Canberra CityNews April 7-13, 2011

Rudd

on the rise

Kevin’s comeback run for PM has started

ROBERT MACKLIN

Power to the people, not the mates

MICHAEL MOORE

Why judge-alone justice needs to stay

JOHN PURNELL In

WENDY

CEDRIC

Kevin Rudd on the rise

Kevin Rudd is on the comeback trail. Less than a year after his ignominious dumping by his Caucus colleagues, he is doing all within his power – short of an open breach with Prime Minister Julia Gillard – to recapture the Lodge.

And despite the fact that his leadership style alienated so many of his colleagues that he surrendered without putting it to a vote, it would be wrong to view his restoration as a Quixotic pipe dream.

In politics, nothing is forever.

It is true that he was a hopeless personnel manager. He used people mercilessly, then cast them into the outer darkness until he needed them again. He was unable to prioritise his own time. He treated his party with disdain bordering on contempt.

He alienated the Parliamentary Press Gallery by taking them for fools… and letting it show.

In the wider community, he was unable to communicate his vision for the nation nor to establish an emotional bond in the manner of a Bob Hawke or a Ben Chifley. And he lacked the self-confidence and maturity to pace his political reforms.

In short, he wasn’t up to the task. And when his party gave him his marching orders he was shattered and bemused.

But Australian political history is filled with “losers” who have been written off only to bounce back in triumph. Billy Hughes was a serial offender. Bob Menzies in 1940 was consigned to the scrap heap. Billy McMahon was slapped down a dozen times before he made it to the Lodge. And who could forget

INDEX

April 07-13, 2011

Since 1993: Volume 17, Number 13

Arts&Entertainment 19-22

Body 26

Cinema 21

Crossword 30

Dining 22

Home&Garden 27-29

Horoscope 30

Letters 16

News 5-17

Politics 8 Property 31-48

Social Scene 23-25

Sudoku 30

FRONT COVER: Cancer survivor and Canberra Marathon runner

Tash Sergi. Story Page 10.

More popular in the polls than Julia Gillard, former PM Rudd is suddenly sharper, more aggressive and looking to return to The Lodge, says his official biographer ROBERT MACKLIN

John Howard’s “Lazarus with a triple bypass”.

Much depends on the performance of the incumbent, Rudd’s only serious rival for the top job. And so far, you’d have to say, her record is at best mixed.

A natural activist, he has seized upon the inter-

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national issues such as Libya and Japan’s nuclear disaster to project himself into the spotlight. And at Question Time in Parliament he’s a changed man – sharp, aggressive and in command.

Moreover, the media seem to have put aside their hatchets, at least for the moment. Indeed, “The Australian”, once his most vicious opponent, has positively embraced him. In one recent issue, editor-in-chief Chris Mitchell not only gave him space to preen over his Libyan triumph, he ran a “leak” that Rudd had developed the compromise with the miners that Julia Gillard simply delivered after she deposed him.

Mitchell, of course, is simply using Rudd to undermine Gillard’s leadership. But Rudd’s excellent handling of Foreign Affairs means that she cannot move against him, provided he stays within his brief.

If his increasingly remarked-upon activities make her uncomfortable, well, she only has herself to blame. This, after all, was the man who rescued Labor from 12 long years in opposition against the most cunning conservative politician of a generation. Surely he deserved to take the party to his first election as PM.

She could have stayed loyal and slapped down the factional bosses and malcontents. Instead, she took their knife and planted it deftly between the Rudd shoulder blades.

And those who live by the sword…

robert@robertmacklin.com

Young turn away from smoking

SMOKING is falling among young people in the ACT, according to a new report.

The “Health Status of Young People in the ACT” report shows that the number of 12-to-17-year-olds who reported smoking at least once during the last week decreased from 20.4 per cent to 6.7 per cent.

Daily smokers aged 18 to 25 years fell from 30.7 per cent in 2001 to 20.2 per cent in 2007.

The report, an initiative of the ACT Health Chief Health Officer, provides an overview of the health and well being of people aged from 12 to 25 across a number of key national indicators. It also shows significant reductions in the use of illicit drugs during 2001-2007 for 18 to 25-year-olds with amphetamine use down from 21.3 per cent to 5.4 per cent; cocaine use down from 6.7 per cent to 2.8 per cent; ecstasy down from 22.4 per cent to 17.4 per cent; and the use of cannabis down from 35.7 per cent to 25.3 per cent.

Eighty per cent of the respondants between 16 and 25 years rated their health as “excellent”, “very good” or “good”.

The report is available from www. health.act.gov.au/publications

Smiling first face of the land down under

By Eleri Harris

TO the 95 ambassadors and 20 odd consulate generals on diplomatic missions to Australia, Anne Plunkett is the smiling face of the land down under.

Tiny and poised with the perfect hand shake, she greets them at the airport, processes their visas, presents their credentials to the Governor General, attends national day ceremonies and smooths over any troubles they may have performing their mission to Australia.

Anne Plunkett is the Department of Foreign Affairs Chief of Protocol and it is her job, simply speaking, to look after the “corps”.

“The chief of protocol runs protocol, obviously,” Plunkett politely says.

“What we do is implement the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations and the Vienna Convention on consular relations in relation to overseas representation in Australia.

“Protocol branch is the first port of call for heads of mission. I’m the first person they see and I introduce them to the Governor General.”

Plunkett is no stranger to diplomacy, a career employee for DFAT she has been posted in Honolulu (US), Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), New Delhi (India) and twice to Suva (Fiji); from 2006 to 2009 she was Australia’s Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland and the first female resident Ambassador to the Holy See (Vatican).

“Presenting my papers to Pope Benedict was a really interesting experience,” Plunkett says.

“I was able to take my husband and children, which was quite special.”

Starting in 1974, Plunkett was posted to Honolulu after only six months of training and to Tanzania just two years later.

“The first posting was seen as an extension of your training back then,” Plunkett explains.

“It’s changed a lot. When I was back in Dar es Salaam the only form of communication home was international calls through a satellite. The quality wasn’t too bad, but it was very expensive

so you might only ring home every two weeks. Mail was slow. A lot of our work came through the diplomatic bag. I find it incredible now, written reports, which could take a week or two or more if it got lost, one of mine took two months to get back to Canberra because the bag was lost by the airline,” Plunkett laughs.

“It all took time. It took time for Canberra to task us, it took time for the tasking to reach us, it took time for the tasking to be responded to; in stark contrast to now when our communications

are very sophisticated.”

While Plunkett enjoyed her time in Ireland attending gallery openings and rugby matches, she admits not all postings have been so genial.

“I spent two postings in Fiji, it was clearly a challenging time to be there with the coups in 1987,” Plunkett says.

“From a policy point of view it was interesting, but from a personal point of view it was very difficult on the family.

“We arrived in Suva in 1984, just in time for the cyclone to hit. The noise was unbelievable. We had those very heavy metal caps on the swimming pool filters and it spun it like a frisbee and it cleared all of the vegetation on the hillside, every bit of foliage on the hillside in Suva Bay was cleared and a house on the beach collapsed like a house of cards.

“Then we were back in Fiji in 1997, when they brought in the new constitution to see them move on from the coups.

“When I was in India and Nepal, there was a terribly sad consular case where a man lost his life in the foothills of the Himalayas and it was very difficult to retrieve his body. Just to be assisting a father who is trying to retrieve his 19 year-old son’s body from the foothills of the Himalayas is very difficult. It really drives home what a consular role can be at times.”

But it doesn’t stop overseas, Plunkett is accompanying Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd and and an army of ambassadors to Queensland to review the damage caused by the floods and cyclone.

“It’s a big job,” Plunkett says.

“But I look forward to that visit and to accompanying the heads of mission.”

See ‘Mary Poppins’ on us

DIRECT from its acclaimed, sell-out Melbourne season, “Mary Poppins”, the supercalfraglistic musical, has arrived at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre.

Based on the books by P.L. Travers and the 1964 Walt Disney film, “Mary Poppins” has all the classic songs from the movie and some new favourites.

It stars Verity Hunt-Ballard as Mary, the nanny who arrives at the Banks house in Cherry Tree Lane where the children are running wild. Matt Lee is Bert, the chimney sweep swept off his feet by Mary.

“CityNews” has four family tickets (for four people) to the 2pm performance of “Mary Poppins” on Saturday, April 23, at the Capitol Theatre, Haymarket. The tickets are valued at $400 each. Entry details are at citynews.com.au/win

Why judge-alone justice needs to stay

The ACT Government’s proposal to reform the election for judge-alone trials denies criminal defendants the right to have serious offences of involuntary death or sex heard before a Supreme Court judge alone. Canberra barrister JOHN PURNELL SC sees dangers in such a move

“IF I were guilty I’d want a jury trial!” said Nick Cowdery, the NSW director of public prosecutions last year.

But if he were before the court and not guilty, he said he would prefer a judge “rather than risk a jury that could get it wrong”.

Amongst members Australia wide, of the criminal bar, would his views be endorsed? I suspect they would!

The ACT should not lose the option of having judge-alone trials.

When I was a prosecutor it was a commonly held view by other prosecutors and police that judge-alone trials would deliver a higher conviction rate than jury trials.

In a February media release, Attorney-General Simon Corbell said, in part: “The ACT has the highest rate of election for judge-alone trials in Australia – 56 per cent... with the next closest jurisdiction, SA with 15 per cent. This level of election of judge alone trials was never intended when the election process was introduced by Attorney-General Connolly in 1993.

“At that time the changes were intended to provide the judge-alone trials in matters where pre-trial publicity could prejudice a fair trial

or those involving complex and lengthy legal issues.

“The Government’s view is that in relation to the most serious matters the involvement of juries allows community standards to be better reflected in the criminal justice system.”

While no-one would responsibly argue against preserving jury trials, it is difficult to accurately assess the “extra” cost of a jury trial, but it would be at least twice as expensive as a judge-alone trial.

Many practising criminal barristers believe a jury trial is probably four to five times more expensive than a judge-alone trial. This is then an important reason for preserving judge-alone trials.

So what has happened in the ACT since 1993 that has caused the Attorney General to propose such a radical change?

It is well known that the DPP supports restricting the current system of election for judge-alone trials. Why? Have judge-alone trials in the ACT convicted or acquitted more similar matters than jury trials and if so why? Is it because the prosecution cases are flawed that the acquittal rate is high in the ACT? Is it because judges in the ACT are more reluctant to convict than, say, district court judges in NSW?

It is impossible to assess these matters. How-

ever, we must presume that ACT judges act judicially and (usually) correctly apply the law. Juries, of course, do not give reasons for their decision. Judges do give reasons and are open to public scrutiny. This means that a judge’s reasons may reflect adversely on witnesses or parties named in evidence relating to the circumstances of the charge against the accused.

The reasons also provide scope for a detailed

search by counsel for grounds of appeal which differ from a jury conviction, which can usually only be challenged on the grounds of being “totally unreasonable” in the circumstances and thus unsafe and unsatisfactory.

A successful appeal against conviction usually results in a re-trial. Also in a jury trial there can be a “hung” jury, unable to reach a verdict that usually results in a re-trial. That cannot be a situation in a judge-alone trial.

Currently, there are judge-alone trials in WA, SA, NSW and the ACT. There are also judgealone trials in Canada, the US, NZ and Northern Ireland.

In the UK proposals for judge-alone trials, particularly in complex fraud cases, were not adopted.

In Northern Ireland there are mandatory provisions for trial by judge-alone in murder, manslaughter, kidnapping, false imprisonment and firearm cases. Jury trials were abolished in Singapore and South Africa in 1969.

Of course, no system is perfect; judges and juries make mistakes. In theory, judges are supposed to use techniques that avoid irrational decision making by referring to precedent, laws of evidence, experience in fact finding, caution about unreliable evidence, understanding of the elements of an offence and correctly applying inferences and, importantly, the judicial recognition of providing a verdict according to law. These matters are powerful reasons to keep judge-alone trials as an option in the justice system.

John Purnell is editor of the “Bar Bulletin”, the newsletter of the ACT Bar Association, and where this edited version was first published.

“CITYNEWS” has five sets of “Outnumbered, series 1-3”, valued at $59.95 each, to give away for Mother’s Day. The five-disc boxed set also features a Christmas special of the multi-award winning British comedy.

‘Outnumbered’ for Mother’s Day Entry details at citynews.com.au/win

Howling down opponents Power to people, not to the mates

MICHAEL MOORE says, no matter what the Government would have you believe, preferences should always count

A KEY principle of the ACT’s electoral system is that it puts voter intention ahead of the intention of political parties.

So, when someone starts fiddling with one of the world’s most advanced electoral systems, it is incumbent on us all to check that we are not deviating from the fundamental principles.

The impact of an amendment to the Electoral Act introduced by Attorney General Simon Corbell is to ensure that the political parties are not disadvantaged if one of their members retires.

The amendment overrides votes and defers to the party machines. This is hardly consistent with the Hare-Clark “Robson Rotation” which was introduced to minimise the power of the party machines and allow the voters a much greater say in which members get elected.

The amendment is particularly important to the governing party for two reasons. Firstly, the possibility that a replacement for one of their retiring members might come from an alternative party and, if the numbers in the Assembly are close, it could even mean a change of government. Secondly, by nominating a party favourite to fill a casual vacancy, that person will have the advantage of exposure for the next election – a key factor in Hare-Clark elections.

Corbell is operating on the recommendations of the ACT Electoral Commission.

The “Report on the ACT Legislative Assembly Election 2008” is published on the Commission’s website. It points out that Section 195 of the Electoral Act already has “party appointment” provisions to avoid a by-election, but that it would be politically more suitable to retain the balance of party power in the Assembly to be consistent with the declared outcome at the time of the general election.

It is all a plot to allow the Labor Party to favour its mates over the choice of the people, according to Opposition Leader Zed Seselja. He argues: “Clearly unimpressed with the candidates on offer, the Labor Party want the ability to choose someone that hasn’t been put before the electorate to potentially step up and be a Government minister,” and adds, “deals for mates will not be accepted by the community. Inter-

ference from the Labor machine dictating who is to be in the Assembly is exactly what we saw in NSW”. Great politics, with an element of truth to add credibility!

However, let’s use an example to look at what is actually proposed to determine whether the Electoral Commission has got it right or if Zed’s accusations carry water.

At the last election, the Greens ran three candidates in Molonglo and Shane Rattenbury and Caroline Le Couteur were elected with Elena Kirschbaum being eliminated. Should something untoward happen to either of the two incumbents or should they decide to retire, it is likely that the “count-back” system would mean that Kirschbaum would become the new MLA.

Simon Corbell, himself, first became a MLA through this process, but has been elected multiple times since.

However, what happens if both Rattenbury and Le Couteur were to retire before the next election – or if Kirschbaum was no longer eligible or did not wish to be considered? The “count-back” would mean that at least one of the Green members would be replaced by someone who was not of the Green Party.

If both Green members were in this predicament and the “count-back” resulted in two Labor members, Jon Stanhope would secure majority government. Alternatively, it is also possible to paint a scenario where “count-back” could actually bring about a change of government.

It seems the Electoral Commission wanted to avoid this is the scenario and made a pragmatic decision that the government could have rejected. The decision is: Do we want to go down to the wire with voter preferences, as we do when the election is being held? Or do we want to be more pragmatic and maintain the same balance of party power in the Assembly?

Despite its pitfalls, I think the Electoral Commission and the Government have this one wrong. I can’t help believing in the way people voted – right down to their last preference.

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

By n ick Jensen

THE last time the question of same-sex marriage came up in the ACT was in 2004, when Chief Minister Jon Stanhope put out a “consultation paper” on the matter and asked for submissions.

After the consultation, he introduced a marriage-like legislation, claiming that he had a “mandate”.

However, it is clear that no mandate was given from this consultation. Through freedom of information, we can now see that the majority of submissions actually opposed the legislation of civil unions and gay marriage, but this was never announced and the legislation was voted through regardless. It seems that a different tactic has come up in the latest debate about same-sex marriage. Not being assured of a majority view, gay activists verbally bully any voices who dare speak up and say that they believe the definition of marriage should remain between a man and a woman.

Elton John calls them “bigots”, Michael Kirby labels them “wicked”, and SA Labor parliamentarian Ian Hunter implies they are all racist.

In California, they blacklisted and boycotted any business that supported “one man-one woman” marriage. This strategy has been amazingly successful, and has almost completely shut down any dissent due to the fear of being publicly persecuted.

I welcome the debate on marriage, an institution that though is struggling in our modern world, still has enormous and unique benefits for children and society.

However, instead of screaming obscenities, or using ambiguous catch phrases such as “equal love”, let us openly and without fear be free to discuss what marriage means. My position is simply that there are strong historical, biological, psychological and cultural reasons why the definition should remain as being between a man and a woman.

Nick Jensen is the ACT director of the Australian Christian Lobby

Canberra Heritage Festival

Historic Roller being loved back to life

By Kathryn Vukovljak

A RESTORED 1910 RollsRoyce that was “written off for dead” in 1940 and broken up into parts that ended up all over the world will be on display at the 3rd annual Rolls-Royce Federal Rally on April 9.

“There has been an enormous buzz and satisfaction in finding all the lost parts and accessories,” says owner Ian Irwin.

“It was a 30-year journey but it’s all here now.”

Ian says that the car, a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, Chassis 1404, originally belonged to Lord Montagu of Beaulieu in England and was the first to carry the Rolls Royce mascot, the Spirit of Ecstasy, on its radiator.

“It came to Australia in 1923, but by 1940 it was no longer a practical car and was broken up into parts and used as farm equipment,” says Ian. “The chassis was under a farm water cart, and the axles had been fitted under a super-phosphate spreader.

“The bonnet had been used as a dog kennel!”

While the body of the car has also been restored, only the chassis will be on display at the Rally, according to Ian.

The Rolls-Royce when it was new in 1910, at Beaulieu Palace, Hampshire, UK.

“People will be able to see the entire drive train, gear box, radiator and windscreen,” he says. “This will be the car’s debut as a rolling chassis after more than 70 years off the road.”

Retired schoolteacher Ian, a member of the ACT branch of the Rolls-Royce Owners’ Club of Australia, says that he scoured the world for the smaller items.

“Finding the engine at Inverell was a stroke of good fortune, but the little things, like the square-headed bolts that are on every Rolls-Royce, were the hardest to find,” he says.

Ian is writing a book on the history of the car and its restoration, but “it won’t be finished until the car is finished,” he says.

The final missing part was a lifemember badge of the Royal Automobile Club. “I eventually tracked it down on eBay – you do get some luck along the

way,” he says.

“Then again, you make your own luck. You force yourself to keep on looking.”

The 53rd annual Rolls-Royce Federal Rally, a part of the Canberra Heritage Festival, Patrick White Lawns, near the National Library, Saturday, April

9, 10.30am-3pm. More than 200 RollsRoyce and Bentleys will be on display to celebrate the centenary of the Spirit of Ecstasy.

Marathon run to seal a wish Secrets of Albert

KATHRYN VUKOVLJAK meets a determined, fit, young cancer survivor on a mission in the Canberra Marathon

YOUNG cancer survivor Tash Sergi will run the inaugural Canberra Marathon on April 10 to “give something back” to the local branch of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

As a 17-year-old diagnosed with ovarian cancer, Tash, now 23 and in remission, had her “wish” to go to Disneyland with her family granted by the foundation. Her aim is to raise $10,000 for them by running the marathon.

“I think it’s amazing what they do for sick kids,” she says. “I wanted to give back – and in a big way, which is why I set myself such a high target.

“I’m hoping that if my amount is high, then people will give more, and there have been some amazingly generous donations.”

The Canberra Marathon is part of the inaugural Running Festival, along with a half-marathon, 10km and 5km fun runs, held on April 9-10.

Tash, a personal trainer, said she wanted to do something extreme to show that there is a positive side to cancer.

“I’m the fittest I’ve ever been at the moment, and I feel really good,” she says. “I want to show people that there’s hope after cancer. It just goes to show that you can come back strong.

“To me cancer was just a word, but I was so frustrated with it. I wanted to

Cancer survivor Tash Sergi... “I want to show people that there is hope after cancer.”

just get it out of me, but you can’t. It’s out of your control.

Photo by Silas

“I lost all my hair, and dropped about 8kg in hospital, so I looked like this little alien. But I was very lucky that doctors were able to remove a tumour and my left ovary, which was full of cancer.

“I also had pretty aggressive chemo, which knocked me around a bit, but it’s thanks to those treatments that I’m here today.

“I tried to stay positive, and now I feel proud to tell people that you can get through it.”

Despite being a keen runner, Tash says this will be her first marathon.

“I’ve never run that far before, and it’s definitely a challenge,” she says. “I did 36km as part of my training which was my longest ever run. After 30km I thought my legs would fall off but you have to push through.

“Up to 20km it’s all about training, and then after that it’s a mental thing. You have to have that mental push.

“I don’t do things by halves and I’m pretty competitive, so I’ll be aiming to get a decent time on the day!”

Donate online at www.everydayhero. com.au/tash_sergi

IN an event entitled “Grand Design: the Albert Hall Inside and Out”, a panel of experts involved in its refurbishment will uncover the intended original design of the Albert Hall, update progress in its conservation and reveal some of their discoveries. It will be held at the hall’s lecture room, 5.30pm to 7.30pm on Thursday, April 14. Speakers include heritage architect Peter Freeman; heritage consultant Philip Leeson and historian Dr Lenore Coltheart. The event will include a guided tour of Albert Hall and refreshments. Admission is by a gold coin. Bookings to the National Trust on 6230 0533 or info@ nationaltrustact.org.au

Griffin lecturer

ARCHITECT Rosemarie Willett will give this year’s Marion Mahony Griffin Lecture at the Canberra Business Event Centre, Regatta Point, Commonwealth Park, at 6pm on Tuesday, April 12. Ms Willett, who came to Canberra in 1983 to work on the new Parliament House and has undertaken extensive research into the work and lives of Walter and Marion Griffin, has titled her talk “Marion Mahony Griffin Architect: feisty true believer and free spirit”. Tickets are members $10 and non-members $15. Enquiries to 0416 249002 or 6286 4395.

Mother of the year

CHILD protection liaison officer and mother of three boys, Bronwyn Roberson, of Farrer, is the Barnardos Australia ACT Mother of the Year. She will represent the Territory in the national title announcement in Sydney on May 5.

Cranky Coe on cars, socialists and Greens

The Greens have an ideological hatred of the car and of the freedom it represents. That’s Liberal Alistair Coe getting a lot of his chest in an extraordinary outburst in the Assembly. ELERI HARRIS reports

ON Tuesday, March 29, in the ACT Legislative Assembly, Greens’ Caroline Le Couteur raised peak oil for discussion as a matter of public importance and Liberal Alistair Coe threw what appeared to be a tantrum.

Accusing the Greens of fear mongering and Caroline Le Couteur of being a socialist, Coe said cars are emblematic of family in Australia and that the Greens were determined to destroy our society.

Leaving aside an earlier speech from Environment Minister Simon Corbell and later speech from Labor Whip John Hargreaves seriously analysing the issue of peak oil and describing how it factors into ACT Government policy and process, and the fact Le Couteur is a self-made millionaire whose company Australian Ethical Investment clearly operates as part of our capitalist society on the stock market, the most surprising element of Coe’s eruption was his emphasis on the Greens’ electoral future and outright disregard of the actual matter at hand. Peak oil is the point in time where global oil extraction reaches a maximum before stores and mining of the fossil fuel and finite resource begin to decline.

Le Couteur had raised the issue based on the degree to which the ACT’s economy is dependent on cheap oil prices.

Coe only spoke about the issue of peak oil twice, at the start and end of his speech, where he dismissed it as a non issue for his constituents and “bogus”.

“...Elements of peak oil are just a little bogus when it comes down to it,” Coe said.

“And it is one of these great things that Greens socialists can always talk about as being tomorrow, the fear mongering. It is always tomorrow and that is why we have to do something. It comes down to this core pessimism that Greens have and a determination to destroy our society as we see it.”

Most of his points were about the Greens as a party, Le Couteur as an MLA and the ideological values of a Greens candidate in the NSW election.

Coe suggested Le Couteur was the fall guy for extreme Greens policies who has “nothing to lose” because she won’t be re-elected.

Coe, the Liberal spokesperson for transport and planning, said: “As they say, these people have delusions of grandeur and they have delusions of ‘Greendeur’. But when it comes down

to it, it is all about fear mongering and their entrenched ideological hatred of the car and of what it represents, of the industry it represents, of the freedom it represents, of people’s choice to be able to live their life as they want.

“What the car represents is a family. It is a family that lives out in the suburbs of Tuggeranong or Belconnen and it opens up their opportunities to live their life as they wish. The Greens here, in their hatred of oil and their dislike of families, use things such as peak oil to limit the opportunities and freedoms that so many people in Canberra and around Australia do enjoy.”

“It is this mantra and these scare tactics which create uncertainty about oil as well, which indeed drive up the price of oil, which actually reduce demand, which prolong peak oil, if you subscribe to that theory at all.

“Really, there are so many reasons why this is not a legitimate matter of public importance for the good people of the ACT that I think we need to ensure that, when we are using this Assembly’s time, we do so on issues of real substance and of real importance to the people of the ACT.”

Environment Minister Simon Corbell put forward a different view: “We know that oil exists in the earth in considerable abundance. However, it is not unlimited.

“It is precious and its stocks are declining rapidly.

“As a community, we need to understand the need to transition to cleaner and more sustainable energy sources and how this will occur. This transition needs to be managed at all levels of government.

“The reality is, even if oil reserves were limitless, we would not be able to continue to burn oil at the current rate. We know that the way we currently use fossil fuels is contributing to global warming and that the resulting changes to the world’s biosphere will have great environmental costs both here and abroad.

“Policies need to ensure that oil is not only used efficiently but measures are adopted to ensure the development of alternatives to oil.”

Inside the crumbling world of deserted Quamby

Words: Eleri Harris

Photos: silas Brown

THREE years after its closure the Quamby Youth Detention centre slowly crumbles on the outskirts of Narrabundah, awaiting a 2011 ACT Budget decision that could see it transformed into a secure adult mental health unit – or not.

Health Minister Katy Gallagher’s office told “CityNews” the site is in limbo.

“ACT Health completed a Design Option Study in December, 2010 to provide information to the Government on the implications associated with the facility at the new location,” a spokesperson said.

“Further decisions around the secure unit will need to be considered in the context of the 2011 Budget.”

Opened in 1962, Quamby served as a youth remand and detention centre in Canberra until 2008 when residents were moved to the now troubled Bimberi Youth Justice Centre.

Briefly serving as a home for adult ACT prisoners before the human rights compliant Alexander Maconochie Centre opened that same year, Quamby has since been empty, managed by the ACT Property Group.

David Dawes, chief executive Department of Land and Property Services, said they are not tasked with caring for the property.

“The practice with unused buildings is to maintain the security of the building, but not to replace any broken windows, or effect other repairs until the building is to be occupied,” Dawes said.

“Such repairs are expensive and may prove unnecessary as the building may require significant modifications should it be used for other purposes in the future.”

Local production company Wirrim Films used Quamby as a location in their latest short “Where are the Warriors”, inviting “CityNews” to take a tour with them.

The film crew spoke of smashing out the security system that plagued their recording, describing ceaseless beeping with no response from any security company or ACT Police.

The buildings were clearly deteriorating fast with several broken windows, litter throughout and a broken toilet continuously flushing litres of water away.

The ACT Budget will be delivered on May 3.

Ponies (and friends) come out to play

CAMPING, best friends and horses equals guaranteed fun times for the 230 young riders who gather at the Bungendore Showground in April every year for the Regional Pony Club Camp, according to 14-year-old Julia Kordzik, who has attended for the past three years.

“I can’t wait to see all my friends from past camps again and I’m really hoping we get to play horse soccer, because I enjoyed that a lot last year,” she says. “I’m also looking forward to the show-jumping lessons because that’s my main interest.”

Di Cullen, chief instructor of the Canberra district zone, says that Pony Camp, held on April 17 to April 23, is five days of structured training that helps riders develop their skills, but it’s also a fun time that everyone looks forward to. It’s the thing of the year.

By Kathryn Vukovljak

“With at least 230 riders aged between four and 17, their horses and the riders’ parents, it’s fairly huge,” she says. “There’s a massive tent city run by volunteers, mainly Bungendore locals and parents, and a kitchen serving thousands of meals a day.”

Julia, who belongs to Murrumbateman Pony Club, agrees. “The food is amazing, especially the pancakes in the mornings!” she says. “The best thing about camp is probably seeing friends, making new friends and the great instructors.

“I’ve made new friends or gotten to know old friends better each camp.”

The day at Pony Camp starts before 6am, says Julia. “The first thing I do is check my horse Magpie, fill her water, clean the yard, take her for a walk and make sure she’s not sore,” she says. “Then once Magpie’s been checked and fed, I get my own breakfast. After that I’ll tack up and get ready for the first session.”

There are four riding sessions a day, with breaks between each one, and they finish at about 5pm. “Once our horses are back in their yards with food and water, we can go get changed and usually hang out with friends until dinner,”

Julia says. “After dessert there is also an activity, like movie night, skit night and a disco on our last night.

“I’m looking forward to everything this year because this is going to be my last camp on Magpie, as I’m getting too tall for her.”

New name for the bar with a big past

They smashed the windows when Nirvana took to the stage, but these days the legendary ANU Bar is looking for a new name and a new place as an iconic venue, writes ELERI HARRIS

T HE ANU Union has launched a competition to rename its iconic music venue and student hub, saying it’s time the ANU Bar and Refectory had a unique handle of its own.

Union chair Ben Duggan argues that with the privately-owned Uni Pub up the road, the ANU Bar needs a bit of “product differentiation”.

“It will always be ANU Bar, but what we wanted to do was attach a particular cultural icon to it,” Duggan told “CityNews”.

“We wanted it to be someone cross-cultural and from Canberra.”

The three names up for a vote include Sir Howard Florey, the Nobel Prize winner who discovered penicillin and founded ANU; Sir Mark Oliphant, nuclear and radar researcher who also founded ANU; and both former Prime Minister Bob Hawke and former ANU Chancellor Allan Hawke.

The names were decided by the Union Board and put to the university, where they currently await approval.

After a $100,000 revamp mid last year saw the bar adopt a shiny, wooden finish, complete with wood-framed liquor licence rules and polished timber bar-top, Duggan’s trying to up the anti in creating a cultured space for students to simmer, inviting federal MPs Malcolm Turnbull and Sarah Hanson Young to speak at the venue and courting student artists to display their wares.

Australia’s only Union to survive without university assistance post the Howard Govern-

ment’s Voluntary Student Unionism, the ANU Union was initially intended to serve a more bourgeois purpose than student services and subsidised beer.

In “The Making of the Australian National University”, authors S G Foster and Margaret Varghese say the union was envisaged to emulate “Oxbridge”, arranging debates, holding dinners with guest speakers and “contributing to the intellectual life of the university”.

Opened on March 13, 1973 by the then-Minister for education Kim Beazely Sr, the ANU bar has hosted gigs from an impressive array of international artists including The Beastie Boys, Faith No More, Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Cypress Hill, Korn, The Violent Femmes and Nirvana.

The Nirvana concert has its own place in history. The band released hit album “Nevermind” shortly after signing up to an Australian tour and, on May 5, 1992, when thousands showed up to the sold-out Canberra gig, the windows of the bar were smashed to allow the Seattle grunge sound to travel outside to the ticketless.

“It was just a very prolific venue,” Peter Spicer, ANU Bar manager from 1993-98.

“The ANU Bar is an iconic venue in Australia, always has been since the 1980s.

“Promoters loved it, it was part and parcel of the touring circuit from Melbourne to Brisbane, it has the capacity of venues like the Metro in Sydney and the Corner in Melbourne.

“It is a very important venue for Canberra,

back in that transition time from sit-down performances to pub gigs, being able to hold a beer, smoke a cigarette, if that’s what you like, and watch your favourite band was just what was wanted.

“It just had an independent culture, it wasn’t considered a commercial viability, it represented youth culture at the time.

“Now the live circuit’s dying and the packaging of festivals, with a whole gamut, genre, of music over one or two days, has made it harder for littler venues to target audiences.”

Duggan hopes his push for renewal will pro -

duce a renaissance of sorts at the ANU Bar.

“I want to make it a better experience,” he says.

“The bar became a bit stale for a while and since we did the revamp there’s been a lot of people using it as a social place, we’re trying to capitalise on that and put in more culture, like artworks and things like that.

“It should be a bit of fun and a bit controversial.”

To find out where and when to vote on the name of an Australian icon for the new look ANU Bar email Ben Duggan at union.chair@anu.edu.au

We’ve got new ideas, says youth advocate

By Eleri Harris

“YOUNG people come in with new ideas, they can possibly recreate something far better than exists and people get intimidated by that,” says professional youth advocate Ellie Seckold.

“In my experience, young people are always looking outside the box.”

Fresh off the boat from Fiji, newly minted Canberran, Seckold has launched into capital life with an appointment to the Planning Group for the Commonwealth Youth Forum, a lead up event to the 2011 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

“Just to have a chance to be part of this is absolutely insane,” Ellie told “CityNews”. “It’s a total honour.”

At 26, Bega-born Seckold has worked in Sydney and Fiji before coming to Canberra this year to study for a masters in international relations at ANU, bringing her Fijian husband David Chand along for the ride.

Also the Australian Regional Youth Caucus representative to the Commonwealth Youth Program, Seckold, has helped develop youth programs in the Pacific and Commonwealth at large, travelling all over the world to participate in forums and address political leaders on policies affecting young people.

“It’s all about youth development, using those contact points to get youth issues recognised and discussed,” Seckold, who just got back from a local government conference in Wales, says.

“In Australia there’s a multitude of issues, mental health is one, substance abuse is another, homelessness as well. But around the Commonwealth, the big one is unemployment.

“I know we’ve got to earn our stripes and young people aren’t always out and making sure they get all the way up, but I still think there’s a misconception that young people don’t know very much, we’ve got a lot of stuff to prove.”

More than 100 delegates from Commonwealth nations will attend the Commonwealth Youth Forum in Fremantle, October 23-27. More information www.youth.gov.au/CYF

Road signs breeding like rabbits

THE article “Yes, Minister, we have no billboards” (CN, March 31) is timely in highlighting the proliferation of signs in the ACT that has led to visitorsdubbing us as “The Sign Capital of Australia”. Have you ever taken notice of the growing

Beware the illness tax

YOU read it first in “City News”! ABCTV is scheduled to present a discussion on May 10 on whether illegal, mind-altering drugs should be legalised.

Australian society would not accept legalisation of impurities entering our potable water system and, analogously, in my view neither will it accept the legalisation of drugs entering our community and killing our kids.

“Those who have used cannabis over 50 times have a risk factor of schizophrenia six times greater than non-users”. A statement made by a mental health authority this year? No, it appeared in “The Lancet” in 1987! Australia already has more than 200,000 dependent cannabis users. Professor Ian Hickie, of the Brain and Mind Research Institute, seeks greatly increased funding for mental health, drug-caused and otherwise.

If the community thinks a carbon tax will bring hardship, just imagine the illness tax the legalisation of just this one life-shattering drug will impose on innocent lives, increasing scourges such as schizophrenia, cancers and emphysema. Commonsense dictates the legal drugs tobacco and alcohol already kill enough.

colliss Parrett,

Barton

Foundation says thanks

EACH year, the Leukaemia Foundation is amazed at the generosity of Australians and their willingness to participate in the World’s Greatest Shave. In 2011, we saw no exception.

More than 125,000 Australian participants and their sponsors have contributed over $10 million to date to fund essential patient support and vital research through the World’s Greatest Shave. The people of NSW/ACT have raised just over $3 million to date and the banking of funds raised is expected to continue throughout April.

Over 10,000 Australians will be diagnosed with a leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma or a related blood disorder this year, about 3600 in NSW/ACT alone.

These funds will go a long way in helping these patients in the area. On behalf of the Leukaemia Foundation, and the hundreds of patients and families we support each year, I would like to thank each of the people who sacrificed their hair for the cause this year. And to the tens of thousands of friends, family members and colleagues who supported them, thank you for your generosity.

The Leukaemia Foundation holds local, regional and national events such as the World’s Greatest

number of unnecessary roadside signs in the ACT that are breeding like rabbits?

Take, for instance, the large 3mx1.5m signs that have popped up this week on the rural roads of the ACT (at least three within a kilometre of Tharwa

dose of dorin

alone). They proudly pronounce “Drinking water catchment area, please keep your water clean”.

Isn’t the whole of Australia a drinking water catchment for human, bird, insect or beast?

Val Jeffery, t harwa

Shave throughout the year. If you would like to get involved or volunteer your time, contact the Foundation on 9902 2222, or go to www.leukaemia. org.au

stuart a llen, general manager, ns W/act

Red Cross says thanks

IT’S been a difficult start to the year for Australia with natural disasters in Queensland, Victoria, parts of WA and now, also, for our friends in NZ, Japan and the Asia Pacific.

These disasters may seem like yesterday’s news for some of us, but thousands of people still face months of physical and mental hardship as they depend on organisations like Red Cross to help rebuild their lives.

But Red Cross doesn’t only help people impacted by natural disasters. We support vulnerable people across Australia every day.

During Red Cross Calling, our March fundrais-

ing campaign, thousands of Red Cross members, supporters, community groups and schools have been raising funds to support the work of Red Cross in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.

The energy, compassion and action of our supporters enables Red Cross to help people in need.

This includes our vital work helping people prepare, respond and recover from disasters like the ones so many Australians have faced in the last few months.

It’s not too late to make a donation, simply go to www.redcross.org.au or phone 1800 811700.

Helen Farinola, acting act executive director, a ustralian Red c ross

Letters are invited from “CityNews” readers. Let loose to editor@citynews.com.au or write to the editor at GPO Box 2448, Canberra 2601. Letters of 200 words or less stand a better chance of publication.

property Plan and be ready

By c atherine c arter

PLAN infrastructure strategically to be ready for the changing needs and circumstances of people, and you have a winning community.

The greenest, most beautiful building, the most environmentally correct town or city will fail if people do not want to be there.

By enhancing and maintaining infrastructure, the place becomes more attractive as its convenience and affordability improves.

In my view, so many of humanity’s creations operate in much the same way as a living organism.

Buildings, particularly large ones, are no exception. The building’s relationship with its occupants is symbiotic – it protects and houses them. They keep it healthy with maintenance and upgrades. If the building doesn’t appeal to its occupants, if it is inconvenient or uncomfortable, they will take less care with it.

Suburbs, cities, precincts and rural communities also share this similarity to living things. And, like living things, they also depend on an environment conducive to survival.

They need features that support and enhance the lives of the people and include schools, hospitals and medical services, support for the older members of the community, law and order, systems and services for getting around, places to get supplies, and assistance communicating with each other.

They need to attract and retain people skilled at providing support services, such as nurses, police officers, hospitality staff, sales people, bus drivers and so on.

Because these important members of our community are typically paid less than executives, a community must have affordable homes for them or the community will languish for want of residents who keep the everyday business of any community going.

Catherine

Carter is ACT executive director of the Property Council of Australia

What you need to know adout dyslexia

By Jo Whithear

DYSLEXIA

is surrounded by misconceptions.

Many people (including teachers) think that the sole characteristic of dyslexia is that the child frequently reverses letters, such as b, d, p, q (or numbers, such as 3, 7, 9).

There are certainly children with dyslexia who do reverse letters; however, many nondyslexic children can and do this as well, but this is simply part and parcel of the reading and writing developmental process. Here are some of the facts:

What is dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a neurologically-based condition that affects a child’s (or adult’s) ability to read accurately and fluently. There are also significant deficits in spelling and writing. Researchers have consistently found that children and adolescents with dyslexia all exhibit phonological weaknesses (difficulties with identifying the separate sounds that make up words). These weaknesses are commonly unexpected when compared with other cognitive abilities. That is, the child or adult does not display weaknesses across all learning, especially their ability to learn via non-print avenues. Secondary consequences can include poor comprehension, limited vocabulary knowledge and a reduced reading experience.

How do I get it?

Dyslexia is neurological and genetic. Therefore, it is often seen in families. It is a life-long condition. It is unclear why some people have dyslexia and others don’t. However, brain imaging has now revealed that a dyslexic brain does not “light up” in the same way that a non-dys -

lexic brain does during the reading process. What are the symptoms?

Dyslexia tends to have a long list of symptoms related to oral language, reading, spelling and writing.

Usually these symptoms are persistent over time, despite learning opportunities and support. They can include delayed oral language, difficulties pronouncing words, difficulties expressing themselves, slow recognition of words, directional difficulties, slow reading, inaccurate reading, poor spelling and very poor writing. They may be easily distracted, appear to be lazy at school or not trying.

A person can be mildly dyslexic or they may be severely dyslexic. Being mildly dyslexic is misleading though, as any degree of dyslexia can be frustrating and extremely challenging.

How is it treated?

A dyslexic person can learn to read, spell and write. Children with dyslexia need specialised assistance in reading, spelling and writing. It is an obstinate, challenging disorder.

The most common frustration for parents is that they know something is wrong yet their concerns are not shared by the school. Similarly, parents are often bewildered as to why their child can be so capable in many other ways.

For children, adolescents and adults with dyslexia, the unending frustration that accompanies this disorder leaves them more vulnerable to emotional problems. Most people with dyslexia have been labelled “lazy” or “not trying” throughout their schooling. Regrettably, most have been trying disproportionately harder when compared with their peers.

Jo Whithear is a reading specialist and director of the Canberra Reading Clinic.

Alice takes to a spear

ALICE Alegria, six, of Chapman, learns to throw a spear in the traditional way at the “Extravaganza at Tidbinbilla”, the annual open day at the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve on Sunday. Thousands of Canberrans visited the reserve to share in the natural beauty and a day of live entertainment, the Questacon Testing the Waters show and a reptile musical. Photo by Silas

Lifeline’s birthday reaches for the stars

LIFELINE Canberra launched its 40th birthday celebrations with an exclusive, roof-top cocktail reception at the Canberra Centre.

Held on the  fth level of the Big W car park of the Canberra Centre, the space was converted into an area that would rival some of Canberra’s best nightclubs.

More than 150 of the city’s movers and shakers enjoyed impressive views of the city and an atmosphere commanding maximum “wow” factor.

As guests arrived, at the April 2 party, they were led down the red carpet through to a marquee, lit only by lanterns and glow furniture.

For those wanting to admire the city centre by night, a courtyard was created and dressed with thousands of fairy lights and two large Avatree’s which were auctioned later in the evening.

Guests also enjoyed smooth jazz rhythms and gourmet catering while enjoying the relaxed atmosphere under the stars.

“The ‘Life Begins at 40’ cocktail party was designed to introduce Lifeline Canberra to the local corporate market, and to demonstrate our ability to conduct show-stopping, enjoyable events,” said Leah Busacker, Lifeline’s community engagement and marketing manager.

“The Big W rooftop had never been used before, so I knew I could create something fabulous. Thanks to the support of our presenting sponsors – the Canberra Centre, Clear Complexions and Face2face Recruitment

– the event was nothing short of spectacular!”

Leah said the rooftop cocktail party was the  rst of several elaborate events being planned to celebrate Lifeline Canberra’s 40th birthday in 2011.

Stay up with Lifeline Canberra’s events on facebook and twitter.

Wonka ball a Canberra first

LIFELINE Canberra turns 40 on August 11 and will celebrate with a Birthday Gala Ball at the Hotel Realm on Saturday, August 13.

With an ambition to create events that have not been tried before in Canberra, the ball will be themed entirely around the movie classic “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”.

“Canberrans are spoilt with a variety of gala balls scheduled throughout the year,” says Lifeline Canberra community engagement and marketing manager Leah Busacker, who is con  dent that the event will be

a spectacular and memorable occasion.

“Without saying too much, this event will have a level of detail that Canberra has never seen before. Guests can expect to be charmed with nostalgic imagery and an atmosphere that will reignite their childhood dreams of visiting the Wonka factory”.

Lifeline Canberra welcomes any local businesses interested in being a sponsor of the ball or joining Lifeline Canberra as a corporate partner. Contact them on 6204 6406.

Lifeline Canberra, always there

SUICIDE is a signi  cant cause of death in Canberra and the National Capital Region yet it is hardly ever spoken about, says Lifeline’s Leah Busacker.

“Lifeline Canberra believes we all need to begin to discuss it more openly and look for a way we can all get involved and help prevent suicide,” she says.

For emotional crisis telephone support contact Lifeline 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 131114 or visit their website for information or to make a donation www.act.lifeline.org.au

all about the arts

By Eleri Harris

“ALL my friends say there’s nothing to do in Canberra, but I say there is, there’s historic dancing!” Shell Fidock smiles in her white satin empire-line gown, striking a pose for the camera like an extra from “Pride and Prejudice”.

Spruiking Aylwen and John GardinerGarden’s Jane Austen Festival, Fidock is one of their students at Earthly Delights Historic Dance Academy, carefully learning steps to numbers rarely seen now beyond the silver screen.

“Canberra has the best historic dance scene in the country,” John boasts.

“Visitors from overseas could not believe there is anything like this here, it’s wonderful.”

And if you’re keen to learn how to dance like Elizabeth Bennett, there is a selection of classes teaching the choreography of cinema favourites, from “Pride and Prejudice” to “Emma”, on offer.

But there’s more to the annual Jane Austen Festival than dancing, with hand sewing, embroidery, bonnet-making workshops, games, a ball and music, not to mention a Regency dinner complete with authentic food and “Pride & Prejudice in 10 minutes” directed by Sydney playwright, Deborah Mulhall.

“For us it’s more a broader connectivity with a whole part of our cultural heritage,” John explains, adjusting his top hat at a table laden with a silver tea service.

“Some people just love tea drinking or dancing, others Regency times more generally.”

“Some love the movies and others just love to dance or just dress up,” Aylwen says.

Now in its fourth year, the week-long celebration of the famous 19th century novelist is part of the ACT Heritage Festival and the brain child of Aylwen, who is partial to men in uniform.

“I was influenced by reading about the Jane Austen Festival in Bath and thought, I’ve been organising events here in Canberra for 20 years, surely I can do this,” Aylwen told “CityNews”.

“In 2009, I went to Bath, UK, to see how

By arts editor Helen Musa

A STAGE set might normally be thought of as subservient to a show, but in the Malthouse Theatre’s production of “A Commercial Farce”, the set showing the rehearsal room for a dubious comedy, becomes a central character.

Nor is it very frequent for the Canberra Theatre to describe a coming show as “a dog’s breakfast.”

But in this case the set designer Anna Cordingley is happy to accept the double compliment.

“It was quite a challenge,” she tells me. “The text is full of a lot of events and a lot of doors,” she adds, explaining that nobody is ever quite sure what’s going on offstage – one door leads to a laundry, another to a gymnasium, but it’s not exactly logical.

Cordingley and the director Aidan Fennessy spent much time trying to figure it out – the twisting staircase, the unreliable swinging doors, the crashing wardrobe and the awkward corners that lend themselves to slapstick comedy.

She doesn’t usually have quite so much time, usually meeting the director well before the casting to identify “the overarching metaphor of the design”, but here “it was so particular that we had to get down to business straight away”.

Far from being annoyed at being told exactly what is needed, she’s relieved at having a director and playwright who know what they want.

Pride and prejudice for genteel Jane Designs on a dog’s dinner

it was run and came back from a most wonderful experience, yet knowing what we were doing was really special and didn’t really need much improvement. I’ve always loved the Regency era and look forward to the festival each year just as much as everyone else.”

The Jane Austen Festival is the only festival in Australia to focus specifically on Jane Austen, Regency life or Napoleonic history, with a program of different workshops and talks every year.

It’s open to people of all ages and exact Regency dress isn’t mandatory.

“Our motto is ‘Costumes are admired, but not required’,” Aylwen says.

“If you want to come and don’t have a costume for the special events, don’t panic. If you haven’t got a partner, just turn up – we’ll mix you up and you won’t be alone.

THE COTTER: WATERING THE GARDEN CITY 1912 - 2011

The exhibition will use artefacts and photographs to tell the story of the dams on the Cotter River and unfold the lives of the dam workers and the ongoing recreational use of the area for Canberrans.

CURATORS’ FLOOR TALK

Wednesday 13 April › 12.30 − 1.30pm

Explore the Cotter Heritage exhibition with CMAG’s Social History Curators, and hear more about the history of one of Canberra’s favourite places for picnics, swimming and relaxation.

If you want to come to the ever-popular ball do buy a day/night ticket so you can learn some of the moves first.

“Most people have no idea how Jane Austen danced, but I can tell you it wasn’t bopping around like they do at a nightclub.”

The festival started out as a Regency weekend, one of several period events the Gardiner-Gardens hold annually; they also do Baroque and Russian balls.

“But from the start it was so well subscribed, we realised we’d hit a button,” John says.

The event is sold out every year with attendees of both genders from the ACT and interstate.

The Jane Austen Festival, St John’s Church, Constitution Avenue, Reid, from Thursday, April 14 to Sunday 17 April 2011. For tickets visit www.janeaustenfestival.com.au/

MICHAEL LE GRAND: SCULPTURE

This exhibition examines the sculpture of leading Australian (and Canberrabased) artist Michael Le Grand, from the late 1970s to 2010. It exemplifies the artist’s dedication to his medium and showcases an exceptional and exciting talent.

CANBERRA GOLD

This exhibition celebrates some of the community groups who have made Canberra the city it is today through their contribution to sport, culture and community involvement.

DELUGE

With “A Commercial Farce”, playwright Peter Houghton also plays Bill, a loser who’s put his life savings into staging a commercial comedy.

It’s easier than designing a play by the fastidious Samuel Beckett, Cordingley says, but nonetheless “A Commercial Farce” wouldn’t work without the right set.

Even so, there’s some room to move and she’s introduced her own little gimmicks, such as solenoids that make props come apart right on cue for extra laughs.

“Rehearsal rooms are notoriously boring places,” Cordingley reminds me, “so we decided we’d liven it up.” Inspired by the late Canberra artist Rosalie Gascoigne and her love of subtle detritus, she’s come up with an quirky, colourful design mix of Gascoigne and ‘90s decoration.

It’s good that Houghton is “very, very capable”, she says, because he has a lot of stairs to negotiate and lots of physical trickery to perform. She’s probably not supposed to tell me, but they’ve recently cut a backflip that was one flip too many.

While all this on-stage tomfoolery is taking place, Cordingley is busy designing Bell Shakespeare’s production of “Julius Caesar” that we’ll see later in the year. Now, there’s a play and a playwright that leaves it all in the hands of the designer.

“A Commercial Farce”, The Playhouse, April 14-16. Bookings to 6275 2700.

CMAG continues its engaging and provocative series of installations by Canberra artists in CMAG’s glassfronted gallery in Civic Sqaure. Artist Scott Chaseling uses four focal pieces to explore the neutral space created at the moment when the tide begins to turn and the energy ebbs.

THE FOUNDATION COLLECTION

Works from the Foundation collection by renowned Australian artist Sidney Nolan are on display in the Nolan Collection Gallery @ CMAG.

Win tickets to ‘Mary Poppins’

“CityNews” has four family tickets (for four people) to the 2pm performance of “Mary Poppins” on Saturday, April 23, in Sydney, to be won. The tickets are valued at $400 each. Entry details at citynews.com.au/win

Rich artistry from Elcho Island

VISUAL ART

“Spirit of the Land: Paintings and Sculpture from Elcho Island”

Chapman Gallery, Manuka

Reviewed by Johnny Milner

STRETCHING out into the Arafura Sea lies Elcho Island, a thin strip of land, blessed with a stunning but rugged landscape, panoramic views and wild seasons, home to the rich artistic culture of Yolngu people. Currently exhibiting at the Chapman Gallery is a selection of work from the island’s many artists. Some of the featured pieces include “Morning Star Poles”, “Trees of Knowledge” and “Hollow Logs” as well as delicate paintings and Mokuy Spirit Carvings. It is the first exhibition of sculpture and paintings from Elcho Island in Canberra.

The symbolic visual and textual language differs greatly from the nearby Arnhem Land cultures. This is demonstrated through the use of materials from Elcho Island’s surrounding bushland and beaches, as well as many thousands of years of “island” culture and tradition.

Jerimiah Bonson’s “Wirra Bun Bun” series presents five, spectacular, painted, carved poles. Broad, bold and abstract in their design, the figures vary in size, possibly resembling a family or a tribe. The large non-figurative acrylic, on-linen paintings by Peter Datjing employ detailed patterns of squares and diamonds, which are mesmerising.

The highly decorative and colourful “Tree Of Knowledge” sculptures include feathers positioned like flowers, and merge bindings with intricate paintings.

The dreaming stories that inspire these artworks are evidence of the Yolngu people’s strong connection with their land and its beauty, and the symbolic role art plays within indigenous culture.

Mesmerising passions

MUSIC

“Illicit Passions” Griffyn Ensemble, Belconnen Arts Centre, April 2.

Reviewed by Ian McLean

IT requires fertile imagination to title a concert “Illicit Passions” then link everything from Bob Dylan to Bizet and Sondheim to

Brittany Spears. Such is the creativity of the Griffyn Ensemble. In this intriguing and, at times, mesmerising show I found individual performances, rather than the collective, the most rewarding with soprano Susan Ellis outstanding.

“Dat’s Love” from “Carmen” was sublime as was Dvorak’s “Song to the Moon”, while “Me and a Gun” by Tori Amos was chilling in its unaccompanied telling and Dylan’s “Forever Young” poignant and moving.

The flute of Kiri Sollis was hauntingly beautiful in “Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun”. Clarinetist Matthew O’Keeffe produced beautiful tone, dexterity and passion in two Piazzolla tunes and a stunning “Send in the Clowns”.

Versatility is a Griffyn hallmark as Meriel Owen (harp), Wyana Etherington (percussion) and director Michael Sollis demonstrated when they utilised their vocal skills to great comic effect in three delightfully wicked 18th century dirty-joke, pub songs.

Nineteen varied music pieces made up this concert with just two not quite finding

the mark. Imbalance between digital and natural instruments lessened the quality of homage to “A Clockwork Orange”, while the “Dance of the Seven Veils” was, at times, shrill and didn’t ooze the sexiness it should. The remainder was just wonderful.

Attending a Griffyn Ensemble concert really is a theatrical experience. Many more Canberrans should take up a front-row seat!

Unfolding the laughs

OPERA

“The Marriage of Figaro” Co-Opera, Street Theatre, season ended.

Reviewed by Ian McLean

BELLY laughs at the opera! And not because the crazy wigs looked like headgear crafted from watermelons from one-day cricket.

No, the laughs came because of the cleverness of the cast and director Tessa Bremner’s consistently high production values.

As she herself said, the story is complicated and convoluted and it’s best to “just sit back and let it unfold”.

She combined jolly, old silliness with subtle symbolism – the colourful costumes all featured clear perspex and plastic hearts, a nod to the transparency of the 18th century when affairs were rife, society was well aware but indifferent, so long as no scandal surfaced.

A simple set was functional and practical, lighting was tight and effective and the nine-piece orchestra, terrific. When I first saw the players strung out in a line in front of the stage, I lamented the absence of a pit at the Street. But these players, under musical director produced a rich and vibrant ensemble sound perfectly interpreting the clever Mozart music.

The cast was excellent. Canberra’s own Karen Fitz-Gibbon shone as Susanna, with a cheeky stage presence matched by a crystal clear voice.

As Figaro Nicholas Cannon utilised his experience in many stage and film forms to produce a totally confident performance. Jeremy Tatchell, as the Count, was suitably pompous and Gerard Schneider just about stole the show with a comic performance of wonderful consistency.

How great to see opera of this standard presented in such a happy and non-stuffy manner.

Queanbeyan artist Margaret Hadfield... five of her paintings are heading to Turkey.

‘Gallipoli’ landing for a local artist

arts in the city

MUCH exaltation in Queanbeyan with the news that five paintings from local artist Margaret Hadfield’s “Gallipoli” series are being shipped to Canakkale, Turkey for Anzac Day commemorations. The second in the series won the 2006 inaugural Gallipoli Art Prize. Her works will later travel to Paris and Villers-Bretonneux.

AS part of its Southeast Asia Film Week, the National Film and Sound Archives has glamorous Indonesian director Lola Amaria introducing her 2010 film “Sunday Morning in Victoria Park” in the Arc Cinema at 6pm on April 14. Then there’s the supercool Mohamad Marzuki, founder and leader of the notorious Jogya Hip-hop Foundation, who will perform live at 8pm on April 15.

“THE Adventures of Alvin Sputnik: Deep Sea Explorer” is billed as “a micro-epic puppet show that melds technology and multimedia into a touching story of enduring love and the end of the world”. Gosh. It’s at The Street Theatre, April 12-16. Bookings to 6247 1223.

THE ANU Drama Society NUTS, is presenting Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”, directed by Jon Sharp. The play will be performed “using a combination of theatre-in-the-round, hymn and neutral mask”. It’s at the ANU Arts Centre, April 14-17. Tickets at the door.

THE inaugural Canberra String Festival is at the ANU School of Music from April 15-17. The highlight will be the Open Recital, where entrants compete for a first prize of $1000. Details at http://stringfest.vpweb.com.au/

FOLK-blues master Eric Bibb will be at Tilley’s in Lyneham on April 12 and 13, accompanied by Swedish guitarist Staffan Astner. The Geoff Page and Marcela Fiorillo concert “Le Grand Tango” has been rescheduled for April 16. Bookings to 6247 7753.

TEATRO Vivaldi, at the ANU Arts Centre, is splashing out with Joanna Murray-Smith’s comedy “Bombshells” on April 16 and 17, staged by The Company from Albury. Inquiries and bookings to 6257 2718.

Horror in scientific fiction

THIS dramatisation directed by Mark Romanek of a sci-fi romantic novel by Kazuo Ishiguro (who also co-produced) is more chilling and anguishing than any horror movie in which loathsome creatures from other galaxies or confected in laboratories by maniac scientists or some other scientifically-improbable confection of human imagination compete for your ticket money.

The horror of its scientific fiction unfolds in totally human parameters. Medical science has developed protocols whereby organ transplants cure all manner of human ills.

The orphaned children attending Hailsham School are being carefully reared to provide healthy organs that doctors will transplant from their adult bodies into the bodies of patients wealthy enough to afford the procedure. Few survive more than three donations.

The narrative revolves around Kathy (Carey Mulligan), Tommy (Andrew Garfield) and Ruth (Keira Knightley), whose close friendship at Hailsham resumes a decade after they go into the wider community to await a summons for what they have been reared to experience.

The film’s middle part looks at the mild romance in which the two women compete for the young man. Resolution of this issue comes at a horrible price. Its inevitability and the calm with which they approach it overlay a tension both discomfiting and en -

nobling. And more truly terrifying than any multi-legged, scaly, roaring monster with a mouthful of teeth and bad social attitudes.

At Dendy

“THE LINCOLN LAWYER” (M)

MICK (Matthew McConaughey), economising on overheads by running his Los Angeles criminal law practice from the back seat of his Lincoln car, shares parenting amicably with assistant district attorney ex-wife Maggie (Marisa Tomei) and they occasionally wake up in the same bed.

Professional antagonism enlivens both their relationship and the plot of a nicelypaced forensic thriller. Somebody has been beating up on sex workers. One has died as a result. Mick’s defence of the suspect is one of his rare failures.

The LAPD has evidence to charge Louis (Ryan Phillipe) for beating up on another sex worker (Margarita Leveiva) who survived the ordeal. Louis engages Mick to get him acquitted. Mick and Louis have a strained relationship.

Director Brad Furman films John Romano’s screenplay from Michael Connolly’s novel with great vigour using camera styles that may give people the pip, a headache or both.

The neatly convoluted narrative flows among characters and clues with an easy

collection of tensions. Justice gets done in a nifty tie-back to the opening sequence after a journey through the sex industry and other LA pleasure modes and a body count that doesn’t strain credulity. We leave the cinema satisfied without feeling a need to file the film as memorable.

At Dendy, Hoyts and Limelight

“JUST GO WITH IT” (M)

MALE lead and co-producer Adam Sandler plays Danny, a divorced plastic surgeon, who attracts women by pretending to be a husband on the loose. Danny falls heavily for Palmer (Brooklyn Decker) or, perhaps more correctly, her spectacular bust. He tells Palmer he’s in the throes of winding up an unsuccessful marriage. Palmer wants to meet the soon-to-be-ex wife and the children.

To sustain this porky, Danny arranges for his receptionist Katherine (Jennifer Aniston) to pretend to be the ex-wife.

“Just Go With It” is a remake from which only Nicole Kidman, rescuing an otherwise total disaster by overplaying Katherine’s high-school nemesis, stopped me from walking out. Its plot worked half a century ago with Walter Matthau, Ingrid Bergman and Goldie Hawn in “Cactus Flower”, for which Hawn won an Oscar in 1969. But this time the journey to resolution is tedious, unconvincing and unrewarding. I rest my case, Kidman notwithstanding (she and Aniston do work well together).

At all cinemas

‘Outnumbered’ for Mother’s Day

“CITYNEWS” has five sets of “Outnumbered, series 1-3”, valued at $59.95 each, to give away for Mother’s Day. The five-disc boxed set also features a Christmas special of the multi-award winning British comedy.

Entry details at citynews.com.au/win

Falling for an Italian!

dining

Wendy Johnson

IT’S amore! – the only way to describe my relationship with Canberra’s new Italian Dieci e Mezzo.

Not with the executive chef from Sydney’s Otto, whom I’ve never met, but with the food.

Fine-dining dishes lovingly created mostly with local produce fuels James Kidman’s passion.

The food is stunningly beautiful and the wine list impressive.

My carpaccio of cured salmon with orange, asparagus, chives and summer blossoms was breathtaking in every way. Every component was meticulously placed to form a piece of food art, including the solidified olive oil that graced the dish.

The melt-in-your mouth salmon holds a special place in my memory. Other entrées included a beetroot tart with sweet onion, creamy goat’s cheese and a funky fig saba, adding a touch of sweetness.

The beef carpaccio (specials’ list) was superb quality and decorated with micro rocket and capers, but we agreed there was a tad too much aioli drizzled on top (entrees $19 to $23).

Wow! What a start.

Four pastas are available, with the option to go entrée size or larger. The highly personable Josh Anlezark, who recently returned from Melbourne’s award-winning Ezard to become restaurant manager,

recommended entrée size to leave room for dessert.

I couldn’t fault my pappardelle with tomato-braised suckling pig, Sicilian olives and marjoram ($25) – the perfect size and a superb blend of tastes.

The tortellini of Yass rabbit served with morel scented rabbit consommé and tarragon was right up there with the best ($23) and, if an aficionado, you must order the slow-cooked goat pie with mushroom, celeriac, turnip, leek and quninoa ($33).

Dieci e Mezzo will soon make changes to soften the ambiance. As an annex from the foyer of a commercial building, and on street level, it has challenges. The design is minimalist and you can feel like you are in a fish bowl. Still, the restaurant’s striped

Exhibition brings winners

THE Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has worked with the ACT Community Arts Office to stage an exhibition for outstanding works by ACT artists living with disability and disadvantage.

Director of ArtsACT David Whitney announced the winners in the Red Herring Café, Petrie Plaza.

The winner Paul Bilton was awarded a cash prize of $1500 for his work “Living Learning Growing”, while runner-up James Rowell won $600 for his painting

of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Building.

Works commended by the judges were Diana Davidson, for her painting “A Healthy Body and a Healthy Mind”, Keith Carfrae, for his landscape “Old/new pines for local environment” and Dr Possum for his digital image “Chaos Graffiti”.

feature wall adds a splash of colour and the curtains that have been ordered will help. And it’s a treat to be able to see the much-talked about and ever-changing light sculpture (Ossolites) in the foyer by Canberra’s Robert Foster.

Desserts are a must ($14 or $15). We shared the maple syrup, polenta and orange cake with marmalade ice cream and the decadent chocolate semi-freddo, dark chocolate sorbet and Pedro Ximenez jelly. And we topped off our evening with Affogato ($15).

Diece e mezzo’s lunch special changes weekly – two courses and a glass of wine ($39) or three courses and a glass of wine ($49). Ask about the art space/private dining room (50 guests sit down or 200 cocktail).

Diece e Mezzo, ActewAGL House, Bunda Street, Civic. Fully licensed. Breakfast weekdays from 7.30am, lunch weekdays from 11am, dinner Wednesday-Saturday from 6pm. Call 6248 3142.

The works, which are for sale, will be on show in the Red Herring Café until April 18. Helen Musa Paul Bilton’s winning painting “Living Learning Growing”.

At Capital Veneering’s 10th birthday, Queanbeyan At

At the Hats and Gloves High Tea, Government House

At Knight Frank’s ‘Iron Chef’ lunch, Narrabundah

What nail polish says about you

By Megan Haggan

HANDS and nails (and toes!) have never before been so individualised, says Karon McKendrick-Taylor, OPI Educator: “Nail art is a new trend that give us permission to express ourselves.”

We’re taking our lead from celebrities such as Rihanna, Beyonce and, of course, Katy Perry, and bright or clashing shades are for everyone, regardless of age.

“It’s more about your personality traits that determines which colour you are more likely to wear,” Karon says.

“We know that hands are an important part of a total look and an integral part of the way we communicate without using words.

“Our hands are in constant motion in conversation – and as a result, our nails tend to send a strong message about who we are.”

According to Karon, many of us have a usual nail personality:

Pink: “These people are inspirational and influential, competent, energetic and high achievers,” she says. They’re outgoing and people oriented, with the motto “make it fun”.

Violet: “These people are more task oriented, cautious, calculating, concerned and careful. ‘Does this make sense?’ is their motto.”

Orange: “Effervescent, artistic, intuitive, strong, stable, supportive and sentimental, they have an ‘I’ll go along with it’ motto.”

Red: These people are passionate and daring with a strong stubborn streak, says Karon. They’re outgoing, task-oriented and decisive. Their motto is “make it happen”.

Black: People who choose black nails are interested in making a statement and trying to step outside the realms of acceptance, she says.

Anything goes: From blue to green to switching colours every day, these people are outgoing and interactive, and open to new ideas and change.

all about home&garden

Christine’s secret garden

Wo RDs: Kathryn Vukovljak

PH otos: s ilas Brown

TUCKED away behind bright blue gates and up a long, narrow driveway is Christine Gascoyne’s lush “oasis” of a garden, created entirely by her own hand just six years ago when she moved to Canberra.

“It’s like a little oasis in the desert,” she says. “You’d hardly know it was here!”

Christine’s garden on a concealed battle-axe block will be open to the public on the weekend of April 9 and 10 as part of the Australian Open Garden Scheme.

The 1200sqm garden is full of colour, with gorgeous roses, camellias, dahlias and more unusual plants, such as the “snail creeper”, abundant with shell-like pink and white flowers, that frames the front door. “The frost usually kills off most of it, but because it’s planted close to the door it survives,” she says.

There are also multiple sitting areas, a shady pond, strategically placed mirrors that give the illusion of paths winding off into the distance and a parterre where the stump of an old red gum once stood.

“I tried my hand at brick-laying for my circular parterre using lovely old Canberra red

bricks,” she says. “I was thrilled when the last brick fitted in perfectly at the exact level.”

When Christine first moved in, she says the block was a “blank canvas” and completely barren, but as a keen gardener she came prepared with pot plants and rooted cuttings from her previous garden in Burra.

“My budget was tight, so I scavenged where I could and used materials that were already on the block,” she says.

Christine says she loves the location, hidden from the street. “It’s nice being next to the cycle paths, so there’s a sense of space and I’m not close to any other houses,” she says.

“My grandchildren think it’s huge, and they love getting lost out the back in all the little paths.

“In Burra you couldn’t hear a thing, so this is about the closest you can get to that in the city!”

Christine’s garden at 48 Weathers Street, Gowrie, open Saturday, April 9, and Sunday, April 10, 10am-4.30pm. Adults $8, children under 18 are free. Funds raised will go to the Australian Open Garden Scheme and Hummingbird Music. More information at www.opengarden.org.au.

Microgreens book to be won

“HOW to Grow Microgreens, Nature’s Own Superfood” by Fionna Hill (Bateman Press, distributed by CSIRO Publishing, rrp $29.95, paperback) is about the tiny seedlings of herbs and vegies. These are ideal for small townhouse gardens or growing in containers. It shows how to grow 25 popular varieties along with recipes and use ideas and great to encourage children to start a garden. Microgreens, as the CSIRO says “pack a powerful nutritious punch with higher levels of active plant compounds than mature plants”.

The Bechtel Crabapple... with its large, soft pink, semi-double, fragrant flowers it is possibly one of the most popular of all crabs.

The autumn fruit tree for every Canberra garden

ONE autumn fruit tree, which should be grown in every garden, is a crabapple.

Besides the blossom, it’s also good for making crabapple jelly and I just love it on hot toast on a Sunday morning (hint).

Not all crabapple fruit is suitable for jam making and some of the most beautiful crabapples have only minute fruit, but magnificent floral displays. Illustrated here is Malus ionensis plena or Bechtel Crabapple, originating from the Bechtel Nurseries in the US. With its large, soft pink, semi-double, fragrant flowers it is possibly one of the most popular of all crabs.

To be in the running to win this beautiful book, simply write your name and contact details on the back of an envelope, with the name of a favourite small vegetable in your garden and post it to Cedric Bryant Superfoods Competition, “CityNews”, GPO Box 2448, Canberra City 2601 by Thursday, April 14. I will announce the winner in my column on April 21.

This is used for street trees in Canberra. It was given the prestigious Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society (UK) in 1940. This award is always an excellent indicator of outstanding trees and shrubs.

Almost as spectacular is Malus florabunda or Japanese crab introduced from Japan in 1862 and also given the AGM in 1923. Its crimson buds open to white or pale blush flowers and it is one of the earliest to flower in spring followed by small red and yellow fruit at this time of the year. Malus x purpurea is a hybrid producing a solid mass of crimson flowers and another outstanding crabapple given the AGM, also in 1923.

Now, back to the fruiting crabs and the best for jelly making is Malus “Gorgeous”, originating in NZ. Large bunches of large, bright red fruit are produced at this time of the year, as seen here at The Heritage Nursery in Yarralumla.

gardening

cedric Bryant

It is ideal for the small garden, growing only to 3mx3m or it could be grown in a large container if you have a townhouse garden. This one is specifically grown for the fruit rather than the small white flowers.

Malus “Golden Hornet” has deep pink buds opening to single white followed by a heavy crop of bright yellow fruit in late summer. This will remain on the tree well into autumn and is also excellent for crabapple jelly. It was also awarded the AGM, in 1969.

My “Hillier’s Manual of Trees and Shrubs” (UK), even here considered almost a bible in the horticultural industry, lists 110 varieties of crabapples. Unfortunately, only a fraction of these are available in Australia. Check with your local garden centre and remember, “autumn time is planting time”.

I STILL see trees being planted under power lines which can cause major problems in a few years. This is particularly evident in older suburbs with the number of knockdown and rebuilds, where the power lines are still above ground.

I suggest you call in to any ActewAGL shop and collect the new leaflet “For Safety’s Sake, Keep the Trees Trimmed”, which includes suggestions for plants suitable for growing under power lines.

IS there an organic spray to kill lawn grubs,

a reader asks? Multicrop “EcoGrub” is available at most garden centres or DIY stores. This is a combined organic insecticide, fertiliser and wetting agent. Measure your lawn area to make sure you buy the right amount. Details on the container for coverage and always follow manufacturers’ directions to be effective.

HINT of the week: Consider training a thornless rose, such as the deep pink Rosa “Zephirine Drouin”, to grow up and through trees in your garden. This is a popular idea in British and France where they are grown through both deciduous trees, blossom trees and fruit trees.

NEXT WEEK: Compost heaps that work. As autumn leaves fall, it is time to get serious about utilising this valuable resource.

Hamper helps with the laundry

A HAMPER is a big help when when managing multiple loads of laundry, and there are some designs with sections to help with pre-sorting.

“If your laundry is separate to your apartment or house, a hamper on wheels is a convenient way of transporting washing to the machine – you’ll avoid making multiple trips and losing socks!” says a spokesman from Howards Storage World.

“It will also help keep dirty clothes and linen off the floor.”

Bold and beautiful

By Kathryn Vukovljak

CREATING a theme and mood for mealtimes expresses a part of who we are, according to

MaryAnne Fesq, Villeroy

& Boch

marketing manager.

“Rich colour is returning to tableware, whether it is splashed across an entire range or represented in a single statement piece,” she says. “Rustic reds and brilliant blues will feature strongly this year, providing home entertainers with a colourful accent to their culinary creations.

“Many European chefs use colour to enhance the food they serve and we encourage more people to embrace this approach to tableware.”

When it comes to creating atmospheric table settings, Fesq predicts that bold colours and strong patterns will share a more balanced stage with white tableware.

“Traditional and modern patterns will be everywhere in 2011, from botanical themes to abstract shapes and swirls,” she says.

During the cooler months, a sturdy airer that can be used outdoors or indoors is energy-efficient and kinder to the environment than a tumble dryer, he says.

“If you live in an apartment or innercity terrace, chances are your laundry space is limited,” he says. “Make use of vertical space with a tall, slimline airer.

“If your laundry is hidden behind closed doors, install extra shelving to help to utilise all wall space. Use canisters that store neatly on top of each other for essentials such as laundry powder, pegs or mending equipment.

“Choose transparent designs so you can see what’s inside without taking them off the shelf.”

your week in the stars

With Joanne Madeline Moore April 11-17

ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

Powerful Pluto aspects will increase your assertive Aries side but, if you push others too hard, you’ll find you’ve bitten off more than you can comfortably chew. With retro Mercury and impulsive Jupiter joining up in your sign, aim to turn up your optimistic enthusiasm – and turn down your tendency to jump to ridiculously rash conclusions.

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 20)

Do you feel as if you’re treading water? Slow down and chill out as you put major projects on hold, plus postpone making important decisions and signing contracts until after April 23. Don’t worry about the future – take things one step at a time. “Go as far as you can see. When you get there, you’ll see further.” (Charlie Chaplin, born on April 16).

GEMINI (May 21 – June 21)

Mercury’s your ruling planet so, when it moves backwards, you can expect communication hitches, money glitches and transport chaos. Gregarious Geminis love nothing better than a good old gossip but the next two weeks is a time when tactless talk could get you into hot water so think (very carefully) before you spread secrets around.

CANCER (June 22 – July 22)

You’re keen to show off your professional talents but, with Mercury causing commotion in your career zone (until April 23) you need to be extra patient at work. Don’t rush – allow yourself plenty of time to cope with missing paperwork, computer chaos, missed meetings and mixed messages. Egos will be easily bruised so tread (and speak) carefully.

LEO (July 23 – Aug 22)

Are you dreaming of the perfect holiday or weekend getaway? With five planets in your travel zone, chances are you have itchy feet and would love to jump on a plane ASAP. Travel looks stalled over the next two weeks though. If you are taking a trip, double-check your itinerary and be prepared for last minute hitches and annoying delays.

VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sept 22)

Have you lent money to others? Well, don’t be in too much of a hurry to get it back. With retrograde Mercury causing chaos in your joint finances zone (until April 23), delayed payments are the order of the day, so you’ll need to be patient. It’s a fabulous time for vigilant Virgos to tie up loose ends at work as you revise, rehearse, re-do and research.

LIBRA (Sept 23 – Oct 23)

It’s not the time for careless slips and thoughtless quips, as mischievous Mercury reverses through your relationship zone and loved ones are inclined to make mountains out of molehills. Be patient and extra diplomatic. Single Librans – if you want a flirtatious fling to move on to the next phase, you’ll have to be passionate, proactive and very persistent.

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 21)

With challenging Mars/Pluto aspects, the odds are you’ll get obsessed about something (or someone) this week. If you try to convert others to your way of thinking, you’ll end up with a dispute on your hands. And watch you don’t upset colleagues with an obtuse remark or hasty decision, as impulsive Jupiter and retro Mercury stir up your job zone.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 21)

When Mercury (planet of travel and communication) goes retrograde (for approximately three weeks, three times a year) it usually doesn’t throw you. So life is unpredictable, relationships are constantly changing, messages get mixedup, and travel plans are disrupted and delayed. Hey – just another normal week at spontaneous chez Sagittarius!

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19)

Things don’t happen quickly (or according to plan) when Mercury is retro so the next two weeks is not the ideal time to be a Capricorn control-freak and insist on a rigid timetable. Strive to be more flexible, especially with housemates and family members. Friday favours nurturing international contacts, as you push yourself into adventurous new territory.

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18)

Watch out for crossed wires in encounters with family, friends and neighbors. Double-check appointment times – and think carefully before sending emotionally-charged emails or confusing text messages. Jupiter gives you the confidence to speak up but make sure what you say is exactly what you mean, otherwise it could backfire on you later.

PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 20)

Do you want to avoid a financial fiasco? With Mercury reversing through your $$$ zone (until April 23) you need to stick to a strict budget; avoid get-rich-quick schemes; obtain agreements in writing – and double-check the fine print! Take on board the advice of birthday great J. P. Morgan: “If you have to ask how much it costs, you can’t afford it.”

Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore

Across

3 Name the bone of the lower jaw.

7 What is a glass bottle for water, wine, etc?

8 Which green-coloured aromatic liqueur has a licorice flavour?

9 Who was one of the assassins of Julius Caesar?

10 What is a telecommunications circuit running under or over the ground?

11 What are paths of satellites revolving around other bodies?

14 Name the shelf-like bunks in ships.

17 Who was the English lord protector of the Commonwealth (1653-58), Oliver ...

18 Which Latin word means "in the same book, chapter, page", etc?

19 Name the silver-white metallic element, symbol Al (US).

20 To be irascible is to be what?

21 Name the reading impairment often associated with writing and coordination disorders.

Down

1 What is an alternative term for a blacksmith?

2 Name the "dry" cocktail, largely of gin.

3 Which children's disease is characterised by red spots?

4 To become smaller and smaller is to do what?

5 What is a more archaic term for "between"?

6 What are teams of cricket players called?

11 Name a piece of ground devoted to the cultivation of fruit trees.

12 Strongly made comfortable decorative shoes are called what?

13 What is another term for a hawser by which anything is pulled?

14 Name a compulsive eating disorder.

15 Which word describes cooking formulas?

16 Name the single long bone in the arm, which extends from the shoulder to the elbow.

Gloss coming off the strata office market

By t im Humphrey

THE gloss is coming off the bottom end of Canberra’s office sales market as high leasing vacancy rates are starting to impact investors.

According to Duane Dawson, director of office services, at CB Richard Ellis, financial institutions spooked by the amount of empty office stock in Canberra are increasingly making investment decisions hard for local buyers.

“There is no doubt that many people looking to buy ACT office space are facing the prospect of more stringent loan arrangements. In some cases, deals are falling over as a result” he said. With a slow down in activity levels, quality space is also taking longer to sell.

CB Richard Ellis at present has two CBD strata units for sale in the CPA Building at 161 London Circuit. Level 5 which offers 512sqm has been on the market for over six months.

The tenanted space is being offered on a yield around 7 per cent. However, serious interest so far has been close to the double digit mark.

“The owners have been holding out for around $1.5 million which is proving difficult to achieve in current conditions,” Mr Dawson said.

Units 12 and 13 (Comprising 118sqm) on level 3 are also for sale at an asking price of $430,000 (+GST) and offer the flexibility of vacant possession or the prospect of releasing to the sitting tenant.

Other strata property which is being actively marketed for sale at present includes Units 17-19 in Manuka Arcade, Manuka.

Michael Heather, of Colliers International,

is acting for the current owner occupiers, Pitt & Sherry/Sustainability Advice Team, which is planning a move to West Deakin.

Despite tougher conditions, owner Hugh Saddler is confident it won’t take months to sell.

“Manuka is such a fantastic place to work and offers a really pleasant ambience,” he says.

According to Michael Heather, a sales executive in Colliers Canberra office, the high-profile premises should sell in the $950,000 to $1 million (+GST) price range (which equates to up to $4500 per sqm +GST).

“We have strong interest in the property to date and the attraction is definitely proximity to cafes, restaurants and designer fashion retailer” Mr Heather said.

Tim Humphrey is editor of “Property Daily”, a market news and intelligence service focused on commercial property markets nationally. www. propertydaily.com.au

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