170622 citynews

In praise of a tall poppy

MICHAEL MOORE

How social media menaces sport

TIM GAVEL

Lots to wonder about Whitney

DOUGAL MACDONALD

Why fruit trees need bees

CEDRIC BRYANT

MAD AS A HATTER

The crazy kids' show coming to town

Gough Whitlam shaped the Australian nation, before that, the Australian nation shaped him. This exhibition tells the story of the man behind the legacy – the bright Canberra schoolboy obsessed with Greek mythology, the RAAF navigator braving hazardous skies at the height of the Pacific war, and a young father starting a family on the urban fringe.

On show at the National Archives of Australia Queen Victoria Terrace, Parkes, Canberra ACT

23 June – 3 September 2017

By Wendy Johnson

IT’S all about mateship, the love of a dynamite brew and a passion for adventure.

Canberra’s second genuine production brew house, at the Kingston wetlands, Dairy Road, Fyshwick, is just a hop away from rolling out its first locally brewed run of beer, fingers crossed, by the end of this month.

The four main players behind this 100 per cent Australian-owned and independently operated company are Laurence Kain and Tom Hertel, who built a reputation for keeping Australian craft beers on tap when they owned Honkytonks and Hippo Co., Nick Hislop, who specialises in brew house operations and sustainability, and Rich Coombes, co-founder of Batlow Cider Co.

Then there’s the brewer, Wade Hurley, who hails from some big-time craft breweries in San Diego, the world mecca for craft beer.

There’s been serious investment in building a sustainable brew house and operations.

The new 1000 square-metre stateof-the-art brew house is custom built with equipment imported from San Diego. A tasting room is being built.

Perhaps it’s the dedication to the environment that is most impressive about Capital Brewing Co., which

has been in the making for about 18 months. For example, heat is captured from the brewing process and reused for future brews, significantly reducing the amount of water to heat.

The new brew house has one of the most energy efficient firing systems in the world, a variable intensity, water-tube steam boiler.

“Without getting too technical, the

boiler only burns gas to produce steam as our brew house needs it,” says Nick.

The Georg Fischer cool fit pipe system from Switzerland transports glycol cooling fluid to fermentation tanks. It offers the lowest heat loss of any system on the market.

“Investing in energy efficiency upfront will seriously reduce our utility consumption and carbon foot-

1993: Volume 23, Number

print,” says Nick.

Then there’s the six-stage variable drive refrigeration motor, LED lighting and 60,000-litre water tank buried underground that captures water off the building’s roof to take care of lawns and plants. Plans are underway to install solar.

“We’re moving to using only 100 per cent recycled aluminium cans with 98 per cent post-consumer recycled plastic clip tops,” says Laurence.

“Cans are more environmentally friendly than bottles. They’re lighter and we can fit 32 per cent more on a pallet so we use less diesel when transporting product.

“The cans also keep the product fresher and prevent light from hitting the beer, which makes it deteriorate quickly.”

The lads behind the company – avid climbers, skiers and surfers – create “good-natured brews” inspired by their time spent outdoors in Canberra, at the beach and in the snow. This close group of friends aren’t afraid of hard work, thinking big and then relaxing with beers in hand.

“Our beer is unpasteurised and cold stored to keep it as fresh as it can be,” says Laurence.

“We’ve been ‘gypsy brewing’ for 12 months while building the brew house, renting out tanks and equipment in Sydney. We still made the beer ourselves so had total control over quality

and brewing. We’re not one of the fugazi [fake] beer brands out there.”

So far, the lads have released a Coast Ale (influenced by Wade’s San Diego heritage), Trail Pale Ale (inspired by days of hiking the hills of the capital region) and Evil Eye (named after an old tree stump tattooed with an evil eye once located on Lake George).

The beers are going great guns and are sold in more than 85 bars and restaurants in Canberra, and in major liquor outlets. They’re distributed nationally and sold in more yhan150 outlets from Melbourne to Brisbane. But it’s the first brew in their new venue that has the team trembling with excitement.

Behind-the-scenes brewery tours will run Saturdays and Sundays, showing how Capital Brewing Co. turns malt, hops, water and yeast into boutique beers. The core range will always be available at the taproom, as will seasonal releases, taproom-only releases and special collaboration brews, just to mix matters up a bit.

Local farmers are keen that Capital Brewing Co. is around. They pick up the spent grain to feed to stock.

“It’s had all sugars taken out and is high in protein,” says Laurence. “We give it to them for free.”

The bottom line for the lads is that their new adventure is proudly branded with Canberra in mind. They never hesitate to crack open a beer for that.

Arts & Entertainment 19-21

Cinema 21

Dining 21

Crossword 23

Gardening 22

Horoscopes 23

Letters 8, 9

News 3-10

Politics 6

Socials 11

Sport 10

CEO: Greg Jones, 0419 418196, greg@citynews.com.au

Editor: Ian Meikle, editor@citynews.com.au

Journalists: Kate Meikle, kate@citynews.com.au; Danielle Nohra, danielle@citynews.com.au; Kathryn Vukovljak, kathryn@citynews.com.au

Arts editor: Helen Musa, 0400 043764, helen@citynews.com.au

Photographer: Maddie McGuigan

Advertising manager: Greg Jones, 0419 418196

Senior advertising account executive: David Cusack, 0435 380656

Advertising account executive: Liam Jones, 0400 092095; Damien Klemke, 0439 139001; Emily Lester, 0406 412462

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Graphic designer: Paulette Leo

Proof reader: Glenda Anderson

taken by Ian Meikle, 9b/189 Flemington Road, Mitchell.

Accounts manager: Bethany Freeman-Chandler accounts@citynews.com.au

Second banana whips up a storm at the ball

SECOND banana Barnaby Joyce’s bizarre entrance to the Mid-Winter Ball posed several obvious questions, none of which of course can ever be answered.

Was the Akubra-wearing, whip-cracking Nats’ Leader’s display a “subtle” assertion of his authority for the benefit of Liberal Party room rebels or just another example of Joyce’s famous weirdness? And how Joyce, once described as a “mad, old uncle”, got a serious stockwhip past the House’s tight security is yet another question.

JOYCE’S hijinks mattered little though as the night belonged to frocks. Particularly those worn by senators Pauline Hanson, Jacqui Lambie and the now undisputed Queen of the Ball, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, who turned heads and stunned snappers at the event, which is rapidly challenging the Brownlow Medal and Logies’ red carpets for prominence. The annual event, organised by the Press Gallery, raised a record $350,000 for

IF you thought the annual ACT Eastern Grey kangaroo

How did Barnaby Joyce, once described as a ‘mad, old uncle’, get a serious stockwhip past the House’s tight security?

cull was a quiet affair this year then you’d be right. Local activists say, apart from hearing a few shots at Isaacs flat reserve on Friday, they’ve yet to see any shooters during their nightly monitoring. Spokesperson for the Animal Protectors Alliance Frankie Seymour says it’s possible the cull has been slightly culled due to fewer roos to be culled. But Seymour says nobody will ever know given the government’s form of fudging figures from the culls since 2008.

MEANTIME, authorities have another pest in their crosshairs,the Indian myna bird. The Canberra Indian Myna Bird Action Group Inc’s winter newsletter excitedly reports that the ACT government is “close to placing the myna on the list of declared pest animals”.

The group’s patron is a Prof Tony Peacock

POLITICAL memorabilia from five collections and the stories which go with them make up a new exhibition at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. “Finders Keepers: Collectors and Their Stories” offers a journey through our democratic history via special mementoes from political careers including former Nats’ leader Tim Fischer’s neckties to vintage protest T-shirts.

STILL on political memorabilia, rumour has it that a prime piece of political memorabilia may find its way into the collection of a former Australian prime minister. While some senior staffers souvenired pieces of a marble coffee table that shattered under the strain of a raucous wake in his Parliament House office on the night he was dumped in 2015, Tony Abbott is understood to have made a bid for the intact table, which he paid to be repaired soon after the incident.

WITH shorter days and sub-zero temperatures comes a serious warning about the “winter blues”. A local academic has highlighted the reality of SAD (seasonal affective disorder).

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UC assistant professor in psychology Dr Vivienne Lewis says SAD is a type of depression that commonly occurs with a change in season, usually winter, with symptoms including “sluggishness, lack of motivation, difficulty in concentrating and a decrease in mood and energy levels”.

Dr Lewis advises us to get as much daylight and exercise as possible to get an important hit of endorphins.

THE rumour that Kambah is the biggest suburb in Australia has been scuttled. But a small consolation, the southern hub, established in the 1970s, is the biggest in the ACT. In fact it’s four times the size of the

average Canberra suburb. The correction came to light as a result of a question posed to the ABC’s “Curious Canberrans” series.

STILL in the ‘burbs, if you have civic pride and wish to be a part of Canberra’s future, Planning and Land Management Minister Mick Gentleman wants to hear from you. Locals are invited to be part of a committee that makes recommendations for names for new suburbs.

Just in case it hasn’t been nominated yet, a new suburb named Rithmetic when added to the established Reid and Wright would give the capital a unique marketing opportunity as the educated city. You’re welcome.

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AUSTRALIANS love to cut down our tall poppies. One of the things we could learn from the Americans is how to support success. Sincere and well-deserved encouragement and congratulations is generally lacking in the way Australians treat one another. This is just one of the reasons that I was delighted to see the recognition of Prof Philip Pettit as a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC).

This is the highest award that a nation can bestow. I was delighted that Philip Pettit was recognised this way for a number of reasons. Philip is a long-term friend. Much more importantly, his work as a political philosopher provides a fundamental understanding of how to develop a fairer society whether at the local, national or international level.

In the general community philosophers are often seen as moving in a different paradigm. However, Philip Pettit is different. He has been able to apply his philosophical thinking into practical applications even within the ACT.

In 1998 Prof Pettit was chair of the “Review of the Governance of the Australian Capital Territory” along with Tim Keady and Bill Blick. The report covered constitutional, electoral, legislative and executive roles of government along with

poppy

Philip Pettit’s work as a political philosopher provides a fundamental understanding of how to develop a fairer society whether at the local, national or international level.

ment’s success in implementing Pettit’s philosophical ideas.

Zapatero was familiar with Philip Pettit’s 1997 book, “Republicanism: A Theory of Freedom and Government”. He found the ideas overwhelmingly influential and decided to adopt them. Pettit’s “Republicanism” was incorporated into the Spanish Socialist party as the “New Way”.

the text had considerable impact on how I conducted my own politics. His profound understanding and insights on “freedom from domination” rather than ideas pushed primarily by industry as “freedom from interference” was fundamental to my own understanding of liberty.

The work laid the groundwork for a liberal philosophy that allowed me and others to understand the appropriate basis on which governments ought to regulate or deregulate.

lived in Reid and was a key personality at neighbourhood gatherings where local, national and international ideas were discussed. Despite his own intellect, Philip could make everyone feel comfortable as he would value their opinion, listen carefully and debate with respect.

community access.

The review included a series of public hearings and resulted in 30 recommendations, many of which were adopted by the Assembly and by the government of the time.

His work has also had practical ramifications internationally. In 2004, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, the Prime Minister of Spain, invited Prof Pettit to give an ongoing assessment of Zapatero’s government to measure the extent of his govern-

Karin Dienst, writing for “News at Princeton” in 2008, summed up his contribution to effective, fair and ethical government with the words “offers a clear-cut set of principles with practical ways to organise government so that it is responsive and enabling”. Although the Frenchlanguage weekly news magazine “Le Nouvel Observateur” in 2005 named Pettit “one of the 25 greatest thinkers in the world”, he remained a truly humble man – engaging with ordinary people, listening carefully and providing ideas that would extend others.

Although I had known Philip for a number of years before the publication of his 1997 book,

This was not just practice from the past. Relatively recently, I wrote a submission on behalf of the Public Health Association of Australia to the Senate Standing Committees on Economics Inquiry into “Personal Choice and Community Impacts” chaired by Senator Leyonhjelm, which largely focused on the “nanny state”. The submission and my responses when appearing before the committee were anchored in this philosophical thinking.

However, there is also Philip the personable. Before taking up his post as Laurance S. Rockefeller University Professor of Politics and Human Values at Princeton University, Philip

In the 1990s as an independent member of the ACT Legislative Assembly I was fortunate enough to have advice from Philip on matters of ethics and political philosophy generally. He spent considerable time with me providing advice on how to avoid adverse situations and how to manage my role more effectively.

I am delighted that Australia has an effective system that appropriately honours such tall poppies.

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

Kerry can’t get enough of caravans

Kathryn Vukovljak reports

IT started in 1962 with four caravans on Northbourne Avenue, but now with his three sons by his side and his father’s legacy behind him, Kerry Lloyd says he’s proud to be carrying on the family business Lloyd’s Caravans.

“My dad’s mate approached him to sell the caravans, and when they all went in the first few days, he thought he might be on to something,” says Kerry.

“Soon after he started selling caravans from our family home in Red Hill.”

A panel beater by trade, Kerry says his parents George and Mollie Lloyd and his eight siblings moved from Wagga Wagga to Canberra in the early ‘60s.

“Dad was a mechanic and taxi owner, and worked in the air force as an aircraft mechanic during World War II,” he says. “He was the first to introduce radios to taxis in Wagga and Canberra.”

He says the Lloyd family has a long history in Wagga, with both his parents’ ancestors owning a lot of farming property in the area and a suburb named after them.

Kerry says he joined the family business in 1977, along with his brother Bob who has since retired.

“I’ve always enjoyed it, I still like coming to work,” he says. “The good thing about it is that the people we deal with are on holidays, they’re happy and we get to share in that and we get to know them.

“Many people go up north on Anzac Day when it gets cold and by September they come back. I could set up shop up there and serve the same people.

“Caravans and motorhomes are evolving all the time and we’re evolving with them.”

Kerry says his own caravan of choice is a 1970s Viscount called Priscilla with a checkerboard floor and lots of pink, which “looks like a 1970s milk bar” and he enjoys taking it down the coast to go fishing.

He says there have been some brushes with fame over the years, having supplied vans to Olympic basketballer Phil Smyth (adding a hoop to the back of his van for fun), hiring granny flats to Pope John

Paul II on a papal visit in 1986, and providing Sir Robert Menzies with one of their vans at the coast when he was prime minister.

“We also fixed Dire Straits’ tour bus in the ‘80s, the hatches had blown off the roof and they had nowhere else to fix it. It was just a big bus with a lounge room in the back really,” he says.

“And we had Normie Rowe’s van to fix in the backyard with all his memorabilia and stuff, word got out and people thought he was staying there, so we had girls all out in front of the house, saying ‘we

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want Normie’.”

Kerry says he’s glad to be carrying on his father’s legacy as well as working with his three sons, Mitchell who’s an auto electrician, Matthew, a panel beater and Kyle who’s a carpenter.

“It’s great to be working with my sons here, they’re keen and they’re good. This is the third generation, which is just fantastic.

“We are still run totally by Lloyds, and I’m looking forward to another 55 years. I don’t know if I’ll make it, but my sons might!”

Standing up for the arboretum

EVERY great idea has its pessimist doomsayers. The National Arboretum has ex-forester Peter Marshall.

His diatribe against this fabulous venture (“Doom grows over the arboretum”, CN June 8), attracting more than half a million visitors a year, reminds me of the line from John O’Brien’s poem: “’We’ll all be rooned,’ said Hanrahan”.

The arboretum is not a commercial timber plantation but a wonderful public garden. Marshall should stick to his knitting and reflect instead on the environmental ruin caused by his profession in our dwindling native forests as well as by habitat loss due to massive monoculture planting of Pinus radiata

The arboretum should preserve his miserable outburst in a time capsule so that Canberrans 50 years hence can read it in the shade of the many magnificent oaks and have a chuckle at old-time thinking.

Peter Sesterka, Hawker

Affordability by halves

THE ACT government can achieve market and treasury-preserving housing affordability by enabling committed owneroccupiers to directly purchase the front half of a new block of land, with an agreement to purchase the back half later.

The owner procures a planningcontrolled “stage-one” house on the front half and pays the full-block’s rates. After a maximum of say, seven years, the owner completes the land purchase and may extend the house.

Jack Kershaw, Kambah

Write to us

Letters are invited from “CityNews” readers. Let loose to: editor@citynews.com.au or write to the editor at: 9b / 189 Flemington Road, Mitchell 2911.

Warming the community spirit with curry

By Danielle Nohra

WINTER’S annual World Curry Festival has been revamped this year to feature entertainers including a Sydney DJ, Bollywood dance groups and a little “fusion” for its main course of spicy curries.

Festival founder and chair of the Canberra India Council Deepak-Raj Gupta says the World Curry Festival was created in 2015 and this year’s festival is to be a “fusion” of many cultures in all kinds of ways, from music through to the food.

It’s a chance to escape winter, eat curry and dance to the beat of Bollywood tunes, which Deepak-Raj says is the definition of a good time.

Each stall will serve something different so Deepak-Raj suggests having a small sample of each one in order to try them all.

“It’s not the kind of curries

people are used to, it’s honest street food,” he says.

And it’s not only Indian-style curries, there will be 30 stalls bringing curries from places such as Laos, Europe and Africa, plus curry-flavoured beer.

“The festival will also include traditional Indian dancing, Bollywood dancing from Bollywood Dimension Canberra and Shiamak Davar

Australia, DJ Monty from Sydney and Canberra’s hottest chilli-eating competition,” he says.

Another source of entertainment will be “Chef” Minister Andrew Barr’s “celebrity cooking demo” at the festival.

Aside from entertainment and food, it’s about bringing the Canberra community together, says Deepak-Raj.

“In a multicultural society it is good to bring diversity through different cuisines,” he says.

“The way the world is going at the moment, this is the best way to swap the hate with love.

“Food brings together the world in a different style.”

And, given its history, it seems fitting that curry is used to bring the community together.

Deepak-Raj says that tikka masala was created in Britain and vindaloo is a Portuguese curry.

Over time he also wants to see more fusions from different countries, making it an iconic Canberra event.

“I can’t wait to see a curry bangers and mash one day!” he says.

The World Curry Festival, in partnership with Canberra India Council, In the City Canberra and ACT Office of Multicultural Affairs, City Walk, 11am-8pm, July 7-9.

What to do when faced with an aggressive dog

Dog owner, enthusiast and writer LUCY ALEXANDER shares some practical tips on what to do if approached by an aggressive dog following the ‘CityNews’ cover article last month on the problem with dangerous dogs in Canberra

WHILE there are possibilities of problems arising from dog ownership it’s also clear that this human/animal relationship has many benefits.

Studies recently showed that having a family pet increased the health of the immune system in newborn babies. Dogs keep their owners active (researchers at Michigan State University found that dog owners are 34 per cent more likely to fit in 150 minutes of walking a week) and engaged in the community, and that in turn increases their mental health.

“Owning a dog is a little like owning a car,” says Dr Kersti Seksel, a specialist at the Sydney Animal Behaviour Service.

“You can’t drive it just anywhere. There are clear and informed rules; if those are broken there are consequences.”

The laws are clear here in the ACT: dogs are only allowed off the leash in designated areas where they must be supervised, dogs are required to be registered and microchipped. It’s the situation the dog finds itself in that affects how it acts and sometimes even the most placid family pet will get worked up.

within the household.”

In fact, most dog-related incidents in our region are of a domestic nature, arising from misunderstandings of dog body language and signals.

“The information is now that a child under 10 should not be left alone with a dog. Children under this age are not good at reading canine signals,” says Dr O’Shea, who has a particular interest in this area.

So what should you do if you are approached aggressively or baled up by a dog?

“Aggression is a normal response to certain stimulus in humans and dogs,” Dr Seksel says.

“It’s not so much the dog but how the owner handles the situation that’s key.”

Fellow veterinary behaviourist Dr Andrew O’Shea says: “The overwhelming majority of dog bites are what we call ‘Band-Aid bites’.

“More than often they are inflicted by a known dog

1. Stand still , don’t run, even if this is your instinct. Dogs’ eyes are good at seeing movement, this often attracts their attention. If you stay very still you are likely to become boring. If the dog is still some distance away it may lose track of you completely –depending on how good its eyesight is.

2. Keep your hands by your side . Don’t flap your arms or kick at the dog. This is likely to excite it and make it more interested in you. You don’t want that, you want this dog to leave you alone. Don’t give it anything to get its teeth into.

3. Stay quiet , try not to make any noise. Be as passive as possible. Buy yourself time.

4. Avoid eye contact with the dog, look at the ground. Some sources recommend turning side on so you seem less “confrontational”.

5. Once the dog has lost interest, slowly back away. Dogs live in the moment, if you are not doing anything the dog is likely to move on to something else… hopefully, its calling owner.

Thumbs up for Mr Hynes

GOOD on you, Mr John Hynes

(“Dangerous dogs – much talk, little action”, CN, May 24). Ninety per cent of the public are with you.

Anyone who puts the protection of dogs above that of children, it’s obvious they don’t have children of their own.

Any responsible parent would automatically protect their child as Mr Hynes did.

Some dogs that are unregistered, not on a leash and running free are dangerous, but they’re all terrifying while running towards you and especially to children.

Two thumbs up to you, Mr Hynes.

M Thompson, Farrer

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‘Uncontrolled weapons’

WITH all the letters about unrestrained dogs, I feel I must share my experiences. I am now retired, but was a postie for 21 years.

In my opinion dogs are simply uncontrolled weapons and their owners think it’s funny to see a postie or a child doing all they can to get away from the “tough” dog straining to get to them. It’s quite amusing; I mean why would their beloved dog hurt anybody? It’s harmless!

That is until you pull out an old golf stick to defend yourself. Not

so funny then. They make a very wide berth, thinking you must be a lunatic!

Of course, you can report them to Australia Post management, but they don’t care. They’re too busy delivering letters in less than 2-3 weeks from Sydney (the best I’ve had is one day less than a month!). By the way, I was brought up on a farm with dogs all of my life.

John

Hobbins, Monash

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How social media menaces sport

WHEN I began sports commentating (when dinosaurs roamed the world, according to my kids) there were no mobile phones or computers, let alone social media.

The only feedback we received after calling a game was via the post with a letter arriving in the mail often weeks after the event, a telephone call back to the station or if you bumped into somebody in the street or in the pub. There was no such thing as instant feedback.

Because feedback was often face-to-face it wasn’t over-the-top and a level of common sense prevailed. It was all very civilised and controlled.

It was the same with the players; they were cocooned from much of the outside world and none the wiser about how supporters felt about their performance.

I remember the surprise experienced by Raiders’ players when they won the ‘89 Grand Final. They knew they had a level of support but were shocked by the reception on their return from Sydney after beating Balmain. In 2017 it is totally different.

The feedback is instant; a player can go on social media straight after a game for an assessment of their performance. It can be brutal following a loss and, to a certain degree, extremely

Players tell me that following a loss they avoid social media because of the impact it can have on their confidence.

destructive when the athlete is emotionally fragile.

I sometimes hear coaches say they don’t want players speaking to the mainstream media on game day or even the day before because of the impact it could have on their performance.

If I was a coach I would be less concerned about speaking to journalists and more worried about social media.

Through social media many of the behavioural norms go out the window with some feeling as though the only way for their message to stand out is to exaggerate their criticism. I say criticism because the majority of social media posts appear to be critical. There are some expressing instantaneous sheer joy but from my perspective they are heavily outweighed by posts expressing anger and vitriol. They call for players, coaches, anybody involved in the team to be sacked.

Players have cited social media as the stimuli for bringing on depression.

Players tell me that following

a loss they avoid social media because of the impact it can have on their confidence coupled with the fact that they know the comments are going to be harsh.

The problem is that sporting teams now recognise the power of social media with evidence that ticket sales increase through marketing campaigns entirely focused on Facebook and Twitter.

For the campaign to be powerful it needs input from the players, it is seen as an avenue for players to interact with fans.

It is no different in the wider community with major concerns about what amounts to bullying on social media leading to depression.

In the media we are not immune to the impact of social media. It is now the norm to call for people to send SMSs during games.

You will get a few saying they are enjoying the call, some

contributing to the general discussion, others commenting on what is happening on the field. Then, out of the blue, you might get one saying you are the worst commentator ever, standards have slipped because of you and is there a chance you could be replaced by another caller at half time.

I admit the first time it happened I was taken aback and it took me a few moments to get back into my stride. These days I cop the criticism and move on, but I am 55 years of age and probably have a greater ability to handle it than a sportsperson in their twenties.

We talk about the impact of alcohol and gambling and its association with sport, how about adding to this conversation and spending some time thinking about the impact social media has on sport speople.

Canada celebrates in red and white

ICONIC landmarks across Australia will be illuminated in red and white on Saturday, July 1, to mark the 150th anniversary of Canada’s confederation.

In Canberra, Old Parliament House, Telstra Tower, Captain Cook Memorial Jet, National Carillon, Malcolm Fraser Bridge and the Canadian high commission will be lit to celebrate Canada Day. Members of the public are invited to post photos of the illuminated structures on social media using the hashtag #CanadaDownUnder150. The best photo of each illuminated landmark will receive a Canada 150 gift pack. More information at the Canada Down Under Facebook page.

Cheering them on

STUNTS, dance, jumps and pyramids, big bows and glitter are all part of CanCheer 2017, a cheerleading competition that will attract more than 475 competitors from eight local clubs to the Sports Hall at the University of Canberra on Sunday, June 25. It’s open to the public, more details at 0418 620772, or info@heatcheerleading.com

Paul soldiers on

PAUL Smith from Soldier On is the guest speaker at the next dinner meeting of the Tuggeranong Evening VIEW Club, at the Town Centre Vikings club, Greenway, 6.30pm, Wednesday, June 28. Visitors and interested ladies welcome. The two-course dinner costs $27. Enquiries to 6291 7716 or tuggeven@gmail.com

Up for debate

MEMBERS of the Weston Creek VIEW Club will debate resolutions that are put before the Federal government at its next lunch meeting at the Southern Cross Club, Woden, 11.30am-2.30pm, on Tuesday, July 4. The club welcomes visitors and interested ladies. Lunch is $28 and booking enquiries to 6288 7625 by Thursday, June 29.

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Trendy inner-city centre of change and history

SETTLED in 1922 and gazetted as a division name in September 1928, Braddon is one of Canberra’s oldest suburbs.

It was previously known for its many car dealerships and automotive services but has since become Canberra’s trendy suburb.

Braddon’s commercial area, which consists of small art galleries, restaurants, cafes, bars, gift and clothes stores, is centred on Mort and Lonsdale Streets, which are both parallel to Northbourne Avenue.

With only a short walk to Civic, Braddon has become a popular living option as many of its former suburban houses have been replaced with apartments.

Dynamic travel team looking for votes

THE young and dynamic team at Active Travel have plenty of experience in travelling, which is why they’re in the running for the “people’s choice” award for travel agency of the year, says its owner Nick Carter.

“Our clients can win an APT cruise for two people just for voting for us based on our previous service,” he says.

And the awards couldn’t come at a better time with finalists being announced a week after Active Travel’s second anniversary.

With a love for travel, Nick has a long list of favourite places to visit. However, he says Singapore is up there mainly due to the excellent food, nightlife and the abundance of activities along with the lovely tropical climate.

“It is such a clean and safe place to visit and everything just seems to work as and when you need it to,” he says.

Active Travel has a monthly spotlight and this month it’s focusing on “short breaks” of up to a week. These include a lot of warmer destinations ideal for this time of year including Tahiti, Bali and Norfolk Island.

But if people want to stay within

Australia Active Travel can help them plan the perfect local getaway.

“You don’t have to change currency then there are no hidden surprises when you reach your destination,” Nick says.

“Working with Active Travel is as easy as

Anthony keeps his eyewear store in the family

AFTER nearly 35 years since opening the former Langley Pino Eyecare store in Civic, the Pino family has created Eye Candy, its own, new and independent business on Lonsdale Street, says owner Anthony Pino.

The staff share 75 years’ experience and would love to see the regular faces they have assisted over the years in the Civic store.

“Come in for an eye test or simply bring in your prescription so we can show you the amazing and diverse collection of eyewear we have both in the Braddon and Belconnen stores,” says Anthony.

Eye Candy remains known for its mixture of eclectic, vintage and handmade products such as Dita, Oliver Peoples, Theo, Ray Ban, Persol, Dior, Moscot and Thom Browne.

“A good lens should last you until you want to change it, rather than you have to,” Anthony says.

“If I wouldn’t wear it, I wouldn’t sell it.”

Over the years Anthony has observed that these days around 50 per cent of Eye Candy’s customers are from places outside of Canberra.

bringing us your ideas, your dates and your budget.”

Active Travel, Mode 3, 133/24 Lonsdale Street, Braddon. Visit activetravel.com.au or call 6249 6122.

He describes the eyewear and the shop as quirky and exciting, but also intimate and homely, with a living room design that’s perfect to have a coffee in a friendly environment.

Eye Candy Optical, Unit 136 , Mode 3 Building, Lonsdale Street, Braddon. Call 6188 4466 or visit eyecandyoptical.com.au

Quality toys and clothes for kids

SIX years ago Loretta Hately started Lellow Kids after she struggled to find unique, quality kids’ clothes for her young children.

The fun and bright shop has many brands that customers won’t find anywhere else in Canberra, says the store manager, Jen Takiari.

The stock at Lellow Kids is a mixture of quality Australian and European labels.

“We love kids’ fashion that is fun and comfortable, with clothing that is made from fabrics that last,” Jen says.

“We have a great shoe department and all staff are trained to measure and fit shoes correctly.”

Jen says the shoes are designed to care for growing feet and the toys are made from high-quality materials so they can be passed down generations.

There is even a small kids’ corner to keep children busy while customers shop.

And by shopping local, Jen says, people are supporting a small business that treats its customers like friends.

Lellow Kids, 129/24 Lonsdale Street, Braddon. Call 6162 1272, email shop@lellow.com.au or visit lellow.com.au

Benjamin offers full fire-safety advice

IGNIS Solutions is Canberra-based but provides firesafety advice for buildings around Australia and the world.

Its popularity seems to come from the managing director, Benjamin HughesBrown, who is the only registered chartered fire safety engineer in the ACT.

Benjamin HughesBrown.

“We provide a service, which includes fire safety advice, from design to construction, productions and occupation, whereas a lot of other companies will only do one thing,” says Benjamin.

Benjamin has been in the industry for 20 years and says that there is a limited number of people in Australia with similar qualifications.

He says because the building code tries to cover a large array of building types, the requirements can often be onerous and very expensive.

“Sometimes they’re not even applicable to the actual building itself,” he says. “We are mindful of the cost while maintaining that level of safety.”

Ignis Solutions. Call Benjamin on 0402 433236, email benjamin@ignissolutions.com.au or visit ignis.solutions

Legal Liz simplifies immigration law

WITH a love for helping people, the principal of Welcome Legal, Liz Huang Hughes-Brown, helps simplify the complex Australian immigration system.

Liz started Welcome Legal in 2015 to provide advice and help people with visa applications and citizenship applications.

“I think that people may not be fully aware of their legal rights when dealing with the immigration system, which can be quite a costly process,” she says.

The small multicultural team can assist asylum seekers and refugees with their protection applications.

“The team here have empathy towards our clients’ needs and can deliver a personalised service,” Liz says.

Welcome Legal helps businesses who sponsor or are looking to sponsor foreign workers, which includes applying for the correct visa.

“We provide training with workshops and seminars about sponsoring foreign workers and what the employers’ obligations are,” she says.

Welcome Legal, Unit 16, 14 Lonsdale Street, Braddon. Email liz@welcomelegal.com.au, call 0412 680702 or visit welcomelegal.com.au

Jeweller goes the distance for diamonds

THE staff at Diamond Boutique go above and beyond for their customers… all the way to Antwerp, Belgium!

“In Antwerp we can purchase our own diamonds direct from the gemstone trading houses,” says owner Olivia Keppie.

“This allows us greater buying power, which is a positive for our customers, and access to vast amounts of beautiful and unique diamonds not normally accessible within Australia.”

Olivia says Diamond Boutique is a family owned and run business that specialises in custom, handmade jewellery.

It’s all made in the Braddon store, which has a large showroom.

Olivia has always had a passion to become a jeweller and used to have a home workshop before opening the store in Braddon in 2014.

“The creative outlet and thanks we receive from our customers is very rewarding,” she says.

And Olivia says it’s nice to know that on the hands of many is a little piece of her work.

Diamond Boutique, Shop 141, Mode 3 Building, 24 Lonsdale Street. Call 6249 6997 or visit diamondboutique.com.au

Boutique office of a big real estate brand

PRD Nationwide Braddon is a boutique office under a big brand, says sales consultant Angus Mead.

It’s been in the Braddon community for seven years and continuously supports multiple charities and organisations.

The staff at PRD Nationwide Braddon regularly participate in rigorous training programs so that they deliver the highest professional service.

Angus became involved in real estate during school, completing an internship.

“I have been in real estate for over

two years and I have a strong passion for the industry,” he says.

Angus is especially proud to be part of the PRD Nationwide Braddon team, which specialises in all areas of real estate.

“We have a strong property management portfolio and a successful sales team, and even have an in-house finance broker.”

PRD Nationwide Braddon, 7/32 Lonsdale Street. Call 0404 430010, angus.mead@ prd.com.au or visit prdcanberra.com.au

HOURS Sun / Mon / Public Holidays : Closed Tue - Thurs: 9:30am - 5:30pm Fri: 9:30am - 7:00pm Sat: 9:30am - 4:00pm

Shop 141, Mode 3 Building, 24 Lonsdale Street Braddon ACT, 2612. Telephone: (02) 6249 6997 www.diamondboutique.com.au

22nd July • 9am-12pm

Help with the hardest of jobs

BEING a mum is often referred to as being one of the hardest jobs in the world.

And finding the right balance between being a person and being a “mum” can be difficult. It can also be time consuming trying to find the right advice, service or product for a child. This week “CityNews” has compiled a guide to expert services, products, entertainment and activities for mums (and mums-to-be).

Unique model of care for Canberra women

THROUGH his practice at JUNIC Specialist Imaging and Women’s Centre, Dr Uche Menakaya says he has pioneered the introduction of a unique model of care in Canberra.

He has a special interest in the concept of a single visit ultrasound based outpatient gynaecological service.

“This model of care ensures that women spend less time attending multiple appointments with specialists and more time available for family and loved ones,” Dr Menakaya says.

Dr Menakaya is an obstetrician, gynaecologist, sonologist and laparoscopic surgeon, who is advanced in laparoscopic surgery as well as ultrasounds, which can

be used to evaluate gynaecological diseases.

“One of our primary services available is the evaluation and treatment of endometriosis,” he says.

“One of our goals is to empower women with endometriosis in Canberra.

“Before, women travelled to Sydney and Melbourne for surgery. Our goal is to reduce the number to zero of women that go out of Canberra to have a laparoscopy or imaging for endometriosis.”

JUNIC Specialist Imaging and Women’s Centre, 20 Cartwright Street, Charnwood. Call 6178 0470, email info@junicimaging.com.au or visit junicimaging.com.au

Bigger markets with more bargains

THE Canberra Kids’ Market has extended its range and the next market will have stalls selling kids’ items for ages zero to 12.

The event is run by mums for mums, offering items such as maternity wear, prams, cots, high chairs, rockers, clothes, shoes, books, bikes and toys.

It’s a real community event with bargains on what can be costly items for babies and children, says its owner Cathie Wall.

And, Cathie says, the next market will have free ride-on toy ponies.

Fitzroy Pavilion, Exhibition Park, 9amnoon, Saturday, July 23. Entry costs $4 and children are free. Information at babykidsmarket.com.au

Home of quality, crafted toys

Sally Nourse at Live Well Spa and Wellness Centre can support you through your pregnancy and labour

Acupuncture has been used for centuries to treat a multitude of conditions and is now being recognised as a safe and effective treatment option for pregnant women seeking a natural treatment.

Pregnancy can bring a host of unpleasant symptoms and can also exacerbate existing conditions. Acupuncture can be safely used to treat several conditions and in any trimester of pregnancy.

Some common conditions treated by Sally during pregnancy are:

• Nausea & vomiting • Constipation • Threatened miscarriage

• Musculoskeletal conditions • Symphysis pubis pain • Lower back pain

• Neck & upper back pain/rib pain • Carpal tunnel syndrome

Anxiety

• Insomnia • Urinary tract infections • Sinusitis • Breech & posterior position

Preparing for Labour: Sally recommends commencing pre-birth acupuncture from 37 weeks, with weekly acupuncture sessions until 40 weeks, to help prepare the body for labour. This helps promote blood flow to assist with the softening and ripening of the cervix, promote the production of energy required during labour and encourage the baby into the ideal position for delivery.

For more information about obstetric acupuncture, please call Live Well Spa & Wellness Centre and ask for Sally ACUPUNCTURE AND PREGNANCY

LITTLE Sprout is Canberra’s locally owned home of quality, crafted toys, games and books to nurture the imagination says its owner Brooke Kearns. “Parents will be able to find quality options for newborns and toddlers, as well as school-aged children in a warm and welcoming environment,” she says. “Our fabulous Brio train table is always a hit with visiting toddlers and preschoolers and allows parents and grandparents to browse the terrific toys and books while their little ones are kept entertained.” Brooke says that the Little Sprout staff are all mums themselves and a few have teaching and childcare backgrounds.

Little Sprout, 47 Colbee Court. Call 6282 3684 or visit facebook.com/pg/ LittleSproutReadPlayLearn/

Steve makes the vital years count

WITH a lengthy career in child education, the owner and director of Our Place Jerrabomberra and Evatt, Steve Whisker, is in the process of building a third centre in Googong.

The new centre will be complete late this year and will facilitate early learning for children of six weeks up to five years.

The early years of a child’s life are crucial to develop skills and foundations says Steve.

“We’re not there to babysit, we’re there to develop foundations for children to grow up and be resilient,” he says.

Our Place focuses on play-based learning, which caters for the

interests of the children, the family’s cultural backgrounds and their beliefs in order for Our Place to really connect with the children.

“We really focus on looking at the whole child’s development so they grow into an independent learner who can interact with the world,” Steve says.

Our Place Googong also focuses on the health of a child by providing low-sugar food. And it involves children in sustainable activities through its veggie patch as well as other green activities.

Our Place. Call 0430 465437, email info@ourplacejerra.com.au or visit ourplacejerra.com.au

OBSTETRICS, GYNAECOLOGY AND ADVANCED GYNAECOLOGICAL IMAGING SERVICES

• Community based specialist women’s health centre

• Pioneering the ‘one stop’ model of care for quality women’s health services

• Global leadership in the pre surgical diagnosis of endometriosis using ultrasound

• Bulk billed Colposcopy services

• Early pregnancy assessment centre

• Led by university qualified & experienced teachers

• Fun and stimulating activities that provides both enjoyment and learning

• Sessions include music, movement, dance, fine & gross motor activities as well as literacy and numeracy

• Emphasis on development of motor skills, academic and social skills

• Parent classes for children 5 months to 2 years

• Independent Pre-Preschool for 3 year olds

• Preschool PLUS for 4 and over

• Providing children with the academic and social skills required for formal schooling by introducing structure and routines in a play based fun and creative atmosphere

Developing a love of learning and exploring

AS a primary school teacher and a parent Kristen O’Connor was frustrated to see a number of children struggling once they started school.

“They had not developed a love of learning and exploring,” she says.

In 2010 Kristen became the director of Kidstart Education and Activity Centre with the aim to develop a child socially, physically, emotionally and intellectually.

She says this is done through a sequential program full of fun and stimulating activities that provide enjoyment and learning.

“I felt that the right program could provide children with the academic and social skills required for formal schooling by introducing structure and routines in a play-based fun and creative way,” she says.

Kidstart Education has sessions for age groups from five months to five years.

“The children attend with a parent or carer for one session a week from the ages of five months to three years of age,” Kristen says.

“Then the three and fouryear-olds attend sessions each week interdependently and our preschool program is designed to complement the government preschool program and children attend one session a week for our literacy program.

Kidstart Education, 65-67 Sternberg Crescent, Wanniassa. Call 0422 406622 or visit kidstart.com.au

Special help for parents

PARENTS have a non-stop, jampacked lifestyle these days, so it’s paramount that they make time to look after their general health and wellbeing, says founder and co-director of CARM Therapies Emily Worsnip.

“All of CARM Therapies acupuncture and massage therapists are highly trained and experienced, and we have all done pregnancy specific training,” she says.

“We offer acupuncture treatments for fertility, nausea, joint pain, general health, breech and posterior babies, as well as labour preparation and natural induction.

“We also offer remedial and relaxation massage for pregnancy, to assist with musculoskeletal aches and pains and postural issues from their changing bodies.”

And to help pregnant women and their partners prepare for labour, CARM Therapies provides one-on-one or small group “acupressure for labour workshops”.

“The workshops teach the birthing partner specific pregnancy and labour related acupressure points to stimulate for birth preparation and during labour,” Emily says.

“This is an excellent way to give the birthing partner the confidence to assist the woman during labour, and can help the couple connect during a sometimes stressful, but very special time.”

CARM Therapies. 5 Higgins Place, Higgins. Call 6278 7302 or visit carmtherapies.com.au

Looking at a mother’s overall health

LIVE Well Spa and Wellness Centre provides services for physical and emotional support to help mums prepare for the changes throughout every trimester. Whether you are experiencing the first signs of morning sickness or wanting to prepare your body for labour, Live Well has an extensive range of holistic options to help mums and their babies thrive, says practice manager Margaret Morton.

Live Well has naturopaths who help nourish the mums and bubs, as well as acupuncturists who specialise in pregnancy issues and a reasonably new integrative GP who covers perinatal depression or anxiety.

Photographer Jill captures the story of a family

CAPTURING the bond between a child and their parents is unique, says photographer Jill Dolby, whose business Lojo Photography specialises in maternity and newborn photography.

Working from her home studio in Franklin, Jill specifically caters for newborns through to their first birthday.

“If I need a bigger studio for maternity images I hire a studio space but I also love taking advantage of the beautiful natural surroundings we have in Canberra,” she says.

Jill believes each pregnancy and each newborn is different, which is why she offers a full service to her clients.

“From initial questionnaires to ascertain exactly

“Research shows one-inseven women who are pregnant experience perinatal depression or anxiety,” Margaret says. All pregnancies are different, which is why Live Well treats pregnant women who have issues with nausea, anxiety, emotional balance, miscarriage, anaemia, swelling, pain, sleep and high blood pressure.

Overall Margaret says it’s about optimising the health of mums and their babies.

Live Well Spa and Wellness Centre, ground floor, 35 Murray Crescent, Manuka. Call 6295 0400, email info@livewellnaturally.com.au or visit livewellnaturally.com.au

what they want from their sessions to in-person gallery viewings at which time the client gets to review their images and make their choices,” she says

“I don’t just offer digital images, clients have the choice of prints, canvas portraits, albums and aluminium prints.

“I work with my clients to tell the story of their family.”

Having children of her own helps Jill relate to the needs of a client.

“It also helps me to relate to the children in family sessions and when there are older siblings associated with maternity and newborn sessions,” she says.

Lojo Photography. Call 0404 887297, email lojo_photography@aapt.net.au or visit lojo-photography.com.au

arts & entertainment

Resolving the ‘cultural string cringe’

By Helen Musa

WILD Strings is a daring winter camp being hosted by the Young Music Society of Canberra where young artists can learn everything from classics to Klezmer, folk to funk and jazz to junk.

Composer Stephen Leek, who manages the society, says that typically players will be aged between 10 and 21 and have been playing violin, viola, cello or double bass for more than three years with reasonable facility – it’s definitely not for beginners.

Chris Stone, the brains behind the project, is something of a wild child. Fed up with traditional music pedagogy and a fabulous fiddler, he’s the artistic director of the ensemble The String Contingent and a regular member of Canberra’s Griffyn Ensemble.

“When I was young, I went to the US to hear a famous vernacular fiddle player and was super inspired by his skills and the lack of genre boundaries,” he tells “CityNews”. That fiddler was Scotsman Alasdair Fraser, but he also rubbed shoulders with string improvisers, trad/Celtic players, and old-time fiddlers, too.

Stone was just 16 and it blew his mind. Brought up on a diet of stultifying AMEB exams and stereotyped expectations that top, young string players should go to Germany for classical, the US for jazz and Ireland for Celtic, he was determined to stay and create a singular musical style in Australia so players could say: “Let’s go hang out in Australia”.

Adventurous, but no slouch, he completed a classical music degree

at the ANU (“because that was the only quality technical training I could find in Australia”), formed his trio The String Contingent with bassist Holly Downes and Scottish guitar player Graham McLeod, played gigs at folk and classical events around the country and co-directed String Mania, a residential camp held in Warburton, Victoria, with – of all people – Alasdair Fraser.

Together with his partner, Downes, who he says “shares the same ethos”, he vowed that his musicians would always compose original music to perform.

And so to Wild Strings. Stone successfully pitched the idea that: “To resolve this ‘cultural string cringe’, we need to dig deeper into the idea of identity as Australian string players, and the best way to do that is to provide a rich forum for young players to explore, to find their own voices as people and musicians.”

He is determined that his camp will be fun, social, creative, structured and at the same time flexible, and he has high hopes of “releasing the iron clamp of ‘discipline’ and leaving space for self-motivation through joy and excitement, inspired by the right teacher”.

That means engaging likeminded musicians and his line-up is formidable – Rachel Johnston is the former cellist with the Australian String Quartet; Downes, who studied classical bass playing and Shenzo Gregorio, self-styled crazy man from the Fourplay Quartet. Freedom is at the core of this music camp. “I want to give each student an experience of themselves,” Stone says.

Wild Strings, Canberra Girls Grammar School Music Centre, July 3-7. Applications to youngmusicsociety. org.au or call 6251 8017.

‘Stupidest’ tea party ever!

COVER STORY

By Helen Musa

SYDNEY Opera House has the perfect production for school holidays, its own creation, “Mad Hatter’s Tea Party” –and it’s coming to Canberra.

It’s an insane, interactive take on a famous interlude in Lewis Carroll’s classic “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”, in which director Mike Finch has put together what is essentially a circus/cabaret show full of larger-than-life characters, stupefying tricks and lively music.

For four days only, The Playhouse stage will be transformed into “Wonderland” with a traverse staging that allows young audience members to sit on stage up close to giant playing cards and mushrooms, with huge top hats dangling from the ceiling, all devised by designer Melanie Liertz.

It won’t quite be the “Alice” that the kids are used to and Alice is about the only person who isn’t at this party, but fear not, among the guests will be her friends the Cheshire Cat, the March Hare, the White Rabbit, and the Caterpillar.

“Everything is nonsense and nothing is what it isn’t,” say staff at the Canberra Theatre who, unable to resist a really bad pun, describe the show as a “tea-riffic party”.

Seasoned festival comedian Eloise Green plays

Mad Hatter, while precision juggler Daniel Gorski is the March Hare. Aerialist Marianna Joslin doubles as the Cheshire Cat and one of the Tweedles, while hand-balancer Casey Douglas plays the Caterpillar and the other Tweedle. Those are the more or less normal characters. Going well beyond the normal are Alicia Rose Quinn as the Flamingo and ex-Circus Oz rope artist Stuart Christie who, as the Red Kween [sic], leads the finale into a state of “feverish delirium”. It is bound to be, the company swears, “the stupidest tea-party ever.”

“Mad Hatter’s Tea Party”, The Playhouse, 11am & 2pm daily, July 12-15. Bookings to canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 6275 2700.

NICHOLE OVERALL

YESTERDAYS in... tells tales of

arts in the city Sally’s song of love making records

CANBERRA composer Sally Greenaway’s choral love song “Stay Awhile” has come in at number 56 on the ABC Classic FM Top 100 “Love” countdown. Looking at the statistics, she says she’s the first composer under the age of 50 and the only Canberra-based composer to make the listings. Of the call-to-action asking people to vote for the piece at citynews.com.au Greenaway says, “Wowee!”

THERE were former local arts identities named in the recent Queen’s Birthday honours lists: Nicolette Fraillon AM, director of the School of Music from 1998-2002 and now music director and chief conductor of The Australian Ballet; Anne (“Anna”) Gray AM, head of Australian Art at the NGA from 2001- 2016 and head of art at the Australian War Memorial, 1980-1995; and Patricia (“Pat”) Joyce Harry OAM, former lecturer and teacher at the Canberra School of Art, Canberra Technical College and Daramalan College.

“CONFIDENT Collecting” returns to M16 Artspace this winter over four Mondays with a line-up of speakers to help answer questions such as: “Will what we buy stand the test of time?” The next session is “Seeing into Abstraction” with NGA curator Lara Nicholls and contemporary artist Hamilton Darroch. M16, 21 Blaxland Crescent, Griffith, 6pm-8pm, Monday, June 26. Bookings to eventbrite.com.au

first Canberra-based composer to make the love listings.

THE Canberra Gay & Lesbian Qwire will combine with Strange Weather Gospel Choir to present “Classic(al) Hits”, featuring gospel music, classical numbers and the music of Three Dog Night, Queen, Abba, David Bowie and Lauridsen.

Marcela plays for Argentina

By Helen Musa

THE embassy of Argentina has always punched above its weight in cultural matters, as its concert at the National Gallery of Australia marking the country’s 201st anniversary of independence shows.

Ambassador Hugo Gobbi didn’t have far to look for a performer. Argentine classical pianist Marcela Fiorillo lives and works here these days as a musical pedagogue.

A well-known exponent of Nuevo Tango composer Astor Piazzolla, Liszt and Beethoven, Fiorillo will mark the occasion by performing works by Argentine composers Williams, Guastavino, Tauriello, Morillo, Zorzi, Piazzolla and Ginastera.

She’s had a splendid couple of years with annual recitals back in Buenos Aires, performances in Malaysia and Thailand during 2015 and a return season last year, when she performed Beethoven’s “Eroica” with the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra.

The ANU’s Australian National Centre for Latin American Studies is joining with the embassy to organise this concert which, we are told, endorses principles of “quality, diversity, challenge and joy”.

“Clásicos Argentinos”, James O Fairfax Theatre, NGA, Thursday, June 29. Ticket inquiries to culture@argentina.org.au

At The Q, Queanbeyan, 4pm, on Sunday, June 25. Bookings to theq.net.au

“NOT Very Quiet” is a new, twice yearly online journal edited by Moya Pacey and Sandra Renew

which offers opportunities for women poets of all ages, ethnicities and backgrounds to publish their work. Submissions of poems for the first issue close on July 1. Send to not-very-quiet.com

ARTSOUND FM’s Winter Solstice Book and Music Fair will be held at the art station’s studios, Manuka Arts Centre, corner of Manuka Circle and NSW Crescent, 9am-4pm, on Sunday, June 25. There’ll be books, CDs, DVDs and Vinyl.

THE woodwinds of the Royal Military College Band will perform a program that includes JS Bach’s Keyboard Concerto No. 4 at Wesley Music Centre, 12.40pm-1.20pm, Wednesday, June 28. No bookings required.

SKYE McIntosh and the Australian Haydn Ensemble will be joined by forte-pianist Melvyn Tan, who will play Mozart’s concerto No.18 in B flat major. The full orchestra will also perform Haydn’s Symphony No. 85, dedicated to Marie Antoinette. At Albert Hall, 7pm, Thursday, June 29. Bookings to 1800 334388, australianhaydn. com.au or at the door.

OPERA Australia is diving into 60 years of costumes, accessories, artworks and memorabilia in an anniversary exhibition at the Opera Centre, Surry Hills, Sydney, from June 24-29, with auctions on June 30 and July 1. All details at opera. org.au/auction

Lots to wonder about poor, lost Whitney

“Whitney: Can I Be Me” (M)

WATCHING British documentarist Nick Broomfield’s treatment of the life of singer Whitney Houston built in my mind a melange of ideas that more than anything else left me with a feeling of anger.

How, I wondered, might an American documentarist have dealt with the same core topic?

How might things have been different if this lovely voice had gone along the professional direction followed by so many wonderful black women singing from the classical repertoire? What judgement has history passed on the folk, mostly black, whose exploitation led her along paths that her judgement could not recognise.

Houston fans will revel in the sound of her concert performances. They might weep a little at the shots showing her physical degeneration caused by drugs. Or at interviews with people whose influences figured prominently in her life for good or evil (and that’s not too strong a word).

Broomfield is a no-holds-barred documentarist. Anybody who saw his two films about sex-worker Aileen Wuornos, exploited beyond her ability to cope, executed in 2002 for murdering abusive clients including a cop, will remember his compassion aligned with honesty about the influences that dragged her down.

Whitney’s will left her estate, estimated to be $US250 million, to her only child who, in similar circumstances to her mother, died at age 22. After watching Broomfield’s film,

dining

you’d have to wonder “was it worth it?” for either of them.

Ex-husband rapper Bobby Brown now has a new wife and children. The father whom Whitney loved from childhood died before a court action seeking big money from her was heard. And Robyn Crawford, who ingratiated herself into Whitney’s life as her long-term executive assistant, is now in a lesbian relationship and has twins. Figure that one out if you can.

At Palace Electric, Capitol 6 and Hoyts Belconnen

“Rough

Night” (MA)

THIS is writer/director Lucia Aniello’s first feature after a relatively short career in series TV and short films.

And her lack of professionalism as its writer sticks out like the proverbial!

What it’s about is four young women who, a decade after finishing college, go to Miami for a weekend of debauchery before Jess (Scarlett Johansson, whose filmography includes several films worth admiring) gets elected to the State Legislature and marries Peter (Paul Downs, who also has a writing credit).

Organising the gig is bigly-built teacher Alice (Jillian Bell) who’s bringing a bag of phallic-shaped dildos (that never get used).

Zoë Kravitz and Ilana Glazer complete the quartet. Jess has invited an Australian friend Pippa (an abominably awful caricature of an Australian from Kate McKinnon).

After drinking too much and snorting a lot of coke, they hire a stripper to come to their rented house. The guy who arrives gets killed when Alice accidentally knocks him into the corner of a cupboard.

To that point, the film is zany, improbable and implausible. How the women deal with the new dilemma is something else. Think incredible, stupid, foolish, indeed just about any synonym for those words in whatever is your favourite thesaurus.

Rough night?

Rough movie says it better.

A modern taste of Asian

Bambusa in Manuka is a welcome addition to a dining scene that has chopped and changed too much of late.

I’M on a roll with Asian food. Love it. Love it. Love it. A couple of weeks ago I indulged in a cheap and delightful meal in Dickson – Pho Phu Quoc. This week it was the more upmarket, bright, modern Bambusa in Manuka.

Positioned smack in the middle of Franklin Street (where Con’s Seafood was), Bambusa is a must visit for anyone whose heart pitter-patters at the thought of dining on this incredibly diverse and flavoursome cuisine. Bambusa’s aim is to take a fully modern approach to traditional Asian cooking, featuring new and classic dishes, which you can order for yourself or to share. And share we did.

The duck pancakes Peking style were sensational ($12). The tender, oven-cooked duck was wrapped with julienne vegetables and hoisin sauce in fresh pancakes. The crispy, fried whitebait also topped the chart, enhanced with a perfectly spiced sea salt ($10). We were on a roll and stayed that way with steamed zucchini stuffed with pork mince and topped with XO sauce, considered the “emperor of all sauces”, with many chefs developing their own recipe and guarding it under lock and key. Most mains were as delicious and innovative as the entrées, although I’ve had better hot rock salted prawns (the dish comes with dumplings, which the restaurant accidentally forgot – did not take long to correct the oversight though, with apologies all round).

Specials for the evening included a melt-in-the

I can’t fathom just what audience cohort it was intended to please or what stylistic genre it was intended to reflect. About as funny as the deceased arriving late at the funeral, its glorification of bad taste may be forgivable but its shoddy production values are not.

At all cinemas

“The Promise” (M)

“HOTEL Rwanda” (2004) told a story about a genocide. Now its maker Terry George visits the same theme in Turkey in 1914, when that country was about to join Germany against the allied powers.

The Ottoman Empire had a mixture of ethnicities – Jewish, Armenian, Greek as well as Turkish. Terry George’s film looks at the diaspora of a group of Armenians displaced for causes that it illustrates rather than explains.

Carrying on the family’s apothecary business in a small rural town, Mikael (Oscar Isaac) wants to become a doctor. He is betrothed to Maral whose dowry will finance his studies in Constantinople. There he meets Ana (Charlotte Le Bon), daughter of the family in whose house he lodges. Times are becoming difficult for ethnic minorities.

American journalist Chris (Christian Bale) is beginning to get offside with the army because of his reports of what they don’t want him to report.

The film follows Mikael back to his home where he marries Maral and goes to live in the forest. But even that isolation is not safe. The army is sweeping the European side of the country and forcing minorities into slavery. Building a railway under army supervision, Mikael escapes and joins a fleeing Armenian community. Ana is among them. Chris is reporting on their flight. There’s more to “The Promise” than that preliminary outline. The staging is convincing. The cast is convincing. The military encounters look real. The impressive locations in Portugal and Spain are credible. The plot’s emotional argument is persuasive without becoming mawkish. In all, a film worth seeing for its effort to deliver cinematic verity as much as for its underlying message.

At Palace Electric, Hoyts Belconnen and Dendy

mouth beef shank, Asian style and a special twicecooked duck breast served with prawn meat wrapped in bacon. The duck was a bit tough and heavy, noted two diners, but there wasn’t much left on their plates.

Bambusa’s service is spot on – efficient, friendly, knowledgeable and we will return to experience the degustation ($50 per person). The restaurant is BYO but also has a considered, interesting wine list.

My bet is Bambusa will settle into Manuka nicely and is a welcome addition to a dining scene that has chopped and changed too much of late, including with the recent closing of the Providore and Zeffirelli’s.

Bambusa, 38 Franklin Street, Manuka. Call 6295 1036. Open for lunch and dinner, Monday to Sunday.

IXL Home have announced the launch of its newest product, IXL Fresco Aurora, a modern appliance used to create a comfortable outdoor living area. The IXL Fresco Aurora is a must have appliance for those who enjoy outdoor entertaining. The combination of three key features combined in one never-seen before product will take year-round outdoor entertaining to the next level of comfort and style.

This stylish outdoor heater provides a unique combination of radiant warmth, mood lighting and task lighting – all controlled via a free app from your smart phone or optional remote control. Creating the optimal level of warmth via two types of internal reflectors that radiate heat evenly and effectively to maximise comfort, Halo Heat™ Technology is designed to keep you and your guests warm throughout the colder months. Rapid heat is delivered via two, one-thousand-watt carbon fibre mediumwave infrared lamps, which provides even distribution of cosy warmth in two heat settings. Highly efficient reflectors direct 95% of heat downwards, so ambient warmth is absorbed by people and objects and is not affected by wind gusts.

Utilise the included timer function to automatically turn off the unit’s heat for you. The timer function allows you to relax and takes away the task of remembering to turn off your unit at the end of the night.

With numerous lighting options, the IXL Fresco Aurora puts the user in control of ambience and functionality. The highly efficient and effective LED task strip lighting illuminates space in low light situations, delivering long-lasting and consistent light, when required.

A mood lighting option allows users to custom design their own lighting to suit their space.

Choosing from a range of colour combinations to set the perfect mood for their outdoor space, the Fresco Aurora perfectly blends in with most al fresco, verandah and patio areas. This outdoor entertainment system enhances its surrounding environment, with a stylish medium bronze finish and discreetly hidden fixings.

Crafted from anti-corrosive aluminised steel, it’s also suitable for installation in coastal areas. Designed to be suspended from flat or gabled roofs, IXL Fresco Aurora is ideal for external dining areas, verandas and balconies and will transform your outdoor area into a cosy, ambient space all yearround.

See the IXL Fresco Aurora display at: Alfresco Australia, 6 Whyalla Street, Fyshwick

visit: www.ixloutdoorheating.com.au

gardening Why fruit trees need bees

WHEN planting fruit trees it is of the utmost importance to be aware of cross pollination.

For bees to transfer pollen from one tree’s flowers to the next it’s essential for the trees to flower at the same time.

For example, Granny Smith apples need Gala, Golden Delicious or Pink Lady to cross pollinate and with pears Beurre Bosc will cross pollinate with Williams or Sensation.

Nectarines, peaches and apricots are self-pollinating and don’t need a second tree. Likewise Feijoa sellowiana or persimmons with their delicious fruit that I’m picking and eating now. Figs are so expensive at the markets and yet are so easy to grow, even in a large container. I recommend Brown Turkey.

WHEN planting trees, it’s advisable to dig square rather than round holes, which helps roots to spread out naturally.

Typically, the roots of bought trees were pruned when being lifted from the ground by the grower. However, there may be a few long, scraggly roots that still need trimming with sharp secateurs to suit the hole.

One controversial point that other professionals and I disagree with some garden centres is the question of pruning at planting time.

Many garden centres recommend reducing the branches by about a third to compensate for the roots being pruned when dug out of the ground.

But I recommend that no pruning is done for the first growing year. The tree has already had one shock with severe root pruning by the grower. Previously, garden centres used to put newly arrived trees into trenches

and covered the roots with soil to prevent them drying out.

Today most garden centres pot up trees as soon as they arrive, which makes sense as they can then be sold throughout the year. This may mean that the roots are further pruned to fit into the pots. So they don’t need another setback from additional pruning at planting time. They can easily be pruned and shaped the following winter.

When planting a tree, firm the soil around the roots while at the same time keeping the graft above the soil level. This is usually indicated by a large lump near the base of the trunk. Form a bank around the tree to hold at least a nine-litre bucket of water.

Water in new tree/s on planting. This will reduce air pockets around the roots. Add Maxicrop Seaweed Plant Nutrient, which specifically promotes root growth.

IN an excellent illustrated talk recently John Grubb, training manager of the ACT Beekeepers Association, emphasised the importance of bees along with frogs as two important indicators of climate change.

On the same theme, I highly recommend “The Bee Friendly Garden” (Murdoch Books, $45) by Doug Purdie, which lists the right flowers to grow for bees. It is especially useful for anyone intending to grow or have fruit trees of any sort. This and other excellent books on bees are available at the National Botanic Gardens bookshop. And if any garden club is looking for a great and entertaining speaker, John’s the one.

Jottings...

• Repeating previous advice; ensure pots have holes in the bottom for drainage.

• Buy summer-flowering bulbs, such as lilliums, gladioli and galtonia candicans (summer hyacinth).

• Plant peonies now.

• Sharpen secateurs ahead of pruning.

Joanne Madeline Moore

ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

Monday’s Mars/Neptune trine is fabulous for pouring energy into creative projects. It also encourages you to help a family member who’s going through a rough patch. But reckless Ram behaviour could mar the rest of the week so tread carefully. You’re keen to get things moving but don’t be in such a rush that you start an argument or cause an accident. You have the power to affect others deeply. So aim to be dynamic and courageous, rather than bossy and insensitive.

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 20)

The more creatively and compassionately you communicate, the more smoothly the week will proceed. But if you are stubborn and Bull-headed then expect close relationships to be rather chaotic. Possessive and/or obsessive behaviour will also lead to a fraction too much friction. Instead, tune into the deliciously diplomatic vibes of Venus (your ruling planet) as she sashays through your sign. You’ll find peace, love and harmony will get you a lot further than pedantic petulance.

GEMINI (May 21 – June 21)

Geminis are fabulous at formulating ideas, discussing dreams and talking about future plans. But with dynamic Jupiter and Mars connecting with Mercury (your ruler) – it really is time to be passionately proactive and actually walk your talk. This week, actions definitely speak way louder than words! So your motto for the moment is from entrepreneur Elon Musk (born on June 28, 1971): “I don’t create companies for the sake of creating companies, but to get things done.”

CANCER (June 22 – July 22)

On Monday, Mars and Neptune activate your humanitarian side. So it’s the perfect time to lend a hand to someone who’s in need, at home or far away. Be inspired by birthday great Princess Diana: “Everyone has the potential to give something back.” But then the Mercury/Mars/Pluto aspects could exacerbate an existing partnership problem. Don’t take things too personally and put away those Crab claws! You’ll find the more defensive you are, the more difficult the week will be.

LEO (July 23 – Aug 22)

Lions love drama, and there’ll be plenty of it this week as your usual routine is shaken and stirred. You’re keen to persuade others but don’t add fuel to the fire by using manipulation to achieve your aims. There’s much more to a current situation than meets the eye, so resist the temptation to jump to conclusions. Discretion and moderation are what’s needed at the moment. Socialising with colleagues brings many benefits, so put on your networking hat and schmooze in style.

VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sept 22)

You have a lot on your plate but if you multi-task, you’ll get things done in half the time. The stars highlight networking with a wide range of friends and acquaintances. If you have to speak up in a group, choose your words wisely, as there are many conflicting opinions to consider. Other people’s motives will be a mystery on Thursday or Friday, so don’t even try to work out where they are coming from. Keep positive about the future as you set ambitious goals and dream big dreams.

LIBRA (Sept 23 – Oct 23)

Business and work matters are favoured, as you put creative ideas into action and rub shoulders with influential people. Don’t be a wall-flower. Speak up and promote your talents! If you procrastinate, then fabulous opportunities will pass you by. With Jupiter in your sign, confidence and an adventurous attitude will take you places. So your mantra for the week is from birthday great, deaf-blind author and educator Helen Keller: “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.”

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 21)

This week’s stars boost your personal magnetism and your manipulative side. Pluto gives you an energy surge that increases your desire to be in charge but, if you want to avoid power struggles and unpleasant dramas, then stop trying to control others. You’ve got a choice! You can be powerful and passionate – or compulsive and controlling. If you’re a smart Scorpio, then you’ll choose the path of least resistance as you channel your energy in positive and proactive ways.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 21)

Is it always appropriate to be outrageously frank? And is honesty always the best policy? You’re in the mood to rock the boat and be even more open and honest than usual (especially on Tuesday). But is everyone ready for your special brand of truth serum? As the week develops, a touch of discretion and a pinch of diplomacy will smooth troubled waters. So smart Sagittarians will talk a lot less and listen a lot more, as you hold your tongue and uncover a secret (or two).

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19)

Your compulsive Capricorn side is likely to go into overdrive this week, as powerful Pluto amps up your obsession with perfection. But family and friends may find your standards far too demanding. If you push too hard, you’ll just end up driving them away. So do your best to avoid your control-freak tendencies. Being an iron fist in a velvet glove is the smarter (and less stressful) way to proceed. Remember –the highest form of control is knowing when to let go!

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18)

Monday’s Mars/Neptune trine is terrific for experiencing fiery bursts of creative inspiration. But fabulous ideas on their own won’t get you far. You must also work on streamlining your daily routine so you are more proactive, productive and persistent. You’ll find work colleagues are more defensive than usual, so tread carefully Aquarius. Peace-maker Venus is visiting your domestic zone, which will help you handle any relationship rumbles with relatives.

PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 20)

Get proactive Pisces! Your creativity and intuition fire up on Monday, as you take an abstract idea and spin it into a golden reality. If you’re involved with a group, club or organisation, then expect power plays and personality clashes to increase as the week develops. A friendship could also be placed under considerable (temporary) strain. Don’t be too passive. When your inner voice tells you something (or someone) isn’t the real deal, then make sure you act on that information.

Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2017

4 Name the royal house reigning in Britain from 1714-1901. (7)

8 What is an immature form of a frog? (7)

9 To be divinely favoured, is to be what? (7)

10 Name a kitchen cupboard. (7)

11 What is an ornamental piece for the centre of a dinner table? (7)

12 What is a repetitious sacred formula in Hinduism? (6)

14 Name an extragalactic massive souce of high energy, etc. (6)

18 What describes a state of involuntary servitude? (7)

21 Which shelter houses terminally ill patients? (7)

22 Name a soldier of the lowest military rank. (7)

23 A species of which plant is also called “windflower”? (7)

24 To stretch apart, is to do what? (7)

Down

1 In which enclosure are boxing matches held? (7)

2 Name a term which means farewell. (5)

3 Name a NSW twin town of Tuncurry. (7)

4 Which language do Israelites speak? (6)

5 Which term applies to the daughter of one’s sibling? (5)

6 Name a less familiar term for human faces. (7)

7 What is a long narrow elevation of land? (5)

13 What are children’s nurses called? (7)

15 Which is the Latin term for Odysseus? (7)

16 What was the name given to twelve kings of ancient Egypt? (7)

17 To decapitate someone, is to do what? (6)

18 Which word describes a two-footed animal? (5)

19 To be up and about, is to be what? (5)

20 What is another name for a buffalo? (5)

Sally and Mick were confused and came to see me about the new superannuation rules.

"Mick was planning to retire this week," said Sally. "He is a member of CSS. He is 60 and he is planning to do some consulting next year. His pension will be valued at about $1.5 million and there is also a lump sum of $400,000. Does it make a difference if he retires now?”

Noting that Sally was aware of the $1.6 million superannuation limit, I set out to take her through the many other changes. "The $1.6 million is the maximum amount you can have in pension phase," I told her.

"You can also have funds in accumulation phase, but you will be unable to make additional personal contributions after July 1 if your balance exceeds $1.6 million. Special rules also apply if your balance exceeds $1.4 million.”

Mick said he had asked another fund, where he had about $5000 and was told he could make contributions of $300,000 next year if he didn't retire.

"I suspect the fund officer didn't realise you already had more than $1.4 million in your fund," I said. "From July 1, you will have two caps. Your total balance in superannuation is the first and the other is your balance in pension phase. So if you haven’t retired your total balance in superannuation is what counts and this includes applying a factor to your balance in defined benefit funds such as CSS and PSS.”

"You clearly have more than $1.6 million in super, so you will not be eligible to make personal contributions in the short term. Your employer will continue to make the mandated contributions, usually 9.5 per cent of your salary. You will also not be able to salary sacrifice.”

Sally asked if Mick should withdraw his lump sum and invest it outside superannuation as some of their friends had suggested?

“In your situation, I don’t think so," I said.

Sally, you're taxed at 39 per cent. Mick will be taxed at the same rate when he starts to draw his pension. It will be more tax effective for Mick to leave the funds in accumulation phase where the tax rate will be 15 per cent. If he wishes to draw money from the accumulation fund those withdrawals will be tax free.”

Mick said that, from what I was saying, there seemed nothing else he could do.

“Well, there is one thing,” I said. "You can still contribute up to $540,000 to superannuation before June 30 provided you haven't made any other contributions this financial year and provided any contributions in the last three years haven't exceeded the annual cap of $180,000. If they do, then you might not have $540,000 available to you.

“Sally, you asked if Mick should retire before June 30. The benefit of doing this is that he will receive more payments in his lifetime.”

If you require advice on superannuation, taxation or any business matter, contact the friendly team at Gail Freeman & Co