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Member Profile - Kirsty Mackellar

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:00:00 GMT

Where did you grow up in Australia? Port Hedland, WA; Cairns, QLD; Singleton, NSW

What brought you to the US? How long have you been here? How long do you plan to stay? My father's work transferred our family to Gillette, WY. I have been living in the U.S. since 1998 and living in Chicago since 2004. I'm not sure how long I will stay in Chicago or the U.S.

What is your current position/role? I am the General Management Associate at The Joffrey Ballet, as well as a Gyrotonic Instructor at the East Bank Club.

What is the best part of your job? I predominantly assist with the production / artistic aspect of the company. I especially love organizing the tours. They are usually for about 60 people but can get up to 80. I also teach Gyrotonic part-time at a gym. It's great. The movement is wonderful on all bodies. It's gratifying for me to help people relieve injuries and move better.

If you didn’t live in Chicago you’d live in….? Somewhere hot and tropical!

What is the one thing you always show to visitors from home? The river and lake front. Also, The Bar on Buena.

Describe Chicago in three words… Glorious in summer!

Is there anything you miss about Australia? I miss the nature of Australians, the sense of humour and also the pace of life. Can't forget the meat pies and sausage rolls as well.

Do you have any suggestions for other Australian professionals wanting to follow a similar path? Be open to every opportunity that comes your way.

Do you plan to return to Australia? Yes. I'm not sure when but I miss Australia alot. I'm looking forward to getting back there.

8-Mar-10 3:00 PM

Been to America? Alicia has...

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:00:00 GMT

by Jacquie Byron

Advance Roaming Writers - March 2010

For anyone considering a move to Los Angeles as a career boost, Melbourne’s Alicia Darvall has nothing but positives to say about the experience, despite the fact she was practically ‘taking coals to Newcastle’ by bringing an Australian cinema concept to what is internationally recognised as the movie world’s commercial heart.

“We used to laugh about putting the initials BTA, meaning Been to America, on Australian business cards, especially for doctors,” says Darvall who is married to medico, Tony White. He joined her in LA to complete a two-year Fellowship at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre. “Employers in the field just love to see it.”

The pair lived on the USA’s East Coast for around three years, even producing their first child, Gemma, there. Now back in her St Kilda home, Darvall says she’s returned with a broader mind, less concern over how others perceive her and a willingness to listen and welcome other people’s ideas.

“I think I’m actually less overwhelmed about approaching new business and I can see the pathways to new ideas more clearly. I guess I was buoyed by the knowledge my Australian business experience and principles had held me in good stead there,” she says.

Darvall was General Manager of James Tutton’s Moonlight Cinema here in Australia, which screens at glorious locations like Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens and Centennial Park in Sydney, when the founder left Moonlight and got involved in Sunset Entertainment Summer Cinema, a joint- venture with Village Roadshow Limited. When the company was established to produce five to eight open air cinemas in parks and gardens in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Miami and Philadelphia it was Darvall who jumped on a plane to LA, six weeks before her husband, to get the ball rolling.

“We spent almost two years in Venice and loved it,” she says. “But in LA it’s all about living near your work and your friends. You have to find your ‘hood’. We were commuting more than 40 minutes to work each way.” Eventually they moved to West Hollywood where it was a walking, inner city lifestyle that reminded them of Melbourne.

Eager to find networks for business and professional purposes Darvall discovered the charm of online communities and realised there was no stigma about making friends via the Net in the USA. She recommends sites such as http://likemind.us. She also became Chair of the Los Angeles branch of Advance Global Australian Professionals and eventually started an informal Mother’s Group via the organisation.

Being located on the West Coast was a big positive both personally and professionally for Darvall and White as they could return home on a “one shot” flight and the time difference was often only three to four hours, meaning she could keep in contact comfortably with Australian colleagues.

She loved the healthy lifestyle of Los Angeles and soon got used to early morning meetings, exercising with friends and colleagues and the fact that the whole town went to bed at 9pm.

“It’s such a factory town,” she says. “In pilot season – September – you will always know at least one person involved in a new TV show so it’s like the AFL season here. You find your show and barrack for it.”

Darvall travelled on the E3 visa that allows Australian nationals to work in specialty occupations in the USA. She met a lot of talented and enthusiastic Australian business people during her time in LA but noted that some returned home disappointed, surprised that business and retail concepts that had flourished in Australia were not as successful in the States. “Successful Australian businesses tend to have evolved over years here,” she says. “They need to be given the chance to do the same there. Runs on the board in Australia don’t really count for that much once you get to the U.S.” And, she says, nothing replaces face-to-face contact with Americans. “If you’re based in LA but you want to do business in Chicago then you have to go to Chicago,” she explains. “They like to see the whites of your eyes.”

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Jacquie Byron

Jacquie Byron is a Melbourne based journalist whose work has appeared in newspapers and magazines throughout Australia and New Zealand. Her work has taken her from the jewellery trade shows of Basel to the proving ground of the Holden motor car company in Australia. Her recent work as editor of Get Creative magazine has seen Byron travel to Uganda and New York in search of stories with crafty and creative edges. Her interests include but are not limited to human interest, food, wine, travel, film, literature and the arts.

3-Mar-10 11:00 AM

Member Benefit - 99designs.com

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:00:00 GMT

Advance is pleased to offer members access to a global community of graphic designers to meet your design needs.

For the month of March, Advance has teamed up with 99designs.com, one of Melbourne's ecommerce success stories, who connects customers needing custom graphic design work such as logos and websites to a thriving community of talented designers.

At 99designs.com a community of graphic designers competes to create the perfect design for your project – logos, web sites, marketing materials, product labels or any other graphical element. As the largest online marketplace for crowdsourced graphic design with over 160,000 members, 99designs.com enables businesses to quickly and cost effectively source custom graphic design work without the risk – you see the designs before you buy.

Since launching in February 2008, 99designs.com has completed over 35,000 successful projects, seen over 3.4 million images uploaded, with a new custom designed image uploaded to 99designs.com every 10 seconds (24/7x365). Last month they paid out over US $600,000 in commissions to their designers. 99designs.com has a team of 20 people operating out of custom built offices in Collingwood and a sales/support team in San Francisco.

Advance members receive US$20 towards launching a design project when they sign up for a free account at 99designs.com.

To take advantage of this offer simply:

1. Go to http://99designs.com/promo/advance to create a free account.

2. The account will be set up with $20US credits

3. After registering you can launch you design project here.

Credits can be claimed throughout the month of March and will be applied upon purchasing your design project.

For more information on 99designs visit http://99designs.com

All the best from 99designs.com and Advance

2-Mar-10 3:00 PM

Westpac Partners with Advance to Establish Global Sustainability Network

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:00:00 GMT

The Westpac Group continues to lead the way in advancing sustainability, with theWestpac Institutional Bank becoming a founding partner of the Advance Green Network, a network of prominent Australians living at home and abroad who are committed to the challenge of building a sustainable future.

The announcement follows The Westpac Group’s recognition last month as one of the “Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations” at the Davos World Economic Forum in Switzerland. Westpac was the only Australian bank to receive this recognition, acknowledged as the top Australian corporation, coming in at number 15 on the list globally.

The Westpac Group’s Director of Emissions and Environment, Emma Herd, said; “Westpac has a long history of responsibly managing our direct and indirect environmental impacts. Westpac Institutional Bank, in particular the Commodities,

Carbon and Energy (CCE) group, is now using this experience to help our customers manage their own carbon risks and take advantage of emerging greenmarket opportunities”.

“Westpac Institutional Bank’s partnership with the Green Network strengthens our commitment to supporting the development of business opportunities for our customers, both around the world and at home in the growing Green Sector.”

Ms Herd said that financial institutions were in a unique position when it came to climate change and the associated risks to business, as they lend to and invest in every other aspect of the economy.

“Being a global leader in sustainability is a key strategic goal for Westpac. We are committed to helping Australians and Australian businesses manage and reduce greenhouse gas emissions”, she said.

The Westpac Group undertakes a number of initiatives as part of its public advocacy of sustainability, including “Our Tomorrow”, a sustainability program to inform, motivate and engage employees, involvement in the Hub of Responsible

Business Practice in Australia, the rollout of a Supply Chain Code of Conduct to encourage more sustainable business practices amongst Westpac suppliers as well as ongoing involvement in policy debate.

For the last 8 years, the Dow Jones Sustainability Index has recognised Westpac’s global leadership position in the banking sector.

About the Advance Green Network
www.advance.org/industry_networks/green/

The Advance Green Network helps global Australians get involved in the quest for a sustainable future and aims to:

• Build the Green Network in support of Advance’s role as Australia’s premier overseas professional networking forum;

• Inform Advance members about major green issues (energy, water, waste, agriculture, etc.)

• Encourage business leaders and policy makers to bring about change towards a sustainable future;

• Participate in discussions of new sustainable business models and highlight innovative companies;

• Encourage better alignment between shareholders and companies to offer long term sustainable growth;

• Develop a coherent voice that knits together the powerful interests in finance, technology and the new sustainability sectors;

• Foster research, development and commercialisation of Australian and global green technology.

About the Corporate Knights 2010 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations

www.global100.org

Corporate Knights, the magazine for clean capitalism, recently announced its sixth annual Global100 list of the most sustainable large corporations in the world, with the latest list establishing a new standard of transparency for such rankings.

The 2010 Global 100 tapped intelligence from the world's largest sustainability research alliance put together by Legg Mason's Global Currents Investment Management to isolate the top ten per cent of companies from a universe of 3000 global stocks, which were then transparently ranked based on 10 indicators, with data sourced from ASSET4, a Thomson Reuters business, and The BLOOMBERG PROFESSIONAL® service.

The Global 100 includes companies from 24 countries encompassing all sectors of the economy, with a collective enterprise value of $4 trillion, and three million employees.

1-Mar-10 3:00 PM

Advance Asia: February newsletter

Alison Harbert — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 08:00:00 GMT

Welcome to the Advance Asia February newsletter.

Advance's Emerging Leaders Summit, Delhi
3 - 4 May, 2010
Our Emerging Leaders Summit will leverage our Australian expatriate and alumni networks in India and connect them with our finest emerging leaders to inspire creative strategies, tackle key challenges and opportunities and forge stronger relationships between India and Australia. The core themes of the Summit are:

-Energy & the environment
-Education
-Commercialisation of innovation
-Urbanisation & the influence of mega-events

For more information, click here or to express your interest in joining us in Delhi and make sure you receive updates, send us an email here.

Advance's leading women
This month, Advance speaks to Tokyo-based Melanie Brock, Managing Director of Agenda, and charts her entrepreneurial approach to establishing a highly effective business in Japan and who's inspired her to strive to 'have it all'. Read the full story here.

Many events are taking place across the globe to celebrate International Women's Day on 8 March and two of Advance's Hong Kong-based women, Michelle Guthrie (featured in the January newsletter here) and Ros Coffey (Advance Director profiled here) will contribute to a panel discussion at AustCham Hong Kong & Macau's International Women's Day lunch. To join Michelle and Ros at this lunch, book with AustCham here.

Breaking down the barriers for cultural collaborations in China

Barry Plews, Creative Producer of Reckless Moments, has seen dramatic change in Chinese cultural productions since he first visited China in 1982. Based in Shanghai since 2002, Barry has mounted many successful collaborations and shares his thoughts on the best and worst projects, how to fund them and some keys to his success here.

Understanding the carbon market in Asia

Much has been said about the global carbon trading market but for those outside the industry, it can be hard to get your head around. Dorjee Sun, a 30-year-old Australian entrepreneur based in Singapore, established Carbon Conservation and explains how it works and what he's doing about it here.

AustCham Regional Forum - last places selling fast!
AustCham Hong Kong & Macau presents Tigers, Elephants and Dragons... Australia's Business Future on 4-5 March 2010, bringing together people doing real business across Greater China, Japan, Korea, India and ASEAN; all experts and leaders in their fields. There are still a small number of places left and AustCham is generously offering Advance members the AustCham member rate of $4,000 (usually $5,000 for non-AustCham members). To read more and book, click here.

Calling all Australians in Hong Kong!
The Support Australia Group unites all expat organisations in Hong Kong and is celebrating 13 years next month! All Advance members are invited to join the celebrations on Thursday 11 March, 6.30pm at Wolloomooloo in Lan Kwai Fong (Free entry and cash bar). Email Advance Asia here if you're coming along.

Know someone who should join our network of global Australians? Membership is free and you can refer them here.

See you next month!

Alison Harbert

Manager, Asia

This newsletter is powered by:

Advance Global Australians is supported by the Australian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

26-Feb-10 2:00 AM

Advance's leading women - Melanie Brock

Alison Harbert — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Long term expat, Melanie Brock, outlines how she's built her successful business in Japan and what's helped to keen her sane juggling this and her young family.

What is/are your current role/s and where are you based? I am based in Tokyo where I have a company called Agenda. Agenda provides representation and consulting for food and beverage companies. We also import and distribute a range of gourmet products.

What is your connection with Australia? In addition to representing several Australian companies, Agenda is the exclusive distributor for Byron Bay Cookies, Dandaragan Estate olive oil, 5 Senses coffee, New Norcia and Ogilive’s. I established the Australian Chefs and Hoteliers in Japan Network two years ago in an attempt to further raise the profile of Australian chefs and hoteliers working here in Japan. The Australian Ambassador to Japan is patron of this group.

How long have you been in Tokyo and outline the path that led there. I have lived in Japan for nearly 20 years now. I first came to Japan in 1982 as a Rotary exchange student. I loved languages and was studying Italian and Indonesian at school but had never really thought about Japan or Japanese so ….my being here is thanks to a decision made by the Rotarians on the selection panel.

I completed my undergraduate degree at UWA and my postgrad at UQ where I trained to be a simultaneous interpreter. I travelled to Tokyo in 1995 with my two boys, then 4 and 3, and started working at the Australian Embassy. Agenda was established in 2003.

What have been the biggest challenges in balancing a career and motherhood and how have/are you managed/ing these challenges? I am a single working mum so things can get rather frenetic at times. I have had a great network of friends who help to keep me sane…and offer a glass of wine every now and then. The boys went to the local day-care and this was great in that we were part of the local community, living and working in the same area for nearly 15 years now has been great. In fact, many of the local shopkeepers reminisce about me having a roar at the boys as we plodded on our way to day-care of a morning.

I don’t think I have the ‘secret’ as to how you should balance a career and motherhood but having my own company has allowed me great flexibility.

Who were the women you looked up to as you established your career? I have always looked up to women who seem to ‘keep it all together’. That includes working mothers but equally so, refers to women who are committed in their working lives but remain true to themselves. I have met many gutsy Japanese women who have had to be very persistent in their own career paths and I admire them for their staying power…and quiet determination.

How do you operate differently as a professional in Japan as compared to your approach in Australia? Japan is a great place to work and live. People are very professional in their approach to business and have high expectations of those they work with. I am lucky in that my staff at Agenda are all very good people and work very hard to ensure we meet the high expectations of our clients. Meeting deadlines, doing the right thing, doing what you say you will do are key elements. Meetings are probably more formal in Japan than in Australia so I am always mindful of that. Having said this, I love the casual and down-to-earth and more irreverent nature of Australians.

What have you learnt from mentors, both men and women? To never, ever, ever give up. To be persistent and in the wise words of a good friend, be the last man standing.

What advice do you give to women who want to have a successful professional and personal life? Do everything possible to create a flexible working environment. While my business may not be making me the money some of my colleagues have earned in say for example finance, I do know that as a single working mum, I needed for there to be flexibility so as to be with the kids when I needed to be.

Having said that, I still beat myself up about having had to miss certain events at either school or daycare or about being too tired to sit and read books with the kids or for all the ranting and raving (when I was obviously stressed about some work thing) but….

What has been the single greatest lesson you have learnt that you wish you knew 20 years ago? I wish now that I could have said no a few more times over the years. There were many occasions when I should have said no to an event or working on a project or attending some dinner. Perhaps learning to say no in a more effective way would be the lesson I wish I had known 20 years ago.

Melanie Brock is the Managing Director of Agenda in Tokyo and can be contacted at melanie@agendajapan.com.

26-Feb-10 0:00 AM

Can't see the wood for the trees?

Alison Harbert — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Singapore-based Australian, Dorjee Sun, explains how he's grown a highly profitable and successful business in carbon trading.

What and where is your current role? I'm the CEO of Carbon Conservation and based in Singapore but travelling all the darn time.

What is your connection to Australia? I was born and raised in Sydney, worked and lived in Melbourne, love Tassie, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Darwin, Canberra and the bits in between!

Explain how carbon credits work. The best summary I've seen is on wikipedia here.

What is the concept of Carbon Conservation? Essentially we pay communities to protect their rainforests and avoid deforestation. This results in forests to protect and sequester carbon dioxide thereby allowing us to create carbon credits that we sell to raise finance to pay the communities to protect their rainforests! (Repeat cycle until all rainforests are protected and the climate has stabilized and also protect the animals in the forests!). We also do carbon projects with renewable energy, energy efficiency in buildings and transportation, green economic development plans for provinces and countries.

What are the biggest challenges you’ve encountered establishing Carbon Conservation in Indonesia? Where do you begin? Let's just say to do anything innovative, anywhere in the world needs persistence, stamina and a positive attitude. The biggest challenge is keeping the faith when everything goes wrong. (Read Rudyard Kiplings “If” for further instruction on this topic).

Where do you see the industry going in the next 5 -10 years? The world has two possible futures: A ruined exploited polluted world where animal species are extinct, climate change destroys crops and cities with floods and fires, the oceans are barren, the air is smoggy and fouled, the sky is grey and our children live at a lower quality of life (this is the BAD future) OR a sustainable world where mankind can find some type of balance with the natural world (this is the GOOD future). Now the industry is at crossroads: Will the UN finish the job left incomplete in Copenhagen? Will Obama have the nuts to shove cap and trade thru the Senate? Will Mr Prime Minister get CPRS through? In 5 to 10 years I believe that there will be a “Climate 9-11” (yep I'm coining the phrase) where Miami will be smashed by a hurricane, California will burn to the ground, Houston or a Gulf city get wrecked, a heat wave chokes the USA, a drought shuts Hoover Dam’s power down to Vegas or a combination of them all which will force action from the USA. So as Ban Ki Moon said: Nature doesn’t negotiate or as RFK said: “Never forget that the economy is a wholly owned subsidiary of the environment” – point of this ramble is that sustainable business, green, eco industries are here to stay because there are too many people and not enough natural resources. First person to the future makes a million bucks and also helps the world.

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you started Carbon Conservation? That the carbon boom and the internet boom are different and that even though I still plan to make Carbon Conservation the Amazon.com of the Amazon, any industry where regulation of Governments are so pervasive requires inhuman patience and infinite understanding. I however have the cadence of a patriot missile.

How can Australians in Asia contribute to your campaigns? I definitely find that because Aussies grow up in nature and are generally pretty environmental they are great to do green business with. Perhaps it’s because we grew up recycling or trying to not waste water but when it comes to trying to make Asia more sustainable, I'd like to connect with as many Aussies as possible. One of the pet projects we are doing is called “No Meat Week”. It's born from the fact that carnivorous diets have a much higher consumption of water and carbon relative to a vegetarian diet and we have been doing ‘Meatless Mondays’ in Carbon Conservation for the last couple of years. So if the world ate less meat (starting from Aussies in Asia, Australian companies and well... anyone who had ever thought of Australia, been to Australia, dated an Australian or even hung out with an Australian...), we would have a lower carbon and water impact collectively. Anyway, our goal is to get 100,000 people to do a “No Meat Week” and get sponsored by friends and family of around $100 each to eat no meat for a week. This would raise $10M for charities committed to fighting climate change, water issues and environmental causes so if you wanna get involved just email me at here or facebook me ‘dorjee sun’.

Dorjee Sun is the CEO of Carbon Conservation and can be contacted on dorjee@carbonconservation.com.

26-Feb-10 0:00 AM

Cultural collaborations - the Chinese way.

Alison Harbert — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 06:00:00 GMT

What is your current role? I work as a creative producer and dramaturge and head up my own independent production company, Reckless Moments. We undertake a wide range of international projects in the performing arts, as well as in animation. My company turned 20 last June, which is no small feat as an unfunded, independent production house and we specialise in making collaborations and co-productions.

Where are you based and how long have you been there? I am based in Shanghai and have been since 2005, although I first began working with China in December 1995 also spent very large amounts of time from 2001 through 2004 in Shanghai.

When you first arrived in Shanghai, what did the cultural landscape look like? Well, in 1995, it was vastly different to today. The cultural chasm was wider - much wider. The cultural infrastructure for engagement with foreigners was still very primitive and there was little understanding on either side - Chinese or Australia - about how to actually go about collaborating with each other. There were very few good theatres, or concert halls and those that did exist in the major cities were inevitably old, in poor condition and with little by way of modern technical equipment. The staff within these venues were also largely untrained and inevitably inexperienced in dealing with western artists. Marketing skills were non-existent by western standards - there was no electronic ticketing, no on-line ticketing (of course) and no developed box office software systems - it was hard tickets only and these were mostly given away, as had been the case since 1949. In short, it was an extremely difficult environment for a foreign producer seeking to engage with Chinese artists and Chinese arts companies.

What kind of projects/collaborations are most and least successful and why? Looking back on the past 14 years, I think that the most successful have been those that have engaged creatively with Chinese artists and producers. Even high-profile foreign artists with very strong global 'brands' experience more success in China when they engage with local artists and present a collaborative 'face' to Chinese audiences. Collaborations mean that each party has a stake in the outcome and although collaborations are always more difficult to realise - and certainly more difficult than, say, shipping in a 'hermetically sealed' show, or a concert, or simply using Chinese locations for filming, at the end of the day, collaborations realise so much more for everyone involved - for the artists themselves, for the producers and for the audiences too. Successful collaborations often lead to enduring creative relationships and open other doors, producing even more ambitious and interesting projects. The least successful projects are (and this has always been so) those that feature less than stellar artists and companies just ticking off a 'been there, done that' list of venues and cities across China. The engagement for the latter is on a level close to zero and the former, well audiences tend not to be interested in seeing them a second time. There are more creative collaborations now in China and Chinese companies (and cultural bureaux), are quite keen on them. Some recent creative collaborations in China have enjoyed very considerable critical and popular success, not only in China, but also in Europe and North America too.

Describe the barriers that you encounter in China that aren't present in Australia. The government and government bureaux in China are more 'engaged' with the cultural process than their Australian counterparts, so negotiations for new or unusual projects can be slower and more complex. The Chinese government's funding of arts projects is more centralised and largely on a project-by-project basis even for the largest state companies. This means that long-term planning is sometimes difficult. Funding in China is also specifically devoted to the actual development and rehearsal processes, with the performance seasons expected to be sustained entirely from box office revenues. Making performance season budgets work can, therefore, often be a real challenge, especially for contemporary work. Cultural bureaux also have considerable direct input into a company's repertoire in China and that brings its own challenges for foreign partners trying to negotiate new collaborations. The lack of any developed culture of philanthropy in China means that very contemporary-minded projects generally have a challenging time raising funds, especially if independent Chinese artists are also involved. Similarly, direct arts sponsorship in China is also undeveloped and where it does exist, is entirely geared to very quantifiable commercial outcomes. What this means in practice is that many artforms cannot 'deliver' the outcomes that such sponsors demands. The consequence is that there is very little sponsorship of artists as compared with Australia. Censorship is an issue, but often it is not what foreigners are expecting. As producers, we generally find that we can usually find a path forward which satisfies each of the partners and, in any case, we find the discussions about content are usually more 'elastic' and less dogmatic than one might expect and becoming increasingly so.

What are the advantages of mounting productions in China as opposed to Australia? One word - scale! It is much easier to mount large projects in China than it is in Australia. The Chinese like their cultural projects big, so there is rarely a need to think about scaling things down - quite the reverse. China also has a considerable cultural infrastructure and there are many specialist agencies tasked with the creative landscape in China. Whilst the government in China is much more intrusive than Australian governments when it comes to artists and the projects that they do, there is an upside - the Chinese government is involved and committed. All too often governments in Australia are, for all intents and purposes, indifferent to our artists. This is not so in China.

What have been the most inspiring productions you have seen and what underpins this success? There have been many - I will cite just a few recent ones. In 2009, the London Philharmonic's wonderful concert with Christoph Eschenbach conducting at Shanghai's Oriental Arts Centre, when they closed their all-Dvorak program with an encore (that we had initiated) from one of Shanghai's (and China's) greatest living composers, the 87 year old Zhu Jian'er, who rose to accept the applause of the sold out hall when he was acknowledged by Eschenbach; Speaking Chinese, the Shanghai-Beijing-San Francisco-Los Angeles dance collaboration (and Part II of our trilogy of 'chamber' dances) that we premiered at the 2008 San Francisco International Arts Festival; Sweet & Sour, a 17' animated short film co-production that we made with the Adelaide-based People's Republic of Animation and the venerable Shanghai Animation Film Studio in 2007, which went on to play some 26 film festivals around the world, collecting silverware along the way and receiving an official Chinese co-production license from Beijing (the first ever for an animated short film between Australia & China); Graeme Murphy's Sydney Dance Company-Shanghai Song & Dance Troupe 2006 collaboration, Malan Hua; and Chinese Whispers, the Adelaide-Melbourne-Beijing-Shanghai dance collaboration (and Part I of our trilogy of 'chamber' dances), that we performed in six cities across Australia & China in 2005. I think that in each of these projects, it was the collaboration between artists from different cities and different countries and different culture, all working with each other for the first time, that is been the real 'success'. In every case, the works were received with great enthusiasm by audiences inside and outside of China. The two chamber dance productions have now been invited to be part of this year's Big Dance 2010 programme in London and the short animation directly led to an invitation from the Shanghai Animation Film Studio (which we accepted, of course), to collaborate with them on a new feature-length animated film.

Inspiring productions from elsewhere would have to be led by the wonderful opera project, Culture Memory, initiated and funded by the Goethe Institute, with the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre as its Shanghai partner; the intriguing Russian-Chinese drama collaboration, The Lost Opera, also at the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre, but also featuring actors from the SDAC; and the Mary Moore-Tomiko Takai Australian-Japanese collaboration, Exile, which left the audience gob-smacked when it played in Shanghai's famous Lyceum Theatre in 2000. Each of these productions successfully engaged with Chinese audiences; not least because audiences in China want to see their artists performing successfully side-by-side with foreign artists - and being accepted by foreign artists (and foreign audiences too).

What is the single most important thing to do when marketing a cultural production in China? We try to make sure that there is a potential 'appetite' for the production and we work to try to ensure that the potential audience in China could begin to understand any critical 'differences'. That is, if we are introducing artists or artforms that we know are largely unfamiliar to Chinese audiences, we try to ensure that the marketing includes enough 'signposts' that a potential audience could form an opinion about the artists or the work and so become interested to 'be' the audience. This 'education' aspect of marketing western projects in China is very important. China has rapidly become a 'brand market' as far as western artists are concerned and that does put Australian artists at a disadvantage. Very few Australian artists are 'global brands', so we do have to work that much harder. With collaborations, the task is a little easier because we can build on the existing audience of the Chinese partners and this is one more reason why we gravitate towards collaborations and co-productions as our preferred 'modus operandi' in China, that and the fact that such collaborations are inevitably more artistically interesting.

How can Australians capitalise on the Chinese cultural appetite? The glib answer is build more 'global brands', but the more fundamental answer is to look at what kind of productions and concerts and films Chinese audiences are going to and use that as the starting point for planning. It is true that there is an audience for almost anything in China, but the more unknown the artists and the artform, the smaller the audience and small is very small in China. Australian artists do need to do their homework thoroughly. They also need the right Chinese partner. Many high-profile European, North American and Asian artists arrive in China to find rapturous audiences waiting for them wherever they go. A lot of low-profile artists with the wrong Chinese partner (or worse still, no partner at all), usually arrive to find empty theatres or halls. Thorough planning is crucial, so is seeking good advice before getting on the plane. Most crucially, Australian artists need to find the best Chinese partner that they can lay their hands on. Without the 'right partner', the chances of success are slim.

How do you source funding to ensure a secure financial base for your work? We have no Australian funding. All of our recent project funding has been secured in China. Lately, we have also been successful in securing funds from sources in the UK and the USA. Of course, when we work with Australian artists, they bring their Australian funds into the project, but as producers, Reckless does not receive any Australian funding for our projects in China. We rely entirely on China, the UK and now the USA to find the funds necessary to support the collaborations and co-productions that we initiate and produce.

Where can Australian artists go for more information on entering the Chinese market? I think that the first (and most important) port of call for all Australian artists wanting to engage creatively with China are those Australian artists and producers who have worked in China and have experience of producing and touring in China - especially those Australian producers with a record of successful inter-cultural engagement with Chinese artists. To be frank, at an official level, Australia's record of cultural engagement with China is not what it could be (or should be), especially when compared with the efforts of countries such as the UK, France and Germany. Nevertheless, there are quite a few Australian producers across various artforms whose engagement with China stretches back many years and they are a valuable resource for any Australian artist or company looking to engage with China. I am sure that most would be happy to be approached.

Barry Plews is the Creative Producer of Reckless Moments and can be contacted on barry.plews@reckless.on.net.

25-Feb-10 0:00 AM

CEO Message - February 2010

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:00:00 GMT

This month we are delighted to announce a new partnership with Westpac Institutional Banking, Advance’s Founding Green Network Partner.

On the day we celebrated this partnership with Advance members in New York, Westpac was also recognised at Davos Switzerland as the 15th most Sustainable Corporation in the World. To top it off, further acclaim was given to Westpac as the 1st most Sustainable Corporation in Australia, let alone being the only Australian bank to receive this global recognition. Westpac believes climate change is not just an environmental situation, but a fundamental economic and social issue posing business risks and opportunities. It has a long history of responsibly managing its direct and indirect environmental impacts. The Advance Green Network and the Advance Green Advisory Group welcome Westpac and its commitment to supporting the development of business opportunities for Australians around the world and at home in the growing Green Sector.

Stay tuned for our forthcoming annual Summit, the Advance Emerging Leaders Summit to be held in New Delhi from 3 to 4 May 2010. The Summit will leverage our Australian expatriate and alumni networks in India and connect them with our finest emerging leaders to inspire creative strategies, tackle key challenges and opportunities and forge stronger relationships between India and Australia.

As we witness the world undergoing significant change, India and Australia are playing an integral role in this transformation. India, the largest parliamentary democracy, will be the world's third-largest economy by 2025. India has become Australia’s sixth largest export market, and second only to China in terms of GDP growth. With nearly 500 million people aged under 30 and a median age of 24 years, it is the only country in the world with a declining age-dependency ratio. The country’s rapid growth and increasingly outward-looking economy are opening up further partnership opportunities in the broader region. The key areas of focus for the Summit include: redesigning India’s and Australia’s entrepreneurial ecosystems, meeting the region’s future energy needs, the urbanisation of cities, the rights and wrongs of our education collaboration and education.

We hope you enjoy this month’s read, with our global team reporting on a number of stories from around the world. Don’t miss out on:

reading this article ‘Seduced by Shanghai’s Buzz’, by this month’s Roaming Writer Kay Ross
checking out a short video of one of our members in San Francisco, John Papandriopoulos, who at the age of 30 revolutionized the future of broadband and helped speed the world wide web.

16-Feb-10 10:00 AM

Victorians Abroad Network Newsletter February 2010

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 20:00:00 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. Victorians Abroad Profile - James Gorman

2. Australia’s first home-grown hybrid car being built by Toyota in Victoria

3. World goes wild for box office hit filmed in Victoria
4. Melbourne ranked best sports city in the world

5. Victoria: the nation’s economic powerhouse in 2009, creating over 75,000 jobs
6. Melbourne named the 8th most attractive destination for jobseekers worlwide

7. Qantas introduces new flights from Melbourne to London and Melbourne to Los Angeles

8. Transport Feature

9. New Super 15 Rugby team for Melbourne
10. New Victorian cultural icon judged best in Australia
11. Victorians Abroad Events
12. Events in Melbourne and across Victoria

1. Victorians Abroad Profile - James Gorman

James P. Gorman, a former lawyer from Melbourne, became President and CEO of the New York investment bank Morgan Stanley on 1 January 2010. Mr Gorman joined Morgan Stanley in 2006, after a distinguished career as a lawyer with Phillips Fox, partner at consulting giant McKinsey and executive at Merrill Lynch. [More...]

2. Australia’s first home-grown hybrid car being built by Toyota in Victoria
Official production of the first hybrid vehicle to be built in Australia, the Toyota Camry sedan, has commenced in Victoria at Toyota Australia’s Altona manufacturing plant. Toyota Australia will produce 10,000 of the hybrid vehicles each year, with the first due on roads in early 2010.[More...]

3. World goes wild for box office hit filmed in Victoria
The latest world-wide box office hit to be filmed in Victoria, Where the Wild Things Are, has been delighting cinema audiences around the world. The Warner Bros adaptation of the classic Maurice Sendak children’s story was filmed over four months at Docklands' Melbourne Central City Studios and across 11 Victorian locations. [More...]

4. Melbourne ranked best sports city in the world

Melbourne has cemented its position as the sporting capital of the world, taking out the ‘Best Sports City’ award at the SportBusiness Sports Event Management Awards in London ahead of a competitive field of cities including Berlin, which hosted the IAAF Athletics World Championships, and Singapore, which hosted the first night Formula One Grand Prix. [More...]

5. Victoria: the nation’s economic powerhouse in 2009, creating over 75,000 jobs
Recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) indicates that Victoria created over three times more jobs than any other state during 2009, maintaining its reputation as the economic engine room of the nation. [More...]

6. Melbourne named the 8th most attractive destination for jobseekers worlwide
Melbourne was ranked the 8th most attractive destination for jobseekers worldwide in a recent survey reported in the Financial Times. [More...]

7. Qantas introduces new flights from Melbourne to London and Melbourne to Los Angeles
The arrival of two new A380s to the Qantas fleet has increased the travel options for Melburnians flying to London via Singapore. The A380 is the largest commercial aircraft in production and will offer 10,000 additional seats per year on the route. [More...]

8. Transport Feature

Melbourne’s public transport system is undergoing a face-lift with a new operator, Metro Trains Melbourne (MTM), a new ticketing system myki and planned new construction of the Regional Rail Link. [More...]

9. New Super 15 Rugby team for Melbourne
Melbourne has landed a major coup by winning a new team licence for the expanding South African, New Zealand and Australian Rugby Union (SANZAR) competition. [More...]

10. New Victorian cultural icon judged best in Australia

The iconic new Melbourne Recital Centre (MRC) and Melbourne Theatre Company (MTC) Theatre building has been named the best building in Australia at the 2009 Master Builders’ National Excellence in Building and Construction Awards. [More...]

11. Victorians Abroad Events
Over the coming months Victorians Abroad will host events in the USA, UK, China and Mexico. Look out for our email notices about the next event near you.

Australia Week 2010

Victorians Abroad attended events around the USA from 9-22 January marking the 7th Australia Week promotions in the USA. Events this year showcased Australian food, wine, fashion, film and business, particularly clean technology businesses. www.australia-week.com/

Australian Business's Melbourne Cup

Victorians Abroad was a sponsor of Australian Business’s Melbourne Cup function in London on 2 November which attracted a large crowd to watch a telecast of the race. Prizes were awarded to the best dressed fellows and fillies.

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:

Warriors of Brazil

2 - 7 February

A show that combines the extraordinary martial art of Capoeira (kah-poh-ayr-ra) with the music and dance of Carnival!

Sustainable Living Festival

6 - 21 February

In its eleventh year, the very best examples of ecological and social sustainability will fuse interactive workshops, talks, demonstrations, artworks, exhibits, films and live performances.

Long Distance Vision: Three Australian Photographers

Ends 21 February

The National Gallery of Victoria celebrates the work of Christine Godden, Max Pam and Matthew Sleeth in an exhibition of over 60 photographs exploring the concept of the ‘tourist gaze’ and its relationship with the three artists.

Melbourne Food & Wine Festival

12 - 23 March

Melbourne will burst with hundreds of flavoursome food and wine events at the largest celebration of its kind anywhere in the world.

Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show

24 - 28 March

The Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show explodes with colour & design at the world heritage listed Royal Exhibition Building & Carlton Gardens.

Melbourne International Comedy Festival

24 March - 18 April

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is one of the three largest comedy festivals in the world, alongside Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Montreal’s Just for Laughs Festival.

FORMULA 1™ Australian Grand Prix

25 - 28 March

Nothing compares to the adrenalin-charged action of Formula One.

AFL Final Series

Begins 25 March

Footie fever is back for 2010.

Rip Curl Surf Pro

30 March - 10 April

Held at Bells Beach, this is the longest running ASP World Tour event (it's 38 years strong) is an annual pilgrimage for thousands of surf fans and festival goers alike.

Going Green Expo

30 April - 2 May

Save money and the environment with the latest ideas that don't cost the earth.

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:

11-Feb-10 2:00 PM

Member Profile - Alexander Waters

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:00:00 GMT

Where did you grow up in Australia?

Melbourne - a sort of mish mash of San Francisco, New York and maybe a bit of Hong Kong. It's an interesting city, with a lot of history and attitude. Back in the early 90's when I was a kid, the city was really hard hit with a recession and Melbourne was in a state of decline. Now it’s the fastest growing city in the country and something like 2,000 people a week move there. It's changing so fast and I'm excited for what it'll be like in the near future. I really love Melbourne, I could talk for hours, but I'd better not.

What brought you to the US?

Music. I studied Composition at The Boston Conservatory.

How long have you been here? Going on 2 years.

How long do you plan to stay?

I've actually just left the U.S. I suspect I won't come back to live in Boston again but I'd certainly consider coming back to live in New York if given the opportunity. I couldn't get enough of the place. Whenever I was on holiday I'd just hop on the Fung Wah bus in Boston's Chinatown and get to NYC as fast as I could. I liked Boston, but I'll always love New York.

What is your current position/role?

Project planner with a large Melburnian apartment developer. I get to do all the strategic behind the scenes stuff with building apartment towers in Melbourne. Collaborating with architects, interior designers, government authorities, etc.

What is the best part of your job?

Utilizing creativity and technique, watching a skyscraper be built from scratch and being a part of the city's growth.

If you didn’t live in Boston you’d live in….?

Melbourne or Shanghai.

Describe Boston in three words…

Pahk the cah. Academic, epicurean, tough.

Is there anything you miss about Australia?

Talking to people with the same accent as you. In the U.S., sometimes I get fed up with having to repeat myself because some people here just don't understand or maybe haven't had practice listening to Australian accents, so I'll just use a neutral American one to skip the confusion. It’s almost like speaking another language in terms of how hard you have to concentrate on the pronunciation. I also miss Vegemite and the feeling I get when I see the Melbourne skyline rise up as I ride into the city. It’s like Dorothy says, there's no place like home.

Do you have any suggestions for other Australian musicians wanting to follow a similar path?

Well my path led away from music so um, don't do what I did I guess? Just kidding. The best thing you can do is make friends with as many of the right people as you can. A lot of the music business, and to anyone who's making it, it is a business, is about networking. If you want to get into film scoring, make friends with directors and producers. Don't develop an ego, say yes to everything (ok not everything, but almost).

Do you plan to return to Australia?

Already there.

9-Feb-10 12:00 PM

Advance Global Newsletter February 2010

Denisse Chao Villarreal — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:00:00 GMT


February, 2010

Welcome to the February 2010 issue of the Advance Global Newsletter. Please forward this newsletter on to anyone you think would like to connect with Advance. 1. CEO Message 2. Advance Emerging Leaders Summit 2010, 3 - 4 May, New Delhi 3. Solar-Gem Wins 2010 Australian Innovation Shoot Out 4. Seduced by Shanghai's Buzz 5. Sustainability Set To Become Big Business 6. down under / ON TOP 7. The Food Emporium Showcases Delicacies from Down Under in January 8. Advance Member Benefit 9. The Buzz 1. CEO Message This month we are delighted to announce a new partnership with Westpac Institutional Banking, Advance’s Founding Green Network Partner. On the day we celebrated this partnership with Advance members in New York, Westpac was also recognised at Davos Switzerland as the 15th most Sustainable Corporation in the World. [More...] 2. Advance Emerging Leaders Summit 2010 3 - 4 May, New Delhi On 3-4 May 2010, Advance will host its annual Summit – the Advance Emerging Leaders Summit in New Delhi. This Summit will leverage our Australian expatriate and alumni networks in India and connect them with our finest emerging leaders to inspire creative strategies, tackle key challenges and opportunities and forge stronger relationships between India and Australia. [More...] 3. Solar-Gem Wins 2010 Australian Innovation Shoot Out in Silicon Valley Solar-Gem, one of the New South Wales state finalists, took top honors at this year’s G’Day USA Australian Innovation Shoot Out at the Microsoft Campus in Silicon Valley on January 20. Solar-Gem CEO Khimji Vaghjiani was named “Australian Innovator of the Year” by the judging panel of US technology investors and thought leaders, who were impressed with the possibilities of Solar-Gem’s innovative off-grid lighting and electricity system. [More...] 4. Advance Roaming Writers Seduced by Shanghai's Buzz by Kay Ross Shanghai-based Suren Gunatillake is a Melbourne boy and proud Essendon supporter, born to parents of Sri Lankan heritage. I first “met” him on twitter, and discovered that he has a fascinating story to tell about his expat adventures in Shanghai and Hong Kong (he divides his time between the two cities because his wife Juliana, another expatriate Australian, is based in Hong Kong). [More...] 5. Sustainability Set To Become Big Business A dominantly corporate group attended the launch of the founding partnership between Westpac Institutional Bank and the Advance Green Network at the Australian Consulate in New York on January 27. The event came on the heels of the announcement in Davos Switzerland that the Corporate Knights Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations had just recognized Westpac as the 15th most Sustainable Corporation in the World. [More...] 6. down under / ON TOP Welcome to our monthly video profile of Australians marking their mark on the world – a joint production between Cameron Daddo and Advance. Building on our theme of innovation, this month we meet John Papandriopoulos. At the age of 30 John revolutionized the future of broadband and helped speed up the world wide web. Watch John Papandriopoulos [here] 7. The Food Emporium Showcases Delicacies from Down Under in January Gourmet Mecca, The Food Emporium, went green and gold this January when it presented A Taste of Australia at all sixteen of its Manhattan locations. From January 15-28 New Yorkers were able to try and buy some of Australia’s most iconic foods and beverages from Tim Tams to Coopers Pale Ale and King Island Roaring Forties Blue cheese. [More...] 8. Advance Member Benefit Global Corporate Challenge Established in Australia and now in their 7th year, the GCC encourages teams of employees, workforces and friends around the world to be more active by taking part in a virtual journey around the world. Find out [more] 9. The Buzz Our February snapshot of Australian stories around the globe. Tweets ahead: Aussies embrace social media ABC News - Australians are leading the world when it comes to time spent on social media sites, with a new survey showing we spend on average almost seven hours a month on sites such as Twitter and Facebook. Mixed Grammy results for AC/DC, Urban ABC News - Aussie rock veterans AC/DC missed out on a second Grammy when Green Day won the best rock album award with 21st Century Breakdown today. Australian wins at Sundance with debut feature The Australian - David Michod has mixed feelings about winning the biggest prize for a non-US film at the influential Sundance Film Festival.		Upcoming Events London: Mon 22 February Arts Network Meeting Thu 25 February Centenary of Australian Diplomatic Representation in the UK Wed 3 March Australian Woman of the Year Wed 3 March Australian Fashion Charity Show New York: Tue 11 Feb - Sat 6 March Wonder and Evanescence an Exhibition by Denise Green AM Tue 23 February Australian Artists Exhibition Thu 4 March International Cities: New York, Paris, Florence, Sydney and Melbourne an Exhibition by Marco Luccio * 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.

8-Feb-10 10:00 AM

Former lawyer from Melbourne, James Gorman, takes up the role as President and CEO of Morgan Stanley

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:00:00 GMT

Mr Gorman began his career at Morgan Stanley as the head of its global wealth management division and was responsible for unifying the firm’s retail businesses under one name, streamlining its technology systems and overhauling its marketing activities, focusing on wealthier clients. During the financial crisis, Mr Gorman pushed for a big strategic shift, with an emphasis on cutting complex products and expanding retail brokerage services. These moves to strengthen Morgan Stanley’s institutional securities group and reduce risk-taking, were clearly appreciated by the board.

Mr Gorman attended Xavier College in Melbourne, holds Bachelors of Arts and Bachelor of Laws degrees from the University of Melbourne and an MBA from Columbia Business School.

4-Feb-10 1:00 PM

Member Benefit: Global Corporate Challenge

Louis Matthews — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 02:00:00 GMT

The Global Corporate Challenge (GCC) is the world’s largest and most exciting corporate health initiative.

Established in Australia and now in our 7th year, the GCC encourages teams of employees, workforces and friends around the world to be more active by taking part in a virtual journey around the world - the more steps your 7-person team takes, the further you travel the globe and the healthier you become!

This year we invite Advance members from around the globe to join the challenge. You'll have fun, get healthy and enjoy some great scenery along the virtual walk around the globe. Hundreds of Australian (and non-Australian) companies participate, so its likely you'll be competing against friends and colleagues from around the world.

The GCC2010 Starts May 20 but you need to register early.

For more information click onto www.gettheworldmoving.com or contact Catherine Bishop at catherineb@gettheworldmoving.com

3-Feb-10 8:00 PM

World goes wild for box office hit filmed in Victoria

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:00:00 GMT

The latest world-wide box office hit to be filmed in Victoria, Where the Wild Things Are, has been delighting cinema audiences around the world. The Warner Bros adaptation of the classic Maurice Sendak children’s story was filmed over four months at Docklands' Melbourne Central City Studios and across 11 Victorian locations.

The movie includes images of the pristine sand dunes of Discovery Bay and the striking forest setting of Gilwell Park in Gembrook, the spectacular rock formations at Mt Arapiles and the suburban streets of Williamstown and Newport. Victorians are sure to enjoy watching their home town shine on screen.

Victorian Minister for Innovation Gavin Jennings said “the story’s enchanting landscape and spectacular settings truly drive this tale, so the creators travelled the world for 18 months to source the perfect location. Victoria managed to secure the deal ahead of Argentina, New Zealand, California and Hawaii thanks to our diverse locations, offering forests, oceans, quarries, cliff tops and mountains which are all a short drive from Melbourne and each other. In fact, Victoria was the only location that could offer the complete package – world-class sound studios, skilled crews, film-friendly councils, competitive incentives, and Melbourne’s famous relaxed, yet cosmopolitan lifestyle for the cast and crew to enjoy”.

It is estimated that this box office smash directly invested more than $57 million into Victoria’s economy and created more than 670 jobs. The screen industry is a major economic driver for Victoria, supported by the Victorian Government’s Our Vision on Screen strategy, which outlines initiatives worth $178 million over five years.

3-Feb-10 3:00 PM

Qantas introduces new flights from to Melbourne to London and Melbourne to Los Angeles

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:00:00 GMT

The arrival of two new A380s to the Qantas fleet has increased the travel options for Melburnians flying to London via Singapore. The A380 is the largest commercial aircraft in production and will offer 10,000 additional seats per year on the route. Qantas is also increasing its Melbourne-Los Angeles service from two to three flights per week from 29 March 2010.

Victorian Tourism and Major Events Minister Tim Holding said that while most other parts of Australia have seen a downturn in tourism, Victoria is showing resilience in the face of the Global Financial Crisis and the devastating Black Saturday bushfires. Recent figures show an increase in the number of international visitors to more than 1.5 million.

“Along with Qantas’ additional seats, Victoria has boosted the number of international airlines servicing Melbourne Airport in the last 12 months from 21 to 26,” he said.

3-Feb-10 3:00 PM

Melbourne ranked best sports city in the world

Denisse Chao Villarreal — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:00:00 GMT

Melbourne won the award for its year round calendar of major events, unrivalled sport precinct and infrastructure, strong event attendances and established events industry.

“This award confirms what we have all known for a long time – no other city puts on a major sporting event like Melbourne,” Victorian Tourism and Major Events Minister Tim Holding said. “You only had to be at Flemington for the Melbourne Cup or at Kingston Heath to see Tiger Woods and Geoff Ogilvy competing in the Masters to see our major events strategy on show. In awarding Melbourne, the judges have recognised the passion that Melburnians and Victorians have for sport and major events, which sets us apart from other cities.

Mr Holding went on to say that “these major sporting events are our tourism drawcard and bring tens of thousands of visitors from interstate and overseas to our city every year.”

Melbourne will host a number of major international sporting events over the next two years including:

· The Socceroos last match on Australian soil before the 2010 World Cup in South Africa to be played at the MCG in June next year;

· The UCI Road World Championships which will take place in Melbourne and Geelong – Australian Cadel Evans is set to defend his world title on home soil after winning the 2009 event in Switzerland;

· The 2011 Presidents Cup to be played at Royal Melbourne, making Melbourne the first city outside of the United States to host the Cup for a second time;

· The Australian Open tennis tournament at an upgraded Melbourne Park;

· The Spring Racing Carnival, including the world-renown Melbourne Cup horse race; and

· The Australian Football League finals annually

Melbourne also took out the number one ranking in the SportBusiness International Magazine Ultimate Sports City list in 2008, which ranks the top cities at hosting events.

3-Feb-10 3:00 PM

Transport Feature

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:00:00 GMT

Melbourne’s public transport system is undergoing a face-lift with a new operator, Metro Trains Melbourne (MTM), a new ticketing system myki and planned new construction of the Regional Rail Link.

Metro Trains Melbourne

Metro is the name of Melbourne’s new metropolitan rail service. Metro Trains Melbourne (MTM) took over from Connex on 30 November 2009.

Mr Brumby said, “We are experiencing extraordinary growth in rail patronage in Victoria and MTM’s experience and track record in Hong Kong will be crucial as we transform the network into a modern mass-transit metro system.”

“Our Government is investing $38 billion to build a better transport network and MTM will ensure that passengers see the benefits with more services, cleaner services, better punctuality and safer trains and stations,” Mr Brumby said.

MTM will employ more than 100 extra customer service officers across the network and staff 22 more stations. They also pledged to upgrade the air-conditioners of 93 trains to work at temperatures of up to 45 degrees.

Myki

Victoria’s new public transport ticketing system, myki, was launched in time for the New Year. Myki can now be used on all train services operated by Metro, and all V/Line services in Zones 1+2, including Melton and Sunbury.

The myki ticket, a reusable plastic card, can be used either as a pass (similar to the old monthly and yearly tickets) or can be topped up with cash for irregular travellers. The myki ticket is scanned at train stations or as passengers get on and off trams and buses. Myki then automatically calculates the best daily fare for each user.

The tickets can be purchased and “topped-up” online at www.myki.com.au, selected retailers, train stations and other public transport interchanges.

A number of months remain before the new system will be fully integrated in Melbourne, with the old Metcard system continuing to operate during this period.

Regional Rail Link

Construction on the Regional Rail Link is expected to begin in 2010, providing a major new line from West Werribee to Sunshine and then through to Southern Cross Station. At $4.3 billion, it is the largest improvement to our rail network since the City Loop.

The line will provide a new, entirely separate track for regional trains entering the city, removing the metro boundary that slows the trains and leads to unreliability in the timetable.

The project will increase capacity and reliability for Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo services, and free up suburban services from Werribee, Sunbury and Craigieburn.

3-Feb-10 3:00 PM

New Super 15 Rugby team for Melbourne

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:00:00 GMT

Melbourne has landed a major coup by winning a new team licence for the expanding South African, New Zealand and Australian Rugby Union (SANZAR) competition. Victorian Premier John Brumby congratulated the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) and Victorian Rugby Union (VRU) in their efforts to secure Melbourne a spot in the competition from 2011.

The new team will share its home ground, the iconic $267 million Melbourne Rectangular Stadium which is currently under construction, with the Melbourne Storm rugby league team and Melbourne Victory soccer team. ”The new stadium will be one of the best stadiums in the world to watch Rugby Union and our other rectangular codes,” Mr Brumby said.

Sports Minister, James Merlino, said decision reaffirms Melbourne as the sporting capital, with a team in every major sporting code in Australia.

VRU Chairman Gary Gray said the decision was a big win for Victoria's rugby union community. “This year we celebrate 100 years of rugby in this state and the decision is a great reward,” Mr Gray said.

The Victorian Government provided $500,000 in funding towards the State Rugby Centre at the Rectangular Stadium, which will provide first-class facilities for player training and conditioning.

3-Feb-10 3:00 PM

Australia’s first home-grown hybrid car being built by Toyota in Victoria

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:00:00 GMT

Official production of the first hybrid vehicle to be built in Australia, the Toyota Camry sedan, has commenced in Victoria at Toyota Australia’s Altona manufacturing plant. Toyota Australia will produce 10,000 of the hybrid vehicles each year, with the first due on roads in early 2010. The new Toyota Camry hybrid will consume 30 percent less petrol than the current model Camry, which uses around 8.8 litres per 100km travelled.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said the new hybrid Camry was an "achievement of which all Australians should be proud" and the beginning of a new era for Australian motoring.” While Victorian Premier, John Brumby, said the new car was "absolutely essential for tackling the changes we all face in a climate change and carbon-restrained future." The production of this vehicle will cement the future of automotive manufacturing in Victoria and Australia.

Toyota Australia President and CEO Max Yasuda said the Hybrid Camry represented one of the most significant developments in Toyota’s 50-year history in Australia, and had the potential to change the Australian automotive landscape and provide Australian motorists with an affordable, environmentally responsible vehicle.

"We acknowledge that the Federal and Victorian governments have demonstrated their strong desire for the local industry to build vehicles that help meet the challenges of climate change and a carbon constrained future.

"Both governments continue to provide strong support to the Australian automotive industry and can share in this historic announcement which is positive for Toyota, local car manufacturing and the Australian community.”

The Victorian Government has committed to purchasing up to 2,000 hybrid Camrys over the next two years, to join its government fleet and significantly contribute to reducing the carbon dioxide outputs.

Three hundred of the vehicles will enter New Zealand early next year and other potential export markets are being explored by Toyota.

Toyota Australia presently builds the 4-cylinder Camry and 6-cylinder Aurion in Australia at its Altona plant, which employs 3,200 people. It produced 141,467 vehicles in 2008 including 101,688 for export markets, generating revenue of $1.5 billion.

3-Feb-10 3:00 PM