130829 citynews

Is the prison losing its enlightened glow?

ROBERT MACKLIN

Elections: we can do better

MICHAEL MOORE

Furner didn’t see the axe

TIM GAVEL

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billy beans

PERHAPS the sweetest place to start a visit to Baileys Corner, on London Circuit, is at the smallest shop, Billy Bean’s Fantastical Chocolate and Sweet Shop – it’s tiny, but packed full of goodies!

Owner Rod Giles tells me they import their retro sweets and lollies, mainly from the UK. “We want to give customers a trip down memory lane,” says Rod. “Just looking at the packaging can invoke happy memories.”

Billy Beans sells Rowntree, Maynards, Barratts, Swizzels Matlow, Cadbury, Fry’s, Thorntons and Wrigley’s sweets, among others, and also imports from the US. And then there’s the gourmet chocolate...

civic shoes AJ watch repairs

COMING down off a sugar high, you’ll find Civic Shoes next door, with a huge range of quality shoes and boots for men and women.

“After 40 years being based here and selling to Canberra citizens, I don’t think we could be anywhere else,” says owner Milton Vassiliotis.

Selling mostly imported footwear, including Ferracini from Brazil, Loake from England, Brando and Bartalesi from Italy and American Merrells, there is also a shoe repairs section to the shop, which attracts a lot of customers, says Milton.

“ ”

ACROSS the way is AJ Watch Repairs, a striking shop with a wall of ornate Swiss cuckoo clocks and a variety of elegant grandfather clocks for sale.

Owner Krzysztof Jakubaszek says he’s been based in Baileys Corner for 14 years, after coming to Canberra from Poland to be with family.

The

iconic Bailey’s Corner offers original shopping through its select and intimate group of speciality retailers.

Here we meet some of the friendly faces behind the these special retail spaces

ACCESS Himalaya, next door, is a bright, welcoming store with so much to look at!

Owner Tsering Brammall says she enjoys the location and the arcade feel, and sells imported stock from Tibet, India and Nepal.

“We have jewellery, homewares, brightly coloured felt items, winter woollens like gloves, jumpers, beanies and scarves, and also traditional Tibetan carpets,” she says. Her current bestseller is the Tibetan singing bowl. “People love these, and they always sell out,” she says, cheerfully demonstrating how the “sound healing” works. The bowls are available in different sizes and come with a cushion to rest on and a mallet to strike them.

OUTSIDE the arcade is menswear store Ken Cook , which store manager Adolfo Albero describes as a destination.

“We provide excellent service and we have long-term, loyal clients,” he says. “And it’s often the women who decide what the men must wear!”

Stocking high-quality labels including Armani Collezioni, Armani Jeans, Ermenegildo Zegna, Dressler, Hugo Boss, Ted Baker, Bugatti and Lloyds shoes, Ken Cook has been based in Bailey’s Corner for more than 20 years.

ted’s

cameras

The shop sells beautiful watches, including German brand MeisterSinger, Australian-made Adina, which uses Swiss parts, and Swiss brand Glycine.

“The watches are very popular,” he says. “Often people come in to see what we have, to ask questions, then they will come back and buy once they have done their research.”

Qualified watchmaker Krzysztof says he also repairs all timepieces.

DOWNSTAIRS from Ken Cook is Ted’s Cameras, another mainstay of the arcade.

“We’ve been here since 1988,” says store manager David Bryan, who was employed when the store opened, along with Dorothy Baker and Jim Whitton, who still work at the store.

“There’s a lot of history here, and Ted’s still the only specialised, dedicated camera store in Canberra.”

Ted’s sells all the leading brands – Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony and Panasonic – as well as photography accessories.

Fight club: the world of biff and banter

THE shield maiden stands poised, sword held high, the plate armour she borrowed from a fellow warrior weighing more heavily than the corset which normally serves as her only body protection.

Luckily the enemy’s swords, and her own, are made of fibreglass covered in soft polyurethane or latex foam.

“I’ve always had an interest in fantasy world stuff,” says ANU student Erica Moy, 22, a member of The Hundred Swords, a relatively new “battle gaming” group that gets together for regular combat in parks and open spaces around Canberra. Apparently, one outside the National Library recently attracted more than 60 participants, and there are already “warbands” forming as groups within the group.

“I don’t know, it’s just a nice opportunity to dress up – you don’t normally get to dress up in costumes – and it’s a lot of fun,” says Erica. “It’s also my recreational sport and it’s a good social thing. It’s nice to get together every couple of weeks as a group, have a bit of a biff and then have a barbeque.”

The Hundred Swords started up halfway through last year and Erica got involved around February.

Stephen Easton reports

“It’s not really in the confines of a particular era or setting,” she says, explaining the group’s unique style of play.

“Some of the matches have a storyline or a scenario that goes along with them, but everyone can use whatever weapons they like, obviously within the rules, and dress how they want, so they can be an elf or a human or an orc or whatever.”

The Hundred Swords was started by Neil Stork-Brett and theatre prop designer Chris Wolfe, and fellow members of another group that has staged massive outdoor NERF gun battles for about three years. According to Neil, “everybody knows Canberra and Southern NSW Dart Tag” in the national and international NERF scene.

“We’re the only NERF group in Australia that has any kind of relationship with Hasbro Australia, the makers of NERF; just last week I went and picked up some of the new blasters to try out, review online and give away,” he says proudly.

“We started to mix things up a bit and decided we were going to have a game based around NERF guns and

index / contacts

Arts&Entertainment 23-25

Canberra Confidential 22

Cinema 24

Dining 25

Garden 26

Letters 14

News 5-15

Politics 14

Puzzles 27

Socials 19-21

Cover: Shield maiden Erica Moy. Story Page 5.

Photo by Campbell

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Shield maiden Erica Moy… “It’s nice to get together every couple of weeks as a group, have a bit of a biff and then have a barbeque.”

foam melee weapons together. That sort of took off on its own and a month later we had a straight up hand-to-hand combat event with just the weapons.”

Neil says it’s only since they started that he and Chris have found out more about similar pastimes out there, like the immersive, in-character drama

of live action role-playing (LARPing) and a serious sport called jugger, which is based on a game depicted by a 1989 post-apocalyptic movie shot near Coober Pedy, “The Salute of the Jugger”.

“While you may dress in an old fashioned way,” at the group’s battles, “the whole point is to get together and hit each other,” he says. “The weapons look great and they’re really soft. It gets really addictive.”

Players all start with three health points, and get more for items of clothing that count as some kind of armour. Points are lost for hits to legal striking areas and for fouls such as accidental hits to the head, the whole thing done on the honour system.

It’s all free of charge and there’s plenty of high-quality soft weapons for new players to try out, as well as a secondhand market, where the shield maiden Erica armed herself.

“I’m not sure whether I’m a mythical creature at this point, but we’ll see,” she jokes. “I’ve got some elf ears at home, but I’m a bit worried about them getting knocked off.”

The next Hundred Swords battle is at Weston Park on September 7. More information from The Hundred Swords page on Facebook.

Since 1993: Volume 19, Number 31

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

Journalists: Laura Edwards, laura@citynews.com.au

Stephen Easton, stephen@citynews.com.au

Kathryn Vukovljak, kathryn@citynews.com.au

Arts editor: Helen Musa, 0400 043 764 helen@citynews.com.au

Design and photography: Brent McDonald, brent@citynews.com.au, 0421 962 325

Graphic designers : Leonie Fox, Janet Ewen

Contributing photographer: Andrew Finch

Distribution: Richard Watson, circulation@citynews.com.au

Nick aims to build a legacy

LAURA EDWARDS meets a young Canberra developer who has gone from being a small fish in a big pond to a high-profile competitor in an industry where, he says, ‘you’ve got to get it right all the time’

NICK Georgalis has some sage words of advice for anyone hoping to enter Canberra’s competitive constructions industry: don’t screw it up.

“You just can’t survive in this business if you’re complacent or make mistakes,” the founder and managing director of Geocon Constructions says.

“You’ve got to get it right all the time; getting it right, knowing your market and delivering all the time.”

It’s a mantra that’s served the driven, fast-talking 36-year-old well – his construction firm, Geocon, has gone from building small developments of one or two townhouses to developing hotels, apartments, commercial buildings and soon, Canberra’s tallest residential building, Belconnen’s 8/47 apartments, standing at 114m.

The born-and-bred Canberran, who has a Greek background, says it’s a feat he couldn’t have imagined when he had his first taste of the construction industry.

“My father was a builder and carpenter, and when I was young I would help him out, so for me it was a natural progression to follow in his footsteps, but I didn’t really think about what would happen from there,” Nick says.

Nick’s first construction project was with wife Sonya on their first house 11 years ago; the couple and their four

young children now live in Kingston.

After studying for a diploma in construction and management, Nick worked for a local construction company, but quickly started to invest in properties or developments of his own.

“I was very driven and I wanted to build something of my own or create some sort of legacy,” he says.

Nick founded Geocon in 2007, and from that time the business has gone from being a small fish in a big pond to a high-profile competitor in the industry, with a team of almost 50 people, and seven multi-million developments currently on the go.

“When we first started, we were doing small developments of a couple of houses or townhouses, now we’re doing high-density apartment complexes, commercial buildings and the three Abode hotels, and we’ve just moved into our new office in Fyshwick that is five times the size of our previous office,” he says.

Nick says Geocon “aggressively pursued” celebrity gardener Jamie Durie as an ambassador for its new apartment development, “Observatory Living” in Wright.

“As a landscaper, Jamie could see what the drivers were for the project and he is very in line with our thinking,” says Nick.

“That partnership has been a success, we’ve sold the first two stages of our pre-sales for that development, so that’s 760 apartments.”

Nick says he wants to prove to a changing city that “affordable” isn’t a negative word.

“Over the years, the whole landscape of Canberra has changed,” Nick says. “People are looking for something more innovative, accessible and affordable for their first house, and buying an apartment early in life is more affordable than a house. Now that we’ve got a younger, smarter Canberra, they’re accepting it. For us, it’s an exciting time to be developing. To constantly be innovative in an affordable market, is a challenge we like to have.”

Nick says Geocon’s greatest achievement will be the ambitious 8/47 development, which is currently awaiting approval by the ACT Government, but he is already looking ahead to the next challenge.

“You can say something’s a success, but then there’s always another challenge we’re looking forward to,” he says.

“To say we’ve come this far, with our achievements and more achievements to come, isn’t uncomfortable or intimidating. For the future I picture myself in Canberra, still doing what I’m doing now.”

Is the prison losing its enlightened glow?

Canberra’s Alexander Maconochie Correctional Centre is in danger of living up to its name, bemoans ROBERT MACKLIN

THE Alexander Maconochie Correctional Centre began with the excellent, enlightened attitudes toward prison reform of its pioneering namesake on the notorious penal colony of Norfolk Island.

But that was three years ago – and that’s how long it took before the British Government of the day sacked the reformer and returned to the bad old days.

There are indications that history is repeating itself.

It was a splendid idea to follow in Maconochie’s footsteps. The initiative came, I suspect, from the then-Chief Minister Jon Stanhope, who had been Deputy Administrator and official secretary of Norfolk Island for three years from 1991. He is a history buff and (since there’s not much else to do on Norfolk) he would have read of Maconochie’s brave attempt to bring a modicum of decency to the island’s penal system.

Coincidentally, I too became fascinated by Norfolk’s history and have recently published the results in “Dark Paradise – Norfolk – Isolation, Savagery, Mystery and Murder”.

It is a scarifying story but, as I discovered, the one beacon of light is Capt Maconochie who arrived there in 1840 with his family and a radical plan.

Instead of torturing the prisoners with the lash and without hope of release, he began a system of “marks”, which they earned by their behaviour and hard work. And when they achieved certain totals (depending on the severity of their original sentences) they received their tickets of leave, or parole, back into the NSW community.

It worked. During his administration some 1500 prisoners earned their way out of jail and their rate of recidivism was less than five per cent.

However, at Westminster, the Tories returned to power. They were determined that Norfolk should be a place of “terror” that would deter

the convicts on the mainland from rebelling against their slave-driving overlords. And they laughed in the face of those who advocated rehabilitation.

I am not suggesting that the Government of Katy Gallagher has changed tack and is now using the jail like a Norfolk Island hellhole. But I am saying that unless governments keep pressing jail authorities to live up to the policies of enlightenment, the turnkeys will revert to their traditional habits of corruption, contempt and oppression of those in their charge.

The jail’s website is the public window into the centre and our best indicator of the mindset of the administrators. At first they were assiduous at keeping us up to date. That has now gone by the board. The last posting took place on July 28, 2012. And when journalists (including myself) have sought to tour the facility and report our findings we have been ignored or deferred indefinitely.

Instead, they have been caught in a ridiculous spat over whether to provide free needles to the inmates, a big percentage of whom are drug users. Residence in the jail is the perfect opportunity to break the habit and arguments about their “human rights” to continue injecting are quite absurd. Alexander Maconochie believed in collective responsibility.

Free needles are exactly the opposite.

www.robertmacklin.com

news Bringing little Molly to life

The past year has been “huge” for Amy Dunham, whose latest role, she tells HELEN MUSA, is working a puppet

PUPPETEERING is nothing new to Amy Dunham.

She worked as part of Questacon’s “Excited Particles” troupe for seven years until 2012, ran puppetry workshops for Supa Productions’ “Avenue Q” in 2011 and, in November, she’ll be working the “Audrey” puppet for Canberra Philharmonic’s production of “Little Shop of Horrors”.

Right now, Dunham is playing a sixyear-old girl called Molly for Everyman Theatre’s new show, “Home at the End”. Molly is a puppet.

Dunham praises the talents of Everyman’s Duncan Ley, who wrote the script, and director Jarrad West, whose imagination has led to a meld of commedia dell’arte, naturalism, puppetry, graphic design and new music commissioned from Tim Hansen.

Everyman is being coy about the story, but we do know that West has recreated a decrepit fisherman’s shack in which a lost young girl finds a tramp whose stories bring the surroundings to life.

He’s brought together a team of veteran actors headed by Helen MacFarlane, Duncan Driver and Geoffrey Borny, but West has also taken on three cast members –Dunham, Will Huang and Laura Dawson – much better known for their roles in musical theatre.

“We all jump around and play an array of different characters,” Dunham says.

But when it comes to puppeteering, it’s a first for Everyman and she’s noticed that the human actors are having trouble remembering to engage with the puppet rather than her face.

“Molly has to have a life as a real girl,” she says.

“My experience of puppetry is that it needs to be real to be cared about.

“Molly is very different from a normal puppet… she is attached to my body… when I move my legs, she moves her legs.”

Initially, Molly was to be a rod-puppet, and after some ideas from West, Dunham and stage manager Zach Dowse were pitched to two designers at NIDA, they came up with a solid wood prototype.

“I’m 5’2” [157 centimetres] – making it difficult to operate,” Dunham complained.

“So we told them we needed to hollow out certain sections of the body and harness it in such a way as to remove the weight.”

In the end, Molly has some flexibility but can’t move her face, “so that’s all characterisation through me and my voice.”

The past year has been “huge” for Dunham. She’s been working for the Starlight Foundation, playing Captain Starlight in the paediatric ward at Canberra Hospital, she’s directed “Winnie the Pooh” for Free Rain, starred as Anita in “West Side Story” and taken up an opportunity to perform in Derek Walker’s NIDA touring

Puppeteer Amy Dunham… “My experience of puppetry is that it needs to be real to be cared about.”

production of the contemporary musical “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change”. That, she reports, was “a nice reminder that the work we do here in Canberra is respected by people in the industry.”

“Home at the End”, The Courtyard Studio, Canberra Theatre Centre, September 4-14, bookings to 6275 2700 or canberratheatrecentre.com.au

G OOG O NIAN LIFESTYLE

Strength in numbers

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news / archaeological anniversary Society’s date with destiny

Stephen Easton reports

THE Canberra Archaeological Society has chosen an interesting date to celebrate its 50th anniversary this year.

“We’re having a dinner on the Earth’s birthday,” says president Helen Cooke.

According to a piece of historical detective work published in 1650 by Ireland’s Anglican Archbishop James Ussher, God created the planet (and presumably the whole universe) on Sunday, October 23, 4004 BC.

“Our guest speaker, Prof Colin Groves, is a bit of an expert on Ussher and he’s going to explain how his work relates to modern archaeology,” explains Cooke, “so I think he’ll be a very amusing speaker.”

Rest assured, Ussher is not a figure of ridicule for scientists such as Groves, a professor of biological anthropology at the ANU, even though they don’t believe the archbishop got it right.

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According to Cooke, Ussher’s work is respected for what it was, in the context of his time.

“Well, look, he did his best, you know,” says Helen. “He worked it out through the Bible and if you take the Bible as the literal truth, it was a pretty astonishing attempt in a way.”

Other distinguished guests of the celebration include the Society’s founders, Emeritus Professor Jack Golson, Dr Helmut Loofs-Wissowa and Dr Noel Barnard, as well as 88-year-old John Mulvaney, who is widely known as “the father of Australian archaeology” and got involved with CAS in the early days.

“Right from the beginning they were concerned about local archaeological sites, and the fact they were being destroyed in those days without any heritage protection,” says Helen, as she shows the “CityNews” team around the ruins of John Crinigan’s stone hut in Amaroo. The site was saved from destruction in the early 1990s by Crinigan’s descendents, particularly Marilyn Folger, who enlisted the help of CAS and is now a life member. The family successfully petitioned thenHeritage Minister Bill Wood to save the ruins when they noticed plans for a new stormwater development would wipe it out, and the conservation work that followed is among the Society’s proudest achievements.

“The original plans for this area, I think, showed a trunk sewer going through it,” says Helen. “At the time it was just a huge pile of rocks and blackberries and snakes.”

The site of the hut, which was built in the 1840s, is perfectly located beside a deep pool of permanent water in Ginninderra Creek and still has a few fruit trees standing from its original orchard.

“The descendents of John Crinigan –and there are many of them – always knew it was their site and they used to come back every year when the fruit was ripe, have a picnic and pick the fruit,” Helen explains.

Once a nest of brown snakes and a thicket of blackberries were carefully removed, the archaeological investigation yielded a treasure trove of artifacts that tell of

Crinigan’s rather successful life in the early community of Ginninderra, which grew up around the estate of the absentee landlord George Palmers, and had its village centre where Gold Creek is today.

The volunteers found “stacks and stacks” of stuff under the rubble during its restoration including signs of wealth like jewellery, toys and pearl studs from a fancy dress shirt, as well as leather shoes, clay pipes, prints, crockery and slate pencils. Animal bones show that for dinner the Crinigan family ate pork, mutton and rabbit as well as natives such as possum and koala, which at some point became known locally as “Gundaroo duck”, says Helen.

She and the other volunteers working on site were surprised to find the home had three rooms and two fireplaces.

“That was big living in those days and this guy was a convict, so he didn’t have a lot of money when he started out,” says Helen, explaining that there’s just no other site quite like it in Canberra.

Assuming all goes to plan, some of Crinigan’s descendents will be there to help the Canberra Archaeological Society celebrate its 50th birthday on the Earth’s 6017th.

The Canberra Archaeological Society’s 50th Anniversary Dinner, 6pm, October 23 at Teatro Vivaldi, ANU Arts Centre. Tickets $60 for members, $70 for non-members. Bookings to Sally.Brockwell@anu.edu.au

Do you know what your obligations are under the ACT’s new retirement village regulations? Come along to the ACT Property Council’s first retirement living event and find out all you need to know. There’ll also be a presentation on the benefits of participating in the retirement living industry’s new accreditation scheme, the Lifemark Village Scheme.

Join us after the presentation for a site inspection of Bellerive Village, followed by opportunities to network with fellow retirement living professionals.

Date: Tuesday 24 September 3:00pm – 5:30pm

Location: Bellerive Village, 15 Burnie Street, Lyons

Members: $60 Non – Members: $80

Contact: Rebecca Scott rscott@propertyoz.com.au or 6248 6902

sport / Furner sacking

Coach didn’t see axe

Professional coaches spend every waking moment thinking about the team and welfare of the players, only to find that some still want more, says TIM GAVEL

COACHES tell me they go to bed thinking about game plans, injuries and so forth, and wake up thinking about the same thing.

With this in mind, it should come as no surprise that former Raiders coach David Furner didn’t see the axe hovering.

I have witnessed Furner’s passion for coaching first hand for many years. He had the same approach when he was playing; the harder you train, the better you play.

In his coaching, his work ethic was second to none and it seemed to me that it was hard for him to switch off; social media, player managers and this current generation of player, don’t make things easier. In fact, it’s become a lot harder.

Dave spent countless hours counselling players who went off the rails, some have been well documented, and others are less well known. Blake Ferguson and Josh Dugan, for instance, must have demanded a lot of Dave’s time.

The coach needs to have the star players performing but, in the end, his support of these socalled stars probably cost him his job with fellow players wanting the club to take a tougher stand.

As a coach, he was probably caught between a rock and a hard place, knowing that the board and the fans would be judging on results.

My understanding is that Dave’s support for Ferguson was just a contributing factor, not the

main reason for his dismissal. There was also concern over whether the findings of a review into the club in the lead up to last season were implemented.

Anthony Milford’s manager didn’t help things either, with a request for a release for his client to head to Brisbane.

Dave has been akin to a father figure to these players.

Earlier in the season it was Josh Papali and his apparent exit to Parramatta that required attention. You can imagine the energy put into that scenario to keep Papali at the Raiders.

Every week it seemed as though there was a new distraction. He was coaching with one hand tied behind his back.

Then there was the external pressure; fans hounded his family when they were losing, he was lauded when they were winning but it was guarded with suggestions that he was only in the job because he was a Furner and his brother was the CEO.

It’s time for fans to take a step back and ask themselves if this is the result they wanted: the coach, a club legend, gone?

It’s now up to the players to back themselves, having had a role in his downfall, by virtue of results on the field – and backroom conversations off the field.

Swimmers sunk by pool costs

THE ACT Government should have a close look at the control it has over its own sporting facilities.

The current saga involving the Civic and Tuggeranong swimming pools is a case in point.

In discussing this though, I must reveal that my son is a member of the Cruiz Swim Club; a club that trains at the Civic Olympic Pool.

The pool is a government-owned facility and is managed by The Club Group Management. From what I have seen, it is an efficient organisation but no doubt would be seeking to generate as much income as possible out of the pool.

Increased usage is something it is at. The swimming community has no problem with this; in fact, the more people swimming, the better.

At the heart of the debate is the implementation of a penalty fee if the

lanes, which are booked and paid for by swimming clubs, are not fully utilised with 10 swimmers per lane, per hour. We are talking about early in the morning, from 6 am, and afternoons from 4pm, usually 4.30 pm.

The management of this government-owned facility is seeking to increase the usage of the pool and believes swimmers will be put off if they turn up and there is no space, which is fair enough. At the moment, and from what I have seen over the past few years at Civic Pool, there is plenty of room for the swimming public. In fact, it would be great to see even more people filling the lanes.

The question that is being asked is: why are swimmers in squads being penalised? They are the best customers, 12 months of the year. They have already paid to get in, like

anybody else who swims; they then pay so that the club can secure a lane or two, no argument there. Why is there a need to add an extra cost if there are not 10 swimmers per lane, per hour? These swimmers have already paid twice and now there is a push for a third payment. What has that got to do with attracting more swimmers not in squads?

You can imagine the outcry if this happened to sporting fields; not enough players, so you’re financially penalised.

However, as negotiations progress it appears that the under-utilisation fee might disappear.

We can only hope that whatever the outcome, all people attending these ACT Government facilities can enjoy swimming with equitable distribution of swimmers across lanes and at a reasonable cost.

SAVE THE DATE FOR THE RED CROSS BALL 2013

Date: Saturday 28 September

Time: 7.00 for 7.30pm

SAVE THE DATE FOR THE RED CROSS BALL 2013

Venue: The Hyatt Hotel, Canberra Price: $195.00 per person

Date: Saturday 28 September

Please contact: Laraine Brennan - 0408 484 632 brenhill@bigpond.net.au

Time: 7.00 for 7.30pm

Venue: The Hyatt Hotel, Canberra Price: $195.00 per person

Please contact: Laraine Brennan - 0408 484 632 brenhill@bigpond.net.au

politics Seeking a better democracy

Elections have a way of focusing the mind on our democracy, says political columnist MICHAEL MOORE

THERE is so much that is good about Australian democracy compared to the rest of the world. However, elections highlight the opportunity for improvements.

Free and fair elections are the hallmark of Australia’s democratic systems, but we can do better. There are ways to make our elections freer and fairer. Two matters are really outstanding as we enter the Federal election.

Firstly, simple improvements to the Senate voting system will transfer more power into the hands of the voters. Secondly, the concentration of the media in a small number of hands distorts voters’ understanding of our electoral systems and the parties and policies being presented at an election.

In NSW, there are 110 people who have put up their hands to stand for the six positions available in the Senate. In Queensland, there are 82 for its six Senate seats. In the ACT, there are 26 candidates seeking to win just two positions.

Voters have two choices. The first is to hand the vote over to the main party of choice by voting above the line. The party then chooses who will get the next preference.

The parties have made some stupid decisions. For instance, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is so keen to ensure majority government that he has directed Liberal

Party preferences to favour even the Labor Party before the Greens. As a strategy for concentration of power, and to support his idea of a 3½-year “dictatorship” before he is held accountable, it makes sense. However, it is difficult to believe that even a majority of voters who put the Liberals first genuinely would agree with this sort of distribution.

It would be so easy for this process to be modified so that instead of putting a 1 against the party of choice and allowing the party preferences, the voter could choose parties by preference, which would allow party voters to follow their own choices – even if not their specific choice of candidate. A minor amendment of this kind should be made to the Electoral Act directly after this election so that the next election can be planned under a more democratic system.

For voters who decide they do not want to simply accept the party preferences, there is the option of voting below the line. This is not too bad in the ACT where numbering from 1 to 26 is unlikely to result in mistakes. However, across the border in NSW, the voters have to number from 1 to 110 without an error. There is a simple solution. The Electoral Act should give the highest priority to recog-

nising voter intention. This would allow someone who makes a mistake after having marked, for example to 77, to have a valid vote thus far. It would also allow the instructions on the paper to recommend to voters to begin voting with a 1 next to the candidate of choice and number as many other preferences as considered appropriate. In this manner people can choose candidates from some parties, but completely ignore candidates who represent parties with whom they vigorously disagree or just don’t care about. A similar system works very effectively in ACT Assembly elections.

On the issue of media concentration, we hear Labor crying foul about the one-eyed stance the Murdoch media has taken against it. However, there was not a squeak from Labor last time around when those networks seemed to have turned on John Howard. The worm turns!

The problem is not as much the Murdoch media empire as the fact that successive governments have allowed more and more concentration of media interests putting much too much influence in the hands of a very small number of people.

Improvements can be made and let’s hope that whoever gets elected after September 7 seeks a better democracy.

letters

At least there’s Zed

DO the people of Australia realise that they will be worse off under a Liberal Government, especially Canberra?

My how we change our choice of who we want as a Leader. One minute we want Kevin Rudd, then we want Tony Abbott.

Let’s protect our wonderful country and keep it Australian and prosperous.

The only good thing about the Liberals is Zed Seselja, candidate for an ACT Senate seat.

Penny

Roberts, via email

Thanks, Michael!

THANKS for Michael Moore’s sage advice (“Power to the pesky, vote big parties last”, CN, August 22).

I’ve [absentee] voted More Sex Party then Die Happy Party. All done!

“Out of Here”, Deakin

Storm in teacup

PATRICIA Saunders seems fixated on this election-sign placement issue (Letters, CN, August 21) having raised it numbers of times in the past.

Really, the whole thing is a storm in a teacup and just shows how far the ACT Nanny State has proceeded down the regulatory path.

Ric Hingee, Duffy

Sorry to quibble

SORRY to quibble, Patricia Saunders (Letters, CN, August 21) but whatever the sins of the Liberals in 2012, infringing the public places no-signs rules has been superseded by the Public Unleased Land (Movable Signs) Code of Practice 2013, which was sufficient to remove the Greens’ efforts from Adelaide Avenue. Still largely unintelligible though – the code, I mean.

Greg Cornwell, Yarralumla Vale Harold

IN future Harold Grant, that noted writer of brief and snappy letters to the editor of “CityNews” will be sending them to the editor of the “Celestial News”. Harold died on Friday.

Don Allan, Symonston

House and home of democracy

THE prize-winners and 22 other entries in an exciting competition to design a new Prime Minister’s Lodge are now on show at the Gallery of Australian Design at Commonwealth Place on the lake foreshore.

Designs were invited for a building with a modern and distinctive Australian character that would spark the national imagination.

The competition has turned out to be a winner and 242 designs were submitted – more than the 220 designs entered for the Sydney Opera House 50 years ago or the 137 in the competition for the design of Canberra 50 years before that.

An outstanding jury reviewed the designs. The Prime Minister, they said, should live in a “worldclass residence that showcases the best of contemporary design and architecture”.

The designs responded wonderfully to the magnificent Attunga Point lakeside site.

The first prize shows a long and low building sitting comfortably in the subtle landscape. It is imposing yet casual, reflecting the informal nature of Australian outdoor lifestyles. The drawings

Catherine Carter property

are elegant, and the view across the lake in the morning mists looks as if it could have come from the Turner exhibition at the National Gallery.

The second prize went to a more formal design sited on the ridge, with colonnades and a memorable central courtyard. The third prize winner carved a site into the old quarry, with lakefront terraces and steps down to the water from the public rooms.

The winners came from across Australia and all over the world. A Canberra architect was recognised with a commendation for a thoughtfully planned building that was intimate and grand.

With democracy at the very heart of who we are as a nation, our Prime Minister deserves a house and workplace in Canberra that reflects that belief. This excellent exhibition shows ways that we can translate this into a building of which we can all be proud.

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

Monster fun

THE Torrens Preschool Monster Garage Sale and Family Fun Day will be held on its grounds at Parsons Street, 10am-2pm, Sunday, September 22. There will be a jumping castle, face painting and cake, craft and pre-loved goods stalls. All proceeds support the preschool and resources.

Swept the pool

NGUNNAWAL’s Capital Fibreglass Pools has swept the awards pool at the 2013 SPASA Regional Awards. Up against companies across NSW, Simon Gainey’s independent family company landed the prizes for the best designed fibreglass pool under $40,000 (Silver), the best designed fibreglass pool (Gold) over $40,000 and the best designed fibreglass pool over $40,000 (Silver).

Vegetable class

CHEF Vaughan Winter is holding a cooking class at the Bush Capital Lodge, O’Connor, 10am-2pm, on Saturday, October 12, that uses seasonal vegetables to create a group lunch. The workshop, part of the Canberra Environment Centre’s Locavore series, costs $165 and includes ingredients, recipes, sitdown lunch and a glass of local wine. Bookings to workshops@ecoaction. com.au or call 6248 0885.

Federal Golf Club

WEDDING FAIR

Sunday 8th September 2013 10am-3pm

Prize Giveaways • FREE ENTRY

Federal Golf Club is nestled on the leafy western side of beautiful Red Hill.

At Federal we offer a comprehensive range of hospitality services and a variety of catering packages, for weddings, formals, seminars or corporate golf.

Our all inclusive wedding package is well priced and designed to make planning your reception easy.

Our floor to ceiling windows allow oodles of natural light, capturing the breathtaking views.

Federal is located only 10 minutes from Canberra CBD with ample complimentary car parking.

For more information please visit www.fgc.com.au or call 02 6281 1888 Red Hill Drive Red Hill

‘We look forward to seeing you at our Wedding Fair’

Supreme service and the right advice

BUILDING and maintaining a loyal client base through supreme service has always been the priority of accountancy and financial services firm JOYCE | DICKSON, and the partners believe that, for their clients, what they do as a company is just as important as how they do it.

"Client relationships are absolutely crucial to success," says partner Lorin Joyce.

“Our main point of difference is our philosophy on how we provide our services.”

For the four partners of the firm, Chris Fusca, Jeff Brewer, Wayne Bolin and Lorin, this means a dedication to their clients that is unsurpassed.

“Between us we have a great level of expertise and knowledge, but we believe our customer service is what really sets us apart,” says Lorin. “Internally, we educate our staff on the importance of fast response times; returning phone calls as soon as possible. Service is important. It’s the little things that really matter.

“Our focus is on client service and how we deliver it.”

Having been in business for 10 years, and with a recent merger with Bolin Accountants under its belt, JOYCE | DICKSON, based in Barton, provides a full range of services including accounting, compliance, business consulting, tax advice and self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF) services for individuals and businesses.

“Our goal has always been to provide the ultimate customer service through creating strong relationships with our clients,” says Lorin.

“Our core value is delivery. We aim to lead our clients on to bigger and better things, and grow their business through finding the

right solutions for them.”

Chris Fusca agrees, and says he believes in giving more to his clients than your standard accountant. He focuses on providing efficient compliance work so he can concentrate on working with the client to provide value-add services.

“It’s important to the team that the client knows they can pick up the phone and ask a question any time they need to,” he says.

“We take the time to listen, be available and develop a relationship so that we can tailor our service to match their needs .

“We judge our success on our clients’ success. It’s all about helping them achieve their goals.”

Jeff Brewer says he aims to ensure that clients’ taxation and compliance needs are satisfied, and their business, financial and personal goals are achieved. He believes the team at JOYCE | DICKSON offers a blend of personal attention and services usually only offered by much larger practices.

“We are all specialists in what we do,” he says. “We work closely with our clients and see them on a regular basis. Part of our business is compliance and part is business management strategy work – generally improving their business. So we need to get to know them well.

“We are all very involved with our clients, and will advise them on how often we should meet – for example, while they’re in a certain phase we might recommend a fortnightly catch up, whereas in a different stage it might be once or twice a year.

“It’s all individually tailored to their needs.”

Wayne Bolin, whose specialty is SMSFs, says the July merger has been a great fit for both firms, as they share the same philosophy for customer service and client relations.

“We pride ourselves in helping our clients reach their ultimate personal and business

financial success,” he says. “There’s a focus on remaining at the forefront of industry practice and knowledge while providing a strong level of service.”

Lorin says that JOYCE | DICKSON is very solution-focused and aims to offer a holistic service, and that if an in-house business can help get the right solution for its clients then they are happy to recommend.

helping

The firm shares office space with independent financial advisors Custodian Financial Group, whose principal David Cox shares JOYCE | DICKSON’s philosophy. Also in the building is finance brokers Warian Finance, run by Sharelle Le Garde, and the corporate consultancy business, Trident Corporate Services, run by Ivan Slavich. "The beauty of having these other

businesses in our offices is that we can offer clients a full range of financial solutions.

"In saying that, we can tailor the package to what our clients want.

"We are here to provide strategic solutions for our clients.

“And we’re here for a long time.”

JOYCE | DICKSON, Level 3, 53 Blackall Street, Barton. Call 6162 2600

JOYCE | DICKSON offer big firm expertise and experience with small firm attentiveness. Providing expert advice in all aspects of business management, structuring and taxation.

JOYCE | DICKSON will go that extra yard to ensure your advisory and accounting needs are met.

with planning for the frail days

PEOPLE are used to planning for a happy and healthy retirement, but with statistics showing that one in five people over retirement age will need assistance with self care, mobility and communication, it’s important that we think beyond that, says Katrina Wybrow, of Wybrow & Associates.

“Becoming frail aged is the other piece of the puzzle that needs to be planned for and understood,” she says.

“We need to think about how to fund elder care, whether it’s in-home or at an aged-care facility. And that means making sure assets last longer.”

Helping families find the right solution when it comes to needing aged care is a challenging area, but with more than 20 years’ experience, Katrina is well-placed to help people navigate the maze.

“I can help clients make informed choices at a very difficult and emotional time, because what’s right for one won’t be right for another,” she says.

Katrina says that although her clients are all facing similar issues – getting into the facility of their choice, paying a bond or worrying about ongoing fees, for example – every family has a different situation and concerns.

“Perhaps one partner needs high care and the other doesn’t qualify, but they don’t want to be separated –and yet the partner in good health can’t look after the other,” she says.

“No two cases are the same, and that’s why it’s so important to have someone with specialised experience look at the financial portfolio. There’s always a way to work it out.”

From July 2014, the Government will introduce “Simpler Aged Care” that, Katrina explains, will require even more need for financial advice. The key is chang -

Case study 1: Jane and Bill

Bill had a degenerative illness, and although he needed more care, his wife Jane worried she wouldn’t have enough money to live on if he went into aged care. The couple had good assets, but everything was in the wrong place. Wybrow reconstructed their investments so there would be increased cash flow – and so that Bill could buy the things he wanted, such as architectural journals and wine! Jane can also afford to take the occasional trip away, which

rejuvenates her. For them, it was about reorganising what they had so it worked better. Jane still lives separately which is not ideal, but they are happy the financial side of things is resolved. Now it means Jane can support her husband and live independently, while going on her trips safe in the knowledge that he’s cared for on a daily basis. His condition is worsening, but the care is in place now, which takes some of the pressure off.

Katrina Wybrow... has helped many people like Mary secure a place in the aged-care facility of their choice by restructuring their investment portfolios.

ing the client’s financial portfolio to ensure that all the investments are in the right place, she says, and to understand that, at this point in life, user pays.

“Put simply, you will have less choice if you can’t pay,” she says. “If you can’t pay a substantial bond you may have to go on a waiting list and rely on Government support, and you may not get much choice.

“There’s often a lot of worry about selling the family home and putting down a bond, but it can be a good thing – it lessens the ongoing fees, creates less assets and income, but it means that many clients are then eligible for the Centrelink pension, which they love as they see it as a recognition of their contribution over the years. And much of the bond is returned after five years.

“We’re not lawyers, but we look at each contract from a purely financial aspect, and ensure clients understand what they’re committing to.”

There are four main fees, Katrina says – the bond upfront, the basic daily care, the income-tested fee and the extra services fee. However, the most important thing is to seek advice before signing a contract.

“Once you’ve submitted forms it’s hard to affect the situation you’re in,” she says. “You have to make sure the cash flow is right, and that you’ll have enough to live on.

“It’s an emotional time, and when it’s a much-loved parent it can be a very difficult decision to make. What makes it harder is that it’s often a situation that has changed very rapidly, after an incident at home, a serious fall, or the sudden deterioration of a health condition.

“Which is why it’s so important to plan for this time of life. For anyone thinking about care, I would urge people to get names on lists and work with the current rules.”

Case study 2: Sarah and her daughter Elaine

SARAH was living at home with carers coming to the house regularly. One day she fell out of bed and was left there all day before her carer arrived.

She developed pneumonia because she couldn’t get herself back into bed and had to immediately go to hospital for treatment. It was decided that it was no longer adequate for her to be left unsupervised, but she was worried about the finances. Wybrow referred her to a real estate agent to sell the house, to

rearrange her portfolio. Elaine wanted the care to be excellent, because Sarah was a much-loved mother. Once the portfolio was sorted and the house sold, they paid a substantial bond to the care facility of their choice. It gave Sarah a new lease of life – she has company every day, and she and Elaine can do more fun things together, such as picnics and coffees.

Elaine feels she’s got her mother back, while also being relieved that she’s

being taken care of round the clock. And Sarah loves the fact that people pop in to see her, which in turn means she’s taking more of an interest in her appearance, even though she’s bedridden. She’s loving the social contact that she was missing out on while at home. For this family Wybrow achieved a successful outcome from what was initially a scary prospect, and now they feel more secure and confident in the future.

She will help you to organise your finances and work with you to navigate the complexities of the aged care system.

Paul Kerin

Is The Allhomes Property Manager of the Year 2013

reason our landlords are so happy…

is that our tenants never want to leave

Paul Kerin, En Vogue Property Management

The Allhomes Property Manager of the Year Award is based on feedback directly from landlords and tenants. Paul achieved the highest standard of client satisfaction. Contact Paul to find out why both his tenants and landlords rave about him…

Ph: 6161 6516

5/14 Lonsdale Street Braddon

scene / around canberra

At Sweet ChariTEA, The Abbey, Gold Creek Village

Meyer Vandenberg Lawyers fundraiser, Civic

Red&White

Gala Wine Dinner

Dress up, step out and savour award-winning, traditionally made Bunnamagoo Wines matched to a delicious degustation menu in the sumptuous surrounds of the newly refurbished National Press Club ballroom.

When: Saturday, September 21, 7pm for 7.30pm.

Where: National Press Club, 16 National Circuit, Barton.

What: Black tie, degustation wine dinner. Charity auction and raffle.

Bookings: Tickets at $150 each (tables of 10) plus small booking fee at npc.org.au/membership/membersevents/save-the-children-gala-dinner.html

Why: All proceeds support the untiring Australian and international work of Save the Children.

At Chamber of Commerce’s ‘Business after Business’, Braddon

Canberra Confidential

Christmas comes to town

All very laudable, but last time CC looked, shopping bags and fireworks were Assembly issues and unlikely to grab the imagination of the Federal Parliament.

Dr who’s home and hosed

An advertisement inviting readers to save up to 70 per cent on plastic surgery in Thailand, of course!

A MONTH after Christmas in July comes Christmas in Costco. The ubiquitous American retailer has risen beyond its cultural obsession for grisly Halloween accoutrements, to deck a Majura Park aisle with that most oblique of Christmas decorations, the life-size Nutcracker (a snip at $369.99). And also for those counting sleeps in August, there is an embryonic selection of Christmas decorations. Now Costco’s blinked, the rest of them won’t be too far behind, with two fully lit Christmas trees already spotted at DJs in Woden.

Vote 1 bogan

LAUNCHING its Senate campaign with a call to action of “more bang for your buck”, the Sex Party has added two new policies to its traditional libertarian platform; it wants now to bring back fireworks and supermarket plastic bags.

ACT Senate candidate, Deborah Avery, 44, a self-styled Kambah “bogan” and small business operator, says she wants the return of the traditional family bonfire and is also calling for the ban on plastic bags to be overturned.

Popcorn passion

BRADDON restaurant Eightysix, which hit the dining scene with a bang just a short while ago, has now hit the front cover of the latest edition of the national foody bible, “Gourmet Traveller”. What caught the editor’s eye? Popcorn! That’s right, it’s the restaurant’s to-die-for caramel popcorn sundae. Eightysix is one of 12 ACT restaurants that made it into the 2014 Australian Restaurant Guide.

1. Who’d be a man?

ANY man in the market for a mistress will be chastened by the research of an infidelity website that the majority of cheating women expect far more gifts from cheating lovers than do their cheating male counterparts. Sixty-nine per cent of cheating women surveyed expect gifts from their lover, but only 19 per cent of cheating men feel the same way.

2. Who’d be a man?

HERE’S 15 minutes of fame that would send a shiver down the most extroverted of men. The

T-SHIRTED and relaxed, Chief Minister Katy Gallagher looks at home in Dr Andrew Leigh’s electoral Tardis as it comfortably defies the time and space of electoral reality across our borders.

The chief joined the grinning member for Fraser to gee-up householders with after-hours calls in support of a Federal parliamentarian with the 11th safest Labor seat in the country and a fat pillow of 14.2 per cent before he needs to dust off his CV. The equally hardly-marginal southern belle Gai Brodtmann holds the Labor seat of Canberra with a buffer of 9.1 per cent, the 33rd safest seat (or the 40th most vulnerable).

inaugural World Vasectomy Day is looking for volunteers to have their snip live-streamed online to a global audience, in the world’s first vasectomy-athon.

The goal is to have 1000 free vasectomies performed across 25 countries in 24 hours in the largest male-oriented, global family planning event on October 18.

The “flagship” moment will be the live vasectomies performed in front of invited experts and a studio audience, webcast from Adelaide.

Registrations, before September 12, to worldvasectomyday.org

Foreign ‘Times’

READER rings Canberra Times Direct to suspend his home delivery to find his call being taken in faraway Manila in the Philippines (where they also take the classifieds). “They’ve virtually outsourced all their editorial material, so I suppose it is not surprising,” he sniffed to CC.

AND what’s that at the foot of an article on the “Canberra Times” website, warning of dodgy discount plastic surgery in Thailand?

Sign of disdain

CC, looking for a slightly late lunch at 1.30pm on Friday, was inspired by the promise of a large sign outside Ali Baba in Civic touting its “authentic lamb kafta wrap meal”. As the young woman behind the counter started to prepare the meal, her boss stopped her. “Lamb kafta?” he asked. “No. Finished.” Needless to say, your hero harrumped off, hungry. Memo Office of Fair Trading…

With a Difference

SIAN Day has just started a company specialising in body corporate management. No big deal, but there’s a difference with Strata Difference in that 10 per cent of its profits are intended for local Canberra organisations and charities. Menslink, which provides mentoring services to local young men, is the initial beneficiary.

The unsurprisingly grateful Menslink CEO Martin Fisk says: “Their innovative approach to charitable profit sharing is to be commended – both to their clients and to the broader business community.”

arts & entertainment

How the ‘fat boy in tights’ got Stomping

“TWENTIETH year at the Orpheum Theatre on Broadway!” the billboards shout, “11-year run in London’s West End!”

Yes it’s “Stomp”, the “British” troupe that wowed the crowds at the Closing Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics and it’s coming to Canberra in early September.

Despite the publicity myth that “the fun started back in 1991, at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland”, it didn’t.

The international success story that has entertained audiences in 50 countries for 22 years, began in Brighton, Victoria, when musicians Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas from the group Pookiesnackenburger Buskers cooked up a 40-minute show for the Melbourne Comedy Festival.

True, it then went on to Edinburgh, won accolades and was soon picked up by a commercial management.

Ten-year company member Angus Little tells “CityNews” he was just 10 when he first saw the “Stompers” and dreamt vainly of becoming one. Encouraged by his professional actor

Helen Musa reports

father Mark Little, who played Joe Mangel in “Neighbours”, he and his little brother sawed off brooms and started twirling and banging them in the back shed, never dreaming that they might become real-life Stompers themselves.

When their dad decided to move to the UK for work, they followed. Forced to do jazz ballet at school, Angus says:

“I was just a fat boy in tights.”

By age 20, at nearly 20 stone [127 kilograms] and seriously obese, he auditioned and made it into the London troupe. Two years ago, his younger brother got a job as a drummer in the West End show, completing the boyhood dream.

He plays “Mozzie the fall guy,” one of the two comic turns in the show, and although he’s lost a fair few kilos with all that stomping, he still makes rhythms with his body – “I use it a lot,” he says, and later I notice that the audience breaks up whenever he ripples and slaps his tummy.

There are eight performers on stage at any time and four in reserve just in

ARTS PROJECTS AUSTRALIA PRESENTS

case something goes wrong. “It’s like sudoku, I don’t know how we do it,” he says. But the conceptualising of “Stomp”, he says, is all inside the head of Creswell, who recently added new sequences involving shopping trolleys and huge tractor tubes.

Little turns 31 on September 1 and, despite liking the touring life, says it takes a lot of maturity to keep up the pace in a 110-minute show where the artists use garbage cans, plumbing accessories, hubcaps, boxes of matches and even plastic bags to make rhythmical sounds and where not a word is spoken.

He recently took a short break to reacquaint himself with Australia, but now, re-energised, he feels ready to face many more years as a Stomper.

“Without wanting to sound too macho, it’s very, very high octane,” Little says. “It’s not dance and it’s definitely not ‘Tap Dogs’ – it’s more of a visual and audience spectacle than a Chekhov play.”

“Stomp”, at Canberra Theatre, September 3 to 8, bookings to canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 6275 2700. The author saw the show in Melbourne as a guest of the company.

“It’s

2-5 OCTOBER 2013

arts & entertainment

Emotions soar in ‘Rocket’ movie

“The Rocket” (PG)

AUSTRALIAN writer/director Kim Mordaunt’s film set in Laos begins with Mali giving birth to Ahlo. Lao custom holds that one of the twins brings good fortune, the other, evil. Grandmother Taitok believes the second baby, strangled by his umbilical cord, was the good one. A decade later, during relocation before a new hydro-electric dam submerges the village, Mali dies in an accident for which Taitok holds Ahlo responsible.

Dougal Macdonald cinema

Korean choir captivates

story of a small girl, perhaps seven years old, coping with the caustic break up of the marriage between her biological parents – Julianne Moore as mother Susanna, coping with the vicissitudes of singing with a band trying to rise in the charts, and dad Steve Coogan as Beale, whose work requires him to be often absent from the family’s New York apartment.

SHINE, a Korean choir from Sydney, won the Australian Open Choral Championship prize of $5000 and the Divine Divas of Sunbury took out the $4000 Open Popular Championship at the Australian National Eisteddfod, choirs division. Adjudicators were Jenny Moon, music director of Hillcrest Christian College on the Gold Coast and George Torbay, from the University of Ballarat and a judge on Channel 7’s “Battle of the Choirs”. This was Dianne Anderson’s final year as choirs convenor.

The full results are:

Drought makes the new location economically crippling. The only relief from depression is the forthcoming rocket festival, where home-made rockets compete for a big cash prize.

Together with the orphaned girl Kia (Loungnam Kaosainam) and the boozy Purple (Thep Phongam), Ahlo (played with style and energy by Sittiphon Disamoe) sets about making a rocket.

Mordaunt led his film to a denouement that’s important less for our enjoyment of a charming, often disturbing story than our admiration for Ahlo’s dogged resolve to defy adult opposition.

At Palace Electric from August 29

“What Maisie Knew” (M)

I CAN’T tell you what deviations, if any, writers Nancy Doyne and Carroll Cartwright have taken from the Henry James novel on which directors Scott McGehee and David Siegel built this engrossing film. But I suspect that neither can most audience members.

The adaptation works, a first-class job telling the

The time-line encompasses Susanna and Beale’s divorce and the relationship between Maisie’s nanny Margo (Joanna Vanderhamm) and bartender Lincoln (Alexander Skarsgaard). As Maisie, Onata Aprile combines maturity with sweet innocence, perfusing the story with delightful warmth to ameliorate our anxiety for the child and also its adults.

At Capitol 6; Palace Electric

“Upstream Color” (M) ????

THOSE question marks encapsulate the value of Shane Carruth’s second indie film better than stars ever could.

“Upstream Color” offers sublime visual beauty and charming music as Kris (Amy Seimetz) and Jeff (Shane Carruth) seek awareness of self and each other.

Classifying the film into a specific creative genre is not a task to be lightly embarked on. For every apparently appropriate category, another will prove to be equally so moments later. The cinematography (by Carruth) is sublime. The editing is brilliant. The

10 years and under: First, Queanbeyan Public School Intermediate Choir; second, Ngunnawal Primary School Junior Choir; highly commended: Jerrabomberra Senior Choir and Arawang Primary School Senior Choir.

12 years and under: First, Queanbeyan Public School Senior Choir; second, Trinity Christian School Junior Choir.

ACT 19 years and under high school/ college: First: Daramalan College Choir; second, Radford Chorale.

19 years and under showcase: First, St Joseph’s Catholic College (Sydney).

19 years and under choir: First, Canberra Girls’ Grammar School Gabriel Singers; second, St Joseph’s Catholic College Choir (Sydney).

Open sacred choral: First, Concordis Chamber Choir (Melbourne); second: Canberra Choral Society Chorus; highly commended, Harambee (Melbourne)

Open Australia-Britain section: First, Concordis Chamber Choir; second, Canberra Choral Society Chorus.

In

Applications close at midnight on Friday October 25, 2013.

conventions of mainstream cinema have no place in what’s happening on the screen.

The only missing element is a structured plot.

“Upstream Color” might be called abstract expressionism. Or something else. Challenging, perhaps?

At Palace Electric

Multicultural: First, Bel Cantare Choir (Sydney); second, Harambee.

12 years and under: First, Arawang Primary School Senior Choir; second, Jerrabomberra Senior Choir.

Open Popular Choir: First, Divine Divas of Sunbury (Melbourne); second, SunVOX Vocal Company (Melbourne); highly commended, Brindabella Chorus (Canberra).

Australian Open Choir: First, Shine (Sydney); second, Concordis Chamber Choir.

arts & entertainment

Recital to remember a lutenist

THIS year, it may be a happy 200th for Giuseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner, but The Song Company, led by Roland Peelman, has a much longer memory. It will mark the 450th anniversary of the birth of English Renaissance composer, singer and lutenist John Dowland with a recital at the Australian Centre for Christianity, Barton, 5pm, Sunday, September 1, tickets at the door.

BRILLIANT Canberra pianist Adam Cook will say adieu to Canberra at the Wesley Music Centre’s Wednesday “Lunchtime Live” concert series, 12.40pm-1.20pm, on September 4, concert series before leaving for further studies in France under his Michael Kieran Harvey Scholarship. He’ll perform preludes and fugues by Bach, Shostakovich and Kapustin. Paper note entry or concession $2, no bookings required, tickets at the door.

ON September 4, Natural Born Artists Canberra will launch “RAW”, an international independent arts venture that, every second month, will see 30 artists in film, fashion, music, visual art, photography, performing arts, hair and make-up, strut their stuff. RAW began in the US in 2009 and now runs in more than 80 locations across America, Australia, Canada and Europe.

ENTRIES for the ACT Writers Centre’s annual awards close on September 6. As well as the new Anne Edgeworth Writers’ Award, there are the 16th annual Marjorie Graber-McInnis Short Story Award, the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards, the Z4 Award for Book Reviewing and the Z4 Award for Restaurant Reviewing. Inquiries to 6262 9191 or admin@actwriters.org.au

THOSE ever-popular chamber music players, Selby & Friends, have just announced their 2014 season, and they always come to Canberra. Next year there’ll be guest artists from Sweden, the US, the UK, Finland, Germany and, of course, Australia, including virtuosi Natalie Chee and Daniel Dodds. As well there’ll be two new Selby & Friends Development Artists, Som Howie and Hugh Klüger. To founder/director Katharine Selby, the most exciting thing is a long-wished-for tour of Schubert’s “Trout” Quintet. Subscriptions to 1300 511099 or selbyandfriends.com.au

BELCONNEN Community Centre is offering a “spring taster” series of six evening art workshops open to anyone interested in learning something new. There’ll be classes in glass-making, textile collage, coloured slip ceramics, traditional German lantern making, painting quirky animal characters and “fimo” jewellery, inquiries to 6264 0232.

On top of the world

I’VE been to Onred three times, always for dinner when the city’s twinkling lights decorate the night sky. Okay, we don’t have as many twinkling lights as mega cities such as Sydney or Melbourne, but we have twinkling lights, nonetheless.

Onred is perched on top of Red Hill, smack in the middle of the bush, with sweeping views of Canberra and several national icons. The restaurant is elevated 175 metres above the city. It’s a super location and a classy place to dine.

I can’t resist starting with the restaurant’s superb eight-page wine list which features many impressive labels and varieties, ranging up to $400 for the Saint-Julien cabernet merlot, if you’re in the mood, or $290 for a bottle of Perle l’ayala or $280 for the Meursault premier cru. Many other price points are available and at what you’d pay in some cafés these days, so don’t fret.

Then there’s the food. The menu is designed around entrée-size dishes designed so you can get creative and build your own tasting menu.

Onred offers three courses ($65) although they recommend four ($74) or five ($86), with one being your sweet ending.

The emphasis is on quality and elegant presentation. We were a large party and with so many dishes served through the evening it’s difficult to cover our full gastronomic journey. So let me pick and choose some highlights.

The cauliflower fritters with soubise, blue

Wendy Johnson dining

cheese, watercress and croute salad and nutbrown butter was out of this world and would make any vegetarian’s heart go pitter patter.

The confit duck tortellini with parsnip puree, legumes and a duck and tarragon consommé was superb. And the medium-rare flank steak with bresaola, walnut cream, heirloom tomatoes, dried black olives, fried shallots and tomato jam deserves a medal.

The desserts received a round of applause and I dreamt about my chocolate pave with roast pineapple puree, chocolate shards and pineapple and cashew ice cream.

Although the dishes may sound complex because of the number of ingredients, they aren’t. They are designed to be simple combinations of flavours, textures and colours and are well thought through by chef Jodie Johnson, with each element owning a rightful place on the plate.

Jodie opened Onred with brother Ben Johnson (front of house). This dynamite duo transformed what was a tired, old-fashioned dining room into something quite smart, modern and understated, ensuring the views steal the show. And my, oh my, how time flies.

The Johnsons opened Onred in December 2007 and are still going strong.

It likely goes unsaid that Onred is a picture-perfect place for a function and a lovely destination for a special occasion. Jodie and Ben are happy to cater for sit down groups of 10 up to cocktail parties of 100.

Onred, lunch Fridays only and dinner Tuesday to Saturday. Red Hill Lookout, call 6273 3517. BYO Tuesday to Thursday at $15 a bottle.

FATHER’S DAY

Learn how to design urban, rural and community systems to feed yourself and your friends, promote sustainability and landscape regeneration.

www.permacultureexchange.org.au Penny 0400 165 403 or penny@permacultureexchange.org.au.

Time to pop in the colour

THE mild winter, with its regular rain and few frosts, suggests we’re in for a super spring and now is the time to start planting flowering annuals.

It takes about eight weeks from planting those tiny seedlings to full flower.

Look out for Floriana’s new Petunia “Shock Wave” and Petunia “Coral Crush” arriving at garden centres in the next few weeks.

“Shock Wave” is a spreading petunia, suitable for containers or hanging gardens with each plant spreading to 80cm. For a massed effect, plant them 50cm apart in garden beds. They come in five glorious colours – ivory, pink ice, purple, denim and rose.

Equally, for a dense splash of colour plant Floriana’s Petunia “Coral Crush”, which will produce wave upon wave of shimmering bi-colour flowers of coral with creamy-yellow throats of densely-packed flowers for an incredible visual impact in the garden. They flower continuously from early spring until late summer.

COSMOS is a hardy, annual flowering plant from Mexico and is used to hot dry climates. Its bright, sunny plant grows easily from seed, making it a great starter for a children’s garden.

Yates Cosmos “Bright Eyes” is a good source of seed. Forty cents from each packet sold goes to Retina Australia, a little-known charity that supports families affected by inherited eye diseases.

Scatter the seed from a few packets amongst perennials for a summer-long show.

BIG, bold and bright sunflowers are also good for children to grow from seed. However, if space is limited, try Yates sunflower “Sensation”. For medium height, there’s “Bronze Shades” and the biggies, for the back of the flower garden, are “Yellow Empress”.

Let the children dry the seeds for feeding birds in winter when food is scarce.

AS we head to the warmer weather and now have a seemingly huge water storage with the extension of the Cotter dam, it doesn’t mean watering mindlessly in the middle of the day.

Actew Water will continue its waterconservation program of using only sprinklers and drip systems between 6pm and 9am. Hand-held trigger nozzles can be used sensibly at any time. Simply put, if water is running off, you are over-watering.

THERE is a new edition of the “Open Gardens Australia Guide 2013/14” in newsagents and bookshops. There are 453 gardens listed in this year’s guide.

The scheme, in its 26th year, supports gardens

opened by the generosity of private owners for gardeners to appreciate and enjoy. This year, Friends of Open Gardens Australia will be established in response to requests by the Open Gardens family to build a greater sense of belonging to the scheme. More information at opengarden.org.au

Incidentally, any visitors to Britain might like to look out for their National Gardens Scheme’s “The Yellow Book”. It lists 3000 open gardens, attracting over three quarters of a million visits each year. More information at ngs.org.uk

This week, soak up the vitamin D and...

• Consider coring lawns, if not sure how, call me on 0418 620424.

• Plant a citrus tree, lemon, grapefruit, or lime to start. They can be grown in containers if you only have a small garden or sunny balcony.

• Finish tip-pruning Camellia sasanquas or, if really out of hand, reduce by one third.

• Spot kill weeds in the lawn.

• Sow broad beans, broccoli, lettuce and peas. The latter do best in new soil. Broad beans and lettuce like a well-limed soil.

Open houses for the eco-conscious

TWO eco-conscious homes in the ACT will open to the public for Sustainable House Day on Sunday, September 8, to show people how sustainable living can be done.

“There is nothing more valuable than the insight you get from touring a house and meeting with people who share their sustainable living journey,” says organiser Pia Vogrin.

The ACT open homes are at 43 Stockdale Street, Dickson and 28 Drooka Crescent, Crace,

and will be open to the public between 10am and 4pm. Entry is free.

Sustainable House Day, with this year’s theme of “Circle of Change”, is part of a free national event giving people a chance to get a real-life look inside houses that have been designed, built or fitted out with sustainability in mind, and the opportunity to talk to owners, receiving unbiased advice.

The open homes will showcase environmentally sustainable design and innovative use of materials. The owners have invested in renewable energy, recycling and other sustainable

living practices. Homes will feature experts in areas of green living and energy efficiency.

“Sustainable House Day provides a unique opportunity for people to meet with homeowners who have ‘been there, done that’ and are able to provide unbiased advice, ideas and inspiration via their own personal experience,” says Pia.

“It’s all about action rather than words, and sourcing inspiration and ideas from the people that live in your local community.”

The ACT open homes are at 43 Stockdale Street, Dickson and 28 Drooka Crescent, Crace. More information at sustainablehouseday.com

Joanne Madeline Moore

your week in the stars / September 2-8

ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

It’s the perfect week to step in and take the initiative with a child, teenager or friend who is facing a problem. If you offer a positive, proactive solution (without being bossy or judgmental) then they might just accept your advice! Thursday’s New Moon stimulates your health and wellbeing zone, and reminds you to find time in your busy life for a regular fitness routine.

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 20)

Have you got a long list of domestic chores that you’ve been avoiding? Stop procrastinating! With mighty Mars moving through your home zone, it’s time to tackle the to-do list with extra energy and enthusiasm. But it would be wise to handle a feisty family member with an extra dose of diplomacy. Thursday through until Sunday is super for travel and entertaining.

GEMINI (May 21 – June 21)

Get your skates on Twins, as you spend the week communicating, conversing, social networking and multi-tasking to the max! It’s also time to ‘Think global, act local’ as you contribute your diverse talents to the local community. Home is where the heart is on Thursday, and the New Moon and Mercury encourage you to talk through issues with a stressed loved one.

CANCER (June 22 – July 22)

Crabs – sidestepping problems is not a recipe for success. This week, Jupiter gives you the confidence to approach challenges with a positive and proactive plan, and the New Moon encourages you to talk through issues with the people around you. On the weekend, avoid the temptation to make impulsive purchases (in person and online) that you later regret.

LEO (July 23 – Aug 22)

Don’t hide your Leo light under a bushel! With Mars charging through your sign (until October 15), it’s your time to shine. Public speaking and performing are favoured, as you display your leadership skills (or creative talents) for all to see. Be inspired by birthday great, Freddie Mercury: “I always knew I was a star, and now the rest of the world seems to agree with me.”

VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sept 22)

It’s the best week of the year to update your wardrobe, change your appearance, launch a project, apply for a job, or start a new phase of your life as the New Moon lights up your sign. Not sure where to begin? Active imagination and creative visualisation are two fabulous ways to envision your future. Then you can turn your dreams into reality with Virgo vim and vigour.

LIBRA (Sept 23 – Oct 23)

Don’t be too laidback! The more you connect, network and socialise with like-minded souls, the better your career will be. At the moment, it’s not what you know, but who you know! For non-employed Librans – others are keen for you to contribute your talents in a voluntary capacity. Singles –avoid looking for love in the same old places. Aim to be more adventurous.

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 21)

Scorpios love to be in control but the week will work best if you wield power from behind the scenes. (Being an iron fist in a velvet glove is smarter than scaring people away with your intensity!) Looking for employment? Tune into the energy of Mars plus the New Moon, and strike while the iron is hot! The weekend is wonderful for travel and social networking.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 21)

Between now and October 15 is a terrific time to travel, as Mars activates your adventure zone (and your freedom-loving nature). Saturday is your pick of the week as super Sun/Jupiter aspects give you the confidence to be yourself. Your motto for the week is from fellow Sagittarian Jim Morrison: “The most important kind of freedom is to be what you really are.”

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19)

You’ve got some fabulous ideas but don’t impose them on others. With Venus visiting your career zone, strive to be a cooperative and creative Capricorn at work. Plus employ a lighter touch, as you aim to get the balance right between being personally powerful and professionally inclusive. Attached Goats – have the confidence to give your partner plenty of personal space.

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18)

Each New Moon indicates a shift of gear in a particular area of life and, this week, it’s a fresh start involving money matters or an intimate relationship. Attached Aquarians – your partner is feeling feisty so, if you push their emotional buttons, you’ll get a fiery response in return. Singles – look for love with an amorous Aries, a lusty Leo or a loveable Libran.

PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 20)

Hey Pisces – stop procrastinating and start communicating about what you really require in relationships – don’t expect others to be able to magically read your mind. Be articulate and ask plenty of questions. With mighty Mars stirring up your wellbeing zone, it’s also time to be proactive about your health and fitness as you strive to exercise and eat well. Daily astrology updates at www.twitter.com/JoMadelineMoore

Joanne Madeline Moore

Across

1 Who founded the first news agency in London, Baron Paul...?

7 Which association fights international crime?

8 Name the Australian prime minister 1941-45, John...?

9 Which water spout often terminates in a grotesque head?

10 Name a small silvery fish?

11 What is another term for a supervisor?

14 What do we call an official representative of a foreign state?

18 Which warming climatic event occurs on average every four to five years (2,4)?

19 Name a variety of the Welsh corgi breed of dogs

21 What do we call a pupil who wags school?

22 Name an alternative term for Christmas

23 Which metallic element has the symbol Ag?

No. 421

Down

1 Casino, NSW, is located near which river?

2 In Greek mythology, who were the lawless beings of gigantic size?

3 Name a contagious skin disease due to fungi

4 What is another term for the sun?

5 What do we call those persons employed to tend horses?

6 Who, in soccer, is the only player permitted to use the hands to touch the ball?

12 Which term applies to the parties to an understanding?

13 What is a journalist also known as?

15 In legend, who used wings made of wax and feathers, but the sun melted them, and he perished?

16 What is an account book of final entry, containing all the accounts?

17 Name another term for yearly

20 What is a grating of crossed bars?

Billy came to see me with a very interesting capital gains question about the impending sale of his home.

He purchased the house in 1973 and built an extension in 1994 to run his book-editing business from. The extension also included a bedroom that has not been used for business purposes.

The extension cost about $80,000 which also included some renovations to and repainting of the original residence. Billy accidentally destroyed the documentation for the extension showing the exact cost but knows it didn’t exceed $80,000 as that was the amount of his loan.

“I realise that most of the capital gain will be tax free because the house was purchased before September 20, 1985 when capital gains tax was introduced and most of it has been used as my principal place of residence. However, I expect to pay capital gains tax on this part of the house used exclusively for my business. I replied “in general all property purchased before 1985 is capital gains tax free but there are certain specified exceptions and this is what makes your issue so interesting.

“As your extension cost less than the improvement threshold of $80,756 for that year, the extension is treated as if it is part of the original building,” I told him.

“It is up to you to prove that it cost less than the limit, so I recommend that you approach the builder to get copies of your original invoices. The cost is very close to the improvement limit and if you exceed that limit you may have to pay capital gains tax on that part of the house used exclusively for business.

“However, as the extension was used wholly for business purposes and the contract was signed before 11.45 am on September 21, 1999, you have to confirm that the extension cost was less than the improvement threshold and that the selling price of the improvement only is less than five per cent of the consideration received.

“While the selling price clearly exceeds five per cent of the sale proceeds, the improvement cost is less than the improvement threshold. So you should not have to pay any capital gains tax on the sale, which is good news.

Billy was relieved. He had been expecting to pay some capital gains tax.

“I realise that I was not very smart throwing away all the invoices, particularly as the extension cost is so close to the threshold,” he said.

“I will give the builder a call and hope that he still has the records. Thank you so much for setting my mind at rest.”

Each capital gains tax issue needs to be looked at separately, so please do not rely on this advice for your circumstances. The friendly team at Gail Freeman & Co Pty Ltd will be happy to provide you with personal advice.