MAIA News

Earlier this year an inaccurate and defamatory statement, about MAIA President Walt Missingham, was published on website controlled by Wellington martial arts instructor Ron Goninan.

Following legal intervention Mr. Goninan has removed the statement from the website and issued the following ‘Public Apology’:

“A recent Article appeared on this website apparently dated 16th April, 2016, and entitled “Oh before I forget”. The article contained statements which were defamatory of Mr Walter Missingham, and were both inaccurate and false. I unreservedly apologise for any mis-statement, hurt or distress caused to Mr Missingham by these false statements.”

Walt Missingham’s costs in this matter have been paid by Mr. Goninan.

It is noted that, on the 17th November 2016, Mr. Goninan announced: “have recently made a decision to withdraw from Social media and close down all current Facebook pages.”

MAIA President, Walt Missingham, has recently confirmed that the MAIA has

recently accredited it 2000th instructor.

Walt commented: “this is a significant milestone that it a good fit with

recent announcements by a number a venue providers that are now introducing

an ‘Accredited Instructors Only’ Policy. The vision by the previous MAIA

Presidents John Newman M.P and Terry McCarthy and Vice President John Halpin

was well founded. I should also take this opportunity to acknowledge the

work and foresight of current MAIA Vice President Kevin Blundell. I

anticipate we will pass the 3000th accredited instructor mark in a lot

shorter time that it took to reach 2000.”

Pleased to advise that there has been a change to the Accreditation Update Policy in that the 6 month period, after the expiry date of accreditation, in which an instructor can update his/her accreditation has now been extended to four years over the moratorium period (1 July 2016 – 1 July 2017).   During this time any person whose accreditation has lapsed, during the years 2014, 2015 & 2016 will be able to update their accreditation.

On 1 July 2011 the MAIA issued a ban on the acceptance of any qualification issued by a Victorian RTO (Registered Training Organisation).
https://maia.com.au/2011/07/04/maia-discontinues-recognition-of-victorian-issued-qualifications/

This matter was recently reviewed by MAIA National President Walt Missingham.
Walt has advised that the ban will continue, he commented: “the situation has not improved since our original ban in 2011. I note that in the past year almost 10,000 government funded vocational students in Victoria had their qualifications recalled because of concerns about poor training and standards breaches. While I note the Victorian Skills Minister Steve Herbert has said he is concerned about the extent of the poor quality and has flagged a further regulatory crackdown, I do not think it is in the best interests of the Martial Arts Industry to recognise Victorian issued qualifications until Victorian RTO’s are under the same quality control and scrutiny as RTO’s from other States. Accordingly our ban on the acceptance and/or recognition of Victorian issued qualifications will continue.”

This month the Senate passed a motion calling for a review of the open market model for training established by the Brumby Labor Government in Victoria.

The MAIA has commenced a program of liaison with the various State Fair Trading Offices together with key media outlets to both publicise and deal with ‘Scams and Fraudulent Behaviour’ within the martial arts industry.

The MAIA has identified the ‘Top 8’ scams on its website. Check them out at

https://maia.com.au/martial-arts-scams

Report a scam by contacting Kevin on
vicepresident@maia.com.au

It has today been confirmed that MAIA President Walt Missingham will star in a new Australian/USA Co-production entitled

‘Return to Shaolin’

The film, which will be screened on a major USA Network, will tell the story of Walt Missingham – from being critically injured over 30 years ago and while still in recovery making the film ‘Kung Fu Pilgrimage’ about his training at the Shaolin Temple in 1983, to his creation of a multi million dollar earning film production company. Walt’s story will be overlayed with the story of the Shaolin Temple and martial arts in general – the growth the changes, the challenges of the past thirty years – the emergence of the ‘Shaolin’ brand, the impact of MMA seen through his eyes as he returns to the Shaolin Temple to once again train and learn.

Walt commented:

“I had gone away from documentaries, I thought for good, as the focus of our company has been feature films, we currently have three in various stages of production, but when this was put to me in Kuala Lumpur, two months ago, I said I would think about it and I decided it might be good to do. I have not been in front of the camera for a while so this will be a welcome change as well as a good story to present – I am frankly both flattered and humbled to be asked to make this film”

Further information on ‘Return to Shaolin’ will be released as the project proceeds.

Click here for ‘Walt at Shaolin’ video clip

‘Walt at Shaolin Temple’ © Copyright 2013 Phoenix Films Pty Ltd

Australian Writer/Producer Stuart Scowcroft has teamed with leading martial Artist and film producer, Walt Missingham to develop a martial arts/action film.

The Movie ‘KILL ME IF YOU CAN’ has been written by Stuart Scowcroft who is also Executive Producer. The film is being produced by Global Entertainment Media it has a multimillion dollar budget and will be filmed in Australia, Hong Kong and the Cook Islands.

Scowcroft, former General Manager of Television for Becker Entertainment and now MD of Global Entertainment Media has written the story of a lone-wolf martial artist imprisoned on an island to fight all comers to the death. “It’s like The Hunger Games for real”, says Scowcroft who points to the longevity of martial arts action movies in popular audience culture. “The key to martial arts action movies is authenticity,” says Scowcroft. “To have the support and advice of Walt who has produced many multi million dollar earning films and is one of the best martial artists and teachers in Australia is a huge advantage for me as a writer and producer”.

Walt will be producer and also the director of the fight sequences.

A more detailed outline on the project will be released shortly.
 

MAIA President, Walt Missingham, has advised that 2012 has been the most successful year ever in terms of accreditation uptake.

Its only September and we have conducted multiple courses in Sydney and Melbourne as well as Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Port Macquarie, Tamworth With many courses being fully booked out. Attendances of 50 to sixty instructors per intake being now commonplace.

Walt commented “the success of the MAIA accreditation program is a consequence of two things; firstly the industry recognises the needs and benefits of its own accreditation program and secondly the MAIA program is one of only two legally recognised accreditation programs available, the other being the NCAS program of the Australian Sports Commission. There was, regretfully, a period of time where a number of bogus accreditation providers attempted to exploit our industry but these people have all but faded away now.

The martial arts community has been greatly saddened when Grandmaster Lawrence Lee lost his battle with cancer on the 2nd of July.

Lawrence Lee was the founder of the kung fu system Tong Kune Do and was a foundation member of both the first kung fu organisation formed in Australia (NSW Kung Fu Association) and the first governing body for Chinese martial arts (Australian Kung Fu Federation Limited). Lawrence served as both President and Vice President of the AKF.

Rising to prominencein the early seventies with featured appearances in the record breaking documentaries ‘World of Kung Fu’ and ‘Kung Fu Killers’ Lawrence established a kung fu school network encompassing schools throughout every State and Territory in Australia as well as New Zealand, New Guinea and Malaysia. Even to this day it is the largest chain of kung fu schools to ever be established in the world.

Lawrence was one of the kung fu teachers responsible for the conduct of the first official kung fu tournament to be conducted in Australia, at Wisemans Ferry in 1974, but perhaps his most notable achievement was when he became the first Chinese instructor to openly teach Non Chinese students – his courageous and principled stand broke down the centuries old racial barriers that typified the teaching of kung fu, his public comment that “the difference between a racist and a fool is exactly nothing” quickly quietened his critics from the traditional Chinese kung fu community.

Lawrence has been nominated for a posthumous Life Time Achievement award.

A more detailed feature on Lawrence is currently being prepared.

Walt Missingham, one of Australia’s most successful documentary film makers, has released an article on The Forgotten Bruce Lee Film – The Wrecking Crew Click here for the full story.