- Kate Armstrong
Medical practitioner, Caring and Living as Neighbours
Kate talks about her concern for the long-term chronic health conditions that she initially encountered in Vietnam. She made comparisons with care available in Australia and felt a need to offer similar help. She talks about the power and strength of communities and the value in spending time with people who share the same medical condition. From a medical perspective, she finds Asia a really exciting place to be working. ʻThe opportunities to make profound differences in peopleʼs lives are enormous.ʼ… She reminds us that ʻYes the language and yes the culture are differentʼ, but the impact of a medical condition on the human body anywhere is very much the same.
- Chris Bennett
Marketing director, Santos
Chris studied law and commerce and his career pathway began with the foreign service. His exposure to Asia was through the prism of policy making. How do we build the relationships that would strengthen Australiaʼs relationships with the Asian region? – That question was the real insight and driver for his keen interest in the Asia Pacific Region. Subsequently he has used his knowledge and experience to help build successful business. His motivation now? How to build a continuingly prosperous Australia and secure a steady and successful pathway for this region in the future. Chris believes that the opportunities for anyone with Asia skills are endless. ʻWhen you think of the role Asia will play in Australiaʼs future, it is at the epicentre [of so many different fields].ʼ
- Kate Ben-Tovim
Independent arts producer
Kate says her work is ʻreally about the link between the art and all the infrastructure that makes it happenʼ. She work on festivals for example, and ʻmakes shows happenʼ. She lived in Indonesia for a year, in which time she worked with a dance company. Following an earthquake that destroyed all the local infrastructure, supported by AusAID she helped develop a new performance space. She has also worked in Papua New Guinea. ʻIt was like another world – a really beautiful but very complicated place.ʼ She worked with a choir made up of people from a small village, fusing their music with jazz provided by Australian musicians, which has become an ongoing collaboration. ʻThis experience provided an amazing insight into a culture and another world, our neighbours really, something that most of us donʼt know anything about.ʼ Within the arts there is more and more interest in work from the Asian region – the paths less travelled as she describes. She says that having a focus on Asia has been a huge advantage in her career, enabling her to take part in projects that are unique.
- Adam Broinowski
Performer, writer, director
Adam lived in Japan early in his life and developed an ear for the language. He has since returned and lived there for many years making films and working in theatre. He is firmly of the view that intercultural collaboration, working in a new area or new country, opens up new opportunities; and that ʻif you learn a different language … you actually change [your perception] and way of thinkingʼ. He is certain that this is an important and very enriching process.
- Gaethan Cutri
Grower and exporter, Cutri Fruit and ʻCertified Freshʼ
Gaethan is a stone fruit producer from Swan Hill whose company sells most of its produce into Asia. He spent his early life in Swan Hill before going to Melbourne to study Commerce and Law. After five years of legal practice he came back to the farm, and since that time has developed new export brands to become the largest stone fruit producer in Australia. His father began supplying produce to Taiwan many years ago and he remembers being in charge of farm tours of Asian buyers when he was in his early teens. ʻI love dealing with buyers from all around the world, and I just love our industry. I think there are so many opportunities in it… [And some of the most populous countries in the world] are in our backyard.ʼ
- Brett Farrelly
Product designer, Cocoon Republic
Brett does a lot of business in China. He designs goods that are manufactured in China and brought back to Australia for sale. He studied design in Australia but on completion decided to work overseas where he thought there were more opportunities. He thinks Australia has the creative flair but not the manufacturing capacity. China has the reverse situation. The chance to be creative motivates him in his work and doing business in China enables him to have control over the whole process from design to manufacture to sale of finished products. During school he wasnʼt offered the chance to learn Chinese and laments that in his current situation, ʻIt would have greatly helped me.ʼ
- Amy Frasca
Television program manager, Australia Network
Amy is the program and ʻtrafficʼ manager for this international network, which operates within the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Previously she has been an independent documentary filmmaker, a commissioning editor, in television sales and a journalist. She is delighted to be able to offer the wide range of material shown on the Australia Network – ʻamazing Australian filmsʼ. She thinks, in
particular, that ʻour [Asian] audiences are refreshed and engaged to see social issues portrayed within the context of dramaʼ, and that ʻthe face of Australia is one of many people from many placesʼ. By comparison to Hollywood or other American products, this and other factors enable people in Asian countries to see themselves in our drama. She has no doubt of the value of developing Asia skills – ʻIt gives you a great advantage in the workplaceʼ – and suggests starting with travel to an Asian country, ʻperhaps one close byʼ.
- Nicole Fraser
Fashion designer, Kinki Gerlinki
Nicole has sourced fashion products from China for the last 11 years, originally because she found that interesting garments could be bought in China for good prices. But she was also drawn to the kind of fashion that was being manufactured in Asian countries, which seemed to be much more about experimentation and imaginative and interesting ideas that reflected her own interests. In the last five years her business has changed; they have started manufacturing their own garments and have chosen China as a base for this process. Over time she has established good working relationships with her Chinese agent and his staff. This has happened, she thinks, because of focusing on what they all have in common, and going with good will and developing trust and understanding. ʻFor anybody who is interested in a career in fashion your first stop should be the Guangzhou fabric market (China) just to have a look at what is available.ʼ
- Nick Goodwin
International development manager, University of Sydney
Nick studied Indonesian at high school. He was moved by what he describes as a ʻfantastic video of a teacherʼs travels. … It really got me interested in the variety and exciting diversity that exists outside Australia.ʼ That led him to continue with his study of languages at university both in Australia and in Indonesia. Subsequently he got a job in Indonesia. He has worked in a wide range of jobs – for the UN, in the public and private sectors, in the media – in 13 or 14 different countries. In that process he has met a diverse range of people, and been engaged with ʻexciting issues that affect us allʼ. He describes Asia skills as the ability to operate comfortably and effectively across a range of cultures, and suggests that ʻif you are thinking about learning Asian languages or studying Asia just follow what you find interesting to you.ʼ
- Marco Hernadez
Tour guide
Marco spent some time working as a tour guide based in Korea bringing Korean University students to Australia. In his adolescence he had a friend in Sydney who was Korean and this, combined with an interest in language, got Marco involved with Korea. He attended a Catholic university in Seoul and enjoyed his time there. His language skills evolved more from everyday experience rather than in the classroom, and developed to the point where he could work as a Korean-speaking tour guide. He finds learning an Asian language a great deal of fun and suggests that when you ʻget over to the country itʼs even better. Youʼll learn something new about the culture you could learn no other way. It will be something that you have never learnt before. Youʼll never forget the experience.ʼ
- Sarah Heseltine
Public servant, Program coordinator at Shanghai World Expo, Victorian Government
Sarah works for the Victorian Government, most recently coordinating Victoriaʼs very successful display at the Shanghai World Expo — ʻa chance to showcase ourselves to China and the rest of the world.ʼ She loves her work. ʻYou get to travel, and Australiaʼs exposure to China is so broad every day is different.ʼ There are such a wide range of issues and activities to be involved in. She did her first university degree in Taiwan and later studied in Beijing, marrying a Chinese Canadian. She now has two children and will be ʻpushing Asian languages with themʼ. Over the span of her career she has seen a massive change in China, and also in Australiaʼs perceptions of and relationships with China. The shift has been from China being a country ʻvery far away and distant to part of our daily life.ʼ She believes that immersion in a language will certainly broaden your horizons, and many companies that you might work for will see that as a very valuable skill to have as well.
- Larissa Hjorth
Artist and ethnographer, RMIT University
Larissa has been working in the Asian region for 10 years, mostly in Korea which she loves — ʻa friendly generous country&hellip with fantastic hospitality and foodʼ – and a world leader in her area of interest — mobile communication technology and its uses. She is interested in the impact of taking something intimate, like text messages, and making them public. She undertook cultural studies, focusing on a critique of Anglo models for thinking about technology. ʻIn Australia a lot of the models we get for thinking about cultural practice are either very US-based or very European-based. For me it didnʼt make sense. I was trying to find my own model and the Asia-Pacific region provided me with that.ʼ She is also a firm believer in the value of learning Asian languages. ʻThe languages we need to learn are changing in line with global currency… As an Australian you canʼt afford not to think about Australia in the context of our region.ʼ
- James Johnson
Sports lawyer, Professional Footballers Australia
For James and the soccer worldʼs governing body, Australia is part of the Asian Football Confederation, so for football purposes Australia is an Asian country. He works as part of a group which is exclusive representatives for all Australian soccer players. He was a footballer himself. He played for the Australian youth side and also in the premier Vietnamese league. His current work enables him to combine both interests, while the different perspectives provide a well-rounded knowledge base, which is vital to his work. He thinks that Asia is a great place for Australian footballers to develop, especially in the major Japanese or Korean leagues, two of the top countries in Asian football. ʻThere are so many opportunities over there for players - opportunities that they may not have here in Australia.ʼ
- Peter Kerr
Journalist, Sydney Morning Herald
Peter is a journalist who has lived and worked extensively in Indonesia. He began his career on a country newspaper, worked as a political aide, and then returned to journalism where he has had many roles. In his current job he handles all legal and complaints issues for the ʻSydney Morning Heraldʼ. Before he went to Indonesia he took an intensive language and culture course, which stood him in good stead. Working for Jakarta Post, he was ʻtaken inside the organisationʼ and Indonesian life, ʻa very different experience from backpackingʼ. This provided him with ʻremarkable opportunitiesʼ, opportunities he would never have had in Australia. In Peterʼs words, ʻItʼs tough for young aspiring journalists in Australia at present. Think outside the square, think beyond Australia, think about Asia because thereʼs some terrific opportunities over there.ʼ
- Adam Liaw
Lawyer and chef (ʻMaster Chefʼ winner)
Adam worked as a lawyer in Japan for the Walt Disney company. He speaks Chinese, but felt that when this job came up it provided an interesting opportunity to go to Japan. So he leapt at it. Later he got a chance to indulge his ʻsecret passionʼ for cooking very publicly, as a participant and eventual winner of ʻMaster Chefʼ. He notes that ʻsome of us had grown up with Asian food but, sitting around chatting after the show, it was a surprise to discover that really talented cooks knew so little about Asian flavours and cuisineʼ. He goes on to say that we are really lucky to have the broad range of Asian cuisines that we do in Australia. Regarding work and career, he thinks that knowing more about the region sets you apart from many others who are going for jobs. ʻYou might have the same skills, same personalities, same drive to succeed.ʼ But someone who has that interest and experience… it sets them apart.
- Charlie O’Sullivan
Director, Scientific Affairs, Hospira
Charlie works for a company specialising in injectable medicines. His interest in Asia has stemmed from the natural growth of his company from Australia and New Zealand into the larger markets available in Asia. Hospira has a major interest in Japan. Hospiraʼs share of the market in the Asia Pacific region is currently 10 percent but it is projected to rapidly exceed that in the future. Charlie talks about ʻthe power of proximity, [being] at the epicentre of what is going onʼ. He is certain that knowing about Asia or, better, speaking an Asian language, means you can form all-important relationships more effectively. ʻEven in the age of instant digital communication nothing replaces face-to-face for effective communication. Personal relationships are so critical to making progress.ʼ
- Alexandra Owens
Foreign affairs advisor, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Alexandraʼs major responsibilities are in the area of South-East Asia and more specifically the ten ASEAN countries. As a schoolgirl she learnt French and later wanted to do an Asian language ʻfor balanceʼ. She was told that Indonesian was good and relatively easy to learn, and she fell in love with Indonesia on her first visit there. She spent time in Indonesia with host families and taught school children. Now she supports Australiaʼs engagement with ASEAN by providing information and support to our political and diplomatic representatives. Her motivations include the personal connections she is able to make to broaden relationships more generally between two countries. ʻHaving an Asian language can only enhance your own personal life and your career opportunities.ʼ
- Tom Parker
Business consultant, Director, Redtape Consulting
Tom runs a consultancy business to help Australians do business in China. Two of his clients are the Melbourne Football Club and the AFL. Their interests in this matter are diverse but include attracting new sponsors and new members. He describes an in-country team-building process through exposure to Chinese cultural experiences. His task is to get the group to engage with China, to realise there are significant points of cultural difference (between Australia and China) and to try to understand the drivers behind these differences. He suggests that sport can build bridges, but without some depth to the experience it is an opportunity wasted. He first went to China in the early ʻ70s and ʻdecided he wanted to make China part of my journeyʼ. He has done a lot of things – been a teacher, worked in government and the media – but China has always been involved somehow. He is concerned about the state of our Asia skills and language abilities in particular. ʻLanguages arenʼt really seen as a priority in Australia… Weʼre a bit complacent about it. While we travel a lot and are mindful of other cultures, broadly speaking we donʼt have those skills.ʼ
- Maha Sukkar
Multicultural Liaison Officer, Victoria Police
Maha works with migrants and Asian Australian communities. She joined the police force seven years ago, trained and did all the normal police work but wanted to become involved in proactive rather than reactive work. She was aware that she comes from a different cultural background and wanted to share her experience and to make it work for others. Most of her work these days is dealing with refugees, ʻnew settlers who donʼt know anything about Australiaʼ. As a police officer she sees her job to make these new Australians feel welcome, to explain the role of laws and their obligations, and ʻto show the other side of the police forceʼ for people who have usually had only negative experiences with police. ʻThese people have experienced a lot of trauma, and it takes a bit of time to get used to the situation here.ʼ Her watchword is, ʻYou need to treat people with respect, but not treat everyone the same.ʼ
- Kirk Willcox
Communications Director, Surfaid International
Surfaid International was formed in 2000 when a New Zealand doctor went to a group of islands to the west of Sumatra (Indonesia) to surf and was confronted by the extreme health problems of the people who lived there. He decided to do something about it. In this case the process is underpinned by the principle of community development, empowering the local people to look after themselves through Surfaid. They are taught simple things like regularly washing hands, maintaining ways of avoiding malaria, employing sound nutrition and preparedness for emergencies. This is a high-level earthquake and volcanic eruption area. Kirk runs the communications part of this process. He is a journalist by profession, many years ago becoming editor of ʻTracksʼ surfing magazine then working as a freelance writer before becoming Quicksilverʼs marketing manager. So he has been involved in the surfing industry most of his working life and that is what took him to Bali when he was 22. He hadnʼt appreciated that there was a foreign culture so close to home and this had a profound effect on him. Among other things he encountered the frustration of not knowing the language of a place you like to go and where you want to communicate.