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.”

Get all the latest Canberra news, sport, entertainment, lifestyle, competitions and more delivered straight to your inbox with the Canberra Weekly Daily Newsletter. Sign up here.

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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."

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"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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