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women powerlifting their way to the world’s stage this month.
OF the seven Australian women competitors flying to eastern Europe for the World Powerlifting Championships, three are from Canberra.
And one of the trio, Elizabeth Craven, has a good shot of lifting her way to powerlifting champion of the world in her weight class.
Elizabeth, 42, of Kambah, has been number one in Australia for three years and has been to the World Championships four times, placing third last year.
Powerlifting has really grown in Canberra and doesn’t discriminate says Elizabeth, who started training three months after giving birth to her now five-year-old daughter, Abigail.
“It’s good to see women picking up weights. At my first nationals there were 13 women altogether, at the last one there was five times as many,” she says.
“There’s not a stigma around it anymore. People used to think powerlifting was huge scary guys who like to lift but we like dressing up and we also like lifting weights, too.”
Elizabeth will be competing in Belarus against her best friend Megan Hinchley, who she met through pow-
erlifting.
“We’re both very strong headed and competitive, with a focus on bettering ourselves,” Megan, 36, of Acton, says.
Having a friend who is also passionate about powerlifting means that Megan doesn’t bore her husband with too much talk of the sport.
“I’ll make Liz watch 100 of my lifting videos to check my form,” she says.
But Megan wasn’t always “a sporty person”, in fact she describes her ball skills as “horrible” and advises people not to invite her on to a mixed netball team.
“I really enjoy strength. If I lift something that I never thought I could, it feels amazing,” she says.
When Megan first started powerlifting as a hobby about 10 years ago she also noticed the lack of women.
“Sometimes there’s been competitions now where there’s more women than men,” she says.
Joining Elizabeth and Megan at the World Powerlifting Championships will be Kim Stevenson in the 63kg weight class.
“Going to the World Powerlifting Championships has been a five year dream in the making,” Kim, 35, of Dickson, says.
“Getting to this level has meant grinding week in and week out, working not only on my physical performance, but also the mental side of the equation.”
Kim wants to use this experience to empower and educate other women to succeed.
“I want to prove to the world that women can be strong, feminine and successful all at once,” she says.
While they’re all happy to get to the world championships, there is still a lot of hard work in the lead up and Megan says it won’t be a holiday.
She’s already preparing to pack some scales for the trip.
“How many people do you know take scales with them on a holiday?” she says.
To qualify in powerlifting, competitors need to make sure they remain within their weight category.
And after training for more than 15 hours a week as well as having to self-fund the trip to Europe in order to compete, it has become more of a job for them than a hobby.
World Powerlifting Championships will be held in Minsk, Belarus, June 14-25.
Reporter DANIELLE NOHRA meets three Canberra
Off to Belarus… Canberra powerlifters Kim Stevenson, left, Megan Hinchley and Elizabeth Craven.
Photo by Maddie McGuigan
Tampering with tradition threatens to tarnish
Eddies’ old boys were up in arms and social media became busy, marking principal Daniel Lawler’s straight-bat defence an “F” for failure.
TAMPERING with tradition threatens to tarnish the reputation of the Christian Brothers St Edmund’s College. The elite school is at the centre of a row over the suspension of a year 12 student who planned a protest over proposed changes to the school’s insignia. Eddies’ old boys were up in arms and social media became busy, marking principal Daniel Lawler’s straight-bat defence – “the school always permits a respectful and open dialogue and encourages the expression of opinion” – an “F” for failure.
THE response to a selfie by PM Malcolm Turnbull of himself and wife Lucy on an early morning walk up Red Hill may result in a rethink of his social media use. The pic posted on the PM’s Facebook page attracted over 10,000 “likes” and hundreds of
comments, ranging from the envious (“Red Hill’s exactly where you would expect a harbourside mansion man to be seen”) to the extreme (“Thank you, Turnbull for making Australians live in fear and for letting stinking [immigrants] suck Centrelink dry”).
A FORMER president of the Gungahlin Jets AFL club has labelled the local competition “an embarrassment”. Rohan Wilson says despite assurances by AFL Canberra in 2014 to support the club’s elevation to Division 1 it has been let down and continues to be thrashed by an average of 142 points per game.
Wilson’s comments come after the Tuggeranong Hawks highlighted a similar
predicament – the inability to compete with the four major clubs in the comp that benefit from “healthy sports clubs”. Regional manager ACT-Southern NSW AFL Steven Maher says the league was working closely with the Jets but “a Patrick Dangerfield [2016 Brownlow medalist] isn’t going to walk through their door anytime soon”.
ON a brigher note, Jets junior Preston Singer has been announced as a weekly nominee for the NAB 2017 AFL Auskicker of the year comp. The Nicholls six-year-old made an appearance on national TV during the round 10 clash between Hawthorn and Sydney. As a nominee, Preston will play on
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dose of dorin
CHIEF Minister Andrew Barr is clearly comfortable in his political skin, stepping outside his roads, rates and rubbish responsibilities to accuse former tennis ace Margaret Court of bullying. The Wimbledon champ has drawn a volley of fire after vowing not to fly Qantas in protest over CEO Alan Joyce’s advocacy of same-sex marriage legislation. Barr said Mrs Court was using her profile to “intimidate” advocates of same-sex unions.
the MCG at half-time on Grand Final day and present premiership players with their medals.
THE suspected absence of a “smoking gun” in independent consultant Mary Durkin’s report on a transition to close the local greyhound industry has been touted as a reason for the delay in its publication.
Greyhound industry spokesman Kel Watt believes the Barr government is searching for a “face-saving” solution from the former Health Services commissioner’s recommendations after hastily following NSW’s total ban (overturned) of the sport last July. The ACT government has withdrawn $1 million in funding to greyhound racing from July 1.
AFTER two decades of meeting in the Manning Clark lecture theatre at ANU, Canberra Christian university ministry Crossroads has joined a number of other groups and associations forced to find a new home due to demolition plans on the campus. Crossroads, which began life on Canberra uni campuses 25 years ago, has conducted more than 1500 fellowship meetings for students – including a young Alistair Coe (now ACT Opposition Leader) – under the stern gaze of a portrait of the man for whom the room was named.
THE ABC’s controversial panel show “Q&A” came to town last week and instantly improved the night of Canberra socialmedia fan Richard Tuffin . Tuffin regularly provides a running “Q&A” commentary from his loungeroom but was able to tweet from ringside.
Tuffin says he chose the right night to be in the audience, describing it as “no coincidence” that the discussion was “an absolute intellectual powerhouse” due to no politicians on the panel.
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More than 1000 ACT businesses have already signed up to Actsmart programs.
Gungahlin’s AFL Jets… totally thrashed.
Students with a taste for charity
By Danielle Nohra
RATHER than raising money and donating it straight to a local cause, students at Marist College are getting their teeth into something more… cooking wholesome meals for the community.
Its new Community Meals sees the college working in partnership with the Kambah St Vincent de Paul Conference and Mary Help of Christians Parish in Pearce to arrange the delivery of meals to families in need of support.
Head of the project Dave Moore, a food science teacher, says Community Meals is outside of the curriculum, but there are more than enough students offering to help.
This isn’t unusual for the Pearcebased college, with students completing about 19,600 hours of community service last year as part of a “Faith Formation” initiative.
“Members of our Senior Vinnies group, which includes students from Years 11 and 12, have been showing great enthusiasm and will play an important role in this initiative, from helping to raise funds to purchasing ingredients to cooking and freezing the meals,” says
the director of Faith Formation, Nathan Ahearne.
With one cooking day already completed, Dave and the students are planning to hold eight more over the rest of the year.
“The big thing for us is that the service group will get it cooked and packed, and the staff will deliver the food from the freezers to the places,” Dave says.
If the funds can stretch, Community Meals hopes to make 400 meals this year.
“At this stage we’re fully funded so there’s going to be a limit,” Dave says.
“We would love to have local businesses help us with cost-price food or funds.”
Dave says the school would like to see Community Meals keep going into the future. And the students think it’s a great idea, too.
Matthew Wilson, 17, says: “I thought it was a great idea to take what we have fundraised and to have an impact as students.”
And he isn’t the only student excited to help others with money they have raised.
“It’s a great way to help out the broader community,” says 17-yearold Cooper Browne.
So far the students have made osso bucco and they’ve also turned
about 13 kilograms of mince into meatballs.
To make sure the meals have added nutritional value, each serving comes with rice and vegetables.
“I know how important it is for
families to have good, solid nutritious meals,” Dave says.
More information at maristc.act. edu.au/community/canberramarists/community-meals
stopping Frog!
DESPITE raising more than $2000 for the RSPCA during its Record Store Day Sale, Songland Music at Cooleman Court is coming back for more. “People have continued to drop things off, so we’re going to have another charity sale in a few weeks’ time,” says owner “Frog” Harris. “If your readers would like to drop off any unwanted records, CDs and DVDs, it would be greatly appreciated!” All the proceeds will be heading to the RSPCA.
Gang’s all here!
“EVERYTHING is a little bit musical and a little bit magical,” say organisers of this year’s Canberra Gang Show titled “The Musical: A Celebration of 50 Years”. The longest running theatrical event in Canberra will be staged at the Tim Murray Theatre, Canberra Grammar School, Monaro Crescent, Red Hill, July 8, 11 and 13-15. Tickets at canberragangshow.com.au
Trivia in good cause
THE Zonta Club of Canberra promises a night of fun and trivia in aid of Femili PNG (assisting survivors of family and sexual violence). It’s at the Ainslie Football Club, 52 Wakefield Avenue, from 6.30pm on Friday, June 16. Tickets are $20 ($120 for a table of eight) and includes a light supper. Bookings via eventbrite.com.au
Education views
THE deputy principal of Ngunnawal school, Anna McGown, is the lunchtime speaker at the next meeting of the Gungahlin Day VIEW Club, at Versatile restaurant, Gold Creek Village, Nicholls, from 11.30am on Wednesday, June 28. The two-course lunch is $35 and visitors and interested ladies are welcome. Bookings to 6166 2874 or 6255 7450 before noon, June 26.
Marist College students Cooper Browne, left, and Matthew Wilson in front of the frozen, first batch of Community Meals… “It was a great idea to take what we have fundraised and to have an impact as students,” says Matthew.
Photo by Danielle Nohra
Learning to trust our teachers to teach
THE ACT auditor-general has challenged Canberra schools to lift their game. Rather than a simplistic comparison across jurisdictions, the report compares schools from similar socio-economic status.
Comparing “like with like”, ACT public schools are suddenly not looking so good.
However, limiting comparison on school performance largely to reading, writing and numeracy has many shortcomings. Such a narrow focus loses so much of what schools can and should be. It undermines the role of our best teachers and tells just a small part of the story. The auditor-general’s report, in examining just four criteria of school and school system performance, did not take into account the wider, more important picture.
The report is a wake-up call. However, instead of the conservative national obsession with reading, writing and numeracy, the call should recognise that parents and communities expect schools and teachers to deliver a much wider range of educational attainment.
A 2016 report found “after taking account of intake and context differences, ACT government schools on average achieve negative results on every measure”. The report by the Centre for International Research on Education Systems at Victoria Univer-
Recognised, rewarded, remunerated are the most important of the three ‘Rs’ to improve educational outcomes across the spectrum.
sity used relatively narrow NAPLAN data. The outcome was in marked contrast to previous reporting that has regularly found ACT schools as nationally high performers.
In addition to the reading, writing and numeracy, key elements for well-rounded educational attainment must include physical activity, respect for others, scientific method, good citizenship, technological proficiency, history, literature, critical thinking, drama, nutritional understanding, research and evidence, art, environment and much more. Effective
schools and effective teachers, no matter their own discipline, invariably deliver on these. Yet narrow public assessment tools barely touch on such a wide range.
There is simply not appropriate recognition of the effective work of the vast majority of our teachers. The status of teachers is not valued, recognised, rewarded nor remunerated appropriately. Recognised, rewarded, remunerated are the most important of the three “Rs” to improve educational outcomes across the spectrum.
Our children, our grandchildren and our future are what we entrust into the hands of our teachers. Our future, their future and the future of society.
The most important outcome of the auditor-general’s latest report is to identify the need to seriously rethink our own expectations of educational systems, educational attainment and how they should be judged.
In the ACT, under the 2004 Education Act, it is school principals who have primary responsibility regarding student performance. This comes under some
criticism from the auditor-general’s report.
However, it is not as though improvements are not being tackled.
The Education Directorate released “Great Teaching by Design” just last year to assist schools and teachers to improve broader educational attainment.
The key is better recognition and pay for our teachers. However, it should also mean a requirement for higher educational standards, more autonomy in the classroom and recognition of professionalism as a key to effective teaching.
The idea is not new even in Australia. One of the most celebrated and effective education systems in the world is in Finland. Around 25 years ago that country dropped its obsession with constant centralised testing and control in favour of improving the status and professionalism of teachers.
Finland set out to create a new culture for education. According to David Crouch in “The Guardian”, the new culture was “characterised by trust between educational authorities and schools, local control, profession-
alism and autonomy. State inspections were abandoned”. Teachers were required to have higher academic credentials to the level of master’s degree and they became treated and paid like other professionals such as doctors and engineers. Competition to become a teaching professional soared with seven per cent of applicants in 2015 making it into one of the teaching courses in Helsinki.
The outcome is clear. According to Crouch: “Finland’s teachers have kept the nation near the top of the influential Pisa performance rankings since they were first published in 2001.”
The choice for the ACT is stark. Either continue narrow testing and central control or trust our teachers and build a stronger, professional teaching force with appropriate reward, recognition and remuneration.
Michael Moore was an independent member of the ACT Legislative Assembly (1989 to 2001) and was minister for health.
Auditor-general Maxine Cooper… her report is a wake-up call.
opinion / the national arboretum
Looming doom grows over the arboretum
Experienced forester PETER MARSHALL warns the ACT government to start saving because the National Arboretum is becoming a growing headache
A RECENT chat about the National Arboretum in Canberra puts me in mind of a lesson of 20 years past.
In winter 1995 I had a call from retired grazier John, he needed help. His problem had origins in World War II when John fought in the North African desert campaign. His young wife Joan nursed wounded soldiers in an English manor house, where she fell in love with the expansive woodland gardens.
Back in Australia in the ‘50s Joan suggested that they might plant such a garden around the family farmhouse. Initial response was unenthusiastic, “waste of good grass”, but she won him over. Forty years later her forest garden was one of the scenic gems of the district. One of Joan’s first plantings was a little oak tree in a pot. She planned it to be the centrepiece of the garden but noticed it was forked with two tiny trunks. She sought opinions: should she clip one trunk off?
The response was along the lines of: “I fought Rommel, I will not buy German secateurs, just plant the thing”. Memories were raw and hardware expensive. So in 1995 I went to help and found a vast, vigorous and beautiful 40-year-old oak tree towering above the house, with a huge split right down the middle.
Treatment was hard work, expensive and dangerous, but we owed it to Joan’s vision to try and save the tree. We hired a cherry picker and took several tonnes of limbs off the sides to reduce the
stress. We drilled 1.4 metres through the trunks, inserted a huge threaded steel rod and bolted them back together. Good as new at the cost of $1000 and two days’ work for four people.
This story suggests the question that the ACT government should be asking of the management of the National Arboretum: What is $1000 multiplied by 3000 or 10,000 trees in 1995 adjusted to 2030 dollars? Because that’s the sum the ACT better be putting aside unless they snip off tens of thousands of forks very, very soon.
Management replied to then-Chief Minister Katy Gallagher, after an inquiry from me a few years ago. They said they were using “an arboriculture model, not a silvicultural model”.
WINTER CLEARANCE
Silviculture is the art and science of growing forests. It is the appropriate management model for the custodians of 100 forests, but they are deliberately ignoring it.
Errors start with the original concept of 100 single species block planted in forests. The idea of closely planted trees reaching for the sky like the pillars of a Gothic cathedral is inspiring, but the reality will be more like a windowless, Dark Ages blockhouse.
This is rooted (intentional pun) in the growth habits of the tree species chosen. In general, conifers grow away from gravity, broadleaf trees grow towards light. Radiata pine will happily grow upwards away from the centre of the earth. Burr oak will equally happily grow sideways towards the most accessible sunlight, unless pruned to encourage apical dominance.
Species also differ wildly in their love for light or tolerance for shade. Radiata, beech and redwood can grow in some shade. Closely planted light-demanding trees such as Burr oak, Mesa oak and Giant Sequoia will shade each other, sulk and slowly die.
Sulking and dying will be the theme of the arboretum for decades to come. Planting densities defy all silvicultural realities: Oaks replanted at 4-5 metres on a grid, when 10-20 metres is appropriate; Gums at 2 metres along the rows when 7 metres would be a good start. A site that could accommodate perhaps 4000 broadleaf trees is jam packed with ten times more.
People who find Haig Park to be overplanted and creepy might be shocked to learn that the Arboretum is much more crowded and will be far creepier much sooner. By comparison the British National Arboretum (on much better soil) is stocked at only 40 per cent of ours, the NZ National Arboretum at about one quarter and the stunning Hackfalls in NZ at even less.
Poor soil preparation adds to the disaster
Spacing mistakes are enough on their own to reduce the forests to moribund scrub, but a host of other odd decisions adds up to the perfect storm of forest failure.
Starting with poor soil preparation. The site is heavy clay, dramatically compacted by the bulldozers used to clear the site.
The underlying infrastructure of a healthy forest is porous, well-structured soil. A site of national significance should command the greatest diligence in developing soil structure before planting. Multiple passes with narrow tines over several years at the very least.
Yet photo after photo on the Friends website shows sultans, generals, keen schoolkids and rock stars trying to hammer baby trees into unprepared, heavily compacted soil. The Buchan wattles are the first to drown in oxygenstarved soil, next will be the Dawn Redwoods.
I wonder if the Arboretum owns a penetrom-
eter? Ten minutes work with such an instrument would show exactly why the forests are failing.
Irrigation failures
Next the irrigation. Hugely expensive, very difficult to maintain and anathema to the health of the trees. In poor draining and poorly prepared soils, the roots just hang around the sprinklers and have no incentive to range far and deep in search of water. The roots stay near the surface, to be damaged by hot days, and become irrigation addicts. One day a big wind will blow them over in swathes. The absence of purpose-designed windbreaks hardly helps. Planting one tenth the number of trees and burying a watering tube under each one would have given drought security with proper root structure at a tiny fraction of the capital and maintenance costs.
Pruning is paramount
Next issue is form pruning, corrective pruning, pre-emptive pruning. Or more correctly the absence of these vital procedures, replaced by the whimsical pruning style of the chief arborist. I have never met an expert silviculturist bold enough to be deliberately creating a “mysterious forest” which visitors “can get lost in” (“The Canberra Times”, June 28, 2015).
I visited his Persian Ironwood forest convinced he was misquoted. He is as good as his word, it really is pruned so that children can get lost, run up branches, fall and break their arms. Distraught parents will need to tiger walk under chest-high limbs to find their Hansel and Gretels. Note to ACT government: Your 100 forests do not meet Australian standards for adventure playgrounds, please increase your public liability cover! The article also gives an insight into the astonishing labour requirements of managing over planting. Our arborist used 5000 cuts of his electric pruners to form up 400 Persian Ironwood. That’s 12.5 cuts per tree, a fairly light treatment. Multiply 12.5 by 48,000 makes 600,000 cuts required per year, for the next 6-10 years. Better start training more arborists, perhaps 50 or so, and budget $150,000 for a set of pruners each. In a thoughtful editorial (March 15, 2017) “The Canberra Times” mused that: “Since nothing of this scale had been attempted before in Canberra, there was always an element of trial and error with the arboretum”. That’s not quite right. Trials have been run many times before, success and errors are plainly evident:
Lessons from other arboretums
Example 1 – Westbourne Woods. Charles Weston prepared planting holes with explosives on a wind-exposed site, put in windbreaks, planted wide, form pruned and taught us what works.
Example 2 – The Deodar and Cork Oak forests hard against the arboretum. Planted quincunx with a silvicultural plan to heavily thin when best genetics became evident. War and depression intervened thus the thinning never happened. Resulting in: locked up forest, little annual growth increment, little understory and shortened tree life.
Example 3 – The mighty Professor Lindsay Pryor’s little arboretum just down the hill. Lessons to be learned for those with the skills to see.
Example 4 – The magnificent street trees of Canberra, the biggest arboretum in the world. Planted wide, form and lift pruned to 5-6 metres in the first 20 years, they stand as the best examples a planner of public-access forests could wish for.
Arboretum management must learn from these examples to plan in time and in three dimensions, above and below ground. If they don’t do so very soon, we are indeed looking at the Arboretum of Doom.
Peter Marshall is a forester and Braidwood farmer with more than 40 years’ experience.
The National Arboretum… the Arboretum of Doom, says forester Peter Marshall.
letters
Time to muzzle dogs
I WOULD like to comment on the dangerous dogs cover story (CN, May 25).
My dog was bitten by a bulldog while we were having a walk in the park. My dog was running and playing on the field. A bulldog and its owner ran on to the track and my small dog barked at the bulldog, which then bit my dog’s neck. I cried when I saw my dog being bitten and disabled and I thought it was going to die.
The owner did nothing until my dog looked like it was dead and he came to try to separate the dogs. I took the dog to the vet and it took a while for my dog to recover.
I think there should be legislation for particular types of dogs to have to wear muzzles while they are in a public park.
With the muzzle they can still smell and run around freely without causing any potential danger to dogs or humans.
Michelle Lau, via email
Unfair stigma for pitbulls
Re “Dangerous dogs – much talk, little action” (CN, May 25). Firstly, I would like to say, there is no such thing as a dangerous dog. Just a dangerous owner. Any dog is capable of being aggressive or a threat to a person.
Secondly, the description you gave about a “pitbull-type dog” is wrong; 70 to 80 kilos? That’s as much as the world’s biggest pitbull; 80kgs would make it a bullmastiff, not a pitbull.
Thirdly, it’s through the prejudice of the media and uneducated people who create a drama about pitbulls when they don’t even know what they look like. It’s unfair to people who have owned and loved a pitbull to have people come up and say: “What a beautiful dog, what is it?” and then when you tell them it’s a pitbull they stop patting them. That’s the stigma the media creates.
Bato Jutsu, via email
Amazed at dumb merging
AS a frequent driver around Canberra, often in peak hour, it never ceases to amaze me the drivers’ lack of knowledge of merging.
Do they not know that a broken line means give way to the traffic into which they are merging. Numerous times I have been in a double line of traffic doing 90km/h with nowhere to go and drivers will just drive into my lane without even slowing, causing me and everyone behind me to brake sharply. Please slow down until you can merge safely and check out “Merging Traffic Rules” which state: “On roads where there are lines marked on the road – if your lane comes to an end, you must give way to traffic already in the lane you are moving to.” Enough said. It sure grinds my gears.
Pat Dickson, via email
Troubled by statistics
NICK Jensen is right when he warns that people with Down syndrome are being eradicated from our society
(“Society’s disabled view of ‘perfect’”, May 25).
As Jensen points out, 96 per cent of pregnancies where the infant is detected to have Down syndrome are aborted in Australia. I can’t be the only one to find these statistics troubling.
Surely it is time for the medical community to stop promoting abortion as a routine option after a positive prenatal test for conditions like Down syndrome. While I have no doubt that many of the doctors and nurses involved have good intentions, they are essentially promoting a discriminatory policy against people with Down syndrome. Down syndrome is not a death sentence. Men and women with Down syndrome can and do live meaningful and full lives like the rest of us.
We urgently need to rethink our attitudes to people with this disability, if we are to prevent the tragedy of their elimination before birth.
Belle
Joseph, Hackett
Look after our own first
I AGREE with Elisha McMurray (“Don’t cut the aid budget”, letters, May 25), it really is sad that so many people overseas are starving and dying, but let us look at it from another angle.
I have heard from a number of sources that most of the overseas aid money never gets to where it is meant i.e. the starving millions. Quite often it goes to fund the rulers into a life of luxury.
One story I heard some time ago was a shipment of grain was sent to an African nation suffering drought and the grain sat on the docks so long it was eaten by the rats. The starving millions (of human beings) got nothing. The most realistic way out of this situation is to send advisers, builders and co-ordinators to provide aid and distribute food, that way at least the help would get where it is intended not into the pockets of the already rich leaders.
I read an article in an overseas newspaper that India neither asked for nor wanted the financial aid they were getting. So why on earth are they getting it or even accepting it?
The other side of the story is there are a lot of starving people here in Australia. Homeless people on the streets, old people and people who can’t find work for one reason or another. People who are homeless cannot get Centrelink because they do not have an address. They cannot get a job because they are homeless. They are in a no-win situation. How about we do something to help these people here? Should we not be looking after our own?
The government is trying to reduce expenditure to reduce the deficit. Most of the legislation put forward to get the country back in the black is being blocked by the Labor Party so they have to do something and if this means cutting foreign aid then so be it, sad as it is. Vi
dose of dorin
Dismay when players put hands out for more
THE craziest year I have encountered in providing sports media coverage in Canberra was 1995 – the year the Super League war broke out and the Raiders were in the middle of the hostilities.
I vividly remember receiving a call the night after the Raiders played in Townsville, where Canberra players were called, one by one, into a hotel room and offered huge money, in many cases more than double what they were currently earning in the ARL, to sign with News Limited.
The landscape changed overnight. Many players, openly displaying their new-found wealth, felt that at last they were being rewarded for putting their bodies on the line week in week out.
However, the public reaction was the polar opposite as they struggled to comprehend how players had gone from what appeared to be “playing for the love of the game” to talking about money and “their brand”.
For the first time, fans really turned on the players. Sure, you get plenty of flack after a loss, but this was different as supporters accused the players of being greedy.
It has taken rugby league many years to recover from the Super League war. In some cases, die-hard, rusted-on fans have never returned. If there is one thing that needs to be learned from the past it is that average, ticket-paying fans find players
Players need to tread carefully. If it is perceived as a cash grab by the top players, history has shown it has the potential to backfire.
talking about the need to earn more money a major turn off.
Another consideration is that fans go to games under the belief that a desire to play for the Raiders and not money is the main motivator for the players to perform.
Nevertheless, with the amount of money coming into the game I think players deserve a fair share of the revenue generated by what they do on the field – so long as the league can afford it.
Players certainly work hard, with the physicality of the sport guaranteeing a shortened playing career and the long-term impact on their bodies precluding them from some post-sport career options.
In my mind there needs to be greater transparency from the NRL on what the revenue generated by the television deal, in particular, is used for.
With history in mind, the players need to tread a fine line as their current
push for a greater share of the code’s revenue heads into the public arena.
The Players’ Association wants the salary cap increased to $10 million a season, a million more than is being offered by the NRL. And the association has every right to question where the money is being spent.
Talking to one player this week, he said the push for a larger salary cap was not because the leading players wanted bigger deals, it was so the wages of the lower-paid players in the 30-player squad were significantly increased.
The same argument is being presented by the leading cricketers in their revenue-sharing dispute with
Cricket Australia with the push for more money for grassroots, women’s and Sheffield Shield players. The AFL Players’ Association is also in negotiation with the AFL over the salary cap with the association calling for a fixed slice of the revenue.
The argument has some depth because the leading players in all three codes are going to be well paid anyway. Last year in the AFL, six players earned more than a million dollars a season, in the NRL, five
players are reportedly on a million a season, while in cricket the average wage for an international player is more than $1.16 million a year.
Of course, there is a contrary argument presented by the administration of all three codes in essence saying the players receive what is affordable. It is a statement that requires greater explanation, which is why the players are publicly questioning the administration.
My point here is that players need to tread carefully. If it is perceived as a cash grab by the top players, history has shown it has the potential to backfire as a public relations exercise. Instead, if it is pointed out by the leading NRL players that they are not so much seeking more money to boost their own bank balances but are doing it to increase the salaries of those in the bottom half of the 30-player squads, it would be far more palatable to the general public.
NEW ZEALAND
PACIFIC
From farmland to thriving town centre
COMPRISING 25 suburbs surrounding the Belconnen town centre and the Ginninderra Lake, the Belconnen district is the most populated district of the ACT.
Originally farming land, Belconnen was developed in 1966, with Aranda as its first suburb. Before then it had been the home of the Ngunnawal people for thousands of years.
Now, Belconnen as we know it is a thriving hub for North Canberrans, with so much to offer residents and visitors.
College in the heart of Belconnen
IT’s been 30 years since the building of Lake Ginninderra College pioneered development on the eastern side of Lake Ginninderra.
The college has developed along with the town centre during that time and is located in the heart of Belconnen, accessible to all Belconnen region students via bus, bicycle and on foot.
Principal Martin Watson says Lake G also has a history of pioneering as a school.
This includes developing alternative academic programs, working closely with the University of Canberra to train future teachers, supporting students online to graduate with an ATAR, running professionally produced live musical shows, supporting athletes to complete college while they simultane -
ously lay the foundations of a sporting career through the AIS, innovative support for students with identified disability to ensure successful completion of the Senior Secondary Certificate and leading the future of vocational training for the Belconnen network as a Registered Training Organisation (RTO). Martin says alumni as diverse as Chief Minister Andrew Barr, Sam Prince (Zambrero founder and philanthropist) and Lauren Jackson (Australia’s most decorated basketball player) show a small insight of the impact of the college on student lives.
UC Senior Secondary College Lake Ginninderra, 2 Emu Bank, Belconnen. Call 6142 0222, email LakeG@ed.act.edu. au or visit lakeonline.act.edu.au
A home away from home
CONVENIENTLY located near Belconnen Markets, Westfield and AIS, Belconnen Hotel & Apartments is described as a “home away from home” by its general manager Murray Emerton.
Belconnen Hotel & Apartments is one of three hotels in Canberra as part of the Roundhouse Hotel Group.
“Each has a friendly, attractive atmosphere as well as welcoming staff,” Murray says.
Belconnen Hotel & Apartments has 75 hotel rooms ranging from queen to double rooms as well as apartments that cater for families.
It also has conference facilities and Benjamin’s Dining and Bar, which is a modern Australian cuisine open to guests and the public.
Belconnen Hotel & Apartments, 110 Benjamin Way. Call 1800 672076, email info@ premierhotelcbr.com.au or visit premierhotelcbr.com.au
Artist who understands framing
WITH more than 30 years of experience in framing art and memorabilia, the owner of Belconnen Picture Framing, Andrew Sneddon, is a craftsman at heart and a bachelor of visual arts.
“I just fell in love with it,” says Andrew. “I’m an artist and a friend of mine was working in the trade and I saw an opening.”
According to Andrew, the art is in finding the right frame to match the artwork.
“You don’t get a poor quality frame, you get one handcrafted for the artwork in mind,” he says.
When customers come into the
store they will be welcomed by Andrew’s Chinese Crested Powder Puff.
Customers can then show Andrew their work before going through hundreds of colours and frames together.
“A good frame enhances the work and because I’m an artist it’s a unique opportunity for customers to speak to an artist who understands the work,” he says.
ACT Brake Service, a family friendly business with 15 years’ experience, now has a new manager and friendly team in Belconnen.
The owner of ACT Brake Service, Canberra-wide, Colin Gillie strives to deliver the best customer service for all its customers.
Colin says regular servicing of brakes is essential to keep them in full working order. There are many things which can make car brakes work ineffectively, including issues with the brake fluid and brake pads.
ACT Brake Service has all the latest equipment on hand to ensure a thorough check of brake systems, so any problems can be identified quickly and accurately.
ACT Brake Service Belconnen, 55 Nettlefold Street. Call 6251 5996 or email stop@actbrakes.com.au
Club with its heart in the community
CANBERRA Labor Club has been part of the Belconnen community for more than 35 years and during this time, the club has been a proud sponsor of many Belconnenbased community, charity and sporting organisations.
“We host a lot of fundraising events throughout the year for the various sporting groups we sponsor,” says Matt Michel, promotions and functions manager.
“The Belconnen community really gets behind these events, which is great to see.”
The club is a place for members and guests to catch up with family and friends and enjoy quality dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner, he says.
Located on Chandler Street, Belconnen, the club is the largest venue in the Labor Club Group and offers
and facilities
as
Canberra Labor Club, Chandler Street, Belconnen. Open seven days, from 8am till late. Visit laborclub.com.au or call 6251 5522.
How
do you want your friends to remember you?
You’ve lived your life to the full, enjoyed every minute, the ups are what you embraced and the downs made you stronger. When it comes to your funeral, you want it to be representative of the life you’ve lived and who knows that better than you?
Ensure that your funeral is in accordance with your wishes. Speak to Tobin Brothers Funerals on 6295 2799 about prepaying your funeral.
Belconnen advertising feature
Dedicated to helping people’s health
CARM Therapies opened in Higgins early last year, combining two businesses, Avery Acupuncture and CARM Therapies, into one location.
“CARM Therapies is dedicated to offering our clients evidencebased treatments for chronic pain, pregnancy and general wellbeing,” says founder and co-director Emily Avery.
“We are a small business that is focused on providing individual care for all of our clients, and we make sure we take the time to fully understand what each client is wanting to achieve when they come to our clinic.”
Anyone who has a niggling injury, poor posture or a chronic pain condition will benefit from ac-
cessing CARM Therapies’ services.
CARM Therapies has therapists who specialise in acupuncture and remedial massage for pregnancy.
But ultimately, CARM Therapies is there to help anyone who wants to look after their general health and wellbeing.
“All of our therapists and instructors are highly trained, experienced and love what they do,” Emily says.
“The team is dedicated to continued education so we all keep up to date on the latest treatment protocols and science behind them.”
Canberra understands that saying goodbye to a loved one at a funeral can be daunting.
Armed with 75 years of experience, Tobin Brothers has funeral homes in Belconnen, Kingston, Tuggeranong and Queanbeyan.
Regional manager Craig Morrison says: “We’ve been meeting families for many years on the worst day of their lives and our job is to make their grief easier.
“We can’t take away their pain totally, but if we can make it a little bit easier then we have done our job and done it well.
“This isn’t a job, this is a calling. When we interview people who want to work for Tobin Brothers we are looking for people who are caring.
“I can teach people about the industry, but I can’t teach them to care.”
NOT like the big banks, Bendigo Bank in Jamison Plaza is customerfocused and constantly involved in the community.
“But we do offer all banking services,” says bank manager Jacob Krog.
“We’re just more approachable and don’t push product on to our clients.”
Jacob says 75 per cent of the bank’s profits goes back into the community through services such as fixing courts, funding schools or sponsoring football clubs.
“For three years we’ve been assisting Hawker Primary School with their fete,” he says.
“Bendigo staff help with fundraising and do various things to get the funds, which go back into things such as schools.
“We assisted at the Love Your Sister event and had staff from the branch there throughout the day, including our mascot, Piggy.”
Bendigo Bank also has a gift account available for children to introduce them to saving.
And to maximise everyone’s banking options Bendigo Bank opens at 9am and closes at 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Bendigo Bank, Shop D05, Jamison Plaza, Bowman Street, Macquarie. Call 6253 0088 or email JamisonMailbox@bendigobank.com.au
Jamison and Canber ra branches
co-director Emily Avery.
Mascot ‘Piggy’ at Connie’s Big Heart Project fundraiser, Lyneham.
OPEN: Monday-Friday 9am-5pm • Saturday 9-1pm • Out of hours appointments available • Replacement of damaged frames • Re-framing valuable art & antiques • Novelty framing • Memorabilia framing • General framing • Custom framing • Aboriginal Canvas • Stretching • Embroidery • Medals • Footy Jumpers
If it can be framed, we can frame it! All of our products and materials are chosen for quality, durability and aesthetics.
(Associated with Capital Cabinetmaking)
Specialise in custom-built design and joinery
• Kitchens • Vanity and laundry units
Commercial Joinery
• Shop/office
Home office
• Experienced tradesmen and full trade co-ordination available
BORDEAUX BATHROOMS
• Designed with you with your budget in mind
• High standard of workmanship
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At Łukasz Krupinski’s piano recital, Red Hill
Photos by MADDIE McGUIGAN
Annalisa Dietrich and Sharon Bruzja
Jess Bollard and Summer Edwards Joanna Le, Myfanwy Galloway and Merrin Scarr
Natasha Lindfield, Rose Stellino and Penny Mallinson
Hannah Wandel and Sade Villatora
Tara Willoughby, Brooke MuscatBentley and Jude Burger
Stephanie Anderson and Marni Pilgrim
Suzanne Barnes and Kirra Cox
Chris Scarvell with Jasmin and Mark Dehlsen
Hannah Verass and Oscar Ottesen
Prof Ian Falconer with Agnes and Eric Huttner
Anke Maria Hoefer, Elsie Percival and Kate Grarock
Zoe Mander-Jones and Tom Van Sebille
Phil Anderson, Basil Hall with Pam and Anabelle Boyer
Hannah Griffiths and Zach Douch
Amanda Caldwell and Larry O’Loughlin
Peter Randall, Penny Sharp, Loreign Randall and Len Tuohy
Barbara Magi, Phillip Gao, Asia Brzoska and Yvonne Simington
Mary Constable and Ann Sutton
Hilary Merritt, Tamara Cutcliffe, Marion Gillespie-Jones and Maya Kayali
Teresa Zerlenga and John Sutton Trish Sanding and Tim Shaw
Wanda Horky and Susan Chessell
Pianist Łukasz Krupinski with host Dianne Anderson
conferences & training Make the most of Canberra’s training world
SOME of the best venues and providers in training and education are right on Canberra’s doorstep.
From management training to customised event packages, check out what’s on offer when looking to upskill or organise a corporate event.
Premier space for absolutely any event
AS the capital’s premier, purpose-built facility, Exhibition Park in Canberra holds hundreds of events, conferences and exhibitions a year.
Its refurbished spaces have room for business meetings, functions requiring a theatre setting, celebration gatherings, exhibitions and tradeshows.
As a multi-purpose venue, EPIC is fully accessible, with many spaces offering natural light and free line of sight.
Spaces can be configured for stylish, intimate areas to massive areas accommodating hundreds.
The many other benefits of EPIC include its events team, who are on hand to help plan and execute an event, and also the location of EPIC.
The venue is only eight minutes from the city and easily accessible to public transport and plenty of free parking.
EPIC is set on 70 hectares with multiple pavilions, centres, an arena and plenty of outdoor space for teambuilding activities.
Packages are available for full-day, half-day or multipleday events.
The events team will tailor a package to suit any size, style and budget.
Exhibition Park in Canberra, Flemington Road and Northbourne Avenue, Mitchell. Call 6205 5230 or email infoepic@act.gov.au
Kicking goals as a training venue
NOT just a home for Canberra sport, GIO Stadium is also a venue for events, conferences and business meetings.
The iconic playing field has a large number of flexible spaces for small groups of 20 to gatherings of 700. It’s a place where boardroom meetings, workshops, trade shows, cocktail functions, launches, and gala dinners are held and planned with the support of its events team.
GIO Stadium’s catering partner Gema Group is on hand to provide meals during an event.
Clients can also plan an exclusive, behind-thescenes tour of GIO Stadium.
With free parking and a 10-minute ride from Civic, GIO Stadium is convenient and easily accessible for any occasion.
Packages are available for full-day, half-day or multiple-day events and public-sector clients receive a 20 per cent discount.
HOMEGROWN Wizard Corporate Training & Solutions, which has grown into a national business, recently turned 25.
“We started off doing computer training, but we’ve branched out to be professional self-development trainers and consultants as well,” says ACT/NSW general manager Dylan McLeod.
Wizard Corporate Training & Solutions runs courses as short as half-day up to three-day courses.
“We can host conferences, we’ve got training rooms, 10 high-tech facilities that can provide computer training, including break-out rooms,” Dylan says.
“We go in and fix data bases to make sure they’re running smoothly, produce training courses, then train staff.
“We create and write coursework material, which can be based on general things such as Microsoft Office.”
No matter what level of skills a person has Wizard Corporate Training & Solutions will help upskill them.
“People can come to our training to bump their skills up and go for a better job.
“We don’t just cater for white-collar people, we often cater for blue-collar people who want a change in careers.”
Wizard Corporate Training & Solutions, Level 1, 15 Moore Street, Civic. Call 6162 2929, email wizard.act@wct.com.au or visit wizardcorporatetraining.com.au
The NFSA has a number of unique and beautiful venues available for film screenings, conferences, lectures, presentations and event receptions. Discover Arc cinema, our theatrette, courtyard and exhibition gallery. To plan your event with us, email events@nfsa.gov.au
Tuggeranong Arts Centre is the perfect venue for workshops and classes, training days, performances, film screenings, public events and conferences. With its unique lakeside location and creative atmosphere the Centre is bound to make your event stand out.
GiO Stadium.
Exhibition Park in Canberra.
conferences & training advertising feature
Experts in delivering the perfect event
STAGING Connections is uniquely positioned in Canberra to help deliver the perfect event experience with more than 20 staff locally, a warehouse of inventory and its Sydney head office and capability just three hours up the road.
“This provides us a flexible shrink/ swell capacity to take on any size event with our local knowledge and delivered with international standard,” says general manager Stuart Buchanan.
“Not only can we assist you with assessing venue capabilities and best fit, we also manage all of the technical aspects from design through to delivery.”
Staging Connections has a full spectrum of event services such as design and multimedia, styling, digital, broadcast and production.
“That way we can help organisers
Centre for artistic programs and events
FOR more than 25 years Tuggeranong Community Arts Centre has delivered artistic programs and events, with a focus on participation and accessibility.
The centre has a range of different spaces including a 110 seat auditorium, which is fully equipped with lighting and projection.
“A number of other spaces available are smaller workshop spaces and break-out spaces,” says its front-of-house administrator Aidan Delaney.
“There’s two dance studios, a visual arts workshop and we have ‘The Hunting Lodge’, which is an informal entertainment space with a bar and small stage.
Offering the edge in training qualifications
IN 2016 the Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC) announced an update to the Training and Education (TAE) Training Package.
The package contained a new TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.
Lights, action… conference!
THE National Sound and Film Archive is one of the few cinemas in Australia that can screen legacy film, which makes it a truly unique venue to host a conference, says its manager engagement Cris Kennedy.
Not to mention the accessibility to more than 2.3 million works.
“We have 90 years of newsreels, we can pull stories and have them up on the screen or build them into the program,” Cris says.
have a more streamlined approach to delivering their event,” Stuart says.
“Our digital products are essential to create a seamless experience that your guests won’t forget.
“Organisers want delegates having a memorable experience and event owners want engagement and real measurement tools.
“Another reason why clients from all kinds of businesses and government come back to us again and again is because we’re production experts.
“Our people have a vast amount of knowledge and experience meaning we can solve any challenge, meet any need and create any experience.”
Staging Connections, unit 6-7, 1-11 Essington Street, Mitchell. Call 6124 0700 or visit stagingconnections.com
“We also have our foyer gallery, which is equipped with a bar.”
Tuggeranong Community Arts Centre currently has two premier programs available, “Fresh Funk Urban” and the “Messengers Program”.
“The Messengers Program is an artsabased early intervention program for youth who are disengaging from school,” he says.
“It’s an opportunity for artistic development and social interaction, with youth support there who help students access services and provide guidance.”
As well as these programs, Tuggeranong Community Arts Centre has groups running belly dancing classes, yoga classes, visual arts classes and English classes for migrants.
Tuggeranong Community Arts Centre, 137 Reed Street, Greenway. Call 6293 1443 or visit tuggeranongarts.com
This is now the contemporary qualification for trainers and assessors working in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector. The new qualification responds specifically to quality concerns identified by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA).
Recently, CIT has been approved by ASQA to add the TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment qualification to its scope of programs, enabling CIT Solutions to deliver the new qualification.
“Currently there are only about a dozen RTOs in the entire country who have been granted approval by the national regulator to deliver the new Certificate IV in Training and Assessment qualification,” says the general manager of CIT Solutions, Paul Ryan. “We are extremely pleased to be amongst that group of providers.
“This will enable us to ensure our learners and clients are undertaking the most relevant and contemporary program which will give them a real edge in their training and assessment careers.”
CIT Solutions, Building J, Vowels Crescent, Haydon Drive, Bruce. Call 6207 4444 or visit citsolutions.edu.au
The NFSA collection includes films, television and radio programs, videos, audio tapes, records, compact discs, phonograph cylinders and wire recordings.
The building has a 250-seat theatrette, as well as multiple break-away spaces for conference groups to use.
But it’s not limited to conferences. Cris says that the art-deco heritage courtyard is beautiful for weddings and cocktail parties.
He says film screenings followed by cocktail parties are also popular at NFSA and it’s a great opportunity to have special guests talk at them, such as an actor or director.
And people wanting to provide food at an event are welcome to use the on-site cafe, Food by Chats, for catering.
National Film and Sound Archive, McCoy Circuit, Acton. Email events@ nfsa.gov.au or visit nfsa.gov.au
Welcome to beautiful Manuka Park Serviced Apartments, your preferred accommodation in Canberra
Our tastefully appointed 1 & 2 bedroom apartments offer you all the convenience of apartment living. Manuka Park’s handy location places you steps away from Manuka Oval as well as restaurants, cafes, Parliament House and the CBD.
Our One and Two Bedroom Apartments contain fully equipped kitchens, washing machine & dryer, linen and towels are supplied and secure undercover parking is included in the rate. Contact: 02 6239 0000 www.manukapark.com.au reservations@manukapark.com.au
conferences & training advertising feature
Joel likes to welcome guests ‘home’
CREATE your own home-awayfrom-home at the Manuka Park Serviced Apartments.
Conveniently located between Manuka and Kingston, the 40-apartment complex accommodates a variety of guests, social and tour groups, corporate, government and business guests to families and wedding parties.
With a passion for hospitality, hotel manager, Joel Smith, has worked in hotels across the world and intends to create a homely feeling for his guests.
He says: “I have worked in hotels across Canberra, as well as Canada and America and I really enjoy what I do.
“A few of our guests travel to Canberra for corporate events and they stay here for months out of the year. We try to make it like home for them so they feel comfortable during their stay.”
All apartments are fully selfcontained, with well-equipped kitchens, a laundry with washing machine and dryer, LCD TV with Foxtel channels, as well as a pool and undercover parking.
Manuka Park Serviced Apartments, 1 Oxley Street, Manuka. Call 6239 0000 or visit manukapark.com.au
All-in-one conference solutions
CROWNE Plaza Canberra and the National Convention Centre Canberra are the perfect solution for meetings, accommodation and parking all in one, says director of sales and marketing at the National Convention Centre Carla Huetter.
The centre is located in the heart of Canberra and is a three-minute walk from the Crowne Plaza, which is a dream combination for visiting delegates attending a conference.
Crowne Plaza is convenient for business meetings with spaces to suit small and mid-sized events, from intimate boardroom-style gatherings to cocktail parties for up to 150 delegates.
Each function room can be set in a variety of configurations and comes with easy-to-use audio visual equipment.
But for those in need of a bigger
conference space, the National Convention Centre has 15 meeting spaces over two floors, allowing for flexibility with multiple options.
The National Convention Centre is nearing completion of a $5.4m refurbishment; foyer area, reception, washrooms, new furniture, carpets and cloaking facilities have all been completed.
New first-class seating is now underway in the Royal Theatre and four theatrettes.
The Crowne Plaza and the National Convention Centre have dedicated events teams to help with all conference needs.
Crowne Plaza Canberra, 1 Binara Street, Civic, call 6247 8999.
The National Convention Centre, 31 Constitution Avenue, Civic, call 6276 5200.
Many ways to learn French
WITH Term 3 starting on July 17, Alliance Française de Canberra offers French-language tuition for adults and high-school students at all levels of proficiency in French.
“Whether for business, leisure or travel, we have a class for you,” says business development manager Vincent Brousse.
Alliance Française offers 10 weeks’ regular classes or workshops such as, grammar in context, Voyage en France, France through the media or even French cooking classes.
Alliance Française offers beginner express courses and traveller express courses. Private tuition is also an option, says Vincent.
“We also provide tailor-designed corporate courses for public service departments and private companies,” he says.
There are three options for online learning:
• An easy going and fun-filled daily email taking 15 minutes a day.
• A comprehensive online solution for all levels with or without speaking practice with a teacher.
• An app designed for students who attend a group class at the Alliance Française.
Alliance Française de Canberra, 66 McCaughey Street, Turner. Call 6257 6696, email enquiries@afcanberra.com.au or visit afcanberra.com.au
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2017 CHRISTMAS PARTY EARLY BIRD SPECIAL
BOOK YOUR ALL-INCLUSIVE CHRISTMAS PARTY AT HOTEL REALM BEFORE 31ST OCTOBER AND RECEIVE TWO COMPLIMENTARY ROOM NIGHTS IN A HOTEL REALM SUITE. *NEW BOOKINGS ONLY, CONDITIONS APPLY
Hotel Realm, Canberra’s finest 5 Star property offers a conference venue like no other. The National Ballroom has a seating capacity of 800 delegates theatre style, 550 delegates for banquet style or 400 for cabaret and classroom. The National Ballroom can be divided into four pillarless function spaces all with natural light and state of the art audio visual. Hotel Realm houses the best boardroom facilities in Canberra, flooded with natural light and world-class IT facilities. Board meetings can seat up to 24 people with full catering available. All guests receive complimentary WIFI. Hotel Realm is located next to the Parliamentary Triangle in Barton, with over 300 casual car parking spaces on site.
Do you work in construction?
Ask us about fee reduction or rebates!
FUNDED COURSES:
• Certificate II in Business • Certificate II in IDMT
• Certificate III in IDMT
(funded by Skilled Capital an ACT Government initiative. Eligibility criteria applies for fee exemption)
Offering personalised and attentive service combined with flexible event spaces, suitable for groups of 5 to 500, and 4.5 star accommodation options.
The new Canberra Rex Hotel is the ultimate venue for your next conference or event.
*Mention this ad when booking to receive a complimentary 1 hour networking session with canapés and beverages for your delegates.
*Terms & Conditions Apply
The Canberra Rex Hotel, 150 Northbourne Avenue, Braddon. P ) 02 6248 5311 E ) events@canberrarexhotel.com.au canberrarexhotel.com.au
conferences & training
Hotel has it all when it comes to flexibility
WITH new function spaces, the Canberra Rex Hotel offers clients a range of flexible options to cater to any conference requirements.
Located on Northbourne Avenue, just outside of the main CBD, the Rex Hotel features 900 square metres of event space equipped with the latest facilities and technology.
With its seven meeting rooms and two ballrooms, spaces can be configured to accommodate a variety of different events.
For board meetings, conferences, banquets and celebrations, the Rex Hotel’s versatile function venues welcome groups of 10 to 500 people.
A family owned and operated hotel, the Canberra Rex provides 4.5-star level of service with friendliness, flexibility and care.
It prides itself on friendly and professional customer service, both in the hotel and in the functions it caters for.
The team of dedicated event co-ordinators work closely with clients to ensure that the hotel delivers a successful event for everyone.
Canberra Rex Hotel, 150 Northbourne Avenue. Call 6248 5311 or visit canberrarexhotel.com.au
Busy Donna has a passion for training
MANTRA Training & Development is a registered community adult education provider, based at Federation Square, Nicholls.
Its CEO Donna Moulds is passionate about the positive, supportive and reassuring environment she has created, giving students a traditional face-to-face learning experience, especially for those who have been out of the workforce a long time, have to transition after a workplace injury or are nervous to start training.
“We provide a supportive environment with lots of flexibility from our trainers who work with students to identify their learning needs,” Donna says.
“Not everyone is suited to online learning, and that’s a really important factor to consider.”
Mantra offers training courses and traineeships in business, financial services, IT and workplace training and assessment.
It also offers its students learning support such as stress management.
Mantra Training and Development, 5 Federation Square, 2 O’Hanlon Place. Call 6230 9439 or visit mantratraining.com.au
For Lifeline crisis support call 131114.
Mantra Training and Development CEO and founder Donna Moulds.
SCORE BIG WITH YOUR NEXT EVENT!
Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC), the capital’s premier purpose-built centre, has everything you need to run an unforgettable event, function or conference.
EPIC is home to hundreds of events per year. Our flexible, functional spaces suit every need and budget.
Join an acting course with Canberra Academy of Dramatic Art – and add a little drama to your life!
10197NAT Certificate IV
in Acting for Stage and Screen
Full or part-time study.
Next audition/info session on Sunday June 25, register online now, places limited! Check website for future audition dates.
CUA40513 Certificate IV in Musical Theatre
Auditions opening soon.
Classes for Children and Young People
Drama, acting and musical theatre – right around Canberra. Enrol online today!
conferences & training
Training with a touch of real drama!
PLAYWRIGHT Elizabeth Scott and her actor/director husband James Scott started Canberra’s only accredited drama school, Canberra Academy of Dramatic Art, in 2009.
“When we first came to Canberra about 14 years ago, we said: ‘Where’s the drama school?’,” says Elizabeth.
“Very early on we decided we would start one and five years later we actually did.”
Now CADA has become the destination school for people who want to train as an actor in Canberra.
“No one else is offering accredited to advanced level diplomas,” Elizabeth says.
But it’s not all about becoming
a star on the big screen. Elizabeth says learning to be an actor teaches people teamwork skills, creative thinking and many others that can be applied to life.
And when Elizabeth says anyone, she means people of all ages and has had students up to 75-years-old complete accredited courses and students as young as 15.
“Age is not a limit, there are lead roles for all ages,” she says.
The CADA courses are nationally recognised and all the tutors are professionals who are teaching as well as working in the industry.
Head office and main studio at 1/9 Lithgow Street, Fyshwick. Call 1300 908905 or visit cada.net.au
Reality experience behind training for emergencies
“FERST in … Safely out!”, is the catchphrase that drives the team behind Ferst Training Solutions, which offers specialised emergency response training to workplaces in the ACT and NSW.
Since 2007, the family-run business has offered a range of courses to workplaces including: Training of Emergency Response Teams; Emergency Response Chief Wardens and Wardens; General Staff Training; Fire Extinguisher Use Training; and Building Evacuation Training.
“We endeavour to give people the skills that when something does go wrong, they have the tools to get out of that situation safely,” says Gary Cheeseman, director of Ferst Training Solutions.
“We’re not worried about property, but about keeping people safe.”
All trainers have been in operational positions, in fields including the military, fire services or emergency services, meaning they have real-life experience in dealing with many situations, Gary says.
“Our training is practical and procedural,” he says.
Ferst Training Solutions. Visit ferst.com.au or call 1300 333778.
Izaac Beach, Hayden Splitt and Patrick Mandziy in a recent stage production at Canberra Academy of Dramatic Art.
2 RUSSIAN
Celebrating a nation’s new start
RUSSIA Day, a holiday celebrated on June 12, marks the day in 1990 when the Russian Parliament formally declared Russian sovereignty from the USSR.
The holiday was officially established in 1992. Initially, it was named Day of the Adoption of the Declaration of Sovereignty of the Russian Federation, but on February 1, 2002 it was officially renamed Russia Day.
The First Congress of People’s Deputies of the Russian Federation adopted the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic on June 12, 1990.
The idea of the declaration was born in the Democratic Russia movement, in which proponents of evolutionary market reform and strong statehood based on Russia’s national interests started opposing the Communist monopoly on power.
The creation of the post of the President of the Russian Federation and the adoption of the new Russian Constitution to reflect the new political reality, along with the national flag, anthem and emblem of the Russian Federation, were major landmarks in the consolidation of Russian statehood.
The country’s new name – the Russian Federation (Russia) – was adopted on December 25, 1991. The day when the declaration was adopted – June 12 – was proclaimed as a national holiday by the Supreme Soviet of Russia in 1992.
Popular ballet company returns to Canberra
THE Imperial Russian Ballet Company will return to Australia with “A Festival of Russian Ballet” following its sell-out performances of “Swan Lake” and “The Nutcracker”.
The cast of 40 elite dancers and support staff are scheduled to perform in Canberra on October 23-24.
“A Festival of Russian Ballet” consists of performances such as “Don Quixote”, “Can Can Surprise”, “Bolero”, “Giselle” and “Dying Swan”.
Since the Imperial Russian Ballet Company was formed in 1994 by the Bolshoi Theatre soloist, Gediminas Taranda, the company has combined the unity and integrity of great Russian ballet schools, where traditions are passed on from one generation to another.
Russia in the reel world
The founders of the company acknowledge and respect the Russian imperial dynasty, which has made such a contribution to the development of the arts and in establishing the system of Imperial theatres including the Bolshoi and the Marinski theatres.
The prime choreographic style adopted by the company is a classical one, but it also indulges in modern dance.
The Imperial Russian Ballet Company’s stage repertoire is based on the combination of classical masterpieces and modern choreographic pieces.
“A Festival of Russian Ballet”, 8pm, October 23-24, at The Playhouse. Bookings via 6275 2700 or canberratheatrecentre.com.au
CELEBRATING the Russian culture for 14 years, the Russian Resurrection Film Festival will again show the best of new and old Russian films at Capitol Cinemas in Manuka.
The Russian Resurrection Film Festival is held across Australia and New Zealand and draws all cultures together through film.
“This year we’re celebrating the famous Russian director Andrei Konchalovsky,” says festival director Nicholas Maksymow.
“We always have a really exciting opening night party with vodka shots, cocktails, live entertainment and a premier of a movie, which hasn’t been seen before.
“It’s not political or economical, it’s a cultural event that draws our cultures together.”
Russian Resurrection Film Festival, Capitol Cinemas Manuka. October 26-November 16. Bookings to russianresurrection.com A scene from the new Russian film “Attraction”.
Booming voice of creativity
By Rob Kennedy
AT the media preview of “Defying Empire”, Tina Baum, the NGA curator of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art, said it took more than two years to put this exhibition together.
The third National Indigenous Art Triennial features a range of diverse artists from across Australia – painters, glass artists, weavers, artists who work with fabric, multimedia artists and a variety of visual storytellers.
Baum said the experience had taught her a lot about the way the artists practice their art.
While having worked on other Triennials, Baum said this one was a particular honour because it was the first time she’d led the project as the curator. Getting the balance between the artists and the art right, and finding emerging and established artists, then blending their artworks together to form an exhibition like this one takes a great drive and commitment.
Baum also said that this show was important for indigenous artists as it placed the artists and their works in the international sphere.
This Triennial highlights just how much indigenous art is at the heart of art in Australia. It also challenges stereotypes and helps put the agenda of Aboriginal issues and their art back into the national landscape.
NGA director Gerard Vaughan told the preview audience that this art was about accessing indigenous stories not with a whisper, but with a powerful voice.
There are some strong political and social statements along with many bright and dynamic works.
“Thunder Raining Poison” by Yhonnie Scarce, is one of those dynamic artworks that have a strong social and cultural voice. The work relates to the nuclear bomb tests in the 1950s at Maralinga in SA. It’s a large-scale glass artwork that speaks about the clouds formed from the testing of the weapons.
There is a connection between the bomb testing and the artist; those bomb clouds travelled
over Kokatha Country, which is her grandfather’s country. Scarce, who loves creating glass art, said it’s the perfect way to represent her people because she used her breath to blow the glass and that connected her to the history of her people.
There is no doubt that within this exhibition, coinciding as it does with the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the 1967 referendum, that the current voice of Aboriginal artists is clear about how it feels about the past injustices and today’s treatment of Australia’s first people.
Any person will feel the defiance and the battle against tyranny in this exhibition and, as equally important, the artworks speak with an original and booming voice of creativity and community.
This exhibition bears witness to history, to culture, to political and social issues, and it shows us just how important and how good contemporary indigenous art is in Australia.
“Defying Empire”, 3rd National Indigenous Art Triennial, National Gallery of Australia. Until September 10.
Stop laughing, this is serious, says West
By Helen Musa
“I’LL have to start yelling at my cast to stop finding it so funny,” director Jarrad West tells me as he takes a break from rehearsing the hilarious upcoming show, “The 39 Steps”.
The script is adapted by Patrick Barlow from the novel by John Buchan and the subject of one of Alfred Hitchcock’s most thrilling movies. When the play closed in September 2015 after nine years in London, it was estimated to be the fifth longest-running play in West End history.
Rejigged by Barlow for a cast of four, it traces the Canadian hero Richard Hannay’s accidental embroilment in an international spy ring, which sees him – in the manner of The Fugitive” –chased by policemen on a fast-moving steam train to Scotland and experiencing extraordinary adventures.
Armed with an attractive moustache and an enticing way with women, he has to follow the clues as to what the 39 steps might be and thus save the British scientific establishment from infiltration by dangerous international criminals.
While undoubtedly the idea is to entertain, it’s been causing West, whose last production for REP was
“Casanova”, no end of trouble for nothing is more difficult than farce. Stylistically, West had in mind detective comics of yesteryear and has used that comic artwork in his promotional material, but he is also thinking of film noir and 1980s detective farces. Yes, fun, but oh-so-difficult to pull off.
He has assembled a crack cast. The dashing hero is played by 19-yearold Patrick Galen-Mules, who has just completed year 12 at St Francis Xavier College.
He plays Hannay, with a sophistication that has left West, no mean actor himself, feeling humbled. Veteran Canberra performer Steph Roberts makes a meal of the three women Hannay gets involved with – slinky Annabelle, Scottish hayseed Pamela and the beautiful Margaret. One of the most memorable scenes shows her falling in love with Hannay while being handcuffed to him. Helen McFarlane and Nelson Blattman, styled as clowns, bumble their way through all the other characters, around 40 in this production, cross-dressing to perform heroes, villains, men, women, children and even objects. In some productions these characters have performed up to 150 characters.
“The 39 Steps”, Canberra REP, Theatre 3, June 15-July 1. Bookings to canberrarep.org.au or 6257 1950.
The cast of “The 39 Steps”... from left, Steph Roberts, Helen McFarlane, Nelson Blattman and, front, Patrick Galen-Mules.
And life goes on in middle America, 1979
“20th Century Women” (M)
FILMMAKER Mike Mills has crafted a complex, convoluted observation of life, the universe as it stood in middle America in 1979 and 15-year-old Jamie (Lucas Jade Zumann) coping with a life environment populated chiefly by his 55-year-old mom Dorothea (Annette Bening); aspiring photographic artist and cervical cancer survivor in her mid-twenties
Abbie (Greta Gerwig) and 17-year-old Julie (Elle Fanning), attending therapy sessions for teenaged girls.
The main adult male protagonist is William (Billy Crudup) whose main purpose is to reflect about the conversations and behaviours of the women.
The film’s structure moves back and forth through time among events and ideas recalling Dorothea’s background and anticipates her future. A divorcee guiding Jamie’s emotional and social development in an era when those issues were undergoing major changes that today are routine but then were revolutionary, she’s also a chain-smoker, now accepting what it’s doing to her health, who began in the era when women regarded smoking as sophisticated.
In a way, “20th Century Women” is a message film as Dorothea considers her expectations of a life approaching its close and Jamie tries to do the same with his life.
It has no plot in the accepted sense. Life goes on. Jamie, Julie and Abbie deal with their burgeoning sexuality. Popular music styles undergo paradigm shifts reflecting youthful rejection of the past. Dinner-table conversation topics defy convention – women discussing orgasms or having never had any; menstruation – some characters pronouncing the “u”, others bypassing it; the purpose of punk rock and its connection with violence.
Bloomsday looms
CANBERRA’s James Joyce fans, headed up by ANU literature lecturer Russell Smith, are poised for the Irish Club’s “Bloomsday” event on June 15.
Bloomsday is based on the celebrated Irish author’s once-notorious 1922 novel “Ulysses” about a day in the life of Dubliner Leopold Bloom on Thursday, June 16, 1904.
Bloomsday eve, at the Irish Club, Weston, 6.30pm, on Thursday, June 15. Bookings to irish. club.com.au or 6288 5088.
“Baywatch” (MA)
WHEN “Baywatch” was polluting the ether for 11 seasons beginning in 1989, my stepdaughter considered it so silly that she refused to watch it on TV and now wonders why I looked at the adult, big-screen version.
To give her mother a giggle and justify my existence to the editor was why. I’m confident her snoring didn’t really disturb either of the three others in the cinema. There was no way I was going to inflict “Wonder Woman” on her. Or on myself. Even a film reviewer can have sensitive feelings!
an essential service from somewhere near the ground floor of social substance. And it’s time to recruit new members.
One aspiring applicant is Matt (Zac Efron), a boozy, brash bloke with two Olympic gold medals for swimming and an inflated self-esteem not supported by his team ethos. It’s immediately obvious that Matt and Mitch aren’t going to become pals until the last reel.
It’s interesting stuff, inviting filmgoers’ responses more cerebral than visceral, without great tension or conflict yet ultimately satisfying. And what’s its message? About cigarettes, yes. But on a broader canvas and with not a little subtlety, it’s reminding us that youth and growing up are boot-camp training for old age’s obsolescence. Think about it.
At Capitol 6 and Palace Electric
arts in the city
Writers Michael Berk and Douglas Schwartz have given director Seth Gordon a screenplay for a brash, braggadocio, blustery, blundering, barmy, boisterous, big-bosomed bundle of brainlessness. And in its own way, fun for its intended audience, who, alas, will have to persuade an adult to accompany them to comply with the law about film classifications. And rightly so.
Dwayne Johnson plays Mitch, employed to lead the lifesavers who ensure that Emerald Beach is a safe place. Mitch is a good guy, loved by all, leading a team providing
What magical influences bring reconciliation about? Well, they’re no better than you might expect. Local government corruption. A jurisdictional conflict between Mitch’s rank of lieutenant (!) and police sergeant Ellerbee. A couple of murders. Petty and major crime, thefts and drug dealing. Those and more delivered on an improbability scale barely strong enough to cause the needle on anybody’s bullshit meter to tremble.
At all cinemas
Stratton’s salute to Japanese filmmaker
SUPER film critic David Stratton and the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia are celebrating 20th century Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa with “Essential Kurosawa: selected by David Stratton”, a two-week season of his most famous films. It opens on June 14 with restoration of the 1985 classic “Ran”, based on “King Lear”, then Stratton will be in town for the final-night screening of “Rashomon” on June 30. At the Arc Cinema, June 14-30. Bookings to nfsa.gov.au
Right: Akira Kurosawa’s 1985 classic “Ran”, based on Shakespeare’s “King Lear”.
GLASS artist Matthew Curtis works out of his Queanbeyan studio, but his work can be seen worldwide from the Palm Springs Museum in California to the Sir Elton John collection in England. He has an intriguing exhibition in Sydney that shows off an approach to glass that is minimalist and mathematical. At Sabbia Gallery, Glenmore Road, Paddington, until June 17.
LIMESTONE Consort and Adhoc Baroque will be honouring the memory of German composer Georg Philipp Telemann by performing baroque works and two of his solo cantatas, “Hemmet den Eifer” and “Nach Finsternis und Todesschatten”. All Saints, 9-15 Cowper Street, Ainslie, 2pm, Saturday, June
11. Free, but an exit donation would be appreciated.
BELCONNEN Arts Centre and Tuggeranong Arts Centre have launched a program supported by ACT Health called “Dance for Wellbeing”. Led by Philip Piggin, Jane Ingall, Gretel Burgess, Debora di Centa and Jacqui Simmonds, it will provide dance programs for people challenged by Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s or multiple sclerosis. Inquiries to 0404 024406.
THE next free concert at the High Court features mandolin ensemble COZMO, 1pm, Sunday, June 11. Registrations to hcourt.gov.au
– Helen Musa Author James Joyce.
Annette Bening as Dorothea in “20th Century Women”.
“THE Chandelier Show” is an opulent exhibition of hanging lights curated by Jane Cush from works by Christine Atkins, Scott Chaseling, Ngaio Fitzpatrick, Jacqueline Knight, Kate Nixon, Tom Rowney & Wendy Dawes and John & Ruth White. At Canberra Glassworks, 11 Wentworth Avenue, Kingston, until August 6. Gallery floor talk 2pm, June 10.
wine With nary a word of contention
MY late father liked the 1953 song “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)”. He would annoyingly hum it as background when I brought home a girlfriend as part of the tedious ritual of “meet the parents”.
I was reminded of this song recently as I sat with three female companions on the terrace of the Wamboin Contentious Character restaurant/ winery.
There were two chords that were struck: I was with three women, albeit platonic companions, and this place used to be Lambert’s Vineyards and was recently bought and revitalised by new owners who have given it a new name. The words of the old song reverberated: Every gal in Constantinople Is a Miss-stanbul, not Constantinople So if you’ve a date in Constantinople
She’ll be waiting in Istanbul
Lamberts closed the venue in 2012 but continued to make wine, as they had done for the previous 24 years. And it is their vintages which Tony Mansfield and his three partners currently present at Contentious Character. The first vintage under their own steam will be produced this year.
You have the option of a wine tasting before or after lunch. My companions were pressing for a tasting before eating. But as I had lightly breakfasted, they demurred and we commenced with lunch, and wines that are
dining
The range and depth of the proffered wines at tasting didn’t disappoint but I doff my cap to the rieslings.
available by the glass. I started with a glass of the 2003 riesling. Canberra and its surrounding districts is rightly known for its cold-climate rieslings. These late-developing wines can last for at least 10 years in the bottle and are able to develop complex and agreeable flavours. It is that complexity which I find brings me back to this varietal and which makes it a white wine of preference.
Well, having uttered a few words of that kind to my companions (pretentious character meets contentious character?) the first words from my lips were awaited:
“Well, it’s like the rose that you see on a trellis, fully open and still capable of catching the eye with its beauty but when you go to find its perfume, you realise that there is not going to be much left but it remains an admirable sight.”
Later, during the tasting, we had the opportunity to taste the 2016 riesling. It is an excellent part of the day’s outing that you are able to taste a range of vintages, riesling and pinot noir in particular. The 2016 riesling contrasted with the 2003 as does a rosebud to a fully blooming rose. There is a clean, acidic finish to the 2016 that will see it able to be cellared for many a year. The range and depth of the proffered wines at
tasting didn’t disappoint but I doff my cap to the rieslings.
There was agreement between my companions and me: the Contentious Character wines are well made and well valued. Not a word of argument broke out during lunch or during the tastings.
Sitting in the late-autumn sun overlooking the leaf-depleted but orderly vines, there was nary a word of contention. The food was good, the wine complementary and the conversation amiable. I’m sure that the “ruffling of feathers” that comes with the name of contention was not in any of our minds. Rather, the names of things cannot affect actually what they are or how they make you feel. At the end of the day, this was one mellow character.
And the final pretentious remark: “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”
RICHARD CALVER
Beijing food with flair
WE’RE a sister city to Beijing but how does that translate to the capital’s food scene?
Sanya Bar has the answer.
At the Civic end of Lonsdale Street, an area with new bars and eateries popping up daily it seems, Sanya Bar has attracted a crowd keen on Beijing food with flair. JJ Chen instinctively knew her formula for dishes with a twist and cocktails that make you twist would work.
How about the signature crispy banana chicken wings ($8, for three pieces)? While intriguing, we applauded other menu items more loudly, such as the Szechuan scallops and coconut flakes ($13, two pieces). Our lips tingled with the Szechuan and the coconut was a refreshing component.
We were as mesmerised by the Peking duck pancakes. They looked a bit pale on the plate but packed a punch with taste and who doesn’t love a delightful duck pancake? We’ll give the pork pancakes a go next time, with these flavours celebrating the famous dishes of the City of Nanjing.
Our tastebuds took a turn with the crispy fried beef and blue cheese toast ($10, two pieces), which JJ told us were wildly popular. We could see why.
We were talked into dessert and were thrilled with the sensational Blue cheese, pear and walnut wontons ($8, three pieces). These ingredients are always a winning combo, but when stuffed into wontons and then drizzled with honey you’re dealing with a serious treat. Our only “complaint” was that there was very little cheese in one wonton.
If you want to just sit back and “experience”, Sanya Bar dishes up an “I want it all” tapas platter ($45). On Tuesdays, indulge in free tapas tastings when you buy an alcoholic beverage.
The ‘Double Happiness’ sounds, well, happy, but you’ve gotta love a creamy drink –Nutella, Baileys, Frangelico, Kahlua, spiced rum, strawberries and creamy milk ($25). OMG!
While we settled on wine, the cocktails were rocking at the bar. I was attracted to the “Tini”, a lychee martini with Chinese Baijiu, Cointreau and a serious hit of chilli ($15). The “Double Happiness” sounds, well, happy, but you’ve gotta love a creamy drink – Nutella, Baileys, Frangelico, Kahlua, spiced rum, strawberries and creamy milk ($25). OMG!
The food at Sanya Bar is a blend of what JJ’s generation likes to chow down on and what Nancy, JJ’s mum, has created for years in the kitchen. When the family migrated here, Nancy found herself working in the Parliament House kitchens, where she cooked for big guns such as Bob Hawke and Paul Keating. She also worked at the Hyatt.
Sanya Bar has inside and outside dining. It’s worth visiting just for the art by the famous Australian-Chinese artist Guo Jian, who exhibits internationally and has his work in many private collec tions around the world.
Sanja Bar is open for lunch, dinner and through to late.
CHRIS COLEMAN CANBERRA in... is talking
THERE’S nothing quite like fruit off your own trees and the next couple of months will be the busiest time of the year for planting fruit and ornamental trees and roses.
Before even thinking about planting your first tree or rose, consider the soil itself, which in older suburbs may have had the advantage of being improved over the years dealing with clay, the predominant soil in Canberra.
Start by digging a couple of holes to check the nature of the soil. If it is clay the simplest way is to apply “Multicrop” Liquid Ground Breaker. Unlike gypsum, which is usually promoted to “break down” clay, the liquid clay breaker soaks deep down and sideways into the soil.
If you are considering clearing the whole block, I’d recommend applying the liquid ground breaker over the whole area. But if you are just planting in the existing garden, go ahead and dig the hole for your trees and fill it with the liquid ground breaker and allow it to soak away. You’ll know almost immediately the condition of the soil by the rate the clay breaker soaks away. If it drains in a few hours or less the soil is pretty good. But, don’t be in a hurry; even if it takes a couple of days, it’s doing its job.
Next, think carefully about the ultimate size of any new tree, check its label at the nursery or on the internet, but be aware that the information is not always for Australia and can often refer to overseas, especially nurseries in the US.
It’s vital to take into account all services – gas, water, sewer
lines, and in the newer suburbs underground electric cables and phone cables. If you are not sure call Dial Before you Dig on 1100.
In the older suburbs, the electricity lines from the power poles to the home are overhead and all tree branches need to be at least 1.5m clear of the lines. If, for example, the tree is four to five metres tall, I’d recommend planting at least the same distance from the home or outbuildings.
HAVING grown roses here for more than 30 years, I have found newly planted roses will generally have the first flowers about Melbourne Cup Day in early November. Don’t put chemical fertilisers or fresh manures in the planting hole. These can cause irreparable damage to the new, tender roots. At planting time water in new roses with a liquid seaweed-based plant food such as Maxicrop Seaweed Plant Food. This will specifically encourage new root growth without causing any damage to new roots.
If planting roses where there were roses previously, always plant them in new soil.
Here are the main categories of roses, with examples stocked by local garden centres:
The Old-Fashioned Roses category includes many of the Bourbon and Gallica roses now often grouped under the heading Heritage Roses or those roses grown before 1927.
Examples include Rosa “Penelope” and R. “Blanc Double de Coubert”.
Hybrid Tea Roses or today referred to as large-flowered roses, have been the leading class of roses for 100 years. They are the classic rose, mainly with one bloom on a long stem. Excellent as a cut flower with wonderful fragrance. They can grow from 1.2 to 2m tall. Examples include Rosa “Charles De Gaulle” and R. “Ashram”.
Floribunda Roses, now referred to as “cluster roses”, have smaller blooms than Hybrid Tea roses growing in large clusters and flowering over a long period. They are ideal for low-growing hedges or borders,
although equally effective planted in a group of say three to five. Examples include Rosa “Afternoon Delight” and R. “Black Caviar”. David Austin Roses have come into prominence in recent years. David Austin crossed the Old Fashioned Roses with their exquisite fragrance, but not lasting for too long with Hybrid Tea roses. The result is a rose with the old-fashioned shape of flower and fragrance combined with the long-lasting blooms of large-flowered roses. Examples include Rosa “Abraham Darby” and R. “Brother Cadfael”. The first series of David Austin roses was named after characters in Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales’. Finally we have the true Miniature Roses with blooms less than 5cm across and growing no more than 40-50cm tall. Ideal for rockeries or pots. Examples include Rosa “Ellie” and R.
Paths to connect the various elements in the
Jottings…
on paths
• On a total block clearance, first mark out paths.
• Make paths minimum of 1.5m wide.
• Decide the material for paths, paver gravel, concrete etcetera.
• Make paths connect to various elements in the garden, ie clothes line, shed,
“Holy Toledo”.
Rosa “Black Caviar”... medium-size blooms of outstanding velvet burgundy claret-red flowers with vanilla and jasmine fragrance.
Clearing the site.
garden.
Joanne Madeline Moore
ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)
Many rambunctious Rams will feel rather edgy this week, as Mercury and Jupiter jump-start your restless gene. So it’s a wonderful week to ditch your usual routine and go travelling for fun or work (especially interstate). Plus plan plenty of mental challenges and physical outdoor activities, so you can prevent yourself from being bored. When it comes to your social media profile, be careful you’re not posting rushed comments that can easily be misconstrued.
TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 20)
This week Mercury and Jupiter boost your business brain, as you feel more positive about your financial and professional future. But resist the urge to be precious about possessions or possessive of loved ones. Give family and friends plenty of room to do their own thing. Attached Bulls – resist the temptation to keep a big secret from your spouse. Singles – steady Saturn encourages you to search for a long-term partner who is mature, responsible and wise.
GEMINI (May 21 – June 21)
It’s the perfect week to shake off the mental cobwebs as Mercury and Jupiter stimulate your curiosity zones. Time to read, write, research and investigate. You’ll also enjoy finding fresh ways to connect with those around you whether at home, at work, in your local community or via social media. Don’t believe everything you hear though. A close personal relationship looks tricky too, as Saturn stirs up grievances and stymies communication.
CANCER (June 22 – July 22)
Caring Crabs are natural nesters. And home is definitely where the heart is this week, as Jupiter lights up your domestic zone. So it’s a terrific time to cook a special meal and relax with family and friends. Or finish some of those DIY projects you started enthusiastically many moons ago! So your motto for the moment is from fellow Cancerian, His Holiness the Dalai Lama (born on July 6, 1935): “A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation of your life.”
LEO (July 23 – Aug 22)
Tuesday is a terrific day to sign a contract, start a course of study or make a splash on social media. Friendships are placed under the forensic microscope on Thursday though, when Saturn highlights problems in existing relationships. Have some mates passed their used-by date? Make sure you spend time with positive people who support your dreams and have your best interests at heart. As birthday great Paul McCartney sings: “I get by with a little help from my friends”.
VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sept 22)
Is your professional life progressing well? Are you overdue to retrain or apply for a promotion? Is it time to take on a second job or even change vocation? Avoid resting on your lovely Virgo laurels. With Mercury and Jupiter energising your career and business zones, you need to initiate some positive changes asap. Plus find practical ways to manage your stress levels. Otherwise you’ll find that work, home and relationship responsibilities will be in constant conflict.
LIBRA (Sept 23 – Oct 23)
This week’s positive planetary aspects bring out your smart, studious and sociable side. So it’s the perfect time to pick up new information from a wide variety of people and places. Plus party like a pro at a special public event or entertain guests more privately at home. Whatever you do, make sure you enjoy yourself and have lots of fun. But be extra careful on Wednesday and Thursday, when someone may (unintentionally) give you information that is not to be trusted.
SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 21)
Love and peace planet Venus is in your relationship zone, so you’re in the mood for companionship and cooperation. Independent projects are out; and cosy collaboration is in. And for some lucky singles, romance is in the air! But Saturn also stirs up an old problem involving joint finances or shared possessions. The other person wants changes ASAP – but are you really ready? Take your time, and don’t be rushed into doing anything that you don’t feel comfortable with.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 21)
With Mercury and Jupiter both stimulating your sign, your Sagittarian playfulness and sense of humour are highlighted this week. So you’re keen to amuse others, as you play the role of the ribald raconteur. But remember, there can be a very fine line between being funny and being offensive. When it comes to close relationships, resist the urge to be bossy and judgemental. Telling others how they should live their lives will just lead to you being perpetually unpopular!
CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19)
Your exceedingly high standards can be hard for others to live up to, especially this week. Perhaps 90% effort (and a happy home or workplace) is better than 100% effort and ragged faces all round? Jupiter encourages you to be a leader who is curious, generous and wise. With Mars moving through your partnership zone (until July 20) it’s time to reboot a tired old relationship, or initiate a new one. But don’t let minor differences undermine a major connection.
AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18)
It’s time to plan your next heavenly holiday as Mercury and Jupiter activate your adventure zone. Be brave and blast out of your comfort zone. There’s nothing like travel to broaden your mental horizons. But are there dozens of reasons why you can’t go away – no money, too busy or overcommitted? Stop making excuses! Draw inspiration from fellow Aquarian Michael Jordan: “Some people want it to happen, some people wish it could happen, others make it happen.”
PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 20)
This week, aim to get the balance right between your professional persona and your more private side. Some quiet time for rest and relaxation is just as important as networking widely and burning the midnight oil. On Wednesday and Thursday, don’t let your Piscean curiosity (and fertile imagination) cloud your better judgment. Step back and view a situation from a wider perspective, and a more realistic angle. If something sounds too good to be true, then it probably is!
Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2017
Across
3 Which seats could be considered “the best seats in the house”? (8)
7 Name the coat of wool that covers a sheep. (6)
8 In which month is the Melbourne Cup traditionally held? (8)
9 Which loose overgarments are worn by artists? (6)
10 Name a particular social insect. (5,3)
11 What is a tract of grassland used for raising hay, etc? (6)
14 When one pastures livestock for payment, one does what? (6)
17 Name an alternative term for estate agents. (8)
18 Name an ancient province, formerly a kingdom, in Ireland. (6)
19 Which graph is also called the “alignment chart”? (8)
20 What is another name for a weasel? (6)
21 What is the practice of rough and unmannerly behaviour? (8)
Down
1 What is the entire feathery covering of a bird? (7)
2 The showing of what, by a referee, indicates that the player must leave the field? (3,4)
3 Name an Australian Labor Party politician, and NSW Premier 1964/65, Jack ... (7)
4 Name a palindromic SA city. (7)
5 When one drinks, one does what? (7)
6 What do we call those who gain profits from labour? (7)
11 What is another name for a sailor? (7)
12 To be disturbed with sudden fear, is to be what? (7)
13 Which figure has eight angles and eight sides? (7)
14 Which term describes that which one takes for granted? (7)
15 That which causes weariness or disgust could be considered as what? (7)
16 What are hotels also known as? (7)
Garrett came by to tell me he'd been offered shares in an early stage innovation company (ESIC) and had heard there were tax advantages in making an investment in them.
"I don't have any knowledge of ESIC and would appreciate getting some more information and guidance," he said.
I told him that from July 1 last year newly issued shares bought in an ESIC (that is shares purchased direct from the company as first owners of those shares) there were benefits, but with certain conditions.
"It's important that the shares are not part of an employee share scheme and that they are not preference shares in the company," I said.
"There are also different rules that apply to sophisticated investors and to retail investors. To be a sophisticated investor you need a certificate from a suitably qualified person that states that you meet relevant asset and income criteria and the certificate must have been issued in the last six months.
"But, as you don't satisfy the definition of a sophisticated investor you are defined as a retail investor.
"A retail investor can't invest more than $50,000 in total in ESIC shares in an income year. If you exceed this figure it's important to remember that you will lose all the ESIC tax benefits."
At this point, Garrett looked across the desk, scratched his head and said: "Gosh, this is complex".
I confirmed it was complex because there were substantial benefits. "Firstly, provided your total investment is less than $50,000, you are entitled to a tax offset of 20 per cent of your investment," I told him.
"The maximum offset that you can claim is therefore $10,000. The offset reduces the amount of your tax bill on a dollar-fordollar basis.
"The second part of the benefit is in relation to capital gains and losses. If you hold your ESIC shares for more than 12 months and less than 10 years and you the sell them at a profit then no capital gains tax will apply. On the other hand, if you make a capital loss and have held those shares for less than 10 years then that capital loss must also be disregarded.
"As a retail investor you can't own more than 30 per cent of the company. So if you don't use all your ESIC offset in a year you can carry forward the remaining amount up to a maximum of $200,000, which can be claimed in future years. You should also be eligible for the offset and capital gains tax reduction if you invest in an ESIC through either a partnership or a trust."
Garrett could see the wisdom of my advice, saying: "Thanks, Gail, that confirms that investing in an ESIC can be very attractive. I think with what I know now, I'm going to go ahead and make the investment."
If you need any tax or business advice contact the friendly team at Gail Freeman & Co Pty Ltd on
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