Business – Local to Local - Frankston City Council

Applications for this program will open 9am on Friday 1^st April and close 5pm on Friday 29^th April, 2022.

The Business – Local to Local Program aims to assist and support our local business community that are seeking to grow or change their existing model as a result of the effects of COVID-19 and the impacts of restrictions and lockdowns.

Frankston City Council is offering limited vouchers to the value of $1,000 (inclusive of GST each) to provide an opportunity for local business operators to seek professional services from other local business providers also based in Frankston City.

Eligible business operators are able to apply for up to two separate vouchers, for two individual service providers. Examples of professional service providers include; business planning, accounting, legal services, marketing/social media, human resources or health and wellbeing.

Frankston City Council encourages all eligible applicants to apply to this limited voucher allocation that will cease once allocated funds are exhausted or by the program closing date. All final invoices must be received by Council no later than Thursday 30th June 2022.

Business - Local to Local Application

Click here to view form.

Please check out the Local to Local Guidelines 2022(PDF, 890KB).

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Cipherpoint ramps up SMB, local govt managed security services - ARNnet

Ted Pretty (Cipherpoint)

Credit: Cipherpoint

Cipherpoint is ramping up its managed security service offerings for the small- to medium-sized businesses (SMB) and local government sectors as it plans to launch a new security operations centre (SOC).

The publicly listed cyber security provider told shareholders it is in the "advanced stages" of planning its second security operations centre which will be based in  Tasmania.  

According to Cipherpoint, the centre will service Tasmanian government and business customers, while supporting other solutions across Australia.

The move comes as Cipherpoint plans to launch a new managed cyber security service for SMBs. For this, the company will tap into its Brace168 subsidiary's existing SMB clients, which use Cipherpoint’s security and managed desktop services.

Brace168, which was acquired by Cipherpoint in January 2021 for $4.2 million, gave the company its first SOC, which is based in Sydney.

The company told shareholders that it would focus on an automated solution to reduce attack surface and manage detect and respond to threats, including hacking, phishing, identity theft, denial of service and other scams.

It also plans to meet the requirements of the federal government’s Australian Cyber Security Centre’s Essential 8 cyber security model and “other relevant standards”.

In tandem with this, Cipherpoint will also now offer a managed security service for local governments, with the vendor planning to enable local and regional councils access to “common cyber services” without the need to hire their own employees.

This initiative builds on work by its subsidiary VIT Cyber Security in Tasmania, which has provided user awareness training for an unspecified number of local councils in the state.

Read more archTIS snaps up Cipherpoint’s European software division for $1.4M

Cipherpoint added this will complement its existing enterprise managed security services.

Both these offerings have been brought forward following various announcements made in the federal government’s 2022-23 Budget on 28 March.

The SMB offering is designed to make use of accelerated tax deductions for increased training, with $1.6 billion set aside for tax relief for small businesses to go digital and upskill staff as part of the government’s ‘Technology Investment Boost’.

Meanwhile, both of the new services tap into the dialogue around the federal government's landmark $9.9 billion investment over the next decade for new national cyber and intelligence capabilities under REDSPICE -- Resilience, Effects, Defence, Space, Intelligence, Cyber and Enablers.

Read more Cipherpoint shores up security with VIT buy

“As a small agile and growing player in this sensitive sector Cipherpoint is well placed to move quickly to take advantage of these market opportunities,” the vendor’s chairman, Ted Pretty, added. 

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From Elton to Ed, international and local stars join in musical tributes for spin king - Sydney Morning Herald

By Martin Boulton

Updated March 30, 2022 — 10.16pm

Shane Warne loved a good sing-a-long and stars of the music world played a major role in his state memorial service at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Bryan Adam’s hit song Summer of ’69, the year Warne was born, will surely get blasted on stereos around Australia in the days ahead, after it was revealed as one of the spin king’s favourite songs to sing. One of his daughters, Summer, spoke about how it was blaring from inside his car the last time she was him.

Songs by Bruce Sprinsgteen, the Rolling Stones and Frank Sinatra also helped soundtrack the evening, while live performances from local stars Jon Stevens and Anthony Callea shone brightly in the darkened stadium.

Pre-recorded performances from friends Ed Sheeran, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Elton John and Robbie Williams highlighted Warne’s star power and the impact he made on some of the world’s biggest celebrities.

On the same surface where he captured his 700th wicket in the 2006/07 Boxing Day Test match, Warne’s family and friends were supported by the fans who marvelled at his cricketing prowess.

The centre wicket, where Warne took a famous Test hat-trick in 1994, was on display; a powerful reminder of the place where he conjured so much magic throughout his playing days.

A recorded musical performance by Sir Elton John is shown on the MCG scoreboards.Credit:Joe Armao

The re-naming of the Great Southern Stand as the Shane Warne Stand only heightened the magnitude of the occasion.

“For all of us to come and sit down at this ground for the rest of our lives and be able to say we’re sitting at dad’s stand forever, it’s pretty special,” Warne’s son, Jackson, said this week.

Elton John’s pre-recorded live version of Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me was among the early musical tributes, following spoken word tributes from Kylie Minogue and actor Hugh Jackman.

“He was mesmerising, he was brilliant and he loved life,” Elton John said about Warne, dedicating his performance to the cricket great’s family.

A multiple Grammy Awards nominee and six-time Grammy winner, the 75-year-old star released his debut solo album the year Warne was born and his 23rd studio album, The One, the same year the legendary spin king made his Test match debut.

“He was larger than life and so very human,” said friend and businessman James Packer, in a tribute delivered by master of ceremonies, Eddie McGuire.

A pre-recorded performance of a song called The Eulogy, by English musician and friend Chris Martin, was composed for piano by the Coldplay frontman. Martin also performed a pre-recorded acoustic version of Coldplay’s song Yellow, originally released on the band’s debut album Parachutes in 2000.

Former Noiseworks frontman Jon Stevens, who spent three years fronting INXS from 2000 to 2003, sang Never Tear Us Apart, which McGuire said was among Warne’s favourite songs. Joined on stage by a band that helped light up the night, Stevens also belted out the Noiseworks hit Take Me Back.

Jon Stevens performed live at the MCG.Credit:Getty Images

In another pre-recorded musical performance, English pop star Robbie Williams said Warne was “kind, charismatic, funny, charming and a gentleman.

“You seldom come across that kind of energy in people, and easy company too,” Williams said. “He also had the ability, just by being himself, to transcend tribalism, to rise above it ... Warnie being Warnie. There’s very few people on the planet who can do that. God bless you, Warnie.”

Williams was accompanied by a keyboard player for a heartfelt rendition of his 1997 song Angels.

Ed Sheeran, who returns to Australia early next year for a stadium tour, including two MCG

performances, sang Thinking Out Loud, another of Warne’s favourites, before Anthony Callea, accompanied by a string section, helped close the evening with a stunning version of The Prayer.

And there was a brief, cheerful blast of When The Saints Go Marching In, one of Warne’s all-time favourites, moments before his name was unveiled - and where it will forever be on display - in Melbourne’s sporting cathedral.

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COVID-19 vaccination – Local Government Area (LGA) – Indigenous population – 30 March 2022 - Australian Government Department of Health

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COVID-19 vaccination – Local Government Area (LGA) – Indigenous population – 30 March 2022  Australian Government Department of Health
COVID-19 vaccination – Local Government Area (LGA) – Indigenous population – 30 March 2022 - Australian Government Department of Health
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Mastercard partners with local crypto exchange in effort to tackle debanking - Sydney Morning Herald

One of Australia’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges has sealed a deal with payments giant Mastercard, taking a step forward in eradicating cases of ‘debanking’ within the country’s burgeoning crypto industry.

On Tuesday, BTCMarkets - which boasts around 325,000 customers in Australia - announced that it would allow customers to buy cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum with credit or debit cards. Until this point, users had only been able to transfer money to the exchange via bank deposits.

Chief executive of BTCMarkets Caroline Bowler.Credit:Elke Meitzel

Chief executive Caroline Bowler told this masthead the partnership had been in the works for a number of years, and had been initially pursued by the exchange due to a large number of cryptocurrency users being cut off by the big four banks for trading or doing business in crypto - a process known as debanking.

“The reason why we wanted to address it was because of the issues some of our clients were experiencing in regard to debanking,” she said. “At the time we started these conversations with Mastercard it was very much a live issue.”

In recent years, many crypto-related businesses and individual crypto traders have been unfairly exiled by the big banks due to concerns over the possible use of cryptocurrency for money laundering and other crime-related activity.

The issue was dragged into focus by Senator Andrew Bragg’s parliamentary inquiry into crypto last year, which uncovered a number of debanking cases. Since then, it has become less common as the banks have started to embrace crypto, however, Ms Bowler said debanking remains an issue for some users.

“I still know people in the crypto industry who are getting debanked, even until just a couple of weeks ago,” she said. “And it was happening regularly until around six months ago.”

BTCMarkets and Mastercard’s partnership will also give the exchange access to the payment giant’s anti-fraud technologies. Ms Bowler also said further features would be rolled out for clients beyond just facilitating payments.

These include various marketing deals and Mastercard’s digital identity program, which uses distributed ledger technology similar to cryptocurrency. Richard Wormald, Mastercard’s Australasian division president said the company was excited to partner with BTCMarkets.

“The partnership will see BTC Markets leverage our technology to provide a smart, simple and safe way for consumers to top up their digital cryptocurrency wallets, delivering a frictionless e-commerce experience,” he said.

Ms Bowler said her plan was to continue partnering with major institutions to offer additional services at the exchange. However, she indicated she had reservations about any partnership with a buy now, pay later (BNPL) service such as Afterpay or Zip.

“While I do think there is a place for buy now, pay later, I’d want to look at the amount that would be involved. It’s just about being sensible with it,” she said.

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Jagger to help save local koala population - UQ News - The University of Queensland, Australia - University of Queensland

Video and images here.

A koala, specially bred as part of a University of Queensland-led conservation project, could turn around the fate of endangered koala colonies along Australia’s east coast.

Two-year-old Jagger, the first koala bred in the Living Koala Genome Bank pilot project, has been released into a colony at Elanora Conservation Park, on the southern Gold Coast.

The project is a collaboration between UQ, Queensland University of Technology and the Dreamworld Wildlife Foundation and aims to boost healthy koala genes in local populations threatened by habitat loss and disease.

Associate Professor Stephen Johnston from UQ’s School of Agriculture and Food Sciences said Jagger will help safeguard future generations of local koalas against inbreeding and disease.

“Jagger is fully vaccinated against chlamydia, is disease-free and – thanks to his diverse genetics – will help protect koalas in this population against the risks of inbreeding,” Dr Johnston said.

“He’s just one member of our recently completed pilot project, called the Living Koala Genome Bank, where we propagate koalas with high genetic merit to be released into the wild, improving genetic variation.

“We’ve used proven breeding technologies in combination with an in-depth analyses of koala genetics and disease screening to help manage and conserve koala populations.

“This is achieved by either incorporating valuable genetics from threatened wild koala populations into a captive population, or by providing captive breeding facilities, for the genetic exchange of wild koalas.

“For the duration of our project we were able to take advantage of Dreamworld’s phenomenal wildlife precinct, where animals are housed off-exhibit in a dedicated koala breeding centre.”

The results of the pilot project have been promising, with the research team hopeful the collaboration could become a model to help the long-term conservation of koalas in the wild, as well as a sustainable tourism industry.

“Excitingly, we have been able to demonstrate that zoos, in combination with expertise from universities, can significantly boost conservation outcomes,” Dr Johnston said.

“While it’s still absolutely critical to acquire and maintain good quality koala habitat, the approach we’ve taken is a very practical “hands on” step forward for koala conservation management.

“Our hope is that we can now apply our concept to other wildlife parks in Queensland and possibly northern NSW, to safeguard the future of koalas, and we’re currently consulting with government to do just that.”

Dreamworld Head of Life Sciences Michele Barnes said the innovative project comes at a critical time for koala populations.

“Koala population densities have seen a rapid decline – in the order of 80 per cent – in the past 25 years,” Ms Barnes said.

“With most east coast koalas now listed as endangered, so much more needs to be done in this space to protect them from extinction.

“Dreamworld has a commitment to wildlife conservation, and we’re incredibly proud to be able to offer the infrastructure and skill sets required to partner with UQ and QUT on this project.”

This project was funded by the Advance Queensland Innovation Partnership Grant.

Image above right: Michele Barnes and Associate Professor Steven Johnston releasing Jagger into the wild.

Video and images here.

Media: Associate Professor Stephen Johnston, s.johnston1@uq.edu.au, +61 (0)408 280 963; Ms Michele Barnes, Michele.Barnes@dreamworld.com.au; Karla Judge, karla.judge@dreamworld.com.au, +61 (0)7 5605 8225; UQ Faculty of Science Media, science.media@uq.edu.au, +61 (0)413 334 924.

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Meet the local government finalists in the 2022 iTnews Benchmark Awards - iTnews

The scope of local government IT continued to grow in 2020 and 2021, with technology teams doing everything from modernising councils’ online presence, to establishing cross-border sensor networks and a digital twin of tree canopies.

Today we announce that three projects tackling these tasks are finalists in the 2022 iTnews Benchmark Awards in the Local Government category: the Local Government Association of Queensland’s work to transform Queensland councils’ digital experience, the Western Parklands Councils Sensor Network Project in western Sydney, and use of a digital twin measure tree canopy change by the City of Unley in South Australia.

The three projects are featured in the first of a series of mini-documentaries about the 2022 iTnews Benchmark Awards finalists.

Transforming Queensland Councils Digital Experience

The Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) project is tackling one of local councils' most fundamental needs – modern websites - and it is doing it at scale.

With many councils struggling to afford modern websites, the LGAQ created a CMS it deemed suitable for delivering modern, accessible websites at an acceptable price point to Queensland councils, 60 percent of which now use the solution.

Economies of scale enabled LGAQ to offer councils reduced development, support and hosting rates, putting industry standard websites within reach of more local government agencies than ever.

Western Parklands Councils Sensor Network Project

Eight councils in western Sydney have been working together to establish the Western Parklands Councils Sensor Network Project.

The project aims to help the councils monitor and manage the impact of a predicted increase in the Western Sydney Parklands population from 1 million in 2020 to 1.7 million by 2036, while maximising returns from economic development initiatives and streamlining council operations.

A shared network of sensors, measuring water and air quality, heat, noise and people and vehicle movements, is connected to data analytics and an open data platform. 

Measuring Tree Canopy Change with a Digital Twin

Managing the effects of climate change and environmental sustainability are at the core of the third 2022 local government iTnews Benchmark Awards finalist project.

The South Australian City of Unley created a digital twin to measure changes in tree canopy coverage.

While trees can reduce heat, improve health and wellbeing, and contribute to cities’ climate change resilience, they aren’t always accounted for in asset management systems.

Using LIDAR data capture and other tools, a digital twin has been created to more accurately monitor changes to the canopy and help the council better understand factors increasing or decreasing the canopy.

The council has committed to increasing total canopy coverage by 20 percent by 2045.

The mini-documentary series continues

Thank you all entrants in this award category – the standard was extremely high, and separating them was not easy.

The rest of the mini-documentaries about the 2022 iTnews Benchmark Awards finalists’ projects will be published here throughout early April.

On June 15, the award winners will be announced at a ceremony and dinner hosted by KPMG in Barangaroo, Sydney.

Thank you to Okta for sponsoring the Best Local Government Project Award.

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COVID-19 vaccination – Local Government Area (LGA) – 28 March 2022 - Australian Government Department of Health

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COVID-19 vaccination – Local Government Area (LGA) – 28 March 2022  Australian Government Department of Health
COVID-19 vaccination – Local Government Area (LGA) – 28 March 2022 - Australian Government Department of Health
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COVID-19 vaccination – Local Government Area (LGA) – 5-11 years old – 28 March 2022 - Australian Government Department of Health

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COVID-19 vaccination – Local Government Area (LGA) – 5-11 years old – 28 March 2022  Australian Government Department of Health
COVID-19 vaccination – Local Government Area (LGA) – 5-11 years old – 28 March 2022 - Australian Government Department of Health
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Employee share reform a budget boost for local tech - https://ift.tt/LlyaTNV

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg will on Tuesday unveil changes to employee share scheme regulation to make it easier for Australian companies to compete for talent, and to remove a ‘perverse’ incentive for local startups to shift their tax domicile offshore.

Importantly, the much-anticipated employee share scheme reforms will be rolled into the budget measures bill, meaning the changes will be passed by the Parliament before the election – providing certainty for the tech sector in the hyper-competitive global market for talent.

The changes, in three key areas, have been long sought-after by the technology sector and levels the playing field for non-listed local companies to offer flexible and attractive equity incentives to employees compared to listed firms or multinational companies based elsewhere.

The Technology Council of Australia welcomed the changes, saying employee shares schemes are an important tool for attracting great talent, and rewarding that talent over time.

Startup city: Employee Share Scheme gets a makeover

While Australia’s employee share scheme regulation has evolved over the past decade, it has never quite been fit for purpose.

The Treasurer committed to review the scheme in the budget last year, and the fact that it has delivered on three important changes in time for the budget this year is great news for local companies Tech Council chief executive Kate Pounder said.

“It’s particularly important for up-and-coming Australian companies in an environment where there are so many skills shortages and where remuneration has been going up at 15 to 20 per cent [annually],” Ms Pounder said.

“They basically need everything in their armoury to be competitive, and to competitively reward talent,” she said. “The timing of the changes to these rules is excellent to help up-and-coming companies to offer more competitive packages to their staff.

“They have said they are going to move this legislation as part of the budget measures bill. That’s great because it means that it will pass before the election.”

With the legislation passed before the election, the tech industry – and everyone else that takes advantage of the employee share scheme – will get the certainty that it will be in place from July, Ms Pounder said,

The employee share scheme (ESS) changes cover three areas. The first was actually passed in February and involved the “cessation of employment” as a trigger for tax liabilities to be incurred on shares issued under the scheme.

This undermined the benefit to the employee, and acted as a disincentive to job mobility (both of which ultimately hurt an employers ability to attract global talent).

The second area of change, which will be announced by the Treasurer of Tuesday, means that share and options issued by local companies will be treated the same way in relation to tax. This was not the case previously and put Australian companies at a disadvantage.

The tax treatment of options issued to employees by Australian companies has been more onerous than for multinationals domiciled for tax purposed elsewhere.

“For Australian companies that issued options – which is pretty common – it basically forced them to headquarter in the US to avoid that problem. And that’s not an outcome that anyone wants,” Ms Pounder said.

“Fixing that perversity in law is a really practical, sensible outcome that’s going to make a big difference for Australian companies.”

The government said the changes would allow more Australians to share in the value they help to create by being rewarded with equity in the companies they work for.

Currently, employee share schemes generally favour employees of listed companies and, in particular, the senior managers at those firms. This is because the current law imposes arbitrary caps on the number and value of options and shares that can be issued to employees of unlisted companies and to junior employees.

The government is now introducing changes that mean employees at all levels will be able to directly share in the value they help create by removing the cap on the number of options and shares that can be issued, as well as removing the value cap of $5,000 and replacing it with a monetary cap of $30,000 which accruable for any unexercised options for up to $150,000 over five years.

The government says the changes will greatly simplify the scheme, which will itself act as an incentive for more companies and their employees to participate in it.

Do you know more? Contact James Riley via Email.

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Charles University student Linda Wirf's call out to local farmers - Port Lincoln Times

PhD Charles Sturt University student Linda Wirf seeking male and female farmers from the Eyre Peninsula to participate in a one-hour phone interview before the end of April as part of her study. Ms Wirf's research will work to assist farmers in creating a space for transformation in agriculture practice by including women's knowledge and perspectives. The student has an extensive history around the notion of a woman farmer, undertaking a mission with her research to ensure being a woman farmer becomes "the norm" throughout society. Ms Wirf is in the process of completing her PhD 'Beyond adoption: gendered knowledges in agricultural practice change in Australia,' receiving assistance through a scholarship from the Cooperative Research Centre for High Performance Soils labelled as the Soil CRC. She was able to expand on her knowledge of gender roles while working on her master's degree with Anmatyerre women in Central Australia, understanding the reasons behind why it is important to include men and women's opinions on conservation and resource management. Ms Wirf's mother grew up on a dairy farm in Orroroo, South Australia, with the student spending a significant part of her life on the farm, mentioning the concept of a female farmer is part of her "history and psyche." "I have experienced many of the phenomena that impact farmers and their land management decisions, including bushfires, drought, floods, isolation, feral animals and invasive weeds," Ms Wirf said. "My interest in this research is shaped in my belief in the need to change agriculture to be more regenerative and environmentally sustainable and I believe that women farmers have a key role to play in this transition." The participants from the local region who become involved will be interviewed about how they farm and how they make decisions about farm management, with the interviews taking place over a phone call or via Zoom - all information will be confidential. Ms Wirf will also ask them about participation in agriculture events and what types of activities farmers attend. "Farmers are increasingly challenged by environmental issues, like climate change and soil degradation, resulting in a loss of agricultural productivity," she continued. "Co-creation of knowledge with women and men will promote innovation and expand the framework for practice change." Ms Wirf is based at Charles Sturt with co-supervision from Southern Cross University. For more information or to be a part of this study, contact Ms Wirf on lwirf@csu.edu.au.

PhD Charles Sturt University student Linda Wirf seeking male and female farmers from the Eyre Peninsula to participate in a one-hour phone interview before the end of April as part of her study.

Ms Wirf's research will work to assist farmers in creating a space for transformation in agriculture practice by including women's knowledge and perspectives.

The student has an extensive history around the notion of a woman farmer, undertaking a mission with her research to ensure being a woman farmer becomes "the norm" throughout society.

Ms Wirf is in the process of completing her PhD 'Beyond adoption: gendered knowledges in agricultural practice change in Australia,' receiving assistance through a scholarship from the Cooperative Research Centre for High Performance Soils labelled as the Soil CRC.

She was able to expand on her knowledge of gender roles while working on her master's degree with Anmatyerre women in Central Australia, understanding the reasons behind why it is important to include men and women's opinions on conservation and resource management.

Ms Wirf's mother grew up on a dairy farm in Orroroo, South Australia, with the student spending a significant part of her life on the farm, mentioning the concept of a female farmer is part of her "history and psyche."

"I have experienced many of the phenomena that impact farmers and their land management decisions, including bushfires, drought, floods, isolation, feral animals and invasive weeds," Ms Wirf said.

"My interest in this research is shaped in my belief in the need to change agriculture to be more regenerative and environmentally sustainable and I believe that women farmers have a key role to play in this transition."

The participants from the local region who become involved will be interviewed about how they farm and how they make decisions about farm management, with the interviews taking place over a phone call or via Zoom - all information will be confidential.

Ms Wirf will also ask them about participation in agriculture events and what types of activities farmers attend.

"Farmers are increasingly challenged by environmental issues, like climate change and soil degradation, resulting in a loss of agricultural productivity," she continued.

"Co-creation of knowledge with women and men will promote innovation and expand the framework for practice change."

Ms Wirf is based at Charles Sturt with co-supervision from Southern Cross University. For more information or to be a part of this study, contact Ms Wirf on lwirf@csu.edu.au.

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Selling a unit, growing tomatoes: Local Russian papers sidestep war reports - Sydney Morning Herald

Every Thursday, Bondi Centre Newsagency receives three Russian-language newspapers on its doorstep.

The publications - Argumenty i Fakty, Moskovskii Komsomolets (MK) and Unification - are on a newsstand at the front of the shop with publications written in Italian, German, French and Greek. They also sit alongside Sydney’s local Ukrainian newspaper, The Free Thought, which arrives once a fortnight.

The three Russian newspapers are distributed in Australia each week.Credit:Zoe Samios

They, like international tech giants, are playing a role in the dissemination of news about the war in Ukraine for local readers. And yet the way the war is portrayed in the publications is very different.

Argumenty i Fakty, an international newspaper owned by the Russian government, does not use the words ‘war’ or ‘conflict’ on its front page. The main stories are about selling apartments and growing tomatoes. There are several headlines about Russia and its relationship with the world, but these are focused on sanctions and the support China is giving the country.

A picture filled with Western brands says: ‘Fruits of Temptation. Who will now be tempting the Russian consumer and with what?’ It also says it is natural for Russia to change country’s borders.

Sydney’s local Ukrainian newspaper.Credit:

The front page of Russian-owned newspaper MK focuses on investment in space and the formation of Australia’s aerospace armies, rather than the conflict.

Unification, the locally owned Russian newspaper, does not mention the war. The articles promoted include the birthday of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the latest on COVID and petrol prices. The war is mentioned for the first time on page three in an article about the president of Switzerland declaring his country’s readiness to hold talks regarding Ukraine.

But these newspapers couldn’t be more different from their Ukrainian counterparts.

The most recent edition of Sydney’s local Ukrainian newspaper - The Free Thought - for instance, splashed with the headline ‘We believe in Ukraine’s victory’. Next to it was an image of the monument to poet Taras Shevchenko in Borodianka, with buildings burning in the background.

The circulation of these diasporic newspapers is not publicly available, but for decades they have been accessible to thousands of Ukrainian and Russian people living in Australia (the 2016 Census said there were 13,366 Ukraine-born and 20,425 Russia-born people in the country).

Communications Minister Paul Fletcher’s request for tech platforms to remove Russian state-based media from their platforms earlier this month was a sign of how concerned the government is about the danger of spreading misinformation about the war. But that demand did not extend to newspaper publications (it is not in his remit).

It’s not just the newspapers that are playing an ongoing role in distributing information to these communities. Even with Foxtel and SBS’ decision not to broadcast Russia Today, the Russian-speaking community can still access Russian television via satellite. Meanwhile, Australia’s media regulator is currently investigating a Melbourne-based Russian community radio program after receiving complaints it was broadcasting Kremlin propaganda on the Ukrainian war.

This makes Australia’s multicultural broadcaster SBS even more crucial. SBS’ Ukrainian and Russian radio stations have significantly increased their output since the war began. SBS Ukrainian has created daily podcast updates, while SBS Russian has started broadcasting daily (it typically airs Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays).

David Hua, SBS’ director of audio and language content, said there was a lot to keep in mind when presenting to these communities. He said SBS had to be particularly mindful of risks of using contributors in the war-torn region.

“We’re taking reports from right around the world. We are very cognisant that the war is very divisive and has been very divisive for communities. Our job is very much around being able to tell the story in a balanced way, to be able to address misinformation when it comes up and to be able to provide that space for people to have trust in a media source.”

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Local star to goes back | Cranbourne Star News - Cranbourne Star News

The Casey Demons have selected an impressive side for its first VFL match of the year today.

The Demons will take on the Sandringham Zebras with a side that features an array of AFL and local stars.

Former Saint Luke Dunstan is set to excite, while Toby Bedford has a point to prove coming out of the AFL Demons round 1 side.

Cranbourne’s Corey Ellison has shown he is more than capable at either end of the ground and in today’s match, he will start at full-back.

Here is the selected side…

FB: D.Smith, C. Ellison, B. Milford

HB: O. Baker, J. McVee, A. Quigley

C: T. Woewodin, L. Dunstan, B. Howes

HF: B. Laurie, M. Brown, K. Chandler

FF: J. Vanrooyen, S. Weiderman, T. Bedford

R: M. Daw, M. White, J. Melksham

INT: T. Freeman, J. Munro, L. Goonan, F. Rosman, A. Moniz-Wakefield

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Local woman is jet-setting makeup artist to the stars - Canberra Weekly

At 50 years old, Liz Bomben made her lifelong dream of becoming a glamorous MUA come true.

“I was always interested in makeup. My mother was Australia’s number one psychic, and I grew up spending my weekends at Channel 9 in Sydney.

“I was fascinated by the makeup they did, how they could transform women to look so much younger,” said Liz.

“Sadly, there weren’t many makeup schools around in the late ‘70s. At 16, I left school and by 17, I was a camerawoman for Channel 9 in Tasmania.”

While Liz continued to dabble in makeup, professional opportunities were scarce. “I worked in marketing for many years. Then at the age of 50, I decided it was time.

“I flew to Hollywood. Paid a fortune to do a five-day concentrated course with a woman who was supposed to be this huge name in makeup… and it was awful!

“It was my cousin who ended up introducing me to the MUA on The View. Through her, I got to spend some time in the makeup room. I watched the cast of Glee, and Janet Jackson get their makeup done, and became privy to the world of it all.”

Upon returning to Canberra, Liz worked on local photoshoots, honing her skillset.

“Then, 18 months after I first came into makeup, my friend said she was going to New York Fashion Week.

“There was no way I wasn’t going, but I knew nobody, had no connections. I’ve always been determined,” said Liz.

“If you can’t get through the front door, or the backdoor, or a window, then you find a roof tile to pry up.”

“I dug through the bowels of the internet until I found a connection who would let me go. Paid for it all myself, cost an absolute arm and a leg.

“Before my first day backstage, I had been told to not take a makeup kit, that all the makeup would be supplied. Still, I took the bare minimum.”

When Liz arrived at Gotham Hall, 50 makeup artists were already there, all with full kits of makeup.

“So, I did the look with my bare minimum. The organisers of the fashion show walked by and saw my handiwork. ‘What’s your name?’ They asked. ‘Liz…’ I replied.

“They turned around and announced, ‘Alright, no one walks until Liz signs off on it!’”

New York was a turning point for me. I was invited to Paris Fashion Week on my very last day, so I threw my return airfare that cost a small fortune in the bin and jumped on a plane to Paris.”

On the flight back to Canberra, a thought occurred to her.

“I could create a team of nobodies who are more elegant, classy, and calm, and have them backstage with me.”

From that point forward, Global Hair and Makeup was born, specialising in red carpet events and VIP clientele.

“I’d been on my own since I was 16, without a leg-up or a handout. I knew how hard it was for a nobody to get invited to New York and Paris. 

“I thought of a company that can shortcut that process, somewhere where it’s not about who you know, and instead about being no one and having talent.”

Today, Global Hair and Makeup is the official beauty partner of Amber Lounge in Monaco, Singapore, and Mexico. Liz has brought on young talents from the US, UK, Mexico, as well as a hefty dose out of Canberra.

“I love working with Canberra locals, it’s been home since I was 20 years old.”

Her criteria in a protégé include a passion for makeup, love of travel, and camaraderie, “because you learn so much through watching others”.

Working backstage to Haute Couture Week in Paris, Cannes Film Festival, and Formula 1, Global Hair and Makeup has worked with stars like Kate Hudson and Pamela Anderson.

While Anderson’s humour and charm solidified her as a favourite client, Liz says she’s never had a bad one, which she attributes to her age.

“Being in my mid to late 50s, I’ve always been treated with respect… but I’m still a nobody, compared to everyone that’s out there. All I try to do is create beautiful makeup for women. Make them feel lovely.”

Her number one tip for the everyday makeup user is to go easy on the contour.

“A lot of young MUAs think contouring is cool because they see it on Instagram, but it’s actually a very traditional form of stage makeup. Not for the daytime.”

To aspiring MUAs, she urges to never take no for an answer.

“Don’t worry about who you annoy because nothing worth anything just falls in your lap.”

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AAUW announces local Speech Trek winners - Del Mar Times

Sanjana Kumar, first place winner

(Prem Kumar)

The American Association of University Women Del Mar-Leucadia Branch recently announced the winners of its recent Speech Trek contest for high school students. Hosted on Zoom by the branch Speech Trek Coordinator Sharon Corbett-Parry, six contestants from five high schools presented their original speeches on the topic: “Has the US lived up to its pledge of liberty and justice for all? Would requiring the study of diversity, equity and inclusion in a high school setting help ensure liberty and justice for all?”

Local Toastmasters served as judges with cash prizes awarded to the top three contestants. The judges reported that they were very impressed with all of the contestants and were pleased that AAUW offers this annual opportunity to high school students.

According to Corbett-Parry, “The speeches were all very inspiring, thoroughly researched and presented well. I am very proud of the contestants who took on this challenge.” Videos of the speeches can be viewed on the AAUW Del Mar-Leucadia channel on YouTube.

Sanjana Kumar, a sophomore at Francis Parker School, won the $500 first place prize. As winner of the local contest, Kumar will compete at the state level for more cash prizes. Last year she placed second in this local Speech Trek contest. Kumar is passionate about the intersection of STEM and public service, and her focus areas are bioengineering, civil rights, and climate activism. When she is not pursuing these interests, you can find her in the dance studio, in the machine shop of her school’s robotics team, or exploring San Diego with her older sister.

Kelly Hu, second place winner

(Chi-Feng)

Kelly Hu, a junior at Torrey Pines High School, won the $300 second place prize. She is interested in biology and computer science and is on the Torrey Pines Dance team. In her free time, she enjoys reading, baking, or going to the beach with her friends. She is grateful for every opportunity she gets to share her voice and opinions with others, and encourages everyone to do the same.

Grace Wheeler, third place winner

(Jenny Hong)

Grace Wheeler, a junior at San Dieguito Academy, won the $200 third place prize. She is the debate president of her school’s Speech and Debate team. In her free time she likes to read and go backpacking.

AAUW is a national organization that advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research. Membership is open to all college graduates with an associate or higher degree. AAUW values and seeks a diverse membership.

The Del Mar-Leucadia Branch serves coastal San Diego communities and reflects the varied interests of its members with monthly meetings (open to the public) and special interest groups such as Great Decisions, dining, book, movie, and bridge groups. Many of these groups are ongoing with virtual meetings.

The local AAUW branch raises money for scholarships for local college students and for local middle school girls who are chosen to attend AAUW’s Tech Trek, a STEM camp for girls. The branch also supports Speech Trek for local high school students and the AAUW Greatest Needs Fund.

For more information, visit delmarleucadia-ca.aauw.net or contact Karen Dorney, membership@aauwdml.org

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Dubbo Regional Local Environmental Plan 2022 - Dubbo Regional - Dubbo Regional Council

The Dubbo Regional Local Environmental Plan 2022 was gazetted on 25 March 2022.

The Dubbo Regional Local Environmental Plan (LEP) 2022 is a statutory document that guides land use planning and development.

The Dubbo Regional Council Local Government Area previously had two Local Environmental Plans, being the Dubbo Local Environmental Plan 2011 and the Wellington Local Environment Plan 2012. These two LEPs have been consolidated into the Dubbo Regional Local Environmental Plan 2022.

The Plan consists of a written document and a series of associated maps, including as follows:

• Land Application Map
• Land Reservation Acquisition Map
• Land Zoning Map
• Lot Size Map
• Heritage Map
• Natural Resource – Biodiversity Map
• Urban Release Area Map
• Natural Resource – Water Map, Natural Resource – Groundwater Vulnerability Map
• Flood Planning Map
• Land Reclassification (Part Lots) Map
• Additional Permitted Uses Map

HOW CAN I OBTAIN A COPY OF THE LEP AND RELATED MAPS?

As the LEP is a statutory document approved by the NSW Minister for Planning and Environment, a copy of it and its related maps can be downloaded from the NSW legislation website.

Hard copies are available for viewing and purchase at Council’s Civic Administration Building in Church Street, during normal office hours.

DUBBO REGIONAL LEP LAND USE MATRIX

To assist your understanding of what category your development fits under, Council has developed a Dubbo Regional LEP Land Use Matrix. The role of the matrix is to easily show what development type is permissible in each land use zone included in the Plan. However, please note that the land use matrix is a guide only, provided as being correct as of 29 May 2015. The Matrix does not form a statutory component of the LEP.

LAND ZONING

All land in the Dubbo Region has been provided with a specific land use zone as included in the Plan. Land use zones are broadly characterised in the following way:

• Rural
• Residential
• Commercial
• Industrial
• Special Use
• Open Space
• Environmental

Land use zones included in the Plan are prepared based on the requirements and expectations of the community through land use strategies. The role of a land use strategy is to work with the community to set a long-term strategic vision of how a certain area/s in the Region should look over time.

LAND USE ACTIVITY

All land use activities in Dubbo are guided by the LEP. Land use activities are specified in the Plan, as follows:

• Permitted without consent (an approval is not required to be obtained from Council or an Accredited Certifier*)
• Permitted with consent (an approval is required to be obtained from Council or an Accredited Certifier*)
• Prohibited (an approval shall not be granted for the development).

Information on how you can apply to amend the LEP can be found here.

FORMER LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL PLANS

The former Dubbo Local Environmental Plan 2011, Wellington Local Environmental Plan 2012, Dubbo Local Environmental Plan 1998 – Urban Areas, Dubbo Local Environment Plan 1997 – Rural Areas and Wellington Local Environmental Plan 1995 can also be found on the NSW legislation website.

Last Edited: 25 Mar 2022

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Hero Brisbane adds five local recruits - Mumbrella

Hero has acquired five new local hires for its Brisbane office, delivering content for its Queensland clients.

The announcement:

National independent agency HERO today announced that a new band of Heroes has joined its Brisbane office following a strong start to 2022. The five local recruits add fresh expertise to an industry-leading team delivering borderless creativity to a portfolio of top Queensland clients.

The recent appointments include Michael Geedrick, who joins as a Junior Creative after finishing runner-up in AWARD School 2021 and being named the recipient of the Indigenous Scholarship, Brooke Maloney, joins to run the national Aveo account as Senior Account Director, having moved back to the Gold Coast after being global project lead on HSBC based out of WPP London and aviation nerd Andrew Leftley, joining as a Senior Art Director with multiple Best of Show awards at BADC. Andrew is tasked with taking the visual craft in the agency to new levels.

Ana Matheson and Savannah Tindiglia have both been hired as Account Managers. Ana looks after the agency’s digital projects, including work for City of Gold Coast, esri, GasFields Commission Queensland and Powerlink, and Savannah is the lead singer of local rock band Candra when she’s not attending to her clients.

HERO Brisbane Executive Creative Director, Andrew Thompson, says the first three months of his tenure have been reassuringly busy and necessitated the need to hire.

“I’ve always thought good agencies are like good pub trivia teams – different ages and stages, weird hobbies and interests, able to bring fresh perspectives to our clients’ challenges,” he said. “This band have that in spades. And I’m hoping we do better on Wednesday night Trivia at Felon’s Barrel Hall too.”

Jeremy Bews, Managing Director of HERO Brisbane, added: “There is a real buzz in the agency. Now that masks are off and people are back at work, we’re looking forward to unleashing the full HERO borderless creativity offering to our clients in person.”

HERO, Australia’s top-ranked Independent at the Australian Effies. HERO’s clients include Toyota, Aveo, Eway and v2 Foods.

Source: HERO

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Parliamentary inquiry finds Australian government must better support local and regional news - The Young Witness

Vital sources of local news should be better supported by government and outdated media legislation amended, a parliamentary inquiry has found. Among the recommendations from the inquiry was that local and regional newspapers should receive a greater proportion of government advertising, of at least 20 per cent, which could be achieved within 12 months. The longevity of local news outlets was called into question during the inquiry, which also heard some communities had lost "local champion" reporters who had always advocated on their behalf. A further comprehensive review by government was needed, the inquiry, established by Communications Minister Paul Fletcher last year, found. Among the key recommendations were: Anne Webster, who chaired the inquiry, said regional newspapers represented a large and diverse industry, which had experienced significant challenges, but assessing its health was more important than ever before. "For people in regional, rural, or remote communities, regional newspapers are the main source of local information. It also plays an important role in maintaining an interconnected community, and a healthy democracy," Dr Webster said. "A diversity of opinion from all sides of the political spectrum and coverage of local, as well as national issues, is essential to public debate. It is important we ensure the sector remains viable in the long-term." ACM managing editor Tony Kendall welcomed the committee's support for a number of the practical measures recommended by the company as well as the need to review and amend outdated media legislation. "The communities we serve all over Australia will be heartened to see that federal MPs recognise the need for action to support the local news that keeps them informed, connected and strong," Mr Kendall said. "Ensuring that regional newspapers get a fair share of advertising expenditure across all government departments and agencies is one way to provide more certainty of income for local news publishers," he said. "Likewise, a tax rebate for regional businesses that support their local newspaper through advertising spend would support the public interest journalism that regional Australians demand and deserve." READ MORE: "I'm sure regional voters who care about their communities will be watching this issue closely as we head to the election," he said. The inquiry was initiated in response to around 100 local and regional newspaper mastheads, which ceased printing during and leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic. Free TV Australia's Bridget Fair said that regional Australia should also not be left behind in the era of streaming TV, calling for broadcasting policy that supports dependable and free access to news and sport for all Australians. The government's $40 million broadcasting spectrum tax in 2017 had disproportionately affected regional broadcasters, Ms Fair said. "Events at home and abroad over recent years have underlined how important it is for regional and rural communities to be well served with reliable local commercial TV services," she said. "We are living through an age of great innovation in the delivery of TV services, especially through the new streaming platforms. Clarity from government is essential to ensure the people of regional and rural Australia continue to be able to access their free-to-air TV services far into the future."

Vital sources of local news should be better supported by government and outdated media legislation amended, a parliamentary inquiry has found.

Among the recommendations from the inquiry was that local and regional newspapers should receive a greater proportion of government advertising, of at least 20 per cent, which could be achieved within 12 months.

Among the key recommendations were:

• Amending the Broadcasting Services Act to enable the Australian Communications and Media Authority to consider more factors in determining whether an unacceptable media diversity situation exists.
  
• The Consumer and Competition Act be amended to require that news media organisations must have revenue of $75,000 for the most recent year and for at least three of the five most recent years to register for the News Media and Digital Platforms Bargaining Code.
  
• Consideration of a tax rebate for regional businesses that support their local newspaper through a minimum advertising spend, and for regional newspapers that produce public interest journalism and employ local journalists.

Anne Webster, who chaired the inquiry, said regional newspapers represented a large and diverse industry, which had experienced significant challenges, but assessing its health was more important than ever before.

"For people in regional, rural, or remote communities, regional newspapers are the main source of local information. It also plays an important role in maintaining an interconnected community, and a healthy democracy," Dr Webster said.

"A diversity of opinion from all sides of the political spectrum and coverage of local, as well as national issues, is essential to public debate. It is important we ensure the sector remains viable in the long-term."

ACM managing editor Tony Kendall welcomed the committee's support. Picture: Simon Bennett

"The communities we serve all over Australia will be heartened to see that federal MPs recognise the need for action to support the local news that keeps them informed, connected and strong," Mr Kendall said.

"Ensuring that regional newspapers get a fair share of advertising expenditure across all government departments and agencies is one way to provide more certainty of income for local news publishers," he said.

"Likewise, a tax rebate for regional businesses that support their local newspaper through advertising spend would support the public interest journalism that regional Australians demand and deserve."

READ MORE:

"I'm sure regional voters who care about their communities will be watching this issue closely as we head to the election," he said.

Free TV Australia's Bridget Fair said that regional Australia should also not be left behind in the era of streaming TV, calling for broadcasting policy that supports dependable and free access to news and sport for all Australians.

The government's $40 million broadcasting spectrum tax in 2017 had disproportionately affected regional broadcasters, Ms Fair said.

"Events at home and abroad over recent years have underlined how important it is for regional and rural communities to be well served with reliable local commercial TV services," she said.

"We are living through an age of great innovation in the delivery of TV services, especially through the new streaming platforms. Clarity from government is essential to ensure the people of regional and rural Australia continue to be able to access their free-to-air TV services far into the future."

This story Government has role in protecting local news voices: inquiry first appeared on The Canberra Times.

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