December 2018 / Newsletter #49

Cleveringa Lecture

Have you thought about how old you want to become?

On the 21st of November, the annual Cleveringa lecture took place at the City Tattersalls Club in Sydney. Prof. Wilco Achterberg, Professor of institutional care and elderly care medicine at the University of Leiden, enlightened us about the challenges of growing old.

It is expected that more than half of the children born today will reach the age of 100 or more. The challenges arise from different aspects of an ageing society. For one, ageing comes with higher chances of getting chronic and progressive diseases, such as osteoarthritis and dementia. Out of all 90+ persons, 1 in 3 will have dementia, and in fact dementia is now becoming the leading cause of death. Moreover, an ageing society also means that where we had 11 persons in the age between 20-65 (the workers) for every person aged 65+ in 1950, we will have only 3,5 persons for each person of 65+ in 2050!

Because demand for both formal and informal carers grows, this is a major challenge for the future of society. The ageing revolution is making us rethink the role of medicine: survival is no longer the biggest challenge: we have to change from adding years to life, to adding life to years. Listening to older people, to hear what they want, is not very fashionable, but in many cases more worthwhile than taking an X-ray. We should keep in mind that in care it is the relationship between humans that is giving real worth.

We would like to thank Professor Achterberg for presenting the lecture and everyone for their presence and contribution to making it a very successful and interesting evening!

To listen to the interviews of Consul-General Frank van Beuningen and Prof. Wilco Achterberg, please click on the button below.

Listen here

Alumni dinner with University of Utrecht

Last month, we attended a dinner for alumni of the University of Utrecht that are based in Sydney & surroundings. The 25 alumni were joined by a delegation from the University of Utrecht who were in town to visit the University of Sydney.

Utrecht and Sydney are both leading research universities, that signed a Super Exchange Agreement in 2017. Under this strategic partnership, each institution commits to sending 100 exchange students to each other’s universities every year. The agreement also includes an annual contribution for joint research programmes.

Both universities were pleased to inform guests that the agreement has been a success so far. The institutions share one another’s visions of forming a small number of strategic global partnerships and using them to encourage high quality research.

Consul General Frank van Beuningen held a speech on the importance of academic cooperation between Australia and the Netherlands. He also emphasised the role that knowledge institutions play in the Triple Helix approach. This approach is at the core of Dutch innovation policy and encourages the public and private sectors to complement one another.

The University of Utrecht is committed to building its alumni network in Sydney & beyond. If you would like to be part of future events, please send us an email via syd-ez@minbuza.nl. We will then connect you with the University’s alumni office in the Netherlands.

Vacancy: Executive Manager

Dutchlink is looking for a new colleague who wants a parttime position in its organisation. If interested please apply before Monday 17 December, 2018 and Dutchlink hopes to welcome you in the New Year!

Dutchlink Limited is a member based not-for-profit organisation aiming to bring people and organisations residing in Australia together based on their connection with or interest in the Netherlands.

Dutchlink’s mission is to facilitate a forum where members are able to expand their social and professional network and share their experiences and knowledge through social, cultural and professional networking events, keynote speakers and sporting activities.

The Executive Manager is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations and services of Dutchlink in a professional and effective manner. The role will take on average 16-20 hours per week.

If you have Australian Permanent Residency (or 457 visa) and think you have got what it takes to become the next Dutchlink Executive Manager please send your CV and motivation to office@dutchlink.com.au by Monday 17 December 2018.

Qwire anniversary

Canberra Gay & Lesbian Qwire celebrated its 25th anniversary last month with two concerts entitled “Taking Flight”. The anniversary concerts celebrated the strength of the LGBTIQ community and reminded people of all genders, orientations and expressions that they can look to the future with pride.

Qwire is a choir bringing people from all walks of life together and builds a bridge between the queer and the non-queer communities of Canberra through music. The Netherlands promotes LGBTIQ rights worldwide and our embassy is proud of the strong and close connection with Qwire with our Ambassador Erica Schouten being co-patron of Qwire.

On behalf of everyone at the Dutch diplomatic missions, we wish all Qwire’s members past and present a very happy 25th anniversary with many more musical years to come. To find out more about them, click on the button below.

More information

"Nature and Imagination" - an exhibition by John Windus

On Sunday December 2 Consul-General Frank van Beuningen participated in the official opening of the "Nature and Imagination" exhibition by the painter John Windus.

The opening was at the atelier Rex-Livingstone, Art and Objects, in Katoomba. As a painter of Dutch descent, who received his education in the Netherlands, John highly appreciated the presence of the Consul-General. He has exhibited in Sydney, Amsterdam, London and many other cities. The impressionist paintings of John Windus are exhibited until December 10 at Rex-Livingstone in Katoomba.

Landscape of the Soul

Titled the “Landscape of the Soul”, Frances Larder’s exhibition helps one to begin to comprehend the historical trajectory of events before, during and after the Japanese occupation of Indonesia. Of particular concern has been the effect that those horrific events had on the children of Eurasians in that period, and indeed Frances Larder was a child during that period. Such children are now quite elderly but remain the only eyewitnesses. Their vivid recollections of that terrifying period and the effect it had on their lives is what makes the Dutch documentary by Dutch director Hetty Naaijkens-Retel Helmrich Buitenkampers (with English subtitles), so heartbreakingly moving.

Frances Larder’s exhibition, through her wonderful wall hangings, supplemented by historical mixed media materials, records Eurasian colonial life, the privations of the Japanese occupation, the killings following the Japanese surrender, the exodus of some 100,000 Eurasians to Indonesia after independence, their alienation and isolation in Holland, and the subsequent migration of some of them to Australia.

This exhibition helps to further Australia’s understanding of both the diverse heritages that migrants have brought here and the particular experience of Australia’s Indo-Eurasian citizens. It is currently being shown at Casula Powerhouse museum until 3 February 2019.

Consular Affairs

Did you know that in 2018…

- Passport applications are being processed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Netherlands, printed, and couriered back to Sydney where staff puts them in envelopes or prepares them for pick up

- In peak season as an extra service, more desks were opened regularly and almost 190 applications were taken in weekly

- On a daily basis staff receives about 50 emails and phone calls regarding ongoing passport and visa applications

- Main visa applicants are from Indonesia and China

- Part of the staff went to a 2-days First Aid training course in Kuala Lumpur

Follow our Facebook page to discover more facts about our consular affairs in 2019!

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