170803 citynews

Well written, well read

Paedo priests: how do they sleep at night?

ROBERT MACKLIN

A community hero passes on MICHAEL MOORE

When Fido faces an aggressive dog

LUCY ALEXANDER

Unloved Brumbies need to look at themselves

TIM GAVEL

Sweet sounds freedom

Banned in Iran, female musician

Zahra Ranjpoor defiantly performs Persian music

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

Closes 3 September 2017

news Lama promises lots of blessings for babies

By Danielle Nohra

TIBETAN Buddhist Lama Choedak

Rinpoche will cheerfully bless as many babies and animals as he can on August 12, wishing them long life and health.

“Baby blessing augments the love and tender care for the baby from the parent to ensure a good upbringing in an environment where the baby is not exposed to anything but kindness, gentleness and selflessness,” Lama Rinpoche says.

And in return the community is invited to make a donation to the construction of the Tibetan Buddhist Society of Canberra’s new, permanent home in Kambah.

“Baby blessings can also help postnatal trauma of the mother and increase the awareness and sacredness of bringing a new life into this complex

world,” he says.

As for the animal blessing, Lama Rinpoche says they receive the same love as the babies.

“When they, like humans suffer from pain and sickness, often the owners put them down as they are no use,” he says.

“Animal blessing can increase the sensitivity of the owner and realise the sacredness of their life.

“Animal blessing can make them live a happier, healthier and longer life. Even when the animals die, those who are blessed will be reborn as humans.”

Traditionally, in Tibet, there is a day where animals are blessed so they remain healthy and are free of danger.

“Some animals destined to be killed are rescued and kept as a sacred life as a special pet and no one is allowed to harm it,” he says.

“Even those that are going to be killed are given some blessing and prayers. In Australia, I suppose all pet animals are kept with love and care free from all harms, which is very good.”

The Kambah site was granted to the Tibetan Buddhist Society by the ACT government.

“Our current premises at Evatt, which have been rented for 25 years, are inadequate for our growing membership and increasing activities,”

Lama Rinpoche says.

The society has been renting a space at Miles Franklin Primary School, and Lama Rinpoche says the school would

like the premises back for its own use.

“We will be moving to Kambah when we complete building the Stupa Temple of Peace, a traditional Tibetan Buddhist centre, adjacent to the Sri Lankan Temple,” he says.

“This will become a significant centre and home for the adherents of Tibetan Buddhism.”

Lama Rinpoche describes the temple as “user friendly” because it’s English

1993: Volume 23, Number 28

speaking.

With a motto to break down walls, not build them up, the society welcomes everyone to its upcoming baby and animal blessing.

Lame Rinpoche is hoping the blessing ceremonies will inform the community about the Stupa Temple of Peace and will gather goodwill from the community.

“Tibetan temples are forcibly demol-

ished by the Communist forces in Tibet, it will be important that we are able to build one here in our nation’s capital to help guard and protect our spiritual and cultural heritage,” he says.

Baby Blessing, 10am-11am, followed by the Animal Blessing. At the Tibetan Buddhist Society of Canberra, 25 Alderman Street, Evatt, August 12. Information via sakya.com.au

Arts & Entertainment 22-25

Dining 25

Cinema 24

Crossword 27

Gardening 26

Horoscopes 27

Letters 10

News 3-11

Politics 6

Socials 13-14

Sport 10

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Big Al comes clean on family links to Colliers

ACT Opposition Leader Alistair Coe has gone on the full disclosure front foot in an attempt to clear the perceived murky and incestuous waters of the pond in which local developers/builders and the Land Development Authority exist.

Following criticism of Colliers International by auditor-general Dr Maxine Cooper, Coe disclosed to Assembly ethics adviser Stephen Skehill a family friendship between his parents-in-law and the principal of the company that advised the LDA on several projects.

ANU students who have been sexually assaulted will soon have access to a full-time, on-campus counsellor. The extent of the sexual assaults at ANU has been revealed from the first national, university, sex-abuse survey. The ANU is already working with the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre to have an officer on campus five days a week.

MEANTIME, ANU Students’ Association president James Connolly has shared a painful account of being the victim of sexual assault. Connolly had resolved to remain silent about the assault that occurred in July, 2016. But last month the 22-year-old law student decided “to use the platform that the ANUSA presidency affords me to have a voice” and speak out on behalf of “those who have felt so silenced and disempowered that they couldn’t report… I am one of you”.

STILL on campus UC sports scientist Prof Dick Telford, a campaigner for healthier primary school students (healthy kids = better NAPLAN scores) may also want to cast his eye over the diets and lack of exercise of his own students. Domino’s Pizza has opened an outlet in the heart of ressies at UC and judging by the fleet of delivery bikes

parked outside, business is booming. Telford would no doubt be troubled that many are ordering the nutritionally questionable pies but few seem to be taking the short and physically beneficial stroll to collect them.

MYSTERY surrounded the Canberra screening of the anti-vaxing documentary “Vaxxed”. To avoid protests, promotion for the 90-minute film was limited to basics such as start/finish time and experts available for a Q&A session. Ticket holders were advised

of the exact venue two hours before the doors opened.

DESPITE racking up $120,000 in fines imposed by the NRL over post-match press conference rants, Raiders coach Ricky Stuart is not taking a backward step. The dual international was in top form again after the Green Machine’s recent 20-14 loss to the Storm, “going postal” on the refs’ performance. A frustrated Stuart said: “The best thing the NRL has done is just keeping

fining me and whacking the hell out of me, so I don’t say anything.”

FORMER Canberra sports reporter Erin Molan was quick to apologise after using bad language on TV. “The Footy Show” star’s chair collapsed beneath her as she read Nine’s sport bulletin causing her to let fly with “s***”. Molan later tweeted: “I unfortunately used a word that isn’t appropriate. I am so sorry for that. It was a reflex reaction and Lord I feel awful”.

OUR High Commissioner to Singapore, Bruce Gosper, apparently has a soft spot for the capital. In a feature in Singapore’s “Straits Times” where ambassadors nominate their favourite destinations, the 59-year-old diplomat raved: “Canberra offers great national, cultural and educational institutions; lifestyles attuned to sport and recreation, whether high-level sports, cycling, bushwalking or family-friendly activities; fine food and wine and some good nightlife; as well as national parks, and great beaches and decent ski fields about two hours away”.

CANBERRA’S town crier Joseph McgrailBateup has taken to gofundme to help with the purchase of a new kilt after the Queanbeyan-Palerang Shire installed him as its first TC. Mcgrail-Bateup already sports the Canberra bluebell tartan for events in the region and now requires the appropriate kilt for across the border.

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WE all have the opportunity to build a better society. Some do it through service clubs, school boards, community organisations and building effective businesses. Others look after their immediate neighbours.

Then there are those who choose to participate formally in political parties or politics.

In the lead up to the 1989 election I was introduced to community contributor Joan Kellett. She also stood for the first self-government Assembly as a candidate for the Residents’ Rally Party.

The philosophy behind appropriate use of the balance of power was developed with Joan and others as we looked for better democratic processes and outcomes.

For stable minority government we adopted “support for the chief minister in a vote of no-confidence” and support for the “government’s right to their Budget”. The exception was reprehensible behaviour on the part of the chief minister.

Through Joan’s influence, the one example of “reprehensible behaviour” provided in election platforms was “cutting the public education budget”. A dynamic was established where the ACT was the only jurisdiction in Australia that didn’t cut the education budget through the 1990s.

The more I learnt of Joan, the more I was disappointed that she was not elected to that first ACT Assembly. It

Joan Kellett was not the flamboyant, in-your-face, out-the-front leader that so often finds their way into politics. Rather, she was a somewhat understated but powerful influence.

would have been a very different parliament had it included her steady hand, her exceptional intellect, her depth of understanding of social justice and her willingness to battle for a fairer society.

Joan was not the flamboyant, in-your-face, out-the-front leader that so often finds their way into politics. Rather, she was a somewhat understated but powerful influence.

Her community involvement for decades in Swimming ACT, school boards, parents’ and citizens’ associations, Girl Guides, community councils and many others was where she made a difference.

She stood firmly for what she believed. For example, as the P&C representative on the ACT Schools Authority in 1984 she took the teachers’ union to task to ensure that parents’ representatives could have a say in the appointment of principals.

She had been board chair of her children’s local primary and high schools and was also on the board of Dickson College. She understood the importance of public education for equity and social mobility and fought to ensure appropriate funding.

In 1998 Joan Kellett ran again as a candidate for the ACT Legislative Assembly – joining me on the Moore Independents ticket. The platform for that election included a commitment to openness and effective democratic processes along with remaining “free of ties by being beholden to no one –not unions, not businesses nor any other group”. The manifesto reflected our joint assurance to work towards a stronger, healthier and fairer society.

The ability to put oneself in another’s shoes was key to Joan’s contribution. It also included chairing North Canberra Community Council, on the board of the YMCA, being part of Friends of Albert Hall and being a

volunteer for Alzheimer’s ACT.

However, the strongest commitment was to swimming where she served for more than 40 years serving nearly 20 as president. It should be no surprise she was awarded a Medal in the Order of Australia in 2003, Volunteer of the Year in 2010 and was inducted into the ACT Sport Hall of Fame in 2011. She died on June 20.

There are many people in Canberra like Joan Kellett. People who see a need and put up their hand. Many go unrecognised. They serve in many different ways – but what they have in common is a willingness to put the needs of others before themselves. This is the glue for community wellbeing. In her own words: “I just see myself as someone who sees things to be done and thinks how I can do them”.

There will be a community gathering to celebrate Joan Kellett’s life on Saturday, August 19, at Leumeah Lodge, 48 O’Hanlon Place, Nicholls.

Overall’s up for it

OUTGOING administrator and former Queanbeyan mayor Tim Overall will head an independent ticket in the September 9 election of the first Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council. Philosophically opposed to political parties in local government, Overall says his team is solely about the community. “It’s important we continue to build on the considerable work already undertaken on bringing us together and strengthening our ties while embracing and enhancing the diversity of our QueanbeyanPalerang region,” he says.

Wattle ways

PAT Wright, from the Australian National Botanic Gardens, will speak on celebrating the wattle at the next lunchtime meeting of the Tuggeranong Day View, a women’s volunteer organisation. The meeting starts at the Town Centre Vikings Club, Greenway from 11.30am on August 15. Interested ladies and guests are welcome. It costs $26 and bookings to 6284 8804 by August 11.

Trivia buzz

A SPELLING bee and a silent auction will be the added attractions of the fundraising trivia night organised by the P&C Association of Narrabundah College in the Music Auditorium, 7pm, on Thursday, August 10. Seating will be tables of 10 and tickets can be bought individually at trybooking.com/RDQZ

Paedo priests: How do they sleep at night?

THE trial of Cardinal George Pell comes at the end of a long and heart-breaking royal commission into child abuse that plumbed the depths of human misbehaviour.

Whether George was party to such crimes is for the courts to decide and is of only passing interest to me. But I am fascinated by another aspect of the tragedy, one that has barely been touched upon: how did the priestly perpetrators – all 1880 of them – come to engage in such shocking behaviour? And how did they square their consciences with the desperately hurtful things they were doing to the children in their care?

It is impossible to know with certainty, because they have either denied their crimes or pleaded guilty, so have never been questioned in depth. If they unburdened themselves to fellow priests in the confessional, their words remain in camera. And a similar doctor-patient stricture applies to the rare psychiatrist who has heard the story from the paedophile’s point of view.

Some of them claim that they too were abused as children and this compelled them down the same path. But if so, then surely that would only increase the anguish they felt and the need to somehow expiate the sin. But they did it again and again and again.

Some, like the notorious Gerald Ridsdale, were so obsessed with seeking new victims that there was scarcely time for him to consider his actions; he had virtually no other life but that of the dedicated predator. But that leaves many hundreds who must have known that what they were doing was very wrong. They could see the way their victims were affected, how their behaviour deteriorated, their school grades collapsed, and self-harm became their way of dealing with the assault on their trust and their innocence.

We can only speculate, but there must surely have come a time when they realised that their lives were a sad façade, that perhaps the product they were selling was without substance, that they were engaged in a religious Ponzi

How did the priestly perpetrators square their consciences with the desperately hurtful things they were doing to the children in their care?

scheme where all the benefit goes up the line to the men at the top. Their role was merely bringing in more consumers who supported the whole unhappy edifice.

Perhaps they signed up to do good, to make a contribution to the congregation and the Church. But once inside the system, did they see how cynically their superiors played the game? Did disillusionment set in and they gradually abandoned their idealism and “joined the club”, became part of what corrupt policemen call “the joke”?

Not all, of course. Those 1880 predators were by no means the majority, but it’s hard to believe that the others were unaware of the activities of such a percentage of miscreants in their ranks, especially since they were so often moved about when the complaints became too voluble to ignore. Yet they buttoned their lips and let it happen… again and again and again.

Of course, there’s nothing new about the priesthood feeling it’s above the law and preying cynically on the common people with their fears and superstitions, or joining the ruling elite as handmaidens in their quest for power. That’s ancient history, from Egypt to Israel to Nazi Germany.

And woe betide anyone who challenges their authority… as a certain preacher from Nazareth discovered all those years ago.

robert@robertmacklin.com

Confucius says, come to his festival

THE Canberra Chinese community is getting behind the Confucius Cultural Festival, with the aim of promoting better understanding and cultural heritage between Australia and China, in and around Lennox Gardens, Yarralumla, on Sunday, August 6.

Celebrating the Chinese philosopher’s 2568th birthday, the festival starts at 10am in the Chinese Gardens and will include the opportunity to meet models wearing traditional clothes.

From midday there will be a dragon dance and the

chance to be photographed in traditional Chinese outfits. At 2pm until 5pm, there will be a multicultural performance in Albert Hall. All events are family friendly and free.

The day-long festival has been organised by the non-profit Australian Chinese Research Centre and supported by the Australian Chinese Culture Exchange and Promotion Association, Chinese Community Services, Australian Guangxi Friendship Association and the ANU Traditional Chinese Culture Association, the ANU Chinese Debating Club and the Chinese Students and Scholars Association.

briefly dogs

Big book fair

THERE will be a wide range of books, games, puzzles, DVDs, CDs, and recent magazines offered at low prices at the annual Woden Seniors’ Big Book Fair, 12 Corinna Street, Woden, 10am-4pm, over the weekend of August 11-13. There will be a good selection of children’s books and collectors will find bargains on the President’s Table. The Woden Seniors art group will also offer watercolour paintings for sale. Entry by gold-coin donation.

Noteworthy day

SWEDISH music educator Olle Palmqvist will share practical ideas and strategies on how to incorporate aural, rhythm and harmonic awareness skills into regular music lessons at a professional development day for music educators organised by the ACT Keyboard Association at Greenaway Studio, Chapman, on Saturday, August 12. Bookings to actka.org/events

Nadia’s in finals

CEO of the Tara Costigan Foundation, Nadia Pessarossi, has been selected as a finalist for the 2017 AusMumpreneur Awards in two categories: Social Impact and Making a Difference. The awards recognise women who successfully balance motherhood and business in a way that suits their life and family. The national winners will be announced in Sydney on Friday, August 25.

AUSTRIA IN JANUARY

When Fido faces an aggressive dog, too

LIKE us humans, dogs are complicated creatures. Anyone who has lived with a dog for any length of time knows that they have their own preferences, character traits, interests and triggers.

So, when we look into dog aggression we find, like in the human world, it’s very complicated and not easily broken down into bite-sized pieces.

There are 16 types of aggression listed under the heading of “dog aggression” and these are broad-spectrum statements that don’t even begin to take into account the individual triggers that might be at work in any one dog. Dogs are individuals and that’s why we love them. But it also means that what may send one dog into a frenzy won’t even be noticed by another dog.

And it’s possible to have an introvert dog says Dr Michael Archinal, Canberra veterinarian and author of “Animal Wisdom”.

Reader Barbara McGann wrote recently praising a feature that offered advice about what to do when faced with an aggressive dog by LUCY ALEXANDER (CN, June 22) and wondering if she had some tips on what the owner of a dog can do to prevent a dog attack by an aggressive dog. Lucy has graciously obliged…

way should you be keeping an entire male, except for breeding purposes. The neutering of domestic dogs is one of the key ways we avoid many of the larger-dog behaviour problems.

However, a well-socialised dog should understand how to behave around other dogs.

you and your small dogs are baled up at the off-the-leash area?

“I ask people if their anxious dog is actually enjoying the walks they are taken on and I often get a blank look. But actually some dogs just don’t enjoy their interactions with other dogs.”

He suggests taking nervous dogs to areas where they can access enriching experiences without the stress of other dog interactions.

Dogs will generally engage in what author Janis Bradley (“Dogs Bite But Balloons and Slippers are More Dangerous”) calls “species normal ritualised aggression”. I remember watching my family’s great dane labrador cross stalking around other male dogs, growling with his hackles up. Mind you, in no

Puppies have a short period of time called the “critical socialisation window” between three and 17 weeks old when what they are exposed to becomes normalised – that’s why puppy classes are so crucial to bringing up a well-rounded dog.

So, when a dog bowls up to you in the off-the-leash dog park chances are it will listen to the signals given to it by you and your dogs.

“Dogs will signal to one another from hundreds of metres away,” says Dr Archinal.

Dogs’ signalling is a field that is currently being studied extensively. In her excellent book “Inside of a Dog – What Dogs See, Smell, and Know”, Alexandra Horowitz talks about how quickly dogs signal (to the point where the researchers used slowmotion cameras to capture the individual movements). They communicate in ways our human eyes don’t take in.

So, what should you do if

Firstly, think carefully about whether you and your dogs enjoy the experience an off-the-leash area can offer enough to make it worth going. Dr Archinal suggests only taking small dogs to the off-the-leash zones specifically catering for their size and safety. Try common commands on the dog that is bothering you. “Down!”, “Sit!” and “Drop!” might be all worth a go, as well as shouting “No!” or “Go away!”

Shouting and making a fuss are certainly ways of attracting attention if there is an owner or someone to help you on the horizon, otherwise you may be making yourself more exciting to the approaching dog and, perhaps, making your own dogs anxious. If there’s no-one about to help, try to stay calm and remain as uninteresting as possible. Keep your dog/s as quiet as possible and move away from the problem dog slowly and calmly.

Lucy Alexander is a Canberra dog owner, enthusiast and writer who is working on publishing a book about dog behaviour.

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Unloved Brumbies need to look at themselves

APART from the weather and real estate prices, the next topic to occupy the minds of many sports enthusiasts in Canberra is the comparative crowd numbers at games featuring local teams.

Discussion has reached a high point in the past week in the wake of the dismal crowd for the Brumbies’ quarter final against the Hurricanes at Canberra Stadium. Just 9971 turned out for a final featuring the comeback of Christian Lealiifano.

Admittedly, it was on a cold Canberra night but the temperature has been lower and the crowd numbers far higher in the past.

There were mitigating factors though, including the poor form of Australian teams against NZ sides this season. The Brumbies had won half the number of games this year compared to the Hurricanes heading into the quarter final.

But there is more to it than simply form and the weather.

Rugby seriously needs to look at its product and whether it offers value for money in a competitive entertainment market. Five times this season the Brumbies recorded crowds under 10,000 and didn’t go past 14,000 at any time. The numbers have been heading south for the past decade. Jake White, when coach of the team, expressed frustration at the crowds during his side’s run to the final in 2013.

The

Brumbies

reverted to a pattern

in the second half that has driven supporters mad all season with inept kicking when ball-in-hand rugby was beckoning.

The reasons appear to be multilayered.

To break it down, the style of play had fans expressing frustration in the loss to the Hurricanes, which is a reflection on the season. Following their best first half in two years at Canberra Stadium, the Brumbies reverted to a pattern in the second half that has driven supporters mad all season with inept kicking when ball-in-hand rugby was beckoning.

When they were established, the Brumbies had the feel of a renegade team prepared to back themselves and the crowd numbers rose after a modest start. There were glimpses of the Brumbies of old in the first half against the Hurricanes.

The crowd responded in kind with a standing ovation at half time followed by booing at the kicking tactics in the second half even though stats show the Hurricanes actually kicked more than the Brumbies.

But it is not just the style of play that’s kept crowds away.

There remains a disconnect with the Brumbies and some in grassroots rugby in Canberra. Promises of funding and support were made in the

past and were not kept resulting in a certain amount of distrust, which came to the fore during the drama of last year. I have always felt that the key to the Brumbies succeeding on and off the field depends, to a large degree, on overwhelming support from the grassroots.

Michael Thomson and, before him, Phil Thomson have done an outstanding job in righting the ship after it threatened to go on to the rocks, but it’ll take time to restore the Brumbies brand to its former glory. They have worked hard to re-establish relationships between the Brumbies, the clubs and some sponsors who felt as though they had been discarded.

One thing Brumbies’ supporters tell me is they don’t really know the players apart from Lealiifano. This will take time with 12 new players coming into the side this season and big names such as Stephen Moore and Matt Toomua leaving, coupled with David Pocock’s year away. Thankfully, Pocock is back for the Brumbies next season.

Part of the problem is the lack of free-to-air television coverage as well. Pay television offers a good product but the numbers watching remain

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small when compared to free-to-air. The profile and marketing of the team need to be assessed. I spoke with people who didn’t even know the Brumbies were playing in a final.

Another aspect is the cost of going to sporting events. It’s a sensitive area. Some fans turned away from the Brumbies around 2005 when the ticket prices went up considerably under the guise that they had not been lifted for some time and they needed to be brought into line with ticket prices in other centres.

Aside from buying a season pass, which is a far better deal across all three major codes, according to the ticketing website the lowest-priced, adult, general admission, one-off ticket for the Brumbies is $26.55 plus a handling fee and $12.25 for kids. For the Raiders, general admission is $25 and $15 for kids and for GWS the lowest general admission price for adults is around $24 plus a handling fee with $5 admission for kids, both on the hill. There are, of course, additional costs such as parking and food.

I have been told the Brumbies are considering dropping the price for memberships and walk-up tickets next season to make it more affordable. I believe this is a step in the right direction.

The timing

of games this season hasn’t been great with a month-long break in June; night time in winter in Canberra is also a hard sell. The ARU conducted a fan survey asking what was the preferred time for the Wallabies/ Barbarians game on October 29 in Sydney. Fifty per cent voted for the 3pm start and only 23 per cent for 7.30pm.

Something that can’t be overlooked is the desire in Canberra to go to an event. The Brumbies need to look no further than the way the Raiders have turned their game day into an experience with the crowd engaged through the Viking Clap. It has to be experienced to understand its impact. To be fair, it’s taken to some degree a generation for the Raiders to entice fans back to Canberra Stadium. Many turned away from the game in Canberra during Super League and it has taken 21 years for some to return.

I don’t think it will take that long for the Brumbies, but it will take patience and hard work.

Angry ‘gentleman’ raises a question

I WAS wondering if there is a motorist out there that could answer a question for me.

I was coming home from Queanbeyan along Yass Road toward Canberra just minding my own business when this ute with a canopy on the back came out of Sutton Road and, without even hesitating, turned right, straight into my path.

I braked and called him a couple of names under my breath. He pulled to his right and stopped and I thought he realised what he had done and pulled over to let me go.

A little way up the road the lights were red and when I stopped this same “gentleman” stopped beside me and verbally abused me.

I couldn’t hear what he was saying, but I could tell by the rage on his face and the hand movements he was making that he wasn’t wishing me a nice day.

Please, someone tell me I don’t have to give way to traffic coming from Sutton Road on to Yass Road or maybe the so-called gentleman may read this and explain what his rage was all about.

Pat Dickson, via email

In praise of greyhounds

IT may be time for a closer look at that magnificent animal – the greyhound.

Its origin may lie with the ancient Celts from Eastern Europe or Eurasia. Greyhound-type dogs of small, medium, and large size appear to have been bred across Europe since that time.

It is believed that they were introduced to the British Isles in the 5th and 6th century BC from Celtic mainland Europe, although the Picts and other peoples of now modern Scotland were believed to have had large hounds similar to that of the deerhound before the 6th century BC.

In society we attempt to stop ill-treatment of human

beings or animals in a civilised way. So why should we strip the greyhound of its most magnificent attributes –speed and sight in combination with the chase? Rarely is there a sight so thrilling as greyhounds in full bound. So let us rid the greyhound sport of maltreatment as quickly as possible, but let us never degrade the animal by removing from it what makes it a greyhound.

Colliss Parrett, Barton

Hey, just sayin’

AN ACT Greens Labor Government spokesperson was quoted in the media recently saying tunnelling underneath Mt Ainslie would be considered as one option for fast rail direction.

I find that difficult to comprehend when several years ago the NADEC report re the new Canberra International Dragway saw the antagonistic nimbys boo-hoo the whole project as they could see the noise and ground shudder “from five kilometres away” causing Mt Ainslie to subside, which the government grabbed hold of with both hands.

Therefore, on that information “fantasy”, I see the result of a five-metre horizontal drilling rig boring away through Mt Ainslie causing the same if not a more catastrophic subsidence.

It’s a bit like me predicting that units built along the Kingston Foreshore or the proposed West Basin government project will sooner or later collapse into the lake as the underground earth subsides. Hey, just sayin’.

Michael Attwell, Dunlop

Enjoying the highs of the hard rock holiday

AUSTRALIA’S red centre right now is green. Very green. Last year the Uluru region registered nearly double its average annual rainfall and the start of 2017 was also wet. It’s not just the plants that have been growing, the number of tourist options have likewise increased. Yes, it’s still a get-away-from-it-all destination, but these days there are plenty of things to do for anyone wanting an activity holiday with friends.

How long should you go for? Well, I reckon there’s a reason Voyages offers three-night packages. The serious nature lover may want longer but for most people a trio of nights will be long enough to enjoy a variety of experiences.

Getting there? A handful of flights operate to Uluru, although none direct from Canberra, which means going via Sydney. Be aware that choosing to fly to Alice Springs and drive will eat into the trip, as it’s a good five hours on the road.

Accommodation? Most accommodation at Uluru is within the Voyages Ayers Rock Resort complex at Yulara, 15 kilometres from The Rock and ranges from campgrounds to the five-star Sails in the Desert. We stayed at the Desert Gardens Hotel.

What to do during the day? Organised tours abound, but if you’re with two or three travelling companions, renting a car is a viable option and may work out cheaper. It also means you can set your own itinerary to explore not just the big rock at Uluru but the dozens of domes at Kata Tjuta, a 50-kilometre drive to the west.

Uluru and Kata Tjuta are inside the national park. Organised paid tours usually have park

access, but if you’re doing your own thing you have to pay the access fee. Park permits start at three days – literally, exactly 72 hours – longer passes are available. Be aware, the park is closed overnight and there’s no camping. There’s a variety of Uluru tours. In addition to bus tours, there’s self-guided on foot or rented bicycle. For a more in-depth experience the park rangers offer guided tours of parts of Uluru. We took to the newest way to circumnavigate Uluru; a Segway group tour. It’s $120 that – in a bit over two hours – takes in a full circuit of Uluru, with guides pointing out significant spots and talking about the local culture.

Do you climb? Climbing Uluru itself is not forbidden, but it is respectfully discouraged at almost every opportunity. Indeed, these days the climb route is closed more often than it is open because there have been several tourists killed and many more injured over the years, resulting in restrictions. The decision is left to individuals, but the question is often asked – would you climb a church or a mosque if you

were asked not to?

If you really want to check things out from above, flying is the way to go. Professional Helicopter Services include pick-up and drop-off via shuttle bus and several tour options. Uluru stands 348 metres above the plain, the highest point of Kata Tjuta is 200 metres taller, and a flight with the sun low in the sky allows the shadows to accentuate the heights.

For a challenging walk, Kata Tjuta (when I was a kid this formation was called the Olgas) has two that fit the bill: The Walpa Gorge walk is the easier and shorter, about 2.6 kilometres out-and-back and the harder is the Valley of the Winds, which can be done as a loop in about four hours for the fit and adventurous, or as a shorter out-and-back journey. In your correspondent’s opinion, both the Kata Tjuta walks offer more than climbing Uluru, but make sure you take water.

The writer received a discounted flight from Professional Helicopter Services. The audio review of Chris’ Uluru and Kata Tjuta experience is available in the podcast Travel First.

Chris Coleman presents 2CC’s “Canberra Live”, weekdays, 3pm-6pm.

CHRIS COLEMAN

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Braddon Dental Surgery / Dental Health Week,

Free check-ups for people who have not been to a dentist for more than two years

Dental health is good for the whole body, says Dr Loc

“ANYWHERE, Anytime, Oral Health for Busy Lives” is the 2017 theme for Dental Health Week, and no one lives it more than Dr Loc Lam, the director and dentist at Braddon Dental Surgery.

“Anywhere” symbolises the self-funded work she does in Vietnam or Nepal every year, which involves Loc providing free dental care for disadvantaged people.

“Anytime” represents the times where she has used a torch late at night to treat people who have walked for up to seven hours to see her.

And soon Loc will be tackling “Busy Lives” in her Braddon Dental Surgery throughout Dental Health Week, August 7-13, by offering free check-ups for people who have not been to a dentist for more than two years.

“There is no obligation to proceed with treatment with us after,” Loc says.

Rather, she wants to raise the awareness that dental health is good for the whole body, saying it’s just as important as taking care of things such as your blood pressure to cholesterol level.

“A lot of people think that teeth are not important,” Loc says. “Without teeth it can affect people’s ability to chew or their psychological status. “Sometimes if you’re missing too many teeth you can’t talk properly and could lose self confidence.”

Another issue that can arise if people

don’t take oral health seriously is heart disease, which can stem from the same bacteria that causes gum infection.

“A lot of the time dentistry has been separated from other health areas but it makes a huge impact on your health,” Loc says.

“It’s like a car service, if you don’t service your car then it’ll break down and become a bigger and more expensive job to fix.”

After working in countries such as Vietnam and Nepal, Loc believes that Australians can take dental care for granted.

As a former refugee, Loc came to Australia from Vietnam in 1978 and now self-funds

work trips to these countries as a way of giving back.

The work trips to Vietnam began six years ago with the Christian Health Aid Team (CHAT) which is based in Perth.

CHAT undertakes projects in areas of South and Central Vietnam, providing dental services to underprivileged groups such as orphans, people with special needs as well as very poor children and their carers.

After volunteering her services in Vietnam for a few years, a holiday to Nepal in 2013 became inspiration for Loc to do the same there.

“I felt there was a need in the remote areas of Nepal,” Loc says. “So I came back to Australia and I thought, what can I do?”

By chance, Loc found an article about a NSW man and his wife, John and Helen Niven, who had established a dental clinic in Nepal.

She called the couple and they invited her to help. Since then Loc and her husband, John Guilfoyle, have been to Nepal twice working out of the clinic in Junbesi, a village near Mount Everest, which is about 300 kilometres east of Kathmandu.

Getting to the clinic takes hours on a pony that climbs a steep hill with a cliff edge on one side.

It’s the clients who keep Loc going, such as a 90-year-old who walked for several hours for treatment after which, Loc says, the woman fell asleep on the table from exhaustion. Even though it can be 12-hour days in Vietnam or Nepal, Loc says she feels great. Tired, but mentally amazing.

She will return to Vietnam in November and next year it will be Nepal’s turn again.

Braddon Dental Surgery, 3/18 Lonsdale Street, Braddon. Call 6257 3072 or visit braddondental.com.au

Travel advice from the experts

CAPITAL Travel in Manuka is celebrating its 30 years in the business, which started as a two-person operation in July, 1987.

Over the years it has moved twice but for the past 14 Capital Travel has made Bougainville Street its home in a heritage building opposite “The Lawns”.

Owner Trish Smith says Capital Travel’s now seven staff together share more than 200 years’ experience.

“The strength of Capital Travel is its friendly and welcoming staff who bring a wealth of experience and first-hand knowledge to the business,” she says.

“They are well travelled and have visited some of the most remote and unusual destinations such

as Sri Lanka, India, Russia, Africa, China and Tibet.”

And, they have experienced many events that have made an impact on the travel industry such as the collapse of Ansett Airlines, the Tsunami in Asia, September 11, the GFC and the recession.

“The success of the business is the loyalty of the clients and the dedication of the staff and importance they play in helping clients plan their dream holidays,” Trish says.

Because of its experience, Capital Travel has won many awards, including a “Top Ten Award” for both Qantas and Singapore Airlines.

Capital Travel, 24 Bougainville Street, Manuka. Call 6295 2733 or visit capitaltravel.com.au

scene / around canberra

At Orthopaedics ACT’s ‘Christmas in July’ celebration, Woden

At the opening of the First Edition restaurant, Civic

Interesting businesses to discover

GAZETTED in 1982, the industrial suburb of Hume was named after the explorer Hamilton Hume. Its streets are named after Australian industrialists and businessmen, which suits the light-industrial suburb.

In 2006 the total population of Hume was six which, according to the 2016 census, has since grown to about 430 because of the Alexander Maconochie Centre.

The location of the prison has also given Hume a highly unusual sex ratio with 93.4 per cent of the population being male.

Only the best in the freshest of fresh food

ALPHA Fresh Foods, Canberra’s only omni-food supplier, has a history that was started in 1952 by a man who sold vegetables door to door from a handcart in NSW.

His son brought the business to Canberra, establishing a wholesale shop for fruit and vegetables, then later fresh poultry, meat and seafood.

Now Alpha Fresh Foods’ director is grandson Frank Iannelli, who says he was drawn to the fresh-food industry, too, because instead of playing sport on the weekends like other kids, he was stacking bananas at the front of the fruit shop!

“We grew up with it, it’s part of our heritage and we are proud of it,” he says.

“We’re the guys that work early mornings and late evenings to bring only the best produce from Australia straight to Canberra’s chefs and businesses.”

Frank says if locals have eaten an egg or picked up an egg roll on the way to work or enjoyed smashed avocado on toast, chances are Alpha Fresh Foods had something to do with it.

“We source most of our beef from Australian-owned farms in Queensland, most lamb from Cowra and Victoria, most pork from Young, salmon from Tasmania, chicken from Griffith and fruit and vegetables from pretty much everywhere depending on the climate and season,” Frank says.

“We somehow manage to take all the foods that people expect the utmost freshness and quality and then we sell them in a one-stop shop.”

Alpha Fresh Foods, 16-18 Raws Crescent, Hume. Call 6260 1900, email sales@alphafresh.com.au or visit alphafresh.com.au

Scott lifts weights and spirits

A MARRIAGE break-up took its toll on Scott Williams, who at the height of 178 centimetres (5’10”) had “let himself go”, getting to a weight of about 112 kilograms.

After coming to Canberra in 2007 Scott was introduced to Crossfit and quickly channelled all his energy into fitness.

Now, Scott is the owner of one of the largest CrossFit facilities in the country, CrossFit SFS.

Scott says the gym stands for friends, family and community because it’s a place to build relationships with people and where clients can feel like it’s their second home.

“We pride ourselves on this being a family based community, where we cheer each other on, and lift each other up to be better,” Scott says.

“We not only train the parents, but we also train the kids and have a free child minding facility six days a week where the parents can get that one hour a day to focus on themselves.”

After creating CrossFit SFS in 2014, it has since grown from 21 members to more than 150 members.

“We are developing a new area that will be a cross between CrossFit, meets F45, meets Australian Ninja Warrior, that will cater to all levels of fitness from kids through to adults,” Scott says.

CrossFit SFS, 43 Sheppard Street, Hume. Call 0418 695151, email info@crossfitsfs.com or visit crossfitsfs.com

exploring hume

Joiners building pride and satisfaction

PAC Carpentry and Joinery takes pride in designing and building kitchens, bathrooms and ward -

With customer satisfaction as a top priority, the family-owned business aims to provide a friendly, professional service that ensures every project is completed to a high standard and as stress-free as possible.

Managing director Peter

Theodosiou says: “PAC Carpentry and Joinery has been going since 2002, specialising in full kitchen and bathroom renovations and providing complete wardrobe design and installation for homes and offices.”

As a licensed builder, Peter and his team of qualified carpenters and joiners provide a free measure and quote, 3D drawings and co-ordinate all trades required.

“We provide services to Canberra, Queanbeyan, Yass and the surrounding districts,” says Peter.

“By co-ordinating all the trades, we make your renovation easier.”

PAC Carpentry & Joinery, Unit 9/86 Sheppard Street, Hume. Call 6260 1403 or 0408 695935, visit packitchens.com.au

The new units at 3 Sawmill Circuit, Hume… “They’re ready to occupy now in a very clean and tidy modern complex,” says Brett Barton.

Commercial agents pride themselves on face-to-face service

BARTON Molloy Property principals Brett Barton and Scott Molloy pride themselves on their face-to-face service.

They are about to launch the sale of industrial units off the plan on 98 Sawmill Circuit , Hume, which start from about 200 square metres.

As well as the upcoming units for sale on Sawmill Circuit, Barton Molloy Property also has two units for lease at 3 Sawmill Circuit.

“They’re brand new, six-and-a-half-metre-high clearance warehousing with a six-metre roller door and a small showroom,” Brett says.

“They’re ready to occupy now in a very clean and

tidy modern complex with only four units.”

Brett says these units would suit owner-occupiers who could buy them in their self-managed super fund.

“In commercial real estate, people can offer a commercial rent back to their super fund,” he says. Together, Brett and Scott are experienced operators who know the market and have been in the industry for more than 30 years.

Barton Molloy Property, unit 15, 169 Newcastle Street, Fyshwick. Call 6282 9090, visit bartonproperty.net.au or email admin@bmproperty.net.au

Dr Mark’s passion stemmed from injury

WITHIN CrossFit SFS gym in Sheppard Street, Peak Health Chiropractic has been providing chiropractic services for nearly two months.

Its director, Dr Mark Trbojevich, was drawn to his career as a chiropractor after suffering a few injuries as a high-level athlete.

He was inspired by the chiropractor’s ability to help injured people and decided he wanted to be part of that process.

Mark has been a chiropractor for five years and, under his business Peak Health Chiropractic, he offers chiropractic services involving the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of neuromusculoskeletal conditions.

Peak Health Chiropractic provides treatments such as manipulation and mobilisation, soft-tissue work, dry needling and rehabilitation exercises.

Mark says chiropractic services are a form of manual therapy that involves assessing the neuromusculoskeletal system to come up with an appropriate diagnosis.

“Once a diagnosis is determined, treatment is provided using hands-on care to improve nervous system function and overall body movement and function,” he says.

Peak Health Chiropractic can treat musculoskeletal conditions

Peak Health Chiropractic director Dr Mark Trbojevich.

such as neck pain, back pain, headaches and peripheral joint pain, as well as neurological symptoms such as pins and needles, numbness and weakness.

Peak Health Chiropractic, 43 Sheppard Street, Hume. Call 0466 826162 or visit peakhealthchiro.com.au

WHAT’S ON YOUR PLATE THIS AUGUST?

With warmer, longer days on the horizon, spring is in the air, bringing with it a host of delicious, newseason produce and a fantastic supply of some favourites. Here’s an inside look into the fresh produce industry this month:

FRUIT

This year’s exceptional run of berries will continue throughout August. Strawberries and blueberries are in abundance, providing excellent value for shoppers.

While raspberries have been a little pricier of late, we expect this to ease over the next few weeks. Far North Queensland and the Bowen region are currently producing delicious rockmelons. They might be small is size, but their eating quality is great and their price drop has been significant.

We’re also seeing the best seedless watermelon in the country coming out of Darwin. It’s super sweet and crunchy, which people normally don’t expect until summer, so we recommend getting your hands on some of these melons.

MEAT

August will see a drop in Australian beef prices. This is due to strong US cattle exports and the rising Australia dollar. China just signed one of the biggest beef exports deals with the United States, re-establishing sales of US beef to Chinese consumers, after a nearly 14-year ban. This deal, combined with the strengthening Australian dollar, is challenging Australia’s competitiveness in the international market, leaving us with more local beef and, in turn, lower prices.

VEGETABLES

Vegetable supply is split by the growing regions at this time of year. Much of the NSW produce has been adversely affected by frost, which means leafy greens are in short supply. Kale, Asian vegetables, spinach, beetroot, basil, herbs and rhubarb are all feeling the effects of the cold conditions. However, the situation is quite the opposite in Queensland, which has seen ideal growing conditions of late. As a result, tomatoes, capsicums, lettuce, eggplant, zucchini, brussels sprouts, broccoli, squash, beans, broccolini, lettuce and chinese cabbage are all well supplied.

ABOUT ALPHA

Locally owned and run, ALPHA Fresh Foods is Canberra’s leading omni-food wholesaler. For three generations, ALPHA has been sourcing and supplying fresh produce to supermarkets, cafés, restaurants, clubs, hotels and the public in Canberra and surrounding regions.

From humble beginnings freighting oranges from our Leeton farm in 1952, we have since carefully crafted an expanded product range and developed an expert knowledge of fresh, quality produce. Today, our fleet of refrigerated vehicles sprawls the east coast and regional Australia, allowing us to find and distribute the best meat, poultry, smallgoods and game our country has to offer.

To find out more about us, our produce or placing an order, visit alphafresh.com.au or call (02) 6260 1900.

tradies health month Help for tradies to stay healthy and safe

AUGUST is Tradies National

Health Month and its aim is to educate Australian tradies to keep a check on their safety, health and wellbeing.

While there have been improvements, Australia’s trade industry continues to have among the highest health and safety issues of any sector.

Time off work due to poor health and injury has a significant impact on families, businesses, communities, the health system and the economy. This impact will only grow if the industry doesn’t take steps to change.

The Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) is urging employers and unions of trade occupations to prioritise their employees’ health now and into the future.

Accelerate Physiotherapy directors Will Maher, left, and Adnan Asger Ali.

Educating patients about managing their bodies

NEW to the Garran Medical Centre, Accelerate Physiotherapy’s directors Will Maher and Adnan Asger Ali are excited to be in a facility with other allied health professionals.

Will and Adnan are musculoskeletal physiotherapists and believe it’ll be better for their patients, whether tradies or not, to have access to a medical hub where practitioners can work together.

Will has been a musculoskeletal physiotherapist for 11 years and was drawn to the career after he experienced injuries as a teenager.

For Will, it’s rewarding to get a patient back to full health, to see them achieve their goals and to alleviate any pain.

Will also enjoys helping patients, such as tradespeople,

manage their bodies to maintain their health for work.

“If you compare our bodies to a car, we have degrading parts,” Will says.

“Our joints are like tyres and can wear down over time and doing physical work will accelerate that wear and tear.”

Most importantly, Will says the best tool for longevity is educating people about how to manage their bodies, which is something that Accelerate Physiotherapy does.

Accelerate Physiotherapy, Garran Medical Centre, Unit 9, 2 Garran Place. Call 62324773 or visit acceleratephysio.com.au

Commissioner keeps a close eye on worker safety

WHEN it comes to work health and safety, work safety commissioner Greg Jones says employers and individuals are responsible and have an obligation to prevent injuries in the workplace, too.

Access Canberra, WorkSafe ACT’s primary function is to regulate work health and safety in the ACT but Greg says individuals and businesses need to take on responsibility, too.

“If an individual thinks or feels that a task or their workplace is unsafe, then they should speak up and alert their supervisor,” he says.

Access Canberra, WorkSafe ACT has resources to assist and protect the health of tradespeople, such as newsletters, a large selection of safety videos and safety alerts.

“We make sure that all businesses protect their workers from harm during the conduct of their business,” Greg says.

“We do this by firstly assisting businesses to understand and meet their legislative obligations.

“We also have a regulatory role in enforcing those legislative provisions.”

But before injuries occur, Access Canberra, WorkSafe ACT focuses on prevention through its education program through the Access Canberra website.

Access Canberra, WorkSafe ACT. Call 6207 3000, email worksafe@act.gov.au or visit accesscanberra.act.gov.au

Physiotherapist who knows what the job involves

AS a former carpenter, the director of Southside Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Centre, Bjarne Kragh, knows how tiring trades can be on the body.

“It’s always better helping someone when you know what the job involves,” Bjarne says.

Southside Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Centre has locations in Tuggeranong and Lanyon, with both clinics encouraging its patients to take responsibility of their lifelong wellbeing.

Bjarne says when patients come in they are helped with their general wellbeing to ensure they have a healthy body that’s strong and flexible.

Southside Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Centre educates its patients in how they should be using their bodies in order for them to return to their normal function as quickly as possible.

The practice caters for all areas of physiotherapy such as rehabilitation and restoration of function after motor-vehicle accidents, workrelated injuries, sporting injuries and back and neck pain.

Southside Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Centre can also assist treatment of stroke, acquired brain injury, women’s health problems, lymphoedema and paediatric problems.

Visit southsidephysio.com.au

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Roy goes to extra lengths for his patients

BELCONNEN Physiotherapy Clinic has been part of the Canberra community since 1972.

After watching his mum, Roy Daniell wanted to do something good for the world and, like her, became a musculoskeletal physiotherapist.

Roy has been a musculoskeletal physiotherapist for about 25 years and says tradies can be the hardest to help because they often have to keep doing the thing that causes them injury.

It’s because of this that Belconnen Physiotherapy Clinic goes to extra lengths to avoid an ongoing issue, including going into a workplace if necessary.

“We normally talk to the injured worker and see if they can change something,” Roy says.

“We look at what they’re doing in the workshop and see if we can find a better way so they’re not putting as much stress on their body.”

To assist injury Belconnen Physiotherapy Clinic also offers hydrotherapy and has a gym on site, which Roy says can strengthen the right areas to help people in their jobs.

But most importantly, Roy says people need to do something about any injury before it gets too bad because then it’s harder to treat.

Belconnen Physiotherapy Clinic, unit 1/20 Purdue Street, Belconnen. Call 6251 3487, email belconnen@physiotherapyclinic.net.au or visit physiotherapyclinic.net.au

Musculoskeletal physiotherapist Roy Daniell.

Looking after Canberra’s Tradies for over 40 years

Keeping healthy and safe in the workplace

It can be as simple as reporting any hazards you see or asking a colleague if they are OK.

A good time to do this is at toolbox talks on worksites or as part of team meetings in workplaces.

Check out these tips below:

Keep an eye out for your colleagues and ask if they are OK.

Ensure teams know how, where and who to report any concerns to.

Include time at each team meeting to focus on health, wellbeing and safety.

Know who your Health and Safety Representatives and Health and Safety Committee are.

tradies health month

The local voice for motor traders

FOR more than 40 years the Motor Trades Association ACT has been the voice for motor traders in the territory.

“We’re the voice for any statutory bodies such as the government and if businesses have any issues with consumers, we stand up for them and help them through the process,” says the president of the Motor Trades Association ACT, Michael Burke.

By becoming a member, Michael says the Motor Trades Association ACT has

representation on a national level as well. Members also receive further support, such as help with industrial relations, pay advice, free legal advice, insurance and advocacy work.

Its members include small and medium businesses from a diverse range of motor trades such as, new and used motor vehicle dealers, new and used motorcycle dealers, mechanical engineers and repairers, panel and accident repairers,

reconditioners, engine re-builders and transport companies.

Michael describes the Motor Trades Association ACT as a one-stop-shop for anything automotive including safety programs.

Motor Trades Association ACT, second floor, Block A, 81 Mildura Street, Fyshwick. Call 0499 242524, email office@mtaact.com.au or visit mtaact.com.au

GOSIA Ible has been a physiotherapist for about 21 years and says the duty of a physiotherapist is to access, treat and then educate each patient.

Gosia brought these principles with her to Campbell two years ago when she started Campbell Physiotherapy.

Since then, Gosia makes it her priority to educate her patients, including tradespeople, who usually come in with neck and back pain.

“If somebody understands what’s wrong and why, they’ll understand what to do differently and how to strengthen their body and the need to,” she says.

Physiotherapist Gosia Ible... “If somebody understands what’s wrong and why, they’ll understand what to do differently.”

Gosia has also witnessed people who leave pain or injuries because they don’t know they can be fixed and says people shouldn’t put up with the pain.

“They need to see a good physiothera -

pist so it doesn’t continue to get worse,” she says.

Repetitive physical work, such as trades, can cause inflammation and pain, which can then lead to muscle tears or partial tears from sudden movement.

Campbell Physiotherapy aims to treat and then educate so injuries don’t occur in the future.

And, Gosia says, Campbell Physiotherapy is constantly educating themselves, too, so that its patients are always on the correct path for healing.

Campbell Physiotherapy, Unit 4/24 Blamey Place, Medical Centre Building, Campbell Shops. Call 6156 0468, email office@campbellphysio.com.au or visit campbellphysio.com.au

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Taking physiotherapy in their stride

STRIDE Physiotherapy is located at the Ochre Health Centre and is a multidisciplinary practice helping people with injuries, pre and post-surgical rehabilitation, mobility limitations and chronic pain.

Stride Physiotherapy is also connected to local sports teams, providing players’ pre-season screenings, advice and treatment during the season.

Principal Walter McIntyre describes his approach as patient-centric.

“We talk to our patients, we don’t rush, we take time to understand what they want to do and set realistic goals,” he says.

“We target rehabilitation towards the patient’s needs at the time.”

Walter also offers hydrotherapy treatment and clinical Pilates exercises to help with chronic pain and injuries.

“I use my knowledge and training as a physio to adapt the Pilates exercises. People aren’t likely to do exercises when the movements irritate them, so I design and adapt it to suit the patient’s mobility.”

Stride Physiotherapy, Ochre Medical Centre, Calwell, call 6291 0045 or Tuggeranong Indoor Sports Centre, call 6293 3413 and or visit stridephysio.com.au

Injured tradies need prompt treatment

MAUREEN Bailey & Associates Pty Ltd

Physiotherapists has been in Griffith shops since 1983 and its director Maureen Bailey says it’s important for anyone, including tradespeople, to manage pain through their lifespan.

“What you do in your youth has a positive impact on how you are in an older age,” she says.

Maureen has worked overseas and interstate as a physiotherapist and has a special interest in sports, women’s health, musculoskeletal dysfunctions, orthopaedic rehabilitation and occupational health.

Maureen says in order for a tradesperson to get back to work as soon as possible, they need to see a physiotherapist promptly.

Maureen Bailey & Associates Pty Ltd Physiothera -

pists work with the client’s workplace to get them back to their job in some sort of capacity straight away.

“We work with the client to give them education about their condition and how they can self-manage during the day, at work and at home,” she says.

“We will always give them appropriate stretching and strengthening and advise them on any current exercise programs they may be doing.

“The right advice and the things you do immediately can make a big difference to the speed of recovery.”

Maureen Bailey & Associates Pty Ltd Physiotherapists, Unit 2, 12 Barker Street, Griffith. Call 6295 7563, email maureenphysio@grapevine.com.au or visit maureenbailey.com.au

Our physiotherapy clinic will help you learn to work with your body to restore mobility. Our clients typically find their movement is vastly improved, without the need for surgery.

• Hydrotherapy • Exercise Therapy • Work Cover approved Phone 6291 0045 or 6293 3413 Email stride@stridephysio.com.au • stridephysio.com.au

Two locations Ochre Medical Centre – Calwell Shopping Centre Tuggeranong Indoor Sports Centre at The Southern Cross Club

CENTRALLY LOCATED AT THE CAMPBELL SHOPS

IMPROVE

Maureen Bailey Physiotherapy have the experience and knowledge to help you live your best life

• Back and neck problems

• Joint and muscle problems

• Sports Injuries

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• Post-surgical rehabilitation

• Continence assessments

• Women’s Health

• Workplace assessments

• Ultrasound guided muscle retraining

and

“We are skilled to treat those of all ages in the community.”

or 0412 195 023 (ah) Email: admin@maureenbailey.com.au

arts & entertainment Music that dares to

By Helen Musa

“THE female voice is 59 per cent of Persian music,” says musician Salar Ayoubi.

He’s about to try and prove it with a concert at The Playhouse that contests the idea that female musos should stay out of the limelight.

That’s quite a challenge. Women may have dominated Persian music from ancient times and in the time of the shah they could sing and dance traditional, pop and cabaret music, but in post-revolutionary Iran every piece of music requires a determination of whether a piece of music is “halal” or “haram” – allowed or forbidden. And dancing for men by women is completely forbidden.

“We’re having a focus on female musicians,” Ayoubi says of his band, the Sarv Ensemble.

“Women performers have missed a generation of performance opportunities.”

He says that since the revolution fatwas have prevented women from performing in public, although occasionally female instrumentalists may be found in ensembles.

“Women are being trained in universities and conservatoria, but are not allowed to perform solo in public… it’s not the same in other Islamic countries like Iraq or Turkey –there women take centre stage,” he says.

“Three girls and three boys, it’s equitable”, Ayoubi says, as he describes how Zahra Ranjpoor on hand drum (daf), vocalist Maliheh Moradi and Vahideh Esaee on zither (qanun), will be matched by male players Shahu Andalibi on flute (nay) and Mehrdad Nasehi on the fiddle (kamancheh) and Ayoubi himself on the oud (Middle-Eastern lute) to make up the ensemble.

Ranjpoor plays the large Middle-Eastern frame drum, so heavy that it requires enor-

mous power. Like the maestro, on whose YouTube videos she appears, she has been banned from playing in Iran.

Singer Moradi, who is credited with knowing the “radif” Persian scale system in and out, has been trained since aged 10 and studied under legendary musician Mohammad Reza Shajarian.

Esaee, who plays the age-old “khanoun”, is the daughter of a famous Iranian children’s writer, Afsaneh Shabanzhad. She now lives

in Perth with her husband and is one of the main figures in Sarv, shaping and putting events together.

“Girls” and “boys” alike will perform under the direction of celebrity musician Majid Derakhshani, who has recorded more than 150 albums in the past 20 years.

Derakhshani was famously banned from leaving his home country for two years after performing with gorgeously costumed female musicians and posting the perfor-

mances on YouTube, to be viewed by millions of people around the world. Not even the clerics could contend with that.

It’s quite a coup to have secured a musician who has given such street cred and respectability to female musicians in what Ayoubi calls “an equal platform”.

As well as proclaiming the virtues of girl power on the concert platform, the Sarv Ensemble suspects people are being driven away from the arts by the high cost

of tickets and hopes to entice the general public with a family-priced concert of accessible Persian music.

With the theme of musical girl power in play, Sarv is embarking on tours to Melbourne, Wollongong, Brisbane, Sydney and Adelaide, where it has already sold out.

The Sarv Ensemble, at The Playhouse, Saturday, August 12. Bookings to canberraticketing.com.au or 6275 2700.

Grateful ‘Creatures’ turn

By Helen Musa

STAGING “Playhouse Creatures” at The Playhouse might sound logical, but to actor and co-founder of Pigeonhole Theatre, Karen Vickery, the coming benefit performance they’re being given at The Playhouse is nothing short of exciting.

An “act of generosity” by the Canberra Theatre Centre and Cultural Facilities Corporation, it acknowledges Pigeonhole’s spectacular arrival on the local theatre scene, which led to its selection to perform at the Princess Grace Theatre in Monaco during the 16th Mondial du Théâtre.

The company, formed in 2015 by Jordan Best, Liz Bradley and Vickery, scored a notable success with its debut production at The Q of April de Angelis’ “Playhouse Creatures”, in which five of our top actresses – Amy Dunham, Emma Wood, Jenna Roberts, Vickery and Bradley – play the simultaneously loved and despised first actresses on the English stage.

“It’s extraordinary and very generous to give us the opportunity to perform in The Playhouse,” Vickery tells “CityNews”.

“It’s great to be able to show the version we are taking to Monaco.”

All the “playhouse creatures” have had to pay for their own tickets.

“We are all broke and living on sandwiches, no smashed avocado for us,” she says.

“We’re hoping the sales of tickets for the show at The Playhouse will ease the way.”

They’ve been able to put together the original cast from the show at The Q, although Bradley is presently travelling in Germany and Wood has moved to Newcastle, so they’ve been rehearsing by Skype.

A long-time staffer at the National Institute of Dramatic Art, Vickery is acutely aware of the differences between The Q, The Playhouse and the “much grander kind of theatre”, the Princess Grace. She believes it’s important for them to perform in a larger theatre before going overseas.

“The difference between the theatres is not as daunting for me as it might be for the others, because in my professional career I’ve been on tour in many different places,” she says.

Director of the play, Jordan Best, has all the specifications for the Princess Grace, which she chose from a range offered because it most suited the kind of show “Playhouse Creatures” is, focusing as it does on the first women in the English theatre after the Restoration of Charles II.

The theatre in Monaco, although large, has only one balcony, while our Playhouse has two, so that’s already an advantage and the benefit will give them all an idea of what it’s like performing to the balcony. In the historical era of the play there was no electric lighting, so grand gestures were important, but they’re not pushing that too far, “because people might think that it’s just bad acting”.

By day the director of Learning and Visitor Experience

at the National Portrait Gallery, Vickery is also a theatre historian, so finds the play fascinating. It depicts the period when women were a novelty on the stage but at the same time reviled in society for their perceived immorality.

One of the several real-life characters in the play is Nell Gwynn, played by Amy Dunham, ultimately more famous for being the king’s mistress. Another, played by Jenna Roberts, is Mrs Farley, notorious for leaving the stage when it was discovered that she was pregnant out of wedlock.

Vickery’s own character is Mrs Mary Betterton, wife and business manager for the famous actor manager Thomas Betterton who, in real life, was asked by the king to train his daughters in the theatre arts. She’s a hot contender for the title of the first woman to open her mouth on the British stage, but in this play she’s suffering the fate of many a female performer – she’s past her prime.

While Restoration comedy gave women a prominent role – people poured into the theatres to see them –female characters were quickly stereotyped into sexual objects quite different from the heroines of Shakespeare, who had used male actors.

“The story which so interests me is that when actresses start playing women, the nature of their roles changed, really it was all about sex comedy and the male gaze,” Vickery says. She sees a parallel in the current debate about whether a female can play Dr Who.

The cast members leave Canberra on August 17 and will enjoy two days of R&R in Nice before joining the festival on August 21, where they will perform on August 22 and 23 along with the representatives of the Czech Republic and Russia.

“Not bad for our own little our company and our first show,” Vickery concludes.

“Playhouse Creatures”, benefit night at The Playhouse, Canberra Theatre, 8pm, on Friday, August 11. Bookings to canberratheatrecentre.com.au or call the box office on 6275 2700.

arts in the city cinema When Les kicks the bucket

By Helen Musa

WRITTEN by Greg Gould and directed by Cate Clelland, “The Inheritance” is a new Australian comedy with an all-star cast of young and older actors. When billionaire Les Essington dies, his estranged daughter Gina is forced to put her medical career on hold to come home for the will reading. At Belconnen Community Theatre, August 16-17. Bookings to trybooking.com

LALLY Katz, author of “Neighbourhood Watch” now running at Theatre 3, was raised in Canberra before studying theatre interstate. Since then she’s had plays performed by Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, Malthouse, La Boite and Belvoir (where the play premiered in 2011). We hear she is now working on a film version for production by Gillian Armstrong.

THE National Capital Orchestra is not only performing Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto with pianist Katherine Day, but also the Canberra premiere of Australian composer Nigel Sabin’s “Symphony” and the world premiere of a suite from the Australian TV series “Moby Dick” by Australian film composer Christopher Gordon. At The Q, Queanbeyan, 3pm, on Sunday, August 6. Bookings to theq.net.au or 6285 6290.

CANBERRA medical specialist and pianist Robert Schmidli is about to perform his annual concert from which all proceeds go to L’Arche Genesaret, which provides community living for people with intellectual disability. He will perform works by Scarlatti, Poulenc, Mozart, Beethoven and Chopin. At the Wesley Music Centre, Forrest, 3pm, on Sunday, August 13. Bookings to trybooking.com, 6282 9066 or at the door.

FRESH from receiving OAMs, Shortis and Simpson are staging “Under the Influence”, a tribute to the singers, songwriters and seminal moments that have inspired them. At Ainslie Arts Centre, Elouera Street, Braddon, 8pm, Friday, August 11. Bookings to eventbrite.com.au or 6182 0000.

CANBERRA Wind Symphony presents an evening of contemporary works from composers telling their New York stories with intriguing rhythms, textures and colours, with two Australian premieres and a major Leonard Bernstein work. “New York, New York” is at The Street Theatre, 7.30 pm, Wednesday, August 9. Bookings to thestreet.org.au or 6247 1223.

IT was good to see the outrageous Jan van de Stool on Foxtel and ABC TV co-hosting the 2017 Helpmann Awards. In real life she is former Canberra music star Queenie van de Zandt, who has invented a stage persona that must have her Canberra family members in tears.

GEOFF Page’s phoenix-like venture Jazz in Concert at the Village continues apace at the ANU’s new pop-up with the Ross Clarke Quartet’s “An Evening of Soul Piano”. At the ANU’s “concert hall” behind the Family Law Court, 6pm for food, with music starting at 7.30pm, Tuesday, August 8. Bookings to gpage40@ bigpond.net.au

IGITUR Nos Chamber Choir will perform for the next Sunday concert at the High Court, 1.30pm, August 6. It’s free but registration is essential to hcourt.gov.au

Tree monster’s bark worse than its bite

By Dougal Macdonald

“A Monster Calls” (PG)

GIVE thanks that the monster in Spanish director JA Bayona’s gentle fantasy based on Patrick Ness’ novel isn’t an angry alien intent on destroying mankind. But he doesn’t like being crossed when he’s busy doing good for somebody in need of emotional succour.

Small for his years, Conor O’Malley (a mature performance by Lewis MacDougall) is having problems with just about everything. A bigger boy at school bullies him and tells him that he is too insignificant to be worth noticing. His father moved to California a decade ago when he was five. His mother in England is coping with an illness that experienced filmgoers will quickly recognise as cancer. Managing the house, his stern maternal grandmother (Sigourney Weaver in her late sixties reinforcing my thesis about handsome enduring after beauty succumbs to age) allows him little leeway.

Conor’s bedroom window looks out to a hilltop on which a yew tree has been growing for 600 years. In folk medicine, yew leaves and bark have curative powers. One night at 12.07, Conor sees the yew tree become a giant humanoid figure that tells him that it intends to tell him three stories in return for Conor’s telling a fourth story based on his nightmares. Admirably voiced by Liam Neeson and of truly impressive power, it appears only at 12.07. Its stories have messages indicating pathways toward understanding for Conor to make of what he will.

The film offers an agreeable charm that avoids cliché and strives for credibility given its fantasy theme.

Filmgoers expecting thrills, disasters and the kind of drawn-out antagonistic violence delivered in so many monster movies will look in vain for those dramatic values here. But they might learn something useful about the human condition. And when the monster goes to work, the film’s certainly not short of exciting moments.

At Capitol 6, Palace Electric and Dendy

“Kiki, Love to Love” (MA)

IN 2014, Queenslander Josh Lawson made a film called “The Little Death”, which is a literal translation of the French idiomatic phrase denoting orgasm. “Kiki, Love to Love” is Spanish film-maker Paco Leon’s envisioning of Lawson’s film.

If accompanied by an adult, Australian youngsters older than 15 may legally watch Leon’s treatment of sex in suburbia. I suspect that’s a proscription obeyed

more in the breach than the observance. And there’s no minimum age for what any kid with a computer can watch at home if so inclined. The rule about that should be for parents to enforce, if they can.

Palace Electric management told me that Leon’s adaptation of Lawson’s film exploring the sexual issues involving five couples in summer heat in the suburbs of Madrid had generated gales of laughter when screened to a packed house during the Spanish Film Festival. I watched it among an audience much fewer than that. The sporadic laughter was muted. I saw in it nothing likely to harm adolescents or embellish what they may well have probably already discovered. But it may well bore them. As it did me.

At Palace Electric

“A Ghost Story” (M)

FILMMAKER David Lowery’s film rather defies the conventions of the ghost genre. It spends a lot of time doing nothing, saying nothing. When it does resort to spoken words, they are few in number except for a mid-film homily about the intransigence of life, the deniability of religion and the ability of mankind to do itself great harm for unconvincing reasons.

Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara play C and M, about to move from an outer-suburban bungalow to a metropolitan apartment. But C dies in a car accident. After M farewells him as he lies on the mortuary slab, she covers his head with the sheet.

C’s ghost is in no hurry to get moving. It would be a mistake for a film audience to laugh at Lowery’s selection from the cinematic conventions available to guide directors in displaying a ghost’s departure from the body. But it is visually amusing.

The ghost returns to the house. M moves out. New owners arrive. In time, M’s ghost appears but the two shroud-covered ectoplasms remain forever apart. The film observes the wanderings of C. In a future era, C observes urban sprawl on the site of the now demolished house and building a high-rise office block, jumping from the roof of which he tries unsuccessfully to end his grief and loneliness. The location reverts to the arrival of the first settlers to establish a homestead that native Americans shortly wipe out and finally to C and M living in the original building. In a ghost story, such shifts of time and place are feasible.

The film’s reported budget was $US100,000. After seeing it in an otherwise empty cinema, I came away feeling it had challenged my emotions at a level that fulfilled Lowery’s intentions quite effectively.

At Palace Electric

Together At Last dining / grazing, gundaroo

Let’s start with the sweetest of endings

I’M starting this menu with the sweet ending – caramel salted hazelnut. It was to die for and worth the trip to Grazing in Gundaroo just to indulge in this delectable dish. Frozen caramel custard. Salted hazelnut praline. Chocolate parfait. Chocolate and cocoa fragments. Divine.

Grazing has a fair few awards under its belt. It’s in a beautifully restored stone building that was originally built in the 1830s as a travellers’ inn.

We parked, walked past the chef’s garden out the back, which sees heirloom fruit and veggies growing in rich Gundaroo soil throughout the year.

Local produce is very much part of Grazing’s ethos and that includes Canberra District wines. The line-up showcases wines from Gundog Estate, behind Grazing, which has a five-star rating from James Halliday (we stopped for a wine tasting first; well worth it).

Lunch was two courses for $50, three for $67 and four for $75.

A star entrée was the scallop, mussels and snapper pithivier pie, with creamed leek and smokedoyster emulsion. The crust was light and crispy. The flavours delicate and the dish not heavy on the cream.

Having just bought a jar of black garlic during my wine tasting, I was inspired to choose the lamb for entrée. It was super tender and a fabulous match with the apple slaw, black garlic and a light hollandaise.

Frozen caramel custard. Salted hazelnut praline. Chocolate parfait. Chocolate and cocoa fragments. Divine.

Another much-loved entrée was the fennel-cured Spanish mackerel, with duck prosciutto, almond and olive. When I read about it on the menu, I couldn’t get my head wrapped around the flavours, but they worked.

One can’t go wrong with a braised ox cheek in winter, this one melt-in-the-mouth and rich

Dining out guide...

with walnut, Roquefort, carrot, anchovy and spinach. If you’re keen on something lighter, try the panroasted barramundi. The smoked horseradish was intriguing and the dish enhanced with salty capers and tender calamari.

The least favourite was the roo, ash-dusted loin fillet with pumpkin, burnt butter and sage. It just didn’t stand out. Also, our zucchini side needed more seasoning.

But back to that caramel salted hazelnut. Our group doesn’t always have dessert. We’re glad we did and if I returned I’d have it again… or perhaps I’d have the apple splice with Earl Grey-infused ice cream.

In winter, Grazing is lovely if you’re lucky to get a table in a room with an open fireplace. Even though we booked six weeks in advance, we landed in the back room, next to the kitchen. It wasn’t our favourite spot. Lesson learned. Always ask about seating, no matter how far ahead you reserve.

Grazing, Cork Street, Gundaroo. Open for lunch Friday to Sunday and most public holidays. Dinner Thursday to Saturday. Call 6236 8777.

Adam Harvey and Beccy Cole have individually and unquestionably remained at the forefront of Australian country music for almost two decades, each boasting an impressive list of awards, top selling albums and a loyal legion of fans. The combination of the two dynamic performers has already proven to be a hit with live audiences, having toured the country on many occasions since their first encounter almost 20 years ago, they now return again with a new and unique project for their fans.

The Great Country Songbook Vol. II tour will see Adam and Beccy performing songs from their long awaited and first full album together. The pair have handpicked the most classic country music duets of all time for volume two of this album project. Together they have brought back some of the most famous country combinations of all time; classic duets recorded by Johnny

Cash and June Carter, George Jones and Tammy Wynette, Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn and Kenny Rogers and his many duet partners... including Dolly Parton.

Don’t miss two of Australia’s most engaging entertainers onstage for two unforgettable hours as they bring you their versions of the greats.

You can catch Adam and Beccy at the Southern Cross Club Friday, August 4th. Tickets are selling fast so call 02 6283 7200 to book now.

gardening

A READER wants to know if blueberries and cranberries can be grown successfully in containers on a balcony where they will receive plenty of sun.

The answer is yes, definitely. A straight-sided container of at least 40 centimetres diameter, not one curving in at the top, is recommended.

All berry plants grown in containers prefer an acid soil. Most standard potting mixes, especially the cheaper brands, are neutral and I suggest using a premium mix for acid-loving plants, which include all the rhododendron family, including azaleas and daphne.

Blueberries and cranberries have small white flowers in spring with the fruiting berries in late summer, followed by beautiful autumn leaf colour.

It is important, as with all container-grown plants, to raise the pot off the ground with pot feet to prevent waterlogging and root rot. On the other hand, the potting mix must not be allowed to dry out, especially near fruiting time.

Container-grown plants prefer rainwater, ideally from a rainwater tank or even from an old 44-gallon drum used to catch rainwater.

FEED container plants with a regular monthly feed with a liquid fertiliser such as Neutrog Seamungus or Maxicrop Seaweed Plant Food, which are classified as certified organic.

Although self-pollinating it is always advisable to grow two or even three different berry varieties if you have the space.

One can never have enough blueberries for their highly nutritional value and they can be frozen for eating when out of season.

Pick the berries when the fruit is completely blue with a slight white surface bloom from midsummer to early autumn.

The crop will need to be protected by netting from birds; like us, they love the berries.

Blueberries… pick them when the fruit is completely blue with a slight white surface bloom from midsummer to early autumn.

Strawberries don’t need special garden beds and are ideal for growing in containers of which they are not fussy about the potting mix standard, providing they are fed regularly. They don’t need a large container and the traditional terracotta strawberry pot with holes in the sides is perfect for small spaces.

If limited for garden space, then grow them in a hanging basket. The best basket liner is the multi-coloured foam carpet underlay with plastic on one side. Place the plastic on the inside of the basket with a few holes in the bottom for drainage. The colours blend in with the garden and birds will not pull it apart as they do with coconut liners. I have had baskets lined like this for more than seven years and they still look good.

I HATE to see beautiful rainwater from the gutters disappearing down stormwater pipes to end up in the lake.

I try and capture as much as possible to go either into our 2500-litre rainwater tank or directly on to the garden. To do this, I have disconnected the downpipe and the rainwater goes into a small sump.

From there it flows through a plastic, perforated agricultural pipe and diverts evenly on to the garden beds. As can be seen from the photo,

it is very easy to carry out this conversion and the plants just love fresh unadulterated rainwater.

Jottings…

• Feed container plants with liquid plant food rather than pelletised.

• When feeding berry fruits during the main growing season (when they are in flower to fruiting time) be guided by the old adage of “weakly, weekly”, a weak solution once a week.

• Raspberries are gross feeders and will need more frequent applications of plant food.

• Cranberries fruit slightly later in autumn.

• There are new dwarf varieties of blackberries that are more compact than the usual spreading stems.

• Thornless raspberries are becoming popular.

• Bamboo canes will be needed for raspberries and blackberries to make a frame to support the stems.

Joanne Madeline Moore

ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

This week the Sun and Mars activate your creativity zone, which encourages you to improvise and be as spontaneous as possible. Then the creative cream will really rise to the top! Other suitable outlets for your fiery energy are vigorous sport, extreme travel or a personal passion project. And is your current peer group in a state of flux? Over the coming month (courtesy of the Lunar Eclipse) a friendship could end suddenly, while a new one develops in unexpected ways.

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 20)

Monday night’s Lunar Eclipse lights up your brilliant career zone. But are you making the most of the numerous opportunities that are buzzing around at the moment? Don’t be a bashful Bull! It’s time to step up to the professional plate and show others what you are really capable of. Amusement and entertainment are highlighted on Thursday. While Saturday’s super Venus/Neptune connection is sublime for creative inspiration, spiritual pursuits and/or romantic interludes.

GEMINI (May 21 – June 21)

When it comes to social media and networking, avoid procrastinating. It’s time for a creative and proactive approach that makes you stand out from the crowd. The Lunar Eclipse urges you to focus on your goals and aspirations for the future. Plus involve a loved one in your long-term plans. They have an alternative perspective that will open up your options considerably. You could also play gracious Gemini host to family or friends who come to stay from far away.

CANCER (June 22 – July 22)

Do your best to avoid being a snappy Crab, as the Lunar Eclipse magnifies your mood swings and heightens your emotional sensitivity. If you’ve been burying your head in the sand, then a financial problem could come to a head and demand to be addressed. The planets encourage you to be direct about dealing with challenges. Definitely no side-stepping allowed! Saturday is the best day of the week to express your creativity or organise a romantic rendezvous.

LEO (July 23 – Aug 22)

Razzle-dazzle Lions love to hog the limelight. But this week the focus is off you (for a change) and it’s loved ones who will demand your undivided attention. So find the time to give it gladly. Attached Cats – is there a tug-of-war between you and your partner? Do you want more freedom, while they yearn for more commitment? The only satisfactory solution is to meet them half-way. Some singles will experience a cosmic connection with a fellow Leo or an avant-garde Aquarian.

VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sept 22)

Virgos thrive on a robust and reliable daily routine. But this week (courtesy of Monday night’s erratic Lunar Eclipse) a domestic matter, work situation or professional relationship is likely to veer off in a totally unexpected direction. So be open to timetable changes and keep your adaptability muscles well-flexed. On Thursday, Mercury boosts your brain power and Venus revitalises your confidence. So it’s a terrific time to read, research, give a speech, study or socialise.

LIBRA (Sept 23 – Oct 23)

Under the influence of Monday night’s Lunar Eclipse, a platonic relationship could take a surprisingly romantic turn. Or a creative new friend may come into your life. You can be dazzled by outer beauty though, so make sure you’re not deceived by glossy outward appearances. Look beneath the surface to evaluate a person’s true inner worth. On the weekend, put aside some special ‘me time’ where you can concentrate on the three Rs – rest, relaxation and renewal.

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 21)

You have ambitious plans and goals for the future but sometimes you hold yourself back for fear of making a mistake. Monday night’s Lunar Eclipse urges you to be passionately proactive as you reach for the stars! But – when it comes to a child, teenager or close friend – all is not as it appears. So factor that into your approach. On the weekend, a loved one turns to you for some insightful words of wisdom. If you listen to your intuition, then you’ll know what to say.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 21)

The Lunar Eclipse encourages you to explore and experiment as you study, travel or venture into brave new personal territory. It’s also very important to capitalise on your current international contacts. With careful nurturing, who knows where they will lead in the future? The weekend is a wonderful time to patch up a misunderstanding with a family member. If you walk a mile in their shoes, then you’ll have more understanding and empathy for their current situation.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19)

With the Lunar Eclipse lighting up your cash zone, look for innovative solutions to current money problems. If you develop a second stream of income, then you’ll feel much more secure about your financial future. Communication planet Mercury is visiting fellow earth sign Virgo, which suits critical thinking; research work; facts and figures; plus practical projects. But don’t let minor details blind you to the bigger picture. Step back and take a much broader view.

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18)

Monday night’s loopy Lunar Eclipse (in your sign) amplifies your avant-garde nature and revs up your restless streak. You’ll feel like instigating some major changes but be careful you don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater! Ensure the modifications you make are a progressive improvement on what you are replacing. Inspiration for the week comes from fellow Aquarian, writer Lewis Carroll: “I can’t go back to yesterday, because I was a different person then.”

PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 20)

This week, if you are struggling for ideas and direction, then look within for some innovative inspiration. With the Sun, Mars and Saturn visiting your professional zones, dynamic and decisive action is what’s needed at work. If you procrastinate and dither around (in typical Piscean fashion) then lucrative opportunities and important connections will promptly pass you by. Saturday is a divine day to dabble in creative pursuits or help someone in need.

Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2017

8 Name another term for bionomics. (7)

9 To nourish during the stages of growth, is to do what? (7)

10 Which term describes the violation by a person of allegiance to the state? (7)

11 Which element is the basis of nuclear reactors? (7)

12 What was the given name for Mr Menzies? (6)

14 Name another term for jail. (6)

18 What else do we call a caretaker? (7)

21 Which bituminous substance is used to cover roads? (7)

22 Name a kind of whisky, distilled from a mash of maize. (7)

23 Which legendary monster is part man, part horse? (7)

24 To surfeit, is to do what? (7)

Down

1 Which shrub is also called the ling? (7)

2 Name the bush call, used as a signal to attract attention. (5)

3 Which NSW coastal town is associated with Tuncurry? (7)

4 Name a Queensland town about 15 km north-east of Brisbane. (6)

5 Name Mandrake’s female companion. (5)

6 What is a more familiar term for ateliers? (7)

7 Name another word for a cold. (5)

13 What is a formal and ceremonious meal? (7)

15 To answer, is to do what? (7)

16 What are pure fruit juices? (7)

17 Which country won the 2001 Davis Cup? (6)

18 What are cutting remarks called? (5)

19 What is the shinbone also known as? (5)

20 Name an Eskimo hunting craft. (5)

Winston and Jane came to see me worried about her superannuation accounts.

“When you spoke to me in June we established that my superannuation was less than $1.6 million," said Winston. "However, I had forgotten that Jane has more superannuation than I do. Now I am concerned that her superannuation may exceed the new $1.6 million limit and that it may be too late to do anything about it.”

I said it would be best for me to look at Jane's superannuation funds. "Just as well you realised and came to see me early because there is a clause in the legislation that says if you have between $1.6 million and $1.7 million and you remove that excess before January 1, 2018, then there will be no penalties charged," I said.

“The first thing we need to do is to calculate how much Jane's total superannuation balance actually is. I note that you have two funds both of which are paying you a pension. The defined benefit fund has advised you that the value of your pension is $1.3 million, which means you won't have a problem if your other pension is less than $300,000."

Jane said:“Oh dear, the value of that fund is $450,000. What does this mean, Gail?”

I replied: “Where your total superannuation balance exceeds $1.7 million you can remove the excess amount plus projected earnings from pension phase and transfer that amount back to accumulation phase.

"As it is still early in the financial year, you can calculate the projected earnings using the current ATO rate of 8.76 per cent on a daily basis. If you do nothing at this stage and the ATO issues a determination then you will also have to pay additional tax on your notional earnings up to the date that you rectify this breach of the rules.

"Obviously, it's much better to rectify it now before the ATO issues a determination.”

"In your case, Jane, you could transfer the excess amount back to accumulation phase or transfer it out of superannuation entirely.

"However, it would be better for you to leave it in accumulation phase. "The actual process would be that the whole pension is rolled back to accumulation phase and then the amount that is within the cap and is rolled back to a pension.

“I calculate the excessive amount to be approximately $800 which means that you would have to leave at least $150,800 in accumulation phase to comply with the new rules.

“The advantage of leaving the funds in accumulation phase is that you only pay 15 per cent tax on the fund’s earnings, which is less than the 34.5 per cent you would pay on any earnings that you have outside superannuation.

"There is also no tax charged on any withdrawals you make from the superannuation fund. You will pay less tax in the fund than you would outside superannuation, so this seems like a good option for you.”

Winston and Jane were relieved. “Thank you, Gail. That sounds great and now I don’t feel so bad about the oversight,” he said. If you need assistance with any aspect of superannuation or taxation contact the friendly team at Gail Freeman & Co Pty Ltd

Extended til August 12

Open Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm, Sat 9am-1pm • Unit 3, 80-82 Kembla Street, Fyshwick