Canberra CityNews May 7-13, 2009

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Flu fears ‘may help’

By Megan Haggan

CONCERNS over swine flu may help protect Canberrans against regular seasonal influenza, according to ACT Chief Health Officer Charles Guest.

“CityNews” conducted a quick survey of three pharmacies in Civic and found that all had sold out of face masks by late last week; there were also reports that general practitioners had run out of the flu vaccine. Pharmacies have received numerous requests for the prescription antiviral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza.

A rush on the flu vaccine – which is formulated each year to protect against certain strains of the flu which are anticipated to be the most prevalent in the community – could result in a reduction in the transmission of regular seasonal influenza, Dr Guest said.

The 2009 vaccine contains the A/Brisbane/59/2007 (H1N1)-like virus, the A/Brisbane/10/2007 (H3N2)-like virus and the B/Florida/4/2006like virus.

index

May 7-13, 2009

Since 1993: Volume 15, Number 17

Arts & e ntertainment 18-22

b udget 09 11-13 body 24 Crossword 27

d ining 18 Fashion 23

h ome 26

h oroscope 27 Law Week 14-15

Movie reviews 10

p roperty 28-36

s ocial s cene 16-17

sudoku 27

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It does not contain the swine flu strain, although Dr Guest said: “It’s conceivable that there might be some protection.”

Improved hygiene measures, such as the wearing of face masks, may also help.

“A lot of the concerns about this new strain arose because of early reports of high mortality in Mexico, but every year there’s a certain mortality, particularly the very old and very young, from regular seasonal influenza,” Dr Guest said.

The number of people who die each year from the flu varies from year to year, but is “less than one per cent of cases”. The mortality that was reported early on for swine flu was well above that.”

However, at the time of writing the World Health Organization had revised its estimate of the number of deaths from the new swine flu strain to seven, “which is good news”, Dr Guest said.

Twelve people were being investigated in the ACT for swine flu late last week, but no cases had been confirmed.

Hi

ho, hi ho, it’s off to school we go

By Megan Haggan

MOST children and parents don’t even think about walking to school any more, says Cherie Kelly, principal of Holy Spirit Primary School in Nicholls.

Ms Kelly told “CityNews” that she hopes Walk Safely to School Day, on Friday, May 15, will help put walking to school “back on the map”.

“Over the last few years there’s been a real move away from walking, and part of that is around the safety issue,” she says. Particularly with recent attempted ab -

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ductions in the Territory, parents are acutely conscious of their children’s safety.

“The other reason is that we’re so timepoor. Children are involved in so many activities, and with parents working, that people are concerned about the fastest way to get where they’re going, which isn’t on foot, or on a bus, or a bike – it’s the car.

“As a result, there’s a whole generation of kids who don’t see walking to school as a possibility.”

The children who do walk to school tend to do so in groups, and see it as a social opportunity rather than a chance to get some

exercise, Ms Kelly says – the health benefits are just a positive side-effect.

Holy Spirit Primary will team with the neighbouring Gold Creek Primary to take part in Walk Safely to School Day.

Teachers will meet children at designated spots in the local area – parents will be advised before the day where these are – and walk in groups to school.

The day is a national initiative, organised by Pedestrian Council of Australia chairman Harold Scruby. For more information visit www.walk. com.au.

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Quilts & Underlays

For the love of Civic

CANBERRA got some welcome news when the ACT Government promised $12 million over four years for upgrades to the mid-city precinct. This funding includes allocations for improved paving and street furniture around the iconic, but ageing Sydney and Melbourne buildings.

When making the announcement, Chief Minister Jon Stanhope said: "This targeted investment will help restore these much-loved buildings to their historic place as the heart of the city's commercial district. Further works in the city centre will be determined through a detailed planning analysis."

The shift in retail focus in recent years to the northern part of the city has left these landmarks sadly dilapidated, perhaps with the notable exception of West Row. The buildings themselves were originally inspired by some of the best from Europe, including Bruneleschi’s Ospedale degli Innocenti and the cloisters of the 15th century Basilica di San Lorenzo di Firenze – an auspicious start. But, according to the attendees at a Property Council public forum on the subject, in late 2007, they need help to avoid an ignominious finish.

There was also a strong call for any refurbishment to include sustainable development principles and intense interest in the possibility that the central courtyards of those buildings could be upgraded from their current apparent use as rubbish dumps and unofficial latrines.

The participants also strongly endorsed a

Independent help

ACT Health will get its first breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment following a $146,000 donation from Independent Property Group CEO John Runko. Breast MRI services have previously been provided privately, with the closest provider now located in Sydney. The Independent Property Group donation will make Breast MRI available publicly for the first time. “Younger women and women who require follow-up breast cancer surgery will be able to access these services, reducing the additional financial burden many women face," said Health Minister Katy Gallagher.

Skills recognition

T HE CIT has launched a fast-track skills recognition service, which will allow individuals to have their education, workplace and life skills assessed against national and industry standards. CEO Dr Colin Adrian said: “People may have had difficulty accessing tertiary and technical training in their lives. This new service will help level the playing field by literally giving credit where credit is due.” More information on 6207 3188, visit the CIT Student Services Hub at any CIT campus or download the fact sheet from http://www.cit.act.edu.au/future/status/.

b y Catherine Carter

comment that Canberra, while rich in wideopen spaces, was short on public, but intimate areas such as those that could be enclosed by the courtyards in both buildings.

The response at that meeting showed strong and widespread support for a strategic design framework and the sensitive redevelopment of the area, particularly in time for the Centenary of Canberra celebrations in 2013.

The planning study and the funding for paving and street furniture are the first steps in such a renewal process.

In summary, what’s needed is an approach similar to that which has occurred in Sydney in and around areas such as the Queen Victoria Building and along Kent and Sussex Streets, to provide effective and workable solutions for the area.

The two buildings, flanking Northbourne Avenue on the approach from the north towards City Hill, often form the first city scene for visitors driving to Canberra. They are the gateway to our city and they should be one we can all be proud of.

Catherine Carter is the executive director of the Property Council of Australia (ACT).

Oyster festival

THE Narooma Oyster Festival (May 15-17), one of only seven such festivals held around the world, promises three days of wining, dining and fun, with celebrity chef Stephanie Alexander judging the best oyster recipes on Saturday when the main events – including fine food, wine and craft stalls and an oyster ball – take place. The combination of fresh and tidal water flows means the four million oysters sold each year out of Narooma have exceptional flavour and texture. Admission on Saturday is $5 for adults and $2 for children. – Wendy Johnson

Prison open day

THE controversial 33-year-old Belconnen Remand Centre will be open on Saturday, May 9 to give the public a chance to see the “archaic” centre “and better understand the reasons why this Government shut it down and built the Alexander Maconochie Centre," says Minister for Corrections John Hargreaves. Between 10am and 2pm corrections officers will be on hand to answer questions and to guide visitors through the facility.

Skills Recognition Your

Harvest fights hunger

OZHARVEST Canberra is about to hold its “Share lunch, fight hunger” campaign, which will take place in NSW and the ACT on Wednesday, May 20.

It’s also about to hold its first Canberra fundraiser, a lunch and auction, which will feature special guest and OzHarvest ambassador, cricketing legend Stuart McGill.

Australians waste about three million tonnes of food every year. “On a daily basis, we collect left-over perishable food, and deliver it to more than 30 different charities in Canberra, who distribute it among men, women and children,” says OzHarvest national founder Ronni Kahn.

Since it was established in June, OzHarvest’s Canberra branch has delivered 126,154 meals around the ACT to the end of April.

The meals come from restaurants, delicatessens, takeaway outlets, galleries, Government House… “wherever there are meals that aren’t needed,” Ronni says.

Only untouched meals are donated, the van is refrigerated and safe food handling is practised. Ronni urged Canberrans to take part in “Share lunch, fight hunger”, which will encourage people to bring lunch from home, and donate the amount they would have spent.

The OzHarvest program is managed by major sponsor and generator of funds, Communities@ Work.

For more information, call 6288 0709 or visit www.ozharvest.org. To book a place at the luncheon, call 6293 6500.

Active to the corps

PREMATURE retirees who simply vegetate – and there are hundreds of them in Canberra and at the coast – are not only doing themselves a disfavour, they are letting down the Australian side.

Until the global financial crisis slashed our super, their numbers were growing by the month. And unless something is done the trend will reappear once the economy recovers.

As any doctor will tell you, aimless self-indulgence leads to an early departure from the land of the living. You not only bore your friends witless, you bore yourself to death. And it won’t be helped by the Treasury boffins who are presently designing a system to increase the old-age pension.

However, as promised in an earlier column, I have an idea that might help – in a small way – to slow or even reverse the trend. Actually, I have two.

The first is simple to conceive and, in some areas, it’s happening already. It involves a return to the Australian sense of egalitarianism in the workplace where Johnny was as good as his master… and vice versa. In most organisations there’s an accepted career path that simply starts at the bottom, works its way to the top then departs into retirement or redundancy whether we like it or not. And all that experience and wisdom is lost.

Sure, it has the advantage of allowing the younger people coming up the ladder to reach the top without pushing the older person off. But what if we were to develop a system whereby a set period – or a certain age – at the higher levels led naturally to either less grandiose but still significant jobs or a part-time position that gave the ageing worker a greater freedom

MindYourOwnBiz

THe GaDFLy

b y robert Macklin

to pursue other interests. The alpha males might squeak at the idea, but it would allow us all to be productive and involved for as long as we wished.

The second, and perhaps more radical, idea is for the development of an Australian version of the Peace Corps, but one that drew on two great assets: the enormous capacity of Australians to volunteer our services, whether in fighting bushfires, cleaning up Australia or hosting the Olympics, and the equally enormous repository of expertise among the newly retired.

We could call it Ozcorps and, administered by AusAid, it could provide a magnificent force of older aid workers, especially in the areas of computer skills, English language teaching, administration and business development to the people of our region who need it so desperately.

From East Timor to Nauru to Vanuatu and selected countries in between, it could make a tremendous contribution to the poor countries and really personalise our aid effort.

It would be mighty good for the retirees, too. Led by a good organiser like Sandy Hollway, for example, or Janet Holmes a Court (there are lots to choose from) and paid the pension to keep the home fires burning, I reckon we could transform the way we think of our Third Age. Indeed, it could make it the most satisfying element in our entire lives.

What do you think?

robert@robertmacklin.com

A call to help

NATIONAL Volunteer Week, from Monday, May 11 to Sunday, May 17, will help highlight a rising need for volunteers in the community, says Laura Turnbull OAM, who has donated her time to Volunteering ACT over 25 years in several capacities.

Laura liaises with volunteers groups and associations around the Territory and helps interested people find suitable positions.

“There seems to be an increased call for volunteers in all sectors, particularly as we go into a downturn in employment,” she told “CityNews”.

Laura says that she gets a great deal of satisfaction out of donating her time.

“It gives me a great deal of pride that I’m doing something for the Canberra community, which I love – my husband and I came here from England 35 years ago.

“I started out at Lifeline, which was the most wonderful training for being aware of the needs of people in the community.”

She’s also involved in her local community organisation in Hackett, and says that these community organisations are a great way to get started in volunteering.

“At the moment we’re fighting to keep the airport noise down so we can get some sleep,” she says.

Laura says that a range of people, from retired people to jobseekers, can benefit from donating their time.

“Volunteering is also a good way

Laura Turnbull… “it gives me a great deal of pride that i ’m doing something for the Canberra community, which i love.” photo by silas

for people who lose their jobs to keep job-ready – it’s a way of keeping their skills up, and it certainly doesn’t do any harm as far as getting them credit for work in the community,” she says.

“It’s also great for kids who are leaving school to be able to tell a potential employer what they’ve been doing while they try to find a paid job.

“We’re looking for people with experience in food preparation, in caring for animals, caring for older people, looking after the environment… there are so many things we can do.”

For more information, call 6251 4060 or visit www.volunteeract.org.au.

Fatal fungi warning

THE NCA has warned people against eating wild mushrooms following sightings of one of the world's deadliest fungi, the poisonous and difficult-to-identify death cap mushroom. Eating just one mushroom can be fatal. NCA executive director Alison Walker-Kaye said that known locations of the death cap mushroom include Acton, Ainslie, Commonwealth Park, Deakin, Dickson, O’Connor, Parkes, Red Hill, Reid, and Yarralumla. In a poisoning emergency phone 13 11 26, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Grants for girls

TEENAGE girls are being encouraged to apply for grants of up to $2000 to help with further study or development in their area of interest, under a new ACT Government initiative. Minister for Women Katy Gallagher said the inaugural Audrey Fagan Enrichment Grants program would help five local young women aged 13 to 18 each year pursue their dreams. The scheme was named after the ACT's former top police officer, Audrey Fagan. More information and application packages from the ACT Office for Women on 6205 0515 or via email at women@act.gov.au.

Alternative views

“ANTI-uNION laws yesterday and today” is the principal theme of the next Canberra Socialist Alternative’s May 14 meeting. There will also be a discussion of the class politics of the Rudd/Swan Budget. “Everyone is welcome to come along and check us out,” say the organisers. Meetings are at 6pm every Thursday, room G039, Copland Building, Australian National university (map F2, building 24). The May 21 meeting subject is “Barack Obama: Change we can believe in or business as usual?”

Shares: Why it pays to call a specialist

‘We live and breathe the markets in our of ce and our clients benet from the specialist insight this brings.’

LEADING stockbroking  rm Patersons Securities Limited has recently merged with Tolhurst Limited and consolidated its position as one of Australia’s largest full service, retail stockbroking businesses by market turnover.

With more than 290 advisers and a research team of 20 analysts covering a broad range of listed companies across a diverse range of sectors, Patersons now has a signi  cant presence in all major capital city markets and 12 additional regional centres.

“Clients are bene  ting from access to an expanded product portfolio, a bigger research team and access to a broader range of experience” said Joseph Cardone, Branch Manager for Canberra.

“Our dedicated team of four advisers in Canberra has a combined 60 years of experience in the  nancial services industry gained in Australia and the UK in stockbroking, banking,  nance and funds management.

“We believe that specialisation is the key. We live and breathe the markets in our of  ce and our clients bene  t from the specialist insight this brings.

“Our priority, as always, is to generate wealth for our clients. We want to guide our clients through the dif cult market conditions in order to achieve their investment goals. It is not always easy, but we have the experience and specialist skills to tailor individual solutions.”

For more information on the services Patersons offers call 6120 2222, email canberra@psl.com.au or visit www.psl.com.au.

budget 09

MicHaeL MooRe: iT’s THe bL aMe-eveRyoNe-eLse buDGe T

Taking • bus FA res : up 11%

• TiCKeT pA rKinG: up 20%

• MeTer pA rKinG: up 50%

• Fines And penALTies: up 10% giving

• ne W Libr A ry: $7.1M.

• CA piTAL WorK s: $274M.

• sMALLer CLA ss sizes: $28M.

• CenTenA ry: $14M.

Diving deep into deficit

what a difference a year makes, says assembly reporter JoRiaN GaRDNeR.

THE ACT’s much-leaked, masterfully spun, surprise-free Budget sees the local economy taking a jarring $82.2million plus dive into deficit.

It’s a jolt that the Government is not expecting the Territory to recover from for seven hard years and comes with an unprecedented need to borrow $400million.

After former Treasurer Jon Stanhope’s planned, but never delivered, operating surplus of $84.9million in 2008, his rookie replacement Katy Gallagher has announced a massive $247.3million underlying deficit on the back of falling GST revenues, lower return on government investments, lower interest earnings and a softening in the local housing market. However when the Federal Government stimulus initiatives are factored in ($165.1million) the operating deficit is $82.2million.

While the Government is virtuously holding taxes and saving jobs, it hasn’t been able to resist an 11 per cent hike in bus fares from July this year, while ticket-machine parking fees will increase on average 20 per cent and meters by a whopping 50 per cent from 2010. And fines are going up.

On the spending side, there’s $274million targeted for new capital works in addition to the $334.5million invested in schools and public housing through the Federal Government’s “National Building and Jobs” program. The Budget also confirmed the election promise of $83million to extend the Gungahlin Drive Extension.

The Treasurer’s press-room briefing was contrite and subdued and she made constant references to having learnt lessons from the election and promises to consult with the community, unions and workers. But there was a big, Green elephant in the room – and in the Budget.

“If I were a Green, I would be pretty happy with this Budget,” a droll Treasurer quipped under questioning.

The Greens agenda certainly came to the fore (even the Budget papers are green in colour; “teal”, the Treasurer

“CITYNEWS” photographer Silas Brown was prevented from leaving the Budget lock up after the Treasurer’s press conference. Traditionally, TV and press camera people have been allowed to leave after the 12.30pm Budget press conference on the condition that they respect the embargo of 2.30pm.

“CityNews” requested that snapper Brown be allowed to leave the Budget at around

Of

insists!) with $19.1million over four years earmarked for the “Switch your Thinking!” program, a key commitment in the post-election Labor-Greens parliamentary agreement. The program is designed to encourage reduced

carbon footprints and will bring together information on the Government’s rebates and environmental programs for the public in a “one-stop shop”.

And the Greens election push for a new library in the inner-south to re -

barred snappers and sneaking staffers

1.30pm so he could get on with the important work of getting the edition to press. But no, Treasurer Gallagher’s flustered new media adviser stood firm, barking at the gathered media that the “the f...ing deadline is 2.30”. Eventually, sense prevailed and everyone was

allowed out early on the promise not to break the embargo.

MEANWHILE, “CityNews” found a senior Liberal staffer Tio Faulkner, vice-president of the ACT Liberal Party and a Vicki Dunne staffer hiding

place the Labor’s political folly of closing the Griffith library has been rewarded with a $7.1million allocation.

The minister responsible, John Hargreaves, standing in the chorus line of ministers surrounding the Treasurer, remained stone faced while Ms Gallagher squirmed her way through the embarrassing back flip.

“The Budget reflects the times we are in,” Ms Gallagher said. “These are challenging times, with the world economy facing its sharpest slowdown since the Great Depression.

“We haven’t introduced any new taxes in this Budget and it’s not time to cut services to the ACT community. We could have hidden the picture essentially but what that wouldn’t have done is present the real impacts and expenditure that we know is coming.”

However, there aren’t many surprises with many of the “announcements” having already been flagged in previous Budgets or promised at the October election.

Under the catchphrase of “Investing in our Community”, the Budget provides a modest $49 million in new initiatives in what the ACT Government has called “carefully targeted spending initiatives to support investment in the local economy”.

Most of the good news had been leaked in the lead-up to the Budget – paid maternity leave extended to 18 weeks; a $12million investment in Civic upgrades; $1million for Action Buses to introduce rapid transit buses every 15 minutes and a new health care centre for Belconnen.

Canberra’s Centenary has received $14million over the next four years towards celebratory activities, part of which will go towards securing the 2013 Australian Women’s Golf Open.

The Treasurer outlined a seven-year plan to bring the ACT economy back into the black, but acknowledged that in the current economic environment these estimates may change. And they may change within seven days when the Federal Budget is unveiled.

in the toilets behind the Budget lock-up. When questioned by “CityNews” on if he was allowed to be in the area said: “I am allowed to take an interest in whatever part of the building I choose to, seeing as I work here.” He then exited the way he came in – through a door only accessible by swipe-card at the back of the Budget lock up. It’s the second year Liberal staffers have been discovered snooping near the lock-up.

Labor has razor up its sleeve

Zed seselja, o pposition Leader

T HE Budget delivered by Katy Gallagher is a demonstration of a Treasurer and a Government that has no plans to deal with the tough times we face.

It’s a plan for a decade of deficits with no plan on how to get the Budget into surplus. It includes cumulative deficits totalling around $770 million just over the next four years.

We are all aware of the GFC and the impacts it has had on the global economic framework and on Government revenues.

The key question is how Governments respond to these challenges.

But what response do we get from this neophyte treasurer? Absolutely nothing.

They have kept spending, just as if the GFC had never happened. They refuse to make

meaningful savings, just like they did in the boom times. And they window dress this vacuous document with a lot of buzzwords, just like they have done for every day for every year that they have been in power.

There are, however, some seriously worrying aspects hidden in the fine print of the Budget papers. Last year, the Canberra Liberals took a Treasury costed, line-by-line plan for cutting Government waste, and Jon Stanhope and Katy Gallagher vehemently argued against any savings of any sort. Now it seems as if Katy Gallagher is setting up for massive cuts, but she will not tell the people what those cuts will be.

Then there is the secret ‘Expenditure Review and Evaluation Committee’, which sounds suspiciously like the productivity review that slashed its way across Territory services only three years ago, and whose agenda or recom-

Meredith Hunter, Leader act Greens

THIS Budget is a sign that, with a strong Greens presence in the Legislative Assembly, the people of the ACT can expect a more sustainable Canberra – socially, economically and environmentally.

The Budget incorporates many initiatives that we know the people of Canberra will welcome. They include the reopening of a library in the inner south, mental health training for teachers and emergency service the introduction of bus rapid transit, the expansion of Canberra’s urban wetlands, and a comprehensive program to improve home water and energy efficiency in our homes.

At a broader level, it is still not clear how this Government imagines we will work our way back from deficit. At its heart, this is really a business as usual Budget, rather than a vision for our times.

The ACT Greens /ALP agreement has delivered some much-need outcomes for the Canberra people.

chris Peters, chamber of commerce

THE good news is that this not a slash and burn Budget; however, it does leave more questions than answers particularly in the third and fourth year out where we are seeing more uncertainty. Fortunately, the Commonwealth has made significant contribution to the ACT – if it wasn’t for them the ACT deficit would be four times the size. There are some small business programs to help them grow and employ people, however we see that the public service has some challenges.

Roslyn Dundas, act council of social service

T HIS isn’t a good Budget for the community sector and it looks like things will just get worse in future years. There is no new funding to support the delivery of programs at AMC, a contraction in funding for community projects meaning the likely end of programs like the Multicultural Youth Service. Unemployment is looking to rise to 3.5 per cent, but at the same time community sector funding is not meeting current need and is likely to go backwards in the future.

However, we do welcome the Homelessness and Elder Law Project at Legal Aid and the focus on developing mental health programs.

mendations have still not been disclosed.

But the details are not clearly spelt out – they are hinted at to occur some time in the future. They are a creeping miasma of uncertainty and doubt that will cast a pall over the Territory for the next 12 months.

We can be certain of some things – that we will have the biggest deficits of any Government in our history; that jobs will be lost; that this Government has a razor up its sleeve and does not have the courage to put its plans to the people.

It is a ‘fingers crossed’ Budget. The ‘not my fault’ Budget from the Minister not responsible.

c atherine c arter, Property council of australia

THERE are some mixed messages in the Budget for the property sector. The greatest concern is the size of the deficit and the number of years that the Government is forecasting it will stay in deficit. They will have to carefully manage it as they move forward. The other negative is for home and property owners with general rates, land tax and the fire and emergency services all creeping higher than inflation.

On the positive side the Government setting aside around $2 million for a building tune-up program matching the private sector dollar for dollar for retro-fitting and upgrading office buildings is a great initiative. It’s an important economic stimulus program and it also achieves reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

chris Faulks, c anberra Business council

THE council recognises the economic climate that we are now in and supports the Government’s decision to not cut public sector employment, services and to not increase taxation. We are very supportive of their spending including on capital works, tourism, education and training and the $14 million boost for Canberra’s Centenary. However we are very concerned about the large deficits in the out years and how the Government will make the savings to get back into surplus and the fact that these deficits are compounded by larger deficits at the Federal level which are likely to have a disproportionately negative impact on ACT business beyond 2010.

Jeremy Irvine, Independent schools a ssociation

TO their credit, the ACT Government are delivering on their non-Government education election commitments which the association welcomes – particularly the continued investment in students with a disability. That said, it is important that Government recognises the contribution that parents of ACT non-Government students make to the ACT economy by choosing to send their child to a non-Government school – further recognition of this would have been welcome.

Where (some of) the money’s going

I N fr A structurE

• $274million in a new capital works program in addition to the $334.5 million invested in schools and public housing through the Federal Government’s “National Building and Jobs” program. It includes $83 million to extend the Gungahlin Drive Extension as promised during the election campaign.

• $7.1million for a new inner-south library.

H EALtH

• $90million investment in the e-health capacity of Canberra’s healthcare system.

• $51.3million for a new community health centre at Belconnen.

• $25.4million over four years for acute-care services.

• $12million to boost cancer services.

• $12million to support and grow the GP workforce.

• $19million over four years for mental health.

s port AN d rEcrEAtI o N

• $3million over two years to deliver on Labor’s election commitment to develop a Basketball Centre of Excellence.

• $1million for forward design work on an indoor pool for Gungahlin.

• $8million in additional funding to “drought proof” a number of sportsgrounds in Canberra under the “Where Will We Play” program.

• $1.5million over three years commencing 2010-11 to support motorsport organisations to invest in facilities and hold events.

• $1.050million over two years to improve Griffith Oval.

tourI sM

• $5.3million over four years for a new annual event in the ACT during autumn, commencing in 2010.

• $800,000 for the 2009 uCI Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships in September at Stromlo Forest Park.

Educ AtI o N

• $43.5million for the construction of Harrison High School.

• $7.6million over three years for a new performing arts theatre at the Canberra College, Woden.

• $5.4million additional funding for the Gungahlin College project.

• $691,000 to increase the number of indigenous teachers and teachers’ assistants working in ACT public schools.

• $4million over four years to provide additional funding to non government schools to assist students with identified learning needs, socioeconomically disadvantaged students and special education students.

• $1.454million over four years to allow students to undertake industry based training while remaining in school under the Australian School-Based Apprenticeships program.

E NvI ro NMENt

• $19.1million over four years for important initiatives under the “Switch your Thinking!” program

– a key commitment in the Labor-Greens parliamentary agreement.

• $13.9million over two years for the construction of two new wetland ponds in Dickson and Lyneham.

• $483,000 over two years to conduct widespread industry consultation and develop a future waste strategy targeting business, electronic and organic waste.

• $85,000 to conduct extensive community consultation on the best ways to reduce the use of plastic bags.

• $1.3million over four years to help support the work of three environmental organisations – the Canberra Environment and Sustainability Resources Centre, the Canberra Conservation Council and SEE Change ACT.

The blame-everyone-else Budget

THE key strategy for the ACT Budget seems to be twofold. The first stage is to blame everyone else.

Considering the Budget is propped up with borrowings of over $400m, George Orwell would have been proud of the theme “investing in the community”.

The “1984” “newspeak” concept is certainly not dead as Treasurer Katy Gallagher struggles to convince the community that the Government is being fiscally responsible. And Chief Minister Jon Stanhope has introduced another newspeak term – he is apparently “resequencing” the Budget priorities.

In the book “1984”, “newspeak” was deliberately developed as a system of mind-control. It certainly has raised its head with vigour in ACT politics with the launch of this Budget. This is a paradigm step beyond the normal political “spin”. The key mind-control mechanism used this year is to blame everyone else: “It’s not our fault – it is the Commonwealth Government, it is the global economic crisis, it is reduction in revenue from our cash

it’s all spin, ‘newspeak’ and mind control, says political commentator MicHaeL MooRe .

revenue with subdued activity in the housing market.”

But don’t worry, Canberrans. Well, don’t worry in the short term – there will be no cuts this year. The Government is borrowing and postponing the pain. In fact, it is borrowing an unprecedented $400 million. The “newspeak” continues! According to the Treasurer, “we are supporting jobs” but next year officials tell us fiscal discipline will be maintained, wage restraint forced through efficiency dividends in the out years. “In three years’ time, according to Gallagher, “we will be looking for $150million savings”.

After next year, ACT Government departments are going to be expected to find efficiencies. The approach to the cuts will be achieved through community consultation – at least this will give someone else to blame. Unions will even be asked to identify where these cuts should be made – as though

ernment refers to these cuts in “newspeak” terms as savings!

For ordinary people we are told that things are actually looking up. The Under Treasurer says that there is an expected increase in household income in the Territory with reductions in interest rates and some expectation of increased expenditure by the Commonwealth. The Government is actually predicting a two per cent growth in the ACT economy although this is down from the five per cent growth of previous years. The reality is that since the first Stanhope Government Budget in 2002 Budgets have always been delivered in boom times with no contingencies ever being made for these sorts of adverse circumstances. Mind-control games are all the way through the Budget. The most obvious “newspeak” is the introduction of the seven-year Budget. Budgets have always been forecast over four

Treasurer would have us believe that the seven-year solution will allow them to argue fiscal responsibility. The trouble is that she got away with it last year arguing the she would spend a billion dollars on health over seven years. And now she is trying the same stunt across the whole Budget!

Imagine if we were trying to implement an outcome from Jon Stanhope’s very first Budget in 2002? That is what the Treasurer expects the Canberra community to accept now. It will be interesting to watch just how vulnerable Canberrans are to this Government’s “mind-control” tactics?

There are a series of assumptions that underlay this Budget. It is difficult to believe that they have been carefully considered over a seven-year period. In fact, most are just given over a few years. ACT employment growth is predicted to slow from the traditional 1.75 per cent to 1 per cent this year, 0.75 per cent in the coming year and then to 0.5 per cent the following year. I wonder why there is no seven-year prediction to match the time that we will come back to being fiscally responsible.

At least the Treasurer has admitted that two of their own measures of fiscal responsibility will not be met. The obvious one is achievement of net operating surplus broken by $247million and covering the superannuation debt by 2030. The first would be nigh on impossible to hide and the second is so far in the future that no one will notice.

By addressing the Budget as a seven-year project the Government has found a way to make the Government appear fiscally responsible. The Treasurer argued “we could have hidden these by not building in the six per cent increase for health; we could have hidden them by not including provisions for wages and a range of other strategies. Instead, this is the full and honest picture.” She argued that they have a plan to turn the Budget to surplus over a seven-year cycle.

The view of Queen Gertrude in “Hamlet” seems apt “Methinks the lady doth protest too much”.

Michael Moore is a former independent member of the ACT Legislative Assembly and minister for health.

What Katy did next

By Jorian Gardner

SHE’D been waiting for this moment for a very long time – if only the news she had to deliver was better. First-time Treasurer Katy Gallagher stood bravely in the Legislative Assembly and announced a whopping $247.3million Budget defecit – but, gee, it sounds a lot better with a new hairstyle and stylish suit. Her delivery was spot on. There was not much to crow about, but Gallagher has a way of phrasing that ensures that even the bad news doesn’t sound all that bad.

She talked about taking the hard decisions, about planning for the future, about delivering for the community and of spreading the deficit pain over a number of years – seven – to soften the impact of what is a horror Budget. She deserves an acting award – Best Performance by a Minister in a Budget Nightmare, maybe.

The Chief Minister and former Treasurer Jon Stanhope nodded politely with every word – and so he should, given he’s the one who threw her the hospital pass by handing her Treasury after the last election.

The Liberal Opposition sat silently digesting the Budget papers for the first time.

Is there a DISPUTE in your life that needs a legal resolution?

Law Week May 11-16

Confidence we call freedom

Thursday, May 7, 1pm Law Week Launch, Court 1, Supreme Court: ACT Attorney-General to launch Law Week. Chief Justice Terry Higgins will speak about celebrating 75 years of the ACT Supreme Court.

Would

Would

Many people believe that stability and peace depend upon a stable economy, but it starts before that says ac T Law society president RoD ba RNe TT.

STABILITY and peace depend upon the rule of law. The law is the code that rules our conduct.

the majority of the community agreeing to accept a code of personal conduct.

Tuesday, May 12, 12.30pm for 1pm Blackburn Lecture, Pilgrim House, Northbourne Ave: Justice Lex Lasry on “Unelected Judges: Out of Touch with the Community?”

Wednesday, May 13, 12.15pm-1.45pm

Women & Justice Forum, Function Room A, Multi-Cultural Centre, Civic: “Women Leading the Way”, Speakers: Justice Hilary Penfold, Magistrate Karen Fryar, Ms Linda Crebbin.

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If ‘yes’ to any of the above: LRS is your first step to a legal resolution

Phone: (02) 6161 9153

Email Us: info@legalrs.com

Entries to www.citynews.com.au Competition closes midday Monday, May 18. Winners announced in “CityNews” in the edition of May 21. Win!

“CityNews” has 10 double passes to the opening night of ‘Breast Wishes’, The Playhouse, Wednesday, May 27.

People are aware of the global economic crisis and there is a natural assumption that a free and democratic society is our entitlement. Many people believe that stability and peace depend upon a stable economy. It starts before that. It depends upon a person’s confidence that when she leaves her house it will be hers when she returns. It depends on the confidence of the house builder to commit resources to the project without fear that it will be stopped without reason. It depends on government officials to make fair decisions without intimidation. It depends on a confidence to go about our daily lives unaffected by threats of violence and loss of property. This confidence is called freedom. There is only one way it can be achieved – by

Law Week is a national annual event that aims to promote greater understanding within the community of the law, the legal system and the legal profession.

It is also an opportunity to raise money for a local charity – this year, Arthritis ACT. And, of course, it’s a chance for lawyers to let their hair down a bit!

Throughout ACT Law Week, activities will focus on community education, providing members of the public with access to the legal profession, the courts, government service providers and other law-related services.

Law Week is also a great opportunity for lawyers to demonstrate their skills and provide opportunities for the public to learn more about the law and the legal system.

Wednesday, May 13, 7pm for 7.30pm Supreme Court 75th Anniversary Dinner, Old Parliament House.

Thursday, May 14, 6.30pm-10.30pm Quiz Night, Canberra Club: Young Lawyers’ Fundraiser 2009 Charity – Arthritis ACT.

Thursday, May 14, 11.30am-2.30pm

Friday, May 15, 12.30pm-2pm

Friday, May 15, 5.30pm

Market Day, Upstairs, Canberra Centre, near The Coffee Club: An exhibition by Community Legal Centres and other organisations who can assist in legal and legal-related issues.

Mixed Soccer Finals, ANU ovals.

Law Week Cocktail Party, Uni Pub.

Saturday, May 16, 10am Mock Trial, Supreme Court.

For further details contact:Jocelyn Campbell 6247 5700 or jocelyn.campbell@actlawsociety.asn.au.

Lawyers get a life!

deAdLy serious and earnest at work, lawyers know how to let their hair down at home time!

SOLICITOR Andrew Jones (right), from AP Jones and Co Lawyers, is a rugby fanatic.

“My particular passion is rugby union – I have been coaching teams for several years and was bought up on a strict diet of rugby since time immemorial!” Andrew says. “It’s about sharing a sporting experience with others – and its fun! My sons play and that’s just wonderful because it’s a pastime that my whole family can enjoy and participate.”

LEGITIMATE Solutions Legal, principal lawyer James King (left, centre) isn’t just spending his days behind his desk. He’s a bagpipe player who, with hundreds of other pipers, played at Red Square in Moscow for the Kremlin Zoria Tattoo.

“One of the highlights for me was playing alongside a Scottish regiment

DuRING Law Week, participants will be encouraged to share with others their times outside the office, and exchange ideas about how to better unwind.

formed from a regiment my grandfather and great grandfather served in during World War I and II,” said James who has also played in China, Norfolk Island and around Australia. “Piping in various locations certainly makes for some interesting conversations with clients at the firm!”

ROSS Reid, of Myer Vandenberg, likes life in the fast lane.

“Life as a lawyer can be boring sure, but when was the last time you had a car you built yourself (below) flat out on tarmac – legally, of course!” laughed Ross. “Or when was the last time you gazed up at Mount Everest with only 9028 feet between you and the top? Sure, they’re totally opposed interests, but when you’ve got those damn incoming emails beeping at you all day and the message light on the phone glows red hot (even after you put a yellow sticky over it), you need some real mind–clearing interests. Trust me, these two are!”

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Kilimanjaro. It was a challenge to raise money for awareness of Africa’s three “peak” issues – HIV/aids, education and the environment.

“While none of the mountains required any technical mountaineering skills to reach the summit, it was a huge challenge nonetheless involving physical endurance and emotional highs and lows,” says Yvette.

Six Minter Ellison Canberra lawyers recognised in the 2009 Best Lawyer rankings*

Joint best Australian Capital Territory professional services firm at the 2009 BRW Client Choice Awards

Minter Ellison’s lawyers bring world-class expertise underpinned by local knowledge and experience to large complex projects.

* Best Lawyers International 2009:Australia

Canberra International Music Festival

Wednesday 13 May, 4 pm, Australian War Memorial

Join us for a special afternoon of chamber music in our unique amphitheatre, the Commemorative Area.

This is an outdoor event. Bookings are essential, as seats are limited.

Cost: $35 per person (GST inclusive), $28 for Friends of the Memorial and concession card holders.

Phone Canberra Ticketing on (02) 6275 2700 for bookings.

One of the world’s great museums

www.awm.gov.au

arts&entertainment

Energetic moments of theatrical magic

AuDIENCES expect something special from a superb cast including Patrick Dickson and Andrew Tighe and one of the world’s most significant directors, John Bell.

“The Alchemist” delivers moments of theatrical magic. David Whitney’s Sir Epicure Mammon embodied epicurean gluttony to provide gross-out humour and hilarious parody. Liz Skitch’s Dame Pliant provided a contrasting and very gentle naïve character that was disarmingly human. Each member of the large cast performed with an extraordinary vocal and physical dexterity. Yet the production seemed to race out of control, losing the dramatic tensions needed to sustain con -

TheATre

“The Alchemist” By Ben Jonson. Directed by John Bell. Bell Shakespeare and Queensland Theatre Company. Canberra Theatre Centre Playhouse until May 9. reviewed by j oe Woodward

tinuous interest for its two and a quarter hours (without interval).

The setting to some extent represented the characters’ and the audience’s own vanity. This might have allowed the text to be embedded within a very powerful and useful framework or

SATURDAY, MAY 9

“The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill and Came Down a Mountain”

8.30PM  MOVIE GREATS 415

THE year is 1917 and English map makers, Reginald Anson and George Garrad, arrive in a small Welsh village to measure Ffynnon Garw, a nearby geographical landmark prized by the locals as “the  rst mountain in Wales”. But after measuring it, they discover that it is 15 feet too short to qualify as a mountain and is actually just a hill. Outrage sweeps the town, until two locals devise an ingenious plan to ensure their hill takes its rightful place in history as a mountain. With the assistance of the entire village, they scheme to keep the two Englishmen around long enough for them to rebuild Ffynonn Garw to its former glory. Starring Hugh Grant and Tara Fitzgerald.

sculpture in the way many of Bell Shakespeare’s sets have been used. With bits and pieces scattered all over the stage, the messiness reflected the unbalanced nature of the production as a whole. The cluttered nature of the work could not be overcome by the tremendous energy expended by the cast.

At times this energy was almost too much. Some vulnerability might have allowed in more tension. Much of the performance was pre-emptive with actors anticipating the dialogue.

The audience was treated to the artifice of life represented by a kind of rehearsal in which the performance was always informed by the clutter

Faces in the dust

visuAL ArT

“o ut of the d ust: Life in Afghanistan” Photographs by Hans Stakelbeek, Courtyard Gallery, Australian War Memorial. 10am5pm, until May 24. reviewed by Anni doyle Wawrzynczak

THIS international touring exhibition arrives in Canberra following showings in the Netherlands, Washington, London and Berlin. Canberra’s exhibition comprises a small selection from a much larger collection, completed in April 2008, commissioned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.

While seeking to document the evidence of joint Australian/Netherlands reconstruction efforts, this brief is, in effect, hijacked by the extraordinary landscape and by the faces of the Afghan people. Children and adults alike gaze unsmilingly at the camera, frown lines etched by the daily task of looking out and beyond.

SUNDAY, MAY 10

“Run Fat Boy Run”

8.30PM  MOVIE ONE 411

FIVE years ago Dennis did a runner from the altar, leaving his pregnant  ancée Libby in tears. Now he lives in a tiny sublet, struggles to pay rent, and works as a security guard for a lingerie store. For  ve years, Dennis has been trying to win Libby back, without much luck. Although he is part of his son’s life, Libby is seeing a new man, the smug businessman and all-round good guy, Whit. To prove himself, Dennis decides to run in the Nike River Marathon, against Whit. Un  t and out of shape, Dennis has just three weeks to toughen up and prove he isn’t a quitter. Starring Simon Pegg and Thandie Newton.

of life’s backstage. We even see the stage manager and at times the actors watching the performance. The acting style then contrasted with real life by accentuating the theatrical with large gestures and very well enunciated text which extended the cliché of the actor in performance. Costumes added much to this concept. We were left to ponder how much of social interaction is really theatre? All of this was carefully thought through. Yet something was missing.

Perhaps we also needed to see people feeling their own vulnerability and foibles as they try to achieve their desires. Such a contrasting possibility is in the text, but not in this production.

Several of the images are stunning in the immensity of landscape they unfold.

In “untitled”, a massive background of blue/grey, jagged mountains descends to a flat, sandy, foreground; the photograph’s central focus a dun-coloured building, towards which proceed, unconnected, a lone walker and a lone cyclist, antlike in comparison to the open, barren landscape surrounding them.

These immense swathes of misty blue backgrounds and the relentless, sandy greys of mid and foregrounds are relieved by flashes and pinpoints of colour. “New Houses in Kabul” depicts sand-coloured boxes scattering over a ridge, the mono -

chrome relieved by the brilliant red of a child’s dress, by a blue door, by orange and red carpets airing, or the flash of a green and gold saddle blanket covering a dark grey donkey.

In “A Girls School in uruzgan” (alumina plate, 150x100cms), 23 young girls sit together in a sandy, cave-like space far removed from western images of a classroom. Accompanying text reminds us that, in a country where 44 per cent of the population is under 14, and more than 80 per cent of the population are illiterate, girls are attending school in increasingly greater numbers making up 4150 attendees out of 43,000 children in primary school.

WED, THUR, FRI FROM 11.30AM - 3PM WED, THUR - PIZZA & SCHOONER $15 FRID - HAPPY HOUR 5PM - 7PM

Barking, buzzing and beautiful

WITH “Restless”, her homage to sleep deprivation, Cadi McCarthy provides a satisfying evening of imaginative, well-performed contemporary dance.

In fact, it is her best work to date, in terms of realising her theme in clear, cohesive dance terms, while at the same time providing her dancers with choreography that is meaningful, often quite beautiful, and constantly absorbing.

Played out against the stark black walls of the strippedback Courtyard Studio, to an attractive soundscape of contemporary music, six dancers explore the notion of restlessness, and the factors that often prevent us from sleeping, such as noisy neighbours, buzzing mosquitoes, barking dogs, work and relationship problems.

dAnCe

“restless”

Cadi McCarthy & Company. Courtyard Studio, Canberra Centre. Until May 10. reviewed by bill stephens

Imaginative use is made of six mattresses that form an integral part of the simple décor, and which act, literally, as springboards, for a succession ingeniously-constructed, solos, duets and ensemble sequences, as well as screens for projected filmed images.

McCarthy is well served by each of her accomplished dancers, but the most arresting dancing is offered by Hayley Schmidt and David Mueller, both of whom have

Deep in the forest

“deFiAnCe” (M)

“DEFIANCE” tells how, in Belorussian forests, a group of Polish Jews defied Hitler’s Wehrmacht from late 1941 until the European war ended.

Much more than military skirmishes staged and filmed with satisfying conviction, it depicts a social macrocosm surviving by what it stole, built or killed to get, learning new rules for community, for conducting family and group relationships, preserving Jewish cultural, intellectual and spiritual heritages while engaging in military actions such as their people had not taken since Biblical times.

It powerfully illustrates how those partisans differed from Jews who meekly let the Nazis drive them into the gas chambers. Death in battle, while more noble, is no less final but the odds of surviving as forest nomads were better.

Filming “Defiance” outdoors, mostly in winter, must have been arduous but cast and crew bring conviction to a story that rightfully merits a place among World War II’s annals of victory. Daniel Craig is strong as the older Bielski brother learning the arts of managing human needs and issues in a disparate community and the military arts of guerilla warfare. Liev Schreiber is equally forceful as his brother who spends time fighting with a Soviet Army unit. Both Bielski brothers migrated to the uS after the war knowing that they had preserved 1200 people who might otherwise have

b y dougal Macdonald

vanished in smoke up a crematorium chimney.

Director/writer Edward Zwick’s matterof-fact style, radiating respect, avoiding cliché and sentimentality, gives film-goers strong material to ponder, not simply as a movie but also as a reminder of a time, place and historical events so long untold.

At all Canberra cinemas

“Tenderness” (M)

JOHN Polson’s film deals with murder and police work unlike what we expect.

John Foster plays Eric, released from juvenile detention after killing his parents while under the influence of antidepressants. Russell Crowe plays semiretired Detective Cristofouro, caring for a wife in a coma, convinced that despite the best of intentions, Eric is a psychopath serial killer who cannot avoid doing it again.

The film’s core is Eric’s trip across New York State to meet a woman who sent him a note while he was inside. What Eric doesn’t know is that teenager Lori (Sophie Traub) hiding in the back seat of his car, is obsessed with his history and ready, anxious even, for him to kill her.

The film mixes tension and concern as Lori disturbs Eric’s comfort zone, threatening to collapse what seems like his

genuine reform. Traub’s performance is impressive. So also, on a lesser level, is Foster’s. Crowe’s is low-key, sensitive rather than insistent.

The road trip culminates in unexpected tragedy, sending us away feeling sorrow while wondering what Polson had in mind when he began making the film.

At Hoyts Belconnen

“shinjuKu inCidenT” (MA)

DuRING the 1990s, more than a million Chinese boat people illegally entered Japan, where they lived among low social levels and crime.

Shinjuku Incident tells the story of the peasant Steelhead whose beloved Xiu Xiu has entered Japan legally. When he follows illegally several years later to seek her, he finds himself drawn into petty theft and exploitation by unscrupulous employers and later, through happenstance, engagement as a yakuza gang leader’s minder.

The film provides an insight into Chinese and Japanese criminal lifestyles that may or may not be reliable, but demonstrates great physical energy through unremitting violence. Former Canberra resident Jackie Chan, who made his name as the athletic acrobat hero of a string of comical martial arts movies, plays Steelhead, a good man driven into a corrupt lifestyle, with a likeable mix of puzzlement and sorrow that it has come to this.

At Hoyts Belconnen

the ability to transcend the technicalities of the choreography to bring an extra layer of meaning and sophistication to their various roles.

The only jarring element of the piece was the use of banal spoken passages which interrupt the flow of the dancing and, too often, merely describe what had already been much more succinctly conveyed by the choreography.

“Restless” is Cadi McCarthy’s most mature work to date and confirms her emergence as an important choreographer on the Australian contemporary dance scene, a status which will serve her well as she takes on the challenging role of artistic director of the Perthbased Buzz Dance Theatre.

Healthy hospitality

GEORGE Economopoulos isn’t exactly a stranger to the Canberra dining scene. As well as running the highly successful Mocca Espresso Lounge at Scarborough House in Phillip, he also operated Tryst in Manuka until three years ago.

With more than 25 years’ experience in Canberra hospitality, George is excited about his newest venture: bringing another Mocca to Civic.

The new Espresso Lounge already has a strong following, he says.

There’s also a focus on healthy, great-tasting food: the café aims to apply the guidelines used by the Heart Foundation’s Tick Program, to help make it easy for customers to make healthier food choices. This is reflected in a colour scheme with a neutral (black/dark and white) palette and strong red accents.

The café menu includes an all-day breakfast (including French toast, eggs Benedict, muesli and a fresh fruit salad) as well as a range of rolls, foccacias, baguettes and Turkish pides.

There are soups, salads and baked savouries; plus a made-to-order menu that includes salt and pepper squid, linguine carbonara, vegetarian risotto, tempura chicken, salads and burgers. There’s even a range of speciality teas and the cafe is licensed.

Good coffee, served quickly, is a focus: three baristas use the two sideby-side La Mozacca machines from 7.30am.

Mocca Espresso Civic operates on several levels. First, there’s the café: “fast, healthy food with lots of options,” George says.

George economopoulos… “The menu is modern Australian, with a Mediterranean influence.”

“It can get very busy, but it flows very well – it’s a case of restaurant-quality food so that it’s appropriate to hold a business meeting here, which people do.”

Mocca Espresso also has a catering service, which provides a range of food styles from sandwiches for boardroom functions all the way up to sit-down wedding reception dinners.

“We do a lot of catering all over the city, from Civic to Belconnen to Woden and Tuggeranong,” says George.

comes to Civic

The Lounge at Civic also has a restaurant, which currently does lunches and is about to start opening for dinner on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings.

“The menu is modern Australian, with a Mediterranean influence,” George says.

On the menu will be dishes such as doubleroasted pork belly with glazed Porcini mushrooms and coconut mirin reduction; a Moroccan chicken Caesar salad; a linguine of sautéed tiger prawns and chorizo with julienne crispy greens, herbed olive oil and Parmesan; and half-shell scallops grilled with pickled ginger and dill butter.

In other words, it’s a holistic approach to hospitality, offering something to diners at all levels without compromising quality, George says.

It’s a modern space with clean lines, but George says the Lounge has been outfitted with a view to comfort in mind: “there’s carpet in the dining area and soft panels on the walls so that it’s quiet enough to conduct business meetings on the premises.

“Canberra gets very cold in winter as we all know, so we didn’t want it to have a stark feel.”

There’s gas heating outside in the al fresco area that, he says, will make it comfortable for diners to enjoy their food or a coffee even in winter.

For more information see www.moccaespresso.com.au.

Stunning

Spacious, modern kitchen and café bar design

Win! Win! Win!

“CityNews” has 10 double passes to the opening night of ‘Breast Wishes’, The Playhouse, Wednesday, May 27.

Entries to www.citynews.com.au

Competition closes midday Monday, May 18.

Winners announced in “CityNews” in the edition of May 21.

Europe comes to Griffith

DiNiNG b y Wendy johnson

EuROPEAN cuisine. If it makes your heart pitter patter, there’s a new café, at Griffith shops, where you can delight in dishes from the diverse nations that form the European union.

Ryan Davies and seasoned chef Shane Delamont bought Element Restaurant a while back, always intending to change the concept to a more relaxed place to dine, but one still focusing on wonderful food. The E.u café is the result.

The café features black and white photos of Europe, new black and white floral patterns on the wooden chairs, new light fixtures, and a refurbished wooden floor. Gone is the “fine dining” look and, in its place, a café serving dishes inspired by Shane’s travels in Europe.

We accepted the recommendation to try several tapas dishes instead of ordering entrées. The tapas is reasonably priced from $5 (for mushrooms) up to $10 for Queensland seared scallops, Portuguese pirri pirri, charred corn salsa and prosciutto vinaigrette. The scallop dish may sound complex, but it is not – the flavours waltz beautifully together. Equally impressive was the tender pork belly, twice cooked and served with sauerkraut, red onion and apple jam. We finished with eggplant

wrapped around capsicum, served with buffalo mozzarella, rocket, and quality balsamic vinegar.

Shane’s culinary talent reflects his respect for tradition and excitement with the modern – he celebrates the tastes of Europe, but his dishes are not heavy or pretentious.

We each chose from the specials board.

My tender lamb rump ($28) was pan seared, placed in a vacuum packed bag, immersed in liquid and slowly cooked. It was served with mushroom and potato ragout and a delicate basil and mint mousse that sat pretty on top of confit tomato ($27). Tick. The barramundi goulash came with fresh mussels and light ricotta dumplings. Tick. The seared duck breast was served over shredded confit duck leg with sweet

corn risotto ($28). Tick number three. E.u café is open for breakfast from 7, offering a super cup of coffee. Brunch is served weekends until 2.30 (best to reserve). And it is all served, as is lunch and dinner, by knowledgeable, attentive and friendly staff.

The best advice I can give about this delightful new destination is to remember it is only a hop, skip and a jump from Manuka and Kingston. So next time you dine in the heart of the inner south, travel an extra minute and indulge in the tastes of Europe. Quality is the name of the game for Shane and his food is more restaurant quality, than café quality – without the price tag. E.U Café, Griffith Shops. Open breakfast, lunch, dinner Tues to Sat and brunch weekends. 6295 6915.

The seed of success

IAIN Sinclair, director of Kate Mulvaney’s play "The Seed", coming to The Street Theatre soon, is surely one of the brightest jewels in the crown of Canberra's Theatre scene.

Founder of Canberra’s Elbow Theatre, star of many plays here, an AN u and Royal Academy of Dramatic Art graduate, Sinclair’s directing book is very full these days. He'll be in town for the opening night of "The Seed", but he's cramming his visit into a rehearsal schedule for Tom Holloway’s Awgie-winning play "Beyond the Neck" at Belvoir.

Sinclair speaks about the joys of assistant directing. While Canberrans have closely followed his productions in Sydney such as “Hurlyburly” and “The Lord of the Rings”, he catapulted to centrestage after assisting director Gale Edwards on the Sydney Theatre Company's production of "Festen" back in 2005. His own successful shows since have included Tracy Letts' "Killer Joe" at Belvoir Downstairs, which

won Best Independent Production in the 2007 Sydney Theatre Awards.

Sinclair’s been on Kate Mulvaney’s "The Seed" from the start.

He and Mulvaney have been friends since working on a musical about death by Canberra’s Pip Branson at a National Playwrights' Conference in Adelaide during 2004.

After winning the Philip Parsons Young Playwrights award in 2006, Mulvaney called on Sinclair to direct "The Seed" for an independent production that opened at Belvoir Downstairs. Belvoir director Neil Armfield picked it up for his u pstairs program and it has been a hit ever since.

Part of the reason for the play’s success, Sinclair believes, is that it’s real. Mulvaney, who plays Rose, the playwright daughter of a Vietnam vet, a character very much like herself. In real life, she struggled with kidney cancer from an early age, almost certainly the result of her father’s exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War.

Pip Miller and Ralph Cotterill join Mulvaney to play Rose’s grandfather Brian Maloney, an ex-IRA soldier and Rose’s dad Danny, Brian’s 10-pound Pom migrant/Viet vet son. Miller and Cotterill are both ex-Royal Shakespeare actors, bringing authenticity to the immigrant characters created by Mulvaney.

“You know, I’m a big fan of text-driven theatre where the language is rich and complex and nuanced together – and Kate can write a killer joke!” Sinclair says.

Red start to heart week

Heart Week, so what better time to step out in red?

The Heart Foundation is using the week to launch its Go Red for Women Day 2009 (Friday, June 12), which aims to raise awareness of the importance of women’s heart health. Heart disease is often considered a men’s problem, but it affects women, too: it’s the leading cause of death for women. We can take steps such as quitting smok

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BLuSHER is important because it gives the face dimension and clarity, says Sarah Booth, from Bentley’s of Canberra, Garran.

2 1 3 4 5

“Then you can apply a darker colour underneath the cheekbone to give the illusion that it stands out more,” she says.

“If you don’t use blusher, your face is just a blank canvas,” she says. “A lot of people don’t wear it, but when they’re shown how to put it on, will say ‘wow!’.”

“In fact, some people should change their foundation in winter, because we become paler, and our summer foundation may not blend in as well.” A first blush of winter

“Over winter the lack of sun, the fact that we don’t go outside a lot and the lack of daylight savings means our skin tends to fade.

Sarah suggests we apply blusher to the apples of our cheeks – “the fleshy skin in the middle of our cheeks” – and then add a luminiser to the top of the cheekbone.

How Karen fought back from fat

IT’S one thing to offer a  tness service – and another to truly understand what it’s like to be overweight and unhealthy, and what we need to change, says Karen Elliott, master trainer at RushFit.

“We’ve all read stories about overweight, unmotivated and unhappy people who change their body through a strict regime of diet and exercise,” Karen says.

“I can say with a great deal of pride that I fall into that category – I even have the before and after shots to prove it!”

Several years ago, the mother of four was 26kg overweight, depressed and had yo-yo dieted for years.

“I tried every commercial diet, but always put the weight back on; my marriage had broken up and I was alone with four daughters. I ate and drank for comfort and isolated myself.

“All I could see was obstacles preventing me being the type of person I knew I could be, and enjoying the vitality I saw others experiencing,” Karen explains.

“I ate my meals at the stove as I cooked for my family, and made excuses not to exercise.

“I woke up one morning and knew I had to make a choice. I

started by giving up the things that were killing me.

“I was healthier and somewhat happier, but something was still missing – and it was then I started exercising.”

While it was dif  cult at  rst, seeing a personal trainer gave her the encouragement and support she needed.

“I had to have a mentor, a person that I trusted to not only steer me in the right direction, but also put me back on course when the inevitable slippage occurred.”

The camaraderie she found training with small groups of other women also helped encourage her to stay on track, she says.

Soon Karen had studied to become a personal trainer herself, wanting to pass on the skills she had learned.

“A trainer needs to be someone to help and support you in getting to a level of vitality that you could never have imagined: I was always out of breath when I was a big size 16 and now I bounce around the place!

“I understand the challenges people will encounter, and won’t sugar coat the truth about where someone is at: not just to make them feel better, but because I care.”

Karen and the other instructors at RushFit specialise in Kettlebell  tness, a regime that incorporates strength training, muscle conditioning and aerobic exercise in one workout.

Kettlebell – named for the bellshaped iron weights it incorporates – helps burn fat quickly, increasing  exibility and agility, and toning the body without creating bulk. It also helps reduce stress and tension in the body, Karen says.

The Kettlebell technique was developed in Russia more than a century ago, and a single workout uses a range of motions to tone and strengthen muscles from different angles.

Karen says that RushFit trainers help people focus on what they need to do to become healthy, rather than what they need to stop doing – something she has learned herself.

“I was thinking about what not to eat, and consequently about the food that tempted me the most – we all know the results of this, don’t we!

“If your wellness is a priority to you, you need to alter your thought process and how you relate to yourself.”

For more information visit www. rusht.com.au.

Site Inspection @ 16 Marcus Clarke Street

Canberra City

When: Thursday 21 May

Time: 3:30pm to 5:30pm

Developed by: NDH Property Services

Commercial Property Asset Management

Diploma – 3 Day course

When: 26 May, 2 June and 9 June

Time: 8am to 5pm

Venue: Minter Ellison Lawyers, Level 3, 25

National Circuit, Forrest

Proudly sponsored by: Minter Ellison Lawyers

Future Directions Trivia Night

When: Thursday 4 June

Time: 6pm to 8pm

Venue: The Rugby Union Club, Blackall Street Barton

Proudly sponsored by: HBO+EMTB and Zenith Interiors Division Lunch

Speaker: Katy Gallagher MLA, ACT Deputy Chief Minister

When: Thursday 11 June

Time: 12pm to 2pm

Venue: Hotel Realm, Barton

Proudly sponsored by St Hilliers

Property Council of Australia (ACT)

Awards Night and Gala Ball

Theme: A Bollywood Affair

When: Friday 7 August

Time: 7:00pm

Venue: National Convention Centre

Proudly sponsored by St Hilliers

For more information on upcoming events, membership or sponsorship opportunities, please contact Antoinette Perera on 02 6248 6902 or email Aperera@propertyoz.com.au

Decorating is child’s play home

LETTING kids have input into decorating their own rooms can be a positive experience for the whole family, according to Sheena Kugus, store manager at Fantastic Furniture in Fyshwick.

“I think it’s really important that children have a space that they’re happy to spend time in and to play in,” says Sheena.

“Parents these days are really good about including their children in these decisions. They’ll bring them to the store and I’ll often see a kid running around clutching a lamp or cushion that they want, and it’s quite sweet to so them so happy about a cushion that might cost $8!”

The input of children may partly explain why bright, primary colours are so popular at the moment, Sheena says. Children’s rooms are tending less

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towards pastels and more towards hot pink, bright orange and red, as well as the colour of the moment, vivid green.

The biggest practical consideration in a child’s room is space, she says, particularly space for storing toys and books.

Placing a chest of drawers or desk under a top bunk, where a bottom bunk might normally be placed, is one clever solution.

Another is to use storage boxes, which because they are versatile and colourful, are better at brightening and personalising a room than a series of chests of drawers.

“One trend is that a large number of parents are now bypassing the single bed for their child, and going straight to a king single or even a double bed. They’re buying a quality mattress as well, so the aim is to have the bed last the family a longer time.”

Larger beds mean that storage and practical use of space is even more important, Sheena says.

your week in the stars

With Joanne Madeline Moore May

11-17

ARIES Mar 21 – Apr 20

This week will work best if you do something completely out of character for an Aries – think before you act and speak. Otherwise your impulsive nature could put others off-side and land you in hot water. unpredictable, accident-prone energy is about so tread carefully!

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 20)

Love won’t flourish unless you face responsibilities this week – especially at home. If you do, then you’ll find a gem shining on your path and your relationships will sparkle. It’s also time to approach longstanding work problems with a fresh approach. What’s old will soon be new again.

GEMINI (May 21 – June 21)

Gregarious Geminis love nothing better than a good chin-wag but, with Mercury still moving backwards [until May 31] garrulous gossip could get you into gigantic trouble, so choose your words wisely. If you find yourself letting precious secrets out of the bag, just zip your lip completely!

CANCER (June 22 – July 22)

Don’t lean on others and be a clingy Cancer. There are times when you have to be independent and make decisions on your own. This week is one of those times – especially at work. If you are passionate and proactive about professional projects, then good fortune and lucky breaks will come your way.

LEO (July 23 – Aug 22)

It will be difficult to fathom what’s really going on this week, as those around you [at home and work] will have their own agendas and hidden motives. There could also be confusion over shared family resources [like real estate, money or possessions]. You all need to be very clear about who owns what.

VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sept 22)

Don’t be too set about how the week should proceed Virgo. The best approach is to be organized yet flexible; then you can adjust your schedule as the week unfolds. A bit of Moon in Aquarius spontaneity will be just what the doctor ordered on the weekend. It will stop you from being too careful, cautious – and critical!

LIBRA (Sept 23 – Oct 23)

Move beyond your comfort zone Libra. Don’t just sit around getting comfortable – and lazy. With unpredictable uranus stirring up your horoscope, changes to your daily routine will put you in touch with new people and places – which is just what you need at the moment.

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 21)

Compromise and simplicity are the buzz words for you at the moment. Scorpios have strong likes and dislikes but you’ll gain the best results by walking the middle path this week. It will help bring some equilibrium to your intense life. “The key to finding a happy balance in modern lives is simplicity.” [Sogyal Rinpoche]

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 21)

There’s nothing worse than a bored Sagittarian! You’ll be feeling restless this week [especially on Saturday] and your boredom threshold will be at an all-time low. So make sure you have plenty of challenging projects to channel all that excess energy into, otherwise you’ll drive yourself [and those around you!] crazy.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19)

Don’t allow your thinking to become too black and white this week Capricorn. Most issues are much more complex and have lots of grey areas that require exploration. Friends and finances are a confusing mix so it’s not a good time to lend money or to start a joint business deal.

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18)

You need to be extra careful with money this week Aquarius [especially on the weekend]. You’re feeling impulsive and won’t need too much encouragement to splash the cash around. You need to reset your mindset. It’s out with spontaneous spending sprees and in with a disciplined approach to finances – if you can!

PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 20)

Don’t let others lead you up the primrose path to trouble this week. You’re particularly suggestible on Sunday, so try to mix with people who have your best interests at heart. Aim to be that rare creature called “The Practical Piscean” - and don’t believe everything you hear!

Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2009

general knowledge crossword no. 210

ACROSS

4 What are humorous characters?

7 What is a candle stick maker?

8 What was the first name of the uS novelist, Hemingway?

9 One who is banished from a country is called a what?

11 Name another term for a frying pan.

13 Which word describes the spouse of a reigning monarch?

15 Which motor car is for public hire?

17 What is a baby frog?

20 One who undertakes to murder for reward is a what?

23 To have coated with gold or the like is to have done what?

24 What are gifts of property etc, handed down in a will?

25 Which term means to follow, with the view of overtaking?

DOWN

1 Name an external foot covering.

2 Which succulent bulbs have a pungent taste and smell?

3 What is another name for a home unit, in NSW?

4 What do we call a small stream?

5 Which earlier laundry implement squeezed water out of the clothes?

6 What is a rigid system of social distinction?

9 To pour from one container into another is to what?

10 What are large pieces of landed property?

12 Which item of headdress is worn by Sikhs and some Hindus?

14 Name a black suit of playing cards.

16 To which animal family do small air-breathing arthropods belong?

18 Which term means farewell?

19 Name a bucket-like container for transferring molten metal.

21 What is a narrative of heroic exploits?

22 What falls on the 15th March? s olution next week

Family Law Matters

Dispute Resolution

The Government has recently announced it will invest over $100 million towards funding family relationship services, including post separation dispute resolution. The following options are available for parties trying to solve family law matters.

What options do not involve solicitors?

Direct negotiation between parties—works best if parties have a reasonably amicable relationship and can communicate about their issues directly. If this is the case, it is important to formalise the agreement to protect each party’s interests and we can advise on how this can be done.

Mediation—a direct process designed around interest-based negotiation. The mediator should be an independent, neutral third party. Organisations such as Relationships Australia and the Family Relationships Centre have skilled mediators. What options involve solicitors?

Negotiations through solicitors—each party engages their own solicitor to help them reach an agreement about their family law matter.

Round table conference—parties and their solicitors meet to resolve matters.

Arbitration—a senior barrister, retired Judge or qualified arbitrator is appointed to determine the solution to the dispute.

Collaborative law/practice—parties enter into a contract to resolve matters without going to Court and attend four-way meetings to achieve a resolution.

Litigation—the last resort if negotiations fail but can be useful in urgent situations. Litigation can force parties into further settlement negotiations. How do I choose the right process?

We can help you decide, so do not waste time, effort and money trying to sort it out for yourself.

FREE SEMINAR

Attend a free general information seminar about family law at Dobinson Davey Clifford Simpson (18 Kendall Lane, New Acton), Tuesday 12 May 2009,5:30–6:30pm. Bookings essential: 6212 7690.

Address: 13 Guerin Place, Chisholm. price: $640,000.

inspection: By appointment.

Agency: Paula Guy, Lanyon Real Estate, 0418 285737 or 6294 9393.

Think big, think Chisholm

LOCATED in an elevated position and backing a reserve, this executive, fivebedroom ensuite Chisholm house features a large, purpose-built office with its own entrance.

The living areas are large and include a formal lounge and separate dining room with hardwood flooring, a spacious kitchen and a family room opening to a pergolacovered timber deck with in-built spa.

The garden has substantial paved areas and a Bali-style hut for the barbeque and drinks fridge.

The house comes with ducted gas heating, ducted evaporative cooling and a detached brick garage which could accommodate four, medium-sized cars. EER: 1

Tough times call for Defence strategy

DEFENCE Housing Australia’s property investment program is receiving renewed interested from individual investors in recent months, says managing director Michael Del Gigante.

“This may be attributed partly to the volatile performance of other assets such as shares, historically low interest rates and the security DHA offers in uncertain economic times,” he says.

DHA is a Commonwealth Government Business Enterprise that provides housing in metropolitan and regional centres throughout Australia for Australian Defence Force personnel. A limited number of DHA properties are sold to private investors each year under a leaseback arrangement, usually for nine or 12 years.

Mr Del Gigante says investors are attracted to DHA because the long-term security of the lease overcomes many of the risks and worries associated with conventional residential property investment.

DHA’s lease is unique in that investors do not have to deal with managing agents or worry about tenant vacancies, rental arrears, damage to the property or arranging repairs.

“Investors receive a reliable income stream and high-quality property management services from a credible government entity,” he says.

Rent is paid from the date of settlement until the end of the lease. Rent is paid monthly and is reviewed annually to market value by licensed valuers.

“I’M always talking to people about investments and I tell them about my positive experience with DHA,” says Wes, who works for a building society in Newcastle.

In 2000, Wes and his wife Lexie began investigating property investment opportunities. They settled on a DHA property in Newcastle and, in 2003, bought another in Cairns.

“People often ask me about DHA’s management and maintenance fee.

I tell them that with conventional property investment they might have

DHA even pays rent in between tenancies and does not charge any letting or advertising fees. The current lease offers a rental guarantee, meaning that the rent can never drop below the starting rent.

Most properties are less than 10 years old and are required to meet high standards, including generous  xtures and  ttings. At the end of the lease, investors bene  t from restoration provisions, with carpets replaced and the house painted on completion of a nine year lease.

DHA manages more than 17,000 properties around Australia, worth an estimated $7.6 billion. During the last decade, DHA’s sales to private investors have averaged $200-$300million a year.

‘We just sit back and watch our assets grow’

an agent ‘managing’ their property for what seems like a cheaper fee, but I don’t think they can ‘manage’ a property the way DHA does.

“For example, when a tenant moves in or out, agents charge an additional fee. With DHA, there are no vacancy or re-letting fees.

“You will also have to take into account maintenance costs; if anything goes wrong you’re responsible.

However, the beauty of the DHA property management and maintenance service is that most maintenance is covered and better yet, they arrange it all for you.

“Then there are the costs and hassles associated with no tenants or bad tenants. With DHA you don’t have any of these worries. The rent is paid in advance every month, and it’s paid by DHA, not the defence family.

“It’s a very safe way to invest in the property market; and security of any investment is paramount right now.

“Right now, in the open market you could  nd yourself with a tenant becoming unemployed and not being able pay their rent. With DHA, the rent is guaranteed, so you’re protected.

“Now we just sit back and watch our assets grow.”

You should be saving money on your variable mortgage repayments each month because of lowering

But, if you have your mortgage with Macquarie Bank, RAMS (RHG), Virgin Money, GE, Yes Home Loans or Maxis, then interest rate cuts may not have been passed on to you.

Clarity Home Loans is Canberra’s home finance expert and will take the time to carefully examine your circumstances and work with you in finding the most suitable mortgage. With just a quick 5 minute obligation-free phone call to our office, you could be saving thousands of dollars.

By Negotiation

53/11 EASTLAKE PARADE - WATERFRONT LIVING AT ITS BEST. This contemporary designed two bedroom ensuite ground floor apartment is just metres from the water’s edge and offers luxury, privacy and views. The property boasts two generous bedrooms, master with ensuite and walkin robe, a spacious light filled living area that flows out to an enclosed Winter Garden Room and two terraces facing Lake Burley Griffin and Eastlake Parade. For the security conscious, two secure car parks with lift access, security intercom, security system and a Concierge/Manager. EER 5.5. 2

Open: Contact Maria for viewing times

f Maria Selleck 0417 258 803

| 2 car

advantage of its spectacular views from most rooms, with a special emphasis on light and space, this architecturally designed residence is peacefully positioned in a prestigious, sought after location offering a north-easterly aspect to living areas. Situated on two levels, this impressive home features separate formal lounge and dining rooms, granite top kitchen overlooking a large family room and meals area opening out to an entertaining deck, three bedrooms, master with a spa ensuite and walk-in robe and a spacious bathroom, all located on the main level. The lower level includes the fourth bedroom, an additional bathroom, two rumpus rooms, a second living area, laundry, a huge under-house storage area and beautifully landscaped, low maintenance gardens. The home has been designed to provide flexible living with the lower level featuring an ideal guest accommodation or teenage retreat. EER 4.

Open: Contact Maria for viewing times Tender: Closes 5pm, Wednesday 27th May

f Maria Selleck 0417 258 803

phenomenalpanoramicviewsacrossCanberrato theCity,inablueribbonenclave.Thisalmostnew, architectdesignedstunnerhasbeencreatedforfabulous entertainingforthewholefamily.Enjoyinganortherly aspect,thissun-drenchedresidencehasbeenfinishedto themostexactingstandards.Accommodationincludes 4doublebedroomsand3stylishbathrooms.Sunken entertainingareaswarmedbyagasfireplaceprovidethe perfectsettingformoreformaloccasions. EER4.5.

to Pretty

and just a short cliff

walk to the

at

Beach or the quieter beach at Pretty Point Bay. But there’s so much more including the capacity to have a self contained unit at ground level. Beautiful use of timber, a sweeping deck, a delightful rear garden and two garages plus enclosed carport are further attractions together with a sunroom and two delightful living areas plus a large

ROSEDALE 50 Tranquil Bay Place

At perfect peace with its natural bush environment this architectdesigned and award winning house built by Smith+Primmer nestles at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac. The cathedral ceilings in the two storeyed design ensures views to trees and sky. The versatile floorplan includes three double bedrooms and one twin bedroom study and is enhanced throughout by the distinctive quality of timber finishes. Its spacious deck offers views onto secluded Tranquil Bay itself, with a direct track from the house to two beaches. Be at one with Nature in this truly delightful location.

but also exceptional quality! A designer kitchen furnished with SMEG appliances and silstone benchtops, high ceilings with square set cornices, solid mirboo timber oors in the dining/ lounge room, hydronic heating and double glazed cedar framed windows are but some features. For alfresco entertaining there is an expansive timber deck that extends off the kitchen/living area and is highlighted a duel jet water feature. Conveniently positioned close to the local school, Gungahlin Town Centre and that is just moments away from the City this home is a must see! Call me today to arrange an inspection! EER 5

Address: 24 Windjana Street Harrison

Open: Sat 9th May 1:30pm – 2:30pm & Wed 13th May 6:00pm – 6:30pm

Price: Auction 3rd June, 6:00pm, Canberra Business Event Centre, Regatta Point

Agent: Andrew Greenberger, L.J, Hooker Canberra City

Contact: 6249 7700 or 0400 819 650

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