ANZ Outlook / Issue 12

SeaSon 2011 in review

12

Cruising the Kimberley coast Sit back and unwind

Expat profileMandy’s story

PLUS Migration news, Ask the ExpertQueenstown is to New

Zealand what Ko Phan

Ngan is to Thailand

QueenstownTraveller’s

guide To

AFL

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AUSTRALIAANDNEWZEALANDOUTLOOK

I can’t believe this is the 12th issue of Australia and New Zealand Outlook - at least in it’s newestIncarnation (carbon dating failed to disclose how old we actually are… but we’ve been helping Brits move Down Under since time began). In all seriousness, what a 12 months it has been. We’ve seen a lot – we’ve had natural disasters ona biblical scale, sporting triumphs and financial crises to name a few, (I could go on and on but we have limited space).

This month we learn more about expat Mandy Hagan’s new life Down Under, look at “Jungle warfare” in Queensland and sail down the Kimberley coast. Our intrepid traveller Chris Farnell, meanwhile, tells us all about his recent adventures in Queenstown - a launch pad for adventurers and thrill-seekers across the globe.

On page 20 we have a review of the 2011 AFL season, while on page 14 your questions are answered by our experts.

We have all the usual favourites too and you can keep track of all the latest news and migration changes within these fine pages.

We have lots inside and I hope you enjoy reading!

Ian ArmitageEditor

EDITORIALEditor: Ian ArmitageWriters: Colin ChineryChris Farnell

BUSINESS General Manager: Andy EllisResearch Manager: Andy WilliamsResearchers: Nicholas DaviesElle WatsonDave HodgsonChris BolderstoneStuart ShirraSales Administrator: Abby Nightingale

ACCOUNTSFinancial Controller: Nick CramptonAccounts: Margaret Roberts, Alexandra Buchlakova

PRODUCTION & DESIGNMagazine Design: Optic JuiceProduction Manager: Jon CookePictures: Getty Images, ThinkstockNews: AAP, SAPA, NZPA

DIGITAL & ITHead of digital marketing and development : Syed Ahmad

TNT PUBLISHINGCEO: Kevin EllisChairman: Ken HurstPublisher: TNT Publishing Ltd

Australia and New Zealand Outlook, The Royal, Bank Plain, Norwich, Norfolk, UK. NR2 4SFTNT Magazine, 10 Greycoat Place, London. SW1P 1SBTntmagazine.com

ENQUIRIESTel: +44 (0)1603 3432267Fax: +44 (0)1603 283602Email: [email protected]

SUBSCRIPTIONSCall: +44 (0)1603 343267Email: [email protected]

www.anzoutlook.com

03

12

Starts here!

The Journey

www.anzout look.com04

CONTENTS

PAGE

26PAGE

34

PAGE16PAGE

30

PAGE

20

AUSTRALIAANDNEWZEALANDOUTLOOK

06 News

11 Migration Update

14 Ask the expertZdravka Zlateva, Senior Tax Advisor at taxback.com, answers your questions

16 Queenstown: Launch pad to Adventure Queenstown is more than just a cosy little resort town- it’s a launch pad for adventurers

20 AFL The 2011 season reviewed

26 Cruising the Kimberley coastJames Shrimpton cruises the Kimberley coast in style

28 What's on... Our guide to the unmissable events, holidays and celebrations in Australia and New Zealand this month

05

30 expat profileMandy arrived in Darwin on June 12th 2010

34 Hunt 'terrorists' in Queensland Jungle warfare may not be everyone’s idea of holiday fun, but this is brilliant!

38 Next monthWhat to expect within these pages next month

CONTENTS

SeaSon 2011

in review

Cruising the Kimberley coast

Sit back and unwind

Expat profileMandy’s story

PLUS Migration news, Ask the Expert

Queenstown is to New

Zealand what Ko Phan

Ngan is to Thailand

Traveller’s

guide To

AFL

NEWS

It is official - the 2011 Rugby World Cup has been fantastic for tourism in New Zealand.

According to data from Statistics New Zealand, August arrivals were up 4.7 percent on the same month last year, and just over half of the increase could be attributed to RWC2011 visitors arriving before the tournament opened.

In the 12 months to August 2011, 2,502,311 international visitors arrived in

RWC arrivals boost NZ tourism numbers


New Zealand, an overall decrease of just 0.5 percent compared with the year ending August 2010.

August arrivals statistics showed Australian visitor numbers were up 5.5 percent and arrivals

from the UK were up 4.1 percent, compared to August last year.

PLANS TO BUILD AUSTRALIA’S

BIGGEST BROTHEL

THROWN OUTPlans to build

Australia’s biggest

brothel in Sydney

have been thrown

out.Stiletto brothel, in

Camperdown, already

boasts two floors of

rooms with names such

as Betty Boob and The

Den, and A$370 an hour

presidential suites.

Its owners wanted

to create the biggest

brothel in the country by

building a A$12

million, three-storey

extension, which would

have meant a combined

total of 40 sex rooms and

21 waiting rooms.

But councillors rejected

the plans, saying the

expanded venue would have

been too big and in an area

where other brothels exist.

“This brothel is the

Westfield of brothels,”

councillor Shayne Mallard

told a meeting of the full

City of Sydney council at

Town Hall.

“We’re not prudes, we’re

not opposed to brothels,

but we have a policy of

anti-clustering, spreading

them out.”

He said Stiletto’s plans

were too big.

RWC arrivals boost NZ tourism numbers

AUSTRALIAANDNEWZEALANDOUTLOOK 07

Queensland is about to experience a baby boom following Cyclone Yasi, with obstetricians in Townsville preparing for a bumper month of births in November - nine months after the cyclone devastated the region.

Townsville’s Mater Women and Children’s Hospital CEO John Gilmour said the hospital’s maternity unit was booked out during November, with births up 40 percent on a normal month.

On average, the unit receives about 90 bookings a month with 105 considered an exceptionally busy month but come November around 120 women are expected to give birth in the hospital.

Yasi, the biggest east coast cyclone in 100 years, struck north Queensland on February 2.

Gilmour said the timing of the spike in bookings was “interesting”.

“The jump is certainly more than we would see in a normal monthly variation,” he told AAP.

“I can’t tell you for sure whether it’s associated with Yasi but it’s interesting that it’s coming at this time.”

New Zealand’s national carrier Air New Zealand said it carried 1,005,000 passengers in August, up from 978,000 in August 2010.

The results showed an increase in volumes on domestic and trans-Tasman routes, which made up for a decline on long-haul routes.

The airline said the passenger load factor – a measure of capacity utilisation – was unchanged at 81.9 percent, adding in a statement that revenue passenger kilometres – a measure of demand – fell 2.8 percent.

Yasi leads to

baby boom

Air NZ passenger numbers

up in August

ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

SOARING vET BILLS BITE PET OWNERSAccident-prone pets are costing their owners thousands of dollars, with a consumer group finding some vet bills have risen by more than 500 percent in the last two years.Consumer group Choice says taking out pet insurance could be a viable option for concerned owners in view of the soaring costs.A comparison of pet insurance premiums found increased treatment options and technological advances have led to a steep rise in some veterinary costs.

“Some vet bills have risen over 500 percent in the last two years,” Choice spokeswoman Ingrid Just said in a statement.“The highest recorded claim we found for an ear infection was $A8,780 and $A11,035 for snakebite.”

NEWS

The South Australian government

says it won’t allow animals to go

hungry, staff to go unpaid or the

doors to close at the debt-plagued

Adelaide Zoo.The government said it remained

committed to finding a sustainable

solution to the zoo’s financial woes, with

the organisation grappling with a $A24

million debt.

But Treasurer Jack Snelling has ruled

out paying back a major loan from

Westpac Bank used to help fund major

infrastructure upgrades, including a

special enclosure for giant pandas Wang

Wang and Funi.

“We have 100 percent commitment to

the zoo, to making sure that the zoo can


The Queen has added day trips to Brisbane and Melbourne in late October to the 10-day itinerary for her first visit to Australia in almost six years.

The 85-year-old was already scheduled to be in Australia for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Perth from October 28-30.

It will be her 16th visit of Australia as monarch.

Queen to visit Brisbane and Melbourne

GOvT vOWS TO kEEP

ADELAIDE ZOO OPENmeet its operating costs, that

the animals are fed, that its

obligations to its employees are

met and that the zoo remains open,”

Snelling told parliament.

“But we’re not interested in

corporate welfare for Westpac.

“Westpac gave a loan to the zoo with

its eyes wide open, and they need to deal

with the consequences of a bad loan.”

Zoos SA president Kevin

McGuinness said the organisation

had been working constructively

with Westpac and the government to

address its financial challenges over

the past six months.

“We are not at liberty to disclose the

details of those discussions,” he said.

Buckingham Palace said the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will land in Canberra on October 19 before travelling to Perth on October 26 for CHOGM.

The royal couple will visit Brisbane on October 24 and Melbourne on October 26.

The Queen last visited Australia in 2006 and opened the Commonwealth Games at the MCG.

Long-haul travellers described pretty ‘chaotic scenes’ at Sydney Airport as a Customs strike on September 27 triggered huge delays in arrivals.

3,000 workers walked off the job at airports around the nation to protest at stalled pay negotiations, sparking delays of more than an hour for incoming passengers.

Travellers arriving at the Airport said

Customs walkouts cause airport chaos


ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

there were emotional and angry scenes in the arrivals hall as frustrated passengers attempted to get through.

Customs officers in Sydney staged hour-long stoppages from 6am (AEST), 8am, and 7pm.

The action follows a stalemate in negotiations on a new enterprise agreement with Australian Customs and Border Protection.

Paul Douglas Peters, the accused hoax collar bomb extortionist, has been extradited under guard back to Australia and will remain in custody for another eight weeks.

Police showed a special interest in the 50-year-old investment banker when he arrived in Sydney from Los Angeles aboard a Qantas jet.

As many as 30 officers were dispatched to Sydney airport to meet the man accused of putting a fake collar bomb on Sydney schoolgirl Madeleine Pulver in a failed extortion attempt.

NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione told reporters that everyone should keep an open mind.

“The fact that we’ve been able to bring

Accused hoax bomber back in Australia

this person of interest home has been a most important stage, I would think, in the process,” Scipione said.

“But as this particular person of interest appears in court, we need to simply let courts get on with the job. We don’t need to be speculating.”

Madeleine’s father, Bill Pulver, said his family would soon have to relive the night of August 3 when someone broke into their luxurious Mosman home on Sydney’s north shore and subjected his 18-year-old daughter to 10 hours of terror.

“It’s a slightly strange feeling to see him coming back into the country,” Mr Pulver told reporters.

“It’s an important step in the process to move this thing through the courts.”

migration update

The federal government’s changes to international student visas have been generally welcomed by the education sector, but TAFE directors say the move is disappointing because it favours universities.

The government announced it would streamline the visa process for students who want to study a bachelor’s degree or higher.

It will also lower the financial requirements for some applicants and introduce new post-study work visas for students who complete a bachelor’s degree or higher.

TAFE Directors Australia (TDA) said the review of the visa system by former NSW government minister Michael Knight had sent mixed signals to students interested in studying in Australia.

It said Knight’s report was “disappointingly one-sided” in favour of universities.

The organisation also said TAFE institutes would meet eight of the nine factors Knight used to justify giving universities special treatment.

The number of New Zealanders travelling across the Tasman is getting ‘out of control’, a leading Australian population academic has said.

In the year to July a net total of 32,600 people moved to Australia, up from 16,500 the year before and higher than a 10-year average of 21,000.

Professor Peter McDonald, from the Australian Demographic and Social Research Institute, said the flow of New Zealanders to Australia was largely determined by relative economic conditions, including wages, in the


Visa changes 'biased' towards universities“On the one hand, the Knight Report recognised the high quality of Australia’s vocational education and training (VET) system, and yet the recommendations clearly discriminate against international students wishing to study in this area,” it said in a statement.

However, TDA chief executive Martin Riordan said he was encouraged that Tertiary Education Minister Chris Evans had included his organisation on a panel to further review details of the visa system.

two countries.The trend was “out of the

control of either government’’, he said.

Professor McDonald added that both countries had

‘similar immigration programmes’ but New Zealand’s was more advanced in what he said was called “the new flexible approach to migration’’.

Under that approach, migrants made an initial temporary move, employers became involved, and applications for permanent residency were made once in the country.

Rise in number of Kiwis heading to Aus

New home sales in Australia have stayed close to their lowest level in more than a decade, with Australians showing unwillingness to buy amid global financial uncertainty.

A survey of Australia’s major residential builders shows the total number of new homes sold in August rose by 1.1 percent

The Australian Government has pushed ahead with its bid to keep its asylum seeker deal with Malaysia alive.

Immigration Minister Chris Bowen introduced to parliament draft laws to put beyond legal doubt the government’s ability to make deals with other countries to manage asylum seekers and tackle people smuggling.

“The government believes offshore processing as part of a proper regional framework is appropriate,” Bowen told parliament.

The amendments were intended to reduce the risk of lives lost at sea, combat people smuggling and determine a border protection policy in national interest, he said.

“It would be a travesty to lose this moment,” he said.“I urge everyone in this place to recognise the national

importance that attaches to the passage of this bill.”The changes, which don’t have much support, aim

across the country to 6,497.This follows an eight

percent fall in July to 6,428, the lowest level of new home sales since December 2000.

Detached house sales increased by 1.5 percent in the month of August but were down by 15 percent over the quarter.

Sales of multi-units fell by

2.2 percent in the month.The improvement in the

volume of detached house sales reflected a rise of 9.8 percent of sales in Queensland and a three percent increase in Victoria.

New home sales in NSW dropped by 11.2 percent in August - the fourth consecutive monthly fall for the state.

Aus new home sales still near decade lows

migration update

Aus govt presses ahead with migration changes

to make it legal for the Minister to send asylum-seekers to another nation for processing.

A High Court ruling in August effectively prevented any unaccompanied minor from being removed from Australia, but Bowen said the proposed changes would return this decision to the Minister. The legislation is likely to be blocked.


Keep track of the latest news and developments on moving Down Under

Australia’s migration programme continues to “deliver its economic and social aims for a healthy economy”, the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen MP, has announced.

Releasing the final outcomes for the 2010–11 Migration Programme, Bowen said the Gillard Government’s ongoing skilled migration reforms were ensuring critical skills needs in high-demand sectors and regional areas were being addressed.

‘The government is supporting our growing economy and meeting family reunion objectives, while ensuring we meet the skill shortages in areas of high demand,’ Bowen said.

The total outcome for the 2010–11 Migration Programme was 168,685 places against a planning level of 168 700. The 2010–11 skill stream outcome of 113,725 places accounted for 67.4 percent of the total Migration Programme.

Bowen said the Labor Government had more than doubled the number of places specifically set aside for regional Australia since it took office.

‘In 2011–12 the government is going even further with 16,000 places for the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme – a 60 percent

Skilled migration reform

supporting Australia's growing economy - Minister

increase on last year’s levels,’ he said.There was also an increase to the top

priority employer-sponsored programme to 39 percent of the skill stream, part of the government’s policy to directly target skills shortages through a more demand-driven approach.

‘Skilled migrants deliver significant benefits to the Australian economy as their employment contributes to economic growth and their relative youth offsets some of the impacts of the ageing labour force,’ Bowen said.

China was Australia’s largest source of migrants with a total 29,547 places or 17.5 percent of the total migration program in 2010–11.

The United Kingdom and India followed, with 23,931 and 21,768, respectively.

Bowen added that the government’s new skilled migrant selection register, SkillSelect, would be introduced from 1 July 2012.

‘SkillSelect will ensure that visas are allocated to the best and brightest skilled migrants so that the Migration Program can better meet the needs of Australian businesses,’ he said.

The Migration Programme Outcomes 2010–11 report can be found on the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website.

Expert advice on all things

visas, migration and more

ASK THE EXPERT

A The main tax you will pay if you are gaining an income from Australian sources is income tax - which is charged on income you receive, such as salary and wages, investment

income and business income. The amount of income tax you pay is directly connected to the amount you earn and whether you are an Australian resident. The employer also contributes Superannuation payments in a Superannuation fund chosen by the employee during the employment period.

Non-resident taxpayers do not have access to social welfare benefits or national public health cover, respectively no Medicare levy is collected and contributed on their behalf.

If you have overpaid any of the listed above, you are due a refund from the Australian taxation office (ATO). You may need to contact the ATO or an Australian tax specialist with your employment and income documents to identify your residency status and any refund opportunities from Australia.

QI read that 3 out of 5 travellers &

backpackers do not claim all monies owed

to them. What monies are they typically

not claiming and how can I make sure I

don’t make the same mistakes? I’m taking a year out in

September and travelling around Aus (I live in the Uk).Freya, London

QI did my own taxes while taking a gap year in New

Zealand and received no money. Is there a chance I did

it wrong? And can I resubmit my claims?Eddie, Bristol


A There are many details

that may cause an error in a tax return starting with contact details, discrepancies in tax and

pay information provided. The New Zealand Revenue accepts inquires for correction of errors on the initial tax returns within the same taxable period or next taxable period when the tax return was filed.

However, the error should be clearly identified first and my advice in your case is to contact the New Zealand Revenue or a tax specialist in New Zealand tax to identify the current situation with your tax return.

ABOUT THE EXPERT

These questions were answered by

Zdravka Zlateva, Senior Tax Advisor

at taxback.com. Contact details:

Freephone 0808 2381 611, email

[email protected], or visit

www.taxback.com/anzoutlook


QHow long does it usually take to receive an

Australian tax refund? I submitted a claim 3

months ago now… and am getting worried.Vince, Lowestoft

A If you sent your tax return by ordinary post the standard processing time is nearly seven weeks. If you lodged your tax return

electronically, most are processed within 14 days and any refunds due are paid within that

period. Some returns may require additional checks to make sure that they are processed correctly, and this can extend the processing time to nearly 30 days. My advice in your case is to contact the Australian taxation office or a tax specialist in Australian tax to identify the current status of your tax return.


TRAVELLER'S GUIDE


QueenstownL a u n c h p a d t o a d v e n t u r e

By Chris Farnell


On first arriving in Queenstown it looks like

a wonderfully scenic model town. Then, on second glance, you realise it’s sandwiched between Lake Awkatipu and the awe inspiring peaks of the Southern Alps.

Because Queenstown is more than just a cosy little resort town- it’s a launch pad for adventurers and thrill-seekers across the globe.

For instance, you can start with-

The SnowYes, we’re always talking about just how great the sun and surf are around Australia and New Zealand, so that sometimes it’s easy to forget the other assets you can find in this part of the world. Queenstown is a hop skip and a jump away from some great skiing and snowboarding.

The Queenstown ski season stretches from June through to early October, when you can take advantage of its six international standard ski areas. As well as some great slopes where you


TRAVELLER'S GUIDE


can show off on skis or snowboard, there’s also a huge range of other winter activities to take advantage of. There’s plenty of opportunity for ice climbing, ice skating, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, or “tubing”. To the uninitiated, tubing looks an awful lot like riding down a snowy slope on nothing but an inflatable rubber ring, whereas in fact, yes. It’s exactly that.

SafariIf going toe-to-toe with the raw, well, refrigerated, power of nature doesn’t appeal, there are also other, warmer ways you can face off against the natural world- like driving all over it.

This is where Nomad Quad Safaris come in. They will train you up, give you the necessary protective clothing, and guide you

through the wonderful panoramic views and amazing wildlife found on Queenstown Hill- from atop a full automatic, 400cc quad bike. The guides offer a smorgasbord of trails for you to choose from, depending on your ability, so this is one activity you might find yourself coming back to. Just be sure to bring your camera along every time!

Jet BoatStill, for some of you a quad bike still might not sound quite, what’s the word? “Vrooom” enough. You don’t want to pause every so often to take in your surroundings and ponder the insignificance of man against the vast majesty of the natural kingdom. You want to shoot right through the natural kingdom like a bullet that’s late for a meeting. For this reason, you need a ride on the Jet Boat. A jet boat is exactly the sort of thing you would have invented when you were seven years old, right before you came up with the name “Shotover Canyon” which here in Queenstown is also a real thing.

For this reason, you can ride in a jet boat through Shotover Canyon. It’s an exhilarating, stomach-in-your-mouth ride including narrow canyons and gut-wrenching 360° spins, and basically, if you go to Queenstown and don’t do this, we’re all going to call you chicken behind your back.

Bungee JumpingOf course, travelling at amazing speeds pushed along by high-powered jets of water is one thing. Travelling at amazing speeds downwards pulled along by gravity is sort of in a different league altogether. However, it’s fine if you’re attached by your feet to an elastic chord that will make you bounce right back up again.

Queenstown is home to the Kawaru Bridge, the first and most famous commercial bungee jumping spot in the


world. Here you’ll see the breathtaking Kawaru River, upside down and speeding towards and then away from you, and then towards you again. You can jump forwards, or backwards, or with a friend so that you have somebody to scream at as you fall.

Adventure in Many FormsQueenstown is home to all kinds of adventure, as well as the ones we’ve mentioned you can find great spots for whitewater rafting, mountain biking, skateboarding and fly fishing in the area around the town.

Of course, someone with true adventure in their heart knows that there’s more to bravery than thrill-seeking, adrenaline pumping experiences that bring you face to face with the awe inspiring power of nature and make you feel truly alive.

For instance, Queenstown is also home to the Kiwi Crawl- one of the all time epic bar crawls. The package will get you, for a mere $25, a trip through six bars with a free drink in each of them, a free pizza and photos of just what you got up to (in case you forget). What’s more, should you feel the need to go “off the reserve” Kiwi Crawls will get you huge discounts on food and drink for the entirety of your stay in Queenstown.

Of all the crawl routes to take, however, the definitive one has to be the Ice Bar Crawl for an extra $10. This crawl ends at Minus 5- a cocktail bar crafted purely from ice. Here the walls, furniture and even the drinking glasses are all carved from frozen water. Now that is what I call winter sports!

Nomas Quad Sarari www.nomadsafaris.co.nz/quad-bikes.html

Shotover Jet www.shotoverjet.com

Kawaru Bridge Bungy Jumping www.bungy.co.nz/kawarau-bungy-centre/kawarau-bungy

Kiwi Crawl www.kiwicrawl.co.nz

Minus 5 www.minus5queenstown.co.nz


AFLSeaSon 2011 in review


These days, the games are only part of the equation. The actual matches are part of the all-consuming

swirl of football stories that consume fans for several months each year. The rest of the time, the perpetual news cycle is filled will scandal and speculation, all the attendant issues that exist in parallel with what transpires once the ball is actually bounced.

And 2011 has been no different. There has, of course, been plenty of spectacular on-field action, culminating in this weekend’s grand final, but if you check the sports pages or the fan forums, you’ll find that ‘football politics’ plays an equally significant part in sating appetites for all things footy-related. And this year has thrown up its share of surprises. The AFL is in the middle of some seismic shifts, with ambitious expansion plans bringing two new sides into the fold, precipitating a bumper broadcast deal and some fevered horse-trading for players. It’s also been a tough year for coaches, with younger mentors in vogue. And, of course, the AFL’s never-ending war against the tide of player indiscretions continued.

TV rightsIn April, the AFL exceeded all expectations by agreeing a new five-year broadcast deal worth $A1.25 billion (£818 million). The bumper payday had three major knock-on effects. Firstly, it afforded AFL boss Andrew Dememtriou a serious measure of vindication. Demetriou is unloved by the punters, but overseeing the biggest TV deal

in Australian sport proves he is doing a good job. Secondly, it guarantees the existence of all the clubs, which is welcome news for all true fans of the game. Thirdly, it gives the AFL a war-chest to fund its expansion into NSW and Queensland – with two new teams in the mix, the AFL is pouring money into the game at grassroots level, giving rival codes plenty of cause for anxiety.

Betting scandalsNo season is without its off-field indiscretions committed by players – certainly, the AFL has had its share in recent years. But the nascent issue of players betting on matches took the code’s administration into uncharted territory. After Collingwood defender Heath Shaw was found to have bet a piffling $A10 on teammate Nick Maxwell kicking the first goal of the Magpies’ Round 9 match against Adelaide, he was rubbed out for eight weeks. The fact that Shaw was slugged with such a disproportionately harsh punishment – for an offence more reckless than corrupt – demonstrated the code’s zero tolerance for gambling among its players and a commitment to coming down hard on the merest transgression.

Suns risingThe Gold Coast Suns became the first new club to join the AFL since Port Adelaide in 1997 and their first season was a mixed bag. They finished last, which was not unexpected, managing to win just three


games. They copped some frightful hidings along the way, and lost three games by more than 100 points. In Round 6, they suffered the indignity of conceding the most points in a first quarter when they trailed Essendon by 93 points at the first change. Ugly. However, their young list also showed glimpses of serious potential, with the likes of David Swallow, Zac Smith and Brandon Matera poised to become stars.

Intrigue at CollingwoodThe Magpies love to be the centre of attention but the reigning premiers were dogged for much of the year by conjecture

surrounding their coaching arrangement. In a long-standing succession agreement, senior coach Mick Malthouse is due to step aside from the top job, to be replaced by Nathan Buckley, who has done his apprenticeship as an assistant coach. But with Collingwood travelling beautifully, and with Malthouse seemingly as hungry as ever, cracks started to appear in Collingwood’s coaching pact, with Malthouse apparently none too keen on his impending demotion. It remains to be seen how the dominos fall at Collingwood, but Malthouse could well walk away from the club and possibly coach elsewhere in 2013.

sport


Coaching merry-go-roundIndeed, the frenetic game of musical chairs among the competition’s coaches was one of the features of the season, particularly in the late-season, when the music stopped for more than a few. Adelaide, Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs all parted company with their coaches and then, after St Kilda bowed out of the finals in the first week, their coach, Ross Lyon, jumped ship to join Fremantle after they sacked their coach, Mark Harvey. When you consider that Malthouse will likely be replaced by Buckley at Collingwood and that five other clubs – Geelong, Essendon, Port Adelaide, Sydney and the Gold Coast – have men in their first full seasons in charge, it represents a dramatic transfusion of new blood into the league’s coaching ranks.

Giants on the horizonThe Greater Western Sydney Giants will join the league next year and, for much of the season, there was fevered speculation about which high-profile players the new club would sign. As yet, the Giants have failed to land a big fish – the Suns poached Gary Ablett from Geelong, while the Giants have been forced to settle for 20-year-old Tom Scully, a No 1 draft pick only just beginning to make his name at Melbourne. Scully signed a six-year deal with the Giants that will earn him close to $1m each season, making him one of the league’s top earners, despite having played only 31 games. It is a huge gamble based entirely on potential.


sport

Grand final

highlights

the greatest

moments from the

modern era

1989 - School of hard knocks

In the years since, there have been classic grand finals,

ones that went right down to the wire, but the 1989 decider

between Hawthorn and Geelong remains the gold standard

for epic struggles. It began with Hawthorn centre-half

forward Dermott Brereton being brutally poleaxed in the

opening minutes – Cats hard-man Mark Yeates ironing him

out, leaving Brereton with internal bleeding and broken ribs.

Brereton famously refused to leave the ground, though, and

kicked three crucial goals as Hawthorn hung on to win by

1997 - Jarman turns it onSt Kilda were warm favourites to win their second ever premiership in 1997 – they had finished top of the ladder after the regular season and the Adelaide Crows, without two of their stars in Tony Modra and Mark Ricciutto, had staged

six points. And, of course, at

the other end of the ground,

the mercurial, dysfunctional

Gary Ablett booted nine

goals in a losing side, which

remains a record in a grand

final and stands as a poignant

metaphor for the flawed genius

of the man the folks of Sleepy

Hollow referred to as God.

goal-sneak Darren Jarman, who booted five goals for the term to get the party started.

a remarkable comeback to beat the Western Bulldogs in the preliminary final the week before. Long-suffering Saints fans had cause for optimism at half-time, when their side led by 13 points. But the Crows ran over the top of the Saints in the second half, and the final quarter belonged to Crows’


2003 - The greatest team of all?

The Brisbane Lions, after absorbing defunct Fitzroy at the

end of 1996, established one of football’s great dynasties

when they won three consecutive premierships from 2001-

2003. Remarkably, in these three glorious seasons, the Lions

never finished top of the ladder after the regular season,

underlining their vital ability to go up a notch in finals. In

2001, the Lions denied Essendon back-to-back flags before

edging out Collingwood in slippery conditions to complete

their own double in 2002. Collingwood earned a shot at

revenge the following year

but the Lions, despite being

riddled with injury, routed

the Magpies by 50 points,

their all-star midfield of

Michael Voss, Simon

Black, Jason Akermanis

and Nigel Lappin

spearheading the first three-

peat since the 1950s.

2005-06 - An epic and its encoreThe Sydney Swans and the West Coast Eagles established a thrilling rivalry over the 2005 and 2006 seasons, their matches regularly decided by less than a goal. In the first week of the 2005 finals, the Eagles prevailed by four points at Subiaco but three weeks later at the MCG the result was reversed, the Swans claiming their first flag

since shifting north more than two decades earlier. The following year, the sides met again in the first week of the finals, Sydney this time winning by just one point. But, as in the previous season, the result was reversed when the two sides met in the grand final, West Coast prevailing in the decider by a solitary point, making it the closest grand final since 1966.

2009 - Scarlett's

decisive toe-pokeEven for a grand final, St

Kilda’s clash with Geelong

was notable for its rare

intensity, with both sides

going hell for leather for all

four quarters. The Saints

led at every change but,

with five minutes to play in

the final quarter, the scores

were level. With the ball

in dispute in the midfield,

Geelong full-back Matthew

Scarlett charged out of his

defensive zone and toe-

poked it from mid-air

into the waiting hands

of Gary Ablett, who sent

the ball forward, where

Paul Chapman crumbed

the winning goal. In a

match all about attrition,

Scarlett’s display of

finesse was jarringly

out of place, but it tilted

the scales decisively in

Geelong’s favour.

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Where to visit...

CruisingBy James Shrimpton

The 120-tonne coastal cruiser Kimberley Quest II is not much bigger than one of 18 lifeboats aboard the world’s

largest passenger ship, the 252,282-tonne Allure of the Seas.

But we’d bet that the 25-metre-long KQ2’s 18 passengers (maximum) sailing the Kimberley coast of Western Australia would have at least as good a time - in a different way - as the 6,300 or so aboard her 360m-long “big sister” plying the western Caribbean.

No crowded lounges, restaurants and swimming pools here, no stage shows, no casinos, no bingo and no long queues to go ashore - no making new friends the first day out then never seeing them again.

KQ2’s voyages between Broome and Wyndham include expeditions by custom-built tenders and on bush tracks into the Kimberley Coast wilderness, a colourful and historic area of craggy rocks, waterfalls, exotic birds and animal life - and ancient rock art.

One of the many advantages of KQ2’s small size means she can sail much closer than big ocean liners to waterfalls and other attractions along the way.

On the eight-day Kimberley Southern Quest, guests explore the Buccaneer Archipelago, the Horizontal Waterfalls, Montgomery Reef and the King Cascade.

They can also take a helicopter flight over the spectacular Mitchell Falls before landing at the Mitchell Plateau for a scenic air transfer back to Broome.

ThE KImbERLEy coAST


CruisingDuring the cruise they can fish for barramundi (of course), inspect ancient art sites and cool off in freshwater pools.

Another of several itineraries KQ2 offers, the Northern Quest, also for eight days, visits the Admiralty Gulf, the Mitchell River, Vansittart and Napier Broome Bay on the way to King George Falls.

The cruise ends in Wyndham - the fares for expeditions departing or arriving in Wyndham also include transfers between the vessel and Kununurra.

Pearl Sea Coastal Cruises is currently offering a 20 percent discount on KQ2 cruises during the March-October 2012 season, if booked before January 31.

The package prices - from $A7,518pp - might make many blink.

But they include return flights from state capitals to Broome by Virgin Australia, two nights with breakfasts at Broome’s Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa, plus a lunch at Matso’s Broome Brewery and transfers between pre- and post-cruise accommodation and the KQ2.

The fare includes all

meals as prepared by an on-board chef, soft drinks, daily excursions with towels - but excluding any optional scenic flights.

The offer applies to selected voyages: the 14-day Ultimate, the ten-day Adventure and both the eight-day Northern and Southern cruises between Broome and Wyndham.

Pearl Sea Coastal Cruises says the 1,800 million-year-old Kimberley remains one of the world’s last unique wilderness areas.

It’s “a land of extraordinary contrast and colour; rich in history, unforgettable ancient art sites and breathtaking scenery.

“With one of the largest tidal ranges in the world, every day presents a new challenge and opportunity.

“Sit back and unwind in the tranquil surroundings or get involved and participate in every excursion.”

www.kimberleyquest.com.au

www.broomekimberley.com.au

What’s on...

28

AFL Grand FinalMCG, Melbourne, victoriaHas there ever been a more clearcut division between the best, and the rest in the AFL? No! It really is a two horse race for The 2011 Toyota AFL Grand Final. A strong Hawthorn effort aside nobody could challenge the dominance of reigning premiers Collingwood or a rejuvenated Geelong Cats, who seem to have once more found their hunger for the ultimate prize. But who will win? Watch and find out. www.mcg.org.au

Crave Sydney International Food FestivalSydney, New South Wales, 2000Crave Sydney International Food Festival celebrates Sydney as a global dining destination enhanced by regional New South Wales produce and wine. The full festival program is available on the Crave Sydney website.www.cravesydney.com.au

Institute of Quarrying Australia's 54th Annual ConferenceCrowne Plaza, Hunter valley, NSWThe Institute of Quarrying Australia is open to everyone with appropriate qualifications and/or experience in, or supplying to, the surface mineral extractive and processing industries. This includes hard-rock quarrying, sand and gravel (both land-based and marine-dredged), recycling, special sands, cement, lime, gypsum, clays, coal, slate, asphalt, ready-mixed concrete and concrete products. The Institute also embraces all the professional and consultancy services which support the industry, and there is a special section reserved for those engaged in the supply of plant, equipment, materials and services. www.alloccasionsgroup.com/IQA2011

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12-15th

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What’s on...


Our guide to the unmissable events, holidays and celebrations in Australia and New Zealand this month

MELBOURNE CUP

NZ Food innovation showcaseviaduct Events Centre, Westhaven, Auckland, NZTrue food Innovation is not just about a good food idea. It’s about successfully and safely commercialising that idea. The NZ Food Innovation Showcase will lead visitors on a journey of discovery. See how food manufacturers are using purpose built food processing facilities to help commercialise food ideas for markets in NZ and around the world.www.nzfoodinnovationshowcase.co.nz

Rugby World Cup FinalEden Park, Auckland, New ZealandStaged every four years, the Rugby World Cup is the biggest event on the Rugby calendar and has grown to be the third largest sporting event in the world.Rugby World Cup 2011 will be a six-week festival of Rugby featuring the top players from all parts of the globe.The Tournament’s 48 matches will be playing in 13 venues spread over the North and South Islands of New Zealand, showing off the country to the full. Off the field, visitors will discover a country that boasts scenery that is as spectacular as it is diverse.www.rugbyworldcup.com

Melbourne Cup Carnival448 Epsom Rd, Flemington, victoria, 3031The Melbourne Cup Carnival is a weeklong celebration of racing, food and wine, fashion and entertainment. It’s when fabulous Flemington becomes the corporate, social and sporting epicentre of Australia. The event not only captures the imagination of Melburnian’s but attracts visitors nationwide and from all points of globe. The Melbourne Cup Carnival is comprised over four unique racedays: AAMI Victoria Derby Day; Emirates Melbourne Cup Day; Crown Oaks Day; and Emirates Stakes Day.www.melbournecup.com

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Expat PROFILE


There are many reasons for moving to another country. Sometimes it’s to study, or to get married, or because

of work. One of the lesson common reasons is that your husband is joining that country’s armed forces. This is what lead Mandy Hagan to move to Australia in 2010.

“We arrived in Darwin on June 12th 2010,” she explains. “My husband is in the ADF. I work as a Home and Community Care Coordinator for a religious not-for-

profit organisation for the elderly. I started work for them in November 2010 and I work part time.”

Certain parts of the Australian Defence Force have a labour agreement with the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) allowing them to provide sponsorship for people recommended for processing for appointment or enlistment, helping them acquire a Permanent Residency Visa.

Mandy’s

By Chris Farnell


This made the process of moving to Australia much easier for Mandy and her husband.

Mandy tells us, “The process was not difficult for us as we came on the ENS 120 Permanent Visa. It took longer to go through being accepted ay the ADF than the visa process itself.”

This proved to be a dream come true for Mandy, who’d had a longstanding passion for Australia.

“After a holiday in Melbourne in 2006 and visiting family in Albury Wodonga on the Victoria/New South Wales border our

minds were made up we wanted to live in Australia,” Mandy says. “Ever since I was a child and loved watching Skippy, Home and Away, The Sullivans and Country Practice I wanted to move to Australia.”

While initially Mandy and her husband wanted to move to Melbourne, the Australian Defence Force requested that they base themselves in Darwin. This would prove to be a trip of discovery for Mandy who hadn’t know anything about the town until she found out that was where they were going to be moving to.

Mandy’s Story

Expat PROFILE


Challenges in a New HomeArriving in Darwin Mandy did find there were some things that couldn’t compare to the country she’d left behind.

“I miss the choice of shops,” she admits. “Darwin is very poor in comparison to even the small town in North East England where I originate from. I also miss the choice of Internet provider and SKY TV. We can only use Telstra in Darwin and they offer a poor service.”

She also admits to missing Britain’s NHS, which she found far more straight forward compared to the Australian health system. However, Mandy has also found a lot to love about living in Darwin.

“I enjoy the open spaces, the places to visit, the warmth and apart from the wet season there’s plenty of sunshine,” she says.

Like many expatriates who have moved half way around the planet, Mandy misses her friends and family back home, but having lived with her husband in Germany with the British Army she’s accustomed to not having her family close by.

“Being a family that has moved every 2-3 years for the past 20+ years the move was not a biggy for us,” Mandy says.

The move has brought other challenges though.

Mandy says, “I was shocked by how much my food shopping costs in Darwin, the cost of living is a lot higher than any other state. Something I was not aware of.”

Surprises such as this mean that she has plenty of advice for families looking to follow in her footsteps.

“I wish I had known how expensive it was in Darwin. I wish I had stocked up on kids

clothes from places like Tesco,” she says. As well as the cost of living, the range of food available has also proven a challenge. “It is difficult to access food for a child who is dairy intolerant, especially in Darwin.”

However, before she and her family made the move, Mandy was careful to research the potential pitfalls ahead: “I had done a lot of research about Australia and joining the British Expats forum had prepared me in some ways,” she says. “In other ways you have to actually be experiencing life in Australia and coming across things that you could never have prepared for.”

This includes the Australian climate- which it is one thing to read about, but another to experience for yourself.

“Coping with the humidity and wet season


which runs from around November until about May was a big challenge,” Mandy explains. “When it rains it’s hot and soaks you to the bone. As a family this has been the hardest challenge.”

In her work as a Home and Community Care Coordinator Mandy has faced other challenges engaging with the local culture.

“For me personally it has been working with aboriginal people and understanding their culture that has been a challenge,” Mandy admits. “Being accepted as a professional and from the UK has been tough.”

Every Day A SurpriseHaving said that, when asked what the biggest surprise about moving to Australia was, Mandy says it was “How quickly we

have adapted to the life style.”She’s also quick to praise the natural

beauty of the continent saying she was surprised by “how amazing the scenery is. We were blown away by a holiday in Cairns and how many photos I took that never seemed to do justice to what I was looking at.

The Hagan family doesn’t need to go on holiday to see these wonders either. “We were amazed the first time my children saw a green tree frog on our patio table, and by the geckos that visit. The sunrise over the beach when you get up for a weekend morning bike ride is breathtaking, as is the sunset at Fannie Bay.”

But for Mandy and her family, this is just the beginning.

“Every day reveals a surprise for us,” she says.


Where to visit...


S I p c o c K T A I L S A N D

By Chris Pritchard

hunt 'terrorists'I N Q U E E N S L A N D


Jungle warfare may not be everyone’s idea of holiday fun - but operators of an African-themed resort in the

Australian bush say it attracts a steady stream of holidaymakers.

Former commando Jimmy Swan, who owns and operates the resort with his wife Cathy, runs programs for guests to track and capture “terrorists”. Although some of his guests “want none of this - they prefer to do no more on holiday than just chill out. And that’s their right.

“They’re happy lazing in the sun next to a resort pool, sipping colourful cocktails with little umbrellas in them.”

According to Cathy, the resort - called Flame Lily Adventure Park - welcomes both active and passive types of guests. “We get some people who plan to do very little except curl up with a book on their balconies. Perhaps they’ll go for a gentle kayak trip on our artificial lake. Perhaps they’ll fish for bass and perch in the lake. Perhaps they’ll sunbake on a little white sand beach we created.

“Their most energetic activity is taking short walks, often to show their kids our ponies, alpacas, goats and guinea fowl - or some of the many types of native birds that have moved in.”

The Swans keep animals purely as pets - even though their property, opened this

year, is a former cattle station.They reveal “conventional holidaymakers”

are attracted by a scenic rural location - and rates considerably lower than those charged at many resorts in Queensland’s Hervey Bay, which is less than a half-hour’s drive away.

But, add the Swans, their main interest is in attracting another type of guest who - as Jimmy puts it - “wants plenty of wild action during a short break”.

“We tailor-make experiences specially for this sort of action-oriented guest.”

I can’t help but imagine post-holiday office conversations:

“So what did you do on your holiday?”“Hunted terrorists, mainly.”The Swans’ hideaway is located 30kms

north of Queensland’s Hervey Bay - where whale-watching is the best-known attraction - on a 43ha expanse, dominated by a 4.5ha

artificial lake that they constructed. The Burrum River runs along an edge of the property.

Accommodation options at the self-catering resort includes well-appointed African-themed cabins at the lake’s edge (each with kitchen and bathroom, as well as two bedrooms because they’re pitched at families).

Large pictures of African wild animals adorn walls and bedspreads feature leopard prints. Some guests prefer to bring their own

ifyou go:

Flame Lily Adventure Park (07 4129 0799; flamelilyadventures.com.au), Burrum River, Fraser Coast area. Cabins from A$88 per night; various packages available (prices vary depending on included activities and type of accommodation).

hunt 'terrorists'


Where to visit...

accommodation - tents or campervans.

While visitors include groups on team-building trips organised by employers, others - mostly couples and families with children - are holidaying independently.

Activities for the adventure-seeking guests include skydiving (using an airstrip one minute’s drive away but with a “drop zone” on the property itself and the option of a DVD memento), 17km canoeing expeditions on the Burrum River, descents by “flying fox” from a tall tower, military-style assault courses and so-called “laser skirmishes”.

According to Jimmy, “laser skirmishes are a totally harmless form of military-type combat, using laser-gaming guns that ‘shoot’ a beam at sensors mounted on targets’ headbands.

“Sounds are emitted from these computerised weapons, to make the game realistic and fun.”

For jungle warfare, the Swans use an area of their property that Cathy calls “a real little jungle. It’s densely forested and was here when we moved in. It reminds me of Africa”.

The couple have built an African tribal hut on the fringe of their private jungle. Guests are encouraged to take walks on trails through this wild terrain when war games aren’t in progress.

Two scenarios are particularly popular with guests and described as “suitable for families”.

In the first, participants - pretending to be military counter-terrorism operatives - are on a manhunt for a notorious but fictional character called “Machine Gun” Kelly. On high alert because of threatened ambushes, they follow trackers leading them towards the bad guy’s hide-out.

Tracks indicate that a large group of terrorists is with the leader. They are heavily laden with weapons and well-supplied with food after robbing the local population. Kelly, a “most wanted” enemy, was trained abroad in terrorist


camps. Those hunting him are warned to proceed with extreme caution.

In the end, the terror cell is surrounded and Kelly is killed.

Another war game has those taking part assuming the role of Special Forces operatives who must protect a VIP client on a walk along a steep embankment at a river’s edge. The area supposedly teems with terrorist splinter groups that finance their operations by taking hostages for ransom. Once again, participants are warned that great caution is required.

Jimmy and Cathy, who

devise their war games with the help of assistants also experienced in jungle warfare, migrated to Australia from Zimbabwe.

A former commando, he was deeply involved in pre-independence warfare against guerrillas (who ultimately proved victorious). He later trained soldiers in Malawi and moved into the security industry.

At his resort, Jimmy cuts a dashing figure in military-style uniform beneath a red beret.

But a badge on the beret identifies him as belonging to Flame Lily Adventure Park - not to a foreign army.

“For a long time I’ve wanted to get involved in tourism,” he says. “I’d noticed people are often fascinated by stories about how terrorists are tracked and captured.

“So, I figured I’d draw on my own experience in operating these programs. It’s proved very satisfying. With families, for instance, you may have a group whose members barely talk to each other. Suddenly, they’re tossed in at the deep end. They learn to rely on each other, draw on each other’s strengths. They really bond.”

As Jimmy sees it, “it really beats just lazing by the pool”.

www.anzout look.com

UluruAustralia’s most famous natural landmark

The Aussie SummerANZ Outlook gives you the lowdown

PLUSExpat storiesMigration newsExpert advice

nextissueOn sale 28 October 2011

13

38 www.anzout look.com38

Do you still call Australia home?Opportunities for experienced professionals include: Project and Program Managers

Change Managers

Enterprise Architects/Solution Architects

Applications Developers (.Net, Java/J2EE, Sharepoint)

Data Warehouse / Business Intelligence Consultants.

L&D Consultants (Instructional Designers, Trainers, Multimedia Developers)

OBIEE Consultants

Siebel Consultants (BA’s, Technical Consultants, PM’s, UCM, On Demand)

Junior and Senior Business Analysts and Business Process Specialists

Data Modellers and Database Developers

Data Management / Data Quality Consultants

Agile Consultants

Customer Experience BA’s

Systems Integration Specialists (TIBCO, Websphere, Calypso)

Homesick?

Missing sand between your toes?SMS Management & Technology (SMS) is Australia’s premier home-grown IT management consulting company employing over 1600 technology and business professionals across Australia, Hong Kong and Vietnam.

SMS will pay your fare home (partners and children included) to join any one of its Australian offices in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney if you meet our requirements.

SMS works across a wide range of industries, most notably financial services, government, telecommunications, health, defence, utilities, airlines and mining. Candidates from any of these industries are of particular interest, as are those with management and technical consulting experience.

Would you like to join us in 2011? We’ll be conducting interviews in Manchester and London over two weeks commencing 19 March.

Applications should be forwarded through the SMS website at www.smsmt.com with a detailed letter providing additional relevant information.

Applicants will be advised soon after their application has been received if an interview is to be arranged.

If you would like to meet us at the ‘Working In’ Australian Recruiting Expo in Manchester 19/20 March or London 26/27 March, contact us for a complimentary visitor’s pass.

SMS Management & Technology Head Office: Level 41, 140 William Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

ADELAIDE – BRISBANE – CANBERRA – MELBOURNE – SYDNEY – HONG KONG – VIETNAM www.smsmt.com

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ANZ Outlook / Issue 12

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