Australia Boom, Growth, Asylum, Rudd, Queensland, Working Holidays, Brand Oz & Republic
AIEC
rapidly emerging from the downturn into an economic boom the Reserve
Bank believes could last for years, powered by the resource industry
and rapid population growth. The bank's quarterly review of the
economy, published yesterday, has sharply upgraded its short-term
economic forecasts and presented a radical rethink of Australia's
growth potential.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/new-boom-could-last-for-years-says-a-bullish-rba/story-e6frg6nf-1225795202811
World hits Rudd over boat people stand-off. THE Federal Government's
tough stance on asylum seekers is attracting international media
attention - most of it critical and likely to damage Australia's
standing. As the impasse involving 78 Sri Lankan asylum seekers on an
Australian Customs ship enters its fourth week, The New York Times
heaped opprobrium on Australia's policy of processing refugees at the
Christmas Island detention centre. The newspaper compared the centre
to Guantanamo Bay.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/world-hits-rudd-over-boat-people-standoff-20091107-i2vx.html
Out of the Woods: state's tourism links to golf's El Dorado. HE'S
not so much a golfer as a phenomenon, one of the greatest athletes of
our age, a multicultural role model and cash register on legs. And as
Eldrick ''Tiger'' Woods paces around Kingston Heath this week during
his first Australian visit in 11 years, in addition to any personal
aspirations he might harbour, he'll be carrying the hopes of the
state's tourism and events industries on those powerful shoulders.
I wish more of you were here. TOURISM QUEENSLAND hailed it as the
''most successful tourism campaign ever'', a $2.5 million strategy
that returned $390 million in global publicity. But the Best Job in
the World campaign has failed to lure foreigners. Official figures
show the number of international holidaymakers travelling to
Queensland dropped by 8 per cent in the 2008-09 financial year. The
total number of international visitors - which also includes people
travelling on business and for other reasons - fell 5 per cent.
http://www.smh.com.au/travel/i-wish-more-of-you-were-here-20091107-i2sy.html
Dollar's up, so we're nicking off. Australians are leaving the
country as never before. The soaring Aussie dollar and low
international airfares pushed the number of Australians taking
holidays overseas up above 600,000 in September with the number
leaving in the past year hitting a record 6 million.
http://petermartin.blogspot.com/2009/11/dollars-up-so-were-nicking-off.html
DIAC: Australians need to travel to assist with Working Holiday
program. More Australians must travel overseas to assist with the
influx of international working holiday makers visiting Australia, the
Department of Immigration And Citizenship (DIAC) has said. DIAC
director of working holiday section, Deirdre Russack told delegates at
the Adventure and Backpacker Industry Conference (ABiC) today that
many more UK citizens are visiting Australia than the other way around
and was also the case in other markets where Australia has reciprocal
visa arrangements.
http://thumbrella.com.au/diac-australians-need-to-travel-to-assist-with-working-holiday-program-5500#comment-1547
‘Brand Australia’ knocked off top spot in Country Brand Index.
Australia has been knocked off top spot as the world’s best country
brand, in the 2009 FutureBrand Country Brand Index (CBI).
After three years as the most popular country brand, Australia has
slipped to third position and was overtaken by the USA in first place
and Canada second. New Zealand came in at fourth spot.
http://thumbrella.com.au/brand-australia-knocked-off-top-spot-in-country-brand-index-5525
We are not British - that's why a republic is so important.
Independence is about taking pride in our unique culture. THE 10th
anniversary of the referendum reminded me that I should dust off the
old ''Young Australians for a Republic'' banner in the shed and drop
it off at the national archives.
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/we-are-not-british--thats-why-a-republic-is-so-important-20091108-i3h2.html