Silent thoughts for the harmed and hurt JON
The fantasies of an unloved public servant
HELEN MUSA
Good Friend of rugby
TIM GAVEL Nasties that lurk in the garden
CEDRIC BRYANT
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By Danielle Nohra
AFTER giving so much to Canberra, even in his last days, the community now has an opportunity to give something back to the memory of Steve Doszpot, politician, “patron saint of lost causes” and friend to many.
Over a decade, Steve tirelessly organised trivia nights, which raised $230,000 for 10 charities and individuals. His final trivia night was just months before he lost his battle with liver cancer. He was 69.
Now, driven by friend and fellow Liberal MLA Jeremy Hanson, next month’s “Steve Doszpot Memorial Charity Trivia Night” will be in aid of the ACT Cancer Council, which will ensure every cent goes to liver cancer research.
Before he died, Steve, who often called Jeremy and himself the “class of 2008” (the year they were both elected), had asked an “honoured” Jeremy to take over.
Set for June 15 at the Hellenic Club in Woden, Jeremy says it will be a
celebration – “yes” – but also it’ll raise awareness of how early diagnosis and treatment can save lives.
“His passing is painful but it’s such a fun night, it’ll be anything but sor rowful and Steve would be annoyed if it was anything else but fun,” he says.
For Steve’s wife of 46 years, Mau reen, the trivia night is imperative because it’s what he really wanted.
“He wanted to spend the last few months of his life raising awareness and money for liver cancer,” she says.
“When Steve should have been look ing after himself, he was still looking after others.”
In his last speech as MLA to the Assembly in October, Steve used the opportunity to advocate for “yet an other medical issue that requires more understanding, more awareness, more prioritisation and more funding for research and development”.
“It is not for myself that I am asking – my cancer is inoperable,” he said.
“But in the course of my journey so far I have become very much aware of how early diagnosis of liver cancer could help save many lives.”
Selfless to the end, Maureen recalls the key moment when Steve started to walk down a path of actively helping others.
It was during a campaign at Calwell shops when a woman said to Steve: “As if you could help”, to which he replied: “Try me”.
Since 1993: Volume 24, Number 17
His favourite memory from the trivia nights was when he was on a table next to Maureen.
While someone was auctioning off a Raiders jersey, food had also started to come out and Steve hadn’t eaten, so Maureen put her hand up to signal to him – “the food’s ready” – but instead of Steve she caught the attention of the auctioneer and scored herself a Raiders jersey.
But Steve was more of a soccer, or “football” as he would say, fan and the trivia questions, which he wrote himself, often reflected that.
This time, questions for the “Steve Doszpot Memorial Charity Trivia Night” will be written by Paul Murphy and will consist of six rounds, each with a different theme, as well as other games, activities, a silent auction, a main auction and a raffle.
Jeremy and Maureen are also looking for people and businesses to donate prizes before the night, which will be auctioned off.
In this way, as Steve said in his speech, his endeavour lives on, “not only for the thousands of cancer sufferers in our community but also for their families who are so important as hardworking carers providing love, support and hope”.
Donations to Jeremy Hanson on hanson@act.gov.au or 6205 0133. Bookings to actcancer.org
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THINGS were a little different on the front lawns of Parliament House on May 9.
It was the iconic building’s 30th birthday and also the morning after the Federal Budget, but missing was the circus of TV network outside broadcasts or the protests of noisy union rallies.
Instead the young Christian group Micah had laid out a breakfast banquet, politely countering the Budget’s drop in foreign aid with: “We have plenty to share and we can give more”. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten accepted the invitation to break bread with them.
MEANTIME Shorten quickly leapt to punted ACT senator Katy Gallagher’s defence after the High Court halted her political dream run, ruling her ineligible to sit in the Senate. The Opposition Leader was joined by Labor Senate leader Penny Wong in claiming the former ACT Chief Minister was “too good to lose”.
Ms Gallagher’s years of serving the ACT are not forgotten, either. Following the High Court ruling, former Gungahlin Jets AFL club president Joe Cortese hit Facebook to declare the club’s gratitude.
“Some are not aware that when Katy G was Chief Minister her government donated $40,000 to help the club at a time when our Federal grant was withdrawn by the newly elected LNP government,” he wrote.
“Ms Gallagher your understanding of our situation at the time was appreciated, thanks to you the Gungahlin Jets has a club facility to call its own.”
MEANTIME Katy’s Legislative Assembly successor had a much better week. Our Chief Minister is among the leading pack of LGBTI leaders. Andrew Barr joined Qantas CEO Alan Joyce on the Deloitte and Google 50 Outstanding Australian LGBTI leaders list.
Barr, in need of some good PR after his “I hate journalists” spray, described his inclusion as “very kind” adding, “it is very important that young, and not so young, LGBTI people and people struggling with their sexuality have successful role models to look up to”.
STILL on lists and the most-trustedprofessions index does not yet include lobbyists, but two famous practitioners of vocations that perpetually dwell at its base have bagged those who lurk at the edge of politics. On a Parliament House
30th anniversary discussion panel, press gallery legend Michelle Grattan described lobbying as a “sunrise industry” lamenting its spread across the new house. Former Hawke and Keating governments minister Prof Gareth Evans – a member of the committee that chose the winning entry for the iconic building – recalled dealing with lobbyists as “creepy”.
HOWEVER a former chief of staff to John Howard strongly disagrees. Political insider Grahame Morris, a director of the largest lobbying firm in Canberra, says: “It depends on who you ask” as to the standing of his number.
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Morris estimates the broader community would probably rate lobbyists “down with the journos and pollies”. But said “those who get results including industry and charities (some of whom benefit from pro-bono work) would rate us in the top 10”. Morris confidently added: “The profession is here to stay.”
PENCIL in the name Darcey Bush as a future national sporting champion. The
Yass swimming sensation was named Open Sportsperson of the Year at the Yass Valley Sports Council awards after a stellar year in not one but two sports.
Bush’s impressive achievements in the pool include gold medals at both ACT and NSW Country Championships and qualifying for the Pacific Schools Games. The teenager also excels at both rugby league and union being named in the ACT Oztag team to compete at the NSW and National Championships.
IF you think there are more abandoned vehicles around the capital lately, you’d be right. Stats from the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council reveal a massive leap in stolen vehicles. The data shows the 2017 figure (1321) eclipsed 2016 stats (939) and almost doubled (678) thefts recorded in 2013.
As for the latest trend of “couch dumping”, which seems to be increasingly popular, there are no stats to share.
Grove, 1 Monty Place, Ngunnawal ACT
I AM hoping that at the ALP National Conference, to be held in Adelaide in late July, that Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will start his address by calling on delegates to observe a few minutes silence and join him in reflecting on the impact the successful implementation of the Labor Party’s mandatory offshore detention policy is having.
I would like the delegates to think about what the policy has done. To focus on the deaths that have occurred under the policy, both the murders and suicides, as well as the torture, the rapes, the beatings, the psychiatric illness, the loss of freedom, the lack of liberty and the psychological distress of innocent men, women and children.
I would like them to think about the children who have spent five years of their young lives on Nauru in a virtual prison because of us and for them to dare to imagine their own children or grandchildren being treated as we have treated them. To think about the consequences for, say, a seven-year-old child detained by the Labor Party on Nauru in 2013 who is now 12 and who is still detained on the island.
Such a boy, Ali, recently spoke to all of us in Australia directly, via video link, from Nauru. This is some of what he had to say:
“I feel helpless because there is no one to help us. There is no one to see how we are suffering. My mother is very sick and my brother is totally depressed.
What is it about we human beings that allows us to so easily turn our eyes away or at least to not respond to the harm and hurt people less fortunate than us suffer.
“From the age of seven, when I came here, I have been stuck. I had so many dreams but they have all blown away. I wanted to become an important person but instead I became nothing – even worse than nothing.
“I feel all good people have died. No good humans exist in the world. Why is this happening to me? The people totally hate us. They made my mother sick. They want to kill me with torture.”
Coincidentally, the ALP’s National Conference will be held a few weeks after the fifth anniversary of the introduction, by the short-lived Rudd/ Albanese government, of mandatory offshore detention. It is probably the only policy of that particular Labor Government that has survived
Early reports of the machinations of the factions in preparation for the conference are that neither Kevin Rudd nor Anthony Albanese need fear their legacy offshore detention policy will be abandoned any time soon, even assuming a Labor victory at the next election.
While the Left, to its credit, appears set to demand a return by the ALP to a humane policy, consistent with Labor’s core principles and values, Shorten has already come out publicly in support of
a continuation of the boat turn-backs policy. Shorten’s faction, the right, is also said to be opposed to any change to any part of the policy. My sense is that he is clearly hoping that the deal Malcolm Turnbull has sealed with Donald Trump to take some asylum seekers from Nauru and Manus has created a perception that the offshore detention policy will shortly be obsolete or in any event the deal will sufficiently distract public attention from just how odious is offshore detention.
In which case it would probably not take much for anyone to convince the dozen or so factional and union leaders who determine the outcome of any issues of significance at a Labor Conference to let sleeping dogs lie and leave the policy intact.
What is it about we human beings, particularly those of us who live such fortunate lives, that allows us to so easily turn our eyes away so as not to see or at least to not respond to the harm and the hurt that people less fortunate
and with less power than us suffer as a result of policies or behaviour which we sanction?
I fear that the great Australian motto of a” fair go” is being confined in its application to only those perceived by some invisible process as worthy of a ”fair go” and that asylum seekers are among the range of marginalised groups clearly not included among them.
How else does one explain or rationalise our collective insensitivity to the distressing and despairing cry of a 12-year-old boy, locked away by us for five years, living in a tent on a tiny, third-world, isolated island in the Pacific Ocean with a deeply ill mother and brother?
What is the answer to 12-year-old
Ali’s gut-wrenching question: “Why is this happening to me?”
Jon Stanhope was chief minister from 2001 to 2011 and represented Ginninderra for the Labor Party from 1998. He is the only chief minister to have governed with a majority in the Assembly.
ALL Saints Anglican Church in Ainslie is again the venue for this year’s “Jam for Refugees”.
The 10-hour concert of predominantly classical music consists of a series of 30-minute performances by leading musicians, choirs, ensembles and school groups. All musicians are donating their time and talent. The Cowper Street jam, staged in association with the Canberra Refugee Action Committee, will be opened at 10.30am on Friday, June 1 by Bishop Stephen Pickard and Bishop Pat Power, and will run until 8.30pm.
Organisers say the jam aims to raise money and awareness concerning the plight of refugees and asylum seekers by highlighting the impact Australia’s policies are having on the almost 2000 men, women and children still trapped in mainland and offshore detention centres, many of whom have been detained for five years or more. Proceeds from the jam will support the work of Companion House, Manus Lives Matter and Canberra Refugee Support. Refreshments will include a sausage sizzle (11.30am1.30pm) and afternoon tea in the church hall (3pm-4pm).
RECENTLY a dear friend died suddenly at home; and in the days that followed I found myself caught in that terribly sad business of helping to arrange his farewell.
My role was marginal – writing my friend’s obituary and delivering the eulogy at the crematorium. But I was also present with his elderly widow – whom we’ll call Pamela – and other very close friends at the nearby funeral parlour. It was an experience that left me shocked, outraged and determined to write of tactics they employ.
For legal reasons, I don’t propose to name the particular parlour, but from talking to others I believe they were no better nor worse than the rest of the industry. And, as our population ages, they will become ever more expert at feathering their nests from the emotionally distraught relatives of the recently deceased.
The speed of their involvement is breathtaking. Pamela was called to the parlour only two days after her husband’s death. She was in no condition to make decisions. But to make her as malleable as possible, the parlour “consultant”, a softlyspoken but powerfully persuasive woman in her 50s, directed us to a “viewing” of the body first.
We descended a flight of stairs
Pamela was in no condition to make decisions. But to make her as malleable as possible, the softlyspoken but powerfully persuasive funeral parlour ‘consultant’ in her 50s directed us to a ‘viewing’ of the body first.
where my friend was laid out on a hospital gurney, dressed in his casual work clothes plus a dark jacket Pamela had provided. His hair was brushed and he looked as though he was sleeping.
We sat across from the gurney and took turns in crossing the room. And I was deeply saddened by the effect on Pamela whose whole life had been devoted to her husband. They had no children and no nearby relatives. There were close neighbours but theirs was an exclusive twosome that had lasted for some 57 years.
We left her to have time alone with his body before climbing back up the stairs and gathering around a polished table. When a deeply distressed Pamela returned the “consultant” did her deal. Pam was putty in her hands. She had a checklist that began with a basic cost of $3000 for the
actual cremation and the “regulation” services of the parlour. Then came the real money-spinners: the coffin, which would be consumed by the flames, came in a range of special timbers. And of course Pam wouldn’t want the “cheapest” one. Not for her beloved.
To protest would have been to somehow devalue or dishonour my friend so I bit my tongue. And as the other items on the checklist arrived – flowers, advertisements, a celebrant, a special book register for the mourners to sign, bookmarks with his picture on it, music… on and on it went until the invoice, payable before the service (“if at all possible”) reached just under $10,000. And that was without a celebrant. This for a widow who had to get it from the small insurance policy she would
have to cash in that very week.
No wonder the insurance companies are blanketing commercial television with their funeral ads. The death business is not just a going concern, it’s a booming industry. But it’s also a hangover from the past when all the fairy tales about life after death were part of the natural order of things. Australia is not like that anymore.
Of course we should mark the death of our loved ones with a heartfelt ceremony. And their remains should be treated with dignity. But that doesn’t mean we should permit the funeral industry to prey on the living at a time when they are most vulnerable to the sales pitch of the “consultants”. There has to be a better way.
robert@robertmacklin.com
A DIPLOMATIC life in Indonesia is the subject of this month’s address at the Gungahlin Day VIEW Club’s next luncheon meeting at the Versatile Restaurant, Nicholls, from 11.20am on Wednesday, May 23. Visitors and interested ladies welcome. Lunch costs $35 and bookings by noon, Monday, May 21, to 6262 2556.
THE tireless volunteers of St Ninian’s Uniting Church, Lyneham, will be staging a mid-year sale of craft, treasures, jewellery, white elephant, plants, cakes, jams and more on the corner of Mouat and Brigalow Streets, 9am-2pm, on Saturday, May 19. Morning tea and lunch will be available.
THERE’S a chance to meet others with a love of languages and language learning, exchange information about raising children bilingually and join in fun activities for all ages at the Latin American Cultural Centre, 28 Astrolabe Street, Red Hill, 2pm-4pm, on Sunday, May 20. Refreshments provided, but contributions to afternoon tea welcome. It’s free, but RSVP via Eventbrite or email canberrabilingual@gmail.com
CATHERINE Cooney of Karinya House for Mothers and Babies is the guest speaker at the next dinner meeting of the ladies of the Tuggeranong Evening VIEW at the Town Centre Vikings club, Greenway, from 6.30pm, on Wednesday, May 23. Dinner costs $27 and enquiries and bookings to 6291 7716 or email tuggeven@gmail.com
Community notices to: editor@citynews.com.au
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By Kathryn Vukovljak
FOLLOWING a miscarriage in 2011, former journalist and now grief counsellor Karin Holmes turned to writing to cope with her complex emotions.
firmed,” she says.
“I was eventually diagnosed with a missed miscarriage, which means the body can’t expel the pregnancy.”
Karin says the hospital sent her on her way with a leaflet but with not much idea of what to expect afterwards.
it was justified. But she said I was entitled to my grief and pain and it was such a relief to hear that.”
Karin says that the book came out of what she would have wanted to know and read in the first weeks, months and years after a loss.
Her book “How to Survive a Miscarriage” is a guide for women in a similar situation, as she says she experienced very little in the way of support and understanding after losing her baby.
“As I was researching and connecting with other women, I realised we all had one thing in common – I found that sympathy has a time limit and grief does not, which makes suffering very lonely,” she says.
Karin says that while writing the book she decided she wanted to support people at these difficult times and began studying grief counselling.
Karin, 35, says she started bleeding at around six weeks, but wasn’t sure if it was a miscarriage as it would stop and start.
“I had an inconclusive ultrasound and I spent two weeks not knowing what was happening, and it took another week for the loss to be con-
“Once I came out of hospital everyone seemed to think it was over and done with and nothing big, but it wasn’t like that for me and my emotions were very much that of grief,” she says.
“It was tricky, too, as I’d lost someone I hadn’t met and the fact that I was pregnant and there was life developing inside me but it also died inside me triggered a lot of complex emotions.
“I felt completely alone and as though no one wanted to know that or I wasn’t supposed to feel that way.”
Karin who’s now mum to Kiana, five, and Maisie, three, says that five months later she got in touch with Sands, the miscarriage, stillbirth and neonatal death charity, and for the first time heard someone say:
“I’m so sorry for your loss”.
“It made me feel I was right to feel that way, that it was a real loss and I was being taken seriously,” she says.
“I just started crying because I had felt I was crazy, as I was struggling but no one seemed to think
“In our society no one wants to talk about death, which I understand, and no one wants to be reminded of their mortality but we fail so many people. So I say just show up – action speaks louder than words after a loss,” she says.
“It can be as simple as a hug, or sitting with that person and making sure they eat. Clean up, organise the school run, anything – don’t back away because you feel uncomfortable.
“Just listen and acknowledge that it’s real pain and a real loss.”
Karin says the book can help guide mums through loss towards healing, with coping strategies and advice for subsequent pregnancies.
“I’ve never felt so alone and I don’t want to ever again, it’s this bottomless pit of sadness and loneliness. It’s hidden pain, and it shouldn’t be.”
Books at $18.99 from karinholmes.com or from Harry Hartog in Woden, Book Passion at Belconnen Fresh Food Markets, Paperchain in Manuka and Book Face at Gungahlin Marketplace.
BEREFT of aspirational politics, our Federal leaders, lacking in inspiration, desperately attempt to lure voters with promises of tax cuts, special projects and other appeals to self-interest. It doesn’t have to be this way.
The problem is not just a national one. Regrettably, a mark of modern politics at all levels of government is lack of aspiration. When combined with the failure of our leaders to inspire, the lack of aspirational goals leaves the future looking bleak. Yet how many humans would want to leave a dreary, depressing and desolate world for their children, grandchildren and the generations to follow?
There are alternatives. The Welsh provide an example. In 2015 their parliament voted to protect the future, to provide for the generations to come and take responsibility for the world they have now and the one that they will hand on. Aspirational legislation was adopted to improve the world in which they live, work and engage as communities.
A simple piece of legislation, the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act sets out the goals, the dreams and the ambitions of a jurisdiction focusing on a path for the future. It is designed to have legislators and the community “think more about the long term, work better with people and communities and each other, look to prevent problems and take a more joinedup approach”.
The Australian government offers a thinly-veiled bribe of minimalist tax cuts to ordinary citizens to conceal the huge tax breaks for its mates. Legislators in
Wales would be bound to consider the impact of such actions in the broader context. Their legislation commences with a simple overview that requires “public bodies to do things in pursuit of the economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being of Wales in a way that accords with the sustainable development principle; to require public bodies to report on such action”.
Without vision, without inspiration and without aspiration, failure to manage the present will cost us the future.
It is more than aspirational. There is a commissioner who is the guardian for the interests of future generations in Wales. The role conducts impact assessments of effective working, involving people in a manner that reflects the diversity of communities, looking to the long term as well as focusing on the present, and to “take action to try and stop problems getting worse – or even stop them happening in the first place”.
It is difficult to make aspirational legislation have a serious impact. A commissioner helps. However, aspirational legislation makes legislators stop and think. It has the advantage of ensuring
decisions are not made in a thoughtless, self-interested, politically convenient manner that ignores economic, environmental and social sustainability.
Perhaps it takes some imagination, however the future does not necessarily cost us the present. On the other hand, without vision, without inspiration and without aspiration, failure to manage the present will cost us the future.
It has been done. It can be done. The Welsh have taken the step. The ACT can make a similar choice. Environmental impact assessments have demonstrated that it can be done in Australia. Now it’s time to seek equitable social, economic and environment sustainability.
Words play a part. Aspirational legislation is not something that has been favoured in Australia. On its own it is not enough. However, coupled with tools such as the Welsh “well-being objectives” that bind ministers and governments as a whole and with appropriate oversight there just might be a chance.
There is a chance – it ought to be adopted in Australia and certainly in Canberra. Call me a dreamer. But for our children’s sake and that of their children, it’s worth a try.
THE AIDS Action Council will host Canberra’s 35th Candlelight Memorial at The Great Hall, University House, ANU, 4pm-6pm on Sunday, May 20. The Canberra Gay and Lesbian Qwire will provide a reflective choral performance.
LAST month 21 students, parents and staff from Canberra Grammar School partnered with Canberra charity REACH for Nepal on the third anniversary of the devastating earthquakes to deliver on an aid project in Nepal that would see them volunteer to help rebuild four classrooms. The school raised $10,000 to cover the rebuilding cost and then went to work carrying 1400 building blocks and moving 10 tonnes of sand and cement to the building site.
CAROLYN Langley will explain the role of the ACT Ombudsman and how the office can assist seniors at the next monthly meeting of the Canberra South Branch of National Seniors of Australia at the Weston Creek Labor Club, Teesdale Close, Stirling, 10.30am on Wednesday, May 30. Nonmembers are welcome to attend and there’s a $3 contribution for morning tea. More from nsacanberrasouth@ gmail.com
IT is a testament to the character of Andy Friend that, after 23 years of coaching, he continues to have a passion for rugby.
Friend says he was blindsided by the Australian Rugby Union’s decision not to renew his contract as coach of the Australian Men’s Sevens team earlier this year.
He felt as though he had shored up his position after guiding the side to victory in the Sydney 7s, but it wasn’t to be.
It was a similar feeling in March, 2011, when he was into his third season coaching the Brumbies when player power resulted in management moving him on.
He holds no bitterness towards rugby or the Brumbies. In fact, he says he still loves the game especially 7s.
“I don’t get bitter about it. I don’t know why my brain works this way,” he says.
Former Australian Men’s Sevens coach Andy Friend…
“When I left the Brumbies I got some great advice from a good friend of mine.” Photo ARU Media
for while he probably will end up overseas, he has strong views on what is missing in Australian rugby at the moment and he doesn’t hold back.
He loves club rugby, but is not a fan of the current Super Rugby believing the conference system is confusing and says the money in the sport is going to the top when more should be going to grassroots and developing the skill level of players.
Friend says: “We are trying to build the pyramid from the top down and it doesn’t work. It is not about the people at the top who play Super Rugby and coach Super Rugby, it’s about the grassroots and building the pyramid from the base.”
A FEW years ago the then-President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, changed the status of his country’s national parks to permit photographic safaris but no shooting of the wildlife.
However, he realised this wasn’t bringing in much income and under pressure especially from, I understand, gun-toting Americans who were prepared to pay big bucks to shoot the wildlife, large areas of Zimbabwe’s national parks were opened up for big-game hunting.
“The opportunity stops or shuts itself off and I can move on pretty quickly and I just get on to the next thing that’s coming.”
Andy says at times he has contemplated moving away from rugby, but such is his love for the sport it keeps drawing him back in.
“When I left the Brumbies I got some great advice from a good friend of mine,” he says.
“I was telling him I was going to do all sorts of different things. He heard me out for half an hour and then he said to me: ‘Mate, you’re a jockey. That horse kicked you off, get on another horse and be a jockey again’.”
When it comes to individuals at the Brumbies during his time there he is not as forgiving. Andy is big on trust and finds it hard to comprehend when it’s not reciprocated.
“There are individuals that were responsible for that decision,” he says.
“Those wounds will probably never heal but I didn’t take it out on the Brumbies as a brand.”
Often the greatest impact when you are sacked as a coach is not so much on the coach but their immediate family.
From 2010 until the Brumbies’ decision in 2011 Andy had also to support his family as his wife Kerri had suffered a severe head injury in a cycling crash. If anything, it made him more resilient. He was viewing his world from a much broader perspective.
Just what the future holds remains to be seen
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In other words, a need exists for far greater quality support for the development of junior players and coaches in their formative years if rugby in this country is going to be successful again.
As Friend says: “Money is going to the top and the way we are managing the game here is creating the situation we currently find ourselves in.”
I reckon his views are spot on. Perhaps now, more than ever, we need Andy Friend heavily involved in Australian rugby.
I had a similar thought for ACT Environment Minister Shane Rattenbury. Let’s spoil the fun of the shooters hired to cull as many kangaroos as possible in our parks and open them up to the Americans and other overseas tourists who I’m sure would also pay big bucks to eliminate our kangaroos and, at the same time, help our dubious Budget. It would be an extra bonus for these tourists to be able to shoot one of our national emblems!
Cedric Bryant, Watson
I WOULD like to thank the driver who stopped on Clive Steele Avenue in Monash on Tuesday morning (May 8) to check on my welfare.
While training for the Mother’s Day Classic I tripped and fell on the uneven footpath, resulting in a number of cuts and scrapes. Blood trickles made it look bad, but I suffered no serious damage. I was able to walk home.
I do appreciate the concern shown by the driver who saw the tumble and stopped to offer assistance. Thank you, so much.
Brett Gray, Monash
Weston Creek’s original 1958 Dodgers team.
WESTON Creek Woden Basketball Club will celebrate its 60th anniversary at the SEABL night at Belconnen Stadium, 6pm-8pm, on Saturday, June 2.
The club is calling for all “Dodgers”, including current committee members, players and those who have stayed and those who have drifted away over the years, to wear the red and black and be there.
CANBERRA is Australia’s animal-collision capital for the second year running after recording more collisions between motorists and animals than any other Australian city for a second consecutive year. According to the latest AAMI data, drawn from 9000 accidents over the past year, almost one in 10 motor accidents in the city are caused by animal collisions.
ACT motorists are most likely to collide with a kangaroo (92 per cent) or wombat (2 per cent) –although collisions also occurred with dogs, deer, foxes, wallabies and horses.
I WANT to add my congratulations to “CityNews” on its 25th anniversary and say thanks for all the support it has given me with various functions I have held at my home to raise awareness of musical activities I have been involved in over the years, especially the Australian National Eisteddfod Choirs Division, of which I was the convenor for several years, and more recently the Australian International Chopin Piano Competition.
The advertising support for these musical events was invaluable and articles and critiques written by Helen Musa and Clinton White were very much appreciated. Thank you for all you do to support the arts in Canberra.
Dianne Anderson, Red Hill
I HAVE to defend myself against Jon Stock (“Beyond the pale”, CN Letters, April 19). Nowhere in my letter did I criticise the LGBTQI community and neither did I debate whether the issue of same-sex marriage was a problem. Yet in criticising my letter, Mr Stock states: “The marriage vote was about extending human rights etcetera”, inferring that I had in some way suggested otherwise. All I said was Andrew Barr spent $100,000 of taxpayer’s money to promote it when he had a vested interest.
Remember, I also spoke of the light rail and wasting money on the CFMEU building in Dickson. From the above, I was clearly criticising Andrew Barr as opposed to the LGBTQI.
The Chief Minister did not fund any promotion of the “No” vote and they also had rights. Mr Barr was elected to represent all Canberrans supposedly without favour. Spending public money to promote one side and not the other of the debate was not democratic regardless of who won the vote. Vi Evans, via email
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YOU’VE said “yes”, but what happens next?
Planning a wedding can be exciting, but at times a daunting prospect with so many details to lock in – from the church and wedding reception venue to the dress, make-up, rings, accommodation, honeymoon and more!
“CityNews” talked to some of Canberra’s top wedding suppliers for their advice on making your wedding one of the best days of your life…
FOR couples looking for a truly unique and affordable wedding spot, the Canberra Greyhound Racing Club in Symonston is exactly what they need.
“It’s a really beautiful venue, especially at night because we can put the track lights on and they can get some stunning photos on the track,” says the club’s operations manager, Steph Fernance.
“And it’s a quite reasonably priced venue compared to other venues in Canberra.”
The bistro lounge area, which has a circular window looking out on to the track, can fit 130 guests.
“There is an in-house caterer or you can do it yourself and a wide range of beverages are available at our fully operational bar,” Steph says.
“We’re happy to tailor something to whatever the couple wants, whether its specific wine or spirits and our chef is really accommodating if they want to vary the menu.
“We can also offer entertainment such as bands, jukeboxes and DJs.”
Steph says a lot of people who have had family involved in greyhound racing usually see it as a special venue to pay tribute to that.
“It’s a very relaxed venue with a lot of nature and wildlife but we can also
THERE’s nothing more rewarding for Michelle Bailey, or “Shelli”, of Michelle Bailey Celebrant, than getting to meet people during one of their happiest times and helping make their wedding dreams come true.
The bright and bubbly Campbell resident found love in a career as a celebrant to make up for a somewhat isolating career as a research scientist.
“It excites me being a wedding celebrant; it brings joy, happiness and satisfaction to my life,” she says.
The 35-year-old, who was labelled the “Shellibrant” after marrying her first couple in 2015, says she brings a fresh perspective to personalised or bespoke ceremonies.
“I take pride and delight in developing unique wedding occasions; whether you are looking for something traditional, formal or informal, sophisti -
cater to people who want to make it into a loud party,” she says.
“There’s a massive carpark and we can customise the venue to suit anyone for any occasion.”
Canberra Greyhound Racing Club, corner of Narrabundah Lane and Jerrabomberra Avenue, Symonston. Call 6295 3554 or 0406 946977 or visit canberragreyhound.com.au
cated or simple,” she says.
“Your ceremony is an important and personal event in your lives and my aim is to make sure that you have the ceremony you want.”
As someone who is in a same-sex relationship herself, Shelli is excited to marry all couples in all types of venues throughout Canberra, the Southern Highlands, Blue Mountains, Kangaroo Valley, Wollongong and Sydney.
But, she doesn’t stop at weddings, Shelli also helps people with renewal of vows, as well as commitment and naming ceremonies.
Michelle Bailey Celebrant. Call Michelle on 0405 745059, email contact@michellebaileycelebrant.com.au or visit michellebaileycelebrant.com.au
THERE’s no better present to give newlyweds than something that will last them a lifetime, says Therma Quilts.
The locally owned and family-run business specialises in making and servicing quilts, eiderdowns, pillows and cushions and anything made from feather and down.
“Giving a new married couple one of our quilts is gifting them comfort,” says a company spokesperson.
“And what better gift to give than a good night’s sleep?”
The company’s unique cleaning process, which involves the feather and down being cleaned separately from the product casing in a specialised steamer and washing machine,
helps the feather and down regain its loft and thermal resistance.
“Our eco-friendly detergents mean that there are no harsh chemical residues on products,” says a company spokesperson.
“Using our cleaning process, we can clean quilts, sleeping bags, down jackets and more when they are in need of rejuvenation or before they are needed for the winter months.
“In addition, if your quilt is not warm enough or too warm, we are able to adjust it to your requirements.”
Therma Quilts, Unit 9, 10-12 Kemble Court, Mitchell. Open 9am-4pm, Monday to Friday. Call 6241 6859 or visit thermaquilts.com.au
Special occasion? Let us design and make your unique engagement or wedding ring exactly how you’d like it.
Need or desire a new piece of Jewellery? We can design any piece of jewellery to your specifications and custom-make it in-house.
Complex repairs? Difficult repairs are not a problem –bring your repair in and we’ll discuss what can be done.
Feel like a change? We do remakes using your existing jewellery to give you an exciting one-of-a-kind creation.
2/16 Bougainville Street, Manuka (Opposite Manuka Court) • 6295 8545
On-Site Jeweller & designer • Remake • Repair • Laser solder & engraving
WHAT makes the Clover Jewellery experience really special is that customers are able to create something that is unique and perfect, says Veronica Oh.
“Whether it’s a gift, whether you’re treating yourself or it’s that perfect engagement ring, our aim is to provide our customers with that priceless experience and we believe being able to deliver that is what makes us unique,” she says.
“When you are able to add a little bit of your own idea, design or message it usually means that you are creating something that is unique and probably the only one in the world.”
Specialising in custom-made jewellery and laser engraving, Clover Jewellery is able to turn a piece of jewellery into something more personalised.
“This means that if the customer has a design or an idea that they’ve always wanted to put together or bring to life, we are able to do that and guide the customer through the designing procedure,” she says.
If people are looking for an intricate and sophisticated design, Veronica says the on-site jeweller, James, has more than 30 years’ experience of hand-making jewellery with a speciality in jewellery
Clover Jewellery, 2/16 Bougainville Street, Manuka. Call 6295 8545, email clover.j@hotmail.com or visit @cloverjewellerycanberra on
“IF you’re reluctant to smile or you hide away from cameras, an upcoming wedding might be daunting,” says Identity Dentistry’s principal dentist Dr Moore.
“It’s wonderful to feel confident and having a lovely smile can help you enjoy the important day.”
As a modern, dynamic practice, Identity Dentistry can look after all dental needs –be they general, restorative or cosmetic.
“If you want a brighter smile, this can involve something as straightforward as teeth whitening, or perhaps a porcelain veneer, particularly if the tooth is also cracked,” Dr Moore says.
“Another option for unhealthy teeth is a crown, and the CEREC technology we employ allows the creation and completion of a porcelain restoration in a single visit.
“The wonderful thing about veneers and
crowns is that they really can look flawlessly natural.
“On the other hand, if you’re missing teeth then the modern solution is an osseous-integrated implant.”
To keep teeth healthy, taking care of them should occur all the time, not just for special occasions, and Dr Moore says there are some things that people might not see when they look at their own teeth in a mirror.
“However, early diagnosis and treatment can prevent something from becoming a major issue,” he says.
“That’s why it’s important to have a check-up and clean every six months.”
Identity Dentistry, Suite 205, 222 City Walk, Civic. Call 6248 5692, email info@identitydentistry.com.au or visit identitydentistry.com.au
EVERYONE is different, which is why InStitchu, a store that designs and makes anything from shirts to suits, customises everything to help customers create clothing the way they want it to look.
No matter what the occasion, InStitchu takes the time to get it right so, co-founder James Wakefield says, its Canberra location is where a groom and his groomsmen can get the perfect-fitting garment for their special wedding day.
“When the day is over, all you’ll have is your memories, your wedding rings and your photos. [And] stand-out wedding photos need stand-out suits,” he says.
To get that “stand-out” suit, James says InStitchu takes three simple, yet important steps.
“Initially the groom and groomsmen come in and pick out the fabrics they want,” he says.
“Then they’re invited back to get measurements by our style consultants, where they’re able to enjoy a drink whilst the process is being undertaken.
“Once completed, they’re again invited back for a fitting where any adjustments or alterations are then completed.”
While getting custom-made suits might sound expensive, James says in actual fact it’s very affordable and on top of that InStitchu has a perfect-fit guarantee.
InStitchu, 2/54 Marcus Clarke Street, Civic. Call 8277 8787 or visit institchu.com
WHETHER a couple is simply looking to hire one thing, such as chair covers, or they need someone to set up their whole wedding, Elegant Effect provides a personal service from start to finish, says owner Belinda Ciminelli.
“We can do everything from decorations to chair covers to entire weddings,” she says.
Belinda, who got into the wedding industry because she enjoys helping make a couple’s day special, says Elegant Effect shares fresh ideas while providing the best products and services to suit any style and budget.
“At the moment we’re seeing a trend where a lot of people are hiring stuff to set it up themselves,” she says.
“We can hire the equipment out for people to do that or we can set it up for them.”
She says the decorative team has the knowledge and expertise to create the right decor for any couple.
“Our business philosophy is to offer our customers the best services and excellent value for money, while our goal is to meet and exceed your expectations,” she says.
“We always strive to exceed our customers’ expectations through our consistent attention to detail and unrivalled dedication to excellence.”
Elegant Effect, Unit 3/71 Vicars Street, Mitchell. Call on 0421 449922, email eleganteffect@optusnet.com.au or visit eleganteffect.com.au
FOR more than six years Canberra City Dentistry has built a reputation for providing caring and gentle dentistry on University Avenue.
It strives to offer its patients painless, quality dentistry in a relaxed and caring environment at an affordable price.
Dr Vicky Pusnjak says that providing good quality work is a hugely important consideration for her and that she has received incredible feedback through repeat business and referrals.
“I love it when people tell their friends, families or colleagues about us when they are looking for a dentist,” she says.
“It’s also great to see our regulars continue to come back from the very beginning.”
Canberra City Dentistry offers quality dental services including general dentistry, teeth whitening, cleaning, routine fillings, crowns and bridges, Invisalign, dentures and emergency appointments.
Canberra City Dentistry, Level 4, 28 University Avenue, Canberra City. Call 6162 0880 or visit canberracitydentistry.com.au
BY using a unique tanning application, Faux Tanning Studio can provide the perfect wedding look.
Owner Jasmin Moore says: “We offer an obligation-free consult and take [into consideration] your skin tone, dress, make-up, shade of colour that you’re after, venue, lighting, photography, honeymoon and so much more.
“Everything must be taken into consideration so your spray tan is perfect.”
Faux Tanning Studio goes beyond the initial service, providing clients with tools for pre-tan preparation as well as after-tan care for brides, the bridal party and guests.
“Trial tans are highly recommended so we can get the perfect tan for your special day,” Jasmin says.
With more than 25 brands to choose from, Faux Tanning Studio has around 100 different shades.
“We are known as ‘Canberra’s premier tanning salon’ because we do all things tanning and are nationally accredited spray tanners,” Jasmin says.
“We pride ourselves in our art and always strive to be better, seeking out the best possible tans for our clients.
“Our clients are our main focus and delivering them the best service is extremely important to us.”
Faux Tanning Studio, Shop 7, Andrew Arcade, 42 Giles Street, Kingston. Email fauxtanningstudio@gmail.com or call 0424 190260.
NOT only can Doma Hotels host the perfect wedding day but it can look after all pre-wedding celebrations too, says weddings executive Beth Johnson.
From an engagement party at Ostani Bar to a bridal shower brunch at Buvette or high tea at Burbury Terrace, Beth says Doma prides itself on having venue options for every type of bride.
As for the wedding day, she says each space is luxurious, modern and sophisticated, “whether you want a garden ceremony in the Brassey Gardens, an intimate cocktail party in the High Courtyards or seated dinner in the National Ballroom,” she says.
Located in Barton, Beth says the destination precinct has restaurants, bars, spas and hair salons.
“Everything you need to make your wedding day extra special,” she says.
“With special accommodation discounts for guests attending the wedding you can all relax and enjoy a little ‘staycation’.”
From start to finish Beth is dedicated to ensuring a couple’s day and the lead up to it, is as perfect as they could have imagined.
And, on the day of the event she’ll be by their side along with a team of dedicated wait staff, who will ensure that everyone’s champagne stays full. Doma Hotels,1/18 National Circuit, Barton. Call 6163 4711, email beth.johnson@domahotels.com.au or visit domahotels.com.au
BY DOMA HOTELS
Doma Hotels offer luxurious, modern and sophisticated wedding venues. A destination precinct, our restaurants, bars, day spas and various other facilities have cemented us as a preferred locale for discerning Canberran’s and visitors.
With the capacity to accommodate garden ceremonies, cocktail receptions or seated dinners for up to 460 guests the Realm Precinct is the perfect location to host the day of your dreams. Tailored accommodation packages for guests available.
Hotel Realm has been awarded the Best Meetings and Event Venue in Australia by the Australian Hotels Association for 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2017, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015 and was awarded the Savour Award for Best Function & Convention Caterer in 2017.
The Federal Golf Club also offers itself as the perfect photographic location for you and your bridal party. Featuring tranquil ponds, a rustic style footbridge, stunning mountain vistas and leafy garden surrounds. There are endless opportunities to record cherished images for you to look back on with the fondest of memories. A UNIQUE LOCATION...CENTRAL TO CANBERRA BUT A WORLD AWAY FROM ANYWHERE!
At the Federal, you and your guests will be treated to sweeping views over the bushland setting of the golf course and onto the Brindabellas.
OVERLOOKING Canberra’s most iconic buildings such as Lake Burley Griffin and Commonwealth Park, The Deck at Regatta Point is the perfect place for someone’s special day, says venue manager Laura English.
With packages to accommodate any wedding, Laura says couples can build their own wedding packages to suit their requirements.
“We have extensive menus for you to choose
WITH sweeping views over the bushland setting of the golf course and on to the Brindabellas, the Federal Golf Club is a central wedding destination that feels a world away from anywhere, says events manager Branka Curic.
Branka describes it as a “one-spot wedding venue” as it takes the stress away from deciding where to have the ceremony and photos before the reception.
“It’s all possible in the one location,” she says.
“Featuring tranquil ponds, a rustic-style footbridge, stunning mountain vistas and leafy garden surrounds, there are endless opportunities to record cherished images for you to look back on with the fondest of memories.”
From the beginning, Branka is available to assist the couple through the planning process offering flexible options, holistic solutions and variety of individual preferences.
“Everything is designed to ensure you realise the perfect wedding – the day you’ve been planning in your mind for the years leading up to your special day,” she says.
“We offer a private room for the bridal party to relax and enjoy pre-dinner drinks and canapés before entering the reception.
from and a range of locally sourced wines, beers and produce for you to enjoy,” she says.
“At The Deck we have the capacity to seat 130 guests inside and 348 guests cocktail style.
“We pride ourselves on our food, service and passion for making your special day a dream.”
The Deck at Regatta Point, Barrine Drive, Parkes. Call 6230 7234 or email thedeck@artisticfood.com.au
“When the time comes for dancing, our portable dance floor can be located to best suit your seating plan.
“We will endeavour to meet any special requests
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We are Canberra’s Premier Tanning Salon that provides a very specialised, professional tanning experience. We customise each and every spray tan to each individual and occasion.
• Specialising in wedding tans for brides, grooms and their bridal party.
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• Professional equipment.
• Individual skin analysis to choose a colour that suits you.
• Makeup and hair available.
• Tan packages available.
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• Loyalty and VIP programs available.
Overlooking Lake Burley Griffin & Commonwealth Park, The Deck at Regatta Point is Canberra’s most picturesque venue. It boasts Canberra’s most amazing views; comprises both indoor & outdoor aspects, complimented by floor to ceiling glass that literally fills the venue with natural light. The venue offers modern Australian cuisine, using only the freshest produce. The team at The Deck understand th at like every good dish, each wedding needs to have its own unique flavour.
By Helen Musa
A HUMBLE government
servant slaves away in the grey offices of the national capital, unacknowledged and unnoticed, yet he dreams of better things.
Could this be Canberra in 2018?
“It could,” says actor PJ Williams but in fact the character is Poprishchin, a low-ranking government servant within the 19th century Czarist bureaucracy, made immortal by the Great Russian writer Nikolai Gogol in the 1835 short story “Diary of a Madman”.
Now in David Holman’s staged adaptation of the story, Williams gets to play the role of a lifetime.
Since arriving in Canberra about 16 years ago, he’s been associated with around a dozen productions at The Street, as an actor, director or lighting designer, but this role is far and away the most challenging.
Petersburg and Canberra – they’re both cities planned to house the bureaucrats of the nation they both have brutalist architecture sitting alongside classical architecture…the tension between individuals and their roles in the public service is also parallel,” Williams says.
Stacey and set designer Imogen Keen have not altogether abandoned Gogol’s original setting, and Williams says that Keen has worked “in the Czarist tradition, delivering a filter with overtones of 1980s Russia and Canberra”.
Is it a comedy or a tragedy?
“I think it’s a ‘dramedy’,” Williams says.
“It’s got a lot of physical comedy in it and the best way of pointing out the tragic nature of society is through comedy and satire.”
Gogol did it in the short story and even more famously in his hilarious stage play “The Government Inspector”, which pokes fun at the fear of bureaucracy.
So wherein lies the madness of the character?
The best way of pointing out the tragic nature of society is through comedy and satire.
He doesn’t have to do it all alone, though, as performer Lili Konstantin will appear alongside him in the female roles, Tuovi, Sofi and Tatiana.
Williams first proposed “Diary of a Madman” to Street director Caroline Stacey about eight years ago, but their plans were gazumped by Neil Armfield and Geoffrey Rush, for whom Holman had originally done the adaptation and who were planning a 20th anniversary production at Belvoir Theatre.
The Street has decided that now is the perfect time to do a play that is so perfectly suited to Canberra.
“We were doing the analytics the other day and we noticed so many parallels between St
In his dreams Poprishchin feels himself to be heir to the King of Spain, but you can hardly blame him for fantasising a bit and, anyway, his dreams are pretty much what everybody dreams of – power, money and the love of a woman – in this case his boss’s daughter, who is “completely outside of his realm”.
“It’s one of the great questions about the piece,” Williams says.
“Is it the system that drives him to madness to escape into a world of fantasy?”
His “descent” into escapism is the face of such grim, brutal realities that it could also be regarded as an “ascent” into a world where his dreams are realised.
He’s never been a diarist or a journal keeper, but Williams has embarked on a madman’s diary-blog of his own for the duration of the production (via thestreet.org), which he describes as “an interesting way of giving readers an insight into the process”.
When we talk, he’s up to entry number three.
“I have wanted to do Poprishchin for a long time, but be careful what you wish for – it’s an enormous role full of great challenges,” he says.
“For an actor to take a character from such a classic and such an important part of Russian literature is an honour… Now the pressure is on to make it work.”
“Diary of a Madman” at The Street Theatre, June 2-16. Bookings to thestreet.org.au or 6247 1223.
Established
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CANBERRA band Willie and the Correspondents (formerly West Texas Crude) will appear, along with 30 bands including the Hoodoo Gurus, 1927, Ol’ 55, and The Badloves, at a fundraiser for the Tathra Bushfire Relief fund. Sapphire Coast Turf Club, Wallagoot, noon-9.30pm, Saturday, May 26. Bookings to farsouthcoasttickets.com.au
THE annual River of Art Arts Festival will see Batemans Bay, Moruya and Narooma packed with stalls, performances and arty events until May 20, with its art trail continuing until May 26. All details to riverofart.com.au
CANBERRA Spinners and Weavers is holding its Winter Warmth open day and studio sales event with items suitable for Canberra’s chilly winters. At Textile Works, Chifley Health and Wellbeing Hub, 70 Maclaurin Crescent, Chifley, 10am-4pm, May 18-19.
JAZZ and blues singer Mary Coughlan, often described as “Ireland’s Billie Holiday”, will perform at the Irish Club, Weston, on the afternoon of Sunday, May 20. Bookings to irishclub.com.au or 6288 5088.
ANTHONY Mara’s Billy Joel tribute concert marks 45 years since the hit song “Piano Man” was released. The show is backed by a five-piece band. At the Southern Cross Club, Thursday, May 24. Bookings to ticketek.com.au or 132 849.
CANBERRA Contemporary Art Space has a new chair in Justine van Mourik, director of the Parliament House Collection.
THE Canberra Youth Orchestra will perform two concerts of classical music for children, including Tchaikovsky’s “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” and Rossini’s “The William Tell Overture”, at the High Court of Australia, 1.30pm and 2.30pm, on Sunday, May 20. It’s free but registrations to hcourt.gov.au
SELF-styled “harp ninjas”, Tegan Peemoeller and Meriel Owen, will appear with Steve Fitzgerald on steel drums to perform “Parvis” by Bernard Andrés, extracts from Bizet’s “Carmen” and “Río de las Mariposas” by Mexican composer, Gabriela Ortiz. At Kangara Waters’ Cooinda Hall, 2 Joy Cummings Place, Belconnen, 2pm, May 20. Tickets at door, cash only.
ORIANA Chorale, directed by Robyn Mellor, presents “Death and Redemption”, sacred music, including Palestrina’s Requiem Mass, at Canberra Girls Grammar School, Chapel of the Annunciation, 4pm, Sunday, May 20, bookings to trybooking.com
MARUKI Community Orchestra will span the ages with a big program of orchestral music ranging from Bach through Mussorgsky to Bizet and Elgar. At Albert Hall, 3pm-5pm, Sunday, May 20. Bookings to marukicommunityorchestra.org.au or tickets at the door.
SALUT! Baroque, directed by Sally Melhuish, presents music by Vivaldi, Handel, Caldara, Hasse, Pergolesi and Avison, at Albert Hall, Friday, May 25. Bookings to trybooking.com
FIFTY-year-old SCUNA, the ANU Choral Society, will be joined by soloists David Greco, Rachael Duncan and Charles Hudson in a concert of music by Haydn and Brahms. At St Andrew’s Church, Forrest, 7pm, May 26. Bookings to trybooking.com or at the door.
“On Body and Soul” (R)
THE audience at last year’s Sydney Film Festival voted Hungarian filmmaker Ildikó Enyedi’s “On Body And Soul” as Best Film.
And for protection of the sensitivities and moral compass of Australian cinema audiences, the Classification Board slapped an R classification on it.
I’m blessed if I know why. Perhaps it was because “On Body and Soul” pulls no punches about what goes on in an abattoir.
Enyedi’s film is a love story that defies the conventions of the genre. Géza Morcsányi plays Endre, financial director at a small Budapest abattoir. Alexandra Borbély plays Maria, employed to classify carcase quality. Both characters are withdrawn, solitary. And each night, as they sleep in separate buildings, they have the same dream, involving a stag and a doe.
Each of them carries the residue of issues that continue to weigh heavily on their equanimity. A minor theft in the company office leads the police to require every employee to undergo a psychological evaluation. Two people linked by an unplanned association have to confront its effect on their bodies and their souls.
There’s nothing in any of that to explain the R classification. Yes, “On Body And Soul” has discomforting moments – butchering procedures immediately following the slaughter of a bullock; the precursor to an ancient Roman-style suicide; a flash of sodomy lasting perhaps three seconds.
Those few passages make their statements and move on in a beautiful, leisurely-paced film that finds its tensions in its central enigma. The winter exteriors and wildlife shots are a delight. And the story’s people are real.
At Palace Electric
“Life of the Party”
MELISSA McCarthy. Actress. Plump, vociferous, willing to take pratfalls for the sake of her art, capable of delivering great comedy.
Writer of three screenplays for which she went on to play the principal character. Married to Ben Falconer who now directs her films (a chore that she has been known to share).
Filthy rich from a variety of business ventures.
You’ve seen one of her films? Then you’ve pretty much seen them all.
Funny? Depends on which kind. Ha ha funny? Yes, once, when playing opposite Bill Murray in “St Vincent”. Peculiar funny? Often, especially when playing a character she has written for herself to perform.
The latest of which is Deanna, married to Dan (Matt
Walsh), mother of Maddie whom she and Dan have just delivered to Decatur University to begin her freshman year. Effusive as she farewells her little daughter. About to get the shock of her life, because she and Dan haven’t even driven off campus when Dan tells her that he’s leaving her for a more interesting woman.
After expunging Dan’s material effects from her life, Deanna decides to go back to university to complete the archaeology degree that she had to set aside on becoming pregnant with Maddie.
With these few snippets of information, intelligent cinemagoers should have little difficulty working out what’s going to happen in a plot about a woman whose academic development stopped two decades ago and who tries to resuscitate it on the same terms among young women and one young man whose intellectual and cultural development denies anything that happened before they were born.
At Capitol 6, Dendy, Hoyts and Limelight
“Crooked House” (PG)
WHEN I saw that Julian Fellowes had adapted Agatha Christie’s 1949 novel for filming, great expectations suffused me, because few if any writers equal him in describing the rarefied environment of the English upper crust – think “Downton Abbey” and his Oscarwinning “Gosford Park”.
Director Gilles Paquet-Brenner has engaged a fine ensemble cast to perform this story of money, malice and murder, filmed in selected great English country houses. Leading the pack is Max Irons as Charles, wartime intelligence agent, later a diplomat serving in Cairo, now a private detective engaged by Chief Inspector Taverner of Scotland Yard (Terence Stamp) to investigate the death of Greek tycoon Leonides without attracting the attention of the press thereby intruding on the family’s privacy.
And what a family they are! You won’t be disappointed, especially by Glenn Close as the sister of the dead man’s first wife. Stefanie Martini plays his granddaughter Sophia with whom, by the merest of coincidences, Charles had an affair in Cairo. Ugly, precocious, intelligent and obsessed with detective stories, Josephine (13-yearold Honor Kneafsey giving a cracker of a performance) spies on the rest of the household and lets everyone know that she is writing down her observa tions in a secret notebook. And there’s a big scrunch of others rocking the boat.
At all cinemas
ON a beautiful day you don’t want to be stuck dining indoors. At least we didn’t, so headed to the new eatery at Beaver Galleries, Canberra’s largest privately-owned gallery, established in 1975.
The Kitchen had only been open six days when the three of us arrived for Sunday lunch. It was glorious out side and we found a gorgeous spot in the outdoor courtyard, wondering what the menu would offer.
At the head of The Kitchen is David Lockwood who operates with sustainability in mind, supporting farmers and growers of organic produce. David sources organic/ biodynamic meat, fish, vegetables and fruit.
Those wanting gluten-free dishes are well taken care of at The Kitchen.
One GF dish was the winning Sichuan pepper-spiced duck, with potatoes, soy infused onions and soy beans ($26.50). The duck was fully respected, the combination of flavours worked well together and let’s just say there wasn’t anything left on the plate at meal’s end.
The crispy barramundi (not so crispy on the outside) was to come with homemade chips (they were missing from the dish) and chorizo and capers ($26.50). The fish was cooked perfectly but the tiny pieces of chorizo and capers weren’t
bit of crunch ($16.50). Desserts are displayed indoors. We adored the lemon tart, lovely and tangy and so pretty on the plate.
The Kitchen serves The Wood Roaster coffee – the only Canberra establishment to do so. This NSW
operation uses 100 per cent hot air rather than direct heat from a gas flame to roast beans, which is said to more evenly roast, producing a cleaner, sweeter, full-bodied tasting coffee. Teas, also by The Wood Roaster, are served in beautiful pots, some Japanese influenced and some almost Victorian influenced. Coffee is only $3.50 for a cup. Teas are $4.50 and include a Green
The wine list is compact, starting at 7.5 a glass (white) and $10 (red). Local wineries are celebrated. The service had a few hiccups with the barramundi order being missed but this was quickly rectified. And The Kitchen needs to review the descriptions on its menu to make sure it delivers on what is promised. Still, we’ll be back, and no doubt more than once.
The Kitchen, 81 Denison Street, 6282 8416. Open Tuesday-Friday, 10am-5pm and weekends from 9am.
My slow-cooked lamb was melt-in-the-mouth and the winter veggies a real treat. Heirloom turnips, cauliflower and brussels
By Helen Musa
ADULTERY has always been a favourite subject for theatre, never quite so enticingly as in Franz Lehár’s famous 1905 operetta “The Merry Widow”.
With a totally ridiculous story about a rich widow from the fictional Balkan state of Pontevedro and her countrymen’s attempt to keep her money at home by finding her the correct husband, it was bound to catch on in other art forms, and it did.
Sir Robert Helpmann adapted the plot, while John Lanchbery and Alan Abbott revamped the music and composed additional pieces for a three-act ballet. It was, in 1975, the first full-length production directed by Helpmann for the Australian Ballet and is now part of the company’s history.
“The Merry Widow” combined beautiful music and French farce with the manners and elegance of Parisian high society, while the choreography by Ronald Hynd gave the dancers a full measure of waltzes, cancans, polkas and romantic ballet duets.
Ballet history.”
Later Britain’s Desmond Heeley designed an opulent set and costume designs that gave audiences the glamour of the Belle Époque in silk and velvet gowns detailed with lace, jewels and spangles and the art nouveau ballrooms and salons were filled with chandeliers and grand staircases.
The production didn’t stay put in Australia. With permission from the Lehár estate, “The Merry Widow” was staged by ballet companies around the world after the Australian company toured it to the US in 1976 with Margot Fonteyn as a guest artist playing the role of Hanna Glawari.
Australian Ballet artistic director David McAllister is fascinated by the historical resonance of the work, saying: “I remember the first time I danced in ‘The Merry Widow’ in 1985… I was so proud to be involved in a ballet that holds such a special place in the Australian
“The
The flagship ballet company will be in Canberra this month with a younger generation of dancers, headed up by Canberra-raised principal ballerina, Lana Jones, as Hanna – the Merry Widow herself, as part of a plan to celebrate works created especially for the company.
As a child, Jones trained at the Canberra Youth Ballet School, moving to Melbourne in 1999 to attend the Australian Ballet School, from which she graduated as dux to join the company in 2002.
In 2005 she was promoted to coryphée and, to the immense pride of her Canberra fans, won the Telstra Ballet Dancer Award. Her dancing has been critically acclaimed as “joyous and effervescent”, and when she danced in George Balanchine’s “Apollo”, it was “supernatural”. Jones was promoted to principal artist in 2010.
The Australian Ballet’s “The Merry Widow,” with Orchestra Victoria, Canberra Theatre, May 25-30.
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I WANT to look this week at some of the nasties in our gardens and how to deal with them.
An excellent ACT government publication “Are your weeds going bush?” illustrates some of the many weeds providing gardeners with a challenge.
One tree planted in the early days of Canberra was Celtis australis or nettle tree, so called due to its leaves resembling stinging nettles. Interestingly, it is on the ACT weeds list! Two examples of its use as street trees are in Knox Street, Watson, and Mueller Street, Yarralumla.
At present flocks of white cockatoos gather under these trees having a great feast of its black berries. But here’s the problem: they then fly into gardens or on the power lines dropping the seeds, via their warm, moist digestive system, that fall into gardens below. I can pull out up to 15 seedlings a day and, once they get a hold, they don’t pull out easily.
Another weed tree on the list is the common hawthorn, Crataegus monogyna. This is not to be confused with the hawthorns lining Northbourne Avenue, which are Crataegus smithiana, also planted as a street tree in Tennyson Crescent, Forrest. It is a sheer delight with its bountiful display of flowers in spring and berries in autumn.
And it may be a surprise to learn that Acacia baileyana, or Cootamundra wattle, is a classified weed in the ACT although not in NSW.
A READER asks how to get rid of ivy, mostly from a neighbour’s garden! I would include this with Vinca major or periwinkle (with those lovely, soft-blue flowers).
Both are on the ACT weeds list and also include the wild passionfruit vine, which is not and should be on the list. The most popular passionfruit is Passiflora “Nellie Kelly”, bred by a nursery in Victoria. The fruiting passionfruit is grafted on to the wild rootstock, which is more vigorous. It is easy to tell the difference, the wild passionfruit has a five-fingered, dull green leaf.
The fruiting leaf is a large glossy leaf.
Often the fruiting vine dies at some stage, usually from not being watered and fed, then the wild stem takes over and can easily grow to the top of a eucalypt.
Both ivy and periwinkle have glossy leaves, which do not readily absorb weed killers. I am a reluctant user of glyphosate except with weeds on paving.
However, I know of no other herbicide which is equally effective (DO NOT use blackberry killer). The trick is to use a whipper-snipper or shears if it is a small area to break up the surface of the leaves. Then immediately spray with a strong solution of glyphosate to which is added some household detergent to help it stick. Obviously keep the spraying from desirable plants.
FOLLOWING my article regarding conifers, a reader asks about pine needles. He has an abundance of conifer needles, which can block drains and stormwater, and wonders if there is any use for them.
Indeed, yes, they make a great mulch, especially for all acid-loving plants from rhodos to azaleas, daphne to camellias. Plus a perfect natural mulch for acid-loving native plants. I recommend not only gathering the loose needles on the surface but raking them back and gathering up the decomposing needles underneath, too.
• Always check the different brands of glyphosate because the price for the same thing can vary considerably.
• Plant asparagus and rhubarb crowns now.
• To rid plants of mildew, use one part full cream milk with eight parts water. Spray under and on top of leaves with a second application 10 days later.
• Plant lilium bulbs now with their exotic flowers and superb fragrance.
Joanne Madeline Moore
ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)
The mid-week Sun/Mars connection revs up your spontaneity, enthusiasm and motivation. So make sure you channel all of that fabulously fiery Aries energy into positive and productive projects. Neptune and Jupiter also stimulate your shared resources zone. So, the more creatively and generously you share financial ideas and collaborate with others, the more successful you’ll be in 2018. Good karma also comes from helping and caring for others.
TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 21)
Neptune and Jupiter activate your partnership zone. So a major relationship is set to improve in leaps and bounds. Creative and spiritual group activities are also favoured. Therefore it’s a wonderful week to attend a meditation, yoga, art or dance class. Singles – the best way to find your soul mate is to listen to your intuition. It will point you in the right direction. On Saturday – with Venus opposing Saturn – you’ll find yourself making mistakes and continually saying sorry.
GEMINI (May 22 – June 21)
It’s action stations this week, as the Sun charges into your sign. You’re keen to do things at a lightning pace as you multi-task like a pro, play sport, study, travel, teach or just chat up a storm. Jupiter and Neptune also stimulate your wellbeing and life direction zones. So strive to be the healthiest and fittest Twin you can be, as you run towards your preferred future. No lame excuses and empty promises, Gemini. Get your body moving and your dreams happening ASAP!
CANCER (June 22 – July 23)
Jupiter and Neptune activate your creativity and visionary zones. So dream big dreams and connect with your inner muse, as you express yourself in imaginative and inspiring ways. As Carly Simon (a fellow Cancerian) says: “There’s always a creative side to me, even when it’s quiet musically. Like painting or decorating or gardening.” Loved ones won’t be very attentive on the weekend, when Saturn stymies shows of affection. So be more self-reliant and work on independent projects.
LEO (July 24 – Aug 23)
Joint ventures or group activities are on the agenda this week, as you pour extra energy into a special passion project. On Friday, a problematic relationship will benefit if you are proactive about turning a perceived negative into a positive. Then jovial Jupiter and helpful Neptune highlight your home zone on the weekend. So there’s much love and happiness to be gained from improved relationships with your extended family. Generosity and compassion are the keys.
VIRGO (Aug 24 – Sept 23)
Helpful Neptune and generous Jupiter encourage you to contribute your numerous talents to a joint venture or a local community project. Then satisfying connections, close friendships and positive outcomes will follow. When it comes to love, avoid being a cynical Virgo who sabotages relationships. Keep your romantic dreams alive! So your motto for the moment is from birthday great, singersongwriter Stevie Nicks: “I live in the realm of romantic possibility.”
LIBRA (Sept 24 – Oct 23)
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the magical silvery Moon encourages you to follow your intuition and act on your hunches. Then prosperity planet Jupiter and inspiration planet Neptune fire up your finance and work zones on Friday. So find enjoyable and creative ways to boost cash flow. If you love what you do, then inner and outer riches will follow. At home and work, strive to get the balance right between being creative and being practical. Especially on the weekend.
SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 22)
Jupiter is journeying through your sign until November 8. And it won’t be back there again for nearly 12 years. So avoid being a stubborn, stuck-in-a-rut Scorpio! Make sure you capitalise on the lucky opportunities that come your way. And do your best to embrace adventurous new possibilities with both hands. Change doesn’t have to be scary. As birthday great Bob Dylan reminds us: “There is nothing so stable as change.” Friday is a fabulous time to tackle a puzzle or solve a problem.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21)
Are you feeling stressed Sagittarius? Help is at hand, as Neptune and Jupiter (your patron planet) stimulate your soul zone. So there is peace and quiet to be found via meditation, contemplation, creative visualisation, yoga, chanting or tai chi as you slow down and listen to your inner voice. As spiritual teacher Marianne Williamson observes: “Ego says – Once everything falls into place I’ll feel inner peace. Spirit says – Find your inner peace and then everything will fall into place.”
CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 20)
This week Jupiter and Neptune rev up your neighbourhood and networking zones. So look out for lucky opportunities and creative inspiration coming your way via local and international connections. But Saturday’s Venus-Saturn opposition will cause some concern. Loved ones are acting like a mirror as they reflect back aspects of yourself you don’t want to see, and you’ll find yourself being very self-critical. Be kinder to yourself Capricorn. You don’t have to be perfect!
AQUARIUS (Jan 21 – Feb 19)
Disruptive Mars is currently charging through your sign. So – if you must be a rebel – make sure you’re a rebel with a worthwhile cause. Neptune and Jupiter also activate your career zone. So there is the potential for fabulous opportunities to manifest in the future. But you must have the self-belief to follow your true destiny. Confidence and authenticity are the keys. For extra inspiration, look to amazing Aquarian role-models like Mozart, James Dean, Bob Marley and Yoko Ono.
PISCES (Feb 20 – Mar 20)
Wednesday’s wonderful Mercury/Neptune connection activates your creative and spiritual streak. So it’s the perfect time to be proactive about helping someone who is in need. And then Jupiter and your ruler Neptune stimulate your personal travel zone on Saturday. So freedom, far-away adventures and glamorous escapades beckon over the next few months. Smart Pisceans will make it a priority to plan – and save for – an exciting dream holiday sometime soon.
Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2018
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12 Name a part of speech denoting persons, places, things, etc. (4)
13 What was the epithet of King Alfred? (5)
16 Which category of verb inflection specifies past, present or future? (5)
19 Ned Kelly was sentenced to what? (4)
21 Name a particular marine gastropod molluscs. (6)
22 Name a kind of pasta, of Italian origin. (8)
23 What is another term for doctrines? (6)
24 Which word describes a drug? (8)
25 What is a supervised place of accommodation? (6)
Down
2 Name the royal house, reigning in Britain 1714-1901. (7)
3 What is a boat race, as in rowing boats, yachts, etc? (7)
4 Which planet has an extensive ring system? (6)
5 Name an alternative term for a nunnery. (7)
6 What does a buzzard feed on? (7)
7 What is a relaxing, as of international tension? (7)
13 Name a central European republic. (7)
14 Name a pale yellow NZ cheese, with a strong, sharp flavour. (7)
15 What is a double-walled container having a vacuum in the interior cavity? (7)
17 What are weasels also called? (7)
18 Which term describes a visible incorporeal spirit? (7)
20 What, in computers, is an intermittent error of an unknown source? (6)
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