We usher in the New Year by looking back at 2009. Image courtesy of Tourism Australia.
So as 2010 looms just around the corner, let’s have a look back at what 2009 brought with it by taking a wee stroll down memory lane and remembering some of the news headlines from Embrace Australia over the past year.
January was the month that Queensland put out their ad for the “best job in the world” never imagining its huge success and popularity. The job was simple enough, to be caretaker of Hamilton Island for 6 months and write a blog about your experiences.
Over 34,000 video applications were received for the coveted position, including a rather dubious one by Mr Osama bin Laden! In the end the job went to Brit Ben Southall. However Mr Southall faced criticism by some for his infrequent blogs and he was also labelled a “whinging Pom” when his list of complaints included missing the British summer.
February saw the launch of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (MARA) to protect visa applicants from unscrupulous and incompetent migration agents. It also relieved some of the pressure from the Migration Institute of Australia (MIA) and made dealing with complaints and regulation easier and more efficient.
The bushfires devastated the state of Victoria.
February also saw Australia’s worst disaster in the form of devastating bushfires that engulfed Victoria and killed nearly 200 people, leaving many thousands homeless. Arsonists were said to be responsible for many of the fires that raged through the dry, arid landscape with such ferocity that many people simply didn’t stand a chance. Some of the arsonists caught were later tried for murder.
In March the first of many changes to the skilled migration program and Critical Skills List (CSL) was made by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC). Chris Evans announced a 14% cut to the skilled migration intake and the CSL saw many skilled trades removed.
Australian free-diver Walter Steyn broke the world free diving record in April by diving 92m underwater without the aid of oxygen. The 36 year old managed to smash his previous record of 77m. In typical Aussie style one of the first things he said after setting his new world record was: “I’m absolutely stoked.”
In May came the bizarre news that the Australian government had paid cash bonuses of up to $900 to 16,000 dead people! The payments were part of the stimulus package designed to kick-start the economy and head off any potential recession. The government gave the payments to all eligible Australians who had lodged a tax return in the last financial year, unfortunately that included 16,000 who had since died. It is not known if any of the “grateful dead” returned their payments.
Spiderman came to Sydney in June in the form of French daredevil Alain Robert who climbed the 718ft Royal Bank of Scotland Tower without a safety rope or harness. The Frenchman is famous for scaling tall buildings, doing so he says, to raise awareness about climate change. Hundreds of people cheered him as he worked his way up the building, but the police were on hand to arrest him as soon as he came back down.
The baby whale takes its very first breath.
A baby whale’s first breath was captured on camera in July off the coast of Australia. The baby humpback whale was witnessed by marine scientists, being gently lifted to the surface by its mother, to take its first breath of air.
Also in July was the dramatic tale of Jamie Neale, the British backpacker who went missing for more than a week in the wilderness of the Blue Mountains. His remarkable survival and healthy appearance led many to believe that it had been a hoax, something Jamie and his family strenuously denied. Jamie was later criticised for giving a tiny proportion of what he had made from media deals, to the rescue services who spent $100,000 searching for him.
Virgin Blue teamed up with Delta Airlines in August to re-created the “Ten Pound Pom” offer of the 1950s. 150 hopefuls queued for days and nights outside the Travel Agencies offering the deal hoping to grab the deal of the year!
August also brought tragic news in the death of Sam the Bushfire Koala who symbolised hope for many people after the tragedy of the bushfires in Victoria. A picture of Sam drinking from the water bottle of a firefighter amidst a burnt out forest was transmitted across the world. Australians took Sam to their hearts and were devastated by his death in August from Chlamydia.
One of the apocalyptic scenes from Sydney.
In September Sydneysiders awoke to find the city had turned red overnight! A huge dust cloud covered the city and produced spectacular images of Sydney’s most famous landmarks covered in an eerie orange hue. Meanwhile residents of Melbourne were woken by two tremors that shook the city to its core and in Adelaide flood warnings were put in place as the city was lashed by heavy rains.
September saw the most controversial change to skilled migration visas yet when the DIAC slid in changes that affected all applicants, old and new, that were going through state sponsorship. Forums up and down the country were inundated with tales from heartbroken visa applicants who had sold their houses and taken their children out of school in the presumption that they were only weeks away from getting their visas finalised. Many now face waits of up to three years. And to further rub their noses in it, the government refused to give existing applicants a refund if they withdrew their applications.
A new Citizenship test was launched in October that asked would-be Australian citizens questions on Australian politics, law and the responsibilities of citizenship. We reproduced ten questions from the new test to see how well you would do. Many critics argued that the new test discriminated against those whose first language was not English.
A monster shark was feared lurking in the waters around Brisbane.
Meanwhile in Brisbane fears grew about a monster shark in the area that was estimated to be at least 5 or 6 metres long. This was after a 3 metre shark found snared on a baited drumline was discovered to have massive bites on its side. The Australian government said the discovery was enough to justify using such shark nets and drumlines amid criticism about other marine life being caught up in them.
November brought back the reality show we all love to hate – ‘I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here’. This year it was even more gripping as Peter Andre refused to present an insiders series for the This Morning programme after it was revealed that his ex-wife Katie Price would be taking part. Katie herself was criticised for leaving two sick children with her parents whilst she flew off to Australia. She later left the show after being nominated for four bushtucker trials.
Australia’s forgotten children also got an apology from Australian Prime Minster Kevin Rudd this month. Between 1947 and 1967 an estimated 11,000 British children were sent to Australia as part of an immigration plan by Australia. Many of the children suffered abuse and cruelty at the hands of their carers and many more were wrongly told that their parents had died. Mr Rudd made his formal apology at a Canberra ceremony where many survivors openly wept. Britain has said it will apologise for its role in the new year.
A proposed strike by BA cabin crew in December left many holidaymakers to Australia wondering if they would get to spend their Christmas on Bondi Beach or Brighton Beach. Family reunions were thrown into jeopardy and worried travellers inundated the BA helpline. The strike however was stopped by a court injunction, much to the relief of passengers up and down the country. However there could still be a strike in the new year.
The giant iceberg that was heading for Australia.
Not only that but a giant iceberg that had broken off the Ross Ice Shelf in Antartica was heading for the western Australian coast – still in one piece! The huge iceberg was double the size of Sydney Harbour when it was spotted drifting 1000km towards the Australian coast, but luckily it broke up into smaller pieces once it reached warmer waters.
So that’s it, our round-up of the news and events from the past year. Who knows what 2010 will bring, more rampaging kangaroos perhaps? But we sincerely hope that it brings good news to many visa applicants. Don’t forget to bookmark us as we keep you up to date on all the happenings in immigration, travel and culture. If you love Australia, then why not Embrace Australia?
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