Author Archives: Laura

Exciting Experience in Australia

melbourne-1

Have you ever been to Melbourne or Brisbane? Well if you have been to this two cities of Australia, you would have tasted and experieced the lifestyle and feel the cool and warm climate of this cities.

It was my best ever experience for a month tour in this two cities, attending the Mining, Media and Development Regional Knowledge Sharing Training, organized by the Asia Pacific Journalism Centre (APJC).

The training started on  the 24th of August and run for a month – ending on the 28th of September 2013.

The beautiful scenery of the Brighton beach – east brighton melbourne, the ghost haunting tour,  the melbourne writers festival and taking walk around the yarra river and melbourne city as well as visiting the Bengalla mine site in Muswellbrook in Scone and touring the Port Waratah are the excitment and experience I will never forget in my lifetime.

At least having a different feeling of the environment away from a day to day style of newsroom routine in my NBC Newsroom in Port Moresby was something I thought of and have convinced my bosses to send me to attend the APJC training. And with no doubt, the Melbourne and Brisbane cities provided me much to relax and refresh.

Not limited to this, but the APJC Training on Mining, Media and Development Regional Knowledge Sharing Training had been the best ever training in my life, apart from other trainings I attended since my five year carrier as news reporter with the PNG’s Public Boadcaster (NBC).

The training broadend my knowledge on business reporting, online media, getting to know better of myself and my carrier and having to know APJC Staff and prominent persons like Professors from the Monash University Prof Erik Eklund, associate Prof Philip Chubb, Suzy Woodhouse – Professional Development Instructor, Deborah Steele – Editor ABC Asia Pacific News Center, Nigel McCarthy- Business Journalism Instructor, Serena Lillywhite – Oxfam Australia Mining Advocacy Coordinator, and Renee  Barnes – Lecturer in new media journalism, University of the Sunshine Coast.

I recommend for more of such trainings in future for upcoming pacific island countries journalists to broaden their knowledge in business reporting, especially in the mining and resources sector because of lack of public knowledge on the impacts and benefits of mining in the region.

 

 

Missing the mood.

As a Papua New Guinean away from home until after September 16, what will I do?

Papua New Guinea (PNG) will turn 38 years old on the 16th of this month.

The country has been ruled by three external powers since 1884 and finally gaining independence from Australia in 1975.

Each year,celebrations are only getting bigger and better even at times when the country was not performing economically well or with unstable political leaders.

Its the feeling of ‘unity’ that matters most to everyone.

Usually, independence day celebrations in the nation’s capital- Port Moresby starts with a combined church service, followed by flag raising ceremony, national pledge and provincial flag parade.

And ends with colorful cultural performances from the 22 provincials and sporting competitions.

However, since I am here in Brisbane I am hopeful my wantoks have activities planned to mark the event in Australia.