ANZ Outlook / Issue 7

7

Victoria Australia’s state of extremes

(and Ramsay Street)

g r e b a Bund VISIT

m, for its ru Famous g is a must see er Bundab

Choosing the right migration agent

A registered agent can ensure a visa application goes smoothly Migration news, Ask the Expert, Diary of a Brisbane ood family & Study Down Under

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7

EDITORIAL Editor: Ian Armitage Writers: Colin Chinery Chris Farnell Ruari McCallion Jane Bordenave BUSINESS General Manager: Andy Ellis Research Manager: Andy Williams Researchers: Nicholas Davies Elle Watson Dave Hodgson Chris Bolderstone Sales Executive: Rahim Ali Sales Administrator: Abby Nightingale ACCOUNTS Financial Controller: Nick Crampton Accounts: Margaret Roberts, Alexandra Buchlakova PRODUCTION & DESIGN Magazine Design: Optic Juice Production Manager: Jon Cooke Pictures: Getty Images News: AAP, SAPA, NZPA DIGITAL & IT Head of digital marketing and development : Syed Ahmad TNT PUBLISHING CEO: Kevin Ellis Chairman: Ken Hurst Publisher: TNT Publishing Ltd Australia and New Zealand Outlook, The Royal, Bank Plain, Norwich, Norfolk, UK. NR2 4SF TNT Magazine, 14-15 Child’s Place, Earl’s Court, London, UK, SW5 9RX Tntmagazine.com ENQUIRIES Tel: +44 (0)1603 3432267 Fax: +44 (0)1603 283602 Email: ian.armitage@tntmagazine.com

A land

Down Under We received a wonderful response to our last issue. This time around the magazine is packed with even more high quality, informative travel articles, expert advice and cutting-edge opinion.

Around 200,000 Brits leave these shores every year to start a new life overseas and many move to Australia or New Zealand. Australia & New Zealand Outlook is dedicated to those people, others considering the move and those thinking about making Australia or New Zealand their next holiday destination. The magazine is filled with informative articles for travellers and migrants, as well as packed with expert advice on moving Down Under, working, living and travelling, keeping you fully informed of local news and important visa information.

This free digital magazine is ideal for you for information gathering, facts, news, tips and advice for all things connected with the continent.

This month we look at studying Down Under, life in Canberra, Sydney’s club scene, Bundaberg’s rum, Victoria, and how Brisbane is recovering from the floods. We’ve also got news, essential travel information, expert advice and top tips.

SUBSCRIPTIONS Call: +44 (0)1603 343267 Email: subscriptions@anzoutlook.com

The adventure starts here!

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Ian Armitage Editor AUSTRALIAANDNEWZEALAND

OUTLOOK

03

CONTENTS

PAGE

44 PAGE

24

PAGE

58

PAGE

34 PAGE

36

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CONTEN

TS

06 12 16

News Migration Update What's on...

Our guide to the unmissable events, holidays

44 Visit Bundaberg

Famous for its rum, Bundaberg is a must see

48 Diary of a Brisbane flood family

and celebrations in Australia and New Zealand this month

18

Australian Opera

We look at what’s on at the home of Australian Opera, the Sydney Opera house

24

Guide to Victoria Australia’s state of extremes (and Ramsay Street)

30

Going out in Sydney Sydney! The largest, most populous city on the entire Australian continent, but where’s the best place to go out?

34

Opinion piece Why does the issue of immigration divide many Australians?

36

Fifth article in a series by AAP reporter Lisa Martin covering one Brisbane family’s recovery from the floods

Traveller's guide to the Blue Mountains

52 Chinese influence in NZ

Are Chinese migrants changing NZ for the better?

54 58

Moving Down Under: Choosing the right migration agent A registered migration agent can ensure a visa application goes smoothly, but how do you choose the right one?

Study Down Under Australian immigration sees fall in overseas student intake

62 Where to settle: Canberra

Based just 50km outside Sydney, the Blue Mountains were for years seen as an insurmountable barrier by the convicts who were stationed there

40

Ask the expert

Mila Slaneva and Elena Kirova of Taxback.com answers your questions

If you’re looking to move to Aus, the obvious first place to look is the capital cityafter all, they must make the city a capital for a reason, right?

66

Australi an essentials Avoid unnecessary headaches with this simple guide

AUSTRALIAANDNEWZEALAND

OUTLOOK

05

NEWS Aussie on the up... and up The Australian dollar continues to go from strength to strength and is pushing the 108 US cent mark, driven by record commodity prices and falling confidence in the greenback.

On Thursday April 22 the Aussie hit 107.73, its highest level since it was floated in December 1983.

In recent weeks, the Australian dollar has received a boost from commodity prices hitting record levels.

© GETTY

In overnight trade on Wednesday April 21 the gold price rose above $US1,500 an ounce for the first time ever and silver peaked above $US50 an ounce.

QANTAS I NCREASE S FU

ELSURCHA FOR FIFT H TIME T RGES HIS Qantas is r aising its fuel surcha rge - for the fifth tim e this year.

The ai

YEAR

and Tasman frequent fly er re demption se rline said it ats: $A10 w as in response to for Domesti “skyrocketin c and $A20 g fuel prices” fo r Tasman C and that it w lassic ould charge a fuel Award redem surcharge on ptions. © GETTY frequent fly Qantas chie er redemptio f exec Alan n seats.

Fuel surchar Joyce said it ges included would be so time before me the surcharg with fares would rise es could be on April 28 “W cu it to t. h fu as el prices at much as $A290 onerecord high way, for flig if the fuel p s, even hts to the U ri ce begins to Europe, fro K and m the previo decrease it b e so m will e time befo us $A190.

Domestic, re re we will b gional and decrease th e able to T e as fu m would increa el surcharge. an fares se by five p The revised fuel surchar ercent and a g es surcharge w cover less th fuel ould be add an th half of e increase in ed to domes fuel cost fo tic r the Qanta International s business fo r next year. ” 06

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ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

SWAN: BUDGET JUST AS

DIFFICULT

AS OTHERS Treasurer Wayne Swan says this month’s budget will be just as difficult as the other three he has handled.

© GETTY

He has repeatedly said that his fourth budget to be delivered on May 10 - will be “tough” and there’s speculation it will include cuts to medical research and an overhaul of the welfare system to encourage more people into work.

Attending the G20 Finance Ministers’ meeting of developed and developing countries in Washington, USA, Swan said: “The global economy is strengthening but it’s very patchy and its uneven, and I think its fair to say that there is uncertainty out there and the risk is to the down side.”

Instability in the Middle East and north Africa, and the events in Japan, will have an impact on Australia, he added.

“Those things all flow through but for Australia our long-term fundamentals are strong despite the fact there is near-

term uncertainty.”

Swan said that the cost of rebuilding following the summer natural disasters and lower revenues could affect the budget bottom line in the short-term.

Deported man arrives in UK An Adelaide man who has spent most of his life in Australia has been deported. Clifford Tucker, 47, arrived in England on April 20.

He says he has no idea how he’ll survive after living nearly all of his life in Aus. Tucker immigrated with his family when he was six years old but never applied to become an Australian citizen.

He says he was never told he could be deported from South Australia on

character grounds due to his substantial criminal convictions, which include throwing a bottle at a police officer three years ago.

“I’ve been punished for my numerous criminal convictions, I have had numerous but after 1999 I’ve had very few but each time I was sentenced I was sentenced to a term of imprisonment, I done my prison and there was no mention of deportation as an extra punishment,” he said.

AUSTRALIAANDNEWZEALAND

OUTLOOK

07

NEWS $A15m to rebuild Qld jetties and foreshores Jetties and foreshores in north Queensland that were ripped up during Cyclone Yasi will be rebuilt or made over under a $A15 million state and federal government support package.

The Cassowary Coast Support Package will be used to repair Dunk and Clump Islands’ jetties as well as restore Cardwell’s beach foreshore and its natural vegetation.

Councils in the disaster zone have so far received $A52.5 million in funding from both levels of government to kick-start reconstruction, with the Cassowary Coast Regional Council

receiving $A20 million of that.

The Gillard government has paid almost $A290 million to more than 256,000 individuals under the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment scheme.

In addition, over $A5.6 million has been paid through the Disaster Income Relief Subsidy to more than 5500 people.

To date, 335 small business grants totalling almost $A1.6 million, 303 primary producer grants totalling almost $A1.6 million, and 27 not-for-profit grants totalling $A116,000 have been provided.

S ’ G G O D P O O SN M

A E R D AUS

ber ** am I num “How the f* lia and not © GETTY one in Austra ts n a w r I appreciate Star rappe in America? support, you to buy house the love and r. re of me in Down Unde lia to ways take ca al stra pper said.

While in Au ralia,” the ra st u A fun, to th studio here to have ’m launch his 11 “I lia gumentary, make Austra album, Dog party, and to d p o le o n ea rev with S Snoop Dogg a better place – n io it b n, so I will am ti a burning gg as a ci ze o D to get my se down to buy a hou coming back e b to ecome an have a house under and b ip, `coz I do sh n ze ti ci . n tize led he loves Australian ci ig?” ress, he revea get to, you d p e th ore of to g so in it is v Speak to k pect to see m ac ex b e e w m an co C to e! d wants er? Fo Shizzl Australia an ouse here. p Down Und h o a o n y u S b to e . k Aus often he’d li mber one in eat has hit nu w S le ng si His

08

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ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

NEW ZEALAND

Buchanan named NZ director of cricket Former Australia coach John Buchanan has been named New Zealand’s director of cricket, a new position, which will govern most high-performance aspects of the sport in New Zealand.

© GETTY

The 58-year-old will take up his role in May, New Zealand Cricket said.

NZC said Buchanan will establish New Zealand’s new high-performance programme, implement a consistent coaching philosophy across the country, build a talent identification system and oversee the national selection panel.

“It’s an honor to be appointed to this challenging role. It is a wonderful opportunity to build on the work that has been done,” Buchanan said.

“New Zealand Cricket has a proud history and is a true honor to be given the responsibility. I want to be part of the next successful era and am committed to building sustainable high performance for New Zealand Cricket.”

Buchanan was Australia coach for eight years from 1999, guiding it to three World Cup titles and a record 16 wins in a row in test matches.

NZ bans Internet file-sharing New Zealand has passed a law against online piracy, which outlaws filesharing and threatens repeat offenders with having their Internet access cut off.

The new law allows for penalties of up to NZ$15,000 to be paid to the copyright owner and if this is ineffective offenders can have their Internet account suspended for up to six months.

“Online copyright infringement has been damaging for the creative industry, which

has experienced significant declines in revenue as file sharing has become more prevalent,” Commerce Minister Simon Power said.

“This legislation will discourage illegal file sharing and provide more effective measures to help our creative industries enforce their copyright.”

The new law will take effect on September 1 but will not apply to mobile networks until October 2013.

AUSTRALIAANDNEWZEALAND

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NEWS Fiji in RWC despite ban: IRB Fiji will send a team to this year’s Rugby World Cup even if New Zealand bans players linked to the Pacific nation’s military regime from attending, world rugby supremo Mike Miller has said.

New Zealand, which will host the tournament later this year, has a longstanding policy barring anyone with ties to Suva’s military from entering the country, casting doubt the participation of several Fijian players.

But International Rugby Board (IRB) chief executive Miller said Fiji would send a team to New Zealand regardless, adding “let’s not create a drama which doesn’t exist”.

“We’ll see what happens on a case-by-case basis but Fiji will be here,” Miller told reporters in Wellington.

“We have to wait and see what happens, who they select and then the processes will take their course, but the Fijian team will be here.”

New Zealand imposed travel bans on members of Fiji’s military regime, which seized power in a 2006 coup, after Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama reneged on a promise to hold elections in 2009.

F E I R B N I S NEW for temporary housing Contracts to provide h residents have been quake-hit Christchurc nd companies. The awarded to New Zeala unced that Hawkins/ government has anno n, Jennian Homes, Spanbild/Fulton Hoga ansportable Units and New Zealand Tr 300 temporary would provide the first , while Smith Crane, accommodation units Tranzasia would make Hawkins Falcon, and red suppliers. up the panel of prefer

shed 240 jobs in Auto giant Ford will production by 20 Australia and cut daily decision was made percent. Ford said the nd for large cars and after a slump in dema d rkers at its Geelong an plans to redeploy wo er rev in Victoria “whe Broadmeadows plants 10

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redundancy packages possible”. Voluntary ere alternative roles would be offered wh were not an option. security breach that A man who caused a ssengers being led to thousands of pa ourne Airport evacuated from Melb n d authorities. The ma appears to have elude the tering through was seen on CCTV en d domestic terminal an exit doors in Qantas’ ned passengers only. into an area for scree a it is understood After he entered the are of him on CCTV security staff lost track t been apprehended. footage and he has no ers subsequently Thousands of passeng the terminal and rewere evacuated from screened by security.

© GETTY

migration update Australians richer, happier Australians have never been wealthier.

© GETTY

New data suggests that individual wealth is at record highs and debt levels are at a four-year low.

The data compiled by the Federal Treasury and the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed that private-sector wealth rose by 1.3 percent in the final three months of last year to a record $A6 trillion.

Commonwealth Securities (CommSec) calculates that per capita wealth increased $2600 on average in the December quarter to $A266,600.

As such, CommSec chief economist Craig James believes consumers are more focused on perceptions rather than reality.

“For most, the perception is that they are going backwards - the cost of living is rising, incomes aren’t keeping up and wealth levels are stagnating,” Mr James said.

“But the reality is that incomes continue

to grow at a faster pace than prices, while balance sheets are improving through record wealth levels and reduced debt levels.”

Private-sector debt fell by 6.2 percent in the December quarter, the biggest fall in nine years, and is 11.6 percent down on a year ago.

Per capita debt stands at a four-year low and average of $A23,056.

The report coincided with the latest reading of consumer confidence, which showed a modest improvement on the previous month and helped by steady interest rates, a strong Australian dollar and buoyant jobs prospects and security.

The Westpac-Melbourne Institute consumer sentiment index rose by 1.2 percent in April to 104.1 points, holding above the key 100 level that points to there being more optimists that pessimists, but remains well below a peak of 119 last August.

Aus posts trade deficit Australia posted a monthly trade deficit in February as exports fell after floods hurt coal production and imports rose sharply, figures showed.

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Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed a deficit of A$205 million from a downwardly revised surplus of A$1.433 billion in January.

It was Australia’s first monthly trade deficit in almost a year.

Exports fell two percent while imports jumped five percent as the country posted its first deficit since March 2010.

For more information visit www.abs.gov.au.

Keep track of the latest news and developments on moving Down Under

Auckland housing Migration adds 2200

market on rise people in Feb New figures indicate the New Zealand housing market may be past its trough, with the Auckland market in particular gaining strength.

Monthly data from the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) shows housing sales in Auckland up 53.2 percent in March from February and 11.4 percent ahead of March 2010, at 2437.

Seasonally adjusted, Auckland volumes were up 10.5 percent from February and up 10.8 percent from a year earlier, REINZ said.

For the country as a whole, 5848 unconditional sales were reported in March, up 29.9 percent from February.

ASB economist Chris Tennent-Brown said positive migration and population growth, as well as the recent drop in interest rates, were positive for the property market in the year ahead.

“We expect nationwide prices are troughing out now, and should increase by around 3 percent over the year ahead,” he said.

“Behind this lift will be a range of experiences, from stronger price appreciation in areas such as Auckland, and ongoing weakness in areas where population and income growth are less supportive.

“In Christchurch we expect strong demand for properties which have not been damaged, which should be supportive of prices in the region.”

© GETTY

Migrant arrivals in New Zealand outnumbered departures by 2200 in February, even though 3000 people left for Australia on a permanent and long-term (PLT) basis.

Seasonally adjusted, there was a net PLT migration gain of 500 in February, Statistics New Zealand said.

In the past year that figure had varied between 200 and 1000.

The gain of 2200 was down from 2600 in February last year. The net outflow of 3000 migrants to Australia in February was up from 1900 a year earlier but below the February 2008 outflow of 3500.

For the year to February, net migration was 8200, compared to 21,600 in the February 2010 year.

The 82,800 PLT arrivals in the February year was down 2 percent from 2010, while the 74,500 departures were up 18 percent.

A net PLT outflow to Australia in the February year of 23,500 compared with 34,400 in the February 2009 year and 15,400 in 2010.

AUSTRALIAANDNEWZEALAND

OUTLOOK

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migration update South Australia

Academics warn of builds more than 1000 homes

brain drain" Academics in South Australia have today warned of a “brain drain” if research funding is cut.

They have warned that there will be dire consequences for the state’s economy if the federal government © GETTY cuts funding for scientific research.

Flinders University vice-chancellor Michael Barber said it could take a decade to recover the lost research capability if reported cuts of up to $A400 million were confirmed in the May federal budget.

Professor Barber said there would be job losses and a “brain drain” as the best researchers looked overseas for opportunities.

“Medical research is a vital investment in the future health of our nation,” Prof Barber said.

“Such research tackles the diseases and medical conditions that cripple our wellbeing and add to the national cost of health care.

“Research funding is as much an economic issue as it is a budgetary issue and I hope the federal government recognises this fact in its budget deliberations.”

Opposition science spokesman Martin HamiltonSmith said cuts to research funding would set South Australia on a pathway to the past.

“The future of the SA economy - particularly manufacturing, small business, agribusinesses and food as well as the services sector, including health - will depend on a competitive business posture based around science and innovation,” Mr Hamilton-Smith said.

“Labour’s cuts to research will stop this economic transformation in its tracks.”

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South Australia has built more than 1000 homes under the commonwealth’s economic stimulus plan, state Housing Minister Jennifer Rankine says.

Ms Rankine said the government reached the milestone of 1014 new homes in March this year and had also upgraded more than 500 properties.

“The nation building project has allowed us to help many people who were on our waiting list to get into accommodation earlier than they might have,” she said.

“Some of these houses are being allocated to people that are homeless or at risk of homelessness, many with support packages to ensure successful tenancies and integration into the communities in which they are living.”

Ms Rankine said 336 of the new homes were in regional areas from Ceduna, on the west coast, to Mt Gambier in the southeast.

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IN

REMOVALS TO AUSTRALIA

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NEW

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OUTLOOK

What’s on...

1stMAY

Collector Village Pumpkin Festival

Bourke Street, Collector,NSW The Collector Village Pumpkin Festival is about food, family, friends and fun! With good old-fashioned fun - pumpkin growing competitions, pumpkin soup, pumpkin scones, regional produce, stalls, activities, performances and displays, the festival is steadily building a reputation as one of the region’s not-to-be-missed annual events.

WWW.PUMPKINFESTIVAL.COM.AU

Wagga Gold Cup 5M-A 6 th Wagga Racing Carnival Y

© GETTY

Murrumbidgee Turf Club, Kincaid Street, Wagga Wagga, NSW The Wagga Wagga Gold Cup Racing Carnival is a prestigious horse racing event, attracting a top field of horses, along with a ‘fashions on the field’ competition. It is one of the largest events in the region with the Town Plate run on Thursday and the Gold Cup run on Friday.

WWW.MTCWAGGA.COM.AU

thIronfest

5 1 4 1 MAY

Lithgow Showgrounds, Lithgow, NSW Totally unique, dramatic, full of colour and historical theatre, Ironfest is going “steampunk” in 2011. Ironfest comprises large-scale historical re-enactments, including real jousting and a Napoleonic era battle re-enactment. Expect infantry & cavalry charges & cannon fire.

WWW.IRONFEST.COM.AU

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TTY

© GE

.

Our guide to the unmissable events, holidays and celebrations in Australia and New Zealand this month Sydney Writers Festival

16-22 nd

Sydney, NSW Sydney comes alive with discussion and debate at Australia’s largest annual celebration of literature and ideas. This week-long event attracts the world’s best writers and audiences of 80,000 to venues stretching from the Festival hub at Walsh Bay to Sydney Opera House, City Recital Hall, The Mint, Auburn, Blacktown, Bankstown, Liverpool, Penrith, the Blue Mountains, Gosford and Wollongong.

MAY

WWW.SWF.ORG.AU

th

Port Douglas Carnivale Macrossan Street, Port Douglas, Queensland For 10 days and nights each May, the festival of Carnivale takes over the seaside resort village of Port Douglas. There are a number of free and ticketed events, including music, arts, sports, cuisine, fashion, culture and all styles of entertainment. Now in its 18th year, Carnivale has grown from a street fiesta to a broad programme, which involves the entire community.

9 2 19 AY M

WWW.CARNIVALE.COM.AU

Dungog Film Festival

© GETTY

26-29 th

Dungog, NSW The Dungog Film Festival, established by award winning filmmakers, Allanah Zitserman and Stavros Kazantzidis, is a world-class film event set in a regional location. Every May the usually sleepy town of Dungog turns into Australia’s movie Mecca. Visitors flock from all over the country to immerse themselves in the very best of Australian cinema and get up-close and personal with filmmakers and actors.

MAY

WWW.DFF.ORG.AU AUSTRALIAANDNEWZEALAND

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entertainment

Opera What To See at the

Š GETTY

Australian

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S

o, it’s nearly the start of the Australian Opera season- a lot like the football season but with quieter audiences and less fighting afterwards. Still, that doesn’t mean the season won’t feature plenty of violence, and intrigue, and sex. We see what’s on at the home of Australian Opera- the Sydney Opera House.

AUSTRALIAANDNEWZEALAND

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entertainment Capriccio Composer: Richard Straus

© OPER

A AUST

RALIA

Dates: 2-27 July 2011 ‘The theatre unveils for us the secrets of reality. Ever in its magic mirror we discover ourselves’ The Countess, Scene IX, Capriccio Perhaps the best place to get started with opera, this story asks which is more important, the words or the music? Cheryl Barker plays the Countess- Olivier has written her a love poem, Flamand has set it to music. The Countess must choose between the two.

Directed by John Cox, who has previously received a shower of awards for his production of another Richard Straus opera, Arabella.

La bohEme Composer: Giacomo Puccini Dates: 12 July - 24 October 2011 A story for the starving artists among us, La bohème moves the action of the original from 1840s Paris to 1930s Berlin, with all the glitter and glamour of the time. The bohemians STRALIA AU A ER OP are still playing their music amongst © the twinkling fairy lights, but this doesn’t change the fact that they’re hungry and cold. It is here that Rudolfo the poet falls in passionate love with Mimi the seamstress.

But the world is changing...

This is a play about love, loss and the pains of being young, and is a great showcase for some of the finest up and coming opera talent.

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Of Mice and Men

© OPERA AUSTRALIA

Composer: Carlisle Floyd Dates: 23 July - 11 August 2011 A performance I’m particularly looking forward to- as I’m not ashamed to say John Steinbeck’s book reduced me to a blubbering wreck. Of Mice and Men tells the story of cunning George and gentle-but-dumb giant Lennie, manual

© OPERA AUSTRALIA

labourers who go from farm to farm trying to earn a crust, while always dreaming of one day

owning a place of their own.

With two-time Grammy winner Anthony Dean Griffey making his Sydney debut as Lennie, a lynchpin in a great ensemble cast, this is going to be a performance to see.

The Merry Widow Composer: Franz Lehár

Dates: 4 August - 4 November 2011 The kingdom of Pontevedro is facing an imminent financial meltdown, and the only thing that can save it is if the wealthy and beautiful widow, Hanna (Amelia Farrugia) can find a husband in the country. If only our financial problems were so easily solved! She’s certain that husband definitely won’t be Danilo (David Hobson) the lofty idealist who she is constantly squabbling with. If you’ve ever seen a romantic comedy before, you probably know how this turns out. With an enchanting score and an eyepopping collection of ball gowns and top hats, this is one for the girlsso see if you can get your girlfriend to drag you along!

AUSTRALIAANDNEWZEALAND

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entertainment Lakme

© OPERA AUSTRALIA

Composer: Léo Delibes Dates: 24 August - 21 September 2011 An opera that features some of the greatest showstoppers of the art form. This performance looks like a traditional Hindu painting come to life, with scenery and costumes fully decked out in the gaud y finery of Southern India. The most gorgeous aspect of this production, how ever, is the music. Delibes’ score is breathtaking, and Emma Matthews’ rendition of the opera’s famous “Bell Song” is set to be a highlight of the season.

Lakmé is a story of culture clash, as a British officer falls in love with the mysterious Lakmé (Emma Matthew s).

cbeth Ma Composer:

Guiseppe Verdi Dates: 10 September - 8 October 2011 Come on, you know hen shall we three this one, don’t you? “W hting, or in meet again in thunder, lig e ghosts? All those rain?” The witches? Th intrigue, ambition murders? This story of of killing, is opera’s and again, lots and lots s (or is that the other answer to The Soprano way round?)

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This looks to be an excellent production of the classic tale, with Canadian director René Richard Cyr making his Australian Opera debut. pressive duo of Peter The set is fantastic, the im eth Whitehouse Coleman-Wright and Elizab es of Mr and Mrs take on the challenging rol heric chorus is set to Macbeth, and the atmosp I don’t want spoil creep you right out. Oh, and be really important the plot- but it turns out to ean section... that Banquo was a caesar © OPERA AUSTRALIA

Don Giovanni Composer: Mozart

jealous boyfriend, but even he may struggle to outwit a mysterious Dates: 24 figure from beyond the September - 5 grave.

November 2011 An opera by an The role of Don Giovanni will be taken Austrian composer © OPERA AUSTRALIA on by Teddy Tahu you might have Rhodes. Handsome, heard of, Don Giovanni is a story about a man who charismatic, and quite the bad boy, as he really, really likes sex. After a lifetime struts the stage in his leather boots the of shameless womanising, the Don women will want him and the men, well, is adept at dodging a jilted lover or a the men will want him a little bit too.

The Love of the e Nightingal Composer: Richard Mills

Dates: 21 October - 1 November 2011 Possibly the most difficult viewing out of all the operas © OPERA AUSTRALIA we’ve looked at, this performance features graphic violence and sexual content- and not in the fun way. The Love of the Nightingale is a new opera by Richard Mills and actually goes on to explore some pretty dark aspects of human nature. He sets out to ask, where does violence come from? Why is it committed against women?

A retelling of an ancient Greek myth, The Love of the Nightingale tells the story of sisters Procne and Philomele, who are separated by marriage, but reunited when Procne’s husband rapes and mutilates Philomele. Rather than simply accept it, the two sisters enact a terrible revenge upon Procne’s husband, before fleeing for their lives. As they run, the gods turn them into birds, so that they are able to sing their haunting song forever.

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TRAVELLER'S GUIDE

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Victoria

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Australia’s state of extremes (and Ramsay Street)

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part from Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road, the average Joe knows very little about Victoria. It is a beautiful state of extremes, named after Queen Victoria, and has 1800km of coastline (it’s known as the Garden State for its landscape of rolling green hills and valleys).

To the west and bordering South Australia is desert wilderness with the Little Desert and the Wyperfeld National Parks, which are popular for walking and exploring. In the north of the State is the Murray River, which takes up much of the border between Victoria and New South Wales. To the South and East are the Bass Strait, Southern Ocean and Tasman Sea. Victoria though is Australia’s second-smallest state, about the same size as the UK - it covers an area of 227,600 square kilometres. It might not be as big as other States, but packs just as much punch. It has it all: variety, wilderness, remoteness, sweeping coastline, pristine beaches, national parks, forests, wineries and urban mayhem.

It is also home to Ramsay Street (for all you Neighbours fans).

Victoria’s capital, Melbourne - Australia’s second largest city - sits on the Yarra River and around the shores of Port Phillip Bay. It is lauded for its sense of style and elegance, hosts glamorous festivals and events, is the home of some superb shopping, and has a passion for eating and drinking.

The climate in the State varies almost as much as its landscape; the north is much drier and warmer weather than the south. It is typically warm to hot in summer (December to February), mild in autumn (March to May), cold and damp in winter (June to August), and cool in spring (September to November).

The State suffered floods in January 2011 and some areas are still in recovery.

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TRAVELLER'S GUIDE

ia r o t ic V r o F s k ic P p To Rodatudrns of the Great n ea Oc t ea Gr an s Navigate the twist

Ocean Road some g it; Australia has There’s no denyin ach in beaches. Cable Be of the world’s best y in New Ba n in Perth, Byro Broome, Cottesloe d, Bondi lan er Island in Queens South Wales, Fras Pa r’s raside there’s even Surfe Beach in Sydney; on the Gold Coast. e search ten contender in th But there’s a forgot . ria beaches – Victo for Australia’s best n el is the Great Ocea Victoria’s crown jew wned ad passes some reno Road. The scenic ro rquay, Beach, just past To beach spots. Bells movies s r role in numerou is famed for its sta (a little ecca, while Lorne and is a surfer’s m h holiday. ct setting for a beac rfe pe e th rs fe of further west) cluded coves st still you’ll find se we er rth fu g in ad He lo Bay you’ll you make it to Apol If s. ile m r fo ys ba and elve Apostles e of the famous Tw be greeted by the sit remain). (although just eight

Yarra Valley

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Sup on crisp Char donnay in the Yarra Valley Located just over an hour ’s drive ou t of Melbourne, Victoria ’s Yarra Valley is a flat, sprawling region pe ppered with more th an 50 wineries, country towns, markets an d ev en microbreweries. Bu t though the Yarra Va lley may be famous fo r its wine, there re ally is a lot more to the plac e than that!

It’s possible to see most of these sight s in an extended day tri p but you could co ns ider staying a day or th ree if you’ve got a long weekend to burn.

Grampians

Experience Abor iginal culture and breath-taking hike s in the Grampian s Grampians Nationa l Park is the third largest in Victoria.

It’s spectacular scen ery, colourful displays of wildflowers and wide range of opportuni ties for outdoor re creation have made it one of the State’s most po pular holiday destinations .

The park is home of some of the mos t interesting rock fo rmations on earth and offers an abun dance of holiday accommodation an d holiday activities .

It has a diverse arra y of native wildlif e, picturesque walkin g tracks, and breath taking scenic attractions.

Following storm da mage in January, some tourist attracti ons in the Grampi ans National Park rem ain inaccessible.

However, most ou tdoor activities an d scenic attractions, and all dining and accommodation op tions in the towns adjacent to the Pa rk remain unaffecte d.

For more inform ation visit

WWW.VISITVICT ORIA.COM.

MCG Roar till it hurts for the footy or cricket at the MCG Melbourne is probably Australia’s sportiest city – it is the birthplace of Australian Rules Football, has hosted an Olympic Games and is home of the Melbourne Cup, a horse race that “stops a nation”. For us cricket fans, Melbourne is the place for another “nation-stopper”, the traditional Boxing Day Test. The MCG comes to life and is a truly wonderful experience.

See WWW.MCG.ORG.AU

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TRAVELLER'S GUIDE Mt Buller and lls Creek Fa Tackle the ski slopes of Mt

Buller and Falls Creek Three hours’ drive from Melbourne, Mt Buller is Victoria’s largest ski resort.

The downhill skiing area is 180 hectares, and runs are divided into 25 percent beginner, 45 percent intermediate and 30 percent advanced, with a vertical drop of 400m. There are several cool terrain parks for snowboarders.

Falls Creek is a little bit more upmarket. It combines a picturesque alpine setting with impressive skiing and infamous après-ski entertainment. Hordes of Melburnians make the four-and-a-half hour journey from the City at weekends during the ski season.

Phillip Island

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Phillip Island, just 90 minutes from Melbourne, is home to iconic little peng uins This small island was originally settl ed by the Boonwurrung people and toda y it is famous for its penguin parade. Peng uins aren’t all you’ll find. Phillip Island revs up for the Motorcycle Grand Prix and is a popular summer getaway, when the population more than quadruples.

For more info visit

WWW.PENGUINS.ORG.AU.

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going out

Sydneys’ BEST BARS

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ydney! The largest, most populous city on the entire Australian continent, the first British settlement, home of the world’s best new year’s eve parties, and the world’s most famous building to be shaped like a segment chocolate

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orange. A place of culture and history, the prospective visitor has only question on their mind: Where’s the best place to go out of an evening?

Well, that’s what we’re here for, so sit back, and read our guide to the best hang out spots in Sydney.

a Bar Zet Hilton Sydney 488 George Street

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in As far as I know James Bond’s never been and he Australia (apart from George Lazenby, real doesn’t count), but if he did, you can bet for a t wen he re whe money that this would be ey Sydn the in d martini, shaken, not stirred. Base ll you’ s, Hilton, atop an astonishing four escalator white soon find yourself crossing a futuristic bar ble iona fash a ring glass walkway and ente be ldn’t wou t that Britain’s favourite secret agen d ishe ashamed to be caught hanging out in. Furn ble drapes, you can take your martini with plush velvet armchairs and fashiona g to order) across the floor of the bar, (because really, what else are you goin nificent terrace overlooking the Sydney through a set of curtains and onto a mag , this is where you’ll meet a beautiful skyline. If everything’s going your way with a deadly secret... woman in a sleek black evening dressWWW.ZETABAR.COM.AU

The Shakespeare

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200 Devonshire St, Surry Hills 2010 Of course, this might all be just a bit too fancy for you- you don’t a “ba r” you want a pub. You know, a real pub, with bee r and colourful local characters and bar staff wh o you won’t mistake for the cast of Reservoir Dogs. If that’s your kind of thing, then The Sh akespeare, or “The Shakey” as the regulars call it, is where you want to be drinking. This was voted Sydney’s Best Pub of 2011 by Tim e Out magazine, and it doesn’t take much effort to see why. It’s a place with atmosphere, rather than ethos, where the background noise is pro vided by the friendly chatter of the punters rat her than the juke box.

On a warm evening, the customers will often spill out onto the street out side. This is a real pub- it gets most of its cus tom from the locals, but they’re always willin g to give a warm welcome to newcomers.

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going out Basement The 7 Macquarie Place, Circular Quay

, why not try The If you fancy something a bit different Sydney, if not the in s Basement- one of the best jazz club seen performances world? Over the years this place has espie, Art Pepper, from jazz legends such as Dizzy Gill can book a Galapagos Duck and Jimmy Webb. You e night of it mak or x fi reservation just to get your music llent two exce t’s men by starting out with one of The Base ts dishes as varied course meals. The club’s kitchen boas e, sirloin steak-charas prawn ravioli with napolitana sauc ms and béarnaise grilled with garlic and herb mushroo i with rice and sauce, or braised chicken in sweet chill just typing that! cucumber salsa- I’m getting hungry ment boasts two As well as the jazz club itself, the Base a great place to m, Roo n bars, The Blue Note and The Gree e som pool. grab a snack, a drink and maybe play

A VIEW OF THE CORNER HOUSE RESTAURANT AND BAR IN BONDI

WWW.THEBASEMENT.COM.AU

Jimmy Liks 186 Victoria Street

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BAR STAURANT AND RUM DIARIES RE A VIEW OF THE

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Potts Point You’ll find this bar and restaurant on the leafy streets of Potts Point, and no sooner are you through the door than you’re being charmed by the contemporary style, seductive lighting and friendly, welcoming staff. Just beyond the hub of Sydney’s night life in Kings Cross, this bar has the feeling of a more exclusive bar, decorated in earthy tones backed with laid back jazz in the early evening, evolving into deep, warm electro as

the night goes on.

The venue centres around the huge wooden banquette table where Thai and South East Asian dishes are ripe for the picking. You didn’t just come here for the food however- and Jimmy Liks specialises in Asian cocktails made by a staff of skilled mixologists who are just as happy to mix you your old favourite as they are to introduce you to something new.

WWW.JIMMYLIKS.COM

El'Circo at Slide 41 Oxford St, Darlinghurst Housed behind the sliding glass doors of this fabulous art deco building, El’Circo is like a little bit of France dropped into the middle of Sydney, and by a little bit of France, I mean the Moulin Rouge. If you want to take in dinner and a show, you could do far worse than this unique act that combines Parisian cabaret with the distinct flavour of Sydney’s performance artists.

With a bill that includes magicians, fire breaths, acrobats and live music, performed while you’re being served up a nine courses of excellent French cuisine, you’ll be feasting your eyes as well as actually feasting. © GETTY

WWW.SLIDE.COM.AU

The Bank 42 Darlinghurst Rd Kings Cross A newcomer the Kings Cross- the heart of Sydney’s clubland. Describing itself as “a sanctuary for all things precious and sinful” this is the place to come for a good time if you want to be bad. Decked out in black and gold with luxurious fixtures and fittings, state-of-the-art sound systems and custom-designed ambient lighting, this is exactly the sort of place you could imagine spending your huge annual bonus while laughing about the so called “recession”. From the moment you enter the elaborate, high-ceilinged foyer, to when you order your drinks from the rich mahogany bar you’ll feel like a million Australian dollars.

Indeed, this is a club that truly lives up to the word “exclusive”- the door policy has a ban on baggy t-shirts, sports wear, beanies, open shoes or “any clothing that is believed to be related to any groups representing crime” (I think we can assume white-collar crime doesn’t count).

Also, and this is perhaps a mark of just how classy this club is- they have a ban on mullets.

WWW.THEBANKNIGHTCLUB.COM.AU

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opinion Why do

es the i

immig

divide m

ssue of

ration

any Au

stralian

s?

By Ian Armitage

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ustralia is a country built by immigrants. But if you go out and talk to ordinary folk on the street they are convinced immigration poses a threat to their culture and values.

It is an interesting paradox.

How is it that a country built on immigration is now so divided and polarised on the issue of further immigration?

“The problem is that they (immigrants) don’t want to integrate,” one Aussie told me.

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“I sometimes feel like a foreigner in my own country,” said another.

They were both highly critical of the Muslim community.

“Most are against migration going the way it is,” they both agreed.

Fear and anger seem to be the problem.

Of course there are many in favour of increased immigration.

Australia’s Prime Minister Julia Gillard has warned of a looming shortage of skilled workers and has said publicly that expanding the labour force, with the help of foreigners, topped her priority list.

“After three decades when unemployment was our major problem, we now face shortages,” said Gillard, who emigrated from Wales in 1966.

“In the short term, the mining boom is placing huge strains on our labour market…the resources sector will face a potential shortfall of 36,000 tradespersons by 2015.”

Invading our shores? Hardly an invasion if they are being brought in, you might be thinking.

©

Australia ranks as one of the most successful immigrant nations on the planet.

Opposition frontbencher Malcolm Turnbull’s Liberal Party remains committed to a multicultural Australia and a non-discriminatory immigration policy.

Could it be that immigration is a potential vote winner (or loser)?

“We believe one of Australia’s greatest strengths is its cultural diversity,” Turnbull told ABC Television recently.

“We are one of the most successful immigrant countries in the world.”

Immigration Minister Chris Bowen says Australia is a good advertisement for multiculturalism because its secular society means governments doesn’t favour one cultural group over another.

Many agree with him and think that multiculturalism works in Australia.

Muslims however are sceptical. It wasn’t that long ago that we witnessed race riots in Cronulla. Some feel that the government didn’t do enough to prevent them and many Muslims feel very little has changed since. There is still a lot of racism towards them as the comments above show.

“More needs to be done to help migrants integrate into Australian society; government needs to do more and schools have a big part to play,” a member of the Muslim community told me.

Where do you stand on the debate?

Why not contact the editor (ian.armitage@tntmagazine.com)

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TRAVELLER'S GUIDE

Blue

The

Mountains A Place of Stories

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ustralia is an old countryits first European settlers landed there in 1788, while the aboriginal und for 40,000 years inhabitants had been aro y doesn’t get to be before that, and a countr having a few stories around that long without of those stories in to tell. You can find a lot the Blue Mountains. outside Sydney, Based just 50 kilometres for years seen as an the Blue Mountains were the convicts who insurmountable barrier by wadays we know were stationed there. No e Mountains better- not only are the Blu great deal of a s surmountable- but there’ loring it. Here are reward to be had from exp s you’ll find therejust some of the highlight ces have to tell. and the stories these pla

A

e Scenic Railwath ythe phrase Th Sounds nice doesn’t it? Wi nd is already

“Scenic railway” your mi

e expansive imagining relaxing in som window, maybe carriage, staring out the having a little nap. name comes Once you learn where the ng thi s a little more from, you’ll start to see ns out, the phrase differently however. It tur ed to funfair rides in “Scenic Railway” referr ks- in other words, Victorian amusement par coaster. But it must a sort of very tame roller “very tame” in be pointed out, the words ch cancelled out this context, are pretty mu er”. The Scenic by the word “rollercoast the steepest Railway is believed to be anywhere in the incline on a railway line e of 52 degrees world. Boasting an inclin ’t remember (for those of you who can halfway to straight school- that’s more than track, it’s not drop) over 415 metres of ck was originally hugely surprising the tra from the mining built for hauling shale up n Valley floor in operations on the Jamiso the 1880s.

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TRAVELLER'S GUIDE Still, the Scenic Railway has been a tourist attraction since before World War II and you can expect a breathtaking ride as you descend through a Cliffside tunnel and into an ancient rainforest. From here you are able to explore the rainforest through the various walkways, or take a cable ride through the tree tops.

Red Hands Cave This cave was discovered in 1913, when a search party came across it while trying to find a lost child. Well, I say discovered- it looks like local Daruk people found the cave far earlier than that. The walls of the cave are marked with the strange red hand prints that give the cave its name, as well as a host of other ancient illustrations put up some time between 500 and 1600 years ago.

The handprints were made using the red ochres that occur naturally in the Campfire Creek near the cave. The artists would fill their mouths with this ochre, place their hand on the wall, and then spray ochre over their hands to create a “shadow”.

Unfortunately, once this historical site was discovered, it didn’t take long for others to try and add to it- by 1934 visitors were writing graffiti over the ancient art, so that today the walls are shielded with Perspex viewing windows.

Of course, 500 to 1600 years from now, even that graffiti is going to be of interest.

Three Sisters A rock formation made of three, huge craggy peaks towering over the Jamison Valley named Meehni (922 metres) Wimlah (918 metres) and Gunnedoo (906 metres). The awe inspiring piece of the landscape can be 38

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seen by taking the Cliff Drive to Katoomba’s Echo Point, where you can look over the sisters from the edge of the cliff, or, if you fancy getting a bit closer, by climbing up its sides along the route popularly known as the “Giant Stairway”.

As fascinating as the rock formation is, however, it’s matched by the legend behind its name, which comes from an Aboriginal dream-time legend. The legend speaks of three beautiful young women, Meehni, Wimlah and Gunnedoo, who were part of the Katoomba tribe. They fell in love with three brothers of the Nepean tribe, but were forbidden to marry them by tribal law.

The three brothers weren’t happy with this arrangement and tried to take the sisters by force, causing huge war between the

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tribes and placing the sisters in a great deal of danger. To protect them, a witchdoctor turned the three women to stone, rendering them invulnerable until he could reverse the spell after the battle.

Inevitably, the witchdoctor was killed in the battle, and of course he was the only one able to reverse the spell, leaving the sisters for all to see for generations to come.

The Jenolan Caves Another set of caves, this time not shielded off by Perspex barriers. This huge network of underground tunnels stretches over 40km into the rock, and still hasn’t been fully explored.

One thing that is known, is that this is the oldest known open cave system in the world, at over 340 million years old.

They were known as the “Dark Places” or Binoomea by the Gundungarra Aboriginal tribes, and it’s possible they were shunned (Not many people use the name “Dark Places” to describe somewhere they really, really like).

Credit for discovery of these caves is divided between three brothers, James, Charles and Alf Whalan, who claimed to have found the caves while looking for the hide out of one James McKeown- indeed, one of the less visited caves here is called McKeown’s Hole.

Tours of the caves are available, with selfguided audio tours available in 11 languagesincluding Klingon! There is also the famous “Myths, Legends and Ghosts” tour, starting at the old Caves House and taking you on a two hour torch-lit walkabout of the caves, accompanied by ghost stories and tales and strange phenomena. Be warned though; this tour uses no gimmicks or sound effects, so if you see a ghost, it’s probably real!

The Blue Mountains is an area of Australia absolutely rife with terrific stories, but perhaps the best stories are the ones that you’ll make for yourself while you’re there.

Scenic Railway www.scenicworld.com.au Red Hands Cave fnpw.org.au/OurProjects/CulturalHeritage Three Sisters www.bluemts.com.au/tourist/thingsToDo Jenolan Caves www.jenolancaves.org.au

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Moving overseas Choosing the right

migration agent

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ustralia’s immigration law is complex and constantly changing to accommodate shifts in the Government’s immigration policy.

Yes, getting through the immigration system is difficult, but it is not impossible. Australian’s are famous for their friendly and easygoing outlook on life. But anyone planning to come to Australia should understand that the Australian Government is serious about protecting the security of its borders and the integrity of its immigration system.

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Legal requirements for visas are rigorously enforced and applications are closely examined. You ultimately have to have the necessary skills to benefit Australia.

“Immigration rules are complicated and difficult to grasp for the inexperienced or untrained,” says Emma Smith-Jones of Grist International Pty Ltd, an expert in free full assessments, skills assessment, skilled, family and employment sponsored visas.

Rules change to cater for Australia’s needs at different periods, and you have to

have the skills it deems necessary to benefit the country. An applicant might not meet the criteria of a certain category today, but they might meet it in 12 months. Australia’s tise? r e p target migration of ex wledge, s a e intake is set yearly no ar our right k ience? y with a balance of e t ar the per different areas: skills, Wha ou have e and ex tions? t c p family and refugee/ Do y peten e my o nd wha m a ar co humanitarian. Of hat the fees s?

W s? these areas, there is a t are the term en cost a h strong policy emphasis W are y hidd on boosting skills and e an r e h t business skills intakes. “It is Are changeable,” says business visa expert Richard Gregan of Overseas Emigration Ltd. It seems reasonable then, that professional expertise is a must, especially if you are not familiar with the ins and outs of Australian migration law, regulations or policy.

sk a o t ns A o i t s e Qu our RM y

CODE OF CONDUCT In Australia, only professional migration agents (who are registered with the MARA (Migration Agent Registration Authority)) can provide migration advice. All registered migration agents (RMA) undergo extensive training and must pass a string of tough exams.

The Migration Agent’s Code of Conduct governs all registered agents and giving advice in Australia without being registered can result in a conviction and pretty hefty fines or even a jail term.

To be registered, migration agents must demonstrate a sound understanding and knowledge of migration law and practice, and

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Moving overseas they must continually update their knowledge.

Unfortunately, the industry is rife with unscrupulous operators. Outside of Australia, there is no restriction on who may give Australian migration advice and charge you for it. In Australia, however, the authorities strongly recommend the use of a registered agent.

CHECKING THEY'RE REGISTERED Ok, we’ve established that you need to ensure the migration agent you’re dealing with is registered. And, it’s easy to check: you can ask to see their certificate of registration, which has their photograph on it, or you can check the register of agents on the MARA website.

So what next? Well, get a contract and ask for an outline of the fees applicable to your circumstances. Don’t sign a thing until you fully understand the terms and requirements.

Also, ask as many questions as you can, seeking to clarify anything you don’t quite understand.

It might also be well worth getting a second opinion; going to another registered agent to see what they have to say/offer.

Regardless, you have to ensure that your agent has sound knowledge, abides by the Migration Agent’s Code of Conduct – as a lot of the above is covered by the code (like making sure agents keep clients aware of all the costs involved with their application and the expected time needed to perform the service).

On a final note, registered migration agents must provide you with a copy

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of the Information on the Regulation of the Migration Agent profession, which provides basic consumer protection information. The document is produced

by MARA and tells you everything you need to know about the profession and what to expect.

CONCLUSIONS...

Immigration to Australia is always a contentious issue.

It is going to be vital for people applying for Australian visas to prepare their applications thoroughly to maximise their chances of success in what is a highly competitive situation.

Professionally prepared applications, presented to the Australia Immigration Service, will, in most cases, result in a successful visa application.

For more information visit WWW.MARA.GOV.AU.

Local to you at home and down under Pickfords has a national network of branches in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, which means wherever you are moving to, you can rely on a personal, local service, door to door.

z Our global network has over 600 locations in 45 countries z 37 Allied Pickfords branches in Australia z 11 Allied Pickfords branches in New Zealand z Full house, shared loads and baggage services z UK and international storage services

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AREA FOCUS

Bundaberg VISIT

Bundaberg is famous for its rum, but it is also a major departure point for both Lady Elliot and Lady Musgrave Islands; you can see turtles nest from November to February and humpback whales pass along the coast between July and mid-October.

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B

undaberg. I know that name. Where do I know it? Where? Where?

It dawns on me.

The flashbacks are intense.

Sunshine, a heavy drinking session, and my local pub.

It’s not the answer, but I’m getting there.

So, I ventured down to my local to find out more. What was it? (Yes, I could have Googled it, but that’s not half as much fun as going out and actually learning about things).

“RUM!,” the barman/my friend Matt said.

“Oh dear,” I replied.

Rum is the bad boy of booze. Pirates drank it. And I had a mighty hangover the next day.

“I discovered this when I was travelling through Queensland a few years ago and happened to stop off at the Bundaberg Rum Distillery,” Matt continued. “We did a tour.

I did some tasting - I know how brutal the hangover is - and I fell in love with it. So we sell it.”

This is when Google came in. I wanted to verify this.

“People go to Bundaberg, or Bundy as it’s affectionately known, for two reasons: either to pick fruit at nearby orchids or to drink rum,” one hit said. “A trip to Bundaberg is a wonderful way to experience several of Australia’s greatest natural gifts,” said another.

What started off with rum, debauchery and a mighty hangover, quickly lead to a world of natural beauty… there is an awful lot more to Bundaberg than just rum, it seems.

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AREA FOCUS point for both Lady Elliot and Lady Musgrave Islands; you can see turtles nest from November to February and every year from July to mid-October, humpback whales pass close to Bundaberg’s coastline en route to the northern end of Fraser Island.

LADY ELLIOT ISLAND Easily accessible from Bundaberg, Lady Elliot Island is on the Great Barrier Reef.

A truly beautiful place, you can step off the beach and snorkel, swim or dive (it is teeming with marine life and live corals), or you can just simply relax and soak in the natural island atmosphere. Lady Elliot Island is one two ‘ladies of the reef’ and one of only three island resorts on the Great Barrier Reef. It is famous for a resident population of 40 Manta Rays, which form the iconic logo of the island.

WWW.LADYELLIOT.COM.AU

1770 Back in 1770, after first discovering Botany Bay, Captain (he may have been Lieutenant at the time, come to think of it) James Cook and the crew of the Endeavour landed on a stretch of sub-tropical coastline between Bundaberg and Gladstone - he named it 1770 (as you would).

Known as the ‘Birthplace of Queensland’, 1770 nestles into the western side of Rodds peninsula and is surrounded on three sides by the Coral Sea and Bustard Bay. It is the closest southern access point to the Great Barrier Reef, and there are a number of frequent, and relatively cheap day reef cruises.

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MON REPOS BEACH From January to the end of March, tiny turtle hatchlings can be seen emerging from their shells at Mon Repos Beach.

Just 14km from Bundaberg, Mon Repos is the largest and most accessible turtle rookery in mainland Australia. Loggerhead, green, leatherback and flatback turtles come ashore from November to lay their eggs. The tiny hatchlings can be seen from early January until mid-March.

Mon Repos is an environmental park designed to protect the turtles, ensure their ongoing use of the area and provide opportunities for turtle watching. Access to the beach is limited during the season and rangers conduct guided walks each night.

WWW.BUNDABERGREGION.INFO

LADY MUSGRAVE ISLAND Lady Musgrave Island, off the coast of Bundaberg, is a 14-hectare national park with 2930 hectares of surrounding reef. It is a coral cay and the second island in the Great Barrier Reef, Lady Elliot being the first.

Lady Musgrave Island has no natural fresh water supply and is a famous turtle nesting spot. You can camp on the Island but booking is required.

It’s also a busy spot for migratory birds, with the likes of terns, oystercatchers, tattlers, rails and godwits.

There is fantastic diving with the chance to see green, leatherhead and loggerhead turtles, whitetip reef sharks and leopard sharks.

WWW.LADYMUSGRAVEISLAND.COM WWW.LMCRUISES.COM.AU AUSTRALIAANDVWZEALAND

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BRISBANE FLOODS D ia ry o f a

This article is the fifth in a series by AAP reporter Lisa Martin covering one Brisbane family’s recovery from the floods.

WORDS: Lisa Martin

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T

he thank you is almost as disastrous as the disaster itself.

But under the circumstances, a kitchen meltdown is completely forgivable.

After all, how is one supposed to focus on cooking when your to-do list rivals the prime minister’s?

And to add to the mind-racing stress; every five minutes a mobile phone blasts something resembling a warning siren that the end of the world is nigh.

Lunch’s main course, artichoke chicken, is usually a knock-out dish for Jen Robusto. But not when the chicken is accidentally crumbed in raw sugar.

The Brisbane flood victim keeps her bread crumbs and sugar in identical containers in the kitchen pantry of her temporary rental home in St Lucia.

The Robustos’ Kenmore home was among 14,700 homes left partially underwater when the Brisbane River peaked at 4.46 metres on January 13.

Across the Queensland capital, almost 12,000 homes were completely flooded.

Nearly three months into the flood recovery, Jen attempts to squeeze in a low-key thank you lunch for two special friends.

(She plans a much bigger celebration with flood mud helpers when the family move back to their Kenmore home early next year.)

“They came, day after day, after day,” she says.

© GETTY

“One of them sat at the sink for three days and washed and washed kitchen things.

“Then they came to the new house and helped me unpack there too.”

For weeks she has nervously waited for news from her insurer Westpac about the claim.

“I tried to be patient all the way but when we hit April, that’s when I started to say `come on’,” she says.

“It’s three months but it felt like years ... I started to get frustrated.”

The mother-of-two is a superwoman, spearheading

her family’s flood recovery solo.

Her husband Ed works away in New York, eldest son Jed at university in Canberra and youngest son Carl is studying year 12 and busy with exam preparation.

Jen admits she’s not eating very well lately and has lost motivation to cook.

“Thankfully there’s a restaurant strip right around the corner, where lots of cheap uni students eat,” she says.

Her kitchen is half the size of her old one with significantly less storage space, which is rather depressing for a house proud “home-body”.

“I’ve gotten a bit slack,” she says. “I don’t have my favourite pasta pot....

All the ugly cutlery, it’s so mixed matched.

“At my other house, the kitchen had an island, with four drawers for each different kind of cutlery everyday, next to everyday, good and really good.

“Now emptying the dish washer is like domp domp domp domp domp, dealing cards, I just put it all in one place.”

Jen says in the scale of kitchen nightmares, the sugar-coated chicken ranks alongside a roast chicken so

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BRISBANE FLOODS inedible it had to be used as shark bait.

“I couldn’t believe it, I used the whole container of sugar, which is about a year’s amount for me,” she says.

“I just kept thinking why isn’t it sticking... I must have been brain dead.

“As I was frying it ... I was going ‘what’s going on here?’ It was going all black. The whole meal was horrible but they ate it, the polite things.

“I wanted to run up the road to get something else.”

And just when it looks like things couldn’t get any worse for Jen, the rental

home had a sewage flood because of a loose bathroom pipe.

“Me and water, obviously not doing so good,” she says.

“You’ll probably read in the paper I drowned in a pool one day, me of all people who can swim like a bloody fish.”

But with the plumbing issue and ruined lunch behind her and the delayed engineering report for the insurers finally sorted, Jen finally feels hopeful.

“We got the engineer report on Friday and there were ifs and bifs about what to do, what not to do,” she says.

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© GETTY

“Then the guy rang late Friday and said they were going to cover it ... they’re not going to nickle and dime me. I wanted to jump for joy.”

The house will require “pinning”, an expensive process that fixes the foundations’ stability.

She expects quoting to begin in the next few weeks and construction work to start sometime in May or June.

Her husband Ed, won’t return from New York until July.

He saw the “mud house” for the first time in early April.

“It was just nice for him

We got the engineer report on Friday and there were ifs and buts about what to do, what not to do to see what life was like here,” she says.

“It’s really hard to tell someone.”

They spent the two weeks together mostly sorting through boxes of salvaged possessions but enjoying some much needed family time at a special swimming dinner and competition.

“He got to see Carl swim at the GPS (Great Public Schools competition),” she says.

“Terrace (St Joseph’s College) has now got a record for the same team winning the relay five years in a row.

“It was really big deal ... he did his (personal best) ... he did the fastest leg.

“I’m so proud of him.”

Jen says now that the insurance claim is finalised and they’re closer to construction work starting, she can destress slightly and hopefully cook up an Easter feast for her sons.

But she might give chicken a miss.

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opinion e c n e nflu

i e s e C h i n in NZ

© GETTY

By Ian Armitage

I

t wasn’t that long ago that New Zealand immigration seemed like it was restricted to just the British or Polynesians. NZ did not admit many migrants from anywhere else (thanks to a racially discriminatory immigration policy).

Gradually things changed and the country’s immigration policy shifted from ethnic protection to economic liberalism; New Zealand was opened to goods and investment from anywhere.

That was in the late 1980s. Migrants with sufficient skills or capital were welcomed, no matter where in the world they came from.

The offer still stands: if you have the skills or the capital, you are more than welcome to join the party.

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© GETTY

It is an offer than has increasing appeal amongst Chinese migrants – there are 104,500 Chinese in New Zealand, 62,000 of which were born overseas with two-thirds coming from China itself.

With rising incomes and strong domestic savings, the Chinese have been able to travel, study, migrate and build new communities around the Pacific.

New Zealand, particularly Auckland, has huge appeal.

But it is nothing new, really. The Chinese community has been part of New Zealand for 140 years and Chinese are New Zealand’s third-largest ethnicity - Chinese immigration, in fact, was a powerful contributor to New Zealand’s housing boom in the five years to 2007.

IDENT OF THE HIS EXCELLENCY MR XI JINPING, VICE PRES D WITH A PHOTO ENTE PRES IS CHINA OF PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC FROM PRIME MINISTER JOHN KEY

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“China’s growing appetite for Australian and New Zealand export commodities has largely sustained the economy through the global financial crisis,” a leading economist told me.

The question is this: is the increasing Chinese influence in New Zealand a positive thing? A recent poll by nzherald.co.nz asked exactly that. Of 11,000 responses, 67 percent said no.

In my view, China will be a growing influence in the world like it or not.

The Chinese community is a visible and significant part of New Zealand now.

China is New Zealand’s fourth most important trading partner and one that contributes a large number of students and a growing number of tourists to key industries.

And the Chinese continue to look to buy NZ businesses and land (Crafar farms).

There are a lot of misconceptions. Some suggest that Chinese are “flooding” the country, that they contribute to crime, and that they are standoffish.

Piffle.

The Chinese are helping to contribute to a richer, prosperous New Zealand.

But, the dream can quickly turn sour for immigrants.

A Massey University report, Bamboo Networks: Chinese Employers and Employees in Auckland, conducted in 2010, shows a gap between expectations and reality.

“Many Chinese immigrants underestimate the difficulties of migration, and are finding that they have to work a lot harder once they get here than before leaving China,” said researcher Professor Paul Spoonley, who believes the Chinese have much to offer.

Researchers interviewed 20 Chinese employees and 20 employers who are permanent residents for the report.

They were asked about their hopes and dreams before they arrived in New Zealand, their leisure activities, community involvement, retirement plans, home and family and experiences of discrimination.

“Migrating and settling in New Zealand is harder than many had thought, and they are having to compensate by reestablishing themselves here and working a lot harder to get a decent income,” Professor Spoonley said.

Where do you stand on the debate?

Why not contact the editor (ian.armitage@tntmagazine.com) AUSTRALIAANDNEWZEALAND

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ASK THE EXPERT Expert advice on all of your tax questions

A

Q

A tax fi le number (TF N) is a unique number issued by the Australian ayer Tax Office (ATO) to each taxp nuation (ind ividual, company, superan tify fund, par tner ship or trust) to iden lings. dea tax ian tral Aus that taxpayer’s you if n eve e, onc A TFN is issued only . ces stan cha nge you r per sonal circum , It is not compulsory to have a TFN you however, if you do not have one

Q

54

at happens to my pension whe hat Wh

A

What is a Tax File

Number? How do

I get one?

Ashley, London

rate of will be taxed at the emergency will 46.5 percent. Ma ny employers ian tral Aus r you ing insist on you hav t star you re tax file number setup befo

working in Oz. ine or You can apply for you r TFN onl will need via post. To obt ain a TFN, you tity to iden r you to provide evidence of uired req the ATO, and will therefore be a work to provide a valid passport and ent of visa authorised by the Departm AC).

(DI ship Imm igration and Citi zen

n I move to Australia?

Rob, London

If you move to Australia on a perma nent basis you will become an Australian resident and will be no longer treated as a UK resident for UK tax purposes.

Under UK domestic tax legislation this means that you will have to pay UK tax on UK source income only, which includes any UK pensions you receive.

UK domestic tax legislation is overridden however by the terms of the Double Taxation Agreement (DTA) signed between the UK and Australia.

The DTA specifies that pensions paid to a resident of one of the two States shall be taxable only in that state. In your case this means that Australia would reserve the right to tax your pension, not the UK. In order for you to ensure that your pension is not incorrectly subject to UK tax, you should complete a special form, which you may download here: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/cnr/aust-indiv2003.pdf. If you have already paid UK tax on your pension while being an Australian perma nent resident you may claim back the UK tax withheld by completing Helpsheet 304 for the relevant UK tax year.

You may also consider transferring your UK pension into a Qualif ying Recog nised Overseas Pension Scheme (aka QROPS). This is a specialist area and if you would like more inform ation please contact taxback.com’s UK Tax Retur n bureau and we will be happy to refer you to a specialist advisor.

www.anzoutlook.com

Q

loyer. I plan to working with my current emp I’m moving to Aus next month, e how sur there for extra income. Not rent out my UK home while I’m at is the UK not be more than 6 months. Wh long I’ll be there but it should tax position?

Andy, Nottingham

A

As you do not expect to be in Australia for more than 6 month s, you will fall under the terms of the UK-Austral ian Tax Treaty Article 14. This states that your employment income will be outside the scope of Australian Tax if: You are not in Australian for more than 183 days in any twelve month period; and, Your salary continues to be covered by your UK employer; and, Your salary is not recharged to an Australian entity.

As you are unlikely to acquire Australian residence, your nonAustralian income will also be outside the scope of Australian tax.

From a UK perspective, you will remain UK resident and ordinarily resident (ROR). As such you will remain chargeable to UK tax on your worldwide income and gains.

Your salary will continue to be taxed via PAYE. You will need however, to file a UK Tax Return for the tax year(s) spanned by your time in Australia. The Tax Return is required to disclose your rental income from your UK property.

One impor tant point to bear in mind in respect of your employment income: as you are being seconded abroad you are entitle d to claim what is referre d to as Detached Duty Relief (DDR). DDR arises becau se you are being sent by your employer to work at a temporary workplace. As such, you are entitle d to claim relief for accom modat ion and subsistence expen ses incurred while in Australia. DDR can be compl icated depending on

whether your employer provides accom modat ion in Australia or a subsistence package to cover your costs. If you are uncer tain about how to handle your Tax Retur n or simply would like it to be hassle -free, contact taxback. com’s UK Tax Retur n bureau.

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55

ASK THE EXPERT

Q A

eks the UK in a few we I’m returning to liday ho ile on a work ing having spent a wh t do I need to do/ in Australia. Wha tax perspective? consider from a UK Tim, Queensland

In order for you to settle your UK tax affairs, you first of all need to consider your rmation residency status. Based on the info med assu e provided in your question I hav narily that you were UK resident and ordi prior resident (ROR) for tax purposes ly ical Bas a. to your move to Australi you that this means that I have assumed d and were born in the UK and have live life. r you of t mos worked there for rt As your stay in Australia was sho you term, it is highly unlikely that n you “broke” your UK residency whe . Please part of the Australian tax you paid have you that ns mea s left the UK. Thi a free, for feel free to contact taxback.com working remained UK ROR even while no obligation estimation. in Australia.

Any Australian tax which is not pay UK UK ROR individuals are liable to your UK reclaimable can be offset against a result tax on their worldwide income. As double id avo tax liability allowing you to on your you will be chargeable to UK tax taxation of the same income. need to file Australian income and you will ROR You should also note that as a UK a UK Self Assessment Tax Return. to UK ent tlem enti r taxpayer, you retain you It is likely that you have also paid tralia.

Aus in allowances even while working Australian tax on your Australian than less Consequently, if your income is depends employment income. Although it : £7,475) 1/12 (201 ce wan the personal allo possibility on the specifics, there is a strong tax.

UK to ility nd of all or you will have no liab that you may be entitled to a refu Mila These questions were answered by sultants, Con Tax , Slaneva and Elena Kirova & Oz – and Stoyan Dimov, Team Leader New Zealand Tax, Taxback.com.

T R E P X e E H T T U O AB

Contact details: Freephone 0808 2381 611, email uk@taxback.com, or visit www.taxback.com/anzoutlook

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Need to send money between UK and home?

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studying down under International student numbers

DROP

Australian immigration sees fall in overseas student intake.

I

t is often said that Australia is one of the best places to live and study; if you want a quality education and a good lifestyle, it’s the place to be.

Unfortunately, someone forgot to tell students.

Recent figures show enrolments in educational institutions by international student visa holders have fallen by 2.5 percent on figures released in February 2010.

The greatest drop was in vocational

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courses such as cooking and hairdressing, which suffered a 21.5 percent fall in enrolment numbers.

Institutions are concerned that the rising dollar, combined with high living costs, could prolong the slump into 2012.

Simon Marginson, at the Centre for the Study of High Education at Melbourne University, said: “[Because of the cost of living and housing] you would find there would be places in Australia that are more expensive than the U.S.”.

He went on to say that the federal government Australia visa changes last year were also a problem and would result in students looking elsewhere to study.

Meanwhile, Glenn Withers of Universities Australia said: “All indications suggest a significant downturn in student commencements for 2011 and for the immediate future.”

While the costs of studying in Aus are rising, you need to look at the bigger picture and remember this simple fact: it is getting more and more expensive to further your education here at home. Universities in England will be able to charge tuition fees of up to £9,000 per year from 2012, as the government transfers much of the cost of courses from the state to students. Fees will rise to £6,000, with an upper tier of £9,000 if

universities ensure access for poorer students.

It is forcing students to look abroad.

Almost 3,000 people from the UK have chosen to go back to college or university in Australia the last year. More than half of the new students were mature students enrolling in postgraduate courses at universities or trade training programmes in the vocational education sector.

Study Options is a free, independent, expert service for people looking to study in Australia and New Zealand. It is the representative of Australian and New Zealand universities and colleges in the UK and Ireland, and can help with your application process.

WWW.STUDYOPTIONS.COM

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studying down under Qualifying as a teacher or nurse are two of the more popular choices.

The Australia nursing qualification is a two-year course. It is a qualification that is recognised in the UK. As far as teaching is concerned, many students end up getting positions in Australian schools on completion of their course. The Graduate Diploma is similar to the UK’s PGCE and runs for one year, combining theory and teaching placements.

Nursing and teaching aren’t the only fields where there are opportunities - there are plenty of others (especially if you broaden the search to New Zealand, something we’ll talk about in future issues).

“Australia needs certain skills,” a Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) spokesman told me. “There is still a critical need for skills across a range of Australian industries.”

VISA RULES In order to go to Australia to study you will need a student visa. There are no age restrictions. You just need an offer of study from a recognised education provider (such as a university or college).

On a student visa you will have an opportunity to live and study in Australia for the length of the course.

As a student you will be able to work for 20 hours a week during the course and fulltime during holiday periods. Your partner, if you have one, will be able to work part-time for the duration.

The rules are subject to change and for more information visit The Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizenship (www.immi.gov.au).

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University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

Temporary Visa (Subclass 573)

This visa is designed for international students applying to study in Australia and whose main course of study is one of the following: Bachelor degree Associate degree Graduate certiďŹ cate Graduate diploma Masters by coursework Higher Education diploma Higher Education advanced diploma.

Who is this visa for?

This visa is for you if you want to do one of the following: Apply for your ďŹ rst student visa Renew your student visa Apply to join a family member who is in Australia on a student visa.

What does the visa let me do?

With this visa: You can study in Australia Eligible dependant family members can accompany you to Australia When you have commenced your course of study in Australia, you can work up to 20 hours per week while your course is in session and unlimited hours during scheduled course breaks.

Your family members can work up to 20 hours per week provided you have commenced your course of study in Australia. If you are doing a postgraduate course, such as a Masters degree, your family members can work unlimited hours once you commence this course.

Your partner can study in Australia for up to three months.

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Where to settle...

Canberra

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Š GETTY

Rich in culture and history, Canberra has a number of job opportunities for Brits to take advantage of.

I

f you’re looking to move to Australia, the obvious first place to look is the capital city- after all, they must make the city a capital for a reason, right? Okay, well in the case of Canberra, that reason was to settle an argument between Melbourne and Sydney, who both thought they should have the honour of being Australia’s capital city. But despite this, Canberra is still a place with a lot going for it.

So, let’s take a closer look at where you’ll be working, living, and spending your spare time in the city known as the Bush Capital.

Work In a time when you’re probably sick of hearing the word “unemployment” Canberra is a city that gloats 97 percent employment- among the highest employment rates in the country. It’s work you’ll be well paid for as well, as the city boasts the highest average full time income of

any city in Australia at $1,443 a week, higher than the national average.

Being a capital city, you will find that the major employers are the Australian and ACT Governments. However, with 24,000 businesses operating in the region, from huge multinationals to micro businesses, there’s plenty of opportunity in the private sector, which employs over 50 percent of the Canberra workforce.

Working in Canberra brings a whole range of advantages with it. Known as a “twenty minute city” virtually everything you need will be only a short distance away- perhaps as a side effect of the whole city being planned out from day one after Chicago architects Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin won an international contest to design the city.

While you’re here, you’ll also find a complete absence of tunnels and tollways, making navigating of the city something of a pleasure.

canberra Fast Facts Population 339,500

Sister cities Nara, Beijing

Locals' nickname

Pubes (public servants)

Lowest recorded temperature -10°C (July 1971)

Highest point

Mount Majura (888m) Famous for politicians, public being pre-planned

servants,

© GETTY

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Where to settle... live Once you’ve found work in Canberra, you’ll want to find somewhere to live. Prices are reasonable by capital city standards- if you’re looking to buy, a three bedroom house will cost you on average around $510,000 while a two bedroom place will be in the region of $410,000. Renting on the other hand will be around $440 a week for a three bedroom house, or $410 a week for a two bedroom place.

Unlike most places in Australia, while you’re here you will experience four distinct seasons. Summers are hot, winters are clear and crisp, springs are colourful and autumns are balmy, and the whole time you’re going be enjoying more hours of sunshine than Sydney or the Gold Coast.

There are several regions you can look at when deciding where in or near Canberra to live, each with its own advantages and appeal.

A few kilometres south of the city you’ll find

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Woden, which offers a variety of established or new houses and apartments. Here you’ll be close Canberra hospital and be able to enjoy the thriving clubs, commercial precinct and recreational facilities. If you’re moving here with your family, you may want to move a little further South to Tuggeranong, where you’ll find plenty of open space and large blocks, along with affordable houses old and new.

To the Northwest in Belconnen, which is probably where’ll end up if you come here to study. Here is based the University of Canberra, the Canberra Institute of Technology.

If you’re a sports fan, Belconnen is also home to the Australian Institute of Sport as well as Canberra Stadium. Belconnen has plenty of apartments, but also freestanding homes and some great fresh food markets.

But perhaps the most exciting opportunities are in Gungahlin, the newest town centre in Canberra, and somewhere that is already proving popular with young families and first home buyers. Twenty minutes out of the city, here you can buy finished homes, but also have the chance to start building your own dream home through one of the land or house and land packages available in this area.

Wherever you choose to live, you will have access to excellent health services, short commutes and the best school system in Australia. The schools of Canberra, whether they are Independent or run by the ACT Government, will offer your children supportive, well-equipped, modern environments for high quality learning, fuelled by a $90 investment in upgrading publishing schools, and another £20 million to ensure they are outfitted with the latest information technology. This might be why

a larger percentage of Canberra students complete secondary schooling, and go onto university, than anywhere else in Australia.

TOP 5 picks for canberra:

Play As well as being a great place to live, you’ll

© GETTY

also find there are tonnes of things to do here.

If you love shopping your choices range from the huge Canberra Centre to all kinds of trendy, out of the way boutiques you can find out in Kingston and Manuka, the city’s cosmopolitan café suburbs. Meanwhile, the city’s shopping precinct has recently undergone a massive renovation, making it more buzzing and vibrant than ever!

If you’ve a taste for the grape (and you must know Australia is a great place to come for a taste of the grape) you can enjoy the produce of any of the more than 50 regional wineries, while fine dining is available everywhere from Chinatown to Dickson. Fancy some culture?

The city hosts the National Gallery of Australia, the National Library- which houses a copy of every book every published in the country, as well historical landmarks such as Parliament House and the enigmatically named Shine Dome of the Australian Academy of Sciences.

Likewise, Canberra’s calendar is choc-ablock with exciting events, from huge New Year’s Eve and Australia Day parties, to the Balloon Fiesta in April, the Chamber Music and National Science Festivals in May and August, and jet ski and national sailing titles in November.

Canberra is a beautiful, spacious city, with lots going on and bountiful opportunities for newcomers. It could easily be the change of scenery that you have been looking for, for you and your family.

1 2 3 4 5

of Australia National Gallery of Australia National Museum emorial Australian War M d Sound Archive National Film an Mount Majura

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before you go...

Australia

Travel Essentials

W

hether you are a first time traveller to Australia, or a frequent visitor, there are certain things you need to know when planning your holiday, arrangements you need to make, and essentials you need.

Entry Requirements To enter Australia you need a visa: The only exception is people from New Zealand.

There are many different types of visa available, some ideal for holidays, others if you are planning to work and live in Australia. Information to help you find the right Australian visa is available from The Department of Immigration and Citizenship, www.immi.gov.au.

You’ll also need a valid passport!

Getting to Australia Numerous airlines fly to Australia these days, so it is incredibly easy to get there. The long distance and flight times can have a profound effect – jet lag due to the time difference, for instance – so it is recommended that passengers pre-arrange a stopover to shorten the flight. Spend a night in destinations such as Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong or Kuala Lumpur (see the Super Stopovers article on our website). Australia is a long way from the UK and flights can take anything from 22 hours.

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Currency

n y is the Australia Australia’s currenc ts en es re 1 dollar repr dollar (AUD) whe te erage exchange ra 100 cents. The av . $1 A to nt le is equiva means that £0.62 in e bl la ai notes are av Australian dollar 100.

5, 10, 20, 50 and mber of online Check out any nu rs for the latest currency converte exchange rates.

Travel within Oz Once in Aus, it is important to remember this is a huge country, bigger than some continents. Travelling from one city to another can take time. Many first time travellers are unaware of how big Australia actually is. A knowledgeable tour operator can advise you of the best way to travel to your desired destinations in Aus.

Customs Allowance

As with most countries there are restrictions on the amount of goods that you can take home from Australia.

Travellers are allowed to bring goods into Australia duty free.

In general, travellers aged 18 years and over may bring into Australia: A$900 worth of goods not including tobacco or alcohol (A$450 for travellers under 18 years of age) 2.25L alcoholic beverages (including wine, beer or spirits) 250 cigarettes or 250 grams of cigars or tobacco products other than cigarettes Members of the same family who are travelling together may combine their individual duty free allowances.

The Australian Climate

Being in the southe rn hemisphere, Austr aliaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seasons are the op posite of the UK â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they celebra te Christmas in the summer and experience slightly chilly weath er in June. Despite this, Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s climate is generally sunny and warm with mos t areas of the continent receiv ing 3,000 hours of sunshine each year.

Health Care

The UK has recipr ocal health agreements with Au stralia and New Zealand meaning that emergency ho spital treatment is free.

Other health services m ay prove expensive, so take out travel insurance. There are currently no compulsory or necessary vaccinations for tra vel to Australia and New Zealand.

Tipping

No service ch arge applies in Australia.

Tipping is no t mandatory bu t a 10 percen tip in restaura t nts and hotel ba rs is normal for good serv ice. Waiters an d waitresses not rely on ti do ps for their in co me, but tips ar an incentive e to performan ce as bad serv usually result ic e s in no tip.

Taxes

a Goods and Tax Australia operates e. all purchases mad Service (GST) on lia u buy in Austra Everything that yo e for GST within th already accounts formation visit price. For more in .au www.customs.gov

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