AUSTRALIA

Facts of Australia

Land & people

Area: 7,686,850 sq km
Population (July 2007 est.): 20.43 million
Capital: Canberra
Official language: English
Per capita GDP (2006 est.): $33,300 (about Dh122, 211)

Australia in the southern hemisphere comprises the mainland of the world’s smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania and a number of other islands in the Southern, Indian and Pacific Oceans. Its neighbouring countries include Indonesia, East Timor and Papua New Guinea to the north, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia to the northeast, and New Zealand to the southeast.

From the east coast, a narrow fertile strip extends west towards the Great Dividing Range or Eastern Highlands. This range runs nearly the length of the continent and has a great influence on coastal weather conditions. West of this range the land becomes flat and forms desert. The ‘centre’ is harsh and often inhospitable but full of amazing beauty… from Uluru (Ayers Rock) to the MacDonnell Ranges.

Westwards the country is mostly made up of broad plateau. Like the east coast, the west has a fertile strip to the east of Perth. The northwest, or Kimberley region, is spectacular and mostly uninhabited. Darwin, situated in the tropics, lies to the northeast.

Between the Eastern Highlands and the Western Plateau lie the Central Lowlands, which are made up of the Great Artesian Basin and Australia’s largest river systems, Murray-Darling Basin and Lake Eyre Basin.

Cape York at the top of the east coast is the most northerly point of Australia. Like much of the interior and the northwest, it is sparsely inhabited and ruggedly beautiful.

Heading down the east coast of Queensland and stretching for 2,300 kilometres, the Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest and most complex living coral system. The large and mountainous island of Tasmania lies off the southeastern coast of Australia.

Administratively Australia is divided into six states: New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia; and two territories: Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory.

Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, and Norfolk Island are dependant areas.

Canberra is located in the Australian Capital Territory. The country’s population is concentrated in the mainland state capitals of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide.

CLIMATE CHECK
when to go
summer (December to February) can be really hot just about anywhere in the country, even in Tasmania. During these months it’s great beach weather in the southern states, and up north this is the wet season. From June until August the north cools down a little and dries up a lot and the time is good to visit Queensland or the outback. Skiing enthusiasts can head for the snowfields of NSW and Victoria. Spring (September-November) and autumn (March-May) are comparatively the best seasons when the weather is reasonably mild wherever you are.

Future perfect

Riding high on steady growth.

Few countries can stake their claim to as many achievements as Australia can. The list, it seems, is growing just as steadily as the economy which, according to experts such as Dr John Edwards, Chief Economist, HSBC Bank for Australia, is in its 16th year of uninterrupted expansion, the longest boom in its history. “In the last 15 years, wealth has more than doubled, output has increased by nearly two thirds, the capital stock by more than half, labour productivity by a little under half and the number of jobs by a quarter. The growth of income per person has been faster in Australia over the period than in Canada, the US, the UK or New Zealand,” says Edwards in the Lowy Institute’s publication Quiet Boom: How the long economic upswing is changing Australia and its place in the world (courtesy: Invest Australia).

Peter Linford, Consul General and Senior Trade Commissioner, Australian Consulate General in Dubai, seconds Edwards’s opinion. “Our GDP performance has been extraordinarily good (2.4 per cent in 2006). Australia has, in fact, enjoyed year-on-year positive growth for more than 15 years, and even during global economic shock periods.” The good times are set to continue with the IMF forecasting GDP growth to be around 2.6 per cent in 2007.

Linford says that there’s been a huge demand for resources and oil and gas, and share prices of these companies have performed well. Australia’s agricultural products, especially meat and wool, and mineral resources including coal and metals such as gold are also in demand,” he says. Merchandise exports were valued at about A$164 billion (about Dh501.4 billion) and imports at about A$176 billion (about Dh538.1 billion) in 2006. Main destinations for merchandise exports were Japan, China, Republic of Korea, the US and New Zealand.

Trade and exports

The services trade, exports in particular, was valued at about A$44 billion (about Dh134.4 billion), with countries such as the US, the UK, Singapore, Japan and China being the top five destinations.

“Australia has become far more sophisticated with its exports and with value-added products. We have been very strong in services exports and it shows that our skill sets are in demand globally. We have a population of approximately 20 million people living in a big country with many resources. However, we cannot sustain our economy just by relying on the domestic market. For instance, the US economy is strongly focused on the domestic market as the population there numbers more than 250 million people. So to maintain a successful economy, Australia has to export its services and products. As our population increases, the domestic market in Australia will also gain more importance in the equation,” says Linford.

Linford says that with China and India’s economies doing so well, the situation also poses huge opportunities for Australia.

In addition to growing exports, foreign investment in Australia is also growing on account of its geographical closeness to markets in Asia and opportunities present across different sectors. According to Invest Australia, the country’s appeal as an investment destination is evident by the 90 per cent increase in the stock of foreign direct investment in the country over the past five years. This year, the value of foreign investment in Australia was about A$1,433 billion (about Dh4,380.29 billion).

Contributions from the state governments and territories have also helped fortify Australia’s strong economic position. According to Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Australian Bureau of Statistics, the gross state product (GSP) of the Australian Capital Territory for 2005-06 was about A$19.47 billion (about Dh59.49 billion) and two per cent of the country’s GDP, while that for the Northern Territory was A$12.24 billion (about Dh37.4 billion) and two percent of the GDP. For 2005-06, New South Wales’s GSP was about A$3,320 billion (about Dh10,148 billion) and 33.1 per cent of the GDP.

Victoria GSP was about A$233 billion (about Dh712 billion) and 24.2 per cent of the GDP, while Queensland’s share in the country’s GDP (2005-06) was 18.9 per cent. Western Australia GSP was about A$119 billion (about Dh363.7 billion) and proportion of the national GDP was 12.3 per cent.

New South Wales is said to have the largest share of private business investment in Australia. In 2005-06, A$40 billion (about Dh122 billion), or 28 per cent of national business investment, occurred in the state. Western Australia, on the other hand, which is home to 10 per cent of Australia’s population, contributes to 30 per cent of the nation’s export earnings.

Diverse and productive

Pankaj Savara, Regional Director, (Middle East and North Africa), Western Australia Trade Office, says that Western Australia (WA) is one of the most productive and diversified mineral and petroleum-rich regions in the world. It is the powerhouse of the resources industry not only in Australia, but also for the Asia-Pacific region as a whole. It has more than 50 mineral and petroleum products being produced in commercial quantities worth around $21 billion (about Dh77.1 billion), annually.

Growth in different state economies as well as at the national level has also had its impact on the population, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) flagship publication Measures of Australia’s Progress: Summary Indicators, Australia’s real net worth per person rose at an average rate of one per cent each year between June 1996 and June 2006, reaching almost $237,000 (about Dh870,499) in 2006. Real net disposable income per person grew at an average rate of three per cent each year between 1995-96 and 2005-06. Unemployment and underemployment both fell in the ten years to 2006. The unemployment rate fell from 8.2 per cent in 1996 to 4.9 per cent in 2006.

These factors have contributed to the high standard of living in Australia, which has been rated as the third best place to live in by the UN Human Development Index 2006. In addition to a good lifestyle, immigrants from places as diverse as China, India, Vietnam, Italy, Greece and the Middle East go to Australia to avail of benefits such as a quality education and equal opportunities in the workplace. These communities, together with the indigenous aboriginal culture, have brought in their influences into areas such as food, art and music.
Education and tourism

Australia’s education sector attracts thousands of foreign students who enroll at higher education and vocational education institutes in the country every year. The official government website for international students shows that there were 332,413 enrollments of full-fee international students in Australia, a 15.4 per cent increase on the same period in 2006.

Tourism is another major sector. According to ABS statistics, 2006 was a good year for the sector as Australia had 5.532 million inbound travellers. The country in fact, was rated as the destination that travellers most want to visit for an extended break in a recent ‘Lonely Planet Travellers Pulse’ survey. Most wanted tourist spots include the Gold Coast in Queensland — home to beaches, amusement parks and other attractions; the Great Barrier Reef — corals that cover more than a 2,000 kilometre long area; the Great Ocean Road; the outback; the ancient aboriginal site of Uluru; Broome; Sydney harbour; Opera House and Bondi Beach.

The country also has a lot to offer for people who love Aussie Rules football, rugby, cricket, and field hockey. In fact, sport is a passion with Australians, who have a natural affinity for the outdoors.

According to figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), around one in three Australians (29 per cent) play sport or exercise twice a week or more. And then there’s the famed Australian cuisine. The country has some of the world’s freshest and finest produce, seafood and meat. The country is also renowned for its great seafood such as yabbies, mud crabs, blue swimmer crabs, oysters, scallops and barramundi. Australian meats, especially beef (Wagyu) and lamb (Victorian).

Australia has different facets: it’s modern but ancient, urban yet relaxed, confident yet casual, and successful but still ambitious. It’s also a leader among nations

Life and work in the land ‘Down Under’

Tips on finding a brighter career and life in Australia.

Australia has recently been ranked as the 3rd best country to live by The Human Development Index, which is used by the United Nations to measure quality of life. The promise of a new start in a country full of opportunities attracts thousands of migrants every year; during 2004-5005 it is estimated that over 431,100 people arrived.

Cassie Walker, Senior Consultant for Immigration Consultant firm Aries International’s Dubai office says: “Australia is an extremely multicultural society which welcomes people from all nationalities, backgrounds and religions.”

It is now estimated that there is one international migrant every three minutes and fifteen seconds to the country. The 2001 Australian Census found that 2.8 million people, 16 per cent of the population, speak a language other than English at home. Two hundred languages are now spoken in Australia, which is an indication of the cultural diversity within the population. The five most commonly spoken languages other than English are Italian, Greek, Cantonese, Arabic and Vietnamese, with speakers of these languages together comprising seven per cent of the total population. Prabhjeet Singh, Dubai Branch Manager at immigration consultant firm WWICS says: “More languages are spoken in Sydney than any other city in the world. Over 100 ethnic groups live in Australia, making a major contribution to the country’s culture and economic development.”

Walker says: “Australia is continually adapting to include different cultures and nationalities. The culture of Australia does not specifically change as most people would expect, as acceptance and diversity is so ingrained.”

One well-known Australian Government initiative is ‘Living in Harmony’. This programme is designed to encourage all Australians to contribute to and build upon social cohesion, with a particular emphasis on the promotion of Australian values and mutual obligation. ‘Harmony Day’ is held on March 21 every year, and it celebrates Australia’s success as a diverse society, united by a common set of values.

Another government initiative is ‘Diversity Works’, which aims to promote the benefits for businesses and the economy of utilising the cultural and linguistic skills of the Australian workforce.

The media in Australia has also adapted its services to best suit the multicultural background. The Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) is the country’s multicultural and multilingual broadcaster whose radio and television services are transmitted in more languages than any other network in the world. Sixty-eight languages are spoken on SBS Radio, whilst programmes in more than sixty languages are broadcasted on SBS Television.

Many cultural-themed festivals that reflect the ethnic diversity of the country also take part each year. Dedicated festival attendee and contributor Marinos Theoharous says: “Events like Glendi are becoming more common in Australia as more cultures get integrated into society here. It’s brilliant for example to see a Chinese person enjoying Greek music and food. It really reflects the multicultural face of the country.” The Thai Culture and Food festival, held in March each year at Federation Square Melbourne, is another example of the many events that take place.

Points system

According to which visa you apply for, a certain amount of points need to be reached for an application to be successful.

The points system is divided into different categories; on the basis of varying set criteria the applicant gains a certain amount of points for each category. For example, from the occupation category, those with an occupation that is on the Migration Occupation Demand List (MODL) will gain a high score. The age category allocates more points to younger applicants, and the English Language Proficiency category allocates more points to those who are native English language speakers.

Since September 1 this year, changes have been made to the General Skills Migration Programme (GSM). A greater emphasis has now been made on rewarding GSM applicants who have very good English language proficiency; under the new system, bonus points will be given to applicants who achieve English language scores above the threshold level.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Skills in demand

The Migration Occupation in Demand List (MODL) is a list of occupations that have been identified by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations in Australia (DEWR) as being in short supply.

This is reviewed twice a year to take into consideration existing and emerging skill shortages in the country. Prabhjeet Singh, Dubai Branch Manager at Immigration Consultant firm WWICS says: “The huge gap in demand and supply of jobs and professionals has resulted in a flexible approach in immigration laws. The MODL lists those occupations and specialisations that are high in demand.”

According to how much in demand the occupation is, the number of points it is assigned increases. Hence, an individual with in-demand skills will earn more points to meet the pass mark needed in order to gain a visa. The occupations are separated into four categories:

Managers/Administrators, Professionals, Associate Professionals and Tradespersons. Currently listed as being in demand are Accountants, Architects, Civil Engineers, Dentists, Dermatologists, External Auditors, Psychiatrists, Radiologists, Surgeons, Chefs, Bakers, Brick Layers, Cooks, Drainers, Fitters and Hairdressers, among many others. The MODL and other important visa application information can be found at the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship website www.immi.gov.au

Accountants, architects, civil engineers, dentists, dermatologists, external auditors, psychiatrists, radiologists, surgeons, chefs, bakers, brick layers, cooks, drainers, fitters and hairdressers are in huge demad

An exciting place

“Companies such as Multiplex and Woods Bagot, which have their head offices in Perth, reflect Western Australia’s strong construction and building materials-related capabilities,” says Pankaj Savara, Regional Director (MENA), Western Australian Trade Office. “The number of Australians, and Australian companies in the UAE has increased over the past five years, being attracted by the opportunities here. For an engineer, it’s certainly an exciting place to be,” says Chris Gordon General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Leighton Asia Limited.

“Australians have a strong ability to come up with new methods for building projects by thinking creatively. This manifests in innovative solutions to complex problems,” he says.

Savara says that Australian companies are strong in sectors such as city planning, urban revival, land subdivisions and in building designs from shopping centres and apartment blocks to individual dwellings, resort developments, theme parks and more. “Solutions provided include services such as surveying, technology based solutions for land management and city development, and architectural design,” he adds.

Australian companies have secured some of the region’s prime projects. The Multiplex Group — which operates under the trade name of Nasa Multiplex in the UAE — completed 10 years in the Middle East and has an impressive portfolio comprising projects such as the Emirates Office Tower, Emaar’s Dubai Marina (comprising six high-rise towers), the Gate at DIFC, the Grosvenor House Hotel at Dubai Marina and Phase 1 of the Burj Dubai Residences. Multiplex was also awarded a Dh1 billion contract for the design and construction of the Union Properties project, Index — an 86-storey office, residential and retail complex — located in the Dubai International Finance Centre.

The development comprises 25 levels of office space, 520 apartments and penthouses over 50 levels with other levels being occupied by parking, retail, services and a landscaped podium. Multiplex has also worked on Union Properties projects such as The Tower and Creekside Apartments. Nasa Multiplex was also awarded the contract to construct the Emirates Park Towers Hotel for Emirates airline. Union Properties have also commissioned edara-APP — a joint venture between Dubai’s edara and Australian project management company APP — as their project managers for Index’s design and construction phases.

Leighton Asia (which operates in the region as Gulf Leighton LLC) has been contracted as part of a joint venture with Kier Dubai LLC to work on infrastructure development on the City of Arabia development. The $64 million (about Dh235 million) contract involves the construction of 15 kilometres of roads in and around the development, five bridges and underground services including drains, sewers, water mains and telecommunications. There are huge projects in Abu Dhabi and Doha as well.

The Sunland Group has 23 years of experience in construction in Australia and is known for its iconic developments, Yve and Q1. In Dubai, the group joined hands with Emirates International Holdings to form the Emirates Sunland Group (ESG), which is also the real estate development company behind the first Palazzo Versace Hotel in Australia (Gold Coast). The company is now working on the second Palazzo Versace Hotel and condominiums in Dubai and the premium D1 development in Dubai. The D1 is a sister-development of the Q1 (Gold Coast, Australia).

Australian leading construction company Bovis Lend Lease in association with the Mass Transit Rail Corporation of Hong Kong, has been appointed by the Rail Transport Authority of Dubai to offer strategic project management services for phases one to three of the new Dubai Metro project.

Austrade and other government bodies are also pitching in. According to Savara, the Western Australian Government recently hosted a Middle East Focus Construction Industry Seminar in Perth and invited GHD Global PTY Ltd from Dubai to brief the industry about the potential the UAE holds in construction and building material related sectors.

Oz for children

With so many activities, it’s not difficult to keep your little ones busy in Australia.

Australia is known for its iconic beaches, great shopping and gourmet dining, but the country also ranks high as an ideal destination for children. Families can stay busy Down Under in its innumerable amusement parks, hiking trails, wildlife parks, zoos and aquariums.

Sydney

Sydney’s Wildlife World, with its koala sanctuary, exhibits on reptiles and rainforests, and a brand new butterfly exhibition apart from the Sydney Aquarium located next to it, is a treat for children. Visit the websites www.sydneywildlifeworld.com.au and www.sydneyaquarium.com.au for details. You can also buy a combined Wild Australia Pass that gives you a discounted price on entry to both the attractions. The Powerhouse Museum is a fully interactive museum full of hands-on experiences for kids to learn and have fun (www.phm.gov.au).

You can enjoy spectacular views of Sydney from the Sydney Tower, which has a viewing platform inside the tower as well as outside. It is perfect for older children and comes with OzTrek, a simulated ride that takes you on a virtual reality adventure across Australia’s cultural history and geography. www.sydneytoweroztrek.com.au.

Apart from Sydney, the surrounding areas too, have interesting activities including dolphin watching at Port Stephens, Toboggan Hill Park, Oakdale Farm, Blue Mountains – Scenic World, The Edge and Leuralla (Toy Museum). The South Coast has the Jamberoo Recreation Park, Symbio Wildlife Gardens and Storybook Gardens in Hunter Valley Gardens. Also check out Taronga Park Zoo (www.zoo.nsw.gov.au) and Belgenny Farm (www.belgennyfarm.com.au), a working farm near Sydney.

Children can have a crack at the waves on Bondi Beach www.letsgosurfing.com.au, or head to the Australian National Maritime Museum, which has boats, ships, submarines and spectacular displays that bring Australia’s seafaring history to life. www.anmm.gov.au.

Southern Australia

At Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary, you’ll see long-nosed potoroos, brown bandicoots, wallabies and, maybe a platypus (www.warrawong.com). At Seal Bay, the Kangaroo Island is a true natural wonderland and the colony of Australian sea lions is one of the island’s most popular attractions. www.parks.sa.gov.au/sealbay

The Cleland Wildlife Park is one of the best places for children to meet Australia’s native animals. You can cuddle a koala, picnic amid kangaroos or burn some energy on a bushwalk. www.parks.sa.gov.au/cleland. Walk or take the historic Victor Harbour Horse Drawn Tram across the causeway to Granite Island, where you can stroll in the national park or take an evening tour to see Little Penguins. www.graniteisland.com.au.

Beachouse is Adelaide’s newest amusement complex that provides world-class entertainment for kids at Adelaide’s Glenelg beach. Enjoy three fully enclosed, heated water slides, one of the world’s most exciting play castles, a challenging mini golf course, the first single arm Ferris Wheel in Australia, dodgem cars and the latest arcade games. www.thebeachouse.com.au

South Australian Maritime Museum lets you walk aboard a sailing ketch; see the cramped conditions in which early settlers sailed out from Europe; and play the slot machines in Penny Arcade. South Australia’s award-winning maritime museum, located in the heritage area of Port Adelaide, is designed to entertain children of all ages. www.history.sa.gov.au.

The Big Rocking Horse and Toy Factory at Gumeracha is home to the biggest rocking horse in the world. Set in the beautiful Adelaide Hills, only 45 minutes from the city centre, The Big Rocking Horse stands over 18 metres high, and has been voted Australia’s ‘Best Big Thing.’

Visitors to The Seahorse Farm at Port Adelaide can discover beautiful seahorses and seadragons at the relocated Seahorse Farm, where you can see different species — all in a variety of colours, markings and number of tail rings. www.saseahorse.com

The South Australian Museum has displays of stunning artefacts including gems, dinosaurs and Egyptian mummies. The Australian Aboriginal Cultures Gallery has been the major focus of the Museum’s redevelopment. With more than 3,000 items on display in a contemporary, interactive setting, the gallery is the most comprehensive Aboriginal cultural exhibition in the world. www.samuseum.sa.gov.au.

Great Barrier Reef/Hamilton Island

There’s no other island in Australia that offers the diversity of Hamilton Island – especially for families. “One of the popular family activities is the Snorkel Adventure at Catseye Beach. The coral reef off Hamilton Island is home to hundreds of tropical fish, and visiting children love to wade out with their snorkel, goggles and flippers to hand-feed the colourful marine life at low tide,” says Craig Davidson, General Manager, Hamilton Island.

Another favourite place to visit is the Koala Gallery, where youngsters can cuddle a koala and even have breakfast with them. There is also a daily crocodile feed and native Australian animals and reptiles on-site. After you have had a first visit you can return for free over the period of your stay.

With Cairns and Port Douglas departures, choose from idyllic island destinations or Outer Barrier Reef cruises to discover and share this natural wonder of the world with your family.

Two ideal family destinations are the tropical Great Barrier Reef islands of Green Island and Low Isles.

The Outer Great Barrier Reef is the largest reef structure in the world that can be seen from the moon. With the highest marine diversity on the planet, the Great Barrier Reef is home to more than 1,500 species of fish and 450 types of corals that can be enjoyed by taking a cruise or a semi-submarine ride. www.quicksilvergroup.com.au.

Perth

Perth and the surrounding areas offer an exciting range of family-friendly activities — many of which are within the city limits.

You can spend the day at Perth Zoo and see the 230 species within the zoo’s enclosures. Continue your holiday experience of the animal kind with a visit to Lake Monger, a 10-minute drive from the city, where thousands of birds can be seen, including Western Australia’s faunal emblem — the black swan. www.westernaustralia.com.

Melbourne

In Melbourne, must-see places for children include Scienceworks and the Melbourne Planetarium, the Melbourne Aquarium, the Melbourne Museum, the Melbourne Observation Deck and Sovereign Hill, and the Healesville Sanctuary. An hour-long drive from Melbourne, Healesville Sanctuary has koalas, dingoes, kangaroos and platypus among the 200 species of Australian wildlife flourishing in an Australian bushland environment. www.visitvictoria.com

Naturally fresh

Eating organic food is not so much a fad as a way of life in Australia.

From a nation that prides itself on fitness, Australians are ‘fair dinkum’ about organic produce. Down Under, the word ‘organic’ is not an advertising catchphrase; it refers to produce and products that are certified to Australian Organic Standards: chemical-free, made by ecologically sustainable practices and not genetically modified.

As the island continent covers a range of climates — from tropical to temperate — and soil types, there’s naturally great diversity in organic produce. From mangoes in northern Australia to dairy products in Tasmania, the options are endless.

With health a high-priority for sports-mad Aussies, there’s a domestic demand for organic produce, which is developing into a major export industry. Australian organic produce can be found in Dubai at retailers such as The Body Shop, Organic Foods & Café and Union Cooperative. In fact, organic food is one of the country’s fastest growing food sectors according to the Organic Federation of Australia. And there is celeb support too. Supermodel Elle McPherson and actress Naomi Watts are two prominent Australians who buy organic produce.

Home delivery

Melbourne-based interior designer and advocate of eco-friendly living Caecillia Potter has been getting home-delivered organic groceries for over a decade. “We buy organic food from a local organic greengrocer/cafe called Sprout. But there are heaps of organic fresh delivery services in Australia and they’re all on the Web; you just log-on and order,” she says, adding that the Organic Choice website (www.organicchoice.com.au) is one popular portal.

“The standards are high in Australia; a lot of cafés serve organic food and nearly all grocery stores have organic sections. In fact, my husband and I find it difficult to get the same range when we’re overseas.

“Like many people here, we grow our own organic heritage seed vegetables and fruit. Currently we have snowpeas, lazy housewife beans, broad beans, spinach, 10 different kinds of lettuce, lots of herbs, artichoke and capsicum.”

Produce that’s certainly organic is Australian bushtucker (‘tucker’ means food): indigenous plants that the aboriginals originally subsisted on and that are enjoyed by the general Australian population now. These include Warrigal greens, candlenuts, lili-pilli, bunya nuts, lemon myrtle and bungwall fern.

David Snell, a Sydney permaculture expert, explains that organic indigenous food became popular in the early 1990s. “I have collected organic bushtucker for companies that distribute organic indigenous produce to airlines, hotels and restaurants around the world,” he says via e-mail. “In a way, it’s the only food that’s genuinely Australian. And because these plants are native, they have no negative impact on the ecosystem and therefore are the most ecologically sensitive crop.”

Organic livestock

But you needn’t be restricted to munching on Warrigal greens. There’s excellent organic beef, lamb and other meat in Australia as well besides dairy options. Certified organic livestock is reared without the use of growth hormones or antibiotics. Organic farming caters to the behavioural needs of livestock as well as to animal welfare issues with respect to nutrition, housing and health. One company, Organic Beef Exporters (OBE), is believed to be the largest organic beef company in the world. OBE’s properties cover more than 7 million hectares of inland Australia. Cattle graze on pastures where there has never been any need for chemicals, due to the isolation and the absence of pests. According to the Australian Organic Consumer Survey, the most popular Australian organic brands are in the food sector: Pure Harvest (which produces Oat Milk, Rice Milk and Aussie Soy, all available in Dubai) and BioNature (which produces pasta, oil and pasta sauces).

Organic skin care, hair and cosmetic products are also popular. One Australian internet-based business that provides chemical-free products is www.organicaustralia.com. Another globally popular brand is the Jurlique skin care range.

Started by a naturopath and a horticulturalist, Jurlique’s products are made using the plant-based principles of herbalism, aromatherapy, alchemy and homeopathy. With ingredients sourced from two organic herb farms in South Australia, Jurlique is available in more than 15 countries and can be ordered online.

“The natural cosmetics industry has also boomed in the past decade,” says Potter. “People are becoming more concerned about the environment and have started to raise questions about the risks of chemical-based products.” There are even niche businesses such as Melbourne’s Down to Earth Baby (www.downtoearthbaby.com), which has a range of organic, fair-trade and eco-friendly products for pregnant women and babies.

Yet, the organic movement is more than just products. There are also community-based initiatives in organic farming and eco-friendly living. CERES (Centre for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies) is such a project in inner-city Melbourne. Its 4-hectare site has displays on a range of environmental issues to illustrate what can be achieved at household, community and global levels.

Projects include an organic café, organic community gardens, permaculture gardens, wind and solar power generation systems, animal farm, bushtucker nursery, household compost systems and a worm farm that recycles organic waste.

“What projects such as CERES show is that there’s a social dimension to organic produce and eco-friendly living. If you can create a space like that in the middle of a city, you can achieve this anywhere,” says Potter

Australian advantage

High quality and competitive education in a safe environment.

If you are innovative, creative and think independently, then Australia promises a unique education experience. This dynamic, vibrant and multicultural country attracts the third largest number of international students in the English-speaking world after the US and UK. According to officials at the Australian Consulate in Dubai, the number of UAE nationals studying in Australia has grown rapidly over the last few years, making the UAE the third-largest market in the Middle East for student recruitment.

“According to the latest Australian Education International (AEI) statistics there are around 930 UAE nationals currently studying in Australia, a 22 per cent rise from 2006. This includes privately funded students as well as high achieving students on full scholarships provided by the government,” said Wendy Haydon Wallace, Business Development Manager covering the education sector at the Australian Consulate in Dubai.

High quality education, competitive study and living costs and a safe environment are the main factors that attract international students to this country. “One of the reasons Gulf students are drawn to Australia is the climate, which in many places matches the Gulf climate. Many people forget Australia is largely a desert nation.

Another thing I hear Gulf students report about Australia is that the education and lifestyle on offer promotes independence. So through studying and living in Australia they are often challenged to think in different ways to the way they were schooled. Returning students often mention this as the most challenging and rewarding part of studying in Australia. This approach also prepares students well for the workforce and is one of the reasons why graduates from Australian institutions are very successful in finding jobs,” said Haydon Wallace.

In one of his discussions on the Australian education system, Brendan Nelson, Minister for Education, Science and Training in Australia, mentioned: “Winston Churchill famously observed in 1943 during a prescient address to Harvard University that ‘The empires of the future will be empires of the mind’. Australia’s place in the 21st century will rely entirely on the capacity of our universities to facilitate critical thinking, undertake world-class research and pass the soul of the nation from one generation to the next.”

Australian universities offer a stimulating environment for students to gain valuable skills and experiences. What is interesting is that students can take an active role in the learning process. Engineering is a very popular programme in Australia. Several international students also opt for information technology and information science, as well as business management courses. Australian universities are major participants in international education and research projects and initiatives. Australia also specialises in vocational education and training.

The vast range of courses includes information technology, business management, marketing and communications, health, science, design and the arts, television production and media, environmental studies and land management, sport and recreation, engineering and building, hospitality and tourism. In Australia you can study vocational courses at both public Technical and Further Education institutes and private colleges. The government carefully monitors these institutions, ensuring quality of courses, staff and teaching. Students can learn English in Australia as part of a formal course that prepares individuals for accredited levels of English language recognised by education and immigration authorities around the world. About 20 per cent of all international students in Australia enroll in English language training.

First-hand experience

Besides a world-class education system, the opportunities to get involved in the Australian way of life are endless. From arts and sports to book clubs and great outdoors, there are several ways that international students can blend in and feel at home. The country also offers excellent value for money, since living expenses and tuition costs in Australia are much less than the UK and the US. According to information available on the official education website of the Australian Consulate, the average international student in Australia spends about $335 per week on accommodation, food, clothing, entertainment, transport, international and domestic travel, telephone and incidental costs. School students in Australia spend a little less, about $275 per week on accommodation and food, entertainment, transport and associated items. Options for accommodation for international students include rental accommodation, hostels, residential colleges and boarding schools. Students can also live with Australian families to get a first-hand experience of life in the country.

The Australian Qualifications Framework, a system that simplifies international comparison and recognition, covers most courses taken by international students on a student visa. Australia has also legislated to protect and safeguard the fees paid by international students. The Australian Government legislation includes a code of conduct that is legally enforceable throughout the country. The Australian Universities Quality Agency is an independent, national quality assurance body that audits the key activities of teaching, research and management in Australian universities. “Australia’s national quality assurance system is unique in both its structure and its rigour. Institutions must be registered with the Australian Government and meet special registration conditions enabling them to deliver courses to international students in Australia,” said Mohammad Meraj, Marketing Manager, University of Wollongong (UOWD) in Dubai.

The UOWD is one of the UAE’s oldest and most prestigious universities representing a very early Australian initiative in the country. Today, UOWD attracts students not just from the UAE and Australia but from all over the world. Besides the UOWD, the University of Southern Queensland also has its Dubai campus in the Knowledge Village, the SAE institute offers film audio and 3D animation courses and the Cambridge College International has opened its doors to students in this region.

With people from more than 100 ethnic groups making Australia their home, it is one of the world’s most multicultural places. Australians value the contribution international students make to their campuses and communities and, therefore, welcome overseas students. “The multicultural nature of Australian society also means international students are readily accepted by other students, and teachers are experienced in teaching multi-ethnic classes. Australia has low crime rates and strict gun control laws providing a safe environment.