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COVID-19 vaccination – Local Government Area (LGA) – 5-11 years old – 29 September 2022 Australian Government Department of Health
Red and green are the colours of the COGS Kambah Community Garden.
Returning for its third year, Floriade Community has brought the colour of Floriade to suburbs across Canberra.
Beginning in 2020 and reimagined for this year’s festivities, community groups have gotten hands-on by planting Floriade’s signature bulbs and annuals in the Canberra regions, creating the Tulip Trail.
Canberra Organic Growers Society (COGS) Kambah Garden are just one of the 100 community groups participating in Floriade Community.
“Being involved with the Floriade Community project has been a rewarding experience for us. This is our third year participating in Floriade Community – and our enthusiasm grows each year,” Kambah Garden Convenor Allan Sharpe said.
“People passing by often make favourable comments about the blooms and many come in for a closer look, giving us an opportunity to talk to them about what we do at COGS gardens.”
Fuelled by FOGO. Linq residents Ayesha and Vikky with their version of Floriade Community.
Residents of the Linq Apartments in Belconnen have been recycling their food and garden waste as part of the ACT Governments Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) pilot program.
The waste produced as part of the program has since been collected and processed into compost. Linq residents Ayesha and Vikky have used one of the first batches of FOGO compost produced to fertilise soil and grow tulips in the gardens around their building.
“The other residents of Linq and I have been composting our food scraps for a while now as part of the FOGO program,” resident Vikky said.
“We received a processed bag of compost from City Services to use on the 30 bulbs we planted and it’s fantastic to see our little gardens thriving each day.”
A full list of Floriade Community participants can be viewed on the Floriade website: https://floriadeaustralia.com/floriade-community/
Discover Floriade in your local region below.
Central Canberra:
Alinga Street and Northbourne Avenue, Canberra City.
Royal Australian Mint, Deakin.
Woden, Weston Creek and Molonglo Valley:
Isaacs Neighbourhood Group, Isaacs shops.
Scouts Association of Australia, ACT Branch, Garran.
Tuggeranong:
Communities@Work, Taylor Child Care and Early Education Centre.
Canberra Organic Growers Society (COGS) Kambah Garden.
Gungahlin:
Biraalee Scout Group, Gungahlin.
Belconnen:
Linq Apartments, Belconnen.
28 Sep 2022
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes with Stockton community representatives.
City of Newcastle has completed a $5 million facelift of Stockton’s Local Centre, delivering new footpaths, increased shade and improved pedestrian and cyclist safety in time for the school holidays.
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said upgrading Mitchell Street in Stockton will provide a range of benefits for locals and visitors and continues City of Newcastle’s significant investment in the coastal suburb.
The Local Centre upgrade is one of 26 projects valued at more than $17 million delivered in Stockton during the past five years, including coastal protection works and the hugely popular Active Hub.
“I’m pleased to see the finished work on this important upgrade, which has created a safer, and more vibrant public space for the Stockton community to enjoy,” Cr Nelmes said.
“With the school holidays now underway, this refreshed space encourages residents to support local Stockton businesses, providing improved spaces to shop, dine, and meet with friends.
“The Stockton Local Centre upgrade also includes a significant improvement to the natural environment with the number of trees in the area being increased from three to 40 trees, which is a major boost to the shade canopy along the main street.
“In a nod to Stockton’s character and heritage, sandstone from existing kerbs has been retained and reused to frame garden beds and raingardens at three key intersections along Mitchell Street, while interpretive signage developed in collaboration with the Stockton Historical Society, will be installed along the street as well.
“I am looking froward to celebrating the conclusion of works with the community on Sunday 30 October at our fun, family-friendly event celebrating all things Stockton and featuring lucky-door raffles, face painting and more.”
Lucas Gresham, a local Stockton resident and President of Creative Property, states that the upgrade of infrastructure has been long awaited.
“The Stockton Local Centre upgrade entices new business to the area and as a community, it encourages people to shop local and provides a big economic boost.”
Neighbouring Crown Street will also benefit from further enhancement works to be completed by end of this month.
The Stockton project was completed under City of Newcastle’s Local Centres program, which is delivering upgrades to suburban centres across the local government area. Previous projects have included Beresford Avenue, Beresfield, Young Street, Carrington, James Street Plaza, Hamilton, Llewellyn Street, Merewether, Joslin Street, Kotara, and Sandgate Road, Shortland while construction is underway at Orchardtown Road, New Lambton.
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Local makes post-grand final Selwood save The Singleton Argus
Water and sediment samples are collected regularly from stormwater drains and local creeks.
Groundwater is collected from a network of shallow and deep wells around ANSTO. Groundwaters are also analysed for water quality components such as plant nutrients, metals, pH, conductivity, and suspended solids.
Fish, seaweed and barnacles are collected from the Potter Point ocean outfall and a reference site in the Royal National Park.
Air is monitored continuously at six locations around ANSTO. Air ventilated from laboratories and facilities which handle radioactive materials are filtered to remove particles and continuously monitored and analysed for radioisotope content. This emission data, together with ANSTO's weather station data, is used to model the dose to local populations.
Sensitive analysis techniques are used to determine the type and quantity of radioactivity present in environmental samples. Naturally-occurring radioactive minerals found in rocks, soil and dust are present in almost all samples. The analytical laboratories are certified to the ISO9001 standard for Quality Management Systems.
Environmental gamma radiation is continuously measured by dosimeters around the Lucas Heights site and in the local area. Environmental radiation levels are also monitored at a station in Engadine; the data is published online every 15 minutes.
ANSTO also has a key role in a major research project that monitors fine particle pollution along the NSW coast, and other locations internationally.
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Australia's Firms Sell Record Amount of Local Bonds This Year Bloomberg[unable to retrieve full-text content]
A local’s guide to Arcachon: France’s Atlantic coast gem The Guardian
Ahead of their third election of 2022, the Electoral Commission of South Australia has introduced its new brand campaign for the 2022 Council Elections, “Live local. Vote local.” The ad is the work of indie agency The United Republic.
The new campaign, developed by the creative strategist James Trebilcock, the Commission’s Director of Marketing and Advertising, and Copywriter Steve Dodds, showcases the role that local governments play in the lives of all South Australians.
Trebilcock said: “With three elections held in 2022 and the global trend of disengagement with government and elections, we had some significant challenges in developing a campaign that engaged South Australians and motivated them to vote.
“Our philosophy is to base our communications strategy on research and fact and uncover key insights to engage our audiences. All of our work starts with qualitative and quantitative research to understand our audiences and the existing barriers and motivators. We then use this to develop our communication, channel and creative strategies.
“The new campaign addresses the three key barriers identified: I don’t really care, I don’t know who to vote for, and I am not engaged with the process, and showcases the vital role that local governments play in your local community.
“Local councils are all about local people solving local problems, not just the obvious things like roads and rubbish, but things that make communities great like festivals and farmers markets, parks and pools, aged care and child care.
“To add to the complexity, local government elections in SA are conducted via post, so there is no official ballot day. While this lowers any barrier to participation, we need to ensure that all the 1.3 million eligible SA voters are aware that they will be receiving ballot packs in the mail and that they must return them before the end of the election period; So the campaign, in addition to creating an emotional connection with councils, also has a strong call to action – complete your ballot papers and post them back ASAP.
“2022 has been a significant year for elections in South Australians: The Commission delivered the nation’s first covid-safe election, and for some – a by-election, and our federal counterparts delivered a federal election.
“We wanted to create a campaign that was engaging and had strong cut-through to a voting fatigued electorate, as well as standing out from usual election awareness advertising. We’ve used shadow puppets, filmed in camera, storytelling and rhyme to capture the imagination of voters and encourage all South Australians to vote.”
The ‘Live local. Vote local.’ campaign will run across TV, Press, OOH, Social, Digital, PR and VOD applications. The campaign includes 30 and 15-second TVCs that are brought to life with shadow puppets and storytelling, digital OOH executions, and 6 and 15-second social and video-on-demand assets.
In addition, ECSA’s local government campaign includes a social media competition for youth groups asking them to deliver a social video highlighting the role that their local council plays in their community and why it’s important for young people to vote for a chance to win a $1500 gift voucher for their group, as well as video profiles of new migrants and business owners demonstrating the effect of local government on South Australian’s businesses and individuals.
The Live Local. Vote Local campaign debuts on 26 September 2023, three weeks before the start of voting.
Credits
Client: Electoral Commission of South Australia
Director of Marketing and Advertising: James Trebilcock
Research agency: Haymkr Stephen Spencer
Creative team: The United Republic, James Trebilcock, Steve Dodds
Production company: Foremore Advertising / Merlin
Client Service Director: Jeremy Foreman (Foremore)
Director: Richard Layton (Merlin)
Puppeteer: Matt Plumber – Big Idea Giants.
Editor/DOP: Rob Henscke (Merlin)
Media: Hannah Fisher CARAT
Social and web: ECSA In-house
Editorial/ public relations: Catherine Humphreys-Scott / Lisa Reichstein, CALLIE
Volvo Bus is prioritising local partnerships with major bus and coach brands during the release of its Volvo BZL Electric
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Volvo's latest BZL Electric model is using local partnerships |
For more than 50 years, Volvo Bus has engaged with local partners across Australia for body building and for the supply of bus and coach components – and the Volvo BZL Electric is no exception to this.
Volvo Bus Australia General Manager Mitch Peden details how local partnerships remain a priority with the Volvo BZL Electric to ensure a premium quality product and to support local jobs and industry.
"Bodybuilding has been a key part of the Volvo BZL Electric’s local engagement strategy, and to date, this product has been locally bodied by key industry partners including Australia’s largest bodybuilder, Volgren, and more recently, Express Coach Builders in Macksville, New South Wales," says Peden.
"Our partnership with Volgren spans more than 40 years and has been integral to supporting local jobs and content throughout this time. Together, we’ve been able to collaborate on the Volvo BZL Electric product and deliver the first four units of this model with Volgren Optimus bodies, which was a big milestone for us."
Following the recent Express Coach Builders and Volvo contract to deliver Volvo B8RLE Euro 6 buses to Buslines, Volvo Bus Australia has partnered with Express to build bodies for the Volvo BZL Electric product.
"It’s been an exciting time partnering with Express on our Volvo BZL Electric. Particularly off the back of the Buslines contract, and Express’s plans for expanding its apprenticeship program and upskilling staff. It’ll be great to see the positive impact this will have on jobs and manufacturing across the North Coast of NSW," Peden says.
RELATED ARTICLE: Complete service and support when going electric with Volvo
Volvo Bus has also been working with Denso Australia in designing an air conditioner for the Volvo BZL Electric that is suited to the harsh climate of Australia.
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Volvo Bus is working with partners like Express and Volgren (below) |
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"The integration of the climate system and the chassis has never been more important and the fact we’ve been able to have our air-conditioning systems designed and tested in Australia has been of great benefit to our Volvo BZL Electric. Using local know how, local facilities and local technology, we are confident with the integration of our specialised climate system," says Peden.
"We’re very fortunate to have such passionate and dedicated partners supporting our Volvo BZL Electric. Quality, reliability and safety are at the forefront of everything that we do at Volvo and we are grateful to be collaborating with local partners that embody these values. Not only have our partners allowed us to deliver a reliable and premium quality product, but we’ve also been able to support local industry, jobs and content in the process."
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Elise Archer, Minister for the Arts
The flagship ABC drama Bay of Fires has been a boon for Tasmania, supporting local jobs and our economy throughout the State, but especially on the stunning West Coast.
As Minister for the Arts, it was my pleasure to visit the cast and crew today during filming in Collinsvale in the State’s south, following 12 weeks at various locations such as Queenstown, Strahan and Zeehan.
The production has provided more than 85 job opportunities for Tasmanian cast and crew, with an estimated spend of $7.5 million on Tasmanian goods and services – a fantastic result that is supporting local businesses and flowing through to the supply chain throughout the State.
We are already seeing the benefits, not only in terms of the broader economy, but also with ongoing employment for locals on the West Coast during a traditionally quieter time for businesses.
Filmed entirely in Tasmania and co-created, produced and starring actress Marta Dusseldorp, the eight-part drama series is the largest production ever filmed in regional Tasmania.
The Tasmanian Government provided $1.5 million in financial support for the project, in part made possible by the extra $3 million provided to Screen Tasmania as part of our response to COVID-19.
Our Government’s ongoing commitment to Tasmanian screen production has enabled our growing local industry to build capacity, resulting in the strongest level of back-to-back production activity in the State’s history, with Deadloch, Bay of Fires and other major television shows continuing to show interest in filming in Tasmania.
Thank you to all the cast and crew for their outstanding work to date, and I look forward to Bay of Fires premiering on ABCTV in 2023 and showcasing our wonderful State on the national stage.
Bay of Fires is a series by Archipelago Productions and Fremantle production, with investment from Screen Australia in association with the ABC and Screen Tasmania, and also with support from Film Victoria. Bay of Fires will be distributed by Fremantle International.
More Media Releases from Elise Archer
More Media Releases from the Minister for the Arts
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Local MP secures regional housing summit K rockAn SA software product studio, Close One, has launched a free-to-download browser extension that transforms your browser into an aesthetically pleasing productivity tool, showcasing everything South Australia.
The extension, known as ‘Dayscape’, acts as a browser ‘skin’, replacing Google or Safari’s ‘new tab’ page with imagery of local South Australian tourist destinations, businesses, and landscapes, taken (often) by local photographers.
Close One and its debut product, Dayscape, are the brainchildren of local software developer, Greg Denehy. After spending 20 years in research-based roles, Denehy was inspired to pursue independent software projects following a desire to solve problems he cares about.
“Dayscape was a scratch I needed to itch,” says Denehy. “It was a weekend project that turned into something more and I quicky realised it could be useful to other people.”
The browser extension adds a brighter, local layer to your internet experience, while still harnessing the functionality of Safari or Google. As South Aussies begin to download the product, Dayscape will develop into a one-stop-shop productivity tool. 
“The public’s search experience could be better. Interaction through the search page could be richer and could pull together all the things we need to see at a glance every time we open a browser tab,” says Denehy.
“For example, weather updates, your personal calendar, fitness stats, notifications from various applications, company metrics… these could all be brought together in a simplified dashboard. This is where Dayscape comes in.
“I just wanted a summary of what I’ve got going on through the day to make it easier. We shouldn’t need to keep an eye on five different tools running in the background.
“Right now, Dayscape is all about that beautiful imagery, intended to relate to what’s around you. It’s got the search bar and keeps your links close in an aesthetically pleasing way. But the future of Dayscape will focus on building out the productivity of the tool.”
While Denehy’s priority now is to get the everyday South Aussie to download and experience the browser extension, he did reveal the potential for the product to promote and advertise local photographers and businesses.
“There’s a huge opportunity to promote yourself here,” says Denehy. “Not only for businesses, but for photographers. Dayscape could help locals find their work and connect people to their own websites.”
“Same goes for local businesses and community organisations,” Denehy continued. “The photos don’t have to be just appealing. This product can support those organisations too.”
Dayscape is free to install now for Chrome and Safari. To download or learn more about the product, visit the Dayscape website.
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Send us pictures of your favourite local habitats and nature spaces The Guardian
Having grown-up in the Hawkesbury, I understand the importance of the Hawkesbury Gazette in highlighting stories that members of the local community care about - including events, businesses, sports and the people that make our town unique.
Having grown-up in the Hawkesbury, I understand the importance of the Hawkesbury Gazette in highlighting stories that members of the local community care about - including events, businesses, sports and the people that make our town unique.
The good news is a pair of Mazda Australia’s hotly-anticipated CX-60 have touched down in Australia for local testing, but the bad news is that this likely means the premium-pushing SUV won’t arrive in customer driveways until 2023.
Mazda Australia is yet to officially confirm that the CX-60 launch has been delayed until early next year after pencilling in a late 2022 arrival for its newest model, but said the local testing “will last for up to six months”.
This potentially means a March or April arrival for the customer deliveries as local testing gets underway.
Though not quite the rigorous testing to adapt suspension settings to local market conditions like Hyundai and Kia have done with numerous models, Mazda will instead assess the CX-60 on a number of key criteria including powertrain stress-testing, towing capability, performance and quality assurance.
In total, “more than 30,000 kilometres will be covered during the testing phase”, according to Mazda, with all data to be sent back to the brand’s research and development headquarters in Hiroshima, Japan.
“Australia is considered a key market for contributing to the worldwide vehicle testing regime due to its unique road composition and climatic conditions,” the Mazda press release states.
However, with Mazda handing over CX-60s to UK customers this month, it is unclear how this feedback will influence the production version of the car, and whether Australian input will factor into the fine-tuning of local models.
Aside from the testing regime, the pair of CX-60s will also be used in training exercises across Mazda Australia’s 140-strong dealer network ahead of the new car being delivered to customers.
The 2023 CX-60 is available with a plug-in hybrid powertrain in flagship guise – a first for Mazda – while two all-new inline six-cylinder engines (a petrol and a diesel) will also be on offer.
However, the entry to the CX-60 line-up will be powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine (the same one found in the Mazda3, Mazda6 and CX-5), and priced around $55,000.
The PHEV version uses the same-sized engine, but pairs it with a 100kW electric motor for a combined output of 241kW/500Nm, while its 17.8kWh battery is good for 63km of range before needing a recharge.
Meanwhile, the newly developed 3.3-litre turbo-diesel punches out 170kW/500Nm, with a 48-volt mild-hybrid set-up also boosting outputs to 187kW/550Nm, though which engines will arrive in Australia is still unclear.
Details on the 3.0-litre petrol six-cylinder engine are still unclear, though Mazda Australia managing director Vinesh Bhindi told CarsGuide earlier this year that they will not be able to match the PHEV in outputs.
Mr Bhindi said the local testing of the CX-60 is an important step for the brand.
“We are fully invested in ensuring our ground-breaking SUV will also masterfully deliver on the specific needs of our Australian customers,” he said.
“Our engineering team will consistently push the cars to their extremes, and these strenuous evaluations are a vital step in our absolute commitment to customer experience and continuous brand improvement.”
Meanwhile, Mazda Australia director of marketing Alastair Doak said the pair of CX-60s undergoing testing is a chance to flex local talent.
“These cars are some of the very first to come off the production line, yet despite their early build schedule, the quality of fit and finish is already indicative of the authentically premium offering that the Mazda CX-60 model range represents,” he said.
“This rigorous and informative testing program is the ideal opportunity for our market to contribute to the future success of this landmark model from the very beginning.”
Google Maps is a tool we easily take for granted.
Looking for a tasty new restaurant? Google Maps pulls up the hottest spots near you.
Need a local plumber? Google Maps will show you the providers with the best customer reviews.
Google Maps provides a massive benefit to users looking for businesses – and to businesses looking to attract customers.
That’s why the Google Map Pack is prime real estate for businesses hoping for more online and local traffic.
What is the “Google Local Pack,” you ask?
In this guide, we’ll tell you all about it, the features that matter most, and how to use it to drive leads to your business.
The “Google Map Pack” (or the Google Local Map Pack) is a prominent section in the Google local search results that showcases the top-ranking local listings for your location or the search location.
In the Google Map Pack, businesses are listed alongside their geographic location, contact information, hours, and other helpful information.
Users can click on a listing to learn more about the company, call the contact number, or pull up Google Maps navigation to the business’s physical location.
Screenshot from Google, September 2022The Google Map Pack is displayed as a set of three or more Google Maps results when a user searches for a local business. Google calls up the search result that its algorithm interprets as being most relevant to their search.
These Google Maps results will usually display above the traditional organic search results, as the algorithm understands that the user’s search intent is to find a physical location.
The Google Map Pack makes it easier for users to find the specific business they’re looking for or browse businesses in a particular category (e.g., restaurants, retail stores, etc.).
The Map Pack provides the business’s contact information, address, website link, hours of operation, pricing, photos, customer reviews, and more.
Nearly 1 in 3 of all mobile searches are location-specific, and Google is the top search engine users use to search for local businesses.
In fact, 99% of consumers surveyed by Brightlocal used the internet to find local businesses in the last year.
With that in mind, optimizing for the Google Map Pack is one of the best local SEO strategies businesses can use to drive local traffic.
This starts with creating an online listing and website and then optimizing for the search terms your target audience uses to find businesses like yours.
As mentioned, the Google Map Pack also brings the benefit of showcasing customer reviews.
And with 94% of consumers saying positive reviews make them more likely to use a business, this is a feature businesses should consider.
Want to know why the Google Map Pack is important for SEO? Read on and check out more local SEO statistics at Search Engine Journal.
The Google Map Pack takes up prime real estate in the Google local search results. This is an important placement for businesses, as the #1 spot gets the highest click-through rate of all listings.
To rank high in the Map Pack, businesses often need to employ local SEO strategies.
The Map Pack matters for SEO because it can be a significant driver of organic traffic if optimized correctly.
Optimizing for the Google Map Pack brings many benefits, including:
Google Maps offers a range of features for businesses and consumers – most of which serve to provide a better user experience.
The goal of Google Maps is to make it easier for users to find and interact with the business they are looking for in local search.
As a marketer or business owner, there are a few important Google Map Pack features you should know:
There are many more features that are included in the full Google Business Profile listing, including the website link, phone number, photos, popular times, directions, customer reviews, and more.
Further, users can contribute to Google Maps to update listings and add additional information.
There is no single, guaranteed way to rank in the Google Map Pack.
Rather, ranking in the Map Pack requires a combination of local SEO strategies to improve one’s local ranking.
Here are a few fundamentals to ranking in Google Maps:
The very first step is creating or claiming your Google Business Profile listing.
This may involve searching for and “claiming” an existing business listing or creating a completely new listing for your business.
Google Business Profile is a free platform that allows you to showcase your business information and essentially rank in the Map Pack.
However, your rank position will depend on how well optimized your listing is, how many positive customer reviews you have, how optimized your website is, and a variety of factors.
Once you have created or claimed your listing, you can begin optimizing for Google Maps by following local SEO best practices.
To optimize your listing, you will want to fill out as much of your business information as possible (accurately!).
This means adding your address, phone number, hours of operation, website link, business description, tags, photos, and all of the “features” mentioned above.
Further, there are a few features that are important ranking factors for your business, like the number and quality of reviews and keyword usage.
Google itself offers a slew of resources to help you fill out your listing.
Follow the Google Business Profile SEO Guide for more tips on optimizing your GBP.
Once you have created your Google Maps listing, you can embed the map on the Contact page (or similar page) on your website.
Having a map for your business can make it easier for users to find and navigate your physical location.
Also, optimizing your website for local SEO can help you rank in the local organic search results.
Local SEO may help increase your local Map Pack listings and your organic rankings. This gives users multiple opportunities to find your business ahead of your competition.
The Google Map Pack serves to help users find relevant businesses and easily find contact information for their favorite local jaunts.
If you are a business owner, optimizing for the Google Map Pack is one key way to drive more local and online traffic.
Local SEO is the primary method used to optimize for the Map Pack but involves a variety of strategies.
First is Google Business Profile optimization, which is the main way to house your listing.
Other strategies are used to then optimize your listing for keywords, gain more reviews, and ultimately rank above your local competitors.
Want to rank higher in the Map Pack?
Check out the latest local SEO strategies and tips.
More resources:
Featured Image: BestForBest/Shutterstock
The Victorian Government has a target of having at least 50 per cent women councillors and mayors in local government by 2025.
As such it is encouraging women of all backgrounds to step forward, step up and take the opportunity to develop their leadership potential.
Gender equality is at the heart of a fair and inclusive society.
Women were elected to local council in record numbers in 2020 and now form 43.8 per cent of councillors in Victoria.
Yet in 30 of Victoria’s 79 Local Government Areas less than one third of candidates, or elected councillors, were women in the 2020 elections.
Benalla was therefore targeted for the Women Leading Locally Program — a joint initiative of the Institute of Community Directors, ourcommunity.com.au, Women for Election and the Victorian Government.
Sixty places were made available in the program’s first intake in 2022-2023.
Priority was given to women who aspire to stand for local council election in 2024, or who will actively support the campaigns of other women to stand.
An announcement was been made on September 15, that three Benalla women were successful in gaining a place in this prestigious program.
Jilian Merkel, Jane Rushworth and Sabine Smyth were appointed Fellows of the Institute of Community Directors for 2022-2023.
Ms Smyth said the program would provide the three with ongoing connections and mentoring, equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to run a successful local government campaign.
“Local government needs people who value genuine community consultation and transparency around how decisions are made,” Ms Smyth said.
Craft / “Fuse Glass Prize 2022”, Canberra Glassworks, Kingston, until September 25. Reviewed by MEREDITH HINCHLIFFE.
THIS is the International Year of Glass. Therefore, it is fitting that this prestigious prize is being shown at the Canberra Glassworks.
Initiated several years ago by the JamFactory in Adelaide, the prize is funded by several philanthropists who are passionate about glass.
Let’s be parochial, and state at the top that the winner this year is Matthew Curtis, who is based in Queanbeyan. Curtis is inspired by the minutia of architectural structures in nature. His winning work, titled “Margin”, is in blown tinted glass which has also been carved. It sits on an aluminium base.
The work curves gently, and five fields of tinted glass shapes lean into the curves. It is a complex work, showing Curtis’ skill and knowledge.
Drew Spangenberg is showing a group of vessels titled “Curvilinear Ensemble”. The five complementary vessels fit together, both in form and colour. The clear, pale glass objects in different hues of amber and pink, are deceptively simple. The sides of each element of this composition curve, and form sharp lines, at the base and the top. I found this a very pleasing work.
Many exhibitors have gained experience and knowledge at the Canberra School of Art and Design. Janice Vitkovsky began her studies in 1999 and also completed a Bachelor of Visual Arts (Honours) (Glass) in 2005 at the ANU. “Formation”, a work that hangs on the wall, expresses a sense of motion and impermanence presenting a view of navigation through time and space as a fluid dimension. The surface is criss-crossed with vertical and diagonal lines, which flow over small marks that could be waves, clouds, or depressions in the earth. Coloured blocks of glass add to the sense of movement.
“Fuse” has two sections: an Emerging Category and an Established Category. Michelle Stewart – exhibiting in the former category – has an Advanced Diploma in Engineering (Jewellery) from Melbourne Polytechnic and a Bachelor of Fine Art (Gold and Silversmithing) (Hons) from RMIT University, also has a commitment to a minimal impact practice, which translates to a considered approach to making and materials.
Her work utilises recycled materials, generally glass, and often she uses the ‘pâte de verre’ method for her glassworking. She is exhibiting two “Carbon Chains” in recycled bottle glass. The artist points out that if these chains were to be worn, they would be a constant reminder of the precarity of nature and how human activities affect the balance.
Canberra Glassworks has played a major part in developing the careers of many of the exhibitors. The catalogue accompanying the show includes an essay by Eva Czernis-Ryl who has written about the ways in which numerous artists working in glass coped in the intervening years between 2020 when covid struck just as the Fuse Glass Prize was accepting entries and that year the exhibition was reimagined in the digital space. The advantage of this, of course, was that the exhibition was exposed to a wider international audience. But nothing beats seeing the works live, and it is fortunate that we are able to see this outstanding exhibition in Canberra.
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What’s new or changing
What this will mean for your council
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First published in The Age on September 21, 1997
Party time for new publicans
MOST Australians would be lucky to win a chicken in a local football club raffle. But a syndicate of five people from Moorabbin yesterday won the pub — the Railway Hotel in Linton.
A large crowd gathers to hear the raffle drawn.Credit:Mario Borg
The tiny sheep-farming town, 33 kilometres south-west of Ballarat, came alive as 3000 people gathered in the main street for the draw.
Cartoon published on September 21, 1997.Credit:Andrew Dyson
Mrs Maysie Hart, 90, said she hadn’t seen anything like It since electric power was switched on — and that was in 1939. In the 1920s she worked as a cook at the hotel.
“In all my years of being here, I’ve never seen such a crowd,” she said.
The freehold of the $135,000 Railway Hotel was raffled by Buninyong Football Club, which wants to build a new sports and leisure complex and club rooms. The 2000 tickets at $250 each sold three weeks ago with entries from as far away as Denmark, London and New Zealand.
Buninyong Football Club stands to make a $250,000 profit from the raffle.
The club president, Mr Bob Crowe, said he thought all the club’s 100 players and their families turned out for yesterday’s draw, as did most of Linton’s 500 residents, a large group of Vietnam Veterans Motorcycle Club members and tourists.
Mr Crowe thanked the ticket holders, most of whom were in the crowd, for taking part. In what has been dubbed the Raffle of the Century. “We’re only a battling club and I think this’ll put us on our feet,” Mr Crowe said.
The federal member for Ballarat, Mr Michael Ronaldson, drew the winning ticket from a red cement mixer on the back of a truck.
“Someone today is going to have friends they never had before,” Mr Ronaldson said.
The new owners are a syndicate from Moorabbin — ticket number 638. Second prize was an oak barrel of Jim Beam and third prize a pallet of Victoria Bitter stubbles.
Nobody in the crowd seemed to mind that the prize winners weren’t at the draw. Late yesterday, organisers said the winners were on their way to Linton to party with locals.
The Buninyong Football Club yesterday began selling tickets — 1000 at $1000 each — for the raffle of the $580,000 Merinda Hotel in Bowen in north Queensland. The draw is set for 31 January.
THIS week we speak with Mike Elliot, a hilarious local comedian who will be appearing at the upcoming Bendigo Comedy Festival.
What initially motivated you to have a go at comedy?
I’ve always been a big fan of stand up, sketches and 80s and 90s sitcoms. My dad is the funniest guy I know. I wrote a lot of sketches in my teens. I never believed I could perform stand up until my 20s. I was chuffed when local pubs started hosting open mic nights and had to give it a go.
How would you describe your style and how did you develop it?
My style is a mix of music and short jokes. I’m inspired by Flight of the Conchords, Demetri Martin and Mitch Hedberg. I tried doing longer stories but my one-liners received a better response. The whole process was a lot of trial and error but I loved it. Things started to click when I incorporated my guitar into my act.
Which other comedians inspire you and why?
I grew up on a diet of The Simpsons and “Weird Al” Yankovic. Mitch Hedberg is a huge inspiration. I love how he took the mundane, and then in one sentence, created a fully formed joke that sounded profound. It’s magic.
Todd Barry’s Crowd Work Tour and Zach Galifinakis’ Live At The Purple Onion are a couple of my favourite specials.
What are some highlights you have from your comedy exploits so far?
Performing my first Melbourne International Comedy Festival show and getting four stars. It was pretty exciting.
I’m the creator of the satirical news site The Bendigo Standard. I didn’t expect my article about Krispy Kreme opening in Bendigo to cause so much joy and disappointment simultaneously. It’s so much fun when someone quotes an article to me and they have no idea I made it up. Another time I wrote a story about Monopoly Bendigo as a joke and Toyworld messaged saying they were flooded with calls. Now three years later, it turns out Monopoly Bendigo will be an actual thing. You’re welcome Bendigo!
How has your comedy practice been affected by COVID?
My mate Jim and I were planning to perform at Melbourne International Comedy Festival but it was cancelled last minute due to COVID. The news was broken while driving to our trial show in Ballarat. It still went on and we had the best time. The whole experience would have made a great Netflix special.
During the pandemic, I did some Zoom shows and wrote a screenplay. I tried to stay as creative as possible by writing my next show and recording a heap of music. I’m releasing new tracks on streaming platforms every month.
Any gigs coming up in the near future?
The Bendigo Comedy Festival is back! I have a show called People Person. It’s half sketch, half music, half jokes sprinkled with some keyboard and guitar. I’m also sneaking in a couple of surprises. I think it’s my best work ever. I’m super pumped to help everyone have a great time and forget about the pandemic. I hope to do the comedy festival in Melbourne next March.
What advice would you give to young regional aspiring comedians who are thinking of making a go of it?
Give it a crack. Get to an open mic and just have fun. You never know if you never give it a go. Local crowds are ace.
Eight Namibian cheetahs have arrived in India in an ambitious project to reintroduce the spotted creatures that has divided wildlife experts after the big cats’ local extinction decades ago.
Officials say the project is the world’s first intercontinental relocation of cheetahs, the planet’s fastest land animal. The five females and three males were moved from a game park in Namibia on board a chartered Boeing 747 dubbed “Cat Plane” for an 11-hour flight.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi presided over the release on Saturday at Kuno National Park, a wildlife sanctuary 320km (200 miles) south of New Delhi selected for its abundant prey and grasslands.
“Today the cheetah has returned to the soil of India,” Modi said in a video address after their arrival, which coincided with the leader’s 72nd birthday.
“The nature-loving consciousness of India has also awakened with full force. We must not allow our efforts to fail.”
Each of the animals, aged between two and five and a half, was fitted with a satellite collar to monitor their movements. They will initially be kept in a quarantine enclosure for about a month before being released in the open forest areas of the park.
Critics have warned the creatures may struggle to adapt to the Indian habitat. A significant number of leopards are present in the park, and conservation scientist Ravi Chellam said cubs could fall prey to feral dogs and other carnivores.
Under the government’s current action plan, “the prospects for a viable, wild and free-ranging population of cheetahs getting established in India is bleak”, he said.
“The habitats should have been prepared first before bringing the cats from Namibia. It is like us moving to a new city with only a sub-optimal place to stay. Not a nice situation at all.”
But organisers were unfazed.
“Cheetahs are very adaptable and [I’m] assuming that they will adapt well into this environment,” said Laurie Marker, founder of the Namibia-based charity Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), which has been central to the project logistics. “I don’t have a lot of worries.”
Another 12 cheetahs are expected to join the fledgling Indian population next month from South Africa.
As India gathers more funding for the 910 million rupee ($11.4m) project, largely financed by the state-owned Indian Oil, it hopes to eventually grow the population to about 40 cats.
India was once home to the Asiatic cheetah but it was declared extinct in the country by 1952.
The critically endangered subspecies, which once roamed across the Middle East, Central Asia and India, are now only found, in very small numbers, in Iran.
Efforts to reintroduce the animals to India gathered pace in 2020 when the Supreme Court ruled that African cheetahs, a different subspecies, could be settled in India at a “carefully chosen location” on an experimental basis.
They are a donation from the government of Namibia, one of a tiny handful of countries in Africa where the magnificent creature survives in the wild.
Cheetahs became extinct in India primarily because of habitat loss and hunting for their distinctive spotted coats.
An Indian prince, the Maharaja Ramanuj Pratap Singh Deo, is widely believed to have killed the last three recorded cheetahs in India in the late 1940s.
One of the oldest of the big cat species, with ancestors dating back about 8.5 million years, cheetahs once roamed widely throughout Asia and Africa in great numbers. But today only about 7,000 remain, primarily in the African savannas.
The cheetah is listed globally as “vulnerable” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. In North Africa and Asia, it is “critically endangered”.
Some Indian scientists say modern India presents challenges not faced by the animals in the past.
A single cheetah needs a lot of space to roam. A 100-square-kilometre (38-square-mile) area can support six to 11 tigers, 10 to 40 lions, but only one cheetah.
Once the cheetahs move beyond Kuno’s unfenced boundaries, “they’ll be knocked out within six months by domestic dogs, by leopards”, said wildlife biologist Ullas Karanth, director of the Centre for Wildlife Studies in Bengaluru. “Or they’ll kill a goat and villagers will poison them [in response].”
Poaching fears stymied another project that involved a 2013 Supreme Court order to move some of the world’s last surviving Asiatic lions from their only reserve in the western Indian state of Gujarat to Kuno. Now, the cheetahs will take over that space.
“Cheetahs cannot be India’s burden,” said Chellam, an authority on Asiatic lions. “These are African animals found in dozens of locations. The Asiatic lion is a single population. A simple eyeballing of the situation shows which species has to be the priority.”
Other conservation experts say the promise of restoring cheetahs to India is worth the challenges.
“Cheetahs play an important role in grassland ecosystems,” herding prey through grasslands and preventing overgrazing, said Marker.
She and her collaborators will help monitor the cats’ settlement, hunting and reproduction in coming years.
Modi called for people to be patient as the cats adjust. “For them to be able to make Kuno National Park their home, we’ll have to give these cheetahs a few months’ time.”
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COVID-19 vaccination – Local Government Area (LGA) – Indigenous population – 15 September 2022 Australian Government Department of HealthMelbourne Victory is pleased to announce that Melbourne-based brewery, Local Brewing Co. will become an Associate Partner of the Club for the upcoming season.
Following an introduction at last year’s member forum, Local Brewing Co. have been commissioned to brew the first ‘Victory Draught’ that will be available to fans exclusively from Boozebud from September 15 and First Choice Liquor stores in Melbourne Metro on October 5 and Dan Murphy’s on October 17.
Their taphouse in Clifton Hill will also be one of the Club’s away game venues this season, with fans being able to meet and watch away matches at the venue, while enjoying the ‘Victory Draught’.
Local Brewing Co. will be donating 1000 meals for each goal scored during away matches to SecondBite, a not-for-profit organization delivering surplus fresh food directly to Aussies in need.
Melbourne Victory Managing Director, Caroline Carnegie said she was excited to be able to help create Victory’s first brew with Local Brewing Co.
“After listening to fans and undergoing an extensive testing process, we’re incredibly pleased to be able to release the ‘Victory Draught’ with Local Brewing Co.,” Carnegie said.
“It was important for us to create a brew that reflects Melbourne and created by a brewery that has its roots in Melbourne. We are excited to bring a versatile draught to the market, that can be enjoyed by all Melburnians and of course, Melbourne Victory fans.
Our partnership with Local Brewing Co. will be much more than a label on a can. It will provide a place for us to enjoy away days in Melbourne and provide support for an incredible cause.
Local Brewing Co. Co-Founder, Nick Campbell said this was the company’s first sports partnership and felt Melbourne Victory aligns with the ethos of the brewery since its inception,
“The team at Local Brewing Co. are extremely excited to become an associate partner of Melbourne Victory for the upcoming season,” Campbell said.
“As avid Victory supporters and current members, it made sense to bring together the creativity and drive of both businesses to provide the fans with a unique partnership on and off the pitch. The values which underpin the Club align to what we strive to do when we make beer. It’s all about working as a team, demanding more of ourselves and giving back to the community.
“The partnership will help us share our great tasting beers with more of our home city and drive the impact we can make through our social impact partner SecondBite.”
To purchase your ‘Victory Draught’, visit boozebud.com.au. For more information on Local Brewing Co., visit localbrewing.co
