IT’S usually around this time of year, as another dry, blustery summer draws closer, that Ric Hingee feels a “familiar sense of dread”.
The retired government officer and his family lost their Duffy home in Canberra’s devastating 2003 bushfires, which killed four people and ravaged more than 500 homes.
Ric says what hit hardest in the aftermath, apart from the destruction of his beloved home, was having to “start from scratch” after losing vital personal documentation and treasured family heirlooms.
“There were wills, bank account details, birth certificates, photo albums, artwork, passports, passwords and investment records – we lost all that, and this is what we had left from the supposedly fireproof safe,” he says, clutching a box of fragile, ash-blackened papers.
“The heat was just too intense, and many things in the safe melted… coin collections, bronze statues. Pearl necklaces turned to dust as soon as you touched them. That’s the thing that knocked me about. It took years to pick up the pieces and get back things like our passports, as there were so many hoops to jump through.”
Ric says new personal archival systems such as “MyEssentials”, developed after the 2009 Victorian bushfires, would
Laura Edwards reports
help disaster survivors avoid the costly expense and stress of losing important documents and personal items.
Created by Melbourne-based barrister Jeff Loewenstein, the kit is legally designed to collect and protect everything important needed in an emergency, and has two formats – an archival storage box version and a digital version – with both versions to be kept in the care of a trusted nominated person or to be stored safely at home or in the office of a lawyer, financial planner or accountant.
Loewenstein says losing personal documents can quickly turn into an “expensive legal nightmare.”
“All too sadly many people were caught with literally no documents or access to important details relating to themselves post the recent severe bushfires in Victoria and the floods in Queensland,” he says.
“Being prepared doesn’t only involve clearing gutters and the like... It also means having collected and put in a secure place, perhaps not even in one’s home, all important documents and having recorded critically vital information related to oneself – like insurance policy numbers, credit card and banking details.”
Ric, who has re-built a fire-resistant
index / contacts
Arts&Entertainment 25-28
Canberra Confidential 17
Cinema 27
Crossword 31
Dining 28
Garden 29-30
Horoscope 31
News 3-16
Politics 14
Socials 18-21
Soduko 31
Cover: Celebrity chef Poh
home, says he would urge regions at high risk of bushfires to think about “backing up”.
“If we had a kit like this during the fires, it would have made it much easier to cope afterwards,” he says.
“Now we keep copies of our documents at other people’s houses, in email folders and the iCloud, and when there
Arts editor: Helen Musa, 0400 043 764 helen@citynews.com.au
Design and photography: Brent McDonald, brent@citynews.com.au, 0421 962 325
Graphic designer: Janet Ewen
Contributing photographer: Andrew Finch
Distribution: Richard Watson, circulation@citynews.com.au
Ling Yeow. Story page 12. Responsibility for election comment is taken by Ian Meikle, Level 1, 143 London Circuit, Canberra.
is a high fire danger day, we have the important documents, like our latest tax records and passports, in a ‘ready to go’ box.
“It’s frightening, because we’ve had hot days that were very much like the 2003 fires. Sometimes on those days I go on my motorbike around the suburb and I see people who lost their homes in
the fire out there watering the roof and moving their cars to face the roads for a quick getaway. Then you see the people who weren’t affected by the fires inside watching TV. We’ve just got that fear instilled in us.”
For more information on MyEssentials visit myessentials.me
Bushfire victim Ric Hingee in his Duffy home holding what was left from the 2003 fires… “We’ve just got that fear instilled in us.”
Photo by Brent McDonald
WIN “An Evening with Hoges” AFTER 40 years of making people laugh, comedian Paul Hogan is preparing to again do what he’s always done best – to entertain. “CityNews” has a double pass valued at $189.80 to be won to share “An Evening with Hoges” at Canberra Theatre on Tuesday, November 19.
WIN one of five copies of the just-broadcast, two-disc, gripping mini-series “Power Games: The Packer-Murdoch Story”.
Enter at: citynews.com.au
Ainslie Pilates & Yoga Centre
Term 4 – 2013 commences Monday 14 0ctober
The centre offers a range of Pilates & Movement classes to choose from, including:
GUNGHALIN College students Michael Cherryh and Jake Coppinger have achieved top scores against 45,000 others in an international science competition.
The year 10 students participated in the Rio Tinto Big Science competition in May, and have since been awarded top scores.
The competition pitted Michael and Jake against 45,500 students across 580 schools in Australia, NZ, Singapore and other Asian regions. The hour-long examination tested their knowledge of biology, chemistry, physics, earth and space sciences, as well as experimentation skills and methods. For achieving highly, the pair won a subscription to science magazine, “Cosmos”.
“I’ve never done really well in any competition,” says Jake.
“It’s a great feeling that somebody thinks I’m good at what I’m interested in. It’s interesting, being congratulated for something you never thought you were talented at, but I’ve always enjoyed it, so it’s really rewarding.”
The students were required to participate in the competition as part of their place in the school’s science honours program, known as Science, Mathematics and
Related Technologies (SMART).
“It’s a science and maths program, so basically we do science and maths through the year 10 curriculum, but we’re in a college environment,” says Michael.
Acting associate principal Sue O’Connor says that the SMART program allows year 10 students to start their year 11 and 12 studies while they’re still finishing off their year 10 studies.
“It’s giving top students a chance to extend themselves,” says Sue.
When Jake isn’t practising the violin, another of his hobbies, he says that he enjoys reading physics books. He says
that he has a keen interest in electronics, programming and mechatronics, while Michael enjoys physics and chemistry.
The pair has found that they have both enjoyed the sciences from a young age.
“I’ve always loved reading about physics and electronics since I was very young, but when I was that little I didn’t really know it was physics. I’ve always been interested in how the world works,” says Jake.
With sights set high for post-school studying, Michael is hoping to start a degree in engineering at the ANU, while Jake is looking to expand his passion for information technology and mechatronics.
100 years of history hits the stage
FROM re-enacting the days before European settlement to students portraying contemporary political events, Curtin Primary School has covered 100 years of Canberra’s history in one musical concert and stage production.
Paying acknowledgement to the traditional custodians of the land, the Ngunnawal people, the school’s “Canberra Centenary Concert” explored such historical events as the surveying of the nation’s capital, Canberra’s involvement in World War I, and even the advent of Bodyline cricket in the 1930s. School principal Lindsay
Musto says that older students conducted their own research, as part of their studies and the production.
“Because it’s 100 years of Canberra, students have been studying our city’s history. It’s really important for them to
look at their heritage and what Canberra was like in years past, and to be able to express the things they’ve learnt through dance and drama,” Ms Musto says.
The school’s kindergarteners were ecstatic to be dressed in elaborate animal costumes: a magpie, emu, cockatoo, frog, lizard, fish, butterfly, kangaroo and even an echidna.
“These children are acting out before Canberra was built. Some students have even prepared poetry. It makes history meaningful for them.”
GRADUATE STUDIES IN LAW
Information Evening Tuesday 15 October 4.30-6.30pm
We invite you to come and talk to us about your graduate study options. Our professional programs are designed to expand your expertise in the fast-changing area of legal practice.
Programs available for law and non-law graduates, with intensive and online tuition to suit part-time study.
ANU College of Law Staff Library, first floor Building 5, Fellows Road, ANU RSVP (11 Oct) marketing@law.anu.edu.au
ANU College of Law law.anu.edu.au
–Andrew Nardi
Top-scoring Gungahlin College students Jake Coppinger, left, and Michael Cherryh.
Photo Brent McDonald
Curtin kindy kids dressed in elaborate animal costumes.
Photo by Brent McDonald
JASPER – OFFERS YOU DESIGN EXCELLENCE WITH ITS COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF MODULAR OPTIONS AND VERSATILE TIMBER STORAGE SHELVES. THIS DEEPLY COMFORTABLE SOFA IS SURE TO IMPRESS ALLOWING YOU TO TAKE PLEASURE IN THE MOST RELAXING SOFA FOR YOUR
Rebekah finds her way to work
AFTER 17 years as a stay-athome mother of four, Rebekah Tyhouse “was lost” when it came to re-entering the workforce.
“When you’ve been at home for so long, it gets lonely and overwhelming; you don’t quite know what to do when it comes to putting yourself out there for a job interview,” she says.
In August, Rebekah enrolled in a “Return to Work” course run at the Canberra Institute of Technology’s Woden campus, which targets women re-entering the workforce after a period, educating them on skills including resumes, jobseeking strategies and interview techniques.
The 14-week course recently introduced “styling sessions” with local style and image consultant Sanja Marais, focusing on the working wardrobe, how to dress on a budget, body language and confidence building.
Sanja says the presentation side of returning to work is “harder than people think”.
“If you’re a stay-at-home mother or on a low income, often you don’t have the time to go shopping or can’t afford an expensive suit for
Laura Edwards reports
an interview,” she says.
“It’s about educating on what you can do on a budget, with a few key pieces and little hints and tricks, from where to shop, what key pieces are appropriate for the workplace or how to update your look using what you already have at home.”
She says she’s seen an “amazing turnaround” in the confidence of women in the class.
“Some of these women have been away, either caring for their children or a parent, or just had a change in family circumstance, and they come in a bit unsure of themselves. Now to see them excited and ready for job interviews, it’s fantastic,” Sanja says.
According to CIT foundation skills co-ordinator Elizabeth Kehoe, around 80 per cent of women who finish the course go on to find employment or study further.
“These women come from very diverse backgrounds and family environments, and a big factor of the course is they’re coming together and supporting each other,” she says.
Rebekah says she’ll soon be
ready for job interviews after coming to the course “knowing nothing”.
“I think with all the tips from Sanja, particularly, I’ll have the confidence to present myself for a job interview and walk in there
thinking ‘I can do this’, and with that confidence, it’s much more likely I’ll get the job,” she says.
The next “Return to Work” course begins in February. For more information visit cit.edu.au/
Susie asks for support
ACTRESS Susie Porter, pictured, – star of Channel Ten’s “Puberty Blues” – is calling on everyone who can give $1 to donate it to Save the Children’s One Dollar Day appeal on October 24. All funds raised will support Save the Children’s early childhood education programs for vulnerable kids in Australia, as well as helping Syrian children living in refugee camps to go back to school where they are safe and can continue to learn. “Whether they are in Syria or Australia, every child deserves the best possible start in life,” says Susie. Support to onedollarday.org
Cheers for new sponsor
NATIONAL wine company Seppelt is the new sponsor of the 41st Black Opal Stakes and the exclusive wine supplier of the Canberra Racing Club for the next two years. “We are delighted to have such a distinguished brand supporting the Black Opal Stakes,” says racing club CEO Peter Stubbs.
Art market returns
ART Market will be back at the Yarralumla Woolshed, 10am-3pm, on November 9-10. Director Melissa Christie said that the first Art Market in February had 2500 people through the doors and “our artists sold tens of thousands of dollars worth of art”. Next month’s market will also feature food stalls and music.
Style and image consultant Sanja Marais, left, assists Rebekah Tyhouse… the presentation side of returning to work is “harder than people think,” says Sanja.
Photo by Brent McDonald
MASSIVE OUTDOOR SALE furniture
Wakeboarders make a big splash in Korea
Stephen Easton reports
AUSTRALIA’S national wakeboarding team has topped the IWWF Wakeboard World Championships in Busan, Korea, and the shiny gold plate they won has come home to Canberra with team manager Leigh Baguley.
“Every single one of our team members rode really well and made it into the finals, which is a great result,” says Baguley, who is also president of ACT Wakeboard, a Wakeboard Australia board member and the country’s number-three masters competitor. “Australia was the only team out of all the 30 countries to do that.”
Among the nine members of the champion team was another Canberran, 15-year-old Lewis Watt, who placed second in his age group.
“It was amazing to be part of the team, up on the stage in front of everyone; it was indescribable,” he says, recalling the presentation of the overall winners trophy.
The Aussies were by no means underdogs, but their achievement in reclaiming the title from the much more heavily populated home of extreme sports stands as a testament to the extraordinary level of skill in the Australian wakeboarding scene.
“We’ve got most of the best riders in the world, but the US is really good, too, and there’s a kind of rivalry going on there,” says Lewis, who trains at Burrinjuck Dam, the Molonglo water skiing area near Pialligo and on the Clyde River at Nelligen.
As he comes to the end of high school, the Canberra wakeboarder says he’d definitely love to “do it as a job”, like many of his fellow team members.
“You definitely have to work hard to be one of the best,” Lewis says. “Usually the guys who are the best don’t just do wakeboarding, they do extra things like the gym, too, so I think I want to start doing crossfit with my dad.”
According to Baguley, seven of the other national team members live in the US for much of the year.
“They follow the sun,” he says. “Our winter’s obviously the American summer, so they live in America for six months of the year then they
fly back and do the Australian scene, so pretty much all they do is wakeboard their whole lives. Tough job.”
He invites anyone who wants to try out the sport to contact ACT Wakeboard and get involved with the local scene through regular “come and try” days in Canberra, trips out to Burrinjuck on weekends and a network to connect riders with boat owners who’ll give them a tow.
“I get real pleasure from mums and dads coming up to me at the end of the day when we’ve done a ‘come and try’ day or local competition and saying their kids loved it and they want to come back next time,” says Leigh. “That’s what gives me the buzz.”
For more information on wakeboarding, go to actwakeboard.com.au
Tackle what triggers your psoriasis with our all natural treatment—no cortisone
We also treat general psoriasis, eczema, acne, dermatitis and rosacea
Australian wakeboarding team manager Leigh Baguley and that shiny gold plate… “Every single one of our team members rode really well and made it into the finals.” Photo by Brent McDonald
boost your professional skills with our targeted workshops. enrol now Choose from a range of October workshops for fast and practical solutions to your current business issues.
The New Supervi SO r Thursday 3 October and Thursday 10 October (2 day workshop)
Drive h igh p erfO rmi N g Team S
Thursday 10 October (1 day)
h ar N e
Thursday 10 October (1 day)
m a N agi N g p erfO rma NC e
Thursday 17 October (1 day)
Bu D ge T i N
Thursday 17 October (1 day)
COaC hi N g i N T he wO rkplaC e friday 25 October (1 day)
wO rki N g e ffeCT ively TO ge T her wednesday 30 October (1 day)
CO mmi TT ee Servi C i N g
Thursday 24 October (1 day)
m a N agi N g T ime a ND pri O ri T ie S Tuesday 22 October (1/2 or full day)
m a ST er yO ur i pa D Thursday 17 October (1/2 or full day)
i pa D wO r D p r OC e SS i N g fO r
wednesday 30 October (1/2 or full day)
learn from a ustralia’s leading women
enrol now
For every October enrollment at CiT Solutions we’ll make a donation on your behalf in support of breast cancer awareness.
Maggie Hall
a world leader in the design, delivery and evaluation of training and assessment programs.
Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
Starts Monday 14 October
Diploma of Training Design and Development
Starts Tuesday 22 October
Tarian dixO n
a leading subject matter expert with unparalleled experience in commercial and contract law; and procurement & contract management.
Certificate IV in Government
(Procurement and Contracting)
Starts Friday 25 October
Diploma of Government (Procurement and Contracting)
Starts Tuesday 12 n ovember
Sangee Ta Pilger
an accredited coaching and facilitation expert with over 25 years experience.
Certificate IV in Workplace and Business Coaching
Starts Thursday 7 n ovember
Coaching in the Workplace
Starts Friday 25 October
Working effectively Together
Starts Wednesday 30 October
kaTH erine FOx
a leader in core skills training with over 20 year’s experience.
Committee Servicing
Starts Thursday 24 October
a ccredited p rograms & w orkshops
Finan C e & Pr OC ure M en T Training
Choose from a range of programs, including PSP12 qualifications - the nationally endorsed training package for Public Sector employees. PSP12 has been industry refined incorporating the latest skills and techniques, basing your qualification on current policies and procedures.
Training & aSS e SSM en T
Training & aSS e SSM en T
Accrual Accounting
Accrual Accounting
Starts date Thursday 10 October
Starts date Thursday 10 October
Certificate IV in Government (Procurement and Contracting)
Certificate IV in Government (Procurement and Contracting)
Starts Friday 25 October
Starts Friday 25 October
Diploma of Government (Procurement and Contracting)
Diploma of Government (Procurement and Contracting)
Starts Tuesday 12 n ovember
Starts Tuesday 12 n ovember
i n T elligen C e r i S k &
In V e STIG aTI on Tra I n I n G
i n T elligen C e r i S k & In V e STIG aTI on Tra I n I n G
Diploma of Government (Investigations)
Diploma of Government (Investigations)
Starts Tuesday 5 n ovember
Starts Tuesday 5 n ovember
Certificate IV in Government (Investigations)
Certificate IV in Government (Investigations)
Starts Tuesday 21 j anuary
Starts Tuesday 21 j anuary
January Special Offer – 20% discount for early bird registrations.
January Special Offer – 20% discount for early bird registrations.
Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
Starts Monday 14 October
Starts Monday 14 October
Certificate IV Training and Assessment
Certificate IV Training and Assessment
Accelerated
Accelerated
Starts Monday 9 d ecember
Starts Monday 9 d ecember
Diploma of Training Design and Development
Diploma of Training Design and Development
Starts Tuesday 22 October
Starts Tuesday 22 October
facilitate elearning
facilitate elearning
Starts Wednesday 23 October
Starts Wednesday 23 October
Trainer Skills
Trainer Skills
Starts Monday 14 October
Starts Monday 14 October
Certificate
Coaching
Certificate IV in Workplace and Business Coaching
Starts Thursday 7 n ovember
Starts Thursday 7 n ovember
Pr OjeCT Manage M en T
OjeCT Manage M en T
Certificate IV in Government (Project management)
Certificate IV in Government (Project management)
Starts Monday 28 October
Starts Monday 28 October
Diploma of Government (Project management)
Diploma of Government (Project management)
Starts Tuesday 29 October
Starts Tuesday 29 October
Certificate IV in Government (Project management)
Certificate IV in Government (Project management)
Starts Wednesday 19 February
Starts Wednesday 19 February
Diploma of Government (Project management)
Diploma of Government (Project management)
Starts Monday 3 February
Starts Monday 3 February
Diploma of Government (management)
Diploma of Government (management)
i ndividual interviews start Friday 21 February and classes in a pril
i ndividual interviews start Friday 21 February and classes in a pril
Finan C e & Pr OC ure M en T Training
floriade / cover story
Celebrity chef Poh Ling Yeow is a big attraction for Floriade’s final weekend. She talks to LAURA EDWARDS about her journey to fame.
WHILE best known for working her culinary magic in the kitchen, Poh Ling Yeow is a woman of many talents.
The industrious 39-year-old’s Wikipedia page alone breathlessly describes her as an artist, celebrity chef, actress, author and even former make-up artist to the stars, just to name a few.
Yeow admits she “hasn’t really stopped” since finishing as runner-up in the 2009 series of reality cooking show “Masterchef”.
“I’ve always been someone who has a go at everything in life, to the point where I’m often spreading myself too thin,” Yeow says, as she chats to “CityNews” from her Adelaide home.
The culinary queen will visit Canberra’s spring festival, Floriade, hosting cooking demonstrations in the Gourmet Garden on October 12.
Yeow is keen to foster an awareness of “food wastage” while she’s here.
“When I was growing up, I was taught that wasting food was a cardinal sin, and it affected the way I treated food,” she says.
“I can’t believe how many people throw out food just because they need one thing from whatever they’re using. I’ve worked with a lot of people doing it tough and it’s just made me more aware of it.”
Outside of cooking, Yeow will be searching for a few gardening tips – “my backyard is a bit of an overgrown forest at the moment,” she laughs.
“I do like gardening though, I’m a bit of a nanna like that – I don’t like holidays, I prefer pottering around in the garden and home.
“As a painter, I’m also looking forward to drawing inspiration from the festival’s vibrant colours and the creativity behind it.”
This will be Yeow’s third visit to Canberra and, surprisingly, the top of her to-do list outside of Floriade isn’t taste-testing the glittering array of new restaurants the capital has to offer, but visiting the National Gallery.
“I really don’t eat out that much when I’m travelling, I’m usually pretty pooped,” she admits.
Born in Malaysia in 1973 into a fifthgeneration Chinese family, Yeow emigrated to Australia at age nine, growing up in Adelaide.
After graduating in graphic design, she initially made her living as a make-
Poh and the art of giving it a go
up artist, becoming successful enough to work regularly with model Megan Gale and fashion designer Lisa Ho.
By her late 20s, she’d staged her first solo exhibition of paintings, the first of more than a dozen solo shows in cities around Australia.
In 2005, she appeared on television for the first time in the ABC’s “Beat the Chef”, cooking alongside her great aunt Kim Thoo.
It was a move that served as the catalyst for her “Masterchef” venture – something she says she “just had to try”.
Regular watchers of the 2009 series knew her as the contestant with the infectious laugh who could whip up a topnotch Malaysian dish with ease.
After “Masterchef”, Yeow released her own cookbook and hosted a successful television series, “Poh’s Kitchen”. Currently she’s on TV screens, playing the part of a disgruntled fiancée in the ABC comedy series “It’s a Date”.
“I would call it more something I’m
having a go at; acting isn’t something that I think of as my destined career,” Yeow laughs, adding that she primarily considers herself a painter and a cook –“the other stuff just goes with it.”
Yeow says she still watches “Masterchef” every now and then – “this year is one of the first years I really got into it; because when you first come out of it it’s still a bit raw and weird”.
For now, she is busily working on her new cookbook, “Same Same But Different”, due for release on Mother’s Day next year, and planning for her upcoming art exhibition at the end of the year.
“I think I’ve consumed most of my energy this year, so this exhibition will be my downtime,” she says.
“I often reflect during that time, and it always reminds me that I still had a very beautiful life before all of this happened.”
Poh Ling Yeow will be cooking in Floriade’s Gourmet Garden on October 12 from 4pm.
Snappers put style into the picture
As Floriade moves into its final week, STEPHEN EASTON explores its “style” theme through 40 award-winning photographs.
FLORIADE’S Inspiration Hub will be filled with 40 award-winning images from Canberra’s commercial snappers during the final week of this year’s festival, and by some measures they’re the best in the country.
All the pictures going on display are the work of local professional photographers who were judged among the best at the Australian Professional Photography Awards in mid-September.
With only about 75 members, the ACT branch of the Australian Institute of Professional Photographers (AIPP) punched well above its weight.
“At the national awards, the ACT actually won the President’s Cup, which is a new award this year that goes to the State with the highest average score in the whole country,” says the president of AIPP ACT, Shanna Jones, pointing to the small gold cup in the home office where she runs her photography business.
“It was pretty amazing. I think we scored 81.5 on average, which is really good,” she says.
In line with the flower festival’s fourth weekly theme, “Contemporary Style”, the Floriade exhibition will focus on contemporary portraiture, explains Jones, who happens to specialise in the same style herself.
AIPP members can enter four shots in one of the national awards categories and judges give each shot a score. All the photos from ACT entrants going on show at Floriade scored a Gold or Silver award.
“The three top scoring people, averaged across each entrant’s four photos, get to be finalists,” explains Shanna, whose shots made the finals in the family photography category.
“Out of those three, the judges get back together and review each set of images to decide who wins the overall category.”
This year, Canberra photographer Robyn Geering was the only local to win such an honour, edging out Shanna for the title of AIPP Australian Professional Family Photographer of the Year.
The final decisions about which photos to display at Floriade are being made by the event organisers although, as multiple award-winners, shots by both Jones and Geering are likely to be included.
As the cost of cameras has come down and with free opportunities to advertise online, “everyone’s a photographer these days,” says Shanna, which is why the AIPP tries to make sure their accredited members stand out from the crowd.
Celebrity chef Poh Ling Yeow… “When I was growing up, I was taught that wasting food was a cardinal sin.”
Photographer Shanna Jones… “Everyone’s a photographer these days.”
politics Voters leave a mark on the big boys…
Results of the Federal election suggest looming problems for the major parties, writes MICHAEL MOORE
“A VITRIOLIC parliament” over the last three years is one of the reasons to explain the demise of the Labor vote across Australia, says Senator Kate Lundy.
It also accounts for traditional Labor voters going to the Greens, she told ABC radio.
She was joined by new ACT Senator Zed Seselja to discuss the Senate result in the Territory and across Australia.
Seselja pointed to Labor’s lowest-ever primary vote in the ACT Senate ballot to divert the focus from how poorly the Liberal Party performed. Across Australia there was a big swing to the Liberal Party except for the ACT where Simon Sheikh, of the Greens, came closer than ever to winning a Senate seat.
The swing away from the major parties was not quite enough to beat Seselja, but it did provide a warning. The Liberal spot in the Senate has become more and more vulnerable at each election.
Although the result would not have changed had the Animal Justice Party directed its preferences more logically to the Greens than the Liberals, it does illustrate just how vulnerable the Liberal Senate seat is becoming.
At the next election, if a strong centrist candidate swaps preferences with the Greens, it increases the likelihood of toppling Seselja.
Meanwhile, Andrew Leigh has comfortably returned to the seat of Fraser, and is now contemplating what a new, refreshed Labor should look like.
He sees three options: firstly, take on the negative, vitriolic approach of the Abbott opposition allowing no quarter – give them their own medicine; secondly, try rebuilding the old Labor, but demand unity and cohesion (Leigh calls this “closed Labor”), or thirdly, build a new Labor based on social democrat or small ‘l’ Liberal views which Leigh dubs “open Labor”.
Although Leigh has not yet expanded on
these views in writing – and he is a prolific and thoughtful writer – he has shared in discussion some of the concepts he is considering.
The temptation to take on the negative approach that was the hallmark of the conservative Opposition under Abbott is great.
However, the swing to the alternative and micro parties at this election rings warning bells about dissatisfaction with what Senator Lundy has branded “vitriolic politics”. Besides, like most people who enter politics, Leigh has done so to build a better society rather than play the political game of rip, slash and destroy.
The negative impact of disunity over the last few years has been so evident that the second alternative of rebuilding Labor’s old values with a strong focus on the unions and the workers would require a strong unified approach other than on conscience votes.
The election contest between Bill Shorten and Anthony Albanese has marked the end of any opportunity to achieve a return to the past.
Building a new Labor is the third alternative. The Liberal Party under Abbott has become more conservative and has abandoned the political middle ground.
Across the world, this is the ground of the social democratic parties and Labor has the opportunity to show that it can also be socially progressive. However, the party has to find a way to retain its original values of supporting the vulnerable and the workers while wrestling with conservative elements within its own ranks.
Such an approach will take time, courage and political leadership, but by wrestling with these concepts they will be looking to opportunities for a brighter future.
Michael Moore was an independent member of the ACT Legislative Assembly (1989 to 2001) and was minister for health
…with a message to Canberra
THE place to send messages to our politicians at the last election was always going to be the Senate.
While this is the city of the true believer (it takes extraordinary circumstances to unbolt the ALP members from the House of Representatives), in the Senate we had a smorgasbord of candidates and exotic minor parties to feast upon.
We had all of the drama of a bloody assassination in the lead up to the Federal election… and I mean the way that the Libs dealt with the incumbent Senator Gary Humphries. And we had the dynamic, ever-smiling Greens candidate Simon Sheikh running a city-wide campaigning blitzkrieg.
This was a poll that begged for history to be made in the ACT, but it wasn’t.
Despite there seeming to be twice as many Greens volunteers as there were actual enrolled voters in the ACT, the Greens primary vote in the Senate dropped by two per cent.
In the end, the only reason that it appeared to be a close contest was that every party just about delivered their above-the-line preferences to Simon Sheikh ahead of Zed. Well, not quite every party because, oddly, the Animal Justice Party passed their preferences to the Liberals apparently to punish local Greens minister Shane Rattenbury for rubber stamping the local kangaroo cull.
More than any other place in Australia, you’d think Canberrans would be capable of delivering succinct meaningful messages to our politicians, writes MARK PARTON
The really weird thing out of the preference deals was that Palmer and Katter parties’ Senate votes flowed to the Greens. If either Clive Palmer or Bob Katter are political heroes of yours, I can just about guarantee that Christine Milne isn’t and this really highlights the inadequacy of the current Senate preference deal system.
The ALP vote in the Senate fell to its worst level since 1975 at a time when Labor was telling us that Liberal frontbencher Joe Hockey was set to execute public servants by firing squad. What does this mean ?
Sifting through the results from the minor parties, we find that the Sex Party ran fourth on primary just ahead of the Bullet Train mob. Stable Population and Drug Law Reform ran last.
Perhaps the message was that, as a city we’d like to get amorous more… on trains, that we’re not phased about how many people live here and that a bit of weed never hurt anybody.
I can’t find any other message out of it, can you?
JUST 16KM FROM PARLIAMENT HOUSE!
October is Safe Work ACT Month
Mark McCabe, Work Safety Commissioner WorkSafe ACT, Office of Regulatory Services
October is Safe Work Month in the ACT. More importantly it is an opportunity for all organisations and their workers to focus on work health and safety.
This year’s theme “Safety in Construction” is an appropriate one, following the release of the ‘Getting Home Safely’ Report in November 2012.
The report was the result of the inquiry into the health and safety practices in the ACT construction industry, prompted by the number of construction site fatalities in the ACT (four between December 2011 and July 2012).
In February 2013, the ACT Government acknowledged the findings of the ‘Getting Home Safely’ Report, accepting all 28 recommendations and also accepting responsibility to implement those recommendations where it had control of the implementation process.
Those in the construction industry will know, as a result of the inquiry, WorkSafe ACT focused its resources on site visits and inspections of the construction industry in 2012-13, and this will continue into the future.
When a parent, partner or child of a construction worker sees them leave for work in the morning, they expect them to return home at the end of the day. WorkSafe ACT is committed to improving safety on construction sites in the ACT and ensuring that every worker comes home safe.
WorkSafe ACT will be holding a number of seminars and information sessions throughout October. We strongly encourage those in the industry or those completing home renovations to view the program to see if any of the events are relevant.
For more information on specific events for Safe Work ACT Month 2013, visit: www.worksafe.act.gov.au
Parenting – is there an app for that?
FOR the new generation of smartphone-using parents, the big question may be whether to Tweet Pee or not to Tweet Pee.
Tweet Pee is an app that, believe it or not, tells you when your little one has downloaded in his/her nappy.
This is but one of a multitude of apps to supposedly make child rearing easier.
There are pregnancy apps that give weekly details about your baby’s size, weight and development and what symptoms and cravings to expect.
There’s a birth countdown clock and a daily tracker to calculate weight gain and count baby’s kicks. When the big day arrives you can use an app to calculate the duration and frequency of contractions, and there’s another app that emails family members when you’re going into labour.
Sonya Fladun
mum in the city
There are apps to help dealing with sleepless infants, to monitor feeding and nappy changes, tracking potty training and even translating cries into a series of standardised texts such as: “I’m hungry” or “I’ve got nappy rash” though, apparently, you need at least 30 seconds of crying to get a translation.
There are apps to find public toilets, to monitor your kid’s diet and exercise, help with reading and writing, maths, and social skills. Literally everything is covered, or so it seems.
Now, of course, as the mother of a sevenyear-old and 10-year-old (a veteran on the parenting front) I can say: “In my day we didn’t need any of these newfangled devices”.
letters
Biology not bigotry
NO sane farmer puts two bulls in a paddock and expects calves. And no sane person expects same-sex unions to produce children.
Same-sex couples who want to be regarded as “married” and a “family” by having children artificially are admitting they really want to enjoy sex as a recreation and to have a child as an optional extra, if or when they please.
Such couples deny a child its natural rights to be born to a loving, natural father and mother and to have the bonding identity and security it needs for a healthy life – as all experience and measures show.
A strong and just society cannot be built on what has been traditionally called sodomy.
This is plain biology and not ideological bigotry. We must preserve a healthy society.
Brendan Keogh, president, Australian Family Association, Bendigo, Victoria
Where do Mynas go?
I AM not a Myna bird supporter, but I would like to know how they are “sent off” by the Canberra Indian Myna Action group (“Major advances in Myna war”, CN Sept 5)?
We relied on taking a peek or applying the old sniff test when it came to deciding whether a nappy change was required. We eventually worked out what our kids’ crying meant, more or less, without the aid of an electronic translator. We didn’t have a toilet finder, so on occasions our kids had to pee behind a bush and, on one particularly pressing occasion, a rubber boot just had to do.
While all this technology is a great help with child rearing, it’s no substitute for getting first-hand advice, especially from trusted sources such as a GP and other health professionals, and from family and friends who have their own experience of raising children.
Recently, I saw two new parents furiously consulting a phone and tablet to work out why their child was crying. When they eventually picked the infant up, they realised all she wanted was a cuddle!
Tangled up in red tape
CANBERRA, with a single government that merges state and local council responsibilities, ought to be in the box seat to streamline urban development.
The ACT Government is the primary landholder; we have a focused, informed and positive community; and smart local business groups willing to innovate.
And yet, Canberra does not always stack up for investors.
Onerous red tape, taxes, fees and charges act as a deterrent to investment in our city.
Meanwhile, at Floriade…
The parade is assembled and laid out before us beginning with the magnolia, the first of the flowering kind. Next, irises attract males of many species while pansies are deflowered at the sight of a eucalypt, the floral emblem of everywhere. The dandelion’s here, uninvited, entering itself in all the competitions. An ambulance pauses at the sickly jonquils, while violas play to the crowd with each at risk of being snipped at the ankles. Another favourite, the tulip, seduces a man while he wonders how the naked lady got its name. The audience stands and applauds; caught up in it all a young woman nosedives into its stamens.
–by Christopher Palmer, Evatt
I hope it is humane enough that they are not simply “sent off” to Sydney or Melbourne. Also, I do find it vaguely amusing, and counter to the Theory of Evolution, that we are dispatching birds that are seemingly of a superior adaptive nature.
Gary Frances, Red Hill
Our community is missing out on exciting new projects that would bring diversity, vibrancy and beauty to our urban spaces and, ironically, the Territory’s bottom-line is also impacted as the Government foregoes ongoing revenue from potential rates and land tax – money that could be re-invested in our communities.
Across the nation, cities are stimulating investment in exciting renewal projects, among them the unveiling of Brisbane’s draft “City Centre Master Plan”, plans to revitalise the Adelaide river bank and the revival of Newcastle’s CBD. These projects and others around the country are attracting a lot of interest as they compete for the same money and resources – with all the resultant economic and social benefits.
Canberra should be open for business with an economic base that competes with the best in the nation. The “City Plan” and “City to the Lake” initiative have the potential to renew the city’s heart, but without strategic incentives to encourage investment the plans might prove nothing more than fodder for recycling.
The fact is that we need to compete as a city for limited capital dollars. If there are more attractive, exciting prospects elsewhere that are less hard work and that have higher return prospects than here, then we are living in dreamland.
Catherine Carter property
Catherine Carter is ACT executive director of the Property Council of Australia
Canberra Confidential
Happiness is C69
THE folks at the Mindscapes Festival are fizzing with excitement about being assigned “C69”, one of the limited 100 fundraising Centenary numberplates.
They even jumped into capital letters, bewilderingly screaming: “WE GOT THE BEST ONE!!!”, whatever that means.
Proceeds from auctioning it, like the other 99 plates allocated to charities around the town, will be shared between its annual Mental Health Arts Festival and the Centenary charity Dollars for Dili.
The online auction closes at 2pm, Friday, October 11, and bids to picklesplus.com.au
Shop, slop, shut!
AFTER about 20 years in retail, the Cancer Council ACT Shop is stemming its losses and closing with a month-long sale from its foundering outlet, obliquely located in Fairbairn.
“Of course it’s losing money,” wrote one cranky reader who was loyally there last week. “What a stupid location, who would know it was there?”
But while deteriorating retail conditions contributed, local Cancer Council CEO
Joan Bartlett points to the unpredictable summers and availability of the council’s products online for her board’s “responsible decision”.
“Of course we are not without some sadness in saying farewell to the shop, but the decision is a sound one,” she laments.
Mama mia!
THEY don’t come any bigger than the Mamas, it seems. The ticket booking form for the second annual MusicACT Annual Music Awards at the Albert Hall on November 23, lists the event running from 6pm on the Saturday night to 11.30pm the following day!
That’s almost Woodstock proportions for the “salute to local music of all genres, a hearty slap on the back of our unique industry and, let’s be honest, one hell of a party!” Indeed.
A success, over all
AUTHOR Nichole Overall launched her glossy history of Queanbeyan tome
“City of Champions” at a glittering, celebrity soiree at the Airport International Hotel and during her bright speech said the book had been five years in the making, thanked her two boys and husband mayor Tim Overall for their patience and support, and finished with the flourish: “Behind every successful woman, there’s a man wondering what’s for dinner”. Ouch!
As Omar slept…
Donna is enchanted
BILL Stephens, “CityNews” arts critic and living legend was overwhelmed at being among the inaugural inductees to the Queanbeyan Cultural Honours Gallery, telling CC it was “very special to be honoured by your community while you’re still alive to enjoy it”. Bill, wife Pat and son Tim were the stalwarts who ran the much-loved School of Music Arts Cafe, which closed at the end of 2000. “We couldn’t resist the opportunity to remind one of the other recipients, Omar Musa, that as a six-year-old, he used to fall asleep under the tables when his mother brought him along to some of the cafe shows.”
Mother being Helen Musa, the celebrated (though not on this night) “CityNews” arts editor.
Bob a job
AND while we’re blowing our bags, “CityNews” columnist and distinguished author Robert Macklin has been on a lecture tour to China where he secured a deal for his latest book on Norfolk Island’s sordid colonial history, “Dark Paradise”, to be translated for a Chinese edition by the Si’an International Studies University. “The Chinese really go for an attack on British colonial policies – they suffered at their hands even more than the poor beggars on Norfolk Island,” he says.
ONE of our most popular stories last week featured Donna Penny, a mother of five who has terminal breast cancer. After her interview with “CityNews”, Donna tells us she was dress shopping at the bridal and formal gown store Enchante in DFO for an upcoming fundraiser.
After hearing her story, the staff at Enchante gave her the dress – worth $350. “It was just the nicest thing ever… I can’t believe the generosity of Canberrans,” says Donna.
Mow and mown
SPRING always brings out the lawnmowers and to keep the chore of buzzing the backyard in perspective, TAMS tells us it has the job of mowing 5200 hectares (equivalent to more than 5000 football fields) of grass in urban open space and at the urban edge. It has a base mowing fleet of 102 mowers, comprising 66 internal and 36 contract mowers. Additional contract mowers are also employed throughout the mowing season. But they’re not coming down your street anytime soon because, says TAMS, it is “accepted practice” homeowners mow the nature strips “as an extension of their garden”.
e d d i n g &
Eggstra! eggstra!
Read all about it
WHATEVER the fine intentions of the Greens, who pushed through the egg classifications before being smashed at the last Assembly election, the public clearly prefers cheaper eggs from caged birds if this reader picture from the Garran supermarket is any guide. The empty caged-egg shelf is sandwiched between the full shelves of free-range and barn eggs.
v e n t s E x p o
Sunday, 13th October • 10am – 4pm National Convention Centre • 31 Constitution Avenue, Canberra
If your planning a wedding, engagement party, bridal shower, hen’s or buck’s night, or just a fabulous party, you will not want to miss this opportunity to meet the region’s leading event specialists. Brides-to-be receive a FREE copy of The Bride’s Diary, Wedding Celebration & Weddingstar magazines (valued at $47.85), plus the chance to WIN a romantic honeymoon Enjoy 2 spectacular fashion parades and a sparkling high tea Adults $15 • Concession $10 • Children under 12 FREE Ample parking available and tickets available online or on the day.
Canberra’s leading Bridal Magazine brings you the year’s most elegant Wedding Event!
Omar Musa
Nichole Overall
Donna Penny
scene / around canberra
Laurie and Leah Bell with Sue and Peter Jarvis George and Alice Dobbin
Bill Lilley and Paul Roger David Stevens, Alison Gentles with Alex and Vera Alexandra
Michelle Morris and Gavin Hallam Debbie Hansen and Jade Saunders Elizabeth and Bruce Miller Eunice Kirk, Barbara Vargo, Aleen and Colin Maxwell and Helen Jeffery David and June Smith
Elaine Perrin, Leanne Duvall and Kristin Ballard
Mark Webber and Queanbeyan mayor Tim Overall
Jeremy Hanson MLA and author Nichole Overall Paul and Sue Roger with Sue and Brian Leonard
Chief of the Defence Force General David Hurley and Chen Wen Rong Linda Hurley, Leon Kippin and Helen Morphett Ante Biuk, Brodie Fraser, Alahna Lewis and Francis Supple
Louise MacCallum, Sarah Leeson and Shannon Battisson
Ruky Wang, Carly Porter and Laura Wannan Sharon Feist, Victoria Cordova, Linda Treharne and Hoa Luu
Alisa Taylor and Kimberly Moore Anna Bacon, Jacqueline Michelle, Jen Large, Lisa Dart and Melanie Dodd
Marcia, Eilif and Sarah Nielsen
Rear Admiral Mike van Balen and Colonel Mohd Hassan Loman
David Irvine with Amanda and Geoff Brown
Ambassador of Chile Pedro Pablo Diaz Herrera, Sebastian Bunster and the ambassador of Argentina Pedro Villagra Delgado
For many years the Association has given cash grants to people with a disability to enable them to pursue their sport or recreational interests. Our next round of grants are now open and we are calling for applications for grants of between $500 and $1000. Up to $5,000 will be given away in total. Application forms and information on our grants can be obtained via our website: www.actaads.org
Completed applications or enquiries can be sent to the Secretary by email to: dca@netspeed.com.au (cc: jeff.house@veritel.com.au) or to ACTAADS, c/- 17 Gilruth Street Hackett ACT 2602 Applications close on the 11th of October 2013. At Queanbeyan Cultural Honours Gallery launch, The Q
Islama Dini, Nisa Riphat and Richard Ames Fata Patria and Taufik Andriadi
Iwu Utomo, Myra Junor and Kusuma Habir Hanggiro Setiabudi, Eldeen Hashim and Zakaria Ahmad
Budy Resosudarmo and Rony Noor Zoran Marinkovic, Beraki Jino and Sever Cotu
Adriana Bianchini and Alex Rea Tim Snedden, Eunice Kirk and Barbara Varga
David Smith, Sue Cleary, Frank Cleary, Cheryl Wowk, Joan Carpenter and June Smith
Peter Smith and Trevor Roach
Matthew Curtis, Dennis Mortimer and Margaret Hadfield
One of Canberra’s largest hospitality groups is looking for an energetic, ambitious business partner to establish a new retail based creative agency. This is an outstanding opportunity for the right highly creative person who is looking to start their own business with the group as a major foundation client.
strong start in a business for a highly creative person.
Our partner will be a significant shareholder in the agency which will look after all of the groups’ creative needs including branding, digital, marketing and advertising. This will also provide the agency with a profitable, foundation from which to expand its retail client base.
All enquiries please contact Michelle at First Choice Bookkeeping on 6162 4240 before 17 October 2013 to arrange a confidential discussion.
Peter Homem, Pauline Neiass, Ghana high commisioner Paul Yaw Essel, ambassador of Zimbabwe Jaqueline Zwambila and Stuart Althaus
Matt Clifton with Kristen, Tatum, Brooke, Elaine and Peter Zotti Liyi Pan, Adam Wenck and Clare Hyden
Kevin Alley and Yesdev Sharma Jeelall Carlyle Thayer and Nguyen Quang Trung
Aaron Pegram, Erin Scott, Nicole Eveston and Simon McGuinness Arnaud Bourguignat, Simon Hoy, Ha Bui and Greg Boland
Gofa Mpusetsang, Bigie Moloi, Mpumi Nkomo and Dintle Molosiwa Tareq Rahman & Andrew Parnell
Kate Dukes, Cathy Egan and Nathan Dukes Vicki Watson, Vicki Smith and Sonia Osborne
WHILE peplum and prints were all the rage last year, this spring racing season is a nod to the 1990s, says stylist Sofia Polak.
“Bright, bold colours like pink, fuschia and green are back in a big way, and this time they’re worn best on their own, rather than colour-blocking,” Sofia says.
But she warns racegoers not to get carried away, as the classical elements of racewear are still there, from hems to headwear.
“There should always be a sleeve, even if it’s just a tiny cap sleeve – it has to fit under the ‘ladylike’ style,” she says.
“Higher necklines are also in this year, which means you can keep on trend and follow the racewear rules.”
While longer hemlines have always been encouraged, they’re going even further south this year, skimming the calf in either hobble or circle skirts.
“With a nice pump heel, most women can get away with a calf-length hem, especially with that minimalist shape, so it’s a really elegant look in a bright colour,” Sofia says.
“I think jagged hems are quite unique as well, and always something to play with. I’ve seen that on designers like Nicola Finetti and it’s a way to make yourself stand out as well as stay on trend.”
One of Sofia’s favourite looks for this season is monochrome, topped off with a large hatinator.
“I would lean more towards a more mono-geometric shape in millinery, so pick hatinators rather than hats,” she says.
“Obviously we’re putting away felt and velvet pieces for these races and leaning more towards the
Laura Edwards fashion editor, reports
lighter summer materials, like straw.”
Ladies after something a bit different should look to digital prints.
“I would steer clear of floral prints, that’s been done… this year if you’re going to do prints, a digital one is your best bet to really stand out,” Sofia says.
“Style-wise I’d also like to see a more fitted, structural dress. You could do a structured cap sleeve or shoulder, or a bit at the top, but obviously keep in mind to wear an outfit that suits your body shape.”
Sofia says there’s also a tendency towards separates – dressy skirts teamed with pretty tops – as a “unique” option.
“I like to see separates because I think you can play with the outfit a bit more, and mix and match different styles and fabrics,” she says.
“I’d love to see separates in the same colour though, I think that would look quite chic and on-trend for the races.”
Accessory-wise, pick shoes you will be able to stand in all day with a unique fabric such as lace, and try an oversized clutch, says Sofia.
“The structured style clutches are really nice, and I’ve seen a little bit of bling too, but as long as it’s not too much – you have to remember racewear is daywear!”
For guys, the same rules as last year “pretty much apply” says Sofia, but a bold tie is a fun way to accentuate an outfit.
“This year they can have fun with a few colours to set off their look, but only if they’re brave enough!”
to the colourful ’90s
Vintage and inspired clothing and accessories for any occasion
Don’t know what to wear to the races?
Come and visit Freida Rome at The Hub, Canberra Centre, Sat 12th October, 12pm-4pm or visit freidarome.com.au
Freida Rome offers elegant and unique race attire that will turn heads!
Fierce. Fearless. Freida Rome. And you can be too
Moda forest green (stop staring) dress, $164; Ivory bow headpeice, $90; ’60s day gloves, $20 and ’60s handbag, $55, all from Freida Rome.
Watercolour floral dress, $168; plum headpiece, $75; ’60s day gloves, $20 and Glomesh purse, $60, all from Freida Rome.
Tantra goose feather clutch, $55, The Jewel in the Crown.
Pink Tantra goose feather clutch, $45, The Jewel in the Crown.
Pink Ce Me London draped dress, $95, The Jewel in the Crown.
Pink Via Belluci dress, $49, The Jewel in the Crown.
Black wow dress, $55, The Jewel in the Crown.
Red Ed Hardy pumps, $45, The Jewel in the Crown.
Grey De Blossom heels, $45, The Jewel in the Crown.
arts & entertainment
Sexy, death-defying ‘Empire’
THIS MONTH producer Ross Mollison is bringing his biggest sensation to an antique 700-seat spiegeltent pitched right outside the Canberra Theatre.
“Empire” is the same show he pitched to a New York businessman with an unused vacant lot near Times Square in 2008.
“People just love it,” Mollison enthuses, for a show full of sexy, death-defying acts in a mixed cabaretcircus-song format.
“And it’s really funny, too, full of that larrikin knockabout Australian humour,” he says.
No stranger to our city (“I just love Canberra”), he brought the musical “Falsettos” to the Canberra Theatre, gave us “Puppetry of the Penis” and co-produced the big-top version of “Cats” that played on the old Futsal court by the lake in 1999.
Mollison was once the right-hand man to entrepreneur Harry M Miller, and reminisces about waiting all night outside the local paper for the Canberra review of “M. Butterfly”.
For “Empire”, Mollison engaged top international circus acts, including a trio from the Ukraine that is quite literally a “gold medal act”.
Ekaterina Rudenko, Alona Stekolinkova and Alina Reutska, the gorgeous “Gorilla Girls” who form a human pyramid, were all members of the Ukrainian acrobatics team from 2008–2009.
It’s an exotic line up with a distinct acrobatic flavour.
The lead is Ringling Bros-trained American clown “Oscar the Impresario” and MC, Jonathan Taylor. His sidekick, showgirl “Fanny”, is Anne Goldmann, who started life as a gymnast before turning to theatre.
Aerial artist Lucia Carbines, “Miss A in a Bubble,” won an Australian national title for horse vaulting. Canadian Renaldo Williams Jr discovered gymnastics at age 12, while his partner Naomi ZimmermannPichon began at age five.
Yasuaki “Yasu” Yoshikawa is the US Open Single Wheel world champion.
Mollison hastens to assure “CityNews” that he admires former Canberran David Bates and his “Famous Spiegeltent”.
“David is a great friend,” he says, and Centenary artistic director Robyn Archer, for whom Bates brought his tent (there are a few of them around the world) to the Canberra Centenary during autumn, he praises as “a genius”.
He rather wishes he’d got in first, but with sexy,
dangerous acts, songs from Casey Jamerson, choreography by Baz Luhrmann favourite John “Cha Cha” O’Connell and fabulous costumes by Oscarwinner Angus Strathie, who started out with the old Canberra Theatre Company, he’s on to a winner.
“Empire”, in Spiegelworld at Civic Square, October 10-November 3, bookings to 6275 2700 or canberraticketing.com.au or ticketek.com.au
All eyes on the neo-tango
IT’S time for “Pura Vida Showcase”, Frank Madrid’s fourth big foray into contemporary Latin music, staged in Sydney and Canberra during October.
Brazilian group Sistema Criolina will be back in town, but this time all eyes will be on the neo-tango, blues and folk of American-Argentine Grammy nominees Kevin Johansen, pictured, and his five-piece band The Nada. Madrid says: “These two acts are at the forefront of Latin music and demonstrate how eclectic and very sophisticated Latin America’s music scene is.” And I believe him. It’s at The Street Theatre, 8pm, Friday, October 11, bookings to 6247 1223 or thestreet.org.au
GOOD news from PhotoAccess that 28 works from its recent “100 Views of Canberra” Centenary project were shown recently as part of the Photoville Festival in Brooklyn, NY, held in a “village” of shipping containers transformed into temporary exhibition spaces. For the exhibition, weirdly titled “Canberraville: a Rolling Grounds of contemporary fiction”, people from around the world were asked to discover or re-imagine Canberra.
THE new show, “My Life as a Piano” from jazz legend Jan Preston, pictured, is full of personal, funny and poignant stories, quirky facts about the piano in history, photos and, of course, music. It recently sold out The Brisbane Jazz Club and now she’s bringing it to the Street Theatre at 8pm on October 12, just after she releases her new album of the same title. Booking to 6247 1223 or thestreet.org.au
CALUM Builder, an enterprising music student at ANU, is organising jazz jam nights on Thursdays at 9.30pm in Smith’s Alternative. The jam is open to members of the community to come, maybe to watch, but better, to join in. Conveniently, happy hour is from 9.30pm to 10.30pm and entry is free.
AT Belconnen Arts Centre’s Arts Lounge Dianne Libke explores solitude in paintings, drawings and sculptures made from chairs, woven cassette tape, tiny microphone parts and discarded metal. Meet the Artist 1pm October 6. Tuesday-Sunday until October 13.
Helen Musa arts in the city
Helen Musa reports
Aerial artist Lucia Carbines as “Miss A in a Bubble”... won an Australian national title for horse vaulting.
“Empire’s” 3D Graffiti Guy.
arts / children’s theatre
Discovering fun around the pipe
“Michael Francis Willoughby in Elohgulp”
Written and directed by Chris Thompson Jigsaw Theatre Company At Canberra Theatre Centre Courtyard until October 12
Reviewed by Len Power
EVER wondered what to say when your child asks what goes on down there below the plughole? Jigsaw Theatre Company answers that question and more as it takes us on a journey into the world of Elohgulp.
The fun starts at the door of the theatre as audience members actually have to go down the plughole and around a bend in the pipe, finding themselves in a spooky subterranean world of strange, colourful lighting, foggy shadows, funny noises and crazy adventure.
Set design by David Hope is a beauty with strange and wonderful creatures hanging from the ceiling and oozing from pipes. It is complemented by great sound effects by Ian Blake and atmospheric lighting by Alister Emerson. The catchy music was composed by the always inventive John Shortis.
Several of the characters in the show are imaginatively designed puppets that come to life in the masterful hands and voices of actors and puppeteers, barb barnett, Raoul Craemer and Caroline Simone O’Brien.
The show seemed slow to get started, but when Craig Alexander appeared as Michael Francis Willoughby, his energy and pace quickly engaged the children in the audience in the adventure.
Chris Thompson has written and directed a highly imaginative children’s show. It is sure to appeal to the under 10s. Lessons to be learnt from the adventure were put over mildly but effectively.
It was a pretty enjoyable show for this big kid, too.
“The (Very) Sad Fish-Lady”
Conceived, written and directed by Joy McDonald At The Street Theatre until October 5.
Reviewed by Simone Penkethman
THIS is a piece of live art as much as it is theatre. It can be experienced like a living story book with a somewhat surreal and slightly disturbing plot leading to an inevitable happy ending.
It is also a sophisticated and humorous crosscultural story of Greek Australia. The performance can be enjoyed by all ages – it’s a puppet show for everyone.
The ingredients in this richly-layered meeting of forms are all of the highest quality. Intricate marionettes, story and direction are by renowned artist, Joy McDonald.
David Pereira’s music is spellbinding. Energetic, stylish and sensitive performances by puppeteers Ruth Pieloor and James Scott are graceful in movement and voice. Two of Canberra’s finest and most imaginative designers and makers, Imogen Keen and Hilary Talbot provide the playful and evocative lighting and set design.
The story is based on McDonald’s family’s migration to Canberra from a Greek island called Castellorizo, also known as “the rock”. Australia’s isolation and the tyranny of distance faced by families who migrate from other continents is a theme that resonates with many of us.
“The (Very) Sad Fish Lady” uses the sea, the moon, dolphins, fish, and a man with a boat to connect the fish lady with her family in Australia. In so doing, it evokes a sense of universal human experience.
arts & entertainment
Cruel lessons from lewdity
“Lovelace” (MA)
LINDA Susan Boreman lived a life of physical and sexual abuse which might not have been remarkable had she not, as Linda Lovelace, played a woman with her clitoris in her uvula in the porno box-office hit “Deep Throat” (1972).
While Andy Bellin’s screenplay for this biopic of Linda, directed by Rob Epstein and Geoffrey Friedman, may embellish historical facts, it delivers a measure of verity.
Amanda Seyfried’s portrayal of Linda is convincing, a woman afraid to break away from loathsome husband Chuck (Peter Sarsgaard) who exploited her sexuality before, during and after the 17-day shoot of “Deep Throat”, for which she was paid $1250 (the film grossed over $300 million), reportedly, among other indignities, lending her to its director Gerry (Hank Azaria) and his cronies for a train-pulling gangbang.
In scenes involving Linda’s parents, “Lovelace” runs a thread of anti-sentimentality that may reflect reality. The film shows her mother (a strong performance from a de-glamourised Sharon Stone) rejecting Linda’s vulnerability and pleas for protection and consolation after the toxic marriage with Chuck became intolerable.
Its in-your-face ventures into the skin trade may be capable of making your skin crawl for its depiction of men exploiting women, but they also deliver a salutary lesson. Reports that erotic movies gross more than the mainstream product suggest that their modern performers may be better paid than Linda was. And possibly enjoy it more.
At Palace Electric
Dougal Macdonald cinema
“Runner Runner” (MA)
“The East” (MA)
THIS film, about urban terrorists preparing to deliver uncompromising retribution to large-scale polluters, is the creation of Brit Marling who, with director Zal Batmanglij, co-wrote the screenplay.
In 2009, the pair reportedly spent time among an anarchist collective researching how it worked. The fruits of their study hit the screen with an impressive sense of authenticity.
Marling plays Sarah, a field agent employed by a private intelligence company headed by Sharon (Patricia Clarkson) whose clientele is wealthy corporations. Sharon sends Sarah under deep cover into an anarchic group calling itself The East.
“The East” travels into the same kind of issue country as did “Erin Brokovich” but observes its narrative from a totally different viewpoint. The group intends to deliver reprisal by punishing top executives of polluting companies. Sarah finds herself between the rock of the group’s destructive ethos and the hard place of its moral stance. The film sometimes strains credulity tighter than comfortable. But its tensions are strong, its issues are valid and its unfolding of conflict and retribution is powerful. Inviting us to choose between competing interests, it reminds us that neither side can claim exclusive right to the high moral ground. Its resolution of that dilemma unfolds during the closing credits. Don’t leave early.
At Palace Electric
Festival burns with romance and passion
By Helen Musa
HAVING opened their new Palace Electric Cinemas at NewActon early this year with a belated 2012 Italian Film Festival, the Zeccola family is about to launch into the 2013 version with more than 27 new features and documentaries.
The organisers can hardly contain themselves as they describe the festival as “full of passion and unashamedly romantic”.
As if to prove it, opening night on October 8 will feature “The Great Beauty”, a sweeping story built around the archetypal cinematic character of a jaded journalist, played by heartthrob Tony Servillo. This was a favourite at Cannes this year.
Comedy is never far from the surface. In “A Perfect Family,” wealthy recluse Leone decides to create a family Christmas by writing a script and hiring professional actors to play different family members.
Surely, Italy and music go together.
Domenico Modugno took the world over with the song “Volare”, which sold more than 22 million copies. This 100-minute doco “Mr Volare: The story of Domenico Modugno” follows his luminous career before his 1986 entry into politics.
What would an Italian film Festival be without a touch of Fellini? For this year’s closing night film the Zeccola family have come up with the 1972 classic “Roma”, the master’s tribute to the city he loved.
AS it crawls beneath the underbelly of the gambling business, Brad Furman’s thriller gets good energy from a screenplay by Brian Koppelman and David Levien.
Having bet his tuition money online and lost, Princeton MBA student Richie (Justin Timberlake) travels to Costa Rica to confront casino and online operator Ivan (Ben Affleck). Ivan, a smooth operator on top of the gambling trade, engages Richie to work for him. Before long, Richie is, if not wallowing in money, living somewhat higher on the hog and certainly ahead of where he was when he got there.
And he’s doing alright with Ivan’s former squeeze Rebecca (the spectacular Gemma Arterton).
Ultimately, “Runner Runner” is about money and not only the people who accumulate it by providing punters with the chance to gamble it away, but also the infrastructure for paying off crooked officials. Richie may be a whiz at the mathematics of gambling but is putty in their hands.
The action is vigorous, the narrative complex and the locations colourful. The gaming environment is enticing. But gambling has two rules. The way to make money is to own the game, which becomes a succulent target for bad guys. And betting more than you can afford to lose is a mug’s game.
For film-goers, the tensions between Richie, Ivan, the FBI and Rebecca offer excitement, although their resolution is a bit hard to swallow.
At all cinemas
Festival closer... Fellini’s 1972 classic “Roma”.
The 2013 Lavazza Italian Film Festival, Palace Electric, NewActon, October 8-November 3, bookings to palacecinemas.com.au
your appetite and indulge in the region’s fine food matched with Premium Wines and delicious local produce.
SIXTY-three-degree eggs, gizzards and pangrattato. Tantalise your tastebuds? Then the newly opened A.Baker in the New Acton precinct is for you.
If the mention of gizzards makes you gag, I encourage you to not be afraid. A.Baker’s food is executed with skill and you’ll be rewarded for being adventurous.
What about 63-degree eggs you ask? This is a poached egg slow cooked. Many chefs say it’s the “perfect egg” because 63 degrees is when the egg white and yolk are the same temperature. And pangrattato? Well, they’re essentially breadcrumbs (let’s say ‘special Italian’ breadcrumbs).
But enough of the quizzing. Let’s concentrate on the scoop
Wendy Johnson dining
behind A.Baker.
First, location. A.Baker is where Flint was before it sadly burnt to the ground, so it has an excellent position in an area that is pretty hip. The place is divided into three sections – artisan commercial bakery, eatery and bar.
We started in the bar area, a kind of hidey hole tucked downstairs with exceptional old marine lights discovered in Jodhpur, India. The bar was pretty well overflowing but we soon found a seat. We shared plump south coast oysters (they don’t get much better than that) baked with bacon jam and pangratttao ($3.50 each).
They were delicious and we washed them down with lovely wine (we had to remind the staff twice
CIVIC: 70 Bunda Street, 1st floor Canberra City Phone: 6257 3690
WODEN: 86/2 Keltie Street Woden Plaza, Phillip Ph: 6260 5441
that we had ordered wine). Also downstairs is the bakery and you can watch the action through a one-way pane of glass (actually we could only see someone’s back… perhaps another day).
We were told it might be a bit of a wait for a table to become available but it wasn’t long at all before – poof! –we were back on the main floor. The old structure is exposed, creating a rustic feeling with raw charred brick, smoke stains and other imperfections.
The menu isn’t huge, but quality of ingredients is the order of the day. Meals come in two sizes, small ($16) and large ($28), and all-day options are available morning ‘til night.
A.Baker offers charcuterie and oysters. Capocollo, cacciatore and porchetta (each $12) are served on a
wooden board with fantastic bread, milled in the wee hours of the morning and baked fresh daily. We shared the entrée-size farmed venison from Mandagery Creek, Orange, transformed into a spellbinding ragu, including barley risotto and saffron flowers.
My second visit was for breakfast and my eggs – poached in a spicy tomato sauce, served in a small cast-iron frying pan on a wooden board (wooden boards are popular at A.Baker) – were delightful. The coffee was good and I adored A.Baker’s wonderful black Japanese tea pots.
Open seven days for breakfast, lunch and dinner. No reservations accepted. Unit 2, 15 Edinburgh Avenue, call 6287 6150.
House sourdough and marinated Crookwell olives.
Photo by Brent McDonald
garden Spring bursts into blossom
BLOSSOMS, blossoms everywhere as we go into the real start of spring in Canberra – October.
The blossoms contrast with every shade of green of the emerging new leaves of deciduous trees. We can enjoy a succession of ornamental, deciduous blossom trees from mid-winter to November/ early December, plus the blossoms of fruiting plants – the more blossoms, the more fruit.
WEEPING trees have one of the most spectacular blossoms. Ideally, plant as a specimen tree and give it plenty of room to be admired. Weeping trees are grafted and I always recommend a tall graft to two metres to allow the branches to weep naturally from on high.
Prunus “Cheal’s” cherry is one of the most beautiful weeping trees with its emerging bronzegreen leaves. Its deep pink double flowers are freely produced giving a spectacular show. Rivalling this is Prunus Subhirtella “White” with its single white flowers flowing down in a compact form or, equally, P.Subhirtella “Rosea” with its small, pale lavender-pink flowers in bud, fading to soft pink on opening.
FOR some reason, Syringa or Lilacs, once a feature of most gardens, seem to have diminished in popularity, despite its range of flower colours being awesome and combined with a heady fragrance.
Lilacs ask only for a little patience. They take two to three years to become established and then repay you generously over a three-to four-week period with an abundance of blooms.
The famous Goulburn Lilac Festival takes place in early November and is well worth a visit.
THE all-time favourite crabapple, Malus ionensis plena, is truly spectacular in full bloom at this time with its double pink flowers. Looking at the floral displays in the older suburbs, I feel sorry for the folk of Belconnen with just eucalypts. In the older suburbs they have been interplanted with blossom trees to enhance our concept of a “Treed City”. How can you not find a place for at least one blossom tree? Check them out at local garden centres as they come into flower.
WANT your garden in top shape throughout the year? Help is at hand with Jennifer Stackhouse’s new book, called simply “Garden” with the sub-title “Everything you need to know to keep your garden thriving and beautiful throughout the year” (ABC Books, rrp $35).
Stackhouse is a qualified horticulturist and
Cedric Bryant gardening
former editor of the ABC’s “Gardening Australia” magazine.
There is a myriad of garden books available and then there is this one, which I highly recommend for its practicality.
The perfect companion book is “The Canberra Gardener”, published by the Horticultural Society of Canberra. This is the bible of gardening specifically for our climate. Available from bookshops and major newsagents.
Jottings
• When planting a hedge, leave space either side for clipping.
• Prune Camellia sasanquas now. Reduce scraggly plants by one third.
• Roses need Neutrog’s Seamungus plant food, a combination of seaweed and chook poo to help bud development.
• Prune off last year’s dead growth on fuchsias.
• Plant bedding begonias for a summer-long display.
• For a continuous display of gladioli, plant a few each week over several weeks. They take 90-100 days from planting to flowers.
• Plant potatoes now, the largest selection I have seen is at the Heritage Nursery, Yarralumla.
Win a book
CEDRIC has a copy of Jennifer Stackhouse’s new book “Garden, everything you need to know to keep your garden thriving and beautiful throughout the year” (valued at $35) to give away. Simply list three words that represent a perfect garden on the back of an envelope (with your name, suburb and phone number) to “Garden Book Competition”, CityNews, GPO Box 2288, Civic 2601. Entries close on Friday, October 19 and the winner will be announced in Cedric’s column in the edition of October 24.
Cheal’s weeping cherry at Tulip Top Garden, open to October 13.
Spectacular crabapple blossom at East Basin Park.
David and Lainie Shorthouse... “Gardening has been a lifelong love for us both. And if you love it, it’s great,” says David.
For the love of a garden
LOCATED on the edge of the O’Connor Ridge nature reserve, David and Lainie Shorthouse have created a garden that’s productive year-round and a beautiful place to be.
The house is surrounded by an ornamental grapevine that cools the couple’s home in summer and lets in light in winter, and is the first example of their aim to “tread lightly on the planet”.
The 1800sqm garden on Dryandra Street, Lyneham, will be open to the public for the first time as part of Open Gardens Australia on the weekend of October 12-13.
“We bought the house because of the size of the block – we wanted to be able to grow more of our own produce,” says David.
With seven chooks, a huge veggie patch growing peas, broad beans, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, rhubarb, asparagus, lettuce, carrots, beetroot, garlic and more, David says they’re pretty much self-sufficient for half
WORDS: Kathryn Vukovljak
PHOTOS: Brent McDonald
the year, as they freeze, bottle and preserve what they can for leaner times.
There is also a productive orchard, with apricots, peaches, plums, apple, kiwi fruit and nectarines, and a separate area for berries.
“We’ve been trying specialist food plants like saffron, goji berries, pomegranate and blueberries, with mixed success,” says David cheerfully. “It’s bitsy, but a lot of fun, and we like to give everything a try.”
The front garden is largely natives, with winding paths and beds of exotic and native shrubs, grasses and groundcovers creating a palette of contrasting colours, textures and forms.
It’s also a very lush, peaceful space, where kangaroos wander over from the reserve and a variety of birdlife come to play – and sometimes help themselves to blossom, wisteria flowers and fruit.
“The garden was pretty bare when we moved in 30 years ago, and we’ve never had any help, except for
the kids – it’s just the two of us and it does take a lot of time,” says David.
“We’re a bit like farmers; we can’t go away at certain times of the year because we have to be here to work on the garden.
“But gardening has been a lifelong love for us both. And if you love it, it’s great.”
Lainie says they generally cook and eat what’s in season in the garden.
“We enjoy having a knowledge and understanding of where our food comes from,” she says.
“Planting, harvesting and preserving are skills that are often lost in the community, but I find gardening very therapeutic; you don’t think about anything other than what you’re doing.”
The garden at 266 Dryandra Street, Lyneham, will be open on Saturday, October 12 and Sunday, October 13, 10am-4pm. Adults $7, children under 18 are free. Funds raised will go to the Open Garden Scheme and Quaker Service Australia. There will be teas and plants for sale. More information at opengarden.org.au.
Joanne Madeline Moore
your week in the stars / October 7-13
ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)
Rushing Rams love to lunge at life with spontaneous abandon but this week will work best if you employ a more subtle and strategic approach. If you think things through (and do the research required) then projects will proceed in a slow and steady fashion that leads to future success. Consultation and attention to detail will get you a lot further than being slap-dash!
TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 20)
Bulls can be a lazy lot, but a rickety romantic relationship will only improve if you get off your bovine behind and get to work! And, if you’re not serious about the partnership, then it may be time to let go and move on. Singles – give flirtatious, superficial suitors the flick. Look for lasting love with someone who is mature, and ready to make a long-term commitment.
GEMINI (May 21 – June 21)
Geminis are the gadabouts of the zodiac but with Mercury hooking up with Pluto and Saturn, it’s time to slow down, listen and observe. Enjoy the company of family and friends but steer clear of tactless talk, garrulous gossip and ridiculous rumors. With Venus vamping into your relationship zone (from October 8-November 5) you’re in the mood for love and romance!
CANCER (June 22 – July 22)
As the Sun moves through your domestic zone, focus on bringing more happiness into your home, and more fun into your relationships with family members. Draw inspiration from Desmond Tutu (born on October 7, 1931): “You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.” The weekend is wonderful for partnerships and joint ventures.
LEO (July 23 – Aug 22)
When it comes to a domestic drama, don’t accept things at face value. Take the time to look a lot deeper … there’s much more going on than meets the eye. Plus, with mighty Mars charging through your sign (until October 15) there’s a fine line between being passionately proactive and just plain pushy. So strive to be a confident Cat who is considerate and co-operative.
VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sept 22)
Mercury links up with Saturn on Wednesday, when your research and multi-tasking talents really shine. However, if you confuse important issues with trivial ones (and make mountains out of molehills) then it will be a long and exhausting week. It’s also a sensible idea to make sure car and computer maintenance is up-to-date, otherwise there could be problems.
LIBRA (Sept 23 – Oct 23)
You can be dazzled by outer beauty but don’t be deceived by glossy outward appearances this week. Look beneath the surface to evaluate a person’s real values and motives. It’s also time to get real about your financial situation. A little retail therapy is fine, as long as you can afford it. If you can’t, then plug the cash flow drain and find ways to have fun at home – for free.
SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 21)
Don’t take criticism too personally Scorpio, or narrow your focus too much. Saturn is asking you to be supremely practical - but you can also be positive, as you maintain your sense of perspective. So sulking and sarcasm are out; whereas optimism and objectivity are in. From October 8 through until November 5, Venus shines a spotlight on your self-worth and core values.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 21)
The symbol for Sagittarius is the Archer – with his arrow aimed towards the future. But are you neglecting what’s happening in the here and now? In the words of birthday great John Lennon (born October 9, 1940): “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” This week it’s time to focus on the present, as you relax and smell the roses along the way…
CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19)
Negative thinking (especially about your hopes and dreams) could cause some anxiety. It’s important to find a discreet friend or family member so you can communicate your feelings frankly. You may also be called on to act as a leader or organiser in a group situation. You have specialised knowledge and skills to share, so strive to do so in an inclusive way.
AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18)
With Saturn sauntering through your career zone (until 2015) the road ahead is rocky and there’ll be detours along the way. So you need to rise to the challenge with relish … and plenty of rigorous discipline. Patience and persistence will get you a lot further than impulsive petulance! Show others that you can handle extra responsibilities with style and substance.
PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 20)
The future depends on the goals you set yourself now. Saturn is asking you to make your aspirations ambitious but also supremely practical. And don’t let others talk down your dreams, undermine your confidence, or amplify your shortcomings. Your motto for the moment is from birthday great Eleanor Roosevelt “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
Across
4 Name an Australian politician who contributed much to Australian federation, Sir Henry ...
7 What was the profession of Mozart?
8 What do we call a child during the early period of its life?
9 To have understood clearly is to have done what?
11 What do we call an agent of retribution?
13 Which oil is used in making paints, etc?
15 Who founded Singapore in 1819, Sir Thomas Stamford ...?
17 Which people enjoy inflicting pain?
20 Name an alternative term for a promontory
23 Which Australian cricketer became the world’s highest scoring test batsman in 1993, Allan ...?
24 What is a duration without beginning or end?
25 Which term describes a judicial decision?
Down
1 Name another term for artesian water
2 What are charms, incantations or enchantments?
3 Name the Egyptian goddess of fertility and nature
4 What is a company of lions called?
5 Name the Australian tennis player who was the US open champion 1997, 1998, Patrick ...?
6 Which other word describes boredom?
9 What are surviving memorials of things past?
10 To sign one’s name is to do what?
12 To have drenched with water, etc, is to have done what?
14 What do we call any dry substance that readily takes fire from a spark?
16 To which animal family does the leopard belong?
18 What is the positive pole of a battery called?
19 How many persons make up a triumvirate?
21 Which playing cards can be of the highest or lowest value?
22 Which informal term suggests someone is crazy?
REMOVE YOUR UNWANTED DOUBLE CHIN
I am in my mid 50’s and I have noticed my double chin getting worse as I get older. I have always had a small double chin, but now I have also noticed my neck and lower face sagging with loose hanging skin. I work full time and can’t afford to take a lot of time off work, but I really want to do something to improve my jawline and remove some of this sagging skin. Is there something I can do?
Some people have an accumulation of fat under the chin (submental fat pad), causing the appearance of a double chin. This is often hereditary but it tends to get worse with age.
In addition, a number of changes occur to the neck and jaw line as people get older. These include slackening of the angle underneath the jaw to the neck, accumulation of fat under the jaw, accumulation of fat in the jowls (area just along middle of the jaw on either side), loss of definition of the jaw line, and shrinking of the jaw bone. In addition, skin can appear lax and fine lines can develop in your lower facial region.
The neck area can be readily sculpted with Vaser liposculpture of the neck and jowl. The removal of even a small amount of fat can make a big difference to your appearance. I specialise in combining this with a neck lift. This can really improve any loose skin and sagging of the lower face.
Whilst this is a surgical procedure, it is performed under local anaesthesia, so you don’t have to worry about the complications associated with general anaesthesia. The procedure is walk in and walk out with people returning to work within a few days to a week.
Patients will see an initial improvement of the neck and jaw area, and the appearance will continue to improve for 4-6 months. Many of my patients tell me they receive comments saying they ‘look like they have lost weight and look refreshed’, without people realising that they have had anything done.
I know the importance of your face and I believe you deserve to be taken care of. Call my clinic today on 02 6255 8988 to find out what may be possible for you.
Professional, Qualified, Experienced
Dr Bernard Leung is a leader in neck sculpting and lifting procedures. He is one of the most sought-after liposuction surgeons in Canberra.
landscapes, local shopping, large parks, and land under $230,000*
There’s so much to love at Springbank Rise, a spectacular new residential community from award winning developer Lend Lease. Located in Gungahlin, this beautiful new address is in a popular growth area of Canberra and offers an amazing lifestyle.
You’ll love:
• Over 30ha of open space, with 4 major parks, playgrounds, picnic and BBQ areas, hike and bike trails, plus the new Village Centre Park (Grand Opening Saturday 19th October)
• Future Village Centre with a local convenience and specialty stores
• Future childcare and medical centre, with a large choice of schools nearby
• The largest dedicated dog park in North Canberra
• Spectacular views to Canberra City and the Brindabellas
With many affordable lots offering beautiful views towards Civic and The Brindabella’s, you’ll enjoy an amazing outlook. Don’t miss your chance to buy in our latest release, with land under $230,000* and home and land packages under $330,000*.
