Canberra CityNews April 14-20, 2011

Amazing Grace comes in from the cold

By Wendy Johnson

FOR a while, Grace Stephenson would wake up every day and pinch herself to double-check that she and her two sons truly did have a roof over their heads and a stable environment in which to live.

Grace’s new home is a far cry from the car, in which she spent winter nights’ sleeping with her youngest son Koda, now two years old, in Canberra bushland and then near a police station, where she felt safer.

Grace was one of Canberra’s homeless people until she rang ACT Communities at Work who referred her to St Vincent de Paul Society for help.

“I was pretty much at rock bottom,” says the 23-year-old single mother, “and on an emotional rollercoaster. Vinnies taught me I had value and got me back on track.”

The face of Canberra’s homeless population is changing with 14 per cent of those without a roof over their head now under the age of four and 45 per cent under the age of 25 – just like Koda and Grace.

Of the 1000 homeless people in the region, 53 per cent are female and 47 per cent male. But it’s not just finding a place to sleep at night that is the issue, according to Vinnies. It’s that many homeless people do not have access to basic amenities

April 14-20, 2011

Since 1993: Volume 17, Number 14

Arts&Entertainment 25-28 Cinema 27

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Dining 28

Health&Fitness 29

Home&Garden 31-35

Horoscope 36 Letters 14

News 5-15 Politics 8 Property 37-52 Social Scene 20-21 Sudoku 36

and, without help, can start to lose touch with loved ones and the community.

It’s a situation that disturbs those participating in this year’s CEO Sleepout in Canberra who will experience what it’s like to sleep rough on a cold night in June to raise awareness of, and funds for, the plight of those who are couch surfing at friends’ or existing in the outdoors with sheets of cardboard and sleeping bags as their

Editor: Ian Meikle, editor@citynews.com.au

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only shelter.

At the launch of this year’s event several CEO Sleepout champions, including Clinton Hutchinson, of Zoo Advertising, shuddered at the reality of Canberra’s homeless situation.

“I had no idea that while I sleep in warmth and comfort every night that families are sleeping out, including with little ones, or that so many people are in such strife. As a community, we

need to do something about it,” he says.

The money raised from the 2011 CEO Sleepout will stay in Canberra to help those in need.

Grace’s story started with an unexpected major change in life when she suddenly found herself the victim of domestic violence. When her partner was arrested and extradited to Queensland, she found herself burdened with debt and two kids (Koda and Logan who is now five).

“It wasn’t long before I was evicted because I didn’t have enough to cover the rent,” she says.

“I stayed with a friend for several months, but couldn’t continue to impose. I was desperate and, after finding someone to look after Logan, ended up sleeping with Koda in my car.”

Grace’s life started to turn around when Vinnies gave her transitional accommodation in its Young Parents Place, where she stayed until a permanent home was found.

“Vinnies did everything for me,” she says.

“I got food, clothing and help while studying business administration. It brought stability to my life and, through counselling services, I began to build up my personality again. I’m a lot more resilient now.”

Today Grace’s household is filled with the normal sounds you’d expect with two young, energetic boys bouncing around. And to top it all off she has found a full-time job – with the ACT Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services.

“People don’t realise how hard it is. I tried to survive and I did,” says Grace.

Know a CEO who would like to sign up to the 2011 St Vincent de Paul CEO Sleepout, or want to donate to Canberra’s homeless population? Visit www.ceosleepout.org.au.

To France for a brave uncle

WIDOWED father of three, Private James Thomas Cranston, of the 38th Battalion, died in action on World War I’s Western Front on July 23, 98.

“He was a butcher before he enlisted and he left to go to France three days before Christmas,” Cranston’s great great niece Ketinia McGowen told “CityNews”.

“He had curly red hair and three daughters and when he died they were all under the age of six.”

Buried at the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, Cranston has not been forgotten and this Anzac Day Ketinia will be reciting John McRae’s poem “In Flanders Fields” at the Bullecourt community service there.

Australian soldiers retook Villers-Bretonneux from the Germans on April 24-25, 1918 and the walls of the Australian National Memorial alongside the cemetery are inscribed with the names of 10,771 Australian casualties of the battlefields of France who have no known grave.

The region annually commemorates Australia’s efforts in the war and a school was built in the town with funds raised by the children of Victoria.

By Eleri Harris

Canberra Girls Grammar School student Ketinia is excited about going to the Villers-Bretonneux service with her Year 12 French class.

“I’ve only ever been to ceremonies in Australia, so I have no idea what it will be like in France,” Ketinia, 17, said.

Ketinia’s class has made a wreath for Cranston, which they will bring with them on their two-week European trip, to lay at the bilingual wreath-laying ceremony in VillersBretonneux at the Monument aux Morts in the town square.

Speaking fluent French, thanks to her Lebanese mother, Ketinia comes from a military family; her father Marc McGowan served for 28 years in the Australian armed forces and her grandfather in World War II.

Marc researched Melbourneborn Cranston’s history at the Australian War Memorial and is pleased his daughter has the opportunity to pay respects for the family.

“This guy was one of three brothers, all three brothers enlisted and he was the only one who was killed and the last to enlist in December, 1917,” Marc said.

“His brothers enlisted in 1915

and 1916; one of them was seriously wounded, but they both came home. His wife died about a year before he enlisted and his daughters were brought up by his parents.”

Marc says it is a mystery why a widower and father would have enlisted to fight in the war initially dubbed the “War to End all Wars”.

“Ketinia and I were talking about what would make him go,” Marc says.

“He had three girls under five. Why would he do that?”

Ketinia says Cranston’s Bible and medal were sent back to Australia, his sister signed for them at the post office, but they have since been lost.

The traditional Dawn Service and National Ceremony will be held on Anzac day at the Australian War Memorial on Monday, April 25. More information at www.awm.gov. au/commemoration/anzac/

briefly

Function centre retires

THE Gold Creek Homestead Function Centre has closed after 33 years. The site will be redeveloped into a retirement village.

Snapper scores in Vegas

CANBERRA photographer Dan O’Day has been placed second and third in awards at the Wedding and Portrait Photographers International Awards of Excellence in Las Vegas.

Concert for red Cross

THE Queanbeyan Red Cross has been given $4580, the proceeds of a charity concert at The Q theatre last month, for the Red Cross Disaster Appeal, to assist victims of the floods and cyclones across Australia.

mum in the city Has Pru lost the bottle plot?

By sonya Fladun

HAS Pru lost the plot? I’m referring to politician Pru Goward’s appalling attack on new mum and Sydney radio personality Jackie O.

Jackie had been photographed by the paparazzi feeding her infant daughter Kitty with a bottle while walking across a pedestrian crossing.

When the photo appeared in the press, talkback radio flared up and the newly appointed NSW Minister for Community Services and Women couldn’t help herself.

Goward weighed into the debate, declaring that Jackie had recklessly endangered her baby and compared the new mother’s actions to those of the late Michael Jackson, who infamously dangled his infant son Blanket over the balcony of four-storey hotel in 2002.

For good measure Goward, a former Federal sex discrimination commissioner, added that Jackie O had been “unnecessarily cavalier” and that no parent “or hardened feminist” could think it was a good way to feed a baby.

It may be that Goward, a mother of three daughters, has forgotten some of the practical realities of feeding bubs. New-born babies require feeding somewhere between every one to three hours. Sure, it would be nice to sit down in the comfy rocking chair and enjoy some quality time with your baby, and no doubt Jackie O manages that much of the time. But life doesn’t stop when we have a baby. Actually, it speeds up. We all have to do what needs to be done, and for generations, babies have been fed on the run – by mums racing around doing housework, tending to other children, at work, doing the shopping or whatever.

And what mum couldn’t identify with Jackie’s description of the so-called “incident”: “I’ll be the first to admit it is not the most ideal place,’’ she told her radio audience from her home, where she now works. “We were running late and Kitty was screaming and I knew I had to feed her because, you know, what else can you do? When your baby’s hungry, your baby’s hungry and I pulled out my express bottle and I fed her... whilst walking.”

Often circumstances are not ideal. But who really thinks that carrying a bub across a pedestrian crossing with a bottle in his or her mouth is an irresponsible risk? Perhaps the real danger would have been if Jackie O had carried and fed her baby somewhere between a politician and a microphone.

Get real, I say.

Here comes the mighty Cotter!

THREE months behind, but rising fast in the clear autumn skies; the behemoth that is the new Cotter dam, plagued by the summer rains, is making solid progress with excavation almost complete and the dam wall, as SILAS BROWN’S picture shows, almost prepared and ready for concrete reinforcement.

The flow of concrete will proceed for 24 hours a day, seven days a week until the end of the year – weather permitting. The new dam will increase Canberra’s water supply by 35 per cent and ensure the city’s water security for at least the next 25 years.

IS THERE A PLACE FOR RELIGION IN OUR SCHOOLS?

says MICHAEL MOORE and while we’re at it, remove the Christian chaplains

“FREEDOM = the distance between church and state”, reads a bumper sticker that makes its way around Canberra.

The re-emergence of the influence of religion in government decision making is a cause for real concern.

Religious groups should be in a position to put their perspective to members in the same way that so many other lobbyist groups do. Such an approach is just part of a healthy democratic process and, while I disagree with much of the intolerant notions put forward by the Australian Christian Lobby with regard to a woman’s right over her own fertility, gay marriage and homosexual law reform, I respect the right in an open democracy to present those views.

The separation of church and state should also apply to government schools.

When Liberal MLA Alistair Coe rose recently in the Legislative Assembly to sing the praises of the Scripture Union, he raised a number of serious questions about the separation of church and state.

Of course, as an MLA he can raise and speak on what ever issue he wishes particularly as he was speaking on this topic in the adjournment debate.

According to Coe: “SU ACT is the largest provider of chaplaincy services in the ACT, with school chaplains in the participating schools providing guidance to not only students but families and staff on a regular basis.

“Chaplains at the schools complement the work done by the pastoral care coordinators, counsellors, psychologists and student services currently engaged at schools. Together, they provide a solid foundation for caring and supportive school communities in ACT schools”.

No they do not!

Such chaplains come from a Christian perspective and work from a Christian philosophy. They might provide a “solid foundation for supportive school communities” for some. However, it is highly unlikely that they do so for Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Shintoists or for atheists. And, as illustrated by the intolerant lobbying practices of the Australian Christian Lobby, what kind of support could be expected for homosexual people?

What are Christian chaplains doing

in secular schools at all? Why are they attempting to displace the role of secular counsellors or school psychologists with religious advisors?

Coe says: “In 2006 the Federal Government, led by John Howard, established the national school chaplaincy program” and then adds, “I commend Prime Ministers Rudd and Gillard for continuing the program, and I hope funding can be secured well into the future.”

I hope it will not – there is no place for specific religious approaches in our government schools – it flies in the face of separation of church and state!

Coe has drawn the attention of the Government to this anomaly from the Howard years and has named the 30 Government schools in the ACT where the Scripture Union provides chaplaincy services. Now it is time for the ACT Government, the Minister for Education and his Department to return our Government schools to being secular schools.

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

yes

IN John Howard’s recent book “Lazarus Rising” he was interviewed by a young journalist who reportedly asked what the significance was of using the name “Lazarus”.

A slightly shocked Howard had to explain to them the story from the Bible of the man who Jesus famously raised from the dead. It seems that even some our best and brightest do not have the faintest idea about foundational narratives of Australian culture.

Recently, I asked a friend who teaches at a public primary school what her class was doing for Easter. She informed me that although she would love to do something, she was not going to, simply because she knew the school would not approve.

No bunnies, no chocolate, and certainly no mention of Jesus or a cross.

This is not an uncommon scene

says NICK JENSEN, especially at Easter

either, more and more schools are simply choosing not to celebrate the few festivals that the majority of Australians recognise.

It seems that the risk of offending a single parent is reason enough for any school to drop several millennia of tradition, despite the inescapable fact that our society is built on a Judeo-Christian heritage, and that these stories give meaning to the very values we are trying to teach.

The Easter story and its message of love, sacrifice and forgiveness is one that everyone should hear at least once.

In fact, it is out of Biblical narratives such as these that moves came to abolish slavery, grant universal suffrage, develop hospitals and even form unions.

The values of equality, dignity and freedom found in our culture likewise have a lot to do with the historical background we have come from.

Some may not mind that Christian traditions are being removed, but may be shocked to hear what else is going under the premise of not offending: No longer is my teacher friend even celebrating Father’s Day with her class, as there is a student who has two mothers who might be offended by such an event.

Slowly but surely, this is the road we are walking, where a “diverse and tolerant” society means that our foundational values are being eroded.

It is all well and good that schools may decide to play it safe and simply focus on reading and writing; sooner or later however, these students may not have anything to read or write about.

Nick Jensen is the ACT director of the Australian Christian Lobby.

Squad springs into action

By Eleri Harris

“LITTERING is bad for the environment and we want to stop it,” Year Four representatives from Chapman Primary School’s “Enviro Squad” say.

The Enviro Squad, a hand picked crew of sustainability spies are the coalface for Canberra non-profit SEE-Change, launching their 2020 Vision pilot project this month.

Challenging Territory students to share their dream of a sustainable city through art, video, poetry, song, drama and the written word, Vision 2020 will take what the Enviro Squad are learning about their school and apply it to our capital at large.

Supported by the ACT Departments of Environment and Education, not to mention a host of well-trained volunteers, SEE-Change executive officer Naomi Wynd says the pilot project will be introduced into 20 schools of all varieties; public, private, primary, high and college.

“What a lot of schools are doing is really concentrating on the footprint of the school itself, which is wonderful,” Wynd says.

“The 2020 Vision project, however, is trying to motivate the children to think a bit more broadly. Perhaps their lifestyles at their home, what they eat, how they travel to and from school, more broadly about the Canberra community and how they see the city itself.”

Coined by SEE-Change chair Prof Bob Douglas, Wynd says the project aims to involve kids more in the development of a city they will inherit.

“We want to involve the kids more and more in planning for their own future and motivate them to think about the challenges ahead and how we might manage them, to pull out some of their creative ideas and to communicate them more broadly to our city.

“This project does have a focus around the ACT Government’s recent legislated target to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

“The ACT Government is leading the country in terms of its commitment to helping manage climate change and we’re lucky to be in a city that’s doing that, but to achieve it will require the support of all sectors in the community. This project is about just one sector; our city’s children and youth.”

Through government advocacy, teacher training workshops, the provision of resources and a roadshow drama performance, 2020 Vision is to be mostly run by volunteers with outstanding student entries to be included in the ACT Festi-

val of Young Ideas at the end of 2011.

“The new national curriculum that is coming into schools actually has a sustainability crosscurriculum perspective,” Wynd says.

“What that means is teachers must embed sustainability principles in all aspects of what they teach across all subjects, certainly this project will help teachers achieve that.”

Chapman Primary librarian and resident waste, water and energy expert Tracy Foggett is happy to support the project.

“Kids have to own it,” Foggett says.

“[2020 Vision] will build on their enthusiasm because they like the being-in-charge aspect and as they gett through school I think they see they are the ones who have to be caring about the environment, because they’re the next lot of adults.

“I think it’s a great idea and they value the importance of it.”

For more information about SEE-Change’s 2020 Vision visit www.see-change.org.au

Health issues hepatitis alert

A PUBLIC health alert has been issued for people who have eaten at the Aladdin Indian Restaurant, Manuka, between March 3 and March 21.

A food handler who worked at the restaurant, while unknowingly infectious, had been diagnosed with hepatitis E, said ACT acting chief health officer, Dr Paul Kelly.

There was no vaccine or other forms of prevention for hepatitis E.

While the risk of transmission was very low, Dr Kelly urged anyone who ate at the restaurant during that period to seek prompt medical attention if they developed symptoms of hepatitis.

“The food handler ceased working as soon as symptoms appeared and there is no current risk of infection from the restaurant,” Dr Kelly said.

“Restaurant management and staff have been extremely co-operative in this investigation,” Dr Kelly said symptoms usually developed 15 to 60 days after exposure to the virus and it was possible that patrons could develop symptoms until late May.

“Typical signs and symptoms of hepatitis include loss of appetite, abdominal pain and tenderness, nausea and vomiting, fever, dark urine and yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice),” he said.

Hepatitis E was uncommon in Australia and generally caused inflammation of the liver, though normally resolved on its own without treatment, Dr Kelly said.

More information on Hepatitis E at www. health.act.gov.au/factsheets or by calling the Health Protection Service Communicable Disease Information line on 6205 2155 during business hours.

Little Lily’s last big

You can’t help but admire the tenacity of aspiring Canberra rugby union player Lily Pearson, says TIM GAVEL

LILY PEARSON’S battle to play the game she loves has taken her all the way to the top; to the hallowed corridors of the Dublinbased International Rugby Board.

In fact, the Lily Pearson story has some of the ingredients of the great gender equality campaigns that are still taking place in many sports.

All Lily wanted to do was continue playing rugby union beyond the under 12s in the ACT Junior Rugby Union competition. She had played four seasons with distinction with her team the UniNorths Owls; playing in three grand finals and a semi-final. She didn’t miss a game through injury or illness, she was nominated in the trial squad for ACT Schools, played prop and second row.

Her coach, Joe Hedger, had no doubts about her ability, describing her as “one hell of a player”. Others described her as one of the most physical players in the competition.

The problem: She was the only girl playing in a team with boys. Beyond the under 12s, the laws preclude girls from playing rugby union under the mixed-gender guidelines. She was told she couldn’t play in boys’ teams anymore despite being more than physically capable. The argument against girls playing in mixed-gender competitions beyond 12 years of age relate, amongst other issues, to the physical difference between boys and girls.

The next obvious step would be to play this

season in the under 13 girls’ competition. The only problem is that no such pathway exists with no girls’ rugby competitions in the ACT.

Under the current rules Lily will have to now wait until she is 18 before she can play rugby union because that is the age she has to be to play in the senior women’s competition.

Demonstrating the same tenacity as she displayed when packing down in the front row, Lily took her fight to the Australian Rugby Union who again presented Lily with the “no-room-to-move” policy on playing in boys’ competitions beyond the under 12s. Not to be dissuaded Lily took her campaign for an exemption, given her extraordinary circumstances, to the world governing body for the sport, the International Rugby Board in Ireland. The IRB is not an organisation that normally moves on any issue with haste.

The IRB quickly rejected her request. Needless to say, Lily is now looking for another sport to play.

Surely, if a girl is physical enough to handle it with the boys and is prepared to take whatever is dished out by her male counterparts or is physical enough to play in the senior women’s competition, there should be grounds for an exemption?

It comes at a time when Australia should be trying to get as many women as possible involved in the sport with women’s Rugby 7s part of the Olympic Games from 2016.

Hopefully, by the time she is 18, Lily Pearson still has the desire to play rugby union.

Would-be rugby union player Lily Pearson... “I’ll keep training with the boys for as long as I can.” Photo by Silas

kick at goal

‘I feel a bit frustrated’

By Kathryn Vukovljak

AS the only girl playing rugby union in a team with boys, Lily Pearson has had to face a tough call – that she’s no longer allowed to play the sport until she’s 18.

“I feel a bit frustrated,” says Lily. “I don’t feel they’ve thought of an alternative. It just doesn’t seem practical for me to have to stop playing at 12 then start again at 18. You’d be a different person if you just completely stopped playing and then started again after all that time.

“My plan is definitely to play when I’m 18 and, in the meantime, I’ll keep training with the boys for as long as I can.

“I’ve also started refereeing for my brother’s age group, the under-10s. So I’m hoping that will help to keep up my knowledge of the game.”

Lily says she understands the reasons behind the rule, but wishes that the gap between her having to stop and being able to play again wasn’t so large.

“I think I have the stamina to play with the boys for at least another year or so, but I know that I probably won’t get much bigger than this while they will keep growing,” she says.

“But I wish the women’s team could lower the age group to 16 or 17, just so I wouldn’t have to wait so long.”

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

dose of dorin

letters

The wrong way with MyWay

THE MyWay [bus ticket] system is already proving itself less efficient than the old system.

Not only do we now have to swipe in and out, but there are now even fewer places to recharge your MyWay card. Do it online, you say? I did.

Last Thursday. It’s now Monday and my card still hasn’t had the money credited. BPay usually happens overnight or within two days. Action Buses will tell you five days. What utter, bloody rubbish!

That comment may be worthy of the NSW public transport system, but it’s not good enough for Canberra. We are a city of spin doctors and we know bulldust when we hear it. Let’s see some “action”, Action, and get the MyWay system working the same as for any other business and get more retail outlets open, or get rid of this inefficient system – and cut the bull, you just aren’t good at it.

trevor Melksham, via email

In praise of D’Browes

HAVING recently enjoyed lunch at D’Browes with four colleagues, I must take issue with [food reviewer Wendy Johnson’s] criticisms (“When looking good isn’t always enough”, CN, March 31). Our group consists of five reasonably experienced diners and none of us found fault with the food.

If the food was as bad as you say, then surely before passing judgement you would have made a return visit to confirm or correct first impressions. (I believe this practice is not uncommon

with food critics. After all, even the best restaurants can have a bad day.)

Furthermore, Damien at D’Browes seems to be able to retain his many loyal customers and this would suggest that his food is consistently good.

I must also take issue with your reliance on “My Kitchen Rules” to make a somewhat guarded criticism of a scallop dish. As you would be aware, food appreciation is very judgmental and part of making that judgement involves an understanding of the philosophy of the particular restaurant. Damien has a particular philosophy that may not be to everyone’s tastes, but it is certainly successful.

John Hanson, via email

(Editor’s note: Ms Johnson’s review was not based on a single visit. She had been to the restaurant before)

Too many lights

SAVING energy is important and carbon taxes and emissions reduction are headlines in the news everyday. However, as I drive to and from my townhouse in Swinger Hill each day, I see six storeys of fluorescent light bulbs turned on day and night in the 90-per-cent-vacant, new Woden Hospital car park.

I can’t understand why the lights on the uppermost five floors aren’t shut off at all times. And I cannot understand why the lights are on in the daytime at all.

a ngela Hook, swinger Hill

Too many judge-alone trials

THERE has been a growing disquiet in the community about the increase in judge-alone trials in the ACT.

Statistics demonstrate that we have the highest rate of judge-alone trials in Australia, with more than half the trials between 2004 and 2008 proceeding as judge-alone trials at the accused’s election.

This was not the intention behind allowing this choice and, when introduced, it was envisaged that it would be used for matters involving complex and lengthy legal issues or explanation of a largely technical nature.

The legislation that allows for defendants to make this choice was modelled on SA legislation. Yet in that State, 2009 figures show only 4 per cent of trials in the District Court and 15 per cent of trials in the Supreme Court proceeded without a jury.

The use of this judge-alone choice that has developed in the ACT is not reflective of what the community wants, nor what the Government expected when legislating to allow for judge-alone trials. It does not reflect the practice in the judiciary.

To have more than half of all trials, and almost all trials relating to allegations of the most serious offences, murder, proceeding without the involvement of members of community through a jury warrants law reform.

Almost all trials involving the death of a person are proceeding without a jury. Likewise, 25 per cent of all judge-alone trials involved an allegation of a sexual nature. These two classes of offences are some of the most serious a member of our society can face.

The community expects to have a role to play in serving the function of the adminis-

Last week local barrister John Purnell SC argued there were dangers in the ACT Government’s proposal to deny criminal defendants the right to have serious offences of involuntary death or sex heard before a Supreme Court judge alone. Not so, says Attorney General SIMON CORBELL, figures show it’s time to revise the law

tration of justice through juries, and this is reasonable, in my view.

Participation of community members helps to ensure and encourage confidence in the criminal justice system.

Some critics of the reforms the Government is putting before the Legislative Assembly cite the inflexibility of the proposed provisions in providing a blanket exclusion – with no option for a judge-alone trial – as a danger.

Presumably the perceived danger relates to issues surrounding the fair trial of an accused, particularly in circumstances where there has been adverse pre-trial publicity.

We have always had to manage that risk as a small jurisdiction, and the risk is there regardless of whether a trial proceeds with a jury or by judge alone.

Australian case law supports the proposition that it is extremely difficult to convince a court to grant a permanent stay of a criminal

sam’s the man when it comes to smart phones

MARK PARTON’s conversion to iPhone tragic was fast and furious

I CAN remember bagging the iPhone when it was originally released; I had a tech head by the name of Sam come on my radio program and try to sell the virtues of the new phone to me. He failed. “Why would I even want to access the internet from my phone?” I said.

Sam tried patiently to explain, but he couldn’t win. I was a cranky, old baby boomer frightened to embrace change declaring that I would never own an iPhone and slamming all those self-absorbed geeks who choose to have their lives ruled by a hand-held device.

Sam said I may eat my words one day. I told him he was “dreamin’.”

Last year, when upgrading my mobile, some smooth-talking phone consultant at Telstra talked me into an iPhone. I’m still not sure how he did it, but within a week, it arrived at my house and my world changed.

I love it. It’s all about text messages with instant photos. I’ve ditched my hard copy diary because I don’t need one anymore. After rejecting GPS systems in my car for years, suddenly I’m finding my way around via the GPS on the phone.

I thought I was a social media fanatic before the iPhone, but it’s crazy now. Twitter and Facebook are getting a hammering all day long. Live scores at the football and cricket, the weather radar and the latest TAB odds; they’re all on the

iPhone at the touch of a button. There are no more paper shopping lists or “to do” lists at my place – it’s all on the iPhone.

And it saves money!

Applications such as What’s App and Tango and Viber allow you to talk almost endlessly to other iPhone users anywhere in the world for free.

I also use a cycle tracker application which maps and analyses my bike riding, which leads me to last week’s disaster.

I stopped at Hall on a midweek ride. I was resetting the cycle tracker as I wheeled the bike out to the road when I had one of those slow-motion “nooooo” moments. I dropped the iPhone!

I heard the glass crack. It’s only the back panel, but it’s seriously cracked. It’s clearly not going to last the 19 months still to go on the contract.

I went into one of those phone kiosk places at Westfield Belconnen and the consultant told me I could get the back panel replaced. (Hallelujah!) “But we’ll have to send it away to Sydney for a week.”

I took a step back.

“A whole week without my iPhone?” I said.

“No, I don’t think I can do that.”

I’ve patched it up and put a gel cover around it while I contemplate my next move, but that Sam guy who tried to talk up the iPhone in my studio…how right was he?

Mark Parton is the breakfast announcer on 2CC

trial as a result of adverse pre-trial publicity. Many legal commentators will say that there is no prejudice that the passage of time cannot remedy, but justice delayed can be justice denied.

To better safeguard against this possibility, particularly given the effect of the reforms, I intend to introduce further amendments aimed at restricting the publication of certain details of committal, coronial and pre-trial proceedings later in the year.

While John Purnell SC’s opinion piece, “Why judge-alone justice needs to stay” (CN, April 7), states “in theory, judges are supposed to use techniques that avoid irrational decisions...”, juries, too, are bound by the same principles.

The call for 12 members of the community to unanimously determine outcomes in criminal cases provides reassurance to the community with a greater likelihood of acceptance and respect for the verdict.

Sign heads for heritage listing

By Eleri Harris

THE Starlight Drive-In Cinema sign has renewed hope for restoration with a heritage application from Starlight apartment complex owner occupier Mick Motion-Wise.

Resident committee member and long-time Watson local, Motion-Wise has nominated the Starlight sign as a object of historic cultural value with the ACT Heritage Council.

His application argues the Starlight sign is an important piece of Canberra’s heritage and a significant emblem of Australia’s cinematic history as the only 1950s drive-in sign remaining on its original site.

Supported by recent “CityNews” pieces about the sign, newspaper articles about the cinema going back 55 years, building documents, video footage, photographs and a 1960s tourist poster including the sign, MotionWise is confident there is a case to have Starlight’s sign registered as a heritage object.

Due to meet next in June, the council has a backlog of nominations a decade old, but ACT Heritage say, with a good case and a solid sack of primary evidence, Starlight could be recognised as a place of significance in Canberra’s heritage within a year.

open@easter

Make the most of a (very) long weekend

AS the mellow hues of autumn descend over the Canberra region, this year’s long Easter break serves as the last languid moment before the cold weather takes hold.

And with the addition of the Anzac Day holiday, this year there will be plenty of time to spend with family, to share the company of friends, to eat out and to indulge a little.

In this special feature, “CityNews” highlights some of the great art, shopping and eating experiences available over the Easter holidays.

Beanies in super-cute styles

WITH winter starting to creep in, it’s time to stock up on cute beanies for the kids, says Iain Eaton, owner of Bliss Garden and Giftware, at Pialligo,

“If you buy one Toshi beanie we’re offering a second half-price,” he says. “We have heaps of super-cute styles and patterns to choose from so even your fussiest little fashionistas will be pleased.”

And for the lounge room, Bliss has some super-soft machine-knitted throw rugs and matching cushions in “in yummy, warm autumn colours to get you feeling relaxed and cosy in no time,” says Iain.

“We also have some stunning Cyclamen in beautiful little pots that go really well with them,” he says. “It’s a lovely flowering indoor plant that will brighten up the home as we head into the winter months.”

Bliss, at 8 Beltana Road, Pialligo, will be closed Good Friday, but open on Easter Saturday (9am-5pm), Easter Sunday (10am-4pm), Easter Monday/Anzac Day (midday-5pm), and the Anzac Day public holiday on Tuesday (10am-4pm).

Braidwood arts on display

EASTER weekend sees the eighth annual Braidwood Regional Arts Group Members’ Exhibition in Braidwood.

BRAG’s large membership covers writers, poets, musicians, filmmakers, sculptors, metal-workers, painters, jewellers, textile artists, woodworkers and more. BRAG works with Braidwood Central School, so members of “Young BRAG” can also debut their artistic stuff.

There are two innovations this year – “Meet the Artist” will have some BRAG members available to talk about their work on Easter Saturday. Also, the BRAG shop will sell textile art, ceramics, glass, books, cards, CDs and craft items.

Enjoy a trip to Braidwood over the weekend for lunch, then visit the exhibition which will be open all Easter weekend, meet the artist, buy an artwork or two

and vote for your favourite art work – the artists whose works receive the most vote by the visitors will receive one of the awards sponsored by the Braidwood Design Studio, the McLeod Gallery, Riffs + Rants Music and Art Store and generous BRAG members.

More information at www.braidwoodnsw.com and www.bragart.com.au

Customers are biting at the

“I’M trying to bring Batemans Bay to Canberra!” says Brendon Sedaitis, owner of the recently opened Fish Shack in Petrie Plaza.

“It’s my mission to create the perfect seafood basket – even if you go to places in Bondi or Manly you often get served frozen fish,” he says. “We have genuine, fresh fish and everything is prepared in house. I’m trying to avoid buying in any processed products.”

A vibrant, lively, warm and appealing place, Brendan says he hopes that the Fish Shack will bring Petrie Plaza back to life.

“Since the Shack opened, business has been fantastic, particularly at lunchtimes,” he says. “We have 30 seats outside, there’s music playing and we’re in a great location, so we’ve been flat out every day.”

He also says he’s selling good coffee at $3, or $3.50 for a large. “It’s already got a great reputation and we have a nice, regular clientele,” he says. “We’re also getting loyalty cards, where if you buy four you get one free.”

With winter approaching, Brendan says he’ll put more focus on to takeaway, well-priced salads and a snack menu.

The Fish Shack, 105 Petrie Plaza, off Bunda Street, Civic

Shack

Tuggeranong cafe with a difference

LOCATED on the ground floor of the Tuggeranong Hyperdome, Borneo Cafe is a busy, upbeat cafe with friendly and efficient staff who are happy to cater for any need – “all you have to do is ask!” according to owner Kate Rogers.

“We’re different from other cafes in Tuggeranong because we offer an all-day breakfast menu, gourmet affordable lunches, fresh locally roasted ONA coffee and premium, yummy coffees made by specialist baristas,” she says.

“We have a huge range of fresh coffee beans, coffee machines and equipment for the aspiring home barista, too.”

Kate says there is also a great range of speciality cakes, muffins and cookies for afternoon tea. Borneo is open from 7am-5pm daily, 8am-5pm Saturdays and 9am-5pm Sundays.

Borneo Cafe, Shop 58, Tuggeranong Hyperdome, Cnr Anketell & Reed Streets, Tuggeranong. Call 6162 0991

Soothe away the stresses

SOOTHE away the stresses of modern life with a luxurious treatment that can “dissolve impurities and heal your body”, according to Chom Thidhi, owner of Thai Bliss Therapeutic Massage, Civic.

“We have a wonderful hot herbal compress that uses traditional herbs and medicine from Thailand, that can reduce inflammation and remove any built-up toxins,” she says. “It’s a traditional Thai therapy that soothes muscle tension, stiffness and energises the body with a massage of your choice.”

Chom says that the stone massage treatment is also popular. “It’s an ancient massage technique using warm stones heated in oil to ground the body and restore vitality.

“The healing stones combine all the benefits of thermotherapy with gliding massage strokes,” she says. “We end with a face and scalp massage to relieve anxiety and emotional exhaustion.”

Thai Bliss Therapeutic Massage also offers other treatments including traditional Thai and Swedish massage and reflexology.

Open seven days a week from 10am-10pm.

Shop 2, Childers Square, 14 Childers Street, Civic. Call 6262 9297

INDIAN restaurant Delhi 6, named for the capital of India and its six suburbs, will be open over the Easter weekend, says owner Pradeep Arora.

“We have very authentic, traditional cuisine, both north and south Indian dishes, including our most popular menu item, phali, which is a combination of different dishes including naan and pickles,” he says.

The Civic restaurant offers a lunch combo in “vegetarian” and “non-vegetarian” for $9.90, which comprises a box of half-rice, half-curry and naan bread, says Pradeep.

The restaurant is open Monday to Friday for lunch, and Monday to Saturday for dinner.

Delhi 6, 14 Childers Street, Civic. Call 6248 7171

‘Outnumbered’ for Mother’s

“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

At Prail Lawyers one year celebration, Civic

skills and training

skills and where

Looking to update your knowledge, upgrade your skills or learn a whole new recreational skill set? Staying ahead of the game is important to help you enter any new career phase with confidence, and high-quality training is the best way to do this.

PROFESSIONAL

Practical, real-world learning program

WISDOM’S Vocational Graduate Certificate in Management (Learning) is a practical post-graduate program developed and delivered by “real world”, experienced learning and development practitioners, according to a spokesman.

Since its inauguration, Canberra’s multi-award winning RTO Wisdom Learning has attracted participants from across Australia who have successfully completed this qualification through face-toface delivery or Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), he says.

“In addition to continuing to offer it through the face-to-face and RPL options, Wisdom will soon offer this qualification through distance learning via their mywisdom online learning space,” he says. “This will enable participants to engage in their learning journey via the convenience of their computer to learn at a time, pace and place that suits while still being supported by facilitators who tailor the learning to meet individual needs.”

And the feedback is good: David Kemp, a course graduate in January last year wrote: “I would like to say how pleased I am that I went with Wisdom because of how you managed this and your high level of knowledge of the subject areas. You are a role model for contemporary VET practice. I thoroughly enjoyed undertaking the recognition process.”

Wisdom will be exhibiting at the AITD conference and is offering a discount to participants who register for this qualification during April. Call 6257 8588 or email info@wisdomlearning. com.au.

Whether you want to start vocational training, kick-start your career or retrain in a new field, “CityNews” has gathered together the top professional and recreational training facilities in Canberra to help you make an informed choice.

Not just teaching – it’s about

work

“IT’S not just about competency,” says Christine Jarrett, from Distance Learning Australia.

“It’s certainly about teaching people to be competent; better than competent, it’s about learning how to use a computer, or getting that business diploma or whatever, but it’s about more than that. Engaging on several levels.

“We want to bring out the talents that our students innately possess,” says business manager Peter Robinson. “You are what you do in this world – what job you have, how you earn money, is an important part of someone’s identity. And people achieve more professionally and personally if their inclinations are brought out.”

DLA has training arrangements with businesses, as well as publicly available courses in Canberra and elsewhere.

Christine says that the face-to-face and online teaching methods in Canberra and predominantly online across Australia and into the Asia Pacific gets the balance about right.

“On a given day we might be teaching basic computer skills to people with disabilities in this office and also have people getting their Diploma of Management online,” she says. “Actually, often the most rapport develops online. The virtual classroom is also a great format for clients to make contact with others in the same field.”

Another current project involves assisting Aboriginal people in remote WA communities to start a business. This is done in person and again involves facilitating the development of a business idea that developed organically.

DLA has been operating for more than 10 years and offers a large range of courses in many areas at different levels. But the common theme is employment. “It’s about work, work and work,” says Christine.

More information at www.dla.edu.au, email dla@dla.edu.au, call 6262 2964 or visit suite 108A, 49 Phillip Avenue, Watson.

to get Canberra’s best in training

THERAPUTIC

Massage a way to a new way of life

COMPLEMENTARY therapy is a major emerging industry, according to Luciana Todd, managing director of Om Shanti college, Griffith.

“In fact, it’s the largest-growing industry at the moment, and it’s only just beginning,” she says. “The most well-known complementary therapy is massage, and Om Shanti offers a range of courses for anyone who wants to learn this skill.

“If anyone is unhappy with their job, they can starts a new life as a massage therapist in as little as 12 weeks full-time, or a year part-time.”

Luciana says that Om Shanti offers Certificate 4 in Massage Therapy, and also a Diploma of Remedial Massage.

“We have a large amount of graduates who have started their own clinics around town, and others who have travelled the world or worked on cruise ships,” she says.

“We are also seeing an emergence of public servants who want to start a new life, because they can’t bear the idea of another restructure.

“Another group we’re seeing a lot of is nurses and health professionals looking to add another string to their bow.”

Om Shanti College, 2a Barker Street, Griffith Shops. Call 6295 2323

IMAGE

Feeling empowered and confident

WITH 26 years experience, Lizzie Wagner says she continues to educate, captivate and inspire the young and the mature of Canberra and Australia.

“My aim is to touch all subjects that are important to men and women today,” she says.

International keynote speaker Lizzie lectures globally on face-to-face negotiation skills, selfawareness and successful follow-up strategies.

“It is important that one feels empowered and confident within themselves,” she says. The “Beauty and Bubbles” course, a new addition to the Lizzie Wagner Group, teaches image and presentation, how to style yourself like the stars, etiquette, self-awareness and human relations, and to learn how to “flair” yourself with fashion.

To complement Lizzie’s “Beauty and Bubbles” is her new “nationally successful” all-natural aromatherapy skin-care range.

Lizzie says she is focusing on her three-week Indigenous Empowerment Program held throughout the NT. Her focus is on the women practicing self-awareness and developing self-esteem.

She flies nationally and internationally promoting her book on business and social etiquette. The book focuses on protocols and dining procedures, she says.

Lizzie says she uses all her resources in continuing to provide Canberra with high-end training, coaching, talent and events services.

More information on 6299 8328 or at www. lizziewagner.com.au

RECREATIONAL

Be creative, unleash the artist within

THIS term the Tuggeranong Arts Centre has some fresh experiences on offer, according to a centre spokesman.

“Thanks to ACT Government funding through Adult and Community Education, we are able to offer reduced prices for a number of courses, making them more accessible to the community,” he says.

Access your inner-healer with art therapist Jean Walker, explore and combine different techniques with professional artist Barak Zelig or enjoy an art trip through a favorite object with renowned Canberra artist Fatima Killeen.

“Be creative, unleash the artist within you, we have something to suit every taste,” he says.

“This term we also have drum lessons for adults and children, digital photography for kids, over-50s choir, men’s choir, children and teens

drama and a fabulous holiday workshop for kids aged nine to 14.”

More information on 6293 1443 or at www. tuggeranongarts.com

Workshop for crafters to make ‘stuff’

SARAH Ryan has moved to Canberra from Melbourne with her husband, AIS rower Matt, and is setting up the workshop room at Benedict House in Queanbeyan to make “stuff”, she says.

“I’m collecting retro materials and craft patterns from old magazines to broaden ideas for making hand and machine-sewn items,” she says. “Scarves, children’s toys and homewares are all part of the workshops where crafters are encouraged to follow their own styles.

“There will be lots of guidance and sharing of ideas, resources, and stockists of all things crafty and retro. Coffee and cake are also essential to the social morning where children are most

welcome.”

This workshop is another extension of Kate Shelton’s many years of beading workshops at Benedict House and her desire to promote creative pursuits, says Kate.

“It’s all part of the larger picture, promoting local and regional artists, selling local fresh produce, baking fresh cakes daily, turning off the TV to allow time for ‘making’ and learning from those that have been before us.”

“The sense of accomplishment from making a simple hand-sewn item has no comparison to buying a cheap imported piece,” says Sarah. Benedict House, 39 Isabella Street, Queanbeyan. Call 6284 2868 or visit www.benedicthouse. com.au. Workshops begin May 5.

Passion and style, the Italian way

ON Sunday, April , the Lawns in front of Old Parliament House will be beset by the fine lines of more than 30 Italian cars and bikes as part of the 2th annual Auto Italia Canberra display.

WITH more than 15,000 spectators in 2010 – and more expected this year – Auto Italia is Canberra’s unique showcase of Italian automotive prowess.

Auto Italia Canberra provides an opportunity for owners to display their vehicles as well as the opportunity for the public to get up close to cars and motorbikes they rarely see, says John Michel, president of the Italian Cars Association, which organises the display.

“It’s a celebration of Italian automotive machinery – their design, their engineering, their style and most of all their passion,” he says.

“Anyone who owns an Italian car, motorbike or scooter is encouraged to take part. Auto Italia is not a concourse event and the vehicles on display will range from the pristine to daily drivers. The event’s aim is to get as many Italian cars, bikes and scooters in attendance and to ensure that everyone has an enjoyable time.

“Every vehicle has a story and every owner likes to tell it and share their passion.”

As well as local vehicles, many entrants will come from interstate and many of these make Auto Italia an annual pilgrimage.

All the Italian car manufacturers will be represented with a range of Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Maseratis, Alfa Romeos, Fiats and Lancias.

For 2011, Fiat is the featured marque with the Fiat 1500, 1800 and 2300 as the featured model celebrating the 60th anniversary of its release in 1961.

“While cars tend to be the main focus, Italy has produced a fabulous range of motorbikes, such as Ducatis, Moto Guzzis, Aprilias, MV Agustas and Cagivas,” says John.

“Scooters marques are also well represented including Vespa and Lambretta.”

The display is from 10am to 2.30pm. As well as the vehicles, there will be various food and coffee vendors.

“Auto Italia is a really good family day out for a picnic in a great location at a great time of the year,” says John.

Entry to Auto Italia is free to spectators. Car entrants pay $10 and motorbike and scooter entrants pay $5, which contributes to prizes and the cost of the event.

all about the arts

Festival that takes all kinds of folk endless flight of Leo sayer

arts in the city

WHEN it comes to exoticism, everything old is new again, or that’s how The National Folk Festival managing director Sebastian Flynn sees it.

The international explosion in world music has been so successful, he says, that many Anglo-Celts are looking closer to home for their newest musical discoveries.

So it’s exotic to be Irish, English or Scottish these days and that fits the 2011 festival theme “explore your own folklore”.

All this doesn’t mean that the upcoming 45th National Folk Festival, at Exhibition Park, won’t be eclectic. It certainly will, with folk, country, world, bluegrass, blues, multicultural and contemporary music all featured.

But with another explosion – an interest in the Irish culture scene at the National Museum’s “Not Just Ned” exhibition and the Canberra Museum and Gallery’s Sidney Nolan “Ned Kelly” series, the Irish music concert called “Sinners, Saints and Settlers” featuring Irish troubadour Andy Irvine and Queensland Celtic group Sunas hits the spot. Flynn and I are joined by artistic director David O’Neill, busy with last-minute preparations.

Last year they saw 55,000 people through the gates over Easter and this year they’re expecting more. It’s almost too popular. But they’re expanding all the time and this year their Anzac Day concert “For the Fallen” is a case in point.

Hosted by Peter J Casey, it features Eric Bogle, Ted Egan, Margaret Roadknight and our own Fred Smith, singing songs written recently in Afghanistan.

O’Neill is quick to tell me about some of his favourite things – a bunch of old hippies music historian Rob Willis is bringing into town from Nimbin and the weirdest of all, “Wayang Kelly”, a deliberate collision of cultures where an Adelaide group plays music for their shadow-puppet version of the Kelly gang story. There’s also the new “busk stop” where kids can perform at will.

And it’s not just about performing. With the financial input of the wider folk community, the biggest dance-floor in

Australia has been erected in the Fitzroy, so everyone can get up on their feet. There are workshops where you can study everything from blacksmithing to broom-making, including the provocatively titled flamenco workshop run by guitarist Andrew Veivers called “The Rhythm Method”.

So, it’s not bizarre enough for you?”

Try Mzaza, the Brisbane band that takes its music from Turkey, Spain, Bulgaria and Macedonia.

The National folk Festival, Exhibition Park, April 21-25. More information at www.folk.festival.asn.au, bookings to 1300 235849.

Arts editor HELEN MUSA catches up with an irrepressible singer with an undimmed passion for performing

IF you suggest to 62-year-old singer Leo Sayer that his 40th anniversary show is a blast from the past, you’ll get a blast.

“I don’t live in the past,” he tells me, with a few expletives thrown in, “it may be a nostalgia thing, but I never stopped… but I do appreciate many people are re-living a moment in their lives.” For him,

“Waterloo Sunset”, by British rock band The Kinks, takes him back to 1967 immediately.

British-born Sayer is used to performing before large crowds, so a Melbourne Zoo gig before 1000 people on the lawns was intimate. He was happy when an “old lady” fronted him with a Festival Hall program from 1975 and said: “You are better now than then”.

“Rock music isn’t just the fealty of the young,” Sayer says, pointing to Eric (Clapton), Elton (John) and Mick (Jagger). “We just get better, full stop.” Especially Clapton. “Eric is even better now than when we used to say ‘oh, f…k, look at that chord’ and if you hear him play ‘Layla’ now, it’s

much better than before.”

Sayer, whose forename was adopted because of his leonine hair (born Gerard Hugh Sayer, according to Wikipedia), attacks those who make music just for money, arguing that, in the long run, they won’t win out.

And his own motives? In his earliest days “we were just young boys who wanted to get laid… I don’t think we ever thought we were going to be multi-millionaires”.

He says he’s never thought seriously of doing anything else.

“I must put all my energy into records and performances… it has a ripple effect,” he says.

And of those girls he played for in his youth? “The older girls look pretty good to me”.

Sayer, who took citizenship in 2009, says his songs are all about his life. “I can carry on for ever. I’m in love with this job – and I get paid for it!” he says.

Leo Sayer, the Vikings Club, Saturday, April 30, bookings to www.vikings.com.au

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

Fernanda stars in Japanese aid show

arts in the city

Helen Musa

ONE of the most individualistic contemporary singers in Brazil, Fernanda Takai, is coming to town soon with her thrilling, intelligent music. Of mixed Japanese-Brazilian descent, she will headline the “All for Japan” benefit at The Playhouse at 8pm on April 19. Takai is known as the lead vocalist of alt-pop-rock band Pato Fu, and her solo album “Onde Brilhem Os Olhos Seus” has sold more than 80,000 copies in Brazil. Part of the proceeds will go to the Japanese Red Cross. Bookings to www.canberraticketing.com.au

MEANTIME at the ANU School of Art Gallery, “Japanese Design Today 100” is on until April 21. Cameras, a robot dog and a 1958 Subaru design modelled on the VW Beetle, are on display. The ambassador of Japan, Shigekazu Sato, says it “gives a substantial insight into Japanese urban culture today.”

LOCAL creative group the Allen Key Collective has an original musical about “mateship, secrets and the multi-cultural smorgasbord that was colonial Australia” coming to Tuggeranong Arts Centre from April 20-30. “Sanger Hill” is set in 1880, when three best mates, inventors of the sausage roll (of all things), have just arrived home from the Melbourne Cup. Music is by Andrew Hackwill and directing by Lainie Hart. Bookings to 6293 1443.

CHIEF Minister (and Arts) Minister Jon Stanhope has announced the first 15 recipients of $500 “Start-Up” grants for young artists. The recipients include abstract artist Fiona Little, Catherine Petocz, for a touring installation of interactive performance work and Fiona Kekkonen, for an overlocker to make sculptural artworks.

THE Minister has also announced the fifth round of “Poetry in ACTION,” which sees the work of local poets Paul Cliff, Charlotte Clutterbuck, P.S. Cottier, Suzanne Edgar, Susan Hampton, Robyn Lance and Isi Unikowski displayed on selected ACTION buses. Terrific, but why not do it year-round?

IT’S the most beautiful time of the year in town, so naturally it’s time for the Canberra and Region Heritage Festival, running until April 24 with more than 115 events. The festival theme is “Design”, so don’t be surprised to find design shows all around you. For details visit www. events.act.gov.au

CANBERRA Dance Theatre’s GOLD (Growing Old Disgracefully) project will present “Baroque Flock,” an informal dance work playing with bird imagery, Baroque dance and the marvels of maturity on April 17 at 3pm in Belconnen Arts Centre. Then, on April 20, young pianists from the studio of Marie Cull will perform Baroque and modern works in the Wesley Music Centre, Forrest, from 12.40 to 1.20pm. Entry is $2 or a paper note.

Farce from another time

FARCE is alive and well in Queanbeyan. The Q Theatre provided an excellent venue for Cooney’s well-paced comedy with all the trappings of humorous word play, mistaken identities, highly improbable situations and actors with a strong sense of timing.

The director ensured the production remained true to its origins and intent of displaying no “human insight” nor “social message”, but simply a night of fun in the most English of ways.

Meticulous set design by Brian Sudding provided the actors with the mandatory doors to open and close.

“Funny Money” is a slick production allowing for accomplished actors to extol the virtues of

THEATRE “Funny Money”

By Ray Cooney, directed by Robert De Fries, Queanbeyan City Council presentation, The Q, until April 23.

Reviewed by Joe Woodward

stage timing, very precise British Isles accents, the “double take”, the exaggerated exit and entrance. While some of the humour is anachronistic (eg. the 1950s-style gay jokes), “Funny Money” is a reassuring kind of theatre that makes no pretence and for that it has a kind of honesty and directness which speaks to local audiences living in a complex and changing world.

A bright side to the blues

THEATRE

“Café Rebetika”

Directed by Stephen Lloyd Helper for the Follies Company, at Street Theatre until April 16. Bookings to 6247 1223. Reviewed by Helen Musa

THIS story, advertised as a night of searing Greek blues or Rebetika, turned out to be a play in which each member of the cast could sing and dance, backed by a quietly sensitive Rebetika band as they sang their stories of love, violence, nostalgia and ephemeral pleasure.

The play is set in the Piraeus port café of a “Manga man” or spiv, Stavrakas, played with feeling by Tony Nikolakopoulos. His opposite number, the love of his life Areti, is played with tragic dignity by Jennifer Vuletic. Wisely the director has not changed sets, even when the location moves to a jail or the port. This gives ample scope for the drama and for the 20 fabulous Rebetika songs to be heard. Writerdirector Helper couches his play in a formal English dialogue to evoke the 1930 period of the action, during the Metaxas regime and in the shadow of the destruction of Smyrna. Sometimes the acting is a little stilted, but after interval, when the tragedy deepens, it becomes gripping. Each character is a little vignette quite as distinct from the other; Sophia Katos, as Fofo the young waitress at the café, stands out.

Street Theatre is to be congratulated on opening up such an unusual musical and theatre experience to us.

Celebrating the Rex’s mosaic mural

By arts editor Helen Musa

IN a terrific example of people power, the huge abstract expressionist mosaic mural at the entrance to the Canberra Rex Hotel, on Northbourne Avenue, has been preserved and restored.

Now the ANU School of Art is staging an exhibition, “Expansion”, which gives pride of place to the mosaic, completed in 1960 and eventually nominated as an “Object of Significance” on the ACT Register.

Designed by the late, celebrated, Australian artist Margo Lewers, also known for the Aubusson tapestry in the Reserve Bank of Australia’s boardroom, the mosaic, titled “Expansion”, was the centrepiece of a successful

campaign in 2002 to save the Rex Hotel.

Angry letters were written to the ACT Planning and Land Management, the ACT Heritage Council, and the press, urging that the 2.3mx12.3m mural be saved.

As a result, a plan was drawn up in consultation with Lewers’ daughters Tanya Crothers and Darani Lewers, to incorporate the mosaic into the new building.

That plan would have involved repairing the mural and moving it to a new location, but history intervened and the planned redevelopment never went ahead. Instead, in 2008 the hotel was sold to Wayne Gregory, of Golden Chain Motels, who with ACT Heritage, funded the conservation progress,

Joy as Germain learns to read

DESPITE losing three minutes’ running time en route to Australia, Jean Becker’s film adapted from Marie-Sabine Roger’s novel is a joy.

Middle-aged, barely-literate, lonely handyman Germain describes his parents’ relationship as quite long; about five minutes.

In a small French town, he lives in a caravan in his mother’s backyard. Bus driver Annette wants to bear his child. The local bar/café is his office, its regulars his chums. On a bench in the town square, he eats lunch and counts the pigeons.

Rough patches sometimes make big, bluff Germain’s life not always a happy one. Gerard Depardieu’s delivery of it is a tour de force.

This even tenor changes when an elderly lady comes to sit on the bench.

Retired WHO scientist Margueritte – clever, affectionate, charming, a fervent reader – teaches Germain to read. After she loses her sight, he will read to her. Gisele Casadesus, tiny, bright-eyed, quick-witted, from a

family notable in French music and theatre, plays Margueritte with energy defying her birth year of 1914!

Descriptors for this lovely little film include gentle, perceptive, humorous, compassionate, credible, superbly acted, with joyous linguistic vigour and structural imagination. None is an exaggeration.

At Dendy

“RIO”

COMING away from another film, I passed acquaintances who asked whether I thought their grandchildren would like this potboiler 3-D animation.

In a South American forest, while the grown-up birds are having a corroborree, a baby blue macaw gets bumped out of the nest, trapped, flown to snowy Minnesota and sold to a small girl who cherishes it deeply.

In adulthood, she and the bird, whom she calls Blu, live above her bookshop to which a stranger with a Latin-American accent comes with the news that Blu may be the only surviving male blue macaw but not to worry, they have found a girl blue macaw to have babies with him.

In Argentina, Jewel resents captivity. And she is scornful of Blu’s principal defect. He has lived indoors all his life and cannot fly. But he walks well.

This is the foundation for a minor story in which Blu and Jewel escape evil human and

avian bird smugglers during Carnival in Rio and Blu eventually gets his aviator’s wings. It’s colourful, noisy and vigorous. Cynics might regard it as time wasted. But children would consider it agreeable viewing. Of any age.

At all cinemas

“SuCKERPuNCH”

DELIVERING this macabre little opus, writer/director Zack Snyder’s imagination runs amok.

When 20-year-old Baby Doll (Australian Emily Browning) rejects her sexuallypredatory stepfather, he takes her to an institution where the predatory Blue (Oscar Isaac) keeps a stable of young women for gratifying men too ugly to get sex.

There, in a dance class run by psychiatrist Vera (Carla Guigino), Baby Doll meets four other young woman equally eager to escape. They don’t have much time. Baby Doll is to get lobotomised in five days.

Wearing clothes exposing not enough thigh or cleavage to be erotic, the girls entertain clients with dance routines involving hyper-violent fantasies.

Making “Suckerpunch” cost an estimated $US81 million. Films like it – mindless, with scant credibility, making no demands on intelligence – obviously have an audience, but I have difficulty working out why.

I object to films of any kind that disparage my intelligence. The best moments in “Suckerpunch” involve a B25 Mitchell bomber surviving damage from an aerobatic dragon attack that might have destroyed it in its World War II role.

At Dendy, Hoyts and Limelight

which has involved minute attention to the thousands of jagged broken tiles that make up the mosaic.

Prof David Williams, one of the leading figures in the campaign to save the artwork, described the restoration, which is recorded in the focus groups on display at the school of art as “a great Canberra story.”

This exhibition, curated by Gillian Mitchell, shows photographs of the mural, related domestic mosaics and other Canberra public art works by Margo and her husband, the sculptor Gerald Lewers.

“Expansion: The Ceramic Murals and Related Works” is at the ANU School of Art Foyer Gallery until April 16.

Mooching on Hungry strip

WE were mooching around the city when gnawing hunger pangs hit.

We happened to be walking past a strip of cafes that have been “on the scene” for a while in Garema Arcade, starting with the oldest of the lot, Gus’s, and including My café.

Seats were available at My café so we made a quick decision to have a bite there. The café has been around for a while and, I’m told, a change of hands is underway.

At My café the wraps and focaccia served with a salad on the side start at $7.90, open grills sit around $9.90, salads $11 to $12 and bigger meals up to $16.50.

The Jumbuck trim lamb tenderloins have

dining

Wendy Johnson

always been a favourite at the successful Manuka operation, which I admire for its ability to handle a steady stream of customers every day, all day (and night).

The meat is marinated in bush herbs and honey adding a special Aussie touch. So my decision on what to order was easy. My friend opted for a special – corn fritters with avocado, smoked salmon and a “spicy salsa”.

In my view, the dishes sounded better than they were presented or tasted and, I felt, weren’t up to Manuka standards.

The flavours were right with my lamb, but the meat seemed slightly tough, the salad underneath drowning in dressing and the

super coffee, smiling staff

THE city is bursting with funky coffee shops these days and anyone who says you can’t get a great cup of coffee in Canberra needs to have their head examined (and that includes reviewers from interstate).

Tonic espresso, corner Bunda and Mort Streets, is one little hot spot to visit for a caffeine hit. They don’t serve breakfast or lunch, but cute cakes and a yummy-looking, fudgy-type brownie. Our coffee was super, the staff full of smiles and the mural featuring flying pigs delightful.

We sat outside on a large wooden communal table enjoying the beautiful weather and a

tomatoes not nearly ripe enough for my liking.

My friend found the corn fritters to be chewy and slightly burnt, but they came with a generous portion of salmon. The salsa was big chunks of tomato and Spanish onion with bits of basil and no spice that we could taste. What was firey hot – almost red-pepper style – was the sauce served in a separate dish. We thanked the cafe for keeping it to the side.

We were perturbed by the pile of dirt on the floor near the display cabinet and feel the place could use a good scrub. We were also uncomfortable with the piece of broken glass in the cabinet underneath some of the food offerings.

My café (city), Garema Arcade, open seven days.

shed where champions grow

By Kathryn Vukovljak

TRAINING out of a small, sweatysmelling garage in Gowrie hasn’t held back three of the ACT’s top young kickboxers Ben Edwards, Josh Tonna and Ben Reid, who all had wins at the recent “Capital Punishment 3” tournament in Rydges Lakeside.

“It doesn’t matter where you train, it’s how badly you want it,” says Josh. “We don’t have the best facilities but we work with what we’ve got.”

The boys, who are part of the Bulldog Gym team, work out in their trainer, Jamie McGauig’s, garage and all compete in fights across Australia and internationally.

They all say the sport is great for self-esteem and confidence.

“It helps you feel good about yourself, and gives you the courage to try new things,” says Ben Edwards, who fights professionally.

“I love training with the boys, they’re my best mates, and I love the fitness it gives me,” adds Ben Reid. “I’ll be honest, I’m an aggressive person so this is a good outlet for me. It’s good discipline; it takes your mind off everything.”

Ben Edwards says he plans to open a gym this year, but all the boys say they will miss the shed.

“It’s onwards and upwards; it’s time to move to a real gym,” says Ben. “But we’ve come a long way in the shed!”

‘Magic space’ high among the eucalypts all about home&garden

Words: Kathryn Vukovljak

Photos: silas Brown

SITTING on one of the highest blocks in Jerrabomberra and backing on to grassy woodland on two sides, Brad Pillans’ predominantly native garden looks out over spectacular countryside and features his version of a rainforest gully, with unusual plants shaded by mature eucaplyts.

“We initially wanted to live in the countryside, but this semi-rural block is our compromise – we have no neighbours at the back, so it’s like country living in the city. It’s a magic space,” says Brad. “It attracts so many birds – magpies, wattlebirds and an eccentric currawong that pecks on the window at sunrise – and thirsty kangaroos in summer.”

The garden, which will be open to the public on April 16-17, was designed to have no straight lines, with curved paths that meander around the steep 5000sqm block. Brad says the soils on the west-facing block are mostly typical hill soils – dry, shallow and stony – except for the more moist “rainforest gully”.

“We’re very conscious of water, and have designed the garden to retain as much as

possible,” he says. “Water naturally runs down pebble-lined drainage lines into the lowest part of the garden, which we call our rainforest gully.

“Because of the large established trees and the way the water naturally collects at the bottom in a series of small, linked ponds, we have been able to plant things here that are uncommon in Canberra, such as a macadamia, a two-veined Hickory and two Lilly pillys, which hates the frost but thrives here.

“We also have an Illawarra flame tree, which will eventually produce bright red flowers. I’m hoping it will reward my patience!”

Brad says his father and grandfather were specialists in roses and chrysanthemums. “While that’s not for me, I gained an appreciation of gardening as a child,” he says. “To me, it’s an important part of the home.”

Brad says there are currently more than 600 different plants in his collection – “and it is becoming a collection!” he says. “It’s growing in all senses. We can’t resist adding new varieties, and while I don’t like digging up plants, it’s inevitable as some do have a certain shelf life.

“Gardens are always evolving.”

The Pillans’ garden, 30 Aspen Rise, Jerrabomberra, open Saturday, April 16 and Sunday, April 17, 10am-4.30pm. Adults $6, children under 18 are free. Funds raised will go to the Friends of the Australian National Botanic Gardens and the Australian Open Garden Scheme. More information at www.opengarden.org.au.

cedric Bryant

Discover the joys of the compost heap gardening

ONE of the most important contributions to any garden is the addition of compost.

There is nothing like home-produced compost, as you know exactly what it contains. Compost should not be confused with mulch and does not replace mulch. Compost adds nutrient to soil and is spread on the ground first with mulch added on top of compost to prevent moisture loss in summer.

After providing us with a brilliant autumnal display of rich colour, leaves are the perfect excuse to start a compost heap.

What sort of compost heap or bin? There is an enormous range of commercial bins available from plastic to wood. The latter are often sold as a knock-down kit to assemble yourself. However, you do not have to go to the expense of buying one and the very simplest is bird netting supported by four tomato stakes. It all depends on the amount of space in your garden. Ours is what used to be called a quarter-acre block and I have found room for a most-effective, double compost bin as illustrated here.

It is built from five old hardwood forklift pallets in the shape of an “E”. Two tomato

By cedric Bryant

stakes are screwed each side at the front of each bin. These provide the slots for the front boards, which can be got from a broken-up pallet or old fence palings, which are much lighter to handle and easier to remove when emptying the bin. I simply add palings as the bin fills up. Note the plastic agricultural pipe down the centre. This has a dual purpose for applying water if the weather is dry and for adding Multicrop EcoBoost liquid compost. This totally organic product activates and accelerates the composting process, feeding the eco-system with a rich source of carbon and humus. In addition, it can be used directly to garden beds to stimulate the biological activity and feeds beneficial microbes plus helps break up clay and compacted soils.

Using the perforated pipe through the centre allows an even distribution of either water or EcoBoost through the heap. Although you can still use it without the pipe.

It is important to have even layers of material. Too much of any one item, such as grass clippings, can end up in a mushy mess. I like to chop the leaves with the mower, especially large leaves that take a while to break down, such as oak leaves, which incidentally have the highest concentration of nitrogen of any leaf.

It is always best to have the compost heap directly on the ground and when full, as it cools down, the beneficial worms will move in.

Chop up small twigs and prunings; add vegetable scraps and every couple of barrow loads add a handful of garden lime. With the two-bin system one bin is filled at a time, then start the second bin allowing the full bin to compost properly. There is no time limit to this and usually when the second bin is full the first is ready. I run the material through a fairly coarse sieve and any material not fully broken down is put on the next bin.

I RECENTLY attended the Melbourne Flower and Garden Show, reputedly the largest in the southern hemisphere and in my next column I will share some pictures of the award-winning gardens by Victorian landscape designers, certainly some with a “wow factor”.

Flooring from the dark side

THE colour of timber floors helps to create the mood of a room, and dark floors can be used to add sophistication and a sense of opulence, says Stuart McCausland.

“Many designers start with the floor to give a project direction, and are embracing deep, dark timber shades underfoot to set the stage for a rich colour story throughout the home or in one room,” says McCausland, of timber experts Feast Watson.

The trick is to balance the deep timber floors with all the tones in the room: Walls, doors and windows, architraves and trim, furniture, soft furnishings and art, he says.

“Use timber as your colour palette and explore its versatility. It’s true a darker floor colour can make for a more intimate, introspective ambiance – however, it can also work beautifully in harmony with lighter tones to open a space.

“A big colour statement on your floors can take your design to the next level – with dark tones creating a powerful backdrop for light furniture, cabinetry or stone surfaces.”

Dark floors can be achieved on almost all timber floors regardless of their starting colour or age, he says.

Black timber floors make an impression in all homes whether classic or modern.

“Embrace its potential to bring colours to life – from the increasingly popular greys to the citrus bursts – to create an iconic interior space,” says McCausland.

What’s hot in the kitchen

THE Professional Chef Inox Wok has long, sloping sides for an extended cooking surface. Use it to stir-fry, deep-fry, braise, roast, simmer, or steam for a quick, healthy option.

Wok with glass lid and rack, $229; steamer insert, $79.95. Available at homewares stores.

THE Wiltshire Staysharp MK4 knife has a scabbard that sharpens and hones the blade each time it’s removed. A circular hole in the blade is part of the clever safety lock.

Prices range from $13.99-$69.95 for loose knives.

ADD colour to a kitchen with pop artist Romero Britto’s range of ceramic mugs and mini-teapots.

Pack of four mugs, $26.95; mini teapot, $39.95. Available at toy and gift stores.

THE Wiltshire Little Chef Let’s Bake jigsaw cake moulds are made up of 12 small silicone sections that can be pieced together. Choose from a butterfly, car, dinosaur or rabbit.

Available at David Jones and Myer ($19.95) and Big W ($16.95).

pasta and water to Tupperware’s microwave pasta cooker based on the etched measurements, set the timer and wait. No boiling over or boiling dry. The lid has an integrated colander for easy draining. It costs $29.95 from kitchenware outlets.

THE Gefu tea stick is a nifty little device that holds enough loose-leaf tea for a single cuppa. Its long, sculptural design allows the tea leaves to expand and release their flavour.

It costs $19.50 from kitchenware outlets

your week in the stars

With Joanne Madeline Moore

ARIES (Mar 2 – Apr 20)

April 18-24

Rams can (unintentionally) be such selfish souls, as you dash around being independent and dynamic. Easter is a time when selfless love for humanity is highlighted, so (with the Full Moon also falling in your relationship zone) it’s the perfect time to think less about yourself, and more about others. Singles – look for a lover who is mature and responsible

TAURUS (Apr 2 – May 20)

The Sun shimmies into your sign mid-week, so it’s your time to shine Taurus. Creativity and confidence are high as you take ideas from your unconscious mind and turn them into practical projects. Bulls have a sweet tooth but if you overdo the hot cross buns and chocolate eggs this Easter, you could end up with unwanted extra kilos on board.

GEMINI (May 2 – June 2)

Gregarious Geminis will feel right at home as the Full Moon revs up your entertainment zone. Those around you can look forward to some amusing antics and manic moments from yours truly. Easter is a time of rebirth, so start rejuvenating parts of your life that require a reboot. Mercury moves forwards on Saturday so you’re ready to rock and roll!

CANCER (June 22 – July 22)

Looking after loved ones isn’t easy at the moment, as you juggle multiple roles and cope with conflicting emotions. The Full Moon falls in your home zone, so be on domestic drama alert and realise that stress levels will be running high – and self-control running low. Your working life is set to improve, as Venus visits your career zone (until May 16).

LEO (July 23 – Aug 22)

Hedonistic Lions are in the mood to overindulge in hot cross buns and Easter eggs, as you adopt the philosophy of fellow Leo, Mae West: “Too much of a good thing can be wonderful.” You’re never happier than when you have a captive audience and the Full Moon gives your communication skills a boost, as you entertain others and talk up a storm.

VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sept 22)

Expect an intense week but things improve from Saturday onwards, when Mercury moves forwards again. Positive thinking will take you places. Draw inspiration from birthday great Charlotte Bronte: “I avoid looking forward or backward, and try to keep looking upward.” Sunday’s a great day for Virgos to research a vast topic or learn a new skill.

LIBRA (Sept 23 – Oct 23)

With five planets in your relationship zone, it’s all about love this Easter. Attached Librans – make sure you pamper your partner with plenty of extra TLC. Singles – have you given up on finding your soul mate? Cupid will strike when you least expect! As birthday great Barbra Streisand reminds us: “There is nothing more important in life than love.”

SCORPIO (Oct 2 – Nov 2)

The Full Moon is in laidback Libra, which sees you at your calm and controlled best. You’re even more mysterious than usual as you ferret out secrets, keep mum about confidences and charm others with your persuasive Scorpio personality. Friendships are favored on the weekend – especially if you mix and mingle with a bohemian new crowd.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 2)

The Full Moon stirs up your entertainment zone, so you’re in the mood to be a sociable Sagittarian. And the weekend’s stars encourage overdoing just about everything as you eat, drink and party your way through the holiday break. Slow down and think things through. If you jump to conclusions, you could find yourself with (Easter) egg on your face!

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 9)

Capricorns are the conscientious workaholics of the zodiac. With the Easter Full Moon and Saturn both in your career zone, your natural inclination will be to work through the long weekend. But, with five planets stimulating your home zone, there’s no escaping domestic responsibilities. The more involved you are; the more family fun you’ll have.

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 8)

With so many planets activating your travel zones, it would be great to escape for the Easter break. Many Aquarians are rebels at heart (just think of famous examples such as James Dean, Yoko Ono and Bob Marley) but remember there’s a fine line between being rebellious, and being plain reckless. Love at first sight is likely for some lucky singles.

PISCES (Feb 9 – Mar 20)

The spotlight’s on lust and loot, as the Full Moon brings unresolved issues to a head. An intimate relationship could soar – or crash and burn. Joint finances are problematic, as you aim for a mutual agreement without too many tears and tantrums. Thursday is your pick of the week, as you sail through the day with plenty of Piscean charm and a dash of panache.

Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2011

Across

1 What is a three-legged stool, or the like?

8 Which animal classes include lizards, snakes, alligators, etc?

9 Name a porous aquatic animal.

10 Name the International imaginary point through the Pacific, the sides of which differ by one day (4,4).

11 Which industry extracts ores, etc, from the ground?

12 Who is the Greek god of love?

13 Name a noted Australian wicket-keeper, Rod ...

16 Which book of the New Testament lies between Timothy II and Philemon?

19 Something bowed or curved is said to be a what?

21 Name a tasty type of soup.

22 What prompts the starting of a car?

23 Which milk drink has spices and alcohol added?

24 Name the more common term for tympanic membranes.

25 What is another word for a dictator?

Down

2 What is a copy or reproduction of a work of art?

3 Twelve of which coins once made a shilling?

4 What is a dragnet for gathering material from the bed of a river?

5 What do we call one who denies the existence of God?

6 Something that is not permitted is what?

7 What are sides or surfaces facing given directions?

13 They're called cell phones in the US. What do we call them in Australia?

14 What do we call starters in a horse race, etc?

15 Name a different term for milliners.

17 What is a whole number as distinguished from a fraction?

18 Name the mythological animal with a single long horn?

20 To show uprightness and fairness, is to be what?

all about property

Thousands

serenity and style at rural Hall

HERE’S an ultra-contemporary family residence in Hall that embraces serenity and style over 5.99 hectares.

Just 25 minutes to Civic and 10 minutes from Hall village, the property at 760 Nanima Road is priced at between $1,325,000 and $1,425,000.

McGrath’s selling agent Nick Slater says the property is a winner of multiple prestigious housing awards and features three king-sized bedrooms plus study, additional studio, ensuite bathroom with spa and a gourmet kitchen. Contact Nick Slater on 0414 212332.

Townhouse in Lyneham

THIS architect-designed, modern, inner-north townhouse in Lyneham is for sale by auction on site at 11am, Saturday, April 30.

The three-bedroom, two-storey townhouse at 13/64 Wattle Street has distinct living spaces on the lower level comprising lounge and dining areas with a galley-style kitchen. Upstairs is the main bedroom with ensuite, plus two additional bedrooms with shared access to a separate powder room and bathroom.

Open for inspection, Saturday, April 16, 11am to noon.

Call Philip Kouvelis 0412 622420.

secrets, what secrets, where?

RECENT calls for an obligatory new process of pre-consultation before development applications are lodged seem to be coming from the belief that secrecy surrounds proposed new developments in the Territory. But it doesn’t.

It seems to have been forgotten by some that, following exhaustive community consultation over the past few years, the ACT Government made significant reforms to our planning system. These reforms included policies stating what type of development was permissible in specified areas.

Investors now decide what to build, and where, according to a number of factors, including what public policy allows, thanks to the reformed ACT planning system. And that policy was made in consultation with the community.

If we took a step backwards, and reverted to saving consultation until the DA is lodged, we would be leaving it too late. And we would be reintroducing uncertainty for the property sector. We would create considerable extra delays and costs, which (if the investor doesn’t simply pull out and choose a less-expensive and fiddly location outside the ACT) will be passed on to the community. When housing affordability is still

at crisis level in the ACT, anything that increases home prices has to be a bad idea.

And the certainty created by the planning reforms is certainty for the community; you can now know what will be allowed and what won’t in the future in your home area. It is not a good idea to revert to ad hoc decision making and a planning regime vulnerable to the views of those sectors of the community that are always stridently present at community consultations. The community is notified when a new development is due, and can see whether or not it complies with the planning regime – a planning regime, the community itself was instrumental in creating. And those who oppose the development can lodge objections which are considered by ACTPLA when deciding whether or not to approve a DA. Surely this system is both transparent and workable for all of us?

Catherine Carter is ACT executive director of the Property Council of Australia

Luxury living at Forde

STYLISHLY appointed with the highest-quality fittings, this executive residence at 31 Quinane Avenue, Forde is as new, says selling agent Matt Harmer, of McGrath.

It features four bedrooms, separate formal and informal living areas with a home theatre, a kitchen featuring 50mm stone bench tops, Bosch appliances, twin ovens and soft-closing cabinetry, ducted cooling and heating plus zoned hydronic in-slab heating.

The property is priced at $820,000-$860,000.

Contact Matt Harmer 0428 681 270

space to move

THIS middle-floor apartment at Space, in Forbes Street, Turner, is open for inspection from 12.15pm to 1pm on Saturday, April 16.

It offers a spacious, open-plan design featuring high ceilings, two balconies and a kitchen complete with Corian bench tops and stainlesssteel European appliances.

The apartment includes garaging for two cars. The price is by negotiation.

Contact Philip Kouvelis on 0412 622420.

BONNER

Canberra Region Property Summary

BRUCE

BUNGENDORE

THE ONLY MARKETING YOUR PROPERT Y NEEDS.

CALWELL

Canberra Region Property Summary

CHIFLEY

CHISHOLM

FLOREY

0422 774 441 4BR G Sat 1:30-2:30 102 Zakharov St First National Gungahlin 0422 774 441 3BR H Sat 2:00-2:45 54 Loma Rudduck St Independent Dickson 0417 710 772

Canberra Region Property Summary

GREENLEIGH ESTATE

GRIFFITH

GUNGAHLIN

HACKETT

HARCOURT HILL

THE ONLY MARKETING YOUR PROPERT Y NEEDS.

Partners 0418 633 806 4BR G

Queanbeyan 0412 000 841 4BR G

KARABAR

0403 604 888 4BR G

Canberra Region Property Summary

MURRUMBATEMAN

O'CONNOR

Canberra Region Property Summary

STROMLO/URIARRA

SWINGER

Sat 11:00-4:00 73 Plimsoll Dr First National Gungahlin 0408 413 405 4BR H

Sat 11:00-4:00 87b Plimsoll Dr First National Gungahlin 0408 413 405 2BR J

Sat 11:00-4:00 91 Plimsoll Dr First National Gungahlin 0408 413 405 6BR D

Sat 11:00-4:00 97 Plimsoll Dr First National Gungahlin 0408 413 405 3BR I

Sat 11:00-4:00 99 Plimsoll Dr First National Gungahlin 0408 413 405 4BR I

Sat 11:00-4:00 103 Plimsoll Dr First National Gungahlin 0408 413 405 4BR G

Sat 11:00-4:00 28 Victoria Owen Cct First National Gungahlin 0417 687 379 4BR H

Sat 12:00-4:00 9 Liz O'Neil St First National Gungahlin 0433 557 337 4BR G

Sat 1:15-2:00 Ronald Walker Unit 2 - Blk 1 Section 44 First National Gungahlin 0433 557 337 3BR I

Sat 1:15-2:00 Ronald Walker Unit 3 - Blk 2 Section 44 First National Gungahlin 0433 557 337 3BR I

Sun 11:00-4:00 Blk L Section Cd First National Gungahlin 0433 557 337 4BR H

Sun 11:00-4:00 Block C Sec Cd First National Gungahlin 0433 557 337 4BR H

Sun 11:00-4:00 Block G Section Bh First National Gungahlin 0433 557 337 3BR I

Sun 11:00-4:00 Block G Section Cb First National Gungahlin 0414 249 449 3BR I

Sun 11:00-4:00 Block Q Section Cd First National Gungahlin 0433 557 337 4BR H

Sun 11:00-4:00 73 Plimsoll Dr First National Gungahlin 0408 413 405 4BR H

Sun 11:00-4:00 87b Plimsoll Dr First National Gungahlin 0408 413 405 2BR J

Sun 11:00-4:00 91 Plimsoll Dr First National Gungahlin 0408 413 405 6BR D Sun 11:00-4:00 97 Plimsoll Dr First National Gungahlin 0408 413 405 3BR I

Sun 11:00-4:00 99 Plimsoll Dr First National Gungahlin 0408 413 405 4BR I Sun 11:00-4:00

THEODORE

TORRENS

YARRALUMLA

WANNIASSA