This year’s annual Great Australian Ball impressively profiled both Australian ingenuity and generous philanthropy, writes Stephen White, AustCham Shanghai Chair.

BOOM AND BUST – GAB XIV

With difficult times recently for AustCham and other businesses in China, it was a great time to brilliantly showcase the community’s fantastic talents and generous philanthropy. GAB XIV, with its extraordinary costumes and exciting entertainment, demonstrated, as it does each year magnificently in Shanghai, what Australians offer and represent.
Despite the current economic woes, the success of this year’s GAB XIV saw RMB 330,000 donated to projects providing scholarships and special family days for immigrant domestic workers children.
AustCham Shanghai thanks its major sponsors, ANZ, Chinatown, Ecco, Bluescope Steel, The Wine Republic, David Laris Creates, Qantas, Which Property, Triple 8, Flight Centre, AXA Minmetals, Just Beer and Mallesons Stephen Jaques and to the energetic secretariat team and GAB XIV Committee 2009.

KEEPING ON THE BALL

AustCham Shanghai has been busy with Regular Labor Law updates, enthusiastically debating “Work to Live or Live to Work” at the Great Debate with the British Chamber of Commerce Shanghai, holding the first Chairman’s lunch which was well attended by key Australian Corporates at M on the Bund, and enjoying a second GM Factory Tour.
Heading into years end, AustCham Shanghai will be on the go with Financial Services updates and Women in Business mixers, an Alumni Christmas Party and the popular Aussie Kiwi BBQ. Australia China Business Awards is this year being held in Beijing, and nominations are now open.
Visit http://www.austchamchina.com for more detailed information.

ROUND TABLE WITH AUSTRALIAN EXPO PAVILION

AustCham Shanghai Membership businesses provided their feedback on Shanghai Expo 2010 Australian Pavilion Business Program in a round table discussion with Peter Sams, Pavilion Director, and representatives of Australian business in Shanghai.

AUSTCHAM SHANGHAI STRATEGIC DIRECTION

September was a key month for AustCham Shanghai’s forward planning with board directors meeting twice to plan the Chamber’s future direction. Strategic objectives and plans are in place and set for leading the Chamber strongly into 2010 and the Expo year!
This includes plans for delivery of AustCham Shanghai-branded events at Expo and the delivery of related membership benefits – watch the website!

AUSTRALIA DAY 2010

The traditional AustCham Shanghai Australia Family Day 2010 is set for Saturday January 23, 2010. Save the date and join AustCham Shanghai, friends and family for an Aussie style celebration!

SPONSORSHIP & BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

Talented in providing for business through AustCham Shanghai? Interested in Sponsorship? Visit the website www.austchamshanghai.com

AUSSIE DRINKS EVERY FRIDAY

Visitors and newcomers welcome. Raffle proceeds from November to February go to our annual new year donation of life Saving heart surgery for children.
Save the Date: Friday December 11 - Aussie Drinks Christmas Party.
Sponsorship opportunities for Aussie Drinks 2010 is now open – visit: www.austchamshanghai.com
Venue: Kakadu, 8 Jianguo Zhong Lu near cnr Chongqing Lu ■