Dagorret » australia

Dusk in ocean beach – photos

Carlos Dagorret — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:00:30 +0000

Photographer and Source : Jim Worrall

Sorrento’s mix of natural attractions, seaside charm, casual sophistication and historic flavour are a winning combination. Sorrento, Portsea and Blairgowrie all offer a wonderful array of seaside attractions providing inspirational opportunities for getting away from it all!.

These days Sorrento can be reached by car within 90 minutes from the heart of Melbourne rather than a day’s voyage. The Southern Peninsula is blessed with the best stretch of north facing beaches in Australia, providing an incredible venue for swimming, snorkelling, scuba-diving, water skiing and of course the International drawcard – Swimming with the Dolphins!.

From the quiet front beach to the spectacular amphitheatre of the ocean beach everything is within walking distance.

All these images can be purchased at the high resolution: http://pixelmuser.redbubble.com/

The Australian wraps asylum seeker story in dirty tactics

Carlos Dagorret — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 01:36:08 +0000

It seems that, in mourning the passing of the Coalition federal government, the Australian has picked up the dirty baton of spinning stories designed to inflame anti-asylum seeker sentiment.

Paige Taylor authored a story about the government’s decision to move 10 unaccompanied minors from Christmas Island to Australia for processing on compassionate grounds in Thursday’s Australian

The story was headed: No visas, boys? Welcome to Australia

Taylor’s story included the incorrect implication that the Howard government had not acted in this manner themselves – which the Immigration Department corrected in a later story, pointing out that there had been 61 previous occasions under the Howard government when asylum-seekers from detention facilities on Nauru or Manus islands had been allowed to stay on the Australian mainland for processing after going there for medical or legal reasons, including to give birth or attend court. Kevin Rudd denies change in asylum policy

Taylor also implied that the move “that coincided with the arrival of yet another boat of asylum-seekers at the Indian Ocean territory last night” was to address overcrowding on Christmas Island – echoing Sharman’ Stone’s position – without attribution:

“…we’ve simply been told, ’shock, panic, let’s move some people off quickly before they’re processed and make way for the next boatload hovering on the horizon’.” Kevin Rudd denies change in asylum policy

It is interesting to compare headlines from other sources on the same matter:

Immigration first: Afghans allowed onto mainland without visas from the Macquarie Network’s Live News

No visas needed for 10 asylum seekers from Bigpond News (Telstra)

And the least inflammatory of all: Child Refugees enter Australia Without Visas from Embrace Australia, “the number one website for people interested in Australia immigration and those who simply love Australia”.

UPDATE: Media release from Senator Evans

Policy on irregular maritime arrivals remains firm

The Rudd Government is not changing its policy on asylum seekers.

Under the Rudd Government, unaccompanied children are processed as a priority.

Ten unaccompanied children were transferred from Christmas Island to the mainland on 2 September 2009.

This is to enable the department to finalise their cases and provide proper support to this particularly vulnerable group of children.

The children were part of a group who arrived on Christmas Island on 7 May 2009 and they have been undergoing the relevant processing while on Christmas Island.

Their move to the mainland in the final stage of their processing is not a change of Government policy. The department is simply finalising the processing of this particularly vulnerable group of children in an environment where better services can be provided.

They have not been released into the broader community and remain under the care of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship at the Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation (MITA) centre.

The Opposition Immigration spokesman Sharman Stone is wrong to claim that their legal processing arrangements and entitlements have changed.

Dr Stone clearly does not understand the legislation introduced by the Howard Government. This makes no change to their legal status whatsoever. They are still offshore entry persons and do not have access to the onshore legal processes.

This is not unprecedented. This is not the first vulnerable group that this or the previous government has moved from offshore to the mainland before their visa status has been finalised. Exceptions have been made for vulnerable people or those with health issues, for example pregnant women or people who are seriously ill. Decisions such as these are made on a case-by-case basis.

The Rudd Government has maintained a system of mandatory detention and excision and made it clear that all irregular maritime arrivals will be detained and processed at Christmas Island while health, identity and security checks are undertaken.

The Rudd Government has also maintained extensive air and sea patrols and allocated $654 million in the Budget for measures to combat people smuggling.

Australia Island, Best Job ($105.000)

Carlos Dagorret — Wed, 06 May 2009 12:10:21 +0000

An Australian state has launched a global search for candidates for “the best job in the world” — earning a top salary for lazing around a beautiful tropical island for six months.

The job pays 150,000 Australian dollars (105,000 US dollars) and includes free airfares from the successful applicant’s home country to Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland’s state government announced on Tuesday.

In return, the “island caretaker” will be expected to stroll the white sands, soak up the sun, snorkel the reef, “maybe clean the pool” — and report to a global audience via weekly blogs, photo diaries and video updates.

The winner, who will stay rent-free in a multi-million dollar three-bedroom beach home complete with plunge pool and golf buggy, must be an excellent communicator and be able to speak and write English.

“They’ll also have to talk to media from time to time about what they’re doing so they can’t be too shy and they’ll have to love the sea, the sun, the outdoors,” said acting state Premier Paul Lucas.

“The fact that they will be paid to explore the islands of the Great Barrier Reef, swim, snorkel and generally live the Queensland lifestyle makes this undoubtedly the best job in the world.”

Lucas said the campaign was part of a drive to protect the state’s 18 billion Australian dollar a year tourism industry during the tough economic climate caused by the global financial meltdown.

While the campaign has elements of some reality television shows, a candidate’s looks will not be a prime requirement, Tourism Queensland chief executive Anthony Hayes told AFP.

“No, I don’t think beautiful is what we want, I think charismatic is what we want,” he said. “The reality is we are looking for a fantastic communicator.

“What we want this person to do is travel throughout the Great Barrier Reef and just try every experience, every adventure they can find and report back via blogs and video to tell the world why Queensland is a great place to come for a holiday.”

Tourism Minister Desley Boyle said some people might question whether it was risky to let an unknown person become an unofficial tourism spokesperson for the state.

“I think the biggest risk will be that the successful candidate won’t want to go home at the end of the six months,” she said.

“This is a legitimate job which is open to anyone and everyone.”

Applications are open until February 22. Eleven shortlisted candidates will be flown to Hamilton Island in early May for the final selection process and the six month contract will commence on July 1.

Job-seekers can apply on .

On the Net:

Islandreefjob.com: http://www.islandreefjob.com/en/

Source : AP