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Just checked Google Streetview map for sydney. Luckily none of my face or privacy was exposed...really another incredible piece of technology...however found out that the photos were taken near christmas ...just see the STAR and christmas tree in Martin place.
Lisa Macnamara | August 01, 2008
THE federal and NSW governments have announced separate plans to advance Australia's position as a regional financial hub.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said a unit would be established in the Treasury Department dedicated to securing Australia's future as a financial centre.
NSW Premier Morris Iemma announced plans to develop Sydney's Barangaroo site, near Darling Harbour, into a major financial hub in the Asia-Pacific.
Treasury officials would report back to the Government by the end of the year with a plan that would ensure Australia's financial sector was "among the most competitive in the world and that Australian financial services businesses can succeed in global markets", Mr Rudd said.
The Government would launch an "Olympic bid-style approach" to claim a bigger chunk of the global financial services market, Assistant Treasurer Chris Bowen said.
The approach would include a "permanent bid team" backed by the newly formed Treasury unit. Mr Bowen plans to deliver progress reports to parliament.
The initiatives continue a long-running campaign by the previous Liberal-National coalition government to make Australia a regional hub for financial services in the face of strong competition from Tokyo, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Politicians want to take advantage of global capital markets, ageing populations and a growing middle class in Asia, to make Australia's commercial capital, Sydney, a key financial centre for the region.
"Within our neighbouring economies of the Asia-Pacific region, despite the recent volatility, we are seeing the strong underlying trends that will continue to drive growth and provide opportunities for Australia's financial sector," Mr Rudd said in Sydney yesterday.
A roadshow is being planned to promote Australian financial services to key markets in Asia.
New tax incentives were likely be a feature of the Government's approach, Mr Bowen said, and would be examined under the current review of the taxation system conducted by Treasury Secretary Ken Henry.
In NSW, Premier Iemma hopes to take advantage of the global credit crunch and the thousands of job losses expected in the New York and London financial centres. "Government in partnership with the successful proponent of Barangaroo will focus on attracting financial services firms to Sydney and Barangaroo," Mr Iemma said.
"This means targeting institutions around the globe that may be wanting to reduce costs in expensive centres such as London, New York or Hong Kong."
He said the time was ripe to begin marketing Sydney as a relocation option for offshore banks and corporates as the fallout of the financial market turmoil took hold.
Additional reporting: Dow Jones Newswires
Note: already incoming ceo of UBS to be from ozland. See source here.
Why is it Ms Sg contestant and MY contestant look almost the same? Wonder if they can have the same person represennting two countries if she was allowed dual nationality ?
not sureNSW rail workers have called off plans for a 24-hour strike during World Youth Day after a breakthrough in pay talks with the NSW government.
A three-hour meeting between Transport Minister John Watkins and union officials averted the strike action, which was planned for July 17 - the day Pope Benedict XVI tours Sydney.
RailCorp, which runs Sydney's train services, is expecting to move 700,000 people that day, including 200,000 Catholic pilgrims attending World Youth Day events.
Union officials and RailCorp will hold negotiations from 9am (AEST) on Wednesday and plan to continue talks until an agreement is reached.
Mr Watkins and Unions NSW secretary John Robertson said they would intervene if talks broke down again.
"The workers have had a win, the commuters have had a win and I think that's good," Mr Robertson told reporters.
"Now we need to go forward in the spirit that was in the room today.
"The industrial action has now been called off for World Youth Day ... it will not come back up."
Premier Morris Iemma welcomed the breakthrough, but said the government was never going to negotiate with the Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) unless the strike threat was withdrawn.
"Common sense has prevailed today and Sydney residents and international visitors can now be assured of rail services operating during World Youth Day week," Mr Iemma said.
Pay talks between the RTBU and RailCorp have been going on for 11 months, with the union seeking a five per cent increase for its members.
The government had offered four per cent, conditional on 417 jobs being cut.
RailCorp has now agreed the job cuts are off the table and will offer rail workers a four per cent a year increase over the next two years.
Mr Watkins said an application lodged by RailCorp in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) today to prevent the strike would now be withdrawn.
RTBU secretary Nick Lewocki said rail workers had threatened to strike due to frustration over how long it had taken RailCorp to offer a decent deal.
"I had a very clear mandate that when 95 per cent of people voted that they would take action, they knew that action would be during World Youth week," Mr Lewocki said.
"They were prepared to take that. It was my responsibility to take that argument up to the government, up to the commission and call on the public to support us."
Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell said the government had rolled over to union demands, only a day after Mr Iemma had described the planned strike as "industrial terror".
Mr O'Farrell said the government should have negotiated a pay deal with the union well ahead of World Youth Day.
Source: AAP
