One Belt One Road: China lists $400m Gold Coast theme park as 'key project' of global initiative3/29/2018 Updated March 05, 2018 20:33:17
Video: Australian Legend World was listed as one of 40 major projects around the world (Photo: Songcheng)(ABC News) China's Ministry of Culture has listed a Chinese developer's planned Gold Coast theme park as a "key cultural trade and investment project" that is linked to the country's ambitious Belt and Road investment plan. Key points:Chinese theme park giant Songcheng behind Australian Legends World planThe tourism and real estate project will host Chinese and Australian cultural showsSongcheng spokesman said China would not influence park's operations Australia is not part of the divisive trillion-dollar One Belt One Road investment initiative, but analysts have since told the ABC individual investment projects in Australia are still allowed to sign up and be part of it regardless. "The Australian Government may not want to not sign up to the initiative as a program but there's nothing to stop particular projects in Australia signing up on their own account," China expert John Fitzgerald from Swinburne University said. The proposed Australian Legend World at Nerang, to be developed by Chinese theme park giant Songcheng at a cost of more than $400 million, will be the company's first overseas theme park. In a notice posted on the ministry's website late last week, the planned theme park was listed at number 11 among 40 other government projects around the world, affiliated with One Belt One Road, assessed as top priorities for the ministry. "Local culture bureaus are required to conduct guidance and supervise the implementation of the projects on the list," it said. "[They will also] follow up the development and accelerate toward the development of the cultural trades in the One Belt One Road Initiative." Australian Legend World which, until the statement, had only been billed as an "entertainment park" is set to host a variety of Australian and Chinese cultural and historical performances. It is unclear what relation the park will play in being "key" to the Chinese initiative's global trade routes or investment ambitions neither the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade nor the Chinese Ministry of Culture were available for comment at the time of writing. Roland Evans, managing director of the Canford Property Group and Songcheng's spokesman in Australia, said the listing did not mean China's Ministry of Culture would be able to influence how the project operated. "I don't believe it does, but [the ministry] will keep obviously a close eye that it mirrors what the constraints of the One Road One Belt system is." He said both Chinese and Australian consultants had thus far been engaged in the creation of the shows that would be performed at the theme park. New Chinese investment rules no issue Photo: A now outdated illustration of the planned park featured a fibreglass Uluru. (Supplied) The plans for the park also include housing for up to 2,000 residents, including a high-rise development it will also feature one of the world's largest indoor ski fields. While an illustration of the proposed park released a couple years ago showed plans for a controversial fibreglass version of Uluru, Mr Evans said that feature had since been dropped from the project. The listing of projects under the One Belt One Road initiative comes despite China's efforts to scale back on overseas real estate investments. China announced new corporate investment guidelines last year that restricted real estate deals, as well as "irrational" investments in foreign entertainment companies. Mr Evans said the park's listing as part of the Belt and Road initiative is a sign from the Chinese Government that the proposal abides by its new investment rules. "The Songcheng entertainment park has a fundamental cultural experience, and therefore the [Ministry of Culture] has decreed that this investment is allowed," he said. Professor Fitzgerald added that companies may be looking to One Belt One Road initiative as "a form of insurance". "This listing suggests Chinese firms are looking to [One Belt One Road] listing as a form of insurance for projects at risk of Chinese government cancellation, or for projects that may not be financially viable without Beijing's endorsement," he said. 'We're delighted' to be on list: Gold Coast Mayor Photo: Mr Tate said the project would bring "significant financial and social benefits". (AAP: Dan Peled) Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate welcomed China's decision to list the project. "We're delighted the Chinese Government has included this project on their Belt and Road list," Mr Tate said in a statement. "Our city's relationship with China is built on trust as well as Council's ability to minimise red tape, while still ensuring all environmental and development guidelines are adhered to. "I look forward to seeing this theme park development progress as it will bring significant financial and social benefits for our city." The project has courted controversy in the local community more than 300 objections to the planned theme park have been lodged with the Gold Coast City Council, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported last month. Many locals critical of the project cited environmental concerns as well as the increased population density the high-rise accommodation would bring to the area. The council is set to vote on whether the proposal will go ahead later this year. Photo: The planned park will feature one of the world's largest indoor ski fields. (Songcheng) Topics:business-economics-and-finance,world-politics,arts-and-entertainment,foreign-affairs,nerang-4211,china First posted March 05, 2018 20:21:14 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-05/china-lists-planned-gold-coast-theme-park-as-a-key-project/9508904?source=rss
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Updated January 01, 2018 11:39:32
Photo: Tom Hiddleston and Chris Hemsworth filmed scenes for Thor: Ragnarok in Brisbane. (ABC News: Patrick Williams) He is not a super hero, but film location scout Duncan Jones has the power to shut down city streets so Hollywood superstars can shoot their blockbuster movies. In 2016, the Gold Coast-based location manager orchestrated the closure of part of Brisbane's CBD while Aussie actor Chris Hemsworth filmed Thor: Ragnarok the third instalment of the franchise. Queensland's film industry has been booming with 12 international movies shot in the state in the past five years. Photo: Duncan Jones organised the filming of Thor: Ragnarok in the Brisbane CBD. (ABC News: Tom Forbes) Mr Jones said the Village Roadshow Studios on the Gold Coast, and the large number of variable film locations makes South East Queensland a desirable location for movie makers. "Within an hour you can either go to beautiful tropical reef, we've got all of these beautiful beaches here in the Gold Coast and then just up the road we've got the rainforest," he said. But the 44-year-old started as a dolphin trainer before moving into the film industry as a location scout 16 years ago. "I used to work at Sea World and worked on Flipper for many years when they were filming that at Sea World, and through that I got to know locations managers and thought that was the way to go," he added. His job is to help facilitate film makers and deal with councils, property owners and community groups. "Whoever it is that wants to make a film comes to me with a script," he said. "We then break it down from a locations prospective and then it's a matter of going out and finding options that will fit that script's needs." Mr Jones said he had developed strong working relationships with councils, but there were a few tense moments during filming of the $160 million Aquaman move in June this year. Photo: A notice informing Hastings Point residents of a film set for Aquaman by Warner Bros. (ABC News: Tom Forbes) The filmmakers were granted approval to construct a temporary lighthouse on Hastings Point in far northern New South Wales, but some locals felt they were not properly consulted. The Tweed Shire Council held an emergency meeting and the situation was resolved and filming went ahead. "All good and well to bring Hollywood to the coast or to a city, but unless you can leave on a positive footing there's no point in going there, because all we'll end up doing is eroding our locations if we keep knocking them about," he said. Photo: DC Comics superhero Aquaman has caused a stir on the NSW north coast. (Supplied: Warner Bros) No more international films in the pipeline With the filming of Aquaman now finished, which stars Game of Thrones actor Jason Momoa, there are no overseas film projects in the pipeline. The president of Village Roadshow Studios, Lynne Benzie, said work was being done behind the scenes to secure more big-budget films, but would not discuss them. Mr Jones was also remaining tight-lipped about any projects he was working on. "I am pretty optimistic that they are hoping to be a lot more big films coming to Queensland," he said. The Gold Coast studios will not be available to filmmakers until late April 2018, with the Commonwealth Games taking over the entire site as a training and competition venue for badminton. Gallery: Thor: Ragnarok films in BrisbaneTopics:arts-and-entertainment,film-movies,people,human-interest,southport-4215,brisbane-4000 First posted January 01, 2018 10:41:03 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-01/gold-coast-location-scout-duncan-jones/9274018?source=rss Updated October 19, 2017 08:08:30
Photo: Business owner Tracy Chapman drives an Uber to supplement her income. (ABC News: Tom Forbes) Related Story: Guaranteed super? Not if you're a worker in the 'gig economy' Map: Southport 4215 Older Australians are leaping en masse into the share economy as an easy way to make money, although a Griffith University economist is warning this will soon make it harder for all involved. Cost of living in Queensland This week we are looking at how we're making ends meet, and how Queenslanders are stretching their dollar further. The flexibility of the so-called peer economy lured Gold Coast business owner Tracy Chapman to become an Uber driver 15 months ago. "It was actually my mother who talked me into it, because she was using it because she doesn't drive," she said. "I thought after a couple of months I might get fed up but, no, it's easy to do and you meet wonderful people." Ms Chapman, 52, owns a snack food business and is starting an online business. She said she had come to rely on Uber for about half her income. "I've got a mortgage. You've got bills and trying to get businesses up and going, so it is definitely a difficult thing to do," she said. Ms Chapman is one of 72,000 Uber drivers in Australia. She has completed about 1,200 trips and said she spent about 20 hours a week behind the wheel. "You can turn it on and off whenever you want, so it's adaptable to your lifestyle," she said. Photo: Ms Chapman said driving for Uber was very flexible. (ABC News) "Because of the ease of it and how you can fit it in with other businesses or whatever you may be doing, it's fantastic for that reason." High school rock and roll dance teachers Rob and Kathy Llewellyn rent out spare bedrooms in the Burleigh Heads home to supplement their incomes. "We need to maintain our lifestyle Airbnb pays us nice pocket money," Mr Llewellyn said. "Our earning power has now virtually stopped, but the bills keep going up and up." The couple opened their doors to paying guests two years ago and have earnt as much as $8,000 in a year. "We enjoy meeting people and our house has got two spare rooms, so we enjoy the camaraderie you get by inviting guests in," Mr Llewellyn said. Ms Llewellyn agreed, saying the flexibility worked for them. "We are hoping to slow down a little bit with the dancing," she said. Across Australia, there are 115,000 rooms and properties listed on Airbnb. Photo: Rob and Kathy Llewellyn rent rooms in the Burleigh Heads home for extra income. (ABC News: Tom Forbes) Returns will fall as more people join in Griffith University senior economics lecturer Dr Parvinder Kler said older Australians were embracing the online share economy. "Very recently, as this new technology has become entrenched, there has been a huge uptake of older Australians," he said. "We've found, using the share economy trust index, that you have 27 per cent of Australians that we described as being over 55 years old now improving their lifestyle after earning an income from the sharing economy." But he said people should be prepared for that supplementary to fall as more people joined the share economy. "We are talking about an industry where there's easy entry and easy exit," he said. "The returns will eventually fall because it is so easy for people to enter." Dr Kler said the sharing economy had already impacted heavily on motels and taxi companies. "We call this creative destruction in economic parlance and there will be a lot of disruption," he said. "But we are starting to see in the taxi industry, for example, how the entry of Uber has led to the taxi industry to improve. "They are much more friendly, the taxis are cleaner and the drivers are polite and the experience has improved." Topics:economic-trends,digital-multimedia,mobile-phones,road-transport,travel-and-tourism,tourism,internet-culture,southport-4215,brisbane-4000 First posted October 19, 2017 06:53:35 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-19/share-economy-popularity-will-make-earnings-harder-expert-warns/9052822?source=rss One Belt One Road: China lists $400m Gold Coast theme park as 'key project' of global initiative3/28/2018 Updated March 05, 2018 20:33:17
Video: Australian Legend World was listed as one of 40 major projects around the world (Photo: Songcheng)(ABC News) China's Ministry of Culture has listed a Chinese developer's planned Gold Coast theme park as a "key cultural trade and investment project" that is linked to the country's ambitious Belt and Road investment plan. Key points:Chinese theme park giant Songcheng behind Australian Legends World planThe tourism and real estate project will host Chinese and Australian cultural showsSongcheng spokesman said China would not influence park's operations Australia is not part of the divisive trillion-dollar One Belt One Road investment initiative, but analysts have since told the ABC individual investment projects in Australia are still allowed to sign up and be part of it regardless. "The Australian Government may not want to not sign up to the initiative as a program but there's nothing to stop particular projects in Australia signing up on their own account," China expert John Fitzgerald from Swinburne University said. The proposed Australian Legend World at Nerang, to be developed by Chinese theme park giant Songcheng at a cost of more than $400 million, will be the company's first overseas theme park. In a notice posted on the ministry's website late last week, the planned theme park was listed at number 11 among 40 other government projects around the world, affiliated with One Belt One Road, assessed as top priorities for the ministry. "Local culture bureaus are required to conduct guidance and supervise the implementation of the projects on the list," it said. "[They will also] follow up the development and accelerate toward the development of the cultural trades in the One Belt One Road Initiative." Australian Legend World which, until the statement, had only been billed as an "entertainment park" is set to host a variety of Australian and Chinese cultural and historical performances. It is unclear what relation the park will play in being "key" to the Chinese initiative's global trade routes or investment ambitions neither the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade nor the Chinese Ministry of Culture were available for comment at the time of writing. Roland Evans, managing director of the Canford Property Group and Songcheng's spokesman in Australia, said the listing did not mean China's Ministry of Culture would be able to influence how the project operated. "I don't believe it does, but [the ministry] will keep obviously a close eye that it mirrors what the constraints of the One Road One Belt system is." He said both Chinese and Australian consultants had thus far been engaged in the creation of the shows that would be performed at the theme park. New Chinese investment rules no issue Photo: A now outdated illustration of the planned park featured a fibreglass Uluru. (Supplied) The plans for the park also include housing for up to 2,000 residents, including a high-rise development it will also feature one of the world's largest indoor ski fields. While an illustration of the proposed park released a couple years ago showed plans for a controversial fibreglass version of Uluru, Mr Evans said that feature had since been dropped from the project. The listing of projects under the One Belt One Road initiative comes despite China's efforts to scale back on overseas real estate investments. China announced new corporate investment guidelines last year that restricted real estate deals, as well as "irrational" investments in foreign entertainment companies. Mr Evans said the park's listing as part of the Belt and Road initiative is a sign from the Chinese Government that the proposal abides by its new investment rules. "The Songcheng entertainment park has a fundamental cultural experience, and therefore the [Ministry of Culture] has decreed that this investment is allowed," he said. Professor Fitzgerald added that companies may be looking to One Belt One Road initiative as "a form of insurance". "This listing suggests Chinese firms are looking to [One Belt One Road] listing as a form of insurance for projects at risk of Chinese government cancellation, or for projects that may not be financially viable without Beijing's endorsement," he said. 'We're delighted' to be on list: Gold Coast Mayor Photo: Mr Tate said the project would bring "significant financial and social benefits". (AAP: Dan Peled) Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate welcomed China's decision to list the project. "We're delighted the Chinese Government has included this project on their Belt and Road list," Mr Tate said in a statement. "Our city's relationship with China is built on trust as well as Council's ability to minimise red tape, while still ensuring all environmental and development guidelines are adhered to. "I look forward to seeing this theme park development progress as it will bring significant financial and social benefits for our city." The project has courted controversy in the local community more than 300 objections to the planned theme park have been lodged with the Gold Coast City Council, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported last month. Many locals critical of the project cited environmental concerns as well as the increased population density the high-rise accommodation would bring to the area. The council is set to vote on whether the proposal will go ahead later this year. Photo: The planned park will feature one of the world's largest indoor ski fields. (Songcheng) Topics:business-economics-and-finance,world-politics,arts-and-entertainment,foreign-affairs,nerang-4211,china First posted March 05, 2018 20:21:14 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-05/china-lists-planned-gold-coast-theme-park-as-a-key-project/9508904?source=rss Updated February 02, 2018 16:15:15
Photo: Athletes model the 2018 Commonwealth Games Team Uniform on February 2, 2018. (ABC News: Elise Kinsella) Related Story: Australian Commonwealth Games team uniform unveiled Map: Broadbeach 4218 Australia's Commonwealth Games best and brightest will be decked out in boat shoes, blazers, and scarves when they welcome the world to the Gold Coast in April. Organisers have unveiled RM Williams designed "green, gold and grey" uniforms for the Opening ceremony. The "fun and fresh" look is said to be a nod to the host city. Photo: Swimmer Brittany Elmsie talks to the media at the unveiling of the Commonwealth Games team uniform. (ABC News: Elise Kinsella) Indigenous artist Jenna Lee created the design that runs through the uniforms. She told the crowd at the uniform launch her art was designed around a theme of unity. "It's so humbling to share culture in this way sharing culture and artwork in a way that my elders and ancestors couldn't is telling of how far we've come," she said. Australian swimmer Brittany Elmslie said she loved the uniforms. "[They're] very Gold Coast, casual but smart as well," she said. She was asked whether the uniform was an improvement on the Glasgow Commonwealth Games outfits, which were mocked at the time. "I was in Glasgow, I didn't think they were too bad. I think we rocked them regardless you don't really have a choice," she said. "We get the job done whatever they dress us in." Asked to explain the uniform's rolled-up chinos, triathlete Matt Hauser had a simple response for the media. "It's 2018." The Good, the bad, and the ugly How does the Gold Coast design compare to games gone by? When Aussie athletes went to the Rio Olympics in 2016 they went sockless and donned mint green candy-stripe blazers. Photo: Mint and white and not a sock in sight. (Reuters: Kai Pfaffenbach) For the 2014 Glasgow games the blazer was ditched in favour of a green-and-gold zip-up jacket, with grey chinos and sneakers. Photo: 'Street' fashion of zippered jackets and grey chinos. (ABC News: James Bennett) In 2012 London-bound athletes channelled cricketers with the "heritage design" of white shirts, pants and skirts with a dark green jacket. Photo: Spot of cricket anyone? (Karen Barlow) Corporate grey suits and ties were combined with bright colourful shirts in 2010 for the Delhi Commonwealth Games. Photo: A little bit business, a little bit casual. (AAP: Tracey Nearmy) In 2008, Australian athletes meant business in Beijing, and looked it, with corporate pin-striped suits complete with ties for the men and scarves for the women. Photo: Please store your tray tables, and ensure your seat is in the upright position. (Supplied: Australian Olympic Committee) Varying shades of brown, tan, and green dominated the Australian design when Manchester hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2002. Photo: Tan and brown, never live it down. (AAP: Dean Lewins) Way back in 1984, the Australian Olympic team took a bit of the local flora and fauna with them to Los Angeles with koala and kookaburra prints and a gum leaf belt. Photo: Would be at home among the gum trees. (ABC Sportsnight) Topics:human-interest,people,fashion,design,commonwealth-games,sport,broadbeach-4218,qld,australia,mermaid-beach-4218,brisbane-4000 First posted February 02, 2018 14:16:45 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-02-02/gold-coast-commonwealth-games-uniforms-unveiled/9387708?source=rss Updated March 23, 2018 09:07:59
Photo: After four long days, the class celebrates with their finished boards. (ABC Radio Brisbane: Hailey Renault) The first men and women to ride froth-tipped waves off the coast of Hawaii and other Polynesian Islands did so on planks of wood. They were heavy and difficult to handle, but these early surfers laid the foundations for a sport now embraced worldwide and dominated on the professional circuit by Australians. Modern advancements have seen wood phased out in favour of plastic and foam surfboards, valued for their light weight and flexibility. However, a growing body of surfers still pine for boards reminiscent of those from decades ago. In a small sunbathed workshop in suburban Brisbane, a group gathers to lovingly handcraft their own wooden boards. "I thought wooden boards were something that left the planet in the '60s and didn't belong in this era or this time," Stuart Bywater, a woodworker and furniture restorer, said. "They just ride differently." Photo: Stuart Bywater (right) has turned a passion into a career. (ABC Radio Brisbane: Hailey Renault) Mr Bywater was 13 when he rode his first wave. More than 30 years later he has turned that passion into a career and teaches others to make boards. "A lot of people don't make things in their day-to-day or in their life," he said. "They'll sit at a computer and write things or make documents but actually have nothing physical and substantial after that." Photo: Stuart's students share a laugh during his course. (ABC Radio Brisbane: Hailey Renault) The first challenge of his four-day intensive class is getting his students to forget about their mobile phones and focus on the task at hand. "As soon as they get in the habit of just putting the phone away and focusing on what we're doing, they tend to enjoy it a lot more," Mr Bywater said. "I encourage people that they do actually have the skill if they go slowly. "People who rush in tend to miss some of those finer points." Art of shaping organic lines But even for his students with woodworking experience, shaping the organic lines of a surfboard can pose a challenge. "The first board I glued up was an absolute nightmare," Mr Bywater said. "It was the worst glue up in my life and I've been doing woodwork for over 30 years." Photo: Student Glenn Cameron concentrates on smoothing his rails. (ABC Radio Brisbane: Hailey Renault) Photo: The first step building a surfboard is assembling its internal ribs. (ABC Radio Brisbane: Hailey Renault) Brisbane design and technology teacher Glenn Cameron said making his first board was a real test of his skills. "Everything we do is square and straight," Mr Cameron said, during a break from sanding his board. "That real organic shape that comes through surfboards is something that's quite challenging, particularly curves turning into other curves. "That's why Stuart's trained eye is a really good thing to learn from." The class starts out with thin paulownia "ribs and rails" the names given to the skeleton of wood pieces that form the inner structures of the board. "It's very much like a fish skeleton or an aeroplane wing," Mr Bywater said. Actually, the man who designed the first hollow surfboard is said to have picked up a few ideas from an aeronautical engineer during the process. Photo: Wooden ribs and rails form the skeleton of the surfboard. (ABC Radio Brisbane: Hailey Renault) Photo: Each skin is as unique as its maker. (ABC Radio Brisbane: Hailey Reanult) The pieces are then carefully nailed and glued together to form the board's shape and large panels of wood are glued together and left to dry to form the skins. Some have pinstripes of western red cedar in hues of red or dark brown; others break up large sections of creamy paulownia with a pink-tinged wood. Each board design is named after famous Australian Olympic swimmers Rose, Dawn, Gould and Perkins. "I'm a bit of a sucker for our summer Olympics and very proud of being Australian," Mr Bywater said. Hard work and hand tools Michael Wheelaghan travelled from Sydney to make his own surfboard, a nine-foot Dawn. He said he had a passion for surfing but almost no woodworking experience. "I'm an IT worker by trade so all I do all day is work in an office," he said. "It's been a few days of sore joints and sore arms but nothing too bad." Photo: It takes eight hours to shape the board by hand. (ABC Radio Brisbane: Hailey Renault) Photo: Even coffee is ignored as the class painstakingly planes the ribs and rails of their boards. (ABC Radio Brisbane) Dawn is a broad long board which, according to Mr Wheelaghan, would be easier to surf. He said the board would take pride of place next to his other foam boards because he was the one who made it. "I think there's something about the materials that you use that connects you back to the early history of surfing," he said. Many of the students make their boards with a particular break in mind. Mr Bywater said he expected most of them would be ridden often once completed, but a few of his students would consider them too precious to use. Photo: Freshly glued skins are put in a vacuum bag to draw out all of the air. (ABC Radio Brisbane: Hailey Renault) Photo: The boards sleep in their vacuum bags overnight before they're shaped and sanded some more. (Supplied: Stuart Bywater) Pride in the hand-crafted Like meat at the supermarket, the boards reach their final form by being put into a plastic sleeve and having the air sucked out. It makes the fibreglass-lined skins stick to the glue-coated edges of the frame. Miles of packing tape is then strapped around the board to keep the joins tight before it's bagged and sealed overnight. The surfers spend their final day shaping the smooth curved lines and sanding any rough edges in anticipation of the final glassing and addition of fins to help steer on the waves. To wax or not to wax is something each participant contemplates during the course. Once glassed, the natural, muted colours of boards take on a new appearance. They look slick, like the veneer on an acoustic guitar, and the pink, red and brown tones become rich and dark. Photo: Sanding is the final step before the boards are glassed. (ABC Radio Brisbane: Hailey Renault) Photo: Frames get sandwiched between fibreglassed skins. (ABC Radio Brisbane: Hailey Renault) Mr Bywater said the first surf was often the most difficult. "The biggest problem while going to the beach with one of the boards is that you get stopped quite regularly," he said. "Everyone's going, 'Where did you get that from? That's really nice'." At different times surfers have attempted to reignite interest in wooden surfboards. Today, Mr Bywater suspects their sustainability credentials he only uses plantation-grown timber is what draws people in to workshops like his. "In the last 15 years there's been a bigger revival with our environmental issues," he said. "If we have lots of storms, you tend to see rubbish out in the water which is pretty disappointing. "It's nice to make something, ride it and know it's timber." Photo: These surfboards are almost ready to ride. (ABC Radio Brisbane: Hailey Renault) Topics:sport,surfing,design,arts-and-entertainment,human-interest,brisbane-4000,maroochydore-4558,mermaid-waters-4218 First posted March 23, 2018 07:00:32 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-23/wooden-surfboard-class-connecting-people-with-sports-history/9570760?source=rss Updated March 13, 2018 19:59:14
Photo: Glenn Crawford's Gold Coast parking page has been blocked at the request of GOLDOC. (Supplied: Glenn Crawford) A Facebook page helping Gold Coast residents rent out driveways for parking during the Commonwealth Games was shut down because Games organisers complained about it breaching intellectual property laws. The Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC) confirmed it contacted Facebook to push for the shutdown of the "GC Games Parking Solutions" page, which was taken down on Tuesday. It had been set up by Southport resident Glenn Crawford, who said he came up with the idea in response to a parking shortage. Photo: Glenn Crawford said he was "disappointed" the Facebook page had been shut down. (ABC Gold Coast) Many of the city's public parking spaces have disappeared or have new time limits placed on them in preparation for next month's Commonwealth Games. Mr Crawford said he was "disappointed" the page had been closed down by Facebook. He said it started when he offered space on his driveway to one of his staff members who was going to have trouble getting to work during the Games. "So I said, 'Park your car in my driveway and just walk down to the light rail station'." Mr Crawford then expanded on the idea by starting up a community Facebook page encouraging other house owners to do the same. "I thought, how many thousand empty parking spaces are there on people's driveways within reasonable walking distance of a light rail or even heavy rail station?" Mr Crawford said more than 100 other drivers had been matched with driveway parking spaces via the Facebook hook-up before it was closed down. Page re-spawns under a different name A GOLDOC spokesman said the page was using the protected reference "Gold Coast Games", which was not permitted under the Commonwealth Games Arrangement Act. "Mr Crawford can still progress discussion of his idea, as long as there is no reference to the Commonwealth Games or any of the other protected references," the spokesman said. "The financing of the Games is drawn from public funding or through sponsors that are offered an exclusive association with the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. "The extent to which sponsors can rely on the exclusivity of their rights will have an impact on revenue and therefore protecting and enforcing IP is essential to maintaining the viability of ours and future Games as a major international sporting event." On Tuesday evening, Mr Crawford said he had tried to get access to Facebook page to change the name, but his requests had fallen on deaf ears. Instead, he decided to create a new page called "Gold Coast Parking Solutions". "We're going to go ahead with anyway, just a page they can't complain about the name of," he said. No local council rules breached Earlier, a Gold Coast City Council spokesperson contacted for comment made no suggestion the Facebook page contravened Games organising rules. Photo: Gold Coast locals are cutting deals on driveway parking spots during the Commonwealth Games. (ABC Gold Coast) The spokesperson said the city appreciated the community-minded gesture of the group offering to provide parking within private residences during the Games. "However residents are reminded that any commercial operation on a private property needs to have the relevant approvals," the spokesperson said. "We ask people to be aware of the road restrictions when it comes to the parking of a vehicle and to abide by these at all times." Motorists are being urged to plan for all Games-time travel by visiting the official transport advice website. Topics:road-transport,work,events,local-government,internet-culture,southport-4215,brisbane-4000,qld First posted March 13, 2018 12:06:13 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-13/gold-coast-parking-shortage-for-games-sparks-home-driveway-deals/9542544?source=rss One Belt One Road: China lists $400m Gold Coast theme park as 'key project' of global initiative3/26/2018 Updated March 05, 2018 20:33:17
Video: Australian Legend World was listed as one of 40 major projects around the world (Photo: Songcheng)(ABC News) China's Ministry of Culture has listed a Chinese developer's planned Gold Coast theme park as a "key cultural trade and investment project" that is linked to the country's ambitious Belt and Road investment plan. Key points:Chinese theme park giant Songcheng behind Australian Legends World planThe tourism and real estate project will host Chinese and Australian cultural showsSongcheng spokesman said China would not influence park's operations Australia is not part of the divisive trillion-dollar One Belt One Road investment initiative, but analysts have since told the ABC individual investment projects in Australia are still allowed to sign up and be part of it regardless. "The Australian Government may not want to not sign up to the initiative as a program but there's nothing to stop particular projects in Australia signing up on their own account," China expert John Fitzgerald from Swinburne University said. The proposed Australian Legend World at Nerang, to be developed by Chinese theme park giant Songcheng at a cost of more than $400 million, will be the company's first overseas theme park. In a notice posted on the ministry's website late last week, the planned theme park was listed at number 11 among 40 other government projects around the world, affiliated with One Belt One Road, assessed as top priorities for the ministry. "Local culture bureaus are required to conduct guidance and supervise the implementation of the projects on the list," it said. "[They will also] follow up the development and accelerate toward the development of the cultural trades in the One Belt One Road Initiative." Australian Legend World which, until the statement, had only been billed as an "entertainment park" is set to host a variety of Australian and Chinese cultural and historical performances. It is unclear what relation the park will play in being "key" to the Chinese initiative's global trade routes or investment ambitions neither the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade nor the Chinese Ministry of Culture were available for comment at the time of writing. Roland Evans, managing director of the Canford Property Group and Songcheng's spokesman in Australia, said the listing did not mean China's Ministry of Culture would be able to influence how the project operated. "I don't believe it does, but [the ministry] will keep obviously a close eye that it mirrors what the constraints of the One Road One Belt system is." He said both Chinese and Australian consultants had thus far been engaged in the creation of the shows that would be performed at the theme park. New Chinese investment rules no issue Photo: A now outdated illustration of the planned park featured a fibreglass Uluru. (Supplied) The plans for the park also include housing for up to 2,000 residents, including a high-rise development it will also feature one of the world's largest indoor ski fields. While an illustration of the proposed park released a couple years ago showed plans for a controversial fibreglass version of Uluru, Mr Evans said that feature had since been dropped from the project. The listing of projects under the One Belt One Road initiative comes despite China's efforts to scale back on overseas real estate investments. China announced new corporate investment guidelines last year that restricted real estate deals, as well as "irrational" investments in foreign entertainment companies. Mr Evans said the park's listing as part of the Belt and Road initiative is a sign from the Chinese Government that the proposal abides by its new investment rules. "The Songcheng entertainment park has a fundamental cultural experience, and therefore the [Ministry of Culture] has decreed that this investment is allowed," he said. Professor Fitzgerald added that companies may be looking to One Belt One Road initiative as "a form of insurance". "This listing suggests Chinese firms are looking to [One Belt One Road] listing as a form of insurance for projects at risk of Chinese government cancellation, or for projects that may not be financially viable without Beijing's endorsement," he said. 'We're delighted' to be on list: Gold Coast Mayor Photo: Mr Tate said the project would bring "significant financial and social benefits". (AAP: Dan Peled) Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate welcomed China's decision to list the project. "We're delighted the Chinese Government has included this project on their Belt and Road list," Mr Tate said in a statement. "Our city's relationship with China is built on trust as well as Council's ability to minimise red tape, while still ensuring all environmental and development guidelines are adhered to. "I look forward to seeing this theme park development progress as it will bring significant financial and social benefits for our city." The project has courted controversy in the local community more than 300 objections to the planned theme park have been lodged with the Gold Coast City Council, the Gold Coast Bulletin reported last month. Many locals critical of the project cited environmental concerns as well as the increased population density the high-rise accommodation would bring to the area. The council is set to vote on whether the proposal will go ahead later this year. Photo: The planned park will feature one of the world's largest indoor ski fields. (Songcheng) Topics:business-economics-and-finance,world-politics,arts-and-entertainment,foreign-affairs,nerang-4211,china First posted March 05, 2018 20:21:14 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-05/china-lists-planned-gold-coast-theme-park-as-a-key-project/9508904?source=rss Updated October 19, 2017 08:08:30
Photo: Business owner Tracy Chapman drives an Uber to supplement her income. (ABC News: Tom Forbes) Related Story: Guaranteed super? Not if you're a worker in the 'gig economy' Map: Southport 4215 Older Australians are leaping en masse into the share economy as an easy way to make money, although a Griffith University economist is warning this will soon make it harder for all involved. Cost of living in Queensland This week we are looking at how we're making ends meet, and how Queenslanders are stretching their dollar further. The flexibility of the so-called peer economy lured Gold Coast business owner Tracy Chapman to become an Uber driver 15 months ago. "It was actually my mother who talked me into it, because she was using it because she doesn't drive," she said. "I thought after a couple of months I might get fed up but, no, it's easy to do and you meet wonderful people." Ms Chapman, 52, owns a snack food business and is starting an online business. She said she had come to rely on Uber for about half her income. "I've got a mortgage. You've got bills and trying to get businesses up and going, so it is definitely a difficult thing to do," she said. Ms Chapman is one of 72,000 Uber drivers in Australia. She has completed about 1,200 trips and said she spent about 20 hours a week behind the wheel. "You can turn it on and off whenever you want, so it's adaptable to your lifestyle," she said. Photo: Ms Chapman said driving for Uber was very flexible. (ABC News) "Because of the ease of it and how you can fit it in with other businesses or whatever you may be doing, it's fantastic for that reason." High school rock and roll dance teachers Rob and Kathy Llewellyn rent out spare bedrooms in the Burleigh Heads home to supplement their incomes. "We need to maintain our lifestyle Airbnb pays us nice pocket money," Mr Llewellyn said. "Our earning power has now virtually stopped, but the bills keep going up and up." The couple opened their doors to paying guests two years ago and have earnt as much as $8,000 in a year. "We enjoy meeting people and our house has got two spare rooms, so we enjoy the camaraderie you get by inviting guests in," Mr Llewellyn said. Ms Llewellyn agreed, saying the flexibility worked for them. "We are hoping to slow down a little bit with the dancing," she said. Across Australia, there are 115,000 rooms and properties listed on Airbnb. Photo: Rob and Kathy Llewellyn rent rooms in the Burleigh Heads home for extra income. (ABC News: Tom Forbes) Returns will fall as more people join in Griffith University senior economics lecturer Dr Parvinder Kler said older Australians were embracing the online share economy. "Very recently, as this new technology has become entrenched, there has been a huge uptake of older Australians," he said. "We've found, using the share economy trust index, that you have 27 per cent of Australians that we described as being over 55 years old now improving their lifestyle after earning an income from the sharing economy." But he said people should be prepared for that supplementary to fall as more people joined the share economy. "We are talking about an industry where there's easy entry and easy exit," he said. "The returns will eventually fall because it is so easy for people to enter." Dr Kler said the sharing economy had already impacted heavily on motels and taxi companies. "We call this creative destruction in economic parlance and there will be a lot of disruption," he said. "But we are starting to see in the taxi industry, for example, how the entry of Uber has led to the taxi industry to improve. "They are much more friendly, the taxis are cleaner and the drivers are polite and the experience has improved." Topics:economic-trends,digital-multimedia,mobile-phones,road-transport,travel-and-tourism,tourism,internet-culture,southport-4215,brisbane-4000 First posted October 19, 2017 06:53:35 http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-19/share-economy-popularity-will-make-earnings-harder-expert-warns/9052822?source=rss You must have seen many websites share DIY tips and methods to clean your home and workspace. You will get all the methods and green cleaning tips for your furniture, kitchen bathroom, carpet and so on. But the main problem is, Do you have enough time to apply these tricks? Amidst your busy work schedule, it is hard to get some quality time with your family and taking out time for regular cleaning seems next to impossible. This is the reason for which I suggest people to hire professional cleaning companies every fortnight. They will not only keep your premise clean but also save your precious time which you can spend in the best way possible. Here are some more reasons for you to hire professionals for the job. www.bondcleaningingoldcoast.com.au/5-major-benefits-hiring-professional-cleaners-every-fortnight/
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