160225 citynews

Hard arguments around helmets

JOHN GRIFFITHS

Finding ‘justice’ in a birth certificate

NICK JENSEN

Rising cost of ‘free’ education

SONYA FLADUN

But first, I need a coffee!

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Cheerful end of the road for Terry

By Kate Meikle

AFTER almost 44 years of driving buses in Canberra, 69-year-old Terry Lees retires this week.

He started with Action in 1972, working out of the then Kingston bus depot.

At the time, his wife Pauline was expecting their second daughter and Terry thought he would drive the buses for only a couple of years, before moving back to the country where he had grown up.

“I used to do a run that went close to our house in Higgins. We had a plan that if Pauline was going into labour she would leave the back light on so I knew to get home quickly! But luckily it didn’t happen that way,” says Terry.

Terry says he got into the swing of driving buses and thoroughly enjoyed it, and with five children to support, his work and home life were busy and rewarding.

As the years went by Terry says the original plan of moving to the country just didn’t eventuate as they settled into family life and bought their house in Hig-

gins where he and Pauline still live.

“There haven’t been too many days where I didn’t want to go to work,” says Terry.

“For me, it was all about the interaction with people. I particularly enjoyed taking the lovely older people who lived in the older, northern suburbs of Watson and Hackett into the city,” he says.

“One of my regular passengers in Latham once said to me: ‘Terry, you have carted three generations of my family!’ I got to see them have kids and now grandkids.”

Although Terry admits he’s seen some funny things during his time, and lots of not-so-funny incidents involving drunk passengers, he says his fondest memory was taking a group of indigenous children home from Forrest Primary School each day. Terry says that they were a very rowdy group.

“At the end of the run, an elder would come and ask me if any of the children had played up. Over time I struck up an agreement with her and got to know the kids,” he says.

When it was time for Terry to change shifts, on his last school pick up he was welcomed into

the terminal by 15 families who had lined up to say farewell and thanks to him.

Terry says Canberra was a very different place when he first started: “The end of the run was the end of Belconnen Way – there was nothing west of that, no Higgins, Holt or Macgregor,” he says.

“Patronage-wise I think things have changed, too. I used to have lots of young mothers with young children, especially during the off-peak times. We always used to get out and help the ladies get their prams into the bus.

“Nowadays, with the changes with the laws and regulations, the driver and passenger relationship has changed.”

Terry says his enjoyment in getting to know his passengers meant that he always made sure he picked his regulars up, even if it meant sometimes running slightly behind schedule.

“Running late didn’t concern me too much. Safety and service to the passengers was always my priority. If you give people a rough ride they are not likely to catch your bus again,” he says.

And retirement? Terry’s most looking forward to spoiling his 13 grandkids and, of course, travelling.

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Dr Colwell is a caring GP and has two young children. She graduated from the University of Tasmania with honours and then went on to come first in her GP exams in Australia. She has been a Canberra GP for ten years. She has special interests in women’s, health, paediatrics, healthy lifestyle, travel medicine and education of junior doctors.

Dr O’Brien is very friendly and loves children. She is currently doing a diploma in paediatrics. She also has interests in aged care and women’s health. Dr O’Brien works four days per week across both YourGP@Lyneham and YourGP@Crace. She is a local graduate of the ANU and a longterm Canberran.

Dr Colwell and Dr O’Brien

Tax certainty, at least for unicorn farmers

ANOTHER week on tax! Well, sort of. At least unicorn farmers can breathe easy. Treasurer Scott Morrison took them “off the table” after his seminar at the National Press Club drew cries of “waffle, slogans and platitudes” from the opposition.

The unicorns join the rise in the GST in a table-free environment. The table itself is now occupied by a pepper shaker of “negative gearing” and a mustard pot of “superannuation concessions”. And by week’s end both were getting plenty of attention from the participants at the pre-Budget talkfest.

By May, I suspect, we’ll agree to anything just to end the argument. But it does make a nice change that at last there are genuine policy options in the debate, as opposed to the nasty personal sniping of recent memory.

NOT so, alas, from the ladies of television where Canberra’s ABC newsreader Virginia Haussegger crossed decorative daggers with Seven’s “Morning” cohost Samantha Armytage. The squeals and taunts over a skit involving an American actress seeking gravitas as an “ambassador” for a UN agency did no one any credit.

INDEED, the media became the (simplistic) message with yet another Fairfax poll

showing the Turnbull Government easing slightly to a 52-48 lead over Labor if an election were held today. This produced a spate of “early election” rumours that settled on July as a likely date. And the PM briefed Fairfax on his talks with other countries to take those pesky refugees.

THE so-called “micro parties” took fright as the

ROBERT MACKLIN

Family Lawyers at their best

government moved to end the “gaming” of the Senate voting system through preference swapping. Led by “preference whisperer” Glenn Druery, they’re threatening to rig the votes in Coalition marginal House of Reps seats in Labor’s favour. Let’s hope Shorten and Co have the integrity to resist.

ON happier matters, the Western Sydney Giants’ plans for an $800 million upgrade of Manuka Oval and its village surrounds are truly exciting. The place is presently chaotic when cricket and footy matches are played there. A serious traffic accident is inevitable, to say nothing

By May, I suspect, we’ll agree to anything just to end the tax argument. But it does make a nice change that at last there are genuine policy options in the debate.

of the inconvenience to spectators. And the time for a village makeover is long past.

MORE good news that some public servants have been quietly getting their pay packets topped up while others are coming to a reasonable deal. Good for Canberra, and much of the movement due to the eponymous Minister, Michaelia Cash!

THE legal tactic of choice among embattled Catholic priests caught up in the child sexual abuse scandal seems to be that they’re too old or sick (or both) to stand trial or, in Cardinal George Pell’s case, travel to Australia to give evidence at the royal commission. No surprise that Tim Minchin responded with a ribald protest song and that Australians donated more than $130,000 for the victims’ travel to Rome to hear the video evidence up close and personal. If Mohammed won’t come to the mountain…

FINALLY, we hear that Barnaby Joyce will be Acting Prime Minister a little earlier than might have been expected. Malcolm Turnbull has accepted an invitation to the Chinese sponsored Boao Forum for Asia on Hainan Island in early April. Let’s hope he doesn’t leave The Lodge keys in the letterbox.

robert@robertmacklin.com

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Infectious Bollywood beat that can’t be beaten

By Kate Meikle

SMILES, laughter and the energy of her students are what keep Bollywood dance instructor Krisha Jilson going.

An IT manager by day and dance instructor by night, Krisha started the Canberra School of Bollywood Dancing in Tuggeranong with 30 students and now, 10 years on, offers classes to 150 students every week in all the major centres across town.

“Three thousand students have danced with us over the past 10 years. Eighty per cent of our students are non-Indians. People love the catchy songs and the costumes attract them, too,” she says.

“Bollywood dancing is an integral part of Bollywood films. It’s all about storytelling and can be upbeat or slow.

“Modern Bollywood dancing is a mix of classical Indian, hip hop, jazz and Arabic dance and people are attracted to the mixture and the beat!”

Krisha and her family moved to Canberra from Darwin 10 years ago when her sons (now aged 16 and 10 years) were small. She had been teaching dancing for 10 years when she was persuaded to start her own dance school.

“The past 10 years have not always

been a smooth road. It’s hard to run a passionate business with two schoolaged children and working full time,” she says.

“But I’m so glad to be in Canberra and be part of spreading the joy of

dance and music for people to keep fit and healthy. My motto is to always find time for your passions in life.

“Some of the ladies I met 10 years ago are still dancing with me. They have finished school, gotten married

and are now bringing their kids to classes. We are one big Bollywood family!”

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“When you hear the music you can’t help but dance. I love the vibrant costumes and the opportunities to perform at charity events, Indian weddings and our annual concerts,” she says.

Now on maternity leave, Sasha says she can’t wait to introduce her five-month-old daughter to Bollywood dancing when she turns two.

“Krisha’s passion for the dance school is inspiring. She shares her passion with others and does it because she loves it,” says Sasha.

The school holds annual concerts to give students the opportunity to perform at a major event, with ticket proceeds going to support local charities.

Krisha says that she pioneered the first Bollywood “flash mob” performance at the Multicultural Festival in Garema Place seven years ago when unsuspecting passers-by were entertained by a surprise performance, which ended in many people joining in the fun. It’s now a popular annual fixture on the festival’s program.

One of these dancers, Sasha Blom, says she tried a class for fun with friends 10 years ago, which started her passion for Bollywood dancing and, over time, became an instructor teaching Bollywood Zumba classes. Sasha says that Bollywood dancing is infectious.

Canberra School of Bollywood Dancing, visit canberrabollywood.com.au for more information.

Hard arguments around helmets

THERE has been a lot of strange and poorly informed debate about cycling in Canberra lately so I feel that, as a cyclist who also owns a car (as most of us do), it’s worth unpacking some of the issues.

Some in the community question why cycling is a good thing that we should try and encourage.

For a start, road damage is a square power function of weight. Bicycles weighing around 100kg with rider can trundle along roads for centuries without the need for roadworks.

Also, with fossil fuels a finite resource every kilometre travelled by a cyclist is freeing up those fuels for a driver.

Inner-city parking space is limited, so again cyclists free parking spaces for motorists.

To the intelligent motorist, every cyclist is the best friend they’ve ever had!

As a society that provides health care there is then the issue that cyclists are getting exercise that, in the long run, frees up hospital beds and doctors’ appointments.

For every citizen who can be convinced to ride a bicycle rather than drive there are huge benefits to the government and the community as a whole.

The proposal last

week,

packaged in a road safety strategy aiming for zero road deaths, to end mandatory bike helmet wearing was strikingly ludicrous.

Small tweaks to infrastructure and regulation that encourage cycling are therefore something sane governments view as a good idea.

Having said that, the proposal last week, packaged in a road safety strategy aiming for zero road deaths, to end mandatory bike helmet wearing was strikingly ludicrous.

Mandatory bike helmet laws save lives. Ending those laws will kill someone. We just don’t know who yet.

I will concede there’s little as pleasant as riding along with the wind in your hair.

But roads are hard and heads are fragile and, of the bike crashes I’ve been involved in, at least half have involved my head.

Which makes this a really interesting public policy debate, once we discard the “Vision Zero” part of the road-safety strategy.

Do the lives spared obesity, by encouraging cycling, balance those lost to head injury?

Particularly when the obesity lives are extremely hypothetical whereas the road injury lives are very real and certain?

I grumbled when the helmet laws came in but, like most other cyclists, I learned to leave the helmet hooked over the handlebars when storing the bike, and I

can think of only one time the helmet law pushed me to drive a car rather than ride.

Now the issue that one time was I’d done my hair and didn’t want to mess it up with a helmet. Other people care more about that sort of thing than I do.

One hopes that the drive for organ donors has had nothing to do with this policy direction.

Advances in car safety have really cut into donor numbers. Before airbags, crumple zones, seat belts and collapsible steering wheels, the roads provided a steady stream of healthy young organs.

It’s not a pretty thought.

Increasing head-trauma road fatalities through relaxed helmet laws would certainly provide an improved supply of donor organs. Doubly so when those lives are being traded off against the obese.

On a happier note, aside from the above listed benefits to society as a whole of cycling, let me remind the reader of the personal benefits.

Parking costs nothing, there’s no petrol to pay for, you can save on a gym membership and it’s often faster than driving through a traffic jam, finding a park and walking from the car park to work.

Lastly it’s fun. Even with a helmet on.

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

JOHN GRIFFITHS

young workers, students and others exploring faith

‘Palace’ for a president!

FOR years, I have watched with interest the construction of the magnificent HQ of ASIO (and probably other less well-known security entities) on Constitution Avenue.

To my eyes, the Ben Chifley Building is beautiful, give or take a few window mishaps, and it struck me that, possibly by arcane methods, some monarchist mandarins of the APS had conned John Howard into giving the enterprise his tick of approval.

Because there is more: as I view the magnificent palace it seems that with a bit of interior decorating, it would be perfect as the home for our new president when we become a republic. Some other minor refurbishing and perhaps the insertion of a balcony front and centre would be nice. A tunnel under a few hundred metres of Constitution Avenue plus another for Parkes Way, say from Anzac Parade to Kings Avenue Bridge, would complete the job.

The new president then would have a marvellous swathe of garden down to Lake Burley Griffin, well worthy of Australia, with native flora and ‘roos, emu and, what the hell, even a few drugged-up koalas.

Our cousins from the US would go for it

big time, the Chinese would try to buy it and even the Windsors, should they ever deign to visit, might give it the Royal nod. More important, perhaps, would be PoA’s ability to keep a sharp eye on Parliament House, all the while protected by the propinquity of our military HQ at Russell, just along the back road.

I almost got to the drawing board on this one until, alas, I checked the feasibility of this online, only to discover the planned life of the building was but 80 years; a sad reflection on Australian design and workmanship and a great opportunity missed. I am devastated. Ben Chifley might not be turning in his grave but I can visualise him biting a bit deeper on his pipe. After all, spooks don’t need luxury, even if it’s only temporary.

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

ROGER MARCHANT

Spare a thought for old refugees

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I AM in agreement with Michael Moore about the fun aspect of the city that is the Multicultural Festival (“Our best is a reminder of the worst”, CN February 18).

I was less happy with his claim that our nation is creating refugees, in fact we have sought to defeat the forces that create refugee flows, from the Nazis to the Communists, repressive regimes to the current extremist Islamist movements who seek to create a new order based on an ideal world that existed 1.5 millennia ago.

There are many refugees in UNHCR camps around the world (at least 15 million) who have spent some 20-odd years on average in them (let alone those tens of millions displaced by wars and natural disasters). The oldest refugees are Eritreans who have been in camps since the 1960s. They have the need for resettlement but don’t have the means (ie money) to buy their way to a choice destination. They have been there so long now, their parents have died, they are old, and their children, grandchildren and soon great-grandchildren will be there.

Save a thought for these much longer suffering people. Most people in the world are lovely people who would love to be here in Australia, but they don’t have the money or the publicity. Australia despite some impressions to the contrary is generous in taking refugees for resettlement.

Martin Gordon, Dunlop

Rising cost of a ‘free’ education

By Sonya Fladun

MAYBE I’m slipping a bit behind the times, but BYOD was an acronym I hadn’t heard of until recently.

“Bring Your Own Device” is the policy at my son’s new high school. It came as a bit of a surprise at the beginning of the new school year. We hadn’t really thought about it, but suddenly my boy is carrying more than $1000 worth of IT hardware – a tablet and smartphone – in his backpack to school each day. It should have dawned on me earlier that my son’s transition to high school would require a major technological upgrade. We attended several information nights at various schools. At one well-resourced private school, there was a hugely animated debate among parents about the school’s preference for a particular type of tablet and operating system over another. This got people far more excited than the curriculum. As something of a computer agnostic, I hadn’t realised that IT sectarianism was so rife in today’s society.

Fortunately, I think, my son’s new school doesn’t have a preference for one system or another provided one’s device meets certain criteria for compatibility with the school’s wifi and various online learning programs. At least then parents are unlikely to come to blows arguing the merits of one IT church or the other.

I have been thinking quite a bit about the BYOD policy. After all, it wasn’t so long ago that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was pushing a Commonwealth Government program, the “Digital Education Revolution”, to put a laptop on every high school student’s desk, but that’s already history now. Instead parents are responsible for providing the required devices to support their children’s learning in school. Our kids now have at their fingertips unlimited access to information, resources, experts, databases and communities of interest. Schools can leverage all this to deepen student learning and to prepare students for the high-tech world in which they will live, learn and work.

That said more thought needs to go into just how our schools are dealing with this technological revolution. At the most basic level BYOD lifts the entry costs of a supposedly “free” government school education. As a family that has recently undergone some very considerable financial stress, I can say that the up-front IT costs of high school were pretty daunting. There are many households that will find the costs very significant, if not prohibitive, especially as the minimum technological requirements rise. There is a big social equity issue that needs to be addressed.

Write to us

Letters are invited from “CityNews” readers. Let loose to: editor@citynews.com.au or write to the editor at GPO Box 2448, Canberra 2601.

There are also some pretty significant issues about the security of personal information, the theft of devices, engagement with social media and the potential for the devices to be a distraction from other parts of learning. Concerns about the prevalence of the online bully are very important, but strike me as only one issue among many. No doubt the increasingly digital classroom is attractive to education bureaucrats from the point of view of cost savings, but preparing students for the digital workplace shouldn’t be at the expense of a fully rounded education, including developing the social skills for effective face-to-face communication. BYOD seems inevitable and necessary, but I can’t but help thinking we’ve all embarked on another unplanned social experiment with all sorts of unforeseen consequences.

Wrong people losing their jobs

OUR climate-enlightened Prime Minister has the chance to show his real colours on climate change. It is simple. Instruct the CSIRO board. If that fails, fire them.

The wrong people are about to lose their jobs. The board or the CEO of a Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation that has not comprehended the impact of climate change does not belong in the position. The climate scientists should remain.

Innovation is the catchcry of PM Malcolm Turnbull. Innovation in building business and building the economy is fundamental. However, failure to support innovation on climate change makes no sense at all. Kevin Rudd set the tone when he dubbed climate change “the greatest moral, economic and social challenge of our time”. At the Paris Climate Change Conference last year it was announced that Australia was ranked “third to last” on emissions according to the Climate Change Performance Index.

Firing our climate scientists at the CSIRO may well be a political answer to help save face for Australia. Under this sort of doublethink, which was to have disappeared with Tony Abbott’s demise, assurances given at the Paris conference will simply become meaningless if it is not possible to rank Australia at all.

There is another option. The Prime Minister could examine the board of the CSIRO and consider why it is overwhelmingly from the business sector and bereft of climate scientists, physicists, oceanographers or soil scientists. There are just two scientists on the current CSIRO Board. Prof Edwina Cornish, who has a background in genetic modification is one. Dr Peter Riddles, who has a science background and was director of CSIRO’s own Bioactive Molecule Discovery Program and is regularly described as an entrepreneur, is

How can the proposed

It is no wonder that more than 2500 scientists from more than 60 countries are calling for a reversal of this decision. It is time to stop this stupidity.

A Nobel Peace Prize winner, Dr John Church, as part of the International Panel on Climate Change in 2007 explained to the ABC the importance of this type of innovation, saying: “We actually need to continue to observe and understand and project future change, and compare the observations and projections if we are going to mitigate in a cost-effective way.

“How will Australia’s rainfall change? How will Australia’s drought-flood cycle change? This has really important implications for water supply, for food supply.”

The international context was also illustrated by Dr Church: “If Australia pulls out of key activities in the southern hemisphere then that will leave significant gaps, we will be losing partnerships with key agencies all around the world.”

cuts to CSIRO’s Oceans and Atmosphere and the Land and Water Division help an innovative Australia? It is no wonder that more than 2500 scientists from more than 60 countries are calling for a reversal of this decision. It is time to stop this stupidity.

We are at a time when it has never been more important to understand our ecosystem, to monitor changes as they occur, to analyse them and to plan and monitor responses. The proposed CSIRO staffing changes will undermine the skills, experience and corporate memory for the organisation and its capacity to serve Australia. These jobs in Hobart, Melbourne and Canberra play a key role in international understanding of changes in climate.

These cuts go beyond science and the environment. They have long-term implications for health and agriculture. Australia’s natural climate is hot and highly fire prone, with the world’s most variable rainfall. As a society, we are yet to really comprehend how these global changes will impact on health issues such as infectious disease vectors and general health, human migration and heat response planning.

Changes in growth patterns and behaviour in crops and livestock require an ability to research the sort of changes needed in agriculture, aquaculture and the protection of natural systems.

Kevin Rudd had a credibility problem over identifying “the greatest moral… change of our time” and then doing nothing. Malcolm Turnbull is identified as understanding and being concerned about climate change. Without action he faces the same cynicism.

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

Finding ‘justice’ in a birth certificate

CITYNEWS.com.au has reported the introduction of the Justice Legislation Amendment Bill 2015 in the ACT Assembly.

The essence of the Bill is straightforward, making interstate parentage orders easier as well as name changes. The contentious part is the push to remove the need for “mother” and “father” on birth certificates and, instead, put generic “gender diverse” terms.

The main issue I have is that I don’t think the Bill goes far enough. The Bill’s stated aim is “to enhance the ability of Canberra residents to have their identity represented in a way that is most meaningful for them”.

Why aren’t we allowed, therefore, to adapt birth certificates in other ways that better “reflect our identity” – for example our age?

Two months ago in Canada, a 52-year-old man left his family to fulfil his true identity as a six-year-old girl. He now lives with his adoptive parents spending the days playing and colouring. Surely it is discriminatory not to allow him to have documents that recognise his chosen identity.

And last month, in Norway, a 20-year-old woman realised she was actually a cat and has been living that way ever since. She says she is “trapped” in the wrong body and enjoys chasing

mice. Who are we to tell her she is not and, indeed, force her birth certificate to reflect her non-feline status?

In all seriousness, the biggest problem with this Bill is the title: The “Justice Legislation Amendment”. No one should ever disagree with something that encourages “justice”. However, the question we need to ask is what does this mean?

What justice appears to mean in this context is primarily “equality” and the ability to selfidentify. But I believe that this concept of justice is wholly inadequate because any concept of justice that undermines the corresponding virtue of truth cannot be coherent.

For example, whatever identity one wants to give oneself, a child will always have a biological “mother” and biological “father”. Already birth certificates in the ACT don’t have to register genetic identity, or even who the birth mother is. The simple truth of one’s heritage is lost with such laws, and biology itself registers a protest.

It is not my intention to mock, insult or offend Canberrans who have chosen to live with varying

“identities”. What I am saying is that documents such as birth certificates should reflect truth, such as who a child’s actual mother and father are. Added to this is that children have a right to this information, whether their father was a sperm donor or their birth mother was a surrogate. It is simply unjust to hide this information from them because of their parents’ chosen “identities”.

This Bill is not about justice. Justice is primarily about honouring the intended created purpose of something, as well as keeping those things in right relationship with each other. Every child deserves to know who their mother and father is, and this is fundamental to justice.

Nick Jensen is the director of the Lachlan Macquarie Institute, which helps develop leaders in public policy (lmi.org.au)

NICK JENSEN

Children are entitled to have their views heard and considered as part of the decision making undertaken by Courts in determining their future living arrangements. The Family Law Courts offer a number of avenues for children to express their views. The paramount consideration is the best interests of the children. This does not always align with their wishes.

Can my kids decide who they live with?

The views expressed by a child will rarely be the determining factor. The weight to be given to the views of a child may depend on the age and maturity of the child. The views of a 14 year old may be more informed than a 6 year old. It is not appropriate to expect a 6 year old to appreciate the consequences of a view they may express due to their young age.

My kids know who they want to live with, why should a Judge decide for them?

If parents cannot agree, they are asking a Judge to make that decision for them. A Judge will consider: the benefit to the children in having a meaningful relationship with both parents, and any risk of the children being exposed to harm, abuse or violence by a parent. Other factors to be considered include any expressed views of the children.

How will the Judge know what my children’s views are?

In some cases, a Judge may appoint an Independent Children’s Lawyer (ICL) to represent the children’s interests. An ICL may meet with them to talk about Court proceedings, answer their questions and, seek their views.

Having considered the evidence available and (where appropriate) the children’s wishes, the ICL will make recommendations to the Judge.

Throughout the litigation process, the parents and children may meet with a Family Consultant (a Court appointed psychologist or social worker). They will make an assessment in relation to the issues between the parents and ultimately prepare a ‘Family Report’ for the Judge, which makes recommendations about orders that operate in the best interests of the children. The Family Consultant may ask the children their views, and include these in their report.

You should obtain advice from a family law specialist if you are negotiating parenting matters, or if you are involved in family law proceedings.

I OFTEN wonder how the Canberra population manages to sustain the number of cafes in our city and suburbs, but then I know very well how much Canberrans love their coffee.

Whether you’re grabbing a coffee on the way to work or sitting back in Lycra after a morning bunch, check your brew and see if it could be better for your health.

Espresso: Reserved for the true aficionado (or the those approaching a tight deadline). How to make it better:

• Limit intake to two to three cups a day. High intake of caffeine can impact sleep patterns, which has impact on concentration, stress, weight management and cardiovascular health.

• Have it with a glass of water (or two). Caffeine has a diuretic effect and consuming large amounts of coffee without adequate fluid intake can leave you dehydrated.

Long black: Usually made by topping off a single or double shot of espresso with hot water. The long black is the cuppa with the lowest kJ content. How to make it better:

• Avoid adding sugar. Sugar will increase the kJ content of the beverage and gives no health benefits.

• Limit intake to two to three cups a day (one to two if double shot).

Flat white / latte / cappuccino: Milk contains carbohydrates and protein, which provide fuel for the brain and muscles, and help to keep you full, making a milky coffee an energy boosting snack on its own. Be mindful of the size and number of milky coffees you have each day. How to make it better:

• Downsize to a small or swap to a piccolo – a smaller size is likely to be just as satisfying.

• Opt for light milk. This simple swap reduces the kJ content of your coffee.

• Avoid added sugars and sweeteners. Over time your taste buds will become accustomed to less sugar.

• Avoid buying a cake or biscuit with it.

Mocha or flavoured latte: Delicious though a caramel latte can be, flavoured coffees contain a considerable amount of added sugar. Slowly moving towards unsweetened coffees will help your tastebuds adjust and will be better for your waistline. How to make it better:

• Ask for half the amount of flavouring.

• Add cinnamon or cocoa instead.

• Opt for light milk.

• Downsize to a smaller size.

• Save for special occasions

Instant coffee: A daily staple for many and everyone makes theirs a little differently. How to make it better:

• Swap to decaf or or a herbal tea in the afternoon.

• Reduce or remove added sugar.

• Add a teaspoon of cocoa, cinnamon or vanilla essence for flavour without extra sugar. Most importantly... enjoy! Really, really enjoy your coffee. Whatever your choice, savour the whole experience and finish feeling satisfied.

Clare Wolski is an practising dietitian at The Healthy Eating Hub, call 6174 4663.

CLARE WOLSKI

Canberra Confidential

Storm in a kid’s tent

READER Stephen Henderson lives in a strata townhouse in Deakin and has fallen foul of his strata manager, Joshua Hopper, of Civium Strata People, who wrote demanding the removal, as soon as possible, of “three structures erected in the garden, two of which are tents”.

Unphased, Stephen replied saying the strata manager’s email had caused some hilarity, in that the tents “are a birthday present to my son Oscar, who just turned eight.

“He is very proud of them and is enjoying the experience of sleeping outside (though he’s yet to make it through an entire night) whilst still being within the confines of the security of his home.”

He goes on to express bewilderment at the agent’s concern for the kid’s tents yet had made no contact in relation to complaints about “the overflowing sewer pipes that have flooded the garden twice in the past months” and a litany of other leaks and maintenance issues including the unwelcome presence of rats.

But Joshua was having none of this, saying the tents had to come down because “allowing children

to occupy such areas may present a danger to the children and others that belong to this complex”.

To which Oscar’s dad sniffed there were no safety issues and offered an OHS inspection to prove it.

“In the meantime, the ‘erected structures’ will remain in place until my son’s interest in enjoying them dwindles. This would constitute as my earliest convenience,” he wrote.

Working for the man

TALENTED local commercial photographer Martin Ollman seems to have shelved his freelance shingle and signed up to the staff of the advertising agency Coordinate.

No spin here...

LAST week “CityNews” featured the frustrations of Greens candidate and lawyer Carly Saeedi, who is facing Labor’s unassailable Andrew Leigh in the north Canberra seat of Fenner at the impending

Federal election.

This week meet the decidedly more optimistic Joel McKay, of Conder, who has announced his candidacy as an independent for the southern seat of Brindabella in October’s ACT election.

“Canberra needs politicians who will not spin facts and figures to make an idea more palatable,” the public servant pronounces.

“If elected, I will work to expose halfbaked proposals that rely on questionable data and a loose interpretation of facts. I pledge to make commonsense decisions based on honesty, factual evidence and which the residents of Tuggeranong support.” Sadly, they all say that when they start out.

Boos for Barnaby

INSPIRED by Robert Macklin’s Seven Days column last week, CC’s Weston snout John Milne took the trouble to write to Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce in defence of the national capital.

“Dear Barnaby,” he writes, “I refer you to page 4 of this week’s ‘CityNews’, and would like to know why you have a grudge against the nation’s capital?

“As a neighbour has said to me: ‘Perhaps Barnaby Joyce would like to close down Canberra altogether and relocate the Federal Parliament to Broome, as part of his so-called decentralisation program, the National Library to Alice Springs and the National Gallery to Cape York. Or does he selfishly want them all in his backyard?”

Best of intentions

LISA Best writes to say her 10-year old son Jack is about to lose his hair – again – for a very good cause.

Recidivist Jack raised $1902 from his first head shave for the Leukaemia Foundation last year in honour of his unwell 85-year-old grandad.

“This year, Jack decided to shave again as our good friend is battling Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma for the second time and has just come out of hospital after a two-week stay in ICU, at times close to death,” says Lisa.

“In the meantime, Jack’s pop has had a return of his cancer.

“So dealing with all of this is big in the life of a 10-year-old. He is committed to making a difference and wants to do this every year till he’s 18.”

Jack’s bonnet comes off at Emmaus Christian School’s Crazy Hair Day on March 10.

To help Jack reach his $2000 target donate at worldsgreatestshave.com, press the sponsor button and follow the prompts.

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• Individual and group ticketing

At Women in Racing lunch, Thoroughbred Park

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 ‘Colouring and Cocktails’, King O’Malley’s At Spiegeltent’s La

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advertising feature

HEALTH

The clinic that cares for skin

IT’S never too late to start looking after your skin, says the team at Australian Skin Cancer Clinics, who will be opening a new clinic at Erindale Chambers in Wanniassa on March 21.

The Australian sun is one of the harshest in the world. Australians have two to three times the number of incidences of skin cancer compared to Canada, the US and the UK.

“Quite often people think that a sunspot is simply just a sunspot, but given time, they can change into something that is life threatening. Any change in a mole is important, and changes can occur in size, shape, and colour, or moles can start to itch or tingle. These are serious warning signs and a signal to get your moles checked,” says Australian Skin Cancer Clinics.

“We expect two out of every three adult Australians to develop skin cancer at some point in their lives that will either be life threatening or severely disfiguring.

“Many adults recognise that damage done to their skin occurred when they were young, therefore we should all be thinking about our children. Prevention is better than cure, so remember to ‘slip, slop, slap’.

“The friendly, experienced staff at Australian Skin Cancer Clinics make it easy for you to come and get your skin checked. We specialise in the early detection, treatment and management of skin cancer and melanoma.”

To make an appointment (no referral necessary)at the new Erindale clinic call 6296 8100 or visit ausskinclinics.com.au for more information.

FITNESS

Centre takes pride in helping people get fit

“WHY not have it all?” asks Greg Ward, centre manager of Active Leisure Centre.

“We are Canberra’s most diverse health and fitness facility with a wide range of programs to give the community a variety of options to help them enjoy and make the most of their exercise routine,” he says.

With a pool, gym, squash courts and ovals, Greg says the range of facilities offers people a wide variety of programs.

Classes include group classes at the gym, boot camps and challenges, the popular learn-to-swim program and aqua-aerobics classes, to name a few.

Everything Erindale

DENTAL

Dental team with the personal touch

WANNIASSA Dental is a longstanding part of the Erindale community, operating since 1984 and with the current owners since 1994, says practice manager Donna Geoghegan.

“We are a family practice offering all aspects of general dental, both preventative and restorative” says Donna.

Wanniassa Dental, owned by two of its four principal dentists, has a long-serving staff that Donna believes helps the team give a special and personal touch, focusing on patient care in modern premises with state-of-the-art equipment.

“Our philosophy is to give the best service in a safe, skilled and caring environment. We are all about giving our patients the best treatment for them that meets their needs. Give us a call – we love

Fantastic Hands Massage

Cupping has proven results in assisting pain management. We also offer Ear Candling and Foot Detoxing.

to have a chat!” says Donna.

Wanniassa Dental, 1st Floor, 43 Comrie Street, Wanniassa (opposite Erindale Shopping Centre). Visit wanniassadental.com.au or call 6231 0001.

and Dr Arun Rajaram.

“We find a lot of seniors take advantage of the pool and gym during off-peak times at 11am-3pm,” says Greg. “We are fully staffed – from the front door all the way into the Centre, all our staff are there to help and motivate.”

As part of the Erindale Theatre and College, Active Leisure Centre makes up the Erindale Educational and Recreation Complex and Greg says they take a lot of pride in being part of the Erindale precinct and community.

Everything Erindale

HAIRDRESSING

Top salon offers ‘city style’

THE team at Erindale Hair have been the number-one hair salon in the Tuggeranong area since 1985, says owner Anton Lumbaca.

“We are a friendly, local, full-service salon with expert cutting, styling and colour specialists. Our customers don’t need to travel into the city – you can get a fabulous ‘city style’ here in your local suburb,” says Anton.

“We pride ourselves on our one-on-one approach, up-todate knowledge, technical ability and personal touch. Our clients leave feeling and looking great!”

The salon has 10 ladies’ hairstylists, a team of three barbers for the guys and two beauticians on staff providing a wide range of beauty treatments, waxing and tanning services.

“Whether it be for your everyday style, or for special occasions and events, we can tailor services specifically for you,” says Anton.

Erindale Hair Centre, Shop A, 51 Comrie Street, Wanniassa. Visit erindalehair.com or phone 6231 2535.

NATUROPATHY

Finding the way to feeling good

“AT Erindale Naturopathic, we combine traditional naturopathic principles with modern, evidence-based medicine,” says owner and naturopath Cathy Eiszele, who has been operating in the Erindale Business Park since 2010.

Cathy says she got into naturopathy when two of her children were diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome. She has a particular interest and specialisation in Autism and ADHD in children as well as digestive problems, stress and anxiety.

Cathy says she works with her client’s doctors and specialists to ensure a holistic approach.

“I work to get to the root cause of the problem and use a combination of liquid and herbal medicines, nutrition plans and lifestyle changes to help my clients. Sometimes it can be hard to make changes especially to diet or lifestyle, so I provide support and alternatives to help them make changes,” says Cathy.

Erindale Naturopathic, 2 Lansell Circuit, Wanniassa. Visit erindalenaturopathic.com.au or call 0409 651447.

Modern approach to pilates training

PILATES Canberra studio in Erindale focuses on individualised modern pilates training in private or small groups.

Owner and principal instructor Felicia DarbyshirePirie says that the studio teaches pilates in its pure form, which is a whole-of-body workout in a program that can be tailored to anybody, including those needing rehabilitation for injuries.

“We help people recover strength from injuries, those people who want to cross train, as pilates is the perfect

MASSAGE

The Fantastic experience

THE team at Fantastic Hands

Massage has been helping ease the aches and pains of locals for the past year, with traditional Chinese massage, deep tissue, remedial and relaxation massage options, says owner, Ray Pei. Also offering reflexology and private health fund rebates, Fantastic Hands is open seven days, from 9am-7pm, to help you feel more relaxed, says Ray.

Fantastic Hands Massage, Shop 30, 52-68 Comrie Street, Erindale. Phone 6231 8010 for appointments.

training partner for any sport, as well as those taking pilates as their main form of exercise,” she says.

“Pilates is a system of exercise that works both the body and brain. You don’t get bored with it as the program changes and challenges you over time.”

With seven qualified instructors, the studio takes appointments from Monday to Saturday.

For more information at pilatescanberra.com.au, email erindale@pilatescanberra.com.au or call 6162 1793.

FITNESS

Club proud to serve the community

SERVING the local community for more than 50 years, Canberra Police Community Youth Club (PCYC) has been in Erindale since the 1980s, offering a range of programs and activities to engage young people and the community.

“All our programs are about positive mentoring, all our coaches are good citizens and we are proud to have them mentoring the community,” says general manager, Stephen Imrie.

“When you walk into the PCYC you feel a sense of belonging and a community vibe. And from this connection with others comes natural opportunities – we have seen many employment opportunities for young people and great friendships formed.”

PCYC has a wide range of sports programs

from the popular tots tumbling class for toddlers to develop motor skills, to the new Box Tag, which is a modified, low-impact form of boxing for all ages.

Stephen says that they also run outreach services focused on crime diversion to work with young people who are heading down the wrong path to give them opportunities to succeed and create long-lasting outcomes.

“When you come and work out at the PCYC, the money you spend is going back into programs that support the community to be a better place,” says Stephen.

Canberra Police Community Youth Club, 17 Grattan Court, Wanniassa. Visit pcyc.net.au for more information.

DANCE WEAR Canberra’s

only authentic dancewear shop

TAPS Dancewear is Canberra’s first and only authentic dance wear shop and an authorised stockist for major brands and supplies, says owner and manager, Terry O’Connor.

“We sell a wide range of shoes, clothes and accessories for all your dance needs, from ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop to Irish and Scottish dancing,” says Terry, who is an experienced Irish dancer, teacher and adjudicator.

“If we don’t have a particular brand or style that customers are after we can usually provide an alternative.

“We offer fantastic prices, free parking, no extra surcharge on eftpos purchases and a fabulous loyalty card for dance troupe members and mums with multiple siblings enrolled in dance.”

“We also provide generous discounts for dance school owners, theatrical companies (local and interstate), local schools, and dance clubs placing bulk orders.

“Some local dance mums are shopping online on overseas websites, which means a lousy dollar exchange rate and added international shipping costs! Why not avoid those costs and shop locally and support a local business?”

She says the specialised shop caters to after-school and dance classes with trading hours in the afternoon and evening.

TAPS Dancewear, Unit 4/30 Grattan Court, Erindale Centre Courtyard. Visit tapsdancewear.com or call 6282 2331.

Human lanterns light Enlighten

By Helen Musa

VISITORS to the Australian Parliament House are in for a double whammy of enlightenment in coming weeks when Canberra artists insinuate themselves into the “Electric Canvas”.

That “canvas” sees the parliamentary triangle transformed by architectural projections that light up Parliament House, the National Portrait Gallery, the National Library of Australia, the Museum of Australian Democracy, the National Gallery of Australia and Questacon.

It’s all part of the sixth annual Enlighten Festival designed, as ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr says, to “excite, surprise and thrill visitors to the nation’s capital”.

Enlighten’s creative director Nicole Warren’s quirky program includes large, illuminated, inflatable white rabbits, 12 films on the theme of “chance”, travelling circuses, a disco in the darkness, an adults-only scientific exploration of whisky and a “Twilight Safari” at the zoo.

Warren already had grand plans, but when she put out a call for proposals around the theme of autumn, she got more than she bargained for in “Autumn Lantern”, devised by a team of local dancers, physical theatre experts and musicians. Illuminated dancers and musicians move, play and react like falling leaves and echo the sounds of autumn, they say.

Canberra dancer and choreographer Alison Plevey says she is excited to have persuaded Warren that our artists had a role to play in the bigger festival, usually populated with imports.

“I wanted to let them know that there are also performers in Canberra and what a good idea it would be to engage with the local arts community… Nicole was absolutely up for that,” Plevey says. She and collaborator Tanya Voges, musicians Michael Liu and Tyson Jones, and former Cirque du Soleil member Susanna Defraia, dreamed up a light-related motif.

“Autumn Lantern” sees the artists roving in white garments with strip lighting inserted in the hoop skirts so they become human lanterns. Plevey believes they will get a reaction as the performers integrate with the audience, creating a kind of interactive sculpture.

“It’s a real bonus for us working with the ‘Electric Canvas’,” says Plevey.

“We weren’t quite sure how it would go, but it’s working out… the best performances are at 8.15pm and 9.15pm, when we light up like lanterns.”

An architectural projection on Parliament House… artwork by Mavis Ngallametta, born 1944, Wik and Kugu people, “Bush Fire at Ngak-Pungarichan” (2013), ochres and acrylic binder on canvas. Parliament House Art Collection. Image by Auspic.

“Autumn Lantern”, Australian Parliament House Forecourt, March 4 & 11 throughout the evening, free. Courtyard garden tour of Parliament

House in autumn, 6pm & 6.30pm, March 4, 5, 11 & 12, bookings to ticketek.com.au

Enlighten 2016, March 4-12, information at enlightencanberra.com.au and bookings (for ticketed events only) to ticketek.com.au or 132849.

By Helen Musa

FOR the first time ever, as they say in showbiz, the annual Canberra Area Theatre Awards have singled out a couple of silver cats among the gold.

Cowra theatre stalwarts Lawrance and Robyn Ryan were honoured with the inaugural Silver CAT Award for their contribution to the Cowra Musical and Dramatic Society over many years.

Mr Ryan is also well-known in the community as an author and chaired the 70th anniversary of the Cowra Prisoner-of-War Breakout Program.

They joined another luminous couple under the spotlight, Amy and Peter Copeland, who won the Gold CAT Award for their contribution to theatre in Wollongong during 2015 in direction, choreography, puppet direction and set design.

The annual night of nights saw a line-up of theatre tragics from all around the region packing into Llewellyn Hall. Co-hosts, Logie award winner John Wood and “CityNews” music writer Ian McLean introduced the 44 awardees, excerpts from CATS shows seen last year and a glittering array of presenters including singer Normie Rowe, “Mr Hollywood Gossip” Craig Bennett, actor/entrepreneur Simon Gallaher and musical

star Michael Cormick. NSW Minister for Regional Development and Minister for Skills, John Barilaro, also took the stage among the stars, representing the NSW Government, which is known as a keen sponsor of the CATS. So keen is NSW Minister for the Arts Troy Grant said to be that Mother CAT Coralie Wood was fluttering her eyelashes as she speculated: “Maybe the 22nd year gala can be held in the Opera House – with the auspices of the NSW Government, anything is possible”.

The CATS, Wood pointed out, started 21 years ago with six companies in Canberra and six judges. Now they boast 75 participating companies and 21 judges, who travel from Wollongong to Cooma and many areas in-between.

The full list of CATS winners can be found at citynews.com.au

“45 Years” (M)

THIS is a love story in a low-tension mystery that doesn’t get your blood racing, boggle your mind, insult your intelligence or confuse your senses.

Tom Courtenay plays Geoff Mercer, approaching the 45th anniversary of marriage with Kate. They are educated, intelligent retirees without children, living comfortably on the outskirts of an English village.

At present, their main topic of conversation is the party that friends are planning for them.

A letter arrives advising that an ice melt has revealed the preserved body of a woman with whom Geoff was touring Switzerland before he ever met Kate.

From that small bump along the smooth path of the Mercers’ lives, director/co-writer (with David Constantine, author of “In Another Country”, the short story from which it is derived) Andrew Haigh has confected a film that languidly approaches the wordless emotional cataclysm that’s waiting until the final close-up to manifest itself.

Few actresses of any age (she turned 70 a fortnight ago) can match Charlotte Rampling’s consummate and versatile performance power.

Apparently her industry nickname is “The

Legend”. Handsome rather than gorgeous, she commands the screen whenever she’s on it.

Playing Kate, she’s nominated for Best Actress at the coming Oscars and even before seeing “45 Years”, I hoped she’ll win.

The film mutely invites us to select the most rational of several possible explanations. Locating the thread leading to it takes some mental backtracking. It’s storytelling and performance of a high order.

At Palace Electric, Capitol 6

review Aboard the bus of creativity

craft

“Dream Machine”, Belconnen Arts Centre until February 28. Reviewed by Meredith Hinchliffe

THINKING outside the box – or in this case, the bus – was a challenge to the many collaborators in realising the “Dream Machine”, an older-style, life-sized Canberra bus, housed in the Belconnen Arts Centre gallery.

Three interlinked arts projects with young people from different backgrounds, beliefs, cultures, views and experiences came together and presented them with the opportunity to collaborate. Hip hop was one of the things they had in common.

The bus is a celebration of journeys through colonisation, globalisation, new migration and cultural renewal.

The headlights of the bus project “Detour” – a film of an indigenous-led tour of Canberra through stop-motion animation. The film takes us to places both familiar and unfamiliar, often at a hair-raising pace. Rap music and oral histories blare out in an hour-long radio program. The bus includes paste-ups, drawings, paintings and stickers on the internal and external surfaces. Lyndy Delian and the Yurauna Centre wove hub caps for the wheels and they add more colour and liveliness to the bus.

Everyone responds to the bus – even if we don’t travel by them regularly, they are on the same roads. This project is laugh-out-loud fun and takes us on our own journey, with our own memories. Take a trip on the Dream Machine, wait in the familiar bus stop and listen to the voices singing and talking.

The value of these kinds of collaborative, communitybased projects is immeasurable. We don’t know how many young people were involved in the whole project, but their diversity brings untold richness and enthusiasm to the project.

“Risen” (M)

PILATE (Peter Firth) fears for his future if Rome learns that the body of Yeshua (Jesus) isn’t behind the stone that Tribune Clavius (Joseph Fiennes) personally helped to roll across the entrance to the tomb.

Pilate needs a recognisable corpse to parade before the people to prove that Yeshua is indeed dead. Clavius gets the job. Find the body before it rots in the Middle Eastern climate.

Writer (with Paul Aiello) and director Kevin Reynolds tells the story with dignity and less overstatement than have previous filmings of the resurrection. We know that nobody will find the actual body.

The disciples set about persuading Clavius (successfully) why their way is better before taking separate paths to persuade the populace that finding the body isn’t essential in demonstrating that Yeshua indeed still lives.

The film that Reynolds and Aiello have crafted offers to modern-day Christians and non-believers alike a plausible account of those few days after the crucifixion.

At Hoyts Woden

“How To

Be

Single” (M)

DIRECTOR Christian Ditter and lead writers Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein offer us a view of the New York scene for early-20s boys and girls – one long party fuelled by booze, sex and refusal (or inability) to commit.

Rom-com chick-flicks preach this message through a traditional dramatic structure – boy and girl meet, get it on, party like crazy, separate for whatever trivial reason, realise that what they gave away beats what they’ve now got, hugs, kisses, bedroom romps, partying, all good except for the guy who’s been rejected, closing credits.

“HTBS” makes it clear early on that it’s the girl’s prerogative to wake with a hangover in the apartment of a man whose name she doesn’t remember and she’ll never see again.

Indeed, why should it not be thus in a gender-equality era. But “HTBS” seems less to want to make useful observations about wild-oats-sowing women than to generate laughter when they don’t ask the right questions or, when so asked, don’t give rational answers. The film’s three young women, whose futures the film puts at risk, behave with scant concern for self-preservation. Life’s about upping the fun intake and devil take the consequences.

The film’s best thing is without doubt Rebel Wilson as Robin who knows better than any of the others how to play the fun game and bend men to her satisfaction in every department. The writers could have given her more substantial material without lessening the role’s comic values but, regrettably, didn’t.

At Hoyts, Dendy, Palace Electric

arts in the city

Pearl’s one hell of a singer

TO her friends she was known as “Pearl”, to her public she was Janis Joplin and now, in a script written by Chris Keeble, soul singer Liza Ohlback brings her to life again in “Pearl: The Janis Joplin Show” at The Street Theatre, 8pm, March 5 only. Bookings to thestreet.org.au or 6247 1223. And there’s a double pass to be won at citynews.com.au

ART Song Canberra’s Season of Song presents “A Traveller’s Tales” with tenor Christopher Lincoln Bogg and Alan Hicks on piano. The traveller is Bogg himself, whose journey with recital song began in the ‘70s in Canberra where his mum, Lois Bogg, reigned supreme as singing teacher. At Wesley Music Centre, 20 National Circuit, Forrest, 3pm, Sunday, February 28. Tickets available only at the door.

“BURN the Floor” is back with “Fire in the Ballroom”, featuring a cast of 20 that includes champion dancers, musicians and vocalists. Costumes are designed by the Rome theatrical company D’inzillo, choreography by Jason Gilkison and Peta Roby, and a rock opera thrown

in for good measure. Canberra Theatre, Tuesday, March 1, bookings to canberrathatrecentre.com. au or 6275 2700.

“CARNIVALE” is coming up at Queanbeyan Park soon, with more than 25 groups performing and cuisine from Sri Lanka, the Pacific Islands, Italy, the Australia Mon Association, Turkey, Indonesia, Croatia, Greece and Macedonia. At Lowe Street, Queanbeyan, 10am-4pm, on Sunday, February 28.

BANGARRA Dance Theatre’s Stephen Page’s debut feature, “Spear”, will be released in cinemas from March 10. The film also includes performances by Aaron Pedersen and Page’s son Hunter Page-Lochard. Q&A and screening at NFSA’s Arc Cinema on March 12, bookings to nfsa.gov.au

SRI Lanka’s No. 1 band, the Marians, will bring their fusion of Sri Lankan “Baila”, Bollywood

and Latin American styles to the Queanbeyan Bicentennial Hall, 7.30pm, on Saturday, February 27, tickets at the door.

VICTORIAN Opera and Musica Viva are bringing a new chamber opera, “Voyage to the Moon”, starring Emma Matthews and Sally-Anne Russell. Michael Gow wrote and directed the work, based on Ariosto’s “Orlando Furioso”, and describes it as a “pasticcio” of classic and obscure Baroque music with a score featuring the music of Vivaldi, Handel, Telemann, Gluck, Orlandini and de Majo. At Llewellyn Hall, 7pm, March 4, bookings to tickets.musicaviva. com.au

HELEN MUSA

The great Tourist destination

I WAS taken aback when I waltzed into the Tourist Hotel in Queanbeyan for a quick bite to eat one sunny Saturday.

A friend who works in the area told me about the reno that was completed around Anzac Day and said he thought I’d be impressed. And impressed I was.

I adore art deco. Without going over the top in pushing the design, the Tourist has captured the period. The aim was to create an ambiance of an old hotel you’d find in a major metropolitan city and the owners have succeeded. It’s a special environment and the three zones work exceptionally well, with one seamlessly transforming into the next; the traditional sports bar area with its TAB, a lounge area and the dining area.

Let me harp on a bit more. The building, which was originally art deco, provided the inspiration for the renovation. The long and elegant marble-top bar divides the zones nicely. The art deco-inspired tiles are wonderful, the chandeliers hanging here and there add a special touch and the timber floor running throughout warm and inviting.

But what about the food?

The Tourist Hotel offers bistro food, the type you’d expect in “a country town”. It’s good. It’s not expensive. There’s variety on the menu and the wine and beer are very reasonably priced.

The lunch specials on offer during our visit were exceptional value. On my friend’s recommendation, I ordered the grilled fish ($13) which was beautifully cooked (not at all dry) and big on flavour. He had been a few days before and reported that it was great.

He ordered the rump ($15), which was tender and hit the spot. I bet the bourbon barbecue and chicken skewers ($15) would be a top pick.

The main menu is divided into chef’s specials and the third member of our party gave a big thumbs up to the “fantastic fish and chips” ($21 and available Saturday, noon to 9pm, and Sunday, noon to 8pm). The tempura batter was light and the fish cooked just so. Yum chips, too, and plenty of.

The chef’s specials also feature a delightfullooking tiger prawn and mango salad ($25) and Cevapi, a skinless sausage (minced meat) grilled, a dish traditionally found in south-eastern European countries.

House faves include schnitzel ($20), chicken

parmigiana ($23) and barbecue pork ribs and a Texas-style chicken steak ($29). Hankering for pizza? Small and large available, in five styles including the hot, hot, hot “Volcano”. And kids are well taken care of with their own little section on the menu.

The Tourist hosts a happy hour from 5pm on Friday nights and the hotel has specials every day of the week for a decent, cheap food and beverage experience.

There’s lots of room at the Tourist to accommodate large groups. The staff were super friendly and efficient. It’s a top (art deco) place.

The Tourist Hotel, 31 Monaro Street, Queanbeyan. Call 6297 3044.

AGASTACHE

SHADE

Enjoying fuchsias before the fall

MAYBE it’s a strange time to talk about fuchsias, when in only a few weeks their leaves will fall.

But it is a great time to see them in full flower in garden centres and, secondly, it’s an ideal time to take cuttings.

Fuchsias strike readily from cuttings when taken at this time of the year. In spring, the stems are very soft and brittle with all the energy going into new growth and flowers. In autumn, the stems are thicker and have hardened off. Plant the cuttings in a 50/50 mix of washed river sand and perlite or coco peat and keep the mix moist at all times in a shady spot in the garden. Better still if you have a greenhouse.

When the roots have developed, pot up into a premium-grade potting mix and immediately start a regular feeding program. Finally, do not prune back the bare stems in winter. Wait until spring when the new shoots appear and at that time cut off any dead branches.

Fuchsias originated in South and Central America and NZ. They were introduced into the Western world by 18th century missionary Father Plumier, who named the plant after Dr Leonard Fuchs, an eminent 16th century botanist.

The ideal planting position will have morning sun to about 10am and then filtered shade for the rest of the day. Fuchsias are popular in hanging gardens combined with ivy geraniums. In the garden, the soil should be well prepared with added organic compost or cow manure. Mulch well after planting and apply a seaweed plant nutrient to promote strong root growth.

Fuchsias must never be allowed to dry out, vital when in hanging gardens or pots. On hot days, a fine spray of water during the day is especially

I AM often asked about woodlice, those tiny insects with grey, hard, tortoise-like shells. They are

often considered as pests, but in fact woodlice are crustaceans and feed almost entirely on dead and decaying plant material. They are often found in wood heaps or the drier parts of a compost heap. It is very rare that they will eat fresh leaves. So, please, don’t use sprays to get rid of them.

SNAILS are on the move, chomping on the emerging leaves of my polyanthus. I have always liked the comment of David Young, former ABC gardening presenter, suggesting the best way to deal with snails without using snail bait: put your foot on them and if you are squeamish put shoes on first!

The stunning fuchsia “Empress of Prussia” photographed in Rex and Nancy Daley’s Curtin garden. Rex’s speciality is growing pelargoniums and geraniums, with fuchsias his second love. In the ‘70s Canberra’s Geranium and Fuchsia Society boasted nearly 300. I was growing nearly 300 varieties at that time, but like many plants they fell out of fashion. Gardeners often thought that when all the leaves fell off in autumn the plants were dead and out they came! Today, there is a resurgence within the Canberra Geranium and Fuchsia Society with numbers growing (more information at cgfs.org.au).

Jottings…

• Collect seeds from perennials by placing a brown paper bag over the flowers as they start to die off (never a plastic bag) and tie round the stem of the plant. Use a waterproof Texta to label the bag.

• As with fuchsias, it’s an ideal time to take cuttings of geraniums and pelargoniums.

• Keep dead heading dahlias and salvias to keep them flowering until the first frosts.

• The Canberra Bonsai Society will host an “Australian Plants as Bonsai Exhibition” in the Crosbie Morrison Building at the Botanic Gardens, 9.30am-4.30pm, on Saturday, February 27th and Sunday, February 28. More than 30 bonsai will be on display with demonstrations at 2pm each day.

Joanne Madeline Moore

ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

If you rush into a complicated situation without some forward planning, then you could end up with a real mess on your hands. Time for Rams to slow down and do the research that’s required. And if you have a problem, don’t underestimate the power of your intuition to point you in the right direction. On the weekend you’re impatient to say exactly what’s on your mind. But words have the ability to wound, so press pause and think things through before you speak!

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 20)

Are your dreams achievable? Or are you being unrealistic about a project that’s due to be completed? Perhaps you need to get others on board and delegate more? If you think creatively, generate your group connections and keep your options open, then you’ll taste success. And do you feel torn between giving a loved one more freedom, and holding them too close? You have to relax and let them run their own race. Being possessive will only drive them away.

GEMINI (May 21 – June 21)

Are you viewing your career or a colleague through ridiculously rose-coloured glasses? Perhaps you need to be more realistic about what’s going on and avoid over-reacting on the weekend? Blurting out the first thing that comes into your mind is definitely a recipe for trouble so bite your tongue, sit tight and bide your time. Saturn also pushes you to fulfil your relationship responsibilities. Single Twins – look for lasting love with someone who is emotionally mature.

CANCER (June 22 – July 22)

The week will run more smoothly if you roll up your sleeves and be a disciplined and conscientious Crab as you re organise your daily routine, plus prioritise and streamline tasks. And resist the temptation to be a cream-bun-eating couch potato! The more proactive you are about regular exercise and smart food choices, the healthier and happier you’ll be. Heed the wise words from fellow Cancer, actor Tom Hanks: “When you live a life with no boundaries, there’s less joy.”

LEO (July 23 – Aug 22)

Lions love to live it up, as you constantly press the ‘let’s overdo everything’ button. But this week Saturn puts the brakes on, and reminds you of all your current responsibilities and the long list of jobs you haven’t yet completed. Plus something or someone may stop you from expressing yourself in the fun and carefree way you’d like to. You’ll find the more you resist these restrictions, the more difficult the week will be. So suck it up Lions, put your head down, and get to work!

VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sept 22)

You don’t usually shirk your duties but this week you’ll be so busy and stressed, that you may slip into forgetful mode. If you do your fair share of domestic chores, it will keep housemates happy. But if you don’t pull your weight (for whatever reason) then expect a few unpleasant consequences. You may also be at the receiving end of some sharp words from a loved one or work colleague. Don’t take it too personally. Accept the criticism with grace, and then move on.

LIBRA (Sept 23 – Oct 23)

You’re in the mood to catch up socially with friends and workmates. Creativity is also highlighted, but aim to be adaptable so you can keep up with constant surprises and ongoing challenges. Hard work and consultation will take you far! When it comes to a study project or your social media profile, you need to put in some long hours this week. You have the potential to achieve a stunning success, but it won’t come without plenty of elbow grease on your part.

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 21)

Procrastination and Scorpio sulking are out and being passionately proactive is in, as you make the most of Mars charging through your sign until the weekend. So get motivated; initiate ideas; take action; and walk your talk! On the home front, strive to be firm yet flexible with a stressed family member and avoid getting drawn into senseless arguments – which will get you nowhere fast. Don’t be defensive. A child, teenager or close friend has some sound advice so listen up.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 21)

Communication is emphasised (especially with family members and neighbours) so expect plenty of phone calls, texts, tweets and emails. But avoid saying something rash to a stressed relative. You’ll feel restless on the weekend, when action-planet Mars charges into your sign. So Sunday is the best time to go on a grand adventure. Be inspired by birthday great, writer Dr Seuss: “You’re off to great places, today is your day. Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way!”

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19)

This week’s stars boost your perfectionist side and your incredibly close attention to detail. Aim to get the balance right between being creative and being conscientious. Hard work without some divine inspiration is ultimately meaningless. And avoid the tendency to brood over your mistakes and obsess about the past. Regrets will get you nowhere. Your motto for the moment is from Dr Seuss (born on March 2, 1904): “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18)

With charm planet Venus vamping through your sign until March 12, it’s a fabulous time to flutter your eyelashes or flex your pecs and ask for what you want. But if you don’t capitalise on lucky opportunities and influential people when they come along, then success will be fleeting. You’ll feel like rocking the boat on Friday or Saturday, as your rebellious side takes over. You definitely won’t appreciate authority figures telling you what to do – but is that the wise way to go?

PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 20)

Early in the week creativity is high and your imagination and intuition are firing. But the lines between fact and fantasy could become seriously blurred so it’s not a good time to make important decisions involving work or money. So be a flexible Fish and wait. With Mercury moving into your sign on Saturday, it’s a wonderful weekend to rethink your approach to a personal problem. Talking things over with a friend will help you view the situation from a totally fresh perspective.

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

General knowledge crossword No. 537

Vicki needed help to understand her rollover benefits statement having rolled money from the PSS fund to her self managed superannuation fund (SMSF).

“It can be a little confusing,” I consoled her. “The first thing I will do is clarify is your date of birth, which confirms your preservation age.” Vicki’s birth date is April 17, 1957, which makes her preservation age 55. “Your preservation age is the age at which you can withdraw your superannuation benefit,” I told her.

Across

1 Name another word for an adjustable spanner.

8 To dig earth out, is to do what?

9 What do we call the blossom of a plant?

10 What is a deep-black variety of garnet?

11 What is a pair of equal and opposite electric charges?

12 Which outer garment is worn by Hindu women?

13 Name another term for porcelain ware.

16 Name an Australian artist, noted for his paintings of the outback, Sir Sidney ...?

19 What is an alcoholic liquor made by fermenting honey and water?

21 Which term is applicable to a person responsible for a publication?

22 To speculate or conjecture, is to do what?

23 Name another expression for reciprocal.

24 What is a social gathering with a program of musical entertainment?

25 What do we call a tyrant or oppressor?

Down

2 Which English explorer and author was a favourite of Queen Elizabeth 1st, Sir Walter ...?

3 Name the NSW rugby league club that played from 1908 until 1983.

4 Who, in Greek mythology, was the herald and messenger of the gods?

5 Which word describes a knightly or heroic champion?

6 What is an accumulated stock of wealth?

7 What is a returned service person known as?

13 Which government department must one pass through to enter a country?

14 What is any pleasant perfume or fragrance?

15 John Adams was the second president of which country?

17 What is another name for narcotics?

18 Name a tropical American pear-shaped fruit.

20 To have formed an opinion, is to have done what?

“On your rollover statement you have an amount of $250,000, which is shown as ‘unrestricted non-preserved’. This phrase means that you have attained the requirement by reaching age 55 to withdraw these funds when you wish.

“This contrasts with a ‘preserved component’ or a ‘restricted nonpreserved component’.

“If your rollover contained either of those components, then you would have to satisfy a condition of release to withdraw any amount.” Vicki was clearly pleased she could withdraw the amount if she needed.

“Ah, but Vicki, this isn’t the only matter you need to consider,” I said. “The next thing that comes into play is your tax position. The components that have a taxation aspect are the tax-free component and the two ‘taxable components’.

“One is the element untaxed in the fund and the other is the element taxed in the fund. The tax-free component is always tax free. The taxable component untaxed is the interesting one. If this component all arises after July 1, 1983 the component changes its nature to become a taxed component when it is paid into the superannuation fund.

“The mechanism used to tax this component is in the tax return that the SMSF lodges at the end of the financial year. It is separately disclosed and the relevant tax is calculated, is at the rate of 15 per cent. In your case, 15% is charged on the $10,000 untaxed element. There is then no further untaxed element.

“This contrasts with an untaxed element, which includes pre-July 1, 1983, service and this is taxed when the lump sum is withdrawn. The reason is that different tax rules applied before July 1, 1983, so when the calculations are performed, some part of the untaxed component may be converted into a tax-free component, thereby increasing the amount of the tax-free component.”

Vicki said she’d like to withdraw some money now and would take it from the tax-free component so she didn’t have to pay tax.

“Unfortunately, rules exist to stop you doing that,” I told her.

“You have to take from the tax-free and taxable components in the same proportions that the funds were paid into your SMSF. However, there is some good news, which is that this year the first $195,000 you withdraw from the taxed component is tax free. So in your case any amounts you withdraw will come within the taxfree limits.”

Vicki was thrilled to learn that the only tax she would be liable for was 15 per cent on the the untaxed $10,000.

If you need advice on your superannuation or taxation of lump sums in your SMSF contact the friendly team at Gail Freeman & Co Pty Ltd.