No Carbon Tax Rally

Ponad cztery tysiace ludzi zebrało się dzisiaj w sydnejskim Hyde Parku aby zaprotestowac przeciwko planom premier Julii Gillard wprowadzenia podatku od emisji CO2.

 Przemawiali m.in.  lider opozycji w Senacie, Eric Abetz, znany muzyk rokowy Angry Anderson i prezenterzy radiowi z 2UE i 2GB, Jason Morrison i Mike Williams. Niezadowolenie Australijczyków z polityki rządzacej Labour Party  obwiniania ludzi za zmiany klimatyczne i karania ich dodatkowymi podatkami zostalo wzmocnione po wczorajszym ujawnieniu analizy ekspertów , iż każde gospodarstwo domowe zapłaci ok. $900 rocznie za tzw „Carbon bill” Julii Gillard.

Chinese New Year Twilight Parade

O zachodzie słońca, w minioną niedzielę 2500 wykonawców wzięlo udział w dorocznej paradzie z okazji rozpoczecia nowego roku księżycowego. W paradzie uczestniczyli oprócz sydnejskich Chińczyków, 250-osobowa grupa tancerzy i muzyków z chińskiej prowioncji Hubei. Były również obecne maszerujące i tańczące zespoly koreańskiej społecznosci. W tym roku wśród dekoracji dominował Królik, jako że pod tym znakiem będzie przebiegał rozpoczęty wlaśnie kilka dni temu nowy chiński rok. Parada przeszła od Town Hall do Chinatown wśrod stutysięcznego tlumu mieszkańców Sydney. Jest to najwieksza tego rodzaju parada poza Azją.

Year of the Rabbit *3

Year of the Rabbit *2

Year of the Rabbit

 

 

 

Wczoraj wieczorem w Belmore Park przy Central Station w Sydney zainaugurowano 15 festiwal chiński, największy tego rodzaju poza Chinami.

W tym roku Chińczycy ale równiez Koreańczycy i Wietnamczycy celebrują w ten sposób rozpoczęcie księżycowego roku Królika.  Inauguracja odbyła się otwarciem trzydniowego chińskiego marketu w Belmore Park oraz ceremonią „ożywczego znakowania” smoków przez zaproszonych gości, m.in. przez vicepremier NSW Carmel Tebbutt, burmistrzynię Sydney Clover Moore i ambasadora ChRL oraz występami artystów z chinskiej prowincji Hubei i  samego Sydney, które póki co nie jest jeszcze calkowicie miastem chinskim, choc z pewnością przez najbliższe dwa tygodnie nim będzie.  

Program festiwalu wydrukowany w dwóch językach – angielskim i mandaryńskim przedstawia bogatą ofertę ponad 50-ciu różnych wydarzeń kulturalnych w tym wielką paradę ulicami Sydney Chinese New Year Twilight Parade w niedzielę, 6 lutego oraz Dragon Boat Races 12 i 13 lutego na Darling Harbour.

 

Sydney makes its mark for new X

A giant handprint made its mark on our iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge last night as another breathtaking fireworks finale welcomed the new decade.


An awe-inspired audience of 1.5 million people was treated to a visual feast, featuring never before seen firework shapes, including bowties, lightning bolts, crescent moons and a star inside a ring. 

For the first time, a multi-layered Bridge Effect on the Sydney Harbour Bridge transformed from a  peace symbol to a smiley face and a target before the stunning finale  - a giant hand waving to the audience. 

“What a remarkable start to 2011! Last night’s amazing Sydney New Year’s Eve celebrations demonstrated just why Sydney is the New Year’s Eve capital of the world,” said Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore.

“We were the first major city to ring in the New Year and our unparalleled 9pm Family
Fireworks, Midnight Finale and Bridge Effect delighted more than 1.5 million people who lined
the harbour for Sydney’s party of the year!”

The Lord Mayor said the display helped Sydney make its mark on the world with a global television audience of 1.1 billion viewers from 160 countries.

Oprah day in Sydney*2

Oprah day in Sydney

Thousands of eager Oprah Winfrey fans have descended on the Sydney Opera House forecourt ahead of the taping of two special shows by the American talk show queen.

Twelve-thousand lucky audience members were chosen by a lottery to attend the shows featuring US musicians Bon Jovi and Jay-Z, as well as Australian stars Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman and Olivia Newton-John.

Yesterday was a high point for Winfrey and her 302 audience members who have travelled from the US to take part in her "Ultimate Australian Adventure".

The episodes will wrap up Winfrey's 25th and final season on air and are expected to be broadcast in 145 countries.

Taping of Oprah Winfrey's afternoon show at the Sydney Opera House was briefly suspended when Australian actor Hugh Jackman injured himself during a stunt.

Jackman, who portrays Wolverine in the X-Men movie series, crashed into a light as he zipped down on a flying fox from the top of the Opera House sails.

Winfrey was immediately concerned for Jackman and called for a doctor, as well as saying: "Let's take a break and get some ice."

Winfrey also welcomed Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban , U2 frontman Bono, Olivia Newton-John to the stage for interview.

Russell Crowe then joined Jackman, Urban, Kidman and Newton-John on stage, closing the show in spectacular style with a rendition of I Still Call Australia Home backed by the Gondwana children's choir as a massive Australian flag moved over the crowd.
Meanwhile, Winfrey showed she was still in a giving mood by announcing she would be giving diamond necklaces to all 6,000 members of her audience, prompting hysterical scenes.

Earlier, Winfrey told a press conference she had been promised a trip to Australia for her 50th birthday by her partner, Stedman Graham.
"Australia was an ultimate destination for me, I always wanted to come to the country," she said.
She says one of the things that has surprised her most about Australia is the people, which she referred to as the "open face of Australia".

As well as Sydney, Winfrey and her entourage have criss-crossed Australia, visiting iconic tourist sites including the Great Barrier Reef, Uluru and Byron Bay.
The federal and NSW governments spent $4 million to lure Winfrey and her show to Australia in the hope of boosting the flailing tourism industry.

Meanwhile, Tourism Minister Martin Ferguson has defended the use of taxpayers' money to help stage The Oprah Winfrey Show in Australia.
A "small investment" of $4 million to $5 million by the Federal and several state governments is money well spent, according to Mr Ferguson.

Australia had already reaped a benefit of $71 million in Australia and $14 million in the United States, he says.

10th Anniversary of the Sydney Olympic Games *5





Sydney 2000 Volunteers Reuniuon





10th Anniversary of the Sydney Olympic Games *4

John Paul Young singing  Love Is In The Air during anniversary concert at Olympic Park.

10th Anniversary of the Sydney Olympic Games *3

Concert in The Overflow, Olympic Park - Maricia Hines