|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
 |
|
 |
 |
Book Promotion Events in the United States
19 November 2003, Washington DC
20 November 2003, Chicago, IL
In November 2003 we will be holding evening events in Washington DC (19 November) and Chicago (20 November) to promote our book. We'll also be holding a New York event on 15 January 2004. All are welcome. Download your invitation/pre-registration form for all three events here. These events are free but a donation on the night is suggested to help us cover costs, and we do need you to pre-register due to security considerations and to enable us to cater for the right number of people. Contact Robyn Stephenson for further details: tel/fax +1 (616) 392-6228. The cost of our snail mailout for these events is kindly being sponsored by Consultants Exchange.
Book Promotion Event in Geneva, Switzerland
Friday 14 November 2003, 6 to 8 pm
Elm Book Store
We are pleased to announce that our book will be featured in an evening at
Elm Book Store, located at 16, Ave Pictet-de-Rochmont, 1207 Geneva, Tel: +41
22 737 2020, on Friday 14 November, from 6.00 to 8.00 pm. Readings will take
place from 6.30 to 7.30. Refreshments will be available. This is a joint SCG/Geneva
Writers' Group/GEM Magazine event. For further details contact Jo Anne Rey,
tel +33 (4) 50 20 48 40, e-mail jocessyrey@yahoo.com.
SCG/Global Exchange Book Launch
Australia House, London, Wednesday 8 October 2003
Our book, Australian Expats: stories from abroad, was launched in London at a highly successful event at Australia House on 8 October 2003, at which the Australian High Commissioner HE Michael L'Estrange presided. The event was attended by over 200 people, and 10 of the 33 authors in the book were present, as well as Nikki Gemmell, who wrote the foreword, and many family and friends of contributors to the Book Project. Extracts of four stories were read out and Sally Wilson gave a wonderful rendition of I still call Australia Home. Our thanks to Philip Hart and others at the Australian High Commission for allowing us to use the Exhibition Hall, and all their support in organising this event. For forthcoming events promoting our book elsewhere around the world, see our Events page.
Work Permit & Working Holiday Visa Info Night in London
Wednesday 6 August 2003
TNT Magazine will be held a free information evening at Australia House in London at 7 pm on Wednesday 6 August 2003, to discuss recent changes to the UK's Working Holidaymaker Scheme and issues to do with obtaining work permits in the UK. Southern Cross Group Co-founder Anne MacGregor chaired a panel which consisted of speakers from the Home Office and experienced UK immigration lawyer Laura Devine.
Successful events with Professor Graeme Hugo from Adelaide University were held in New York and London in May 2003. Reports will be posted here soon.
Seminar/Information Afternoon
American Women's Clubhouse, Zurich, Switzerland
Saturday 29 March 2003
The Southern Cross Group held a seminar/information session for Australians in Switzerland followed by a social dinner in central Zurich, Switzerland, on the afternoon of Saturday 29 March 2003. The event was attended by some 60 people.
The Australian Consul-General in Geneva, Chris Shrosbree, gave a presentation
outlining what
the Consulate in Geneva can and cannot do for Australians in Switzerland
and made available several handouts on overseas
voting, dual
citizenship and general
consular information. Chris also invited people with further questions
to put
them in writing for him and his staff to address separately.
Urs Haegi, a Swiss immigration lawyer with the leading firm Vischer, spoke on Swiss immigration and naturalisation issues. The SCG's Australian Coordinator, John ("Sid") MacGregor, was present from Canberra to give an update on our expatriate voting rights campaign and his work for the Group in Australia, and Anne MacGregor, the Group's Co-founder, from Brussels, spoke on the SCG's work on citizenship, bilateral social security agreements and other issues.
Many thanks to our SCG Switzerland Coordinator, Linda Reeb-Bennett, in Winterthur, for all the hard work she put into the event, and the presentation she made on our Expatriate Australian of the Year Award campaign. We'd also like to thank our sponsors for the event, Rydges Kensington Plaza Hotel in London and Central Equity as well as the Aussies Abroad Club in Zurich.
Citizenship Affirmation Ceremony
Australian High Commission, Ottawa, Canada
Monday 24 February 2003
On 24 February 2003 we held a Citizenship Affirmation Ceremony at the Australian High Commission in Ottawa, presided over by Gary Hardgrave MP, Australian Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs. The event was attended by around 25 expatriate Australians and was a most enjoyable evening. Everyone had the chance to share with the Minister their particular citizenship story. The High Commission kindly provided drinks and refreshments. Many thanks to Jason Caley, the SCG's Co-ordinator in Canada, for his hard work in making this event possible.
Citizenship Affirmation Ceremony
Australia House, London
Thursday 20 February 2003
On 20 February 2003 over 170 Australians and former Australians in the London area attended an Australian Citizenship Affirmation Ceremony presided over by the Hon Gary Hardgrave MP, Australian Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs. The event was also attended by the High Commissioner, HE Michael l'Estrange, and the High Commission kindly provided drinks and refreshments for a reception after the event. Many thanks to Lorraine Buckland, the SCG's UK Co-ordinator, for her stellar efforts in planning this event.
Southern Cross Group
Australian Dual Citizenship Party
23 April 2002, London
This was the Southern Cross Group's first independent event in London and it was a resounding success. Held at the New Connaught Rooms in Covent Gardens, London, we welcomed about 160 guests.
The Group's co-founder Anne MacGregor spoke about the Section 17 campaign and our next project on voting and welcomed questions from the audience.
Rosemary Earp, Deputy Director - Integrated Casework Directorate (North), of the Nationality Directorate of the British Home Office, was kind enough to travel from Liverpool to give a short presentation on the steps involved in taking British citizenship. An application form for British citizenship was also made available to those present, which can be downloaded here. If you are an Australian in the UK now contemplating taking UK citizenship, you may be interested in looking at the Home Office's BN 1 Form, entitled "Information About British Citizenship" and the fees leaflet which indicates the cost of applying for UK citizenship.
The evening showcased a variety of Australian music, with didgeridoo-playing band Jambience, a rock band fronted by Australian singer Susan Cotch, and a rendition of "Still Call Australia Home" by opera singer Liane Keegan.
Thanks must also be given to Lorraine Buckland, the SCG's UK Coordinator, for all of her hard work in the weeks leading up to the event.
ANZAC Conference
Friday 30 November and Saturday 1 December 2001
Washington DC
This event, organised by the Australian New Zealand American Chambers of Commerce (ANZACC) , featured a session on the Saturday on expatriate issues, chaired by SCG Co-founder Anne MacGregor.
A panel of five speakers addressed a number of matters relevant to Australians and New Zealanders moving to the US and back to their home countries. Richard Downing Jr., President of The Credit Network, talked about the credit history problems faced by expatriates arriving in the United States, gave an overview of the credit reporting system in the US, and suggested some solutions. He provided participants with several handouts, which are now available for downloading from our Credit Histories Archives.
Tom Anderson, Customs Counsellor at the Australian Embassy in Washington DC, talked about customs issues faced by expatriates returning to Australia. Janet Mackin, Immigration Counsellor at the Embassy, who served in Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock's office in Canberra until July 2001, outlined the status of the dual citizenship changes. Greta Van Zaten, First Secretary from the New Zealand Embassy in Washington, talked about various NZ-US bilateral issues. Finally, Edward Beshara, an Australian/American immigration attorney from Florida, gave an overview of the range of visas available to Australians coming to the US.
About 100 people attended the conference, which was held at the Australian
Embassy. The ANZACC conference is held every year in October or November,
with participants being drawn from the many Australian
American NZ Chambers of Commerce around the United States. Every second
year it is held in Washington.
Australian Updates Seminar
Thursday 11 October 2001
London
This seminar was jointly organised by the Menzies Centre for Australian Studies, King's College, London, and the Australia & New Zealand Chamber of Commerce (UK). The programme was chaired by Professor Carl Bridge, Head of the Menzies Centre, and supported by Westpac.
Southern Cross Group Co-Founder Anne MacGregor spoke on the subject of dual citizenship for Australians overseas. Michael Cook AO, former Australian Ambassador to the United States, gave a political update on Australia, and Harley Dale, from Westpac, gave an economic update.
About 75 people attended the event, which was held at Australia
House in the Strand.
Open Meeting
Monday 18 June 2001
Brussels
The Southern Cross Group held an open meeting in Brussels on 18 June 2001. The Australian Ambassador to the EU, Luxemburg and Belgium, H.E. the Hon. Joanna Hewitt, spoke on EU-Australia relations and efforts by the Australian authorities to push for a bilateral social security agreement and a bilateral heath agreement with Belgium.
James Nicholson, a Member of the European Parliament and Head of the European Parliament's Delegation to Australia and New Zealand, reported on the Delegation's recent visit to Australia.
There was also a question and answer session on the issue of dual citizenship and the rights of non-EU nationals in the EU, and a briefing from Southern Cross Group representatives on the work of the Group in the first eighteen months since its formation.
Around 50 people attended the open meeting, which was held at the Australian Embassy.
