The Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Awards for Business celebrate the contribution multicultural businesses make to the Brisbane economy and community through their creativity, innovation and resilience.
Winners of the 2023 Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Awards for Business were announced at the Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Business Dinner and Awards on Friday 17 November 2023.
2023 award winners
Congratulations to the winners of the 2023 Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Awards for Business.
Nick Xynias Multicultural Young Business Person of the Year
This award recognises the success, creativity and energy of a multicultural young business leader under the age of 35, celebrating both their contribution to their community and that of Brisbane’s continued economic prosperity.
Mengting (Nike) Zhao, PEER Consulting Engineers Pty Ltd
In 2009, the opportunity to study a Bachelor of Business brought Nike from Chengdu to Brisbane. She later transferred into QUTs Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree and graduated with First Class Honours in 2014. Nike’s passion for making a difference led her to volunteer on building projects supporting abused women and children in South Africa. She also furthered her global engineering experience through working on diverse major projects in Fiji. Grateful for the opportunities her education and career in Brisbane provided, Nike was keen to give back to the community through her on-stop professional structural and engineering services business. PEER Consulting Engineers allows young, talented professionals to develop their careers and learn and thrive under Nike’s leadership.
Multicultural Business Person of the Year
This award recognises a successful multicultural Brisbane business leader and celebrates the recipient’s contribution to the Brisbane economy and recognises them as a local champion of enterprise who may have a global outlook for their business
Alen Chi Kong Ho and Irene Swee Kong Ho
After meeting while travelling Malaysia and marrying in Hong Kong, Alen and Irene decided to move their family to Brisbane in 1976. Despite limited funds, they embarked on a bean sprout growing venture in a rented house in Fortitude Valley. Initially their business supplied bean sprouts to Chinese shops and traders at the Brisbane Markets, but in the 1980s they expanded to larger clients including Coles. Today, Chilik Agencies, Pallara strives for innovation through the implementation of new technologies to enhance their growing systems and packaging processes for bean sprouts. After 35 years in business, Chilik Agencies has become one of the most trusted providers of fresh food to outlets and supermarkets across Australia.
Multicultural Entrepreneur of the Year
This award recognises a multicultural Brisbane business leader that demonstrates through their business success, entrepreneurial flair, embedding a culture of innovation as a central pillar to their growth strategy. The recipient will personify the best in entrepreneurialism, possessing qualities from clear leadership and sound management to determination and ambition.
Kyungtae (Tenny) Kim, Littles Lawyers
In 2000, Tenny’s father made the decision to broaden his family’s life experiences and immigrate from Busan to Australia. Tenny faced numerous challenges living in a new environment but forming new friendships in the Brisbane community assisted his transition. Understanding the needs of multicultural communities firsthand, Tenny’s Littles Lawyers business has a multilingual team that is proficient in more than 33 languages to support its clients. Tenny is highly respected within the Brisbane legal community and has fostered a strong sense of unity and support amongst its members. Littles Lawyers focuses on the success of its team and has implemented innovative technology solutions to optimise its services.
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Temple, Kingston hosted the Diwali & Annakut celebration at the Queensland Parliament on Wednesday, 29th November. The significant event has now become a popular celebration at Queensland Parliament house.
It was heartening to see all the invited dignitaries take part in Aarti (Deep parjillan) with lighted tea-lights on their hand. Mantras were recited for the offering of the prepared variety of foods (traditionally thousand varieties/annakuts).
Hyperpigmentation of the skin can cause uneven color and dark patches. Excessive production of melanin is responsible for this condition. Hyperpigmentation can occur on almost any part of the body, including the face, neck, hands, arms and legs.
6. Aloe Vera: Aloe vera works excellently on hyperpigmented skin due to the presence of mucilaginous polysaccharides in the gel. It can remove the dead skin cells and promote regeneration of new skin cells. Before going to bed, apply some fresh aloe vera gel on the hyperpigmented skin and leave it on overnight. Rinse it off in the morning. Follow this remedy daily for a few weeks to get positive results. Combine two tablespoons of aloe vera gel and one-half tablespoon of raw honey. Mix well and allow it to settle for 10 minutes. Now apply the mixture to the pigmentation and let it dry naturally. After 20 minutes, wash it off with lukewarm water. Follow this remedy once daily for at least two weeks and every other day thereafter until you get the desired results.
7. Orange peel: Next time you eat an orange, keep the peel. It contains citric acid that has bleaching properties and can help get rid of dark patches on skin. Add one teaspoon each of lemon juice, milk and honey to one tablespoon of dried orange peel powder. Mix all the ingredients well to get a smooth consistency. Apply the paste on the affected skin. Leave it on for about 20 minutes, and then massage gently. Finally wash it off with lukewarm water. Follow this treatment at least three or four times a week to encourage cell renewal and reduce dark skin patches.
8. Avocados: Enriched with fatty acids, vitamin C and oleic acid, avocados can effectively help reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation. Plus, the various enzymes and high amount of vitamin E in avocados can also reduce pigmentation. Mash one ripe avocado into a smooth paste. Apply the paste on the affected area. Leave it on for half an hour, and then wash it off with lukewarm water. Follow this remedy twice daily for at least one month to get positive results. Alternatively, mash half of a ripe avocado into a smooth paste and mix in two teaspoons of honey and one teaspoon of milk. Apply the paste on the affected area. Allow it to dry on its own and the rinse it off with lukewarm water. Do this once daily for a month.
9. Sandalwood: Sandalwood is known to enhance skin complexion and it also works effectively for hyperpigmentation or other types of skin blemishes. It is a stimulant, cooling agent and blood purifier. All these properties work together to reduce the appearance of dark patches and give your skin a natural, youthful tone. Mix two tablespoons of sandalwood powder with enough rose water to form a thick paste. Apply this mask over the affected skin area. Leave it on for half an hour, and then wash it off with lukewarm water. Follow this remedy twice daily for a few weeks to get positive results.
10. Almonds: Being a rich source of vitamin E, almonds are good for skin and especially hyperpigmented skin. Soak five almonds in milk overnight. Next day, remove the almonds from the milk and grind them, adding milk to get a fine paste. Add one teaspoon of honey and few drops of lemon juice to the paste and mix well. Spread the paste over the affected skin before going to sleep. Wash it off in the morning with cold water. Follow this remedy every night for two weeks, and then do it twice weekly. You can also eat almonds on a regular basis to minimize hyperpigmentation.
BYD has just opened a new flagship store in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley and the brand is expected to further expand its footprint into more retail spaces in the coming months.
“But yes, having more touchpoints, having more ability for people to test drive vehicles, interact, talk to people, talk to our product experts – we don’t have salespeople, we have product experts – and educate them on the car,” he said.
The Greater Springfield Indian Association (GSIA) hosted a spectacular Dandiya night at Robelle Domain Park on October 7, 2023, that left attendees in awe. The event witnessed an incredible turnout and featured mesmerizing performances that had the audience on their feet.
President Mukesh Dubey and the GSIA team expressed their heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributed to the event’s success. we extend a special thank you to Ms.Charis Mullen Member of the Queensland Parliament (MP for Jordan), and Shri Swami Atmeshanada ji from Vedanta Centre, whose presence added prestige to the evening. Additionally, President Dubey acknowledged the sponsors, media partners, volunteers, and other organizations that came together to make this event a truly memorable and magical experience.
The GSIA’s Dandiya night at Robelle Domain Park was a testament to the power of community, culture, and collaboration, leaving a lasting impression on all who attended.
The India Australia Society organised the Diwali event ‘MOOD 2023’ on 29th October 2023 at Coorparoo Secondary College Auditorium. Members of wider Queensland communities joined this event, which was filled with dance, music and food! The India Australia Society (IAS) of Queensland is a non-profit and non-political organization established in Brisbane in 1974. The primary objectives of the IAS are to enhance friendly A community and business leaders were present to celebrate the event. The celebration began with the lighting of lamps by the distinguished dignitaries.
The welcome address by Dr Preethi Suraj, President of IAS, stated the objectives of IAS are to promote social, cultural and recreational activities to its members, families and friends. She also mentioned that one of the objectives of this organisation is caring for seniors with a similar cultural background, typically around providing comprehensive support and service tailored to their unique needs. Speeches were delivered by Senator Paul Scarr, Mrs Archana Singh, Mr Anoop Nannaru and Mr Umesh Chandra OAM. The messages from all distinguished guests were in summary to celebrate the Unity in diverse and multicultural Australia for the betterment of community prosperity and harmony.
The celebration also involved spectacular cultural performances from the various states of India. The performance from Miss Ujaan Mukerjee, a playback singer from India and Mr Yousuf Ali Khan lifted this event to a higher level. The event concluded with a vote of thanks by the Vice President of IAS, Mr. Krishna Mohan Yarlagadda. This year’s celebration was well supported by sponsors – Centenary Accounts and Business Adviser (CAABA) and Century 21 (Browns Plains), Vasthra, E-Bike Rentals, HAV Capital, Speed Cool and Holidazzle.
The event was a grand success, with IAS and its executive team working together with tremendous enthusiasm in bringing one-ness, unity, peace and harmony. A delicious Indian dinner by Lemon Chillies Restaurant was organised for all present at the event.
