: Supplied

Penny Wong has been sworn in as the new Minister for Foreign Affairs and Leader of the Senate. She will be joining PM Albanese for the QUAD summit in Tokyo. Richard Marles has been appointed Deputy PM and Minister for Defence, while Katy Gallagher is the new Minister for Finance, Minister for Public Service and Minister for Women. The new Treasurer is Jim Chalmers.

(Image Source: Senator Penny Wong Twitter)

With over 70% of the votes counted, media projections are giving 72 seats to Labor, 4 seats shy of a full majority. The Australian Federal Parliament has 150 seats and to form the government a party needs 76 seats. Coalition is projected to get between 52-55 seats at this stage.Outgoing Prime Minister Scott Morrison has conceded the election and said that he will be stepping down as the leader of the Liberal Party.

Vote Labor so together we can build a better future. pic.twitter.com/HsCHospHhG
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) May 1, 2022

The Coalition Government comprising of the Liberal National Party and The Nationals, which was fighting for a fourth consecutive term, is losing several seats to ‘teal’ independents. The ‘teal’ independents are a loosely-tied group of 22 candidates – 19 female and 3 male candidates – with past connections to either corporate or political establishment who were fighting against mostly Liberal MPs in Australia’s affluent electorates.

Zali Steggal with team - Twitter — Image source: Team Zali Steggal – Twitter.

Among the prominent losers is former Treasurer Josh Frydenberg who lost to Dr Monique Ryan in Kooyong in Victoria. Sydney doctor Sophie Scamps has won the seat of Mackellar in NSW beating Liberal incumbent Jason Falanski. Kylea Tink has beaten sitting Liberal MP Trent Zimmerman in North Sydney.

The first Federal MP of Indian origin and the only one in the previous Parliament, Dave Sharma, also lost his seat to Independent Allegra Spender in Wentworth. Olympic medallist Zali Steggall who won the seat of Warringah in 2019 defeating former PM Tony Abbott retained her seat.

Tonight the Australian people have voted for change.https://t.co/YFuFsDN7lm
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) May 21, 2022

Meanwhile, Mr Albanese had told The Australian earlier that if he were to win it was his intention to go to the Quad leaders meeting to represent Australia which is taking place in Tokyo on 24th May.

“I will visit the Quad and renew my acquaintance with (US) President (Joe) Biden but also meet, very importantly, with (Japanese) Prime Minister (Fumio) Kishida and (Indian Prime Minister) Narendra Modi who are important friends of Australia” said Mr Albanese.

India’s PM Modi to meet new Australian Prime Minister; will attend 23 meetings in 40 hours

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23 May 2022 7:50 AM

Image source: Narendra Modi and Anthony Albanese.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi will join US President Joe Biden, Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida, and the new Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese at the QUAD summit in Tokyo on May 24.

Prime Minister @narendramodi waves to the officials at Palam Technical area before emplaning to take part in #QuadSummit at Tokyo. @TheNewIndian_in pic.twitter.com/6nCwGdUhuo
— Pramod Kumar Singh (@SinghPramod2784) May 22, 2022

Modi will have 23 engagements in around 40 hours of stay in Tokyo including meeting Albanese during the Quad summit on Tuesday.

At the invitation of PM @kishida230 of Japan, PM @narendramodi will leave for Tokyo tonight for the next Quad Leaders’ Summit.

Catch a glimpse of what’s in store. pic.twitter.com/Ed3gKTonfD
— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) May 22, 2022

Earlier, Mr Albanese had told The Australian that if he were to win it was his intention to go to the Quad leaders meeting to represent Australia which is taking place in Tokyo on 24th May.

“I will visit the Quad and renew my acquaintance with (US) President (Joe) Biden but also meet, very importantly, with (Japanese) Prime Minister (Fumio) Kishida and (Indian Prime Minister) Narendra Modi who are important friends of Australia,” says Albanese.

Modi had congratulated Albanese soon after he was declared winner of the Australian general elections. He tweeted that he will soon hold a bilateral meeting with his Australian counterpart and is looking forward to “working towards further strengthening our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.”

Congratulations @AlboMP for the victory of the Australian Labor Party, and your election as the Prime Minister! I look forward to working towards further strengthening our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and for shared priorities in the Indo-Pacific region.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 21, 2022

In a statement ahead of his departure for Japan, Modi said:

“The newly-elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will be joining the Quad Leaders’ Summit for the first time. I look forward to a bilateral meeting with him during which the multifaceted cooperation between India and Australia under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and regional and global issues of mutual interest will be discussed.”

Thanking Modi for his wishes, Albanese tweeted: “looking forward to our discussions at the Quad Leaders’ Summit in Tokyo.”

Thank you @narendramodi – looking forward to our discussions at the Quad Leaders’ Summit in Tokyo.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) May 22, 2022

Australia’s High Commissioner to India Barry O’Farrell AO has tweeted that Albanese “is no stranger to India.”

Australia’s Prime Minister-elect @AlboMP is no stranger to India having travelled the country as a backpacker in 1991 and led a parliamentary delegation in 2018. During the campaign he committed to deepen economic, strategic and people-to-people links. #democracy #dosti
— Barry O’Farrell AO (@AusHCIndia) May 21, 2022

India’s Foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra had said in a statement that the summit is expected to focus on several issues including post-Covid economic recovery, climate action, sustainable infrastructure projects, building health security, and creating resilient supply chains.

PM Scott Morrison and Indian PM Narendra Modi in Chat: Picture Source: @PIB

During PM Scott Morrison’s tenure, India and Australia signed key trade agreements to strengthen ties. Albanese has recently said that there will be some changes in Australia’s policy with reference to climate change.

Quad is a strategic security dialogue between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States and will provide an opportunity to the leaders to discuss recent developments in the Indo-Pacific region.

Modi will also interact with more than 36 Japanese CEOs and hundreds of Indian diaspora members.

“How good is Australia!”: Outgoing PM Scott Morrison says goodbye

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22 May 2022 3:01 PM

Scott and Jenny Morrison — Image source: Outgoing PM Scott Morrison with wife Jenny Morrison - Facebook.

Following a crushing defeat, the outgoing Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed that he would be stepping down as leader of the Liberal Party.

Mr Morrison has posted a goodbye message on his Facebook page:

“It has been an immense privilege to serve as Prime Minister, especially during a time of great trial for our nation. We are blessed to live in such a great country. The resilience and strength of Australians supported by our policies, has ensured that we have been able to prevail as a nation in difficult times. How good is Australia!
I wish Mr Albanese and his government all the best for what will be further challenging times ahead.To all our Liberal and Nationals supporters I say thank you. Our Parties will reflect and rebuild. To my colleagues who will not be rejoining the Parliament I thank you for your service to our country. You can be very proud of what you achieved for your community and what we achieved together for our nation.
We have handed over Government with a stronger economy, restored borders, a more secure nation and having guaranteed the essential services Australians have relied on.
I am now looking forward to returning to the Shire, my family and continuing to serve my local community. For me life has always been about faith, family, friends and community. We are not our jobs but who we are as unique individuals, (in my view), loved by God.
Jenny and I thank Australia for the honour to have served. I thank my family, friends and colleagues for all their support, especially my dearest friend Josh Frydenberg.
God Bless,
ScoMo.”

Today morning, while addressing a Horizon Church service Mr Morrison also became a bit emotional.

“It has been a very difficult walk, I have got to tell you, over the last four years.”

Scott Morrison tears up while addressing Horizon Church after his election defeat https://t.co/7yTu1yXOV8 via @newscomauHQ
— Samantha Maiden (@samanthamaiden) May 22, 2022

While Mr Morrison has given up the Liberal party leadership, he has suggested that he would remain in politics after being re-elected in Cook.

“On a night like tonight it is appropriate to acknowledge the functioning of our democracy.”

Mr Morrison has congratulated the Prime Minister-elect Anthony Albanese and the Labor Party for their victory.

Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese; Image Source: The Australia Today

Mr Albanese and his senior leadership team will be sworn in on Monday.

AI, philosophy and religion: What machine learning can tell us about the Bhagavad Gita

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21 May 2022 1:39 PM

Image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Krishna_tells_Gita_to_Arjuna.jpg

By Rohitash Chandra

Machine learning and other artificial intelligence (AI) methods have had immense success with scientific and technical tasks such as predicting how protein molecules fold and recognising faces in a crowd. However, the application of these methods to the humanities is yet to be fully explored.

What can AI tell us about philosophy and religion, for example? As a starting point for such an exploration, we used deep learning AI methods to analyse English translations of the Bhagavad Gita, an ancient Hindu text written originally in Sanskrit.

Using a deep learning-based language model called BERT, we studied sentiment (emotions) and semantics (meanings) in the translations. Despite huge variations in vocabulary and sentence structure, we found that the patterns of emotion and meaning were broadly similar in all three.

This research opens a path to the use of AI-based technologies for comparing translations and reviewing sentiments in a wide range of texts.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is file-20220511-22-g63bhm.jpg — Image source: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

An ancient book of wisdom

The Bhagavad Gita is one of the central Hindu sacred and philosophical texts. Written more than 2,000 years ago, it has been translated into more than 100 languages and has been of interest to western philosophers since the 18th century.

The 700-verse poem is a part of the larger Mahabharata epic, which recounts the events of an ancient war believed to have occurred at Kurukshetra near modern-day Delhi in India.

The text of the Bhagavad Gita relates a conversation between the Hindu deity Lord Krishna and a prince called Arjuna. They discuss whether a soldier should go to war for ethics and duty (or “dharma”) if they have close friends or family on the opposing side.

The text has been instrumental in laying the foundations of Hinduism. Among many other things, it is where the philosophy of karma (a spiritual principle of cause and effect) originates.

Scholars have also regarded the Bhagavad Gita as a book of psychology, management, leadership and conflict resolution.

Countless translations

The first of many English translations of the Bhagavad Gita was published in 1785. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

There have been countless English translations of the Bhagavad Gita, but there is not much work that validates their quality. Translations of songs and poems not only break rhythm and rhyming patterns but can also result in the loss of semantic information.

In our research, we used deep learning language models to analyse three selected translations of the Bhagavad Gita (from Sanskrit to English) with semantic and sentiment analyses which help in the evaluation of translation quality.

We used a pre-trained language model known as BERT, developed by Google. We further tuned the model using a human-labelled training dataset based on Twitter posts, which captures 10 different sentiments.

These sentiments (optimistic, thankful, empathetic, pessimistic, anxious, sad, annoyed, denial, surprised, and joking) were adopted from our previous research into social media sentiment during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A schematic diagram showing how the AI analysis works. Chandra, Author provided

Patterns of sentiment

The three translations we studied used very different vocabulary and syntax, but the language model recognised similar sentiments in the different chapters of the respective translations. According to our model, optimistic, annoyed and surprised sentiments are the most expressed.

Sentiments captured by our language model for different translations of the Bhagavad Gita. Chandra and Kulkarni, Author provided

Moreover, the model showed how the overall sentiment polarity changes (from negative to positive) over the course of the conversation between Arjuna and Lord Krishna.

Arjuna is pessimistic towards the beginning and becomes optimistic as Lord Krisha imparts knowledge of Hindu philosophy to him. The sentiments expressed by Krishna show that with philosophical knowledge of dharma and mentorship, a troubled mind can get clarity for making the right decisions in times of conflict.

One limitation of our model is that it was trained on data from Twitter, so it recognises “joking” as a common sentiment. It applies this label inappropriately to some parts of the Bhagavad Gita. Humour is complicated and strongly culturally constrained, and understanding it is too much to ask of our model at this stage.

Due to the nature of the Sanskrit language, the fact that the Bhagavad Gita is a song with rhythm and rhyme, and the varied dates of the translations, different translators used different vocabulary to describe the same concepts.

The table below shows some of the most semantically similar verses from the three translations.

The uses of sentiment analysis

Our research points the way to the use of AI-based technologies for comparing translations and reviewing sentiments in a wide range of texts.

This technology can also be extended to review sentiments expressed in entertainment media. Another potential application is analysing movies and songs to provide insights to parents and authorities about the suitability of content for children.

The author would like to acknowledge the invaluable contribution of Venkatesh Kulkarni to this research.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Contributing Author: Dr Rohitash Chandra is a a Senior Lecturer in Data Science at the UNSW School of Mathematics and Statistics. He leads a program of research encircling methodologies and applications of artificial intelligence; particularly in areas of Bayesian deep learning, neuro-evolution, climate extremes, geoscientific models, and mineral exploration.

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.

Starry Saris lighting up Sydney’s Streets

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20 May 2022 7:36 PM

'Starry Sari Night at George Street, Liverpool, NSW (Image source: FOMA)

Liverpool’s George street is lit up in the sights, sounds, colours and flavours of South Asia. Starry Sari Night, organised by the Liverpool council in Greater Sydney (20-22 May) is aiming to be the ultimate ‘feast for the senses’.

Talking about the event, Mayor of the Liverpool Council, Ned Mannoun, emphasised how important it was for Council’s events to hold a mirror up to our community, reminding us of who we are:

“Experience South Asia in the South West encompasses everything we want to achieve with Starry Sari Night. We want to deliver an immersive cultural experience in the Liverpool CBD, transporting attendees to the vibrant streets that epitomise South Asia over three days.”

The three day event is also featuring runway shows featuring the Sari in all its glory.

“Recognising the crucial part fashion plays in South Asian culture, Starry Sari Night is featuring a Sari Showcase which captures all the glitz and glamour of an international runway. We’ve partnered with Fabrics of Multicultural Australia to bring to life a Sari fashion show. Models from diverse backgrounds will walk down a 20-metre runway parading original sari, lehenga, dhoti and kurta designs from the local fashion shops that populate George Street, otherwise known as ‘Sari Street’,” said Mayor Mannoun about the event.

(Video Source: FOMA)

Speaking to The Australia Today, Sonia Sadiq Gandhi, CEO, Gandhi creations and Founder of FOMA (Fabrics of Multicultural Australia) mentioned that this was an incredible way to bring communities together and foster intercultural connectivity,

“The Sari Showcase shares journeys of over 30 diverse cultures. The entire festival uplifts the community spirit of our local businesses while sharing Liverpool’s rich cultural tapestry through cuisine, fashion, dance, music, art, and cultural workshops. I commend Liverpool City Council and its vision in cohesively connecting our communities through this ultimate feast for the senses, The Starry Sari Night.”

(Video source: FOMA)

Residents and visitors from Greater Sydney can also avail the opportunity to sample South Asian street food with many restaurants in Liverpool hosting a stall or keeping their doors open for longer including Dosa Hut Liverpool, Hemani Mehmi Indian Restaurant, Himalaya and Liverpool Sweets.

Meanwhile Council’s Official Beverage Partner, Archie Rose Distilling Co., is headlining the event mixing their ultra-tasty cocktail and mocktail concoctions for everyone to try. They are joined by Australia’s favourite gelato masters, Messina have crafted a special Starry Sari Night creation, inspired by South Asian flavours.

There’s plenty to keep every member of the family entertained from retro arcade games to cultural workshops including henna, drumming and jewellery-making to a Rikshagram to capture memories from the event.

George Street is also lined with more than 20 market stalls for attendees to treat themselves or a loved one to a new authentic piece of clothing, jewellery, or homeware.

According to .idcommunity, Indian is one of the most common ancestries in Liverpool with 6.5 per cent of the population nominating Indian as one of their ancestries in 2016 – an increase of 0.7 per cent in 2011.

“For some members of the community, this event will hold a degree of nostalgia capturing the sights, smells, and tastes of their beloved homeland – from India and Sri Lanka to Pakistan and Nepal to Bhutan and Bangladesh,” said Mayor Mannoun. “For many others, it will be an introduction to a new, interesting and ever-evolving culture.”

Mayor Mannoun added that beyond giving thousands of locals and visitors from Greater Sydney the chance to soak up the best of South Asia in the heart of Liverpool, their aim is also to highlight how special this space really is,

“We are confident people will want to return to George Street months and months after the celebrations are over allowing it assume its rightful place as one of Sydney’s most unique streets and a must-visit destination for South Asian food and fashion.”

Starry Sari Night is funded by the NSW Government through the Festival of Place Open Streets Program.

Who are Australian multicultural communities giving the edge to Morrison or Albanese?

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20 May 2022 4:02 PM

Political analysts claim opposition leader Anthony Albanese is ahead in opinion polls however some multicultural communities think Prime Minister Scott Morrison had a better vision for the future of Australia.

In the last six weeks, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Labor leader Anthony Albanese faced questions from journalists and sometimes voters ranging from the economy, health, immigration, jobs, housing and cost of living.

A majority of voters have already made their minds, however, few are still thinking about which way they should fall.

The irony is that at least 30 per cent of the Australian population is born overseas but there is no substantial discussion on these communities and their unique needs.

What do multicultural communities think of both leaders

Indian Australian Sandeep Madan is a registered nurse in South Australia.
He has a 7-year-old daughter with autism whose care is funded by NDIS.

Mr Madan says the government should review how NDIS administrators work, however, he has faith in PM Morrison’s abilities to manage it.

“I voted for the labor party in the south Australia’s state elections but for federal, I would like to try the Liberal party.”

PM Scott Morrison at Siva Vishnu Temple, Melbourne; Picture Source: Facebook @SCOMO

Melbourne-based Australian Nepali community member Rama Budhathoki works as an IT consultant.

Ms Rama told The Australia Today, “If it comes to economic management PM Morrison is far ahead of Labor leader Anthony Albanese.”

“Morrison technically saved us from going bankrupt, by supporting in COVID-19 pandemic via job keepers and other schemes.”

Mr Morrison also claimed in one of the leader’s debates about his economic record as a leader.

“The budget has turned around by over $100 billion, that is the single biggest turnaround in about 70 years,”
PM Morrison said.

Labor Leader Anthony Albanese at Hindu Council of Australia program; Image Source: Supplied

Australian Afghan community member Liyakat Hussaini lives in an eastern suburb of Melbourne.
He has multiple businesses ranging from vegetable shops to authentic Afghan restaurants.

Mr Hussaini told The Australia Today, “When Taliban took over back home in Afghanistan, we were shivering here in Melbourne fearing about the wellbeing of my extended family.”

“I can’t thank enough to the Morrison government for bringing them here on special Visa.”
said Mr Hussaini.

Tharindu Gunasekara came to Australia as a seven-year-old refugee from Sri Lanka.

When asked about refugee policies in play this election Mr Gunasekara said every refugee should be dealt with respect and care as they have already suffered enough before landing on Australian shores.

He told The Australia Today, “I didn’t like the way fellow Sri Lankan refugee family is treated by Morrison government.”

But the opposition leader’s statement saying, “Labor would do boat turnbacks should it win government” was a put off for him.

“I am still weighing my options as both leaders have disappointed me. Now, it depends on the local candidates and how they support me and my community,”
said Mr Gunasekara.

Sandeep Madan is of the view that the Federal government should be strong and not be arm-twisted by independents/smaller parties.

However, Rama and Liyakat think a hung parliament will keep political parties in check and top politicians will keep their ears to the ground and listen to day-to-day issues of Australian multicultural communities.

Closing the border during the pandemic was a very big issue among Indian and other South Asian communities.

Rama said, “I would have loved to see my parents during those difficult times, but I am glad we are all safe and vaccinated now.”

“I am a nurse and have been in PPEs for 10 hour-long shifts, that’s why will say closing the borders was the best decision by PM Morrison to protect Australians.”

“I have right to be angry with the government for not letting us travel however I am also thankful for keeping us safe,”
said Mr Madan

Mr Gunasekara and Liyakat both own their small business.

Liyakat says, “I would prefer a government which is capable of solving workforce shortage and that too real quick.”

“I would like to see some incentives for small businesses like us but no one is talking about it, cost of living due to inflation is the real issue and everyone should think hard about it before voting on 21 May, said Mr Gunasekara”

Jayeshbhai Jordaar: What is wrong with him?

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20 May 2022 12:01 PM

jayeshbhai-jordaar — mage Source: A still from Jayeshbhai Jordaar.

By Shweta Rao Garg

“Because he’s the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now.”

– Jim Gordon on Batman, The Dark Knight (2008)

Despite appearances, Jayeshbhai may not be a far cry from the DC superhero. He uses stealth and subterfuge and fights against something way larger than him. We may diss him, as he doesn’t kill everything that moves or he doesn’t ripple his six-packs. The truth is, he isn’t the hero we are used to. But he may as well be the hero we really deserve, though we do not think so at this moment.

Image Source: Jayeshbhai Jordaar poster – Supplied

In the Hindi film industry, Tamil, Telegu, or Kannada film industry, hyper-masculine heroes and grand narratives of epic proportions seem to be the trend.

In comparison, Jayeshbhai Jordar may appear pale, but dismiss it at your own risk. Ranveer Singh’s Jayesh is nothing like him – his body, costumes, and demeanour are all ordinary. Jayesh’s superpower is that he is unafraid to feel. He wears his feelings unabashedly. He bawls, he weeps, he snivels as he suffers. He is gentle and soft-spoken; he loves his wife and daughter and tries feebly to fight back.

Image Source: A still from Jayeshbhai Jordaar.

What is wrong with him? He can’t adhere to the script handed down to him. He can’t be the man that society wants him to be. He survives by playing along and subverting the rules until he is pushed to stand in the open. Even then, he doesn’t transform into a killing machine. His resistance feels authentic as it is human. He could be pushed around, tied, locked, gagged like the women around him. The minute he rejects the gender role, he is punished by patriarchy.

We know that the film is a response to female foeticide. It builds on the unfortunate practice where even the medical fraternity is coerced into colluding with families. Jayesh finally decides to intervene and save his wife. However, curiously enough, confronting his parents directly is never the solution in the film. Jayesh’s responses are always non-confrontational. The shift happens when passive resistance becomes active rebellion. Though this rebellion is caged as soon as possible, it amounts to something.

Jayeshbhai’s plot revolves around saving his unborn daughter, his marriage, and his wife, Mudra (Shalini Pandey). He decides that he will not allow the termination of her pregnancy yet again. But what do we know about Mudra? She is more than the bearer of the womb, but the film does not show us that. I wish we had gotten to see and hear more of her. What is her world like? Couldn’t she have been her own saviour? But despite the male saviour complex, the film seems to work.

Discussions on consent and pleasure in marriage and the role of social conditioning on macho behaviour may seem too preachy for some but relevant to others. Haryana is made to reach out, quite literally so, as a cautionary tale. The Haryanvi pehalwaans (Puneet Issar et al.) are so endearing that they are by far the best poster children of inclusive masculinities that I have ever witnessed. You just don’t expect such tenderness with such physique.

.Image source: A still from Ketan Mehta’s *Mirch Masala*

In the 80s, Ketan Mehta’s Mirch Masala showed us how women’s voices, although crushed systemically, can shake up society. The director Divyang Thakkar tips his head to Mehta’s opus but adds humour, even of the slapstick variety. The scenes depicting domestic violence brought out humour at the everyday horror of domestic violence faced by countless women every day. I was petrified at that point, but I also understand that the film pokes fun at a society that normalises brazen violence.

Having lived in Gujarat almost all my life, I have known decent, educated people who “deal with” unwanted female foetuses. It was heartening to see the theatre, in Ahmedabad, filled with women. I hope that if the audience were not like Deeksha Joshi’s fiery Preeti, they certainly would be like Ratna Pathak’s Jasoda, who will eventually turn around. I enjoyed the performances by Boman Irani, who carries the burden of playing the power-wielding patriarch single-handedly and Jia, who plays Ranveer’s on-screen daughter, the gritty-tech-savvy-tween, Siddhi. Many actors from the Gujarati cinema industry performed splendidly in the film. It is great to see regional talent being represented in mainstream cinema.

mage Source: A still from Jayeshbhai Jordaar.

The film may rely on some stereotypes, but it does try to dismantle other ones. We need to see more representation of non-threatening, non-macho males as hero figures in cinema. Heroes need not always jump from one building to another, chasing villains. Those who try to escape toxic people and environments with loved ones are heroes, too!

This review was first published as ‘Jayeshbhai Jordar: Inclusive masculinities hero’, 17 May 2022, https://shwetaraogarg.com/.

Contributing Author: Shweta Rao Garg is an artist, writer, and academic based in Ahmedabad, India. She has a Master’s in English from JNU and a PhD from IIT Roorkee. She was awarded the Fulbright Doctoral Fellowship at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. Her book of poems, Of Goddesses and Women (Sahitya Akademi, 2021), is about women, both ordinary and divine. Her graphic novel, The Tales from Campus: A Misguide to College (Crossed Arrows, 2022), aims to sensitize students through narratives that explore various societal issues.

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.

6-year-old brain dead girl in India saves five lives, becomes youngest organ donor

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20 May 2022 10:38 AM

Parents of a 6-year-old Indian girl Roli Prajapati, who was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, have donated their daughter’s organs at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi.

On April 28, around 9 pm, Roli’s father, Harinarayan Prajapati, heard a sound that was like a bursting tyre. However, soon he noticed that his daughter who was lying on a cot near him was bleeding from the head. Roli was was rushed from her village near Pusta to the hospital with a head shot wound.

She soon went into coma due to the severity of the injury and was referred to Safdarjung Hospital. Here, the gunshot injury was confirmed in CT scan and a bullet was found in Roli’s head. After desperate attempts to save the little girl, the doctors declared her brain dead. The parents decided to donate the organs and this kind of act has saved as many as five lives thus making Roli the youngest organ donor in the history of AIIMS.

Senior AIIMS neurosurgeon Dr Deepak Gupta who is also Dr Gupta is also looking after the organ donation activities at JPNATC Trauma Centre told ANI:

“The brain was totally damaged. She arrived at the hospital in almost a brain dead condition. So, we talked to the family members. We diagnosed her to be having brain death. Subsequently, our team of doctors sat with the parents and talked about organ donation. We counselled the parents and sought their consent if they would be willing to donate organs to save the lives of other children.”

Talking about donating his daughter’s organs, Roli’s father Harnarayan Pratjapati told ANI: “Dr Gupta and his team counselled us for organ donation that our child could save other lives. We thought about it and decided that she would be alive in other people’s lives and give others reason to smile.”

AIIMS started an organ donation facility in 1994 and never had such a young donor till date. The organs for donation are Roli’s liver, kidneys, both corneas and heart valve. Dr Gupta added: “We were very grateful to the parents for taking this step despite not knowing much about organ donation. They understood the importance of saving lives.”

Mother of Roli, Poonam Devi, believes that her daughter has left them but managed to save the lives of other people. Roli’s kidneys were transplanted into a child at AIIMS and the liver was allocated to Indraprastha Apollo hospital for transplant into a child from Lucknow.

Uttar Pradesh police have launched an investigation into Roli’s case but the police are yet to recover any firearm. During the initial probe by UP police, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Noida) Harish Chander, noted that it emerged that the gunshot was fired from within the house.

Should customers be alarmed with what’s happening in ‘Metricon Homes’?

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19 May 2022 5:48 PM

PM Scott Morrison has said that the federal government is taking reports of ‘Metricon Homes’ money struggles very seriously, as the company remains steadfast it is “business as usual”.

Metricon Homes, Australia’s biggest home builder, currently has 4000 houses under construction across Australia’s east coast. They also hold a $12 million contract to build social housing in Victoria.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Morrison said government ministers were working with Metricon to ensure homes were built, sites remained open, and the company was able to get through its difficulties.

He stressed that while the company was not in liquidation or experiencing anything of a similar nature, both the Victorian and federal governments took the matter seriously because of Metricon’s large portfolio.

“It is our hope that they will be able to work through any challenges they may have – that is a matter for the company and obviously they will have more to say about that at the appropriate time,”
Mr Morrison said.

“There (is) over $2 billion worth of housing work being done (by) Metricon and that is people’s dreams, their homes.”

Mr Morrison said the government would look carefully at issues around building supply costs when it came to Metricon and other businesses.

Metricon officials have assured the Victorian government the company is strong and viable despite reports it is on the verge of collapse.

The company met with state treasurer Tim Pallas on Thursday morning and chief executive Peter Langfelder said it was business as usual.

“We’re always in contact with government,” he told reporters.

“We had fantastic engagement with them. Very positive for us and generally for the industry,”
said Mr Langfelder.

Mr Langfelder said the company had paid all of its traders and suppliers in full and on time, and the business had the support of its banks.

The state government will continue to talk to Metricon and other companies in the sector about factors affecting the industry, Mr Pallas said.

“We understand the pressure on builders on the eastern seaboard due to increases in costs, and the impacts this is having on the construction industry and residential clients,” the treasurer told AAP in a statement.

Mr Langfelder noted Metricon, which employs about 2500 staff across Australia’s east coast, was still reeling following the sudden death of founder Mario Biasin.

The 71-year-old died unexpectedly on Monday, leaving behind his wife and four children.

“This is an extremely difficult time for our business… so we’re dealing with the grief,” Mr Langfelder said.

“But our business has been very strong for 45 years and will continue to for a long, long time to come.”

Master Builders Victoria was “very optimistic” about the future of Australia’s largest home building company. Chief executive Rebecca Casson said it was incumbent on everyone in the industry not to join in the rumour narrative.

But Shadow Treasurer David Davis said high taxes and regulations for Victoria’s construction sector was not helping businesses like Metricon.

Who are the ‘teal independents’ in the 2022 Australian federal election?

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19 May 2022 3:49 PM

Australian federal politics is largely dominated by two major political forces: the Coalition (an alliance of the Liberal Party and the National Party of Australia) and the Labor Party.

There are other parties such as the United Australia Party, the Greens and independents. However, in this Federal Election people are seeing ‘teal independent’ emerging as a new force.

Is “teal independents” a political party?

This is a loosely-tied group of 22 – 19 female and 3 male candidates – with past connections to either corporate or political establishment who are fighting against mostly male Liberal MPs in Australia’s affluent electorates. The following candidates are running with teal-coloured campaigns:

Alex Dyson (Wannon)
Allegra Spender (Wentworth)
Dr Monique Ryan (Kooyong)
Kate Chaney (Curtin)
Zali Steggal (Warringah)

Not all “teal independent” candidates use the colour teal (greenish-blue colour). Some are running on different colours such as pink, orange, purple and dark green too!

@KyleaTink volunteers ready to hit the streets for one of our 3 doorknocking events on Saturday. Great conversations with voters, corflutes and banners requested and installed. Multiple volunteer powered events all over the electorate.
People power at its best. #teamtink pic.twitter.com/nnsfUryzUZ
— Sasha Titchkosky (@SashaTitchy) May 8, 2022

The choice of colour is to differentiate against the blue of the Liberal Party, red of the Australian Labor Party and green of the Greens Party.

According to media millions of dollars in funding is behind them. This funding comes from both small donors and bigger groups such as the Climate 200 – a $10 million fund.

Let’s fix our democracy by getting more ordinary, extraordinary and honest people in there.

More women, more people with life experiences formed outside the halls of politics.

Next week, we have a chance to press the reset button on Australia’s broken politics. #auspol pic.twitter.com/ljbhoTL4h6
— Climate 200 (@climate200) May 15, 2022

There are also some other independents running for Senate seats, including Kim Rubenstein and David Pocock in the ACT, and Leanne Minshull in Tasmania, who are backed by Climate 200.

What are the “teal candidates” fighting for?

Although, the “teal candidates” have been selected using variety of nomination process, have different organisational structures and also diverse funding rules, it appears that they have two key policy issues in common: a greater emphasis on tackling climate change and the call for a federal integrity commission.

Their key funder Simon Holmes à Court of Climate 200 told the National Press Club last month:

“In no way are we a party. We don’t start campaigns, we don’t select candidates … We don’t have a policy platform. We have values, and we will only fund those who also have those values, but we don’t specify in any degree of specificity how those are to be achieved.”

Holmes à Court was before 2019 a close associate and financial donor of Treasurer Josh Frydenberg.

Further, according to a report titled “Come clean on interests, Climate 200 chief told,” published in the Australian on April 27, it was revealed that Holmes à Court “has a big portfolio of family and other businesses focused on making money out of a potential boom in clean-energy technology.”

perhaps my favourite photo of today.#KooyongVotes #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/4TE4oHTJZ4
— simon holmes à court (@simonahac) May 14, 2022

Meanwhile, the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is also investigating a series of doctored posters that incorrectly showed the names and faces of “teal independent” candidates Zali Steggall, Sophie Scamps, Penny Ackery and Georgia Steele with the Greens logo.

Image source: *Facebook: Zali Steggall and Twitter: Lisa Lintern*.

Liberal politicians such as David Davis MLC, Member for Southern Metropolitan Region and Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, has also hinted that the “teal independents” are essentially Labor supporters.

⁦@TimWilsonMP⁩ has been a great MP for #Goldstein – but by contrast Zoe Daniel is sneaky – really part of an effective, but undeclared, political party. Oh, and it turns out was a #Labor voter. We know who she will put into the lodge, if given a chance. #springst #auspol pic.twitter.com/YYEpl8QbJJ
— David Davis MP (@DavidDavisMLC) May 13, 2022

There are 151 seats in the house of representatives and to form a stable government one of the major political parties must secure 76 of those seats. If a significant number of “teal independents” win seats then the chance of a minority government or a hung parliament increases. In such a case scenario, “teal independents” will be able to form an alliance with one of the major parties and thus become part of the government.

Come Saturday, 21 May, and we will know if the “teal candidates” will be able to capitalise on climate change and hostility to both the Labor and Liberals in their affluent electorates.

“I ask for your support so that we can continue building a strong economy for a stronger future”

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19 May 2022 11:35 AM

PM Scott Morrison; Image Source: Supplied

By Scott Morrison

At the start of the campaign, the first thing I said is that I love Australia.

It’s a love shared by Australia’s multicultural communities – so many of whom I have joined with and celebrated new year and seasonal festivals, as well as holy days of dedication and renewal.

We can be so proud of Australia. We are the most successful multicultural, multifaith, immigration nation on earth.

We have achieved this because we respect and we value our diversity – and we all love this country equally and with a patriot’s love.

I know Australia’s multicultural communities have carried a heartfelt burden in recent years, particularly with closed borders due to COVID.

I want to thank you for what you did to keep Australians safe.

We can take comfort in what we achieved together. On almost every measure – growth, jobs, debt levels, fatality rates or vaccine rates – Australia’s recovery is leading the advanced world.

However, we can take nothing for granted in this time of consequence.

This election is a choice.

We all know that strong communities depend on a strong economy. At this election, only the Liberal Party has a plan for a stronger economy and a stronger future.

Nationally, we have set ourselves a target of creating 1.3 million new jobs over the next five years including 450,000 new jobs in regional Australia.

Already 1.9 million new jobs have been created under this government.

Our plan lowers tax for Australians and small businesses, builds productivity-enhancing infrastructure, invests in the skills of Australians with record funding for apprenticeships and trainees, and expands export opportunities for Australian businesses.

An integral part of our plan for a strong economy is affordable, reliable and clean energy. The energy that will power Australian businesses in the years ahead, while reducing emissions to achieve net-zero by 2050, and reducing household electricity bills.

It is also a plan that will help Australians save for a home deposit by allowing first home buyers to invest a responsible portion of their own superannuation savings into their first home.

Our plan also protects Australians of religious faith. The reason why we are such a successful multicultural nation is because we are a nation of freedoms and protections. That is why in the next Parliament we will again introduce a bill to protect Australians from religious discrimination.

We will also provide additional support for the E-Safety Commissioner to tackle abusive online behaviour, which we know can so often be directed at people from multicultural communities. We will work even harder to protect Australians from such trolls.

At this election, we have a plan because there is still so much to do. To build a stronger future, our plan will:

1. Deliver more jobs and working towards unemployment below 4%

2. Provide tax relief for workers and small businesses

3. Invest in roads, rail, water infrastructure and renewable energy technology

4. Make record investments in health and other essential services

5. Invest in stronger defence, security and borders.

This election is a choice between a strong economy and a weaker one – and a stronger future, and a more uncertain one.

At this election, I ask for your support so that we can continue building a strong economy for a stronger future.

Author: Scott Morrison, Prime Minister of 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.

World’s oldest dock for ships found in India

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19 May 2022 9:54 AM

Ancient dock for ships at Lothal, Gujarat. Image source Benoy K Behl — Ancient dock for ships, Lothal, Gujarat. The Indus Valley period site of Lothal, in present-day Gujarat, has a large structure which is identified as a constant-water-level dock. This represents a very advanced engineering feat. Image source Benoy K Behl.

By Benoy K. Behl

The world’s oldest tidal dock has been found in India during excavations at Lothal in Gujarat. Lothal is one of the important sites of the Indus Valley Civilization in present-day Gujarat, on the western coast of India. Here, a large structure has been identified as a tidal dock for sea-faring ships (a remarkable feat for its time).

There is a great deal of evidence that the Indus Valley cities had extensive trade with other civilisations of that period. Mesopotamian records mention their trade with cities here and objects from the Indus region have been found in West Asian cities as well.

In the fourth millennium BCE, one of the earliest civilisations of the world was developing in the river valleys of the Indian subcontinent. In these fertile valleys, with the growth of agriculture, civilisations prospered. Instead of fighting for survival, people could now begin to improve their lives.

Largest ancient civilisation

The first sites of this culture were discovered in the basin of the River Indus and consequently the name Indus Valley Civilisation has remained. However, scores of other sites have been found in recent decades spread over a vast area, including coastal Gujarat, Maharashtra and eastwards till Uttar Pradesh. Estimations of the area covered by this civilisation vary from 1.2 million square kilometres to 2.5 million square kilometres. In any case, it was the largest area of any civilisation in the world at that time.

The cities which have been excavated reveal a well-planned grid with broad main roads and smaller lanes, intersecting at right angles, revealing a well-developed and sophisticated concept of town planning. There were large networks of hundreds of wells that supplied water to the residents.

A complex drainage system existed and even the smallest houses were connected to it. Houses, some with several storeys, were made of fired-clay bricks. The standardisation of dimensions of these bricks, found in many cities across this civilisation, is remarkable.

Image source: Dholavira, Gujarat – Benoy K. Behl.

Unlike other civilisations in the world of that period and later, excavations across this culture have not revealed evidence that points to military forces or weaponry for warfare. While the art of other early civilisations such as the Mesopotamian and the Egyptian has many images of prisoners, monuments to war victories and other activities related to warfare, the art of the Indus Valley has not yielded a single such depiction.

Whereas the sites of other civilisations have yielded many thousands of weapons of war, the Indus Valley sites have only provided single or very small numbers of blades, which would be expected to be hunting or kitchen implements. (It is true that in 2018, the Archaeological Survey of India found a few copper swords at a burial site at Sinauli in Uttar Pradesh. However, this site is of the 2^nd Millennium BCE, late / post-Indus Valley period.)

While the above facts are not necessarily conclusive proof that the Indus Valley civilisation was a unique example of a culture that was managed without military and police forces, it certainly points towards such a possibility. We may also note that these people were not isolated from the rest of the world, but were in fact trading with other lands.

Very prosperous people

Even as a possibility, what a remarkable example of peaceful living and harmony emerges from the study of this ancient civilisation. Here were very prosperous people who were technologically advanced for their time and they appear to have lived in great harmony, without finding the necessity to have barracks for police or armies!

The writing of this period has not been deciphered as yet, so many of our questions about this culture remain unanswered. It is the art of the Indus Valley Civilisation which provides vital clues to understanding it. As with any culture, this art provides a glimpse of the political, social and philosophical ethos that underlies it.

Image source: Dancing Girl metal, Mohenjodaro – Benoy K. Behl.

The artefacts excavated from the Indus Valley culture are unique in their small scale. No monumental sculpture has been found at the sites. All the art objects, whether in terracotta, stone or metal can be described as being on an intimate scale. This is surely related to the fact that no palaces or other monumental architecture have been excavated either. All archaeological evidence indicates a cooperative system and not a conventional kingship. Monumental structures and art which display royal authority only follow much later in the Indian subcontinent.

What a marvellous civilisation we are talking about! There is highly developed town-planning and technology, sea-fairing ships, a dock as evidence of trade with faraway lands, yet no evidence at all of any army or police. What is more, we find no evidence of royal grandeur or kingly rule. All archaeological evidence points to a cooperative society. There is no evidence of grand and monumental art. All art that we find is on a small and personalised scale. Here we see the roots of a great tradition of art that evolved and continued till the middle of the First Millennium CE.

Contributing Author: Benoy K. Behl is a filmmaker, art historian, and photographer who is known for his prolific output of work over the past 44 years. He has taken over 53,000 photographs of Asian monuments and art heritage and made 145 documentaries which are regularly screened at major cultural institutions worldwide. His photographic exhibitions have been warmly received in 74 countries around the world. He holds the Limca Book Record for being the most travelled Indian photographer and art historian.

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.

How far would you go to win half a million dollars?

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18 May 2022 5:54 PM

Siddharth Kumar Tewary, creator and director, Escaype Live (Image source Swastik Productions)

One of India’s biggest production houses, Swastik Productions, makes their OTT debut with the webseries ‘Escaype Live’.

This webseries is a social thriller that follows the lives of 6 ordinary Indians stuck in their everyday rut as they try desperately to change their reality until a massively popular live-streaming app, Escaype Live, announces a competition promising instant fame and a fortune of Rs 3 Crore to its winner.

The series will be streaming on Disney+Hotstar from 20th May 2022.

The storyline of the show explores the emotional journeys of these characters as their lives interlink irrevocably virtually even though they don’t know each other in reality. As the stakes get higher, the competition heats up as each user begins pulling all stops in a desperate bid to win the prize money, no matter what the cost.

Creator and Director of Escaype Live, Siddharth Kumar Tewary, is the man behind some of India’s most critically and commercially acclaimed shows like Mahabharat, Porus, Radha Krishna and Chandragupta Maurya amongst others.

Talking to The Australia Today about his OTT debut with Escaype Live, Siddharth tells us what made him direct this one-of-a-kind series:

“I wanted to tell a story of the world we live in today, where social media is not just a habit but has become a form of emotional expression. Life has moved beyond being liked and disliked or being followed and unfollowed. Whether social media as an entity is good or bad is subjective depending on whose story we are telling and what they actually want out of their lives – are their dreams real? Or are they merely trying to Escaype their reality! At its core Escaype Live gives us an insight into the minds of people living in the world of social media. Are we ready? Or are we already in it?”

Image source: Siddharth Kumar Tewary, founder Swastik Production.

Siddharth Kumar Tewary has grown Swastik Productions from being a pure content company to a full-blown media entity in the last fifteen years. His new umbrella brand ‘One Life Studios’, houses not just a distribution house, in-house VFX studios and a grand set with 27 shooting floors but also promises to showcase stories meant for the next generation – one that is fearless and not averse to taking risks. Escaype Live has been created under the ‘One Life Studios’ banner.

Escaype Live comprises an ensemble cast with actors like Siddharth, Jaaved Jaffery, Shweta Tripathi, Swastika Mukherjee, Plabita Borthakur, Waluscha D Sousa, Sumedh Mudgalkar, Geetika Vidya, Jagjeet Sandhu, and many others.

In addition, it has a crew that comprises some of Indian cinema’s biggest stalwarts, like cinematographer Aseem Mishra, Action Director Sham Kaushal and Editor Chandan Arora.

Escaype Live has been written by Jaya Misra and Siddharth Kumar Tewary and promises to be a roller coaster ride of emotions and high adrenalin adventure. It is a series to watch out for as it mirrors the reality of the world we live in while showcasing New India’s obsession with live streaming and pushing their boundaries to get the adulation they desire.

Melbourne teenager becomes youngest Australian to climb Mount Everest

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18 May 2022 3:30 PM

Image source: Gabby Kanizay - http://gabbykanizay.com/.

19-year-old Gabby Kanizay from Melbourne’s Brighton has become the youngest Australian woman to climb the summit of Mount Everest.

Gabby climbed the peak with her 52-year-old mother Jane Kanizay and then scaled Lhotse. At 8,516m, Lhotse is the world’s fourth-highest peak.

In fact, any climb that passes 8,000m is considered “the death zone” because of the extreme weather conditions and low oxygen levels.

Along with their Nelapese Sherpas, the team was able to spend one hour at the summit and watch the sunrise from the top. Gabby told the media:

“It was just an incredible feeling. We’re the highest people in the world and we’ve finally done it and we’ve done it here together as well, which is amazing.”

Image source: Gabby Kanizay and Jane Kanizay – http://gabbykanizay.com/.

Gabby’s mother took her on a trek to Everest Base Camp in 2018. This event inspired Gabby to reach even greater heights. Her mother adds:

“I think she picks things up quickly, listens and learns, and then just applies any skill that she learns. Whereas I have to be shown five times over.”

In 2016, Alyssa Azar from Queensland was 20-year-old when she reached the summit thus becoming the youngest Australian to climb Mount Everest. It has taken three years of training for Alyssa to reach the peak.

Before, Alyssa and Gabby, in 2005, the youngest Australian to reach the summit was Rex Pemberton who was aged 21.

Image source: Gabby Kanizay and Jarrod Kanizay – http://gabbykanizay.com/.

Gabby’s proud father Jarrod Kanizay told the media:

“She’s very courageous and she’s very sporty. She has an energy about her that does allow her to stick to her guns and follow through.”

There are only fourteen mountains in the world that are above 8,000m and Gabby has now climbed three of them.

Labor offers for a better future of all Australians

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Anthony Albanese is the Leader of the Australian Labor Party

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18 May 2022 11:34 AM

Anthony Alabnese set to become Australia's 31st PM — Anthony Albanese, Leader of Labor Party; Image Source: Supplied

By Anthony Albanese

When the cost of the necessities of life, like food and clothing, grows faster than the pay packets of Australians, there is something wrong with our nation.

Australians work hard. We look after each other, a feature of our national character that has come to the fore during the Covid pandemic.

On Saturday, Australians will have a chance to vote for something better.

The choice is between a tired Coalition Government that is out of puff and out of ideas, or a Labor Government with a clear plan for a better future for our nation.

Labor’s plan is about a stronger economy, more jobs, greater security of work and higher wages so Australian families can get ahead.

We’ll tackle Mr Morrison’s cost-of-living crisis by cutting childcare and electricity costs and boosting economic productivity, allowing employers to maintain profits while also giving their employees pay raises.

We will end the climate wars and seize the great job creation opportunities that will come with greater use of renewable energy.

Renewable energy is not only clean; it is also cheap. Using cheaper energy, Australia can be a nation that makes things again.

We can revitalise Australian manufacturing, creating thousands of new jobs across the nation and giving birth to new export industries that will make Australia a renewable energy superpower.

Labor’s Powering the Nation Plan, fully modelled by RepuTex and endorsed by the Business Council of Australia, the National Farmers Federation and a range of other business and industry organisations, will cut household power bills by $295 a year by 2025 and create 605,000 new jobs, five out of six will be in regional Australia.

Labor plans are sensible and affordable.

We aren’t proposing a revolution. But we are proposing renewal using the power of government to make our great nation even better.

Across health, education, training and the full range of government activities, Labor’s plan are aimed at improving the lives of Australians and making it easier for families to get ahead.

Our approach is simple:

“No one held back and no one left behind.”

After a decade of needless division under the Coalition, Australians have conflict fatigue. They are tired of politicians who don’t step up to their responsibilities and pick arguments rather than seek outcomes.

We’ll work with other levels of government, business, unions and other interest groups to explore on areas of shared interest like economic growth and job creation, creating a partnership in progress to advance the national interest.

Australians have been magnificent during the Covid pandemic. We have endured hardship and adversity together, looking after each other and caring for our community.

As we move away from the pandemic, we have a fantastic opportunity to build back stronger and to create a better future for ourselves and future generations.

Labor stands ready to lead that journey.

The choice on Saturday is simple.

A Labor Government I lead will always seek to unite, not divide.

It’s a choice between progress and inertia; between ambition and timidity.

It’s a choice between more of the same or a better future for all Australians.

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.

‘Made in India’ warships: Is India ready to build for the global navy needs?

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18 May 2022 10:04 AM

India has launched two indigenous frontline warships in its naval fleet – Surat and Udaygiri.

Addressing the gathering at Mazagon Docks Limited, Mumbai, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that in the coming years’ INS Surat and INS Udaygiri would make India proud in the vast ocean.

“After the successful launch of INS ‘Udaygiri änd INS ‘Surat’, there’s no doubt we will do shipbuilding not only for India but also for the world. We will aim for not just Make-In-India but also for Make-for-World.”

Addressing the Indian Navy Personnel in Mumbai. https://t.co/W6V6tRAiiF
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) May 17, 2022

A statement from the Indian Navy said that this is a landmark event in the history of indigenous warship building with Surat, a Project 15B destroyer, and Udaygiri, a Project 17A frigate.

The Project 15B class of ships are the next-generation stealth guided-missile destroyers of the Indian Navy being built at the Mazgaon Docks Ltd, Mumbai. MDL told the media that this is the first time that the two indigenously built warships have been launched concurrently.

‘Surat’ is the fourth ship of Project 15B Destroyers which heralds a significant makeover of the P15A (Kolkata Class) Destroyers. It is named after the commercial capital of the state of Gujarat and also the second-largest commercial hub of western India after Mumbai. This city has a rich maritime & shipbuilding history and vessels built in the city in the 16th and 18th centuries were known for their longevity (of more than 100 years).

The ship Surat has been built using the Block construction methodology which involved hull construction at two different geographical locations and has been joined together at MDL, Mumbai.

The first ship of this class was commissioned in 2021. The second and third ships have been launched and are at different stages of outfitting/ trials.

‘Udaygiri’, named after a mountain range in the state of Andhra Pradesh, is the third ship of Project 17A Frigates. These follow the P17 Frigates (Shivalik Class) with improved stealth features, advanced weapons and sensors, and platform management systems.

It is the reincarnation of erstwhile ‘Udaygiri’, the Leander Class ASW Frigate, which saw numerous challenging operations in its illustrious service to the country spanning over three decades from 18 Feb 1976 to 24 Aug 2007.

Under the P17A program, a total of seven ships, with 04 at MDL and 03 at GRSE are under construction. Various novel concepts and technologies like Integrated Construction, Mega Block Outsourcing, Project Data Management/ Project Lifecycle Management (PDM/PLM) etc have been adopted for the first time in indigenous Warship Design and Construction in this project.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised the Indian Navy for responsibly discharging its duties of keeping the Indo-Pacific region open, safe and secure.

“The Indo-Pacific region is important for the economy of the whole world. India is a responsible maritime stakeholder in the region. We support consensus-based principles and peaceful, open, rule-based and stable maritime order. Being an important country in this region, it is the primary objective of our Navy to keep the Indo-Pacific open, safe and secure.”

The Defence Minister also described the warships as an “embodiment of Modi-government’s commitment to enhance the country’s maritime capability, with a focus on achieving ‘Aatmanirbharta’ (self-reliance).

Both 15B and P17A ships have been designed in-house by the Directorate of Naval Design (DND). it has been the fountainhead for all warship design activities of the Nation and during the building phase at the Shipyard. Around 75% of the orders for equipment and systems have been placed on indigenous firms including MSMEs which is a testament to ‘Atmanirbharta’ in the country.

According to India’s defence ministry, there are at present more than 50 ships and submarines in the making, and the Indian Navy comprises 150 ships and submarines.

Anubhav and Parul Sharma saw opportunity to grow online flower business when most struggled during COVID

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17 May 2022 5:16 PM

Image source: Anubhav Sharma and his wife Parul Sharma - Facebook.

Anubhav Sharma launched his Melbourne-based online wholesale flower business Blush Petals in 2019 with his wife Parul Sharma as Marketing Manager.

Image source: Anubhav Sharma and his wife Parul Sharma – Facebook.

Then hit COVID-19 and many local events were cancelled. The pandemic also affected the supply chain and stores. So far a new business, such as Anubhav’s, getting hold of stock became a challenge.

Image source: Anubhav Sharma – Blush Petal Facebook.

The first year was a roller coaster, Anubhav told Floral Daily:

“Before the vaccine roll-out, we’ve had many lockdowns: businesses hadn’t even had a chance to get back on their feet from the previous lockdown and they were being faced with a new lockdown. This resulted in weddings and events getting cancelled. Fortunately, flowers kept up pretty good: during the lockdowns, the demand for flowers from online retailers increased.”

A bit of research and Anubhav found that local competitors were not able to meet this demand.

Anubhav told prospa.com that during the pandemic he spotted an opportunity as there were people working from home who still wanted flowers.

Image source: Blush Petal team – Facebook.

Anubhav who is an engineer by trade and has handled large-scale infrastructure projects in Singapore and Dubai put his logistical experience to use.

He chartered flights to import the flowers that would keep his online business going even during the pandemic.

“The reason we’re successful today is because we remained committed to delivering products to our customers on time.”

Throughout the pandemic, Anubhav’s business increased from one million stems per week to between 1.5m and 1.7m per week.

“It has been very stressful, but we managed to fulfil our orders and engage our workforce.”

He now has commitments directly with customers and also has deals with supermarkets and other stores.

“As a company, we don’t want to disappoint our customers, so to overcome any sort of issue, we decided to charter our own planes for the Mother’s Day and Christmas shipments. In this way, we could fulfil all our orders.”

He attributes his success and growth of the business to solving the supply chain issues and a strong digital marketing strategy.

“We launched a new website, shot new photography and invested heavily in our social channels. We used email marketing to keep our customers up to date with what we’re doing, while Instagram has been used to engage new customers and show them our portfolio of products.”

Anubhav believes he established new product lines that used to be the stronghold of another competitor because the pandemic motivated him to think out of the box.

$41.2 million boost to attract international students to Western Australia

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17 May 2022 12:33 PM

International Students; Image Source: @CANVA

Western Australia’s McGowan Government has provided a massive $41.2 million boost to support the state’s international education sector.

The investment also aims to diversify the WA economy as part of the 2022-23 State Budget.

International Education Minister David Templeman said in a statement:

“International education is an important economic sector for Western Australia and the McGowan Government is strongly committed to supporting the industry as it continues to reconnect with international partners.”

The additional funding has been allocated following extensive consultation with the sector.

This included roundtable discussions with the Premier, International Education Minister and key stakeholders.

Image source: International Education Minister David Templeman – WA Gov.

Minister David Templeman added:

“We have consulted extensively with the international education sector over the past few months and have based this package on their input. The aim is to build a pipeline of future onshore international students, re-engage the international education agent network and provide financial support for the sector to ensure its continued growth.”

The newly announced package builds on existing incentives. The government had earlier announced the $195 million Reconnect WA package, which will also help in boosting international education in WA.

Priority areas in the package include building a pipeline of future onshore international education students, re-engagement of the international education agent network and providing financial support for sector recovery.

Other initiatives to be funded include:

$1 million for the provision of a familiarisation program for key offshore stakeholders to visit and experience WA;
$6.8 million for the continuation of the ELICOS Bursary and the International Student Accommodation Subsidy to attract international students to WA;
$400,000 for the creation of a school support program to encourage international students studying within the schools’ sector to continue their student journey with a WA education provider;
$3 million for the WA Technical and Vocational Education and Training Consortium to support the development of offshore opportunities and student pipeline creation;
$4.5 million boosts to Study Perth, which ensures international students are welcomed and supported while studying in WA;
$1.5 million to extend the global international education marketing campaign; and
$8 million over four years for onshore and offshore staffing to implement the new initiatives.

A key plan also includes two new scholarship programs – the Premier’s University Scholarships and the Premier’s WA Certificate of Education Bursary.

The Premier’s University Scholarships, worth a total of $2 million over four years, will provide funding for 10 one-year scholarships valued at $50,000 each per annum to attract high-achieving international students to WA’s five universities.

A further $4 million over four years will be provided to implement the Premier’s WA Certificate of Education Bursary.

This will provide support of $20,000 per annum to 50 offshore WACE graduates from WA’s international partner schools.

Overseas education agents who enrol international students in a WA institution will be supported through a $10 million incentive package.

This will also aim to increase awareness of WA’s international education sector through the agent network.

Melbourne captivated by the Raags of Hindustan

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17 May 2022 11:24 AM

It is said that there is Raga (Hindustani Classical Music notes) for any mood or for any time of the day. When an artist recites the right raga it can have a mesmerising effect on the listener!

Patrons of Hindustani Classical Music in Melbourne, Australia, were enthralled bby a similar mesmerising effect on Sunday morning by a young and eminent vocalist from India, Shri Mandar Gadgil.

Mandar aptly started the recital with a composition in Basant Mukhari which is a mix of Raga Bhairav and Raga Bhairavi which are both morning ragas!

For the next 3 hours he enthralled the audience with a wide range of ragas, and in various languages too (Avadhi, Punjabi, Marathi and Kannada).

Mandar is on his maiden Australia tour and Melbourne is his first stop. He is scheduled to perform in Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane during this week. Interested people can check out his schedule here.

Mandar’s Melbourne tour was anchored by Melbourne Hindustani Classical Music Society (MHCMS) – a leading group of prominent Melbourne based Hindustani Classical exponents.

This group regularly stages such events throughout the year offering a platform to such eminent artists from overseas as well as the local artists. Incidentally, this was the 106th concert hosted by MHCMS and the first live concert post COVID-19.

Mandar was ably supported by Pt. Pandurang Torvi on Tabla and Pt. Saugato Ghosh on Harmonium – both extremely well known artists in the Melbourne Indian music circle.

Mandar hails from Pune, India and was initiated into music by his parents at a very young age. He has been learning music under the tutelage of Pandit Vijay Koparkar – a renowned vocalist himself and a student of two illustrious stalwarts of Hindustani Music – Late Shri Vasantrao Deshpande and Late Shri Jitendra Abhisheki.

As a prominent Indian Classical vocalist, Mandar is known for his mesmerising range and repertoire of Raags and Bandishes in his music. He has been performing in concerts across India and in the USA.

Apart from Khayal music, he also performs Marathi Natyasangeet, Bhajans and Semi-Classical music. With his dedication and devotion to classical music, Mandar has won various prestigious competitions, like the first prize at the national level in the All India Radio (AIR) classical music competition. His scholarship in music is complimented by many prestigious awards and fellowships.

Just 34 years of age, he is a shining example to youth in India and around the world. In addition to music he also excels in academics and works as a Software Engineer at Persistent Systems, a leading Software company based in Pune. However, he is very clear that music is his profession and his work as a software engineer is his hobby!

I would like to add here, that the accompanying artists Shri Torvi and Shri Ghosh are also engaged in a full time vocation, but have their mind and heart in music. They set an example to all of us to pursue our passion in any art and give it our best. Patron groups like MHCMS will always welcome you with open arms if you are sincere to your art.

We encourage you to check out Mandar’s website to learn more about him and check out his past and future events. We also encourage you to visit the MHCMS website to learn more about the Hindustani Classical events in Melbourne.

Contributing Author: Sanjiv Kulkarni is an ardent Indian cinema and music buff with an interest in the art of movie-making. He shares his take on movies and some rarer movies too. He lives in Melbourne and works as an IT Sales leader.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The Australia Today is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information in this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts, or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of The Australia Today and The Australia Today News does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

Indian-origin mother and daughter join Royal Australian Air Force

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16 May 2022 1:56 PM

Image source: Khushroop Kaur Sandhu and Manjit Kaur

20-year-old Khushroop Kaur Sandhu, originally from Sri Muktsar Sahib in Punjab, India, has been recruited as an officer in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

This achievement comes five years after Khushroop’s mother Manjit Kaur got selected by the RAAF.

She is presently working as an aircraftwoman in the medical wing of the RAAF at the Darwin airbase in the Northern Territory (NT).

Khushroop’s maternal uncle, Gursahib Singh, told local media that it was a double delight for the family.

“Manjit and Khushroop are the first mother-daughter duo from Punjab who has got an opportunity to serve in the Air Force of any other country. They have set an example for others.”

Khushroop too followed in the footsteps of her mother and joined the Cyberwarfare wing of the RAAF.

Paramjit Kaur, Khushroop’s grandmother, added:

“People should not consider girls any lesser than boys. We have never stopped the women of our family from doing anything.”

Roop Singh Sandhu, Manjit’s husband, is also an Australian Government employee. The couple had come to Australia on a study visa in 2009 and later got the Australian PR in 2013, they took along their two daughters too.

Gursahib Singh said that after completing Class XII from Mata Gujari Public School in Muktsar, Khushroop cleared the RAAF test and has chosen the cybercrime wing after finishing her training.

She will undergo training at RAAF’s Wagga base in Sydney, New South Wales.

Fake nurse fined $3000 after working at medical centre without qualifications

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16 May 2022 10:49 AM

A fake nurse who treated patients at a New South Wales family practice has escaped jail time.

According to 9News, Belinda Elwell, 38-year-old, started working at a medical centre in October 2020 despite having no formal qualifications in nursing.

Belinda told the local clinic that she was a registered nurse and when the clinic requested for a copy of her Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia registration, she provided a false number on a sticky note.

Belinda resigned on December 8, 2020 after the centre once again requested a copy of her Board registration certificate.

She faced Magistrate’s court on 16 counts of claiming to be a medical practitioner.

The Magistrate said her actions were “deliberate deceit”.

“There was a real risk to those patients as a result of the fact you were not qualified in the role.”

Belinda escaped jail time and was fined $3000, with half to be paid to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). She was alos ordered to pay professional costs of $7200.

AHPRA CEO Martin Fletcher said he hoped this will send a strong message that pretending to be a registered health practitioner had significant consequences.

“We are committed to ensuring that such behaviour is dealt with and will act to protect the public.”

Belinda’s lawyer told the court she had been undertaking a TAFE course in care and “had some training in general first aid.”

She worked from October 13, 2020 to December 7, 2020 s- a total of 14 shifts attending to patients’ dressings, taking blood samples, administering immunisations, giving vaccinations by injection, and performing electrocardiograms.

Indian goods exports perform well, increased to $40.19 billion amidst the Ukraine war

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15 May 2022 6:09 PM

In April, India’s goods exports increased 30.7% to $40.19 billion compared to $30.75 billion in the corresponding period last year.

A statement of the commerce ministry noted: “Services [exports] performed extremely well to reach $27.60 bn, which is an increase of 53% over April 2021.”

According to trade data released by the ministry, imports rose 30.97% to $60.30 billion because of surging international oil prices due to the Ukraine war.

India imports 85% of its crude oil and bought petroleum worth $20.19 billion in April compared to $10.76 billion in the same month last year.

Further, according to Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell’s (PPAC) provisional data, India’s gross petroleum imports in 2021-22 were $143.4 billion, nearly double the $77 billion in the previous fiscal year.

Other items that helped in raising India’s goods exports in April included electronic goods: 71.69%, cereals: 60.83%, coffee: 59.38%, processed food: 38.82% and leather products: 36.68%.

India’s trade balance in services is positive by $12.3 billion with the estimated value of services import for April at $15.57 billion exhibiting a positive growth.

India achieved a record $419.5 billion in merchandise exports and about $250 billion in services exports in 2021-22.

India has recently signed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Australia to boost its exports.

At this stage, India is also aggressively promoting wheat exports after supply disruptions of the cereal from Ukraine.

Runway 34: a peak into the cockpit and airline business

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15 May 2022 11:58 AM

We put our lives into the hands of the doctor when we undergo an operation. We do this knowingly – yes, we are nervous and constantly praying to the Lord. Similarly, we also put our lives in the hands of the pilot when we board a plane. But the key difference is that we are usually unaware of his/her capabilities and are pretty relaxed. Some people rarely ever pray before a flight.

Now, there would be one such flight where you will remember and desperately pray to the Lord. This movie, ‘Runway 34’, is about that one such flight experience.

As I write this review, I am on a flight and started off with a prayer.

I recollect a flight experience about ten years ago which is still fresh in my head. We hit a pretty turbulent patch mid-air, the flight got into cloud pockets and free falls and everyone was very nervous and scared. I was in a window seat and suddenly noticed our flight swerve left, and from the window I saw another flight zoom past on my right. Everything just went silent around me for a while! Clearly the turbulent weather wasn’t helping maintain altitude and the pilot through his / her presence of mind realised an oncoming plane and averted a potential mid-air collision.

While ‘Runway 34’ is not about a mid-air collision aversion, it is inspired by real-life incidents such as the Doha-Kochi Jet Airways flight of August 2015, the mind-boggling US Airways flight landing on Hudson by pilot Sully Sullenberger in 2009, and the unfortunate Air India flight crash on a runway in Mangalore in 2010.

The first half of ‘Runway 34’ is the flight journey and how the pilots miraculously land the flight in adverse conditions and turbulent weather, saving all passengers.

They say All is well that ends well. But is it really? Given the huge risks due to passenger safety, should the pilot and crew go scot-free because the pilot landed the plane successfully and no one died? This is what the second half of ‘Runway 34’ is all about – the official enquiry process.

Such film plots require some top class VFX and some gripping court drama. However, the movie fails on both counts! At many places audience can notice resemblances to Hollywood films like Sully (2016) and Flight (2012). Ajay Devgn as the lead Pilot (Actor, Director, Producer) must take responsibility for this disaster landing!

On the visual effects front, Ajay Devgn has used an actual flight cockpit to give realistic effects, but the rest of the effects are passe.

On the court room drama front, it is primarily focused only on showcasing Amitabh Bachchan and Ajay Devgn’s acting rather than content. The prodigal pilot, Vikrant Khanna (Ajay Devgn), has made some glaring mistakes in decision making, which seem to be overlooked by a seasoned interrogator like Narayan Vedant (Amitabh Bachchan). I feel, Rakul Preet Singh (as Tanya Alburqurquee) is wasted throughout by showing her as a scared pilot both in the plane and in the courtroom.

On the acting front, both the seasoned actors are predictable. Audience can feel that they have seen th e same acting prowess in ‘Pink’, ‘Major Saab’, ‘Golmaal’ or any of their past movies. Further, there is no novelty even in the dialogues – there could have been more drama and dialogue to the trial-led second half. This is again the failure of the director which is supported by box office reports.

Despite positive reviews from friendly critics and industry insiders, the film sits at a global collection of a meagre 32 crores (Rs 320 million).

On the positive side, there are two things: Amitabh Bachchan conveys a strong message repeatedly -confess your mistake, learn from it and never repeat it again. This I believe is a good life lesson for all. The second positive is the storyline which gives us a peak into the cockpit and the airline business.

In conclusion, the movie is watchable on big screen as the performances aren’t entirely bad but not too attractive either. I hope the he next time Ajay Devgn tries his hand at direction, he should keep himself just in the Director’s seat and to remain focussed and objective give chance to new talented other actors.

Contributing Author: Sanjiv Kulkarni is an ardent Indian cinema buff with an interest in the art of movie-making. He shares his take on movies and some rarer movies too. He lives in Melbourne and works as an IT Sales leader.

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.

Former Australian cricketer Andrew Symonds killed in car crash

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15 May 2022 11:52 AM

Well-known 46-year-old former Australian cricketer Andrew Symonds has died in a car crash on Saturday night.

According to Queensland Police the crash took place outside Townsville in North Queensland where he lived after retirement.

Police said Andrew Symonds was driving on Hervey Range Road near Alice River Bridge when his car left the road and rolled.

Emergency Paramedics attempted to revive him but Andrew Symonds died at the scene.

Laura told the Courier Mail: “We are still in shock – I’m just thinking of the two kids. He was such a big person and there is just so much of him in his kids.’’

Cricket Australia tweeted:

We express our deepest sympathies to Andrew's family.

We are all hurting and will miss him greatly. His former teammates will remember his loyalty & recall the fun times with great fondness.

Full statement from QC Chair & former teammate Chris Simpson: https://t.co/nUjs6AsxXM pic.twitter.com/L68HQEO6Bk
— Queensland Cricket (@qldcricket) May 15, 2022

Andrew Symonds’ passing comes after the shock deaths of fellow Aussie cricket greats Shane Warne and Rod Marsh earlier this year.

Adam Gilchrist tweeted: “This really hurts. #roy #rip“

Think of your most loyal, fun, loving friend who would do anything for you. That’s Roy.
— Adam Gilchrist (@gilly381) May 15, 2022

Andrew Symonds played 26 Tests for Australia and won two Cricket World Cups. He was a key member of Australia’s ODI teams that won World Cups in 2003 and 2007, playing 198 times in the 50-over format, scoring 5088 runs and taking 133 wickets.

Image source: Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds. Photo- Twitter.

During the fourth Test of the 2007-2008 series, things had exploded between Andrew Symonds and Harbhajan Singh. It was revealed that Harbhajan Singh had allegedly called Andrew Symonds a ‘monkey’.

The Indian test cricket team threatened to quit the tour when Harbhajan Singh was suspended for three matches. The International Cricket Council (ICC) overturned the ban.

Later, when the IPL tournaments began, both cricketers played for the same team – Mumbai Indians.

Harbhajan Singh told Indian reporters: “Honestly, it feels great to have him with us. We are playing for one team. Obviously, it’s fantastic to have him in the side. He’s a genuine match-winner. He has proved that over the years with Australia, and is probably one of the cleanest strikers of the cricket ball in the world.”

Andrew Symonds is survived by wife Laura and young children Chloe and Billy.

Arun Majumdar appointed Dean of Stanford University’s first new school in 70 years

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14 May 2022 12:04 PM

Image source: Arun Majumdar speaking at TEDx Stanford - Stanford University

Indian-American material scientist and engineer, Prof. Arjun Majumdar, has been appointed as the inaugural Dean of Stanford University’s new school that focuses on climate change and sustainability.

Prof. Majumdar is currently the Jay Precourt Provostial Chair Professor, a faculty member of the Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering, and Senior Fellow and former director of the Precourt Institute for Energy.

In a media release Prof. Majumdar said that he is “deeply honoured and humbled by the opportunity to serve as the inaugural dean.””

He added: “Building on the extraordinary leadership of transitions deans, Kam Moler and Steve Graham, we will not only harness the intellectual horsepower of our students, faculty, and staff across our campus, but we will also partner with external organisations around the world to co-develop innovative solutions and identify new insights through research and education.”

Image source: Arun Majumdar speaking at TEDx Stanford – Stanford University

Prof. Majumdar is originally from Kolkata and received his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay in 1985.

He completed a Ph.D. from the University of California – Berkeley in 1989 and worked as the vice president for energy at Google. Here, Prof. Majumdar assembled a team to create technologies and businesses at the intersection of data, computing, and electricity grid.

Prof. Majumdar was even nominated for the position of Under Secretary of Energy in the United States between November 30, 2011 and May 15, 2012 but then the nomination was retracted.

He later joined Stanford in 2014 and became the founding director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E).

Prof. Majumdar currently serves as the chair of the advisory board to the US Secretary of Energy.

He believes: “As is often said, we do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children. We must collectively figure out how to create a future where humans and nature thrive together.”

Image source: Mr John Doerr and his wife, Ann – Stanford University.

Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability is university’s first new school in 70 years and its key goal is to speed up options to the worldwide local weather disasters. This new school has received a gift of $1.1-billion venture capitalist John Doerr and his wife, Ann.

This is one of the largest single donations to an American institute of higher education and Prof. Majumdar will assume his new position on June 15.

Kamini, ‘Indian viagra,’ containing opioid under scanner in Australia

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14 May 2022 10:05 AM

“Kamini”, a herbal drug which contains highly addictive opioids, Papaver somniferum, is again in news. These bottles are produced in India and sold as “Indian viagra” to improve mens’ virility in India.

A bottle of Kamini contains 40 balls, each tablet varies in size and weight: between 0.2 and 0.4 containing up to five per cent opium. These bottles are covertly shipped across Australia’s borders to be distributed via Indian grocery stores.

People, mostly South Asian-origin taxi and truck drivers, are known to be using 30 each day which was the equivalent of taking a strong 60mg tablet of OxyContin. Experts believe that taking merely two tablets of this opioid ball can give the user a “hit”.

In one online Indian community group a Melbourne man said he believed Kamini is “good for temporary pain relief or if you are feeling low.

“Actually it’s the combination of red bull and viagra”.

A paper published in in Drug & Alcohol Review by a team of Queensland researchers comprising of Tabibul Khan, Pem Ariyawansa, Janette Quinn, and Jeremy Hayllar has revealed that Kamini is being sold from under the counter to people who are addicted to the drug.

Dr Jeremy Hayllar, from Alcohol and Drug Service, Metro North Health in Brisbane told 9news.com.au:

“The balls are kind of brownish, they’re not formal-looking tablets we might expect to see from a reputable pharmaceutical source. They are literally round, grey-brown balls.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the supply chain of Kamini was disrupted. This resulted in driving the price of a bottle from $110 to $180.

According to the latest research, 12 patients presented with features of opioid withdrawal. Seven of the 12 patients had worked in the ride-sharing or taxi industry.

Dr Hayllar told ABC that the patients started using the herbal product after being advised it would give them “more energy to enable them to work longer hours”.

Queensland Police Service spokesperson told 9news that they “have not identified this substance as a trend or issue”. However, they “encourage anyone with information on the supply of dangerous drugs” to contact law enforcement agencies.

This is not just an Australian problem. In 2020, New Zealand’s Auckland Opioid Treatment Service reported treating 10 men who were addicted to Kamini.

Kamini represents an illicit source of non-prescription opioid in Australia and the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956 prohibit the importation of medications such as this, which contain opium.

People are warned that the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has prohibited Kamini as “these tablets pose a serious risk to your health and should not be taken”.

Morrison government will provide five million dollars for multicultural media

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13 May 2022 5:18 PM

Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison; Picture Source: The Australia Today

A Public Interest News Gathering Program worth $5 million will be launched to support eligible local newspaper publishers including multicultural, First Nations and independent suburban newspaper publishers by a re-elected Morrison Government.

Minister for Communications Paul Fletcher told The Australia Today, “The Coalition Government recognises the important role our local newspaper publishers play in keeping Australia’s communities informed. We also understand they are under pressure due to the dramatically rising costs of newsprint driven by ongoing volatility overseas.”

“We will commit $5 million through the Public Interest News Gathering program to support eligible local newspaper publishers with the rising costs of newsprint, including independent suburban, First Nations and multicultural newspaper publishers.”
he added.

Mr Fletcher said the re-elected coalition government will move urgently to deliver the funding, with payments expected to be made early in the new financial year.

“This builds on the $10 million the Coalition has committed to supporting regional newspaper publishers.”
Mr Fletcher said.

“The Coalition remains concerned about the impact Labor’s safeguard mechanism will have on increasing costs for paper manufacturing in this country and the flow-on impacts that will have for the future of our local newspapers.”

Minister for Multicultural Communities Alex Hawke said, “The investment is in recognition of the important role multicultural media play in supporting the effective settlement of migrant communities, assisting with ongoing cultural connection, and to support the sector as it faces significant pressures in rising costs and modernisation.

If re-elected, the Morrison Government further commits to engaging with the sector to support their long-term viability as print and digital publishers, and support their work to modernise and better engage with mainstream advertisers”.

Hinduphobic Greens shunned by Labor leader Albanese amid concerns by Hindu community

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13 May 2022 2:28 PM

Leader of the Australian Labor Party Anthony Albanese has assured the Australian Hindu community that if he becomes Prime Minister religious vilification of Hindus will not be tolerated.

Mr Albanese was replying to the questions raised by Hindus of Sydney in a program organised by the Hindu Council of Australia.

He was specifically asked,

Q: Is there a Labor and Greens party deal? And what is your stand on political parties who spread Hinduphobia with false claims as Mr (David) Shoebridge did, and other Greens MPs who have been doing it from time to time?

To the question Anthony Albanese replied, “We are the only party and only candidate for prime minister who is wanting to form government in my own right.”

“We will not do deals with the Greens.”
added Mr Albanese.

“We will stand on our own. And that stands in very stark contrast…. To the opposition agreement between Scott Morrison and Barnaby Joyce,” said Mr Albanese

Sydney-based Hindu activist Ravi Shankar Dhankar told The Australia Today that the Greens Senator attempted to play her hate against Jews and Hindus.

“Mehreen Faruqi is part of that elaborate Greens plan which attacks Hindus and Jews for resisting their historical persecution,”
he emphasised.

Here is the epitome of Hinduphobic behaviour by Greens MLC David Shoebridge.

MLC Shoebridge had accused VHP Australia of being an organisation banned by the CIA and insinuating that VHP was responsible for a fight between two communities in Sydney.

The Australia Today earlier reported about a motion being passed in NSW senate asking Mr Shoebridge to apologise to Hindu community.

However, Greens Party or MLC David Shoebridge has not yet apologised for his reprehensible statement.

Here is the question-answer session Mr Anthony Albanese and Ms Kristina Keneally at Hindu Counicil of Australia’s program.

Jayeshbhai Jordaar: Loaded with hilarious satires, clubbed in social message to translate into entertainment

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13 May 2022 11:17 AM

Jayeshbhai Jordaar poster: Image Source: Supplied

Ranveer Singh starrer JAYESHBHAI JORDAAR is set to release today 13 May 2022.

With this film, Shalini Pandey will mark her debut in the Hindi film industry as a lead actress alongside Ranveer Singh. Produced by Maneesh Sharma, a home-grown producer at YRF, the film is being directed by debutant writer-director Divyang Thakkar.

‘JAYESHBHAI JORDAAR’ is set in Gujarat and Ranveer Singh will be seen playing the role of a Gujarati man after RamLeela.

The film revolves around Jayeshbhai the unlikely hero who will be seen championing the cause of women’s empowerment in this film.

To explain the story in simple terms Jayeshbhai is a feminist son (Ranveer Singh) of a patriarchal Gujarati couple (Boman Irani and Ratna Pathak Shah) who takes off on a road trip with his pregnant wife Mudra (Shalini Pandey) after it’s revealed she’s going to have a second daughter.

With the police after them and everyone around them ready to snitch at a moment’s notice, how far will they get?
We will not tell you this because viewers also need to find something when they watch the movie.

Can I relate to Jayeshbhai, answer will be straight yes? Maybe not in the same situation but close enough.

Dubbed as one of the best actors in Bollywood today given his chameleon-esque ability to shape-shift on screen with every film Ranveer says, “For Jayeshbhai, I worked with a diction coach for over a month!’

He has again transformed himself into a character hailing from heartland Gujarat. But the question is with his razor-sharp wit, will he entertain us, win over our hearts, and deliver a powerful message?

Ranveer reveals, “As an artist, it is important for me to be extremely authentic when I’m entrusted to play a character that belongs to a certain region of my country. I feel responsible for accurately representing the places where these characters hail from. I feel duty-bound to do justice to the people and their colourful, vibrant culture and spoken dialects. I leave no stone unturned to ensure that I give it my all.”

“All the praise that I’m getting right now is because of the hard work that has been put in by everyone to ensure that we deliver a performance that is a fitting tribute to all the Gujaratis. I’m not someone who is happy with half measures when it comes to my craft.”
He added.

Ranveer turns into an endearing item boy for the song Firecracker!

Amazingly, Ranveer has turned into an item boy in the film for its new song Firecracker which he performed without being choreographed!

He adds, “Barring the hook step, I was just left to be and to dance the way Jayesh would dance. Being in character, the moves would just come out, stumble out of me and we captured that. It has its own appeal. Jayesh is an endearing character and it’s that aspect of him that he wanted to present and showcase in the song. Just the great joie de vivre that he possesses, this great love of life, this joyous, beaming grateful heart that he has.”

He adds, “It makes people smile and that’s very fulfilling for me because I believe, that is my purpose on earth, to make people smile; and if I am able to do that through my craft, that’s very fulfilling to me.

A hilarious satire on society – Jayeshbhai Jordaar, produced by Maneesh Sharma, also stars Arjun Reddy famed Shalini Pandey, who debuts on Bollywood’s big screen opposite Ranveer. The film has been directed by debutant Divyang Thakkar and is releasing worldwide on May 13, 2022.

AUSTRALIA SESSIONS

VICTORIA
HOYTS Chadstone
Sun 21:30
Fri 21:40
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Sat 20:15, 21:15
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Mon, Tue, Wed 20:30, 21:30

HOYTS Highpoint
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Sat 15:50, 20:00
Fri 21:00
Sun 21:15

HOYTS Frankston
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Fri 19:45, 20:50

HOYTS Melbourne Central
Sun, Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat 21:10
Mon 21:20

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HOYTS Forest Hill
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Reading Dandenong
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Reading Melton
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Regent Ballarat
Sat 20:00
Sun 19:00, 20:00

Lido Hawthorn
Fri 21:30
Sat 20:45
Mon, Wed 20:50

Village Airport West
Fri,Sat,Sun,Mon,Tue,Wed 17:00

Village Bendigo
Sat 15:15

Village Fountain Gate
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Sun 17:15
Tue 21:20

Village Geelong
Fri, Mon 21:00

Village Knox
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Sun 21:30

Village Shepparton
Friday 20:15

Village Southland
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Village Werribee
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NORTHERN TERRITORY
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TASMANIA
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Events Macquarie
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Events Liverpool
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Events Parramatta
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Tue 19:00

Events Hornsby
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Events Hurstville
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Events Castle Hill
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Events Top Ryde
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sat , Sun 17:45

Events Glendale
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WESTERN AUSTRALIA
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Events Garden City
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Events Brisbane Myer
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Events Brown Plains
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Sun 20:45

Events Townsville Central
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Events Mackay North
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Events Capalaba
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Events Earlville
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Events Rockhampton
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SOUTH AUSTRALIA
HOYTS Arndale
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Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri 15:15, 17:00, 19:45, 20:45

HOYTS Tea Tree Plaza
Sat : 15:45, 17:45, 21:00
Sun: 18:00, 21:00
Fri 17:45, 21:00
Tue 17:30
Mon, Wed 17:30, 20:45

HOYTS Salisbury
Tue 16:25, 21:00
Mon,wed 17:15, 21:00
Sun17:30, 21:00
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Events Marion
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Reading West Lakes
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Google adds world’s oldest Indian language to Google Translate

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13 May 2022 9:35 AM

Google announced at their I/O developer’s conference that it has added 24 new languages to Google Translate.

Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Alphabet, in his speech said, “There is a long tail of languages that are underrepresented on the web today and translating them is a hard technical problem since translation models are usually trained with bilingual text. However, there is not enough publicly available bilingual text for every language.”

Image source: Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Alphabet.

Out of these new 24 additions, eight languages are from India. These include:

Assamese, which is used by about 25 million people in Northeast India
Bhojpuri, which is used by about 50 million people in northern India, Nepal and Fiji
Dogri, which is used by about 3 million people in northern India
Konkani, which is used by about 2 million people in Central India
Maithili, which is used by about 34 million people in northern India
Meiteilon or Manipuri, which is used by about 2 million people in Northeast India
Mizo, which is used by about 830,000 people in Northeast India
Sanskrit, which is used by about 20,000 people in India

Isaac Caswell, a Google Translate Research Scientist, told told ET: “Sanskrit is the number one, most requested language at Google Translate, and we are finally adding it.”

As part of this update, indigenous languages of the Americas (Quechua, Guarani and Aymara) and an English dialect (Sierra Leonean Krio) have also been added to Translate for the first time.

Caswell added: “This ranges from smaller languages, like Mizo spoken by people in the northeast of India — by about 800,000 people — up to very large world languages like Lingala spoken by around 45 million people across Central Africa.”

Other languages that rare now part of Google Translate include:

Aymara (used by about two million people across some Latin American countries)
Bambara (used by about 14 million people in Mali)
Dhivehi (used by about 300,000 people in the Maldives)
Ewe (used by about seven million people in Ghana and Togo)
Guarani (used by about seven million people in several South American countries)
Ilocano (used by about 10 million people in the northern Philippines)
Krio (used by about four million people in Sierra Leone)
Kurdish or Sorani (used by about eight million people, mostly in Iraq & parts of Turkey)
Lingala, (used by about 45 million people in central and eastern Africa)
Luganda (used by about 20 million people in Uganda and Rwanda)
Oromo (used by about 37 million people in Ethiopia and Kenya)
Quechua (used by about 10 million people in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and surrounding countries)
Sepedi (used by about 14 million people in South Africa)
Tigrinya (used by about eight million people in Eritrea and Ethiopia)
Tsonga (used by about seven million people in southern Africa)
Twi (used by about 11 million people in Ghana)

Google also announced that it has made many key improvements to its Google Translate service.

Caswell observed: “Up until a couple of years ago, it simply was not technologically possible to add languages like these, which are what we call a low resource — meaning that there are not very many text resources out there for them.”

Google Translate now supports over 133 different languages. It can be used from the web browser or a user can install the app from Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

Crypto’s $2.2 trillion meltdown sees billionaires’ wealth plummet

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12 May 2022 4:47 PM

bitcoin-image — Image source: Crypto - wikipedia.

According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, a selloff in digital currencies from Bitcoin to Ether triggered a decline in the market value of Coinbase.

Coinbase is the largest US cryptocurrency exchange and its founder Brian Armstrong’s personal fortune of US$13.7 billion is now just US$2.2 billion.

Brian Armstrong tweeted that there is “no risk of bankruptcy” and “your finds are safe.”

1/ There is some noise about a disclosure we made in our 10Q today about how we hold crypto assets. Tl;dr: Your funds are safe at Coinbase, just as they’ve always been.
— Brian Armstrong – barmstrong.eth (@brian_armstrong) May 11, 2022

Armstrong is not the only billionaire who has seen his share plummet.

Michael Novogratz, the CEO of Galaxy Digital, has also seen his fortune go down to $US2.5 billion from $US8.5 billion.

According to the Age, the market capitalisation of all crypto assets has fallen by $US1.5 trillion ($2.2 trillion) since peaking last November at about $US2.9 trillion.

So, crypto billionaire fortunes that increased over the last two years are fast disappearing.

In fact, the value of world famous Bitcoin has fallen from almost $US70,000 to about $US30,000 that is a sharp decline of 57 per cent approx.

Changpeng Zhao, the CEO of Binance, has lost larger fortune – from a net worth of $US96 billion to just $US11.6 billion. He tweeted:

If you think crypto is volatile, look at stocks. -84%, -72%.

Not that it makes the situation any better in crypto, but… zoom out. Learn about risk management. pic.twitter.com/eoPsRUrGhj
— CZ Binance (@cz_binance) May 12, 2022

Further, Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, co-founders of Gemini, have each lost about $US2.2 billion and Sam Bankman-Fried, CEO of FTX, now has only $US11.3 billion.

Cameron Winklevoss asked investors to “be patient and HODL.”

The markets always get it right in the long run. Be patient and HODL.
— Cameron Winklevoss (@cameron) May 11, 2022

Experts believe that as the US dollar has strengthened, investors are once again looking at cash.

Although, there are some heavily-indebted countries such as the El Salvador that has made Bitcoin an official currency.

Given the volatile nature of crypto is it fair to say that these are merely collectible assets for speculation rather than investment?

Coalition announces to spend $5 million on ‘skills passport’ for tech sector in Australia

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12 May 2022 10:50 AM

skilled — Image source: Skilled by Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Alpha Stock Images

PM Scott Morrison has announced that his re-elected government will spend $5 million developing a “skills passport.”

The skills passport will make it easier and faster to match workers with jobs in the technology sector in Australia.

Employment Minister Stuart Robert says that this step will help workers to display their university, VET and private sector qualifications in one place.

Our economic plan invests in a new national technology skills passport.

We are backing Aussie skills so more locals can upskill and get into high-paying jobs. https://t.co/X6P3PwI0zd
— Stuart Robert MP (@stuartrobertmp) May 9, 2022

Robert told Sunrise this would also allow businesses better understand how their skills mix could improve.

“Imagine an Australian that has done a university [course], and a few vocational courses, and a private-sector course, all of that reflected and covered by a common credit point if you like.”

“It can all be understood and you can simply see, ‘if there is one extra course, I can get that qualification, if I upgrade to that, I can get that qualification’, every Australian will benefit,” he added.

The Coalition hopes to develop this new system with the help of the Australian Technology Network of Universities.

Australia-India join hands to identify and curb terror outfits and their proxies

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11 May 2022 10:04 AM

Image source: Mahavir Singhvii and Roger Noble

The 13th meeting of the India-Australia Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism was held in person on 4 May, 2022.

Mr Mahaveer Singhvi, Joint Secretary for Counter-Terrorism at the Ministry of External Affairs of India and Mr Roger Noble, Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia led the respective delegations of experts.

13th meeting of India-Australia Joint Working Group on Counter-terrorism was held in Canberra on 4th May 22, co-chaired by @MahavirSinghvii, Joint Secretary (CT), @MEAIndia and Mr. Roger Noble, Australian Ambassador for Counter-terrorism in @DFAT. (1/3)@VohraManpreet @AusAmbCT pic.twitter.com/nRFJnEPbdd
— India in Australia (@HCICanberra) May 5, 2022

The two nations contemplated deepening co-operation in counter-terrorism cooperation in UN, G20, GCTF, ARF, IORA and FATF, as well as with Quad partners.

The discussions centred on the ongoing counter-terrorism cooperation between the two countries.

According to the media release, both nations underlined their commitment to coordinate and collaborate on this important element of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The 13th India-Australia Joint Working Group on CT reaffirms our commitment to work closely together to respond to current and future challenges. I look forward to hosting at the next Quad Counter-Terrorism Tabletop Exercise later this year. pic.twitter.com/1eO8PkWaUQ
— Roger Noble AO DSC CSC (@AusAmbCT) May 6, 2022

India and Australia exchanged views on various areas of cooperation in the sphere of counter-terrorism. This includes:

countering radicalisation and violent extremism;
combating the financing of terrorism;
the proscription of terrorist individuals and entities as a tool to combat terrorism;
preventing the exploitation of the internet for terrorism;
law enforcement cooperation; and
information sharing and capacity building.

Australia and India reaffirmed their commitment to work closely together to respond to these challenges.

They also discussed ways to deepen engagement between their respective counterpart agencies to further advance interaction, cooperation and information sharing in the sphere of counter-terrorism.

Showcasing Australia's counter-terrorism resources & capabilities as part of the 13th CT Joint Working Group. A pleasure to welcome @MahavirSinghvii, @VohraManpreet, @MEAIndia & @HCICanberra to the @AusFedPolice complex in Canberra. Thanks to AFP colleagues for facilitating. pic.twitter.com/9Q1nTjbqVF
— Roger Noble AO DSC CSC (@AusAmbCT) May 6, 2022

India and Australia strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

The two countries also emphasised the need for strengthening international cooperation to combat terrorism in a comprehensive and sustained manner.

Australia condemned the use of terrorist proxies for cross-border terrorism in India. It reiterated its condemnation of terrorist attacks including 26/11 Mumbai, Pathankot and Pulwama attacks.

Further, Australia support for the people and the government of India in the global fight against terrorism.

India has welcomed Australia’s participation in the proposed ‘No Money for Terror Conference’ that will be held in New Delhi later in 2022.

Indians in Australia driving innovation and paving way for future collaboration

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9 May 2022 5:03 PM

The India Australia Business & Community Alliance (IABCA), supported by Investment NSW and Austrade, now in its 9^th year was a reminder of the opportunity that exists for Australian public diplomacy to utilise its domestic business diaspora strategically to advance its foreign policy and trade interests. And the opportunity for Indian public diplomacy to capitalise on the Australian Indian diaspora to globalise its development agendas. Affirming that the best is yet to come.

Speaking about the IABCA partnership, Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade, Tourism and Sport, and Western Sydney, Hon Stuart Ayres MP said:

“The partnership the NSW Government shares with IABCA strengthens ties between India and Australia. The IABCA continues to be at the forefront in fostering stronger economic, diplomatic, and cultural ties between our two nations.”

The IABCA platform this year brought together 1000 key influencers and bi-lateral leaders from across the two nations. Comprising of the IABCA Global Leaders Forum and the IABCA Awards Ceremony, this ‘Meeting of Minds’ showcase at the Star Events Centre on 29^th April 2022 connected entrepreneurs, innovators, and disruptors from across Australia and India.

Congratulating the winners and the IABCA Alliance, The Hon Dan Tehan MP, Minister for Trade, Tourism, and Investment shared:

“The India Australia Business & Community Alliance is an excellent platform to recognise and honour the deep business and community links between our two countries. I congratulate all the award finalists and commend you for your contribution to our strong economy and the Australia India relationship.”

The winner of the Young Professional of the Year Award Rishi Kher, Co-Founder and CEO of Holy Sanity, told The Australia Today that it was a truly humbling experience to be recognised by IABCA:

“I am humbled and grateful to be recognised as Young Professional of the Year. I have spent many years taking risks and have had my family make sacrifices on my behalf. This award helps motivate me and my team at Holy Sanity to dream big on a journey that we hope will make a lasting impact on generations to come. The annual IABCA initiative is a welcome sign of how far relations between Australia and India have evolved.”

Dr Meenakshi Arora, Associate Professor in Environmental Engineering at The University of Melbourne was the winner of the Australia India Impact Award (Individual) of the Year. She mentioned to The Australia Today how honoured she felt to have this acknowledgement for her years of work:

“I am honoured and deeply humbled. It’s a privilege to have this acknowledgement for my years of work in bringing the Indian and Australian scientific communities together through various research collaborations in Water supply and pollution areas and through Melbourne India Postgraduate Academy (MIPA). Thanks to IABCA for providing me this platform to share my work with the broader community and showcase the positive aspect of the bilateral relationship between Australia and India.”

Speaking about his journey to The Australia Today, Business Leader of the Year Award winner Shailendra Kumar, who is a Global AI Thought Leader & Practitioner and author of “Making Money Out of Data”, highlighted the support he received in Australia:

“When I arrived in Australia 16 years ago, the local Australians gave me great support and since then I’ve only received love and affection, both professionally and personally. The people of Australia are just awesome and Australia is an awesome country to live in. I’m proud that many Indians in Australia are driving a great deal of innovation thanks to the Indian-Australian community, which is growing at an exponential rate.”

Dr Pamela Humphreys, Director, Macquarie University College, who won the Australia India Science Research and Development Award (Individual) told The Australia Today that winning the award is meaningful in terms of recognition and raising profile for future collaboration:

“It was such an honour to receive this award. Over a decade of work has translated into supporting over a quarter of a million Indians who are planning to take an English test. We are proud that our three low-cost online IELTS and PTE test preparation courses have helped so many already to achieve their goals. The IACBA event has raised the profile of how Australian and Indian companies can work together for bilateral cooperation and positive outcomes.”

The Winners across all the 14 categories were.

IABCA YOUNG PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

Rishi Kher, Co-Founder and CEO, Holy Sanity

IABCA BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEAR

Shailendra Kumar, Global AI Thought Leader & Practitioner, Author of Amazon Bestseller “Making Money Out of Data”

IABCA MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR

Mayank Manish, Founder and Executive Director, OpEzee

IABCA COMMUNITY SERVICES EXCELLENCE AWARD (Individual)

Professor Manjula O’Connor, Psychiatrist, Clinical Hon Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne

Highly Commended Certificate

Dilpreet Kaur Taggar, Founder, South Asian Today

IABCA COMMUNITY SERVICES EXCELLENCE AWARD (Organisation)

REACH for Training (REACH)

Highly Commended Certificate

The Association of Haryanvis in Australia (AHA)

IABCA BUSINESSWOMAN OF THE YEAR

Elaine Starkey, CEO, Global Study Partners

IABCA AUSTRALIA INDIA IMPACT AWARD (Individual)

Dr Meenakshi Arora, Associate Professor in Environmental Engineering, The University of Melbourne

IACBA AUSTRALIA INDIA IMPACT AWARD (Organisation)

Sannam S4 Group

Highly Commended Certificate

Australia India Travel & Tourism Council (AITTC)

AUSTRALIA INDIA SCIENCE, RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT AWARD(Individual)

Dr Pamela Humphreys, Director, Macquarie University College

MICRO BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

Connect2MyDoctor

EXCELLENCE IN TRADE & INVESTMENT

Dr Badri Narayanan Gopalakrishnan, NITI Aayog

EXCELLENCE IN PARTNERSHIPS

Link Group

SME OF THE YEAR

AirPhysio

Highly Commended Certificate

RD Facilities Management

The IABCA Lifetime Achievement Award, this year, was conferred to Amb. Anil Wadhwa, Former Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, Author Australia Economic Strategy Report 2020.

‘Rathnan Prapancha’ – a perfect Mother’s Day movie

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8 May 2022 9:31 AM

Image source: Rathnan Prapancha - screenshot.

By Sanjiv Kulkarni

The Australia Today team would like to wish all the wonderful ladies a very Happy Mothers Day!

There is a common saying: God could not be everywhere, so he made Mother. I am sure we have all heard this or very similar quotes in our mother tongues. For a child mother is like God! But if one has a foster mother (has raised the child) and a birth mother, which one is like God? We have seen this in our scriptures too. Mata Yashoda (foster mother to Lord Krishna) is at the same pedestal, if not higher, as Mata Devaki (Lord Krishna’s birth mother).

Here’s a perfect Mother’s Day movie that highlights the sacrifices made by a mother for her child – ‘Rathnan Prapancha‘.

This Kannada movie can be watched on on Amazon Prime. It is based on a similar theme, where a foster child accidentally realises his identity and heads out in search of his birth mother. In the process, he uncovers many aspects of his life that includes realising the importance and sacrifices made by his foster mother.

The subject, while very emotional is also very dry. However, ‘Rathnan Prapancha’ is made in an entertaining way to keep audiences glued to their seats. It is rightly considered by critics as a trend setting movie in the Kannada film industry.

The movie was shot between the first and second wave of COVID-19, particularly in Bangalore, Kashmir and North Karnataka. This would be probably amongst the first new generation Kannada movies to be shot in the beautiful locales of Kashmir. A task made easy by revoking of Article 370 in the valley thus opening Kashmir for economic boom.

I call this cinematic story telling because they have written the story in such a way that it has mass appeal across Karnataka. Purely through story telling, the movie touches upon the Muslim culture, which is a sizeable population in Karnataka. In addition, it explores the North Karnataka culture which is a unique and unforgettable experience. And it also touches upon some sensitive topics surrounding transgender people in India. These critical cinematic additions make the film’s story extremely entertaining and appealing to the audience – not just in major cities but also in rural Karnataka.

Image source: A still from Rathnan Prapancha.

The main lead is Dhananjaya. He has earlier movies which are of a different genre. He has done a convincing job as the angry child who is frustrated by his nagging mother. On his mission to rediscover his world, he learns more about the foster mother’s sacrifices and starts softening towards her.

Reba makes a convincing debut into Sandalwood films as the female lead who accompanies Dhananjay on this self discovering journey.

The movie also stars a long list of yesteryear’s dependable stars like Umashree, Shruti, Anu Prabhakar, Achyuth Kumar, and Ravishankar Gowda amongst others.

One actor worth singling out is Panju. He is well-known on television and plays a key role of a person hailing from North Karnataka. The mannerisms, the style, the dialogue delivery are spot on and very entertaining and he delivers the much needed punch and comic relief in the second half.

Another surprise appearance is of Akkai Padmashali, the famous Bangalore-based transgender activist and social worker. I particularly liked this part of the film because as such it has no impact on the story line but the 3-4 minutes of engaging content leaves a big impact on the viewers mind. It educates us of the challenges faced by the transgender community and points to the main theme of motherhood.

I give full credit to director and writer, Rohit Padaki, for presenting such a sensitive story in an entertaining manner. He has been very realistic in his presentation and doesn’t show the mother son relationship as revered upfront. The film starts with the unapologetically loud mother Saroja and son Rathnakara being at loggerheads due to their personality types. However, as the journey progresses their equation evolves with it. This is only the second film by Rohit, I am sure he has a very bright future ahead.

Although, ‘Rathnan Prapancha’ released directly on OTT (Amazon Prime) due to COVID-19 limitations, it received raving reviews from leading movie stars like Late Puneeth Rajkumar, Kiccha Sudeep, Rakshit Shetty, and Dulquer Salman to name just a few.

Watch this soulful and feel-good movie on Mother’s Day, with your mother if possible. I am sure both of you will have good laugh and at the end hug each other!

Once again, wishing you all a very Happy Mother’s Day!

Video Link:

Contributing Author: Sanjiv Kulkarni is an ardent Indian cinema buff with an interest in the art of movie-making. He shares his take on movies and some rarer movies too. He lives in Melbourne and works as an IT Sales leader.

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.

‘Australia India House’ gets $3.5 million funding commitment by Liberal party

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8 May 2022 9:23 AM

'Australia India House' gets $3.5 million commitment by Assistant Minister Jason Wood; Image Source: The Australia Today

As Australia India relations are growing to the next level of cooperation and mutual dependence Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs Jason Wood has promised that a re-elected Morrison Government will deliver $3.5 million to the Australia India House Charitable Foundation (AIHCF) to build a permanent base in the Springfield area.

The funding will allow the AIHCF to construct a premises, known as ‘Australia India House,’ that can be used for community meetings, events and day to day business.

The funding commitment was made by Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs Jason Wood while visiting the AIHCF at Springfield with locally-based Senator Paul Scarr, LNP candidate for Blair Sam Biggins and LNP Oxley candidate Kyle McMillen.

Minister Wood told The Australia Today, “I am proud to be part of a team that supports our wonderful multicultural community.”

LNP candidate for Blair Sam Biggins said the AIHCF helped hundreds of migrants in the community and an established Australia India House would be a place where the entire community was welcome.

“I am thrilled with this announcement and I know that an Australia India House is welcome news for the Indian-Australian community in Blair,”
Mr Biggins said.

The AIHCF is a non-profit organisation that was established in 2019. Since the early 1970s, the migration of people of Indian origin to Queensland has increased substantially. More than 50,000 Indians are now living in Queensland.

The building will also be used for crisis and interim accommodation, supporting domestic violence victims within migrant Australian communities and providing education and vocational training.

AIHCF president Professor Prasad Yarlagadda said he was thrilled with the announcement, which would allow the charity to reach out and engage with more people in the wider community.

“This greatly appreciated funding will serve the diverse needs of Queensland multicultural communities to host arts and culture events, festivals of national significance and educational programs,” Professor Yarlagadda said.

“This initiative by the Morrison Government demonstrates the national commitment to supporting the Indian diaspora. It will turn the Australia India House into living testimony that Australia is the most successful multicultural country in the world.”
added Professor Yarlagadda.

Professor Yarlagadda added it would also provide a permanent base to support the specific cultural needs of the community.

“Unfortunately, at the moment, there is no centrally located facility to celebrate and preserve Indian culture,” Professor Yarlagadda said.

“The project aims to use a place as a learning centre of culture and language by the different groups within the Indian community.”

Other community organisations, including Springfield Land Corporation, have also pledged support for the project, including Springfield Land Corporation.

$3.5 million committed by Labor candidate to develop Parramatta precinct, but stopped short of name ‘Little India’

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7 May 2022 12:25 PM

Labor candidate for Parramatta, Andrew Charlton; Image Source: Supplied

Labor candidate for Parramatta, Andrew Charlton has announced to turn the cultural precinct around Wigram and Marion Streets in Harris Park (Sydney) into a dazzling tourism hub via a $3.5 million funding commitment.

Mr Andrews says this commitment will fund streetscape beautification, including the installation of street furniture and seasonal lights in the precinct, and help businesses improve their signage and shopfronts through co-investment grants.

“This commitment is a terrific result for Harris Park – and it’s all part of my strong plan for our future,” Charlton said.

“We’ll work with the community, the City of Parramatta and local businesses to develop the precinct and build a better future for all.”

Additionally, it will help make the precinct safer and more accessible with improved lighting and security cameras, as well as contribute towards the planning and development of a new car park.

Labor candidate for Parramatta, Andrew Charlton with Anthony Albanese; Image Source: Supplied

How the money will be spent for precinct development

Dazzling streetscape: $1.5 million to develop the streets around Wigram and Marion Streets with South Asian sculpture, street furniture and seasonal lights.

Support for businesses: $10,000 co-investment grants for businesses in the area to improve their signage and shopfront. Shop owners must use the money to improve the fronts of their premises, and match the grants with their own funding. Support would be available for up to 50 businesses.

Better Parking. A $1 million grant will go towards the planning and development of a new car park in the area to improve access and encourage visitors. Council would also be expected to contribute to this part of the project.

Security lighting: $500,000 grant towards improving security lighting and cameras.

Naming the precinct

Labor candidate for Parramatta Andrew Charlton stopped short of committing to the name ‘Little India’ for the precinct however he said he will work with the council and community groups on an appropriate name for the Wigram Street precinct within Harris Park.

To argue his case Mr Charlton gave examples of precincts which have become famous tourist destinations around the world such as the “Golden Mile” in Leicester, “Little India” in Singapore and “Brick Lane” in London.

Donna Davis, Lord Mayor of the City of Parramatta, welcomed the announcement.

“Harris Park is one of Sydney’s hidden cultural gems. It’s diverse and vibrant, and everything I love about the City of Parramatta”, Davis said.

“As a business owner, I understand the important role that small business plays in our economy – and how tough the past few years have been for many small business owners. That’s why Labor will support small businesses in Harris Park by turning the cultural precinct into a dazzling tourism hub,” Mr Charlton said.

“This funding will help Harris Park put its best foot forward and build on what this popular precinct has to offer, as Parramatta continues its incredible transformation.”

Runway 34: Edge of the seat thriller, flying high in Australia

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6 May 2022 12:55 PM

The highly anticipated dramatic thriller inspired by true incidents, “Runway 34”, is a story about Captain Vikrant Khanna, a flying prodigy of sorts.

Captain Vikrant was determined to save the lives of 150 people when things went awry 35,000 feet above sea level.

Followed by an official investigation to determine, what and how things unravelled, this edge of the seat thriller takes a look at what happened on that fateful morning inside that cockpit and outside of it; what triggered the incident and what the incident triggered.

The movie is produced by Ajay ‘Runway 34’ is directed and produced by Ajay Devgn, which is his second directorial venture since ‘Shivaay’ in 2016.

The film is inspired by the true event of the Jet Airways Doha to Kochi flight 9W 555, a Boeing 737-800 aircraft that had a narrow escape on 18 August 2015, after facing difficulties in landing at the Cochin International Airport due to bad weather and unclear visibility at 5:45 in the morning.

‘Runway 34’, starring Ajay Devgn, Amitabh Bachchan, Boman Irani, Rakul Preet Singh, Angira Dhar and Aakanksha Singh, has hit theatres on April 29.

AUSTRALIA SESSIONS

VICTORIA
Village Fountain Gate
Mon 18:40

Village Sunshine
Thu,Fri,Sat,Sun,Mon,Tue 13:00, 20:30
Wed 13:00, 20:40

Village Werribee
Thu 13:00, 13:30, 18:15
Fri,Sat,Sun 13:00
Mon 13:00, 13:30
Tue 13:00, 20:30
Wed 13:00, 13:30

SOUTH AUSTRALIA
HOYTS Arndale
Mon,Tue,Thu 12:45

Event Marion
Thu 12:15, 15:15, 21:15
Fri 12:00, 18:20
Sat,Sun 17:45
Mon,Tue,Wed 12:15, 15:15, 18:15

NEW SOUTH WALES
HOYTS Westpoint Blacktown
Thu 13:20, 21:00
Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri 13:20, 21:20
Sun, Sat 21:20

Event Burwood
Daily exc sat, sun, tue 21:00
Sat sun 21:20
Tue 21:15

Event Campbelltown
Thu 21:15
Fri 21:10
Sat 21:15
Sun 21:00

Event Hurstville
Daily exc Fri, Sat, Sun 21:10 Fri 20:50
Sat, sun 20:45

Event Parramatta
Daily exc sat, mon, wed 21:15
Sat 21:20
Tues 21:00

QUEENSLAND
Event Brisbane Myer
Daily exc Mon, Wed 20:30

Event Chermside
Thu fri sat 21:10
Sun 21:30
Tue 21:20

Event Garden city
Daily exc sat, mon, wed 21:15
Sat 21:15

Event Maroochydore
Daily exc sat, sun 15:20

WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Event Morley
Daily exc. Thu 21:15
Thu 18:10, 21:15

TASMANIA
Village Glenorchy
Thu 21:15

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Trailer | Runway 34

Amitabh Bachchan after ‘Thapad’ is again playing a vital role who’s creating the pace and much-required argument for what could be the truth.

Mr Bachchan shared a heartfelt video on his Instagram, where he answered the question ‘what was that one thing which made you say yes to this film?’.

On being asked about it, he simply summed it up by saying ‘Ajay Devgn’. He further spoke about their ‘very long association’ that began with his father Veeru Devgan. He went on to talk about Veeru Devgan’s contribution to Hindi Cinema, recalling the times they’ve worked together in the past. Veeru Devgan was an Indian action choreographer, actor and film director who worked in more than 200 Bollywood films.

Trailer 2 | Runway 34

Actor Rakul Preet Singh opened up about the training she underwent for the role of a pilot in the film.

“It is one of the best scripts I heard in a long time and I jumped to bag this role. My experience playing a pilot was amazing because I love my job for the reason that you get to play different roles and learn so many different things,” she shared.

rakulpreet singh in runway 34 — Rakul Preet Singh, Runway 34; Image Source: Supplied

“How else would I have known how a cockpit looks? We had cockpit training for about 2 – 3 days, where there was a captain on the set who told us how the entire panel works because we shot in a real simulator, also during the entire shoot, the captain was there just to make sure that we use the right button, and use right terminology while flying a plane so it looks authentic,”
she added.

Rakul further said, “And when you step into a uniform there is a certain sense of dignity that automatically steps in – the way you walk, the way you talk, the way your language is, the way you react is very different from what a girl next door would. This is all that went into preparing for this role.”

Song Mitra Re | Runway 34

Australian real estate group to increase investment to highest level in India

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6 May 2022 11:04 AM

India Property Growth; Image Source: @CANVA

Australia’s REA Group which holds a controlling interest in REA India, formerly Elara Technologies Pty. Ltd., plans to increase its investments in India.

The total cost of taking over Elara was $50-$70 million, with $34.5 million payable out of the cash reserves of Elara.

Image source: REA chief executive Owen Wilson.

Owen Wilson, Global CEO of REA Group told Economic Times that they plan to increase investment in India more than in Australia.

“Going forward, India will be getting a larger share of our investment in terms of percentage growth. We are increasing our investment in India more than in Australia.”

In Australia, REA owns Smartline Home Loans Pty Ltd and Mortgage Choice Pty Ltd, Australian mortgage broking franchise groups, and PropTrack Pty Ltd, a leading provider of property data services. In India, REA Group also operates established online brands such as Housing.com, Makaan.com and PropTiger.com.

REA Group, which is majority-owned by News Corps, has benefited from a robust Australian residential property market.

Wilson observed that India is the fastest-growing trillion dollar economy in the world and in addition, there is a clear passion for property in the country.

Owen Wilson says that they plan to set up a tech back office for REA Australia in India.

“Previous year, India accounted for less than 5% of our revenue but this year we expect it to be between 5-10%. Going forward, it will only increase.”

The group also plans to add mortgage business, list commercial properties and expand to tier 2 cities in coming years. Wilson notes:

“We believe India probably makes more sense for us. And so we’re going to explore creating effectively a back office here in India for REA Australia to help with their tech development.”

REA’s current market cap is AUD17 billion and the group is expected to close this financial year with revenue in excess of AUD1 billion.

Victoria passes 3,000 COVID-19 deaths, highest in Australia

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5 May 2022 10:52 AM

More than 3,000 people have lost their lives to COVID-19 in Victoria since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020.

Till last year, a total of 1,525 Victorians had died from COVID-19 and today this figure stands at 3,012.

Recently, hospitalisations have also slightly increased across NSW and Victoria with 1656 and 456 admissions respectively.

Australia’s death rate for COVID-19 is one of the lowest in the world – 7,000 deaths across all states and territories. However, within Australia, Victorian COVID-19 deaths account for the largest share.

The state of Victoria has shown a rate of 95 per cent for double dosed and 68 per cent for triple vaccinated. Yet, on average, 15 people are dying from COVID-19 each day in Victoria.

Christopher Hall from the Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement told ABC:

“That represents families and workplaces and communities that have been permanently impacted by the death of somebody within that network.”

The majority of people who have died with the virus have been older Australians and due to COVID-19 restrictions many family members couldn’t support them in their last moments.

Meanwhile, Premier Daniel Andrews has promised “more healthcare workers and nurses to help lighten the load” at the regional hospital of Ballarat.

Popped into Ballarat Hospital today to let them know they're going to be getting more healthcare workers and nurses to help lighten the load.

And to simply say thanks. pic.twitter.com/dywtzH6USh
— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) May 4, 2022

The Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement is offering free COVID-19 bereavement support and can be reached on 1800 642 066.

New York removes reference to Swastika from anti-Semitic and fascist symbols legislation, time to take same approach in Australia

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4 May 2022 7:28 PM

The swastika is a living enigma that displays auspiciousness, wealth, good fortune, the sun, the circle of life, and other things. The emblem has both auspicious and ornamental meanings. There are a variety of viewpoints regarding its origin, functions, meaning, and elucidations. It may be traced throughout the Indian subcontinent, from prehistoric periods through the Indus Valley and Saraswati civilizations.

The swastika symbol holds the highest spiritual significance for Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains. The importance of Swastika became more prominent around the Indian subcontinent as Buddhism expanded. It moved westward through Afghanistan, then eastward across Central Asia to China, Korea, and Japan. Another path it took was to China around 1800 BCE, then to Korea in 37 BCE, and finally to Japan in 538 BCE (Kant A.K. et al., 2016, Diversity of an ideogram: A Case of Swastika in the Eastern World).

The Penguin Dictionary of Symbols (Chevalier J. & Gheerbrant A., 1996) says: “One of the oldest symbols in existence is the Swastika, and it is one of the most widely spread, from furthest east to Central America, via Mongolia, India, and Northern Europe. It was well-known to Celts and Etruscans and to Ancient Greece so the so-called Greek key pattern derives from it. Some writers have tried to take it back to Atlantis, which shows its great antiquity.”

Furthermore, the word Swasti (स्वस्ति) is found in many Rigvedic mantras and the meaning of the iiSwastika (卐) sign is taken from the word Swasti (i.e., well-being). For example, Rigveda V.51.15 mentions “स्वस्ति पन्थामनु चरेम सूर्याचन्द्रमसाविव”, i.e., May we ever follow “path of peace & bliss” (स्वस्तिपन्थाम्) like the Sun & the Moon.

Despite these facts, the Nazi insignia, which was originally known as the Hakenkreuz (“Hooked cross”), was substituted with Swastika in early English translations of Adolf Hilter’s “Mein Kampf,” popularising the phrase “Nazi swastika,” and, thus, confusing the two concepts. As a result, Swastika, an Indian sign of peace and auspiciousness, became erroneously connected with Hitler’s preposterous Aryan supremacy theory.

*figure 1: A Visual Comparison of the Indian Swastika and the Nazi Hakenkreuz.*

On 29^th July 2020, Asian News International reported: “The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), a US-based advocacy group, has welcomed the New York State Assembly’s decision to reconsider a bill that would require schools to teach the Swastika as a symbol of hatred and intolerance in the school curriculum.

CoHNA further asserted that it is well known that Hitler’s symbol (“Hakenkreuz” or the Hooked Cross) had nothing to do with the Swastika and the two have been conflated due to misuse and misappropriation.

It is also important to note that the vital nuances in this conversation have been recognised by Hindu and Jewish leaders … CoHNA has reached out to the offices of the Assembly Education Committee Chair as well as other Assembly members and senators to offer help in rewording Bill’s language in consultation with Jewish, Native American and African American groups.” (Asian News International. 2020, July 29. US-based advocacy group welcomes New York State Assembly’s decision to reconsider the bill for Swastika.

On 29^th April 2022, it was reported that the term “Swastika” has been deleted from New York State Assembly and Senate bills NY A.9155 and NY S.7680, according to Hindu American Foundation. The swastika was initially described as an “anti-Semitic and fascist emblem” in both legislation (Hindu American Foundation, @HinduAmerican on Twitter

#Breaking: After 4 months of relentless efforts by @hinduamerican working with allies, the word “Swastika” has been removed from @NYSenate & NY State Assembly bills NY A.9155 and NY S.7680.

BOTH bills originally referred to the swastika as “anti-Semitic and fascist symbols.” pic.twitter.com/fjrfxgDQCu
— Hindu American Foundation (@HinduAmerican) April 28, 2022

NY Assembly and Senate Bills, A.9155 and S.7680 (https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2021/A9155 & https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2021/s7680/), initially mentioned:

“The attackers carried white supremacist symbols including the flag known as the Confederate battle flag, as well as anti-Semitic and fascist symbols including swastikas. At the same time as many were carrying these symbols of the enemies of the United States, some of the attackers were observed removing the flag of the United States, throwing it to the ground, and replacing it with a flag bearing the name of President Donald J. Trump.”

The phrase “anti-Semitic and fascist symbols including swastikas” was amended to “anti-Semitic, fascist, and neo-Nazi ideology.”

Thus, the basic distinction between the Nazi hate symbol, the Hakenkreuz, and the Indian auspicious emblem, Swastika, was preserved by the New York State Assembly and Senate after considering the facts surrounding Hakenkreuz and Swastika, thereby accepting the facts and honouring the sentiments of the Indian Diaspora in the United States.

The Indian Diaspora globally and especially in Australia is opposed to the Nazi hate emblem, the Hakenkreuz, which serves as a terrible reminder of genocide and misery and supports the banning and criminalizing of Nazi hate symbols.

However, it is equally important to note that Swastika and Hakenkreuz are not the same entity, and conflating the two is incorrect and unjustified. The Australian lawmakers should take a lead from the above-mentioned amendment by the New York State Assembly & Senate and cognition the difference between Swastika and Hakenkreuz.

Furthermore, the state machinery and systems in Australia should be employed to launch an awareness campaign on the differences between the Nazi hate symbol and the Indian Swastika in order to educate people, law enforcement agencies, judiciary and legislators about the differences between the Hakenkreuz and the Swastika because a false equivalence, direct or indirect, of Nazi Hakenkreuz and the Swastika, is unjust and wrong.

Authors:
Yadu Singh is a Sydney-based Cardiologist who has a keen interest in Indian History.
Vikrant Parmar is Electrical Engineer with a strong interest in Indian Medieval History.

Disclaimer: The author is solely responsible for the views expressed in this article. The opinions and facts are presented solely by him, and neither The Australia Today News nor its partners assume any responsibility for them.

“India hits a century in style!” Ranked world number three in startup ecosystem

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4 May 2022 4:11 PM

Open Money; Image source: Open - Twitter.

The Indian startup ecosystem has reached a new milestone with the 100th unicorn which is a startup with a total valuation of $1 billion and above. The term, Unicorn, was coined by a venture capitalist and a seed investor, Aileen Lee.

Minister of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, Piyush Goyal tweeted: “India = Ideas + Innovation + Investments”

India Hits A Century In Style!

Bengaluru-based startup become country's 100th Unicorn.

India = Ideas + Innovation + Investmentshttps://t.co/KcNQMIEokA
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) May 2, 2022

Further, Union Minister of State for Entrepreneurship, Skill Development, Electronics & Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that India is one of the world’s fastest-growing and most exciting startup ecosystems.

India is one worlds fastest growng n most exciting startup ecosystems

With 100 unicorns a new milestone in #NewIndia journey

and another 1000 unicorns to come …@_DigitalIndia @startupindia https://t.co/PupYOtlQ2G
— Rajeev Chandrasekhar (@Rajeev_GoI) May 2, 2022

On Monday, neo banking fintech portal, Open, raised fresh capital to push up its value to over a billion dollars.

This funding comes just six months after Google, Temasek, Visa, and Japan’s SoftBank invested $100 million in the neobank startup.

The Indian startup ecosystem just hit a century today!
We are super excited to become the th Unicorn from India.

But before that here's the #Unicornsummarizing our journey so far pic.twitter.com/FsfSOpK5Bp
— Open Money (@BankWithOpen) May 2, 2022

According to the survey, India is now ranked number three on the global map of countries with most unicorns behind USA and China.

With a total valuation of $277.77 billion, most Indian startups are in the services sector, contributing over 50% to India’s GDP.

India’s technology industry body NASSCOM also welcomed this announcement that will help in job creation.

Heartiest congratulations to @BankWithOpen on entering the #Unicorn Club. India's #tech #startups are championing India Inc focused on #innovation, tech impact & #job creation. Industry & govt collaboration, digitalization & tech adoption will catapult this growth in the #Techade https://t.co/qyeNnjiyyd
— NASSCOM (@nasscom) May 2, 2022

Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma observed that today India is the land of opportunities.

I still remember when idea of 100s of unicorns in India was pitched, how it looked like over ambitious.

Today, India is land opportunities and a vibrant ecosystem supporting startups to grab them!
Proud of this special century
https://t.co/ybvnlyLs30
— Vijay Shekhar Sharma (@vijayshekhar) May 2, 2022

Founded in 2017 by Anish Achuthan, Ajeesh Achuthan, Mabel Chacko, and Deena Jacob, Open offers business banking, payments and expense management services to SMBs across the country.

The neobank platform is being used by more than 20 lakh businesses and it processes over $30 billion worth of transactions every year in India.

Startups that entered the Indian unicorn club in 2021 were Flipkart Moglix, BharatPe, CoinDCX, UpGrad, Groww, BlackBuck, Droom, OfBusiness, Meesho, Chargebee, CRED, Digit, Gupshup, Infra.Market, MindTickle, Five Star Business Finance, Innovaccer, Pharmeasy, Sharechat, Urban Company, Zeta, Eruditus, Zetwerk and BrowserStack, Apna, Vedantu, Licious, CoinSwitch Kuber, Rebel Foods, CarDekho, MobiKwik, Acko, The Good Glamm Group, Cure.Fit, Mensa, NoBroker, Spinny, Upstox, Slice, Pristyn Care, GlobalBees, Mamaearth and many more.

Hindu and Sikh communities get more than 2 million dollar funding boost by Ministers Alan Tudge, Michael Sukkar and Jason Wood

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4 May 2022 1:07 PM

Funding for Basin Ganesha Temple; Image Source: The Australia Today

Hindu Sri Vakrathunda Vinayagar Temple in The Basin suburb of Melbourne will get its own HINDU COMMUNITY HUB thanks to a $1.5 million funding promise by Ministers Alan Tudge and Jason Wood.

For years Basin Ganesha Temple is a focal point for Hindus across Victoria with more than 75,000 devotees attending it annually. Hindu community leaders have been trying to get a centre built nearby where they can gather, socialise and share their culture.

Federal Member for Aston Alan Tudge has announced that a re-elected Morrison government will help make this a reality. The Hindu Community Hub will be a place of learning, friendship and support for Hindus in Victoria and a great asset to the local community.

“The Basin Temple is a wonderful part of the local community. It is the largest granite temple in the southern hemisphere and the oldest traditional Hindu Temple in Victoria,” Mr Tudge said.

“The Hindu community in Australia has grown significantly over the last thirty years becoming two per cent of the total population of Australia. In Victoria, Hinduism is the fastest growing religion with approximately 134,000 Hindus living in the state,”
said Mr Tudge

“Some of the temple’s key festivals attract over 1,000 devotees at any one time and on some important days over 3,000 devotees will visit the temple,” he added.

Federal Member for Deakin and Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar said, “The funding will allow for the Hindu community to thrive and strengthen its presence in the local area.”

“We are very pleased to be able to provide $1.5 million for the creation of a Hindu Community Hub here in Melbourne. This Hub will meet the cultural and social needs of the Hindu community and I look forward to seeing the community continue to flourish.”
Minister Sukkar said.

Assistant Minister Jason Wood told The Australia Today, “Hindu Community members work hard and support the growth of Australia. Their social and cultural needs are unique and re-elected Morrison government will provide the Hub they need desperately.”

“I am sure it will serve our Victorian community well in the years to come.”
added Minister Wood.

Shan Pillai President of Basin Ganesha Temple management committee told The Australia Today, “We have been in existence for 30 years serving the community but it’s the first time any government has made a funding commitment to our temple.”

Shan Pillai, President Basin Ganesha Temple with Minister Alan Tudge; Image Source: The Australia Today

“It’s really something for us, from bottom of my heart all I can say is big thank you as the Hindu Hub is a big need for us.”
explained Mr Pillai.

The proposed Hub will serve Melbourne Hindu communities from countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Nepal, Bhutan, Mauritius, Bangladesh, Fiji, Brunei, South Africa and Kenya.

$700,00 for a new kitchen facility for a new home for Sikh Volunteers Australia

The new Sikh Volunteers Australia’s (SVA) Kitchen and Community Centre Project in Langwarrin was short of $700,000 despite the generosity of the community of Melbourne.

However the Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs Jason Wood announced the good news that re-elected Liberal Morrison Government will provide $700,000 in funding to help build a new kitchen facility at their new home at Langwarrin.

Minister Jason Wood said, “The selflessness of our multicultural community is inspiring. Sikh Volunteers Australia are our champions who have been the first to help those in need. Their service needs recognition, and this funding is just one way to show our support at a Federal level for their tireless work.”

“SVA’s new home will not only serve as a place for the free food services but will also serve as a centre to support family violence victims, vulnerable youth and other volunteer organisation’s from the South-East of Melbourne”.
added Mr Wood.

Sikh Volunteers Australia (SVA) is a not-for-profit volunteer organisation that has been at the forefront of serving the community, particularly during the awful bushfires and pandemic. SVA’s dedicated team of volunteers aim to reduce distress in the community by providing daily free hot meals to the disadvantaged.

Liberal Candidate for Holt Ranj Perera is a staunch supporter of Sikh Volunteers Australia.

Mr Perera told The Australia Today, “I’m proud to be associated with Sikh volunteers given how much they have done for the wider Australian community in times of need.”

May be an image of 5 people, people sitting, people standing, turban and indoor — **Liberal Candidate for Holt** **Ranj Perera** at **Gurudwara Nanaksar Melbourne**

“I look forward to working with them on future projects which will benefit the South-East of Melbourne, particularly in the Holt electorate,”
said Mr Perera.

SVA’s new Kitchen and Community Centre Project will also be a place for their ongoing community services, volunteers’ activities, events, and celebrations.

The Liberal Morrison Government always backs community organisations that are our champions in time of need. SVA is at the heart of serving those in need across Victoria.

Liberal Candidate for Dunkley Sharn Coombes who was also present at the announcement said, “I have advocated strongly for a new kitchen facility for the Sikh Volunteers in Langwarrin. This is understandably a priority project of mine locally.”

May be an image of 2 people, people standing and outdoors — **Liberal Candidate for Dunkley** **Sharn Coombes** with Sikh Volunteers Australia

Every Victorian should be proud of the support the Sikh’s have provided our community. This kitchen facility will be a great asset for the entire Victorian community but particularly for the people of Dunkley.”

This interactive map of Indian Ocean Region is unbelievable, find out why?

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4 May 2022 10:17 AM

carnegie indian ocean initiative interactive map

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace under its Indian Ocean Initiative has released a new interactive map to help better visualise and understand this region, its key players, major facts and dynamics at play.

As per this initiative, the Indian Ocean has played an important role and has been an essential commerce route for hundreds of years.

“The ocean is critical to the geopolitical and economic fortunes of both its littoral states and outside powers. As they have for centuries, ships squeeze through its narrow straits and sail into its deep waters, plying busy trade routes that span the globe from Africa to the Middle East, Asia, and Australia.”

The interactive map was released by Darshana M. Baruah who is a fellow with the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Darshana leads the Indian Ocean Initiative and her research focuses on maritime security in Asia.

Delighted to release the interactive map of the Indian Ocean Region- a key initiative of @CarnegieEndow #IndianOceanInitiative to help better visualize & understand the region, its players, dynamics and key facts. https://t.co/RW5JU4Ty2P
— Darshana M. Baruah (@darshanabaruah) May 2, 2022

The Indian Ocean is usually divided among the many South Asian, African, and Center Japan areas.

It is residence to three major chokepoints that help in transport activity: the Strait of Malacca, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb.

The interactive map, presenting the maritime boundaries, is designed to present the strategic importance of the Indian Ocean in modern times.

To address these artificial divisions and help stakeholders visualize key data points across the Indian Ocean's full geographic expanse, we are thrilled to release this interactive tool highlighting the many dimensions, spheres, themes, and players in the Indian Ocean. pic.twitter.com/0fxXvNvlWu
— Darshana M. Baruah (@darshanabaruah) May 2, 2022

Presently, there are fifteen ongoing territorial disputes that point to the Indian Ocean’s colonial legacy.

The map presents the Indian Ocean as one “geostrategic space” rather than subregions of continents.

“This map is meant to fill a gap by revitalizing awareness of this region’s importance as a whole.”

The map includes geographic, diplomatic and economic data from various nations that are situated along the Indian Ocean.

We have also identified the key chokepoints in the region, some known to be the most strategically important routes for energy shipping.

These chokepoints, along with the density layer, places the geographic importance of the region into better perspective pic.twitter.com/cdzAcHkXtb
— Darshana M. Baruah (@darshanabaruah) May 2, 2022

According to Carnegie, the next phase of mapping will include military, strategic, economic and environmental challenges in this region.

India and Australia rely heavily on Indian Ocean shipping lanes to receive seafood, major commodities and critical energy resources.

The two countries also have territories within the Indian Ocean which makes them natural partners in all collaborative initiatives: trade, maritime security and sustainable futures.

Reserve Bank raises interest rate 25 basis points, here’s what it means for your mortgage

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3 May 2022 4:29 PM

Interest Rate Hike: Image Source: @CANVA

The Reserve Bank of Australia has raised the cash rate by 0.25 percentage points to 0.35 per cent following Tuesday’s monthly board meeting, coming after last week’s strong inflation figures.

It is the RBA’s first rate increase since November 2010, having held the rate at a record low of 0.1 per cent since November 2020.

RBA governor Philip Lowe warned more interest rates are to come to ensure inflation returns to its two to three per cent target.

Economists had expected a more modest 0.15 per cent increase at this meeting, particularly coming in the middle of a federal election campaign.

Dr Lowe said the board judged that now is the right time to begin withdrawing some of the extraordinary monetary support that was put in place to help the Australian economy during the pandemic.

Reserve Bank Of Australia; Picture Source: @CANVA

“The economy has proven to be resilient and inflation has picked up more quickly, and to a higher level, than was expected,”
Dr Lowe said in his post-meeting statement.

“There is also evidence that wage growth is picking up. Given this, and the very low level of interest rates, it is appropriate to start the process of normalising monetary conditions.”

Figures released last week showed annual inflation rising 5.1 per cent and underlying inflation increasing to 3.7 per cent – well above the RBA’s two to three per cent target.

“This rise in inflation largely reflects global factors,” Dr Lowe said.

“But domestic capacity constraints are increasingly playing a role and inflation pressures have broadened, with firms more prepared to pass through cost increases to consumer prices.”

A further rise in inflation is expected in the near term.

Image source: Big Four OZ banks - Wikipedia. — Image source: Big Four OZ banks – Wikipedia.

“A move of 40 basis points in June to take the cash rate target to 0.75 per cent seems a distinct possibility,” ANZ head of Australian economic David Plank said following the surprising increase in May.

The RBA’s central forecast for 2022 is for headline inflation of around six per cent and underlying inflation of around 4.75 per cent.

By mid-2024, headline and underlying inflation are forecast to have moderated to around three per cent.

“These forecasts are based on an assumption of further increases in interest rates,” Dr Lowe said.

“The board is committed to doing what is necessary to ensure that inflation in Australia returns to target over time.”

The RBA will release a full set of economic forecasts in its quarterly statement on monetary policy which is due for release on Friday.

The Morrison government put on a brave face to the interest rate rise.

“Most Australians understood it was unlikely interest rates would remain at those emergency levels forever,”
Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar told Sky News.

“It’s time to begin the process of normalising monetary policy.”

But shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers said the country faces three more years of the same fall in real wages, skyrocketing cost of living and pressure on family budgets under this government.

“This election is a contest between a Labor party with a plan for a stronger economy and a better future versus a Liberal party that is promising nothing,” he told reporters in Canberra.

Australia to stop taxing certain offshore income of Indian tech firms under IndAus ECTA

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3 May 2022 1:40 PM

By Jai Patel and Peter Madden

Australia and India signed an Economic Co-operation and Trade Agreement (Agreement) on 2 April 2022, in which Australia has agreed to stop the taxation of offshore income of Indian firms providing technical services to Australia.

This development is significant because Indian information technology service companies have received unfavourable decisions from litigation in Australia regarding the taxation of services provided to Australian clients by their employees based in India.

The Indian companies argued that such services should not be taxable in Australia as those services were not sourced in Australia and were not royalties under the domestic tax law of Australia.

In Satyam Computer Services Limited v Commissioner of Taxation [2018] FCAFC 172 (now Tech Mahindra Limited) the Full Federal Court of Australia held that payments received by an Indian company from its Australian resident clients were deemed to have had an Australian source by application of Article 23 (source) because they were considered royalty in accordance with Article 12(3)(g) (royalty) of the Australia – India Tax Treaty.

The Economic Co-operation and Trade Agreement details

In connection with the signing of this Agreement, the following understanding between the Federal Government and the Government of India was documented by way of a side letter:

The Government of Australia has agreed to amend Australian domestic taxation law to stop the taxation of offshore income of Indian firms providing technical services to Australia; and
Australia will implement the amendments to its domestic taxation legislation in a similar time period as the Agreement.

The proposed amendments will come into effect on the date the Agreement enters into force and shall constitute an integral part of the Agreement.

Observations

The recent decisions of the Australian courts in Satyam and Tech Mahindra have adversely impacted several Indian engineering, software and other Indian companies providing technical services from India to their Australian clients.

The Agreement should provide welcome relief from Australian tax for those Indian companies providing services to Australian clients from India.

The Agreement seems to propose a prospective change in the domestic law of Australia and which would help Indian companies providing services to Australian clients going forward.

There will be no change of the taxation in India for Australian companies providing similar services from Australia to clients in India.

Contributing Authors: Peter Madden, Director, KPMG Australia and Jai Patel, Head of India Business Practice, KPMG Australia

Disclaimer: This article was first published by KPMG Tax Now. 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.

Growing anti-Hindu smears by Greens must be condemned by Liberal and Labor

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3 May 2022 11:16 AM

The Greens targeting Hindu Australians: Image Source: Supplied

Today, Hindus have become the new bashing toy. Across the political spectrum, Indian Australian Hindus face slander with the accusation that they harbour extremist links rooted in dual loyalty.

Anti-Hindu Greens Party supported Projects, who accuses India’s great leader Mahatma Gandhi of everything from incest to ” white supremacy ” to promoting Adolf Hitler , has accused the likes of Hindu Swamsevak Sangh of having links to Indian intelligence, political parties, or extremists.

Green Party’s supporters set up websites smearing Indian Australian politicians, academics, journalists and business leaders. While dirty tricks are not infrequent in politics, what sets these campaigns apart is that Indian ethnicity and Hindu religion rather than political position are the common links.

They do not differentiate, for example, between Jai Bharadwaj, a Journalist and Hindu who worked in mainstream media, and Yadu Singh, a Cardiologist who is the most famous Hindu health practitioner. When the target is a staffer rather than an independent business holder, Greens supported gang sets up petitions demanding their firing. This was the case, for example, with Jai and Yadu Singh

Sydney-based Hindu activist Ravi Shankar Dhankar told The Australia Today that the Greens Senator attempted to downplay her hate against Jews and Hindus.

“Mehreen Faruqi is part of that elaborate Greens plan which attacks Hindus and Jews for resisting their historical persecution,”
he emphasised.

When John F. Kennedy ran for president of the United States of America, many of his competitors sought to challenge him on the merits of his ideas. A few, however, questioned whether a Catholic could ever truly be loyal to America.

Kennedy addressed the matter directly in a 1960 speech: “Are we going to admit to the world that a Jew can be elected mayor of Dublin, a Protestant can be chosen foreign minister of France, a Muslim can serve in the Israeli Parliament — but a Catholic cannot be president of the United States?”

Jews, too, sometimes face charges of dual loyalty. In the run-up to the Iraq War, conspiracies spread that a desire to protect Israel rather than the U.S. motivated Jews in the Bush administration to advocate war against Saddam Hussein’s Iraq.

Even the late Secretary of State Colin Powell often used such tactics to win interagency battles. What Powell did not realise was that long-term erosion in civil society offset any short-term gains his team enjoyed. And such tactics were not entirely homegrown.

More than a decade before widespread awareness of Russian election interference, Saudi-funded consultancies and organisations catalyzed the conspiracy theories as they sought to fan opposition, for their own sectarian reasons, to any policy that might empower Shi’ites.

The charges of fascism and links to extremists are tenuous, based not on substance but instead on multiple degrees of separation and insinuation. Two figures present at a common event where hundreds of others were also present? To anti-Hindu bigots, that demonstrates definitive proof of intricate links and cooperation.

By the same logic, Federal Greens leader Richard Di Natale embraces spousal abuse if a single member of The Greens National Convention beat his wife.

In the heat of a campaign,

“Some local party officials, including those of South Asian backgrounds, turn a blind eye to the slander if it gives their preferred candidate a leg up. This is a mistake and only legitimises bigotry as a political weapon.”

It may also open the door for greater foreign interference. Greens Party supported groups are also seen as a nodal point for growing support for Sikh separatism in India, which appears to have its genesis in Pakistan. These groups including The Humanism Project have no clear and transparent source of income that explains the resources they bring to these campaigns against Indian Australian Hindus.

Despite the demonization with which some Liberal and Labor activists approach the other side, the cores of both parties, and even the most progressive and conservative activists, draw a line at religious bigotry.

Politicians should not throw Hindus under the bus to avoid manufactured controversy. It is time Liberal and Labor jointly condemn the slander.

And they should not be alone. Greeks, Italians, Vietnamese, Catholics and Jews, who have, at times, also experienced cheap bigotry in political discourse, should stand behind them to ensure that the cost of such tactics is felt not by their targets but by their perpetrators.

Author: Curated adaptation by Arvindan Ravi.

Curated from Michael Rubin‘s work titled “Democrats and Republicans must condemn growing anti-Indian smears” published in Washington Examiner. Mr Rubin is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The Australia Today is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information in this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts, or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of The Australia Today and The Australia Today News does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

Indian-Australian community raises $200k for deceased couple’s children

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2 May 2022 11:24 AM

Hams Batoula and Rama Batoula — Image source: Hams (left) and Rama (right) - Nine News.

Adelaide residents and well-known community members Hems and Rama Batoula travelled to India with their two children Bhavagna and Palvith to attend Rama’s father’s funeral who had passed away due to a medical condition.

Hems Batoula was a well-known leader in the Indian community and his wife worked in child protection. She also volunteered on weekends to teach children.

Last week, the couple along with their two children landed in Hyderabad on Tuesday at midnight and hired a taxi to their native village in Andhra. The taxi collided with a wall in the wee hours of Wednesday. The crash killed both the parents and left the two children severely injured who were shifted to a local hospital.

The police told Indian media that their preliminary investigation pointed to the fault of the taxi driver who was sleepy and lost control of the vehicle thus ramming into a retaining wall of a culvert.

Now, Adelaide’s Indian community is working together to bring the two children, aged nine and six, back. As both parents have dreams and aspirations for their children’s future in Australia, the local Indian community has decided to fulfil their dreams by providing a helping hand.

*The car which met road accident at Gunpula in Suryapet dustrict.*

In their condolence message Margaret & Ron Galbraith observe:

“This was our beautiful kind neighbours here in Flagstaff Hill who we will miss every day. Hems often walked up two doors for a chat and even brought us curry to thank my husband for helping his wife in the garden and just any time to share his food. I hope and pray their children will heal in time but it’s a sad loss to them. Our condolences to all the family and the Telugu community. May they Rest In Peace.”

The Indian community and friends of the family in Adelaide believe that the two children are not safe on their own. Batoula’s family friend Neni told Nine News:

“A lot of families over here are ready to do the foster caring for them. No words can really express what the community is feeling right now. Everybody is absolutely distressed.”

The Indian-Australian community has set up a fundraiser for the children via a GoFundMe campaign.

“This fund is raised to support the funeral expenses of the parents, medical expenses of the children and support them financially to get their house back from the mortgage.”

The local Indian community have successfully raised $200,000 to support the two children. The community has even sent one representative to India to help the children.

Western racism towards Indians is filled with jealousy, envy, and even a form of angst

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2 May 2022 10:09 AM

The United States and India recently concluded the fourth annual 2+2 dialogue discussing security and defence issues in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. This comes at the backdrop of the two nations celebrating 75 years of diplomatic relations.

While the relationship between the two states has grown over the past two decades, all is not well with the Indian diaspora in the U.S.

Over the past decade, there has been a populist uprising/backlash to immigration and globalization. One of the largest American communities caught in the crossfire is the Indian American community. It is one of the fastest-growing immigrant communities besides the Latin American community in America and, understandably, is often the whipping boy for anti-immigrant activists.

Recently, Amy Wax, Robert Mundheim Professor of Law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, speaking to Tucker Carlson, referred to Indians as “brown faces” and went on to deride entire minority groups of color and the Global South as feeling anger, envy and shame toward the Western world.

However, her comments and comments by Donald Trump’s chief strategist Steve Bannon that there are too many Asian CEOs in Silicon Valley indicate jealousy, envy, and even a form of angst on their part more so than on the other end. It is demonstrative of the fragility of certain people, their inability to digest the fact that echelons of power are no longer occupied solely by people who look like them.

Moreover, it is unfortunate that bigoted views that were common in the early 1900s remain popular among professors and talk show hosts. While this type of commentary is not new for this particular professor, nor the host of the show, it is certainly interesting to note that their five-minute rant did not get the media attention as it has in the past. This is certainly a larger issue.

Racism toward the Asian community, in particular, the Indian community, has gone under the radar for far too long and has not been as widely discussed as racism toward other communities for several reasons.

First, Indian immigration to America is a relatively new phenomenon. Martin Luther King Jr.’s efforts paved the way for the Immigration Act of 1965, which allowed more people from Asia to migrate to the United States. Second, since a large share of the community is first-generation, they have been hesitant (more so, petrified) to publicly voice their views on the topic since a show such as Carlson’s has a viewership that could be anyone in their new life in America — their landlord, their boss or their coworker. It is difficult to ascertain who puts on a white hood and robe when they are in private and in the company of other like-minded individuals.

Third, Indian kids are taught by their parents to keep their heads down and avoid any protest. It is common in many Asian and Indian households for parents to raise their kids against rebellion and resisting authority. While this has certainly helped them gain the label “model minority,” it has also cost them solidarity with other minorities, their careers, their high school experiences, and affected their overall quality of life in America. Interestingly, all of the above are changing with the next generation and that is contributing to the increase in these prejudiced monologues.

Nevertheless, when second and third-generation immigrants speak out against racist structures in America, not necessarily ones that solely target them, but affect the lives of African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and other Asian Americans, they are, as feared, targeted by people in power such as Wax. Her frustration was around the “brown and Asian faces” speaking out on race in America.

Every time the Black Lives Matter movement brings up police brutality or systemic racism in America, the immediate response from its critiques is a case of whataboutism and deflection — “what about Black on Black crime?” and not reflection — “what is wrong with the system in America?” In Wax and Carlson’s interview, bringing up India’s caste system was another case of deflection and an attempt to silence the community from speaking against racism in the country. Deflection has been the modus operandi for those wanting to avoid the conversation. But can a country and society move forward by avoiding hard conversations? The need of the hour is reflection, not deflection.

Just as if America were to court India as a friend it would have to leave the Kissinger doctrine of the Cold War by the wayside, similarly, if American society is to have social cohesion it might have to drop its appreciation for shows such as Carlson’s.

The arc of justice is slowly moving, With Kamala Harris, Deb Haaland, Katherine Tai and Ketanji Brown Jackson in various halls of power, America is beginning to represent its demographic diversity. As this advances, it is likely to irritate and frustrate many people who aspired to or held the same office the four women and many other people of colour are holding now.

American society needs to nip racial angst in the bud. Only then can, not just the Indian American community, but all other minority groups live in peace.

Author: Akhil Ramesh is a fellow with the Pacific Forum. He has worked with governments, risk consulting firms, and think tanks in the United States and India. Follow him on Twitter: Akhil_oldsoul.

This article was first published as “The ‘jealous minority’ is the latest myth stoking American racism,” in ‘The Hill’. We have republished it with kind permission from the author.

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.

Pawankhind: A gripping epic celebrating unsung heroes of Maharashtra

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1 May 2022 5:19 PM

By Sanjiv Kulkarni

Today is Maharashtra Day! So Jai Maharashtra, Jai Shivaji! A very happy Maharashtra Day wishes to the readers of The Australia Today.

62 years ago Maharashtra state was formed on this day within independent India. I agree with filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnijhotri who in his recent tweet highlighted the contribution of Maharashtra to India. We are able to celebrate the creation of an independent Maharashtra and an independent India because of the sweat and blood of several brave warriors – some known, some unknown. Today, as we celebrate Maharashtra Day, we have to celebrate their contributions and sacrifices.

Today is Maharashtra Day. Maharashtra has given great people like Shivaji, lokamanya Tilak, Savarkar, Ambedkar and many more. It’s a land of great art, literature & culture. It has been a leading state of Nationalists. I hope it keeps showing light to Bharat. #MaharashtraDay
— Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) May 1, 2022

Before I get to the story line, I want to mention 2 points: First, It is Paavankhind, not Pawankhind like it reads and I have heard some pronounce (Pavan is ‘wind’ and Paavan is ‘Holy’). This Godkhind or ‘mountain pass’ or literally a place on the mountains through which Ghodas or horses can pass, became Paavan or ‘holy’ because of this incident. This is near Vishalgad fort in Kolhapur district of Maharashtra. Second, I watched this movie over a month ago when I was in India. However, I wanted to share this video and review on this apt day. When I watched this film in the theatre it was probably in week 4 and running almost a houseful show even the. I heard whistles and applause in the theatre that was truly unbelievable.

For a Maharashtrian, or for anyone who has studied and grown up in Maharashtra, Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is a highly revered name. We have read and heard his stories at school, from our elders and was also part of our childhood games when we would enact those famous warplays! So for us, it is reverential to see any movie of Maharaj on the screen! Shivaji Maharaj was the first, in a Maharashtrian context or even across India, to set a vision of Swaraj, self rule or independence from the Mughals. This dream of Swaraj has stayed alive over the centuries and the subsequent Maratha rulers and eventually the Maharashtrian freedom fighters like Lokamanya Tilak, Swantantra Veer Savarkar. Thanks to this vision, these dreams, we are living in a free world!

But we have one responsibility and that is not to forget the sacrifices of such great leaders, not just the brave Kings but several brave warriors and generals – the unsung heroes who laid down their lives for their King and his vision of Swaraj! This is our #Lestweforget moment.

Pawankhind is about one such famous incident from Maratha history where Chatrapati Shivaji’s life was in danger as he was surrounded by the enemy army of Adil Shah II in the Panhala fort near Kolhapur, Maharashtra.

Several brave warriors laid down their lives to ensure Shivaji Maharaj’s safe exit from this fort. Prime amongst the generals were Baji Prabhu Deshpande, Netaji Palkar, Rayarirao Bandal, and Shiva Kashid.

The movie is gripping throughout although many cinematic liberties have been taken in this retelling. The first half builds up the premise while the second half is action oriented demonstrating the brave escape of Shivaji Maharaj and the sacrifice of all the generals. Nobody from the defending team survives. And they knew this when they made the decision to stay back at the Godkhind as Shivaji Maharaj and a team of 300 soldiers escape to Vishalgad. It is difficult to even imagine the state of mind of these bravehearts.

While the whole film is amazing, I do hope that the makers could have researched and recreated some detailed war tactics used during the fight at the Godkhind. When a handful of soldiers are stopping a massive army, I am sure they would have used several war tactics and strategies that were developed in Maharashtra.

Digpal Lanjekar, the director, is on a mission to bring Shivaji Maharaj’s life stories to celluloid. His first movie was Farzand based on the valour of Kondaji Farzand which helped recapture this same Panhala Fort. Then came Faatehshikast which shows the capture of Lal Mahal in Pune. And now Pawankhind. His next venture is titled Sher Shivraj which will be releasing soon. Kudos to Digpal on this mission! We are keen to see many more stories of such unsung heroes!

आपला 'शेर शिवराज' सिनेमा झाला सेंसॉर संमत…
सहकुटुंब सहपरिवार पाहूया #शेरशिवराज २२ एप्रिलपासून चित्रपटगृहांत!https://t.co/cFWQ7zANmE #3DaysToGo #SherShivraj22April #DigpalLanjekar #NittinKeni @pradyotpp @Anil60073212 @C_Mandlekar pic.twitter.com/WZtPJHMeRw
— Digpal Lanjekar (@DigpalOfficial) April 19, 2022

Tanaji Malsure is another such great general who laid down his life for the King, and his story was made into a movie two years ago by Ajay Devgn. I sincerely hope all the movies from Digpal also get a wider outreach especially amongst Indians living abroad. His team of actors mostly reprise their roles from the previous movies. Chinmay Mandlekar as Shivaji Maharaj; Mrinal Kulkarni as Jijamata, mother of Shivaji Maharaj; Ankit Mohan, Mrunmayee Deshpande and Sameer Dharmadhikari don various roles in these movies. All the actors, most well-known names from the Marathi film and TV industry, have done a brilliant job in their respective roles. I would particularly call out three actors:

Chinmay Mandlekar – Brilliant portrayal of Shivaji Maharaj. He is very charismatic and I am singling his performance for another reason though. His two movies released weeks apart. Pawankhind came first and The Kashmir Files came next. In the first movie, Pawankhind, you feel like giving your life for him as he instils a passion in you. However, in second film you feel like taking his life as he instils so hatred in you. This is definitely cunted as an accomplishment in an actor.
Ankit Mohan – Great portrayal of the valiant general, Shrimant Rayajirao Bandal. Ankit has a superb personality with well built physique that helps him carry such valiant performances very well. He seems made for such roles considering his past performances: Shivaji series where he has played the lead role of Kondaji Farzand and outside the series where he has played the mighty Ashwathama in the newer Mahabharat series on Star Plus.
Ajay Purkar – Powerful portrayal of the legendary Baji Prabhu. His personality just suits the brave warrior. You can see some raw moments, but it is consumed by his larger than life persona on screen in the second half. I particularly loved the tense scene where is a lone man standing at the Godkhind and the invading army feels they can vanquish him easil and he just rep[onds: “Chal…” When I was watching this in the cinema hall, the entire theatre erupted in laughter.

सगळ्यांचंच म्हणणं आवर्जून पाहावा असा #शेरशिवराज #InCinemasNow #BookNow https://t.co/1ZnEHoXIfm #DigpalLanjekar #NittinKeni @pradyotpp @Anil60073212 @C_Mandlekar pic.twitter.com/sqQVvmZast
— Digpal Lanjekar (@DigpalOfficial) April 23, 2022

I would highly recommend to all of you to must watch this film with family. It is not just an educating film but also highly motivational. In my humble opinion, very few films are able to achieve this combination: excel in storytelling and provide a wholesome cinematic experience.

The film was shot in 28 days with 250 cast and crew on location in Malhargad and makers have released it as a tribute to the film editor, late Pramod Kahar who passed away during COVID-19’s second wave in India, just after completing this film. His words from an interview will always ring in my head: “Ka thamblat, Maharajancha Naav ghya, Chala evda kaam sampvuya!” (Why did you stop, think about the King, lets finish just this one task!)

WATCH VIDEO: Pawankhind dedicated to our valiant heroes who gave their lives in the pursuit of Swaraj!!

Contributing Author: Sanjiv Kulkarni is an ardent Indian cinema buff with an interest in the art of movie-making. He shares his take on movies and some rarer movies too. He lives in Melbourne and works as an IT Sales leader.

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.

Tough anti-trolling laws on card to protect children and women from cyber bullies: PM Morrison

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1 May 2022 2:58 PM

PM Scott Morrison promises storng anti-trolling laws: Image Source: Supplied

To protect children, women and families online a re-elected Morrison Government will bring in groundbreaking legislation.

Cyber security experts belive it will significantly enhance eSafety capability in schools, ensuring strong parental controls are available on devices and legislating tough anti-trolling laws.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Coalition had stood up to big tech and social media giants to make Australia a world-leader in online safety, but there was much more to be done.

“Our kids should be able to learn, be entertained, or connect with their friends and family without facing abuse, humiliation or online predators,”
the Prime Minister said.

“The online world cannot be a cowards’ cavern where the rules of the real world do not exist.

“Big tech and social media giants must be held to account. Our plan will force them to do more – they cannot create it, and wash their hands of all consequences of it.

“Our plan will also ensure parents can protect their kids online with strong parental controls, help to prevent harm by raising awareness in every school, and improve our support for those harmed online.

“We have achieved so much in the online world, but there is much more to be done, and only a Coalition Government will stand up to big tech and social media giants.”

The Coalition’s policy includes:

A $23 million eSafety Schools package to raise awareness of the eSafety Commissioner’s support across every school in Australia, provide training programs for teachers, new and improved online safety resources for schools and enhance the Trusted eSafety Provider Program that connects schools with external online safety providers that meet high standards.
Ensuring smartphones and tablet devices have strong parental controls installed that are easier to find and activate (particularly when first setting up a device) and harder for kids to bypass, through a binding industry code under the Online Safety Act. If industry doesn’t act within 12 months, we will regulate to force them.
$10 million for the eSafety Commissioner to further expand coordination with other regulatory and law enforcement agencies, ensuring victims ‘tell-us-once’ and are supported into the right service, so they spend more time recovering and less time in bureaucracy.
Legislating the Social Media (Anti-Trolling) laws to ensure social media companies are held accountable as publishers and Australians are given more power to deal with harmful defamatory comments from anonymous trolls.
Supporting online safety in multicultural Australia by earmarking $2 million under the Online Safety Grants for projects that support women and girls in CALD communities.

Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts Paul Fletcher said the Government’s principle is that the same rules and laws that apply in the real world should also apply in the digital world.

“The online world should not be an ungoverned space,”
Minister Fletcher said.

“The internet has brought incredible benefits for us all, but we will continue to remain vigilant to protect our children from some of the toxic harms they can confront when online.”

These announcements build on the Coalition’s strong track-record in online safety. In 2015 we established the world’s first eSafety Commissioner to protect children from bullying and harmful content. We have significantly expanded eSafety’s powers through the Online Safety Act, including introducing the world’s first scheme to remove harmful cyber-abuse of adults.

Other recent initiatives include:

The announcement of new laws combatting harmful misinformation;
Drafting of new laws to improve online privacy and ensure social media companies give primary consideration to the best interest of the child when handling their personal information;
Establishment of a House Select Committee inquiry into social media and online safety, with its recommendations now before the Government;
$16.6m towards Women’s Safety Online to establish a new telephone service to provide support for women and children experiencing technology-facilitated abuse;
$10m towards boosting support for online safety NGOs, with organisations such as the Daniel Morcombe Foundation and Alannah and Madeline Foundation already supported under the program;
$5m for eSafety to expand its national awareness campaign, bringing total funding for the current campaign to $10 million;
A new Online Safety Youth Advisory Council; and
Updates to Australia’s Classification System to protect children against content such as loot boxes in video games and to address content that sexualises children or depicts suicide and violence against women and children.

To find further resources and tools on online safety and support for removing online bullying, abuse or harassment, visit: www.esafety.gov.au.

Albanese promises small deposits, a smaller mortgage and smaller mortgage repayments through ‘Help to Buy’ program

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1 May 2022 1:28 PM

Anthony Albanese promises Home buying help; Image source: The Australia Today

However, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has accused Mr Albanese of trying to “take a cut” from potential homebuyers under the ‘Help to Buy’ scheme.

He claims that the plan would allow the government to purchase a slice of people’s property.

PM has suggested it was a money-making exercise.

“Our plan is for Australians to own their own home, not for the government and Anthony Albanese to own your home,”
Mr Morrison told reporters on Sunday.

The Prime Minister added Labor was “looking to make money” out of the proposed scheme.

“They will have equity in your home … I don’t have a plan to make money off of people buying their own home,” he said.

“Quite the opposite – I want them to own their own home.”

Morrison promises cheaper medicines as cost-of-living pressure grows

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30 April 2022 10:58 AM

Prime Minister Scott Morrison; Image Source: Supplied

Millions of Australians taking common medications for blood pressure, high cholesterol, pain relief, depression, diabetes and more will be able to save $10 on scripts with an Australian first reduction in the price of Government subsidised medications.

Morrison Government has announced that if re-elected they will cut the price of medications listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

This cut will happen from 1 January 2023 as part of an annual $150 million hip-pocket saving for Australians.

PM Scott Morrison; Picture Source: PMOffice

The Prime Minister said this was the first time the PBS General Co-payment had been reduced by any Government.

“Our economic plan is delivering cost of living relief to millions of Australians who will save hundreds of dollars every year on the cost of essential and life saving medications.”

The Prime Minister added:

“Because of our strong economic management, the Coalition is winding the clock back on the cost of medications, reducing the cost per script to 2008 prices. This will put more than $150 million back into the pockets of Australians every year.”

Image source: Minister for Health and Aged Care Greg Hunt.

Minister for Health and Aged Care Greg Hunt said only the Coalition had a strong record of delivering affordable, life saving medications for all Australians.

“Since 2013, the Coalition Government has approved more than 2,900 new or amended listings on the PBS at an overall investment of around $16.5 billion. By listing these medications on the PBS we are ensuring Australians can have access to affordable, life saving medications that would otherwise cost thousands, or hundreds of thousands of dollars, without subsidy.“

Minister Hunt added that in contrast, Labor stopped listing medicines on the PBS in 2011.

In the 2022-23 Budget, the Coalition invested a further $2.4 billion for new and amended PBS listings including treatments for breast cancer, cystic fibrosis, severe eczema, asthma, spinal muscular atrophy, HIV infection and heart failure.

Recent medicines funded through the PBS:

From 1 May 2022, Zolgensma® for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy. This would cost patients over $2.5 million per treatment without subsidy by the Government.
From 1 May 2022, Trodelvy® for the treatment of triple negative breast cancer. This would cost patients over $80,000 per course without subsidy by the Government.
From 1 April 2022, Trikafta® for cystic fibrosis. This would cost patients over $250,000 per year without subsidy by the Government.

In the recent budget the Coalition invested over $525 million to make medicines more affordable for 2.4 million Australians by lowering the PBS Safety Net threshold from 1 July 2022, benefiting concession card holders and general patients.

Under the changes, concessional patients will reach the PBS Safety Net with 12 fewer filled scripts. For general patients, it’s two fewer scripts – saving over $80 a year before they are eligible to receive free or further subsidised PBS medicines.

Based on fully subsidised prescription volumes in 2021-22, patients across Australia are set to save approximately $150 million per year going forward.

The Prime Minister added:

“Millions of Australians will soon save $10 per script for common medications, which means those taking one medication a month could save $120 a year, or those taking two medications a month could save $240 a year.”

This is the single most significant change to the cost of and access to medications since the PBS was introduced more than 70 years ago and could benefit more than 19 million Australians each year who are without a concession card.

Sharmaji Namkeen: A sweet and memorable dish served with a twist

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29 April 2022 5:25 PM

Image source: Sharmaji Namkeen - Poster.

By Sanjiv Kulkarni

What does a man do in PRS? That’s a term I just coined. Post Retirement Stage.

This is the crux of Sharmaji Namkeen (2022), a movie that offers crisp storytelling along with a peek into the life of a middle-class family in today’s Delhi. There are so many men like Brij Gopal Sharma (played by Rishi Kapoor and Paresh Rawal) who struggle to keep themselves occupied after retirement.

The movie mixes PRS with Delhi Kitty parties, builders swindling young first home buyers, dirty politics, and some budding senior citizen romance as tadka for a wonderfully created dish.

Image source: Still from Sharmaji Namkeen.

This movie will go down in history for a few reasons. First, it is an awesome tribute to the Late Rishi Kapoor or Chintu Ji as his fans called the late actor. He will forever be remembered for his amazing spontaneity and jovial persona which is on full display in this movie! You will find many moments, mine were his “Baby Doll” dance and his first cooking job entry. Priceless! Secondly, for the unique experiment and/or experience of having the same role performed by two veteran actors – Rishi Kapoor and Paresh Rawal. Two different schools of actors come together to add flavor to the same role/dish. Kudos to Paresh Rawal for taking this up. His style is different and he could have independently done this movie too. However, trying to mimic Rishi Kapoor’s style is a tough act and one can see gaps there. In fact, this transition is the highlight of the movie and the audience looks forward to it.

According to me, it is immaterial beyond a point as this is an ode to the inimitable Chintu Ji! Personally, I also learned two things. First, the way to a woman’s heart is also through her stomach. – so it is not just the men! Secondly, movie making is not a sequential/serial process. While it appears very simple on-screen, you are cooking in the kitchen and then you step out to the balcony. From a film-making process, these are two different shooting schedules: one indoor (can be on film sets) and the second is outdoor (actual location). These are planned and executed differently. And this is quite evident when you see Rishi Kapoor in indoor scenes and Paresh Rawal in outdoor scenes. I am glad they chose to execute it with both actors, instead of redoing the entire movie.

Image source: Late Rishi Kapoor’s last film project was Juhi Chawla-starrer Sharmaji Namkeen, directed by debutante Hitesh Bhatia – PR Handout.

Kudos to all the actors and writers for a wonderful performance. Supporting artists and actors have wonderful roles these days and each has packed in a solid performance.

While Rishi Kapoor and Paresh Rawal are truly namkeen in this film, Juhi Chawla brings in the charming sweetness in her role. The two sons played by Suhail Nayyar and Taaruk Raina make you feel at home (if you have grown-up kids). Gufi Paintal and Satish Kaushik are seen on screen after a long time.

The writers Supratik Sen and Hitesh Bhatia have done a very good job. They have highlighted the common man and their problems, which is the real hero. Hitesh Bhatia is also the director of the movie.

Sharmaji Namkeen definitely gives both the audience and filmmakers food for thought. More power to such writers and directors to create such nutritious and essential dishes with the right garnishing (storytelling) to create such zesty food that suites the palette of the common man or woman!

WATCH VIDEO REVIEW:

Contributing Author: Sanjiv Kulkarni is an ardent Indian cinema buff with an interest in the art of movie-making. He shares his take on movies and some rarer movies too. He lives in Melbourne and works as an IT Sales leader.

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.

Former Australian PM Tony Abbott praises India’s manufacturing base

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29 April 2022 4:07 PM

Image source: Mr Tony Abbott addressing the delegates - Facebook.

Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbot is in Delhi to celebrate the recently signed India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA).

Addressing the delegates at a special dinner organised by the India-Australia Strategic Alliance and Indian Business Consortium, the former PM praised India for its manufacturing capabilities.

“India has a very sophisticated manufacturing base.”

More than 150 top Indian and Australian entrepreneurs and business leaders joined this evening. Special guests at this function included Mr. Naveen Jindal (Chairman of Jindal Group) and Mr. Manoj Tiwari (Member of Parliament).

Image source: Dharmendrakumar Patel, founder of Aussizz Group – Facebook.

Mr. Dharmendrakumar Patel, founder of Aussizz Group, who is part of the Australian delegation observed:

“Hon Tony Abbott raised very important points related to India’s relationship with Australia, especially the importance of Indian Diaspora in Australia which is playing an important role.”

During the dinner, Abbott praised the joint efforts by the countries’ leaders; especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart, Prime Minister Scott Morrison, in strengthening diplomatic and strategic relations. He also made a special mention of commerce minister Piyush Goyal and Dan Tehan, the trade and tourism minister of Australia.

Image source: Mr Tony Abbott, Ms Meenakshi Lekhi and Dr Jagvinder Singh Virk with other delegates – Facebook.

This event comes as India and Australia are working to develop strong partnerships on all fronts, especially on trade. Australia is the 17th largest trading partner of India and India is Australia’s ninth-largest trading partner.

Abbott is considered one of the key architects of the newly signed comprehensive interim free-trade agreement that permits zero-duty trade on several items. Further, the ECTA is expected to double the bilateral trade from USD 27.5 bn (2021) to about USD 45 to USD 50 Billion in the next five years.

The trade agreement also unlocks huge opportunities for exports of automobiles, textiles, footwear and leather products, gems and jewelry, toys, and plastic products in India.

This event was facilitated by Dr Jagvinder Singh Virk, Chairman of the India-Australia Strategic Alliance and organised by members of the Indian Business Consortium – Pramod Sharma (Trustee Director – Laxmi Narain Foundation, Founder Promoter -UV Group (UVARC and UV Special Situation Fund), Dr. Shanemeet Singh Sidhu (Economic Adviser, Founder: Brain Tree IAS), Ramesh Chandra Agarwal (Managing Director – Mohani Tea), CA Rajesh Sharma (Former ICAIICSI Central Council Member, Former BHEL Director), CA Ishant Juneja (Founder of Rrayze Business Solutions).

India Australia Strategic Alliance and Indian Business Consortium support India Australia business ventures especially entrepreneurs interested in exploring synergies across multiple countries across industries and sectors.

Some Indian international students are waiting for their visas after almost two years of admission

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29 April 2022 2:05 PM

Stressed International Student; Image Source: @CANVA

Australia may have reopened its borders to international students back in December, but delays in student visa applications remain a problem for some who are still waiting to return to the country.

Twitter users, including those from India and Iran, have alleged that visa applications are taking months or years. Some are airing their grievances using the #still_waiting_for_visa hashtag.

It's been 2months since i applied for my australian student visa, still no update for me too
— Syed Ibrahim Asad (@s_i_asad) April 15, 2022

One Twitter user from India said Indian students have received PhD scholarships from Australian universities and risk losing their offers if they do not return soon. She added that their start date is close, but many are still waiting for their visa after nearly two years.

In a separate tweet, she claimed that she has been waiting for her student visa for 15 months, adding that if she cannot enrol by May 30, 2022, she would lose her scholarship and place in the university.

According to Pourazad, the University of Newcastle has been very supportive during his visa application process, adding that the university has deferred his scholarship “multiple times”. Source: Hamed Pourazad

Another student, Hamed Pourazad told Study International that he applied for his visa application before COVID-19 hit Australian borders.

“I applied in January 2020, and it was a good month or two before they closed the borders. The application was not difficult at the time, and I was hoping that I could get my visa and go to Australia before the borders were closed,” said the 34-year-old, who received a scholarship to pursue his PhD at the University of Newcastle.

When Australia’s borders closed in March 2020, the Iranian thought he would get his visa and “commence my studies online, as it was a common practice back in the day”.

That day never came.

You are not alone in this. Many #iranian_students are also waiting for their visas for so long. I have been waiting for more than 2 years myself. https://t.co/JbCoZ7MBMw
— Hamed Pourazad (@hpazad) April 21, 2022

“Even though Australian borders have been open for some time now, I am still waiting for my visa,” he said, adding that he has more than 20 friends in Iran who are facing extremely long visa assessment times.

“Some are waiting for more than two years, some have lost their scholarships, and some are about to lose their scholarships. What is bad here is that none of us can know for sure when our visas will be granted, and there is no way to ensure that our scholarships will still be valid by the time we have our visas.”

Deepak Chahal, an Indian PhD student at Macquarie University, told Study International: “I have applied for the student subclass 500 visa on Jan. 14, 2021. And I have been waiting for my visa for 15 months. I haven’t received any updates on my visa for the last 13 months.”

After contacting the DHA, the 27-year-old claimed that he, along with several other PhD students, received a “generic” reply which included that their application is going through mandatory checks that take up time.

A PhD is a career defining degree in a researcher's career. But we #Indian_students are #still_waiting_for_the_visa for more than 1.5 years. Our hopes are shattering, our career is in jeopardy. Please help us. https://t.co/ANcot0pWu7
— deepak chahal (@deepakchahal294) April 22, 2022

Australian student visa applications ‘may take longer to finalise

The DHA has been contacted for comments.

Its website notes, “Due to COVID-19, some visa processing times have been affected. Applications may take longer to finalise.

“A complete application will enable quicker processing. We encourage students to provide the Department of Home Affairs with complete Student visa applications.”

Since 21 February, Australia has been welcoming all fully vaccinated international arrivals without requiring a travel exemption or a booster/third dose. From 18 April, following important changes will come in force pic.twitter.com/xW1UhS06g7
— Barry O’Farrell AO (@AusHCIndia) April 15, 2022

Taxpayers warned of a new scam involving fake ATO websites

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29 April 2022 12:43 PM

Image source: Scam alert - ATO - Twitter.

The Australian Tax Office (ATO) has issued an urgent scam warning after it found an increase in reports of fake ATO websites.

These websites impersonating as ATO are stealing “both money and personal information”.

These fake websites offer individuals tax file numbers and Australian business numbers for a fee. However, after registering they do not provide any such service.

“The advertisements offer to obtain a TFN or ABN for a fee. Instead of delivering this service, the scammer uses these fraudulent websites to steal both money and personal information.”

SCAM ALERT Beware of tax file number (TFN) application scams that steal your money & personal info. Applying for a TFN is free! Learn more @ https://t.co/zkeuJjuZFy pic.twitter.com/07Nra8vjCw
— ato.gov.au (@ato_gov_au) April 21, 2022

ATO is concerned about this recent increase in the number of victims reporting scams around TFN and ABN applications.

Image source: Assistant Commissioner Tim Loh – ATO.

Assistant Commissioner Tim Loh told media that he is concerned about the recent increase in the number of victims reporting TFN and ABN scams.

“Scammers are constantly developing new ways to target the community, and we expect to see more of these malicious attempts to steal identity details in the lead up to tax time. … We are also still seeing scammers impersonating the ATO, making threats, demanding the payment of fake tax debts, or claiming a TFN has been suspended due to fraud.”

In 2021, more than 50,000 people reported ATO impersonation scams with victims losing a total of more than $800,000.

Mr Loh adds:

“We are encouraging everyone to be on alert and take the time to remind family and friends to be on the lookout and stay safe online, so you don’t fall victim to a scam this tax time.”

ATO has alerted social media users who are also being targeted by this scam that is being widely advertised on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Australian residents should know that Tax File Numbers are free and available directly through the ATO, while local businesses must apply for an ABN directly through the Australian Business Register.

If you think a phone call, SMS, voicemail or email claiming to be from ATO is not genuine, do not reply to it. Instead, you should either: phone us on 1800 008 540 or go to Verify or report a scam – to see how to spot and report a scam.

Can your mobile phone get a virus? Yes – and you’ll have to look carefully to see the signs

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28 April 2022 12:10 PM

Apple devices are generally considered more secure against malware than Android devices, but they’re still at risk. Pixabay/Pexels.com (edited), CC BY

Ritesh Chugh, CQUniversity Australia

With nearly 84% of the world’s population now owning a smartphone, and our dependence on them growing all the time, these devices have become an attractive avenue for scammers.

Last year, cyber security company Kaspersky detected nearly 3.5 million malicious attacks on mobile phone users. The spam messages we get on our phones via text message or email will often contain links to viruses, which are a type of malicious software (malware).

There’s a decent chance that at some point you’ve installed malware that infected your phone and worked (without you noticing) in the background. According to a global report commissioned by private company Zimperium, more than one-fifth of mobile devices have encountered malware. And four in ten mobiles worldwide are vulnerable to cyber-attacks.

But how do you know if your phone has been targeted? And what can you do?

How does a phone get infected?

Like personal computers, phones can be compromised by malware.

For example, the Hummingbad virus-infected ten million Android devices within a few months of its creation in 2016, and put as many as 85 million devices at risk.

Typically, a phone virus works the same way as a computer virus: a malicious code infects your device, replicates itself, and spreads to other devices by auto-messaging others in your contact list or auto-forwarding itself as an email.

A virus can limit your phone’s functionality, send your personal information to hackers, send your contacts spam messages linking to malware, and even allow the virus’s operator to “spy” on you by capturing your screen and keyboard inputs and tracking your geographical location.

In Australia, Scamwatch received 16,000 reports of the Flubot virus over just eight weeks in 2021. This virus sends text messages to Android and iPhone users with links to malware. Clicking on the links can lead to a malicious app being downloaded on your phone, giving scammers access to your personal information.

Flubot scammers regularly change their target countries. According to cyber security firm Bitdefender, FluBot operators targeted Australia, Germany, Poland, Spain, Austria, and other European countries between December 1 2021, and January 2 of this year.

Is either Apple or Android more secure?

While Apple devices are generally considered more secure than Android, and less prone to virus attacks, iPhone users who “jailbreak” or modify their phone open themselves up to security vulnerabilities.

Similarly, Android users who install apps from outside the Google Play store increase their risk of installing malware. It’s recommended all phone users stay on guard, as both Apple and Android are vulnerable to security risks.

That said, phones are generally better protected against viruses than personal computers. This is because software is usually installed through authorised app stores that vet each app (although some malicious apps can occasionally slip through the cracks).

Also, in comparison to computers, phones are more secure as the apps are usually “sandboxed” in their own isolated environment – unable to access or interfere with other apps. This reduces the risk of infection or cross-contamination from malware. However, no device is entirely immune.

Watch out for the signs

While it’s not always easy to tell whether your phone is infected, it will exhibit some abnormal behaviours if it is. Some signs to watch out for include:

poor performance, such as apps taking longer than usual to open, or crashing randomly
excessive battery drain (due to the malware constantly working in the background)
increased mobile data consumption
unexplained billing charges (which may include increased data usage charges as a result of the malware chewing up your data)
unusual pop-ups, and
the device overheating unexpectedly.

If you do suspect a virus has infected your device, there are some steps you can take. First, to prevent further damage you’ll need to remove the malware. Here are some simple troubleshooting steps:

Use a reliable antivirus app to scan your phone for infections. Some reputable vendors offering paid and free protection services include Avast, AVG, Bitdefender, McAfee or Norton.
Clear your phone’s storage and cache (in Android devices), or browsing history and website data (in Apple devices).
Restart your iPhone, or restart your Android phone to go into safe mode – which is a feature on Android that prevents third-party apps from operating for as long as it’s enabled.
Delete any suspicious or unfamiliar apps from your downloaded apps list and, if you’re an Android user, turn safe mode off once the apps are deleted.

As a last resort, you can back up all your data and perform a factory reset on your phone. Resetting a phone to its original settings will eliminate any malware.

Protecting your phone from infection

Now you’ve fixed your phone, it’s important to safeguard it against future viruses and other security risks. The mobile security apps mentioned above will help with this. But you can also:

avoid clicking unusual pop-ups, or links in unusual text messages, social media posts or emails
only install apps from authorised app stores, such as Google Play or Apple’s App Store
avoid jailbreaking or modifying your phone
check app permissions before installing, so you’re aware of what the app will access (rather than blindly trusting it)
back up your data regularly, and
keep your phone software updated to the latest version (which will have the latest security patches).

Continually monitor your phone for suspicious activity and trust your gut instincts. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. https://www.youtube.com/embed/nvIXGeB1WgE?wmode=transparent&start=38 Google’s tips on how to spot malware.

Author: Ritesh Chugh, Associate Professor – Information and Communications Technology, CQUniversity Australia

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Tourism Australia announces a new travel campaign inviting Indian tourists

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28 April 2022 10:58 AM

tourism australia — Image source: Sydney - Tourism Australia, Twitter.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has released the international visitor arrivals for January 2022.

A total of 53,880 international visitor arrivals occurred for the month of January and the top five visitor markets were the United Kingdom (9,320 visitors), India (6,390visitors), the USA (4,760 visitors),
Singapore (3,030 visitors), China (2,600 visitors) and New Zealand (2,180 visitors).

Further, according to Tourism Australia, the strengthening of the bilateral relationship between Australia and India has encouraged the local tourism sector “to be confident about India’s resurgence once the borders reopen.”

City of Melbourne, Australia; Picture Source: @CANVA

Tourism Australia’s Consumer Demand Project research shows that 1.8million (82%) of high-value travellers in India intend to visit Australia, and Australia has maintained its highest ranking across all key factors that travellers consider before deciding a holiday destination
With the announcement of Qantas’ direct flights to India, the non-stop services on the India/Australia route have more than doubled than pre-COVID levels
The Visa Application Charge (VAC) waiver scheme announced by the Department of Home Affairs offers a unique benefit to thousands of Indian travellers who were unable to travel due to COVID

In February, Australia’s Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan said that Tourism Australia had been prepared to ramp up its international marketing efforts once the border re-opening was announced.

“The world has been waiting two years to get Down Under for a holiday and our latest ad campaign will remind them of what they’ve been missing.”

Direct Flights between Sydney and Delhi; Picture Source: @CANVA

With an aim to lure Indian travellers to Australia, Tourism Australia has launched a new traveller campaign for all-inclusive, return economy-class airfares to Australia starting from just Rs. 48,300.

“There has never been a better time to hop on Down Under for a holiday, see the family, & watch the upcoming #T20WorldCup. We look forward to welcoming our friends soon!”

Tourism Australia has partnered with Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Sri Lankan Airlines, Thai Airways and Scoot.

Further, the commencement of direct flights by Qantas and Air India has come as a boost to travellers from both countries.

As per Tourism Australia’s announcement on social media, the present offer of sale is valid until 12 May 2022 and offers travel validity up to 31 March 2023.

Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide; Picture Source: @CANVA

TRAVELLING TO AUSTRALIA 

From 21 February 2022, visa holders who are fully vaccinated with two doses of a Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved COVID-19 vaccine can travel to Australia quarantine-free, without the need to apply for a travel exemption. 
To be eligible to enter Australia, international travellers must: 
- hold a valid Australian visa.
- be fully vaccinated with two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine approved by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and provide proof of vaccination status.
- Present a negative rapid antigen test (RAT) within 24 hours of departure or a Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours of departure (unless a medical exemption applies).
- Complete an Australia Travel Declaration at least 72 hours before departure.
Fully vaccinated visa holders can enter all states and territories quarantine-free from 21 February 2022, except for Western Australia.
Travellers will need to comply with requirements in the state or territory of their arrival, and any other state or territories that they plan to travel to. Information on entry requirements is updated regularly so it is important to check the latest requirements before travelling. Travellers are also encouraged to check any requirements for stopover destinations that they are transitioning through.
For requirements for travel into specific states and territories in Australia, visit the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs website | State and Territory Information.
For more information on travelling to Australia visit the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs I Travelling to Australia

Billboard of terrorist ‘Bhindranwale’ responsible for killing thousands of Hindus and Sikhs leaves Indian Australians shocked and dismayed

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27 April 2022 6:22 PM

Khalistan billboard in Melbourne; Image Source: Supplied

Melbourne’s Indian Australian community is shocked to see posters and billboards displaying pictures of terrorist ‘Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale’ while commuting to work on Wednesday morning.

The Australia Today understands that a lot of community members have called Victoria police and local council authorities to inform them of these billboards glorifying terrorism and terrorist.

Anand Pal was driving to reach an important office conference near Melbourne Airport when he saw this billboard near Sunshine Hospital.
Mr. Pal told The Australia Today, “I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw Bhindranwale’s picture in full displays from the highway.”

“This terrorist was responsible for killing two of my uncles in the Indian state of Punjab in the name of Khalistan separatist movement,”
said Mr Pal.

“I was so distressed seeing that banner of “terrorist Bhindranwale’ that I had to go back home after calling sick at work and could not attend the conference.”

Another member of Melbourne’s Indian Australian community who does not want to be identified (Whom we will call Sunil) told The Australia Today that an email has been sent to the billboard company.

Mr. Sunil told The Australia Today, “Displaying such advertising is unbecoming and also gives a platform to extremist views.”

**Remove the Terrorist image and Terrorism movement displays from Melbourne roads**

Sunil says, he has seen bumper stickers on many cars parked around the Indian stores and restaurants owned by Khalistan supporters in Melbourne displaying “I Love Bhindranwale and Khalistan Zindabad.”

“Unfortunately the bumper stickers and the omnipresent posters of slain terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale are signs of a proxy battle brought halfway around the world despite the end of terrorism in the north Indian state of Punjab,”
said Mr Sunil.

Law enforcement officials in Australia are caught off guard by a sudden, puzzling series of protests, car rallies, beatings and terror tactics arising out of the formerly secluded, law-abiding, and industrious Sikh communities on this continent.

Earlier this month a Hindu Sikh couple was threatened and harassed by the South Australia coordinator of Khalsa Aids.

A few months back The Australia Today reported how Khalistan supporters attacked Hindu Leader Yogesh Khattar’s business in Sydney.

Khalistani's attack Hindu leader Yogesh Khattar's business in Sydney; Picture Source: The Australia Today — Khalistani’s attack Hindu leader Yogesh Khattar’s business in Sydney; Picture Source: The Australia Today

Senior Australian officials are concerned that the troubles will increase. They viewed with concern the rekindling of hostilities in India last year, fearing that a clampdown by the Indian government there would mean more such activities in Australia.

“As things get harder in the Punjab for extremists,” said a diplomat in Canberra, “our problems grow.”

Authorities believe that overseas actors in Canada, the UK, and the USA have an especially strong effect on many young Sikhs in Australia. Virtually overnight, they shed their western dress and lifestyle for the traditional beards, turbans, daggers, and bracelets of their religion and joined militant political movements.

Sukhbir Singh (name changed on request) is a prominent leader in Melbourne’s Sikh community. He is a moderate Sikh who has spoken out against the radicals.

He told The Australia Today, “The old leadership of the Sikh community has been virtually unseated by extremists who have taken over most of the temples, and their ample treasuries, with violence and/or intimidation.”

The moderate committee members and worshipers at the Craigieburn Gurudwara had city police officers posted in front of the building to prevent a radical takeover.

Officials have told The Australia Today group is being closely watched by authorities.

The Sikh communities in Australia, largely concentrated in the Melbourne and Sydney areas, enjoy greater political influence than those in the other states, which are scattered across cities on both coasts.

Australia provides state funding for Sikh Gurudwaras and their activities, as for other ethnic communities.

RBA to raise cash rate within week amid inflation rate increase to 5.1 per cent

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