Veronika Wild

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND World Press Freedom Day was on May 3 and has been celebrated each year since 1993. Its aim is to reinforce the need for press freedom, to defend it against attack and to honour those who have lost their lives while carrying out their work.  Freedom of the Press is protected under the Universal Charter of Human Rights which all 193 member states have endorsed. Article 19 says: "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." This guarantees freeedom of expression , which includes press freedom , ensuring that journalists and media organisations can operate without government censorship or interference.Unfortunately both are under threat in many parts of the world and this year they have in fact gone into decli...

  Vegemite is back in the fold It’s taking a bit longer to finish the posts about Press Freedom, so I thought I’d write a quick post for Made in Australia Week thinking it would be a great excuse to break out the Tim Tams. But No, Arnott’s Biscuits who make Tim Tams are apparently owned by US firm, Kohlberg Krams Roberts.  The same goes for a lot of other brands in my kitchen which were once Australian.   The Tomato Sauce bottle proudly says ‘Made in Australia,’ but the fine print on the back says it's owned by Mars Inc (USA) and the ingredients are only 35% Australian. Cottees Jam -which used to be another household name, is made in New Zealand by Heinz Wattie which is owned by American Company H.J. Heinz which in turn merged with Kraft Food in 2010, making it yet another American Company.  Made in Australia - Really? Uncle Toby’s Oats are now owned by Nestlé (Switzerland). Bushell’s Tea, the one I showed you for Australia Day, is owned by Unilever (UK/Netherl...