‘We’re the underdogs’
at Canberra’s amazing Jamie Rogers
ANDREW BARR weighs up Labor’s re-election chances with reporter DANIELLE NOHRA
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By April March
THE grandson of elderly Canberra murder victim, Irma Palasics, has demanded that her killers come out of the shadows 20 years on from her brutal death.
November 6 marks two decades since Mrs Palasics was murdered in her McKellar home.
The case remains one of Canberra’s most vicious unsolved crimes.
John Mikita, 44, will mark the anni versary of his grandma’s death, pinning information posters to telegraph poles across Canberra in the hope of bringing the perpetrators closer to justice.
“Someone, somewhere, knows some thing,” Mr Mikita said.
“Perhaps by now the attackers have a family of their own. If they have a conscience, a soul, a backbone... 20 years on, it’s time to come forward.
“We need closure, now.”
Irma and her husband Gregor came to Australia as Hungarian refugees in the 1950s with nothing but two small children and the clothes on their back.
Over the years they worked hard to start a new life in Canberra, building their own home and raising a family.
On the night of November 6, 1999, Irma, 73, and Gregor, 74, were watching television when two men wearing balaclavas stormed their McKellar home.
They were bound, gagged and
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savagely beaten. Their attackers ransacked the Grover Crescent house and stole cash and jewellery.
Bloodied and battered, Mr Palasics freed himself once the offenders left, and called police. His wife died at the scene.
Mr Palasics, severely injured, traumatised and grief-stricken, died within a year of the incident.
“It’s hard,” Mr Mikita said. “The emotion is still there, even 20 years on.
Socials 30-33 Cover: Canberra boy Jamie Rogers in the title role of “Billy Elliot”. Photo: James D Morgan Story Page 18. Ph
responsible.
They suspect two previous burglaries at the couple’s Red Hill home in 1997 and another in 1998, were linked to the fatal attack.
“My grandparents got so scared of living in Red Hill so they moved to McKellar and they turned the house into Fort Knox,” said Mr Mikita.
“They built three-metre fences all around the house, they became prisoners in their own home because of what happened.
“And then somehow these people, I suspect it’s the same people, found out where they had moved to, still thinking they had more to give and the events of November 6 started.”
Five years ago, new DNA technology linked Irma’s murder to one of five young men who broke into Pitch and Putt at Phillip in 2010.
Police hoped the new forensic tests could lead them to the killer but they later dismissed the link.
so let’s use the DNA now and if it comes back with nothing then that’s the end, we can’t keep going on expecting something will come around the corner.”
A police spokesperson said the investigation remains open and active.
“We have not lost hope of bringing the offender(s) before a court,” the spokesperson said.
“On the 20th anniversary of the murder of Irma Palasics, ACT Policing recognises the continued distress her family and friends suffer.”
Mr Mikita, who shared a close relationship with his grandma, said the crime has had a huge effect on his life.
“This is something that you never want to go through in your life.
“If the police come to knock at your door to tell you that one of your family members got killed in a car accident, to me there’s closure for you.
“I wake up every morning and see my grandma and grandpa’s face.
“I have a nice frame at home with a picture of them in it and I see them there, that’s the good side of it. The bad side of it is, every night before I go to bed I check every lock in the house, I check every window and door, I look under the cars in the garage. It’s hard to trust anybody; emotionally I’m still a bit of a mess. “
Police are still searching for those
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Mr Mikita, determined to keep the case at the forefront of people’s minds, believes more can be done to find his grandma’s killers.
“I have heard that there’s not enough resources to look deeply into the DNA, “ he said.
“I feel like the family has been given the shrug off… not interested... can’t help you... in terms of the DNA phenotyping.
“We don’t have anything else to go on,
“But when police come to your door and wake you up and say that someone has murdered your grandma, I can’t put it into words what’s that like. I still think about it all the time.”
Mrs Palasics’ murder is one of six cold cases in the ACT.
There is a $500,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of Mrs Palasics’ killers.
Anyone with information is asked to call 1800 333000, or via the Crime Stoppers website. Information can be provided anonymously.
By Mike WELSH
A YEAR out from the next election, ACT Opposition Leader Alistair Coe candidly confessed it will take a miracle to loosen Labor’s almost twodecade grip on power in the capital.
Miracles aside, all the party needs is to appoint Mark Parton as leader. The former radio man is ready made for the role, principally because he is the exact opposite of the string of dry, beige, awkward Canberra Liberal leaders who have spectacularly failed to pressure successive Labor governments.
He is genuinely enthusiastic about politics, people like and respond to him and, tellingly, he’s had a career outside politics endowing him with that rare but essential gift – the common touch.
Almost half the houses are now adorned with cobwebs, skeletons and tombstones.
EITHER the animals of Mitchell are well fed with appalling table manners or there are some disgusting humans acting like animals. On Thursday morning a wide area around a heavy duty car vacuum cleaner at the Aquarius car wash was strewn with chips, greasy fast food wrappers and drink cups, despite there being a large rubbish bin nearby. Footage from recently updated CCTV in the area is sure to reveal the answer.
the national early morning slot in 2020. For the uninitiated the duo’s instagram account describes them as “Sally and Erica. Dope rappin’, Joke crackin’, toe taggin’ hunnies”.
ANOTHER gong handed out at radio’s night of nights has created a potentially awkward situation for Capital Radio, operators of 2CC. Former breakfast host Tim Shaw, no longer with the station after being shunted for Alan Jones, was crowned Best Talk presenter (provincial).
STILL on ACT political change, some things seemingly never change. The promotion of edgy social policy – voluntary euthanasia, same-sex marriage, pill testing and now decriminalisation of marijuana – is to repeal any new laws should it win office. And then the Commonwealth tosses a spanner in the works.
FEDERAL Attorney-General Christian Porter warned his ACT counterpart Gordon Ramsay : “The
ACT laws removed the criminal com ponent at a territory level but didn’t establish anything that is a positive right to possess, which means there’s no defence to the Commonwealth law that criminalises amounts under 50 grams”. To clarify, Porter said: “So my advice and the advice I’ve provided to the ACT Attorney-
new level. Ammon Place is now a creepy cul de sac after being “unofficially” renamed Dead End.
CANBERRA raised sports journalist Erin Molan helped create broadcasting history at the 2019 commercial radio awards. The former “Footy Show” anchor and her 2GB weekend co host Natalie Peters , won the ACRA for Best On Air Team (AM), becoming the first women to do so. The industry site radioinfo.com.au described the achievement as a “pivotal moment in Australian talk radio history”.
STILL on the airwaves and two Canberra hip-hop artists have landed the plumb Triple J breakfast gig. Sally Coleman and Erica Mallett , who both attended Alfred Deakin High, make up the duo Coda Conduct and will take over
A GIANT inflated swan swept away in high winds on West Basin recently highlights the need for lake users to respect the waterway. Thankfully, the youngsters on board were all wearing life vests and were able to swim back to shore.
ONE of the genuine nice guys of political journalism has been promoted within the Canberra Bubble. Sky News’ Kieran Gilbert is to become the network’s first chief news anchor and plenty of industry heavyweights have endorsed his elevation to the newly created role. Former ABC breakfast TV host Virginia Trioli tweeted: “So well deserved Kieran, congratulations”, and the ABC’s Middle East correspondent Adam Harvey added his well wishes: “Fantastic to see the good guys winning.”
ORGANISERS of the long-running Queanbeyan country show in NSW say they needed to “reinvent” themselves in order to survive.
With many show societies anxious about their future, stalwarts at Queanbeyan have found new ways to attract interest in the local show, and it’s paying dividends.
“We needed a revival,” said Susan Camm, Queanbeyan Show Society secretary.
“We had to keep it current or risk it eventually dying down.
“You have to have tradition and the things local people expect at a show but we really needed to update the way we did things.”
And they did.
Nearly 10,000 people walked through the gates in 2018, a record they hope to emulate in November.
Entertainment, Camm says, has offered country shows – including Queanbeyan – leverage in drawing new and varied crowds.
“Over the last two years we have been working really hard to grow and expand the show in different ways,” said Camm.
“We added a rodeo on the Friday night and a concert on Saturday night. The rodeo will run again on Friday night and this year it’s the Hit104.7
spectacular hosted by Ned and Josh and featuring Shannon Noll and local bands.”
Agricultural shows have evolved a lot since their inception in the 19th century.
In the age of Instagram and iPads, where people are more interested in selfies than showgirls, that’s no easy task.
Camm, who hasn’t missed a Quean beyan Show in 20 years, says she is proud of the volunteer organisation’s efforts.
“For the first time ever, people can now buy their show tickets online,” said Camm.
“A lot of Canberrans come over the border because it’s not expensive, the prizes are good and it’s not as hot.
“We have lots of free things for the family; a farmyard nursery, woodchop and strongman competitions, crocodile encounters, reptile awareness and things to look at like yard dog trials and miniature goat show.
“We have to keep up with the times and keep evolving, we can’t just sit back.”
Tim Capp, president of the Agricultural Societies Council of NSW, says local shows have a bright future, as long as they find new ways to adapt and stay relevant.
“The country show is part of our national identity, it’s the fabric that holds and brings communities closer together, especially in times of drought,”
Queanbeyan Show secretary Susan Camm… “You have to have tradition and the things local people expect at a show but we really needed to update the way we did things.”
said Mr Capp.
“Sometimes it’s the only opportunity for a farmer to get off his tractor for the day and socialise with other people from the community.”
If the popularity of country shows appears to be dwindling, then Queanbeyan is bucking the trend.
A pavilion upgrade is on the cards in 2020 thanks to a NSW government grant, in partnership with Queanbeyan
Palerang Regional Council. And earlier this month the Federal government committed $20 million over two years to support agricultural shows across Australia.
“Our future is bright and we are determined to keep getting it right,” said Camm.
The 124th Queanbeyan Show, November 8-10, Queanbeyan Showground.
QUEANBEYAN’s Royal Hotel has just won the crown for Australia’s best steak. The title comes from a nationwide search of 1890 venues for the best pub meals across five categories including chicken parma, fish and chips, steak, burgers and pork ribs.
Anthony McDonald.
Royal Hotel owner Anthony McDonald says the steak is the culmination of a carefully managed journey from paddock to plate. The beef is locally grown and sourced from the Bungendore Butchery, with each cut aged for 100 days and professionally cut to portion size.
As part of the competition, the chefs behind the nation’s best pub meals will visit Melbourne later this month where their winning dish will feature at pop-up restaurant, The Hungry Yak.
THE boutique Spring Native Plant Sale of the Friends of the Australian National Botanic Gardens will be held at the Banks Building car park, 8.30am-11am, on Saturday, November 9. The plants are propagated from material sourced from the gardens with all proceeds going to support the Gardens.
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GUNGAHLIN Lakes Golf & Community Club was named the ACT’s favourite large club in the People’s Choice section of the 2019 Clubs and Community Awards.
Eastlake Gungahlin was awarded best medium-sized club and the Harmonie German Club, the best small club.
“Each of the Best Clubs honou rees took home multiple awards on the night, which demonstrate the range of activities they are involved in to support their local community,” said ClubsACT Chief Executive, Gwyn Rees.
Harmonie German Club was also recognised for its contribution to Arts & Culture, while Gungahlin Lakes Golf and Community Club won the Best Beer Selection Award.
Eastlake Gungahlin was successful in the Best Functions and Events Category and highly commended for Best New Venue.
“The Eastlake Group was honoured for its commitment to Dis ability, Welfare and Social Inclusion through its support of Roundabout Canberra which rehomes essential baby items and equipment for those in need and staff member Trish Abdilla was called to the stage as Outstanding Service Employee,”
was ClubsACT President for eight years and has served as an executive member of Clubs Australia and Clubs Australia Industrial. He is the president and chair of The Mawson Club and has been involved with the Raiders Group since 1990.
The full list of award winners
Presentation & Service Awards
Best Family Restaurant –Henry’s Family Restaurant
– Canberra Southern Cross Club.
Best Restaurant – Chatham House – National Press Club of Australia.
Best Bar Presentation & Service
– National Press Club.
Best Functions and Events –
Best Entertainment – Harmonie German Club.
Best Beer Selection – Gungahlin Lakes Golf & Community Club.
Best Wine List – National Press Club.
Best New/Re-developed Venue
– Vikings Erindale.
Best New Venue – Highly Commended – Eastlake Gungahlin.
Best Diversification Initiative
– Canberra Southern Cross Club – Stellar Canberra – Health & Wellness Centre.
Best Responsible Gambling Initiative – Vikings Group
Group – Charity of the Year Program, Marymead.
Heart of the Community –Canberra Southern Cross Club – English Conversation.
Support of Amateur Sport –Vikings Group.
Support of Amateur Sport –
Highly Commended – The RUC at Turner Bowls.
Youth Leadership – Canberra Southern Cross Club – Crux Program.
President’s Award – Max Mercer.
ClubsACT Club of the Year –
People’s Choice – Small Club
– Harmonie German Club.
ClubsACT Club of the Year –
People’s Choice – Medium Club
– Eastlake Gungahlin.
ClubsACT Club of the Year –
People’s Choice – Large Club
– Gungahlin Lakes Golf & Community Club.
By Helen Musa
THE Canberra Theatre Centre’s next director is to be a Canberran who combines a high-flying background in the opera world with grassroots connection in the ACT arts scene.
Alex Budd, executive producer, touring and commercial for Opera Australia, will replace the long-time Canberra Theatre administrator Bruce Carmichael as director after he retires in November.
Budd is a former music scholar at Canberra Grammar School who went on to study voice at the ANU School of Music while also working under Alex Sciberras in lighting at the Canberra Theatre.
He was a founding member of the Canberra chamber opera company, Stopera, later going on to work as touring lighting designer for Graeme Murphy’s Sydney Dance Company.
Budd has produced 11 New Year’s Eve galas at the Sydney Opera House, as well as the musical tours of “South Pacific”, “The King & I”, “Anything Goes” and “My Fair Lady”.
AT the October 8 public meeting of the Inner South Canberra Community Council, the National Capital Authority (NCA) CEO and ACT Minister
Shane Rattenbury set out to convince the audience that they were taking the necessary steps to address climate change – with the emphasis on green infrastructure.
What was presented could be applauded as small steps in the right direction.
However, given the climate emergency and the urgent need for actions to deal with the damage being done through questionable planning and developments, they failed to convince.
To make matters worse, Rattenbury commenced his presentation with an image of Greta Thunberg. Given the young people she represents and the very clear accusations made against all governments, including those represented by both presenters, one wonders which bit of her message he did not hear.
The ACT government needs to take responsibility for the decades of failure of ac -
The ACT Labor Party has been in government for 18 years. Greta Thunberg is 16. The ACT government has had a longer time to take urgent actions than Greta has been alive.
tions to the level of urgency required.
The ACT Labor Party has been in government for 18 years. Greta Thunberg is 16. The ACT government has had a longer time to take urgent actions than Greta has been alive.
One wonders how our government agencies think they could be taken seriously with documents laden down with busy words and actions that are best summed up by the last on the list: “Investigate ways to encourage and incentivise living infrastructure on existing and future buildings in Canberra.” That should work!
People at the meeting made the point that residents have been vocal for years about the garden city being under threat thanks to the decades of this government’s outrageous urban developments.
The photograph accompanying this column is typical of what’s happening now and is the norm for Canberra’s older suburbs. The green infrastructure is disappearing. In newer sub -
urbs, green infrastructure is minimal. Heat-island effects dominate.
One glimmer of hope was the passion and knowledge displayed by a new NCA tree person. But given the recent track record of the NCA on planning and development, we wish him well.
This ACT government has produced a climate policy that fails to recognise the damage being done through development approvals and rubbish planning.
There is no doubt that leading up to the 2020 ACT election, politicians and bureaucrats will hold meetings to form committees to produce strategies, to spend money on new pop-up experiments, adopt new words to distract from the issues and continue to tell us that they are listening and are making this city great again. Meanwhile, certain developers continue to boast about their efforts to transform the bush capital. The reduction in tree cover and biodiversity continues.
The presentations on the night displayed a minimal recognition of the need for urgent catch-up actions. It is as if they realised that they needed to be seen to be serious about this stuff
and that the movement for change as expressed clearly by generations of Canberra residents does not include them.
The latest presentations and policies are token attempts to get on board that last carriage as the movement for change departs threatening to leave them stranded having meetings and producing spin.
The latest policies by the ACT Government titled “ACT Climate Change Strategy” and “Canberra’s Living Infrastructure Plan” will deliver little change to how planning and development delivers against the urgent requirements demanded to address climate change.
Shane Rattenbury’s “don’t-forget-tovote-for-me” tour of Canberra’s community groups with his new, glossy
documents fails to impress. There is little evidence that comprehensive urgent climate solutions will come from those responsible for the damage being done to this city.
Urgent changes are required with a new style of government taking responsibility for the stewardship of this city. One significant and overdue change should be to place climate actions and green infrastructure improvements as the first mandatory criteria for all developments. If they are not met, then the development application is rejected. Too radical?
Paul Costigan is an independent commentator and consultant on the visual arts, photography, urban design, environmental issues and everyday matters.
I HAVE recently returned from a lovely holiday with my wife Robyn in Greece and Italy.
While I was away I did have the occasional peek at the headlines in the Canberra media. One story that appeared in early September caught my eye. It was headed: “The ACT government is pumping money into acute healthcare, but wait times are still blowing out.”
It was the image of the ACT government “pumping money into acute healthcare” that captured my attention.
However, it was the day Robyn and I tripped down the coast from Athens to Sounion to visit the Temple of Poseidon (commissioned by Pericles in 444 BC) and the image in my mind of money being “pumped” into the ACT health system was washed away by the magnificence of the place.
On my return to work at the Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Service, the image resurfaced, when the colleague with whom I share office space
Chief Minister Andrew Barr and his neo-liberal Labor and Greens colleagues have, in real terms, pumped huge amounts of money out of acute health care since 2012.
turned up severely incapacitated by an inflamed and painful knee.
She told me that her knee was causing her such pain and her mobility was so compromised that she had been forced to take multiple days of sick leave. She also said there were days when she could not drive her car, which was having a serious impact on her ability to get her children to school, to support them with their activities and get herself to work.
Out of genuine concern for my colleague, a middle-aged Aboriginal woman for whom I have a strong affection, I gently chided her that she needed to take better care of herself and I told her that she should have been to a doctor and had her knee seen to.
My mild and well-meant lecture caused an explosion. She told me in animated and colourful language that she had had multiple appointments with her GP but had been “#^!*ing waiting since June 2017 for an appointment with an orthopaedic sur-
geon at the Canberra Hospital”. She does not, like almost every Aboriginal person I know, have private health insurance and so is at the mercy of the public health system.
We talked about the implications of not being able to afford private health insurance. She said it had had a profound effect on her family and that in recent years her husband, a working man, and one of her sons had medical issues requiring surgery that they decided could not be delayed. They had no option but to “go private”.
While he waited in the Canberra Hospital queue, her husband’s condition had deteriorated to the point that he faced the prospect of not being physically able to work and hence of losing his job and having to go on the dole. Therefore, they took the difficult decision to see a specialist in private practice and to pay for the surgery and hospital fees from his modest superannuation account, as they later also did for their son’s operation.
I was deeply distressed by this conversation. It made me in equal parts angry and embarrassed. I felt so middle class. I have private health insurance. Neither I nor anyone in
my family has ever waited two and a half years to see a specialist. Neither I nor anyone in my family has ever had to weigh up whether to access our superannuation to obtain urgent medical attention in order to keep a job. Neither I nor anyone in my family has endured years of debilitating pain waiting for an appointment with a specialist at Canberra Hospital.
I reflected on just how lucky so many of us in Canberra are but equally just how little we seem to care about or insist on a response to the deeply embedded and growing inequality in Canberra society.
This brings me back to the uncontested claim, which I referred to earlier, that the ACT government is “pumping money into acute healthcare”.
This statement is, of course, arrant nonsense. To be fair when I first read it I assumed it was a sub-editor using sarcasm to have a bit of fun at the government’s expense by stating the opposite of what is in fact happening with health funding in the ACT.
The ACT government has, in real-
ity, for years been actively pumping money out of acute health care. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, supplied by the ACT government, reveals that following a period of adequate growth funding, there has been severe constraint on funding growth for health care since 2012-13. The ABS data shows that in the ACT between 2007-08 and 2011-12 nominal health growth was an average of 10.3 per cent a year while between 2012-13 and 2016-17 this was slashed to just 4.1 per cent. When adjusted for population, inflation and utilisation growth the nominal growth rate in the first period is 5.6 per cent and in the second it is -1 per cent.
In other words, Chief Minister Andrew Barr and his neo-liberal Labor and Greens colleagues have, in real terms, pumped huge amounts of money out of acute health care since 2012.
The sad reality is if, like me, you are happily middle class, have private health insurance and enjoy reasonable health you will probably not have noticed. However, the question we all face is do we really care because, as sure as the wind blows, the ACT government doesn’t.
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.
‘If you nominate for election you nominate for a parliamentary term.’
ALMOST two decades of a Labor government in Canberra has done little for the confidence of the party, with Chief Minister Andrew Barr saying they’ll be the “underdogs” coming into next year’s election.
“The Opposition Leader, Alistair Coe’s already claimed that he’s on the path to victory and he’s very confident that he will win,” says Mr Barr, who’s been leading the ACT Labor Party for about five years.
“I know that his staff are sniffing around, measuring the curtains in the Chief Minister’s office, which is an indication of just how confident and cocky they are, but we know we’re the underdogs.”
In 2016, Mr Barr led ACT Labor to a minority government win, with 12 seats to the Labor Party and two seats to the Greens, forming a Labor/ Greens government.
And, despite rumours of his pending departure, Mr Barr says he will again be leading Labor through the 2020 election push.
“I will be leading the Labor Party to next year’s election,” Mr Barr told “CityNews”.
“I’ve been aware of all sorts of rumours that I was moving to Melbourne or that my partner had already moved to Melbourne and that
With the next ACT election a year away, ‘CityNews’ reporter DANIELLE NOHRA got an insight into how the Chief Minister sees his long-serving government’s chances of re-election.
I wouldn’t be here now.
“All of those rumours have been proved to be just that, rumours. I think that the only way that you can put these rumours to bed is just simply to proceed doing your job.”
Mr Barr’s also squashed rumours about him not committing to a full term in politics.
“If you nominate for election you nominate for a parliamentary term,” he says.
But he admits it’s going to be a challenging task to remain in government.
“I understand not everyone will support us, that’s democracy but we will be out there working hard for every vote that we can attract next year,” he says.
One thing he’s not challenged by though, is the ACT Integrity Commission, which will start taking referrals in December.
“The entire period of self-government is open for referral,” he says.
“There may well be a range of vexatious referrals that will be dismissed almost immediately by the
commission [and] I do not believe that there is anything that would warrant concern.”
A re-election will give Mr Barr a second full term as chief minister and Labor a sixth consecutive term, which isn’t too long for one govern ment, according to Mr Barr.
“In the context of the ACT, it’s been a minority government through all but four years of that time and the personnel associated with the govern ment has changed,” he says.
“There’s no one who’s currently in the government who was part of that government in 2001 and eight of the 12 members of the Labor Party were elected in 2016 so we’ve had quite considerable renewal over the last three years.”
With a policy agenda on infra structure delivery and climate change response, plus traditional ACT election issues such as health, education, transport and local government responsibilities, Labor will also focus on its progressive agenda for Canberra.
‘Largest rate increases are now behind us’
“We’ll have a broad and progressive agenda for the city,” he says.
“It’s one that encompasses all of the areas of responsibility for a local and state government equivalent and we’ll be focused on providing the progressive alternative to the most conservative branch of the Liberal Party in Australia.
“My opponent Alistair Coe is the most conservative leader of the Liberal Party in ACT history and in any of the branches of the Liberal Party across this nation.
“He’s perfectly entitled to his views and I commend him on being steadfast in those conservative views in spite of that being obviously not where the majority of Canberrans lie,” he says.
“But what I don’t respect is pretending not to hold those views and that they’re not the reason he is in politics and the sorts of issues that he wishes to pursue. By all means be a conservative and advocate proudly for your conservative values but don’t pretend to be something else. If Canberrans want TonyAbbott-meets-Scott-Morrison as their chief
minister that’s what they’ll get in Alistair Coe.”
A year out to the election, it already feels like a different campaign, and with the light rail up and running the attention will be on new issues as well as some old issues, too, such as rates, which Mr Barr admits will continue to go up, but he says the worst is already in the past.
“I can say that the largest rate increases are now behind us because a lot of the tax reform work is now complete,” he says.
“Increases into the future will be smaller than they have been in recent years but the government does require an increase in rates each year in order to finance and fund health, education, police and emergency services and a forward infrastructure program.”
This is an edited version of the “CityNews” exclusive interview with Andrew Barr. The full version, in which the Chief Minister answers questions about the election issues, climate change, buses, hospital waiting times and his highlights of five years in office, is at CityNews.com.au
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SETTING future priorities is a key role for government. If only governments were good at it!
Strong leadership is needed to provide a clear direction, the means to get there and ensuring broad community understanding of direction and intent.
Poor leadership creates a political vacuum and invites an opportunity for others to step into the breach. The commitment of the Federal government to continue to support and fund the coal and other fossil-fuel industries, while largely ignoring renewables, illustrates short-term, narrow thinking that opens a gap for alternative leadership.
Community comments in letters to “CityNews” over the last few editions are illustrative.
The frustration with Greta Thunberg by former MLA and education minister, Bill Stefaniak, is illustrative. Dismissing her as an “angry, ill-informed and seemingly disturbed little Swedish girl” only strengthens her hand and her
A person from the next generation who has seen the failure
of her own government in Sweden, and governments internationally, steps into the breach with future understanding and long-term vision.
It might be time to listen to young people and attempt to understand their concerns and frustrations.
Previous generations were concerned about issues such as the war in Vietnam, the Cold War and apartheid in South Africa. Rather than being worried about Communism and the nuclear holocaust, the current generation is concerned about Mother Earth slowly being strangled to death through greed, selfishness and focus on short-term profits.
In the meantime, the Federal and other governments continue to invest significant sums of money to facilitate coal mining projects such as Adani, while industry invests in funding and influencing political parties.
On a recent visit, I observed the extensive solar farm close to Broken Hill and a wind farm not far away near Silverton.
This infrastructure makes so much sense considering wind and solar conditions in the far west of NSW. Driving back through Cobar and Nyngan, I could not help wondering why there was not much greater investment in
this technology in the hot, arid and windy areas of the country.
A clue came from one of the locals in Broken Hill. The infrastructure to move the power across the grid to Wentworth and Mildura is limited resulting in the need to regularly pause a number of the windmills despite adequate wind. At times, it operates at less than 20 per cent capacity.
Prioritising coal infrastructure over improving the grid to encourage solar farms and wind energy is almost incomprehensible.
As Julian Cribb, author of “Food or War”, pointed out on the ABC’s “Q&A”, the US now
has a three-trillion-dollar industry in renewable energy.
A few decades ago Australia was a world leader and has been hampered through lack of investment from governments of both political persuasions.
The drought has emphasised just how tough farming is across Australia, but particularly in outback NSW and Queensland. Progressive thinking might include supporting and encouraging farmers with an alternative source of income by providing access to investment in solar energy. But only if governments also invest in improving the grid to handle the power, including research
and implementation of highly efficient and cheaper storage batteries. This is the sort of progressive, future thinking that we should expect from our governments.
It is not that Scott Morrison is doing nothing regarding the future. Providing farming support in the short term is critical. However, it is treating the symptom rather than the cause.
The Prime Minister has also invested in regenerative agriculture including funding former governorgeneral Michael Jeffery as the National Advocate for Soil Health. More and more farmers are seeing the need to adopt regenerative farming practices. A series of examples, or specific case studies, may be seen on the Soils for Life website.
Drought proofing over the long term is not just the responsibility of farmers. The community as a whole needs to be systematically supportive intellectually, financially and emotionally. This future thinking requires serious government investment to support research, education, mentoring and on-farm capital works. When politics is about leadership, rather than a narrow grab for power, there is the potential to get beyond thinking about the next election and really put the community first.
Michael Moore is a former member of the ACT Legislative Assembly. He is a board member of Soils for Life.
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AS a busy mum of four, Sonya Georgalis knows a lot about lack of sleep.
“When I went back to work after maternity leave, I was so tired. I used to nap in the car during my lunch break,” she recalls her time working as an administrative professional.
“It was tough being back at work and very demanding,” she says.
Sonya says she used to attend a lunchtime yoga class, but primarily just for the chance to have 10 minutes of “savasana” relaxation at the end in which she used to close her eyes and have a short sleep during that time.
Sonya noticed that most of her class also fell asleep during the relaxation and wondered if there were others like her who only wanted to take a nap, rather than do an entire yoga class.
Later, when travelling, Sonya noticed an “EnergyPod” chair in an airport departure terminal for travellers in transit to take a nap. She was inspired to do her research on the chair and understand more about the benefits of napping.
“I thought the pod chairs were brilliant and wondered how I could bring them to Canberra for everyone – office workers, shift workers, new mums or tired students,” she says.
Created in the US, Sonya discovered that the EnergyPod chair was designed by NASA and is the world’s first chair designed for napping.
And a 20-minute nap is all a person needs to feel some amazing benefits to their health and well-being.
“A nap decreases blood pressure, stress and anxiety as well as increases creativity and productivity. Studies have shown that a nap increases memory performance and cognitive function,” she says.
“Twenty minutes is an optimal period of time as it doesn’t impact on nighttime sleep and you are less likely to wake up feeling groggy. It is also the optimum time to improve mental operations, performance and alertness.”
Sonya opened Snoozapalooza in Civic last month, the first shop of its kind in the ACT with two pod chairs, each in their own private room for those seeking a short break in their busy day to refresh and relax.
“People have taken a nap and thanked me. They have asked me ‘where have you been all my life?’” she says.
The comfortable chairs offer three different music settings – nature, classical or a guided meditation.
“People start making lists in their minds and can find it hard to rest so I recommend they listen to the guided meditation to keep their thoughts from wandering,” says Sonya.
“There are also noise-cancelling headphones if people just want to block everything out.
“Once you hop in, you lie back and the chair elevates your feet to about the level of your heart, known as a ‘zero gravity’ effect. It’s a gentle tilt but it is proven to be the best position for circulation and relaxation.”
The EnergyPod allows the user to set the length of time and at the expiration of the timer, the pod will wake the user up gently with a combination of lights and vibration.
Starting her own business has been an exciting step for Sonya and she now wishes that Snoozapalooza was available to her back when she was a tired working mum, falling asleep in her yoga class.
“If Snoozapalooza was around I could’ve easily had my nap and still had additional time to do other necessary things in my lunch break,” she says.
Sonya encourages people to take some time out and try the experience of Snoozapalooza.
“It’s private, quiet and a safe place to take a nap. You will rejuvenate your mind and body” she says.
Snoozapalooza, 70 Bunda Street, 1st Floor, Garema Centre, Canberra City. Walk-ins are welcome or bookings available via snoozapalooza.com.au
By Helen MUSA
WHEN the audience rose for a standing ovation at opening night of “Billy Elliot the Musical”, all eyes were on ginger-haired Jamie Rogers, a 12-year-old boy who originally studied dance in Pialligo.
There was a fair bit of Canberra talent on the ground, with Damien Bermingham playing Big Davy, ANU jazz graduate Michael Azzopardi as the musical director and Ed Wightman as assistant resident director.
But it was Jamie, chosen from four young Billy Elliots, who stunned the crowd with his acting talent and his mastery of dance styles from hip-hop to classical ballet.
That dance eclecticism is the hallmark of English choreographer Peter Darling, who designed the dance for the famous 2000 film “Billy Elliot” directed by Stephen Daldry who, with writer Lee Hall and Darling, all had a hand in the musical, aided and abetted by the man who had the bright idea of turning the movie into a musical – Elton John.
The story is set in County Durham, northeast England during the 1984-85 coal miners’ strike. The musical introduces us to young Billy, uninterested in boxing, who gatecrashes a dance class and finds that he alone in that class has a true calling as a dancer.
In an inspired choice, Kelley Abbey, Aus -
tralia’s most exacting showbiz choreographer, plays Mrs Wilkinson, the local dance teacher who helps Billy on his way, supported by a cast of Australian luminaries, including Aaron Smyth, who plays an imagined adult Billy, now a consummate dancer.
It’s a non-stop show, full of John’s entertaining music, Hall’s witty dialogue and dozens of Maggie Thatcher effigies and masks.
Surely everyone knows that “Billy Elliot the Musical” has a happy ending and it’s looking like a happy ending for Jamie Rogers, too, although with the full support of his Canberra family, his road to success is vastly different from that of Billy Elliot, a fish out of water who struggles with reverse snobbery and resentment.
Born in Canberra, Jamie tells “CityNews” he grew up in the southern suburbs and went to Farrer Primary School until the end of 2018, when he got the role of Billy.
A natural, he started dancing at age seven with Jayz Dance Company in Pialligo, which teaches ballet, contemporary, jazz and tap.
“I love all styles of dancing and especially ballet,” he says – just like Billy Elliot.
“Before I started at Jayz I used to watch my sister Sarah dancing… I used to like putting on her tap shoes and dancing around the kitchen. That was when my mum took me to Jayz to start dancing properly.”
“I was nine years old when I started singing lessons with my sister Sarah at Wild Voices Music Theatre.
“My singing teacher [Dianna Nixon] showed me a video clip of Donald O’Connor performing ‘Make ‘em Laugh’ from ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ and
that made me fall in love with musicals.
“A bit like Billy Elliot, I attended an audition for a ballet school.”
For three years running he travelled to Melbourne as part of the Australian Ballet School’s high-aptitude Intra/Interstate and International Training Programme, a week-long intensive ballet course for boys.
Two years ago he acted on a pilot TV show, “Team Rescue”, and when his dance teacher encouraged him to audition for the role of Billy, he did it just for experience.
“I kept getting call-backs though, and eventually I got a phone call telling me I had got the role of Billy Elliot – I couldn’t believe it.”
He and his alternating Billys from Brisbane, Melbourne and Newcastle, have been enrolled at McDonald College, the performing arts college in Newtown.
“We have our own teacher, Miss Coombes, who teaches us either at the school or in the theatre or rehearsal venues,” he says.
“She will tour with us as we travel with the show.”
As well, he says, there is a team of chaperones to look after all the children in the musical.
It’s a highly-focused life, but Jamie still finds time for manipulating Rubik’s cubes, learning magic tricks and swimming, and watching YouTubers doing gymnastics, jokes, funny facts and dancing.
But once in the rehearsal room, it’s plain hard work. He usually gets paired up with another Billy and rehearses in that pair but at other times they’re all working at the same time, although occasion ally the choreographers work with them individually.
In the mornings he often meets up with the other Billys and Michaels (Billy’s crossdressing best friend) in the pool or spa to relax and on most weekends his brother and sister visit from Canberra, to which he will return for school once his big tour to Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, and Brisbane is over.
“The most interesting thing about Billy Elliot is how tough his life is until he finds ballet and then it changes his whole life,” he says.
Canberra boy Jamie Rogers in the title role of “Billy Elliot”... “When you are really passionate about something, when you show your love for that thing and you work really hard you can make your dreams come true.”
performing… I love it so much, especially when people laugh and cry and are really moved by the show.”
THE Labor Party is in deep trouble.
Leader Anthony Albanese is not cutting through; and all the indications are that this is not going to change.
Those six years in the wilderness of Bill Shorten’s leadership were not just wasted, they stripped away the ebullient heart of the man. Today he’s a shadow of his former self. And do not think for a moment that Shorten has surrendered his ambitions for The Lodge. His recent half-hearted mea culpa for the loss of the election was nothing but a PR stunt, getting in ahead of the official report by Jay Weatherill and Craig Emerson. So when they lay at least some of the blame on him, it’s an old story.
Besides which, if you read his remarks carefully you’ll see that he has positioned himself simply as the “captain” of the ship that was going to sink under the weight of its collective promises anyway.
And he’s promised to stay the course for the next 20 years!
Do not think for a moment that Shorten has surrendered his ambitions for The Lodge. His recent half-hearted mea culpa for the loss of the election was nothing but a PR stunt.
The code behind that is Albanese’s private promise to a possible successor in his Grayndler Seat to depart the scene in the election after the next, for unexplained “family reasons”.
Add to that, the clever manoeuvring of PM Scott Morrison to have the Opposition Leader pictured with him in happy colloquy at every possible opportunity and Albo simply fades into the political background.
Alas, while nothing in politics is forever, there’s probably no road back for the old Leftie.
The really sad part is that as Morrison ignores the gasping economy and clasps the expected Budget surplus to his ample bosom; gets into bed with Loony Tunes in the White House; propagates his Pentecostal view of religious freedom; and turns his back on climate change, there was never such a need for a strong Opposition Leader to rally the forces
of reason.
But if not Albo then who?
Deputy Leader, Richard Marles is about as charismatic as a fur ball; the shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers is an antidote for insomnia; and Tanya Plibersek has ruled herself out since “the time is not right”. Joel Fitzgibbon has stepped forward as a voice of sanity from the right, but those new, black-rimmed glasses on TV make him look like something between a myopic academic and a circus clown.
The Labor Party, for all its faults, is inclined to give its leader a “fair go”, at least until he or she becomes a hopeless case (or stands in the way of Shorten’s overweening ambition).
So we can be fairly sure that Caucus will persist with Albo until at least the end of the year.
But then as they test the waters in their electorates over the big Christmas break they might well have decided to tap him on the shoulder.
And you can be absolutely sure that Shorten will be in
must take another look in that mirror on the wall. It can and must be telling her: “Yes, Tanya, you are the fairest of them all. And your time has come. (Oh, and a spectacle-free Joel Fitzgibbon would be a pretty good deputy).”
robert@robertmacklin.com
WESTON’S Cooleman Court is on track to recycle more than 90 per cent of its waste by the end of this year, says centre manager Irini Daglis. Working since 2017, when recycling rates were around 44 per cent, the centre was named Champion of Champions at the ACT government’s recent Actsmart business awards, which recognised the shopping centre’s Coolo Recycling Warriors program and owner Mirvac’s sustainability action plan. Ms Daglis says the centre currently diverted more than 88 per cent of its waste from landfill, with more than 60 tonnes a month recycled across organics, cardboard and mixed recycling categories.
THE Bold Bandannas will hold a Relay for Life charity garage sale at 93 Onkaparinga Crescent, Kaleen, 8am-4pm, on Saturday, November 2 to raise funds for cancer research, prevention and support services. They’re promising “masses of trash ‘n’ treasure” without set prices, homemade preserves, hand-sewn items and other gifts.
BRADLEY Moggridge will present the annual Don Aitkin Lecture, this year titled “Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Values of Water” in which he will explore historical challenges and institutional responses in integrating First Peoples’ cultural values into water planning and management, coupled with on-the-ground applications of cultural value water for two western NSW rivers. Ann Harding Conference Centre, University of Canberra, 6pm-8pm, Monday, November 4. Register at eventbrite.com.au
OUR government is adept at glossy selfpromotion, but its propensity for sabotaging its own legislation suggests that replacing one Litter Act with another will not enhance its record or our urban environment.
Many of the proposed new or higher penalties may be welcome, but given the government’s reluctance to enforce existing laws one might readily suspect that the promised escalation springs from ulterior motives.
In March, 2011 the Litter Act (2004) was amended to impose penalties on those found abandoning shopping trolleys in parks and residential areas, and on retailers who failed to fully comply with its regulations. Since then the TCCS and the parade of ministers assigned to its oversight appear to have circumvented the enforcement provisions of the Act.
Even when offenders have been identified City Services has declined to act decisively, thus assuring a continuing immunity for those who already anticipate it.
On this matter TCCS has apparently abandoned the supervisory roles assigned to government under the Act, preferring to rely on “industry self-regulation” via a Trolley Trackers’ app. The strategy has not worked in Belconnen where several retailers remain clearly non-compliant and trolleys are a permanent feature of local streetscapes.
When I challenged Minister Chris Steel and his staff in January on their prior inaction (no person or business has ever been fined or prosecuted for shopping-trolley offences under the Act) they resorted first to the “silent treatment” of deliberate delays, then to calculated misinformation, false statements and, most disturbingly, a refusal to provide data or any substance beyond the anecdotal to support their claimed regulatory “success”.
I cannot believe this Minister reliable or sincere in his promise to tackle afresh the broader litter problem and it should go without saying that the law itself lacks credibility if its enforcement is capricious, suspended or replaced by deals that favour some sections of the community to the detriment of others.
Richard Gorrell, Belconnen
I WHOLEHEARTEDLY support John Hutchison’s letter (CN, October 24) about the Molonglo Valley. Every community has
to start somewhere and trees don’t grow overnight.
The same goes for his commentary about people saying there is a lack of “open space” – what nonsense! There are parks and open spaces all over Molonglo, not to mention the close proximity to the river and Mount Stromlo.
As a resident of Coombs since 2015 I’m sick of people attacking our area because of these imagined issues, when in reality it is a beautiful and well-planned area of town that is right at the beginning of what will be a very bright future. Well done, John, on weighing in with some positive commentary – more of it, I say.
Brenton Sloane, Coombs
AS if things could not be bad enough with this current Labor government and the looney Greens. Now funds are needed to have the “doggie police” ready to enforce compliance of the new “Red no go areas for dogs”! (Michael Moore, “Man bites dog”, CN, October 17).
Never mind the true hard facts that Canberrans have been waiting for years and actually want “human police” to combat the growing unsolved crimes that are increasing on a daily basis.
Not to mention desperately wanting to see a much needed police presence on our roads, to curb bad driver behaviour.
Our police numbers have dwindled under this government, in stark contrast with our growing population. Yet, doggie police are now their priority! Not human safety, or road-user safety!
Wanting to legalise cannabis is bad enough, particularly when it is illegal, however this latest, truly beggars belief!
Clearly, you could be forgiven for thinking that this lot of rabble making these decisions have gone stark raving mad!
Ros Thomas, Banks
I READ Michael Moore’s column on dogs in the ACT with great interest (“Man bites dog”, CN, October 17).
As a dog owner of many years I must disagree with his views on dog exercise areas in the ACT.
It seems to me the ACT government has maintained an excellent balance for dog owners with the provision of large and small dog parks for people to exercise and socialise their dogs in a most friendly way.
The best way to exercise your dog is just by walking out the front door around your neighbourhood and meeting with others in your community.
Opening up more public space is not the answer, particularly bushland or lakeside walkway areas where there are animals or birdlife habitat.
The mere presence of any dog has a profound negative effect on any remaining wildlife inhabiting these areas, particularly ground dwelling and feeding birds.
So put the walking shoes on and around the block you go, you never know what wonders you may discover.
David McCarthy, Bruce
MICHAEL Moore wrote a great column with an important reminder on the difference between objectives and implementation (“Man bites dog”, CN, October 17).
There are quite a number of large “red” patches across Canberra, many of which seem odd. But, there are many more “green” patches on the map than people realise.
Particularly on the southside, there are a significant number of off-leash areas outside the formal dog parks. Trouble is, many of
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dose of dorin Greta Thunberg.
enough to witness and enjoy the results of well co-ordinated and high-quality upgrades of our older public urban spaces that have suffered from too little attention over many years.
Too often renewal projects deliver much hard surfacing, little shading and too few opportunities for respite from the heating caused by climate change and the increasing densification of our city. Hopefully our renewal policies and practices will now give much higher planning priority to designing and integrating significant permanent “urban forest”, other “living infrastructure” inclusions and parkland into all urban renewal spaces, large and small, as prioritised in the ACT government’s recently released “Cooling the City” strategy. This would help create far more comfortable, user-friendly, attractive and healthy public spaces. Urban forest does not just belong on verges, along major roadways.
the “green” areas are beside major roads, which must be unsafe (e.g Yamba Drive in O’Malley to Farrer).
Others are next door to “red” areas (eg. beside Farrer Primary School). Those areas don’t make sense to me.
I think the largest southside “green” area is Isaacs Pines, which is also odd as it is next door to the Canberra Nature Park where dogs must be on leash and there is no border or fence to indicate which is which.
There is a sign indicating on-leash in the Nature Park less than 50 metres from the Isaacs Pines sign saying off-leash. It didn’t stop the stray dog I saw chasing kangaroos in the Nature Park (a very happy kelpie).
I’m not a dog owner and so have no great insights, but it seems there are just as many peculiar green areas as red. Interested people really should look at the current map and provide feedback otherwise nothing will change.
For me, I’ve been barked at by dogs off-leash too many times while out walking.
So, I’d prefer more “red” areas – but at least some logic and clear signage of all areas would be a good compromise.
Gary Brooke, via email
AFTER the painted pavements have faded (“Plonk and run – urban renewal, Canberra style”, October 23), many Canberrans may be left wondering if they will ever live long
Nor are coloured umbrellas, that throw little shade in a few spots here and there, substitutes for the considerable investment in natural shading and protection that is still required along many streets and pathways that active travellers have to use to cross through suburbs and move around increasingly large and built-up group centres such as Dickson.
Sue Dyer, Downer
THE Woolley Street “upgrade” mentioned in Paul Costigan’s Canberra Matters” column (CN, October 24) is largely a frame covered in cheap synthetic fabric (already torn) –illegally close to a pedestrian crossing – that is requiring huge concrete blocks and metal weights (not covered in fabric) to keep it upright. Not only is it an eyesore, it is a traffic hazard: drivers cannot see pedestrians heading for the crossing.
Lucy Baker, via email
Let loose to: editor@citynews.com.au or write to the editor at:
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CONGRATULATIONS to Bill Stefaniak for beating me to it! (“A shining example of not letting 16-year-olds vote”, CN, letters, October 17). I have been mulling over exactly the same points for some time but didn’t put pen to paper, so to speak.
My concern for the environment goes back long before today’s “greenies” could even spell the word, but I don’t see why we as a nation should lower our standard of living while exporting coal for others to increase pollution; and even worse, why as citizens of the ACT should we be forced to produce yet another “world’s best practice” or even worse a “world’s first”, while our rates, levies and “contributions” continue to spiral out of control!
Klaus Inveen, Macquarie
BILL Stefaniak brings himself little credit with his unpleasant attack on Greta Thunberg. It is not just Greta but many young people are deeply worried about climate change.
The point that Australia is a relatively small emitter compared to the giant economies misses the point somewhat. Australia still emits a lot of greenhouse gases and is unlikely to meet the inadequate targets set by the Paris Accord. More to the point is that Australia is a major exporter of coal and gas, right up there in the top league. If Adani and other proposed mines in the Galilee Basin are developed our contribution to global warming will be in worldbeater class.
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WHEN things go awry and legal services are needed, people want to find a lawyer they can trust to get them through what is often a difficult and emotional time.
Whether it’s criminal law, commercial law, property law, family law, wills and estates law or personal injury law, the ACT is full of trusted and leading lawyers to help them overcome any legal matters.
This week “CityNews” speaks with some of these local lawyers who, no matter what their area of law is, share a common interest in getting the best results for clients.
HAVING launched Megan North Lawyers in January, solicitor Megan North is proud of her growing Queanbeyanbased firm.
Megan, who has been practicing law for more than 10 years, recently welcomed Jenna Storrier to the team, someone she describes as a skilled
“With Jenna joining my team, we can now look after more clients having to battle the minefields of family law.”
Jenna, a keen advocate for resolving matters with “out of court” solutions such as mediation, family dispute resolution and collaborative law, is also skilled at representing cases in court, if court proceedings are necessary, says Megan.
At Megan North Lawyers, Jenna will be focusing on acting for clients requiring family law, estate law and succession advice, and Megan will continue to look after their conveyancing, commercial and criminal law matters.
SUPPORTING the Canberra community since 1985, Maliganis Edwards Johnson specialises in personal injury law and has extensive experience in legislation and gaining fair compensation for its clients, says partner Deb Rolfe.
“We’ve been around so long that our previous clients’ children are coming to us with claims,” says Deb.
“While it’s not the best circumstances, it’s reas suring for them to know that we’re able to support them through what can be a traumatic time.”
working for my clients to get the right
Overall, Megan says they deliver their clients a fair, quick and cost effective
providing approachable and honest
“Many of my clients pop into the
Megan North Lawyers, Unit 5, 69-71 02 6299 5566, email megan@megan -
Maliganis Edwards Johnson works on a “no-win, no-fee” basis and helps clients gain compensation for motor vehicle accidents, medical negligence, workplace injuries, public liability and construction site accidents.
“Our clients can be vulnerable and are often in difficult situations, and we know that taking legal action at a time like this can be challenging,” Deb says.
“We provide guidance and support as well as our expertise.”
With an experienced, knowledgeable team of hard workers that understand the complex compensation laws in the ACT, Deb says the firm is able to pool their resources and experience for the benefit of its clients.
“As a team we have a weekly meeting where
“We’re finding that insurers are becoming less interested in settling prior to a hearing, but our role is to get the best possible outcome for our clients.”
Maliganis Edwards Johnson, 60 Marcus Clarke Street, Civic. Call 6257 2999 or visit mej.com.au
WITH family law matters filling up the court system, Mazengarb Family Lawyers gets families through difficult matters without the stress and wait time of a court hearing, says the firm’s partner Jess Wolski.
At this time of year Jess, an accredited family dispute resolution practitioner, alongside fellow firm partner Geoff Mazen garb, says parents are keen to finalise their family law matters prior to Christmas and as a result more applications are filed with the court.
“A recent court decision has reemphasised the need for parties to engage in counselling and the court is less willing to grant exemptions from this process,” she says.
This means that more parties are using family dispute resolution to come to a resolution out of the court system, with the two main providers in Canberra now backlogged by a waitlist, says Jess.
Parents are now facing lengthy delays to resolve their parenting arrangements, according to Jess, who says Geoff and herself are able to help separated parents in discussing all issues relating to their children and reaching a resolution that meets the needs of their family.
“We can provide a joint session for parties to get their matters dealt with in a shorter time frame, or in the case of parties who don’t want to be in the same room as one another, we can host a ‘shuttle session’ where we move from separate rooms to speak to each party,” she says.
“The court process can be stressful and costly. In family dispute resolution or mediation, the parties have more control over the outcome.”
Mazengarb Family Lawyers. Level 5, 11 London Circuit, Civic. Call 6230 0199, email officemanager@mfamilylawyers.com.au or visit mfamilylawyers.com.au
Law directors Anna Neilan and Lucy Stramandinoli have been providing a holistic and empathetic approach to family law for more than 30 years, combined.
Located on London Circuit, Lucy says the boutique law firm offers a personalised service when getting families through stressful and emotional situations in all areas of family law such as parenting arrangements, division of property, entitlements, binding financial agreements and family violence.
“The first question we ask clients at meetings is: ‘What do you need to know when you walk out?’” she says.
“We want our clients to understand all the options open to them.”
Lucy says this can also mean referring clients to other specialists such as counsel lors and financial planners to help them make informed decisions.
“We focus on the best options available and outline solutions that are most efficient and cost effective for our clients,” she says.
“Our passion for assisting our clients and caring about the outcomes for them is what sets us apart.”
Lucy says the firm uses “collaborative law” approaches such as dispute resolution, mediation and negotiation to resolve most matters without the need to go to court, which can be a lengthy and costly experience, and creates more acrimony
between the parties.
“We exercise a blend of skills, compassion and emotional intelligence to best guide you through these difficult times so you can achieve your best possible outcome,” says Lucy, who is often told by her clients that her insight and expertise
give them a great sense of reassurance and confidence during difficult times.
Neilan Stramandinoli Family Law, Suite 2, ground floor, 11 London Circuit, Canberra City. Visit nsfamilylaw.com.au or call 6152 0493.
At Neilan Stramandinoli Family Law, we pride ourselves in our proven track record, our commitment to excellence, and expert knowledge of family law. We understand how difficult and emotional family matters can be, we are compassionate and empathetic, guiding you towards the best possible solution for you.
For separating couples:
• Parenting arrangements
• Dividing property and superannuation
• Family violence matters
New or existing relationships:
• Best arrangements for your children
• Protecting assets and yourself
• Preserving entitlements
and is currently a finalist in the Local Business of the Year category in the Canberra Region Local Business Awards, says practice manager Sue Hayes.
KJB Law’s conveyancing manager Karen Watt has also won an award, the 2019 REIACT Conveyancer of the Year, after working for the firm for more than 13 years.
was named Ken Johnston Bedford & Co in January 1981, to provide quality legal services at affordable prices.
And even though both Ken and Allan have retired, Sue says the firm continues to provide quality legal advice on everything from estate planning, residential property sales and purchasing, family law to retirement village entry.
“We have an excellent office culture and
plenty of space for the growing team. We have 28 staff, including nine lawyers and two conveyancing managers.”
Sue says the three principals of the firm, Jo Twible, Andrew Freer and Des Moore, all work hard and care about the clients and people they work with.
KJB Law, 10 Corinna Street, Woden. Call 6281 0999 or visit kjblaw.com.au
Necia likes to take a different approach to getting the best solutions for clients
FALCON Legal is all about looking at problems in a holistic manner, says managing partner Necia Wearne.
Located in Holt with free, accessible parking and only a two-minute walk from the Kippax bus interchange, Falcon Legal was established 15 months ago, with a goal to look at everything from a different perspective to see how the team can help the client in the best possible way, Necia says.
Covering most areas of law, with a focus on convey ancing and wills and estates, Necia says they make things easier for clients to get a solution.
“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.
For people who need help through the probate process after someone dies, Necia says Falcon Legal can also look after the paperwork involved.
“During a stressful time, we do the hard work for our clients so they can get on with life,” she says.
“And we have flexible appointments, as I know how hard it is to meet during
business hours for some people.”
Falcon Legal Canberra, Unit 5, 12 Hardwick Crescent, Holt. Call 6188 3850 or email info@falconlegal.com.au
DARYN Griffiths of Capon & Hubert
Lawyers & Mediators enjoys helping anybody in the property sphere.
The property solicitor says he can help people who are buying or selling, or older people who might be downsizing and moving into a retirement village.
While Daryn covers all areas of commercial and property law, he says commercial property transactions for small businesses are his area of expertise, and what he thoroughly enjoys.
“I like to be able to get inside a client’s business knowledge and see how I can value-add to that,” he says.
Being a former small-business owner, Daryn says he gives his clients more than just straight legal advice and can talk to them about their documentation, business set-up and monthly bills.
“My services would be beneficial for anybody who’s in the property sphere, including commercial property purchases, such as property or business assets,” he says.
And, he says the Capon & Hubert Lawyers & Mediators’ team is well integrated internally and has good relationships with third parties such as real estate agents, body corporates, the land titles office and financial institutions.
“The team at Capon & Hubert can also advise on the new ACT stamp duty legislative developments and the new PEXA system used for NSW conveyancing,” he says.
Capon & Hubert Lawyers & Mediators, First Floor, 32-38 Townshend Street, Phillip. Call 6152 9203, email enquiries@chsol.com.au or visit chsol.com.au
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.
Conveyancing laws in NSW and the ACT have become quite complex in the last few months.
At Capon and Hubert Lawyers we are up to date with the changes in Stamp Duty, Identity Verification, and Tenancy laws. Our Conveyancing Solicitor will apply these changes to your unique situation and work with you for the best result.
Stay in touch with the names making news on Sundays from 10am as 2CC and “CityNews” present Canberra’s only local weekend news and current affairs program.
It’s a revolving panel show that brings to the microphone great “CityNews” commentators and 2CC personalities.
Be part of the conversation and call 6255 1206 between 10am and noon.
At the Australian National Eisteddfod fundraiser
The Palette of Velia Newman
EXHIBITION: 2 - 17 NOVEMBER
OPENING 2PM SAT 2 NOVEMBER
RSVP 02 6230 2055
Please join us for the opening with the artist
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WHEN looking at health as a whole, people are increasingly turning to allied health and complementary medicine practitioners to help with recovery following illness or injury, manage chronic conditions or to maintain their wellbeing.
Often people will incorporate a combination of allied health professionals, complementary medicine and conventional medical care in their overall health plans.
This week “CityNews” speaks with local allied health experts, surgeons and complementary medicine practitioners passionate about improving the health of their patients.
‘Gentle’
ACUPUNCTURIST and Chinese medicine practitioner Bernice Lowe brought her naturopathic approach to Canberra earlier this year when she opened the Deakin Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Centre.
Backed with 20 years’ experience in Chinese medicine, she’s now transforming the health of her patients through “one-to-one” treatments, which she says allows for quicker results.
“I’ve witnessed many patients transform their health and move on to a better quality of life,” she says.
“Each person is unique and they present with their own story [which is why] utmost care is given to listening to each story. It helps me to understand and informs my treatment plan [too].”
When it comes to acupuncture, Bernice prefers to use a gentler style of Japanese acupuncture
‘Hands-On’ staff strive for excellence
CANBERRA’s original hand specialists, Hands-On Physiotherapy, opened its doors 19 years ago and has since provided the community with high-quality hand, musculoskeletal and sports injury management services, says practice manager Liz Kell.
“The team at Hands-On have a wealth of experience in managing acute and chronic occupational, musculoskeletal and sporting injuries, and are committed to providing a holistic physiotherapy service with a commitment to excellence and integrity,” she says.
When patients come to Hands-On Physiotherapy, Liz says they can expect a service which provides personalised attention to any needs.
“We listen, we care and we promise to stay with our clients on their whole journey,” she says.
“We have hand therapists for upper limb pain management and musculoskeletal physiotherapists to
because of her extensive postgraduate training in the area.
“I have many regular clients who don’t like needles but are comfortable with Japanese acupuncture techniques,” she says.
Specialising in a range of areas such as relief for acute and chronic aches and pain, with an interest in pelvic pain, Bernice says she also works with clients on women’s hormonal issues, fertility and preconception care, postpartum care, menopausal symptoms, digestive issues, immune support and complex disease management.
Bernice is offering “CityNews” readers a 25 per cent discount off their initial consultant.
Deakin Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Centre. Level 1, Suite 22, 27 Hopetoun Circuit, Deakin. Call 0419 998574 or visit deakinacupuncture.com
treat neck, back, hip, knee and ankle pain.”
Liz says they utilise a wide variety of treatment techniques and strategies to ensure they can help each client achieve their goals.
Hands-On can help with wrist and finger fractures, elbow fractures, carpal tunnel syndrome, joint replacements, nerve injuries, post-surgical repair of bone, joint or soft tissue, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory arthritic conditions.
“We fabricate static and dynamic splints for our clients. We have experience with Graded Motor Imagery (GMI) in the management of phantom pain, chronic pain, CRPS and post trauma.”
Hands-On Physiotherapy, 1/43 Mawson Place, Mawson. Call 6286 6467, email admin@hands-onphysiotherapy. com.au or visit hands-onphysiotherapy.com.au
Jenny seeks out the source of pain
AT Canberra Myotherapy, owner and therapist Jenny Richardson works with her clients to help them understand where their original source of pain is coming from.
“As a therapist, I have learnt over the years that what has happened to someone’s body in the past helps to create what is happening now,” she says. “That badly sprained ankle 20 years ago made someone walk differently and now they have hip or lower-back pain. Or that surgery five years ago has scar tissue that is pulling.”
To resolve these issues, Jenny uses Myotherapy, which encompasses soft-tissue techniques to treat musculoskeletal pain and injury.
“I take into account your past injuries, surgeries and illnesses to determine where it may be coming from; and somewhat more importantly, how I can help you fix it,” she says.
IT’S never a good idea to ignore the body when it’s showing signs and symptoms of problems, says Dr Phil Aubin of Orthopaedics ACT.
“A thorough assessment by a doctor can often lead to simple (often non-surgical) interventions that might slow progression of disease or significantly improve mobility and quality of life,” says Phil, who is part of a dedicated team of doctors and nurses at Orthopaedics ACT that provide non-surgical, surgical and post-surgical care of musculoskeletal problems.
“Our aim is always to relieve patients’ pain and greatly improve their function and mobility,” he says.
In the past 15 years, Phil says orthopaedic surgical treatments have improved in leaps and bounds.
“Not all conditions require surgery and we will guide you down the correct treatment path,” he says.
As the largest orthopaedic practice in Canberra, Orthopaedics ACT provides the full spectrum of musculoskeletal treatments including surgical and non-surgical.
“This includes the upper and lower spine, hip, knee, pelvis, hand, foot and everything between,” he says.
Orthopaedics ACT, Woden Specialist Medical Centre, Level 2, 90 Corinna Street, Woden. Call 6221 9320 or visit orthoact.com.au
ARTHRITIS ACT’s team of allied health professionals has welcomed a new person to help assist people with arthritis and chronic pain, says CEO Rebecca Davey.
Joining the not-for-profit’s team of exercise physiologists, a dietitian and occupational therapists is its second physiotherapist, who Rebecca says is taking one-on-one appointments for a reduced cost in either Bruce or Pearce.
“We also have a team of exercise physiologists that prescribe exercise and create plans for home or hydrotherapy exercise as well as bring people into small classes,” says Rebecca.
The exercise physiologists are qualified to provide an in depth, medical point of view to exercise, according to Rebbeca, who says they can also go to the person’s gym to arrange the best exercise program for them.
“For people with arthritis or chronic pain, it’s crucial to the right support to keep active,” she says.
When it comes to diet, Rebecca says Arthritis ACT’s dietitian specifically works with supporting people with pain, with the view that food is medicine and an essential part of wellbeing.
The dietitian not only helps advise the best meals for people, she also finds ways to make it easier for people in pain to prepare meals and enjoy meals with their family, says Rebecca.
“Our occupational therapists review all the activities of daily living that a person does and work with them to make life easier for them,” says Rebecca.
“Arthritis ACT are also experts in doing assessments for the NDIS.”
Arthritis ACT, Building 18, 170 Haydon Drive, Bruce or SHOUT Offices, Collett Place, Pearce. Call 1800 011041, email info@ arthritisact.org.au or visit arthritisact.org.au
www.orthoACT.com.au
chronic
Exercise Physiology group classes and individual consultations
GLA:D Physiotherapy program for hip and knee osteoarthritis
Dietitian consultations for weight loss/gain and pain relief
Occupational therapy to improve daily living challenges
Individual counselling and health education
Pain Support programs, seminars and support groups
All programs can be incorporated into NDIS, DVA and My Aged Care
We accept GP Referrals for Medicare funded allied health services
Most chronic pain conditions respond to exercise and weight loss
Hydrotherapy is proven to lead to reduction in many kinds of chronic pain
People living with pain often suffer from being isolated and we have programs that will lessen this impact
Mild depression and anxiety will significantly increase perceptions of pain and our counselling, support groups and exercise groups will help reduce this impact
THE arrival of spring and the warmer weather makes Pialligo a wonderful spot for home gardeners to pick up new plants or garden decor, or just a gorgeous place to have brunch surrounded by greenery.
The rural, country-village style suburb is known as the “fruit bowl” of Canberra because of the richly fertile soil there.
The name Pialligo has been used for the area since at least 1820 and is likely of Aboriginal origin. Streets in Pialligo are named with Aboriginal words.
Based around Beltana Road, Pialligo is home to nursery gardens, apple orchards, landscaping suppliers, art galleries, gift shops, restaurants and cafés.
of plants, home and garden items and landscap ing services.
Living Simply has recently introduced a property styling service, with in-house stylist Jay Hinton providing consultations to improve the look of clients’ homes prior to sale.
Graham says that Jay utilises Living Simply’s range of plants and water features to transform homes, particularly the exteriors.
“Our boutique retail store offers feature plants,
customise a design by incorporating the ideas discussed and, finally, the landscaper will work directly with the client and contractor.
“We’re a multi-disciplined business where you can purchase products, but also hire or get professional styling to dress a house for sale,” he says.
Living Simply, 10 Beltana Road, Pialligo. Call 6249 1552 or visit livingsimply.com.au
THE Hayshed is a family owned equestrian centre that aims to provide a unique agistment for the horse and rider.
Situated at 7 Beltana Road, Pialligo, The Hayshed also promotes the benefits of horse manure, which it provides to green-fingered Canberrans passionate about their gardens.
Using aged-composted horse manure releases nutrients as it is very fibrous and rots down quickly; by adding the manure to soil it will improve water retention and aeration.
Horse manure is not as strong as other manures and therefore
should not burn plants, but as with all manures it should be well composted before use and should never be allowed to touch the trunk of the plants.
At The Hayshed, the manure has aged for at least nine months before it is sold to the public. During the ageing process, the manure is moved to three separate pits for three months at a time in order to aerate. There are numerous ways the manure can be used in the garden. As well as being placed directly into the garden bed, it can be made into a “manure tea” for the plants.
The Hayshed sells the aged horse manure by the bag (pick up) or by the trailer or ute load (customers need to phone ahead for this option), as well as delivery, which can be arranged by the truck load (once again with a phone call).
The Hayshed, 7 Beltana Road, Pialligo, call Ivan on 0413 949900 or visit thehayshed.com.au
Spring is here and so is all the new feature plants and pots, garden furniture, water features, and so much more. We also now have in house, a professional landscape design & property styling service available... Just call us.
WITH more than 40 years of experience, Richmond Fellowship ACT is the largest mental health recovery residential care provider in Canberra and the region, says its director of mental health, Amanda Urbanc.
Their motto is “we give you a go”, and Amanda says the Richmond Fellowship refocused its support in 2015 with the NDIS coming online.
“We offer fully supported residential accommodation to people whose mental health plans have been approved by the NDIS,” she says.
As well as residential support, Richmond Fellowship’s programs include support coordination, which helps to implement people’s NDIS plans, peer mentoring, which helps to build individual skills, and group facilitation, which provides social and recreational activities.
“Our group programs are held at our office in Pialligo,” says Amanda.
“They are designed to focus on social interaction and boost confidence in interacting with others within a fun and supportive environment.
“We care about supporting people with enduring and severe mental illness and believe in their dignity and confidence as they make positive changes in their lives.”
Richmond Fellowship ACT, Fairbairn Avenue, Pialligo. Call 6279 4900, email info@rfact.org.au or visit rfact.org.au
beautiful gardens, says Fiona Toll, one of Rodney and Cheryl’s three daughters who grew up at the nursery.
“We are a true family business, with three generations now working at the nursery,” says Fiona.
Fiona says that Rodney’s café and its large outdoor playspace is a huge drawcard for families.
Rodney’s has created special events over the years such as Carols by Candlelight, which will be held on December 12 and features the Woden Valley Youth Choir.
Fiona says the nursery’s birthday celebrations
$1000.
Until Sunday, December 1 Fiona says that Rodney’s will throw a massive indoor plants and succulent sale.
“It is now one of the best times of the year to come in and get things for your garden,” says Fiona.
“The clematis is currently in full bloom and looks amazing. We also have our Christmas displays and decorations available in the shop.”
Rodney’s PlantsPlus, 24 Beltana Road, Pialligo. Visit rodneys.com.au or call the nursery on 6248 6933 or the garden café on 6257 5822.
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Owner Karen Brien says it’s Canberra’s only native plant retail nursery and is open seven days a week.
On the first Saturday of November, December, February, March, April and May, Cool Country Natives will host markets in which five growers have stalls.
“We will have talks or guest speakers at 10.30am on different subjects, including pollinators, hedges and mulches,” she says.
With a growing team of 10 knowledgeable staff, Karen says the whole team takes the time to happily talk to customers and help them with any queries.
Shoppers can find groundcovers, grasses, ferns,
climbers and small-to-large shrubs and trees such as acacia, banksia, crowea, daisies, ferns and grevillea. Cool Country Natives also stock and propagate a range of locally endemic species to the Canberra region.
“Native plants are drought hardy and the choice is getting bigger every year with the increase of good wholesale growers,” she says.
Karen says they give a discount to members of the Australian Native Plant Society and friends of the Australian National Botanic Gardens.
Cool Country Natives, 5A Beltana Road, Pialligo. Call 6257 6666 or 0402 307275, email retail@ coolcountrynatives.com.au or visit coolcountrynatives.com.au
By Helen Musa
DRAMA, comedy, documentary and animation will all be on parade when the Veterans Film Festival returns next month with a four-day program.
Over its five years, festival director Tom Papas has experimented with different locations, but this year the event is back at its natural home in the Australian War Memorial, with some screenings to take place for the first time at the National Film and Sound Archive.
The idea, Papas says, is to throw the spotlight on recent work by veterans and filmmakers who explore conflict and veterans’ themes. He is keen to emphasise the Q&A sessions associated with this year’s entries.
The closing gala night will feature the presentation of the festival’s Red Poppy Awards, exquisite trophies crafted by Canberra glass artist Annette Blair and inspired by the poem “In Flanders Fields the Poppies Blow.”
Apart from Australia, we’ll be seeing films from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, France, India, Iran, Iraq, NZ, Russian Federation, the UK and the US.
The festival opens with the Australian premiere of “Cry of Silence”, directed by Russia’s Vladimir Potapov, set in 1942 during the Leningrad blockade and will close with the Australian premiere of the US documentary, “The Interpreters”, which follows the lives of Iraqi and Afghan military interpreters who worked with US forces on the ground.
A highlight, a Cannes favourite, will be the French film, “The Swallows of Kabul” (Les hirondelles de Kaboul), an animated adaptation of Yasmina Khadra’s novel of the same name set in 1998 Taliban-occupied Kabul.
Other films include “Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan”, set in a Vietnamese rubber
plantation where 108 young and inexperienced Australian and NZ soldiers are fighting for their lives and “Escape and Evasion”, where a lone soldier returns home from Burma in search of solace but is forced by a journo to reveal the ghosts of his past.
In “Mosul 980” from Iraq, a 17-year-old kidnapped Yazidi girl disguised in ISIS uniform tries to escape from ISIS.
An important aspect of the festival, Papas says, is his inclusion of films by real veterans now working as filmmakers and artists, such as “Darkest Corner” directed by Dave Beamish and Zac Loy from Australia in which two unlikely young saboteurs are trapped by a hostile extremist militia.
Jason Trembath’s dystopian film “Carcerem” from Australia shows a young officer wanting
to leave the desolate planet of Carcerem after completing his required tour of duty, but manipulated into staying by an obsessed commanding officer.
“Minor Accident of War” from the US is a true story written and narrated by the man who lived it, 95-year-old Edward Field, whose plane, on his third mission over Germany, lost all four engines and crash-landed in the North Sea.
A special screening will be Tom Jeffrey’s classic, “The Odd Angry Shot,” starring Graham Kennedy, John Hargreaves, John Jarratt, Bryan Brown and Graeme Blundell, where in between drinking cans of Fosters beer, Aussie soldiers experience the war in Vietnam.
5th Veterans Film Festival, November 6-9, book at veteransfilmfestival.com
By Helen Musa
THE Australian String Quartet will perform with songstress Katie Noonan at The Playhouse, Saturday, November 9. The program brings together contemporary Australian composers, the poetry of Oodgeroo Noonuccal, the quartet and Noonan’s voice. Book at 6275 2700.
“HOW I Became Russian”, a rom-com about the ludicrous lengths a Chinese man must go to win over the ultra-conservative family of his Russian bride-to-be, is one of the choice selections in this year’s Russian Resurrection Film Festival, which offers a glimpse into Russian culture from around the globe. At Capitol Cinemas, Manuka, November 6-10. Book at eventcinemas.com.au
THE Majors Creek Festival, an annual, threeday folk and roots music festival, will be held in the old gold-mining village of Majors Creek, NSW, November 8-10. It’s a something-foreveryone event, with a full kids’ program, dance displays and classes, instrument workshops, sessions, bush dances plus five stages of traditional and contemporary music. Camping is free. Book at majorscreekfestival.org
Change”. At Ralph Wilson Theatre, Gorman Arts Centre, November 9-10. Book at australianvoicecollective.com
- 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
- Drop your donations in any time - Songland is open 7 days!
CANBERRA Potters annual open day will showcase demonstrations, hands-on activities, exhibitions, open studios, trade and information tables. Raku firing will operate throughout the day where, under expert guidance, visitors can buy a pot, glaze it and fire it. At Watson Arts Centre, 1 Aspinall Street, 11am-4pm, Sunday, November 3.
CORO chamber music ensemble returns with Handel’s fiendishly difficult work “Dixit Dominus” along with Australian premiere performances of vesper works by Marc-Antoine Charpentier, newly transcribed by Canberra’s Peter Young. At Wesley Uniting Church, 3pm, Sunday, November 3. Book at trybooking.com
CANBERRA’S youthful singing group, The Australian Voice Collective, will perform its first public show, “Still, We Rise”, with dynamic video backdrop and pop music, choral works and a new piece written to the theme “Protest. Hope.
THE Australian Chamber Orchestra, led by artistic director Richard Tognetti and ACO principal cello Timo-Veikko Valve, will expand in size to more than 50 players to present US composer Andrew Norman’s “Gran Turismo”, Andrew Ford’s “Jouissance” and two orchestral masterpieces from Brahms and Dvořák. At Llewellyn Hall, 8pm, Saturday, November 9. Book at aco.com.au
“After The Wedding” (M)
IN 2006, Susanne Bier co-wrote (with prolific screenwriter Anders Thomas Jensen) and directed a Danish film about family structures intertwining with charitable works in a distant country.
This year, American director Bart Freundlich cast his wife Julianne Moore as one of two leading women in a remake of that precursor. Ms Moore has won 114 peer awards and been nominated for 156 that she didn’t win; res ipsa loquitur
The other leading woman is Michelle Williams, whose filmography lists 56 feature movies, telemovies and TV series. Her collection of awards is slightly fewer than Ms Moore’s – 44 wins and 139 nominations.
This formidable acting pair play, respectively, powerhouse New York business woman Theresa and Isabel, who lives in India where she helps in running an orphanage.
The link between them is that they are both the mother of Grace (Abby Quinn) the bride.
Confused about that? Don’t be. “After
The Wedding” is a solidly-constructed drama capable of grabbing you by the emotions and holding them to the last frame. The Indian orphanage is very short of money. Isabel is sent to New York to plead its case for a charitable donation. It will come from Theresa’s company. Isabel’s task on that front is formidable.
Then there’s Theresa’s husband Oscar (Billy Crudup). Isabel and Oscar know each other from way back when.
The film deftly contrasts the poverty of
the orphanage with the affluence evident in the preparations for Grace’s wedding next Saturday to which Theresa has invited Isabel. It holds several important elements in reserve as it approaches the drama’s conclusion. Discovering the what and the how of that journey makes the film rewarding. Its overarching virtue is credibility. The pillars supporting that arch are performances from its two actresses that cry out for escalating those award numbers.
At Dendy, Palace Electric and Capitol 6
“Blinded by the Light” (PG) “BLINDED by the Light” is a joyous film that reaches its destination by combining adversity with determination, as any good drama should.
In the Midlands city of Luton in 1987, teenager Javed (Viveik Kalra in his feature film debut) knows that the sort of life that his Pakistani family is living is not for him. He’s good with words. He’d like to find a future as a writer. The heaviest obstacle in his path is his domineering father Malik (Kulvinder Ghir) who resents the frustrations of being coloured in a white community.
At school, teacher Ms Clay (Hayley Atwell) encourages Javed to write about what he feels. Then he becomes chums with Matt (DeanCharles Chapman) who introduces him to the music and lyrics of Bruce Springsteen. This is a life changer for Javed. Emma (Kit Reeve) shares his passion for Springsteen’s work.
With “Blinded by the Light”, Chadha combines messages about tolerance and determination into a film that’s fresh, quirky and affectionate. In one way, it’s a musical. The title comes from “Blinded by the Light” in Bruce Springsteen’s 1973 debut album “Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.”. Springsteen considers the song’s most important lyric to be the final line: “Mama told me not to look into the sights of the sun, but mama that’s where the fun is.”
At Palace Electric, Dendy and Capitol 6
Applications are now open for the 10197NAT Certificate IV in Acting for Stage and Screen.
Apply now, start in 2020explore acting technique for film, TV and theatre, how to audition and how to break into the industry.
Next course info session and audition: 14 November. Register online.
THIS Melbourne-sited Italian family drama is the debut film written and directed by Nick Conidi with a consortium of 10 producers, of which three are members of the Conidi family. Its fundamental proposition is that in 1953, when the fathers of then-five-year-old Robert (Daniel Berini as an adult) and newly-born Angela (Antoinette Iesue) come to marriageable age, agree that they will be married.
“Promised” doesn’t show the years between that agreement and its implementation.
The principal thesis of the drama is that the family honour expressed in the agreement must prevail, for the benefit and comfort not of the two people most directly concerned but for their fathers. Now, that’s a pretty tough proposition.
In 1979, Angela is enjoying a relationship with Tom (Santo Tripodi). Robert, now with a law degree from Oxford, is a friend. What befell love in a marriage stage-managed by fathers? Separate bedrooms. Angela’s choice.
The cast does what it can to make it work. For the filmgoer, the screenplay offers little to alleviate the boredom. The clangy, thumpy soundtrack is intrusive. I came away from it concluding that the Conidi family felt compelled to tell a story to which their creative skills simply were not up to.
At Palace Electric
By Wendy JOHNSON
WHEN I head to a steakhouse, it’s usually because I have a craving. My mind plays around with images of a big, juicy, perfectly cooked, quality steak.
A group of us headed to Manuka Steakhouse, which has been on Flinders Way for a few years now, and I had steak in mind.
While there are steaks, the menu branches out in several directions to include pasta, seafood, pizza, light meals and even a kids’ menu. The grill section features five steak options ($28.50 to $34.50), a surf and turf ($34.50), beef ribs ($30.50) and more.
We settled inside (would have chosen to dine outdoors but it was one of those crazy-windy Canberra days and we thought we’d get blown away), in comfy seats agreeing the décor is lovely and warm.
It’s never a good start when there are complications with ordering. The pasta ordered wasn’t available. The fish of the day wasn’t available. Hmmm…
With decisions on mains made, we began by sharing the beetroot salad, which looked enticing on the plate ($16.50). It was a generous serve of rocket and the salad was loaded with salty fetta, thin slices of Spanish onion and radish, walnuts and a tangy pomegranate
Also a huge serve was the kangaroo loin ($28.50). It came medium rare and was tender enough. The crispy-skin salmon (ordered because there was no fish of the day) arrived looking inviting on the plate, too ($29.50). It was served with lime mash, asparagus and hollandaise sauce. My beef scotch steak ($34.50) was ordered rare and came more well done, so back it went. And then there was another (painfully long) waiting period, which we couldn’t
figure out because we were the only
The person who served us was friendly and tried hard, but when so many things aren’t quite right, it’s hard to leave happy. It didn’t help that we had to flag him down to give us the bill at the end. How hard is it to be attentive when you only have one table full in the restaurant?
Manuka Steakhouse, 7/18 Flinders Way, Griffith, open Monday to Thursday, 5pm-10pm; Friday to Sunday 11am-3pm and 5pm-10pm.
Joanne Madeline Moore
ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)
Aries folk need to have an ambitious project to channel fiery energy into. This week you’ll be given the opportunity to lead, influence or help those around you so don’t waste it. Courage and compassion are a powerful combination. But there is the potential for Mars-Pluto power struggles with an authority figure, work colleague or parent (especially on Tuesday). The situation is complicated by Mercury being retrograde, so take the time to communicate extra carefully.
TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 21)
With Neptune and Saturn activating your aspirations zones, it’s a wonderful week to dream big dreams and set ambitious goals for the future. But Mercury is reversing through your partnership zone (until November 20) so plans and people must be handled with an extra big dollop of diplomacy and discretion. As singer-songwriter (and birthday great) Joni Mitchell reminds us: “There are things to confess that enrich the world, and things that need not be said.”
GEMINI (May 22 – June 21)
This week you’ll experience the greatest satisfaction if you share your goals, aspirations and dreams with other like-minded people. Collective collaboration is the key. But Mercury is in retrograde mode (until November 20) which could slow down your daily routine or stir up an old health issue. So do your best to get the balance right between being creative and being thorough; between having inspirational ideas and making practical progress.
CANCER (June 22 – July 23)
The combination of retrograde Mercury and the Mars/Pluto square could exacerbate a problem with a friend or family member. But then Saturn and Neptune come to the rescue and teach you an important celestial lesson. If you look for the best in the person and work hard on improving your communication skills, then the partnership will gradually improve and have a solid chance of longevity. It’s important to take baby steps with a heart full of love and forgiveness.
LEO (July 24 – Aug 23)
Leos love to be the Top Cat but this week you need to ask yourself “Am I leading others or just bossing them around?” If you power ahead without considering other people, then you’ll create unnecessary angst. So strive to accommodate the needs of those around you. Life will also run more smoothly if you can incorporate a daily spiritual ritual into your usual routine. Something like yoga, tai chi, chanting, meditation, contemplation or creative visualisation.
VIRGO (Aug 24 – Sept 23)
Your ruling planet Mercury is retrograde, which can increase self-criticism and dent confidence. This week, with proactive Mars marching through your self-esteem zone, it’s time to hold your head high and trust your inner judgement. Be inspired by actress and birthday great, Sally Field: “It took me a long time not to judge myself through someone else’s eyes.” Saturn and Neptune also encourage you to be extra kind and compassionate towards an old friend.
LIBRA (Sept 24 – Oct 23)
This week Saturn and Neptune inspire you to contemplate your future. Whether you want to build a home, expand your family or change jobs, begin with a dream and then work hard to make it a robust reality. Dreams are wasted if you don’t turn them into productive projects! But a relationship could experience problems as retrograde Mercury boosts impatience and heightens sensitivities. A healthy dose of Libran tact and diplomacy will get you through.
SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 22)
Mighty Mars squares powerful Pluto on Tuesday, which boosts your temperamental streak and your Scorpio control-freak tendencies. You’ll find the more stubborn you are, the more challenging the week will be. On Friday or Saturday, Saturn and Neptune encourage you to reach out and help a friend or someone within your local community. The close connections you foster within your peer group and neighbourhood will prove beneficial in the long-term.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21)
Sagittarians are feisty souls. But don’t allow yourself to be drawn into a heated exchange early in the week (especially involving family, finances or friends). It would be better to watch the fireworks from the sidelines. With Mercury reversing through your privacy zone (until November 20) slow down and chill out as you relax, review, recharge and revisit. After some soulful reflection and quality ‘metime’, you’ll start to see things from a refreshingly different perspective.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 20)
This week there’s a practical and magical connection between Neptune and Saturn (your power planet). So there is much satisfaction to be gained through contributing your considerable talents to a worthy cause within your neighbourhood community. You really can make a difference if you think global and act local! But relations with a parent or colleague will be challenging (especially on Tuesday). So pick your battles carefully and choose your words wisely.
AQUARIUS (Jan 21 – Feb 19)
If you stir up grievances with an old adversary early in the week, then you could find you’ve bitten off more than you can comfortably chew! Saturn and Neptune connect (on Friday and Saturday) which favours balancing material and spiritual needs. Plus, when it comes to a frustrating problem, avoid quick fixes. You’ll find a satisfactory solution if you act on your hunches, do all the research that’s required, and look for the facts that are hidden beneath the surface.
PISCES (Feb 20 – Mar 20)
Have you been pondering (and worrying) about your professional options in the future? The ideal is to follow your dreams and make your day-to-day work a pleasure rather than a full-time chore. The Neptune/Saturn link (on Friday and Saturday) favours turning an abstract idea into a rock solid reality, via an inspiring vision and a workable plan. But with Mercury currently retrograde, you’ll require plenty of Piscean patience, serious thought and spiritual reflection.
Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2019
1 To chain an animal to a stake is to do what? (6)
7 What, in mathematics, is an expression of the equality of two quantities? (8)
8 What are stables or sheds for horses or cattle? (6)
9 To be defective, is to be what? (8)
10 In which books are stamps or photos kept? (6)
11 Which object is worn as an amulet or charm? (8)
14 Name the occupation of Jean Batten. (8)
18 What is a line drawn on a weather map? (6)
19 Which term describes a person who suffers from loss of memory? (8)
21 To be impenetrable to light is to be what? (6)
22 What is an abdominal birth called? (8)
23 Name a different term for views or pictures. (6)
Down
1 Which Australian State is called the Apple Isle? (8)
2 What is the big toe known as? (6)
3 Which device offers opposition to an electric circuit? (8)
4 What is a point where two parts of a curve touch and end? (4)
5 Name an alternative term for garrets. (6)
6 Which devotion consists of prayers on nine occasions? (6)
12 What are dictionaries also called? (8)
13 Name another term for proximity. (8)
15 To have improvised a tune, etc, is to have done what? (6)
16 What are enclosures for sports contests? (6)
17 What is respect, or reverence paid? (6)
20 Which term describes an Old World wild goat? (4)
Toby and Amelia came to see me, concerned at Toby having received an SMS purporting to be from the Australian Tax Office telling him his assessment would be issued within three days.
He said it looked like a scam and while he didn't press anything, hoped there was no damage to the integrity of his computer system. I told him that messages from the ATO were being sent out, but not to clients of tax agents.
"You should not have got one," I told him. "All I can think is that an old list was being used as you have been a client of ours for quite a few years.
"There have been quite a few problems with messages and mail since the MyGov website started.
"However, we've been advised that from next year every taxpayer will have the choice of setting up their communication preferences. When the program goes live we'll arrange for all your future communications to be sent to our office.”
Amelia said: “I am glad to hear that because we weren't certain whether the messages really were from the ATO and I don't want to infect our system.
"However, I do need clarification on Single Touch Payroll [STP]. As a small business we have been submitting STP since July 1, but we have not had to include payments to ourselves as we are directors. "I recollect you saying, Gail, that we would have to include ourselves in the future. Do you have any information on that yet?"
I told her, yes, and that from July 1, 2020, they would need to report on their "closely held employees", which includes directors and family members through STP.
"However, the reporting is slightly different in that each quarter you'll need to include a reasonable estimate of the year-to-date gross payments and tax paid for each of these employees.
"The due date for this report is the same as the due date for lodgment of the BAS each quarter but it is not included in the BAS, it will be reported through your payroll. However, you'll make the payment with the BAS as before.”
Amelia said the next step was now a lot clearer and, given she had found STP to be quite easy once it was set up properly, she was sure that this extension to the program would be a similar experience. Toby also wanted clarification of the taxable payments reporting system as it relates to the courier services that the couple's company provided.
I said: “Toby, because you deliver your goods to your customers you are regarded as providing a courier service.
"As we discussed previously you need to separate your costs for the courier service and, if they are greater than 10 per cent of your GST turnover, you need to report your payments to contractors.
"This came into effect on July 1, so you'll need to report the contractors for the year ending June 30, 2021. Your software has the ability to record the contractor payments so once the contractors have been set up it is very easy to keep track of the contractor payments.”
Toby said: “Thank you Gail; that sounds straightforward.”
If you need help with major tax changes which impact your business contact the friendly team at Gail Freeman & Co Pty Ltd on 6295 2844.
Disclaimer
This column contains general advice, please do not rely on it. If you require specific advice on this topic please contact Gail Freeman or your professional adviser.
GARDENING is healing for mosaic artist Tina van Raay, whose Campbell garden is her expression space, art gallery, meditation zone and respite for friends and family.
Tina’s art-filled garden will be open to the public on Sunday, November 10, to raise funds for the Canberra Refugee Support Group, which helps refugees to settle into the community.
“Supporting refugees now has become extremely challenging as many don’t receive any support from the Federal government,” she says.
“Our organisation is stretched beyond belief, so we are pulling out all the stops to increase our funds.”
A quiet, cottage-style garden backing on to Mount Pleasant nature reserve, Tina says it has a country feel that she loves.
“The garden has formal elements, and over the years it has become a combination of plants and mosaics,” she says.
Words by Kathryn Vukovljak
by Holly Treadaway
design, she says her own “just evolved”, with a Celtic cross centrepiece, three ponds, an Italian-inspired mosaic day lounge and a large vegetable garden and composting zone, which is her husband Rob’s pride and joy.
One of her favourite spots to sit is on her handmade mosaic “froggy bench”, overlooking the pond and flowers towards shady trees, which conceal an arcade of stained glass “where I can’t get anything to grow”.
“It’s like a memory walk for my friends and family, I created each piece with someone so everything has a story,” Tina says.
The open day will include gift stalls of handmade mosaic mirrors, stained glass lanterns and beaded garden “danglies”.
Coffee, tea and cakes will be on sale in Café Milala, set up on the back deck and run by Afghani girls who were helped by the Canberra Refugee Support Group in the past.
Tina’s mosaic garden, 28 Vasey Crescent, Campbell, open Sunday, November 10, 10am-4.30pm.
Entry fee is $10, concessions $5. All funds raised will go to the Canberra Refugee Support Group.
ARE blossoms appearing earlier, will tomatoes ripen sooner or will everything shrivel to nothing due t o the drought?
Are eucalypts dying on the Monaro due to climate change? Will all the pollinating bees shortly be gone with the result of no fruit forever?
I am repeatedly asked about the effect of climate change on gardening from individuals to groups. So let’s consider a few facts, none more so clearly put than in a recent “Weekend Austral ian” report that says the suggestion the European honey bee is endangered and the human race faces extinction as a result is nonsense.
“One of the leading experts on bees at the ANU, Prof Saul Cunningham, says there are a lot of different challenges to the 20,000 species of bees around the world,” the paper says.
“Loss of habitat as a result of expansion of agriculture and the use of pesticides. These are causing problems not only for bees but all insects on the planet”.
Prof Cunningham is quoted as saying: “Pesti cides used in agricultural production can damage the bees’ immune systems and put them at risk of disease, whilst fungicides can damage the quality of pollen the bees feed their young.
“They are under stress in drought areas and the increased exposure to chemicals does not do them any good.”
THEN there’s the suggestion that the global loss of tree cover is due to climate change.
Dutch elm disease has wiped out nearly all elm trees in northern Europe and it’s estimated at least 20 million trees were killed by it in Britain alone. In France, 90 per cent of its elm trees are gone. It is now in NZ and Canada.
Now there’s a threat to ash trees caused by a fungal disease originating in Asia. Stricken trees develop lesions and blackened leaves with death starting at the top of the tree progressing to the bottom. The educated guess by tree scientists is that 80 per cent of Britain’s 80 million ash trees will be dead in 20 years! The financial cost to the economy of ash-tree dieback alone is estimated to be in excess of $A28 billion.
Losing trees from a community point of view can lead to poor physical and mental health.
More importantly, this loss of trees translates to a massive loss of carbon dioxide being absorbed into the atmosphere.
Here in Canberra we have planted extensively elm and ash as street trees and in older, larger private gardens.
NOW we have a local threat to our native flora, myrtle rust (austropuccinia psidii ) a fungus-borne disease which affects not only eucalyptus but
also callistemon and melaleuca.
The disease causes deformed leaves, defoliation dieback and death. It is not known how it entered Australia, possibly from Asia. First identified in 2010 on the NSW north coast it has now spread from Tasmania to the NT.
At this stage it does not appear to have crossed the Great Dividing Range, preferring the warmer, damper air of the coastal fringe.
The fungal spores can be spread by hair, clothing and personal items as well as infected plant material.
However, all this loss of tree cover has nothing to do with climate change. With the above in mind, shouldn’t we be planting extensive stands of eucalypts and kurrajongs in Canberra? Maybe it’s time for the government to re-read the ACT Assembly’s 2000 inquiry “An appropriate tree manage ment and protection policy for the ACT”.
