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More Storms Hit Town.

We had the warning! Flash flooding to be expected and I kid you not, it didn’t stop raining. Wow, the sky just opened up and it poured all day and night for 48hrs.

We’re fine, just a little leak underneath the house but the very same suburbs that got hit last November in a big storm, had a rough time again. For some, they had just finished the clearing up and rebuilding only to experience more trees falling.

The Gold coast, The Gap and the inner city were flooded and battered by the wild winds. Yes people got stuck, stranded and rescued. Cars were abandoned and washed away.

Did people respond well? Some, some had no idea how bad until it hit and then it was too late… there were plenty of people who decided to try their 4wheel drives just to see if they could get through the floods!

Well, next comes Government hand outs (will it be enough?) and insurance claims (will they pay up?). The Dams are filling fast but we’re still on water restrictions non-the-less.

Bring it all with you.

When packing to visit a friend for their birthday on the weekend, I was amazed at the time it took us to leave the house….

“Bring it all with you for a get together” is not a new way to socialise because of the credit crunch – we’ve found that it is the most common way to socialise in Australia.

Whether the meeting point be at someones house, the park or a play ground, invitations typically include: Bring a plate (with food on it), drinks (Australians bring their beers in a little / personal esky), deck chairs or a rug…….and possibly even contribute to the entertainment.

The Land of the Big Car

Love them or hate them, there are plenty of 4-wheel-drive cars down-under, the question is: Are they here to stay?

Moving from the land of the small cars (France) to the land of the posh cars (Switzerland) then here, they do stand out.

We’ve noticed that the 4-wheel-drive is the Aussie Car, and that “what car do you drive?” isn’t just a passing question.

First up, 4-wheel-drives are big (not as big as the US styles), expensive and they are heavy on the Gas (which is going up in price). Australia has also admitted that there is an environment and that it does need to be protected, the greens are having a shout.

The Need for Wheels
4-wheel-drives are not necessarily an indicator of a 5-star lifestyle, but are a lifestyle option – If you’re into the ‘Great Outdoors’ scene, they are essential.

There are also some every day practical reasons of course for buying the Big Car. In Queensland, as in many parts of Australia, there’s plenty of long distance driving and what comes with that, is a real need for space, comfort and storage room.

Outside the greater Brisbane area, there are plenty of 4-wheel-drive only access tracks. These lead to national parks, beaches, mountains and outdoor recreation areas.

There are beautiful secluded beaches to visit, but only by sandy track….if you want to take the fishing and camping stuff, then you need wheels that can deal with all the stuff and sand.

City Cars Only….

Driving the 4-wheels in and around towns, especially around schools gets people into a stew. Some Moms will argue that with children come the 4-wheel drive buggies and a lot of stuff – others disagree. Parking spaces are small and parking the 4-wheelers is difficult.
Some people have also started a lobby here in Australia, in order to get 4-wheel-drives be banned around schools. This is because of the huge blind spot on these big cars, especially when reversing, and the impossibility to see a young child that would be right behind the car!

Will the big cars stay in demand? Are they going to be banned around schools? What do you think?

Mosquitoes – The Biting Season.

Tips and myths.
Since moving to Australia we’ve been fairly lucky when it comes to mosquitoes. There were few around, but now with all the rain, there are plenty about.

We try the Vitamin B tablets (there are child forms) and cooking with Garlic as solutions. There’s no avoiding various lotions and potions to repel or table top burners and lights.

As well as itchy bites, in Queensland in the past, there was a Dengue fever outbreak. Dengue fever is a viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes to humans that can cause fatalities. Fevers, aches and pains as some of the symptoms. Whilst councils spay mosquito breading grounds it’s worth taking care.

2009′s Calendar of Cultural and Religeous Events.

Better later than never, I just came across this resource for all new Australians and want-to-be migrants.

Australians come from 230 different countries, speak more than 300 languages and practise a wide range of religions

The calendar lists more than 330 cultural and religious dates that will take place throughout 2009.

‘Cultural diversity gives vibrancy and dynamism to Australian life and festivals play an important role in bringing people together, regardless of their background.’

Mr Ferguson said cultural celebrations often lead to new friendships and help to overcome ignorance and encourage community cohesion.

‘One of the great things about being Australian is that we are able to share our many different cultural and religious traditions with one another,’ Mr Ferguson said.

‘By highlighting cultural and religious dates of importance to many Australians, I hope the calendar encourages us all to find out more about our cultural and religious heritage.’

People can search the calendar by month, event or country/religion. For example, one of Australia’s longest running annual cultural events, the Greek Festival of Sydney, is celebrated on 29 March. A Hindu festival honouring the love between brothers and sisters, ‘Raksha Bandhan’, is marked on 5 August by the sister tying a thread on the wrist of her brother as a bond of protection.

The calendar is available on the DIAC website at:
www.immi.gov.au/living-in-australia/a-diverse-australia/calendar-australia

Harmony Day 2009 – March 21st.

The day for Australian’s to get together and be supportive of cultural diversity.

Source: http://www.minister.immi.gov.au/

Hundreds of thousands of Australians are expected to use Harmony Day on March 21 as an opportunity to show support for the diversity and strength of their communities, the Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services, Laurie Ferguson, said today.

‘Harmony Day celebrates the cohesive nature of Australia and promotes the benefits of cultural diversity, as reflected in the 2009 theme of Everyone Belongs,’ Mr Ferguson said.

So far, more than 2100 community groups, businesses, schools, government agencies and councils throughout Australia have registered events.

Harmony Day is part of the Diverse Australia Program, which helps local communities address cultural, racial and religious intolerance and works with different levels of government and community organisations to empower grassroots action.

The Diverse Australia Program provides annual funding of amounts of $5000 for small community grants and up to $50 000 for larger community relations programs and includes funding to respond to emerging issues.

Harmony Day 2009 is supported by iconic Australian organisations such as the Australian Football League, Cricket Australia, Girl Guides Australia and Scouts Australia. Valuable corporate support is being provided by Unisys, Universal McCann, HMA Blaze and Spots and Space.

The Australian Tax Office, the Australian Federal Police, Centrelink, Australia Post, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and IP Australia are among the many government agencies taking part in Harmony Day celebrations.

This year, Harmony Day will also be supported by the Scanlon Foundation’s new initiative, Taste of Harmony (March 16-22), which encourages all Australian workplaces to celebrate cultural diversity through food.

Diversity & Tolerance – What the new Council will do.

How does Australia manage it’s many nations in one?
When it comes to diversity and tolerance, this a shared areas of concern by both the Australian Government and new migrant alike.

As new migrants we were keen for confirmation that we would be well received both at work and play.

Our skills and work history are evaluated during the migration process but are tested again, when we are job seeking and entering the Australian work force.

As a family, to settle we needed to find a sense of place and belonging in our community.

Whilst this takes time and effort on our behalf and is partly down to our own ability to connect, network, socialise and communicate, seek advice, learn and grow, accept or complain…our ability to integrate is also partly reliant on the host country to be tolerant and hospitable.

The council will focus on:

• practical approaches to promoting social cohesion
• overcoming intolerance and racism in Australia
• communicating the social and economic benefits of Australia’s cultural diversity
• the inclusion of migrants in society.

Diversity & Tolerance – How is the Australian Government Managing?

Source: http://www.immi.gov.au/.

• practical approaches to promoting social cohesion
• overcoming intolerance and racism in Australia
• communicating the social and economic benefits of Australia’s cultural diversity
• the inclusion of migrants in society.

The Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services, Laurie Ferguson, said Australia’s approach to immigration and cultural diversity was a national strength.

‘Religious and cultural diversity is a permanent and valuable feature of Australian society and the make-up of the council reflects that diversity,’ Mr Ferguson said.

‘Independent advice from a council made up of experienced and knowledgeable individuals from diverse backgrounds and professional expertise in industry, community, public and private sectors will assist government in developing and strengthening policies and programs to promote social cohesion.’