Daily Archives: March 24, 2015

Group portrait of unidentified members of the 6th Battalion football team at a camp on the Aegean island of Lemnos. 25th December 1915. Sarpi, Lemnos. AWM C01194

One of the possible Centenary of Anzac 2015 events that could be held would be a symbolic re-creation of the Anzac Association Football (they referred to it as soccer then) games on Lemnos in October and December 1915.

All sorts of sports were played by the Anzacs in WW1 – rugby, cricket, tennis, Australian Rules football. There is evidence that Australian Rules and rugby were played on Lemnos in 1915 but Association Football is the only sport played on Lemnos for which we have documentary and photographic evidence.

There are three photographs kept by the Australian War Memorial relating to football on Lemnos in 1915, all relating to the Anzacs.

The first is a photograph of British sailors arriving at Sarpi Camp for a football game in October 1915, with the Australians we presume, given that Sarpi was the principal Anzac rest camp on Lemnos in 1915.

There are two other later photographs of a game being played between the sailors of the Royal Navy’s HMS Hunter and Anzacs of the 6th Battalion in December 1915. This was held as the evacuation of the peninsula was underway, the disastrous Gallipoli campaign coming to its end.

I have been unable to find any documents stating the results of these matches.

It is possible that the dates are wrong and that the photographs all relate to a single game played on December 25, 1915, as part of the Christmas celebrations on the island.

Lance Corporal William Dalton Lycett did record in his diary that his Unit (the 4th Field Ambulance) played Association Football against a team from the Royal Scots Territorials on Thursday 23rd December 1915. As he writes, “we got beat 6 goals to 0”.

*Jim Claven is a historian and secretary of Melbourne-based Lemnos Gallipoli Commemorative Committee.

source: Neos Kosmos

Calling the shots: Helen Kapalos. Photo: Kostas Deves.

Journalist Helen Kapalos is to leave television as a news and current affairs reporter to pursue a career as a documentary film maker at the helm of her own company.

One of the most recognisable faces on our screens will see out her contract at Channel 7 this month, when she will embark full-time on her new journey as an independent producer.

The move comes partly as a result of huge efforts she has made over the past 12 months to raise the profile of the use of marijuana in medical treatment.
Kapalos’ impassioned exploration of the debate for Seven’s Today Tonight show brought the subject to national attention and was the catalyst for her first major documentary production.

Entitled A Life of its Own, the film chronicles how Tamworth man Dan Haslam – who died last month aged 25 after succumbing to bowel cancer – became an unlikely crusader for medical marijuana.

Mr Haslam turned to the drug to fight the effects of chemotherapy and his advocacy pushed the use of the drug to the brink of legislation in NSW and Victoria.

Much of A Life of its Own was shot in Israel where medical marijuana is legal and Kapalos self-funded the production.

Assistance offered by ‘angel’ investors ensured that it could complete its post-production in Melbourne. The film will air on television first in the United States later this year and then will be distributed in Australia.

More projects are already in the pipeline – including an international co-production on women’s empowerment involving location shooting in New York and Italy.

Ms Kapalos, clearly relishing her new found independence, told Neos Kosmos her company is to be called ‘Rest of the Story Productions’.

“Working in commercial TV news, I was always saying to myself there was more to the stories I was reporting, hence the name.”

While describing her move as “a journey into the unknown”, the much-admired journalist, who started out as a reporter for ABC Radio in 1994, says her decision to go out on her own was “driven by the desire ‘to tell the truth and nothing but the truth’.

“I was no longer prepared to operate within the confines of the paradigm that exists within commercial television – being edited by someone else, and possibly having a story misrepresented.”

“I’m at an age where I have the maturity of the stories I’ve done behind me, and I feel confident enough to do this now. Everything up until now has prepared me for this path.”

Ms Kapalos will remain Melbourne-based. A major project exploring representations of the Greek crisis is also at the planning stage.

The Overseas Student Ombudsman has recieved more than 2000 complaints since 2011 in regards to bad practices by private colleges.

Unscrupulous private colleges in Australia are luring Greek migrant students into courses with illegal or unethical practices, leaving many penniless and, in many cases, with a certification they don’t need.

A number of private colleges have been found falsifying student attendance records and fast-tracking certificates or diplomas while pocketing up-front tuition fees.

Many colleges unapologetically enrol students in the wrong courses for their proficiency levels and don’t offer students any sort of flexibility in moving courses or from one college to the other.

Currently a senate committee is investigating concerns about the operation, regulation and funding of Vocational Education and Training (VET) providers in Australia.

In a preliminary report released last week, the committee highlighted a number of concerning examples of aggressive marketing techniques
techniques used by private colleges and education brokers and admits “that the current regulatory framework is not as effective as it can be”.

Former federal president of the Australian Education Union Angelo Gavrielatos says government regulation on private colleges is “totally inadequate”.

“What we are seeing across Australia is story after story of private educators exploiting young people and people in desperate situations,” Mr Gavrielatos tells Neos Kosmos.

“This has got to stop.”

Last week the federal government announced sweeping changes to the private education sector that included banning inducements like cash, meals, prizes or laptops to lure in students to sign up to courses they may not need.

The assistant minister for education and training senator Simon Birmingham said the reforms will also put a stop to miraculously short diplomas and stop colleges from charging the course’s full fees up-front.

Currently private colleges are only allowed to ask for full fees up front if the course is shorter than 26 weeks. If the course is longer, they are able to ask for half up-front.

Peter Jasonides, head of the private college Institute of Tertiary and Higher Educator Australia (ITHEA), says he’s had many Greek students come to his office in a desperate state after they were mistreated by other private colleges.

“People are rorting the system,” he says.

“They lure students and tell them not to attend. Students are being enrolled in the wrong courses. There’s a decent number of them that don’t require any English or have been measured wrongly. They have been told to do a one year’s course in only six months or they’ve been told to do six months and in fact they’re there for a year and a half.”

Many Greeks on student visas finding that the courses they enrolled in are not what they expected or unsuitable for their work needs. But before they can move into another course or even organize a transfer to another college many are slugged with up-front course fees.

Since it launched in 2011, the Overseas Student Ombudsman has received over 2000 complaints from international students unhappy with their education providers.

A spokesperson for the ombudsman told Neos Kosmos the most common complaints they receive are fee disputes, refund inflexibility, refusals by their education provider to allow them to transfer to another education provider and appeals to inaccurate attendance records or academic results.

The Australian Greek Welfare Society (AGWS) has dealt with many cases of Greeks on student visas unhappy with their education outcomes in Australia.

Coordinator of direct services at AGWS, Dimitra Lagoudaki says most discover problems the minute they step foot in the private college.

“When they come here they find out different a situation,” she tells Neos Kosmos.

“When you arrange everything in Greece, obviously you don’t have a full picture of what’s happening.”

Many come with limited funds and knowledge of Australian law, meaning their ability to change their course or fight to recoup any losses is very hard.
Prices for courses vary dramatically and there is no regulation set on how much private colleges can charge.

A recent survey conducted by The Australian showed that some private colleges are charging up to four times more for courses than government run TAFE institutions.

One of the most popular courses for Greek nationals on student visas is English as a second language. To study a certificate IV in EAL (further Study), some colleges were quoting prices starting at around $2500 while others charge more than $6000.

Managing director of the Australian Industrial Systems Institute (AISI), Roula Tsiolas says pricing is subject to change throughout the year and sometimes can be determined on a need-by-need basis.

“Prices are also assessed on individual needs, so we have a consultation with students who can express needs for support in that regard and we certainly do that,” she tells Neos Kosmos.

But many institutions aren’t up-front about their willingness to offer negotiable fees. Most students enrol into the course online while in their homeland, and assume the quoted prices are not negotiable.

When the AGWS meets desperate student visa clients, most of the time only thing they can do is refer their clients to local services.

“We provide them with information, advice and referral to assist them in making an informed decision and how to continue,” Ms Lagoudaki says.

Many private colleges host their own information sessions in Greece to give students a better picture of what to expect once they start studying in Australia.

Both Peter Jasonides and Roula Tsiolas host information sessions in Athens that explain some of the unexpected costs costs they will incur in terms of rent, food and schooling.

Mr Jasonides says most of the time, prospective students leave the information sessions deflated.

“People leave the seminars disappointed because it’s not what they wanted to hear,” he says.

“But if someone is hell bent on coming to Australia, they’re not going to listen to the negatives.”

That desperation has left many migrants enrolling in dodgy colleges with sky high prices, and not much knowledge on how to change their situation.

That lack of foresight also includes basic amenities.

Ms Lagoudaki says many assume basic services like health care and cheaper transport tickets will be available to them,” she says.

“They don’t know how the system works, they don’t have the access to services the Australian citizen has, like health cover, or even a reduced ticket for public transport, the concession card.

“They think, well I’m a student, why shouldn’t I have access to these benefits?”

Mr Jasonides says it pays to have as much knowledge as possible before moving to another country to study.

“If you’re hell bent on coming to Australia, come as a tourist,” he says.

“Research extensively, work out the pros and cons before you commit to coming here.”

The Overseas Student Ombudsman will release a report of an investigation into signed agreements between overseas students and private education providers next week.

Those wanting to file a complaint can visit the Overseas Student Ombudsman online at www.oso.gov.au

The government provides a number of resources for prospective international students online including, www.studyinaustralia.gov.au, www.liveinvictoria.vic.gov.au

source:Neos Kosmos

Volunteers try to save beach whales in Bunbury’s Harbour. Pictures: Jeff Henderson Source: Supplied

TWELVE have now died after becoming trapped against the rocky sea wall — but crews are currently ushering four whales out to deeper water. 

The rescue operation was launched in the state’s South West after 20 long-finned pilot whales gathered in shallow water against the breakwater wall of Bunbury Harbour.

Six whales have been herded back out to sea by small boats and 12 have died since they became trapped up against the rocks of the sea wall.

Four whales are being stabilised at a nearby beach and another in the shallows by DPaW officers and volunteers and staff from the Dolphin Discovery Centre before they are also taken out to deeper water.

Helpers try to save the last few whales that beached in Bunbury. Picture: Jeff Henderson Source: Supplied

One of the whales that was towed out to sea has since become stranded and Department of Parks and Wildlife crews are again trying to take it to deeper water.

Three others who were ushered out to sea are not swimming strongly.

The Department has asked members of the public to avoid the area where the rocks and distressed whales pose a safety risk.

A dead whale is dragged out of the water as emotional helpers look on. Picture: Jeff Henderson Source: Supplied

Rescue teams have been fighting for most of the morning to save the whales which became trapped against the rocks.

Some of the mammals are young calves.

Department of Parks and Wildlife officers are on the scene assessing the situation and sent an aircraft to monitor the area in case there are any more whales.

Whale rescue in Bunbury Harbour. Picture: Twitter/Katrin Long/ABC Source: Supplied

Boats are attempting to shepherd the whales out to sea and extraordinary ABC pictures show rescuers in the water with the struggling mammals.

Seven of the animals were dead when DPaW officers arrived at about 11am.

The aircraft has not spotted any more whales in distress.

A Department incident management team are liaising with the Bunbury Port Authority and Department of Fisheries.

A long-finned pilot whale in obvious didstress trapped against the breakwater wall at Bunbury Harbour. Source: Supplied

A long-finned pilot whale in obvious didstress trapped against the breakwater wall at Bunbury Harbour.

source:perthnow.com

Relations between Greece’s new government and Germany got off to a rocky start after Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras swept to power in January on pledges to end the budget austerity Germany had been pushing for. Here are some of the issues causing friction as Tsipras makes his first visit to Berlin to meet Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Bailout promises

Merkel’s Germany was a leading advocate of the tough conditions attached to Greece’s international rescue programs, under which successive Greek governments have had to impose harsh spending cuts and enact economic reforms in exchange for some 240 billion euros ($260 billion) in loans. Tsipras’ left-wing party argues that austerity has been counterproductive but agreed a month ago to push through reforms in exchange for keeping European Union aid flowing. Greek officials have irked Germany – Europe’s biggest economy and a key creditor – by subsequently casting doubt on elements of those pledges and delaying the submission of detailed reform measures.

War reparations

The new Greek government has revived calls for new German payments to Greece in compensation for wrecked infrastructure, war crimes and a loan that occupied Greece was forced to make to the Nazis, though it hasn’t named specific figures. The German government argues that the issue of reparations was resolved in a 1960 accord requiring West Germany to pay Greece 115 million marks – equivalent to about $330 million today. It insists that the issue is closed both politically and legally and has no place in discussions of Greece’s current financial troubles.

No confidence

Weeks of argument over bailout conditions and other issues have dragged down the tone of relations and eroded trust on both sides. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble has accused Athens of destroying confidence by flip-flopping on pledges to creditors. This month, the Greek ambassador to Berlin protested to Germany over comments by Schaeuble, who responded by saying that he had “always talked respectfully” about Greece and to its politicians. His Greek counterpart, Yanis Varoufakis, last week sparred with a German broadcaster over its screening of a video showing him making a rude gesture when referring to Germany in a speech two years ago.

source:ekathimerini.com