Latest news with #USQ
ABC News
05-06-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Consortium commits to saving Queensland College of Wine Tourism
Southern Queensland business leaders are rallying to ensure the unique Queensland College of Wine Tourism continues to operate after months of uncertainty. A consortium led by the Stanthorpe and Granite Belt Chamber of Commerce has been selected to run the college, with the state government giving it two years to turn things around. The announcement came after the University of Southern Queensland withdrew its support from the $8.5 million college last year, leaving its future in limbo. Located on the Stanthorpe State High School campus, the one-of-a-kind Australian education and training facility provides an opportunity for Queensland's future wine makers and grape growers, tourism and hospitality workers to hone their craft. The college, which has been operating since 2007, will also receive non-financial support from Southern Downs Regional Council, the Granite Belt Grower's Association, Granite Belt Wine and Tourism, Queensland Country Tourism and Queensland Wine Industry Association. The consortium has developed a four-year plan to deliver hands-on training in viticulture, agribusiness, tourism, hospitality, and business management at the campus, which will be known as The Precinct. Chamber president Michelle Feenen said providing support for the college was a chance to safeguard its future and protect a "jewel in the region". "We felt that here in the region we had the skill set and we had the knowledge, and we know this region very, very well and we know these industries that are represented through what happens here at the wine college," Ms Feenen said. "What we didn't want was to have potentially worst case scenario, a private operator that might come in with a lot of our aspirations, but then find that they fall on their on their face really quickly and then it becomes another scenario of what to do with this facility. "We wanted to guard against that." Queensland College of Wine Tourism acting manager Kim Gallaway said it was a relief for more than 20 staff to know their jobs would be secure after an "uneasy" few months. "It's a positive outcome after all the uncertainty we've had and it'll bring a good vibe I believe back into the workplace with employment opportunities to continue into the future with the new consortium," she said. "We're in a rural area, there's not that many positions available to our industry staff here that we have, the professionals that we have. "So for them to be able to stay here at the college into the future I think is an absolute positive outcome today." Trade, Employment and Training Minister Ros Bates said the consortium would provide a sustainable future for the college as well as the wine and tourism industry. "This is a massive win for the Southern Downs region, including the people employed at the college, and will help address the evolving needs of Queensland's food, wine, agribusiness and tourism sectors," Ms Bates said.
Business Wire
01-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Ryan Specialty Completes Acquisition of USQRisk Holdings
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ryan Specialty (NYSE: RYAN) ('Ryan Specialty'), a leading international specialty insurance firm, is pleased to announce that today it has completed the acquisition of certain assets of USQRisk Holdings, LLC ('USQ'). Formed in 2020 by an experienced management team operating in New York and London, USQ underwrites non-traditional insurance risks. USQ's operations will become a part of the alternative risk business within Ryan Specialty. The acquisition was previously announced on April 21, 2025 and that announcement can be found here. Ryan Specialty completes acquisition of USQ, the non-traditional insurance risk managing general underwriter based in New York and London. Share About Ryan Specialty Founded in 2010, Ryan Specialty is a service provider of specialty products and solutions for insurance brokers, agents and carriers. The firm provides distribution, underwriting, product development, administration and risk management services by acting as a wholesale broker and a managing underwriter with delegated authority from insurance carriers. Ryan Specialty's mission is to provide industry-leading innovative specialty insurance solutions for insurance brokers, agents and carriers. To learn more, please visit
ABC News
22-04-2025
- Science
- ABC News
Meteor likely source of fireball in night sky above Australia's east coast says astrophysicist
A bright green ball of fire that caused a sonic boom and lit up the Queensland night sky overnight was most likely a meteor, says an astrophysicist. Experts say it coincided with the University of Southern Queensland astrophysicist Professor Jonti Horner said the event was likely caused by space debris: either a fragment of an asteroid or a comet. He said it was unlikely to be made by humans because of the speed at which it travelled across the night sky. "It looks like it came in too fast, and it detonated high in the atmosphere," Professor Horner said. He said it was unlikely any material from the meteor would have made it to Earth. "[The meteor] looked like it was [travelling around] 40, 50, 60 kilometres a second, and that suggests to me that it was on a more elongated orbit around the sun," Professor Horner said. Professor Jonti Horner said it was unlikely any material from the meteor would have made it to the ground. ( Supplied: USQ ) While the Lyrids meteor shower is now visible, Professor Horner said it was unlikely to be the source of Monday's bright burst of light. He said the Lyrids would not have been visible in Australia at the time the meteor event was seen. Witnesses along the east coast Truck driver Mick Davey said he saw the event while travelling between Moree and the Queensland border town of Goondiwindi. "It was just like a bright ball falling through the sky, then all of a sudden, there was a sonic boom," Mr Davey said. "Then the bright ball broke up into pieces." Photo shows A white streak across a city scape. From Victoria to the Philippines, reports of fireballs seemingly pop up every few weeks. Are they becoming more frequent or are we just better at catching them? He said when he heard the sonic boom hit, the sky lit up like it was daylight. "I'm driving in a truck with all the windows up, the radio playing, and all the rest of it, and I still heard it above all that, so that's how loud it was." Further south, Jeevan Sam was driving from Jervis Bay to Sydney when he saw a "big ball of fire" light up the night sky. "The colour was almost like a bluish green," he said. "The whole sky was lit; we were wondering what was going on." Mr Sam, whose dash cam recorded the phenomenon, said he had never seen anything like it. Space debris Ellie Sansom from the Desert Fireball Network at Curtin University said the size of the event indicated it was likely an asteroid-type object. "It was an amazing bright green fireball, definitely something bigger than what we would be expecting from a meteor shower," Dr Sansom said. She said the object was unlikely from the Lyrids as the object had been travelling from south to north, and any meteor from the Lyrids would have been coming from the north. Dr Sansom said researchers were hoping to determine the origin of the meteor and encouraged witnesses to report any sightings to the International Meteor Organization. "The more witness reports we get, then we might be able to get a better idea of where it came from," she said. ABC Southern Qld — local news in your inbox Get our local newsletter, delivered free each Wednesday Your information is being handled in accordance with the Email address Subscribe
