The Centralian advocate Fri 15 Jul 2011
Centralian Advocate; NewspaperNT
2011-07-15
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English
Community newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Alice Springs; Tennant Creek (N.T.) -- Newspapers; Alice Springs (N.T.) -- Newspapers.; Australia, Central -- Newspapers
Nationwide News Pty. Limited
Alice Springs
v. 64 no. 16
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Nationwide News Pty. Limited
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00161
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/233509
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/656922
Centralian Advocate, Friday, July 15, 2011 39 P U B : C A D V D A T E : 1 5 -J U L -2 0 1 1 P A G E : 3 9 C O L O R : C M Y K Anke Nagel Registered Migration Agent Anke Nagel Registered Migration Agent EURO MIGRATION SERVICES EURO MIGRATION SERVICES Guiding Your Way To Australia Migration Institute of Australia Ph: (08) 8953 0212 Mob: 0411 428 717 620205/12 One concern that the Immigration Department hears from time to time is that the 457 program is being used to take jobs from Australians. It is understandable why people are concerned about this. Of course Australian businesses should be hiring and training Australians fi rst. The 457 program is designed to ensure businesses hire locally fi rst. Not only does the program meet this goal, but in the process, overseas workers are stimulating growth in areas with labour shortages, leading to more employment opportunities elsewhere else in the economy. The latest statistics regarding the 457-visa program have just been released and can be downloaded from the Immigration Departments website. The data clearly shows that despite some small variations along the way, as job vacancies in Australia grow and there are not enough skilled Australian workers to fi ll the positions, businesses will look to overseas workers to fi ll the vacancies. Importantly, the opposite is also demonstrated. As job growth slows, the use of overseas workers also slows. These statistics also show the correlation between the unemployment rate and visa applications of 457 workers. Additionally, we can see from the date how the program acts to employ Australians before overseas workers. When unemployment is low (and fewer Australians are available in the labour market) businesses start to look overseas to fi ll vacancies. That is, businesses employ overseas workers when they struggle to fi nd Australians to perform the work. So why do businesses employ Australians before overseas workers? Simple cost. It is cheaper to employ local labour. There are no overseas recruitment costs, no immigration fees and no obligation to provide travel costs to overseas workers. The 457 program helps to address labour shortages, ensuring they do not constrain business activity and jeopardise Australian jobs. Rather than taking jobs from Australians, the program is an important cog in economic growth and the creation of jobs for Australians. For more information on the 457-visa program and how it can benefi t your business, contact a registered migration agent. Les Hansen House, 11 Stuart Terrace (opposite the Reptile Centre) 1097585v1 TRAVEL AND LIFESTYLE Postcardfrom the CENTRE Places to go, things to do in the warm heart of Australia Go fossicking Find a gem like the Carolina Emperor emerald in Gemtree IF you have a fascination for shiny objects and fancy yourself a bit of a bounty hunter, then head to Gemtree for a good day out. The tiny community is on the Plenty Highway, 140km northeast of Alice Springs. There are cabins and camping available if you decide to stay the night, which you may want to do due to all the highlights in the area. Bird watching, the nature trail, visit the billabong, there is bicycle hire, self-drive 4WD tracks, an orchard, guided local history day tours not to mention the fossicking. Garnet and Zircon fossicking tours could see you finding your own bucket of gems to take home. Children and animals are very welcome in Gemtree. Disabled facilities are also available. For tour bookings and further information call 8956 9855 or e m a i l gemtree@gemtree.com.au Nows the time for asparagus and rhubarb HOME gardeners should be turning their thoughts to preparing sites for, and planting, rhubarb, asparagus, artichokes and potatoes. They all need preliminary works before planting, particularly rhubarb, asparagus and artichokes as they are best left to grow over 3-4 years in the one bed before lifting. Potatoes need to be planted annually. Rhubarb is usually grown from crowns planted in late winter. Prepare the bed by incorporating a good blend of an organic fertiliser and with this add a liberal mix of compost. Rhubarb crowns should be planted with the crown immediately below the soil surface. As the plant grows apply a nitrogen fertiliser every 4-5 weeks to promote good foliage growth, or, liquid feed every two weeks over the course of the growing season. Three or four crowns will provide enough rhubarb for small feeds although anything up to a dozen crowns may be required for an average family that loves rhubarb. Asparagus crowns are also available in winter. Asparagus beds should have a good blend of compost and organic fertiliser. Asparagus crowns should, like rhubarb, be planted with the crown just below the surface. For asparagus, dig a trench and mound the floor of the trench allowing the asparagus roots to be fanned out over the mound with the top of the crown just below the soil surface. Asparagus is a high-nitrogen feeder and should regularly be fed with a high-nitrogen fertiliser like sulphate of ammonia or slow-release nitrogen. Artichokes are best planted now and will flourish in the right location for many years. The globe artichoke is a grey-green thistle-like plant growing to a height of one metre. They love a warm, sunny spot in the garden but will tolerate a degree of shade. Artichokes appreciate a soil with a good blend of compost and organic fertiliser and love a mulch applied to moderate soil conditions once summer arrives. Artichokes will continue to crop for 3-4 years until its time to lift the plants, divide and replant. While a little early to plant its definitely time to prepare a garden bed for potatoes. Potatoes are warm-season crops and are susceptible to frost damage. Severe frosts will kill the tops completely. Potatoes can be planted from late July through to late August for best results and again in January and February for an autumn crop. Potatoes take 3-5 weeks to shoot. Good drainage is essential. A deserving break Central Australians Travelling Tales Wish YOU WERE HERE RIGHT: Greg Gonzalezs brother Brad looking at some street art in Valparaiso, Chile. ABOVE: Greg and his brother Brad in Valparaiso. LEFT: Greg on top of Table Mountain overlooking Cape Town, South Africa. GREG Gonzalez is a world traveller who has been in Alice Springs for nearly a year. Which was your best holiday? A trip to South America which I shared with my brother. We saw where our father grew up and scattered his ashes in the ocean there, off the coast of Valparaiso, Chile. We got to hang out with the grandparents too, who we hadnt seen in years. What was the best hotel/resort/other place youve stayed on a holiday? An amazing resort on Bottle Beach, northside of Koh Phangan, Thailand. Hot ocean, glow in the dark plankton, endless good food and good beer. Like a dream really. What makes a perfect holiday? Anything that highlights the amazing diversity of our planet, friends, food and scenery. Paid leave also makes any holiday seem pretty awesome. What do you always take with you on holiday? My first aid kit, which seems to accumulate a lot of strange tablets, creams and instruments that are frowned upon whenever I enter an airport. Whats your best piece of travel advice? Travel light, its a holiday not a haul-all-day, yeah? Whats your favourite souvenir? A poncho I picked up in Bolivia, its made from alpaca and makes me look like Clint Eastwood, or maybe a hobbit. Where would you like to go next on holiday? Spain, please. What do you hate about holidays? That lots of people deserve them, but not everyone gets them. Whats the worst packing mistake youve made? I dont make packing mistakes, I have obsessive compulsive disorder with my luggage. I am always paranoid Ive forgotten something, but you know I dont think I take enough books to read. What was the worst place youve ever stayed on a holiday? In a Bolivian hospital having my appendix taken out. The appendicitis interrupted my plans for Spanish lessons, and nobody in the hospital could understand me. Lots of pain, not a lot of pain killers, hours of tests and a lot of time contemplating what felt like my final moments. Unfortunate. What do you avoid on holiday? Eating at restaurants where everything is white. Peanuts. Thinking about work. How much of Central Australia have you seen and where would you like to visit next? I havent seen very much of the centre, but Im really looking forward to some good camping at Palm Valley and Kings Canyon. Erin Jones To mediate or not to mediate MEDIATION, in and out of the court context, is becoming more common as a cheaper option that actual litigation. Generally speaking resolutions based on mutual agreement are best because they preserve relationships and the parties own the outcome. However there are some things to think about and care is needed. Some disputes involve questions touching on legal rights which almost always means a win/lose outcome. Nobody is likely to give up a perceived legal entitlement and if that is a sticking point then a Court decision may be the only option. When the question is one of adequacy of a financial offer a mediator cannot and should not recommend acceptance or otherwise. That is a matter for expert advice according to a partys circumstances. Mediation within court proceedings may be problematic. Whether it can be said to be less expensive is arguable because a good deal of money will have been spent to get there. There are other issues. A party may feel they have no choice or may feel a particular option is being pressed on them because they are made to feel their chances arent good. Court will be there when mediation outside has failed. While it is always sensible to obtain appropriate legal advice it is important to understand that mediation is a mutual process which presents parties with the opportunity to produce a lower cost and lower stress outcome provided positions are not entrenched. When considering mediation and evaluating relevant legal advice ask yourself what kind of outcome you can realistically expect with either option. Mediation has the potential to preserve relationships whereas litigation almost always leaves a financial black hole. If in doubt seek advice from a professional. Effort at the front end avoids a lot of back end pain.