Latest news with #GriffithUniversity
Sydney Morning Herald
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Review set to start on Rockhampton Olympic rowing venue
A technical review of the Fitzroy River Olympic rowing venue is about to begin, Premier David Crisafulli announced as he visited the planned Rockhampton venue to mark seven years to the day until the start of the Brisbane 2032 Games. Crisafulli said the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority would conduct the review, which would start immediately. But, ultimately, World Rowing would decide whether the Fitzroy was an appropriate venue for Olympic competition. Professor David Hamilton, the director of Griffith University's Australian Rivers Institute, said the Fitzroy posed legitimate concerns for competition integrity. The former rower said the sport was 'very sensitive' to currents. Loading 'If you're going to do something like that, you'd want to do the computer modelling of it to make sure that it wasn't going to necessarily prejudice certain lanes in the rowing field,' Hamilton said. 'It's got to be really carefully evaluated, because the last thing the Games would want is something that brought into jeopardy the ability to have an even playing field.' Asked on Wednesday what would happen if the sport's governing body determined Rockhampton was not suitable for international competition, Crisafulli was adamant.
The Age
11 hours ago
- Sport
- The Age
Review set to start on Rockhampton Olympic rowing venue
A technical review of the Fitzroy River Olympic rowing venue is about to begin, Premier David Crisafulli announced as he visited the planned Rockhampton venue to mark seven years to the day until the start of the Brisbane 2032 Games. Crisafulli said the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority would conduct the review, which would start immediately. But, ultimately, World Rowing would decide whether the Fitzroy was an appropriate venue for Olympic competition. Professor David Hamilton, the director of Griffith University's Australian Rivers Institute, said the Fitzroy posed legitimate concerns for competition integrity. The former rower said the sport was 'very sensitive' to currents. Loading 'If you're going to do something like that, you'd want to do the computer modelling of it to make sure that it wasn't going to necessarily prejudice certain lanes in the rowing field,' Hamilton said. 'It's got to be really carefully evaluated, because the last thing the Games would want is something that brought into jeopardy the ability to have an even playing field.' Asked on Wednesday what would happen if the sport's governing body determined Rockhampton was not suitable for international competition, Crisafulli was adamant.
Courier-Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Courier-Mail
‘Eyeful' towers plan for Brisbane 2032 Games
Don't miss out on the headlines from Brisbane Olympics 2032. Followed categories will be added to My News. Brisbane office buildings including the state government's 'Tower of Power' could be opened up to 2032 Olympic visitors to soak up the views for free as part of a bold vision to make the river city a spectacular backdrop to the Games. Sound and light shows beamed onto CBD high rises and the Kangaroo Point cliffs, along with dazzling drone displays, have also been floated by a prominent tourism figure to help Brisbane shine even brighter when the world's biggest show comes to town. Griffith University tourism professor Daniel Gschwind, a former Queensland Tourism Industry Council CEO, said Brisbane could follow the lead of other international cities which open up CBD buildings to visitors. Office buildings including New York's 30 Hudson Yards, Chicago's Willis Tower and Seoul's Lotte World Tower all boast spectacular observation decks that are open to the public. While visitors to Tokyo have to pay an entry fee to access the spectacular 229m Shibuya Sky Tower observation deck, the nearby Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building has two free observation decks offering stunning city vistas from a height of 202m. The 46-level 'Tower of Power' at 1 William St does not have an observation deck but does feature a roof terrace and sky lounge with panoramic 360 degree views. Prof Gschwind said security issues could make it difficult to open up the building to the public – and neighbouring Queen's Wharf already offered free viewing from its Sky Deck. But he said all options should be explored so Brisbane can wow Olympics visitors. 'It is a spectacular view from the Tower of Power but there is a bit of a practicality issue there with security and so forth,' he said. 'We have other tall buildings and maybe some of those would be more suitable. Queen's Wharf has been a really good addition to the tourist offering in Brisbane, and more rooftop attractions certainly need to be considered.' Prof Gschwind said Brisbane, in the lead-up to the Olympics, also needed to look to cities such as Hong Kong and Dubai which put on permanent light and sound shows. 'More evening entertainment is certainly something we should look at to keep people in the city longer, especially families,' he said. 'We've seen light and sound shows as part of events like the Brisbane Festival, and there's so much technology now available from a projection point of view. 'We could have projections onto (building) facades and the Kangaroo Point cliffs, with great vantage points all along the river for that kind of thing. 'We have to be a bit cutting edge here and think a little bit beyond what's already happening elsewhere and employ the latest technology to put all the options on the table.' A spokesman for the Minister for the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation, Andrew Powell said the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games are a once-in-a-generation opportunity to define Queensland as a world class host. 'This is our chance to show the globe that we are open for business, and ready to offer world-class experiences – one of the core pillars of Destination 2045,' the spokesman said. 'The Crisafulli Government welcomes new ideas on how to define an unforgettable Games, luring visitors who will come for the sport and stay for the state, fuelling our visitor economy for decades to come, and creating a better lifestyle for all Queenslanders.'
The Advertiser
5 days ago
- General
- The Advertiser
Woo-hoo enthusiasm: Newcastle needs more people like Sinead Francis-Coen
I did not know Sinead Francis-Coan. I don't think I ever met her. To the people who loved her, I am so very sorry for your loss. Like many Novocastrians, I was shocked and deeply saddened by her untimely death. After watching the celebration of her life online, I wish I had met her and got to know her. She walked the walk and talked the talk. We need people like Sinead with her woo-hoo enthusiasm. She was a strong thread of the tapestry of our amazing city. She obviously loved being a councillor, and I am so very sad for all those who knew her and loved her. Due to monetary restrictions and COVID, we were driven into a cashless society, but we are still forced to pay ATM fees to access our hard-earned money. Given the status of our economy and living standards, these excessive fees should be removed. The government should be laying down the law to banks to remove these fees. We are led by those who are concerned only about increasing their own salary and increasing taxes to pay for their overspending of the budget, which doesn't benefit the population. I've been wondering about the rights of the motorist when approaching a pedestrian crossing. I always slow down and look around. Recently, I have noticed that most pedestrians simply run or step out, assuming that the crossing means that they are safe. And they should be. A person running along the footpath and then onto the crossing is sometimes very fast and not immediately seen by the motorist. Perhaps they should be equally vigilant? It is common now for pedestrians to text while crossing, and they just don't see any cars. That's because it appears to be all up to the motorist. I am sometimes a motorist and sometimes I ride a disability scooter. I take my responsibility on the road very seriously. I look both ways when crossing, as we were taught, but I would add "get off your phone, because while I can see you, I know that you can't see me". I have found that drivers are generally very courteous to people with disabilities. The crossing near the Newcastle ferry wharf is notorious for groups just wandering out, assuming that they have the right to step out without looking. All road users should be responsible. It's about safety. The frustration in Phillip O'Neill's column leaps off the page ("Denialists clinging on as comfort zone goes under", NH 15/7). Given the shocking floods and loss of life in recent times, O'Neill finds it almost impossible to understand how some still deny there is a climate crisis and that it is caused primarily by humans burning fossil fuels. But it appears that the number of deniers in Australia is declining. Griffith University has been conducting a longitudinal national climate action survey since 2021. While 2024 results are pending, it is heartening to note that the percentage of respondents classified as "deniers" or "sceptics", based upon their answers to the questions, decreased from 7 per cent and 9 per cent in 2021 and 2022 to only 5 per cent in 2023. As Coalition infighting over emissions targets continues, it would do well to note that the most recent survey reveals that 76 per cent of respondents agreed the government should "set a target of national net zero carbon emissions by 2050 at the latest". The survey reports should be compulsory reading for the climate deniers and sceptics in Parliament. Perhaps then they would realise what a tiny minority they belong to and how they are failing to represent their constituents. It would seem that Rising Tide wants to get up to some of their antics, trying to block coal ships and coal trains again. This form of civil disobedience is madness. My concern is that someone is going to be seriously injured or worse. When that happens, they will blame the ship's captain or the train drivers. I've been involved in protests in the past, and I think we got our messages across by being well-organised and staying within the law. I share their concerns about climate change, but I don't believe the civil disobedience they have engaged in has, or will, bring about change. Have they thought about forming a political party and having members stand for Parliament? This may be better than taking dangerous risks. KNIGHTS management needs to come forward and explain to its members what is going on at the club. After a week of rumours that our captain and highest paid player wanted out ('KP 'committed' till 2027', Newcastle Herald 17/7); our coach seems to think the fans don't know rugby league; we have signed a player for 10 years on a multi million dollar deal that can't make his present club side, and now there's reports an ex-player who had a life-changing event happen to him while wearing the Knights colours has to pay for a ticket to get into last week's game. This is disgraceful and it is happening on your watch. The members deserve better. SO Kalyn Ponga has decided to stay with the Knights. Great news. Now, is there anybody in the coaching staff who can teach him how to tackle better? THERE has been a lot of criticism of the Knights performances. You only need one player distracted from his performance, and that will cost you a game. In my experience, once management or players become too focused on individual outcomes, down goes the team performance. Are we aligned each week for the best performance? Every rugby league team needs to have a realistic, independent review sometimes to review structures and fix any badly-aligned cultures. The culture of kicking the coach out when things don't result in wins is quite an amateur approach to blame or accountability. Newcastle has such a proud history of rugby league success, let's have that realistic review. Throwing the baby out with bathwater usually results in more chaos and loss. I HAD a quiet chuckle reading "We know where we stand" (Letters, 17/7), where Ian De Landelles reckons it should be USUKA instead of AUKUS. I think the acronym should be AWKWARD. I did not know Sinead Francis-Coan. I don't think I ever met her. To the people who loved her, I am so very sorry for your loss. Like many Novocastrians, I was shocked and deeply saddened by her untimely death. After watching the celebration of her life online, I wish I had met her and got to know her. She walked the walk and talked the talk. We need people like Sinead with her woo-hoo enthusiasm. She was a strong thread of the tapestry of our amazing city. She obviously loved being a councillor, and I am so very sad for all those who knew her and loved her. Due to monetary restrictions and COVID, we were driven into a cashless society, but we are still forced to pay ATM fees to access our hard-earned money. Given the status of our economy and living standards, these excessive fees should be removed. The government should be laying down the law to banks to remove these fees. We are led by those who are concerned only about increasing their own salary and increasing taxes to pay for their overspending of the budget, which doesn't benefit the population. I've been wondering about the rights of the motorist when approaching a pedestrian crossing. I always slow down and look around. Recently, I have noticed that most pedestrians simply run or step out, assuming that the crossing means that they are safe. And they should be. A person running along the footpath and then onto the crossing is sometimes very fast and not immediately seen by the motorist. Perhaps they should be equally vigilant? It is common now for pedestrians to text while crossing, and they just don't see any cars. That's because it appears to be all up to the motorist. I am sometimes a motorist and sometimes I ride a disability scooter. I take my responsibility on the road very seriously. I look both ways when crossing, as we were taught, but I would add "get off your phone, because while I can see you, I know that you can't see me". I have found that drivers are generally very courteous to people with disabilities. The crossing near the Newcastle ferry wharf is notorious for groups just wandering out, assuming that they have the right to step out without looking. All road users should be responsible. It's about safety. The frustration in Phillip O'Neill's column leaps off the page ("Denialists clinging on as comfort zone goes under", NH 15/7). Given the shocking floods and loss of life in recent times, O'Neill finds it almost impossible to understand how some still deny there is a climate crisis and that it is caused primarily by humans burning fossil fuels. But it appears that the number of deniers in Australia is declining. Griffith University has been conducting a longitudinal national climate action survey since 2021. While 2024 results are pending, it is heartening to note that the percentage of respondents classified as "deniers" or "sceptics", based upon their answers to the questions, decreased from 7 per cent and 9 per cent in 2021 and 2022 to only 5 per cent in 2023. As Coalition infighting over emissions targets continues, it would do well to note that the most recent survey reveals that 76 per cent of respondents agreed the government should "set a target of national net zero carbon emissions by 2050 at the latest". The survey reports should be compulsory reading for the climate deniers and sceptics in Parliament. Perhaps then they would realise what a tiny minority they belong to and how they are failing to represent their constituents. It would seem that Rising Tide wants to get up to some of their antics, trying to block coal ships and coal trains again. This form of civil disobedience is madness. My concern is that someone is going to be seriously injured or worse. When that happens, they will blame the ship's captain or the train drivers. I've been involved in protests in the past, and I think we got our messages across by being well-organised and staying within the law. I share their concerns about climate change, but I don't believe the civil disobedience they have engaged in has, or will, bring about change. Have they thought about forming a political party and having members stand for Parliament? This may be better than taking dangerous risks. KNIGHTS management needs to come forward and explain to its members what is going on at the club. After a week of rumours that our captain and highest paid player wanted out ('KP 'committed' till 2027', Newcastle Herald 17/7); our coach seems to think the fans don't know rugby league; we have signed a player for 10 years on a multi million dollar deal that can't make his present club side, and now there's reports an ex-player who had a life-changing event happen to him while wearing the Knights colours has to pay for a ticket to get into last week's game. This is disgraceful and it is happening on your watch. The members deserve better. SO Kalyn Ponga has decided to stay with the Knights. Great news. Now, is there anybody in the coaching staff who can teach him how to tackle better? THERE has been a lot of criticism of the Knights performances. You only need one player distracted from his performance, and that will cost you a game. In my experience, once management or players become too focused on individual outcomes, down goes the team performance. Are we aligned each week for the best performance? Every rugby league team needs to have a realistic, independent review sometimes to review structures and fix any badly-aligned cultures. The culture of kicking the coach out when things don't result in wins is quite an amateur approach to blame or accountability. Newcastle has such a proud history of rugby league success, let's have that realistic review. Throwing the baby out with bathwater usually results in more chaos and loss. I HAD a quiet chuckle reading "We know where we stand" (Letters, 17/7), where Ian De Landelles reckons it should be USUKA instead of AUKUS. I think the acronym should be AWKWARD. I did not know Sinead Francis-Coan. I don't think I ever met her. To the people who loved her, I am so very sorry for your loss. Like many Novocastrians, I was shocked and deeply saddened by her untimely death. After watching the celebration of her life online, I wish I had met her and got to know her. She walked the walk and talked the talk. We need people like Sinead with her woo-hoo enthusiasm. She was a strong thread of the tapestry of our amazing city. She obviously loved being a councillor, and I am so very sad for all those who knew her and loved her. Due to monetary restrictions and COVID, we were driven into a cashless society, but we are still forced to pay ATM fees to access our hard-earned money. Given the status of our economy and living standards, these excessive fees should be removed. The government should be laying down the law to banks to remove these fees. We are led by those who are concerned only about increasing their own salary and increasing taxes to pay for their overspending of the budget, which doesn't benefit the population. I've been wondering about the rights of the motorist when approaching a pedestrian crossing. I always slow down and look around. Recently, I have noticed that most pedestrians simply run or step out, assuming that the crossing means that they are safe. And they should be. A person running along the footpath and then onto the crossing is sometimes very fast and not immediately seen by the motorist. Perhaps they should be equally vigilant? It is common now for pedestrians to text while crossing, and they just don't see any cars. That's because it appears to be all up to the motorist. I am sometimes a motorist and sometimes I ride a disability scooter. I take my responsibility on the road very seriously. I look both ways when crossing, as we were taught, but I would add "get off your phone, because while I can see you, I know that you can't see me". I have found that drivers are generally very courteous to people with disabilities. The crossing near the Newcastle ferry wharf is notorious for groups just wandering out, assuming that they have the right to step out without looking. All road users should be responsible. It's about safety. The frustration in Phillip O'Neill's column leaps off the page ("Denialists clinging on as comfort zone goes under", NH 15/7). Given the shocking floods and loss of life in recent times, O'Neill finds it almost impossible to understand how some still deny there is a climate crisis and that it is caused primarily by humans burning fossil fuels. But it appears that the number of deniers in Australia is declining. Griffith University has been conducting a longitudinal national climate action survey since 2021. While 2024 results are pending, it is heartening to note that the percentage of respondents classified as "deniers" or "sceptics", based upon their answers to the questions, decreased from 7 per cent and 9 per cent in 2021 and 2022 to only 5 per cent in 2023. As Coalition infighting over emissions targets continues, it would do well to note that the most recent survey reveals that 76 per cent of respondents agreed the government should "set a target of national net zero carbon emissions by 2050 at the latest". The survey reports should be compulsory reading for the climate deniers and sceptics in Parliament. Perhaps then they would realise what a tiny minority they belong to and how they are failing to represent their constituents. It would seem that Rising Tide wants to get up to some of their antics, trying to block coal ships and coal trains again. This form of civil disobedience is madness. My concern is that someone is going to be seriously injured or worse. When that happens, they will blame the ship's captain or the train drivers. I've been involved in protests in the past, and I think we got our messages across by being well-organised and staying within the law. I share their concerns about climate change, but I don't believe the civil disobedience they have engaged in has, or will, bring about change. Have they thought about forming a political party and having members stand for Parliament? This may be better than taking dangerous risks. KNIGHTS management needs to come forward and explain to its members what is going on at the club. After a week of rumours that our captain and highest paid player wanted out ('KP 'committed' till 2027', Newcastle Herald 17/7); our coach seems to think the fans don't know rugby league; we have signed a player for 10 years on a multi million dollar deal that can't make his present club side, and now there's reports an ex-player who had a life-changing event happen to him while wearing the Knights colours has to pay for a ticket to get into last week's game. This is disgraceful and it is happening on your watch. The members deserve better. SO Kalyn Ponga has decided to stay with the Knights. Great news. Now, is there anybody in the coaching staff who can teach him how to tackle better? THERE has been a lot of criticism of the Knights performances. You only need one player distracted from his performance, and that will cost you a game. In my experience, once management or players become too focused on individual outcomes, down goes the team performance. Are we aligned each week for the best performance? Every rugby league team needs to have a realistic, independent review sometimes to review structures and fix any badly-aligned cultures. The culture of kicking the coach out when things don't result in wins is quite an amateur approach to blame or accountability. Newcastle has such a proud history of rugby league success, let's have that realistic review. Throwing the baby out with bathwater usually results in more chaos and loss. I HAD a quiet chuckle reading "We know where we stand" (Letters, 17/7), where Ian De Landelles reckons it should be USUKA instead of AUKUS. I think the acronym should be AWKWARD. I did not know Sinead Francis-Coan. I don't think I ever met her. To the people who loved her, I am so very sorry for your loss. Like many Novocastrians, I was shocked and deeply saddened by her untimely death. After watching the celebration of her life online, I wish I had met her and got to know her. She walked the walk and talked the talk. We need people like Sinead with her woo-hoo enthusiasm. She was a strong thread of the tapestry of our amazing city. She obviously loved being a councillor, and I am so very sad for all those who knew her and loved her. Due to monetary restrictions and COVID, we were driven into a cashless society, but we are still forced to pay ATM fees to access our hard-earned money. Given the status of our economy and living standards, these excessive fees should be removed. The government should be laying down the law to banks to remove these fees. We are led by those who are concerned only about increasing their own salary and increasing taxes to pay for their overspending of the budget, which doesn't benefit the population. I've been wondering about the rights of the motorist when approaching a pedestrian crossing. I always slow down and look around. Recently, I have noticed that most pedestrians simply run or step out, assuming that the crossing means that they are safe. And they should be. A person running along the footpath and then onto the crossing is sometimes very fast and not immediately seen by the motorist. Perhaps they should be equally vigilant? It is common now for pedestrians to text while crossing, and they just don't see any cars. That's because it appears to be all up to the motorist. I am sometimes a motorist and sometimes I ride a disability scooter. I take my responsibility on the road very seriously. I look both ways when crossing, as we were taught, but I would add "get off your phone, because while I can see you, I know that you can't see me". I have found that drivers are generally very courteous to people with disabilities. The crossing near the Newcastle ferry wharf is notorious for groups just wandering out, assuming that they have the right to step out without looking. All road users should be responsible. It's about safety. The frustration in Phillip O'Neill's column leaps off the page ("Denialists clinging on as comfort zone goes under", NH 15/7). Given the shocking floods and loss of life in recent times, O'Neill finds it almost impossible to understand how some still deny there is a climate crisis and that it is caused primarily by humans burning fossil fuels. But it appears that the number of deniers in Australia is declining. Griffith University has been conducting a longitudinal national climate action survey since 2021. While 2024 results are pending, it is heartening to note that the percentage of respondents classified as "deniers" or "sceptics", based upon their answers to the questions, decreased from 7 per cent and 9 per cent in 2021 and 2022 to only 5 per cent in 2023. As Coalition infighting over emissions targets continues, it would do well to note that the most recent survey reveals that 76 per cent of respondents agreed the government should "set a target of national net zero carbon emissions by 2050 at the latest". The survey reports should be compulsory reading for the climate deniers and sceptics in Parliament. Perhaps then they would realise what a tiny minority they belong to and how they are failing to represent their constituents. It would seem that Rising Tide wants to get up to some of their antics, trying to block coal ships and coal trains again. This form of civil disobedience is madness. My concern is that someone is going to be seriously injured or worse. When that happens, they will blame the ship's captain or the train drivers. I've been involved in protests in the past, and I think we got our messages across by being well-organised and staying within the law. I share their concerns about climate change, but I don't believe the civil disobedience they have engaged in has, or will, bring about change. Have they thought about forming a political party and having members stand for Parliament? This may be better than taking dangerous risks. KNIGHTS management needs to come forward and explain to its members what is going on at the club. After a week of rumours that our captain and highest paid player wanted out ('KP 'committed' till 2027', Newcastle Herald 17/7); our coach seems to think the fans don't know rugby league; we have signed a player for 10 years on a multi million dollar deal that can't make his present club side, and now there's reports an ex-player who had a life-changing event happen to him while wearing the Knights colours has to pay for a ticket to get into last week's game. This is disgraceful and it is happening on your watch. The members deserve better. SO Kalyn Ponga has decided to stay with the Knights. Great news. Now, is there anybody in the coaching staff who can teach him how to tackle better? THERE has been a lot of criticism of the Knights performances. You only need one player distracted from his performance, and that will cost you a game. In my experience, once management or players become too focused on individual outcomes, down goes the team performance. Are we aligned each week for the best performance? Every rugby league team needs to have a realistic, independent review sometimes to review structures and fix any badly-aligned cultures. The culture of kicking the coach out when things don't result in wins is quite an amateur approach to blame or accountability. Newcastle has such a proud history of rugby league success, let's have that realistic review. Throwing the baby out with bathwater usually results in more chaos and loss. I HAD a quiet chuckle reading "We know where we stand" (Letters, 17/7), where Ian De Landelles reckons it should be USUKA instead of AUKUS. I think the acronym should be AWKWARD.
ABC News
6 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
The Gold Coast's laid-back lifestyle is enticing entrepreneurs and investors
The technology industry is becoming a pretty big deal on the Gold Coast, especially in the health field. One of the co-founders of online health platform HotDoc John Servinis said he recognised the attraction of living outside the major metropolitan centres about a decade ago. "There's been a lot of brain drain from the cities," he said. According to at least one metric the tech sector is catching up to the city's key economic drawcard of tourism. It contributed $1.4 billion in gross value added (GVA) to the Gold Coast's economy in the year to June 2023, according to Invest Gold Coast. The organisation, set up by the city's council, found tourism contributed $1.6b in GVA in the same period. Mr Servinis said he moved to the area to work remotely but was planning to base his next venture on the Gold Coast. There are about 9,000 people employed in technology sector in the city and the council wants that number to grow. The City of Gold Coast is eyeing off a bigger chunk of the industry set to be worth $250b by the end of the decade, according to a Australian Trade and Investment Commission report. The city's research hubs include Griffith University's Institute of Biomedicine and Glycomics, the Gold Coast University Hospital and Bond University. The local government is aiming to support growth by investing in a co-working office called the Cohort Innovation Space designed help start-ups get off the ground and grow their roots in the city. The office hosts an annual program called LuminaX, which aims to support entrepreneurs and teach them how to secure funding. General practitioner Vu Tran met the co-founders of his start up, Bloody Good Tests, through the program. It allows anyone to pay for any blood screening they would like without getting a referral from a doctor. He and his co-founders have kept the start-up's base at the Cohort office. "It's given us access to great facilities, infrastructure and networking," Dr Tran said. Each week entrepreneurs and investors meet to grab a coffee, take a walk and bounce ideas off each other. It is a networking exercise which makes use of the city's natural beauty and comfortable year-long climate. Mr Servinis said the Gold Coast's livability increased his output and creativity at work.
