10. April 2018

Diccon Bewes – The Englishman who makes the Swiss laugh

 

Diccon Bewes is a best-selling author of books about Switzerland. This Englishman takes a wry yet affectionate look at his adopted country and its people, enthralling his readers as he takes them on a fantastic journey across Switzerland.

 

He is soon embarking on another fantastic journey – TO AUSTRALIA! The Consulate General has organised a couple of book-signing events. Don't miss this opportunity to meet and listen to Diccon as he addresses the kinds of questions often asked by expats in Switzerland – he has a special way of answering them!

 

PERTH: Tuesday, 8 May 2018

4:00pm

69 Outram Street, West Perth

Fully catered

Door fee will apply – $20 p.p. 

 

MELBOURNE: Wednesday, 23 May 2018

2:00pm & 7:30pm

Swiss Club Victoria

89 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

FREE – register here

 

SYDNEY: Tuesday, 5 June 2018

6:30pm

Goethe Institute

90 Ocean Street, Woollahra

FREE – register here

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News

Jungbürgerfeier – Melbourne

 

Saturday, 5 October saw the ‘Young Swiss Citizen Celebration’ being held for the fourth time in Melbourne. 13 young Swiss who recently celebrated their 18th birthday, and thus became fully-fletched Swiss citizens, followed the invitation by the Hon. Consul, Manuela Erb, to a luncheon at the Swiss Club of Victoria. They were accompanied by families and friends.

 

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The new edition of the Swiss Review is out now!
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Summary of Proceedings at the CSA Meeting in Montreux on 16 August 2019

1)

CSA elections in 2021: because the Swiss e-voting systems are on hold until further notice, direct election via e-voting of the CSA delegates (as per pilot projects in Australia and Mexico in 2016) will not be possible. The CSA Delegates in Australia will have the job to organise the next elections without certainty of assistance at this stage. Importance is given to umbrella organisations in countries where they exist, which will have the task to organise fair and democratic elections. Default solution is the ‘old System’ each country carried in the past.

 

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Pacific Islands Forum

The 50th Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Summit took place in Tuvalu from 13 to 16 August, 2019.

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AVIS28 – Foreign policy vision for Switzerland 2028

Switzerland is a success story, but it will have to evolve under fast changing international conditions. Therefore, foreign policy will become more important for Switzerland’s prosperity and security. Starting from these reflections, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis established the AVIS28 working group in 2018 with the aim to define a coherent and adaptive foreign policy vision for Switzerland for 2028. AVIS28 is a source of inspiration and new ideas, and at the same time, it should initiate a broad discussion on the future of Swiss foreign policy. Switzerland needs the courage to change. Its foreign policy must become more focused, networked and agile. Switzerland should also work more closely with like-minded states, like Australia and New Zealand, towards their common goals.

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An update on e-voting and the federal election 2019

A lot has happened lately with regards to e-voting. There has been growing resistance and a fair bit of scare-mongering in Switzerland regarding the introduction of e-voting. Whilst the advantages are obvious to the government and the Swiss Abroad, sceptics argue that the trust in the democratic process is compromised due to e-security uncertainty and the cost of developing a secure system is also a concern. Earlier this year, a broad alliance of political parties has been collecting signatures for a popular initiative. Their aim is to ban the introduction of e-voting for at least five years.

 

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Mobile passport station visits in 2019

The Consulate General of Switzerland in Sydney and the Embassy of Switzerland in Wellington inform that they plan to visit the following cities with the mobile passport station:

 

• Auckland (May)

• Northland (May – only if sufficient interest) 

• Perth (first half of April)

• Melbourne (October) 

  

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Oceania Swiss Club Presidents’ Conference 2018
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Banking problem: No solution for the Swiss Abroad

OSA PRESS RELEASE: Bern, 13 June 2018 – The Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) representing the interests of 751,800 compatriots living abroad, is disappointed that the Council of States today rejected Motion 17.3626 by 30 votes to 9 with 4 abstentions. The Council of States has decided not to follow the majority of its Foreign Policy Commission (APK-S) and has rejected a motion calling on PostFinance to accept Swiss Abroad on similar terms as citizens residing in Switzerland. The problem that has existed for our compatriots living abroad for ten years remains unresolved.

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Council of States decides against discriminatory social security changes

OSA PRESS RELEASE: Bern, 30 May 2018 – The Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) is relieved that the Council of States has today decided to follow the recommendation of its Commission on Social Security and Health (SGK-S) to delete the amendment to Article 4 (1) in the context of the supplementary benefits reform. This means that the current rules remain in place. Last March, the National Council approved an application whereby Swiss Abroad would have had to pay social security contributions (AHV) for at least ten years in order to qualify for supplementary benefits, which would have discriminated against Swiss Abroad.

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New Partnership with Geneva Cantonal Bank

On 10 March 2018, at he CSA meeting in Bern, the executive of the OSA announced that it had entered into a partnership with the Geneva Cantonal Bank (BCGE). 

More information is available under the topic Swiss Banks.

Health insurance: we’re interested in your experiences!

The Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA) would like to know about difficulties you have encountered in the area of health insurance and the practical problems that you face as a Swiss person living abroad. This may be of specific relevance to those living temporarily in the Oceania region or those in need for travel insurance when visiting Switzerland. By the same token, if you have had positive experiences or wish to share good practices, please do so!

 

The purpose is to look at ways of improving the situation of Swiss people living abroad in this regard.

 

You can send your experiences and suggestions to us delegates and/or directly to the head office in Bern: info@aso.ch

Automatic Exchange of Information with New Zealand

The Swiss Parliament voted for the Introduction of Automatic Exchange of Information with New Zealand. A summary and comments by Peter Ehrler, New Zealand Member of the Council of the Swiss Abroad. 

 

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Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) with New Zealand – Swiss National Council says NO!

On 27 September, the National Council (Nationalrat) followed the recommendation from the Economic Commission of the Lower House and rejected implementing the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) with New Zealand. The majority of the members are of the opinion that the Swiss in New Zealand are disadvantaged over other Swiss living abroad, because of the Swiss pension (AHV) being confiscated by the New Zealand Government.

 

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