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Black box inventor David Warren dies at 85

Steve Creedy — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 18:00:00 GMT

The Australian inventor of the black box flight-data recorder, David Warren, has died at the age of 85.

Dr Warren was working as a scientist at Melbourne’s Aeronautical Research Laboratory, helping to investigate the 1953 mystery crash of a Comet jetliner, when he came up with the idea of recording pilots’ voices and instrument readings to help solve accidents.

His idea sparked little interest in Australia, but Dr Warren worked with colleagues to produce the ARL Flight Memory Unit, a prototype black box that recorded the pilot’s voice and instrument readings for four hours on steel wire, in 1956. [More...]

21-Jul-10 1:00 PM

Advance Global Newsletter July 2010

Denisse Chao Villarreal — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 16:00:00 GMT


July, 2010

Welcome to the July 2010 issue of the Advance Global Newsletter. Our next issue will be out after the summer break in September. Please forward this newsletter on to anyone you think would like to connect with Advance. 1. CEO Message 2. Driven to Succeed 3. down under / ON TOP - Michael Ware 4. Australian Pavilion Welcomes Two Million (and a half) Visitors at the Shanghai World Expo 5. Advance Job Board & Opportunities 6. Kopernik: bringing the future to the world’s developing communities 7. 'Tour of Duty' light the way for rememberance 8. Creativity Unleashed at the Melbourne Recital Hall 9. Advance Member Benefit 10. The Buzz 1. CEO Message One conversation with a wise person can be more enlightening than years of study. This notion lies at the very heart of Advance. We seek out our most articulate thought-leaders and innovators abroad, those whose work and ideas are infused with unique experiences, travel and exposure to the world's very best, and we bring them together. To talk, and to listen. To share, and to think. To inspire, and to be inspired. [More...] 2. Advance Roaming Writers Driven to Succeed by Lesley Slade Drag racing and ballet are not an obvious pairing, but for Aussie Steven McRae those two elements helped shape his early years while growing up in the outer suburbs of Sydney. It’s been a unique journey for the 24-year-old who now stands proudly as a Principal dancer with The Royal Ballet in London. [More...] 3. down under / ON TOP Welcome to our monthly video profile of Australians making their mark on the world – a joint production between Cameron Daddo and Advance. Michael Ware has lived the War on Terror since 9/11, first in Afghanistan, then spending six years in Iraq as a front line journalist. Michael is the only westerner to have survived an al-Qaeda kidnap. Watch the video [here] 4. Australian Pavilion Welcomes Two Million (and a half) Visitors at the Shanghai World Expo australianpavilion.com - Chen Lei and his wife Shen Yan were the two millionth visitors to the Australian pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo today. The Shanghai couple, who are expecting their first child in a few months, were welcomed by Pavilion Director Peter Sams and Executive General Manager of Tourism Australia Richard Beere, and of course by our cheeky kookaburra mascot, Peng Peng. [More...] 5. Advance Job Board & Opportunities Have you had a chance to view this month’s postings? There are opportunities listed in Australia & the US: VESKI Innovation Fellowships 2010/11 - Victoria North America Regional Manager, Kea - NY 6. Kopernik: bringing the future to the world’s developing communities Ever wanted to change the world? Ewa Wojkowska, Australian co-founder of New York-based Kopernik is bringing innovative technologies to developing communities in East Timor, Africa and elsewhere. [More...] 7. 'Tour of Duty' light the way for rememberance On Thursday 12 August 2010, 16 Australian firefighters combined with their U.S. Firefighter colleagues will run in a 'Tour of Duty', from Los Angeles to New York in an epic journey covering the length and breadth of the United States. [More...] 8. Creativity Unleashed at the Melbourne Recital Hall in September Some of the world’s trickiest problems will be put to some of the world’s greatest thinkers and strategists to find creative solutions in Melbourne in September 2010. They are among 35 world class speakers, thought leaders and artists who have been invited to give their answer to the $1 billion question – Imagine If… [More...] 9. Advance Member Benefit Advance is pleased to introduce members to Oscar's, the best coffee in Hong Kong, and offer members the chance to try it for free. For the month of July, Advance has teamed up with Oscar's, an Australian style espresso bar on Wellington Street. Advance members get a FREE COFFEE with any of their breakfast or lunch items valued min. HK$35. Find out [more] 10. The Buzz Our July snapshot of Australian stories around the globe. Australian-first cancer treatment launched in Victoria Melbourne's Alfred Hospital has launched an Australian-first, state-of-the-art gated radiotherapy technology to provide better treatment for cancer patients and ensure greater chances of survival. Truth of the new UK visa cap Australian Times - Reports the UK is shutting out Australians have been rejected by recruitment experts and the Home Office, with government opposition leaders warning of the harrowing danger such inaccuracies could cause. Wine Australia Rocks Summer with their Open Up campaign Wine Australia will be promoting their wines to American audiences throughout the summer. The wine selection will highlight the diversity of styles of Australian wines; from Hunter Valley Semillons to the cool climate Pinot Noirs of Victoria.	Upcoming Events Global: 13, 21 & 27 July Free Webinars through ANZA's Gateway to the US Program London: Wed 7 July Australian String Quartet Performs Live Thu 15 July 'Morning Star Poles' Aboriginal Art Exhibition Wed 21 July Burn The Floor Hits London's West End! Los Angeles: Thu 29 July Word of Mouth New York: Wed 7 July Word of Mouth Tue 20 July Talent Return Panel Discussion hosted by Clayton Asia Melbourne: Tue 16 - Fri 19 November Knowledge Cities World Summit: Registration Now Open * View ALL upcoming Advance events * View Other Australian Events taking place around the globe. Follow us at: twitter.com/advance facebook.com/ advanceglobal Thank you to Advance's major partners: Advance Global Australians is supported by the Australian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

6-Jul-10 11:00 AM

Win 2 tickets to see Billy Elliot on the London Stage!

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 15:30:00 GMT

Advance is delighted to celebrate Australian actor Genevieve Lemon's West End debut as Mrs Wilkinson in the London production of 'Billy Elliot the Musical', by giving away two tickets to see the show!

........................................................................................................................

For your chance to win, please email your answer to the question below by 5pm on Monday 19^th of July. The winner will be contacted directly by email.*

'Who is your favourite Australian performer?'

*Prize include two tickets to see Billy Elliot the Musical at the Victoria Palace Theatre. Tickets valid for Monday-Thursday performances between 6 September – 21 October 2010. Subject to availability.

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As of 31 May 2010, Genevieve Lemon joined the London cast of the multi-award winning Billy Elliot the Musical at the Victoria Palace Theatre, playing Billy’s dance teacher, Mrs. Wilkinson. Lemon, a seasoned musicals performer in her native Australia, made her West End debut as Mrs. Wilkinson as the show entered into its sixth year in London. Twelve year old Aaron Watson from King’s Lynn, Norfolk, also joined the Company to become the twenty third young boy to play the title role in the West End.

Enjoy from the teams at Advance and Billy Elliot the Musical.

6-Jul-10 10:30 AM

CEO Message - July 2010

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 19:00:00 GMT

One conversation with a wise person can be more enlightening than years of study.

This notion lies at the very heart of Advance. We seek out our most articulate thought-leaders and innovators abroad, those whose work and ideas are infused with unique experiences, travel and exposure to the world's very best, and we bring them together. To talk, and to listen. To share, and to think. To inspire, and to be inspired.

This month we share with you some of those stories. Take the time to watch our down under / ON TOP video interview with Michael Ware, CNN's prime time foreign affairs correspondent. His experiences and insights as the only westerner to have survived an al-Qaeda kidnap while in Afghanistan are food for thought. Read about Ewa Wojkowska, New York based Australian and co-founder of Kopernik, who is bringing innovative technologies to developing communities in East Timor, Africa and other parts of the world, through an online store designed for those at the ‘base of the pyramid’. This month's Roaming Writer's story highlights Steven McRae's journey and how drag racing and ballet shaped his early years while growing up in suburban Sydney. At 24 years of age Steven is now a principal dancer with the Royal Ballet in London.

As we continue to plant the seeds of our diaspora's ambitious ideas, failures, successes and unique experiences, we aim to shine a spotlight on how so many Australians are making their mark around the world. Because, we believe, the ones that got away are quite perfectly positioned to advance Australia, in a great many ways.

We hope you enjoy this month's read.

1-Jul-10 2:00 PM

'Tour of Duty' light the way for rememberance

Paul Ritchie — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 21:00:00 GMT

On Thursday 12 August 2010, 16 Australian firefighters combined with their U.S. Firefighter colleagues will run in a 'Tour of Duty', from Los Angeles to New York in an epic journey covering the length and breadth of the United States.

In a fitting tribute the run will finish at the World Trade Centre Site in the early morning of September 11^th 2010, marking the ninth anniversary of the American tragedy.

As Australian firefighters the group have committed to this arduous event in part to pay homage to the emergency workers who gave their all on that day, but also to reaffirm the innate goodness of the human spirit that such selfless acts of courage and commitment to others represent.

They firmly believe that the values that these heroes epitomise must never fade, or become diluted with the passage of time, and they hope that by the simple act of a group of Aussie firefighters running across America (together with their American “mates”) that in some small way they can demonstrate that what those heroes stood for will not be dimmed, but rather the values that they represent will burn ever so brightly for all of us to see.

To date the project has achieved enormous momentum; Tour of Duty have been able to gain the patronage of the former Prime Minister Mr. John Howard, and Honorary Board member President Bill Clinton. Hugh Jackman, Pat Rafter, Dame Elizabeth Murdoch and many others have also expressed their support.

The Tour of Duty run will travel through many towns across America. Oklahoma City, Dallas, Houston, New Orleans, Memphis, Springfield, Chicago, Detroit, Shanksville - Pennsylvania, (site of the tragic crash of Flight 93) Washington DC and complete in New York the morning of September 11th 2010. See the complete route here.

The Fire Fighters who are running represent Australia nationally and carry great pride with them as they raise funds for Charities nominated by Fire Fighters and Emergency service workers of America. These Charities include: Haiti Relief fund, National Fallen Fire fighters, National Law enforcement Officer Memorial fund, Wounded Warrior project, National September 11 memorial and Museum, 911 Tribute center and Muscular Dystrophy.

The Tour of Duty team will cross the Brooklyn Bridge at 6.15 - 6.30am on September 11 2010, and finish in Battery Park not long after. They would love to have as many Australians as possible meet them at the finish line!

Track Tour of Duty online through their dedicated online I-Phone Application here

29-Jun-10 4:00 PM

Kopernik: bringing the future to the world’s developing communities

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 20:00:00 GMT

Ever wanted to change the world? Ewa Wojkowska, Australian co-founder of New York-based Kopernik (www.thekopernik.org) is bringing innovative technologies to developing communities in East Timor, Africa and elsewhere.

Kopernik, founded this year, is an online store of innovative technologies designed for the developing world or the ‘base of the pyramid’ (BOP). It is also a portal for donations to bring these technologies to the communities and projects that need them.
The organization confronts the head-on the problem that most communities in need of life-changing technologies don’t always have the means to purchase them, and the individuals, governments, and local NGOs can’t always afford to pay for/provide them.

Kopernik allows you to be a part of funding the most progressive technologies to help change lives in developing countries. The organization connects innovative technologies, poor communities & individual donors to help facilitate the transfer of these technologies to the communities that need them. The goal is to accelerate development through ‘leapfrogging’ or skipping inferior, less-efficient technologies and practices and moving directly to more advanced ones. See Kopernik’s video of how it works here.

For instance, items such as the Life Straw (a $6.50 water filtration device), Firefly (a LED lamp which can be charged with AC power or via a solar panel), and Self Adjustable Glasses (allowing the recipient to correct their own vision without the need for trained optometrists and a prescription), can be incredibly valuable if introduced to remote, impoverished communities.

Kopernik’s flagship project is to light up East Timor’s Oecusse district, where the population does not have access to a regular power source and must rely on expensive, dirty kerosene. To do this, Kopernik hopes to raise US$400,000 to provide two solar lights to every household in the district.

Donations as little as $10 can make a difference*. Here’s what you can do:

· You browse the proposals submitted by technology seekers (local organizations representing communities in developing countries) and choose one where you want to make a difference.

· You, your friends and colleagues can donate to raise enough funds to make the project a reality. Kopernik facilitates the shipment of the products to the local community.

· The technology seeker reports on how the technology is being used, allowing transparency and accountability for all donors.

You can help make a difference. Browse Kopernik proposals today.

The organization is also seeking partnerships with professional organizations to help extend its reach and number of projects. Contact us to participate at kopernik@thekopernik.org

*Kopernik is currently undergoing the approval process to achieve 501(c3) status that will allow donations to be tax-deductible.

29-Jun-10 3:00 PM

Member Benefit - Oscar's Espresso Bar

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 20:00:00 GMT

Advance is pleased to introduce members to Oscar's, the best coffee in Hong Kong, and offer members the chance to try it for free.

For the month of July, Advance has teamed up with Oscar's, an Australian style espresso bar on Wellington Street. Advance members get a FREE COFFEE with any of their breakfast or lunch items valued min. HK$35.

Oscar’s offers a wonderful range of espresso drinks, (even Flat Whites!) as well as a daily rotating selection of delicious treats from croissants and pastries to freshly made quiches, soups and salads. There’s also some old Australian menu favourites like vegemite and cheese melted toasties and Anzac biscuits, just in case you’re feeling homesick.

Rebecca Wright, Owner and Founder of the Australian inspired Oscar’s espresso bar, calls her coffee "ethical espresso", and with good reason. Her brother's factory (Australian Independent Roasters) has personal relationships with selected farms and they purchase the highest quality beans from sustainable farms, working with farmers to achieve the highest standards and taste profile of the coffee, from the production line to the cafe. 50% of the coffee comes from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms which, Rebecca says, “is so important to us, as we're passionate about a product that benefits the people and the land it comes from.”

For more from Rebecca, click here to read her interview.

*Download your FREE COFFEE voucher here and present it to Oscar's @ 85 - 89 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong.

For more information go to http://www.oscarsespresso.com/

Enjoy from the teams at Oscar's and Advance!

29-Jun-10 3:00 PM

Creativity Unleashed at the Melbourne Recital Hall in September

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 19:00:00 GMT

Some of the world’s trickiest problems will be put to some of the world’s greatest thinkers and strategists to find creative solutions in Melbourne in September 2010.

Questions such as how do we re-think the future? How to lead creativity and innovation in organizations? Constructing communities – a contradiction in terms? Mental health and mental wealth? How war can bring peace? will be posed to Edward de Bono; Edward Luttwak, US Strategies; Patrick McGorry, Australian of the Year; Mark Scott, MD of the ABC; Austin Williams, architect of the Future Cities Project; US Entrepreneur of the Year Dr Peter Farrell, and many more.

They are among 35 world class speakers, thought leaders and artists who have been invited to give their answer to the $1 billion question – Imagine If…

Creative Innovation 2010 is the brainchild of soprano, social entrepreneur and Founder Creative Universe and Creativity Australia, Tania de Jong AM, who says the conference will “definitely be different to others and change people’s thinking”. She believes that creativity is the strategic tool of the 21^st Century.

“The emphasis is on short and sharp keynotes focusing on interactivity, and dialogue over monologue; master classes in which you can learn new skills with the best of the best, and deep conversations when you can discuss issues with game-changing thinkers,” she says.

Creative Innovation 2010 incorporates three concerts – tickets to all events are open to the public – at the Melbourne Recital Hall. These include:

'With One Voice' – where the public can experience some of Victoria’s most diverse choirs made up of CEOs, migrants and people challenged by mental or physical disability – on Wednesday 8 September;

'Magical Musical Melbourne' – featuring the world premiere of an orchestral work created by young Australian composer Stefan Cassomenos – on Thursday 9 September.

'An Enchanted Spring Evening' – featuring Pot Pourri – on Friday 10 September.

*All profits from the conference and the concerts will be put towards Creativity Australia’s With One Voice program supporting disadvantaged people.

To register - Click Here

29-Jun-10 2:00 PM

Applications for VESKI Innovation Fellowships 2010/11 are now open

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 19:00:00 GMT

Are you, or do you know, an Outstanding Individual who wishes to return to Victoria to undertake a Research Project?

Applications for VESKI Innovation Fellowships for take up in financial year 2010/11 are NOW OPEN with submissions closing at 5pm on Wednesday, 25th August 2010.

The VESKI Innovation Fellowships are open to individuals in the fields of science, technology and design specifically relating to innovative technology, biotechnology, design, advanced manufacturing, environmental technologies, or the enabling sciences and technologies.

In addition to the above named fields; the 2010/11 Call for Applications encourages submissions in the areas of: Clinical Research focusing on Health Outcomes, Renewable Energy Generation & Demand Management.

The VESKI Innovation Fellowships (Australian) are awarded annually to outstanding Australian expatriates in the fields of science, design and innovative technology.

The VESKI Innovation Fellowships (non-Australian) are awarded annually to outstanding researchers who are not Australian citizens, but who may wish to undertake research in Victoria.

Successful individuals can receive up to AUD$50,000 per annum for a maximum of up to three years. These funds must be matched with financial funding and in-kind contributions from a host organisation such as an academic/research institution.

VESKI Innovation Fellowships are provided to support the return of the successful applicant to Victoria to undertake their specified research project. The funds made available and the duration of the proposed fellowship are determined by the VESKI Board.

Please follow the links below to review the VESKI Innovation Fellowships Selection Criteria and download an Application Form:

If you are an Outstanding Australian Expatriate Researcher, please click HERE.

If you are an Outstanding Non-Australian Researcher, please click HERE.

Please pass this information on to any relevant or interested parties.

29-Jun-10 2:00 PM

Wine Australia Rocks Summer with their Open Up campaign

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:00:00 GMT

Wine Australia will be promoting their wines to American audiences throughout the summer.

The wine selection will highlight the diversity of styles of Australian wines; from Hunter Valley Semillons to the cool climate Pinot Noirs of Victoria.

First will be the summertime concerts on the edge of the East River in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Wine Australia is sponsoring the Open Space Alliance of North Brooklyn events that will feature bands such as Faith No More, Band of Horses and Belle and Sebastian.

These concerts were an amazing success last year. Music lovers lined up early to gain entry, and many enjoyed the tastes of Australian wines. 20 wines were promoted over the eight concerts, and the young, hip crowd of Williamsburg lapped them up. This year promises to be even bigger with more concerts on offer across a ten week time frame. The first concert was on June 20^thwith Band of Horses. The series will run through until 30^th September with Belle and Sebastian. For a full list of the events see the Open Up website, come on and enjoy some Australian Wine with the great music and the view of Manhattan.

For more information visit: http://openup.wineaustralia.com/site/events.cfm

29-Jun-10 11:00 AM

Victorians Abroad Network Newsletter June 2010

Denisse Chao Villarreal — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:00:00 GMT

Welcome to Victorians Abroad, a joint initiative between the Victorian Government and Advance, to help keep you connected with home.

Visit our website for information on living, working, investing, studying and visiting Victoria and for ideas on how you can be an ambassador for our great State while overseas.

Let your friends know about Victorians Abroad. Membership is free and open to Victorian expatriates, repatriates and alumni of Victorian universities. Join here.

1. Two Apple Design Awards for Melbourne’s Firemint

2. Australian International Airshow and Tiger Airways to double Victorian fleet

3. Victoria secures MotoGP until 2016
4. Australia fifth most competitive

5. Australian-first cancer treatment launched in Victoria
6. More jobs for Victoria

7. Platypus genome gets top billing at BIO2010

8. A hat-trick for Melbourne: World's Ultimate Sports City

9. World’s largest live entertainment company chooses Melbourne

1. Two Apple Design Awards for Melbourne’s Firemint

Innovative Victorian games development company Firemint has taken out an unprecedented two Apple Design Awards for their top-selling Flight Control HD and Real Racing applications for the iPad and iPhone. [More...]

2. Avalon Airport in limelight: Australian International Airshow and Tiger Airways to double Victorian fleet

Melbourne’s Avalon Airport continues to grow from strength to strength, with the double announcement today that the Australian International Airshow is confirmed until at least 2015, and Tiger Airways is adding another five aircraft to its Victoria-based fleet. [More...]

3. Victoria secures MotoGP until 2016

Victoria has shown why it is the sporting capital of the world, securing the future of the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix in Phillip Island (south of Melbourne) until at least 2016. [More...]

4. Australia fifth most competitive: new global rankings

Australia has jumped two places to be ranked the fifth most competitive country in the world, according to the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2010. [More...]

5. Australian-first cancer treatment launched in Victoria

Melbourne's Alfred Hospital has launched an Australian-first, state-of-the-art gated radiotherapy technology to provide better treatment for cancer patients and ensure greater chances of survival. [More...]

6. More jobs for Victoria

Victoria continues to lead Australia on job creation and employment, according to labour force figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. [More...]

7. Platypus genome gets top billing at BIO2010

Scientists at the Victorian Department of Primary Industries (DPI) and the University of Sydney have discovered two new peptides in the genome of the unique Australian animal the platypus, which could be used to combat multi-drug resistant bacteria and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the agriculture sector. [More...]

8. A hat-trick for Melbourne: World's Ultimate Sports City

Melbourne’s reputation as the world’s sporting capital has been reaffirmed, with the city taking out the top gong for hosting major international sporting events for the third consecutive time. [More...]

9. World’s largest live entertainment company chooses Melbourne

The world’s largest live entertainment company has chosen Melbourne as its home in Australia, with American company Live Nation expanding its concert promotion business to our shores. [More...]

What's going on in Melbourne and across Victoria?

Here's a reminder of all the great things going on around Victoria in the coming months:

Melbourne Winter Masterpieces
European Masters: Städel Museum, 19th-20th Century

19 June - 10 October

European Masters: Städel Museum, 19th – 20th Century brings together a remarkable collection of masterpieces from the Städel Museum in Frankfurt, one of the finest collections in Europe.

Melbourne International Film Festival

22 July - 8 August

MIFF hosts a feast of cinematic delicacies from over 50 countries for some 17 days each winter, heavily garnished with a range of parties and special events that envelop the CBD.

2010 Toyota AFL Premiership Season

25 March - 25 September

With matches in Melbourne every weekend don’t miss a chance to watch Australia’s own game when Clubs take each other on in the quest for the Premiership Cup.

Lantern Installation

14 June - 8 August

Come and see traditional hand crafted lanterns suspended in layers throughout Harbour Town Shopping Centre.

The Australian Business & IT Expo

29 - 30 July

The single largest gathering of business owners, managers and entrepreneurs actively seeking products, services and education to further business growth. The event will be held at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre.

Lord Mayor's Commendations 2010 Photographic Exhibition
24 August - 7 September

The exhibition will acknowledge and celebrate the long term commitment of eligible small and multi-generational family-run businesses to the City of Melbourne municipality.

2010 UCI Road World Championships

29 September - 3 October

In 2010, Melbourne will welcome the 77th UCI Road World Championships. This event is second only to the legendary Tour de France in terms of importance and prestige in international cycling.

Spring Racing Carnival

29 September - 17 November

Victoria's Spring Racing Carnival is Australia's largest sporting and social event showcasing 50 days of premier world-class thoroughbred racing and a party atmosphere unmatched at any other Australian sporting event.

Contact Us

If you have a query or a story to contribute to our newsletter, email us here.

Or contact your nearest Victorian Government business office.

Brought to you by:

28-Jun-10 1:00 PM

More jobs for Victoria

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 20:00:00 GMT

Victoria continues to lead Australia on job creation and employment, according to labour force figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Over the past 12 months, two-thirds of all jobs created in Australia were in Victoria, with 57,000 new full time jobs and a total of 109,700 new jobs overall.

Victoria’s unemployment rate also fell below the national average, to just 5.3 per cent.

Victorian Treasurer John Lenders said the strong employment growth was partly due to the record $11.5 billion invested by the Victorian Government in infrastructure this financial year, dubbing the State the “economic engine room of the nation”.

Australia saw a rise in the number of people employed full-time for the eighth consecutive month, in further signs that the economy is recovering strongly from the effects of the global financial crisis.

24-Jun-10 3:00 PM

A hat-trick for Melbourne: World's Ultimate Sports City

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 20:00:00 GMT

Melbourne’s reputation as the world’s sporting capital has been reaffirmed, with the city taking out the top gong for hosting major international sporting events for the third consecutive time.

Melbourne was named the world’s Ultimate Sports City ahead of Singapore, London, Berlin and Sydney at the SportAccord Convention in Dubai.

This is a hat-trick for Melbourne, having won the coveted biennial title in 2006 and 2008.

Rachael Church-Sanders from Ultimate Sports Cities 2010 congratulated Melbourne for its strong track record for hosting major annual sporting events.

“The city’s excellent facilities, strong government support, exceptional legacy planning, not to mention fabulous weather make it a worthy winner once again,” Ms Church-Sanders said.

The 25 finalists for the title were ranked by the number of annual sports events hosted or secured between 2006 and 2014, plus additional criteria including transport, government support, public interest and quality of life.

Victorian Sports Minister James Merlino said: “Victorians love their sport and this award once again confirms what Victorians have known for a long time – we are the sporting capital of the world.

“We are proud to support major sporting events that place Melbourne and Victoria in the national and international spotlight, promote sport, encourage investment and boost tourism in our state.

“And we have a calendar of sporting events that is envied worldwide – from the Australian Open Tennis, Formula 1 Grand Prix, AFL season and final series, to the Boxing Day Test, Spring Racing Carnival and Australian Masters Golf,” he said.

The UCI Road World Championships are also set to be held in Victoria this year, with The Presidents Cup coming to Melbourne in 2011, the first time a city outside the US has hosted the event twice.

Mr Merlino said works on a $363 million redevelopment of Melbourne Park and a $30 million upgrade to the Melbourne Cricket Ground will begin shortly.

Melbourne’s $267.5 million purpose-built rectangular stadium, AAMI Park, is set to open on Friday 7 May.

24-Jun-10 3:00 PM

Victoria secures MotoGP until 2016

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 20:00:00 GMT

Victoria has shown why it is the sporting capital of the world, securing the future of the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix in Phillip Island (south of Melbourne) until at least 2016.

The event, which attracted over 105,000 spectators in 2009 and was watched on television by fans in over 150 countries, joins many other international sporting events that have recently chosen Victoria, highlighting why Melbourne was crowned the world’s Ultimate Sports City for the third successive time this year.

Melbourne hosts the four largest annual sporting events in Australia - Australian Open Tennis, AFL Grand Final Week, Australian Formula One Grand Prix and the Spring Racing Carnival, with major events generating an estimated $1 billion per year in economic activity across Victoria - more than 0.5 per cent of GSP.

Other events to recently secure their futures in Victoria include the Formula One Grand Prix, Australian Open tennis, the Presidents Cup in 2011, the World Superbike Championships and the 2010 UCI Road World Championships.

Victorian Minister for Tourism and Major Events Tim Holding said securing the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix confirms Melbourne’s status as the sporting capital of the world.

“We are proud to support major sporting events that place Melbourne and Victoria in the national and international spotlight and boost tourism to our State.

“The MotoGP is continuing to grow and this year’s Championship could be decided between Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo, Dani Pedrosa, Nicky Hayden and our very own Casey Stoner at Phillip Island later this year,” he said.

Mr Holding also released figures today that show Melbourne is the most popular city in Australia for interstate travellers, which is good news for Victoria’s economy.

24-Jun-10 3:00 PM

Australia fifth most competitive: new global rankings

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 20:00:00 GMT

Australia has jumped two places to be ranked the fifth most competitive country in the world, according to the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2010.

This result places Australia well above other advanced economies that have dropped in the rankings during the period of global downturn, such as Germany (16th), Ireland (21st), and Japan (27th).

According to IMD, the results of the Yearbook have been strongly affected by unusual volatility in economic growth, exchange rates, financial assets, trade and investment flows, and employment figures.

Australia, however, saw improvements in 2010 in the cost of living index, consumer price inflation, business expenditure and the availability of venture capital.

In a testament to the economy’s strength in the wake of the global recession, Australia has benefited from the implementation of efficient government policies as well as from strong demand in Asia in the past year.

In the report’s measure of the Australian economy’s resilience to economic cycles, Australia’s ranking improved from third in 2009 to second in 2010.

Also contributing to Australia’s strong performance in the ranking were high labour market flexibility (ranked first), quality of life (fourth) and political stability (third).

These impressive results are not going unnoticed on the world stage, with Australia’s image abroad rising three places in the rankings to fourth position in 2010.

Published since 1989, the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook compares the competitiveness of 58 industrialised and emerging economies on the basis of over 300 criteria, grouped into four competitiveness factors: economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency and infrastructure.

Singapore, Hong Kong and the US topped the rankings, with Switzerland coming in fourth place.

The full report is available at: www.worldcompetitiveness.com

24-Jun-10 3:00 PM

World’s largest live entertainment company chooses Melbourne

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 20:00:00 GMT

The world’s largest live entertainment company has chosen Melbourne as its home in Australia, with American company Live Nation expanding its concert promotion business to our shores.

Live Nation said Australia boasts the seventh-largest music market in the world, and its new Melbourne head office will work with Live Nation’s Global and International Touring teams to bring Live Nation concert tours to Australia, New Zealand and the rest of the Pacific Rim, as well as book local dates across the region.

CEO of Live Nation International Alan Ridgeway said “over the last decade, Live Nation has been involved with some of the most successful tours throughout Australia and New Zealand, including: U2, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Prince, Nickelback, The Police, and many others.

“We now feel that the time is right to establish our own presence and further monetize our global tours in this particularly strong and growing live music market.”

Live Nation’s presence in the Pacific Rim already includes offices in Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai.

Live Nation Entertainment is the largest live entertainment company in the world, consisting of five businesses: concert promotion and venue operations, sponsorship, ticketing solutions, ecommerce and artist management.

In 2009, Live Nation sold 140 million tickets, promoted 21,000 concerts, partnered with 850 sponsors and averaged 25 million unique monthly users of its e-commerce sites.

24-Jun-10 3:00 PM

Avalon Airport in limelight: Australian International Airshow and Tiger Airways to double Victorian fleet

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 20:00:00 GMT

Avalon, Victoria’s second busiest airport, also gave a longer-term commitment to the airshow, indicating it could host the show once every two years until 2025. Next year’s airshow is confirmed for the 1 – 6 March, 2011.

The Tiger announcement of five new A320 aircraft means that ten out of Tiger’s total Australian fleet of 13 aircraft will be based in Victoria, with at least two to be based at Avalon.

Tiger Airways Australia Managing Director Crawford Rix said: “We’re proud to call Victoria home and the five additional aircraft for the region will provide 2.5 million more low fare seats to and from Victoria.”

Victorian Premier John Brumby welcomed Tiger’s choice of Avalon Airport for its third Australian base and said today’s announcements are great news for Victoria’s major events and tourism industries.

Mr Brumby said the 2009 airshow attracted over 170,000 visitors, created $121 in economic benefits to the State and hosted exhibitors from 25 countries.

The Australian International Airshow is a biennial event which showcases the State’s aerospace, aviation and defence industries - three of Victoria’s most strategically important sectors.

The Victorian aviation industry employs more than 20,000 people in the broader aviation and tourism sector, which contributes an estimated $20 billion per year to the state economy.

24-Jun-10 3:00 PM

Australian-first cancer treatment launched in Victoria

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 20:00:00 GMT

Melbourne's Alfred Hospital has launched an Australian-first, state-of-the-art gated radiotherapy technology to provide better treatment for cancer patients and ensure greater chances of survival.

The cutting-edge equipment and software will be able to treat cancers of the lung, breast, liver, gallbladder, bile duct and liver metastases, countering the effects of organs that move due to breathing and digestion during radiation therapy.

Victorian Health Minister Daniel Andrews said that the new technology will make the Alfred Hospital’s William Buckland Radiotherapy Centre the leader in the practice of gated radiotherapy in Australia.

“The existing technology forces specialists to treat wider margins of the disease to account for the movement of tumours within organs that move. So, this new technology will allow them to minimise these margins by delivering more targeted treatment, in turn allowing doctors to increase the dosage and improve control,” he said.

“The new technology is so advanced that it can switch the linear accelerator treatment unit on and off when the tumour is in a known position, thanks to special cameras, infra-red technology and 3D mapping.

"It is expected the new technology will result in significant benefits for cancer patients, including better targeting of radiation treatments, fewer radiation therapy sessions and the treatment of previously untreatable conditions,” Mr Andrews said.

As part of the Victorian Government’s $150 million Cancer Action Plan, this new technology strengthens Victoria’s position as a world leader in cancer treatment and its commitment to increase cancer survival rates in Victoria by 10 per cent by 2015.

24-Jun-10 3:00 PM

Platypus genome gets top billing at BIO2010

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 20:00:00 GMT

The results of the work were released at international biotechnology event BIO2010 in Chicago.

Professor Ben Cocks, Research Director – Biosciences at DPI, said computational analysis of the platypus genome found two remarkably diverse peptides with potent antimicrobial activity, particularly against gram-negative bacteria.

“These peptides are promising candidates for addressing animal and plant diseases. As they are not related to existing antibiotics, they also have the potential to treat antibiotic resistant infections in humans,” Professor Cocks said.

“Antimicrobial peptides are currently being tested to identify if they can positively influence the microbial flora of the rumen of cattle and sheep to improve productivity and reduce methane emissions.”

“The agriculture sector is Australia’s second largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions,” he continued. “It is very exciting that these new peptides provided by nature could have such wide application to communities across the world.”

The platypus research is the latest DPI results from analysing the genomes of Australian marsupials.

The State Government of Victoria and Melbourne's La Trobe University are investing $288 million to establish AgriBio, the Centre for AgriBioscience, which aims to boost Victoria’s ability to make these important scientific discoveries.

To be located in Bundoora, Melbourne, AgriBio will be a world-class center for agricultural biosciences research and development. It is expected to be fully operational in 2012. Other agencies and organisations with complementary science objectives are invited to partner or link in to AgriBio.

Learn more at www.dpi.vic.gov.au/agribio

24-Jun-10 3:00 PM

Two Apple Design Awards for Melbourne’s Firemint

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 19:00:00 GMT

Firemint’s success could also be the first of its kind, with the Melbourne development studio posting on social networking site Twitter that this was the first time a company has taken out two awards with two apps in the same year.

The awards, which according to Apple “set new standards for the developer community to follow”, were presented at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, USA.

In outlining what made Firemint stand out above the rest in the Design Award category for iPad, Apple said “Flight Control HD is the landmark game that defined a new genre of games on iPhone.”

The second Award in the iPhone category went to the Real Racing app, which Apple said “sets the standard for quality and console-like performance and capabilities on iPhone.”

Firemint, part of an 11-company strong Victorian contingent at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles this week, was also the recipient of four international Pocket Gamer Awards in March this year, and was the Australian Exporter of the Year in the Arts and Entertainment category for 2009.

24-Jun-10 2:00 PM