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GX is a new way of experiencing a new way of living. More than a display village, here you’ll find 16 cutting-edge display homes, explore sustainability and local art trails, learn from a range of fascinating speakers and demonstrations, and be amazed by Mini-G – our very own ‘tiny house’.

Join the opening celebrations this weekend. The streets of GX will come alive with a packed weekend of entertainment, food and family fun. Meet Scott Cam (Sunday only) from The Block and Paul West from River Cottage Australia. Head to the main stage for performances from the Teeny Tiny Stevies and Junkyard Beats, blend your own smoothie on our blender bikes and so much more.

Witch’s call to bring out the pagans HALLOWEEN

By Kathryn VUKOVLJAK

HALLOWEEN can be about trickor-treating, lollies and dressing up in spooky costumes, but Lilitu Babalon, who identifies as a witch, usually does things a little differently.

As Halloween originated with Samhain, marking the beginning of winter in the northern hemisphere, she says in the southern hemisphere, spring is the time of year to celebrate Beltane.

Lilitu, who owns pagan shop The Crystal Chalice in Gold Creek, is hosting both a Beltane gathering on the evening of November 1 and, for the first time, a Halloween in Spring community market and fair on Saturday, November 2, with stalls, a kids’ dress up competition and pumpkin carving.

“Beltane marks summer coming closer, celebrating the fertility of the land, and for our ritual we bring red flowers or fruit as offerings to an altar, and share food afterwards,” she says.

“While it’s not usual for southern hemisphere pagans to celebrate Samhain at this time of year, Halloween can be a lot of fun and I like bringing people together.”

Lilitu says that a large part of what she does as a witch is organising com-

INDEX

Arts & Entertainment 26-29

Canberra Matters 10

Cinema 28

Crossword 31

Dining 28

Gardening 30

Horoscopes 31

Letters 14

News 5-16

Politics 16

munity rituals and ceremonies, which tie in with each of the eight pagan festivals in the southern hemisphere’s “wheel of the year”.

The festivals include Lammas on Feb ruary 2, Mabon, or autumn equinox, on March 21, Samhain on April 30/May 1, Yule or winter solstice on June 21, Im bolc on August 1, Ostara on September 21, Beltane on October 31, and Litha or summer solstice on December 21.

Lilitu also organises psychic fairs, meditation nights, drumming circles and workshops.

“It’s about community building. I’m not attached to the wheel of the year but I work with it for the community aspect,” she says.

“We have a core group of about 1015 people that come to celebrate the festivals and there’s always a few new faces.

“I want to bring pagans of all ages together, regardless of their beliefs. We keep the rituals short so the kids don’t get bored, and there’s always food afterwards. People become friends. We need this, particularly in Canberra where it’s not easy to meet people.”

Lilitu Babalon... “I want to bring pagans of all ages together, regardless of their beliefs. We need this, particularly in Canberra where it’s not easy to meet people.”

Photo: Holly Treadaway

Lilitu’s personal focus is on ancient Egyptian paganism, but says that as a whole, paganism includes a lot of different religions.

“Most of them would be about a connection to the earth, being environmentally friendly and honouring the seasons, but everyone has different

belief system. For some, they may not be public about their pagan beliefs at work and don’t want anyone to know. But they can attend events like this and meet like-minded people. I think it’s so important.”

Lilitu knows first-hand how hard it can be to make connections, having moved to Australia from the UK in 1981 with her then-partner.

Since 1993: Volume 25, Number 41

Socials 17-21 Cover: Jimmy “Giggle” Rees. Story Page 8.

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interested, but may not have friends who are into the same things, and don’t know where to go.”

Halloween in Spring community market and fair, from 10am on Saturday, November 2 in Ginninderra Village, Gold Creek. Beltane community get together, 7pm Friday, November 1. For information call 6241 0799.

WHEN IT MATTERS

Rattenbury prison record slammed

PRISONS Minister Shane Rattenbury has been slammed for overseeing a 135 per cent increase in the number of Aboriginal people imprisoned in the ACT.

This follows the minister’s announcement of a $1.3 million payment to Aboriginal organisations over three years to establish programs for offenders, detainees and ex-detainees to tackle the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the justice system, who comprised 1.9 per cent of the ACT population but currently made up 22 per cent of the prison population.

Former chief minister and adviser to the Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Service in Narrabundah Jon Stanhope welcomed “any proposal to reduce the massive over representation of Aboriginal people in prison in the ACT”, but said that under the Minister’s leadership the ACT had the highest relative rate of indigenous incarceration in Australia.

“An Aboriginal person in Canberra is more than 20 times likely to be locked up than a non-Aboriginal person,” Stanhope wrote in a comment to citynews.com.au

“Minister Rattenbury has been the Minister for Corrective Services for over six years now and in that time he has overseen a 135 per cent increase in the number of Aboriginal people locked up at the AMC.

“This sorry record suggests that there is something seriously wrong with rehabilitation programs within the prison. So far as Aboriginal detainees are concerned [such] programs have clearly been a dismal failure.”

SEVEN DAYS

Climate swarmers get more laughs than gridlock

CANBERRA climate activists’ second attempt to disrupt the city amused and entertained locals rather than achieved the serious gridlock aim of such rallies worldwide.

Around 150 protesters responded to the local chapter of Extreme Rebellion’s call to “swarm and shut down the city, occupy intersections, show Canberra business-asusual can’t continue!”

The mob, chanting “no planet, no future” did close the intersection of Lonsdale and Cooyong Streets for five minutes, but traffic had all but disappeared or been diverted by the large number of police in attendance.

Canberra Centre shoppers whipped out mobile phones to record the entertainment and after-work diners and drinkers in Braddon good naturedly heckled the mob, which finished its walk with a “die in” on London Circuit.

IF the near hysterical social media response to news our humongous hot-air balloon

Skywhale

was homeward bound is any indication, next year’s balloon festival will be a huge success. Tweets, from the positive “made my day” to the clever “Hindenboob is coming home”, the exaggerated “most Canberra thing ever” to the wildly inflated “greatest day in Australian history since Lady Denman

declared Canberra the name of the new capital”, have set the scene for an exciting homecoming for the floating sculpture.

A 2018 “New York Times” article described the multi-mammoried monster as having “a head like a turtle, a body like a giant crustacean, 10 bulbous, hanging breasts, one thing is certain: It is hard to ignore the Skywhale”. But the then ACT opposition leader Jeremy Hanson spat: “embarrassing indulgence” when it first floated over the capital in 2013.

STILL on all things Canberra, one genuine icon is about to be scuttled to make way for a luxury new hotel. Bunda Street landmark cafe Gus’ stands in the way of a multi-million dollar, 11-storey hotel planned for Garema Place by property developer Geocon. The developer says it will rebuild the cafe within the new hotel.

THE 2018 “Australian National Dictionary’s” word of the year, the “Canberra bubble” is not as contemporary as ScoMo would have us believe. Addressing the national prayer breakfast at Parliament House, Governor-General David Hurley cryptically joked: “Even in the days of the Old Testament, God was aware of the Canberra bubble”, quoting Proverbs 11.13: “for lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers”.

STILL with “lights on the hill”, member for Fenner Andrew Leigh has attempted to prick the fabled bubble which has formed

around Federal parliament. In an opinion piece on Parliament House for “The Canberra Times” the MP chronicled the ordinary folk “who make it hum”. Leigh says: “I doubt I’ll work in a more beautiful place than parliament… as our feet crunch across the red gravel towards the front entrance, each of us keenly feels the privilege of serving Australians”.

MEANWHILE, the man who once vowed to empty Canberra of its public servants has also confessed his delight at working in Canberra. Drought envoy and former National Party leader Barnaby Joyce posted a pic of Parliament House with the cheesy caption: “It still gives me a thrill going to work”.

I WAS invited (or I thought I was) to lobby group GetUp’s National Director Paul Oosting’s address to the National Press Club last Wednesday. But there were hoops through which I had to jump to claim my “special” invitation to the free event.

I needed to fill out an expression of interest by sharing something about myself in 100 words or less. Then, should I be “chosen” I would be notified of my good fortune. My 15-word bio: “Just an honest campaigner prepared to go anywhere for free alcohol and a loaded smorgasbord” was probably never going to make the final cut.

I wasn’t chosen but the cheeky bastards had the gall to hit me up for a regular monthly contribution of $8 to help “fund the great work we are doing”.

Giggle-licious Jimmy ready for fun in Canberra

By Kate MEIKLE

JIMMY “Giggle” Rees says it’s amazing to think that the preschoolers he’s been entertaining over the years are now teenagers, and some as old as 17 and 18 come up to him to say “hi”.

The hit preschool program he hosts, “Giggle and Hoot”, is celebrating a decade on the ABC this year. And later this month, Jimmy Giggle will be appearing at the Oh Baby! Canberra Baby and Beyond Expo.

Jimmy, 32, says “Giggle and Hoot” was created by the ABC which wanted the show to be full of fun and laughter, and came up with the name “Giggle and Hoot”.

He was living in Melbourne and was one of the 5500 applicants who sent in an audition tape for the role of “Giggle”. At that time, he was studying media and arts at university, working at a pub and dreaming of working in TV. Growing up, he’d always loved performing musical theatre, especially the funny roles.

“I really enjoyed studying TV production at university, both behind and in front of the camera as well as drama.

But I thought that drama was a bit too serious at times!” he says.

“I had met my [now] wife and she encouraged me to go for it. I quit my job, got an agent and the opportunity arose to apply for the ABC,” he says.

“It was my first go at it and I got a job!

“Getting the job was amazing. I am forever grateful to the ABC for taking a chance on me.

“Jimmy Giggle has a giggle at everything. The show is all about fun, laughter and companionship. The two characters want to have fun in a loving and nurturing way.”

Jimmy says that over the years “Giggle and Hoot” has got crazier and their voices even higher pitched.

“The director would keep saying ‘keep the pace up. Imagine this is the first time ‘Giggle and Hoot’ has ever done this or sung this song’. That’s when the voices got higher and higher as our energy and excitement grew,” he says.

The show was always very clear to not talk down to the kids.

“We don’t slow it down [for the kids] as there are lots of actions to help them to follow along,” he says.

Jimmy knew that “Giggle and Hoot” was gaining popularity when in one of his first appearances at a shopping centre in Eastlakes, Victoria, 2000 people were queueing to have the chance to meet him.

“It was a wonderful reception and all

we ever hoped for and more,” he says.

Jimmy became a dad four years ago to Lenny and he and his wife Tori welcomed twins Mack and Vinny eight months ago. The family now lives on the central coast of NSW.

“Becoming a parent didn’t change my performance but changed my emotional connection to it, especially when I go out and meet kids and their families,” he says.

“I see parents juggling multiple kids. Before kids, I couldn’t think of anything worse than waiting in line with kids [to meet Giggle and Hoot]. But now I know how it feels to want to do anything for your kids and if that means waiting in line so you can see them smile, you do it.

“And it feels great to make a special memory for them.”

A key aspect of the show is “Giggle and Hoot’s” lullaby (by Lior) and bed time routine.

“One thing you can count on is the kids watching the show go to bed around 6.30pm-7pm. So the nighttime routine was created to help them get ready for bed,” he says.

“It’s incredible, I get so many com ments about the lullaby, and many parents use it as part of their routine.”

Jimmy will meet patrons and pose for photos at the Oh Baby! Canberra Baby and Beyond Expo, Thoroughbred Park, October 26-27.

“Giggle” Rees… “I know how it feels to want to do anything for your kids and if that means waiting in line so you can see them smile, you do it.”

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CANBERRA MATTERS

and run – urban renewal, Canberra style

THE many books available on good urban design seem not to have been delivered to ACT agencies involved with urban renewal.

In the last few years there’s been a consistency in approach to upgrading urban places – and it is not about long-term thinking. There’s now a continual reference to making places more vibrant (whatever that means) through pop-ups, activation and urban experiments.

Urban design, placemaking and landscape architecture are well established professions that come with generations of practice with lessons learnt and well documented outcomes – including those that worked, those not so successful and those best forgotten.

Fundamental to any urban design is to ensure that local communities are central to the decisions. Otherwise it can be hit and miss with people grateful for anything being done while remaining frustrated and silent about the missed opportunities –and misuse

of public funds.

Which brings us to the video “Mark

Parton – The Big Speed Hump”.

Google those words. Anketell Street in front of the Tuggeranong Town Centre has been revamped.

The local community looked forward to this street being revitalised as a user-friendly public space with the constant stream of buses being diverted on to a nearby street. The latter did not happen and so pedestrians and those having coffee still get to share the noise of the buses and their wonderful fumes.

Liberal MLA Mark Parton’s call that the design work is underwhelming is justified. The evidence is that Tuggeranong should be happy with an okay design solution and that people must accept that the government transport department’s decisions always trump the community’s sensible aspiration for good urban spaces.

Outside Cooleman Court there sits a little park, Trenerry Square, with

hard-edge, bright-yellow furniture and lots of concrete. This could be okay for another location, but the community was very clear about requesting a place for play and for sitting under trees for shade. Being perched on a metal thingy in the sun was not the good urban design sought.

Then there is the vibrant-making stuff happening within the inner north. Pop-ups and colourful stuff galore. Most of it being temporary but expensive experiments. It seems no-one knows how to deliver long-term urban design solutions anymore. Locals know the truth is that someone has made the call that the pesky innernorth residents need to be distracted from the reality that the ACT government has been remiss in looking after the urban infrastructure.

The revamp of Haig Park in Braddon was welcomed and those bits changed were fairly good. The consultations a couple of years ago were well received. The reality is that the changes were overdue by many years and are what should be expected from a city urban unit delivering a program of upgrades.

loads of publicity on how wonderful a job they are doing spending money.

More recently we have the Woolley Street (China Town) upgrades in Dickson by the same authority. This was sprung on locals. But, hey, people can be flexible.

So far the general consensus is that the jury is out. It has been decades since any serious urban design has been delivered on this popular street, so people are welcoming anything at last. But serious reservations remain given the money being spent on so much elaborate temporary stuff. A positive note is that the paint job on the light poles with the dangling

to the forecourt with more colourful temporary stuff to follow. Apparently, this was a priority identified during the years of consultations for the neighbouring parklands site. People remember what they said were the priorities – but that’s another story. Whatever happened to good urban design and great urban spaces? Has good design ACT government-style become simply plonk and run?

Paul Costigan is an independent commentator and consultant on the visual arts, photography, urban design, environmental issues and everyday matters.

Special event for snappers

THE Canberra Photographic Collectors Society’s spring photographic market features hundreds of antique and collectable cameras, usable film and digital cameras, photographic equipment and accessories, and photography books for sale at its “Photographic Fiesta” at the Canberra Irish Club, 6 Parkinson Street, Weston, 10,30am-1.30pm on Sunday, October 27. Admission and parking is free.

Calling former students

THE Canberra Branch of the MLC Old Collegians’ Club is celebrating its 65th anniversary and is inviting all past students of the Melbourne girls’ school to lunch at the Ainslie Football Club, from noon, on Saturday, November 9. Some of the original members will be attending as well as many younger ones who have more recently arrived in the region. RSVP to 0414 628686 by Friday, November 1.

Craft market

THE Yarralumla Craft Destash Market for buying or selling craft materials returns to the Yarralumla Uniting Church Centre, Denman Street, 2pm-5pm, on Saturday, November 9. The trash ‘n’ treasure-style market specialises in craft materials – fabric, wool, papercraft, buttons, embellishments, ribbons, craft magazines, stamps and more. Gold coin entry. Stall bookings to artsandcrafts@yarrauniting.org.au

Snow tips $20 million into his old school

CANBERRA Airport owner Terry Snow has made what Canberra Grammar School is describing as an “extraordinary” gift to his old school to build, among other things, a new auditorium, music department and a library.

Mr Snow has made a donation of $20 million to the school as part of its 90th anniversary year. It is believed to be one of the largest endowments to a school in Australian history.

It follows Mr Snow’s $8 million gift of the Snow Centre for Education in the Asian Century to Canberra Grammar School in 2014-2015.

Justin Garrick… “this superb new complex will transform the face and the future of our school.”

sionate young citizens of the world.”

Mr Snow said: “Music in many ways is the pinnacle of the arts because of the skill, commitment and dedication that’s required to make it, and I admire

fying, and I fully get what the school is trying to do in promoting music.”

In addition, Mr Snow’s contribution comes with a commitment to the school’s new indigenous scholarship

liver on its commitment to educational leadership in Australia.

The CGS Centre for Music and Terry Snow Auditorium will begin construction late this year and will open in 2021.

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OPINION / ACT government’s land gouging Housing crisis brought to you by Andrew Barr

CHIEF Minister Andrew Barr is reported in “The Canberra Times” on October 11 as claiming that the “simplest, quickest and most effective way” to boost social housing stock in Canberra and across Australia would be for the Commonwealth to forgive all existing housing debt.

That is clearly not true.

So far as the supply of social housing in Canberra is concerned the simplest, quickest and most effective way to increase the stock of social housing would be for Barr and Minister Shane Rattenbury to forgive the $50 million housing debt that they are demanding Community Housing Canberra (CHC) repay to the ACT government.

As chief minister implementing the 2007 Affordable Housing Plan, I arranged for CHC to have access to a $50 million revolving finance facility and entered into a memorandum of understanding with CHC guaranteeing it access to 120 blocks of land a year.

I also agreed to increase its asset base by $40 million by transferring to CHC title to 135 dwellings and providing it with a $3 million capital injection.

In return CHC undertook to increase the supply of affordable rental dwellings by 500 within 10 years and further to increase the supply of affordable dwellings by 1000 dwellings within 10 years. The objective was to increase the growth in CHC-owned dwellings by 10 per cent a year.

CHC met all of its targets of dwellings for rent and sale and would be doing so today if Barr, on becoming Chief Minister, had not with Greens’ support, cancelled the $50 million revolving finance credit, called it in and abandoned the MOU guaranteeing a supply of land to CHC.

As a consequence of these decisions of ACT Labor and the Greens CHC is now not only forced to compete with commercial developers for land but its primary focus is no longer on increasing its stock of affordable housing but meeting the government’s demand that it repay the finance.

The government has called in the finance in the way a bank might call in a mortgage before its intended expiry leaving the borrower a choice between either refinancing or selling.

I understand that in the last year CHC increased its stock of social housing by a mere four dwellings and is facing the very real possibility that it will need to begin to sell off existing rental stock in order to meet its operating expenses while paying off its debt to the ACT government. This is because, having lost the revolving finance facil-

ity, CHC is obliged to obtain finance from the market while providing rental accommodation by at least 25 per cent less than market rates.

To put this in perspective just 10 years ago CHC was meeting its target of delivering in Canberra, 100 affordable dwellings a year. In a recent critique of affordable housing initiatives in Australia the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute of the University of Sydney ranked CHC as among the most effective affordable housing initiatives in Australia.

The housing affordability crisis in Canberra is in large measure a direct consequence of decisions deliberately taken by Andrew Barr and his Labor and Greens colleagues to abandon CHC, dramatically reduce the supply of land for detached housing, emasculate the land rent scheme and to subvert the intention of the taxation reform program to massively increase revenue.

My colleague Dr Khalid Ahmed and I, in pursuance of our roles with the Institute of Governance and Policy Analysis at the University of Canberra, have had occasion to look in some depth at aspects of the ACT government

policies on housing and land supply as well as related finance and budget issues. We have recently started a blog on which we now post our analysis.

In our most recent post we explore in some depth the implications of the ACT government’s reliance on land sales to support the operating budget and the influence this is having on land supply policy.

One of our findings is that revenue from land agency activities increased by more than 500 per cent in the three years from 2013-14 to 2016-17 from $93 million to $476 million.

This quite remarkable increase in land sale revenue has translated into a more than three-fold increase in gross profit from 25 per cent in 2010-11 to 84 per cent in 2017-18. These are supernormal profit margins which are being achieved through the predatory exploitation by the ACT government of its monopoly on land supply.

However, this increase in revenue was not achieved through higher volumes of land sales, but by constraining supply, in particular, of single residential dwellings.

The four-year supply target was cut to 13,500 sites in the 2014-15 budget compared to 19,500 sites in the 2012-13

Budget. In 2012-13, 2208 sites, or 51 per cent, were for stand-alone homes while over the following three years only 23 per cent of the total supply was for stand-alone or detached housing and in 2014-15 only 329 sites or 9 per cent of the dwelling sites released were for detached houses.

Worryingly for young families, working-class families and other Canberrans from low-income households the 2019-20 Budget has reduced the four-year land supply target to 15,600 sites from 17,000 in the 2018-19 Budget, the lowest since the 2014-15 Budget.

A reduction in supply, particularly of land for detached housing, at a time of population growth will inevitably, as every single Labor and Greens member of the Legislative Assembly must know, result in a further increase in house prices and rent.

The Stanhope/Ahmed blog is accessed at governanceinstitute.edu.au/events/ canberraconversationblog

We’ve got the trees, they need time

COLIN Lyons and Murray May

(CN, letters, October 3 and 10) complain about the new suburbs of Coombs and Wright, particularly the lack of trees.

Have either of them given any thought as to why these suburbs are virtually devoid of trees and what is actually going on in these suburbs?

The land that now makes up these suburbs was used for pine plantations and farmland for many years, then the disastrous 2003 Canberra bushfires resulted in the loss of virtually all the trees.

The planners faced the difficult task of rehabilitating this wonderfully located land, adjacent to the Molonglo River and Mt Stromlo and quite close to the city.

Thousands of trees have now been planted along the streets and throughout the parks of these suburbs and now what is needed is time. Eventually these suburbs will take their place with the many other leafy suburbs in Canberra.

Look back at early aerial photos of Canberra and you will see that what are now the most lauded leafy suburbs were once as treeless as Coombs and Wright are now.

Pictured is an aerial photo of Arthur Circle in Forrest from 1940. The same long-term thinking is also being used by the Parks Service in the work to rehabilitate the Molonglo River valley.

Both Lyons and May also say there is negligible open space. This statement displays such ignorance that you have to wonder whether either of them bothered to look at either suburb before making this claim, or did they just drive along John Gorton Drive? There are more than 20 parks and three lakes in Coombs and Wright, in addition to the Molonglo River

Praise for Downer park’s ‘micro forest’ plan

THE Downer “micro-forest” planned for the area bounded by Cole Street and Cadell Street is an excellent idea (“Micro-forest plan to cool compacted Downer park”, CN, October 10).

This small park has two small hills and in the 1980s it was (perhaps still is) referred to as “Tit-Hill” park. A delightful local recognition.

In that earlier era they were covered with shrubbery and used as a meeting place by local youth, but there were complaints to the police about their activities. So, alas, the shrubbery was removed.

Edwina Robinson’s “micro-forest” will enhance the park, without the opportunity for those former nefarious activities. But perhaps a small indication of its picturesque nomenclature may be included.

Jack Palmer, via email

Libs will bring back buses

ralumla, 12.30pm, Monday, October 28. Hosted by Families and Friends for Drug Law Reform (ACT) Inc, refreshments will be served following the ceremony. Anyone who has a family member or friend who lost their life to illicit drugs and would like them remembered by name at the ceremony call 6169 7678 or email mcconnell@ffdlr.org.au

Travel tales for seniors

Reserve and Stromlo Forest Park. I would like to think that both these suburbs reflect the sort of long-term thinking that would make Wright and Coombs (the people) proud to be associated with these suburbs.

John Hutchison, Coombs

TRAVEL agent Saraya Palmer is the guest speaker at the next monthly meeting of the Canberra South Branch of National Seniors Australia at the Weston Creek Labor Club, Teesdale Close, Stirling, 10.30am, Wednesday, October 30. Non-members are welcome. There is a $3 contribution to morning tea. More information at nsacanberrasouth@ gmail.com

44 new blocks for sale by ballot

Ginninderry is inspiring a new way of living, and here’s your chance to be part of the story. 44 new blocks in our second stage at Strathnairn are being released by ballot. Blocks in this release are ideally located near Hilltop Park and green open spaces. Most blocks qualify for free front landscaping. And residents of Strathnairn can take advantage of the Community Recreation Park with 2.7 hectares of modern sporting facilities, walking trails, modern playgrounds, BBQ areas and an impressive amphitheatre.

With the beautiful natural surrounds of Ginninderry on your doorstep, a home built to your specifications and easy access to Belconnen, it’s the perfect place to bring your story to life.

Block sizes range from 308sqm to 717sqm. Register for the ballot now

Or find out more by visiting

Country folk targeted as the hospital ‘consults’

SHAFTING people who live in the national capital region simply makes Canberrans bad neighbours.

Canberra Hospital provides high-quality and high-level services not just for the people of the ACT, but is our regional tertiary teaching hospital. Withdrawing services from our neighbours is unconscionable. The hospital has commenced a consultation on “future changes to residential accommodation services”.

Meetings were scheduled in Bega, Goulburn and Batemans Bay as well as Canberra through September and October. Additionally, there has also been an online survey with more than 1200 responses. All sounds good!

However, the consultations are already a cause for concern. The hospital statement makes clear that current residential facilities in Building 5 will close down in mid-2020 to make way for building works as the hospital develops the Surgical Procedures, Interventional Radiology and Emergency (SPIRE) Centre. Closing in mid 2020 – less

Good hospital care goes beyond just treating the specific injury or condition. Support from family and friends goes a long way to making a patient feel better or to speed recovery.

than nine months away and people are being asked about options for “optimal” residential support.

Good hospital care goes beyond just treating the specific injury or condition. Support from family and friends goes a long way to making a patient feel better or to speed recovery.

Cancer patients having regular chemotherapy or radiotherapy can hardly be expected to travel to and from their regional homes. Family support also makes a positive impact.

According to the hospital administration, the consultations have meant “we were able to talk to as many people as possible who have either used the service or have a family member who has”.

They go on to argue that “these workshops have provided a great deal of feedback about the experiences of patients and carers who have made suggestions for future options”.

The hospital’s “Fact Sheet” says: “Feedback on these future changes will help us to find the optimal solutions for residential accommodation services beyond mid-2020.”

Fair go! There is simply not enough time to build or even facilitate an “optimal solution” within the next nine months.

A different view is emerging. Alan Russell, as secretary of the Rotary Club of Batemans Bay, has written to Health Minister Rachel StephenSmith pointing out concerns on the consultation process.

“The knowledge of this public meeting within the community of Batemans Bay was poor and the number who attended the meeting was very low”.

Mr Russell goes further: “Batemans Bay Rotary is concerned at the closure and demolition of the Isolated Patients and Carers Accommodation facility at The Canberra Hospital in 2019, and the residential services from mid-2020 will cause great distress, inconvenience and

annoyance for the people living on the south coast”.

For people in the region, this part of the hospital is an essential service. Costs for the rooms are not at commercial rates. There is support through the Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme (IPTAAS). If not eligible, a double room can still be secured for $60.

Even more importantly, as Mr Russell points out: “When people are placed in the situation of facing major medical issues it is very reassuring to them that being able to access accommodation at a reasonable cost so close to the hospital is possible”.

There are other issues beyond accommodation.

“While the accommodation is basic, our Rotary members express their support to the care provided by the staff, the reasonable costs charged, the 24-hour security and cleanliness of the rooms and amenities,” he writes.

“Several Rotary members have used the facilities over many years to access the specialised medical facilities that are not available in Batemans Bay or Moruya”.

Rotary clubs can provide a community voice. They recognise the SPIRE facility is important, however, are really concerned about the late notice with the facility closing in nine months while no other option has been determined.

Hospital redevelopments do not happen overnight and Rachel Stephen-Smith has not been the Minister for Health for very long. However, the fundamental questions she needs to put to the hospital are: how has it come to an either/or situation rather than an appropriate transition and how will hospital administration provide equivalent services from mid next year?

Michael Moore is a former member of the ACT Legislative Assembly and an independent minister for health. He has been a political columnist with “CityNews” since 2006.

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At Canberra Theatre Centre’s 2020 season launch

At ClubsACT Clubs and Community Awards, Barton

CLUBS & COMMUNITY AWARDS 2019

At AFP’s 40th Anniversary and Legacy Charity Ball

PEGASUS FUN-KHANA

SUNDAY 3 NOVEMBER 2019

5 teams with different abilities will take part in a variety of disciplines

Dressage / Novelties / Jumping Orienteering / Obstacles

For more information please contact Yolanda - yolanda.rohling@pegasusact.com.au

Call us on: 02 6254 9190 | Address: 119 Drake-Brockman Drive, Holt

Howzat! Holt big hit

HOLT, named after former Prime Minister Harold Holt, was gazetted on July 2, 1970.

Bounded by Southern Cross Drive, Starke Street, MacNaughton Street and Drake Brockman Drive, its streets are labelled after sportsmen and women.

Inside these borders is the town’s designated group centre, Kippax Fair.

It was named after NSW cricketer Alan Kippax, who was regarded as one of the great stylists of Australian cricket during the era between the two World Wars.

Alan overcame a late start to Test cricket to become a regular in the Australian team between the 1928–29 and 1932–33 seasons.

Horse riding event for all abilities

FOR almost 45 years, Pegasus Riding for the Disabled has been an inclusive space for people with disabilities, says executive general manager Matthew Watson.

The Pegasus Riding for the Disabled riding school in Holt was designed to give riders a meaningful experience, according to Matthew who says the not-for-profit organisation will get a chance to extend this inclusivity at its second annual FUNkhana event on Sunday, November 3, which will bring together school riders with other local riders into an activity-filled community day.

“The activities have been modified to include all abilities so everyone is scored evenly,” says Matthew.

“The FUN-khana is a great opportunity to not only promote Pegasus, our facilities and the work we do but to also allow our riders an opportunity to meet and build new friendships with other members of the riding community.”

“FUN-khana”, 119 Drake Brockman Drive, Holt, Sunday, November 3. Email yolanda.rohling@pegasusact. com.au, call 6254 9190 or visit pegasusact.com.au

You will find everything in this event – YES everything!

Register as a CAR BOOT SELLER by emailing carbootsale@kippax.org.au

Or call 6254 1733 (Limited spaces available)

Money raised from the garage/car boot sale goes to support the work of Kippax Uniting in the community.

Children’s centre’s big on community

CHILDREN are at the core of the YMCA Early Learning Centre in Holt but what really makes the centre stand out is its involvement in the community, says director Michelle Johnson.

“Our relationships are beyond just the children,” she says. “We even hold an early breakfast once a month for families and their children so they can enjoy that time with them.”

From ages six weeks to six years, YMCA Early Learning Centre Holt has been designed to help educate small children and their families through play based learning while embracing tools of communication, language and social and emotional development.

With a team of 24 passionate staff, one qualified chef and the ability to house 88 children on any given day, Michelle says that the entire team is fully devoted to helping every child achieve the early learning outcomes of identity, connection to the world, sense of wellbeing, confidence, involvement in learning and effective communication skills.

YMCA Holt Early Learning, 180 Starke Street, Holt. Call 6254 7545 or visit canberra.ymca.org.au

advertising feature

with sportspeople

Donations give everyone a Christmas

AS Christmas approaches, Uniting Care Kippax has seen 50 per cent more people needing support, when compared to the same period of time last year, says CEO Steve Coster.

Because of this rise, he’s predicting that requests for charitable support over the festive season will be higher than last year, too.

“There are startling numbers of people who are finding things tough,” he says.

To meet this growing demand, Uniting Care Kippax is appealing for donations of food and new toys for families in financial need through its “Let’s Give Everyone a Christmas” campaign.

“[Around Christmas time] we provide hampers, gifts and other support for children, youth and adults,” says executive minister Karyl Davison.

“Last Christmas thousands of Canberrans right across the city were supported through our services [and] the generosity of Canberra is what made it possible.”

Karyl says volunteers and donations will be warmly welcomed throughout December and community members looking to receive a hamper this year can call Uniting Care Kippax or their partner organisations City Care Charnwood or St John’s Care Reid from Tuesday, November 26, to register.

The community is also invited to join Uniting Care Kippax’s special Christmas Day lunch, to share in the essence of the Kippax community.

“We’re about transforming community together so that everybody has a place,” says Steve.

Uniting Care Kippax, corner of Luke Street and Hardwick Crescent, Holt. Call 6254 1733, email reception@kippax.org.au or visit kippax.org.au

Legal eagles with a local eye

FALCON Legal is all about looking at problems in a holistic manner, says managing partner Necia Wearne.

Located on Hardwick Crescent, Falcon Legal holds the security packets for both Concorde Legal and Jayson Hinder and Associates.

“Any clients who have safe custody documents, Concorde Legal and Jayson Hinder and Associates can contact us and we’ll confirm what we hold and if they want to update the stuff we’re happy to make an appointment,” Necia says.

As for all its other legal services, Necia says Falcon Legal looks at everything from a different perspective to see how the team can help the client in the best possible way.

“Sometimes the solution is not necessarily just a legal one,” she says.

“I can refer them to the stakeholder group, which is made up of accountants, counsellors, psychologists and migration agents.”

But when it comes to law, Falcon Legal covers most areas with a focus in commercial law, wills and estates, conveyancing and family law.

“We can give initial advice in any general area of law and if we don’t have expertise we will find someone who does,” she says.

“And we have flexible appointments because we understand people are busy and can’t always get in during office hours.”

Falcon Legal Canberra, Unit 5, 12 Hardwick Crescent, Holt. Call 6188 3850.

Regardless if you are an individual or a Business, Falcon Legal can help.

Serving the West Belconnen community, Falcon Legal is conveniently located next to Kippax Shopping Centre. Free Parking is available or it’s just a 2-minute walk from the Kippax Bus interchange.

We can assist in all areas of law, from buying or selling a house, drafting your will, commercial leasing, probate or resolving your family law issues.

Flexible appointments are available, including Saturdays, by appointment just give us a call.

Local venues saddle up for Cup day fun

AUSTRALIA’s most prestigious annual thoroughbred horse race, the Melbourne Cup, will “stop the nation” yet again at 3pm on Tuesday, November 5.

The race, which dates back almost six decades and over its history has seen Makybe Diva, in 2003, 2004 and 2005, land the most wins by a horse, Bobby Lewis and Harry White with the most wins for jockeys (four), Bart Cummings tops the trainers with 12 wins and Lloyd Williams has six wins under his belt, which are the most for an owner.

The record winning time was recorded in 1990 when it took Kingston Rule 3:16.3. And the oldest horses to ever win were Toryboy, 8, who won in 1865 and Catalogue, also 8, who won in 1938.

This year, the lucky winner will receive a $4 million cash prize and an 18-carat gold trophy worth $250,000, upgraded from the gold watch given to the winner in 1861.

But it’s not all fun for the winner, and with just over a week to go, “CityNews” speaks with some of the local venues who are preparing for a day of races, fashion and delicious food!

Press Club’s fun-filled tradition continues

THE National Press Club of Australia’s annual Melbourne Cup Day celebration has become a tradition since starting 20 years ago, says sales and marketing manager Cathy Bryson.

Continuing the tradition this year, the National Press Club’s Melbourne Cup event will kick off at 11am with an option of VIP drinks and canapes in its newly refreshed club lounge. Then, at 12pm, a buffet luncheon will commence in the National Room, downstairs.

“This year the luncheon has a seafood focus but there are options for all dietary requirements,” says Cathy.

Keeping the afternoon fun will be MC Tim Shaw, who Cathy says will keep the event entertaining with sweeps and bestdressed prizes, which range from facials to champagne bottles as well as a Hunter Valley wine tasting experience.

“It’s a really nice celebration. People go along with their friends, they dress up and make a day of it,” says Cathy.

“[And] we will have a big screen to watch all the races.”

At 4pm Cathy says the fun will continue upstairs at the bar and club lounge with live music from singer and guitarist, Chicago Charles.

National Press Club of Australia, 16 National Circuit, Barton. Call 6121 2199, email npc@npc.org.au or visit npc.org.au

Siren sounds

a

day-long party

SIREN Bar in Gungahlin is getting ready to host its biggest event of the year, with its fun-filled Melbourne Cup Day celebrations, says owner Daniel Gaul.

Siren will be open from 8am for a champagne breakfast, then for lunch it’ll be serving packages at $40 per head, which will feature hot and cold tapas towers, seafood and a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine for bookings with six or more people.

“Siren Bar will have all the glitz and glamour of best-dressed competitions, show all the racing action from around the country and have sweeps running on every race at Flemington,” he says.

On the day, Dan says there will be competitions and prizes such as their best-dressed prize, which is lunch for four people at Lark Hill Winery.

Following the races, Dan says Siren Bar continues to be “the” after-race destination, and will kick off at 5pm with live music from a local duo.

“This year the light rail is in operation which makes it great for people to have pre-drinks and head into the races or when you finish at the races you can come back and enjoy the good vibes,” he says.

Hotel treats early ticket buyers

THIS year’s “race that stops a nation” will see Kingston’s East Hotel hosting an Italian-style lunch for Canberrans to enjoy on Melbourne Cup day.

Now in its fourth year, the event begins with canapes and drinks at Joe’s Bar, located on the ground level, before guests move next door to Agostinis, where they’ll get to taste the flavours of Italy.

“[The day will have] a really nice, relaxed vibe with live music and a chance for people to socialise with some nice food and drinks and enjoy their day out,” says the hotel’s director of relationships, Despina Cramer.

“We get all kinds come through, from groups of friends to corporate tables and ladies at lunch - it’s a good mix of people.”

Last year, Despina says the event sold out its 120 person capacity and believes this year will be the same.

But to get in early, East Hotel is offering an early bird option, which Despina says comes with worthwhile treats.

“We have an offer to pre-book tickets at the moment for $95, which includes a four-course meal and an aperol spritz,” she says.

Siren Bar, corner of Anthony Rolfe Avenue and Gozzard Street, Gungahlin. Call 6162 0377 or visit sirenbar.com.au

While guests enjoy the food and drinks served on the day, Despina says they can watch the race on a big screen, which will be aired from the lobby. East Hotel, 69 Canberra Avenue, Kingston. Call 6178 0048 or visit easthotel.com.au

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Li Cunxin’s ‘Cinderella’ salute to his old mentor

By Helen MUSA

“CINDERELLA” is romance personified – rags-to-riches, a fairy godmother, a dazzling ball gown, a handsome prince, a jewelled slipper, the mice and two very ugly stepsisters.

Queensland Ballet’s artistic director Li Cunxin, best-known to the world as the hero of the book and film “Mao’s Last Dancer”, believes it’s the first time this ballet has come to the nation’s capital and he couldn’t be more pleased, since it’s the version choreographed by Ben Stevenson, the British-American dance mentor who, in the 1970s, brought him to Houston where he was to become an international ballet star.

“Ben’s the one who discovered me in China, nurtured and mentored me and made me into the dancer that I became,” Li tells me by phone from Brisbane.

“And now as the director of the Queensland Ballet, I still find inspiration in him as a director… I was very fortunate to have met a man who creates such strong interpretations.”

Describing Stevenson as “a very unconventional kind of man, a bit eccentric but also equally talented as both an artist and a teacher”, he praises the enchanting quality of his directing, supported in “Cinderella” by Thomas Boyd’s scenery and Tracy Grant Lord’s sumptuous costumes.

He has no hesitation in placing Stevenson alongside the greats such as Kenneth MacMillan and John Cranko.

“Ben’s choreography is very magical, he is an incredibly musical choreographer so he is able to capture the nuance of the music beautifully,” he says.

Li completely rejects criticisms about Stevenson’s unusual choice of music for the ballet, saying that, just like Prokofiev’s “Romeo and Juliet”, “it is just such beautiful music”.

“Of course there is a slightly darker side to the score,” he says with considerable sympathy for the composer.

“Prokofiev had a bit of a cynical view – you can’t blame him, just think of his upbringing, living in pretty challenging times under the Soviet regime.”

“CityNews” spoke to Stevenson in 2016 when he was here to direct “The Nutcracker”, which was seen in Canberra, and “Cinderella”, which has been in the repertoire of the Queensland Ballet since then, although it’s the first time we will see it.

Li has plenty to crow about. Since he’s taken over at the Queensland Ballet, he’s almost doubled the box office and received rave reviews, and it’s not all just about his well-known head for good business.

“It’s obvious that we should do classical work like ‘Cinderella’ and ‘Romeo and Juliet’, that’s fantastic,” he says.

“But I also wanted to introduce new work centred on the young, talented choreographers who bring new content and new approaches, so we have a whole program of new works called ‘Bespoke’.”

As well, sitting on the fence between classical and contemporary ballet is the company’s hit success,

“Cinderella”, Canberra Theatre, November 5-10. Book at canberratheatrecentre.com.au

DIANA DOHERTY

2019 Artist in Focus OBOE

MATTHEW HINDSON AM CURATOR

Gordon Darling Hall, National Portrait Gallery__6.30pm TICKETS

CSO Direct 6262 6772 or cso.org.au/renewal

REVUE / canberra theatre season

The Wharfies wave goodbye

By Helen Musa

IT’S official, Canberra’s favourite political comedy show, “The Wharf Revue” is pulling the plug on its brilliant career with its swansong production, “Good Night and Good Luck”.

But fear not, audiences were assured at the Canberra Theatre‘s 2020 season launch tonight (October 21) the whole gang – Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe, Phillip Scott and Julia Gillard lookalike Mandy Bishop – will be back together to say adios to The Wharf’s spiritual home. It doesn’t open until September 15, but it’s bound to book out.

The 2019 subscription season has the usual amalgam of shows designed to please the whole family, but it’s also a year of rare theatrical coups with a couple of heavyweight issues thrown in for good measure.

The musical theatre coups begin with that Eric Idle favourite, “Monty Python’s Spamalot”, staged by One Eyed Man Productions, which brought “Calamity Jane” to town in 2018. Canberra Theatre staffers are told that Pythonesque humour is completely cross-generational, guaranteeing a hit for the season opening.

The biggest coup of the year is surely getting Opera Australia’s touring production of Jimmy Chi’s “Bran Nue Dae”, billed as the first Aboriginal musical and first aired outside WA. It’s at the Canberra Theatre in October, during the National Festival of Australian Theatre.

That’s followed later in the year by Opera Australia’s touring “Carmen”, directed by Matthew Barclay and conducted by Luke Spicer.

No less a coup is the inclusion of David Williamson‘s contemporary play “Family Values”, with Andrew McFarlane playing a retired Federal Court judge whose daughter brings home an asylum seeker on the run from Nauru. Williamson takes a firm swipe at his own generation who, like the judge, have retired from defending the humanitarian values of their youth.

Thematically linked to this will be “Return to Escape from Woomera”, an add-on in the Courtyard Studio from new media arts company Applespiel. Based on the Ruddock-Howard era computer game based on an asylum-seeker on a journey, it will be played live with commentary from a panel of artists, activists and former detainees.

The word “coup” actually appears in the title of the Ensemble Theatre’s “Broadcast Coup”, where former Canberra playwright and ABC presenter Melanie Tait takes on her own industry and the #MeToo movement in one go, when cutthroat journalist Jez, played by comedian Amber McMahon, faces her self-made demons.

The Wharf Revue... goodbye in September.

tre Company – nothing sinister there, Canberra Theatre says, it’s just the way it fell out.

Bell Shakespeare is once again hell-bent on bending genders, with Peter Evans directing Harriet Gordon-Anderson as Hamlet and Janine Watson directing Julia Billington as the twin Dromios in “The Comedy of Errors.”

Bound to get theatrical buffs wondering if the playwright is a dying breed is the inclusion of plays adapted from films and/or novels, with “Wake in Fright” as a one-man play staged by Melbourne’s Malthouse Theatre and “My Brilliant Career”, starring Nikki Shiels as Sybylla, from its Sydney counterpart, Belvoir.

Come to think of it, “Spamalot” was based on a film, too.

At a glance

• “Monty Python’s Spamalot” February 26 to March 1.

• “Family Values” March 11-14.

• “The Choir of Man” March 26-28.

• “Return to Escape from Woomera” April 3.

• “Hamlet” April 9-18.

• Circa’s “Peepshow” April 22-24.

• “A Broadcast Coup” May 27-30.

• Bangarra Dance Theatre, July 16-18.

• “Wake in Fright” August 5-8.

• “Bran Nue Dae” August 11-16.

• “Animal Farm” August 20-22.

• “Carmen” September 3-5.

• The Wharf Revue, September 15-26.

• “The Comedy of Errors” October 2-10.

• “My Brilliant Career” October 21-24.

by Nichole Overall

An award-winning social and pictorial history of Queanbeyan over 175 years.

This full-colour gloss coffee-table book contains 256 pages, more than 300 colour and black & white rare and unique images.

$39 (includes postage).

Purchase a copy by calling 0413 671 123 or visit anoverallview.wixsite.com/blog

A cerebral ‘Slam’ of challenging movie making

politicised slam poet unafraid to air her views about Australian society, has vanished, possibly after appearing on TV reading a resounding reminder of what Muslims have contributed to Australia.

The poem, which the late Australian spoken-word poet Candy Royalle wrote specially for the film, is a cracker deserving wider promulgation, a confronting, savage and poignant reminder that the lands that millennia ago cradled

European civilisation, we nowadays call the Middle East.

It falls to Senior Constable Hendricks at Bankstown Police Station to lead the search for Ameena. Delivering what becomes the film’s principal dramatic thread, Rachael Blake’s performance of Hendricks achieves

as high a pinnacle of the acting profession as any filmgoer might wish ever to see. Without proselytising for Islam, “Slam” equitably observes people of whatever faith in a society that embraces all the known faiths and those recently invented for questionable reasons. Ricky’s pregnant wife Sally (Rebecca Breeds) was born a McLeary, which is more than a token statement of assimilation.

At Dendy

“Zombieland 2: Double Tap” (MA)

ONCE again directed by Ruben Fleischer, this sequel to ”Zombieland” (2009) has the same principal characters played by the same actors (Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin) with the same zany flavour.

And if it’s possible, a more clever, over-the-hill continuation of what may have begun as a spoof but has risen from the grave to join the vanguard of a cinema genre tasting more than a little of the past, when horror knew its place among the general panoply of movie genres. Which, in the era of double features, was the B movie.

However, no B movie in history had an estimated budget of $US42 million. And we are seeing this sequel too early in its worldwide release for information to

trickle down the line telling how it’s doing.

But if I were a betting man, I’d put a few bucks on its going into profit within a mere couple of weeks.

Both funny ha-ha and funny peculiar, it might help if you saw the first one but narratively this sequel stands alone.

The screenplay, again by Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick, delivers a futurist road-movie story garnished with lampoons of a lot of big box office hits, the Americans love of the world’s biggest everything whether good, bad, indifferent, worthless, valuable or dross. And the sharp ear might discern portents of a sequel.

Imagine, as an example of its wackiness, a planet laid waste by whatever wars or other man-made disasters, including relocating the Leaning Tower from Pisa to mid-western US and there dropping it on a horde of ravening zombies.

And I’ve recently seen a trailer for a coming Australian zombie movie, “Little Monsters”, memorialising all the children who have died too soon.

At all cinemas

“Strange But True” (MA)

I’VE not read the John Searles novel adapted by Eric Garcia on which Anglo-Indian director Rowan Athale based his second feature.

The result of their joint labours is rather a curate’s egg in three acts, a middle-class melodrama about love, death and domestic conflict, delivered in a modicum of willingly-

suspended disbelief.

Two days after the story’s real meat begins, a prologue introduces Philip (Nick Robinson). He needs crutches to get about. His parents (Charlene – Amy Ryan and medico Richard – Greg Kinnear) are divorced. But the main shadow over the family is the death five years earlier of older son Ronnie (Connor Jessup).

Charlene answers a ring at the door. The visitor is Melissa (Margaret Qualley) and she has a surprise. The 39-week-old bun in her oven, she insists, was put there by Ronnie. Charlene doesn’t believe it. And neither should we.

Melissa works behind the counter of the hardware store run by retired cop Bill (Brian Cox). Bill’s principal sin is cigarettes, which he hides from loving wife Gail (Blythe Danner) by stashing them behind the washing machine in the basement.

The principal characters are now laid out before you, the readers. By and large, the acting is okay, especially Brian Cox. The plot is a little short of film noir, compensating for that stylistic omission by being long on cliché and improbabilities. The best, the most improbable of the latter, develops in the events leading not to the fertilisation of Melissa’s ripe ovary but to the events leading to Ronnie’s death. Can the average filmgoer overlook those qualities? I blame the limo driver bringing Ronnie and Melissa home after the prom. It’s up to you.

At Dendy and Palace Electric

DINING

/

pialligo

urban, braddon Small place big on flavours

By Wendy JOHNSON

IT’S a small place that pumps out big flavours on all fronts.

Pialligo Urban has mastered the art of maximising operations in its rather compact “pick-up or delivery kitchen” tucked into a wee corner next to Waves car wash in Lonsdale Street, Braddon.

Despite its size, operations run as smooth as butter under the watchful eye of Canberra hospitality veteran Chris Gallaher, who is 100 per cent confident Pialligo Urban is dishing up a winning product.

This is a take-away food operation, plain and simple, but it’s a great way to feast with family or friends (goodbye junk food).

It’s smart that Pialligo Estate has branched into “the burbs”, and I envy Braddonites who are close enough to just walk to and fro with their pizzas ($18 to $26), charcuterie plates ($25), pastas (three types; $19 each) or dinner boxes ($130, but a real feast).

The Possum Patch kids’ menus get the little ones jumping for joy (three options, $12.50 each).

We opted for the dinner box, simply unable to resist the Pialligo’s signature, whole 18-hour, slowcooked lamb shoulder.

We shared our dinner box with four friends at home, starting with the charcuterie platter (included) created with fine Pialligo Estate Smokehouse produce. The Smokehouse has picked up a whopping 113 awards, to be precise. It was a fine selection of cured and smoked meats and pickled, estate-grown veggies, and came with garlic pizza bread. Also included in the dinner box was saffron couscous, red onion, sumac and parsley and a packed-withflavour red wine jus. It happened to be a chilly night so we opted for the seasonal, wood-roasted mixed vegetables from Pialligo Estate’s market garden.

It was a gi-normous meal with loads left over for lunches the next day.

We headed to the website to order, discovering we could only

order after 5 o’clock on the evening we were dining. It made us a bit nervous because we didn’t want to miss out on that slow-cooked lamb, but we needn’t have feared. Staff just grab it from the sous vide, whip it into the pizza oven and, before you know it, the lamb is crispy and hot and ready to go. Because we were dining in the inner south, we found it a bit fussy to organise delivery (there are several options on the Pialligo Urban website, but they didn’t all come our way) so just hopped in the car to pick up. When online you select which time you want your meal ready, so it’s quick and easy.

Pialligo Urban, Unit 4, 15-17 Lonsdale Street, Braddon. Open Thursday to Friday (noon to 2pm) and Wednesday to Sunday (5pm-9pm).

ARTS IN THE CITY WINE

- Please donate any unwanted records, CDs, DVDs and cassette tapes, and all of the money raised goes directly to the animals at the Weston RSPCA

Strange encounters when wine arrives

A MAN walked into a bar dressed as a tennis ball: he got served quickly.

This is a cri de coeur about service. I have had a run of strange encounters. No, not the sort I might be arrested for but the kind where I just wanted the proprietors to realise that wine and its service are very important elements of a night out or even a lovely lunch experience.

I ask the question: why is wine and its service so often ignored?

There are three admonitions or words of guidance that I proffer: please train your staff; please check your list for currency and accuracy and please pour the wine by-the-glass at the table.

I am not a believer in coincidence but at two venues that I went to recently, the female waiter confessed that it was her third day.

In the first establishment, I asked for a chardonnay as I had ordered fish that was oily and could take a white with body: I wanted something elegant with length on the palate, such as you get from the best Yarra Valley chardonnays.

I asked for her recommendation. She said: “OMG, this is my third day and I know that there is chardonnay, I think.”

Eh? After some time, she came back with two bottles, plonked them (pun intended) on the bar and said: “You can choose from the labels”.

There was no offer of a taste or a recommendation made but I got my wish and we ordered a Giant Steps 2016 chardonnay from the Yarra Valley at $75, about double its retail price.

It is a good wine but with a bit too much minerality for my taste. I make the suggestion that staff should be trained on the venue’s wine list, just as they are with the food on offer and ask that proprietors offer a taste of the wine they are selling – it adds marvellously to goodwill and means that repeat custom is more likely.

The second place, a popular restaurant full to the brim, ended up offering me a free bottle of wine because of the five wines I ordered sequentially none of them were in stock.

I appreciate the gesture, although it came after I saw one of the owners mouth an imprecation to the waitress after the third

A popular restaurant full to the brim, ended up offering me a free bottle because of the five wines I ordered sequentially, none of them were in stock.

wine ordered couldn’t be discovered.

The waitress, who was in her third ever shift, had never opened a bottle of wine with a cork, so I showed her how.

The food was very pleasant and good value but how could you not know that your wine list was a work of fiction? How could you not train your staff to teach them how to open a bottle of wine with a cork? It took me a few minutes to explain those matters but, seriously, is that what you want to be doing on a night out?

The third experience was at a Canberra chef’s hatted restaurant where I ordered a glass of wine with lunch. The etiquette is to show the customer the bottle before you pour because they know what they are getting and because it is good manners to pour the wine at the table.

This was not a place where the food or the wine were inexpensive, so this level of service was expected. But no, on this occasion the wine came pre-poured. My companion was more offended than me and she doesn’t drink! So she asked the waitress: “How come you didn’t pour the wine at the table?”.

The answer came: “We have a device so that we know exactly how much wine you are getting – no waste or overpouring so we know the customer is getting the amount they ordered and the boss is happy because the staff don’t over pour.”

Intake of breath and a reminder not to return to this venue. Surely the risk of over or under pouring is able to be dealt with by mark ing the glass? Surely good manners should be remembered?

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18 7.30pm

through song and dance

By Helen Musa

“SIBLINGSHIP” is a cabaret show following, through classic show tunes and pop music, the childhood journey of two real-life, all-singing, all-dancing, Italian-Australian siblings, Daniel and Chiara Assetta, pictured. Musical direction is by Canberra’s Nicholas Griffin. At The Q, Queanbeyan, October 27. Book at theq.net.au or 6285 6290.

INDIGENOUS composer Deborah Cheetham will be at Canberra Symphony Orchestra’s Australian Series concert, “Renewal”, featuring works by Ross Edwards, Cyrus Meurant and a newly commissioned work by Cheetham herself. At the National Portrait Gallery, Thursday, October 31. Book at cso.org.au

THE State Theatre Company of SA is back with their hit based on Alfred Hitchcock’s film version of John Buchan’s 1915 adventure novel “The 39 Steps” in which four actors perform 139 roles in 100 minutes. At The Playhouse, October 29-November 2. Book at 6275 2700.

THE Bootleg Beatles will mark the 50th anniversary of the album “Abbey Road” at the Southern Cross Club, Woden, Wednesday, October 30. Book at cscc.com.au

MIKEL Simic (“Mikelangelo”) will be the MC of “Halloween at The Hive,” teaming up with Jerikye and The King Hits to play “ghoulishly fun rock’n’roll”. At The Hive, 274 Crawford Street, Queanbeyan, 6pm, Thursday, October 31. Book at eventbrite.com.au or at the door.

CLASSICAL guitar students of Minh Le Hoang will play music from the Baroque to Latin America at a “Great Guitars of the ANU” concert, Larry Sitsky Recital Room, 7.30pm, Friday, November 1. Book at trybooking. com or at the door.

THE Australian Rugby Choir will perform choral classics and popular songs at its annual concert, “Singing with Men”, Southern Cross Club, Woden, 2pm, Sunday, October 27. Book at cscc.com.au

SCOTTISH theatre organist and pianist David Gray will perform music from the light classics to stage and screen, jazz and swing on the 1933 Heritage Compton Theatre Pipe Organ and grand piano at Albert Hall, 7.30pm, Wednesday, October 30. Book at trybooking. com or at the door.

There is live music in the club’s Auditorium most Friday nights with various bands and artists playing. Appearing in:

/ NOVEMBER / DECEMBER

Mainstream jazz vocalist specialising in swing music from the 40’s and 50’s backed by pianist Peter Locke, bassist Eric Ajaye, and drummer Mark Sutton.

Tickets $25 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1 7.30pm

Legendary jazz drummer Ted Vining leads his trio which includes co-legend Bob Sedergreen and versatile bassist Gareth Hill.

Tickets $25

By Brandon Thomas

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3 4.30-7.30pm

“HEAVEN KNOWS”

Rick resides in Nashville and returns to his roots on the “Heaven Knows” album cover-to-cover tour in solo acoustic mode. Tickets: www.trybooking.com

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8

AUSTRALIAN TOUR

US legend Kevin Welch has a career spanning four decades as a recording artist and producer as well as writing songs for others.

Humanitix – $25 At the door – $30

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GARDENING

THERE are many good reasons to plant perennials. As the name suggests, they generally last for many years.

They can be divided to provide extra plants at no cost or gather the seed, which can be sown in trays for potting or simply scattered in bare spots in the garden. The only maintenance is dead heading after flowering.

On the other hand, annuals also have a place in most gardens; Floriade would not survive without the infill of annuals between the bulbs. This provides the instant colour if, depending on the season, the bulbs are slow to flower.

Those punnets of tiny, annual seedlings can take six to eight weeks before full flowering.

Seedlings, also known as bedding plants, are mostly bred these days as F1 Hybrids. This means they have been bred for maximum effect but will last for only one season. They don’t set seed. For a Christmas display, they need to be planted without delay. This is even more important if planting for a special day with a colour theme.

Often when buying annual seedlings no flowers are showing and there is only the pictorial label to rely on. This can have a disastrous effect for anyone looking for all one colour. I recall that when we owned our nursery there was a wedding scheduled in six weeks and we were asked to provide petunias for either side of a hundred-metre long drive.

A wholesale nursery supplied the huge number of seedlings and they were planted out in plenty of time. Getting close to the big day, they all started to flower on time. The only problem was all the petunias came out bright red, not white. Too late to replant and no wholesale nursery could supply that number already in flower. Out they all came with no floral drive!

ONE of the best liners for hanging baskets is the multi-coloured foam carpet underlay with plastic on one side. Place the plastic on the inside with a few holes for drainage. The multi-colours of the foam blend in perfectly with the garden. I have baskets lined this way more than 10 years old and still good. Whereas, with coconut liners, the water goes straight through plus birds just love pulling the fibres out for nesting material, especially at this time of the year.

THE Horticultural Society of

Canberra’s Iris, Rhododendron and Azalea Show will be held at the Wesley Church Hall, National Circuit, Forrest, noon-5pm on Saturday, October 26 and 11.30am-3.15pm, on Sunday, October 27.

CANBERRA’S largest sale of geraniums and fuchsias will take place with the Geranium and Fuchsia Society’s Annual Plant Sale on Saturday, November 2, noon-3pm at St James Uniting Church Hall, 21 Gillies Street, Curtin. Entry is $2.

HOW soon seedlings flower depends, of course, on the soil quality when planting. For gardeners in new suburbs, it will take a couple of years of soil improvement before planting tender annuals. Nevertheless, annuals are perfect for pots and hanging baskets. Fertilising with a liquid seaweed nutrient on my mantra of weakly, weekly. In other words, a weak solution once a week. When first planted the baby seedlings will need a gently watering on a daily basis. As the days warm the evaporation rate is frightening.

Anyone who has travelled to the UK is usually overwhelmed with the magnificent displays of hanging baskets (usually referred to as hanging gardens). They have a variety of plants to extend the season. Just look at this example with petunias, dianthus, salvias, marigolds, alyssum and ivy geraniums

PUZZLES PAGE

Joanne Madeline Moore

ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

The week starts in a stressful and disruptive way, when Saturn stymies progress and Uranus derails your plans. Plus career issues continue to be challenging. Energy and enthusiasm alone won’t win others over. The only thing that will impress people at the moment is plenty of hard work. So put your head down and get on with it! Attached Rams – avoid keeping important information from your partner. Singles – you could be drawn to someone with a mysterious past.

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 21)

Don’t waste time worrying about things you can’t change! Saturn is asking you to be methodical and philosophical. If you prioritise and are mentally flexible, then you’ll complete tasks with less stress and strain. With Mercury in retro mode (from Thursday onwards) relationships are in a state of flux. So the more adaptable you are, the better the outcome will be. Plus – with Venus joining Jupiter in your joint finances zone – some welcome cash could fall into your lap.

GEMINI (May 22 – June 21)

Mercury starts reversing through your daily routine zone on Thursday. So – in order to minimise major disruptions – roll up your sleeves and do your best to be a disciplined Twin. Re-organise your daily schedule (so there’s a chance you’ll actually stick to it); prioritise and streamline tasks; plus make sure you back up all your digital devices. And avoid making witty wisecracks and insensitive remarks over the next three weeks, as people are more likely to be offended.

CANCER (June 22 – July 23)

This week (courtesy of Saturn and Mercury Retrograde) you need to focus on romantic and platonic relationships. Avoid making assumptions! Communicate your expectations and then double-check what others expect from you in return. Attached Crabs – working through a partnership problem requires persistence and commitment. Singles – it’s high time you gave superficial suitors the flick. Look for love with someone who is mature, dependable and ready to commit.

LEO (July 24 – Aug 23)

Expect some dramatic disruptions at home or work, as the Sun (your power planet) opposes unpredictable Uranus on Monday. And then Mercury turns retrograde in your domestic zone on Thursday. If you really want to follow your true destiny then stop complaining Cats! It’s time to put on your big-girl (or big-boy) pants, boost your concentration, buckle down to business, be doggedly determined and tackle jobs you’ve previously put on the backburner.

VIRGO (Aug 24 – Sept 23)

Mercury (your patron planet) turns retrograde on Thursday. Therefore the next three weeks is the time to back-up all your computer files; allow plenty of time to get to appointments and catch flights; check and then double-check everything; and be incredibly patient and adaptable. On the weekend you’re keen to contribute your talents to a worthwhile cause within your neighbourhood. So your motto for the moment is ‘think global and act local’.

LIBRA (Sept 24 – Oct 23)

Librans are the fashionistas of the zodiac. And with dynamic Mars moving through your sign (until November 19) it’s time to be bold and beautiful about your personal style. So your motto for the week is from Vogue editor and fashion legend, birthday great Anna Wintour: “Create your own style. Let it be unique for yourself.” But – with Mercury reversing through your money zone – don’t blow the budget with an impulsive and extravagant spending spree!

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 22)

The week begins with the backwash from Saturn squaring the Scorpio Sun. Then – on Thursday – Mercury starts reversing through your sign (until November 20). So there’s no escaping the fact that you’re being tested at the moment. Stay strong! Stamina, patience and self-belief will see you through. And don’t become obsessed with doing things ‘perfectly’. Remember that perfection is a goal, not a destination; and it’s important to enjoy the journey along the way.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21)

This week the planets (including retrograde Mercury) activate your spirituality zone. So it’s time to slow down; review major plans; revisit unfinished projects; and look within for inspiration and peace. You’re in the mood to dream big but it will take plenty of patience and determination to turn your dreams into reality. So your mantra for the week is from actress (and birthday great) Julia Roberts: “You never stop pursuing greater understanding of yourself and the world.”

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 20)

With Mercury reversing through your hopes and wishes zone (from Thursday) you need to review your dreams for the future. Avoid the tendency to make mountains out of molehills and instead, listen to the wisdom of your inner voice. So your motto is from birthday great, fashion icon and Vogue editor Anna Wintour: “I respond to my own instincts. Sometimes they’re successful and sometimes they’re not. But you have to remain true to what you believe in.”

AQUARIUS (Jan 21 – Feb 19)

This week - in areas involving home, family, parents, property, work, employers or your public reputation - expect the unexpected. Your best laid plans will come unstuck, as you ride a wave of unsettling changes. And remember Mercury is preparing to reverse through your career zone (from Thursday until November 20). So take extra care with cars, computers, contracts and all forms of communication (especially with students, colleagues, clients and/or customers).

PISCES (Feb 20 – Mar 20)

If you are on vacation (or planning a holiday or weekend getaway) then take extra care as Mercury reverses through your travel zone (from Thursday until November 20). Don’t skim over the surface – the devil is definitely in the detail. So double-check your itinerary, plus expect some delays and disruptions along the way. Venus joins Jupiter in your career zone, which improves work opportunities and relations with colleagues… as long as you are patient and diplomatic.

Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2019

4 Which prolific musician composed “The Magic Flute”, etc, etc? (6)

7 Name a bitter crystalline alkaloid obtained from coffee, etc, which is used in medicine as a stimulant. (8)

8 To be present, but not visible, is to be what? (6)

9 What is a series of underground tunnels and caves? (8)

11 To act keenly or ardently, is to act how? (7)

13 To be defenceless, is to be what? (7)

15 What is another word for a lie? (7)

17 Name an alternative term for valour. (7)

20 Which chemical elements have the same number of protons in their nuclei? (8)

23 What, perhaps, could we call a peeping Tom? (6)

24 Which designs or pictures are engraved on plates, etc? (8)

25 Name a dangerous addictive drug derived from morphine. (6)

Down

1 Name the molten rock which issues from a volcano. (4)

2 Which term describes a private or personal concern? (6)

3 Which expression means “goodbye”? (4)

4 Helen Porter Mitchell was known as Dame Nellie ... ? (5)

5 Name a musical folk instrument played with a plectrum. (6)

6 Which term suggests a relationship to the kidneys? (5)

9 What is a brood of chickens called? (6)

10 What are spiritualistic channellers? (7)

12 Which sailing vessels are used for private cruising, etc? (6)

14 Name a lively Spanish dance in three-four time. (6)

16 What is a colloquial term for a raw recruit? (6)

18 To run away to marry, is to do what? (5)

19 Which warning device is sounded by an ambulance, fire engine, or the like? (5)

21 Name a term which means “a single time”. (4)

22 What are units of work, or energy? (4)