Celebrate Australia Day: The True Meaning of Australia Day

Yet, from the desert the prophets come. Not the desert run by BHP/Billington and Essington ''I am work'' Lewis. Not the desert run by The Big Three financed by The Big Four. It's the desert that is suburbia. We are all, almost without exception, from THAT desert. And our prophets are born underneath the dull steel of a Hills Hoist. We are not just a mining pit with a pretty coastline. There's a bit more to us than that.

Our nation barely knows the words to its own national anthem. That fact makes my heart swell with pride. I love to see the horrified, furtive glances and inept, bad mime and mumbling that occurs if we ever get to that dreaded second verse. My magnificent and future Nobel Prize winning prime ministerial five-year-old daughter, Lotte May Muldoon, knows Advance Australia Fair better than 90 something per cent of the Australian population. I love that and her.

I love that if the weather is fine, our beaches will be filled. I love that a cricket ground will be packed. ON A WORK DAY.

I like that we happily shoot and eat our national symbol, the kangaroo (Sorry vegans, but I do). It speaks to our rural and indigenous past. I like that huge swathes of the city hate that.

I like that the tension between the city and the country is not that tense.

We're still finding out who the hell we are. We are a teenage nation. Which, of course brings me to the JJJ Hottest 100. Somehow, that strange and often wonderful station, has become part of our ''national identity''. No-one knows how or why. Anyone over the age of 12 gripes about JJJ, and will happily tell you when ''the glory days of JJJ'' were (I'm one of them. For mine it was when they went from JJ to JJJ. That first bit. THAT was good, weird times. But hey, you've got yours too) and you will hear JJJ across this nation on that day. It will be ubiquitous. And yes I think BBQ too. I think cricket with arguments about LBW and classic catches. It's hard not to. It'll be happening (almost) everywhere.

Do we CARE about Australia Day? Of course not. It's a bit of artificial holiday to make us think we're a nation. We have fun, we're good at that. But do we reflect on our strengths and weaknesses? About where we're headed and where we'd like to go? Do we ponder? Do we furrow our brows? Do our poets battle with the tyranny of the blank page? Do our souls expand towards a new unseen horizon sparkling with the tincture of hope?

Nup. We get on the piss. And sometimes kiss. And sometimes biff. We can, quite effortlessly become the Disney version of Australia. The worst part of us is a drunken nationalism that is like a pack of wolves seeking prey. The best part is planting trees and welcoming newcomers to this miracle of a nation that we are almost embarrassed to share, because it's THAT good. In this nation, we tend to be allowed to ''go about our business'', whatever that may be.

I've lived in this nation my entire life and I still have no idea what it is. I also hugely struggle with even typing the word ''we''. Do I love it? This place that I plant my feet? This place I potter around and bump into other lost souls seeking comfort and joy, unfussed about the concepts of ''identity'' and ''belonging'' ? This place of incomparable beauty hidden from the world, yet profoundly connected? This land of the brutal, weary, yet strangely innocent smile?

Why yes I do. Thanks for asking.

Happy Australia Day.

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Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC) Poised for Eventful 2014

BCEC is preparing for a momentous year, the undoubted highlight of which is hosting the G20 World Leaders Summit in November. 

Attended by some of the most powerful leaders of the modern world, the G20 Summit will be a once in a lifetime experience.

This event provides a unique opportunity to showcase to the world the Centre’s expertise in hosting major international events and Brisbane’s standing as a leading international business destination.

The event will benefit Brisbane and the business events industry for years into future providing significant opportunities for tourism, trade and investment.

Preparations are well advanced including the hosting of more than 40 site inspections, many from participating countries.

The Centre has a busy lead-up to the G20 with more than 600 events already on the calendar including 120 conferences.

Horticulturists, medical scientists, environmentalists, liver specialists, urologists, audiologists, speech therapists, physicians and technology, energy, finance and water experts will be among some 60,000 delegates who will visit Brisbane this year to attend conferences collaborating with colleagues and sharing their knowledge and expertise.

These conferences will include the 29th International Horticulture Congress 2014 for 2,000 delegates with some 17 additional symposia, XXXII World Congress of Audiology 2014 for 2,000 delegates, Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver for 1500 delegates, 5th Congress of the Asia Pacific Initiative on Reproduction (ASPIRE) 2014 for 1,000 delegates and Oz Water 2014 for 1500 delegates – to name a few.

Also on the Centre’s 2014 calendar of events are nine new exhibitions across a broad spectrum of interest areas. These include AWISA (Australian Woodworking Industry Suppliers Association) 2014, Supanova 2014, The Courier Mail Home Show 2014, Mind Body and Spirit Festival and ConveneQ – a new business events showcase for Queensland.

The Centre reported an impressive first six months of the 2013/14 Financial Year with 51 new convention wins bringing 41,270 delegates to Brisbane including some of the world’s leading medical and scientific experts.

The Centre partners with Brisbane Marketing and Tourism Events Queensland to bring key conferences to Brisbane.

Among those recently confirmed conferences set to deliver $83.3 million to Brisbane in economic benefit and 204,798 hotel room nights are:

• Gastro 2015: AGW/WGO International Congress 2015, 2,500 delegates
• 9th World Congress of Melanoma 2017, 1,500 delegates
• Conference of the International Bone & Mineral Society (IBMS) 2017, 1,000 delegates
• Meeting of the International Association for Dental Research Asia Pacific Region 2019, 1,000 delegates
• International Society of Nephrology Nexus Symposium 2014, 600 delegates
• Congress of the World Federation of Critical Care Nurses (WFCCN) 2016, 500 delegates
• Annual Conference of Association of Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgeons of Asia 2017, 600 delegates
• Australian & New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine (ASM) Conference 2015, 500 delegates 

WANTED: Nanny for Prince George for Tour Down Under

THE Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are on the lookout for a nanny to look after baby George on their trip to New Zealand and Australia in April, Britain's Daily Mail newspaper has reported. 

Proud mum and dad William and Kate, with their baby Prince George

The royal couple's current nanny, Jessie Webb - who looked after Prince William when he was a child and came out of retirement to tend George - has reached the end of her contract. 

Mrs Webb, 71, took the job on the condition that she would work only for three months, the newspaper reported. "Mrs Webb is still at Kensington Palace and William and Kate are keen to retain her services, but they are discreetly looking for extra help for the month-long trip this spring," the paper said. 


The Duke and Duchess did not hire a maternity nurse after George's birth last July. Instead the couple moved into the Middleton family home in Berkshire so that Kate's mother, Carole, could help out.

When they moved to Kensington Palace last September, they persuaded Mrs Webb to join their household.

It had been rumoured that Carole Middleton could join the tour Downunder to help look after George. However, aides insist that will not be the case and the couple will instead hire a new nanny. 

Prospective candidates would need to be experienced, discreet, trained in paediatric first aid and demonstrate an ability to cope in stressful situations, Janine Bayley of nanny recruitment agency Rock mybaby.co.nz said. 

"We have placed nannies and babysitters for some high profile families including Hollywood actors while visiting in New Zealand," Mrs Bayley said. "We find their expectations just the same as other families, although we do encourage the nannies not to become star struck. 

"At the end of the day, parents want someone who is responsive to their child's needs, able to provide a quality, educational environment and someone who knows how to have fun. Regardless of where we are in society, we just want the very best for our children." 

The royal entourage may include a housekeeper and Kate's personal hairdresser, Amanda Cook Tucker. 

Royal Nannying: Five keys to success 

• Mum is the word. Discretion will be vital as the ravenous media look to exploit any means to find fresh angles on the visit. The nanny should be occasionally seen, but certainly never heard.
• Sleep is over-rated. With near constant travel and a packed diary of obligations to fulfil, the royal couple will be constantly on the move. The nanny can expect to be on call 24/7.
• Say cheese. Photo ops for baby George will be par for the course and there's every chance the nanny will get caught in the lens at some point. A constant smile would be a good idea.
• Keep calm and carry on. George soils his nappy while meeting John Key? No drama. It's just another day at the office. Hand me the wipes.
• A way with children. It may seem obvious, but if wee George isn't taken with his nanny that is going to be one long trip from Kensington Palace and back.

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Arctic Monkeys - Touring Australia May 2014

Frontier Touring is thrilled to confirm that Sheffield Arctic Monkeys will be landing in Australia next May to embark on their biggest tour of our shores to date!

Arctic Monkeys first burst onto the music scene in 2006 with their Award-winning debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not.  The album became the fastest-selling debut album in British music history. 

In the years since their debut, the band have received two Grammy Award nominations, five Brit Awards, headlined the iconic Glastonbury Festival twice and taken to the world stage in front of billions as part of the London Olympic Games opening ceremony. Originally one of the ‘best new bands to watch’, Arctic Monkeys have well and truly cemented themselves now as one of the most important British bands of their time.

The band were last Down Under in 2011 for Falls and Southbound Festivals as well as a handful of Australian headline shows; in 2014 they will return for their most extensive run of tour dates including two New Zealand shows and five Australian shows in celebration of their fifth studio album AM (out now through Domino Records/EMI).

On the charts, AM was the band’s fifth consecutive UK #1 debut, making them the first artist signed to an independent label to achieve this. Closer to home, the album shot straight to the #1 spot on both the ARIA Album Chart and New Zealand’s Official Album Chart.

As well as success on the charts, AM was also heralded by critics  across the globe as Arctic Monkeys’ best album to date and was nominated for the 2013 Mercury Music Prize just two days after its release.

If the demand for their latest album is anything to go by, these tickets won’t last long. Be quick to see Arctic Monkeys; one of the greatest live bands to emerge in recent years.

TOUR DATES*:

Tue 6 May - Sydney Entertainment Centre
Wed 7 May - Brisbane Entertainment Centre
Fri 9 May - Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
Sat 10 May - Adelaide Entertainment Theatre, SA
Tue 13 May - Perth Arena , WA
*Ticketek is selling for the above venues only.

The The Syd Ent Centre Site for More Info

Indian Tourists Flocking to Australia, Says Report

Melbourne: Indian tourists are flocking to see beauty of Australia taking the total number of overseas travellers from the region to over 134,000 from January to October this year, a report said.

According to latest data of Tourism Australia, a total of 134,000 visitors from India visited Australia during October this year, an increase of 9.5 per cent as compared to the same period previous year.

According to its Tourism Forecast Committee report released earlier this year, visitor arrivals from India were predicted to rise by 7.5 per cent and 7.6 per cent to 1,63,800 in 2012-13 and 176,300 in 2013-14 respectively.

"Markets expected to experience strongest gains in visitor volumes in 2012?13 are China (15.9 per cent), Malaysia (13.9 per cent), Singapore (12.5 per cent) and India (7.5 per cent)," it said.

"This revision represents a difference of 6500 more visitors in aggregate. In the longer term to 2021-22, average annual growth of 7.2 per cent to 306,100 visitors is expected," the report cited while note trends from Indian tourists.

It said that average length of stay rose 20 per cent to 66 nights per trip while total nights in hotels, motels and guest houses and serviced apartments rose 17.2 per cent to 0.5 million compared with same period in 2011-12.

"Visitor expenditure is fore casted to rise 19.8 per cent in 2012-13 to USD 867 million.

In the longer term to 2021-22, average annual growth of 10.9 per cent is forecast to USD 2 billion, representing an upward revision of USD 354 million,"?the?report predicted.

Last year, Tourism Australia had launched India 2020 Strategic Plan which was developed to maximise India`s tourism potential and set a foundation for the future, when long haul leisure travel by Indians becomes more common.

Australia Day Squash Challenge Ipswich, QLD 2014

The Ipswich Squash Open Australia Day Challenge will be held from the 23rd – 26th January 2014.  The challenge will include:

• Open Women’s Competition
• Open Men’s Competition
• Graded mens and womens events for local players

This event will be a great opportunity to see the pro’s play with a number of top seeded Australian and international players entered.

Local players can also join in the competition with the graded events.

Keep checking the website for further details including your chance to hit with the pro’s on Friday, 24th January.

View the official site for more information

Queensland domestic tourism boom led by NSW visitors

By Jeremy Pierce and Anne Hancock

DURING State of Origin they hate our guts, but our neighbours from NSW can't get enough of the Sunshine State, gifting Queensland a multibillion-dollar tourism bonanza.

New tourism figures released yesterday have revealed Aussie travellers poured $14 billion into the Queensland tourism industry for the year ending September - a billion-dollar boost over the year before.

And our friendly "Mexicans" from across the border are leading the charge, with Sydneysiders alone accounting for almost a third of the state's domestic visitors, according to Tourism Research Australia data.

Queensland Tourism Industry Council CEO Daniel Gschwind said NSW travellers who had previously flown overseas may have finally decided to explore the state next door.

"We've had a pretty rough trot in recent years, but these numbers are certainly very encouraging," he said.

"And maybe all the NSW people who have been flying over the top of us for the last couple of years are now taking advantage of what they have seen out the plane window."

Tourism officials from the Gold Coast to the Tropical Far North are celebrating Christmas early, buoyed by their best-ever results.

Nowhere is the picture prettier than on the Gold Coast, which has overcome battered beaches and brawling bikies to remain one of the nation's tourist capitals.

The city welcomed 3.6 million domestic tourists for the year, up 220,000, and Gold Coast Tourism spokesman Ben Pole said that by the end of the month the region should have achieved its best year on record.

"This reaffirms the Gold Coast as Australia's most popular holiday destination and shows that through beach erosion and crime, the attractions of our destination can overcome anything,'' he said.

"The numbers are the best since the GFC and by the time we finish 2013 we expect it to be the best year on record."

Tropical North Queensland has already recorded its best-ever year with 1.7 million visitors, representing a surge of 16 per cent.

Tropical North Queensland CEO Rob Giason said the results proved the region had bounced back from tough times.

"We were on our knees in 2010 but we had the vision to create a strategy for growth," he said.

Queensland Tourism Minister Jann Stuckey said the results delivered an unexpected bonus.

"The Premier was so excited with this news he just planted a big kiss on my cheek," she said.

"It's really showing that the hard work of this government is paying off."

The results, which do not take into account the millions of dollars generated by international visitors, leave Queensland on track to meet the State government target of an industry worth $30 billion by 2020.

Top 5 Queensland destinations

1. Brisbane (5 million)

2. Gold Coast (3.6 million)

3. Sunshine Coast (2.6 million)

4. Southern Queensland Country (1.9 million)

5. Tropical North Queensland (1.7 million)

* Domestic visitor numbers for year ending September 2013

Source: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/queensland-domestic-tourism-boom-led-by-nsw-visitors/story-fnii5v70-1226780962509