AUSTRALIAN Research Council (ARC) chief executive officer (CEO), Professor Sue Thomas, has welcomed the Australian Government’s 2018–19 Federal Budget announcement of a new ARC initiative to support Australian Antarctic Science research.

The ARC will administer a new Special Research Initiative in Excellence in Antarctic Science—worth $56 million over 7 years—that will provide Antarctic researchers in Australian universities the opportunity to seek funding to support their work in this important area.

“Australia’s Antarctic science program is fundamentally important to Australia, given Antarctica’s proximity to Australia and its strategic, economic, scientific and environmental importance,” said Prof. Thomas.

“This Special Research Initiative in Excellence in Antarctic Science will maintain Australia’s world-class science program in the Australian Antarctic Territory, which is vital to underpinning our leadership and influence in the region.

“This new initiative will expand on the successful research undertaken through the ARC’s 2014 Special Research Initiative for Antarctic Gateway Partnership.

“It will support Australia’s national Antarctic Priorities as determined in the Australian Antarctic Science Strategic Plan and Australian Antarctic Strategy and 20 Year Action Plan.

“The ARC will conduct a call for applications from all eligible organisations in 2018–19, with funding to commence on 1 January 2020. The initiative will provide a total of $8 million per year for seven years (until 2026) to support excellent research in Antarctic science.”

The Special Research Initiative in Excellence in Antarctic Science will be funded by the Australian Government through the ARC Special Research Initiatives (SRI) scheme.

The ARC SRI scheme provides funding for new and emerging fields of research and builds capacity in strategically important areas. The ARC currently funds several SRIs in a wide range of research areas. The objective of the scheme is to support high-quality research that will assist in advancing Australia’s research excellence to be globally competitive and deliver benefits to the community.

Further details about the Special Research Initiative in Excellence in Antarctic Science will be published on the ARC website as soon as they become available.

ARC website

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QUINN Emanuel Urquhart and Sullivan (QE) today has filed class action proceedings in the Supreme Court of New South Wales against embattled financial giant AMP Limited (AMP).

The class action has been filed on behalf of affected shareholders who have seen AMP’s market capitalisation plummet by approximately $2 billion following its recent admissions of misconduct at the banking Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry. QE will pursue the class action, which has the potential to be one of Australia’s largest shareholder claims, with the backing of global litigation funder Burford Capital.

The class action alleges that, amongst other things, AMP breached its continuous disclosure obligations and made misleading statements, causing shareholders significant loss.

Revelations of AMP’s misconduct have caused its share price fall to a six year low – with AMP’s share price dropping by 14 percent since 16 April 2018. At close Wednesday, AMP shares were trading at $4.08.

QE Partner Damian Scattini said: “I don’t think there’s anyone in Australia who hasn’t been shocked and appalled by the behaviour exposed by the Royal Commission. AMP admitted that it has been misleading its customers and the market for years – it knowingly charged its loyal customers fees for advisory services it never provided, and then repeatedly lied about it to the corporate regulator. The deceit of AMP and its board is reprehensible and they must be held financially accountable.

“We have been examining AMP’s conduct for some time, but these revelations show irrefutably the contempt and disregard that AMP has for both its shareholders and customers. We will be watching AMP’s annual general meeting tomorrow with great interest to see what they say about this.

“The fact that AMP’s chairman, CEO, general counsel and three directors have resigned or been stood down as a result of the evidence heard at the Royal Commission shows that even AMP realises the depth of wrongdoing that has occurred at the highest levels of the company.”

Craig Arnott, managing director of Burford said: “AMP’s directors and executives have demonstrated a serious lack of regard for their responsibilities and the legitimate expectations of the company’s shareholders, many of whom are retail investors.”

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THREE of Australia's leading entrepreneurs will share their stories of failures and successes at CeBIT Australia 2018 at ICC Sydney on May 16.

No success in business was ever achieved without failure, from Dyson's umpteen attempts to create a bagless vacuum cleaner to Darrell Lea's famous 'accidental' red liquorice.  

For the first time, CeBIT Australia is joining the global movement that is F’Up Nights. The event will see three successful business professionals take to the stage, Luther Poier, CFO of BlueChilli; Emma Sharley, co-founder and CMO, Shop You; and  Brendan Yell, director of community development Asia-Pacific for Startup Grind and SendGrid.

Al three will be candidly sharing stories of their 'f-ups', what they learnt, how they moved on and how it ultimately led to their business successes.

The global movement was born in Mexico in 2012, F'Up Nights have now been staged in more than 250 cities worldwide, including in Hannover, Germany at the original CeBIT event. The primary purpose of the movement is to address the stigma surrounding failure and to show that failure is an essential part of the path to success.

Garry Williams, creative producer for innovation at the University of Melbourne, and Josh Lipscombe, community lead at LaunchVic, are the co-organisers of F'Up Nights in Sydney and Melbourne and are passionate about start-ups.

"It's not a pathway into self-help courses or preaching, we are igniting the tech start-up community with high-energy stories from local entrepreneurs that motivate change by sharing real obstacles when starting a new business," Mr Williams said.

"It's acknowledging that we are inherently human. We all have flaws, and sometimes it's our mistakes that make us all greater.

"We want attendees at CeBIT Australia to be inspired by the f-ups of some of the business tech industry's most successful. That's our aim, and I guarantee you, it won't be a sugar-coated event. It'll be realistic and motivating,” Mr Williams said.

Each of the three entrepreneurs will have up to 10 minutes to present their f-ups and subsequent learnings, followed by a questions-and-answers session and networking.

Poier has over 20 years’ experience helping build, invest and grow great start-ups to solve some of the world’s biggest problems, while Sharley has over 12 years’ experience working in marketing for iconic brands before starting her own fashion tech start-up, and Yell is highly experienced in the start-up community, directing and advising on a number of start-ups.

Lipscombe said F’Up Nights are not a celebration of failure, but rather an acknowledgement of how these failures have changed their career trajectory and have not stopped or derailed their vision.

F’Up Night will take place during CeBIT Australia on the FutureTech Stage, 5pm - 7pm Wednesday 16 May. The event will be open to all holders of a CeBIT visitor pass.  

For more information about F-Up Night at CeBIT Australia 2018, visit: cebit.com.au/cebit-australia-2018-fup-invite

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THE RESOURCES sector has helped Queensland maintain its record high export results with strong growth in coal, LNG and mineral exports over the last 12 months, Queensland Resources Council chief executive Ian Macfarlane said.

Mr Macfarlane said based the latest trade figures for the 12 months to the end of March 2018 showed that the resources sector contributed more than $55 billion – or 78 percent – of the State’s $70 billion goods exports.

Premier and Minister for Trade Annastacia Palaszczuk said: “Queensland has always been a trading state. Our future is underpinned by trade, which comprises almost one-third of our economy. Our growth in exports is driven by coal, LNG and crops. We are always looking to do more to create jobs and boost the economy.”

Mr Macfarlane said he welcomed the Premier’s confidence in the sector and its ongoing contribution to Queensland’s exports.

“The fact is our exports are at record levels.  That’s good news for the Government’s budget and its capacity to reinvest in services and infrastructure.  It’s very good news for Queensland jobs and household budgets,” he said.

“Resources sector exports from Queensland are now the equivalent of $1 billion every week.”

The trade data shows coal exports increased by 12.4 percent – or $3.324 billion – to $30.174 billion over the last 12 months, while minerals increased by 9.9 percent – or $654 million – to $7.286 billion over the same period.

“LNG continues to be a growing contributor to our exports performance.  Combined the QCLNG, APLNG and GLNG projects, working off Curtis Island, have sent more than 750 shipments overseas from the Port of Gladstone,” he said.

Mr Macfarlane said stable policy and commodity prices were essential to the resources sector's strong export performance.

“However, the major threat to our export performance is a homegrown one.  Aurizon’s new maintenance regime will cut the movement of an estimated 20 million tonnes per annum.  This is the equivalent of $4 billion in lost export sales.  For the Government, and more importantly for the people of Queensland, it is a $500 million loss in royalties – in money the Government can reinvest in services and infrastructure for the people of Queensland,” he said.

“QRC repeats its call on Aurizon to resume normal maintenance practices and await the outcomes of both the Supreme Court action, which Aurizon initiated, and the Queensland Competition Authority assessment.”

QRC is the peak representative body for Queensland’s resource sector. The sector provides one in every $6 in the Queensland economy, sustains one in eight Queensland jobs, and supports more than 16,400 businesses across the State, all from 0.1 percent of Queensland’s land mass.

www.qrc.org.au

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