Latest news with #Emergencies


NDTV
03-07-2025
- Business
- NDTV
Overtourism Sparks Protests In Europe, Is Australia Next?
Adelaide: A media frenzy erupted over the recent Jeff Bezos " wedding of the century" in Venice. Also notable were the public protests that showed tensions around tourism, especially mass tourism, are increasing. Leading the action was the activist collective No space for Bezos, which declared: [This wedding] is at the expense of those who live, work, and study in this city [and who are] already faced with countless difficulties after years of mass tourism. They complained Venice had been turned into a "private amusement park" for the rich. Locals were fighting for what they describe as a " living Venice", not a tourism playground. The backlash against overtourism is sparking protests across several countries. It has even prompted the US State Department to urge travellers to be cautious when heading to Europe this summer. Growth at all costs Local residents feel their communities are being reshaped to cater for visitors, and are pushing back against what they call the " touristification" of place. Touristification describes a situation where locals fear their home towns and cities are being developed, designed and managed to attract and accommodate tourists. This touristification process benefits commerce and industries that profit from catering to visitors. Everyone else misses out, or is literally pushed out by rising housing costs. At the heart of this polarising issue are some key questions. Are such places "tourism destinations" or do they belong to the local people who live there? Whose interests should prevail when tourism growth exacerbates tensions? These issues are being thoroughly investigated, including through a project I am involved in - Chronic Emergencies and Ecosocial Transformations in Touristified Coastal Spaces. Such research is focused on understanding the problems of tourism and co-designing solutions with communities. Continual growth in tourism is one of the guiding principles the industry promotes. It is this " growth fetish" that is catalysing overtourism and unsustainability. This is when tourism exceeds the local social and ecological carrying capacity of a place. It means there are simply too many tourists, and the impact is poorly managed. Aussie hotspots The dynamics of overtourism are emerging in some Australian locations. This includes popular coastal destinations such as Byron Bay and small towns along the scenic Great Ocean Road. Some places are overwhelmed by short-term overtourism. This may be the result of mega cruise ship visits or viral postings on social media, such as images of Western Australia's popular pink lakes. Byron Bay offers a telling example. It has evolved from a place attractive for alternative lifestyles, to a magnet for social media influencers and the location for the Netflix series Byron Baes. As a result, Byron Bay is the epitome of overtourism in Australia. Local housing, for instance, is being sacrificed for holiday rentals, facilitated by agencies such as Airbnb. Not surprisingly, there is growing local resistance to tourism overwhelming the sense of place. Is Australia in danger of touristification? If we aren't careful, popular opposition to mass tourism will continue to grow here in Australia. But whether we see the European phenomenon of touristification is harder to discern. It may already be evident when environmental and social regulations are overturned to make development processes more friendly to the tourism industry. Projects can be fast tracked if they are declared a high-priority "major development", which allows governments to override restrictive regulations. Anti-red-tape rhetoric is clear in Queensland's tourism strategy harnessing the growth power of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Another example of touristification may be when taxpayer-funded events are run for branding presence on a national or international stage rather, than for the benefit of the surrounding community. For example, the South Australian government found itself in hot water when its tourism commission held a marketing event featuring a Sam Smith concert at d'Arenberg winery. Social media influencers were invited to attend - many from interstate with all expenses paid - but locals weren't welcome. It also occurs when public commons are appropriated for tourism purposes, including national parks and protected areas, public spaces and beaches. Another example - again from South Australia - involves the decision to move the annual LIV Golf tournament to the Adelaide Parklands from 2028. The state government is being accused of a public land grab. The Adelaide community loves these heritage listed parklands and has resisted attempts to co-opt their use for private interests for decades. Reclaimining a sense of place Ultimately, in places like Venice, Bali and even in Byron Bay, local communities do not feel heard or empowered by tourism models which are focused on growth. Their protest actions are designed to ensure their quality of life is not undermined in the process of catering to tourists. It is a struggle for reclaiming places as local people's homes, rather than as tourist destinations. While locations can be shared, tourism must be better managed so locals don't find their homes unrecognisable - or even worse, find themselves displaced. (Author: Freya Higgins-Desbiolles, Adjunct professor and adjunct senior lecturer in tourism management, University of South Australia) (Disclaimer Statement: Freya Higgins-Desbiolles is a collaborator on a project led by colleagues at the University of the Balearic Islands entitled 'Chronic Emergencies and Ecosocial Transformations in Touristified Coastal Spaces'. This article is part of the R+D+i PID2022-137648OB-C21 financed by MICIU/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033 and by "ERDF, EU".) This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The Age
12-06-2025
- General
- The Age
A Shakespearean portrayal of a retiring type
'Three of my aunts, Betty Terry, Joan Terry and Sheila Brown all spent their entire working lives at the Herald,' writes Tony Terry of Toowoomba (Qld). 'Betty in the turf department while Joan and Sheila were copy takers. Upon her retirement, in her early 80s, Aunty Sheila was presented with a caricature of herself by John Shakespeare (C8). In her later years, this became one of her most prized possessions. It was brilliant. Vale John.' Bill Leigh's drive-by on the welfare state (C8), got the dander up of many a reader this week with Granny also in the firing line for running it. One such reader was Gail Grogan of Toongabbie who opines: 'Bill may be lucky enough not to have fallen on hard times. Or, maybe had the luck of the draw, birthwise, but empathy and understanding are needed if we are not to end up like the US.' 'I thought ICE stood for 'In Case of Emergency',' says Richard Thurston of Tallwoods Village. 'But I now know it's 'I Cause Emergencies'.' 'The poor kid's version of the air rifle (C8) was the spud gun,' says Geoff Carey of Pagewood. 'By sticking the narrow-ended barrel tip into a raw potato, the trigger motion created enough air pressure to release the potato plug in a semi-harmless way. To cover one's tracks after raiding the pantry, simply volunteer to peel the potatoes – win-win!' 'Spit balls, a teacher's nightmare, were silent classroom weapons children made by chewing up paper, then rolling it up into soggy balls (Granny always preferred bits of pencil lead but each to their own) to be fired about the classroom,' recalls Joy Cooksey of Harrington. 'The weapon-makers were as difficult to detect as it was to remove the balls stuck to the ceiling.' Among all this bad behaviour and ordnance, Roger Epps of Armidale has 'refrained from contributing for fear of putting ideas into young minds. Suffice to say, my efforts in backyard rocketry, homemade weaponry and explosive missiles shocking near and not so near neighbours caused my poor mum, on a number of occasions, to come rushing out hissing 'Quick! Come inside before the police arrive'. Prudently, I am not disclosing the suburb in which I lived.' ScoMo's King's Birthday bonus, had Roger Bendall of Darling Point paraphrasing the mighty Gough: 'God save the King because nothing will save the Council of the Order of Australia.'

Sydney Morning Herald
12-06-2025
- General
- Sydney Morning Herald
A Shakespearean portrayal of a retiring type
'Three of my aunts, Betty Terry, Joan Terry and Sheila Brown all spent their entire working lives at the Herald,' writes Tony Terry of Toowoomba (Qld). 'Betty in the turf department while Joan and Sheila were copy takers. Upon her retirement, in her early 80s, Aunty Sheila was presented with a caricature of herself by John Shakespeare (C8). In her later years, this became one of her most prized possessions. It was brilliant. Vale John.' Bill Leigh's drive-by on the welfare state (C8), got the dander up of many a reader this week with Granny also in the firing line for running it. One such reader was Gail Grogan of Toongabbie who opines: 'Bill may be lucky enough not to have fallen on hard times. Or, maybe had the luck of the draw, birthwise, but empathy and understanding are needed if we are not to end up like the US.' 'I thought ICE stood for 'In Case of Emergency',' says Richard Thurston of Tallwoods Village. 'But I now know it's 'I Cause Emergencies'.' 'The poor kid's version of the air rifle (C8) was the spud gun,' says Geoff Carey of Pagewood. 'By sticking the narrow-ended barrel tip into a raw potato, the trigger motion created enough air pressure to release the potato plug in a semi-harmless way. To cover one's tracks after raiding the pantry, simply volunteer to peel the potatoes – win-win!' 'Spit balls, a teacher's nightmare, were silent classroom weapons children made by chewing up paper, then rolling it up into soggy balls (Granny always preferred bits of pencil lead but each to their own) to be fired about the classroom,' recalls Joy Cooksey of Harrington. 'The weapon-makers were as difficult to detect as it was to remove the balls stuck to the ceiling.' Among all this bad behaviour and ordnance, Roger Epps of Armidale has 'refrained from contributing for fear of putting ideas into young minds. Suffice to say, my efforts in backyard rocketry, homemade weaponry and explosive missiles shocking near and not so near neighbours caused my poor mum, on a number of occasions, to come rushing out hissing 'Quick! Come inside before the police arrive'. Prudently, I am not disclosing the suburb in which I lived.' ScoMo's King's Birthday bonus, had Roger Bendall of Darling Point paraphrasing the mighty Gough: 'God save the King because nothing will save the Council of the Order of Australia.'


Web Release
09-05-2025
- Health
- Web Release
ADCMC launches ‘Abu Dhabi Standard for Healthcare Business Continuity' to enhance emergency medical service operations
The Emergencies, Crises and Disasters Management Centre – Abu Dhabi (ADCMC), in collaboration with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), officially launched the 'Abu Dhabi Standard for Healthcare Business Continuity' during the Annual Business Continuity and Alternative National Service Forum – Murona, held at Erth Hotel, Abu Dhabi. The initiative is a key progress of Abu Dhabi's ongoing efforts to position itself as a global leader in the implementation of business continuity practices. It lays down a comprehensive and detailed framework aimed at strengthening the business continuity management system for healthcare services across the Emirate. The benchmark will also help Supporting healthcare sector resilience by minimising the impact of disruptions, and safeguarding patient safety while facilitating seamless and uninterrupted service delivery. Furthermore, it ensures the availability of essential healthcare services at all times, as well as full compliance with regulatory and legislative requirements. The standard is tailored to ensure the continuity of healthcare and emergency medical service operations across the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, fostering an integrated, patient-centric care system. It primarily focuses on driving timely and uninterrupted response to critical emergencies through the seamless coordination of resources and expertise. In addition, it aims to minimise service disruptions stemming from emergencies, crises, and disasters. This is essential to enhance the safety and well-being of patients, visitors, and healthcare professionals, while strengthening service continuity across the Emirate, right from pre-hospital services to diagnostics, and treatment. His Excellency Matar Saeed Al Nuaimi, Director General of ADCMC, reaffirmed the Centre's unwavering commitment to advancing the emergency, crisis, and disaster management system, as well as elevating the resilience and sustainability of the Emirate's healthcare sector. His Excellency emphasised the need to establish comprehensive, integrated standards that ensure both essential service continuity and patient safety under all circumstances. H.E. Al Nuaimi also stated that the initiative aligns with the Centre's strategic vision to enhance Abu Dhabi's preparedness for emergencies and crises, further solidifying its position as a global leader in this critical domain. His Excellency further stated: 'The health and well-being of the population remain a top priority for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, aligning with the government's aim to provide an exceptional quality of life for all residents and ensure the continuity of essential healthcare services. Achieving this exemplary vision necessitates strict compliance with the regulatory and legislative frameworks, as well as the effective implementation of key requirements by all stakeholders within the healthcare sector. In such a scenario, it is also essential to proactively identify and manage strategic risks at the Emirate level, by understanding their potential impact on healthcare, reinforcing both social and economic stability.' His Excellency also eemphasised the newly introduced standard's critical role in enhancing the healthcare sector's capacity, and establishing a flexible business continuity management system to ensure the sustainability of healthcare services, even during emergencies. H.E. Al Nuaimi remarked that such a system empowers healthcare providers to effectively adapt to evolving challenges and respond swiftly to a wide range of crisis situations. Noura Khamis Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of DoH said: 'Abu Dhabi has made remarkable strides in strengthening the readiness of its healthcare ecosystem, ensuring the sustainability and continuity of its services in times of crisis. Collaboration, joint efforts, and integration between all stakeholders have played a vital role in achieving the Emirate's milestones in that regard. Today, Abu Dhabi proudly ranks among the world's most innovative and resilient healthcare systems in emergency preparedness and response. This achievement is no coincidence, but a direct result of our wise leadership's steadfast support and guidance in prioritising the community's health and safety above all. Through coordinated efforts to drive innovation, harness the latest technologies, and continuously advance infrastructure and regulatory frameworks, Abu Dhabi continues to set a distinguished global example.' H.E. added: 'We are proud of the collaboration between the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre, and the Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Centre in launching the Abu Dhabi Business Continuity Standard for Heathcare. This initiative is designed to further strengthen the readiness of healthcare facilities across the Emirate, ensuring the uninterrupted delivery of care services, enhancing integration among key stakeholders, unifying response frameworks, and bolstering operational resilience to enable faster recovery from crisis, all without compromising the quality of healthcare services.' The Abu Dhabi Standard for Business Continuity in Healthcare Activities applies to all healthcare providers, based on the applicability of requirements to their specific operational environments and service providers. It also encompasses additional requirements for pre-hospital and critical care, as well as hospitals in general. The focus is primarily on the time taken to deliver relevant healthcare services, and the hospital's ability to respond to emergencies, crises, and disasters that may disrupt social systems. It also addresses critical incidents and emerging risks impacting the health of community members. In such instances, coordinated efforts are required to ensure that healthcare providers can respond effectively and mitigate adverse health outcomes in their facilities and across communities. Furthermore, the capability of the healthcare sector is determined by several factors such as the development of hospitals that empower healthcare professionals to deliver medical care focused on emergency and critical care, efficiently manage emergency calls and coordinate ambulance deployment. It is also dependent on the efficiency of emergency patient transportation service providers, multidisciplinary response teams that provide clinical interventions at the incident site, as well as medical hotlines that offer remote diagnosis and instructions to facilitate certain treatments. Non-emergency patient transport services for hospital transfers and discharges, along with a range of other resources, including personnel, skills, equipment, technology, materials, and information, also play a critical role in emergency and crisis situations. This also includes effective governance, which lays down the acceptable boundaries for healthcare conduct and practices. The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi recently inaugurated the Unified Medical Operations Command Centre (UMOC), the first of its kind globally. Operated by the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre, in collaboration with a number of public and private sector healthcare entities, the Centre is designed to strengthen cooperation and coordination among all stakeholders. It serves as a central hub for emergency management, marking a major addition to the Emirate's healthcare sector and playing a vital role in safeguarding public health, enhancing emergency preparedness, and strengthening response capabilities ADCMC remains steadfast in its efforts to reinforce the Emirate's adaptability and preparedness to tackle future challenges through a range of forward-looking studies, research, and plans aimed at enhancing crisis response capabilities. These include joint drills and exercises with various public and private sector entities, as well as collaboration with partners to promote cooperation and knowledge exchange in the field of emergency and disaster management. ADCMC is also committed to developing infrastructure to ensure rapid and effective response to emergencies, crises, and disasters.


Mid East Info
08-05-2025
- Health
- Mid East Info
In collaboration with Department of Health – Abu Dhabi ADCMC launches ‘Abu Dhabi Standard for Healthcare Business Continuity' to enhance emergency medical service operations
The Emergencies, Crises and Disasters Management Centre – Abu Dhabi ADCMC, in collaboration with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), officially launched the 'Abu Dhabi Standard for Healthcare Business Continuity' during the Annual Business Continuity and Alternative National Service Forum – Murona, held at Erth Hotel, Abu Dhabi. The initiative is a key progress of Abu Dhabi's ongoing efforts to position itself as a global leader in the implementation of business continuity practices. It lays down a comprehensive and detailed framework aimed at strengthening the business continuity management system for healthcare services across the Emirate. The benchmark will also help Supporting healthcare sector resilience by minimising the impact of disruptions, and safeguarding patient safety while facilitating seamless and uninterrupted service delivery. Furthermore, it ensures the availability of essential healthcare services at all times, as well as full compliance with regulatory and legislative requirements. The standard is tailored to ensure the continuity of healthcare and emergency medical service operations across the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, fostering an integrated, patient-centric care system. It primarily focuses on driving timely and uninterrupted response to critical emergencies through the seamless coordination of resources and expertise. In addition, it aims to minimise service disruptions stemming from emergencies, crises, and disasters. This is essential to enhance the safety and well-being of patients, visitors, and healthcare professionals, while strengthening service continuity across the Emirate, right from pre-hospital services to diagnostics, and treatment. His Excellency Matar Saeed Al Nuaimi, Director General of ADCMC, reaffirmed the Centre's unwavering commitment to advancing the emergency, crisis, and disaster management system, as well as elevating the resilience and sustainability of the Emirate's healthcare sector. His Excellency emphasised the need to establish comprehensive, integrated standards that ensure both essential service continuity and patient safety under all circumstances. H.E. Al Nuaimi also stated that the initiative aligns with the Centre's strategic vision to enhance Abu Dhabi's preparedness for emergencies and crises, further solidifying its position as a global leader in this critical domain. His Excellency further stated: 'The health and well-being of the population remain a top priority for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, aligning with the government's aim to provide an exceptional quality of life for all residents and ensure the continuity of essential healthcare services. Achieving this exemplary vision necessitates strict compliance with the regulatory and legislative frameworks, as well as the effective implementation of key requirements by all stakeholders within the healthcare sector. In such a scenario, it is also essential to proactively identify and manage strategic risks at the Emirate level, by understanding their potential impact on healthcare, reinforcing both social and economic stability.' His Excellency also eemphasised the newly introduced standard's critical role in enhancing the healthcare sector's capacity, and establishing a flexible business continuity management system to ensure the sustainability of healthcare services, even during emergencies. H.E. Al Nuaimi remarked that such a system empowers healthcare providers to effectively adapt to evolving challenges and respond swiftly to a wide range of crisis situations. Noura Khamis Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of DoH said: 'Abu Dhabi has made remarkable strides in strengthening the readiness of its healthcare ecosystem, ensuring the sustainability and continuity of its services in times of crisis. Collaboration, joint efforts, and integration between all stakeholders have played a vital role in achieving the Emirate's milestones in that regard. Today, Abu Dhabi proudly ranks among the world's most innovative and resilient healthcare systems in emergency preparedness and response. This achievement is no coincidence, but a direct result of our wise leadership's steadfast support and guidance in prioritising the community's health and safety above all. Through coordinated efforts to drive innovation, harness the latest technologies, and continuously advance infrastructure and regulatory frameworks, Abu Dhabi continues to set a distinguished global example.' H.E. added: 'We are proud of the collaboration between the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre, and the Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Centre in launching the Abu Dhabi Business Continuity Standard for Heathcare. This initiative is designed to further strengthen the readiness of healthcare facilities across the Emirate, ensuring the uninterrupted delivery of care services, enhancing integration among key stakeholders, unifying response frameworks, and bolstering operational resilience to enable faster recovery from crisis, all without compromising the quality of healthcare services.' The Abu Dhabi Standard for Business Continuity in Healthcare Activities applies to all healthcare providers, based on the applicability of requirements to their specific operational environments and service providers. It also encompasses additional requirements for pre-hospital and critical care, as well as hospitals in general. The focus is primarily on the time taken to deliver relevant healthcare services, and the hospital's ability to respond to emergencies, crises, and disasters that may disrupt social systems. It also addresses critical incidents and emerging risks impacting the health of community members. In such instances, coordinated efforts are required to ensure that healthcare providers can respond effectively and mitigate adverse health outcomes in their facilities and across communities. Furthermore, the capability of the healthcare sector is determined by several factors such as the development of hospitals that empower healthcare professionals to deliver medical care focused on emergency and critical care, efficiently manage emergency calls and coordinate ambulance deployment. It is also dependent on the efficiency of emergency patient transportation service providers, multidisciplinary response teams that provide clinical interventions at the incident site, as well as medical hotlines that offer remote diagnosis and instructions to facilitate certain treatments. Non-emergency patient transport services for hospital transfers and discharges, along with a range of other resources, including personnel, skills, equipment, technology, materials, and information, also play a critical role in emergency and crisis situations. This also includes effective governance, which lays down the acceptable boundaries for healthcare conduct and practices. The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi recently inaugurated the Unified Medical Operations Command Centre (UMOC), the first of its kind globally. Operated by the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre, in collaboration with a number of public and private sector healthcare entities, the Centre is designed to strengthen cooperation and coordination among all stakeholders. It serves as a central hub for emergency management, marking a major addition to the Emirate's healthcare sector and playing a vital role in safeguarding public health, enhancing emergency preparedness, and strengthening response capabilities ADCMC remains steadfast in its efforts to reinforce the Emirate's adaptability and preparedness to tackle future challenges through a range of forward-looking studies, research, and plans aimed at enhancing crisis response capabilities. These include joint drills and exercises with various public and private sector entities, as well as collaboration with partners to promote cooperation and knowledge exchange in the field of emergency and disaster management. ADCMC is also committed to developing infrastructure to ensure rapid and effective response to emergencies, crises, and disasters.