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Cruel downside to the startup religion JOHN GRIFFITHS Desperately seeking parking... CATHERINE CARTER

Hedge your bets with conifers CEDRIC BRYANT

Suzanne’s a mum on a Stella mission

By Kate Meikle

SUZANNE Tunks is a mum on a mission to help children and their families going through the hardest time in their lives –battling serious or long-term illnesses.

Through her foundation, Stella Bella Little Stars Foundation, for the past three years this dedicated group led by Suzanne has been diligently and quietly rolling out The Little Stars Bead Program, which gives children decorative beads for each time they undergo a medical procedure or treatment, in recognition of their bravery.

Having lost her daughter, Stella, at nine months, Suzanne knows only too well what the families she is supporting are going through.

“We spent half of our daughter’s short life in hospital and half of it caring for her at home in palliative care,” says Suzanne.

When Suzanne and her partner, Matthew, found out in utero that their baby had Down syndrome, they made the decision to give her every possible opportunity in life, she says.

When Stella was born at Westmead Hospital, in Sydney, she was taken to the adjoining intensive care unit in the children’s hospital.

“Half of Stella’s heart was not fully formed. And we found out later that that the other half was not good at its job,” says Suzanne.

For the next month, Stella underwent heart surgery in Sydney.

At that time, Suzanne recalls being introduced

to a beads program to support children with heart conditions and was touched by its simple but poignant meaning.

“After the first surgery, the strength that we had hoped Stella would have gained did not grow,” says Suzanne. “The doctors told us that they couldn’t offer her any more surgery.”

For the rest of Stella’s life, Suzanne’s home was turned into a mini ICU to care for Stella.

“We learnt a lot in the ICU and kept a diary of how she was progressing every day,” she says.

“Family and friends cooked for us every night and helped us keep everything going for the four and a half months that we cared for Stella at home.”

In early 2012, Suzanne decided to start her own foundation and offer a beads program to any child in Canberra with ongoing medical pro -

cedures for long-term illness. She sourced the beads online, carefully choosing the beads that had meaning.

“We were just four ladies to start with, now I have an amazing team of 20 people helping us,” she says.

“We just started it and found that there were lots of families keen to be involved with the beads program. We worked with the staff at Canberra Hospital to create a list of 32 procedures that the children would undergo and the nurses promoted it to their patients.

“Some children have over eight metres of beads since we started.”

The foundation offers this to any Canberra region child with serious illnesses such as cancer, cystic fibrosis or genetic disorders.

The program has been such a success that Suzanne has secured a grant through St George Bank to help roll out the beads program in 22 hospitals across three states by the end of March.

Through their annual Stella Bella Little Stars Ball, the majority of their funds are raised to fund the beads program as well as an inaugural family camp planned for November. The foundation also provides financial grants, petrol and food vouchers and other essentials to help local families doing it tough with a sick child.

“Everything we do is for the kids and their families. If you are a sick child, you need your parents on board, together and coping – it is such an important part of healing,” Suzanne says.

More information, make a donation or register interest to volunteer, visit stellabellalittlestars.org.au

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Servicing Canberra and surrounding region

Since 1993: Volume 21, Number 37

Arts & Entertainment 19-21

Canberra Confidential 18

Cinema 21

Dining 21

Gardening 22

Horoscopes 23

News 3-14

Politics 6

Puzzles 23

Socials 15-17

Sport 10

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seven days

Hope runs high among the summiteers

THE fallout from the ascension of Malcolm Turnbull continued this past week as the new PM organised an economic mini-summit to get the movers and shakers on the same page with tax reform. When they left the meeting all seemed buoyed with hope.

Trouble is, “reform” usually means we want the other bloke to pay more. So when it comes to the nitty gritty we can expect plenty of confected outrage from the usual suspects. However, it’s a start, and the presence of so many women at the meeting was a hopeful sign.

MEANWHILE, the former Oxford boxing blue did the rounds of friendly shock jocks echoing the cry of defeated pugilists everywhere: “We waz robbed!”

Someone should tell him, the train has left the station, Tony, and it ain’t coming back.

SO, too, the doctors who want to retain a Medical Benefits Schedule that hasn’t changed since 1984 while medical science has leapt ahead. Far be it from us to suggest the medicos are happily

Someone should tell him, the train has left the station, Tony, and it ain’t coming back.

rorting the system to perform unsafe and unnecessary procedures, harming patients for financial gain. But that certainly is the way Minister Sussan Ley sees it, and she’s one of the better holdovers from the Abbott era. And how nutty of the Labor Party to oppose the wholesale review of the Medical Benefits Schedule. Unfortunately, they haven’t learned there’s a new game in town; they’re still playing by the Abbott rules of fierce opposition to anything emanating from the other side.

THE rather nasty comment from Labor’s junior Foreign Affairs spokesman Matt Thistlethwaite questioning Julie Bishop’s decision to have partner David Panton seated with her to hear Pope Francis speak to the UN General Assembly was another case in point. That was bad enough but for Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek to then call it “an odd look” was quite unworthy.

IT’S to be hoped they don’t fall for it on the issue of Norfolk Island, where this past week the Chief Minister Andre Nobbs sought to enlist the new PM in his quest to avoid incorporation into the Australia polity and paying tax. His case is special pleading for the transplanted Pitcairners who since 1856 have run the island’s economy into the ground. It’s unlikely to touch a chord with Malcolm whose wife’s uncle Robert Hughes revealed the island as the crucible of early Australian history in his book, “The Fatal Shore”.

ANOTHER blow to the Abbott hangover was the dropping of all charges against former Raiders forward John Lomax who’d been arrested and charged with blackmail after giving evidence at Dyson Heydon’s Trade Union Royal Commission. That’s what you call “an odd look”.

SPEAKING of legal shenanigans, the new Minister of State Mal Brough

ROBERT MACKLIN

remains under investigation by the AFP for allegedly illegally procuring and distributing copies of former Speaker Peter Slipper’s diaries in 2012. More can be expected on this.

AND speaking of Speakers, Bronwyn Bishop was given front row billing at China’s National Day concert this week. The G-G Sir Peter Cosgrove addressed a glittering diplomatic crowd before a recital by Tan Wei, the world’s best performer on the Erhu. Perhaps Bronny had been invited before the fall. Either way, it was a stunning performance… by Tan Wei.

robert@robertmacklin.com

Trams, the white elephant in the room

CHIEF Minister Andrew Barr is full-steamahead on “Digital CBR”. Canberra is to be the city of the future and, through his leadership, a look-ahead, agile and flexible city. Well, maybe!

We are in some ways. But in others the government is dragging us kicking and screaming back to the future.

Andrew Barr’s own site on “digital_cbr” boasts: “Canberra is a city full of early adopters of new technology, innovators and entrepreneurs.

“As a government, we have built on Canberrans’ embrace of change by focusing on agility and innovation in response to digital disruption”.

The latest news around the city’s flexibility and look-ahead attitude is the legal adoption of ride-share services like Uber. One step forward.

At the same time as the government in Sydney suspended the licences of 40 UberX drivers, the ACT passed legislation providing legal operation from the end of this month.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull used the service as an example of agility needed in improving Australia’s economy while consumer group Choice identified Uber as being “just as safe as regular taxis”. Good call, Andrew Barr.

Free public WiFi, digital arts with vibrant digital spaces in the centre of Civic seem to be some of the goals for future Canberra. But Canberra might be playing catch up with some unlikely competitors. These were things that I experienced in Ulan Bator while visiting

The government’s introduction of light rail in Canberra is taking us backwards. Trams are from the paddle-steamer era.

Mongolia at the start of last year. The claims go on about boosting productivity, building ICT capacity and facilitating collaboration. Let’s see.

In reality, by far the biggest boost to our ICT capacity was under Chief Minister Kate Carnell with the introduction of fibre optic networks from Transact at a time when Telsta would not service the ACT with high-speed options.

However, that was a decade and a half ago and there is now room for more and more innovation. Wireless networks in all our high schools and colleges is a great innovation by the current government. The next generation will be the leaders of this reformation that we are experiencing.

The religious Reformation came with the Counter-Reformation. In CBR, the counterreformation seems to be happening within government. How would we feel about introducing paddle steamers as a way of getting across Lake Burley Griffin – even if they had Wi-Fi on board? At least an app could be developed to know when the paddle steamer was due! Twenty-first century innovation

supporting 19th century technology.

Paddle steamers might sound fanciful, but look at the other side of Canberra; what is wheel-on-rail technology if it is not of the 19th century? The government’s introduction of light rail in Canberra is taking us backwards. Trams are from the paddlesteamer era.

A high-speed public transport link between our city centres – starting with Gungahlin – makes sense. What does not make sense in an innovative, agile and flexible city is a failure to examine and adopt very high-speed, computer controlled, magnetic levitation technology.

The Japanese are moving that way as the next step beyond the ultra-fast shinkansen bullet trains. In fact, a seven-car maglev (short for “magnetic levitation” train) in Japan recently reached a world record top speed of 603kph during what officials described as a “comfortable” zip along a test track near Mount Fuji. The maglev hovers 10cm above the tracks and is propelled by electrically charged magnets.

The same technology can be applied to

small pods on an urban transport system. NASA Space Act company skyTran recently signed a deal with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) for a trial site of its magnetic levitationpowered, high-speed, low-cost, elevated personal rapid transit at IAI’s corporate campus. If it’s successful, the next installation will be in Tel Aviv.

In the meantime “innovative CBR” experiments with trams – hopefully they will have fairly fast, free Wi-Fi. Innovation awards? Hello, Tel Aviv and goodbye, Canberra.

It is true that Canberra is an early adopter of new technologies. There are some great and innovative initiatives of the government. Surely, it’s not too late to deal with the trams – the one great big white elephant in the CBR room.

Michael Moore was an independent member of the ACT Legislative Assembly (1989 to 2001) and was minister for

Meet the chief

POLICE chief Rudi Lammers is the speaker at Menslink’s next Midweeker event at Gryphons Caffe, Griffith Shops, from 5pm, on Wednesday, October 14. The chief will share stories from his 30-plus years in policing and, for anyone with an interest in crime prevention and the human side of police work, this is a talk not to be missed. Entry is free and open to all. No RSVP.

50 year reunion

THE Narrabundah High School Class of 1965 (5th year) is looking for ex-teachers, former students and partners to join them for a 50-year celebration at the Bradman Room, Manuka Oval, on Saturday, October 24. Tickets are $80. Enquiries to Dianne Moir (nee Grosvenor) on 0458 626011 or jandmoir@iinet.net.au

Wildflower ramble

WILDFLOWER lovers are invited to join the 44th annual Black Mountain Wildflower Ramble on easy bush tracks with experienced guides to discover the diversity of tiny orchids, bush peas, wattles and billy buttons. Meet at Belconnen Way entry, just before Caswell Drive turnoff (look for the balloons), 9.30am, on Saturday, October 10. BYO morning tea, hat, sunblock, water and stout shoes. Bookings to friendsofblackmountain@gmail.com to ensure enough guides.

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Thursday 22 October 4-7pm, Facebook chat

Register to attend a session anu.edu.au/study/events/postgraduate-information-evening

lowbrow

Cruel downside to the startup religion

THE government and opposition seem to have got the religion about startups.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten wants uni students to be able to draw down on their HECS/HELP to start businesses while they are supposed to be studying.

Innovation Minister Wyatt Roy is tackling the issue from the other side with a thought bubble about letting people pull on their superannuation to get disruptive businesses up and running.

Email: cw@dvcs.org.au

What the hell is a startup besides a hipster with a business plan and seed funding?

Wikipedia puts it thusly: “The essence of startups has more to do with high ambition, innovativeness, scalability and growth.”

While the politicians, with no skin in the game, will endlessly enthuse about Amazon, Facebook and Uber, it doesn’t take much unpacking to see this is some truly awful public policy in the making from both sides of politics.

The first thing to bear in mind is that most startups fail.

How many young lives are Bill and Wyatt willing to see destroyed in the quest for one or two Australian flag carriers at the South by SouthWest festival?

I’ve made this point before, but it bears repeating that, in startup world, one of the best-case scenarios is early failure.

Selling the business model for a few million is unlikely enough as to make putting the time and money into sports betting seem like a wise option.

Making easy government money available to fuel these fever dreams, either taking it from retirement savings or additional student debt seems positively cruel.

The other question is to what extent we actually want to accelerate the disruption of our economy.

It’s already been noted in the US that, with the lowhanging fruit of positive disruptive ideas having been largely (if not entirely) already seized on, the venture capital money is increasingly flowing into business models bordering on the downright illegal.

And speaking of the US, San Francisco is where our bright young things need to go, as much as that might pain our political leaders.

IT’S really super simple, buddy. Everyone can do it! Step 1, create a website. Step 2, start telling everyone that you founded a startup.” – Urban Dictionary

In fact, if we really want Australian tech entrepreneurs then a scheme to arrange a year’s business visa in the US and some sort of hostel for Australians in Silicon Valley would be a better way to go about it.

In Menlo Park in California is a street called Sand Hill Road and that’s where the money for nearly every tech company you’ve ever heard of was raised.

The Sand Hill Road men (they are mostly men) may be vultures, but they know how to get a company off the ground and how to make founders (and themselves) insanely wealthy.

Finally, while I’m not suggesting we try and stifle innovation or disruption we might, as a democratic society, question to what extent we want to actively encourage this sort of thing.

The model of the startup is a lot like Sauron’s “one ring to rule them all”.

Taking the taxi industry as an example, we go from a world with thousands of companies (mostly local monopolies) for better or worse making one or two owners each a good living, and a basic living for their employees, to a world with one dominant company with obscenely rich owners and a huge vulnerable casual workforce.

Nice work if you can get it, but a strange kind of lottery for a Government to want to run.

John Griffiths is the online editor of citynews.com.au

How Gail found shoes the right fit

KATHRYN VUKOVLJAK talks to Canberra’s Queen of Shoes, whose shop in Manuka turns 30 this year .

GAIL Lubbock has always loved shoes.

“As a little girl I loved shoes, the black patent with the little straps in the winter and white in the summer,” she says.

“Somehow, I always managed to buy a pair of shoes with the first pay packet and was known to save for months for a pair of shoes.

“I suppose you would have to say, I have always loved them.”

Gail says she has her dream job running Escala in Manuka. The luxury shoe shop turns 30 this year, having started in 1985 as LF (for founder Leonie Furber), and was later named Escala by another owner, Rosie Sawyer. Gail took over the shop from Rosie in 1998. A nurse for 35 years, Gail says she suffered a back injury and began looking for a new direction.

“I thought I’d be in nursing for the rest of my life and it hurt psychologically to know I couldn’t do it any more,” she says.

“When I met Rosie Sawyer and she told me she wanted to sell Escala, I thought, why not?”

Gail says she now travels to Europe twice a

year to select styles for the shop and supports factories in Milan, Verona and Florence.

“I love the interaction, the excitement, the expectation and anticipation,” she says.

“I appreciate style and good workmanship, and I don’t go to China. I want to see a continuation of excellence from generational factories that have an exemplary and ethically responsible business model. If we don’t support them they’ll be gone.”

Gail says she believes Escala’s success is down to a tried-and-true formula of presentation, quality merchandise and customer service.

“It took a while to get the mix right, and remember that it’s not all about me and what I like,” she says.

“Choosing the right merchandise is a talent, a gift I think. I’ve been able to utilise that to the business’ advantage, which I’ve been really happy about.”

Gail says she loves the interaction with all the people that make up the business, from suppliers, freight agents and the “wonderful” clients.

“They’re beautifully loyal and have been since its inception; since before it was Escala,” says Gail.

Desperately seeking… parking!

By Catherine Carter

WHAT’S the quickest way to frustrate both tourists and locals alike and guarantee they avoid Floriade forever more?

Car parking!

While Canberra’s fabulous flower festival continues to delight, parking this year leaves much to be desired.

With the Constitution Avenue upgrade and the new shipping-container village taking up large sections of surface car parking, patrons have been seen circling the remaining car parks looking for an elusive space, with many opting to walk from Questacon or the National Library and others giving up altogether. Purchasing a parking voucher, in some cases, has taken half an hour.

The pain of car parking at Floriade this year raises important questions about our current car-parking management strategy – particularly if our most popular festival is to shift to Civic from 2017.

A recent survey of Canberrans, undertaken by Canberra CBD Limited found that “parking, parking, parking” was one of the greatest obstacles to a vibrant and dynamic CBD.

The report found inadequate parking was one of the main reasons why Canberra residents avoided Civic, and support for new activities and infrastructure in the city centre was tempered by comments such as “so long as they get the parking right”.

The private sector has been focused on innovative solutions, such as carpooling in residential buildings and investing in new technologies – but we also need the right policies in place.

The long-term implications for our tourism industry are also significant. Each day visitors waste precious time desperately seeking a space, our city loses some of its lustre – and that’s something an ocean of flowers cannot restore.

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

Hell hath no fury like a fan spurned

HELL hath no fury like a Brumbies’ member wronged! I have seen it over the years on a number of occasions.

A memorable instance was when there was an aggressive brand restructuring during Rob Clarke’s reign as chief executive.

In a bid to embrace the region, the ACT logo disappeared and the team simply became known as “the Brumbies”. Gone was the “ACT” association.

It upset many who believed we should be proud of the Territory’s link with the team and this

The Brumbies’ membership has been unsettled again; this time it’s over a change to the seating arrangements at Canberra Stadium.

should be recognised.

In response, some fans said they wouldn’t support the team unless the ACT was restored to the name.

I am not sure whether that collective threat ever eventuated or had such force as to impact significantly on overall numbers to games.

Around that time, between 2003 and 2005, there was also a ticket-price hike to bring the Brumbies in line with other Australian Super Rugby franchises.

There was an outcry over that, but again it is hard to tell whether it directly impacted on crowd numbers.

If nothing else, it highlights the need for management to tread warily when dealing with Brumbies’ supporters.

Now it seems the membership

has been unsettled again; this time over a change to the seating arrangements at Canberra Stadium.

Some long-time supporters and members, who have been going to games at Canberra Stadium over the years, have called to say they are upset after being told their allocated seats, where they have sat through many a winter’s night to support the team, had been reallocated.

The Brumbies tell me only a small number of supporters are affected and the change came about to recognise the “true value” of the seating arrangement.

This clearly suggests that some seats have been undervalued through the years.

There has also been a change to the Brumbies’ Foundation

TIM GAVEL

membership.

But the Brumbies’ management believes that the cutbacks in some areas will be more than compensated for in others.

The risk for the Brumbies is the affected supporters, however small in number, may feel they are not being listened to and walk away.

However, the management firmly believes that with prices for some seats actually cheaper next year, more people will be attracted to Canberra Stadium.

They say they need to make their operation viable by “correctly” pricing the seating and that it is becoming more and more expensive to run the operation.

But to make it viable, they must keep the existing supporter base while attracting more people to home games.

With more people selecting the comfort of home to the atmosphere of a stadium, the Brumbies have to think of ways to make the gameday experience a worthwhile one.

The Brumbies are discovering just how tough a juggling act that can be.

Wasp hotline changes

FOR all enquiries about European wasps, the ACT government is asking members of the public to contact CoreEnviro Solutions on 6258 5551, rather than the previous wasp hotline. Following a change in service provider, CoreEnviro Solutions will provide residents with a free insect identification service and advice on European wasp identification and control on private and ACT Government land. Wasp sightings and nests can also be reported to Access Canberra on 132281 or at ewasp.com.au

Big garage sale

OPPORTUNITY To Do, which raises funds towards projects that promote sustainability and self-reliance in poor communities, is again holding what it promises is “Canberra’s biggest and best” garage sale at 5 O’Grady Place, Wanniassa, on Saturday, October 17. A huge range of baby, kids and adult clothes and household items will be available, all at “affordable prices”. There will be two more sales before year’s end on November 7 and December 5.

Volunteers for op shop

WODEN will get its first Red Cross Op Shop early next month in Bradley Street and Red Cross is looking for volunteers to help out. Community engagement manager Kate Dear says: “Anyone with an interest in retail is welcome. Currently the over 55s age group make up more than half our volunteer workforce but lots of younger people are also wanting to get involved. No experience is necessary as we will train all our Woden volunteers.” Volunteer online at redcross.org.au/shops or call 1800 339888.

SciNight for adults

THE adults-only “The Future is Now” SciNight at Questacon, 6pm-10pm, on Friday, October 23 offers participants the chance to experience more than 200 exhibitions kid-free! Tickets are $10 at the door.

All about Curtin

Suburb with a warm sense of community

CURTIN is named after John Curtin, Australian Prime Minister between 1941 and 1945. Its streets are named for state premiers. Curtin, a charismatic, compelling orator, was widely respected for his strong and inspirational leadership during World War II. In 1964 people first moved into the suburb of Curtin and many of the early settlers liked the rustic surrounds – sheep grazing over the back fence, a real creek in which to find yabbies on the northern side of what would become the overpass to Hughes.

The suburb grew quickly – within two years it had three primary schools, North and South Curtin and Holy Trinity, and so many preschoolers that some had to attend pre-school out of the suburb.

Now 51 years later, Curtin has matured in to a close community, where the common theme of the people “CityNews” spoke to was that it’s a place where locals looked out for one another.

THE DENTIST

Dental care with a smile

SINCE 1972, Curtin Dental Care has been giving clients clean and healthy smiles – always with a smile, says Dr Jessica Shirley.

“We are absolutely proud to be part of the Curtin community,” she says. “Our practice is light-filled and has a friendly atmosphere. We all work hard to build good relationships with our patients.”

Curtin Dental Care’s team of six, longserving dentists, two hygienists and up to 18 other staff members means that patients are in experienced hands.

Jan has been the receptionist for more than 25 years, “lots of our patients love Jan and miss her when she’s on leave!” says Jessica.

The Cerec machine has been a more recent

addition, and is an example of how Curtin Dental Care brings convenience and new technologies to its patients.

The Cerec machine allows most crowns and veneers to be made in the practice with only one day’s turn around time, rather than the more typical two-week wait.

The family practice has a long track record of being part of the Curtin community, “all the people who work at the Curtin shops stop and say ‘hi’ to each other and we all try to support each other,” says Jessica.

Curtin Dental Care, 20 Strangways Street, call 6285 2222, curtindental.com.au

OWNER of Curtin Optical, Corey Nicholls, says that their independence from large chains gives customers “personalised service, quality, we go that extra step to be helpful and provide excellent product knowledge”.

Having been a part of the Curtin community for 20 years, Curtin Optical has two experienced optometrists, Renita Chou and Susan Hallissy available for appointments from Tuesdays to Saturdays. Corey and his team stock a wide range of eyewear, contact lenses and accessories.

“We cater to all tastes – from budget to well-known brands,” says Corey.

A new range of designer sunglasses including Bill Bass, Nike, Dragon and Calvin Klein have arrived in time for spring. “We enjoy being part of Curtin’s warm community atmosphere – chatting to locals when they come in and waving to them as they pass!” says Corey.

Curtin Optical, Shop 1B Curtin Place, 6281 1220, curtinoptical.com.au

All about Curtin

THE HEALTH CARERS

Values of wellness and care

DANTIEN Integrative Health Practices brings the expertise and experience of a number of holistic health practitioners in a warm and friendly environment, just opposite the Curtin shops.

“All of us contribute to a holistic approach and believe that the wellness of the body reflects the wellness of the psychological and emotional self,” says counsellor Lisa Grant.

From naturopathy to psychology, social work and body work, Dantien Integrative Health Practices provides individual and relationship counselling and supervision, body oriented Somatic psychotherapy, touch therapies including the Rosen Method, energy work such as reflexology and EFT/Tapping, and more recently, ayurvedic practices that are based on Indian medicine beliefs.

“The benefits of an integrated approach means that people seeking help can be assured a professional and well established practice and we can also, when required, refer people to other practitioners,” says Lisa.

Lisa, a counsellor for 20 years, came to Dantien three years ago and offers support on relationships, sex therapy, anxiety and depression.

Dantien Integrative Health Practices, 13 Theodore Street, visit tinyurl.com/dantien to contact each practitioner directly.

THE SCHOOLS

Holy Trinity gets International Baccalaureate status

“OUR mission is to create a better world,” says Holy Trinity Primary School’s Bernadette Scott.

With 310 primary students and 55 children in the early learning centre and a dedicated team of more than 30 staff, Bernadette says that the co-educational school is vibrant, inclusive of all the people in the community and has a great community feel.

This year Holy Trinity Primary School became an authorised International Baccalaureate school, which is an international education curriculum that focuses on the development

of the intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills needed to live, learn and work in a rapidly globalising world. “We engage students through units of enquiry to broaden their world and enable them to develop the curiosity and discovery they will need to problem solve in future,” says Bernadette. The school community is also looking forward to celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2016.

Holy Trinity Primary School, Theodore Street, call 6281 4811, holytrinity.act.edu.au

Primary school celebrates golden jubilee

CURTIN Primary School is celebrating its 50th anniversary and its 540 students, along with staff, parents and the wider Curtin community have been working together on numerous commemorative projects, performances and events, says principal, Merryn O’Dea.

Students had the opportunity to build their knowledge of local history by working with the Curtin-based Canberra and District Historical Society. A time capsule to be opened on the 75th anniversary, which contains letters to future students, photos and school-related objects that were all chosen by students, will soon be buried.

Students also designed an artwork of the

school, which has been reproduced into a tea towel featuring every child’s fingerprint. The tea towels have been sold through the P&C and to the wider community.

“We are so proud of the school’s community partnerships,” says Merryn. “Parents volunteer over 5000 hours of their time from fundraising to reading to the children, which all helps us to foster our student centred-culture.

“We give each child time to develop and explore socially and academically through a broad curriculum to find their passions.”

Curtin Primary School, Theodore Street, call 6205 5622. More information at curtinps.act.edu.au

THE CHEMIST

Pharmacists caring for customers

AFTER five-and-a-half years working and living in Curtin, pharmacist and partner/manager of Capital Chemist, Susan Le, says she’s never going to leave!

“The people make Curtin such a special place –it is a tight-knit community, everyone knows and supports each other,” says Susan.

“The shops are great – everything you need is here in the one stop.”

Capital Chemist’s team is excited about the changes they are making to provide more support and service to their customers, such as a wound-care program to assess and dress wounds. Capital Chemist also offers one-on-one appointments with its pharmacists for customers to discuss their medications and answer any

THE FISH SHOP

Delicious, cooked seafood

“WE have the best fish and chips in Canberra,” says Irene Komar, owner of Curtin Seafoods and Takeaway.

She says the shop has a long tradition of selling delicious cooked seafood for more than 50 years, with Irene owning and running the shop for 20 years.

“Some of our customers have enjoyed our fish and chips since they were kids!” says Irene.

She says her hamburgers, fried chicken and roast potatoes are also very popular.

Curtin Seafoods, 45 Curtin Place, call 6281 1961.

WIN TICKETS

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questions or concerns they may have.

Susan loves helping her customers.

“The pharmacists are out from behind the counter now and out the front, talking to our

customers,” she says.

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Angela Cartland Counselling

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Green Tree Ayurveda (Indian Medicine System) Ayurvedic medicine and wellness from two qualified practitioners – Vibhuti and Samarth Rao m: 0412 597 347 e: greentreeayurveda@gmail.com www.greentreeayurveda.com.au

Lisa Grant Counselling

Relationships & Wellbeing, Sexual Therapy & Wellbeing, Sex & Gender Diversity, Recovery from Trauma, Abuse & Loss, Management of Anxiety & Depression m: 0422 224 872 e: lisag.ccr@gmail.com

Olivia Wilson Psychology Psychotherapy

Somatic Psychotherapy for body, trauma, pain, inner balance p: 6161 3411 m: 0405 436 021 e: oliviawilson108@gmail.com

Simone Roxburgh, Naturopathy

Herbal Medicine, Nutrition, Iridology, Reiki & Meditation p: 6299 8219 e: simone.naturopath@gmail.com www.simonenaturopath.com

Holy Trinity Primary School, ELC to Year 6 nurtures and encourages a strong senseof community.

The school has a vibrant and supportive parent community. Encourages collaboration between home, school and parish.

As a community we endeavour to live and model the Gospel values of our school motto, Faith, Hope and Love. Our curriculum is based on the IB Primary years programme. We have a well-resourced library, a comprehensive resource and special needs program and an after school care program. Phone 6281 4811

Sergio Meneses & Lisa Ramsay

The right captain’s pick

By Robert Macklin

NOT all former Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s “captain’s picks” were political disasters.

On the contrary, I discovered one of his more valuable personal interventions while researching my recently published book, “Warrior Elite”.

In fact, the Abbott initiative brought about a remarkable new level of rapprochement between the intelligence agencies of Australia and Indonesia.

It arose from the revelation in November, 2013, that Australia’s top secret Signals Directorate (ASD) had been listening in to the phone conversations of then Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s wife.

ship with his Indonesian counterpart even before the Abbott initiative. Many of their conversations centred on the return of radicalised fighters from the Middle East hotspots.

With its 95 per cent Muslim population, Indonesia was particularly vulnerable.

When questioned in Parliament, Abbott at first passed it off as a non-issue, saying that “all governments know that every other government gathers information”. This enraged the Indonesian President who even took to Twitter to vent his fury; and Indonesia withdrew almost all co-operative links with Australia.

The situation continued to fester. So, in the first half of 2014 the Prime Minister authorised the most remarkable gesture of rapprochement in the history of Australia/Indonesia relations.

His top intelligence chieftain, the director-general of ASIO, David Irvine, led the director-general of ASIS, Nick Warner and ASD director, Paul Taloni, to Jakarta to meet in serious colloquy with their Indonesian counterparts.

Irvine had developed a professional relation-

“I might have 60 of these [radicalised] blokes returning,” Irvine says, “but at the same time my counterpart in Indonesia would have 120.”

During the Jakarta visit, as icing on the diplomatic cake, the Australians invited the Indonesian spymasters to Canberra for further sharing of “issues of mutual interest” in their tightly guarded fiefdoms.

The Indonesians accepted and when they entered unannounced, agency personnel on Russell Hill were goggle-eyed at their presence in the inner sanctums.

But genuine mutuality of interest overwhelmed all the leadership sensitivities and stumbles.

It was in fact a personal triumph for the then Prime Minister.

“Warrior Elite” (Hachette, rrp $35)

scene / around canberra

Social event of the week / Garran Medical Imaging opening

GARRAN Medical Imaging has been open for a couple of months; settling into the smart new premises in the medical centre that looks quite imposing and impressive in what is a suburban shopping centre.

Its close proximity to the Canberra Hospital is an advantage no doubt but the intent of the practitioners is absolutely patient focused.

With their state-of-the-art equipment, it is still a journey into the unknown for most of us.

For the official opening with staff, doctors and suppliers the Tardis-like premises went from an average-size reception area to large rooms with giant machines that can do more body shots than the paparazzo on warp speed, but none you’d want published in the glossies!

Dr Iain Duncan explained the equipment and I examined closely some magnificent archive pictures of bung bits in real bodies and marvelled at the clarity of the plant-like form of the blood vessels to the brain.

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SUNDAY ROAST

Stay in touch with the names making news on Sundays from 10am as 2CC and “CityNews” present Canberra’s only local weekend news and current affairs program.

It’s a revolving panel show that brings to the microphone great “CityNews” commentators and 2CC personalities.

Be part of the conversation and call 6255 1206 between 10am and noon.

At the opening of the White Rabbit Cocktail Room, Civic At the Palliative Care ACT’s 30th anniversary dinner, Woden

Photos by ANDREW FINCH

Canberra Confidential

Whirling moshpit?

CC fears for what might be ahead for those souls culturally curious enough to accept the Turkish embassy’s kind invitation to a free night of world-class Whirling Dervishes at Llewellyn Hall on October 14.

With tickets through Oztix, its website warns: “This is an all ages event. Intoxicated persons will not be admitted. No thongs or steel cap boots. Dangerous behaviour including crowd surfing, stage diving, moshing and violent dancing is not allowed and will result in your immediate removal from this venue.”

Kim’s just bursting

IN a world jaded by politics, Kim Fischer is bursting to be a member of the Legislative Assembly. Bursting with enthusiasm and idealism and a fair bit of political experience.

The aspiring, non-aligned Labor Party member for Ginninderra and mother of three littlies has One Big Hurdle before she hits the hustings – preselection. In coming weeks she has to convince Belconnen party members, in what may be a crowded field, that she’s just the gal for them.

She lists influences as Gough Whitlam and Jon Stanhope , and thinks the local Liberals are backward looking. That’s got to count for something in the northern seat. She has worked in the Assembly as a staffer for the mecurial former MLA John Hargreaves and, in passing, for Joy Burch. Vote Fisher 1 for enthusiasm!

THE first “Bungedore Mirror”, a distant cousin of the soon-to-be-defunct printed version of its current self, was first published by “The Queanbeyan Age” on October 8, 1887, and fiercely aspired to “courting no man’s favour, fearing no man’s frown”. But it wasn’t to be and the title collapsed within a year.

Now publisher John Mitchell, who revived the title 11 years ago and distributed the paper freely to letterboxes around the district with the same hope, has surrended the print version in favour of an internet presence.

“The paper has lurched in and out of profit bouyed for brief periods by Federal government advertising and half drowning for the rest of the time,” the “Mirror” bemoans in its final print edition.

Despite having “stopped the bleeding” with an advertising push to the local district and beyond, after 550 issues “we have decided to close the paper, collect our debts and settle out accounts”.

With the Palerang Council meetings firmly still in its sights, the eMirror’s first posting at bungendoremirror.com.au went up on October 7.

Police go to war?

IN wagging a long-weekend finger at double-demerit prospects, the police media release warned they’d be targeting dangerous driving with high-visibility patrols monitoring major “artillery roads”, suggesting a free-for-all on the arterials.

Rupert’s losing his touch

THE extraordinary John Menadue , businessman, commentator and former diplomat and senior public servant (he was head of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet from 1974 to 1976, working to Whitlam and Fraser through the events of November 11, 1975) has a lively blog called Pearls and Irritations.

He recently took a shot at Rupert Murdoch , for whom he was general manager of News Limited in the early ‘70s. He thinks Murdoch is losing his touch.

“Rupert Murdoch’s political influence has always been exaggerated. It was claimed that he had the happy knack of always choosing winners. He is now showing a great capacity to back political losers like Tony Abbott,” Menadue writes.

“Two weeks before the fall of Tony Abbott , Rupert Murdoch tweeted ‘Abbott, far the best alternative’. The Liberal Party ignored his tweet and chose Malcolm Turnbull

“At the last SA state election, the Adelaide ‘Advertiser’ backed the Liberal Party. The Liberal Party lost.

“At the last Victorian state election, the ‘Herald Sun’ backed the Liberal Party and the Liberals lost.

“In Queensland, the ‘Courier Mail’ backed the LiberalNational Party at the last election and there was a record swing which tipped the LNP out of office.”

Unsurprised, he says News Ltd’s metropolitan newspapers are the least trusted in Australia, according to June’s Essential Research.

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arts & entertainment

Kinder face of damned Claudius

By Helen Musa

“AN incestuous and adulterate beast”, “incarnate lewdness”, “slave’s offal”, “a smiling, damned villain”...

These are some of the kindest things Hamlet has to say about his uncle/stepfather the King Claudius in Shakespeare’s most famous play, soon here in Damien Ryan’s new production for Bell Shakespeare.

“Well he would say that, wouldn’t he?” says actor Sean O’Shea by phone from Townsville, where he’s been playing Claudius, the man who poisons his brother to get his throne and marry his wife.

He quickly cautions me not to take what one character says about another as gospel truth. But come on, I say, Claudius did murder his own brother and he is a political conniver.

True enough, O’Shea agrees, but so are most politicians you can think of. And when Hamlet calls Claudius a “bloat king”, a “satyr” and “a

mildew’d ear”, surely it tells you more about the Melancholy Dane, a mature-age university student obsessed with his mother’s sex life.

“Of course, he hates me… it’s a major problem that his mother’s shacked up with another man,” O’Shea says, arguing that there is a serious disconnect between how Hamlet sees Claudius and how everyone else sees him.

So what’s it like to play that smiling, damnèd villain?

“I’m trying to find the real man,” he says. “The politician does a terrible thing, but he’s a real man who wants to run the country… that’s a much more familiar scenario.”

Director Ryan has given O’Shea and Josh McConville (the gloomy prince) full rein to develop their complex relationship within a Denmark as full of devious plotting as Canberra.

“Sometimes they play Claudius as a man with a big fat gut who likes to eat and drink a lot, but I’d ask, what about seeing him as this guy who can actually run the country, is an astute politician?” O’Shea says.

By Helen Musa

ONE of Canberra Rep’s fastrising directors takes the lion’s share of the shows in the company’s 84th season, launched on the set of “Much Ado About Nothing” at Theatre 3.

Jordan Best, whose version of “The Crucible” took the town by storm this year, will return to do double-duty with, early next year Frederick Knott’s thriller, “Wait until Dark”, and the superstitionridden Shakespearean Scottish play “Macbeth” in August.

Meantime, another Rep favourite, Aarne Neeme, who will already have done “The Threepenny Opera” in February as part of the current season, returns from Sydney during June and July to stage Agatha Christie’s post-Nuremberg courtroom drama, “Witness for the Prosecution”.

master. That’s balanced by Tony Turner’s production of Goldsmith’s “She Stoops to Conquer” from September to October, clearly intended to “Entertain”.

The emotionally volatile Hamlet may not have made a good leader – “there’s a feeling that Hamlet’s time would eventually come, but hasn’t yet come”.

O’Shea admits Claudius has done “one extremely bad thing” by murdering his brother, Hamlet’s father, but is trying to fix the situation. “He thinks, let’s just move on, but life comes back to bite him.”

“I think he’s terribly in love with the Queen, but the relationship starts to break down from the closet scene on – we mark that quite clearly – and Gertrude starts to take Hamlet’s side, so he did it for nothing… but he’s quite devastated when she drinks the poison cup in the last scene and there’s always a gasp when she picks up the cup and everyone goes, ‘Oh, no!’”

Bell Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”, The Playhouse, October 13-24, bookings to canberratheatrecentre. com.au or 6275 2700.

Bell Shakespeare’s visual arts exhibition, “The Art of Shakespeare”, at Parliament House, October 8-23.

Rep has adopted the ambitious slogan “Join, Play, Entertain, Excel” to mark the aims of a company that’s been going strong since since 1932.

At the “Excel” end of the spectrum, from April to May we’ll see Chekhov’s comedy “Uncle Vanya” directed by Geoff Borny, who has written a book on the Russian

Christmas fare on the theme of “Play”, from November to December, will be Michael Frayn’s farce within a farce, “Noises Off”, staged by yet another favoured Rep director and a former Rep Theatre Players Scholarship winner, Ed Wightman.

As for the fourth part of REP’s slogan, “Join”, that’s up to you, the audience.

Canberra Repertory Society’s 2016-17 season, at Theatre 3, Acton, bookings to 6257 1950 or canberrarep.org.au

Dervishes whirling in free show

THE Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism will mark 100 years of peace between Turkey and Australia with a visit from the UNESCO-rated Sufi Music Ensemble and Whirling Dervishes of Konya performing a traditional “Mevlevi Sema” ceremony at a free concert at Llewellyn Hall, 7pm, Wednesday, October 14. Registration essential via tickets. oztix.com.au

PEPPI Wilson is Canberra International Music Festival’s general manager after her predecessor Kathleen Grant moved to the School of Music. Wilson has recently returned to Canberra after several years overseas and has a policy development and government relations background, though we hear she also sings.

“SPRING in the South” is a performance by the ANU Chinese Classical Musical Ensemble presented by The Australia China Friendship Society’s ACT Branch, with profits going to buy musical instruments and to support “Project Hope”, assisting poor students in rural China. At Mt Rogers Primary School, Alfred Hill Drive, Melba, 2pm, Sunday, October 11. Tickets at the door.

the framers open 7 days at Gold Creek | theframers.com.au

in 2016. One ACT artist will have the opportunity to spend six weeks as resident at Toyama Glass Studio from April to May, supported by artsACT to the tune of $24,000. The Glassworks’ Beverly Growden says they’ll be hosting a Toyama artist from June to July.

THE chic new Muse café in the East Hotel has designated Tuesdays “literature nights”. Entry is $10 and includes a glass of wine. Next up are Susan Johnson (7.30pm, October 13) and Ramona Koval (7.30pm, October 20). Bookings to musecanberra.com. au/events.

“CRASH Test Drama”, the popular showcase of moved readings (semistaged readings where the actors walk around on stage with book in hand) featuring new, 10-minute plays will be seen at Theatre 3 in early November – and it’s time to declare your intentions. Scripts and expressions of interest in judging should be sent directly to crashtestdrama@buddingtheatre. com by October 14.

CANBERRA Glassworks has announced a reciprocal Asialink residency with Toyama Glass Studio

LOCAL entrepreneur Carl Rafferty says he has engaged Vinicius Kattah from the Vienna Mozart Orchestra to conduct and prepare his forthcoming concert “Mozart Mania” at Albert Hall, October 30-31 and November 1. All he needs is a good, paying audience, because, each weekend of concerts costs about $45,000 to present.

HELEN MUSA

Playful and practical

SEVEN years after her graduation from ANU School of Art, Alison Jackson is having her first solo show.

Since 2008 she has maintained a steady development of her practice in making jewellery and hollowware (or tableware) and conducting workshops and classes.

The centre of this exhibition is a series of 10 vessels. Jackson set herself the challenge of creating a vessel a day for 10 days using fine silver and copper, some with added binding wire.

craft

“Table Tools”

By Alison Jackson

At Craft ACT: Craft and Design Centre, Civic, until October 24. Reviewed by Meredith Hinchliffe

The exhibition is fully resolved, bringing a concept to fruition. The vessels, their gently rounded bases balancing on a horizontal surface, fit a cupped hand.

The challenge imposed a paring back of form and decoration, creating simplicity of form. Lips and rims are scalloped. One, with an indent for a handle, is perforated to become a sieve and another has vertical slits enlivening its surface. Jackson describes these as being like three-dimensional sketches. However, each makes a statement.

A second series consists of spoons, scoops and ladles: tools for cooking, beating, serving, eating, and sipping.

Three whisks, two with polished copper handles and the third in sterling silver and stainless steel, sit comfortably in the hand and the weight would help the cream or eggs to thicken. The handles are beautifully finished and resolved and would be a delight to use.

Groups of vessels in copper, silver and stainless steel make up the balance of the exhibition.

Jackson’s forms are curvaceous and feminine. They are playful, thoughtful and practical. I am sure she enjoyed making the work for this outstanding exhibition.

Ground control

to lonely Mark...

“The Martian” (M)

ANDY Weir wrote a book. Drew Goddard adapted it into a screenplay for Ridley Scott to direct. Nothing in the credits for “The Martian” acknowledges Daniel Defoe who, in 1719, published the novel on which his reputation survives, about Alexander Selkirk, marooned for four years on a South Pacific island as punishment for arguing with the captain of the ship on which he was a crewman.

Cut to a few decades or perhaps even centuries after our present time. Alexander Selkirk has become Mark Watney (Matt Damon), the botanist on a mission to Mars. Botanist? Mars? How can that be? No worries. In the movies, all is possible.

The other members of the expedition led by Lewis (Jessica Chastain) depart in haste following a bad weather event, believing that Watney is dead. But no, he was only unconscious. And now he has to survive until NASA hears his calls and organises his rescue.

Watney can grow potatoes to augment the rations left behind. He can play with the communications equipment and the rover vehicles and apply everything else that’s available to make his life comfy. His attitude is fatalistic.

Much of the credit for the appearance of “The Martian” belongs to the unsung backroom heroes who designed and supervised the construction of its sets and related paraphernalia. By the time Watney needs them, the logisticians have carted enough stuff up to build several supply bases on the Red Planet. Payload limitations haven’t been a problem. In the movies, anything is possible.

It’s science fiction handsomely mounted to surmount dramatic improbabilities, with good tensions and amusing earth-bound political shenanigans, including a gratefullyaccepted Chinese offer to provide a vehicle to help the rescue.

At all cinemas

“The Intern” (M)

FOR Robert De Niro, the role of 70-ish widower Ben Whittaker in writer/ director Nancy Myers’ romantic comedy is a doddle. Most of his screen time requires him to do little more than dress stylishly, whether for office or bedroom, and smile sweetly.

He’s playing opposite Anne Hathaway as Jules who has, within

Lean, clean, quick and healthy

QUIZINE asks on its outdoor signage if you’re tired of eating “crap”. Yes, “crap”.

and a side sauce (11 varieties). You can even add good fats for an extra $1.50.

18 months, built an online fashion store from five people into an operation employing more than 200. Ben has been a middle-level executive in a firm that publishes phone books. In lonely retirement, he has refused to spend his remaining time doing nothing. Jules has employed him as an intern whose main task is to tell her half-hourly if there have been any messages. It gets better, at least for Ben, as Jules comes to depend increasingly on his no-nonsense, do-anything work ethic. She allows him into her private life and family, with no real crises but enough little ones to keep the plot simmering.

“The Intern” isn’t going to win any peer-assessment awards but it’s pleasant enough.

At all cinemas

“Macbeth” (MA)

THE Internet Movie Database lists 94 moving-image productions of Shakespeare’s Scottish play. Writers Jacob Koskoff and Michael Lesslie have given Shakespeare’s text a buzz cut for Australian director Justin Kurzel.

I mourn the omissions – the comicality of “husband’s to Aleppo gone”, “nose painting, sleep and urine”, “rump-fed ronyon”, the angry despair of Lady Macbeth’s plucking of her nipple from her child’s toothless gums.

Lady M rather than the king speaks the “tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow” soliloquy, although the change doesn’t diminish its force. The way to dusty death beckons us all.

The actors playing the adult men are bewhiskered beyond recognition. Michael Fassbender plays Macbeth, David Thewlis is Duncan, Sean Harris is Macduff, Paddy Considine is Banquo.

Marion Cotillard’s portrayal of Lady Macbeth takes no harm from her slight residual French accent and Elizabeth Debicki is a poignant Lady Macduff tied to a stake with her children waiting for Macbeth to light their pyre.

You’d never call the play a bundle of laughs, but you must remember it was written for an audience clamouring for blood and death. Its modern audience is less easy to categorise.

At Palace Electric

If Quizine knows anything, it knows its position in the market. The name stands for quick and healthy cuisine – eating right at an affordable price. It’s serious business, but the vibe is far from stern; it’s perky, lively and playful.

Sure, you can’t avoid the sayings drawn on the white tiles behind the serving counter… such as “Eat Clean. Train Mean. Live Lean” and “Take care of your body. It is the only place you have to live”. But, hey, it’s all true, and no surprise given that the menu was designed in collaboration with personal trainers.

Quizine is in a spot on Botany Street, Phillip, that has always served food, but these owners took over, renovated and brightened the place up. The service is still quick, but the dishes are now healthy and full of flavour.

Quizine is most famous for its line-up of Fit Meals. You make your own meal by selecting size and protein (including steak, chicken, fish), one or two bases (including rice, sweet potato mash, gourmet garden salad), signature extras (including avo, poached eggs, marinated eggplant)

If you’re lazy (tsk, tsk) you can opt for one of the “pre-designed” options. There are 10 all up.

Perhaps it’s because the café is across from a big gym, but Fit Meals are named after stuff you’d do while “working out”, such as Ultimate Bulk Trainer and Lean and Clean. Get over it, Wendy, get over it.

I was lazy and ordered the Classic Fit Meal. This range of Fit Meals are 125 grams ($12.50 to $19) or 200 grams ($15.50 to $22). I ordered the 125 grams of lightly grilled chicken breast, served with brown rice, broccoli and carrots. I kept reassuring myself that the taste would come with the chunky satay salsa packed with good fats. It did. The meal also arrived piping hot. The chicken was moist and tender, the brown rice neither soggy nor undercooked and the veggies perfect with just a bit of crunch.

Quizine also dishes up healthy salads, including a sweet potato and quinoa ($14.50 to $15.50).

Quizine attracts folks who have just been to the gym (no surprise there), but also business folks, mums and bubs and even blokes sporting fluros. I openly admit I felt a bit healthier when I walked out the door and was pretty pleased with myself. So there.

17 Botany Street, Phillip. 6281 6556. Open breakfast and lunch. Dine in or out. Takeaway.

gardening

How to give conifers

TO prune or not to prune, that is the question and now is the time to look at how and when to prune conifers.

The optimum time to prune conifers is between March and October and they are really no more difficult to prune than any other plant.

Conifers have been a favourite of many gardeners and particularly the large estate owners in Britain and Europe for hundreds of years. Yews have been and are still clipped into every conceivable shape from balls to peacocks, although they do not perform well in our local climate.

The main point when pruning conifers is never prune beyond the green (gold or blue) foliage. All conifers, with a few exceptions, will not grow back on the old wood.

If you are planting a hedge, always dig a trench and not individual holes. This will allow the roots to

spread evenly with faster growth. Always trim so the top is narrower than the base of the hedge. This allows even daylight and sunlight to penetrate the plant. The most common cause of die-back is when the base of a hedge is wider at the top excluding sunlight to the base.

Like children, it’s important to start the training early if you are going to prune conifers. A drive around Canberra reveals the hundreds of examples where conifers were planted and the owner had no idea of the ultimate size.

Unlike other plants, don’t take too much notice of the size quoted on plant labels. It is standard practice to only show the size at the end of 10 years, not the ultimate size.

An example is the popular hedging conifer x Cuprocyparis Leylandii, which can grow more than a metre a year and up to more than 20 metres in height, depending on the soil.

Used as a hedge between neighbours, it can cause serious ructions and even legal battles. Despite the intention to keep it clipped small, the trunk and roots keep growing, which can cause huge problems with underground services. Check the internet for some alarming information on this conifer before deciding to plant.

By planting now you will not get tomatoes any sooner than planted in December. The days and nights need to be consistently warm. I recall one year we had a minus 6º C on November 6, effectively wiping out the whole fruit crop in Pialligo as the frost hit the flowers.

AN excellent hedge plant is Thuja occidentalis “Smaragd”, developed in Denmark, which clips very well and retains its shape if given a bi-annual clip as recommended in October and March.

WARNING, unless you have a greenhouse, resist the temptation to buy tomato plants that are appearing for sale now. The rule is don’t plant out until Melbourne Cup Day (November 3) at the earliest.

THE Australian Native Plant Society sale will be held at the Australian National Botanic Gardens, 8.30am-1pm, on Saturday, October 17 (bring your own bags and boxes). There is a plant list at nativeplantscanberra.asn.au

Jottings...

• Refrain from watering gladioli unless the weather is very dry. Mulch with composted cow manure.

• Add glucose, sugar or honey to the water of cut flowers to last longer and always remove any leaves under water.

• Plant rue and marigolds around the veggie patch to control insects.

• Keep weeds and grass from growing under fruit trees. Grass is a rapacious feeder and can reduce your fruit crop by up to 40 per cent.

• Remember nitrogen for green growth, phosphorus for root growth and potassium for fruit and flowers when feeding plants.

Joanne Madeline Moore

ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

Monday’s Sun/Uranus opposition ignites your impulsively dare-devil side but slow down (and calm down), otherwise you’ll come a cropper! Aries are fiercely independent souls but sometimes (especially when there’s a Libran New Moon) it’s wonderful to ask for help, as it gives others the opportunity to show how much they really care. Friday’s Mars/Pluto trine is fabulous for Rams, as you approach any challenge that comes your way with extra energy, chutzpah and relish!

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 20)

Bulls are ready to shine! Venus, Mars and Jupiter are all visiting your creativity zone which highlights self-expression, music, art, performance, entertainment and children’s activities. Friendships are also favoured, as you find fun ways to share information with others. But come the weekend, you may feel confused about your goals and dreams for the future. So it’s not a good time to make important decisions that require rational thinking. Do something creative instead.

GEMINI (May 21 – June 21)

Mercury connects with Saturn on Tuesday, so use your clever mind to solve a problem, tackle a puzzle or uncover a mystery. All types of education and study are also favoured. When it comes to a professional project or a domestic issue, aim to be creative rather than confused. Cool cooperation and clear communication will get you a lot further than giving others ambiguous signals. Motivation and focus are unusually high on Friday, so don’t waste the opportunity to power ahead.

CANCER (June 22 – July 22)

Get talking with a disgruntled family member, as the New Moon encourages you to see things from their perspective. It’s also a wonderful week to play Domestic Diva as you clean, dust, de-clutter, and tweak the feng-shui in your home. Motivation is high on the weekend, when you’re finally ready to tackle a pile of paperwork or a creative project that’s been on the backburner. But don’t get so carried away with good intentions that you neglect important details along the way.

LEO (July 23 – Aug 22)

Lions start the week feeling restless and rather reckless, but don’t let unpredictable moods alienate you from family and friends. If you tune into the harmonious vibes of the Libran New Moon, you’ll find calm cooperation will get you a lot further than feisty fireworks! Work and finances are favoured on Friday, as the Mars/Pluto trine motivates you to forge ahead with plenty of power and passion. Intense physical exercise will also put you in a positive and frisky frame of mind.

VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sept 22)

This week there may be some uncertainty about your personal desires and relationship responsibilities, or unexpected developments involving money – especially joint finances. Whatever happens, strive to get the balance right between giving and taking. Have you been feeling tired? Mars and Pluto give you a welcome energy and confidence boost on Friday, when you tap into your personal power and motivation is high. It’s time for vibrant Virgos to get your mojo back in spades!

LIBRA (Sept 23 – Oct 23)

Stylish Librans have a passion for fashion like famous fellow Libran fashionistas Oscar Wilde, Catherine Deneuve and even Kim Kardashian. Monday night’s New Moon is in your sign so it’s the perfect time for a hot new hairstyle, a marvellous makeup makeover or a creative wardrobe revamp. But avoid procrastinating. Focus your attention on routine daily tasks – then you’ll still have time for socialising, sport, hobbies or personal projects at the end of each day.

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 21)

You’re in the mood for some serious contemplation and soul-searching. A fresh start is likely in an important area of your life, as your intuition points you in the right direction. Friday’s fabulous Mars/Pluto trine helps you communicate with others in profound ways, as your persuasive powers are boosted. But don’t get side-tracked into pursuing someone else’s dream. Have the courage, conviction, focus and fortitude to forge your own path and follow your own dreams.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 21)

Is your peer group too small and limited? Are you still socialising with the same old crowd? The New Moon encourages you to extend your network of local friends and international contacts. Then Mercury links up with Saturn (in your sign) which steadies your mercurial mind; boosts concentration; and sharpens your eye for hidden details. So it’s a wonderful week to study intensively, see a project through to completion, uncover a secret, or find an item that’s been lost.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19)

Are there too many chiefs and not enough Indians in your world? You love to call the shots, but cooperation and compromise are the keys to interacting with others this week. And are you getting the results you want at work? If not, then some adjustments are needed, as the New Moon activates your career zone. On the weekend you’re keen to communicate, teach, perform or post. But make sure the message you’re conveying is the same one that others are receiving.

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18)

Your education/adventure zone is stimulated by the New Moon so expect a new cycle of study, travel or outdoor adventures over the next few months. The focus is firmly on financial matters on the weekend. Don’t put your head in the sand Aquarius! When it comes to joint finances, your future plans are different to those of your lover, family, business partner or bank manager. So don’t make any important decisions until everyone is singing from the same song-sheet.

PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 20)

The New Moon lights up your lust and loot zone, so some flirtatious Fish can look forward to a hot new romance, or a revitalised old one. This week there’s a fine line between creative inspiration and wishful thinking. Daydreaming about projects won’t get the job done! Friday’s Mars/Pluto trine helps you focus on putting fabulous ideas into dynamic action. But come Saturday, don’t take a backward step and blur the boundaries (again!) between fact and fantasy.

Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2015 Daily astrology updates at twitter.com/JoMadelineMoore

General knowledge crossword No. 521

Enid and George bought an investment property about 30 years ago that their daughter has been living in.

Now in their 80s the couple thought it would be nice to transfer the house to her.

Enid called by just to “check that there is nothing that we have missed and it is an easy process”.

She was in for a surprise.

Across

1 Which alloy consists essentially of copper and tin?

8 What are enactments made by a legislature?

9 What is another name for an attic?

10 Name the Australian folklore hero featured in bush ballads, Clancy of the ...

11 Which globulin occurs in muscle plasma?

13 What is an alternative term for a nark?

16 Name a renowned Australian bushranger, Frank ...

19 Name the US patriot, famous for his night horseback ride warning of the coming of the British troops, Paul ...

22 What are drawings, or stupid words written on walls by fools?

24 What is a set oration in honour of a deceased person?

25 Which horse runs rapidly?

26 Name the second largest planet, the sixth in order from the sun.

Down

2 To be duly equipped as for an occasion, is to be what?

3 Which slang word is appropriate for fools or idiots?

4 Anative of Tallinn is of which nationality?

5 What is nephrite also known as?

6 Which name is applied to one who steals cattle, sheep, etc?

7 What do we call the device used to control the TV from the lounge chair, perhaps?

12 Which term is applicable to a set of six bowls in cricket?

14 What is another name for blacksmiths?

15 What is a pigmented naevus?

17 What is an antenna?

18 Which coarse woollen cloth has a thick nap?

20 What is another name for a manservant?

21 Which expression means “message received and understood”?

23 What do we call little devils or demons?

“As I recollect, your main source of income is the Centrelink pension,” I said. Enid confirmed this was the case and said the couple had a few bank accounts with about $20,000 in total.

“The first thing you need to think about is the impact of this on your Centrelink pension,” I said.

“Centrelink applies two tests when calculating pensions. The first is the income test. As you have so little interest income this would certainly apply to you.

“The Centrelink rules only allow you to give a certain amount away in any five-year period, that is $10,000 a year to a maximum of $30,000 over a five-year period.

“As you are planning to give your investment property to your daughter it would be caught within these rules unless she pays for it.

“Centrelink would probably then apply the second test, the assets test, rather than the income test, we need to think about the impact that selling the house would have on your pension.

“As a homeowner couple, you are entitled to have assets totaling $291,500 before there is any reduction in your pension. Once your assets reach $1,163,000 your pension will cut out completely.”

Enid was shocked. “Oh, dear,” she said. “We didn’t realise that it could affect our Centrelink and, as you might imagine, we rely on that as we don’t have much other income.”

I then explained there was also the issue of capital gains tax.

“If you purchased the investment property before September 19, 1985, any gain you make when you sell it is tax free. Do you remember when you purchased it, how much you paid and how much it is worth now?”

Enid said she couldn’t remember exactly when the property was bought, but thought they paid about $80,000 for it and it was worth about $550,000 now.

“Well, Enid, if you purchased it after September 19, 1985, it will be subject to capital gains tax,” I advised her.

“Without accurate figures it is hard to estimate how much that might be, but it should be no more than $40,000 each and may well be less.”

Enid said: “That’s awful. I just didn’t realise that this could affect our pensions and cause us to have a capital gains tax bill.

“I am so grateful, Gail. Without your help we would have had a huge problem. Thank you.”

If you need help with Centrelink, capital gains tax or income tax, contact the friendly team at Gail Freeman & Co Pty Ltd.