https:// 2020-06-18T00:21:10Z 2020-06-18T00:21:10Z world-refugee-week-2020-aasw-continues-calls-for-an-end-to-mandatory-detention

During World Refugee Week 2020, the AASW continues calls for the Federal Government to put an end to its punitive practice of mandatory detention. AASW National President Christine Craik said, “This year’s theme for World Refugee Week is Celebrating the Year of Welcome. The Australian government, however, consistently breaches the human rights of asylum seekers and refugees, our welcome is one to offshore detention, immigration detention centres and other forms of incarceration for those who have broken no laws. “The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that policy changes can be made quickly and to the benefit of vulnerable people. This has not occurred within the people seeking asylum and refugee population, who have been left exposed to the effects of coronavirus in detention. “As World Refugee Week started, there have been attempts by the government to move a group of people seeking asylum with pre-existing medical conditions from hotel accommodation in Queensland back to offshore detention. These people seeking asylum were transferred to Australia under the now repealed medevac legislation. They are at significant risk of severe complications or death if they are moved back to immigration detention while COVID-19 is still a threat.” The pandemic has a more severe impact on vulnerable groups and people in detention are no exception. Ms Craik continued, “There is nothing stopping the government from releasing this group, and all people seeking asylum, into the community where they can be free to continue their lives in safety and security. Keeping these people in detention is cruel and tortuous, and its only purpose is to send a terrible message to others who wish to seek asylum in Australia that ‘You are not welcome here’.” “Australia needs to be better than this and we can do better than this. “The practice of mandatory detention needs to end now. It causes immeasurable damage to those vulnerable people who have already worked so hard to flee harm. If we want to properly celebrate World Refugee Week, and the resilience and tenacity of people seeking asylum and refugees; this is the only way.”

2020-06-16T02:52:58Z refugee-week-2020

Refugee Week 2020 runs from Sunday June 14th to Saturday June 20th and The Social Studio is using this time to highlight the continued need to support Australia's refugee community, while sharing positive stories of success from its members. Founded in 2009, The Social Studio provides skill development, training and a safe place of belonging that strives to create awareness and address the challenges for diverse young people from refugee backgrounds. The social enterprise is an RMIT University accredited fashion school, an upcycled clothing label, a retail shop, an ethical clothing manufacturer and a community space created from the style and skills of young people from new migrant and refugee communities. Among the main barriers faced by young people from refugee backgrounds are unemployment, isolation and difficulties accessing education and training. The Social Studio addresses these challenges in four ways: creating jobs; providing education; encouraging community engagement and social inclusion. Alek Nyok, a The Social Studio board member and South Sudanese-Australian community member, said: “Many young people from refugee backgrounds can face unique challenges settling in our country but with the right support and encouragement they make valuable contributions in a range of areas. The Social Studio’s approach is a practical way of harnessing skills and talent of refugee and new migrant communities.” Alek herself came as a child refugee to Australia when she was 10 years old. As a teenager in country Victoria, Alek connected with The Social Studio as part of a high school extension and later graduated from its fashion school. Now working as a data analyst, Alek is also an active volunteer in Melbourne’s South Sudanese community, and an invaluable member of The Social Studio board. The Social Studio CEO, Cate Coleman said Refugee Week is an opportunity to reflect on the resilience and capability of young people from refugee backgrounds. “The Social Studio offers a platform through art, creativity and design for these positive community narratives to shine.” By facilitating a range of projects that provide social support including legal advice, counselling, tutoring and formal training in clothing production, retail and fashion, The Social Studio has been able to help change the lives of over 800 new migrant and refugees since its inception. The Social Studio continues its incredible work through public donations and revenue generated through sales from the clothing produced by new and emerging designers at its Melbourne studio. The Social Studio label is designed and made to an extremely high quality, ethically made using only reclaimed and up-cycled materials gathered from local industry. Over the last decade over 20 tonnes of material has been salvaged from landfill. All income generated through the Studio is invested in creating social benefits for students, staff and their communities. Ways to support The Social Studio throughout Refugee Week 2020 and beyond: - Donate to The Social Studio: https://www.thesocialstudio.org/donate/ $25 can provide a student with a sewing starter kit $50 can fund all pattern making paper required for one semester $100 can provide an essential student pack for one fashion or design student for one year $500 can provide teaching support for an entire class in our TAFE program for one week $1000 can cover training costs for our TAFE programs for one semester - Shop TSS label - new Collingwood store opening soon- Buy an Art Scarf online: https://tssartscarf.org/- Follow the journey on social media via @thesocialstudio to hear stories from The Social Studio's community

2020-05-26T22:54:25Z patty-mills-announces-the-formation-of-the-team-mills-foundation

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA (27 May 2020): Three-time Olympian, NBA Champion and proud Indigenous Australian Patty Mills announced today the formation of the Team Mills Foundation, a not for profit organisation dedicated to supporting and championing culture, diversity, women and underprivileged families and enacting positive change for the environment worldwide. Through innovative strategies and a creative approach, the Team Mills Foundation creates a new model for communities across the globe to come together, spark conversation and ignite action to achieve the ultimate goal of a brighter future for those who need it most.  The announcement of The Team Mills Foundation coincides with the start of National Reconciliation Week; a time for Australians to learn about the shared histories, cultures and achievements and strengthen the bonds with the wider Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. The theme for National Reconciliation Week for 2020 is “In This Together”, and much like the “All Hands In” mantra of the Team Mills Foundation, it represents how working as a collective can achieve powerful results. The Foundation is welded to the ideal of “community”, shared values and respecting traditions and is brought to life by Patty Mills’ passion and desire of giving back and thriving on the success and wellbeing of others. The mission for the Team Mills Foundation is simple: Make a positive, long-lasting impact on communities worldwide. “I am incredibly excited to announce the launch of Team Mills Foundation; an organisation built on taking courageous and ongoing action to bring long-lasting improvement to people’s lives.” says Patty Mills.  “Our Foundation is personal but relatable, as it reflects values that have been instilled in me by my previous generations and through our customs and traditions. Our vision is to make a tangible difference at the intersection of those values and people’s lives, shining light on critical issues as well as providing opportunities and pathways of success to empower and unlock people’s tremendous potential.”    “I play basketball, and I’m grateful for what the sport has provided for me and my family, but I’m even more appreciative for the voice and platform that has come along with it. It has allowed me to follow through with my successes on the court to inspire, support and make change in other people's lives, especially the ones who need it most.” “Striving for greatness in my field, to create history, to accomplish the unimaginable - sure, it's for me, but it turns out -  it isn’t. It’s for everyone and everything that will be directly impacted by this Foundation.” The Team Mills Foundation will strive to bring awareness and opportunities to the issues and causes that align with the six core values that the Foundation is built upon: FAMILY. Having a greater understanding of who you are, where you come from and appreciating the people that have helped you. Being the best person you can be so that you can support and inspire your loved ones. ENVIRONMENT. Doing our part by giving back to our environment to ensure our next generation understands the values of caretaking for our earth. This will also be a way to protect, preserve and keep traditional cultures alive through the knowledge and practices used by Indigenous peoples. CULTURE. Keeping the culture alive. Recognising, protecting and preserving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and traditions. Through a creative approach, constantly finding ways to bridge the gap between traditional and modern society.  PATHWAYS AND OPPORTUNITIES. Striving for greatness by creating pathways and opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to excel in their given fields or interests.  EMPOWERING WOMEN. Giving women a platform and voice to feel empowered, confident, and strong by supporting them in that role.   MULTICULTURAL AND DIVERSITY. Understanding and recognising multicultural diversity with the means to appreciate and learn from the differences, to celebrate and build on the similarities.  Through collaborative, community-focused partnerships and activations the Team Mills Foundation aims to work closely with local groups and organisations to put a spotlight on important causes and innovative projects and as well as put practices in place for long-term, sustainable solutions. In 2019, “The Community Water Project” was launched in partnership with Zero Mass Water and Australian Indigenous Basketball; an initiative aimed at providing clean, sustainable drinking water for six very remote drought-stricken Indigenous communities.  More recently, the #GiveMamaCoffee Mother’s Day Drive brought together the community of San Antonio to support eight local coffee shops who had been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, encouraging the community to shop small, but think big. To further the campaign’s reach nationally and internationally, a “GoFundMe” page was set up to receive virtual coffee donations. The #GiveMamaCoffee Mother’s Day Drive raised over $100,000USD with all funds donated to the Family Violence Prevention Services - Battered Women and Children’s Shelter of San Antonio, Texas. Putting knowledge in practise, The Team Mills Foundation are thrilled to partner with The Firesticks Alliance, a relationship that stemmed from a recent trip to Australia in March whilst visiting the bushfire-affected communities. Learning from Indigenous land management expert Victor Steffenson and The Firesticks Alliance Indigenous Corporation, Team Mills Foundation aims to share the knowledge of cultural burning practices, and improved ‘reading’ of country, to help restore the land. By continuing to educate and spread awareness of these practices, there is much evidence that, if adopted, could greatly benefit not only Australians, but all people worldwide. More details surrounding this dynamic partnership will be revealed at a later date,  To learn more about the values and causes of the Team Mills Foundation and how to get involved, visit teammillsfoundation.org or follow the Foundation on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube using #TeamMillsFdn and #AllHandsIn. -ENDS- About Team Mills Foundation The Team Mills Foundation is dedicated to supporting communities around the world; from environmental and wildlife conservation efforts, to providing clean drinking water for communities, supporting women and children shelters and giving a voice to minorities through multiculturalism and diversity. No matter the challenge, The Team Mills Foundation are going all hands in on the things that hit home. Together, we can make a positive change and long lasting impact worldwide.

2020-04-15T04:43:38Z new-book-the-forgotten-by-will-davies-with-contributions-from-albert-wong-is-out-now

THE FORGOTTEN REMEMBERED # NEW BOOK REMEMBERS THE FORGOTTEN ON ANZAC DAY # UNTOLD TRUE STORY OF CHINESE ANZACS FINALLY TOLD # HOW CHINA HELPED AUSTRALIA WIN WORLD WAR 1 New book THE FORGOTTEN by historian Dr Will Davies with contributions from high profile businessman Albert Wong is out now and tells the story of the forgotten and largely ignored members of the Chinese Labour Corps in the First World War, who worked tirelessly for the British and French armies, but who received little pay, endured severe living conditions and died as a result of starvation, influenza and neglect. Running parallel to this in THE FORGOTTEN is the unknown story of those Chinese Anzac soldiers, unsung heroes, men of Chinese-Australian heritage who, despite racism, marginalisation and bigotry, stepped forward to enlist and die for Australia so far from home. This book is offered in the hope that, by telling their story, we might shed new light on a forgotten and unknown chapter of history, and in the process, remember and celebrate their part in the final victory. The Forgotten celebrates the shared history between China and Australia and the combined efforts to promote peace. The Governor General David Hurley has written the forward  for the book. The Forgotten is published by Wilkinson Publishing as a dual English and Chinese language edition in the one book and retails for $29.99 from wilkinsonpublishing.com.au and booktopia.com.au TO INTERVIEW ALBERT WONG AND WILL DAVIES and receive review copies and books as giveaway contest prizes email max@marksonsparks.com or call Max Markson 0412 501 601

2020-04-05T20:23:24Z exploding-vapes-why

Today's article will further look at and discuss why e-cigarette devices explode and how best to avoid this from happening. There have been reports of devices exploding and people dying, but why are these devices exploding, let's take a detailed look. The most important thing to remember is to make sure you are buying all your device bits and pieces from reputable sellers and that you are not purchasing aftermarket or non-recognised fake parts. This is one of the most common reasons why e-cigarette devices malfunction and do not work correctly thus causing harmful effects. Other ways to prevent this type of malfunctions from occurring are; taking battery safety extremely seriously considering the correct use of atomisers using and changing coils research and only use appropriate products read and follow instruction manual charge and store batteries and devices properly

2020-02-13T07:13:49Z parents-urged-to-build-kids-maths-muscles-to-improve-results

Ratika Khandelwal from Mathnasium, an internationally renowned mathematics learning centre, said there was a dire need to refocus attention on the importance of the subject following Australian students’ failure to exceed the OECD average in maths in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). “Focusing on improving skills just a little each day will go a long way to help children foster a respect for the subject and excel at it. But it starts at home. “Education is ultimately the culmination of parents, school, teachers and students working together to generate better results, but parents can do more. As a parent myself, I know we need to take more responsibility for our role in children’s education and helping shape their skills and mindset around learning.  Parents need to step up and make maths a normal part of the day. “It is as simple as getting the kids involved in activities like basic addition or subtraction at the supermarket, halving or doubling a recipe, or estimating how long it takes to get to school, for example. It’s all about doing things that make maths fun and helps build their confidence in the subject.” Ms Khandelwal’s advice is echoed by Seung Yi, National Maths Coordinator at Australian Christian College, who agreed students should be dedicating time every day to improving their mathematic skills. “We’re definitely not where we should be in mathematics in Australia, and the trend is indicating that we are continuing to fall further behind the rest of the world. It needs to be adequately addressed and fast,” he said. “It’s not hard to spend regular time at home developing basic number skills – addition, subtraction, division, multiplication. Just imagine if students worked on basic maths drills every day.” Ms Khandelwal shared her tips to make maths easy at home, based on the Mathnasium method of teaching that uses a unique combination of mental, verbal, visual, tactile, and written techniques to help children learn math. 1. Have kids use cash/coins instead of cards to pay for things. Have them calculate how much a few items will cost and the expected change. 2.  Buy analog clocks and have children tell time that way or buy them a watch with an analog clock. 3. Let them help with cooking/baking to learn about measurements and calculations - halve or double a recipe for added practice. 4. Have them measure things in the house using their hands, feet, and a ruler to compare. 5. At Easter have them create a bar chart of the types or names of lollies/eggs they get and how many. 6. At the supermarket have them weigh different produce to get an understanding of weights.   https://www.mathnasium.com.au

2020-01-31T04:09:11Z misinformation-spreads-about-coronavirus-and-panic-kicks-in-on-social-media

As the World Health Organisations declares the coronavirus outbreak to be a global health emergency new cases of the alarming Coronavirus continue to be reported in Australia. With news updates being posted or announced every hour,  worried Australians are jumping online to find out more. Not only has the virus spread around China and globally with confirmed cases now in Australia, Germany and the USA, so too has the misinformation surrounding the crisis. Conspiracy theories have spread like wildfire across the internet via social media sharing and this is partly due to the strictly censored and limited news coming out of China. Some people have suggested it was planned to control the population, others have said that it is a bioweapons attack, one idea was that it was due to the Chinese bat soup and others have blamed scientists for deliberately developing it. There are also some claims that the actual number of people infected in China is more like 90,000 and the Chinese Government is covering up the truth. Olga Andrienko, Head of Global Marketing at SEMrush says amongst fear of the unknown people are turning to social media to voice their concerns. “It’s fairly common these days for misinformation to be spread via social media during a crisis and this was seen during Australia’s bushfire emergency recently too. The public is rightfully concerned for their family’s welfare at the moment and the lack of news coming out of China and the statements from the Australian authorities calling for calm is driving both online search and social media chatter surrounding the Coronavirus epidemic.” More often than ever these days people are turning to Google to seek answers and this is extremely clear when it comes to the virus. The top question people are asking is if the coronavirus is deadly which has seen a 400% growth between January 21st to 24th alone. The question most people are becoming increasingly concerned with is ‘what are the symptoms of coronavirus’ which has seen a 700% jump in searches within just three days. Top 5 questions people are searching about coronavirus online: Is coronavirus deadly?  What is coronavirus?  What are coronavirus symptoms? What are the symptoms of coronavirus? Is coronavirus contagious?  Global Search Volumes: Each day since January 21 the popularity of the search term ‘china virus’ grows by 15% Meanwhile for the term ‘Coronavirus’ it’s about 25%, compared to the previous day.  Overall both terms have grown 10 times in comparison with January 20th.  Google searches for ‘Corona Beer’' and ‘Corona Beer Virus' are both up significantly in the last week, when the first cases of coronavirus were confirmed in the U.S.  Online Searches for face masks are drastically increasing - ‘P2 face mask’ has risen by 8507% and ‘face protection mask’ soared by 1340% since the beginning of the year. Coronavirus related Social Media Sentiment Trusted data provider, SEMrush has analysed Twitter and Instagram activity around Coronavirus to see what Australian people are saying about it on social media and searching for online. Instagram Posts for Jan 14-28, 2020 Top hashtags Top words Total number of Instagram posts 22,195 Hashtag count word count Instagram posts used for sentiment analysis (>2 words) 19,560 #coronavirus 1702 coronavirus 24365 Time range Jan 14-28 #china 1089 china 13656 #virus 994 virus 13561 Sentiment % of tweets #wuhan 811 Wuhan 8736 positive 39.40% #corona 718 corona 5626 neutral 28.03% #memes 710 yang 4543 negative 32.57% #news 640 people 3345 #meme 621 health 2972 #pandemic 564 outbreak 2711 Most Popular Post #outbreak 507 news 2623 https://www.instagram.com/p/B7q3WMslneF/ #dankmemes 497 new 2448 #health 472 epidemic 2188 #coronavirusoutbreak 466 memes 2135 #viruscorona 432 2020 1983 #funny 418 pandemic 1898 #usa 319 Chinese 1851 #regrann 313 world 1595 #alerta 298 meme 1561 #viral 292 2019 1561 #memesdaily 289 dengan 1487   Twitter Tweets for Jan 14-28, 2020 Top hashtags Top words Total number of tweets 1,781,406 hashtag count word count Tweets used for analysis (due to time limitations) 197,329 #coronavirus 64547 coronavirus 207208 Tweets used for sentiment analysis (>2 words) 175,898 #wuhan 7366 china 55337 Time range Jan 14-28 #china 6875 Wuhan 31072 #breaking 2468 virus 17542 Sentiment % of tweets #coronaoutbreak 2340 people 15670 positive 26.56% #coronarvirues 2028 outbreak 15263 neutral 36.57% #coronavirusoutbreak 1574 cases 12785 negative 36.87% #wuhancoronavirus 1557 news 12351 #2019ncov 1444 health 11953 #ncov2019 1408 2020 11339 Most Popular Tweet #wuhanvirus 1256 new 10535 https://twitter.com/allkpop/status/1222162045312782342 #virus 1185 case 10461 #ncov 1148 Chinese ...

2019-12-19T01:52:44Z current-family-law-system-does-not-adequately-protect-women-and-children-from-violence-say-australian-social-workers

Commission’s Family Law System Review without delay. AASW National President Christine Craik said that the current family law system does not adequately protect women and children from family violence. Ms Craik said, “Although the family law system recognises physical violence, it has not identified coercive control such as psychological, emotional and financial abuse. Family violence and abuse is overwhelmingly perpetrated by men and its victims are overwhelmingly women and children. “Since the current system cannot always recognise or intervene when violence and abuse are present, it does not always respond to the needs of the people who are trying to escape this abuse. This means that it denies them their right to safety.” The family law system is built on the assumption that both parties enter the system as equals, but social workers know that this is unlikely to be the case where violence and abuse is involved. Ms Craik said, “Having lived under years of fear, coercion, and humiliation, women who are attempting to escape abuse and violence are more susceptible to threats and more easily discouraged by the slow and complex legal process. Social workers have observed many instances where perpetrators know this and use the adversarial process to their advantage. This is called systems abuse, and the current Family Law system enables this abuse.” Ms Craik was speaking as the AASW made its written submission to the joint select committee on the Family Law system. The Australian Law Reform Commission’s Family Law System Review was conducted by some of the most respected professionals in their fields and heard from service users, health and community service professionals and legal practitioners. It made 60 recommendations for a widespread reform of the legislation and improvements to the system. The AASW endorses the Review’s main finding that the current Family Law system is under-resourced and therefore struggles to deal with the ever-increasing complexities of the families who use it. Changing the Family Law system so that it protects people from abuse means improvements to all aspects of it, and this is what the Review proposed. Ms Craik said, “It represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to acknowledge, validate and take steps to protect women and children from abuse.”

2019-12-02T23:21:50Z closing-the-indigenous-literacy-gap-key-to-educating-future-generations

Campion Education, Australia’s largest supplier of education resources to secondary schools, partnered with The Indigenous Literacy Foundation in 2018, upon hearing about the vital programs they provide, as well as a shared vision and focus on providing education for all children across Australia. The Indigenous Literacy Foundation are a national book industry charity, which aims to reduce the disadvantage experienced by children in remote Indigenous communities across Australia, by lifting literacy levels and instilling a lifelong love of reading. They do this through 3 core programs; Book Supply, Book Buzz and Community Literacy Projects. Campion Education supports this great cause through donations from parents and students at its 14 Retail Service Centres across Australia, as well as fundraising events including the Great Book Swap, held every year on Indigenous Literacy Day in September. Mark Rubbo, Indigenous Literacy Foundation Board Member met with Campion Education’s Managing Director, James Cathro to accept Campion Education’s latest donation of more than $1,700, on behalf of the Foundation. “Campion Education’s vision is to deliver innovative education resources to children across Australia. We care about the education of all children, and we support a number of causes that assist children to achieve their education goals” says James Cathro, “reading is so important for children to assist in brain development, helping to develop vocabulary, critical thinking and memory skills. The Indigenous Literacy Foundation is a crucial organisation in raising literacy in remote areas of Australia, and we believe it is such an important cause.” Only 36% of Indigenous Year 5 students in very remote areas are at or above the national minimum reading standards. “We are working tirelessly to improve Indigenous literacy, but there is still a long way to go,” says Indigenous Literacy Foundation Executive Director, Karen Williams “Our Foundation relies on the generosity of individuals, organisations and communities, and we are so thankful to partners like Campion Education who provide valuable and ongoing support for our programs.” Campion Education also supports other charitable organisations including Skyline Education Foundation Australia, to assist in the education of all children across Australia. If you or your workplace are interested in supporting the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, please visit their website here: www.indigenousliteracyfoundation.org.au Campion Education An Australian family-owned business, Campion Education is the largest supplier of education resources to secondary schools in Australia.  We continuously seek to provide innovative educational resources, solutions and services which enable schools to focus on providing the best learning outcomes for their students. Drawing on 23 years of experience, Campion Education supplies nearly 3,000 schools with printed and digital resources from Australia’s widest range of publishers, as well as all forms of stationery and art supplies.

2019-11-14T03:17:16Z china-customs-adopts-gtin-reporting-function-in-single-window-declaration-system

Imports and exports to China will be streamlined using Global Trade Item Numbers (GTIN) thanks to a resolution by Chinese Customs. The General Administration of Customs of China (GAC) rolled out a GTIN reporting function for its single window declaration system on 1 August 2019, marking a significant step toward adopting GS1 barcodes in customs clearance. The decision comes in response to recent rapid growth in cross-border trade, both in type and volume. Improving the efficiency of supervision and customs clearance has become a significant challenge for customs agencies around the world. There is great interest in the role GTIN can play to meet these growing needs. Global Trade Item Numbers are the numbers used to create barcodes within the GS1 system, the system used on consumer products globally. The system is administered by GS1, a group of member organisations operating in 114 individual countries. Customs agencies all over China have implemented GTIN declaration for the single window system and enterprises can enjoy an intelligent auto-fill feature by using GTIN. This simplifies and speeds up the declaration process and improves accuracy. "Declaration by GTIN" provides a convenient and fast method for enterprises to complete the declaration form "within a second" through intelligent autofill, instead of the normal manual entry previously required by China Customs. Based on the recently established GTIN information database, which covers multi-dimensional commodity information, including ingredients, brand, specification, country of origin, uses and other critical business information, an imported or exported product can be automatically identified and its declaration elements such as classification, country of origin and specification can automatically appear in the "single window" system as long as its GTIN is provided and related product information has been populated in the database. "This is great news for all GS1 Australia members trading with China," said Marcel Sieira, GS1 Australia's Head of Customer Engagement and Business Development. "GS1 standards and data can be leveraged for faster clearance and shorter cycles. GS1 Australia continues to work with Australian agencies in adopting similar approaches locally." According to a customs specialist at Taicang TuoHai Customs Clearance Co Ltd, an experienced customs broker of infant formula milk powder, it is very difficult for them to complete the declaration form due to the complexity and terminology of ingredients which amount to six or seven on average, and sometimes more than ten in a single product. From now on, once a GTIN has been entered and confirmed, all its ingredient information will enter the system immediately. In addition, the system has a batch import function for product series, which greatly improves efficiency. About GS1 Australia GS1 Australia is the Australian member of GS1, a not-for-profit global organisation that develops and maintains the most widely used supply chain standards in the world and a leader in facilitating efficient international business. GS1 Australia currently serves 22 industry sectors and supports more than 20,000 members nationally to improve supply chain efficiency and cost effectiveness by adopting best practice GS1 global standards. For more information visit www.gs1au.org or follow the company on LinkedIn and Twitter Media Enquiries: If you wish to interview Marcel Sieira, please contact: Caterina Slade Marketing Program Manager GS1 Australia T: (03) 9550 3415 or 1300 227 263 E: Caterina.Slade@gs1au.org

2019-11-01T03:53:27Z original-piece-of-the-berlin-wall-travels-from-blacktown-to-woollahra-for-commemoration

An authentic piece of the Berlin Wall hiding away in a storehouse in Blacktown, Sydney for over a decade, is to be transported to the German Cultural Centre, the Goethe-Institut in Woollahra, for permanent public display.    This rare piece of history is not small. Almost 4 metres tall, made from concrete and weighing 2.4 tonnes, the wall is well-preserved, still displaying original graffiti with the words: ‘Jeder hat Kraft’ - ‘Everyone is powerful’.   The official inauguration of the display on 23rd November 2019 will commemorate the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, one of the most notable events of the 20th century.   The piece of the wall has been donated by the current owner and will be installed and displayed at Euroka Reserve, a small public garden in front of the Institut with the support of international freight company Henning Harders.   Organised by the Goethe-Institut and Woollahra Council, the public celebration will include a welcome by the Mayor of Woollahra, Councillor Susan Wynne, the German Consul General Peter Silberberg and the Goethe-Institut Director Sonja Griegoschewski. Guests will have the opportunity to see the poster exhibition “The Power of Emotions” and listen to a panel of witnesses who will share their personal memories of the historic event in 1989. Goethe Institut Director Sonja Griegoschewski shares her excitement about the event: “For almost 50 years the Goethe-Institut in Woollahra has been a cornerstone of German-Australian cultural relations. As a born Berliner, I am deeply touched by the opportunity to share such an important piece of German history with the Australian public.” “What once symbolised division is now a symbol of what brings us together. Having a piece of the Berlin Wall installed in Woollahra on the 30th anniversary of such an iconic event is an important reminder to us not to take for granted the peace and freedom we enjoy,” Woollahra Mayor Susan Wynne comments. “It is well placed at the Goethe-Institut, which is dedicated to fostering international cultural cooperation.”   “The fall of the Berlin Wall marked the beginning of a new era of freedom, not only for East Germans, but also for many other people in Central and Eastern Europe” says the German Consul General, Peter Silberberg. “It was the beginning of the processes which led to the unification of the then two German states less than a year later and paved the way to overcome the trenches that had divided Europe into East and West for more than 40 years.”   Event date: 23 November 2019 Time: 3pm to 6pm Address: Goethe-Institut, 90 Ocean Street, Woollahra 2025 NSW Contact: Sonja Griegoschewski Director Australia Goethe-Institut sonja.griegoschewski@goethe.de Phone: 02 8356 8333   www.goethe.de/australia www.facebook.com/goetheinstitut.australien instagram.com/gi_australien twitter.com/GI_Australien   About the Goethe-Institut The Goethe-Institut is the cultural liaison between Germany and Australia. We are a not for profit, independent cultural organisation with a global reach. Our mandate is to promote the study of the German language abroad, and to encourage and facilitate international cultural exchange. The Goethe-Institut has 158 branches in 98 countries. Our branch in Melbourne was founded in 1972, followed by the Sydney branch in 1974. We work with partners and networks across Australia.

2019-09-16T00:27:36Z new-sales-platform-revolutionizes-the-way-australian-businesses-connect-with-and-track-their-chinese-customers

SYDNEY - (ACN Newswire) - For the first time Australian manufacturers targeting online Chinese consumers can market and sell their products directly to consumers on a dedicated overseas brands platform, cutting out agents and maintaining better control of their branding and distribution into the world's biggest market. One of China's fastest-growing e-commerce businesses, Aomaijia Group today signed agreements with five leading Australian companies; Sukin, Kids Smart, NESTLE Australia, b.box and TASMAN UGG. They will join other Australian brands Swisse and Blackmores, which are already available across the e-commerce platform. In total, Aomaijia sells more than 100,000 product lines across 3,000 individual brands.Aomaijia (pronounced OW-MY-GEE-ARE) has developed China's most innovative integrated e-commerce platform which does not simply sell overseas made products to end users but provides an entire suite of services that deliver products from the supplier, through the supply chain, sales channels and consumer delivery.Unlike China's two best-known online retail platforms, Taobao and T-Mall, 90% percent of products on Aomaijia are international brands. This differentiates the platform as one focussed entirely on supporting the branding strategy of international manufacturers.Speaking in Sydney today at the signing of these agreements, Aomaijia Group CEO Ms. Liping Liu said, "Even though most of our sales go through digital channels we are not simply an online mall. Other online trading platforms allow overseas companies to connect very quickly with millions of Chinese consumers; but they have significant limitations."The biggest drawback is that online malls sell many products through second-hand agents who may or, in many cases, may not be appointed by product producers. They generate sales but the trade-off is a loss of control in branding, distribution and retail pricing."Aomaijia distinguishes itself by only dealing directly with manufacturers, or their appointed agencies."The Aomaijia platform was created to give suppliers, like those in Australia, control of their branding in China but also control over distribution, sales volumes and ultimately their profits." said Aomaijia CEO Ms Liu.Australian brands will not only benefit from access to China's most sophisticated retail e-commerce platform, Aomaijia can supply an entire suite of services from supply chain financing and management through to technical services and tracking end users through tailor-made CRM solutions.Aomaijia's business to consumer (B2C) sales rest on three platforms; a mobile phone app, an online retail site, and a mini sales program operated on the WeChat social media platform. It also has 14 physical stores in key locations across all of China's major first-tier cities, including: Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Zhuhai and Wuxi. The company has an aggressive roll-out strategy with plans to open nearly 100 stores nationwide in the coming year.Aomaijia calls its retail outlets Dual-line Stores which help customers to get efficient shopping experience. Its two major advantages are that it gives consumers confidence that they are buying authentic brands; and they have the opportunity to physically sample new product lines which may not be familiar in China.One of the unique aspects of the Dual-line Store is that Aomaijia's platform allows consumers to track individual products right across the supply chain from entry into China to point-of-sale. This gives Chinese consumers absolute confidence that they are purchasing genuine products through proper channels.Established in 2015 in Guangdong (China's richest province by GDP) the company launched its online platform the following year. In first half year of 2019 the company's total customer base grew more than 200% and it now has more than 30 million registered users across its three digital platforms.

2019-09-15T18:04:34Z let-s-talk-vape-etiquette

Let's Talk Vape Etiquette Just with about everything we do there is an etiquette that we all need to keep in mind. Let's have a look at the vaping etiquette and try to keep this in mind the next time we are using e-cigarettes. In public be mindful of people around you when blowing out clouds. People around you might not like having a blinding puff of cloud in their face. Always try to blow your clouds away from people and be respectful. Judgement of devices is something to avoid if you have been vaping for a long time. There will be others around you using different devices but this is no reason to judge. Instead share you knowledge about vaping and your device. Aggression towards smokers is also an area to steer away from. People always do what they like in their own time. Instead of being aggressive and trying to force others into vaping explain the benefits and do not push. Be polite and patient. Vaping in doors is another area to take into consideration. Just like when vaping in public we do not blow clouds into other peoples faces, it is important to recognise that other around us may not like the smell or it may not be allowed in certain closed environments. These are our recommendations at Vape Street Australia. If you have any questions or would like further information on vaping please send us an email or follow our upcoming articles

2019-07-16T02:08:54Z strategy-and-ingenuity-see-battle-success-for-china-in-the-silk-road-wars

Creating bedtime stories for his two young sons about a mythical giant called Chop Suey, was the spark for Frank Spencer’s new historical novel, The Silk Road Wars, set in China’s Ming Dynasty. While the book’s main character, Chi, is based on this invented giant, the wars fought by China to defend its borders are factual. One of the first attacks covered in the book is Japan’s invasion in 1834. Following this, many other regimes and leaders attempted to defeat the Chinese without success including King Porus of India, the Gauls, Romania, the Cossacks, the Thugees, the Moors, the Carthaginians and many others. “The Silk Roads created a vast trading empire that made China the wealthiest of nations,” said Frank Spencer of his second novel. “This also made China the prize other nations strived to plunder.” Throughout the Ming Dynasty the Great Wall was extended and strengthened and a formidable army was created to fight off the many and regular invaders. Chi’s father, Peng, was a master in designing and manufacturing devastating weapons of war and set in place China’s arms race, transforming the Ming army. Conscription was invented to replace the thousands of soldiers who lost their lives fighting off invaders, and a special elite unit was also created. Chi became China’s greatest warrior, a general who was a master in the art of war. In defending its Silk Road, China fought back with great vigour and although always outnumbered, its superior strategies and weaponry more than levelled the odds. China invented gunpowder and had cannon whereas most of her adversaries did not. Its greater cunning and ingenuity was also used when it bought weapons used in the American Civil War. “The Silk Road Wars documents the many great land and sea battles and identifies Britain emerging as the prime antagonist,” said Frank Spencer. “In building a mighty navy and an empire, Britain continued to see China as a bitter enemy and remained in conflict with the nation well into the age of steam and dreadnought battleships.” Frank Spencer’s love of Marco Polo’s travels was further reason for creating this historical novel, which interweaves many other characters into the narrative including Chi’s friendships and his love life, and relationships with Emperor Zu Youjian and General Qi Juguang who was a master tactician and authority on Sun Tzu’s the Art of War. A Secret Life is the title of Frank Spencer's first book, an espionage thriller that follows the intriguing life of Richard Sinclair and his extraordinary life skills, including martial arts, who uses the power of friendship and love to take on the biggest battles of all. The Silk Road Wars (and A Secret Life) has an RRP of $24.95 and is available from all good bookstores and online at Booktopia: https://bit.ly/2JpSUl4 or https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-silk-road-wars-frank-spencer/prod9781925230543.html https://www.facebook.com/frankspencerauthor/ ends About The Silk Road Wars The Silk Road Wars (159 pages) is a historical novel that covers the Ming Dynasty in China from 1830 to 1914. The Silk Roads created a vast trading empire that made China the wealthiest of nations. This also made China the prize other nations strived to plunder. Throughout the Ming Dynasty the Great Wall was extended and strengthened and a formidable army was created to fight off the many and regular invaders. https://bit.ly/2JpSUl4 or https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-silk-road-wars-frank-spencer/prod9781925230543.html About A Secret Life A Secret Life (285 pages) is about successful business consultant Richard Sinclair who is a deadly martial arts expert and needs all of his skills and more to survive the vengeful attentions of the Calabrian Mafia. Richard and his few remaining allies, joined by two others who had served with Richard’s friend in the SAS, must find refuge from their unknown enemy who appears to possess unlimited resources, many soldiers and a fierce determination to kill them all. https://www.booktopia.com.au/a-secret-life-frank-spencer/prod9781925230857.html Both books have an RRP of $24.95 and are published by Sid Harta Publishers Pty Ltd. www.sidharta.com.au About Frank Spencer Frank Spencer is a retired organisational psychologist with a Master’s Degree in Organisational Psychology. He has implemented change strategies in many of Australia’s leading organisations. Frank has worked with world leaders in organisation development and pioneered a remuneration system based on role rather than job, which can also function as a change strategy. His system is licensed to the Institute of Managers and Leaders and Frank manages remuneration structure projects on their behalf. Further information Issued on behalf of Frank Spencer by WMC Public Relations Pty Limited. Contact Wendy McWilliams on (03) 9803 2588 / 0421 364 665. Email: wendy@wmcpr.com.au

2019-07-03T02:22:51Z bendigo-writers-festival-2019-program-1

Bendigo Writers Festival has unveiled the full three-day program for August 9 to 11, with a galaxy of stars and a supernova of sessions set to light up the end of winter. “We’ve dusted off the mirror balls, for a bit of retro party-time,” Capital Venues and Events manager David Lloyd says. “With a new venue to add to our constellation, the Festival Precinct will now be even more accessible and welcoming, so audiences will enjoy hearing all the absolutely brilliant writers on this year’s program.” The Festival launch was held at Bendigo Bowls Club, which will host sessions throughout the day, and then become the Festival Club on Friday and Saturday nights. Festival director Rosemary Sorensen announced the international writers on the program, as well as some of the 150 Australian speakers heading to Bendigo in August. Festival guest Greg Fleet spoke about the writing life, as a comedian, memoirist and novelist. Feature events in Ulumbarra Theatre at the Festival this year include Friday night’s World of Food with Food Safari presenter, Maeve O’Meara. On Saturday night, world-renowned astrobiologist Paul Davies tackles the biggest question of them all - What Is Life? And for a dazzling finale, the internationally acclaimed surgeon Munjed Al Muderis will present the Closing Address on Sunday at 4.30pm, talking about how hope and courage can change lives. “Gastronomy is big on this year’s program,” Ms Sorensen said. “We are keen supporters of the City of Greater Bendigo’s bid to become a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, so we have food writer Jill Dupleix, sustainable farmer Charles Massy and food-and-mood expert Felice Jacka, on the program. “We’re welcoming British philosopher AC Grayling for discussions about democracy, criminal psychologist Julia Shaw, to talk about evil, and from New York, Min Jin Lee, to talk about Korea.” Also on the program: Clementine Ford on Boys Will Be Boys Louise Milligan on Cardinal John Marsden on Parenting Alan Kohler on Money and Ethics Benjamin Law on Growing Up Gay Ranjana Srivastava on A Better Death Speakers include Peter Doherty, Chloe Hooper, Kerry O’Brien, Ginger Gorman, Kate Forsyth, Jessica Rowe, Don Walker, Greg Fleet, Jane Caro and Don Watson. The Text Marks the Spot free schools program takes place on Friday, and a new series of Entrée Events on Friday morning give audiences a chance to get out and about in Bendigo. “We’re delighted to be collaborating with the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, for an event with the “bad Buddhist”, Meshel Laurie,” Ms Sorensen said. “And in the heart of Bendigo, at the beautiful Soldiers Memorial Institute Military Museum on Pall Mall, there’s a first-time event about the women poets of Central Victoria writing during the First World War. “There’s a special launch too, of a new book about Bendigo, called Sludge, to be launched by John Brumby, Chancellor of La Trobe University.” Bendigo Writers Festival is presented by the City of Greater Bendigo in partnership with La Trobe University and supported by Bendigo Tourism. https://www.bendigowritersfestival.com.au/