Newsletter #46, September 2018

September 2018 / Newsletter #46

Guus Meeuwis in Sydney, Australia!

On 27th April 2019 (King’s Day in the Netherlands) Dutch singer Guus Meeuwis will rock the stage at The Big Top (Luna Park) in Sydney!

With Guus in town, King’s Day will be a grand party guaranteed. Luna Park will turn into ‘little Holland’ with a big presence of the national colour orange and Dutch ‘gezelligheid’. G’day met een zachte G is an event you don’t want to miss!

Singer and songwriter Guus Meeuwis (born 23 March 1972) is a top selling musician from the Netherlands. His music career started in 1995 with the band Vagant. Guus Meeuwis and Vagant scored several #1 hits in the Netherlands and Belgium during the 90s and early 00s. Every Dutchie will know the songs “Het is een nacht… (Levensecht)”, “Per spoor” and “`t Dondert en `t Bliksemt”. Play one of these in a pub and the party will get started.

In 2001 the band Vagant no longer existed and Meeuwis continued as a solo artist. It gave him the opportunity to change his genre. His songs had more depth but that didn’t deter the audience. He recorded 10 solo albums, became a jury member in the television show The Voice Of Holland and fulfilled his dream by playing a sold out Royal Albert Hall in London. He has also played in Paris, Dubai and Curaçao. Besides that he has filled the Philips Stadium in Eindhoven (the Netherlands) over 50 times. His stadium show “Groots met een zachte G” became an annual tradition and attracted over 1,5 million visitors in 13 years (and counting). In 2013 he was named Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau.

Thanks to some enthusiastic members of the Dutch community in Australia, Guus Meeuwis is now coming Down Under for the very first time. G’day met een zachte G is a once in a lifetime event. So don’t miss out and buy your tickets now!

Buy your tickets now

Dutch Cycling Ambassador Mark Wagenbuur in Sydney

Earlier this month, we were honoured to welcome Dutch cycling ambassador Mark Wagenbuur in Sydney!
For a sold out audience in Customs House, he presented his “Cycling in Sydney: Can we go Dutch?” story that proved to be very insightful on Dutch transport innovation throughout the years.

Mark explained the historic events that influenced urban design in the Netherlands. Unlike many people (even most Dutchies!) think, there was a time in the Netherlands when cars took over from bikes and the accident rates of cyclists skyrocketed. This is when people started protesting, which eventually led to change.

There have been many experiments with cycling infrastructure in the Netherlands, eventually leading to what the country is known for now: bicycles! (and windmills…)

Mark is positive on the future of cycling in Australia, and we look forward to seeing Australian cities go Dutch.

Feeling inspired and ready to start riding in Australia?
Then click on the link below to read more about cycling in the Netherlands!

Shared Cultural Heritage Project

The National Archives of Australia (NAA), in cooperation with the Nationaal Archief launched their joint Shared Cultural Heritage Project at the NFSA - National Film and Sound Archive today. This is a multiannual project supported by the Dutch embassy under the Shared Cultural Heritage program.

The NAA worked together with the Nationaal Archief to scope both collections and to create five video interviews with Dutch migrants in Australia.

Approximately 160,000 Dutch nationals migrated to Australia between 1947 and 1970. These Dutch migrants helped shape Australia, working in the building and construction industries, and contributed to scientific, artistic and economic developments.

In her speech, the Ambassador said, “Since this group of migrants is ageing, it makes it even more important to preserve their stories for future generations.” David Fricker, Director General of the NAA, said he is very proud of the Dutch-Australian Shared Cultural Heritage project. Jan Müller, the Dutch CEO of the NFSA announced the NSFA will be involved with the second phase of the project

Olaf & Kerstens in Cairns (until 7th of October)

The Cairns Art Gallery is presenting a new exhibition by two internationally renowned contemporary Dutch photographers, Erwin Olaf
and Hendrik Kerstens. The exhibition is presented with the support of the Dutch diplomatic missions in Australia.

Erwin Olaf is an interdisciplinary artist who works
across photography, video and installation. His
work has been described as provocative and
unsettling. Through his portraits, Olaf draws the
viewer into his surreal filmic narrative, while
maintaining the distance of the critical observer.
Hendrik Kerstens took up photography at the age of fourty when he stayed at home to care for his first child, Paula. His early portraits captured the everyday life of the young child, but as Paula grew up, his photographs were increasingly inspired by great Dutch master painters of the 17th century, with Paula as his muse.

Dutchlink sport events

Dutchlink is hosting two sports events in Sydney this spring, a mixed hockey competition on the 7th of October, and a tennis competition on the 21st of October.

The tennis competition is organised in Naremburn, NSW. The games are suitable for two different levels: intermediate and advanced. A tennis competition would not be the same without an audience so feel free to come and support our players!

Sign up: 10:00-10:30 hrs
First game: 11:00 hrs
Finale: 16:00 – 16:30 hrs
Drinks and prizes: after the finale ends

Please register by sending an e-mail to office@dutchlink.com.au and let us know what your level (intermediate or advanced) is.

The hockey competition will take place in Randwick between 4:30 to 5:30 pm and is open for registration. Children are also more than welcome! Click on the link below to register.

Register Here

A timely passport application prevents disappointments

The quotes above are some of the questions consular staff of the CG in Sydney faces on a daily basis. They all have in common that there's little time to make suitable arrangements to provide citizens with a new passport so they can travel overseas. A lot of the above mentioned situations could have been avoided if people regularly check the whereabouts and validity of their passport and not leave it until the last minute.

If your passport is missing, please report it as soon as possible and make arrangements to apply for a new passport. Don't leave it until the last minute to avoid disappointment and missing out on important family events.

Special attention is asked for the group of people that arrived in the 1950s by boat and never had a passport of their own.

Quite a few of these people, now mostly in their 80s, have never left Australia since their arrival and now would like to visit their family in the Netherlands one more time. As they have never had a passport of their own the application of a new passport is quite strenuous and difficult for older people as they have to provide evidence of their Dutch nationality. Check whether you intend to travel any time soon to avoid disappointment.

To avoid any disappointment, please be aware of the following to help you to obtain a new passport in time:

· The application process of a regular passport takes about 3 weeks.

· If there's a good reason to apply using the fast track option it will still take 5-10 working days. An additional fee applies and we require proof of the urgency.

· If someone has to provide evidence of Dutch nationality and documents need to be obtained from the Netherlands the process might take several months.

· To apply for a new passport at the Consulate General in Sydney you need to make an appointment online and make use of the new passport tool to check what documents you need to bring visit. Please see the link below.

· And please remember, No sunnies, no smiles! When you come to the CG in Sydney to finalise your passport application, please make sure that you bring a correct photograph. Since the passport is an important identification document, strict rules apply. We have listed recommended photographers who in general can do the job properly on our website.

Please note that the Consulate General will be closed on:

Monday 1 October (Labour Day)

New Passport

Travelling? Check your passport!

Frequently, consular staff in Bondi Junction is confronted with disappointed travellers being refused by airlines on their way to their travel destination (e.g. Bali) because their passport is no longer valid for 6 months after leaving the country of destination. Please be aware airlines are quite strict about this rule because they will be fined and are responsible (read: have to pay) for your return home if the country of destination refuses you entry.

A destination as Bali does not accept hand written emergency passports which means that a traveller has to apply for a new regular passport. This might take up to 2 weeks. To make sure you can enjoy your holiday, always check the validity of your passport before booking!

Can't make it to your appointment? Please cancel!

Applications for passports are by appointment only. Book an appointment using our appointment website.

If, for any reason, you are not able to make the appointment, please cancel the appointment. At the moment we are experiencing a waiting list for appointments. Other applicants would really appreciate it if you would cancel your appointment to shorten the waiting list.

Bring a complete application to shorten processing time

Almost 80% of the passport applications is incomplete which causes delay in the processing of the application. Top 3 of missing items: a copy of the Dutch passport, proof of legal residence in Australia, correct passport pictures.

On the Dutch website you can use the new passport tool to get a check list of all documents you need to bring to your appointment. A passport tool for the English website is in development.

Applicants with only Dutch citizenship can obtain proof of legal residence at https://www.border.gov.au/Busi/Visa. Applicants that also have Australian citizenship can bring the original and a copy of their Australian passport.

All foreign documents must be legalised/authenticated by the appropriate authorities. Australian documents (e.g. birth certificates, marriage certificates) must be authenticated by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs with a so called ‘apostille stamp’. Apostille stamps are obtainable from the Australian Passport Office, authentication section in your state’s capital.

Passport photos

Bring correct passport photos. In general, passport photos used for Australian passports are too big to use for your application for a Dutch passport. Please check the website for the requirement.