161117 citynews

7 Pages OF EXPERT WOMEN IN BUSINESS PROFILES

UNPLANNED PASSION

Emerging ERIN HINTON urges architects to always leave space for ‘interesting stuff’

When good men are challenged

to do something

MICHAEL MOORE

Cartoonists draw a difficult line

PAUL DORIN

Greyhound racing goes to the dogs

TIM GAVEL Seriously, it’s Bill Bailey

HELEN MUSA Message in a (champagne) bottle

RICHARD CALVER

Karen tells tales from her Hit Factory days

By Danielle Nohra

WHEN somebody came down with flu at Stock Aitken Waterman, Karen Hewitt was sent over to the trio’s songwriting and record producing company.

It was the mid-’80s and the budding Australian sound engineer was working in London on a visa.

And suddenly she found herself in her dream job working with all her favourite artists – such as Dead or Alive, Bananarama, Kylie Minogue, Rick Astley, Donna Summer and Paul McCartney.

She had decided to be a sound engineer before leaving school in Australia, inspired by the long-running music show “Countdown” on ABC TV.

“I was never a musician, being a sound engineer is my instrument,” Karen says.

These days Karen works at the National Film and Sound Archive as a sound curator, a long way from the 16-year-old who got a job at Albert Studios in Sydney as Australia’s first female sound engineering apprentice.

During her apprenticeship, she set up microphones.

“I learnt what the best microphones were for certain jobs,” she says.

“Some of this was taught to me and some of it I learnt by watching others.”

Karen worked in Australia for 10 years before moving to the UK, determined to contribute to the British ‘80s music scene.

She certainly covered for the right sick person because the hit machine that was Stock Aitken Waterman was recording big-selling albums such as Karen’s personal favourite, Donna

Summer’s “Another Place and Time”. “Donna Summer was really interesting, she was a very positive person. She already had a career as a disco singer in the ‘70s and then came into SAW during the ‘80s to record.” Summer was just one of the artists that Karen got the chance to know during production sessions.

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“Recording is a very personal environment, it is done in short and intensive spurts,” says Karen.

“SAW could work really fast, a lot faster than other recording studios. They were pumping the stuff out and the whole team was on board.

“In my time at the Hit Factory, as it became known, Stock Aitken Water-

man produced more than 100 top 40 songs and sold in excess of 40 million records.”

Karen left the studio in 1991, feeling she’d gone as far as she could.

“The whole music scene was starting to change then, home recording systems were becoming common and studios were dying,” she says.

“When I left Stock Aitken Waterman, I no longer had a company sponsoring me with a full-time job, this made me an illegal citizen so I could not stay.”

With many studios closing, Karen struggled to make a living in Australia and ultimately completed a short course on archiving at Charles Sturt University.

“Archiving the change of music is such a great way to show our culture,” she says.

And she’ll be hosting an event at the NFSA at the end of November called “Right Round: Working with Pop Royalty”, where she will share behind-thescene stories about 10 global hits.

“It’s going to be a fun and informal night. I’m going to play 10 songs and talk about the making of them. Anyone is welcome to come.”

“Right Round: Working with Pop Royalty”, at NFSA, 1 McCoy Circuit, Acton, 6pm, November 25. Bookings via nfsa.gov.au

The ‘mugs’ prove the pundits terribly wrong

The fact that Clinton was a woman didn’t matter one jot or tittle. Truth is, the glass ceiling is no more. And if you doubt it, cast an eye to Germany and the UK. dose of dorin

OKAY, the pundits and columnists (me included) got that US election very wrong indeed. Only a bunch of mugs, we thought, would vote for a racist, misogynist narcissist to become president of America. So, publicly we wrote him off. But in the back of our brains there remained a frisson of doubt – if he was so totally unelectable, how come Hillary was only leading by five or six points in the polls? What was going on in Middle America that we weren’t hearing about in the “New York Times” and our other

favourite reads?

Well, now we know. They believed their government was broken and President Hillary Clinton, the ultimate insider, would just be more of the same. The fact that she was a woman didn’t matter one jot or tittle. Truth is, the glass ceiling is no more. And if you doubt it, cast an eye to Germany and the UK.

HERE at home, our pollies were reassuring. In a 15-minute phone call, PM Malcolm Turnbull bonded with Donald . “He’s a deal maker,” he said “and he will, I have no doubt, view the world in a very practical and pragmatic way”. So, relax everyone, we’ll get through this one together.

Even Paul Keating was upbeat. At last, Australia could develop an independent foreign policy, he said. In fact, Paul told Leigh Sales on the ABC’s “7.30”, he’d heard Trump say he wanted “to get along with China”. Really? We missed that one.

MEANTIME, our own big news was buried beneath the landslide. The same-sex marriage plebiscite was booted into touch and apparently no one much cared. Then the government introduced its draconian Bill to prevent boat people from

ROBERT MACKLIN

Family Lawyers at their best

ever setting foot in Australia, even as tourists 20 years later. Turnbull and his Immigration Minister Peter Dutton sought to wedge Labor on it. But they were too clever by half. You see, they’d done a deal with Obama’s America (and others) to take the refugees from Nauru and Manus, but they didn’t want to announce that without the legislation lest it be used by people smugglers to market their trade. But instead of taking the Opposi-

tion into their confidence, they preferred to play childish political games. Sad really.

GRATIFIED to see Dreamworld did the right thing and announced the demolition of the ride that killed four people, three of whom were farewelled in Canberra last week. It wasn’t just the decent thing to do, it was also good business… not that we’ll be visiting anytime soon; much cheaper (and healthier) thrills available elsewhere – whale watching while walking our coastal beaches, for example.

AUSTRALIA must fight back in the second Test at Bellerive to keep the series alive. But how many viewers will survive the latest Channel Nine commentators? New boys Michael Clarke and Kevin Pietersen are a disaster. Clarke sounds like Kevin Rudd before his voice broke; while Pietersen, the South African turned Pom, blatantly barracks for the Proteas!

WASN’T that Tim Ross home architecture program on the ABC a ripper. Wonderful to see how we developed such a distinctive Australian style in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Today it’s all McMansions in the new suburbs and even the coast. Time for a bright young architect to lead the great Australian revival. robert@robertmacklin.com

Architect Erin strives for ‘interesting stuff’

By Freyla Ferguson

LOOKING beyond buildings purely as bricks and mortar, Canberra architect Erin Hinton not only pictures a bright future for the architecture industry but is the industry’s bright future.

Hinton was recently awarded the Australian Institute of Architects Emerging Architect Prize for the ACT and will contest, along with the six other state winners, for the National Emerging Architect Prize in April.

Hinton is not only a practising architect but an academic – she convenes and lectures for the Bachelor of Architecture and Bachelor of Interior Architecture at the University of Canberra and is herself completing a PhD in urban design, where she is exploring the conditions of contemporary cities using Canberra as a case study.

She was also the curator of the Young.Hot.Canberra exhibition at the Gallery of Australian Design, which will be back in 2017, and has collaborated with glass artist Blanche Tilden to produce a series for the Glass x Design Exhibition at the Canberra Glassworks.

Hinton strays away from more traditional approaches to architecture through her collaborative practice,

Architect Erin Hinton… “It’s really important to leave some room in Canberra for the unplanned to happen… because, in a way, that’s where the interesting stuff happens.”

Depending on the scope of the project, she handpicks the team she thinks will suit it best, from interior designers, industrial designers, textile artists, ceramicists, graphic designers and street artists, in the hope the results are something that has never been seen before.

“I think architecture, like lots of different industries now, is facing changes

and if we can’t accommodate those changes, architecture will become irrelevant,” Hinton says.

“It’s looking at architecture style that’s broader than just a building, an isolated building that’s potentially built because it looks good aesthetically or gives someone a sense of identity.

“I think it’s more than that. We need to understand that architecture must encompass a whole range of social and cultural issues.”

Hinton’s work can already be seen across Canberra. Her built works include Mocan and Green Grout (NewActon), ONA on the Lawns (Manuka) and various works throughout the NewActon Precinct in A. Baker and Peppers Gallery Hotel.

She also played a part in the successful Braddon redevelopment as seen in her built works Palko Apartments and Unit Concepts.

Hinton believes the success of Braddon’s redevelopment can be achieved in other areas throughout Canberra.

“Occasionally, when I go to working groups [for new Canberra developments or masterplans] or I hear clients say: ‘What we need to do here is Braddon, we need to do another Braddon here’. I feel like saying: ‘We don’t need to do another Braddon here. It was a very special set of circumstances that led to Braddon being Braddon. So what you need to do is Woden here because you are Woden or you need to do Kingston here because you are Kingston’.

“I always say that it’s really important to leave some room in Canberra for the unplanned to happen so we don’t get so obsessed with this plan or this legacy of Canberra that we don’t leave room for the unplanned because, in a way, that’s where the interesting stuff happens.”

She also has high hopes for keeping

women in the industry, something that she is already instilling in the next crop of architects – her students.

“What we need to do is make the more alternative pathways in architecture,” Hinton says.

“I think that that would have a great effect on women getting back into the industry after they’ve had children because, at the moment, the biggest drop off for males and females is at the time when they are having children and we don’t see those women necessarily come back into the industry.

“We could think about some alternative pathways for women or fathers, that’s not necessarily sitting in the office 9-5 in the same capacity or same roles that are considered conventional or traditional.

“For my students, I started a little series of talks where I got graduates who had graduated from architecture but had moved into allied fields.

“We had an animator that worked for Pixar come back. That animator took how we teach digital drawing and went into animation and took it one step further.

“We have people who do film clips for people or work in museums and galleries as curators.

“Game design is another one. It was just showing that you have the skills to do these other things as well.”

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opinion / The Philip Moss Report

Failure upon failure as a young man dies

THE Philip Moss Report, “So Much Sadness in Our Lives”, into the operations of the Alexander Maconochie Centre does not make for pretty reading.

It chronicles the care (in most instances, its absence) and treatment (at times gratuitously or unconsciously cruel) of one inmate, Steven Freeman, a young Aboriginal man born and raised in Canberra.

The report covers the time from his arrest on April 27, 2015, and his vicious bashing at the AMC one day later until his tragic death while still languishing in custody, on remand, over one year later on May 27.

It is a chronicle of failure upon failure of the ACT Justice and Health systems.

It is also, at a deeper level, a vignette of the tragic consequences of the continuing impact of the racism, discrimination and disempowerment endured by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Canberra.

While the report focuses on serious failings within the ACT government, it also exposes our collective failure as a community and as a society. Society, which is all of us, clearly failed Steven Freeman.

Philip Moss provides a deeply touching account of Steven Freeman’s early life and the challenges he faced. His diagnosis with ADHD at the age of six and the death of a much-loved sister from a heroin overdose when he was 12. The death of his sister coincided with his first contact with the criminal justice system. Steven did not complete year 8 at school and was, by that time, drinking alcohol. He later turned to drugs. What is left unsaid is the response or reaction to Steven’s circumstances at that time from ACT government agencies and publicly funded community services.

At no time in the 13 months that Steven Freeman was in the AMC was he offered rehabilitation or assistance or counselling or treatment for his drug use.

The fear is that the cavalier, if not negligent, approach to Steven Freeman’s care and treatment following his arrest and incarceration in April 2015 is emblematic of the care and treatment that he had received from ACT authorities all his life.

A true appreciation of the extent of the failings identified by Philip Moss can only be obtained from reading the full report. I will relate just one episode of the serial bungling identified.

The bungling, in fact, started on the day of arrest when ACT Policing failed to record or to pass on to ACT Corrective Services information obtained from Steven Freeman following his interview by police about the level of his alcohol, ice and other drug use. The inquiry made a formal finding that this failing “was a factor in Steven Freeman’s assault”.

However, during his induction interview at the AMC by Justice Health Services Steven did again reveal the extent of his drug use and his addiction to ice. He advised that his ice habit was costing him about $300 a day. Despite this admission, no ice withdrawal assessment was made, no care plan was developed in the event he would likely experience withdrawal issues, he was not referred for drug counselling or seen by a doctor.

Justice Health, like ACT Policing, also failed to pass the information about Steven’s ice use and addiction to ACT Corrections.

Within hours of his admission to AMC, Steven was severely beaten, almost to the point of death, and taken to Canberra Hospital where he

JON STANHOPE

was placed in an induced coma for four days. However, Canberra Hospital was also not advised that Steven Freeman was addicted to ice and at no time during the nine days of his admission were the implications of his drug use considered in his treatment including following an incident on May 6 when Steven exhibited high levels of agitation and aggression, symptomatic of withdrawal from ice. The response of the AMC and the Canberra Hospital to this incident was to handcuff Steven to his bed.

At no time in the 13 months that Steven Freeman was in the AMC was he offered rehabilitation or assistance or counselling or treatment for his drug use. On the evidence to be gleaned from the report, Steven Freeman, while in the care of the ACT government, was forced to withdraw “cold turkey” from ice and alcohol (and possibly other drugs) with no medical or other assistance.

Philip Moss did not inquire into the causes of Steven Freeman’s death. That is a question that is subject to a coronial inquest. However, it is impossible to not think that the consequences of

the failings and shortcomings identified by the Moss inquiry in relation to almost every aspect of Steven Freeman’s care and treatment should not be the subject of consideration by the coroner.

Philip Moss concluded his report with the following two observations: “Narelle King told the inquiry that, upon hearing of Steven Freeman’s death, she sought to be with her son at the AMC but this request was refused. The inquiry notes that this refusal remains a cause of sorrow for Narelle King.

“Steven Freeman was pronounced dead at 11.11am. Narelle King asked the inquiry when Steven Freeman’s body was removed from his cell on the day of his death. The inquiry notes that it was at 4.43pm. Narelle King told the inquiry she remains distressed that her son lay alone for this period in his cell.”

Jon Stanhope was Chief Minister from 2001 to 2011 and represented Ginninderra for the Labor Party from 1998. He is the only chief minister to have governed with a majority in the Assembly.

When Giulia went to Sweden...

IN response to the letter from Rewa Bate (CN, November 8) disputing John Griffiths’ view that Giulia Jones was a “Liberal Party loser”, I am afraid I have to agree with John.

When Jones decided to take a staff member with her, when first elected as an MLA, to one of the most expensive countries on the planet (Sweden) to study prostitution, she lost me as a potential supporter even though she lives just around the corner. And the fact that Vicki Dunne did the same, although taking her spouse instead, did little to raise either of them in my estimation. They should have spent time studying issues such as youth homelessness, suicide, mental health and affordable housing, which are far more important and relevant issues in Canberra. Ric Hingee, Duffy

Suffering a lust for power

THE Australian body politic is suffering from a lust for power, greed and even personal hatreds. These negatives have caused blockages in the main decisionmaking arteries in the heart of our parliament. Installation of electoral stents over the last seven years have not resolved the problem. Although self-prescribing is a medical no-no, it can be said with certainty that with our parliament at risk

of an infarct, honesty, integrity, and goodwill must be so used as anticoagulants.

Colliss Parrett, Barton

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

opinion / cartooning

Drawing a difficult line

EDITORIAL and political cartooning is in the spotlight at the moment over a controversial cartoon drawn by News Limited cartoonist Bill Leak.

Satire certainly has the potential to shock when it touches cultural or religious issues.

I agree with Leak, when someone complains about a cartoon, you may have never met them but it’s amazing how they think that they know you so well, that they are able to say what you, as a cartoonist, were thinking when you were drawing the cartoon.

The thing is, whether you’re a comedian or a cartoonist, satire always has the potential to make us feel uncomfortable. Sometimes knowing the truth also makes us feel uncomfortable. I might be a cartoonist that stays away from the permissible limits of the right to freedom of expression, but with particular topics you sometimes need to be harsh for the whole point of the cartoon to work.

My goal for a cartoon is to stir a laugh or a smile, which as a result can sometimes cause a few to be offended.

Exaggeration is the key formula to drawing cartoons and this means that sometimes the harsher the topic satirised, the more biting the cartoon is in the end.

I think the last time l was ever in fear of the repercussions for a cartoon l had drawn was back in high school…that funny caricature of my teacher, which was confiscated, ended up with me being sent to the disciplinary office nervously waiting and

My goal is to stir a laugh or a smile, which can sometimes cause a few to be offended.

wondering if l was about to receive three or six of the best for my conviction. The irony was that the particular caricature in question was stuck up in pride of place in the staff room!

I have had a few cartoons in the past that people have said were “offensive or insulting” and it may have only been a few complaints, but it has caused a growing concern with me around self-censorship; l am finding myself being careful of boundaries, especially on certain issues, and this may be because cartoons are reaching people more than ever with the advent of social media.

l have noticed over the years that some cartoonists have toned down their artistic/ creative licence. l am comfortable knowing where to draw the line, it’s just not as curvy as some cartoonists.

I guess we’re very lucky in this country, in some countries being funny is a dangerous business.

Paul Dorin is the “CityNews” cartoonist.

PAUL DORIN

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sport Greyhounds going to the dogs

IF ever a sport in Canberra was at a crossroads, it’s greyhound racing.

The ACT government has stopped short of banning it, but has reiterated that its annual $1 million to the Canberra Greyhound Racing Club will be withdrawn.

Without the funding, it’s fair to say the club would struggle to exist and there is a perception that the government doesn’t need to ban the sport in Canberra because it would die a natural death through lack of funds.

It’s worth having a look at the history of the sport and why the decision was made in the first place.

The NSW government moved to ban the industry in the wake of the “Four Corners” report. As a result, the ACT government then released a statement saying there was no future for the sport in Canberra, stating it would stop paying the annual $1 million to the club.

The Canberra Greyhound Racing Club estimates that up to $100 million is bet on the club’s two meetings each week. On Sunday, about $50 million is bet, while on the Wednesday meet its $40 million. Given that gambling also takes place offshore it is hard to provide an exact figure.

However, it’s worth noting that the gambling aspect hasn’t been raised as a major issue in the debate.

The government has been providing the club with $1 million a year as part of the share of funding to the racing

industry in Canberra. As I understand it, there is an $8 million pool with 75 per cent going to thoroughbred racing and 12.5 per cent going each to greyhounds and harness racing.

The argument for withdrawing the funding to greyhound racing focuses on welfare issues with 80 per cent of the dogs racing in Canberra coming from NSW.

In researching this column, I have found no instances of abuse of greyhounds by any trainers in Canberra.

In chasing up what the money is used for, the club says it is used for maintenance of the track, animal welfare, swabbing and integrity.

If the club is able to continue without the government funding, does the track become unsafe, does integrity suffer and what happens to dog welfare?

There is the possibility that the club will continue if NSW ration-

alises its tracks and meetings. Will that result in even more NSW dogs racing in Canberra with even more meetings?

Opponents of sport have spoken out about issues ranging from dog welfare to the reasoning behind the government providing funding to a sport that has gambling as its basis. There has also been the problem of over-breeding with the culling of dogs deemed to be slow.

If the government funding is cut, the question I have is: If the industry continues in Canberra what government controls will be enforceable, will the welfare of the dogs be compromised? That, surely, is at the heart of this issue.

amazing kids Christina spells success

BUNGENDORE Public

School student Christina Hood has won the largest spelling bee in the country.

She topped more than 136,000 students from over 940 NSW schools for the title of Premier’s Spelling Bee Senior Division winner for 2016.

In the Sydney finals, the year 6 student correctly spelled marquee, skillet, symmetry, slough, congruent, harpsichord, desperado, fictitious, enchilada, segue and expeditious.

As NSW State Champion, Christina received a gold medallion and will be acknowledged along with her school on a perpetual trophy.

Christina has gained selection to represent the school at the regional finals since she was in Year 3 and finally won the title of State Champion. Fourth time lucky!

More than 3500 students progressed through to the regional finals with only 86 students earning a spot in the state final.

Right: Spelling bee winner Christina Hood with her prize.

Hamish keeps hitting home runs

Hamish Sanz-Pellatt, 13.

THE amazing Hamish Sanz-Pellatt, of Belconnen, is one of Canberra’s most versatile young athletes.

At only 13 he proved himself an outstanding catcher and leading batter for the ACT – and the Public Schools – softball teams at last year’s Pacific School Games in Adelaide.

He was the leading try scorer for the West Belconnen Leagues Club in his age group and voted players’ player of the year. This led to his being selected for the initial Canberra Raiders junior training squad.

And he’s just been selected in the

ACT under-15 softball team for the National Championships in Brisbane in January.

Unsurprisingly perhaps, he has won the 2016 Lord’s Taverner’s Scholarship of $800 for Young Athletes with a Disability, which is being used to assist his travel to competitions around the country. Oh, I should mention: he was born without a left hand.

A Lord’s Taverner’s spokesman said: “As well as his great sporting ability, he’s a very personable and delightful boy.” He is also a pretty remarkable athlete.

– Robert Macklin.

Good men challenged to do something

A DESPONDENT group of international public health professionals meeting in Vienna at the time of the Trump presidential victory was challenged by Richard Horton to set an agenda for the incoming administration.

Horton is the editor of “The Lancet”, one of the most prestigious medical journals in the world and known for challenging the status quo. The challenge was issued even before revelations that Donald Trump’s policies may be “different from the election rhetoric”.

The challenge by Horton was to develop a public health manifesto in the period before the swearing-in of the American president-elect. In reality, such agendas should be supported by all international organisations and all people of good social conscience who are concerned about divisiveness, inequity, misogyny, ignorance, hate, racism, marginalisation and persecution of minorities.

Parallel to the Horton challenge was a reminder from Oxford University’s Professor David Stuckler (an American) who reminded those health professionals in Vienna and around the world of Edmund Burke’s comment: “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing”.

The reason for developing and demanding a positive agenda was reinforced within hours by a report in “The Washington Post”. Journalist Jose DelReal expounded: “Trump built

Democracies are not just about elections. There are many forms of people power that can have a major impact on even the most strident of politicians.

his campaign message around bold vows to, among other things, force Mexico to pay for a massive border wall, fully repeal the Affordable Care Act and ban Muslims from entering the US. But in the days since his upset election victory, he or his advisers have suggested that those proposals and others may be subject to revision.”

This is of particular interest to health professionals who believe in the principle of universal healthcare and who recognise that, under President Barack Obama’s health-care law, more than 15 million people, who would otherwise be excluded, now have access to treatment.

Although the Trump victory was surprising, there were some who predicted the possibility of this phenomena. Philosopher Noam Chomsky, as far back as April, 2010, told Fahad Alhazmi of “TruthDig”: “The US is extremely lucky that no honest, charismatic figure has arisen. Every charismatic figure is such an obvious crook that he destroys himself, like McCarthy or Nixon or the evangelist preachers. If somebody comes along who is charismatic and honest, this country is in real trouble because of the frustration, disillusionment, the

justified anger and the absence of any coherent response.”

Chomsky painted a picture of the rise of a fascist regime: “What are people supposed to think if someone says: ‘I have got an answer, we have an enemy’? There it was the Jews. Here it will be the illegal immigrants and the blacks. We will be told that white males are a persecuted minority. We will be told we have to defend ourselves and the honor of the nation. Military force will be exalted.

“And if it happens it will be more dangerous than Germany. The US is the world power. Germany was powerful but had more powerful antagonists. I don’t think all this is very far away. If the polls are accurate it is not the Republicans but the right-wing Republicans, the crazed Republicans, who will sweep the next election.”

Prof Stuckler attempted to put things in perspective as to the possible outcomes with a comparison of three populist candidates from the past. The first he saw as the possibility of a minimalist outcome with a presidency

similar to the other American celebrity politician, Arnold Schwarzenegger. While “the governator” was popular, he was responsible for so little change that his term was harmless. It was somewhat more distressing with the corruption associated with the Italian womanising PM, Silvio Berlusconi. His worst-case scenario prediction, unfortunately, aligned with another Italian leader – the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini.

Taking a positive stand when concerned about an electoral outcome is the real message from Horton and Stuckler. Democracies are not just about elections. The European and World Public Health Associations have committed to writing the manifesto and “The Lancet” to publish it. There are many forms of people power that can have a major impact on even the most strident of politicians.

Former MLA Michael Moore is CEO of the Public Health Association of Australia and president of the World Federation of Public Health Associations.

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Uniforms united

IN support of White Ribbon Day, November 25, ACT police, ADF and Emergency Services personnel will run Uniforms Unite Against Family Violence stalls in Canberra Centre, Belconnen, Woden, Gungahlin Marketplace, Tuggeranong Hyperdome and Dickson Shops, 10am2pm, on November 19 to raise money for White Ribbon Australia and awareness for family violence.

Christmas bazaar

DEVONSHIRE teas, a sausage sizzle and lots of stalls await visitors to the Isabella Gardens Retirement Village’s Christmas Bazaar. Items for sale include plants, craft, cakes, Christmas decorations, books and jewellery. All welcome to Drumston Street, Isabella Plains, 3pm7pm, on Saturday, November 19.

Fun for PANDSIfest

THE community based Post and Ante Natal Depression Support and Information group will hold its first family-fun PANDSIfest at 25 Stapylton Street, Holder, 10am-noon, on Saturday, November 19.

Life after a crash

NEWSPAPER columnist Nicholas Stuart is giving a talk to the Sunday Assembly on how he reinvented his life after a car crash in Bangkok 25 years ago saw him sustain frontal lobe damage and shortened his career as a foreign correspondent with the ABC. At Majura Hall, Dickson, Sunday, November 20, 2.30pm.

At the Inaugral Fur Ball, Civic

Expert Katrina to the rescue

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

“Money is embedded with a lot of emotional currency. Wealth facilitates lifestyle and the life people want to live.”

7 Pages OF EXPERT PROFILES

‘When we take on the responsibility, families can concentrate on the elderly relations’ emotional wellbeing.’

Katrina to rescue of older people with money worries

IN her 25 years working as a financial adviser, Katrina Wybrow noticed that elderly people, the ones who need the most support, just weren’t getting it financially.

With Katrina’s oldest client aged 94, she helps people in aged care make the best choices in many complex areas.

She says: “It’s complicated. There are aged care fees, C entrelink and welfare. Advisers need to be across a number of areas for each individual.”

People transitioning into elderly care usually face issues because they’re not aware of this.

“One mistake people make is they worry about how much fees will cost them when it’s more about understanding the cash flow and choosing a facility that is right for individual health care needs.”

Katrina, principal of Wybrow and Associates, also works on taking the worry and stress from her clients’ families.

She says we live in a “sandwich generation” where children are juggling their elderly parents’ health care, their investments, as well as helping them on a personal level.

“When we take on the responsibility, families can concentrate on the elderly relations’ emotional wellbeing.”

Wybrow and Associates aim to help people achieve the outcomes they want from their lives.

“Money is embedded with a lot of emotional currency. Wealth facilitates lifestyle and the life people want to live. So, how do you live? Who do you love and what legacy do you want to leave?”

she says.

“A lot of people are getting quite large inheritances and managing them can be difficult if you have never done it before.

“It’s said that people who get larger inheritances don’t have any problems but actually, they have bigger and more interesting problems.

“And what was right for the benefactor might not be right for the beneficiary.”

She also wants to warn people about the legislative changes that will occur on January 1, which can affect new aged-care residents.

These changes could impact pension entitlements and aged-care costs of individuals entering care.

Katrina says: “What you want to do is make all your financial decisions before

you go into the facility. It’s not too bad after you go in – you can still make a difference – but the really good work can be done before you go into the facility.”

Katrina has a personal passion for advising people in this area and is very sensitive to the emotions that come into play, having been through the same situation with her own grandmother, who developed dementia, and her father-in-law, who moved into a lowcare facility.

“That certainly brings a very personal element to this area for me,” she says.

“I like to think it’s a combination of the ‘hard’ skills of putting that financial jigsaw together to make sure it works, but then also the ‘soft’ issues of all the emotions and feelings around surrendering some of your freedoms to go into care, because you need that support.

“A lot of the older people that I deal with have fascinating stories and have done amazing things in their lives, so I suppose when you hear their stories and you know what they’ve done you think: ‘This person deserves the best they can have’. They’ve contributed, now it’s time for them to be cared for.”

Wybrow and Associates. Unit 5, 8 Phipps Close, Deakin. Call 6162 4100.

With recent changes to aged care it is now even more important to get your finances in order. Katrina Wybrow has over 25 years’ experience as a financial adviser and specialises in helping those who need a simplified process of entry into aged care.

Katrina and her team will provide an expertly developed aged care plan; helping you with your estate planning and financial portfolio, so that you get the care, and the secure future you deserve.

Wybrow and Associates is also known for working for the best financial outcome for beneficiaries of large inheritances, through strong associations with expert lawyers and accountants.

Becky Carter TRAVEL CONSULTANT & OWNER

I believe that to be the best at your job, you must love what you do and I honestly do.

I have worked in the travel industry for over 10 years and during my time I have travelled extensively and I like to share my first-hand knowledge. In fact, many of your readers may have seen my monthly column where I share my experiences and try to inspire people to

create adventures of their own. What sets me apart is that I take the time to listen to my clients, to hear what they are looking for, to ensure that what they are booking is exactly what they are looking for. I use my experience to not only make recommendations but also suggestions to improve their experience to match their needs and budget.

Active Travel, Unit 133, Mode3, 24 Lonsdale Street, Braddon, ACT 2612; activetravel.com.au; 6249 6122; askus@activetravel.com.au

Tracy Keeley

MANAGING DIRECTOR & OWNER

BOOKPLATE’S success is the culmination of the skills and life lessons I’ve collected throughout my career.

I spent 20 years working as a teacher and the leadership skills I honed in the classroom are at the heart of everything I do. I bring together amazing people who I trust to share in the collective process of running a business.

I allow them to grow, contribute, excel and even fail.

As a mum, my negotiation skills had to be razor sharp; essential skills for running a café in a government building. I have two masters and a bachelor degree, I love to learn and love to sometimes fail, because from your failures and false starts often the greatest lessons and skills are learned.

BOOKPLATE , National Library of Australia, Parkes Place, Parkes 2600; bookplate.com.au; 6262 1154; tracy@bookplate.com.au

Emily Avery (nee Worsnop)

FOUNDER & CO-DIRECTOR

I did my first massage course in 1999 and became fascinated with the industry. Completing an Adv. Dip.App.Sci – Remedial Massage in 2002, CARM Therapies was born and, 17 years later, I can happily say that my desire to learn and succeed has opened up some fantastic doors and allowed me to grow my business. My career has allowed me to

travel with sporting teams, be invited to be a private practitioner in The Faculty of Health Clinics at UC and to have a clinic at Parliament House. I teach massage workshops for CIT Solutions, and hold a Cert 4 in Training and Assessment.

My areas of interest in the clinic include assisting with chronic pain management and recovery from post acute injuries.

CARM Therapies Pty Ltd, Shop 4, Higgins Place, Higgins 2615; carmtherapies.com.au; 6278 7302; carmtherapies@gmail.com

Holly Diggle

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, OWNER & DANCE TEACHER

Holly holds a BA in Dance Performance (Theory and Practice), a Diploma in Dance Teaching and Management and a RYT 200hr Yoga Teacher Certificate accredited with Yoga Alliance.

She has extensive professional performance experience, having performed extensively throughout Australia and toured internationally.

Holly’s specialty is Contemporary Dance and she gives a strong, physical and technical class. Her teaching practice is inspired and informed by the desire to provide a positive, confidence-building experience for her students.

Holly is committed to the holistic development of her students, both as dancers and as wellrounded and happy individuals.

Dance Northside, Kaleen Community Hall, Georgina Cresent, Kaleen; dancenorthside.com.au; 0413 049625; holly@dancenorthside.com.au

Deborah Keenan

OWNER

My expertise is dedicating myself to making customers feel special. The number one priority for me is making them feel at ease and providing that extra touch of personal service. By offering something individually different, of good quality, away from the mainstream, I believe gives my

customers a unique experience when gift buying from my Queanbeyan shop. With Christmas only a few weeks away, I am working especially hard at giving the best possible customer service so my customers feel happy about wanting to return to Beautiful Gifting time and again.

Beautiful Gifting, 84 Monaro Street, Queanbeyan 2620; 0419 627210; beautifulgifting@gmail.com

Gaye Morgan

THE MINDSET COACH

With 35 years as a student of personal development, and qualifications in Coaching, Clinical Hypnotherapy, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and Applied Social Science, Gaye approaches the needs of her client’s with a holistic view. Importantly, she empowers them by teaching them how to independently use techniques that reinforce the

change-work in session: including Meridian Acu-Pressure (Tapping), listening to hypnotic recordings, practising NLP processes and developing mindfulness skills.

With self-awareness as the foundation for change, Gaye assists her clients to reprogram patterns of behaviour, examine their limiting beliefs, values, and emotional needs, to create a capital mindset.

Capital Mindset, Level 1, Bailey’s Corner, 143 London Circuit, Canberra; 0409 814664; gaye@capitalmindset.com

Dale Harris

BALLROOM DANCING TEACHER / COACH

I have been dancing since I was six years old and have completed all my medals. I have done competition dancing before moving on to complete my professional quaifications. I am now a championship adjudicator with DanceSport Australia also Licentiate/Member in Modern-Latin and New Vogue with A.D.S., A.N.D.A. & S.A.T.D.

Dales’ Ballroom Dancing, 130-140 Ellerston Avenue, Isabella Plains, ACT 2905; DalesBallroomDancing.com.au; 0407 066110; Dale_Harris@bigpond.com.au

Kerrie Jarius DIRECTOR

I am passionate about using my expertise to help business owners grow their business without the admin ruling their lives to the wee small hours of the morning. Life in small business is hectic enough without having to worry about GST and all the other stuff that goes with that.

I enjoy seeing the difference

we can make to our customers professional and personal lives through providing accurate and up-to-date financials, support, and encouragement.

I am committed to helping people by ensuring there is a win-win for our customers and our staff. When GST is a pain in the BAS call us!

Fax ’n’ Figures Bookkeeping, PO Box 1009, Queanbeyan 2620; faxnfigures.com.au; 6283 5666; info@faxnfigures.com.au

Jane Lombard CEO

Jane has learnt the hard way, over the years, as a business owner herself. She has the ability to work with businesses struggling with cashflow issues and identify solutions that are going to work.

Jane is a SME Specialist, with hands-on experience across a broad spectrum of industries, including hospitality, labour hire, franchising, startups and real

estate, to name but a few. She has a deep understanding of the frustrations and difficulties that business owners experience. Jane will work with you to find the right financial solution for you and your business. She will work quickly and efficiently to help you through tough funding challenges, enabling you to achieve your business goals.

Fifo Capital Financial Services, PO Box 3269, Weston Creek 2611; www.fifocapital.com.au; 0408 226841; jane.lombard@fifocapital.com

Gail Freeman DIRECTOR

As a qualified Chartered Accountant, Financial Planner, Self Managed Superannuation Fund (SMSF) advisor and Tax Agent, Gail has all the expertise required to provide a one-stop-shop to assist her clients with all their financial needs.

Gail specialises in taxation, small businesses and SMSFs and is passionate about helping her clients

to achieve their goals. In addition to her financial skills, Gail also provides advice to her clients on systems and processes to improve their efficiency. Gail is active in the community as a member of Rotary International as well as serving on advisory committees and not-for-profit boards. Gail enjoys writing regular columns for “CityNews”.

Gail Freeman & Co Pty Ltd, 9/71 Leichhardt Street, Kingston 2604; gailfreeman.com.au; 6295 2844; gail@gailfreeman.com.au

Karen Howard

DIRECTOR OF CONSULTING

My expertise is in the areas of leadership, management and human resource (HR) management. Starting in a junior HR role and working my way through the ranks in the public service means I understand the operational and strategic aspects of all elements of HR work. This, combined with lots of opportunities for team leadership, made the step into the world

of management consulting 16 years ago fairly seamless, but led to a whole new set of insights. I now apply this experience as a mentor to our team of expert consultants, all who have worked at executive levels in the public sector, as well as working in partnership with our clients to develop and implement solutions to build their capability.

Interaction Consulting Group, 4/71 Dundas Court, Phillip 2606; interactionconsulting.com.au; 6282 9111; karen.howard@interactionconsulting.com.au

Lesley Richards

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Becoming the Managing Director of a management consulting company wasn’t something I set out to do at the beginning of my career. Working for many years in the Australian government developed my commitment to the notion of public service and helped me make an easy transition to working in a company that supports the public sector to serve its

government even better. Over time I acquired the business skills to lead a company that is successful and where a group of committed and talented people want to work. Working towards coaching accreditation with the International Coaching Federation provides a solid foundation for taking a coaching approach in all interactions with our team and clients.

Interaction Consulting Group, 4/71 Dundas Court, Phillip 2606; interactionconsulting.com.au; 6282 9111; lesley.richards@interactionconsulting.com.au

Julie Ford Dip FP,

CFP®

CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER & GENERAL INSURANCE

I help building company owners, engineers, civil contractors, tradesmen and technical services professionals to implement personal insurances that will provide the financial protection and security they and their families need.

I’m there when I’m needed most, co-ordinating income protection, life, trauma and

accidental injury claims so that full entitlements are received quickly. That’s my commitment.

Ford and Associates Pty Ltd, 25 Wakelin Circuit, Weston 2611; thefordgroup.com.au; 6288 3683; jford@iaa.net.au

Bethany Freeman-Chandler MANAGER

Bethany has over 20 years’ experience working with Gail Freeman & Co Pty Ltd. Currently CPA and tax agent qualified, she spends half her time in the office and half working onsite at clients’ offices. Her expert tax and accounting skills enable her to come in to businesses and assist them with streamlining their financial processes and increasing their

efficiency. Bethany is proficient with many computerised accounting programs. Recently

Bethany has been a great asset to a few businesses who have found themselves unexpectedly without a financial controller as she has stepped in to fulfill that role and transition them to new systems until a suitable permanent staff member has been found.

Gail Freeman & Co Pty Ltd, 9/71 Leichhardt Street, Kingston, 2604; gailfreeman.com.au; 6295 2844; bethany@gailfreeman.com.au

Sharon Ingster

BUSINESS MANAGER

Thirty one years as a small business owner and qualification in finances equipped me with a wide range of business management skills that I’m now using in my role as Business Manager. I’ve worked in and observed the operations of many businesses in different industries. This has given me great insights into what it takes to run a highly suc-

cessful business.

Completing a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment eventually led me to Interaction – a company that specialises in learning and development as well as other consulting activities that support individuals, teams and organisations to be their best. I’ve found a niche at Interaction, where the team is customer and quality focused.

Interaction Consulting Group, 4/71 Dundas Court, Phillip 2606; interactionconsulting.com.au; 6282 9111; sharon.ingster@interactionconsulting.com.au

Becky Fleming

DANCE STUDIO OWNER

I’m very fortunate and grateful to be able to dedicate my life to a profession that I truly love and continue to grow and share more knowledge. I started dancing when I was 12, then went on to study professionally for two years, followed by three years training and performing professionally in Mexico with Afro Cuban contemporary and folkloric companies.

After returning home, I worked with two ballroom and Latin studios before opening Kokoloco in 2004. Since then, I have been running successful classes, Latin events and professional shows. I love sharing my knowledge and passion to people of all ages and abilities, bringing health, joy and connection to others’ lives through dance.

Kokoloco Dance Studio, 2 Launceston Street, Phillip 2606; kokoloco.com.au; 0421 798490; info@kokoloco.com.au

Arety Krikonis

OWNER

My clients know that when they come to me, my attention is solely focused on them, and I’ll go the extra mile to ensure they’re happy. Building a rapport with them allows me to develop strong client relationships. They are the secret to my success! And as my client base has grown, my business has gone from strength to strength.

I started as a small tanning business from home. Now I am a specialist solely in spray tanning, eyelash enhancements and eyebrow sculpturing, while also providing a mobile tanning division (Canberra Mobile Spray Tans). The salon also focuses on organic, natural and vegan beauty products for tanning, make-up and skincare.

Luscious Glow – Spray Tanning Canberra, Macquarie Shopping Centre, Macquarie 2614; spraytanningcanberra.com; 0431 796057; lusciousglowtan@gmail.com

Margaret Dimoff

GALLERY OWNER & ARTIST

I graduated from the ANU in ceramics and sculpture, but now concentrate only on painting. I opened my own gallery three years ago – the largest contemporary gallery in the ACT. Before then, my work was displayed in 12 galleries in NSW and Victoria. My paintings have been sold to many parts of the world.

My gallery, on the corner of Grey Street and Hopetoun Circuit, is open Friday to Sunday, 10am-4pm.

Margaret Dimoff Art Gallery, 38 Grey Street, Deakin 2600; margaretdimoffart.com.au; 0407 416480; margaretdimoff@gmail.com

Merrill Vellenoweth

OWNER & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

I believe a creative designer can design anything they are passionate about. In fact, this is the core around which I have built my business to be a regional leader in all sorts of design assignments. Over more than 20 years, I have amassed vast experience in my constantly evolving, chosen field, developing skills in set design and construction, interior design and

BRINGING

refurbishment, and design and manufacture of custom interior elements.

I inherited this passion for design from my grandparents and have built on that through a career of hands-on experience. Each of my designs is unique and presents exciting challenges; the creative process and interaction with the client is always rewarding.

Merrill Design Australia Pty Ltd, PO Box 7, Fyshwick 2609; merrilldesign.com.au; 6280 5883; merrilldesign@netspeed.com.au

Deborah Carrera

PRINCIPAL PHYSIOTHERAPIST

Deborah has worked as a physiotherapist with neurological and complex rehabilitation clients for 30 years and over the past eight years developed her own business, Neurospace. She has undertaken extensive postgraduate training across a range of areas in physiotherapy care and holistic health care, including the management of vestibular problems.

She has worked in Australia and overseas. In the neurological area she has completed a research Masters, developed teaching programs and worked as both a clinical educator and lecturer across two universities. In 2008, she became an APA-titled Neurological physiotherapist. She is doing volunteer work as a paralympic classifier.

Neurospace, 10 Colbee Court, Phillip 2606; neurospace.com.au; 6162 0450; reception@neurospace.com.au

Pertini, Toni Pons, Hispanitas and many more. Escala travels the globe to bring you the latest collections from leading fashion brands.

Barb Bowen

OWNER / THERAPIST

I have a Bachelor of Science (Psychology), a graduate certificate in Strategic Psychotherapy and Clinical Hypnotherapy, and am a qualified NLP practitioner.

Adding to this I have experience in personal coaching and meditation. While academic qualifications are one thing, being an expert in the area of people

and life requires so much more. I have a life full of experience and connect with and understand people innately. I have built a thriving practice and will push you for the hard answers, finding your strengths, your weaknesses and your resources. We can then work together with this knowledge to achieve the results you want from life.

The Resourceful Minds Clinic, 182 Crawford Street, Queanbeyan; 2620; 6299 8660; info@resourcefulminds.com.au

Janice Bannerman

OWNER

A lifelong love affair with great fashion and a desire to make beautiful clothes accessible for all women has culminated in the Broads brand and Silk Sisters boutique.

Speaking with fabulous women of all shapes and sizes every day continually drives us to source and design the unique, flattering and beautiful clothes they love to

wear. We have a strong passion for our customers and work incredibly hard to make sure we keep them well supplied with size diverse clothing in great cuts and natural fibres.

We know our women.

Silk Sisters, Baileys Arcade, 143 London Circuit, Civic 2600; forbroads.com.au; 6101 7406; janice@forbroads.com.au

Jackie Warburton

OWNER

I have always enjoyed growing plants and being outdoors. My interest in cacti, and how plants grow in general lead me to study horticulture. After gaining qualifications in horticulture in 2008 at CIT in Weston, I’ve worked full time as a professional horticulturist – in public and private gardens across Canberra and through my garden maintenance and consulting business, Terra Solarus.

My husband Bret and I run Terra Solarus together. I often say he is the perspiration and I am the inspiration! Our business specialises in treating elm trees for elm leaf beetle infestations. Our core business is garden maintenance and pruning, and people seek us out for speciality pruning and spraying of rose and fruit trees, and to provide the correct fertilisers for gardens and plants.

Terra Solarus; terrasolarus.com.au; 0414 845238

Catherine Smith

PRACTICE MANAGER

At 21, I had a vision of assisting people build better lives for themselves using my financial knowledge, which at that age was probably not much. Nonetheless, it was a vision called providing “wholistic financial solutions”. I then went on to study Accounting, Taxation, Financial Planning, Finance and Real Estate. My 20 years of study was

RESOURCEFUL MINDS CLINIC

Amanda Rutledge

SALON OWNER

Prior to obtaining my Diploma of Beauty Therapy, I worked in financial and human relations roles. These roles, in particular, have given me a lot of experience working and engaging with people.

I believe it is important to my business to have the right and

fully qualified staff working in the salons.

I really do feel that everyone should have a little bit of pampering in their life and I genuinely enjoy being able to deliver that to our wonderful clients.

Sibu Beauty, 64 Kelleway Avenue, Nicholls 2913; 6241 4115; Sibu Beauty, 56 Abena Avenue, Crace 2911; 6162 0397; sibubeauty.com.au; sibu.beauty@gmail.com

Karen Porter

CEO

I have been in the industry for 10 years now and during the 10 years have been exposed to all areas of construction. From 2014 to present we have received numerous business awards and I have been awarded Canberra Business Woman of the Year in 2015. As a leader in the industry, I am keen to encourage the community to insulate their

homes better through double glazing and the increased steady turnover of our business has show evidence of this.

I hope to inspire other woman to be the best in the industry and to believe in themselves and their abilities. We can all be awesome if we believe we can and we can do anything if we set out mind to it.

Solace Creations Double Glazing, 1/17 Townsville Street, Fyshwick; solacecreations.com.au, 62601621; email quotes@solacecreations.com.au

Deb Long

OWNER

I gained a strong passion for travel from a young age with my father working for Qantas and started my career in 1981. I realised the benefits of being trained in travel, so I embraced it. I have since gained strong industry recognition being a Master Cruise Consultant with CLIA (Cruise Lines Intl Assoc.), #1 Cruise Consultant of Australia in 2014, #1 Agent for

Scenic in Australia for the past four years and 2016 ACT Finalist People’s Choice Awards.

My agency is ATAS & CLIA accredited, which I maintain yearly and I am involved with many panels and forums for industry partners. With 25+ years experience in travel, I have learnt that it’s important to give clients “an experience, not just a holiday”.

Weston Cruise and Travel, Shop S002, Cooleman Court, Weston, 2611; westoncruiseandtravel.com.au; 6288 4400; admin@westoncruiseandtravel.com.au

primarily as a result of my frustration with the whole financial advisory sector; there were no professionals looking after the “whole” of a client’s financial needs.

At Wholistic Financial Solutions we provide advice across all of a client’s financial needs including tax, financial planning, mortgages, super and property.

Wholistic Financial Solutions, 7A/20 Challis Street, Dickson 2602; wfscanberra.com.au; 6162 4546; catherine@wfscanberra.com.au

Wanda Wojciechowska

SENIOR ACCOUNTANT / BUSINESS OWNER

We’re passionate about helping people, being able to help our clients: businesses owners, salary earners and potential business owners… big or small.

We try to look after the things clients don’t want to, leaving them to do the things they love to do.

We do our best and always try to make a difference by keeping

up with that old-fashioned service through meeting clients face-to-face and maintaining the personal touch by staying in touch.

To get the best results in a stressful situation and hopefully making their lives easier; take the stress out of tax, help them to comply with ever-changing legislation.

WW Accounting, PO Box 42, Red Hill 2603; wwaccounting.com.au; 6295 0364 or 0400 083938; wandaw@wwaccounting.com.au

By Helen Musa

WHEN

“The Nutcracker” sets foot in the Canberra Theatre later this month, we’ll be seeing the tip of the iceberg of a very special production for eminent British-American choreographer Ben Stevenson.

It was Stevenson, then director of the celebrated Houston Ballet, who was behind “Mao’s Last Dancer” Li Cunxin’s leap into the Western world and now Li is the incredibly successful artistic director of Queensland Ballet Company. Since his appointment, Li has paid respect to his former guru by inviting him to Brisbane to choreograph both productions of “Cinderella” and “The Nutcracker”.

“It is very special to me,” he tells “CityNews” by phone from his studios at Texas Ballet Theater.

“It was during my first trip to China when I saw Li in a class of the Beijing Dance Academy and I was

so impressed… [President] Nixon had just gone there and I was part of an early arts delegation.

“I thought it would be neat to get some students to summer school… the school in Beijing seemed a bit shocked, but said they’d have to ask the government and that they would choose the dancers, not me.”

“I was so thrilled when Li arrived, he was a very special student.”

A long period of “wonderful” collaboration followed, during which Li defected and eventually became a principal dancer with the company.

It was with some sadness, then, that he learned that after moving to Australia and enjoying several years with the Australian Ballet, Li had left the profession to become a stockbroker.

“I always knew Li was smart,” Stevenson says.

Comedian Bill takes some

By Helen Musa

“WON’T you come home, Bill Bailey?” Yes, they’re the opening words of one of the most popular songs in the “trad” repertoire, but they also explain how English comedian, musician and author Bill Bailey got his working name.

“When he came here he could only say ‘hello’ but he learned English in three months, then he went to night school, took accounting and became top of his class.”

And there were some vacation trips together when Stevenson discovered that Li could be a very astute gambler.

“I guess the stockbroking was like using the other side of his brain.”

But to Stevenson, a British dancing prodigy who remade the face of ballet in Texas, it was a relief when Li accepted the job as artistic director at

Queensland Ballet.

“It must’ve been good for him, dance was always his passion,” he says.

This “Nutcracker” is one of many he has done over the years and he’s preparing yet another version for Christmas in Fort Worth, but for him a revival is never a case of museum ballet – that would be unprofessional.

“I came to Australia recently with my assistant Timothy O’Keeffe and worked on this production,” he says.

“Every time you do it, you have to get other ideas, you see dancers doing it and they give you those other ideas.”

A good example is in the Stahlbaum Christmas party scene, where daughter Clara receives a life-like “Nutcracker” as a gift.

“I try to make that part more of a family occasion than a big production number… it’s more amusing and also the dancers in it are children, too.”

In Canberra, the company is engaging young Canberra dancers to fill some of the roles.

It’s that time of the year when directors stage crowd-pleasers, so “Alice in Wonderland” is in the pipeline at home, to be followed by a couple of different works by choreographer Christopher Bruce.

Stevenson is canny but adventurous and the principle is clear to him – “if you do ‘Swan Lake’ that will sell tickets, so that can pay for work that’s really avant-garde.”

“The Nutcracker”, Canberra Theatre, November 23-27. Bookings to canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 6275 2700.

“When I was about seven or eight, my teacher George quoted this old song at me,” the man born Mark Robert Bailey tells me, “and even though Bill Bailey doesn’t come out of things too well in the song, it stuck with me all through school.”

In those days Bailey was already a gifted pianist and guitarist, so he was a sitting duck for musical jokes. But after years being trained as a classical musician, he became much more famous for presenting on TV and tearing around the world making wildlife documentaries and performing his own comedy show, as he will so do in Canberra.

Bailey prefers to be known as a comedian who takes up important issues of politics, wildlife and the environment.

“These are things close to my heart, I think I would have been involved with them regardless of being a comedian,” he says. “It’s tough to get the right balance, because there’s a tremendous amount of cynicism out there in the public, who think you’re involved in a cause for personal gain.”

Bailey cites the example of singer Lily Allen, who went to the Calais “Jungle” camp and got an enormous lambasting as the press politicised the action and turned against her.

“You have to navigate it, you are a public figure, but you have to follow your own conscience – it’s almost a duty,” he says.

Duty? It’s not what you im -

Bill Bailey… a comedian who takes up important issues of politics, wildlife and the environment.

mediately associate with one of the world’s funniest men. But he’s more than that, he explains, saying: “People who are not politicians can access part of the population that might not listen to politicians.” Bailey comes across as almost a performance polymath. He is known, for instance, for his perfect musical pitch – and, yes, there is such a thing, he assures “CityNews”. He claims to have discovered his talent by picking the notes of domestic appliances such as vacuum cleaners and washing machines and humming along. Then there’s the serious underbelly to the documentaries he’s made about jaguars, baboons and the explorer and naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace, after whom the “Wallace line” was named, the latter reflected in his TV series in Sumatra, Java and Borneo. He’s even had a plant named after him. You can fairly bet that the show Bailey is bringing to Canberra will focus on the human variety of wildlife.

“It’s ostensibly a collection of tales and a compendium of stories and incidents that have occurred to me as a touring comedian,” he says.

“A slow trek of jokes, observations, music and audience involvement.”

Oh, no, I venture, so should Canberrans worry about sitting in rows A and B as they might when Barry Humphries comes to town?

“No, not at all,” he assures me, “I don’t like to make fun of people. I just like them to join in singing.

Bill Bailey, at the Royal Theatre, 8pm, December 8, bookings to Ticketmaster.com.au

Can Dr Louise work it all out?

“Arrival” (M)

CLEARLY, there is a cohort of the population that likes movies in which extra-terrestrial visitors turn up on earth. Most arrive with malign intent, seeking to occupy a planet offering better living conditions than where they’ve come from.

The US military machine has set up a world-wide command centre where Colonel Weber (Forest Whitaker) resists the urge so prevalent in sci-fi movies to give the order to start shooting.

It’s all deft movie fun, trying hard to look intelligent and deliver a message to us earthlings before a forecast disaster strikes (heptapods can also look ahead through time but the film doesn’t illustrate what they have found). No earthling will take harm from trying to puzzle it out. Indeed, some may even take pleasure.

subtle clue on the art gallery’s wall in mid-film. Sneaky clever writing conceals the answer until the very last shot. Susan settles down on the couch with a bottle of Scotch and starts reading.

I find this reason challenging. We earthlings have not yet discovered the places from which they have come. That’s because either they are smarter interplanetary explorers than us, or, and I find this the more probable one, our only evidence for their existence is conjecture delivered in aggressive movies made by folk who have never actually visited their planets.

Eric Heisserer’s screenplay adapting “Story of Your Life” (by Ted Chiang) provides director Denis Villeneuve with a platform for welcoming visitors with a different reason for visiting earth. The US army engages linguistician Dr Louise Banks to explain what’s going on when a small flock of very large extra-terrestrial objects arrives in various countries, hovers a few feet off the surface and sends out heptapods who communicate by spraying out of the two extra ones (they need the other five for moving around on) a substance that coalesces into language patterns.

Can Dr Louise (Amy Adams) work out what those patterns are trying to tell us? Betcha life she can, helped by physicist and mathematician Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner).

arts in the city

At Hoyts, Palace Electric and Capitol 6

“Nocturnal Animals” (MA)

I’M not going to spoil writer/director Tom Ford’s second film adapting Austin Wright’s novel “Tony and Susan” by revealing its dramatic genre. Finding that out delivers a powerful cinematic punch and invites you to consider some interesting aspects of the art of making movies.

Amy Adams plays Susan whom we don’t see until after a very provocative opening sequence. Susan runs an art gallery. Her husband is out of town on one of those business trips that has other reasons beside just business, if you get my drift (nudge, nudge, wink, wink). A parcel arrives at the gallery containing a book written by Edward, the ex-husband whom she divorced two decades previously. Why is she hearing from him after such a long silence?

The rest of the film explains why. There’s a

Husband Tony (Jake Gyllenhaal), wife Susan and dangerously nubile teenaged daughter are driving in the Mercedes along a deserted minor Texan highway to a beach weekend. Three men in the car ahead play a dangerous game that takes about 20 minutes of film time building the dramatic platform on which the rest evolves. Two of them drive away in the Mercedes with Susan and the daughter. The third follows in their car with Tony whom he eventually throws out in the scrub.

Those few lines don’t convey a hint of the horror to which the family has already been subjected. Tony accompanies police detective Bobby (a memorable performance by Michael Shannon) in a search for his family and their young captors. It’s thrilling stuff, brilliantly written and staged with convincing tension.

On the couch, Susan realises that the book’s Tony is Edward. She emails him, what about dinner after all the years. He replies, tell me when and where.

“Nocturnal Animals” depends on some quite horrid elements to avoid becoming simply another potboiler. I waited for it with increasing optimism. I was not disappointed.

At Hoyts, Palace Electric, Capitol 6 and Dendy

Fleur’s musical memoir

DOMENIC Mico returns to the Canberra theatre scene as director of “Everyday Ancestors – A Singing Memoir”, a cabaret written and performed by soprano Fleur Millar. It’s a semi-autobiographical piece. After being a carer for her mother, opera singer Fleur is rediscovering her own identity – a great excuse for her to explore wonderful Italian songs and arias, such as Puccini’s “O Mio Babbino Caro”. At Manning Clark House, 11 Tasmania Circuit, Forrest, 3pm, Sunday, November 2. Bookings to 6295 9433 or fleurmillar@ yahoo.com.au

“MIND the Gap is a locally-created showcase of musical acts, short plays, comedians and dancers, including members of the Ted Noffs Street University, musicians Dylan Hekimian, rapper Cappo and sibling group The Faumuis. Proceeds to Menslink and the Ted Noffs Foundation in Canberra. At The Street, 7pm, November 18, 19, and 26. Bookings to the street.org.au or 6247 1223.

“NOISES Off” is surely the world’s most famous farce, so canny Canberra REP has chosen it as the pre-Christmas show, directed by Cate Clelland. Expect sardines, adultery, burglary and confusion, they say. Bookings to canberrarep.org.au or 6257 1950.

ACTOR Frank Ferrante will recreate his New York and London portrayal of comedian Groucho Marx in a 90-minute show full of one-liners and songs, not least “Hooray for Captain Spalding” and “Lydia, the Tattooed Lady”. At The Q, Queanbeyan,

November 20-25. Bookings to theq.net.au or 6285 6290.

RAW Canberra’s final blockbuster for the year, “Motif,” will bring together 30 or more local emerging artists spanning fashion, music, visual and performing arts and music at Belconnen Arts Centre. RAW Showcase director Jacqui Halliday describes the venture as “an explosion fuelled by the fire of a city’s best emerging creatives”. From 6.30pm, Friday, November 25, bookings to RAWartists.org or tickets at the door.

“FROM Deutschland with Love”, via the GoetheInstitut, comes the German Film Fest Australia, opening with Fatih Akin’s “Goodbye Berlin”. At Palace Electric, November 24-27. Bookings to palacecinemas.com.au

U3A’s Warrani Chorale will present “A Musical Medley” of songs of hope and fun at Weston Creek Uniting Church, 16 Parkinson Street, Weston, 10.30am, on Wednesday, November 23. Entry by gold-coin donation.

THE Three Sixty Fashion Market will return on November 27, with its usual recycled, up-cycled, handmade fashion, featuring many new Canberra designers and artisans.

Founder and director, Mel O’Brien says: “Three Sixty Fashion Market aims to create a loop between selling and buying fashion.

“That is why our name suggests going full circle.

“Millions of items of clothing end up in landfill each year and so our market is also a backlash against the fast fashion we see in shopping malls.

“We were inspired to create a place to shop and sell where ethical choices and ecological sustainability are just as important as value, style and fun!”

The market attracts a large variety of stallholders, bringing together an array of sellers, designers and craftspeople.

Mel says it’s cutting-edge couture rubbing shoulders with

lovingly collated vintage collections, and to complement the clothes on offer is handmade jewellery and accessories.

“Our stallholders share the same passion we do for fashion that reflects quality design and tailoring, that is rewarding to try on and to wear and makes the wearer feel good.

“Many of the items for sale have a creative point of difference.”

Mel’s experience with fashion has been developed over several years with her own retro and vintage clothing stall, Librarian Chic.

“I am inspired by the stories and history that become interwoven into pre-loved garments.

“At Three Sixty, you can make positive fashion choices in an atmosphere that is fun, relaxed and stylish.

“Style is not just about looking good, it’s about feeling good.”

Three Sixty Fashion Market, Fitters Workshop, Kingston Foreshore, 10am-3pm, Sunday, November 27. Entry is free.

OWNER of Mm2bmillinery, Maree Blanch, turns the clock back with her ‘20s to ‘50s-style hats.

Although they’re her favourites, Maree says she will create millinery to suit an individual’s style.

Maree became addicted to handmaking millinery two years ago after retiring from her public service job.

She says: “I’m available to provide unique pieces for people. I work from home and am not interested in a huge commercial range.

“If you buy something that is expensive, you don’t want to see someone else wearing it.

“Customers can come and bring their outfit and we will work from there. I never duplicate hats.”

Each hat takes Maree 10 to 20 hours to make, depending on the type of hat.

“A hat’s an individual thing,” she says.

Maree is happy to answer any queries at the Three Sixty Fashion Market.

Mm2bmillinery, call 0406 376218 or visit the facebook page @mm2bmillinery

Queenie’s makes artwork to wear

AS a milliner (hat) designer and maker, owner of Queenie’s Emporium, Elizabeth MacKenzie has created many interesting hats over the last 15 years, including one out of cockatiel feathers.

She says: “The best was made from cockatiel feathers from somebody’s pet. They wanted me to incorporate them into the design.”

Elizabeth designs and creates race wear, bridal wear, as well as millinery for any occasion.

She mostly enjoys morphing material into art, which comes from her background in visual arts.

She says: “I like to make things from vintage, recycled, reused or unexpected materials. I recently made a hat out of coffee pods and circuit boards.

“My designs are fairly collectic. I would hope that if people purchase them, they become something to keep rather than dispose of.

“I like to think I am offering people stuff that is unique.” Elizabeth will be at the Three Sixty Fashion Market selling clothing as well as millinery. Queenie’s Emporium, call 0414 905117 or visit queeniesemporium.com/

Message in a (champagne) bottle

I WAS asked how best to store wine. Awash with advice, I talked about what wines don’t like: heat, light and being moved.

They don’t mind it being a bit warm, although that makes them mature more quickly, but being heated up and then cooled down seems to throw them out of chemical balance. So, choosing a cold, dark and dank place of fairly even temperature is good for shooting horror movies and for wine storage. This idea has been taken to an extreme by some winemakers in Italy, Spain, France and California where wines have been stored on the seabed or at the littoral zone. Don’t wave away this idea, it seems to be based on the outcome of a shipwreck, a bit like my love life, and has so far had a number of benefits. But also some downsides, which I’ll come to.

According to Tim Hampson, in his book “Wine Enthusiasts’ Manual”, the idea came about on the discovery in 2010 of 140 bottles of unopened wine inside a 200-year-old wreck found in the Aland outer archipelago. This ship sank in the Baltic sea on the way to Russia from France.

Perhaps Rasputin’s seeming resistance to poison built up by scoffing champagne was part of the reason he was so difficult to execute?

The Russian Imperial Court’s loss was history’s gain, with a number of the bottles of champagne withstanding the test of time and getting through living with Neptune particularly well. Hampson reports that one of the 47 bottles of champagne that survived was sold at auction to a collector from Singapore for 26,000 English pounds (or about $A42,000). I found it fascinating the chemical analysis of the champagne showed that it contained high levels of sugar and traces of arsenic.

The Russian court obviously liked their wines sweet because the sugar levels in the champagne were as high or higher as in today’s Sauternes. The speculation is that arsenic was part of a program to control insects and would have been common in wines of the time as a residue.

So the thought occurred to me

that perhaps Rasputin’s seeming resistance to poison built up by scoffing champagne was part of the reason he was so difficult to execute?

Reputedly, he was hard to kill: first poisoned, shot twice, beaten and then thrown in a river where he drowned, which takes us back to drowning wine.

Newspaper reports from 2012 reveal that a French winemaker, Bruno Lemoine, who is associated with the Chateau Larrivet Haut-Brion in Bordeaux, thought it tres amusant to compare 2009 Bordeaux stored in the sea with the same vintage stored in the usual cellar.

The barrel that went to the sea also got some air as it was tethered at the low tide mark, hence getting rid of one of the disadvantages of storing wine in the deep: access.

Osmosis changed the seatethered wine with the salt reacting

RICHARD

well with the heavy tannin of the 2009 vintage. The tasters declared it superior to the land-stored wine and the educated Mr Lemoine remarking that the Romans added sea water to their wine.

But this one experiment surely won’t turn the tide of tradition because there are a number of downsides. From a local perspective, Canberra, of course, is a long way from the sea.

Plus you need to beware wine-loving sea-creatures that might want to infest the inside of the bottle or, as with barnacles, the outside, as well as saltwater contamination; not forgetting that every bottle incurs the cost of getting it to and from the sea bed.

Perhaps my fascination with this form of storage derives from the linkages with an old lawyer joke? Question: what is 50 lawyers at the bottom of the ocean? Answer: a good start.

CALVER

Brasserie’s bent for snags

WE all know the hospitality industry is highly competitive. Restaurants come and restaurants go. A point of difference is as essential to success as seasoning is to a dish.

One eatery at the Kingston Foreshore has designed something unique for Friday and Saturday nights and it’s worth a visit.

Merchant Brasserie offers a European-inspired, rustic-style dinner. BYO (corkage free) is a great start, but it’s the food that shines. The entire menu is gluten free. Here’s how it works. You create your own meal by selecting from the “sausages and mains” list (everything $15) and then the “sides and salads” ($6 to $12). The dinner option ($24.50) is fabulous value. Choose two mains and two sides. Enjoy fresh bread and condiments.

Merchant Brasserie sources its sausages from family-owned and operated Bungendore Country Butchery. This is a true butcher. No meat delivered pre-cut and in boxes for this outfit. The butchery has tailored six sausage styles for Merchant Brasserie. They’re sensational. High on flavour. No uncomfortable fatty content or aftertaste.

The lamb and rosemary is a traditional country flavour and the spicy chorizo with a smoked flavour (classic Spanish). The sweet pork and apple is rustic sausage with chunks of fruit and the French Merguez a spicy, earthy lamb sausage originally created in the French colonies of North Africa.

If sausages don’t make your taste buds dance, the slow-roasted beef belly rubbed in secret herbs and spices and brushed with spicy barbecue glaze sure will. It’s “tender as” and is fabulous with the field mushrooms stuffed with baked

Merchant Brasserie offers a European-inspired, rustic-style dinner. BYO (corkage free) is a great start, but it’s the food that shines.

The entire menu is gluten free.

goats cheese and herbs.

There’s loads of choice with sides and salads, including oven-roasted rosemary potatoes, rocket pear and blue cheese salad, roasted and caramelised pumpkin, sage and goat cheese, and fabulous lightly steamed French green beans with toasted almonds and dried cherries.

The Merchant Brasserie serves up a great range of condiments – aioli, tomato relish, mustards, horseradish, spicy sauces and caramelised onion. And did I mention the traditional, crunchy sauerkraut?

Desserts are made on site. You’ll drool while choosing from the display cabinet. Some are created with love from recipes that stand the test of time, such as the Esterházy, a Hungarian cream cake named after Prince Esterházy. It’s loaded with marvellous butter cream. Modern desserts, such as the decadent Mars Bar cheesecake, are great for sharing.

A welcoming atmosphere prevails at the Merchant Brasserie. You’re made to feel at home and are free to stay as long as you like, whether dining indoors or outdoors (warm blankets and heaters keep you toasty warm). No pressure.

Merchant Brasserie, 3/2 Trevillian Quay, Kingston Foreshore. Call 6162 1359. All-day breakfast. Lunch, brunch and dinner. Free wi-fi and free BYO. Take away available.

music Cycle trio seeks crowdfunding help

By Helen Musa

HOPE springs eternal as a group of enthusiastic undergraduates in music and art at the ANU embark on a crowdfunding project to help take them to Germany and Austria.

Not content with playing the widow in Queanbeyan Players’ current “The Merry Widow from Bluegum Creek”, soprano Louise Keast is heading up a trio of creators that also includes ANU School of Art student Alexandra Hobba and Brisbane mezzo-soprano Shikara Ringdahl.

They’re all keen to revitalise the great European art song tradition through a touring concert of cycles by Mahler and Korngold, enhanced by background projections from Hobba “to elevate performance of lieder to ‘gesamtkunstwerk’ – a total work of art,” they say.

But first, the three are soon heading an artists’ residency in Stolzenhagen, Germany, followed by vocal, language and movement lessons in Berlin and Vienna, where Hobba will shoot the footage.

The “Revival House Project”, as the name suggests, aims at presenting a new perspective on the great German song-cycles of the 20th century and Keast tells “CityNews” they’ve confirmed recitals at the Drill Hall Gallery, with others planned in Sydney, Brisbane, Ballarat and Melbourne in the works.

“This is evidently a costly exercise,” she says and they hope music and art lovers in Canberra will chip in to their campaign to raise funds to assist travel, concert and hire expenses. pozible.com/project/the-revival-house-project

gardening Colour blooms on ‘Gaza’ strip

WHAT to do with the centre between the concrete strips for driveways? I know this sounds old-fashioned in today’s world of driveways with wall-to-wall concrete.

However, there are many hundreds of homes still with the two standard concrete strips.

The centre is often simply filled by pebbles with a regular spraying of glyphosate to keep the weeds under control. Alternatively, the area is grassed, but it’s almost impossible to water it regularly with dead patches from oil drips.

So here is a brilliant colourful solution I spotted at a friend’s home in Yass – gazanias.

As a native of South Africa, gazanias are as tough as it gets, will take all the heat and are highly drought tolerant, requiring a minimum of water.

Its botanical name is Gazania rigens, which refers to upright growth of the stems. The genus honours Theodore of Gaza (13981478), who translated the botanical works of Theophrastus from the original Greek to Latin, the language of scholars of the day.

In some areas, gazanias are classed as an environmental weed because they seed quite readily. In others, authorities find an important use for gazanias such as sand dune control. For example, it’s used extensively in Sydney’s north to counteract erosion. Further ornamental uses include over walls, hanging gardens or simply in containers.

Gazanias would look great as a narrow strip either side of the path to the front door, too.

NOVEMBER’S an ideal time to divide cymbidiums, one of the har-

diest and easiest orchids to grow, so they are established before the next burst of flowering.

Cymbidiums provide outstanding colour in winter and early spring with their distinctive blooms. Ideally grown in terracotta pots, however – like all potted plants – they can become root bound resulting in less flower spikes.

Re-potting is very easy if you:

• First water the plant, which will aid in its removal from the pot. Some of the fine roots may adhere to the sides of the pot. This may mean tipping the pot on its side and gently tapping with a piece of wood on each side to prevent damage to the pot. Or if it is being stubborn, it may require a long-bladed knife running around the inside of the pot.

• Then divide the clump into several strong growing sections, not too small. Twist the clumps apart by hand, although if they are tightly bound it may be necessary to use a knife.

• Re-pot with a potting mix specifically formulated for orchids, such as Yates Orchid Potting Mix. This is a free-draining mix that is essential for orchids. Water well after repotting to settle the potting mix around the roots and feed with Yates Orchid Liquid Plant Food.

• Place the pot in dappled shade protected from strong winds.

• Don’t place the pot in a saucer. In almost all instances saucers are unnecessary, except perhaps for indoor plants. Raise the pot off the ground by placing on specially made pot feet or use pieces of brick or paver.

Jottings...

• Be prepared to cover tomato plants because it’s still possible to have the odd late frost.

• Place the tomato stake in before planting.

• Plant the tomato plant deep, ie at least 5cm10cm up the stem. Those fine hairs will develop new, strong roots.

• Water in with Maxicrop Seaweed Plant Nutrient. This specifically encourages strong root growth. Apply about every fortnight.

• As the plant grows pinch out laterals to encourage strong branches to carry the fruit.

ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

This week’s powerful Jupiter/Pluto square boosts your desire for attention and success in the outside world. Which suits your innate Aries drive and ambition. But, if you overdo it, then you’ll just end up alienating authority figures (like your boss) or loved ones (like your partner) in the process. On the weekend, your wonderfully witty side is set to blossom, as you brainstorm ideas and amaze others with your quick-witted quips and controversial comments.

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 20)

Are you a stubborn Bull who is holding onto outdated ideas? Or are you obstinately sticking to old ways of working, as if you’re on auto-pilot? It’s time to put aside pre-conceived notions and examine your beliefs in a mature and philosophical new light. On the surface it may appear that you lack self-belief, but you have a quiet inner confidence that will eventually shine through. If you’re faced with a problem on the weekend, let your intuition point you in the right direction.

GEMINI (May 21 – June 21)

When it comes to a tricky relationship, are you desperately trying to fix a frustrating situation? Expect some resistance from others this week – especially a child, partner or friend. A quick-fix just won’t work. Instead, you need to slow down and take the time to really think things through. Expect a welcome boost on the weekend, when the Mercury/Uranus trine precipitates a brilliant light-bulb moment, when you solve a sticky problem or come up with a stunning idea.

CANCER (June 22 – July 22)

Here’s the uncomfortable truth… you can be a bossy Mother Hen! And the more you try to control those around you, the more they will push back. So it’s time to take a good long look at your motives. Perhaps you are on the wrong track? Perhaps you need to be less possessive? Perhaps you should give a loved one more freedom, so they can fight their own fights and make their own mistakes? Food for thought this week Crabs as you connect with family, friends and colleagues.

LEO (July 23 – Aug 22)

The current buzz word is humility! Hubris, pride and over-confidence often come before a fall. Especially this week, when Jupiter squares Pluto. So you need to practice being super humble at the moment Cats, otherwise you’ll come a cropper. Mercury, Saturn and the Sun (your ruler) are all moving through your self-expression zone. So it’s also time to tap into the playful child within, as you translate inner inspiration into fabulous creative projects in the outside world.

VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sept 22)

Jupiter and Pluto place money matters or self-esteem issues under the microscope this week. But don’t waste too much time weighing up the pros and cons of a given situation. Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus all encourage you to stop ruminating, pondering and postulating. Instead, start turning your thoughts and ideas into active, dynamic and productive projects. As birthday great Bruce Lee declared: “If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done.”

LIBRA (Sept 23 – Oct 23)

Has your perfectionist streak got out of control? The more you try to make things ‘perfect’ (including yourself) the more you will attract opposition from others. You need to focus on the process rather than the outcome. It’s also a week when you may suffer from a crisis of confidence. Be inspired by the wise words of birthday great Bruce Lee: “Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself. Do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate it.”

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 21)

Proceed carefully with all forms of communication this week, especially social media. Otherwise you could provoke a negative response from hidden enemies or known “frenemies”! The Jupiter/Pluto square can also make you much more self-critical. By all means examine your inner motivations but don’t spend too much time navel-gazing. Heed the wise words of Bruce Lee [born on November 27, 1940] “To know oneself is to study oneself in action with another person.”

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 21)

Under the influence of the Jupiter/Pluto square you could get carried away; promise the Moon (and the stars); and then fail to follow through. Or blow your budget with a spontaneous spending spree. Or commit yourself to an ambitious project that you really don’t have the time or enthusiasm for. Big talk is no good if it doesn’t translate into dynamic action. So this week’s special celestial message is: “People will prefer it if you under-promise and then over-deliver.”

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19)

Ambitious Goats aspire to climbing the work or corporate ladder with nimble ease. But are you blaming circumstances (and other people) for the relatively slow progress you are making? Be careful that this week’s Jupiter/Pluto square doesn’t fan your control-freak tendencies. Examine your motives carefully Capricorn. And remember – the only person you can control is yourself! As birthday great Bruce Lee declared: “To hell with circumstances; I create opportunities.”

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18)

This week avoid taking short cuts and instead, take the time to do everything by the book. The current Jupiter/Pluto square could exacerbate a current legal situation – or lead to one in the future. So make sure you stay on the right side of the law. The weekend is wonderful for creative communication and flashes of inspiration, as you socialise in style or post up a storm on social media. And for some digital divas – a controversial comment you make could even go viral!

PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 20)

Compassionate Pisces – if you jump in and try to help others this week (whether in person or online) then make sure they require your assistance before you begin. Otherwise you could end up playing the martyr in a rather messy situation. With Neptune (your power planet) now going direct, it’s time to stop being distracted by dead-end detours and instead, get yourself some firm direction. This week the universe offers you a cosmic compass so make sure you use it.

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

4 Name a coarse, trailing vine, cultivated for its fruit. (7)

8 What do we call a pilot of an aeroplane? (7)

9 To put someone in danger, is to do what? (7)

10 To ride on a racing sledge is to do what? (7)

11 Which Standard Time is normally 10 hours ahead of GMT? (7)

12 What is a demand, as by applause, for a repetition of a song, etc? (6)

14 Which public building is for the confinement of criminals? (6)

18 Name the winning horse of the 1992 Melbourne cup. (7)

21 Which term describes that which is put forward to conceal a true purpose? (7)

22 Name an officer in the Australian Army. (7)

23 What is a whole number, as distinguished from a fraction? (7)

24 Which medical practitioner is qualified to perform operations? (7) Down

1 From the computer acronym GIGO, what does the “G” stand for? (7)

2 What is a term applicable to no-man’s-land? (5)

3 Name an alternative word for an artist’s studio. (7)

4 What do we call companies of lions? (6)

5 When one sinks into listless apathy, one does what? (5)

6 What are the softer, edible parts contained in the shells of nuts? (7)

7 Name the Australian artist noted for his paintings of the Australian outback, Sir Sidney ... (5)

13 What is another name for one who mends shoes? (7)

15 Who painted “Bailed Up”, Tom ...? (7)

16 Name the “drinks of the gods”. (7)

17 What is a strong, finely ribbed, mercerised cotton material? (6)

18 What are short stockings that reach above the ankle? (5)

19 What is the given name of Australia’s Mr Dingo? (5)

20 Name a twilled worsted fabric used especially for clothing. (5)

Grant was confused about Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) on his staff’s Christmas party and came to see me about an update.

“There’s no special legislation concerning Christmas parties, Grant, “ I said.

“The general principles concerning entertainment apply to both FBT and income tax. The most important thing to understand about FBT is that it only applies to employees, past, present or future, and does not apply to your clients. So if FBT is payable on your Christmas party then it should be tax deductible to the extent that it is subject to FBT.”

“You also need to be aware that any benefit under $300 per head is regarded as a minor benefit and is not subject to FBT.

“If the Christmas party is held on your business premises, the situation is slightly different. If you invite only your staff and their associates then there is no FBT to be paid for your staff regardless of the cost. However, if the cost for each associate exceeds $300 then the whole payment for that person is subject to fringe benefits tax. It should also be tax deductible. If you invite clients then the cost per client is not subject to fringe benefits tax nor is it tax deductible.

Grant said he hadn’t realised that it was so complex to host a party! However, this year he would be hosting at a restaurant.

“If you go to a restaurant or other venue away from your business premises, the situation will be different,” I said. “If the cost exceeds $300 for each person, the full cost will be subject to FBT as it will also be for their associates. It will also be tax deductible.”

“I know that some of your staff are employed in other States and I assume that some or all of these staff will come to Canberra for the party. “The $300 minor benefit cost also includes their travel and accommodation if it is solely to attend the party. If they come for work purposes, their travel should not be included. However, if they bring a partner or other associate those travel and accommodation costs will be included in the $300 threshold.”

“Lastly, the good news is that the cost of any Christmas present is regarded as a separate benefit so is also subject to a $300 minor benefit exemption.

“This means that you can provide each staff member with a meal costing less than $300 and a gift costing less than $300 and also provide the same for their associates.”

Grant was grateful for the information about his staff and said he’d look in again to get some guidance about client entertainment.

If you need guidance on FBT or any other tax-related matter, please contact the friendly team at Gail Freeman & Co Pty Ltd on 6295 2844.