FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The big launch: Being Australian goes live

SYDNEY: Saturday, 15 January 2005

Beingaustralian.com.au, the website designed to gather images of Australian life for future film, television and classroom projects, went live on the Internet today.
 
Being Australian founder, Doug Kirkpatrick, says the site is Australia's first online national journal for people to record words and pictures of things that remind them of being Australian.
 
"We're in the prototype phase right now. Many features are yet to be rolled out."
 
"We're inviting people of all backgrounds to make use of this project to inform each other, to discover things they didn't know, to promote awareness and communication in ways that renew a sense of belonging."
 
"It's about having some fun by discovering ourselves and our lives through the eyes of each other."
 
Contributions to the website will be used to plan major projects including a film and orchestral score to be performed live for broadcast on a future Australia Day.
 
Through website voting polls, the public will choose images and experiences to be considered in the making of the film and music.
 
Contributions will be also used to develop learning projects for young Australians and will be offered to the National Archives in Canberra as a gift to the nation informing future generations about life in our time.
 
"We want Being Australian to become part of community life across Australia long term. Being Australian is about everyone - Australians and visitors to Australia, people born here and people who've moved here."
 
"It is their album - a grassroots gallery of life as Australians. We know from our research that people will find the content fascinating and relevant because it ultimately comes from them."
 
Being Australian is a project of Being Australian PTY LTD based in Sydney. The venture is being funded through sponsorship and merchandise sales. Membership on the website is free and open to all ages.

Contact information:

Doug Kirkpatrick, Founding Member and Principal, Being Australian Pty Ltd

Additional information: » Being Australian home page: http://www.beingaustralian.com.au