160211 citynews

Freedom’s just another word…

MICHAEL MOORE

Back to school to big challenges

SONYA FLADUN

That nasty crunch on the pavement

JOHN GRIFFITHS

Canberra could be so much better GRUMPY

DEDICATION WITH A DIFFERENCE

Dentist RICK LUU and his passion for ‘mouth medicine’

Well written, well read

news / donatelife walk

Little Ava’s big steps help others

By Kate Meikle

EIGHT-year-old Ava Bancroft and her family will be part of this year’s special Gift of Life’s DonateLife Walk around Lake Burley Griffin on February 24.

Special for two reasons; it’s the walk’s 10th anniversary promoting awareness about organ and tissue donation and it celebrates Ava’s return to good health after a transplant.

Gift of Life president, David O’Leary, says 2015 was a record year for organ donations, which is heartening as only one per cent of deaths fall into the category for successful organ and tissue donation.

“It’s not an easy topic but we want to encourage the community to discuss their wishes with their family as well as sign on to the national register. We know that when people have registered and made their wishes clear to their families the consent for donation is 90 per cent,” says David.

Little Ava’s life changed almost overnight thanks to organ donation. Her kidneys had suddenly shut down due to a rare disorder called Dense Deposit Disease that affects one in every two million births.

Her dad, James, recalls that she became seriously ill one week after her fifth birthday, ending up in intensive care at Canberra Hospital for two weeks before she was stable enough to be moved to Westmead Children’s Hospital in Sydney, and commenced dialysis to take over the function of her shut-down kidneys.

“It was a very tough time,” says James. “We lived at the hospital for six months, and over that time we were trained in how to give her dialysis, so we were eventually able to go home.”

James describes the steep learning curve and frustrations of setting up all the checks and the machine every day so Ava was able to live.

“She managed to go to school during the day but as soon as she got home she went straight back on the machine and was on it overnight as well. She was so tired and slept all the time,” he says.

After two years on dialysis, Ava’s health was failing and she was placed on the priority list for a kidney donation. Luckily, once she was actively on the list, a matching, donated kidney became available and the family raced to Sydney

for her life-saving surgery.

“Her recovery was unbelievable. After 24 hours she was up and walking,” says James.

“She began to eat foods that she wasn’t able to when she was sick. She gained weight and has grown 20 centimetres over the past year!

“She now has the energy to be a normal kid and enjoy the things that we normally take for granted that she missed out on for years.

“If anyone isn’t sure about organ donation, take a look at what a difference it has made to Ava. Once you pass on, your organs are of no use and can give life to others in their time of need.”

Ava, her parents and her little sister and brother will be doing the bridge-to-bridge walk together.

David says that the organisers are hop -

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Arts & Entertainment 19-21

Canberra Confidential 16

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Horoscope 23

Letter 10

News 3-12

Politics 8

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ing for a record turnout for the special 10th year anniversary of the event.

David also knows first hand the great gift of life an organ donation can be, having had a liver transplant 25 years ago after contracting severe hepatitis on an overseas work posting.

“I needed a new liver on short notice and I was so lucky to get a donation, especially since it was very early days for transplants. I am so thankful I had the opportunity,” he says.

“Twenty five years on, no one expected I’d be here. My story shows what a benefit organ donation can be in dire circumstances. But it can’t happen without the donor’s families.”

DonateLife Walk, Wednesday, February 24, starting from Regatta Point at 7am sharp. Register at giftoflife.asn.au

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Floating tax ideas on a sea of thought bubbles

TAXATION raised its ugly head this past week in what the Feds call a “conversation with the community”. This, we’re told, will help them decide how much of our hard-earned they’re going to squirrel away to fight unwinnable wars in the Middle East and keep refugees indefinitely on Nauru.

Unfair? Well, yes. Most of it will go to much more deserving causes such as education, health and infrastructure. But the “conversation” consists of Treasurer Scott Morrison floating thought bubbles like a 50 per cent increase in the GST or a flat tax for most PAYG earners, and seeing whether they rise, fall or pop on the mass media. Chances are we’ll see a modest rise in the tax mix – with most revenue going to hospitals – and some tightening at the top end of super in the interests of “fairness”. And we’ll all breathe a sigh of relief.

HOWEVER, the most engaging story of the week was the widespread outrage that kindly PM Malcolm Turnbull would send 37 babies back to the hellhole of Nauru.

A High Court decision said it was legal. Whether it was moral was quite another matter. The island’s doctors risked jail to speak out about the damage to the mental health of both parents and children. The Labor Opposition went very

dose of dorin

quiet; only Deputy Leader Tanya Plibersek called the whole operation “toxic”. Even the flint-eyed Immigration Minister Peter Dutton stonewalled on “7.30” with polliebabble about drownings at sea.

SPEAKING of TV confrontations, the ABC’s newsreader Virginia Haussegger, stepped out from behind her

ROBERT MACKLIN

Family Lawyers at their best

autocue to grill local Lib Deputy Leader Alistair Coe on their promise to tear up all light rail contracts if they win government in October. Alistair ducked and weaved for four embarrassing minutes and did his excellent cause no good at all.

SO, too, his leader Jeremy Hanson with his call for heavy mandatory sentences for one-punch assaults. It’s the sort of crude politics that works a treat in Queensland and NSW. But the Canberra community is another matter. And Jeremy followed it by trying to block the demoted –but perfectly pleasant – Joy Burch from the Assembly’s

Chances are we’ll see a modest rise in the tax mix – with most revenue going to hospitals – and some tightening at the top end of super in the interests of ‘fairness’. And we’ll all breathe a sigh of relief.

Deputy Speakership. Not a good look, Jeremy.

LUCY Turnbull gave us a quick look at the refurbished Lodge, which the media insisted recalled Jackie Kennedy’s famous White House tour. A bit of a stretch, but understandable as American politics put ours in the shade with blowhard Donald Trump being finessed in Iowa and Marco Rubio now the Republican to watch.

FINALLY, the outrageous scandal of that evil doll-maker who dared sell her gollies at the Canberra Hospital kiosk. Sharp-eyed Emma Woolley sprung her. “It undermines all the fantastic work Aboriginal health workers do every day,” she cried. “And it increases the barriers Aboriginal people face in accessing mainstream health care!” And to think: we’ve never connected gollies with our Aboriginal compatriots for a single second. But you had to feel for poor Brian Schmidt , the new vice chancellor who wants his ANU to be “the destination of choice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander intellectuals as a place of education, research and policy”. Tough luck, Brian. But at least the hospital admin instantly removed the gollies…no doubt for immediate deportation to Nauru.

robert@robertmacklin.com

London Circuit, Canberra City

Phone: 6230 0199

Email: reception@mfamilylawyers.com.au www.mfamilylawyers.com.au

TO THE IDEAS BOOM

The Australian Government is committed to making this country a centre of innovation—where we turn ideas into successful products and services.

This will generate a new era of jobs and prosperity for all.

The National Innovation & Science Agenda includes initiatives that encourage ideas and create opportunities, including:

• making it easier for innovative businesses to find investors and access funding

• bringing research and business together to make ideas work

• helping prepare ideas for market with grants and specialist advice

• making it easier for people to take a risk and give their ideas a go

• ensuring young Australians have the skills they need in technology, maths and science for the jobs of tomorrow.

The Ideas Boom. Building an exciting future for every Australian.

innovation.gov.au

#ideasboom

news / women and girls’ fun run

Why shocked Jon took a run at discrimination

By Kate Meikle

SHOCKED by the discrimination in women’s recognition at running events, young Commonwealth lawyer Jon Stanhope set out to create a women’s only fun run to attract more women and girls to the sport.

Thirty years on, the now YMCA Women and Girls’ Fun Run is an annual event that brings together more than 800 runners or walkers for a 5km course from Stage 88, raising funds for local Ovarian Cancer support group, OvCan.

In the early ’80s, the former Chief Minister was working as director of Legal Services in the Department of Science and Technology. He was a keen runner and member of the ACT Cross Country Running Club. He recalls being conscious that there were so few women involved in organised running. Having always been interested in issues of gender equality and fairness, Jon says the catalyst came when he participated in a marathon.

“I remember vividly that the leading male received a return trip and entry in the Tokyo marathon, whereas the leading woman got a pushbike,” he says.

“I was deeply concerned about the disparity of prizes, which was not fair and discriminatory,” he says.

What followed was a series of conversations and correspondence between Jon and the club, in which the club cited the lower participation numbers of women in the event as the reason for the inequitable prize.

Jon says he persisted with his argument.

“I was told in the end that if I wanted change, why didn’t I do something about it? It was the old ‘put up or shut up’ argument,” he says.

Jon then decided to organise a women’s-only monthly jogalong event.

“Before we knew it we had 100 participants in the jogalong. From the success of that, I was able to better understand the perception of running that women had. It was quite clear that women didn’t like the aggressive competition of organised run-

ning and preferred a different atmosphere.

“It seemed obvious when entering the sport that women were looking for a different avenue that wasn’t as competitive so I resolved to then establish the women’s-only fun run.

“I was convinced that if it was well nurtured and advertised and the event was non-competitive and friendly, we would get the numbers.”

Setting the goal for 1000 entrants, Jon says by the third year, they had reached it. He became the race director, assisted by Linda Miles.

More recently, the event has been run by the YMCA, which Jon says has given it a new future.

“We know the statistics that traditionally there are more men participating in organised sports, although over the years a lot of change has happened in the ACT,” says Jon.

“There is still major discrimination that women face in the funding, support, sponsorship and media coverage in sport, and the women’s fun run attempts to help address the enormous disadvantage and challenges women face in accessing sport.”

Thirty years on, Jon says he is so glad that the fun run is still going. Joan Mallory and Suzanne Counsel have run it every year since 1987. Suzanne says that at 75 years, she’s slowing down a little but enjoys running four times a week.

“The fun run is such a good cause and it’s wonderful to see so many women running. Years ago hardly any women ran. I encourage everyone to not feel embarrassed and get into their running gear!” says Suzanne.

YMCA Women and Girls’ Fun Run, Sunday, March 6. Enter at wgfunrun.com.au

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When freedom is just another word for...

REDUCING red tape has been the claim of governments over the last two decades. The current Federal government’s “cutting red tape” even has a “repeal day”.

However, the reality is different. The concept is often sold by appealing to the notion that more regulation equals less freedom – but protection of our freedoms are much more complex.

The government is willing to give a minister the power to remove fundamental rights of Australians on the grounds that they might cause harm by possibly posing a security threat. They even seek the power to do this without the appropriate checks and balances of a good democratic society, removing rights of appeal. This is the same government that seeks to reduce regulation, for example, on alcohol and food companies that are actually responsible for considerable harm and death.

The arguments around freedom and regulation often centre on personal responsibility. And taking personal responsibility is fundamental in a free society. However, there is also a duty of care for which governments have a responsibility. Advocates of small government, regularly citing “the nanny state”, attempt to shift the balance of responsibility from government to the individual. It is simply a cop-out for legislators. The exposure of an unsafe water supply in Flint, Michigan, illustrates the extreme outcome

The government is willing to give a minister the power to remove fundamental rights of Australians on the grounds that they might cause harm by possibly posing a security threat.

of “hands-off” government processes and reduced regulation.

The conservative side of politics has been somewhat more vigorous in its approach to deregulation than the progressives. However, the irony should not be missed that the focus is about deregulating controls on industry while seeking increasing controls on unions and individuals.

A much more honest approach would be to reduce claims that do not suit their particular ideology.

The Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) that had its formal signing in NZ recently, and now awaits ratification by the Australian parliament, is also illustrative. This trade agreement cannot be described as “free trade” as was the case with the trade agreement of last century. Although there are some elements of free trade, it is strongly protectionist. The protectionism is no longer about national boundaries but rather shielding the interests of multinational

conglomerates such as the international pharmaceutical companies.

Not only does the TPP have an impact on personal freedom, access to medicines and make the environment more vulnerable, it also removes government freedom by handing the ability to challenge legislative power to an international kangaroo court. The most divisive part of the TPP is the Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanism that allows an international tribunal with no independent judiciary, no precedents and no appeals, to challenge sovereign government decisions.

Conservative Prime Minister John Howard would not allow the mechanism in the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement.

The balance between personal responsibility and freedom of speech and association has also been highlighted by the moves in the UK to ban US Presidential hopeful, Donald Trump, from coming to that country. Freedom of speech and association in Australia is

balanced against the rights of individuals and communities not to be vilified. This is why Immigration Minister Peter Dutton denied the strident US anti-abortionist Troy Newman the right to come to Australia in October and why the Australian courts upheld the decision on appeal.

Trump is unlikely to become the next US President. However, he has raised the spectre of where Australians are prepared to draw the line between personal freedom of speech and racism, sexism and religious animosity. Specifically, his vilification of Muslims, African Americans, Hispanics and women. Whether it is regulation or vilification there is a balance between personal responsibility and good government stewardship. The challenge in an election year is to get governments to concentrate on their own responsibilities.

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

Gold, silver, bronze

FOR the second consecutive year, Canberra Airport has won gold in the category of Specialised Tourism Services at the Australian Tourism Awards in Melbourne. Other local winners were Questacon, silver in the Tourist Attractions category; Floriade 2014, silver in the Major Festivals and Events category and the 2015 National Folk Festival, bronze in the Festivals and Events category.

Fashion show moves

FASHFEST, Canberra’s annual fashion show, has moved from its May dates to September 29-October 1, with two shows a night at the National Convention Centre. “We’re now aligned with Australia’s overall fashion calendar and the timing of ‘sister events’ like the major weeks in Melbourne and Sydney,” says co-founder Clint Hutchinson, with the bonus that in warmer September guests can glam up without worrying about feeling chilled.

All ears for Helen

AUDIOLOGIST Helen King is the guest speaker at the next lunch meeting of the Gungahlin Day VIEW Club, at Versatile, Gold Creek Village, Nicholls, from 11.30am on Wednesday, February 24. Bookings to 6166 2874 before noon on Monday, February 22. Cost is $35.

Established in 1994 by the Canberra and Queanbeyan Croatian community. Created by the many selfless volunteers in admin and construction.

Adria Village was named after the Adriatic sea where it is renowned for its unique landscapes, islands and history.

Adria Village has 36 independent living units and 42 high care and dementia rooms incorporating 2 respite rooms with care provided by quality trained nurses and care staff.

Frank thoughts about a changing name

The Member for Fraser reflects on the inspiration behind the change of name to his electorate.

FOR the past five years, I’ve been fortunate enough to represent an electorate named after the great parliamentarian Jim Fraser.

But after former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser passed away last year, the Australian Electoral Commission decided to rename the ACT seat of (Jim) Fraser, with a view to creating a new seat of (Malcolm) Fraser in Victoria.

Now Fraser will become Fenner; for the remarkable Australian scientist and public health advocate Frank Fenner. Here’s five fascinating things you might not know about this electorate’s new namesake.

• Fenner has been credited with playing a critical role in the defence of PNG during World War II by keeping Australian troops safe from malaria. While serving with the Australian Army Medical Corps, he pioneered malaria control techniques that would ultimately earn him recognition as a Member of the Order of the British Empire. Fenner also served in Egypt, Palestine and Borneo during World War II, developing a lifelong interest in infectious diseases along the way.

• After returning home from the war, Fenner shot into the national spotlight by making himself the subject of a famous (and fairly outlandish) experiment. Working with colleagues at the ANU, he invented the myxomatosis virus to tackle Australia’s damaging rabbit plague. To address community fear about mosquitoes transmitting the virus to humans, Fenner publicly injected himself with a dose of “myxo” in order to prove that it was harmless. He must have had a lot of confidence in his own scientific knowledge, as the dose was powerful enough to kill 1000 rabbits.

• About two million fewer people die each year because of his contributions in the fields of virology and biology. Fenner was instrumental in the global effort to eradicate smallpox, particularly through his roles as a scientific adviser to the World Health Organisation and later as chairman for the Global Commission for the Certification of Smallpox Eradication. In fact, it was Fenner who stood before the World Health Assembly in 1980 to announce that the disease had finally been stamped out, leading some to describe him as “the man who killed smallpox”. Smallpox is the only significant disease to have been successfully eradicated through targeted public health efforts; a feat that is considered one of the World Health Organisation’s greatest achievements.

• Despite spending over 30 years as a researcher at the ANU, publishing 22 books and 300 papers in top scientific journals, inventing myxomatosis and helping eradicate polio, Prof Frank Fenner never earned a PhD.

• For much of his working life, Jim Fraser was Frank Fenner’s local MP. Fenner lived in Canberra for 60 years, arriving in 1949 just as the ACT gained its first seat in the Federal Parliament. Over many decades he bore witness to our city’s transformation from a place of paddocks to a cosmopolitan capital. When Fenner first arrived here the creation of Lake

Burley Griffin was still a decade away, Turner was one of the city’s northernmost suburbs and fewer than 40,000 people lived here. How different must Canberra have looked as Fenner surveyed it from his house in Red Hill in 2010, the year he died.

Frank Fenner was an extraordinary Australian, and it would be an honour to represent a seat named after him if I am re-elected in 2016.

In the same way, I have been proud to call myself the Member for Fraser these past five years because of the contribution Jim Fraser made to building our city during his time as “Member for the ACT” from 1951 to 1970.

Jim will continue to be remembered through the suburb of Fraser in Canberra’s north, while a new electorate of Fraser will be gazetted in Victoria in the next few years to commemorate the life of Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser. As Jim’s son, Andrew, recently put it in a moving open letter to his dad about the change: “That’s about correct weight, isn’t it? A suburb for the loved local representative and an electorate for a respected former PM?”

Reflecting on Frank Fenner and Jim Fraser’s lives has reminded me that there are many ways to make a contribution to your country and your community. There’s saving people’s lives, and there’s making them better by improving the basic infrastructure they rely on day-to-day.

There’s pushing the frontiers of knowledge, and there’s making people feel valued by knowing their names and the issues that matter to them. In between, there’s a multitude of ways to make a difference and I meet Australians every day who are doing just that through their words and deeds.

Only a few will ever wind up with an electorate named after them, but those who do – like Frank and Jim – are a source of inspiration to us all.

Andrew Leigh is the Shadow Assistant Treasurer and Member for Fraser until the 2016 Federal election.

Canberra

could be so much better than this

By Jill & Allan Smith

WE have lived in Canberra for almost 30 years and, while we think it is a good place to live with much to offer, it could be so much better. Surely the national capital was intended to be, and should be, a special place to be proud of and showcase Australia, but Civic in particular is increasingly scruffy.

Who is responsible: the local government, National Capital Authority and/or successive federal governments?

We would like to nominate Cedric Bryant as our “National Treasure” – he certainly seems to have more sense than the local government and NCA. In his latest letter in “CityNews” regarding the proposed relocation of the tourist information centre from Northbourne Avenue (“Gateway to the City”), to Regatta Point, he’s right, the decision is farcical. In passing, he also mentioned the “pop-up container eyesore” by the lake, on the previous futsal site, which was another waste of money some years ago.

We also agree with a couple of earlier letters he wrote, one hoping that a really exciting design for a new convention centre might be taken up, while the other concerned the tram debate, whereby if plans go ahead, he questioned the sanity of replacing the trees along Northbourne Avenue with the species Eucalyptus Mannifera

We agree, whoever decided this should check out where it’s been planted in the suburbs. We have them around us in West Kambah, and two on the nature strip beside our house, which are a constant worry.

The continual mess they make is considerable, piles of bark, leaves, twigs, branches, and tiny gumnuts dropping everywhere: on our roof as well as the garden and nature strip and blocking gutters and drains, clearing the debris is a continual battle, and from the roof is risky, and a couple have come down in storms.

Manchurian Pear trees could be a more sensible and attractive replacement, as these seem to have been used successfully in other areas. We have enough native trees in the surrounding countryside without planting more of this hazard amongst us – remember the catastrophic fires of 2003? (Another concern was raised in a recently published letter from a new Canberra resident who was shocked by the inadequate grass cutting around our city, and how shabby Canberra looked.)

ACTIVE TRAVEL

Asia is a place that is so full of life and offers something for everyone. From the bustling streets of Ho Chi Minh City to the ancient ruins in Siem Reap, or the beautiful beaches of Thailand. When I travel, I like to try to incorporate a little bit of everything.

While planning my honeymoon the idea of a river cruise along the mighty Mekong was raised. Having been on a cruise in Myanmar a little while back I instantly loved the idea but had some work to do to in convincing my fiercely independent traveller of a husband. I told him all the positives from having to only unpack once, exploring regions not accessible by road, all meals and sightseeing included, and the ability to purely relax and enjoy where we are in complete comfort. I eventually won him over but it was not until a day after we set sail that he looked at me and said, ‘this was a great idea!’

I honestly believe that river cruising, whether it be in Asia, Europe or elsewhere in the world is a wonderful addition to any itinerary; it is an experience that all travellers will enjoy. There are a variety of different cruise companies so there is an option to suit every budget and style.

If you are thinking of a last minute getaway speak to us about our two departures in April 2016 in India with the Assam Bengal Navigation Company, which is currently offering a 2 for 1 deal which allows two people to travel for the price of one, or for solo travellers the single supplement has been waived! Alternatively, Pandaw River Expeditions offers a range of cruises throughout Asia with discounts of up to 30% and no single supplements on selected departures if booked before 31 March 2016.

Top Tip: A river cruise doesn’t need to be the sole focus of your trip so consider staying a little longer either pre or post cruise to explore your destination.

Active Travel is an Asia River Cruise specialist so contact me or my team today and let us create your ideal river cruise holiday.

ANDREW LEIGH

Lastly, with regard to the future home of Floriade, which has been surreptitiously depleted the past few years, we were always under the impression that this was to be incorporated into the original plan for the Arboretum, but otherwise don’t understand the NCA’s problem with it continuing in the park – little else happens there, especially the “city” end, in fact it seems a great shame that “Stage 88” is used so rarely.

Most towns and cities are proud of their flower beds but it seems rather strange that this “garden city” has almost none, apart from this annual spring festival, which now also appears at risk.

Grumpy is an occasional column dedicated purely to things that get up your nose. Readers are invited to vent (no more than 300 words, please) at editor@citynews.com.au

That nasty crunch on the pavement

THE proliferation of CCTV means that more and more often when we hear police calling for witnesses to something horrible that happened outside Mooseheads or Academy or possibly the Civic Bus Interchange, we can also see the horrible thing happen.

And lately it involves two blokes woofing at each other, in a style well known since before we came down from the trees, with the modern twist that while the two guys mouth off at each other, one of the guy’s mates sneakily comes up just out of peripheral vision to snot the unsuspecting victim from an unexpected angle.

The knees buckle, the head goes back and then there’s a nasty crunch as the victim’s head smashes on to the pavement.

It doesn’t happen all that often, at least to the extent the police release the CCTV and make a public appeal.

But it retains the ability to shock, particularly when you see it.

Possibly the worst part of it is the suspicion that the scheming buggers have been practising this move. They don’t know who they’re going to pull it on, they’ve just been

King Hit – A term widely used in Australia. A very hard punch, usually delivered to the head, that is completely unexpected. Most often results in knockouts or knock downs. Viewed upon by most as an act of cowardice. Similar in meaning to sucker punch.”

– Urban Dictionary

Civic after midnight on Friday and Saturday nights is, for my money, up there with Moscow in terms of menace.

Don’t make eye contact, don’t argue, keep walking, don’t let them surround you; good advice, but sometimes easier to say than do.

Back to school to big challenges

practising really hurting someone at random.

Modern Canberrans live some of the safest lives in human history so it’s only natural that we find this kind of thing extremely disturbing. And thus we demand that something be done about it.

Making laws about things is a relatively low-cost activity for the Legislative Assembly. It’s also much easier than seriously getting to grips with difficult things such as homelessness (and does anyone who matters seriously care about that?).

So the Liberals bang the Laura Norder drum with calls for minimum sentences. Simon Corbell in turn promises to review liquor licensing again.

As many have noted, Canberra is in the invidious position where we have the party of government also being the owner of a major drinking and gambling operation.

I’m sure there’s some thirdworld hell-hole with a more awful conflict of interest, but none spring immediately to mind.

The suspicion is always that changes to liquor licensing, well intended as they will always sound, will end up putting small pubs (which almost never play host to trouble) at a disadvantage while the big operators, the ones who have unlimited access to the party of government, will tweak the rules to their advantage.

Having said that, it’s not as if there isn’t room for improvement.

For policy making purposes though there are dangers in overreaction. We already have laws about people punching other people.

Funding for more police to keep the peace would be a good place to start.

Does anyone think the coward’s punch videos of recent months would have occurred if there had been a pair of police in sight?

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

JOHN GRIFFITHS

letter

WHAT a big week! Both my children started at new schools, one starting high school, the other moving to a new primary school.

Both are moving from a lovely, tiny private school with less than 100 pupils to schools with more than 1100 and 500 students respectively. It’s a big transition in more ways than one.

My oldest has certainly embarked on a new chapter in his educational life. In Adelaide, where I grew up, year seven was still at primary school, but here in the ACT it’s the beginning of high school.

He’s been hugely excited about high school, but also a bit nervous. He’s got big new challenges ahead. He’s got much more to do academically. He’s got to get himself organised and take much more responsibility for his own work. He’s working to make new friends and is dealing with a much bigger and complex social mix than he has been used to.

My girl is also adapting to a very different environment including the challenge of making new friends among kids who already know each other well.

Patch ’em up and send ’em back

I READ Robert Macklin’s article on PTSD (“Disgrace of homeless heroes”, CN, February 4) with interest. I co-ordinate Safe Shelter for homeless men; I served 23 years in the RAN, followed by 22 years in the Press Gallery and then almost three years as the National Secretary of the Defence Force Welfare Association.

Particularly in that last role, I followed the issue of PTSD among vets very closely.

Shell-shock or PTSD seems to have been worse for Australian Army personnel in and after World War I than World War II, possibly because the former saw a higher proportion of our soldiers spending prolonged periods in trenches under fire than was experienced in World War II.

Since 1990 Australia has been involved in almost continuous warlike deployments. The result has been exposure to traumatic incidents at a rate much higher than World War II.

The problem was exacerbated in the late 2000s when the Australian Army started to increase the length of unit deployments from six to eight months. That was partly for reasons of training rotations when back in Australia, but also to retain experience in the war zones. However, the effect in the individuals seems to have been that they were obviously more likely to experience multiple traumatic events during an eight-month deployment than a six-month one.

The then Surgeon-General, Maj-Gen Paul Alexander, remarked to me in early 2009 that they thought they had PTSD beaten; knowing that it can take 10 or more years to appear, I was a little surprised. I then reflected on the real role of the Defence medical system – patch ‘em up and send ‘em back up the line (and let the Department of Veterans’ Affairs sort out the mess when they get discharged).

Richard Griffiths, Lyneham

For us parents, the immediate challenges are logistics and finance. Our son’s high school is much further away and after years of having both children at the same school we’re back to the dreaded double drop off. And we’ve just dealt with all the start-ofthe-school-year costs – including acquiring a vast amount of stationery and electronic gadgetry. I’m a big supporter of schools embracing new technology in teaching. My son’s new school has introduced a BYOD – bring your own device – policy and he’s pretty happy with that. But all that technology isn’t cheap and sending your child off each day with about a thousand dollars’ worth of IT paraphernalia in his backpack is a bit daunting budget wise.

Education at ACT government schools may be “free”, but the upfront, start-of-theyear costs are getting pretty steep, perhaps prohibitively so for families of modest means.

The other thing that gave me pause this week was coming back from a meeting at work to find an email on my computer telling me that my little girl’s new school was under lockdown. There had been a telephoned threat and all the kids and teachers were locked in their classrooms, hiding under their desks, until the police had checked the school and determined all was okay.

The school did all the right things and I am very happy that they take these matters seriously, but some children were very upset about the incident – and who could blame them? Fortunately my girl took the whole incident in her stride and wasn’t fazed at all. So it has been a big week. But by the time other parents of school kids will be reading this, we’ll all be well into week two and there’ll be new challenges as homework starts to build up, sporting and other commitments start to grow and family logistics get just that bit more complicated.

Dr Rick looks for special clients who care

FROM humble beginnings, Dr Rick Luu arrived in Australia as a young child with his parents and four siblings on a refugee boat from Vietnam in 1979.

“We were penniless refugees,” says Rick.

“We made the most of the Australian education system and had the opportunity to do well at school. There are a lot of reasons why I am so thankful that I am here.”

His parents worked in a factory to support him and his three sisters and brother, who all went on to tertiary education and have mainly focused their professional careers in health care, including Rick who graduated from the University of Sydney with honours in dentistry in 2001.

Rick says it was a journey to find and create the right practice that aligned with his dentistry philosophy.

“I believe that the essence of dentistry is ‘mouth medicine’ and I want to help my patients have stable and healthy teeth for life,” he says.

“I understand that dental treatment costs can be prohibitive, so my approach is to consult and provide patients with information about where they are and what we can do in partnership to achieve a healthy and stable outcome, with the best dentistry and equipment.”

Starting in public dentistry straight from university, Rick says he saw it as a way to “give back” but soon got disillusioned by the bureaucracy of the system. He then went into private practice on the Gold Coast and had the opportunity to buy a dental practice in 2002 with his wife, Jeanine, also a dentist who Rick met at university.

“I wasn’t really looking to buy my own practice at that point, but I felt forced to so I could achieve the type of dentistry that I wanted to do,” he says.

Rick says he has always been aware of the value of money, shaped by his upbringing as a refugee, and always strives to give his patients the best value long term for their dental health, which begins with changing the way people view their dental health.

“People mainly come to dentists when something is wrong. We spend the majority of our time patching up problems over and over again, rather than working to prevent problems from occurring. I want to help my patients to be healthy,” he says.

After seven years at the Gold Coast practice, Rick sold up and took time out of dentistry and entered the world of entrepreneurship to develop an online healthcare search-and-appointment booking service called 1st Available.

Rick says that he missed dentistry and, in 2013,

an opportunity arose for him to acquire Oasis Dental from his former university colleague, Dr Liang Liang, and move to Canberra, returning to his passion.

It was an opportunity for Rick to shape Oasis into the practice he had always dreamt of owning, starting with new premises at Kingston Foreshore, with a $2.5 million reinvestment, on top of the $1 million worth of state-of-the-art equipment already purchased.

The new clinic is unlike any dentist experience, says Rick, with an emphasis on information and consultation. In the newly-appointed seminar and consultation rooms, Rick takes his clients on a journey to discuss what the end point would look like for them at the beginning.

The next session is full diagnostics, including X-rays and photos. On the third visit, Rick will have a thorough discussion about where the patient’s teeth are now, and what their dental journey will look like, in the privacy of the comfortable consultation room.

Another Oasis difference is a lifetime warranty for ongoing patients who adhere to their maintenance and hygiene plan.

“If my patient chooses high-end dentistry, they deserve the best and I take responsibility for my work,” says Rick.

He holds free monthly information sessions to show people what Oasis is all about. The next is on February 17.

Oasis also offers fixed-payment options, giving clients the reassurance that their yearly dental costs that include appointments with Rick and his team of dental hygienists are locked in.

Above all, Oasis is a boutique practice, with a high level of commitment to their patients’ health, needs and comfort.

Ricks says that Oasis will aim to take only 350 patients every year. The national average is 2000 patients per dentist, which he concludes is only 40 minutes for each patient every year.

“There is no way that I can make a difference to someone in that time! I want to dedicate myself to my patients and make sure I am able to see them for a good four hours each year to make a difference,” he says.

“I am looking for special clients who care about their health. I want them to ask themselves ‘can I afford not to do this?’ I want them to feel good!”

Oasis Dental, 50 Eastlake Parade, Kingston. Visit oasisdental.com.au or phone 6162 3888. Free information seminar, 6pm, on February 17. Visit oasisdental.com.au to RSVP.

stress

Defence urged to take back its broken soldiers

LAST week we revealed a scandal that has developed in the Defence Department and the ADF: the refusal of both to embrace the growing problem of mental injury in our elite Special Forces.

The result: veterans suffering PTSD now make up one in 10 of homeless people in our major cities. Others are wandering aimlessly and sleeping in their cars.

According to former SAS operative, Stuart “Nev” Bonner, who now spends most of his time assisting fellow PTSD sufferers, both Defence organisations are seriously at fault.

“The only way to get past these discriminatory thought processes,” he says, “is to re-educate the military and if possible reintegrate the injured personnel back into Defence.

“That way, colleagues and commanders can appreciate the valuable contributions an injured service person can continue to make to the Defence Force.

“Physically injured soldiers can extend their service after rehabilitation in logistic, administration and other positions that allow for their disability.

“Soldiers who display mental trauma are nowhere near so fortu-

ROBERT MACKLIN concludes his two-part expose of how the Defence Forces shun the traumatised, broken soldiers from the front line of the war on Islamist fundamentalism.

nate. ADF policy dictates that they will be sidelined from normal duties for initial diagnosis and treatment; they are then fast-tracked out of the services with scant regard to their post service treatment. Nor are they advised of their rights to the support available.”

The situation is compounded by the fact that PTSD sufferers are not able to make sound decisions because of their illness, Bonner says.

“This lack of judgement can be exploited by the military hierarchy to ensure discharge happens as soon as possible, so their position can be quickly filled by a fully fit and deployable replacement.”

However, when they are discharged PTSD sufferers are unable to reintegrate into civilian life and too often drift aimlessly until they become deeply depressed and suicidal.

This is where the ADF needs to take responsibility, to seek them out for treatment and reunion with their families.

Only a military taskforce would have the ability to undertake this operation.

Bonner says: “The idea of a taskforce to investigate these and other ideas to look after our servicemen and servicewomen will strengthen our Defence Forces.”

He rejects the notion from opponents that this would produce an Army of “weaklings and malingerers”.

“On the contrary, seeing the care and equal opportunity that injured people are given will ensure volunteer rates into our Defence Force for the future,” he says.

“And it will make ours a better Defence Force.”

However, the pressures against such moves often come from the soldiers within the SAS and the Commandos, including those with PTSD.

When discharged they often move to the private safety and security industry, joining the many domestic contractors.

Others seek foreign government service in the Middle East as mercenaries.

Both are highly lucrative and, in their view, preferable to seeking treat-

ment for their mental injuries.

“The industry and defence forces throughout the world are highly interdependent, relying on each other as a source of available people for work placement,” Bonner says.

“It’s often the case that highly trained Special Forces soldiers will work in the private sector with an option to re-enter the defence system.

“This is often offered to them by their hierarchy during their discharge.

“Towing the party line of Defence

regarding mental illness is essential to this service fall-back option.”

Clearly, a major overhaul of military attitudes is required. It is not a new problem; all wars produce similar reactions – be they “shell shock” in World War I, “combat fatigue” in World War II or “Gulf syndrome” in the 1990s. And the ADF’s response has been half-hearted and ineffective in every case.

But the elevation of retired Gen David Morrison as 2016 Australian of the Year reminds us that major change is possible. Morrison revolutionised the Army’s attitude to sexism.

His successor, Gen Angus Campbell, could do exactly the same for the broken men and women who have served our nation in the front lines of the war on Islamist fundamentalism. But only time will tell if he accepts the challenge.

Robert Macklin is the author of “Redback One, the True Story of an Australian SAS Hero” (Hachette Australia, rrp $35).

robert@robertmacklin.com

I believe there is an urgent need for reform in Australia’s care and protection system, particularly in relation to adoption.

The more I hear from people who have been through the adoption process, or cared for foster children, the better I can understand what the government can do to help our most vulnerable children.

If you are interested in sharing your experience with me please contact my office on 02 6247 6444 or send an email to senator.seselja@aph.gov.au

Anyinformationsharedwithmeormyofficeisdonesoin absoluteconfidenceandwillnotbenotbemadepublicwithout explicitconsent.

Local businesses making a difference

A house is likely to be our biggest single investment, so it makes sense to make the most of living in it and, at the same time, adding value through professionally guided improvement.

Here “CityNews” showcases the goods and services of local experts who can help you achieve those objectives...

Window supplier with a view to quality

SKYVIEW Windows was created more than 12 years ago in a small factory with a staff of five and a vision of supplying quality products in the shortest possible lead times, says managing director, Neil Thompson.

“The company mantra from day one was ‘Quality Windows, Fast’,” says Neil.

Since then, Skyview has grown and seven years ago expanded to a 2500sqm factory in High Street, Queanbeyan. Neil says part of Skyview’s success is being able to work closely with customers and suppliers to ensure consistency in quality and supply is maintained.

“All windows and doors are manufactured right here in Queanbeyan to Australian standards using dedicated local people from a mixture of local and imported raw materials to ensure cost competitiveness and, unlike the major window companies, all the profits stay right here,” he says. Skyview recently released its new Thermal Break Range, with a superior thermal performance that, Neil says, is the best in the market.

“We have worked closely with our aluminium suppliers, Bradnam’s Windows and Doors, over the last few years to develop this new product that will far surpass anything our competitors have to offer. We’ve got it right,” says Neil. Skyview Windows, 1/79 High Street, Queanbeyan, call 6232 9977.

The place to copy plans

COPIWORLD is a reprographics business providing high-quality service and products to Kingston and the surrounding regions.

The business offers a large range of printing options in both full colour and black and white. These services include small and large format printing, copying and scanning, plan printing, binding and laminating.

Situated on Wentworth Avenue, Copiworld is a family run business which Mark Lawrie and his wife Julie have looked after for 10 years, with their children Jade and Travis running the store.

“Our customers range from architects, engineers, builders and lawyers to accountants, designers and consultants,” says Mark.

“We also have a lot of home owners coming to us who are planning renovations. We help them to print plans and specifications in both black and white and colour. We can also scan all versions of plans or documents and combine paper and electronic copies into one electronic file,” says Mark.

“We have found that our customers are very loyal and tend to come back because of our quality products, reasonable prices, good service and up-to-date technology.”

Open Monday to Friday, Copiworld provides an instant, across-the-counter service for small jobs as well as an email or internet-based service.

Mark says: “Jade is customer service oriented and runs the store very efficiently. Most people come into the store to drop off or collect their product, but we can also receive their jobs electronically through a variety of systems and send it out by post or by courier.”

“Travis is very knowledgeable and the services we offer at Copiworld are IT intensive. The important thing to customers is that we provide a friendly service and try to help where we can. We do what we do and we do it well,” he says.

Copiworld, Unit 28, 47 Wentworth Avenue, Kingston. Call 6280 6799 or visit copiworld.com.au. Enquiries at kingston@copiworld.com.au

After 10 years in Fyshwick,

home improvements

Furniture choices worth a look

BE inspired with the quality furniture and homewares on show from Just Looking Furniture.

Its long-established showroom at Collie Street, Fyshwick, has a wide range of Australian-made dining, lounge and bedroom suites, custom designs, mirrors, lamps, accessories and interior design assistance to help create a beautiful, unique home.

Just Looking Furniture, 6 Collie Street Fyshwick, call 6280 6443.

Quality tiles on show every day

TILEFLAIR supplies high-quality tiles to Canberra’s builders, architects, interior designers and home renovators.

Owner, Peter Bonelli, says: “We really pride ourselves on delivering the best customer satisfaction that we can and we’d really like to thank all our customers for their support over the last 12 years.

“We’re a family-owned, local business, and we have a great range of floor and wall tiles, including ceramics, porcelains, stones and glass. We are conscious of the changing trends and work towards suiting the customer’s individual needs.”

Peter has worked in the local

The Auction Barn

Monday-Friday 9am-5pm Phone 6239 2095 • 9 Wiluna Street, Fyshwick, ACT For more information: www.theauctionbarn.com.au info@theauctionbarn.com.au

industry for 25 years and deals with Canberra’s leading tilers, architects, builders, and interior designers. “Unlike other tile shops, we are open seven days a week, including Saturdays from 8am to 3pm and Sundays from 10am to 3pm,” he says.

“It is a chance for busy, do-ityourself renovators to find their own little pieces of ‘affordable elegance’.

“The spacious, modern showroom is regularly updated with the latest releases.”

Tileflair, 22 Essington Street, Mitchell. Call 6162 3080 or visit tileflair.com.au

Into the skip bin and gone…

Locally owned Skippy Bins has been servicing all the Canberra region and surrounding suburbs including Queanbeyan and Murrumbateman, six days a week, for more than 12 years.

“If you are doing home improvements or a renovation, we can help make things simple for you by dropping off a suitable-sized skip bin for your needs,” says owner, Mick Froome.

Skippy Bins are available in eight convenient sizes – ranging from two to 15 cubic metres.

“We give customers the option to fill their skip bin with mixed renovation waste, or we can provide you with dedicated recycling bins at a cheaper price,” says Mick.

“We recycle as many products as possible to ensure less waste goes to landfill.”

Skippy Bins, call 6255 4666 or visit skippybins.com.au to make an online booking.

Building a flair for special care

STEVE Milutinovic started his cabinetmaking business in 1983 and, 32 years on, the company has grown into specialising in home renovations, extensions and new homes.

Bordeaux specialises in commercial fit-outs and joinery and are also fully licensed builders in NSW and ACT.

“We pride ourselves in achieving the highest standard for our customers in design and workmanship,” Steve says.

“Our prices are competitive and we work with you to achieve your desired outcome.

“We offer full trade co-ordination and have our own experienced and reliable tradesmen and expert staff to assist you in your project. Our custom-built, cabinet-

making workshop can also build joinery items to suit your needs whether for home or office.

“We also recently received an MBA commendation award for ‘Special Care’ residences as we specialise in housing needs for the aged. Come talk to us about alternative living such as granny flats or self contained units,” says Steve.

Bordeaux Construction and Bordeaux Kitchens offer obligation-free quotes.

Bordeaux Construction, 8 Aurora Place, Queanbeyan, call 6299 4642. Visit bordeauxbcm.com.au or facebook.com/BordeauxBCM

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Mohsin knows his Persian rugs

PERSIAN Rugs Canberra, located in Fyshwick, specialises in Persian and Oriental hand-woven rugs. Its stock of rugs covers almost every size, style and design as well as Persian handicrafts, artifacts and antiquities.

Owner Mohsin Bani says that he has been selling rugs for 20 years and opened the shop in August.

“Knowledge about rugs is vast and technical. It requires a great deal of knowledge about Persian history and culture to value and appreciate the artisanship of these rugs,” he says.

“There are mainly two categories of hand-woven rugs – ones that are weaved in villages, and rugs that are made in organised workshops in cities.

“Tribal rugs are not pre-designed, basically the weaver designs it from his/her imagination. For this reason, most village-made rugs come with a slight imperfection.

“A Persian rug must have a flaw if it is to be deemed, according to an old proverb, perfectly imperfect and precisely imprecise,” he says.

Canberra Confidential

Libs get a taste for winning

IF the ACT election could be decided by a cook-off, then the Liberals would be in power and MLA Nicole Lawder’s sticky date roll with butterscotch sauce would have comfortably seen off the troublesome tram. How so?

Six pollies in two teams from opposing sides of the Assembly graciously took to the kitchen during Marcus Paul’s “Canberra Live” radio program to cook dinner the other night for about 30 guests at Ronald McDonald House, at the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children, in support of 2CC’s impending radiothon for RMH.

Over the past four years the station’s listeners have donated almost $200,000 towards the work of staff and volunteers in providing accommodation for families with sick kids.

But once the numbers were in, RMH reports that the Libs took the diners’ popular vote, with Nicole’s dessert the first preference on the night.

2CC’s day-long radiothon in support of the work of Ronald McDonald House will be broadcast on Tuesday, February 23.

Lettuce have some service

“SHOCKED to discover I’d bought one of the packets of ‘salmonella lettuce’ from Coles at Curtin, I returned it today, expecting at least a ‘Sorry about that’ from them,” writes salad snout and journalist Robert Macklin

“Alas, instead, the assistant at the counter simply muttered a surly ‘okay’, registered it electronically and passed me a two-dollar piece.

“I then bought a ‘fresh’ lettuce for $1 and returned to pay.

“She took the coin without a word. ‘Um, no apology?’ I asked. “She just stared. Ah, the joys of the duopoly.”

Acoustics come good

ACOUSTIC Theatre Troupe, the newest theatre company on the block, made good its name when, during the premiere run of writer/director Lucy Matthews’ musical “The Last Time” at Belconnen Arts Centre, a violent storm caused an electrical outage. Troupers all, the heavily-miked actors and musos forged on – well, acoustically.

The guide to a guide

“ARE they impervious to irony?” wonders an innernorth snout, who forwarded an official missive under the heading: ‘User Guide to the Australian Government Guide to Regulation”, which advises (and you need to read this slowly): “The Office of Best Practice Regulation (OBPR) has updated a range of guidance material associated with the Australian Government Guide to Regulation to reflect changes made by the Government in late 2015.

“This User Guide is designed to be read alongside

the Guide to Regulation. It provides detail on the specifics of developing your Regulation Impact Statement and having it assessed by the OBPR.”

And, after that, muses our snout, who will draft the Guide to the User Guide to the Australian Government Guide to Regulation?

Graffiti gets a co-ordinator

WE congratulate Louise Emberson on being appointed the government’s graffiti co-ordinator to help manage the ACT’s local graffiti and street art.

And while Louise, who has an admirable background in arts and working with the community, will liaise with artists, students, businesses and the public to improve how graffiti is managed, CC can’t but imagine a police sergeant might have been a more effective choice.

Depressingly, Louise says: “One of my roles will be to review the 23 legal graffiti sites and identify new sites across the ACT.”

Hannah’s in the hunt

HANNAH Wandel is the first Canberra finalist in the 16-year history of the NSW/ACT Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation Rural Women’s Award.

She got the nod for her work as the founder and CEO of non-profit organisation Country to Canberra as well as her new idea to upskill young women in rural Australian schools.

Hannah is one of four finalists for a $10,000 bursary from the NSW Department of Primary Industries. The winner will be announced on March 8 in Sydney.

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Chinese players make contacts through music

By Helen Musa

THE Chinese Traditional Orchestra, part of the China National Opera and Dance Drama Theatre, is heading to Canberra this month.

Conducted by the formidable musician Madame Hong Xia, vice-president of the Conducting Major Committee at the China Nationalities Orchestra Society, this ensemble, more than 50 years old, will be at Llewellyn Hall in late February to perform a mixture of symphonic music and traditional tunes from the Chinese opera repertoire.

According to spokesperson for the producers, Cindy Xin, the way in which these internationally-exposed musicians play on traditional instruments creates “points of contact between Chinese and Western music”.

Ms Xin, speaking by phone from Sydney, told “CityNews” that traditional Peking Opera music would be prominent in the 90-minute performance, with the favourite opera tune “Deep in the Dark Night” one of the many high points likely to delight expatriate Chinese who love this art form.

Other features include “Great Capriccio” and “Spring Festival Overture”, the latter associated with the people of Shaanxi province. There will also be folk music from

Inner Mongolia and songs from a variety of ethnic minorities including the melodic “Daling,” a musical snapshot of the country’s Korean minority.

Bo Miao, Ms Xin says, is the principal musician, a master of the violin-like jinghu, known as the most important instrument for the Peking Opera. Other instruments in the varied program include the haunting, violin-like erhu, the large fiddle-like gao-hu, the lute-like lushing, oboe-like piri, zither-like kucheng, trumpet-like suona and the large Chinese drum.

The China National Opera and Dance Drama Theater, she says, has eight music, dance and opera troupes travelling the world every year, presenting different art forms.

Last year, a 200-strong choir performed the “Yellow River Cantata” in Sydney Opera House, but this is the first time the Beijing-based orchestra, primarily made up of mature professional performers, has travelled to Australia, first visiting Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary.

The intention is to create a “happy, warm atmosphere,” and in that light, she believes, “Butterfly Lovers Fantasia” will be especially pleasurable to classic music lovers of all kinds.

“Treasures of the Nation”, Chinese New Year concert, Llewellyn Hall, 7.30pm, Monday, February 22, bookings to ticketek.com.au or 132 849.

Melody gives ‘Ghostess’ her mostest

By Helen Musa

THE expression “unsung heroine” is normally a cliché, but in the case of American soprano Marni Nixon, it was nothing less than the truth, and one ever-so-smart “Time” journo called her “The Ghostess with the Mostest”.

Nixon, always sworn to secrecy by the film studios for which she worked, is famous for having “ghosted” the singing voices of everyone from Ingrid Bergman and Sophia Loren to Marilyn Monroe.

She also voiced for Audrey Hepburn in “My Fair Lady”, Deborah Kerr in “The King and I” and both Natalie Wood and Rita Moreno in “West Side Story” – no royalties for that, but to his credit, composer Leonard Bernstein gave her a small percentage of his own royalties.

Nixon was able to continue a long and productive singing career, but was never credited, nonetheless remaining philosophical. She has since praised Deborah Kerr, who actually broke the news to the press about the voicing. But with Natalie Wood, the fact that her voice was being dubbed was kept a dark secret. As for Marilyn, Nixon has said: “She had a certain kind of voice that sometimes didn’t extend,” so she ghosted the top notes of “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend”.

Now Australian musical performer Melody Beck is bringing “Unseen: The Voice of Hollywood!” to Teatro Vivaldi, a one-woman cabaret show where she takes on the persona of Nixon. “I’m the ghost of Hollywood,” she tells her audience at one point.

There are no surprises in this cabaret and Beck plans to take her audience on a stroll down memory lane, exploring the life and career of Nixon, having a try at the many different accents and voice types she had to approximate and

reprising a few of the songs that didn’t make her famous.

It’s been a busy few years for the young performer. Graduating from UNSW with double degrees in music performance and theatre studies, she won Australia’s 2014 Your Theatrics International Cabaret Contest.

In 2014 she also played Grace Farrell in “Annie” and Cathy in “The Last Five Years”. Later, in August 2015, she appeared at the New York International Fringe Festival in the new Australian work “Stalker: The Musical” and she is now working with musician Bernard Lagana on a new show about John Dankworth and Cleo Laine.

Still young and still learning, Beck performed “The Voice” in New York and guess what? Marni Nixon was there in person to applaud and pass on a few tips. It was her proudest moment so far.

“Unseen: The Voice of Hollywood!” at Teatro Vivaldi, 6.30pm, Friday, February 19. Bookings to 6257 2718.

cinema Of gentle power and charm

By Dougal Macdonald

“Brooklyn” (PG)

COLM Toibin wrote a novel. Nick Hornby adapted it into a screenplay. John Crowley directed the film. Those preparations, given life by a fine cast, result in a lovely film accomplished in a cinematic style fondly reminiscent of its era.

In the 1950s, Eilis, intelligent, hard-working in the bakery-cum-deli in a small Irish town, devoted to her younger sister Rose and her widowed mother, has made a seminal decision, to make a new life across the Atlantic. She settles and finds work in Brooklyn.

The young ladies in Mrs Keogh’s boarding house have 9-to-5 jobs and go dancing in the parish hall, where Eilis, studying bookkeeping at night, intending later to study accountancy, meets Italian plumber Tony whose family welcomes her.

Their relationship is gentle, cautious, polite, on the brink of passion rather than diving into its depths. They marry without fuss in a registry office. Eilis goes back to see her mother after Rose dies. There she meets Jim who would sweep her off her feet if she allowed it. Nobody in Ireland knows that she already has a husband.

Saoirse Ronan’s pale beauty as Eilis hides an admirable inner strength. Emory Cohen brings determination and respectability to Tony. Domhnall Gleeson as Jim would be as good for Eilis as Tony is but doesn’t know how the dice are loaded against him.

“Brooklyn” is a strong contender at the coming Oscars.

At Palace Electric, Dendy, Event Cinemas from February 11.

“The Choice” (PG)

IN a small North Carolina coastal town, Travis (Benjamin Walker) is playing loud music on his front lawn. Next door, newly-arrived Gabby (Australian actress Teresa Palmer) is trying to study. Travis has a big female dog. Gabby has a big dog. Travis works at the veterinary practice run by his father (Tom Wilkinson). Gabby wants to become a medico in her father’s practice at the local hospital.

Travis falls big-time for Gabby. Showing good judgement, she’s initially distant. The wooing is formulaic. They get married and have two kids. Travis is taking Gabby to an expensive restaurant for the first time in yonks, perhaps since they were married. It’s raining. A lady brings a crook pussy to the vet hospital. Travis should be heading for the restaurant but, heck, this cat

needs attention. Gabby pays for her drinks and sets out to drive home. Her car is wrecked. She’s in a coma. Travis thinks it’s his fault. Ninety days later, he has to make the awful decision. To turn off Gabby’s life support, or to let her live on as a veggie. Which?

Alone in the cinema, I couldn’t stifle an audible gut response to the consequences of Travis’ decision. “You’ve got to be joking!”

At Capitol 6 and Hoyts

“Peggy Guggenheim: Art Addict” (PG)

SHORTLY before dying in 1979, Peggy Guggenheim gave an audio-taped interview to biographer Jacqueline Bograd Weld. The tape remained hidden until recently.

Making this film, director Lisa Immordino Vreeland and co-producer Bernadine Colish used it extensively to flesh out archival footage interspersed with images of artworks and interviews with pundits.

It’s entertaining. It’s informative. But the enormous dimensions of its themes subject it ultimately to the burden of information overload. Born in 1898 into a privileged yet eccentric family, she was in the right place at the right time to buy early works of artists cheaply because they had not yet found fame. The film offers quick grabs of many of them. How we wish they might have lingered for us to savour more deeply. But no, “Art Addict” is about Peggy more than the artworks or the people who made them.

At Palace Electric

city dining Sweet to sour, what happened?

Celebrating the French spirit in the reel world

By Helen Musa

THE 27th Alliance Française French Film Festival will celebrate “the Indomitable French Spirit”, and director Emmanuelle Denavit-Feller has secured 48 films featuring the acting talents of people such as Fanny Ardant, Louise Bourgoin and Patrick Bruel and, of course, Catherine Deneuve and Gérard Depardieu. Highlights include 2015 Palme d’Or winning masterpiece “Dheepan” and the opening episodes from five of France’s most popular television shows. At Palace Electric Cinema, March 3-29, bookings topalacecinemas.com.au/cinemas/electric/

THE Childers Group is staging a forum to spark public conversation about the arts in the lead up to the 2016 ACT election. Arts Minister Chris Bourke (Labor), Shane Rattenbury (Greens) and Brendan Smyth (Liberals) will face a panel comprising Paul Daley, Helen Ennis, Chris Endrey and Jenni Kemarre Martiniello, at Gorman Arts Centre Main Hall, 5.30pm7.30pm, Wednesday, February 24, bookings via eventbrite.com.au

THEY’VE always been mad about jazz at Bungendore Wood Works Gallery and now we hear the café there will host a three-course dinner and concert show “Jazz in the Key of Blues”, featuring Dorothy-Jane “DJ” Gosper and In2deep – Rachel Thorne and Mike Dooley performing originals and standards. At 6pm Saturday, February 20. Bookings to 6238 1688.

PANTSUITS, pompoms and vaudevillian panache are promised by creators Harriet Gillies and Pierce Wilcox when they bring their onehour play “They’ve Already Won” to the Ralph Wilson Theatre. Showing off the worst versions of themselves, they argue that the world is a fundamentally evil and selfish place. Gorman Arts Centre, February 16-20, bookings to agac.com.au

LAST year Canberra Theatre Centre and the RMC Band, supported by the Canberra Labor Club Group, raised $12,850 through the “Music at Midday” concert series. Next concert up, promising “big sounds delivered with military precision”, is at Canberra Theatre, 11am and 12.30pm, Tuesday, February 16. Entry is by gold-coin donation.

A CONCATENATION of Queanbeyanites (top artists Matthew Curtis, Pamela Honeyfield, Mel George, Meagan Jacobs, Jo Hollier and Harriet Schwarzrock) will show their latest artwork at Form Studio and Gallery 1/30 Aurora Avenue, Queanbeyan, February 15-March 6. Opening 6pm Tuesday, February 16, all welcome.

IN another talkfest, journalists Lenore Taylor and the aforementioned Paul Daley, with Karen Middleton moderating, will kick off the first of Muse Café’s Bipartisan events at 3.30pm on Sunday, February 14. I hear it’s booking out though, so keep an eye on musecanberra.com.au for future such events.

THE fitout oozes gorgeous. Beautiful tones, textures and attention to detail. Very expensive. Very Parisien. Très chic.

I’m talking about Buvette Bistro and Wine Bar, Hotel Realm. It’s the newest addition to the Realm Precinct, sitting alongside Lilotang, Maple and Clove, and Ostani.

I’ve been twice, with groups of friends each time, and put it on the table that my first experience was sweet and my second sour.

Let’s start with the sweet. We settled in and fell silent as we absorbed the menu, realising quickly there would be difficult choices to make with all dishes crying out: “Pick me. Pick me”.

The snails cooked in garlic and herb butter were luxurious ($20 for 12 pieces) and even lapped up by one member of our group who had never had escargots before and wasn’t sure whether to give them a go.

We next shared the creamy cured salmon gravlax ($21), which was delightful with pomegranate, kiwi parfait, crème fraiche and grapefruit. A perfect summer dish. Pretty on the plate and perfect on the palette.

The crispy lamb belly ($34) was exceptional. Beautifully slow-cooked lamb shoulder, served with perky

fresh peas, sheep’s yoghurt and tangy preserved lemon. A tantalising combination of flavours and precise execution.

The grill options attracted oohs and aahs, as did most other dishes on our “sweet visit”.

Now to the sour. We were so excited by our first experience that we opted to dine again, this time adding two more to our original group.

We were drooling in anticipation

by the time our snails arrived. We ordered two plates but after tasting the first cancelled the second. There was next to no butter or garlic making the snails dry and unpalatable. My friend remarked that if this had been her first experience with snails she would never, ever try them again.

Several mains attracted big yawns. The small handful of pomme frites served with a steak dish were nearly cold. How hard is it to

make decent frites? The side dishes were exceptionally ordinary – the descriptions more inviting than the end products.

The service was hit and miss. Lots of staff and not many customers so we were bewildered. We couldn’t get prompt attention for water or wine. So now what? Do we return and give Buvette another go, hoping three times lucky?

With the huge number of new restaurants opening in Canberra this year (and late last year) there’s no real reason to. It’s not a cheap night out. But I sense we’ll be drawn back once more, with memories of our sweet dining experience dancing in our heads. Buvette’s wine list is extensive, carefully selective and has many secrets to reveal for the patient reader.

Buvette, Hotel Realm, Barton. Call 6163 1818. Open for breakfast seven days, lunch Tuesday to Friday and dinner Tuesday to Saturday.

gardening Getting a sense of the Red Centre

THE Red Centre Garden, at the Botanic Gardens, is a great, underrated tourist attraction.

The best time to visit the amazing Red Centre Garden is on a really hot day of, say, 35C-38C or more, although in reality in the real desert the temperatures are more likely 45C+.

“The Red Centre is the physical and symbolic heart of Australia,” says the entry board.

“It is a land of beauty, endless plains and stunning natural monuments, steeped in Aboriginal heritage with distinctive plants and animals.

“This garden showcases the dramatic landscape with elements of sand-dune country, rocky escarpments and desert rivers.”

Starting in 2012, it was an amazing challenge to create a desert garden in Canberra, reflecting as it does the country within 500km around Alice Springs.

Desert plants can be seen here that could only be seen by travelling a few thousand kilometres.

For example, Swainsona formosa or Sturt’s Desert Pea, pictured here, which grows on the median strips of Alice Springs and flowers most of the year.

One area of research at the Gardens is using micrografting techniques; as an example, Sturt’s Desert Pea uses NZ’s Clianthus puniceus as stock, resulting in it surviving the Canberra winter.

However, the conditions are completely different at the Botanic Gardens to the home garden in Canberra. The Gardens are a micro-climate in themselves and many plants in this living museum wouldn’t survive elsewhere in the district.

Although the Red Centre Garden needs to be better signposted, especially for overseas visitors, one of its features is the children’s trail, where they can track native animals and not be too frightened by the super-enlarged versions reminiscent of the dinosaur age.

If ever in Alice Springs, visit the Olive Pink Botanic Garden and

planting time and I am reminding native plant lovers early. Bring your own bags or boxes.

THE Australian Native Plants Society grows a staggering 600 different species, cultivars and forms that are suitable for Canberra and Queanbeyan gardens. With this in mind, an important diary date is its autumn plant sale at the Gardens, from 8.30am, on March 19. While it may seem a long way off, autumn is

and enquiries

WE certainly have had centralAustralian summer temperatures followed by several weeks of sub-tropical Darwin type monsoonal weather. The problem with storms dumping huge amounts of rain in a short time is that most of it runs off into the storm-water drains while washing chemical pelletised fertilisers from gardens into the lake (thus contributing to blue-green algae). In addition, chemical fertilisers kill worms and many other microbes in the soil. Fortunately, between storms we have had some steady soaking rain, which augers well for autumn planting. Autumn is also plantfeeding time.

Jottings / fertilisers

• Blood and bone was considered an essential organic fertiliser in its original form and safe, even for native plants. However, extreme care should be taken with current products sold under this name as

often some inorganic material is added in manufacture.

• Cow manure is an ideal fertiliser because the way the cows chew the cud they destroy any weed seeds, whereas horse or sheep manure can have an abundance of weed seeds.

• Maxicrop Liquid Seaweed Plant Nutrient, which encourages root growth, is suitable for native plants.

• Likewise, Neutrog’s Seamungus, a combination of seaweed and chook poo (not from battery hens) is a Biological Farmers Australia Certified Organic product.

Joanne Madeline Moore

ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

Razzle-dazzle Rams are fired up and ready to go, as this week’s stars put a bounce in your step and a smile on your dial. Mars makes a magical connection with the North Node on Monday and Tuesday so seize the moment, follow your destiny and go on a grand adventure! From Wednesday onwards, Venus encourages you to share your hopes and dreams for the future. Group activities and social media are also favoured, as you communicate with a wide range of people.

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 20)

Your ruling planet Venus visits your career zone (from February 17 until March 12) so it’s the perfect time to spruce up your office; socialise with colleagues; and improve workplace relations. Tenacious Taureans will work hard to turn a short-term opportunity into a lucrative long-term success. Mars also helps you jump out of a relationship rut. So step outside your cosy comfort zone and be proactive about solving partnership problems. Single Bulls – love and work are linked.

GEMINI (May 21 – June 21)

With Venus visiting your adventure zone, plan to take a trip sometime in the next three weeks. Whether you travel near or far, make sure it’s somewhere special that you’ll really enjoy. And are your aspirations for the future as big and beautiful as you can possibly make them? Be inspired by writer Anais Nin (born on February 21, 1903): “Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back – a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country.”

CANCER (June 22 – July 22)

You have many unique talents but they won’t truly blossom until you nurture and develop them with the help of a mentor. When will the teacher appear? When the student is ready! And don’t side-step Crabs. This week, the more proactive you are about romance, children, creativity, sport, social media or your local community – the luckier you’ll be. So your motto for the moment is from birthday great Anais Nin: “Good things happen to those who hustle.”

LEO (July 23 – Aug 22)

Peace planet Venus visits your relationship zone from February 17 through until March 12, which bodes well for all types of partnerships – whether of the intimate, platonic or business variety. Love and laughter are at the top of the menu as you romance, relax and relate. But when it comes to shared resources, joint finances or group projects – are you being realistic? Or are you promising things that you won’t actually be able to deliver? Food for thought.

VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sept 22)

It’s a wonderful week to beautify your living or work space but first you need to clean, tidy and de-clutter. So roll up your sleeves and get to it! It’s also a good time to power through paperwork and tackle overdue DIY projects around the home. Plus, with Venus moving through your wellbeing zone (from February 17 through until March 12) try to choose a diet and exercise plan that you actually enjoy. If it’s too hard or restrictive, then you won’t stick with it for very long.

LIBRA (Sept 23 – Oct 23)

Make space for creativity in your life between February 17 and March 12. Courtesy of Venus, it’s the perfect time to express your creative side or appreciate and support the artistic talents of others. As fellow Libran John Lennon declared: “Creativity is a gift. It doesn’t come through if the air is cluttered.” Your intuition will also speak to you in a special way this week, so make sure you listen to the Guardian Angel on your shoulder or the important message in your dreams.

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 21)

The magical universe hands you a golden opportunity this week, so don’t waste it. Mighty Mars (that is moving through your sign) forms a fortuitous link with the North Node, so you need to get off your Scorpio posterior and make a special hope, goal or dream come true. There’s no time for lame excuses – just do it! Draw inspiration from birthday great Michael Jordan: “Some people want it to happen, some people wish it could happen, others make it happen.”

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 21)

It’s time to get real. You know which tasks must be done promptly, and Saturn will help you complete them with gusto and grace. So bite the bullet and get on with things. Plus, if you utilise the power of your imagination and are passionately proactive, then you’ll finally find a way to make your paying job your dream job – or your dream job your paying job. With lucky Jupiter and divine destiny on your side (plus plenty of persistence) anything is possible!

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19)

Venus stimulates your spending gene. But, if you over-extend yourself financially, then you’ll pay the real price further down the track. So find ways to have fun and cheer yourself up that don’t involve shopping – either in person or online. And don’t let someone subtlely undermine your Capricorn self-confidence. Stand your ground and believe in yourself. Remember... with strong self-esteem you can climb any mountain, weather any storm and sail any turbulent sea.

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18)

With Venus vamping through your sign (from February 17 until March 12) you’ll be at your bewitching best. So make the most of it as you charm the birds out of the trees, and call in a few old favours. Attached Aquarians – aim to get the balance right between cosy coupledom and invigorating independence. Some lucky singles will attract admirers like bees to a honey-pot. But when it comes to a stalled project or a delayed dream – you need to be patient and take a long-term view.

PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 20)

With the Sun, Mercury and Venus all visiting your solitude zone, aim for some peace and quiet this week. Spend solo time in a special place, where you can contemplate your future and look within. Activities like meditation, yoga and tai chi also suit and, if you have unanswered questions, let your intuition be your guide. For many perceptive Pisceans, a special relationship has a decidedly deja-vu feel at the moment. Some singles will become entangled in a secret romance.

Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2016 Daily astrology updates at twitter.com/JoMadelineMoore

General knowledge crossword No. 535

Enrique and Juliana arrived, under sponsorship, from the UK last year and called by my office to seek clarification of the Australian tax system before lodging their 2015 returns.

First up, I drew their attention to the differences between the two countries’ tax systems.

“The UK financial year ends on April 5 while the Australian financial year ends on June 30,” I said.

“If you have UK investments, the Australia United Kingdom Tax Treaty provides guidance on what you are required to declare in each country.”

Across

1 What is something hidden, or concealed?

7 Which one word sermon did Arthur Stace chalk through the streets of Sydney for 33 years?

8 To be crafty or cunning, is to be what?

9 What are bouts of otalgia?

10 What is a particular angle in a golf course?

11 To evaluate once more, is to do what?

14 Name a trapezoidal zither with metal strings.

18 Which Victorian city is at the junction of the Murray and Campaspe Rivers?

19 To have been immersed in water as a Christian rite, is to have been what?

21 Name a stance with hand on hip, and elbow bent outwards.

22 What is another name for the campanula?

23 In cricket, what are byes, no-balls, wides and leg-byes known as?

Down

1 What is a level of quality which is regarded as normal?

2 What is a lottery in which the prizes are usually goods, rather than money?

3 Which communication is gradually being taken over by the email?

4 Name a Shakespearean king of Britain.

5 What is another term for light meals?

6 Name aquatic, furred, musteline mammals.

12 Name a large heavy kind of terrier.

13 Who are the upper house members?

15 Name a New England NSW town, SW of Armidale.

16 Which Australian yachtsperson sailed solo around the world 1987- 88, Kay ...?

17 What is economical management more readily known as?

20 Which hard fatty tissue is prepared as tallow?

I asked if he or Juliana owned a house in the UK, which was being rented or if either of them had bought property in Australia.

“We jointly own an apartment in London which has been rented since we left the UK and was our residence,” Enrique replied.

“We probably won’t sell it until we decide whether we want to settle in Australia.”

I advised him that, as Australian residents, for tax purposes they would be taxed on their world-wide assets.

“You are charged capital gains tax potentially when you sell any property,” I said.

“The UK apartment can be your principal place of residence for up to six years from when you rent it out, even though you are not living there, provided you don’t own any other property.

“That gives you six years in which to sell if you stay in Australia. However, if you buy another property capital gains tax will arise on one of them. You will need more advice at that time.

“As to the rental, you have to lodge the rental income and deductions in both the UK and Australia. Depreciation (also known as capital allowance) is the main item that is significantly different.

“I don’t know whether you are claiming a capital allowance on the building cost for the apartment, but if you are the figure that you can claim in Australia is probably different. For Australian purposes you need to have a “depreciation report” prepared by a quantity surveyor. The likely cost will exceed $1000 and that will be tax deductible. The extra deductions should outweigh the cost.”

Juliana said she hadn’t realised that rent had to be declared in both places and that capital gains tax could apply. Was there anything else that they needed to know, she asked?

“A few things; for instance, in Australia the first $18,200 of income is tax free. In your first year, depending on your immigration status, this figure may have to be pro-rated for the number of months you are in Australia,” I told them.

“There are also some health care issues. I see that you are covered under the reciprocal agreement between Australia and the UK. However, your policy indicates that you may have to pay the Medicare levy surcharge if your joint income exceeds $180,000. Based on your incomes, this will be charged at the rate of 1.5 per cent. You need to seek clarification from your health fund.

“You can claim deductions for donations you make to approved bodies and you can also claim for anything that helps you do your job. We can discuss those further when you have checked your receipts.”

Enrique was pleased, saying: “Thank you so much, Gail. That’s given us a different perspective on where to from here.”

If you have any issues concerning foreign rental properties or overseas income, contact the friendly team at Gail Freeman & Co Pty Ltd