AUSTRALIA
JANUARY 2018
AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA 1
Celebrating shared values and raising Australia’s profile in Denmark The Australian Embassy in Copenhagen is situated on one of the city’s most impressive locations in Nordhavn, with breathtaking seaport vistas on several sides. This seems entirely fitting, as Australia as we know it today has largely been built by immigrants, most of whom arrived by sea. Mary Ellen Miller, the current Ambassador who took up the post in May 2017, has a solid background in education and leadership. One of her particular interests has been the Women in Leadership initiative. Her Ambassadorial role also extends to non-resident accreditation to Norway and Iceland. The Ambassador spoke to the CPH POST: How did Australia and Denmark establish diplomatic relations? It’s been about 70 years since the two countries established diplomatic relations. We’ve had representation in Denmark since 1955 and Denmark opened its first diplomatic representation in Canberra in 1947. We didn’t have an embassy until the late 60s. However, I’d like to emphasise that Australians and Danes have worked together much longer than that, particularly during WWII. Several members of the Royal Australian Air Force lost their lives over Denmark. We also have stories of Australian airmen meeting locals and being helped on their way to Sweden and from there, back to the UK. How would you describe the current relationship between the two countries? Very warm! In addition to the recent royal connection, we’ve worked very closely with Denmark over many years. We share values and interests – despite the geographic distance. We have a very strong shared commitment to peace and security. We also work together in the WTO to promote trade liberalisation. Our people-to-people links are very strong and there are good exchange programs between our students. More than 1,000 Danish students study in Australia every year. We’d like to see that continue to grow. What do you see as your primary role as Australian ambassador in Denmark? Well, the main point about being an ambassador anywhere is to enhance the reputation of your country with your host country, so that’s very much at the forefront of my mind. I’d like to make sure that Australia continues in good standing with Denmark and I don’t think that’s going to be a problem! But I see the main part of my work as raising the profile of what is already a very strong relationship. We have many political and business ties and people-to-people links, but on the whole, Danish people’s awareness of Australia is fairly shallow. They know of Australia and feel warmly towards it, but probably don’t know the depth of the relationship. For example, we eat a lot of Danish pork! 2
I guess a lot of people in Denmark only became aware of Australia when Princess Mary came on the scene … Crown Princess Mary is a great link for us and we’re just as proud as the Danes. The royal connection definitely helps raise our profile but we also want Danes to know more about Australia’s depths, history and connections between our two countries. There are a number of Australians of Danish descent. How have they in particular contributed to making Australia the great country it is today? There are almost 60,000 Australians who identify themselves as having Danish ancestry. More than one in four Australians are either born overseas or have parents born overseas. That’s a large percentage of our population and something Australians are very proud of in terms of our very strong and multicultural society. We’ve had waves of immigrants in pretty large numbers and integrated lots of different nationalities. All of them – Danes included – have contributed to making Australia the place it is today, which is a very stable and cohesive society. According to surveys, approximately 91 percent of Australians express the view that they feel a strong sense of belonging. Around 83 percent feel that multiculturalism has been good for Australia. Danes have fitted right in to Australia because of shared values – we all support human rights and the dignity of the individual, we embrace social inclusion, we value fairness, gender equality, the rule of law etc., so perhaps that’s why Danes have integrated so quickly. Isn’t it true to say that the first few waves of immigrants were mostly Europeans and then more recently Asians and now there are even other groups …? If you look at it from the perspective of the Indigenous Australians, the very first immigrant were Europeans from Britain. But after WWII, we have had many different groups from Europe and they were extremely important. They built infrastructure at a time when the nation was booming and the population was small, so we needed that influx of labour – as well as wanting to help people looking for a better life following the devastation of the war in Europe. So a positive outcome for both sides. Some of them may have struggled a bit at first but in time, they have become a very integral part of the community. You can see that in things like the Snowy Mountain scheme, which was largely built by people from Central and Eastern Europe. Would you say that nowadays, Australia politically is primarily orientated towards the US and Pacific sphere or do you still look towards Europe when it comes to things like trade and defence policy? Nothing is more important to Australia than a strong and prosperous region where we live, so the Indo-Pacific region is critically important to us. It has a real mix of countries moving into middle-income status and countries working on development. We feel a
Publisher: CPH POST • Editor: Hans Hermansen • Journalist: Stephen Gadd • Layout: CPH POST • Info: hans@cphpost.dk • Tel: +45 2420 2411 Cover photos: Tourism Australia
responsibility to our region as well as a sense of belonging. The US is also a very important bilateral partner and always has been, so there is no question that we will always have a strong tie to the Indo-Pacific region and the US. But I do think that what has become very evident is that it is very important to Australia to co-operate with other like-minded partners who share our commitment to global peace and security and how we can contribute to that. In that sense, the EU and UK are both vitally important partners. The EU is our second largest trading partner and our largest investor. We feel that it is very important to maintain connections to this part of the world, no matter how far away in geographical terms, not just for trading purposes but also to build global security and work together on global leadership. The Danes come up very regularly in terms of the partnerships we are involved in. How does Australia co-operate with Denmark in the political arena? My Danish counterpart in Australia and I both approach our governments on political issues all the time on a wide range of issues such as trade, defence and security. We talk together about all the things we are going to work on in multilateral forums, things like development assistance and achieving sustainable development goals. We work from different parts of the world but we work on the same kinds of principles regarding the achievement of these goals. Gender equality and women’s empowerment is a very important issue to Denmark and Australia, as well as human rights. Australia has just been elected to the Human Rights Council for which Denmark is campaigning to be elected and that’s a very positive sign. We’ve also collaborated in the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan and the Global Coalition against ISIL. Australian and Danish forces have been working side by side in those environments. We’ve also worked together on committees such as that for the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and the management of chemical weapons. We share learnings to work against terrorism and other global security issues. So a strong co-operation and one that will continue. Could you elaborate a little on trading relations between the two countries – is it easy to set up joint ventures? Trading relations are good despite the fact that neither country is in the top ten of each others trading partners. We’re continuing to grow links. Agriculture is a particular focus. Dairy is important for Australia and we export beef, lamb and wine to Denmark. However, other sectors such as high-tech are becoming more important. Clean technology, smart city technology and medical technology in general offer good opportunities. We are both committed to free and open trade so there are very few impediments. Austrade provides specific practical support to businesses thinking of working in Australia and a number of Danish businesses are already there, so they can pass on their knowledge to others wishing to enter the Australian market. How do you see the relationship between the two countries developing in future? I would hope that it would continue to increase in breadth and depth and for me, a lot of that is about raising awareness. I hope we will be able to fulfil the potential of two countries who really have so much in common and can do so much together. I see it as continuing to prosper!
Ambassador Mary Ellen Miller
What can Australia learn from Denmark? One of the things I’ve noticed in the short time I’ve been here is the Danish commitment to collaboration. Australians are keen collaborators as well but I think that the Danes take this to a very sophisticated level and we could learn from that, especially in the business and political sector. It is the notion that collaboration can be a win-win situation. What could Denmark learn from Australia? I’d probably go back to what we said earlier about Australia being a very successful multicultural society. Australia has gained great richness from becoming a more diverse society, we have embraced many different nationalities through waves of immigration and this is an area where we could share our experiences and how we embrace and celebrate diversity – and I’m sure these are things we can learn from one another. What places would you recommend foreigners to visit in Australia? Australia is very diverse. We’ve got big cities and an incredible diversity of natural environments. You can ‘go bush’ and visit incredibly remote parts of Australia and see red dirt and blue sky as well as going to beaches. One of the tourism fun facts is that you could visit a different beach in Australia every day for 27 years! If I were to make recommendations, I would recommend The Kimberley in the remote north west of Western Australia because it is so different from the rest of Australia. It’s an ancient landscape and amazingly beautiful and remote. That area in particular really speaks to the sacred relationship between Aboriginal Australians and the land and the environment is very powerful because it is so harsh and remote. Otherwise, the Whit Sunday Islands because they are so beautiful, with crystal-clear waters and stunning beaches. For Danish readers, we have to mention Tasmania. It’s a beautiful island that is a bit like Australia’s Bornholm, except that all of Denmark would fit into Tasmania! It has wildlife, fantastic scenery, snow-capped mountains and is also a bit of a ‘foodie’ place, with gourmet dining and high-quality produce. 3
A brief history
Australia is a truly diverse country - it is home to people from more than 200 countries with more than 300 languages spoken in Australian homes.
served with distinction in every conflict and commitment involving Australian defence contingence since Federation, including both world wars.
By the time European settlement started in 1788, Australia had already been home to Indigenous people for more than 50,000 years. Today, Australia’s Indigenous people are recognised as having the oldest continuous culture on Earth with a rich diversity in languages and traditions.
Danish immigrants also participated in the war, and a monument to Corporal Jensen, an Australian Victoria Cross recipient, was unveiled in Løgstør in 2006. Jørgen Christian Jensen was born in Løgstør in 1891, migrated to Australia in 1909 and was naturalised as Australian on 7 September 1914. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for most conspicuous bravery for his actions in capturing a German forward machine-gun post with little support. A wreath is laid at the monument on behalf of the Australian government and people on Remembrance Day, 11 November, every year.
European settlement changed through the years from British penal colonies (from the 1790s to 1860s) to free settlers interested in developing land (in the 1830s) and to those chasing fortunes in the gold rush of the 1850s. Australia is continuing to welcome more than 200,000 immigrants every year from all over the world including from Scandinavia. Today, almost 60,000 Australians claim Danish heritage with almost 9,000 being born in Denmark. Shaping the national identity Australia as we know it was formed in 1901, when the then six states united under a single constitution and formed the Commonwealth of Australia. Not long after in 1914, World War I broke out and Australia’s participation came to be an important element in shaping Australia’s national identity. There were fewer than three million men in Australia in 1914 and around 420,000 of them volunteered for service in the war. Of those who went, about 60,000 died and tens of thousands were wounded. Australia participated as part of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) and was involved in combat in the Middle East and on the Western Front. More than 1,000 of the enlisted men were Indigenous Australians. Indigenous Australians have 4
Commemorating courage and mateship Australia commemorates all who served and died in wars and operations each year on 25 April, also known as Anzac Day. This date marks the landing of Australian troops at Gallipoli in 1915. The spirit of Anzac has qualities of courage, mateship, and sacrifice, and continues to have meaning and relevance for Australia’s national identity. In Denmark, the Anzac Day service hosted by the Australian Embassy in Copenhagen also commemorates the 69 Australian casualties who died in Denmark during the world wars. One of the war dead was Mr Ernest Charles Moody, died of the Spanish Flu while transiting Denmark on his way home following World War I in 1919. The remaining 68 Australians lost their lives during flying missions over Denmark in World War II. This year’s Anzac Day service will commemorate the end of the centenary of World War I.
Australia’s Human Rights Council Membership 2018-2020 On 1 January 2018, Australia took up membership of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the peak international body for promoting and protecting human rights. Australia’s case for election to the Human Rights Council was based on the unshakeable principal that human rights are universal, indivisible and inalienable. As a founding member of the United Nations, Australia’s commitment to human rights is strong and enduring. We know that no country has all the answers when it comes to human rights, and that we all benefit from peer review and expert advice. A reputation for pragmatism We were elected, in part, because we have earned a reputation for being pragmatic, for acting as a bridge-builder in multilateral fora and for not shying away from difficult issues. Australia demonstrated this during our term on the UN Security Council in 2013-14. Australia supports a rule-based order because it helps to deliver security and prosperity around the world. It is imperative that Australia upholds, defends and advances the rules, norms and
institutions that help underpin that rules-based order. Australia’s election to the Human Rights Council will help us shape the thinking and actions of the international community on some of the world’s most pressing problems. Focusing on equality and freedom During our term, we will focus on gender equality, freedom of expression, good governance and robust democratic institutions, human rights for indigenous peoples and strong national human rights institutions. In addition, we will continue to promote the abolition of the death penalty, freedom of religion or belief, the rights of persons with a disability and the rights of LGBTI communities. We will always oppose racism and xenophobia. Australia is committed to working constructively and collaboratively with other countries and civil society to continue to protect and advance human rights, to ensure Australia and the world is safer and more secure.
5
Two Australian scientists on the cutting edge in Denmark For some time now, it has been apparent that jobs in the fastest-growing industries require a skill-set based on science, technology, engineering and mathematics – or STEM. Australia is one of the countries that has made a significant commitment to supporting education in these fields in order to ensure prosperity now and in the future. Support for STEM education and community engagement is seen as a vital part in helping children, families and the whole community to understand the importance of science and the part they can play in Australia’s future. Associate Professor’s Kim Dalby and Gemma Solomon are both attached to the University of Copenhagen at the Nano-Science Center and Department of Chemistry. Kim specialises in geochemistry and Gemma works in the field of molecular electronics. Kim and Gemma spoke to the CPH POST about Denmark and their work here.
Could you give me some idea about how long you’ve been in Denmark and what your research involves? Kim: I’ve been in Denmark now for eight years, but I came here via Canada. I did my PhD there. Originally, I was studying magma and how volcanoes work. That got me into a world of scientific instrumentation. My boss here called me out of the blue to offer me a post-doc in Denmark. I had always wanted to work in Europe and so jumped at the chance. For the last eight years, I’ve been working with instruments so I’ve have the opportunity to work on a variety of things. For example, this year we discovered the earliest evidence of life on earth in rocks from Greenland. Another one of my projects that I enjoy working with is looking at the composition of ink in Egyptian papyri. The biggest thing I work on here is how fluids – ground water, gas – move through a rock. I image rocks in 3D and try to understand how the chemical reactions take place within them. Does this have an application is things like oil exploration? Kim: Yes. A lot of our grant money has come from BP and Maersk Oil, so we do examine rocks from the North Sea to understand how oil sticks to a rock and how to unstick it, using mostly salt water. The newest project we have (Metal-Aid) is with the EU to clean up all the groundwater in Denmark contaminated in the 60s and 70s by dry-cleaning. Can you also use these techniques to clean up soil in general – such as in places like Cheminova at Harboøre Tang? Kim: Well we haven’t thought that far because what I’ve learnt from this project so far is that every project site is very specific, so the geology of the region will play a big part in what will actually work.
FEI Quanta 3D scanning electron microscope at the NanoGeoScience Group, in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Copenhagen. Photo: K. N. Dalby 6
Your studies of ink sounds like a totally different tack altogether. Are you working together with the National Museum or Glyptoteket? Kim: Yes. The samples come from the Carlsberg collection at the Glyptoteket. They have a dump of papyri pieces and want to know whether they can join one fragment to another based on the chemical composition of the ink. I’ve also worked on a project together with the National Museum on a series of similar18th century Dutch paintings to try and determine whether a picture was painted by the master or one of his students. Here, I’ve been analysing samples of the paint using
electron microscopy to determine the mineral composition. This gives an indication as to whether the paint came from the same place. And what about you Gemma, how long have you been here and what do you work with? Gemma: I came seven and a half years ago and I took a slightly different route – I’ve got a Danish husband. However, I met him in Australia when he was doing a post-doc. He was very happy there so it was me who actually brought us here because I was applying for academic jobs and Denmark came up with something first. I work with theory – a totally different world! I do calculations to model how current flows through molecules. We take single molecules and in our simulations, place them between two electrodes and see how the current flows though them – individually and compared with other similar molecules We can also see how much the molecule heats up and how heat flows through the molecule. Our basic question is how to change the chemistry of the molecule to change these electrical properties. Is this in order to find new sorts of components for computer chips? Gemma: That was the motivation when this kind of research started but now, the silicon industry has shown itself to be remarkably good at making smaller and smaller silicon-based devices. The techniques that have been developed to try to understand current flow in single molecules allow us to ask very specific questions about how one molecule functions. Now, a lot of the interest in these experiments is providing a fundamental understanding of the properties of that single molecule. Can you say that because one molecule behaves in a particular way, if you had a collection of them that they would behave identically? Gemma: As long as the single molecule’s properties are what controls the behaviour of the material. For example, if we are talking about how heat propagates and we have a crystal, there might be a crack or a flaw in it. There is always a balance in talking about what the properties of the material as a whole are versus the properties of the single molecule. At least these techniques give us one piece of that picture.
Do you work together on anything? Gemma: Yes, as a matter of fact! We teach scientific writing together. It gives us a chance to use our English-language skills. There are still a large number of students who would rather we taught in Danish but scientific writing is something they are very happy to learn from us – how to write and present. That is obviously rather important … Kim: Yes – and now they are trying to get the bachelor students to submit their theses as a paper. Academics are judged more and more on published work. Gemma: A lot of these students have never been trained to write scientifically. It’s often assumed that clarity of presentation and writing is something that you will pick up along the way. But, the people who have a natural aptitude for writing are not necessarily the ones who choose to study natural sciences, so we really enjoy helping them. Kim: There’s always new materials coming out and social media advances, so there are so many ways to communicate science to the public. Would you say that social media is really a major player, or is it still rather superficial and gimmicky? Kim: It’s not peer-reviewed, so not counted towards your academic achievements. But if you go to any journal website or journal article, there are places where you can see that the articles has been mentioned on Twitter or in the press or cited by other researchers. So slowly, having a public side to your work is becoming more important. Isn’t that a bit of a dangerous trend? Kim: I still think we need journals to be strictly reviewed and struc-
What is the practical application of all this or is there not really one yet? Gemma: Well, it gives you information that you can feed into any number of areas. Of course, there is the possibility of using small numbers of molecules to make electronics. There’s a company out of Canada that makes guitar amplifiers, but there’s also a huge industry in organic electronics – screens and lighting. So there is always the possibility to feed into this sort of field. Are you working on a specific project at the moment? Gemma: One of our most exciting results of the last year is with some collaborators from Columbia University. They had a molecule and we found that part of it is more insulating than a vacuum. You might expect that pure space, with no nucleii, would be the highest barrier to current flow but actually, what we found was that there was a quantum interference effect. This was more insulating than a gap of the same dimension. What could you use this knowledge for? Gemma: It has application for any electronic circuit or transistor. Insulating materials are just as important as conducting materials.
Associate Professor’s Kim Dalby and Gemma Solomon. Photo Cph Post 7
tured, but being able to write in such a way that the public can understand and correctly interpret – that’s where we need to be quite clear what we are doing. You can hardly explain these concepts in however many characters you can use on Twitter … Gemma: From my undergraduate days, we were taught that you have to be ready to write a publicly accessible abstract. We receive large amounts of taxpayers’ money in our research grants as well as from private foundations in Denmark, so communicating back to those providing the funding seems like a responsibility that comes with it. I’ve heard from researchers in the US who have pointed out that they might have a paper that is cited 100 times – and that is considered a very successful paper. However, if they post a YouTube video, they can get hundreds of thousands or millions of views! If you are trying to make a difference with your research, there are two very different types of impact there. I guess you can do both really … Gemma: This is the idea. It’s all about having the inclination and who the researchers involved are and what drives them. Have you come across much academic cheating in the course of your work? Gemma: No! In my experience people generally are in science because they love the process of discovery. There is certainly a concern that you could create a climate where people are pressured to deliver and the pressure may be too much for some who try and deliver something when there is nothing to deliver. It might be thought that sponsorships from prominent companies working in a specific field could tend to lead research in a certain direction.
Kim and the scanning electron microscope. Photo: Jes Andersen
8
Kim: Our group gets a lot of money from the oil industry. But that is a decision you make as an academic: you need money to do your research. If you get your own grant, you come up with the project and drive it the way you want to go. When you apply for a grant, you have a narrow window to work in. If you go to industry for funding, you know that you are going to have to work in this type of research, which hopefully, interests you. So it does end up being science-based and although you don’t know which way it is going to go, it is still workable. Gemma: It seems as if there are a lot more challenging aspects in medical science. Often, in natural sciences, industries getting involved are looking for a solution that is going to work. It is not necessarily about trying to support a product that they already have. Is Denmark a good place to work in in that respect, regarding scientific freedom and facilities? Gemma: I’d say that the working climate in Denmark is very nice, both the working culture and the funding opportunities. Being part of Europe in terms of both funding and collaboration means a lot. Kim: In Denmark, they also put a lot of emphasis on the ‘knowledge economy’. You need to educate people and need bright minds in a country to develop a lot of the things that are going on here. When I worked in Australia it was often hard to get funding and keep collaborations going because of the distances involved. It’s nice to be in Europe and have the ability to travel around. Gemma: I did my PhD in Australia and my experience was a little different. At least at that level, you could get money to travel and then you had to choose whether to go to the US, Europe or Asia. The cost was the same. But here, it is relatively cheap for us to send a student to a conference in Germany rather than the US.
9
MADE by the Opera House – Unique exchange program between Australia and Denmark MADE (Multidisciplinary Australian Danish Exchange) by the Opera House is a multidisciplinary Danish-Australian exchange program. The program was established at the Sydney Opera House’s 40th Anniversary in 2013 and will continue the next years toward the 50th anniversary in 2023. During this period, a total of 100 students will have been through the program and become a part of the MADE-alumni.
that they have moved to Denmark for a period after the program either to work or to take a master’s degree at a Danish University.
MADE aims to promote international and multidisciplinary interaction between students of architecture, engineering and design in the built environment, to spread awareness of Jørn Utzon’s working methods and to strengthen the cultural ties between Denmark and Australia.
Celebrating Utzon’s opera house To celebrate the upcoming anniversary year many of the alumni have been collaborating across borders to deliver a unique interactive installation, ‘Inside the Sails’, which will celebrate the life of Jørn Utzon, the Sydney Opera House and the MADE program. Whilst the students work in multidisciplinary teams within their host country, this project has offered the opportunity for different year groups to collaborate together, further extending and emphasizing the program’s aims. ‘Inside the Sails’ will allow visitors a rare glimpse into the structural design origins of the Sydney Opera House whilst engaging users through captivating light spectacles and augment reality. The installation will be unveiled in Aalborg and will then travel to Sydney for the 45th anniversary celebrations, possibly stopping in Copenhagen on the way.
“With the inspiration of the Sydney Opera House as a great example of what can be achieved, MADE was created to instill an approach to co-operation, mutual respect and inter-dependence between critical disciplines in the design process that is sadly lacking not only at a professional level but also between academic faculties. The hope is that the MADE Alumni will become disciples in the industry who demand design excellence, better co-operation and deliver truly sustainable projects” Dan Mackenzie, CEO Steensen Varming and member of the Australian and Danish MADE steering group. Getting to know people To date, 40 students have participated in the program with great success. Apart from getting a strong relation to a new country, getting to know people and different ways of working and living, the students have gained important knowledge on multidisciplinary working methods that have affected their studies as well as professional choices at the return of the program. For some of the Australian students the program has even had the effect
Photo: Prudence Upton
Photo: Prudence Upton 10
This year the Danish program celebrates the Utzon 100 anniversary by working together with The Utzon Center and the Australian program also aspires to connect MADE with the 45th Anniversary of Sydney Opera House.
MADE by the Opera House is a collaboration between the Sydney Opera House Trust, The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Schools of Architecture, Design and Conservation (KADK), The Bikuben Foundation, The Dreyer Foundation, The Obel Family Foundation, Arup, Steensen Varming, The NSW Architects Registration Board and AMP Capital. For more information on the program: www.sydneyoperahouse.com/MADE
Photo: Matthew Wells
Photo: Prudence Upton
Move over Burgundy, here’s cool Aussie Chardonnay Australian Chardonnay made a name for itself on rich, oaky styles of wine, full of flavour and ripe fruit. That was then, now there’s a new wave of Australian Chardonnay: wines with approachability, freshness and elegance. Think you know Aussie Chardonnay? Think again… Chardonnay has long roots in Australia. James Busby, known as the father of Australian viticulture, is thought to have introduced the first vine cuttings in the 1830s. After disappearing in Australia in the early twentieth century, Chardonnay resurfaced in the 1950s and became popular in the 1970s. With its origins in France’s revered Burgundy region, Chardonnay adapted well to life in Australia thanks to its disease resistance, hardy temperament and early ripening. It is now Australia’s most widely planted white grape variety and accounts for more than half of the country’s white wine production.
Cool climate sites by the coast and at elevation are putting Australian Chardonnays back in the spotlight. Regions to look out for include Tasmania, Western Australia (Great Southern, Geographe), Victoria (Yarra Valley, King Valley, Mornington Peninsula), South Australia (Adelaide Hills) and New South Wales (Canberra, Orange, Tumbarumba). Techniques have also evolved: hand harvesting, earlier picking, more gentle use of oak, minimal intervention and wild ferments are some of the practices that are reshaping the face of Chardonnay. Australian Chardonnay is exciting again. Even the artisans and pioneering young guns are going back to Chardonnay, think Timo Mayer and Mac Forbes in the Yarra Valley, Taras Ochota in the Adelaide Hills and Julian Castagna in Beechworth. Using expertise, experimentation and bold ideas, this new generation of winemakers is shaking up the Australian Chardonnay landscape.
Bigging it up in the 80s In the 1980s, everything was big: expense accounts, shoulder pads and Chardonnay. From mostly warmer regions, Australian Chardonnay was fruity, oaky and full-bodied. These big, bold wines wowed the home and export markets alike. But fashions and fortunes can change. This rich style began to wane and in the late 1990s it was replaced with a crisp ‘lean and mean’ austere style, which turned off many Chardonnay drinkers.
A bright future beckons The future for Australian Chardonnay also looks bright. Exports are up and the variety has achieved record numbers of gold medals in recent international wine competitions. Attitudes are beginning to change: trade and consumers are seeing this transformation and are being enticed back to Australia. Sommeliers are also returning to Australian Chardonnay, attracted by its diversity and its versatility with food.
A decade later, another stylistic shift has taken place. The pendulum has moved to the middle and a new wave of fresh, balanced and elegant wines have arrived on the scene. The quest for finesse and freshness has led producers to cool climate areas and encouraged winemakers to experiment with different methods.
It’s hard to think of Australian wine without thinking of Australian Chardonnay. Its popularity may have waxed and waned over the years, but one thing’s for sure: Chardonnay is back and it’s here to stay. Don’t miss out, get a glass and see the evolution of Aussie Chardonnay for yourself.
11
Travelling to Australia? Here’s eight unusual ways to see Australia’s wildlife Cuddling a koala in a zoo is one thing, but finding one in the wild is a far more rewarding experience. In no particular order, here are eight unique Aussie wildlife encounters. 1. Count koalas on the Great Ocean Road (Victoria) As you drive the winding road towards Australia’s oldest surviving lighthouse on Cape Otway, take it slow and look up: there are koalas everywhere. Dotting the treetops like confetti, they’re well camouflaged so you won’t see them at first. But train your eyes and soon, you’ll be spotting them like a pro. Here’s a tip: don’t stop at the first cluster of cars parked beneath a tree – keep going because you’ll soon get other koalas all to yourself. Expressive and comical, these fuzzy marsupials are even cuter in real life. Photo: Tourism Australia
2. Meet Australia’s happiest animal (West Australia) On an island just off the coast of Perth, little hopping animals bounce around cheerfully, stopping to look quizzically at visitors. Called quokkas, they’re rarely seen anywhere else and they look like a grey teddy bear crossed with a tiny kangaroo. As you ride around beachy Rottnest Island (blissfully, there are very few cars), you’ll spot these tame marsupials nattering beneath trees, gazing at the ocean and even hanging out at the pub – they’re terribly social. Photo: Tourism Australia
3. Watch roos lounge on the sand (New South Wales) The eastern grey kangaroos at Pebbly Beach on the NSW south coast are partial to a bit of beach time. They’re routinely seen hanging out on the sand, often quite close to holidaymakers. Many of them are tame and don’t mind a gentle pat – if you’re lucky they might even pose for photographs. Photo: Tourism Australia
4. Ride a camel on Cable Beach (West Australia) Three times a day, conga lines of camels snake up and down the luminous sands of Cable Beach, throwing beautifully sharp shadows as they plod the water’s edge. It’s a must-do part of any visit to Broome, and the best time to slide into a saddle is undoubtedly sunset. Tours are quiet, lulling you into a relaxed, restful state that matches the laid-back vibe of the outback town. Photo: Tourism Australia 12
5. Snorkel with sea turtles (Queensland) The coral gardens of the Great Barrier Reef are so close to Lady Elliot Island, you can swim right off the beach to see them. As you gaze through your snorkel mask, there’s a good chance you’ll encounter sea turtles flitting through the aquamarine waters –just follow one of the many snorkelling trails on your own, or take a guided snorkel safari. And if you’ve never snorkelled before, don’t worry, there are free lessons. Photo:
Tourism Australia
6. Get up close with a devil (Tasmania) The permanent residents at the Best Boutique Hotel in the World, Saffire Freycinet, don’t know how good they have it. The luxury getaway recently opened a retirement home for the cute-but-carnivorous Tasmanian devil, only a short walk from its glam suites. Part of the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program, guests are invited to learn about the endangered black critters as they feed and play in a one-hectare, free-range enclosure that mimics their natural habitat. Photo: Tourism Australia
7. See crocs jump at Darwin (Northern Territory) The first time you hear about wild crocodiles jumping vertically out of the water, you won’t believe it’s true – but the ancient, giant reptiles are far more agile than they seem. Boat tours on Adelaide River, not far from Darwin, tempt these toothy hunters with dangling meat. Each croc launches its entire body skyward and snaps with its bone-crunching jaws. Photo: Tourism Aus-
tralia
8. Swim with dolphins (South Australia) Picture the thrill when a pod of bottlenose dolphins turns and swims towards you, eager to play. They’re wild and curious, and you’re out in the ocean – not in an amusement park – making the interaction as authentic as it is exciting. That’s what happens on a wild dolphin swim off Glenelg Beach, where you hold on to ropes as a catamaran pulls you gently through the water. Better still, it’s only half an hour from the centre of Adelaide. Photo: Tourism Australia
13
Jessica Mauboy, a Copenhagen veteran, will represent Australia for Eurovision 2018 Eurovision in 2018, will see the return of Jessica Mauboy, who was the first Australian solo artist to perform in Eurovision here in Copenhagen in 2014. Australia is mad about Eurovision and the selection of Jessica Mauboy is a great recognition of Australia’s efforts to enter the competition, as her performance in Copenhagen really paved the way for Australia’s entrance as a competing country. In 2014, Jessica made history when she was invited to perform as an interval act at the Eurovision Song Contest in Copenhagen, being the first non-European solo artist to do so. This time, she’s competing for Australia and a shot at Eurovision glory. A wondrously joyous event Responding to being selected as Australia’s contestant for the Eurovision Song Contest, Jessica Mauboy said: “Eurovision is a wonderfully joyous and unique event. It brings together over 40 diverse countries and cultures under one roof to unite us all in music. It shows how much the power of song can transcend differences. I will sing my heart out for Australia, I’m so proud to be officially representing my country and a little bit nervous - mainly about the stress of the dress!” Jessica is one of Australia’s most successful female artists. Jessica is a proud Indigenous woman from the KuKu Yalanji people (on her mother’s side) and with Timor-Leste heritage from her father. Her musical journey began in 2006 with Australian Idol (an Australian talent show), and since then she has sold over 3.4 million units globally, achieved five top 10 albums, 15 top twenty singles, four ARIA accredited Platinum selling albums and has won two ARIA Music Awards from 24 nominations. Her songs have been streamed globally 158 million times and
her videos have been viewed globally 37 million times. Her performance in Copenhagen in 2014 was recognised by the Australian Head of Delegation to Eurovision, Paul Clarke, who said: “Jessica Mauboy’s performance at the Eurovision Song Contest in Copenhagen 2014 opened the door for Australia to compete at Eurovision – before the great moments of Guy, Dami and Isaiah there was Jess, who touched the hearts of the Eurovision directors and proved just how talented our vocalists are. Since then we have always wanted to give Jessica a shot at the competition, and this year the stars aligned. We can’t wait to develop a great song and stage production with Jessica and her team, and recreate her Eurovision style as a galactic soul diva.” A great track record The 2018 contest will mark Australia’s fourth year of competing in the contest, following a remarkable record of three top ten finishes, with Guy Sebastian’s fifth place in 2015, Dami Im’s second place in 2016, and Isaiah Firebrace coming ninth in the 2017 contest last year in Kyiv, Ukraine. Since joining the competition, Australia’s results of 5th, 2nd and 9th put Australia second only to Sweden over the past three years. While Australia has only competed in Eurovision thrice, many Australians have competed for other countries, including Olivia Newtohn-John for the UK in 1974 and Johnny Logan for Ireland in 1980 and 1987. The Eurovision Song Contest is the world’s largest television music competition and in 2017, the Semi Finals and Grand Final attracted 182 million viewers worldwide and reached more than three million Australians – many who have had to get up early to watch the shows.
Photo: jessicamauboy.com.au 14
Aussie Rules Football – AFL in Denmark Danes love all things Australian and ‘Aussie Rules’ or ‘Australsk Fodbold’ is no exception. Australia’s unique national football code involves 18 players on an oval field trying to kick a rugby-shaped football made out of kangaroo leather through two goal posts. The professional competition in Australia, known as AFL, is a mix of football, rugby, cricket and handball and is the 4th best-attended sporting event in the world (behind NFL, Bundesliga and the Premier League). If this excites you then why not join the 300 players that compete across the country in the Danish Australian Football League (DAFL) and the Women’s Nordic Australian Football League (WNAFL). The quality of play in Denmark is very high with the men’s national team, the Denmark Vikings, winning the gold medal at the AFL Euro Cup in 2015 and 2016. The women’s national team, the Denmark Valkyries, are also strong, taking home the silver in 2015. Moving forward by leaps and bounds The first official bounce of an AFL ball in Denmark was in Zealand in 1991 when three Copenhagen based teams, mainly consisting of Australian expats, formed the Danish Australian Football league. Fast forward 27 years to 2018 and there is much greater diversity found – both with the players’ nationalities and the location of the teams. There are still plenty of Aussies to find amongst the team members, but Danes and Swedes now make up the majority of the players. Yes Swedes (and all nationalities) are welcome! DAFL has two Swedish teams, the Helsingborg Saints and Port Malmø Maulers, and one WNAFL team, Port Malmø Lynx based in Sweden. The Greater Copenhagen area is represented by three teams, the
Denmark Vikings winning their first ever gold medals at Euro Cup 2015 (London)
Copenhagen Barracudas, Copenhagen Giants and Farum Cats in the DAFL - and the Farum Wildcats in the WNAFL. Odense is home to the Odense Lions and Lionesses and Aalborg has the mighty Aalborg Kangaroos. 2017 saw the Barracudas become DAFL premiers overcoming the Cats in a hard-fought Grand Final. The Copenhagen based teams have won the last three flags (victories), but 2018 could be the year that the flag goes to one of the Swedish teams who only has one win between them. The Aalborg Kangaroos played in the Grand Final in 2015 - losing a close match to the Giants, and will be pushing hard for their first flag in 2018. AFL in Odense is growing quickly and the Lions (DAFL) and the Lionesses (WNAFL) are leading the way in Denmark when it comes to recruitment. Both teams boast a talented list of young and exciting players who will be looking to make their mark in 2018. Why not join us? Clubs are always looking for new players, umpires and coaches no matter your experience level. If you are interested in joining the community as a player, trying your hand at coaching or you just want to get involved - feel free to contact either one of the clubs, or the DAFL. Contact information can be found through www.dafl.dk, where you can find the table, fixture, training information and history of the league. The fixture list follows the AFL season in Australia, with games from April to September/October. As the Aussies say, let’s go have a kick of the footy!
Denmark Valkyries at Euro Cup 2016 (Lisbon)
Thore Lauritzen DAFL President 15
16