Canberra CityNews November 24- December 1, 2011

Tree cheers for Mary and Frederik

Story and photos by FREYLA

FERGUSON

IT was a sea of umbrellas at the National Arboretum as 500 Canberra people braved the wet and windy weather to see Princess Mary and Prince Frederik of Denmark.

The event, one of few appearances the Australian-born princess was making in Canberra, saw her greet fans and, together

with the Prince, plant an Acer campestre, more commonly known as a Field Maple – a native tree to Denmark.

Canberran Kylie Minogue, who was interviewed on national breakfast TV, was instantly recognised by Princess Mary.

“She said she recognised me from watching TV that morning,” she said. “It was a nice surprise.”

Dane Bjorn Nielson, who now lives in Canberra, grabbed the attention of Prince Frederik by yelling out: “Welcome back to Australia” in Danish.

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

November 24-December 1, 2011

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“Everyone seemed to be ignoring Frederik,” he said.

“He was being a good husband, dutifully holding the umbrella for his wife.”

Teenager Natalia Nuutinen came along with her mum, who entered their names into the ballot.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Natalia said.

The lucky 500, won their spot via a ballot, which attracted the interest of 3000 people.

Chief Minister Katy Gallagher said the level of national and international media interest in the tree planting by the royal couple would provide significant exposure for Canberra and the Arboretum around the globe.

Full photo gallery at citynews.com.au

Journalists: Freyla Ferguson, freyla@citynews.com.au Kathryn Vukovljak, kathryn@citynews.com.au

Libby Hill, libby@citynews.com.au

Lisa Ridgley, lisa@citynews.com.au

Arts editor: Helen Musa, 0400 043764 helen@citynews.com.au

Design and photography: Silas Brown, 0412 718086

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Contributing photographer: Andrew Finch

Alan’s always got something to shout about

OH YAY, oh yay, good people of Canberra, make way for your town crier – Alan Moyse.

Alan, 61, was officially sworn in by Chief Minister Katy Gallagher in August and is now an official member of the Ancient and Honourable Guild of Town Criers.

According to Alan, this is the first time Canberra has had a town crier since 1925.

“It’s a very ceremonial and honorary position,” Alan said.

“Town criers were the old news readers, they’d go into the town square, village square, or city square and they’d proclaim the news and then they’d post the news up on the cross in the town centre, or the wall or sometimes the pub or the local church.

“Which is why a lot of newspapers are called ‘The Post’.”

Alan says most capital cities and regional towns, including Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart and Woollongong have a town crier; however, before him, Canberra and Queanbeyan didn’t have one.

“I was down at Hobart recently and their town crier appears almost regularly down at the Salamanca Markets in full regalia and announces bits and pieces,” he said.

“Some of my colleagues take part in other activities, announcing the bride and groom at weddings.”

By Freyla Ferguson

But being a town crier isn’t a far jump for Alan, who has been a member of the worldwide pre-17th century medieval and renaissance society, the Society for Creative Anachronism for “many, many years”.

As part of the Lochac Kingdom (Australia, NZ and some parts of Antarctica), Alan in his persona of Lord Alan of Jedbrough, has acted as a herald for the Barony of Politarchopolis (Canberra).

“I’ve done quite a bit of research on town criers but it helps that I am part of a medieval society and I have been a herald at previous gatherings,” he says.

His town crier’s regalia, is mostly his own costumes, with the jacket sewn by his sister and a friend, in Canberra’s official blue and gold. He is currently seeking approval to have Canberra’s crest sewn to the jacket.

So far, Alan has appeared in full regalia as the town crier at Woden Community Festival, St Thomas the Apostle School fete and the Duffy Primary School fete.

“At the time, I think it was going to be a bit of a one-off but what’s the point of having a town crier if you don’t do it regularly?” he says.

Outside of his town crier responsibilities and his persona as “Lord

Alan of Jedbrough”, Alan works four days a week in HR for the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs as he “eases gently into retirement”.

“I see myself as a representative for the ACT. One of the reasons I thought it would be better to be a bit serious, although in a fun way, about being a town crier is this is an admirable way to advertise Canberra in a slightly different fashion,” he says.

“Canberra as a new city doesn’t have a lot of ‘tradition’.

“I see myself as establishing a little bit of tradition here in the ACT with links to a past that some people think had some good things going for it.”

And although the Government hasn’t used his services yet, he’s already been called in by other towns including Bermagui for their Four Winds Festival.

“Hopefully, next year at the end of

March, I’ll be the ACT representative in Moree at the gathering of the town criers and taking part in their parade and a couple of their contests,” he says.

Town Crier Alan Moyse will make an appearance at the Tuggeranong Community Festival on November 26. Alan is available to appear for free at any school or community event, contact him at alanmoyse@grapevine.net.au or 0407 669874

Footy clubs go into touch (and feel)

The sight of Raiders’ board members at consecutive training sessions is evidence enough that change is in the wind, muses TIM GAVEL

APPARENTLY, one of the things to come out of the Raiders’ recent review into last season was a suggestion that the board needs to be more visible and known to the players.

It’s a common theme at football clubs, where the board rarely comes into contact with the players; it makes sense to have a closer relationship given the board makes decisions that have a day-to-day impact on the players.

If the board members are on hand to see firsthand what is needed, they will make evidencebased decisions.

Another aspect of the review, which is long overdue, is the need for the club to be more open to its members.

The Raiders are looking to implement a regular e-mail from coach David Furner because supporters felt they were not getting enough information about the logic of team selections.

As part of the new approach, the Raiders plan to be more engaged with the Canberra community and their supporters. After all, the club needs people to come to their games and financially back them, especially when they are struggling.

Like the Raiders, the Brumbies didn’t need a review to tell them that they needed to forge closer ties with the Canberra community.

There was a distinct feeling of “us and them” between the Brumbies and the community last season.

The sacking of coach Andy Friend and the poor season exacerbated the situation with a sense of mistrust hovering.

As a commentator covering the Brumbies since their establishment, last season was, far and away, the most difficult.

After a couple of false starts, the decision to make the contracted players align themselves with a local club is a major step forward.

What it will do is strengthen the local competition. It’s now up to the players to make themselves available. They need to be there for junior registrations and be around to mentor young players coming through, as well as being a figurehead for promotional purposes.

The move to hold a members’ night to hear from the coach and his staff is a definite step in the right direction. It has been held in the past but has only been open to Foundation members.

With the Brumbies and the Raiders, I have a theory that the public will be more understanding when times are tough if they know the players.

It’s far easier to criticise if the critics don’t come into regular contact with those they are criticising.

The bundles keep coming

ACTEWAGL has moved quickly to reassure customers that its commercially successful “bundling” arrangements with TransACT are unaffected by the takeover of the local telco.

TransACT is to be sold after Perth-based suitor iiNet entered into a binding agreement to acquire the ACT company for $60 million. The sale is expected to be completed by November 30.

ActewAGL and TransACT offer up to 25 per cent off electricity bills through bundled services for electricity and natural gas, green energy, ISP, broadband, phone, mobile and subscription television services.

ActewAGL CEO Michael Costello said that more than 21,000 of his customers currently bundle their utility services with their TransACT products.

“We wish to assure our bundle customers that it is business as usual; we will continue to honour the bundle arrangements and the great discounts they have been receiving.

“We will also continue to offer the bundle to new ActewAGL and TransACT customers.”

iiNet is Australia’s second largest DSL Internet Services Provider and the leading challenger in the Australian telecommunications market. Before the purchase of TransACT, iiNet had more than 1.3 million broadband, telephony and internet protocol TV services nationwide.

“We see this [the takeover] as very positive news for our customers,” said Ivan Slavich, TransACT CEO.

“Our unique services set us apart from competitors, from our utility bundle offering to our pay TV service, data centres and managed services.”

Canberra firm beats the world

By Freyla Ferguson

CANBERRA

company

Edentiti

is leading the world in the emerging digital identity industry after recently picking up the prestigious Novay Digital Identity Award in The Hague for best new concept or product in the field on digital identity.

This is the first time the online identity verification business received a nomination for an international award judged by industry peers.

“Australia’s got quite a strong reputation for being innovative,” Edentiti CEO Ken Burrows said.

“This award just proves a small Canberra company can stand up on the world market and hold its head up high and take a lot of pride in the work it does.”

Edentiti, an online identity verification business, was up against Qiy, a Dutch personal data store initiative; WAYF, a Danish identity federation and tiQR, an open-source and standards-based authentication solution.

The company currently has nine staff servicing 70 clients including Australia Post, Macquarie Bank, Bank of Queensland, Community CPS and Aura – office of renewable energy.

“At first we started in the anti-laundering money space, but it has spread,” Mr Burrows said.

“We have clients in the Lotto space, Lottery West in WA and we have a client in Melbourne that has a site called Wishbooks.”

Its online identity verification product prevents identity theft by checking information from various online data sources, under the control of the user.

What the Novay Digital Identity Award jury found appealing about Edentiti was the efficient and innovative manner in which they rely on existing online identities that a user has, and use these as a basis for identity proofing for new online services.

“The opportunities for this are quite broad ranging,” Mr Burrows said.

“It’s really wherever you need to know that the person coming on to your website is the person they say they are.”

Currently, the Edentiti identity verification product is also provided through Deloitte Digital under the brand name greenID.

“They’ve got a lot of branches in Europe, so we are hoping to leverage our success with the award through their channels,” he said.

The company also recently signed up its first NZ client that offers prepaid credit cards.

Mr Burrows said the win gave his team the opportunity to get their head out of the work and realise they “are actually doing something quite exceptional”.

“There are very few times in a person’s career you have an opportunity to work on something from scratch and something quite different, that’s going to affect so many people’s lives,” he said.

“It’s very much a team effort. We have a very close-knit team, and the guys get on and do it.”

When greed is really revolting

Political columnist MICHAEL MOORE looks at the growing phenomena of social revolt against corporate excess

YOU don’t need to be a mad lefty to get it! The “Occupy Wall Street”, “Occupy Melbourne” or “Occupy the World” movements are the pointy end of dissatisfaction with the dominance of greed as a cultural norm. The Arab spring brought huge people-led revolutions across the Middle East. And now, right across the developed world, the seeds of revolution are being watered.

The official “Occupy Wall Street” webpage claims that since September 17 there have been similar movements in more than 100 US cities and more than 1500 worldwide. Their aims are to expose how the richest one per cent of people “are writing the rules of an unfair global economy that is foreclosing on our future”.

It is outlandish for them to claim that they represent the other 99 per cent. However, it is not beyond comprehension that a sizeable proportion of the population has considerable sympathy with their perspective. Distribution of wealth is not only unfair, the disparity is growing. In the US, according to University of California studies, the top one per cent of the wealthy in 2007 had around 35 per cent of the entire wealth of the country. The next 19 per cent had an additional 50 per cent – leaving just 15 per cent of the wealth to be shared by 80 per cent of the people, the wage and salary workers.

Then, in 2008, the financial markets went into a nosedive. For some there seemed to be good reasons for a revolution. The rich are getting richer and the poor poorer. History tells us these are the ingredients and in the past all that has been needed is a catalyst.

In Australia, the picture is not as dramatic but the pattern is the same and the disparity is growing. Andrew Leigh, the Member for Canberra and a former ANU professor of economics, has toiled at enumerating such divisions in wealth.

In one of his many articles, he pointed out that the average annual pay of

the top 100 CEOs in Australia has risen from $1 million to $3 million since 1993. Using ABS figures, he argues “the top fifth of Australian households now have twice their share of national income at 41 per cent.”

The challenge is not to drag down the productivity and wealth of the country, but to ensure that there is a more equitable distribution.

The super profits tax that was attempted by then-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on the mining industry is illustrative. The mining industry was going through a huge boom and the profits, that should have been shared with the community, were going to make the wealthy wealthier.

The tax was overturned and many attribute the Rudd demise to this factor. The argument put by the mining industry had just a modicum of truth. It argued the mum-and-dad shareholders and retirees would be the ones paying the tax and it would be the hard-earned superannuation that would suffer.

The reality was, and remains, that the impact on small shareholders would have been minimal. The tax on super-profits should have been collected on behalf of the country, whose basic resources were being stripped.

In a second effort, the Government is seeking to change the way we tax mining from a royalty basis to a profits basis. Andrew Leigh points out that this means that the industry will pay more tax during the boom times and less tax when things are not going so well. He argues that the “challenge for policymakers is not to stop the boom, but to find policies that are both efficient and equitable, and help create opportunities across the society”.

The makings are there for a greed revolution. The global financial crisis has illustrated what happens when greed goes to extreme. Without more equitable outcomes it is only a matter of time before the majority of people say “enough”.

Bourke up in cabinet reshuffle

CHIEF Minister Katy Gallagher has reshuffled ACT Cabinet to, unsurprisingly, promote political newcomer Chris Bourke into the five-month vacancy of fifth minister on Labor’s front bench. With the next Territory election only 11 months away, Gallagher’s allocation of portfolios is likely to be critical to the run up to the poll. Dr Bourke, who has been in politics only since May when he replaced retiring and long-serving Chief Minister Jon Stanhope in Ginninderra, will take on the big responsibilities of Education and Training, Corrections and Industrial Relations as well as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs.

In the Chief Minister’s reshuffle, Katy Gallagher will retain the Health portfolio, but takes on Territory and Municipal Services. Deputy Chief Minister Andrew Barr holds Treasury, Economic Development, and Tourism, Sport and Recreation.

Simon Corbell will remain Attorney-General, Minister for Police and Emergency Services and the Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development.

Embattled minister Joy Burch adds Gaming and Racing to her portfolios of Community Services, Arts, Multicultural Affairs, Ageing and Women.

With only one more sitting week this year, Gallagher said the timing was really about what was right for the people of the ACT in terms of their Government providing services to them.

“Now the real work begins, with [Dr Bourke] taking on a very significant portfolio,” Chief Minister Katy Gallagher said.

Ms Gallagher described the five months since former Chief Minister Jon Stanhope’s retirement as “tough” on her cabinet, considering the “really big issues accross Government”.

“When the change happened back in May, it has always been very clear in my head that we needed to do it and we needed to do it this side of Christmas,” she said.

Dr Bourke said he was very pleased with the confidence his caucus colleagues have shown in electing him the fifth minister.

“I’ve seen what happens down in the Assembly and, yes, I am psychologically prepared for the kinds of stuff that is going to be thrown at me by the Opposition which, from someone who’s come from not working in this place, is astonishing,” Dr Bourke said.

“There’s always more to learn, that’s what’s going to be one of the great things about being minister is learning and examining new ideas, being briefed by the departments and directorates and actually knowing what is to be done.”

Teachers master the American way

NINE Canberra teachers have graduated from the University of Illinois with their Masters of Education degrees.

The Lanyon High School teachers met for two years for weekly online, 90-minute sessions with their lecturer and the other American teachers participating in the course.

The teachers had experience ranging from three to 17 years.

Rachael Radvanyi, who has been teaching at Lanyon High for 16 years, says it had been a while since she had studied.

“It was challenging, but profession-

By Libby Hill

ally it has been very rewarding,” she says.

“It was great to have the other teachers for support and motivation, and not just in the ACT. There was a great deal of co-operating with the students in the US as well.”

Lanyon High uses the Learning by Design framework, which is developed by the University of Illinois.

They were trialling the new online course and Lanyon High teachers were invited to be a part of it.

Ms Radvanyi was one of four Lanyon teachers who were able to travel to Illinois to attend the graduation ceremony.

“When we went to the US for the graduation ceremony, it was good to meet the people I’d been talking to every week,” she says.

Principal of Lanyon High School, Mr Bill Thompson, says he is delighted with the accomplishment of his teachers.

“Having nine teachers complete a masters of education together is a very positive thing for our school. We are already seeing the results of this as teachers are using the new technologies in their classrooms to make learning more interesting and relevant for our students.”

The teachers say the international

on-line learning process has opened their eyes to different approaches to education and learning, and what this means for their students.

“It is amazing that we built links with teachers on the other side of the world,” said teacher Ed Cuthbertson. The ACT Education and Training

Directorate provides professional development scholarships, which support teachers to expand and further develop their skills.

Obama’s visit of convenience... and the

Do we need to forgo our own rules to cater to the imagined anxieties of a foreign leader? DON AITKIN thinks not

THE fifth visit by an American president brought out once again my feeling that such visits, whatever else they do, certainly exemplify Mao Zedong’s old description of Australia as the “running dog” of the US.

Don’t get me wrong. I am no rabid antiAmerican. I have lived and worked in the US, and admire the real democrats there who take democracy much more seriously than any Australian I know. (We think compulsory voting does it all for us.)

But the symbolism of these arrivals, and their consequences for us, tend to bring out in me an angry objection to the whole business. When George W. Bush was with us we saw the (to me) amazing spectacle of members of parliament and senators not being able freely to move in their own House of Parliament, or to speak as they wished.

Have we ever done that for any other foreign leader? I don’t think so. Does any other foreign leader arrive with a bulletproof car and secret servicemen who wear firearms? Did the ACT Government waive the need for the cars to have appropriate registration? Were the firearms registered?

We seem to have had a “cleansing of the skies”, with jets regularly monitoring the air space above Canberra. I am sure it gave the pilots some useful training. Was it really necessary? Again, do we clean the skies for other foreign leaders? Do we seal off the War Memorial for anyone else?

President Obama’s visit marked the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the ANZUS Treaty,

and he had talks with Prime Minister Gillard. In my view, that was simply a useful convenience. He needed to come because he had agreed to do so and earlier visits had to be cancelled.

His visit is an important indication (for her) that our Prime Minister can hack it on the world stage, and her perceived popularity will doubtless rise for that reason. I don’t object to any of that. Whether or not the ANZUS Treaty will save Australia in the event of some invasive threat is a matter experts disagree about, but I’ve no objection to it, either.

But what saddens me is the sight of my country’s leaders allowing a foreign leader to arrive in the style of our emperor, as though we are a tributary state. Our Queen, whose father once held the title of Emperor of India, arrives much more modestly, has no bulletproof car, and seems to need no great protection.

It reminds me of the “cultural cringe” that operated 50 years ago, when people from overseas were asked what they thought of Australia as they stepped off the plane. We have come a long way since then, I think. We are a middle-ranking country on most indices. We have a distinctive culture, an energetic and productive creative life, an education system of some quality and a high general standard of living.

My own experience of the US, from having lived there and from many subsequent visits, is that in most respects Australia offers great examples to the US of how to provide a decent life and great opportunity for most people.

Do we really need a visit from the American

President to confirm that we are a real country? I would have thought not. Do we need to forgo our own rules to cater to the imagined anxieties of a foreign leader? Again, I would have thought not. We should provide the same protection and welcome for all visiting heads of state.

And if that’s not enough for them, well, perhaps our Prime Minister could meet them somewhere else.

Don Aitkin, political scientist and historian, served as vice-chancellor of the University of Canberra from 1991 to 2002.

star-spangled worries that lie ahead

Whatever affection we may feel for President Obama, back home he’s struggling to be loved – and that spells trouble for Australia, says ROBERT

ON the day President Obama was due to arrive in Australia a very clever sub-editor wrote a headline on the Yahoo webpage that gave me a quiet chuckle. It said simply: “He’s coming. Look busy”. It caught the mood beautifully. And, of course, we responded by being very busy indeed being nice to the figure who used to be known as the Leader of the Free World. I’m not sure that description quite fits anymore but if it did then I’d be very happy for Barack Obama to wear the mantle.

He’s an exceptionally nice man. His political instincts are finely honed. His manner is charming. But most of all he’s thoughtful, intelligent and well informed.

So when he and Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced the stationing of a contingent of US Marines in Darwin as a symbolic commitment to a continuing US presence in the region we were all quite supportive (except for Greens’ leader Bob Brown). The association with Obama’s “good mate” Julia Gillard will do wonders for her popularity and probably put paid to Kevin Rudd’s ambitions for a return to The Lodge. And, of course, his speech to the Parliament was history in the making.

However, at the risk of throwing cold water on the occasion, I have to report that there’s a curious disconnect between the President Obama we took to our collective bosom and the political situation in the US itself. And the potential consequences for Australia are at best problematic.

As a daily reader of the “New York Times” (which generally supports Obama) the message

MACKLIN

from America is that there’s no more than a 50/50 chance of his winning a second term in next year’s presidential election.

And his Republican opponent, if drawn from today’s most likely contenders, would be a disaster. At the moment the race is between Texas Governor Rick Perry, who makes George W Bush look like an intellectual; Newt Gingrich, a pompous far right ideologue; Herman Cain, a workplace predator; and the former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, a Mormon who once drove to Canada on a family holiday with his dog strapped to the roof of the car.

Now, I’m perfectly prepared to believe that Mr Obama has the statecraft to handle the delicate situation of basing troops in Australia to counter Chinese influence in the region without causing serious trouble with our biggest trading partner. He’s a man who understands nuance in foreign policy and appreciates that our future prosperity depends to a large extent on good relations with the Middle Kingdom redux.

But would you really want to trust Australia’s interests to any of those Republican alternatives? Yet that is the clear possibility as the polls stand today. And if, as I suspect, the nomination goes to Romney, we could well find the Oval Office occupied by someone whose cherished beliefs are about on a par with the Church of Scientology. Then consider the equal possibility that shortly thereafter the Mad Monk moves into the Lodge. Doesn’t bear thinking about, does it? robert@robertmacklin.com

Inspiring Houston named our Australian of the year

AIR Chief Marshal Angus Houston, retired Chief of the Defence Force, is the ACT Australian of the Year.

“Air Chief Marshal Houston has been an exemplary role model and servant to the nation during his six years service as defence force chief before retiring in July,” said Chief Minister Katy Gallagher, who presented the award.

“He has also been an inspirational role model as a father with his son Robert recently saying that he had always been a good example of how to be a man and how to be a father.”

Other finalists for the ACT Australian of the Year were: Prof Michael Gore, science educator; Janne Graham, health care advocate; and Prof Andrew Blakers, solar energy scientist.

Painter Betty Churcher, was named the ACT Senior Australian of the Year. Best known for her role as director of the National Gallery of Australia, Ms Churcher has dedicated much of her working life to making art accessible and relevant to the public.

Finalists for ACT Senior Australian of the Year were: Ante Dabro, sculptor and teacher; George Howe, carillonist; and Prof Peter Drysdale, Asia academic.

Entrepreneur, medical doctor and philanthropist Dr Sam Price was named the ACT Young Australian of the Year.

At the age of 21, Dr Prince established the franchise, Zambrero Fresh Mex Grill and the E-magine Foundation.

Through this not-for-profit group he uses his

Angus Houston... “An exemplary role model,” says Chief Minister Katy Gallagher.

business ventures to fund projects that deliver health and education resources to indigenous Australians and developing countries.

Finalists for ACT Young Australian of the Year were: Patrick Mills, Olympic basketballer; Jillian Thomsen, community activist; and Dr Rebekah White, research psychologist.

Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Service CEO Julie Tongs was named ACT Local Hero, who for the past 20 years has advocated for the health and well being for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the ACT and region.

Finalists for ACT Local Hero were: Elizabeth Dawson, community champion; Michael Pilbrow, community activist; and Marianne Dickie, human rights advocate.

The winners will represent the ACT in the selection of the national Australian of Year awards announced on Australia Day eve, January 25.

Gift ball bounces into town

By Freyla Ferguson

IT was a simply drawn circle on a whiteboard that gave cousins, Dejan Andrevski and Darko Andreski, the idea for Gift a Ball.

“These balls are bridging the gap between gifts and gift cards,” says Dejan.

The cousins have a little graphic design business outside their weekly jobs called Canberra Design House.

“We were thinking of what we could give to our clients mainly, but we wanted to be friendly with our clients and wanted to thank them.

“We did champagne and gift cards, chocolates and all that sort of stuff and it all seemed too boring.

“So once we came up with this idea, it really stood out. It’s not another gift card.”

Darko says: “The main thing for us was how to reach out to our clients and thank them and how to be unique in that approach.

“I remember Dejan drawing a ball on our whiteboard and saying ‘this is it’.”

The project was six months in development before they launched recently.

Gift a Ball offers five different greetings on five different coloured balls.

Greetings are: “Happy Birthday, Have a ball”, “Sorry I dropped the ball”, “Congrats! All round”, “You’re so loveaball!” and “Bounce back soon!”.

“We’ve tried to make messages that can attract any situations, birthdays, congratulations, getwell-soons,” Dejan says.

“We take orders over the internet, we directly address the ball, we stick stamps to the ball and it gets delivered like that.

“So we are really trying to bring out the ‘wow’ factor.”

Dejan, 25, and Darko, 23, are born and bred Canberrans. Dejan completed his masters in finance at ANU and Darko a degree in graphic design at University of Canberra.

Most recently Dejan was named on business website, Start Up Smart’s top 25 young entrepreneur Future Maker’s list.

At this stage, Gift a Ball is an “after 5pm” job

with both cousins working full-time jobs during the day.

And for the future?

“We’ve gotten some great feedback from our customers,” Darko says.

“At this point we are not able to, but in the future we’ll look into customising the greetings and making them more personal.”

More information at giftaball.com.au

‘Disruptive’ lunch

DR David Kennedy, director of Australian philanthropic programs for The Atlantic Philanthropies, which is dedicated to bringing about lasting changes in the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable people, will speak at the first anniversary lunch of the emerging Hands Across Canberra organisation at Epic, on Tuesday, November 29. Chairman Alan Williams promises the event will provide a forum to “disrupt current thinking and start a new conversation about need, engagement with the community sector and giving in all forms, leading to lasting change in our community”. More information or bookings to 6226 8880 or at www.handsacrosscanberra.org.au

Twilight art

BELCONNEN Arts Centre will be holding its free Christmas Twilight Celebration on Saturday, November 26, 4pm-8pm. There will be a selection of locally made, original artworks, design, food and wine products to buy and entertainment from local musicians, including Celtic harp and Persian music performances as well as local school music ensembles. The centre is at 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen.

Zumba for animals

A ZUMBATHON, where all proceeds will go to RSPCA ACT, will be held at St John The Baptist Church, 43 Constitution Avenue, Reid, 6pm-8pm, on Friday, December 2. Organised by Andy Jauregui and Kiki Hernandez, from Latin Beat Fitness, there will also be a party afterwards with DJ Paisa from Colombia. The cost is $25. Registration from 5.30pm.

Exceptional Constructions

House vision becomes a winning reality

WHEN they decided to knock down their ex-government house, Mawson couple Starzy and Dan set about nding a builder who could turn their vision into a reality.

“There are so many dodgy builders out there,” says Dan. “You really have to do your research.”

The research paid off and they “just knew” when they met Jeff and Rachel Hargreaves that they had found their builders in Exceptional Constructions.

“Exceptional Constructions is a small building company that specialises in residential construction, home renovations, house extensions, knockdown rebuilds and outdoor-living projects,” Jeff says.

The company has a number of awards under its belt, but the most recent is the 2011 HIA-CSR ACT/Southern NSW Housing Awards Custom Built Home of the Year for the fourbedroom, Mawson home.

Rachel and Jeff describe the house as “spectacular”.

Designed by Dowse Norwood Architects & Associates, Rachel says: “Everyone felt from the outset that it was worthy of recognition. It had ‘award-winning home’ written all over it from the moment we saw the plan.”

Starzy and Dan can’t speak highly enough of Exceptional Constructions, saying they would happily do the entire process all over again.

Rachel says customer service is a top

priority at Exceptional Constructions.

“As builders, we may look at a job and think it’s done to a high standard, but if the client’s not happy, then the standard isn’t high enough,” she says.

“We aim to exceed expectations to ensure our clients are more than happy with the outcome and communication is key to any success.”

Dan and Starzy agree, saying that when it came to their project, the communication was exceptional and that nothing was ever a “no”, it was always an “absolutely”.

Rachel says: “We guarantee the best-possible customer service throughout the entire project to ensure your experience with us is a rewarding one, allowing you to enjoy the process and know that your project is in safe hands.”

Starzy says it’s an amazing feeling coming home every day.

“Both Dan and I really love our house, but since winning the award we have a new appreciation for it,” she says.

“We wanted something with a lot of natural elements to it like doing the timber paneling on the front and we wanted lots of windows and bi-fold doors so we could have the indoor/outdoor entertaining area.

“We wanted it to be really open plan and we wanted something that  owed really well and it’s very easy to see how it all connects.

“People are knocking on our door to ask who our builder was and if they can come inside and look around.”

More information at jeff@exceptionalconstructions.com.au 6255 8981 or www. exceptionalconstructions.com.au

Joyce’s books for living

FORMER ACT senator, Margaret Reid, right, with Joyce Goodman at the launch of the Joyce Goodman Collection at the ANU’s Burgmann College. Margaret was launching the special collection of “books to live by” assembled by

Kara has the spirit

KARA Potter has been named the winner of Lifeline Canberra’s Women of Spirit award.

Ms Potter, a mother-of-three, was up against 11 other contestants in the search for “women who have faced adversity in their life, and in overcoming it, displayed resilience and courage – inspiring others to do the same”.

Ms Potter’s nomination detailed her ambition to create a safe place for children and families to be included, accepted, nurtured and empowered to be a part of the wider Canberra community.

In her own experience, Ms Potter’s oldest son lives with Aspergers Syndrome and her middle son has Autism and a rare genetic disorder.

In 2007, she launched Learning Ways, an organisation that provides assistance and support to children up to 16 years old with disabilities and their families.

By using her own experience in community development and inclusive education along with the assistance of professional therapists and teachers, Ms Potter develops programs and resources for the organisation.

Learning Ways is currently working with 60 local children and their families.

the college in the name of Joyce Goodman. She praised Joyce for her active association with the college since 1998 and for her work in church, service and community organisations over many years.

briefly

Cash for kids

SEVEN childrens’ organisations across Canberra have received $1200 grants from the Telstra’s Kids Fund. Recipients include: Australian Air League, Conder, to buy camping equipment; Evatt Primary School for new pre-schooler books; Hawker Primary School for a kindergarten “Finger Gym”; Mother Teresa Primary School, Harrison, to buy iPads to teach modern technologies; Mount Rogers Primary School, Melba, to create an outdoor seating area; South Canberra Netball Association, Woden, to support a clinic for junior representative players; and Weetangera Primary’s Autism Specific Learning Support Unit for new gymnastics equipment.

Fresh art

ASTHMA Foundation ACT’s annual charity art exhibition “A Breath of Fresh ART – 2011”, in partnership with Humble House Gallery, will be launched by radio personality and foundation patron Genevieve Jacobs at a cocktail party at Humble House Gallery, 93 Wollongong Street, Fyshwick, 6pm-8.30pm, on Wednesday, November 30. Tickets are $75 and available through following the prompts at www. asthmafoundation.org.au. The exhibition will run from November 30 to December 22.

Supabarn recognised

SUPABARN, in Wanniassa, has won a 2011 Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service of Australia NSW/ACT Employer Award for outstanding commitment to employing people with a disability. Supabarn, Wanniassa worked in partnership with CRS Australia to employ three job seekers with a disability, two of whom are still with the store. CRS Australia’s Employer Awards recognise employers who have shown exceptional commitment to providing training and employment opportunities for people with a disability, injury or health condition.

Win a night at the opera

WIN one of three double passes to the opening night of Canberra Opera Workshop’s first production, Gaetano Donizetti’s “Elixir of Love”.

This delightful comic opera, directed and designed by the award-winning Cate Clelland, will be sung in English over three nights at the ANU Arts Theatre, December 9-11.

Entry details at citynews.com.au/win

legal matters

Just old-fashioned service

HAVING lived in Bungendore for more than 30 years, lawyer Cheryl Welsh felt there was a need for a full-time solicitor to be based in the town.

After talking with other local residents, she decided it was time to branch out on her own, and as a result Just Law was formed in 2007. In the same year, the Bungendore practice expanded when the firm bought an existing law practice in Erindale from a retiring solicitor.

“Just Law is a general law firm and as such try to help the public with all their legal needs. If the team at Just Law are not able to provide a particular service, they will direct their clients to the right people who will best be able to help with their particular requirements,” says Cheryl.

“We have a team of dedicated staff who work to give their clients

good, old-fashioned, friendly service with good, old-fashioned values, and that translates into a law firm that provides service that represents good value for money.

“While Just Law specialise in conveyancing, wills and estate work, they also cover family law, mainly in the area of binding financial agreements.

“Just Law have appointments available after hours to suit the busy working public at both of their offices in Bungendore and Erindale. This convenient service allows clients to fit in around their home and work commitments.”

David Cummins has just joined the Erindale office. He practices in the areas of family law and all court matters, and also handles matters for ACT and NSW Legal Aid.

More information at 6238 0192 (Bungendore) or 6231 4700 (Erindale).

Local experts in estate planning

SPECIALISTS Keith Bradley and Rebecca Tetlow, of leading local independent law firm, Bradley Allen Lawyers, are available to advise and assist with all aspects of estate planning.

Issues can include:

Tax-efficient and cost-effective wills •

Wills containing testamentary discretionary trusts to provide tax-planning opportunities for beneficiaries Planning for blended families, including the application of Family Provision law principles to competing claims against estates Enduring powers of attorney Planning for disabled or at-risk beneficiaries, including protective trusts and special disability trusts.

Payment of superannuation death benefits Applications for court-made wills for people who lack capacity Guardianship and management of property law

Unpaid super: How directors may be liable

THE Federal Government has been threatening to strengthen taxation laws to counter fraudulent phoenix activity.

“This is mainly in response to growing public concern about a small number of corporate cowboys whose companies incur significant losses, yet they manage to

hide behind multiple corporate structures and protect their core business operations,” says Frank Lo Pilato, partner at RSM Bird Cameron.

“While it is the Government’s intention to clamp down on fraudulent phoenix activity, these changes will have a direct impact upon all directors regardless of whether or not they engage in fraudulent phoenix activity.”

He says the directorpenalty regime for unpaid superannuation will be extended to superannuation guarantee amounts, making directors personally liable for their company’s failure to pay employee superannuation.

“The ATO will be given the power to commence recovery against directors under the director-penalty regime, without providing a 21-day grace period, for certain unpaid company liabilities that remain unreported after three months of becoming due,” Mr Lo Pilato says.

“In certain circumstances, directors and associates of directors will be prevented from obtaining credits for withheld amounts in their individual tax returns where the company has failed to pay withheld amounts to the ATO.

“The ATO has been provided with the tools and the funding to enforce compliance and, now more than ever before, they will be inclined to use it. As the saying goes, use or it lose it, and this is exactly what the ATO intends to do.”

Canberra Confidential With

Bryce goes under the auction hammer

SOME of Canberra’s most prominent and influential business people have gathered in support of mental health research recently. And “CC’s” learnt they raised more than $100,000 in a matter of hours.

About 300 guests attended the gourmet dinner event, held this year at the National Gallery of Australia. The annual affair raises much-needed funds for AFFIRM – Australian Foundation for Mental Health Research.

Former senator, Margaret Reid, is chair of the AFFIRM board. And guests included author Bryce Courtenay, former NZ cricketer Chris Cairns and secretary for the Department of Health and Ageing Jane Halton, who were auctioned off in a dinner package donated by Ginger Room’s Janet Jeffs.

One in five Australians will experience mental illness at some stage during their lives.

More information or to make a donation visit www.affirm.org.au

Fireside to Summerside

THERE’S no doubt the annual Fireside Festival is becoming one of the most popular winter events in the Canberra region. So when “CC” heard there’s every chance of a summer version, the news just had to be shared.

Rumour has it many of the region’s venues have already expressed a keen

interest in playing host to a variety of summer-themed events. Apparently Grazing, Poacher’s Pantry and Lambert Vineyards are among some of those that have already said “yes”.

The talk is that Summerside Festival will kick off in February and will incorporate a range of experiences including star gazing, tapas, alfresco dining, summer picnics, musical performances and even a twilight cinema.

Makeover for Barton bar

MEANTIME, “CC’s” heard whispers that Ostani Lounge, Bar and Restaurant at the Hotel Realm is set to undergo major extensions.

The stylish Barton bar is one of the most-crowded places on a Friday afternoon, as public servants gather after knock-off to celebrate the end of a working week. And finding a seat can often prove difficult at the innersouth hot spot.

Since opening in October 2009, Ostani has won many awards including ACT’s Best Hotel Bar and Best Outdoor Entertaining Area from the Australian Hotels Association. It has also played host to the 2010 “Masterchef” finalists when they visited to cook for the Governor-General Quentin Bryce.

Word has it the extensions will be completed in two stages, with the first to begin in March.

Where there’s a Wil...

HE’S well known in Canberra cycling circles, but thanks to a little creativity and passion, “CC’s” discovered Wil Puz is fast becoming a name, not only nationwide but also overseas.

The entrepreneur first came to Canberra for the World Mountain Bike Championships in 2009 and decided he never wanted to leave. He’s now combined his industrial design degree and passion for cycling to create his own brand of gear, called Ollo Industries, right here in Canberra.

“I’m designing cool, well-made clothing for everyone... I just couldn’t find what I wanted in shops and so I thought ‘screw it... it’s not that hard, I’ll do it myself’,” Puz tells “CC”.

But his gear will only ever be avail -

able online. It’s a move the 38-year-old says, is the way of the future.

“Online is the way everything is going and it means I can go global... you get your purchase in two or three days at a reduced cost... and I can do it all from right here in Canberra,” he says.

Puz has just got back from overseas where he’s been working with Italian designers on the 2012 Eurobike range.

Nice one Puz!

More information at www.olloindustries.com

‘Melon’s’

new heights

YOU often see him around town and in the social pages; former Brumbies assistant coach and Australian international rugby union player Owen Finegan is now Snowy Hydro SouthCare’s CEO.

It’s a move the 39-year-old made in July and, he told “CC”, he’s never looked back.

“For me it was a lifestyle change and an opportunity to try something a little bit different,” he says.

But the position wasn’t just handed to Australia’s Player of the Year 2001.

“CC’s” learnt Finegan applied along with many others after seeing an ad in the paper.

And while most of his youth was spent on the field, Finegan says he was lucky to receive an education through the Rugby Union Players Association Training and Education Fund.

“I received about $40,000 in education while I played, including a business

degree and a masters.”

Affectionately known as “Melon” to many, Finegan’s now using his education and his profile to make a difference in our community heading up the Snowy Hydro SouthCare rescue helicopter service.

“I guess one of the benefits of having a profile is that I know a lot of people,” says Finegan.

“I’ve been able to call on many influential members in our community who have been more than happy to help such a worthwhile cause... I’m really enjoying it.”

Finegan’s urging everyone who can spare some money to make a donation.

“This is the rescue chopper’s busiest time of the year,” he says. “So many Canberrans make the trip to the coast over summer, please take care on the roads.”

More information and to make a donation visit www.snowyhydrosouthcare.com.au

At the Ten String and Bouzuki

At the ‘Asparagus and Wine’ dinner, Hyatt Hotel

At Manteena’s Treasures Gallery function, National Library of Australia

all about Gold Creek

all about the arts

New opera company shares the love

“I’M feeling like the bride on the wedding night,” says founder and artistic director of Canberra Opera Workshop, David Reedy.

By arts editor Helen Musa

No wonder, his new company (“it’s called ‘workshop’ because it’s still developing”) is embarking on its first production, “L’elisir d’amore” (“The Elixir of Love”) by Donizetti, one of the most popular operas ever written and number 12 on the “Operabase” list of the most-performed operas.

Canberra Opera Workshop’s founder and artistic director, David Reedy.

Reedy, a long-time Canberra singing teacher and tenor who studied under the late David Parker, has gathered a star cast from his Bel Canto-style singing pupils and the general public, with an equally impressive group of creatives in director Cate Clelland, music director Alexander O’Sullivan, assistant music director John Yoon and conductor Elizabeth Collie.

Reedy, keen to tap into the Canberra community’s passion for opera, advertised for the large chorus, but didn’t make them audition, so there’s a nice feeling to the company, in which the age ranges from 17-76.

Clelland describes the staging concept for “L’elisir d’amore” as, “so simple. It’s already set in history – we’ll make it our history!”

Ballarat in the gold rush era, to be precise, about 20 years later than the original Italian setting of the opera. The set design will be based on the famous goldfield paintings by ST Gill, set within a picture frame.

“It’s all about class, about differently educated people, about two people who don’t know their own minds… it’s silly, it’s sweet and there are no surprises at all,” she says.

Very simply, Nemorino (David Smith), a humble peasant, is in love with the beautiful Adina (Sigrid Miech) and he thinks she doesn’t know. So he consults a quack doctor, played by Christopher McNee.

As for the change in setting, it’s not much of a change, Clelland says.

“Attitudes were the same, class distinctions were the same,” she says.

In both societies and, contrary to common belief, there were plenty of girls on the goldfields.

That’s the easy part. But there’s a lot of work for everybody in this show, many of whom have little stage experience. Clelland has chosen a more stylistic approach to her “quick version” of acting training, in which “people learn by doing”.

As for Reedy, he has big plans for COW next year, maybe Gounod’s “Romeo and Juliet”.

“The Elixir of Love”, ANU Arts Centre, 8pm, December 9 and 10; 2pm, December 11. Bookings to www. CanberraOperaworkshop. org.au or 62491831. Opera with dinner/lunch package, Teatro Vivaldi, bookings to 6257 2718.

Win one of three double tickets to “The Elixir of Love’s” opening night, Entries to citynews.com.au/win

The Bard goes to Broadway

By Helen Musa

“IF Shakespeare were alive today, he’d be writing musicals.”

Well, that’s not conclusive, but it is the opinion of lyricist Melvyn Morrow, the brains behind many old Phillip Street theatre and Mavis Bramston shows, endless updatings of Gilbert and Sullivan for Opera Australia and scripts for “Sons and Daughters”.

He co-wrote the book for the Johnny O’Keefe musical, “Shout!” and for “Dusty”, and he’s still going. Earlier this year, for instance, Morrow and the ABC’s “Macca” wrote the flood-relief song “Gumboots” together.

You name it, he’s tried it. Somewhere along the line, he even managed to father “The Chaser’s” Julian Morrow, but that’s another story. Back in the ‘90s, he cooked up shows on his favourite theory about the Bard of Avon, one of the most commercial playwrights in history, as he tells me. Morrow experimented with one theory in “Tae Kwon Shakespeare”– we saw that at Queanbeyan at the School of Arts Café – then asked, wouldn’t Shakespeare have wanted some of the action that made Lord Lloyd Webber a multi-millionaire?

In “Broadway Bard”, later used as a fundraiser for Bell Shakespeare, Morrow fooled around with notions such as the natural consequences of Hamlet’s “To Be or Not to Be” and picked up on the exhibitionist aspects of Richard, Duke of

Melvyn Morrow... you name it, he’s tried it. Julian Kuo... a Shakespeare freak.

Gloucester.

It’s 2011. Enter young jazz bandleader and singer Julian Kuo, a Shakespeare freak just like Morrow, who offers him the chance to pick a new set of songs and Shakespearean extracts. Kuo nominates his favourite plays as “King Lear” and “The Merchant of Venice” as well as the Sonnets, with which he says he has an “unhealthy” obsession.

Morrow and Kuo are singing from the same song sheet when they describe the resulting show as “Shakespeare with absolutely none of the boring bits”.

“Broadway Bard,” Teatro Vivaldi, dinner and show, 7pm, December 2-3. Bookings to 6257 2718.

Gala auction and awards at the archives

THE National Archives once again plays host to Capital Arts Patrons Organisation’s gala auction and awards ceremony on November 26.

There will be music by Frequently Asked Questions, a performance by poet and rapper Omar Musa, a virtual appearance from “the new music ensemble”, The Griffyn Ensemble as well as gourmet food and drinks.

Eighty-one artworks donated by 79 artists

and valued from $100 to more than $7000 will be on display for auction. Ten awards, including the top one, the CAPO Fellowship, will be given to artists.

Bookings for the CAPO gala to www.capo.org. au. Only ticket holders can bid in the auction. An exhibition of the art is free to visitors at the Archives, 9am-5pm, until November 26.

A compassionate tale to break your heart

“THE FIRST GRADER ” (MA)

AFTER “Breaking Dawn” abjectly failed to convince me that movie-reviewing is fun,

“The First Grader” was a profound palate cleanser, an intense, delightful, sympathetic rendering of the verifiable story of how, at age 84, a former Mau Mau guerilla went to school to learn how to read a letter he had kept for more than four decades.

Kimani N’gan’ga Maruge died in 2009, before this film was finished, but after addressing the UN General Assembly about education in third world countries.

Oliver Litondo plays him with dignity and conviction.

Naomie Harris is a joy to watch as the principal of a small school implementing Kenya’s official policy of universal education. Ann Peacock’s sometimes formulaic but always perceptive screenplay gives wonderful opportunities to interact with delightful children, adults living simple rural lifestyles, obstinate bureaucracy blindly following regulations and British military brutality. Justin Chadwick’s direction is firm-handed rather than flamboyant.

“The First Grader” will please all people of compassion and goodwill. The only plot information I’m giving is in the first paragraph of this review. Watching it without an advance plot précis will, I’m confident, strengthen its impact. Pulling no punches as its structure moves between the 21st century and the third quarter of the 20th, it has a measure of predictability but the sting in its tail may come close to breaking your heart.

At Greater Union

LIFE’S a bitch and then you die. Jonathan Teplitzky’s full-on exploration of that aphorism is raw, beautiful, heart-breaking, challenging, cruel, infuriating, defying the moral and spiritual constrictions cherished by wowsers and Mrs Grundys.

In short, everything that makes a film memorable, delivered with style, panache and a determination to make film-goers work to claim its satisfactions.

cinema

Dougal Macdonald

Imagine a beautifully-crafted object shattered into fragments – time, place, emotion. Teplitzky’s screenplay assembles them into a structure different from the original yet no less beautiful and ultimately conveying the same message.

Tom (Matthew Goode), a chef at an up-market Sydney restaurant, is shortfused, vituperative, impossible to like. The film breaks many social and moral rules in explaining why he’s that way. Nothing has prepared him to deal with the loss to breast cancer of his adored wife Sarah (Bojana Novakovic). He’s become a loose cannon, blazing away at people remaining in his life, even eight-year-old Oscar (a marvellous performance from Jack Heanly).

Many of them are beautiful women ready to give the kind of solace that men yearn for even at the best of times. Tom’s acquaintances use unrestrained vocabulary that imposed convention deems unprintable in a family newspaper. Teplitzky holds nothing back in using those elements as a strong foundation for the story’s discomforting tone.

Which is as it should be. Despite some imperfections, “Burning Man” is a credible lesson in Male Grieving 101 delivered as powerful entertainment.

At Greater Union

WRITER/ DIRECTOR Lynne Ramsay’s structural changes to Lionel Shriver’s novel, telling how middle-class parents Eva and Franklin raised Kevin, don’t detract from the film’s growing tension level.

Eva had Kevin late in life. After a difficult birth, he grew into an unco-operative, uncommunicative, little monster. He liked it that way. He enjoyed Franklin’s gift of a toy archery set.

Franklin left the hard yards of rearing Kevin to Eva. He regards Kevin’s behaviour

as typical of a little boy. Eva never stood up to Franklin or smacked Kevin no matter how atrocious his behaviour. This would come back to bite the family as Kevin approached his 16th birthday with a real archery set. It’s improbable that smacking would have made any difference anyway.

As Eva, Tilda Swinton is, as always, superb. Ezra Miller deals effectively with the anti-hero role of Kevin. John C Reilly never looks comfortable as Franklin.

The structure of Ramsay’s treatment of the story is a giant jigsaw puzzle. The pieces eventually find their places, but it is hard work to see the finished picture. Don’t expect to get warm fuzzies.

At Greater Union

“THE TWIlIGHT SAGA: BREAKInG DAWn, PART 1” (PG)

CINEMAS go to the expense of midnight screenings to tempt a franchise’s dyed-inthe-wool fanatics to see the film’s first local screening.

I have it on impeccable authority that many fanatics voted with their feet and went home early from one local cinema that screened this vampire/werewolf fantasy at midnight on its opening day.

Bella and Edward are getting married. He’s a century-old vampire looking like 20. Edward’s werewolf rival opposes the marriage. Fourteen days after the wedding night, Bella sees no reason to unwrap a fresh Tampax. She is carrying an incubus. Or a succubus. Whichever it is is immaterial because she damn near dies during a brief gestation. But she can’t die yet because the coven master has welcomed a new member and the film’s makers promise Part 2.

In a longer career reviewing films than anybody else in Canberra, I have managed so far to avoid the “Twilight” saga. This one gets a single star for exteriors looking attractive even when patently contrived hokum and for CG effects. The acting is wooden. The plot is trivial. The fantasy is weary. The title is internally inconsistent. The fatuity bored me.

At all cinemas

Bob Ellis: The King and I

By Helen Musa

WHY did Canberra Museum and Gallery invite Bob Ellis to open its new exhibition about maverick politician King O’Malley?

Well, apart from the maverick coincidence, there’s the fact that back in 1970, he co-wrote, with Michael Boddy, “The Legend of King O’Malley”, one of Australia’s most-loved yet, strangely, least-performed plays.

Back in the ‘60s and ‘70s, nobody but Boddy had ever heard of O’Malley. But on a chance visit to John Bell, the actor-director, fresh back from seven years in England, told the pair, “it could be a play”.

Now Ellis is an O’Malley expert. He pauses to read a passage he’s written about the real O’Malley who, back in the US when he founded of a religion, had an assistant called Mr Angel

(really) who set fire to magnesium on top of a hill so that mountains could “burst into flame”. They were eventually outed as frauds.

The CMAG show confirms that such

trickery was indeed part of O’Malley’s profile. Nobody can ever be sure whether he was really born in Canada, as he claimed, making him a British subject.

CMAG shows that O’Malley was pretty good at putting himself centrestage, arranging a special laying of the foundation stone for the national capital just ahead of the official opening.

A lifelong wowser, he was nonetheless fast and loose with the truth, so much so that the curator of the exhibition, Rowan Henderson, had difficulty in establishing just how old he really was.

And what of Ellis, a “truth-teller” from way back? He’s busy authoring a mini-series about Rupert Murdoch, cowriting with Damian Spruce a book called “The Year it all fell Down” (this year), and writing speeches for Bill Shorten. Just imagine the fun he’d be having if O’Malley were still around.

“King O’Malley”, Canberra Museum and Gallery, Civic Square, until March 12. Monday-Friday 10am-5pm, weekends 12pm-5pm.

Celebrating the magic of Mozart

STOPERA is celebrating the magic of Mozart’s music, with favourite excerpts from “The Magic Flute”, “Don Giovanni”, “The Marriage of Figaro” and “Così fan tutte” performed by sopranos Rebecca Collins and Rachael Duncan, baritone Rohan Thatcher, and pianist Vivienne Winther. At Tuggeranong Arts Centre, 3pm, Sunday, November 27. Bookings to 6293 1443.

THE Radiance Dance Project is open to all women with and without disabilities. Its 2011 production, “Every Little Thing”, features music by Jane Aubourg and artwork by Catherine Dabron. Belconnen Theatre, Swanson Street, 11.30am, November 30 and 1pm, December 1. Free. Accessible venue. No bookings required.

ACTOR, painter and sculptor, Max Cullen will present the “CityNews” Artist of the Year award on November 29. Cullen, who lives in Gunning with his wife, the painter Margarita Georgiadis, is now exhibiting sculptures made from worn-out, old musical instruments and junk, as well as paintings at South Hill Gallery, 3 Garrorigang Road, Goulburn, until December 4.

THE Canberra International Film Festival has announced “best film” voting from this year. The winners are, “Life Above All”, (South Africa/Germany), “Buck” (US) and “Carmen Jones” (US).

THE Artists Society of Canberra’s 12th Summer Art Experience runs from January 9-13. Workshops feature experienced local and interstate tutors at the new Kingsford Smith School in Holt. Abstracts (acrylics), Peter Griffen; life drawing (multi-media), Pauline Adair; wildlife (multi-media), Sandra Temple; watercolour, Nic

arts in the city

Canosa and Chan Dissanayake; acrylic, Richard Rogers, Jenni Kelly and Lyn Diefenbach; pastel, Lyn Mellady. Information at www.asoc.net.au and bookings to 6242 9699 or sae@ asoc.net.au

FLAUTIST and ANU School of Music graduate Katie Zagorski, supported by Tara Houghton (viola), Katie Zagorski (flute), Lara Dodds-Eden (piano), is performing Bach, Hindemith, Poulenc, Brahms and Duruflé at Wesley Music Centre, 7.30pm and at Crisp Galleries, Gap Range, Bowning, 2.30pm, Sunday, November 27. Tickets at the door.

IT’S great to see Canberra’s Fatima Killeen on the shortlist of the “Director’s Cut” in the 60th Blake Prize’s online exhibition. Her 2011 work “Journey of Surrogacy and Resilience” is a mixed installation involving etchings, found objects and a wooden box. You can view the director’s selections at www. blakeprize.com.au/galleries/directors-cut.

EXHIBITORS for 12 years, the Belconnen Artists Network is staging an exhibition that includes photos of the lunar eclipse in Canberra and works interpreting darkness and the environment. Gold Creek Church Gallery, 10am–4pm daily, until Sunday, November 27. ‘TIS the season... The University of Canberra Chorale will perform Benjamin Britten’s “A Ceremony of Carols” and other pieces for Advent and Christmas at St Paul’s Manuka, 7.30pm, December 1. Book-

ings to 6201 5837 or Felicity. Moran@canberra.edu.au

THE winners of the Inaugural Student Carillon Composition Competition are: First (NCA Chairman’s Award $2000), Leonard Wiess, “The Bells of Nyx”; second (Wesley Music Foundation $1000),Ella Macens,

“The Transfixed Walls”; third, (Carillon Society of Australia $500), Austin Har, “The Devil’s Merry-Go-Round”. A recital at The Carillon, Aspen Island, 2pm, on November 26, will feature the successful entrants and an audience vote at the conclusion. Free, No bookings required.

Treat not to be missed

ENGLISH playwright Ray Cooney is an expert at winding up ridiculous plots; Canadian director Walter Learning is an expert at unravelling them.

“Out of Order” is easily the silliest bit of pre-Christmas fun in Canberra. The plot is familiar. An English MP in the Thatcher era finds himself compromised in a London hotel room. A mysterious body at the window completes the picture.

The handsome hotel setting designed by Russell Brown takes us back to the Thatcher era, though most of the music is The Beatles.

Three top veterans of Canberra’s theatre scene

– Geoffrey Borny, Micki Beckett and Jasan Savage – create eccentric vignettes that provoke unrestrained laughter from the moment they pop their heads in the door.

Paul Jackson does justice to the enviable role of The Body,

“Out of Order”

By Ray Cooney,

directed by Walter Learning, for Canberra Repertory, at Theatre 3, until December 3.

Reviewed by Helen Musa

while Tracy Thomas, who plays the sexy secretary from Opposition Leader Neil Kinnock’s office, finds it hard to bring her role to life.

But this evening belongs to Peter Holland, as the deviously libidinous MP Richard, and Robert De Fries as his confidential secretary George, in the performance of his life.

Holland brings energy to his character’s constantly inventive lies, but De Fries, reveals that beneath his stuffy and selfrighteous exterior is an even more consummate liar. Their double act is a theatrical treat not to be missed.

When Indian meets Italian

INDIAN and Italian, together. This is what you have to get your head wrapped around when you dine at Digress Restaurant and Lounge.

I don’t mean the menu features separate lists of Indian and Italian dishes. I mean the food is a mix of both cuisine types.

It took “us gaggle of gals” a while to adjust to this unique concept, but once we did, we explored the food offerings with interest.

Digress is on Akuna Street, across the road from the Waldorf Apartment Hotel. You say hello to two regal-looking guardian lion sculptures and walk down the winding, wooden staircase. The lounge is directly at the bottom of the stairs and the more formal restaurant further along. The big bar is in the middle.

We sat in the dining area, admiring the art deco-styled wall of glass separating the two main areas. The rich colours – including royal purple, deep red, brilliant orange and rich gold – add an exotic element to the décor.

The menu features pasta, risotto and pizza, all made with Indian flavours and sauces. The

dining

Wendy Johnson

range of naan breads includes one filled with spicy mint chutney and another with raisins, nuts and coconut – good with cold beer and a nice way to relax on the lounge side.

We started with fritters made by combining two traditional and very famous cheeses, Italy’s mozzarella and India’s paneer (getting the picture?). They were crumbed, the two cheeses creamy and the spicy jalapeno aioli delightful ($10).

Pay attention to the chilli symbols on the menu warning of the degree of heat, from mild up to “Indian hot” for those who are brave. I like it hot and wasn’t disappointed with the Tandoor prawn arrabbiata. It’s not a cheap dish ($30.90), but was generous with the prawns and the tandoori tastes predominated.

The chilli chicken fusilli, was created with charcoaled

chicken and the sauce with capsicum, onion, tomato and green chillies. It was unusual, but the tastes definitely worked ($23.90). The marinara pizza was disappointing – we wondered about the type of olives used and it just didn’t work somehow.

The dish we agreed captured the essence of Digress the most was the Carbonara Murga ($23.90), tender chicken in a cream sauce served with linguine, crispy bacon and parmesan. It was a light and subtle dish, but a nice blend of Indian tastes.

Digress comes through on its promise to deliver a mix of east and west cuisine. And it definitely stands up to its name – diversion from main focus.

Digress, 11 Akuna Street, Civic, lunch Monday-Friday; dinner Monday-Saturday. Call 6248 6952.

A real brush with fame

“USING high-quality brushes can make all the difference in the application of make-up,” says Becca Cosmetics founder Rebecca Morrice Williams.

“Look for softness, good flexibility and shape when choosing a brush, and if possible, have a demonstration to see how it works with a particular make-up product.

“Brush sets are a great way to experiment with brushes, without making an overly expensive investment,” Rebecca says.

“Becca brushes are hand-crafted and only the finest natural and synthetic hairs are used. Our brushes are expertly designed to match the application, and so the production process is very detailed. Usually, you won’t find such attention to detail in a low-quality brush.”

From left: Youngblood crease/ smudge brush, $38. Youngblood eyebrow angle brush, $30. Becca powder/bronzer make-up brush #16, $88. Youngblood Foundation make-up brush #18, $72. Ere Perez natural powder brush, $33.95.

From left, BYS Island Bronze pro-tanning lotion, $19.95; l e Tan foaming mousse, $12.99; l’Oreal Paris Sublime Bronze face and body gel, $23.95; Custom Tan Self Tanning Mousse, $32.95 (available from www.2hourtan.com.au); Bloom body tanning mousse, $28; Clarins Delectable self tanning mousse with SPF15, $45.

Faking it for a safe tan

By Libby Hill

AS much as we love pure porcelain-toned skin, there are times when a girl just looks better with a tan.

A beautiful bronze glow is a quick way to kick-start your best looks this party season – whether it’s going to the races, a wedding or simply heading to a barbecue.

The only safe way to tan is to fake it, but keep it natural-look-

ing – nothing will ruin your look more than a tandoori tan! For best results, apply to clean, dry and exfoliated skin with long even strokes. Rub some baby oil into your elbows, knees and ankles before applying sparingly to these areas. Wash hands thoroughly after use and wait 15 minutes before dressing (and about four hours before exercising or showering if you can).

All for the art of nails

NAILS have never been so exciting with nail art and the brightest polishes attracting attention everywhere.

Celebrity manicurist and ORLY Australia’s Creative Director Fiona Hay says solid, vibrant colours and metallics are in for summer.

“Think pumpkin orange, golden yellow, turquoise, coral, violet, and flesh toned opaque nude,” Fiona says.

“High-shine metallics are gorgeous for summer and work well with shatter top coats.”

Colour blocking is a strong trend this summer as well.

“Try colour blocking one or two fingers on each hand a different colour. Or try a french-tip-style with pink and orange.”

Fiona says the best way to achieve long-lasting results and avoid chipping is to always prepare your nails before painting by removing all surface oils by wiping each nail with nail-polish remover. Apply a base coat to anchor your colour to your nails, followed by two coats of colour for an even coverage. Finish with a top coat for fast drying, high-shine, chip-resistant manicures.

your week in the stars

With Joanne Madeline Moore Nov

28 – Dec 4

ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

Professional projects, joint ventures and financial affairs get a boost from Venus and Jupiter early in the week. The more you collaborate with colleagues, the more successful you’ll be. The Sun and Mars are at odds on Friday, which encourages ego clashes and impulsive actions. Find positive and productive ways to channel your abundant Aries energy.

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 20)

Lady Luck pays a visit this week. With restless Jupiter in your sign (plus Venus and Pluto hooking up in your travel zone) it’s time to be passionate about foreign places. Be inspired by birthday great Mark Twain: “Sail away from the safe harbour … Explore. Dream. Discover.” If you can’t take a trip somewhere soon, then go on a local adventure with someone special.

GEMINI (May 21 – June 21)

Love and money are your priorities at the moment. You’ll find your sex life is sizzling – or snoozing. And your finances are firing on all cylinders – or flat-lining. There’s not much in between! Expect a fractious week with family members, as Mars and retro Mercury increase your impatience – and your tendency to put your foot firmly in your mouth.

CANCER (June 22 – July 22)

Jupiter jump starts joint ventures and group projects early in the week. Venus and Pluto boost love and lust (and turn the intensity dial up a notch or two). Fleeting flirtations are out and committed coupling is in. Singles – look for love with a sexy Scorpio or a charming Capricorn. Others will push your buttons on Friday, but think things through before you react.

LEO (July 2 – Aug 22)

Attention Leo live-wires! Are you fulfilling your divine destiny? With Venus, Jupiter and Pluto in your work zones, it’s time to capitalise on professional opportunities that come your way. But don’t start any creative projects until you have completed old ones. Impulsive behaviour (and fast money moves) will only land you in hot water on Friday, so try to be a cool Cat.

VIRGO (Aug 2 – Sept 22)

Friendship and travel are favoured. The stars also highlight plenty of activity at Villa Virgo as you do a spot of domestic DIY. Don’t be surprised if unexpected guests drop in, and turn your carefully organised abode upside down. Avoid being drawn into family squabbles later in the week. If you are diplomatic, it may be enough to keep you out of the firing line!

LIBRA (Sept 2 – Oct 2)

When it comes to complicated family matters, look beneath the surface to discover what’s really going on. With Venus and Pluto joining forces in your domestic zone, still waters run deep. You’ll pick up useful information by listening and observing – plus tuning in to what your intuition is telling you. Your diplomatic skills will be tested on Friday.

SCORPIO (Oct 2 – Nov 21)

All types of partnerships are favoured early in the week. The more you communicate with colleagues (and mingle with likeminded souls) the more you’ll benefit. How secure do you feel – emotionally and financially? With the Sun and retro Mercury teaming up in your self-esteem/money zone on Sunday, you need to reassess your core values (and revise your budget).

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 21)

Financial and business matters are favoured, as Venus and Jupiter send fabulous opportunities and influential people in your direction. But don’t squander the luck that comes your way. And avoid getting drawn into discussions over money or possessions, as things could get intense. With Mercury reversing through your sign, choose your words wisely.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 1)

With powerful Pluto moving through your sign, you’re going through a gradual metamorphosis. Don’t resist change! Be inspired by birthday great Bette Midler: “Life is nothing but change.” With the Moon and Venus also visiting your sign, you’re at your charming Capricorn best. So it’s the perfect time to call in some old favours – plus connect with your creativity.

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 1)

Group activities are favoured this week, as you share your idiosyncratic ideas with convivial companions and like-minded friends. Your reckless side is in full flight on Friday, as the Sun and Mars rev up your rebellious nature. If you must stir things up, make sure they are causes worth fighting for. Look for creative ideas and guidance from within.

PISCES (Feb 1 – Mar 20)

Have you been neglecting loved ones? With gung-ho Mars in your relationship zone, you need to be proactive about improving your partnerships. Singles – you won’t get anywhere by swimming in the shallow end of the love pool. It’s time to dive in the deep end! Creative inspiration is high at work, but don’t assume you know what colleagues are thinking.

Daily astrology updates at www.twitter.com/JoMadelineMoore

Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2011

Across

4 What is another term for a play off?

8 The zodiac sign Libra falls mainly in which month?

9 Name a skilled performer who can walk on a tightrope and perform on a trapeze, etc.

10 Which part of our skeleton is the patella?

11 What is the official headquarters of an ambassador?

12 What is a division or disunion, especially into mutually opposed parties?

14 What is a deep valley with steep sides?

18 To be curved like the interior of a hollow sphere is to be what?

21 Which sword is short, heavy, and slightly curved?

22 Name the heavy material carried by a ship to ensure proper stability.

23 What is another name for a pilot of an aeroplane?

24 To which breed of dog does the Jack Russell belong? Down

1 Which small pointed instruments are

used for making holes in cloth, etc?

2 Name the highly volatile colourless liquid used as an anaesthetic.

3 What is a localised collection of pus in any part of the body?

4 Who deals in textiles and cloth goods, etc?

5 Which fruit is used as a substitute for chocolate?

6 Name the French impressionist composer (1862-1918), Claude ...

7 Which colloquial term describes something luxurious or elegant?

13 Name the Australian pioneer aviator (1892-1933), Bert ...

15 Vienna is the capital of which European republic?

16 What is a room or place set apart for young children?

17 Which drink is said to be "of the gods"?

18 Name the ancient linear unit based on the length of the forearm.

19 Which calculating contrivances consist of beads strung

all about home&garden

Laying down the lawn

THERE are people who think lawns are an anathema, particularly those whose main love is for our wonderful Aussie plants.

And yet look at our Australian National Botanic Gardens, where so many love to sit on the lawns enjoying the summer concerts. These lawns blend perfectly with the bush surroundings.

Lawns close to the house serve many useful purposes; for example, rather than paving with all its reflected heat, lawns have a real cooling effect.

As a side issue, the use of artificial turf generates about the same heat as paving.

In the Canberra fires of 2003, several of my clients have said that lawns, rather than large numbers of shrubs close to the home, saved their homes. When I am designing gardens in country areas two vital points are taken into consideration. Firstly, easy access for fire trucks around the whole house if the need arises and, secondly, keeping all shrubbery at least 10 metres away from the building, preferably with lawn areas between house and garden beds.

LAST week, in discussing the problem of those overnight lawn destroyers, the scarab grub, I said it was essential to spray at the right time. If you are away at that time your hard work re-estab -

gardening

cedric Bryant

lishing a lawn is lost.

The alternative is to use a commercial lawn-maintenance firm such as Coochie Hydrogreen. I have known the owners since they were teenagers and, certainly, there is no more reliable firm.

If your lawn is healthy, it uses less water to keep green. As readers know, I am an advocate for organic gardening and Coochie Hydrogreen uses a liquid, organic soil conditioner that is predissolved. When applied to the lawn, it is absorbed directly into the grass, unlike chemical fertilisers that require large amounts of water to dissolve the granules.

Applied at the right time, this combines to combat scarab grubs, weeds and other lawn diseases.

It is worth checking out Coochie Hydrogreen for its regular six-visit, lawn-care program; more details at 1800 245955.

IF you have not already mulched, or refreshed previous mulching from last season, this is one of the most important tasks in the garden, especially as a particularly hot summer is predicted.

One important point if you have installed drip irrigation. Over a period, the drip lines may be buried in old mulch or even soil in places. Drip irrigation is always laid on top of the soil and

In the cool of the day

•

A cool, green lawn.

under the mulch. Therefore, if the drip lines are buried it is important to lift them on top of the soil before applying new mulch. The recommended depth of mulch is 75mm.

More information on the most effective mulch, visit www.cedricbryant.com and refer to the Cedfacts Information Sheet “Mulch your garden to conserve moisture”.

Gardens open for inspiration

OPEN gardens this weekend: Palerang, near Bungendore: Dating from the 1840s, Palerang, near Bungendore, was previously the home of poet David Campbell in the 1960s. A walled garden shelters a croquet lawn. There are roseclad pergolas, old Bunya Pine and Atlantic Cedar plus crinkle-crankle stone walls, flagstone paths and herbaceous borders.

Palerang, 154 Hazeldell Road, Mulloon (near Bungendore), open November 26-27, 10am-4.30pm. Entry $6 adults, children free. St Omer, Nerriga Road, Braidwood: Shrouded by cypress groves, the heritage-listed woodland garden at St Omer has been tended by the Bunn family since 1828. Open November 26-27, 10am4.30pm, entry $6, children free. Donnelly’s Cottage, 27 Modbury Street, Bungendore: Shady deciduous trees and densely planted boundaries of plums, hawthorns and photinias provide privacy for a charming garden surrounding an 1880s cottage. Heritage varieties of pears, apples, plums and roses. Open November 26-27, 10am4.30pm, entry $6, children free.

•

•

Prune Banksian and weeping roses hard after flowering. Check fruit trees for any dead, diseased or damaged branches. These can damage ripening fruit. Keep feeding strawberries and cut off any runners which if left will reduce fruit.

•

• Trim hedges like Buxus/box plants when a few cool days are forecast. Never in the heat of the day or it will result burnt leaf edges. Update your garden knowledge with the latest edition of the “Canberra Gardener” available from most bookshops and newsagents.

lift drip irrigation before spreading mulch.

Keith thrives on growing vegetables

GROWING your own vegetables is a wonderful pastime, says Keith Colls, garden enthusiast and former president of the Canberra Organic Growers Society.

“People like growing things, and with COGS there’s the advantage of exchanging tips and sharing produce with fellow gardeners,” he says.

With 12 community gardens in Charnwood, Cook, Cotter, Dickson, Erindale, Holder, Kaleen, Kambah, Mitchell, Oaks Estate, O’Connor and Queanbeyan, and with new ones under negotiation, COGS community gardens are a great way to get people together to grow their own fruit and veg, says Keith.

“COGS members join for different reasons, whether they live in flats and don’t have any space, or live in older leafy suburbs – it’s hard to grow vegetables and trees. It’s very open and sunny here.

“There’s definitely a sense of ownership and belonging.”

COGS started in 1977 to help organic growers exchange information and encourage others to adopt organic growing methods, says Keith, who’s been involved for about 25 years.

Each garden has its own character and they all avoid fertilisers, pesticides or herbicides. Plot holders pay an annual levy to cover the costs of running the garden, including water and insurance.

The community garden in Cook – where Keith has his own spot – was established in 2001 through the efforts of local residents who were

By Kathryn Vukovljak

members of COGS, says Keith.

“Many people found out about the Cook garden and COGS just by driving past on Bindubi Street,” he says. “There’s a strong local connection in this particular garden.”

Keith says that while he enjoyed his two three-year terms as president of COGS, it was a lot of work.

“You have to stay in contact with all 12 gardens, give talks, develop new gardens, keep an overview of the whole organisation and make sure it’s not running off the rails or going broke or anything,” he says. “It’s a huge challenge; a big job.

“After three years I needed a break, to recharge my batteries. And let someone else with fresh ideas have a go.”

Having learned a lot about gardening from his parents, he says, he also studied horticulture at CIT after retiring from his career in meteorology.

“I’d always been interested in gardening, and once I retired I wanted to do something useful with my time,” he says.

“I think it’s helped enormously to have that horticultural background.”

Although he has handed over the presidency to Alison Killen, Keith is still on the COGS committee, involved in the website and talking to people who are keen to set up a new garden. For more information, visit www.cogs.asn.au

Bright, bold, beautiful bongos

BRIGHT, bold colours are the trend in home furnishings this summer and vibrant bongos are an easy way to brighten a home.

Bongos, a portable solution for extra seating or simply for use as an occasional table, come with in-built storage, that might suit manchester or for tidying away items such as kids’ toys.

Bongos are available in a range of sizes and heights, some with the option of a tray top.

Floored by parquetry

PARQUET flooring allows home owners to make a statement about their creative style right from the front door, says Robyn Barnes, Boral Timber’s marketing manager.

“We’re finding that home owners are choosing a mix of timber flooring materials to make a style statement as well as provide a practical solution,” she says.

“They prefer the beautiful geometric patterns and hard-wearing nature of parquetry in a home’s entrance space and the simplicity and warmth of hardwood timber solid strip or engineered flooring in the rest of the house.”

Robyn says that Boral Timber’s block parquetry encourages creative flair, with the ability to recreate popular patterns such as herringbone and basket weave.

“It’s possible to use a mix of timber species, or just one species, to design custom patterns for an individual look,” she says.

Popular for centuries and used in some of the world’s grandest buildings, parquetry also provides a solution to heavy traffic areas of the home such as entrance ways, halls and steps, according to Robyn.

“Any damage can be easily fixed by replacing just the affected blocks,” she says.

“After years of wear the entire floor can be restored by sanding and resealing.”

BELCONNEN

Canberra Region Property Summary

CHISHOLM

DICKSON

Canberra Region Property Summary

DOWNER

DUNLOP

GILMORE

GIRALANG

FRANKLIN

GARRAN

GLENEAGLES

Canberra Region Property Summary

HACKETT

HARCOURT HILL

HARRISON

MACGREGOR

LATHAM

LYNEHAM

L.J. Hooker Tuggeranong 0409 446 289 4BR H

Sat 10:00-10:45 56/34 Leahy Cl Luton Properties 0417 238 945 2BR I

10:00-10:30 2 Warburton St L.J. Hooker Manuka 0411 244 874 3BR F

10:30-11:15

Toolambi St Peter Blackshaw Manuka 0412 631 763 3BR A

11:00-11:30 33/44

NORTH LYNEHAM

O'CONNOR

Canberra Region Property Summary

Canberra Region Property Summary

TURNER

WEETANGERA

WANNIASSA