Life, Down Under. The digital diary of Vera & Alex Olah: January 2023

Gentlefolk,

This post describes our activities during the month of January 2023, the start of a new calendar year.

The contents of this post are in the following sequence:

Photos of our activities during January 2023.

Some news items which caught my eye in January 2023.

International Trade.

The highlight was our time at the coast (Broulee), first for two days over New Year and then later for two weeks.

First some photos taken during the month.

Andrew & Caz rented a house for a week at 111 Annett's Parade, Mossy Point. Brilliant location, just above Candalogan Creek and close to the beach as well. Vera & I joined them for a couple of days over New Year (we stayed with Barbara, where Jen & Tom & boys were also staying). The kids played cricket on the flat grassy area below the house.

Eddie gettiing into surfing. Both he and Caz had a lesson to get them started.

Isaac's mum, Simone Roberts, designed a special "Amazing Race" around Broulee/Mossy Point to celebrate his 12th birthday on New Year's Day.
Simone divided the group into 5 teams (see below); they had to find their way to 10 check points and work out the clues to the other check points.

Five teams: Blue, Pink, Yellow, Red, and Purple.

Simone briefing the participants.

Paul and I were designated to man one of the check points, a Ninja Warrior course on the grounds of St Peter's School.

Simone announced the winning team - Pink! (Bonnie, Liza, Andy Jay, Nate, and Ellen). Well done!!!

I attended the funeral in Sydney of Frank Walsh, a legend of the Trade Commissioner Service.

Frank's funeral was held at St Mary's Church, North Sydney. Big crowd.

Friends farewelling the hearse outside the church. The wake was held at the Royal Yacht Squadron, Kirribilli.

After the funeral, old friend Tom Yates showed me around the new Austrade (Australian Trade Commission) offices in Barangaroo - impressive! It's 21 years since I left Austrade and Tom is about the only one I know there now.

Vera & I attended the Canberra International Tennis Tournament.

The winner in Canberra was Hungarian champion Marton Fucsovics; his highest ranking was World #31, so no slouch. He went on the play in the Australian Open in Melbourne, but was beaten in the second round.

Theresa Barbaro, former Austrade colleague from 25 years ago; she is a tennis tragic.

Vera and I rented this 'Pink House' in Broulee for 2 weeks, 7 - 21 January.

What a lovely house. We invited various friends to join us.

We overlapped with the Roberts for two days. Dinner at Barbara's place. From left: Vera. Tom, Nate, Simone (hidden), Isaac, Sid, Francesca, Jen, Barb, and Marty (hidden).

Saying goodbye to the Roberts before they headed back to Brisbane. From let: Nate, Jen, Kurt, Sid, me, Vera, and Tom.

Vera & Tieke on bush walk.

With Tieke and Robin Brown, friends from Canberra.

The granite for the Sydeny Harbour Bridge came from a quarry near Moruya. A town of over 300 was built to house stone masons and their families. Stone masons were recruited from Scotland and Italy. The granite was mined and cut here and special ships took it to Sydney.

Vera, Tieke and Heath McMichael near the granite quarry..

We visited the village of Bodalla, known for its dairy products.

The old Bodalla pub, established more than 100 years ago.

Robin, Tieke and Heath on beautiful North Broulee beach.

Other friends came from Sydney: Charles, Nikki, and Rob.

From left: Carole Hodge, Nikki, Charles Yu, Niu Cai Qin (Charles' mother), Vera, Rob Hodge.

Barbara Roberts and I swapping stories of our visits to Iran.

More visitors: Niniek & Paul Milton and Helen & Neil Moffat.

At Catalina Golf Club, Batemans Bay; from left: Paul Milton, Paul Flint, Noel Cock, and David Evans.

Lunch with our former neighbour in Waramanga, Bernie Ryan (he and Jen now live at the coast).

Chinese New Year (Year of the Rabbit) on 22 January.

The Australia China Friendship Society held a Lantern-making workshop.

Light show at the lake for Australia Day (26 January 2023).

The president of the Australia Indonesia Association, Les Boag, welcomed the Indonesian Ambassador and friends to a picnic by Lak Burley Griffin on Australia Day.

The Chinese community held a Forum on Australia Day.

Dr Ying Liu described how she became a General Practitioner (GP) in Canberra.

Chinese community choir.

The Australia China Friendship Society hosted a dinner to commemorate Chinese New Year; farewell Tiger, welcome Rabbit.

I read two books during the month.

I enjoyed Ash Barty's book, published last year.

Ash Barty was ranked World #1 womans tennis player for 121 weeks. She won the Australian Open in January 2022, and then retired. She was only 25, and World #1 - people couldn't believe that she would walk away, but she did. Ash said that she had achieved her goals, and that it was time to live a 'normal' life. She married Garry Kissick (a golf pro) in July 2022, and has just announced that she is pregnant. We wish her well - a truly remarkable person!

A good novel by a fine Aussie author.

A film was made of this book, starring Eric Bana as federal agent Aaron Falk.

The price of petrol at Costco, Canberra at the end of January 2023.

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News items which caught my eye during January 2023.

Global

The Geneva Academy list 116 armed conflicts occurring around the world.

Lula da Silva was sworn in as Brazil’s new president (Former President Bolsonaro had left for Florida). On 8 January Bolsonaro supporters invaded the Congress, the Supreme Court, and the Presidential Palace.

Ronaldo signed with Saudi Arabian team AP Nasser for $300M pa

Pope Benedict 16^th died.

Canada introduced a law banning the purchase of residential property by foreigners for two years (property prices had jumped 38% since 2019).

Several countries, including Australia, required pre-departure Covid testing for travelers from China.

Croatia replaced its currency (Kuna), with Euro (K7.5= E1) and joined the Schengen Zone.

Power outage at Manila Airport affected 300 flights (56,000 passengers).

The Energy Profits Tax (super profits) introduced in November will see Shell paying tax for the first time since 2017.

Bernard Arnault CEO of LYMH named world’s richest person (net worth $152B).

Miss Universe 2023 is Miss USA R’Bonny Gabriel (Filipino American).

Yeti Air crash in Nepal, 68 dead.

Canada agreed to pay $2.8B to settle a class action lawsuit seeking compensation for loss of language and culture caused by its residential school system for indigenous children. A charity will administer the funds.

Brazilian President Lula sacked the Army Chief of Staff ; 1,200 still in detention following the 8 Jan attacks on the Congress and Supreme Court.

Jacinta Ahern stepped down after 5 years as Prime Minister of New Zealand; replaced by Chris Hipkins (44).

Israel: high tension after 9+ Palestinians killed by military, followed by 7 Israelis killed in a Jerusalem Synagogue.

Heavy rain caused flash flooding in Auckland, New Zealand.

Terrorist bombing of a mosque in Peshawar, Pakistan; 60+ dead, 157 injured.

Russian invasion of Ukraine

According to the Kiel Institute UK has provided $7.5B to Ukraine, France $1.5B, Poland $3B. They will provide modern tanks.

At least 63 Russian recruits were killed in Makivka, Donetsk by Ukrainian missiles.

Putin proposed a 3 day truce during Orthodox Xmas (7 – 10 Jan), but rejected by Ukraine.

Top Ukrainian officials resign in anti-corruption drive.

Several countries announced they will send a total of about 100 modern tanks to Ukraine: UK 14 Challenger tanks, Germany 18 Leopard tanks; Poland 14 Leopards; USA 31 Abrams tanks. It will take several months to train Ukrainians in tank operations and maintenance. Russia called it an escalation and reacted with missile attacks on Ukraine.

USA

Kevin McCarthy was finally elected by the Republicans on the 15^th ballot as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

House Ways & Means Committee released Trump’s tax returns for 6 years.

Elon Musk’s net worth fell by an estimated $200B to $137B (Tesla shares fell 65% in 2022 despite sales of 1.3M vehicles).

Many inconsistencies found in the CV of newly elected Republican Congressman for NYC, George Santos.

USA to limit immigrants from Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to 30,000 per month.

Despite slowing economy US jobless rate fell to 3.5% in December; inflation rate 6.5% for 2022, average hourly earnings up 4.6%.

FAA computer problems delayed 8,000 flights (of which 1,200 cancelled).

Illinois joined 8 other States to ban sale of semi-automatic weapons.

Goldman Sachs laid off 3,000 staff, Black Rock laid off 500.

Caifornia hit by heavy snow and rain; widespread flooding.

California, with over 6 million Asians, proclaimed Chinese New Year as a State Holiday.

Three mass shootings in California, total of 41 in USA in January. There are an estimated 400M firearms in the USA; 45% of Households have a gun.

Following death of Tyre Nichols in Memphis on 7 January, 5 policemen (all Black) fired and charged with second degree murder. Widespread demonstrations in many cities against police brutality.

FBI took down the HIVE ransomware site which targeted educational and medical facilities.

After 2 year ban, former President Trump was re-admitted to Facebook and Instagram.

Former president Trump held rallies in New Hampshire and South Caroline – the start of his run for the 2024 Presidential nomination.

Australia

Two helicopters collided at the Gold Coast, 4 dead.

Australia to buy HIMARS and NSM missile systems from the USA.

Cardinal George Pell died aged 81.

PM Albanese visited Alice Springs in response to spike in violence. Partial ban on alcohol will be re-instated (abolished July 2022).

Australian inflation was 7.8% in 2022.

Australian Tennis Open: Aryna Sabalenko (Belorusia) beat Elena Rybakina (Kazakhstan) to win Womens Single 4-6, 6-3, 6-4; Jason Kubler and Rinky Hijikata beat Hugo Nys and Jan Zielinski to win Mens Doubles 6-4, 7-6; Novak Djokovic beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-6, 7-6 to win the Mens Singles. Djokovic has now won the Aussie Open a remarkable 10 times. He has 22 Grand Slam titles, equal to Nadal. What an amazing champion!!!

A referendum will be held later this year to enshrine an indigenous Voice to Parliament in the Australian Constitution. The 'No' campaign has kicked off, the 'Yes' campaign will commence next month.

The Australian dollar jumped 4 cents, now A$1 = US$0.71. Why?

China

Chinese New Year celebrated on 22 January – goodbye Tiger, welcome Rabbit (Gui Mao = water rabbit).

Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba, will give up control of ANT Financial Services Group (Ali-pay).

China said that 59,938 died with Covid from 8 Dec 2022 to 12 Jan 2023.

China’s GDP rose an estimated 3% in 2022.

China had an overall surplus of $878B in foreign trade in 2022; trade with USA had a surplus of $404B: exports $582B (up 1.2%) and imports $178B (down 1.1%).

China’s population fell in 2022 by 850,000 to 1.41B (first fall since 1960). Births were 6.77 per 1000 population; deaths were 7.37 per 1000 (In comparison: USA birth rate was 11.06/1000, UK’s 10.10/1000, India 16.42/1000).

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INTERNATIONAL TRADE

My 30 year career as an Australian Trade Commissioner gave me an interest in matters related to international trade. I subscribe to Bloomberg's excellent daily newsletter "Supply Lines - tracking Covid-19's impact on trade" (former title 'Trade Matters').

Here are some of the more interesting graphs in the Bloomberg newsletter during January 2023; they are largely self-explanatory.