CityNews 200102

The day I darkened Mr Snooty’s doorstep

MIKE WELSH

How the government keeps failing Canberra

PAUL COSTIGAN

Slowing a little boy’s journey to ‘big’ school KATE MEIKLE

Sublime photos of the south coast by celebrated snapper HEIDE SMITH

Don’t

Community station wants louder valley voice

By Danielle NOHRA

TUGGERANONG’S 20-year-old community radio station has been revamped and sees its future in getting a younger generation onboard, with Laura Johnston leading the charge.

“Radio isn’t dying, radio’s always going to be here with streaming,” says Valley FM89.5 vice president Tony Briscoe who has seen the radio station through the tough times of about six years ago. The station has been on air since June, 1999.

“The future of radio is to try and involve young people and get them to care about it, and that’s an objective Laura’s got.”

Laura started at the radio station, based in the old Wanniassa police station, Erindale, in 2014 when she was 15, after she and friend Cal managed to convince Tony that Valley FM needed a show about youth affairs.

She had heard someone talking about radio at a party and Laura, who was on a debating team with Cal, talked him into being her co-host, after she dreamt up having her own show.

“I had a dream and I wanted Tony to realise it, and he did,” she says.

“It started with us being super un sure. Every Friday we’d make count less mistakes.”

But five years on and Laura is still hosting the show titled “Youth Mat ters” (now solo after Cal moved) every Friday, 4pm-6pm, and says she’s inter viewed a variety of local politicians, musicians and community members in that time.

“It’s been incredible. You meet peo ple who are doing so much and yet, if you weren’t in their circles, you would not know,” says Laura, of Pearce.

Not only a radio announcer, Laura has also joined the station’s board and is the director of youth engagement and communication, too, which sees her running programs to bring young people to the station.

With her help, Laura’s now getting Year 6 students involved in the station, and is helping them present their own 20-minute program during the show.

“One of the most important reasons I’m doing this is confidence,” she says.

“You’re dealing with young kids who are going through puberty and change and I see radio as an opportu nity to give them confidence and learn how to speak up for themselves.

“One of the big problems faced by youth is disengagement. I don’t think it’s because the youth are apathetic, I think it’s because they don’t see how them caring will make change.

“I’m teaching them that their opin-

ions are valid and important.”

Laura says it’s also really important to promote community awareness.

“Especially in Canberra, because we can be bombarded with negative news, but things that happen on a community level can be really uplifting,” she says.

“A radio station is uniquely placed to bring that positivity.”

And while Laura works at engaging the youth of the region and the community, Tony says the station has a few other hurdles to overcome in the next year.

It recently used grant money to

refurbish one of the studios in the station, which can record shows so people can listen to them at any time, and are looking at doing up the website. Now the focus is on getting Valley FM heard on the radio in other areas in

During Valley FM’s 20 years of broadcasting, its topography and its licence has restricted it from broadcasting outside of the valley.

“Over the last few years a range of other stations have been granted the right to put repeater stations into our valley, which allows them to broadcast their signal into this area,” Tony says.

“Valley FM believes it is only fair that it be allowed to do the same for at least all of southern Canberra.

“We haven’t been allowed yet but we’ve got all the capacity to. This will require an application to ACMA [Australian Communications and Media Authority], which we will be doing next year.”

Another reason to increase the reach, is to increase the support from listeners, says Tony.

“One of the things we’ve found is there’s not many big businesses down here, and the ones that are here already support us. In order for the station to grow we need to get a little sponsorship. We’re all volunteers, there’s no salary or wages,” he says.

valleyfm.com

The

I darkened Mr Snooty’s doorstep

PEOPLE with too much time on their hands irritate me. Tourists, window shoppers and tyre kickers have the annoying knack of getting under the feet of the busy people around them, some of whom are unfairly judged as being prickly.

But when I’m on holiday in a new city, the rules change.

Waiting for a family member at a nearby barber, I impatiently loitered outside a funky menswear store in the heart of Auckland’s fashion district.

When the light rain, which had been falling for much of the day, began to fall more heavily I entered the oddly named Strangely Normal store for a look. The store’s facade and eye-catching window display could have easily been the NZ bricks and mortar version of the J Peterman (of “Seinfeld” fame) fashion catalogue.

Once inside my attention was immediately drawn to a large wall of hats. The impressive and comprehensive range of lids included straw, felt, woollen, high, low, square

I’ve weathered society’s cruel intolerance to short, Tasmanian, Catholic, recovered bed wetters, but to be judged on my fashion sense – in a menswear shop – was beyond the pale.

and peaked (though not one Urban Sombrero in sight). As I stood in awe, I spotted in my periphery a man of similar age to myself but more flamboyantly attired.

I was ready with the universally accepted response, “No thanks, just looking” to the anticipated, “Can I help you sir?”.

Instead, I was completely floored by his long, slow, judgemental scan down my person beginning at the black woollen beanie through the burnt-orange Kathmandu windbreak and battleship-grey backpacked torso down my beige Vinnies Country Road chinos with holes in both pockets and finishing with a scowl at the Vans (again sourced from an Op shop) on my feet.

At this point he rolled his eyes superciliously and mumbled something which may have been “bloody tourists” but was more likely “how could you possibly think we would stock anything the likes of you could afford or appreciate?”.

He then dramatically returned his focus to the chunky mahogany counter and the keyboard on which he was furiously tapping,

one finger at a time, when I ignorantly entered his hallowed and tasteful turf and apparently assaulted his sartorial sensitivities. I apologised “sarcastically’ and left.

It was a form of discrimination to which I had not been subjected before. I’ve weathered society’s cruel intolerance to short, Tasmanian, Catholic, recovered bed wetters, but to be judged on my fashion sense – in a menswear shop – was beyond the pale.

I know I should have pulled a “ Vivian” from “Pretty Woman” and slipped around the corner, purchased an expensive hat and popped my head back into Mr Snooty’s den to show him he’d made “a big mistake”, but I didn’t have playboy corporate raider Edward Lewis’ black plastic to splash about.

On reflection, at the very least I should have flounced out the door after a dramatic “well, I never!”, but the truth is I have never flounced, out of a menswear store or anywhere for that matter. Not a good time to begin the theatrical exit on holiday in a foreign city.

Clearly NZ is not yet ready for the edgy, almost homeless, semi-retired over 60s with precious f@#$s left to give look.

Later that day, my faith in the humans of Auckland was fully restored. Leaving a bar, heavy rain still falling, a man entering handed

caveat was: “If you are still standing here when I finish my pint I’ll have it back”.

He may well have been taking pity on a homeless person loitering at the front of a bar for loose change, but I’d much rather believe he was a kind soul looking out for a fellow traveller.

The day definitely wasn’t a complete loss as I also made a high-grade celebrity spot. The Australian actress Rachel Griffiths was out doing a spot of shopping. I have no doubt that if the stylish star of the Aussie classic “Muriel’s Wedding” and director of current hit “Rides Like a Girl” entered crusty old mate’s gentleman’s emporium. he’d be gushing like the geysers at Rotorua for a month.

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Queanbeyan-Palerang

Regional Council mayor

Overall’s summer involves…

• This New Year period I’ll be on an inland driving holiday supporting drought affected NSW local economies.

• Later, a short break at the coast with family, friends and, of course, Sandie the dog.

• Best efforts will go into trying to preserve the garden during the long, hot, dry summer.

• Finish reading Robert Hughes’ “The Fatal Shore” before Australia Day, which is about the colonisation of Australia and how the transportation system of 160,000 convicts created the country we know today.

• I’ll be staying in direct contact with the Rural Fire Service Lake George Zone and the “Fires Near Me” app.

CANBERRA MATTERS / environment and heritage

How the government keeps failing Canberra

THE Singapore government of the ‘70s, led by Lee Kuan Yew, was hell-bent on building a modern and prosperous city/state. It took a close relative to point out that if he wanted tourists to visit, then he needed to stop bulldozing the old stuff.

People coming to Singapore did not want to see a modern pristine city with no heritage or cultural significance. It worked. Singapore today has the best of both worlds with fantastic modern architecture alongside important heritage sites and landscapes – and an extraordinary amount of lush greenery. It is truly a city in a garden.

Given the planning and design concepts that kicked off Canberra, this so-called “bush capital” should have attractive architecture, fantastic, well-maintained open spaces, an array of arts, community and cultural centres alongside heritage and cultural significant sites and buildings.

All suburbs should have magnificent urban forests with fantastic

Canberra is destined to be dominated by masses of boring metal and glass towers, there will be fewer trees, less biodiversity, little of cultural and heritage interest and it will be a city not designed to deal with climate change.

shade. What went wrong?

Despite any rhetoric, the current ACT Labor/Greens coalition has not walked the talk on cultural, aesthetic, environmental and heritage values. How this government has overseen recent decades of the city’s planning and development is utterly abysmal. Things need to change dramatically, politically and bureaucratically.

Tinkering with old bureaucratic structures will not deliver the fundamental changes to how government needs to function to deliver a well-designed city with a unique and attractive character. The 2019 bureaucratic distraction from reality was the meaningless discussions about developing a new territory plan. The chief planner and his bureaucratic crew were going to make something out of the huge mess they had made over the last decade or so. In the end, nothing happened.

The current ACT coalition parties

have convinced themselves that they know what is best and there is no room for intelligent alternative opinions. You are either on board with Team Labor-Greens or you are sidelined, patronised and ultimately ignored. Their values have been hollowed out.

A devastating lack of creativity, intelligence and self-awareness prevents the ACT coalition politicians appreciating the realities of the longterm negative effects of not delivering on heritage, on cultural development, on aesthetics, while reducing the resilience of urban places to provide for residents during extreme weather conditions.

Canberra is destined to be dominated by masses of boring metal and glass towers, there will be fewer urban trees, less biodiversity, little of cultural and heritage interest and it will be a city not designed to deal with climate change. Given the increased likelihood of major firestorms together with the questionable decisions on the few trees being planted, more suburbs will be fire prone. It will become a less pleasant

This ACT coalition does not come near to understanding that every major urban centre should have had community facilities and art centres built early in the life of the suburbs. There is also no-one who appreciates how important it could be to work with the community sector to identify and look after cultural heritage sites

For example, take the way that Lake Burley Griffin foreshores is constantly trashed by coalition politicians as well as agencies that should know better – including the National

being in October, people need to look beyond the party’s “endorsed” usual suspects and encourage a new group of candidates who identify with the aspirations of residents.

place to live, especially in the newer suburbs (less trees and more heat islands). Tourists arriving on Northbourne Avenue are already seeing towers in the most boring international style and soon there will be more along this gateway into Canberra. The city is destined to become less and less attractive to visit. Is this why we have to have the City Renewal Authority?

The city needs politicians who understand the importance of heritage, of cultural activities (not activation and pop-up rubbish) as well as the dire need to prepare the city for climate threats by planting tens of thousands more trees across all areas of the city.

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

When Dr Smee first started practising out of Canberra, he says he was one of the few doctors in the region who would bulk bill everybody.

“Bulk billing was my way of contributing to society,” he says.

“For that reason, when I first came here, I wasn’t very popular with my colleagues.”

“There are GPs in this town where you have to wait two weeks to get an appointment and this is primary care,” he says.

“I always prided myself on seeing any one who wanted to see me on the day they wanted to.

“Finding a new bulk billing doctor is one of the worries for a lot of my patients now.”

Colin wants more guitars

MORE than two months after a group of Canberra veterans, in a “CityNews” cover story in November, called for donations of new and used guitars to give to disadvantaged children, ex-Navy man Colin Greef says they’ve now got a great collection but they’re

“We’ve got a good collection now of more than 12 guitars in excellent condition, with a couple of brand-

“But we can’t get enough. We want it to be a community project and donate to people from all walks of life.

“It’s like a business now. We’re really getting into it and just love it.”

Two of the donated guitars have gone to two young boys whose dad, an ex-army and federal police officer, died from a brain tumour.

Colin says one of the guitars, donated from a lady in Weetangera, belonged to her brother who was also ex-police, but in Victoria, and who also died from a brain tumour.

“She was thrilled that her brother’s guitar had gone to one of the young boys whose father was in the Federal police force,” Colin says.

“When we presented the boys,

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donating the guitars to people who are related to veterans.

From the donations, Colin says they’ve given out four to the Police Citizens Youth Club in Erindale, two guitars to the youth charity Kulture Break, which only had bongo drums, and two guitars to an African choir of orphans that was in Canberra playing at a local church.

“We gave them a couple of guitars. They were so happy, they said: ‘Are you serious, you’re going to give us a guitar’,” he says.

“It’s terrific to see the faces of the people we give guitars to.”

detainees that are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, rebuild their lives in their community.

“We’re going to give them two guitars and go there every two weeks and teach them how to play,” he says.

“[And] early next year we’re looking to go around to small schools that are doing it tough to give out a guitar or two.”

Guitar donations and parts to the Robert Poate Centre, Building 45, 80 Bellenden Street, Gungahlin. Call 6188 6142.

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Slowing a boy’s journey to ‘big’ school Sanctuary will survive summer

THIS year, we decided to “hold” our son back. In a go-go world where everyone needs to be moving forward, it felt out of step to make the decision that our five-year-old boy needed an extra year of being a preschooler before stepping into the primary school system.

We got plenty of comments before committing to sending him to preschool rather than kindergarten at the beginning of the year.

“But he’s smart!” grandparents would exclaim, my friends questioned if he would be able to adjust to playing with the children in his class if he was that much older than the rest of them. All valid concerns and observations.

But I stood my ground. Call it mother’s instinct or just receiving the right information about not rushing the school years if you have any doubts about your child’s ability to thrive.

Our son has had a magical preschool. Turns out you can barely tell

I stood my ground. Call it mother’s instinct or just receiving the right information about not rushing the school years if you have any doubts about your child’s ability to thrive.

he’s the oldest kid there, and there are some other boys close to his age there as well.

But for my boy, the difference between his social skills from last year is the biggest change. He’s much more interested in forming friendships, listening and focusing when the teacher is speaking and answering questions. Although it’s not his favourite thing to do, he’s picking up a pencil and slowly getting there with writing. He’ll be in a good place to start school, but by no means any better than his peers.

The research says that boys tend to perform better at school when they start a year later. Steve Biddulph, author of “Raising Boys” writes a lot on this subject. In Biddulph’s best-selling book he wrote: “The slower development of boys’ fine-motor skills, and their cognitive skills generally, suggests they would benefit by starting school

later – and so move through school a year after girls of the same age.”

I’ve seen this play out with pen work, and comparing my son’s writ ing and drawing to his girl friends’ efforts, they are streets apart with their control over the pen and their general interest in colouring and drawing. Even his three-year-old sister instinctively holds her pencil correctly.

And, yes, “holding back” is an option available to families who are able to afford another (more) expensive year of childcare, and/ or manage to do drop off and pick ups from public preschools at 9am and 3pm each day, as before and after-school care is not an option at preschool.

well she’s ready for preschool already! Goes to show they are all different.

The extra year does mean more complexity and cost. Thankfully, in my case we have utilised the help of retired grandparents and playdates with my son’s friend after school. If we hadn’t moved to Canberra one year ago, it wouldn’t have been possible. It’s been worth it from our experience.

As for my “boss baby” daughter,

We are finishing our preschool year on a happy note and the prospect of “big” school next year is an exciting rather than daunting one for us all. If other parents have any doubts about their child’s school readiness, I recommend giving them that extra year. Take the pressure off and give them the time and support to take those important steps towards the “big school” gates. You won’t regret it.

Over 40 Years Serving Canberra

AN appeal for Whisker Woods, the drought-wracked, not-for-profit animal sanctuary at Williamstown, has raised enough money to get it through summer.

Desperate for help, owner Shannon Mortlock, pictured, looked to crowdfunding to feed the wild and domestic animals in her care.

In the “CityNews” edition of December 12, a downcast Shannon said she needed about $15,000 to keep the sanctuary going with the prospect of rain by May.

“The response [from the article] has been great and it got our fundraiser over the line, we’ve reached our goal, which is such a huge relief as we can get through summer now,” says 41-year-old Shannon.

“We’ve received some wonderful support, Canberra has been fantastic and will hopefully keep supporting us going forward.

“The help means that I’m not going pay-to-pay wondering how much more feed prices are going to rise.

“I’m worried about the future of the sanctuary if this drought keeps up. It’s been dry for so long it’s hard to even imagine it all coming back to life.” For this reason, Shannon says ongoing support is always great for the sanctuary.

whiskerwoodssanctuary.com

‘Witness J’ scoop leads the year’s top five clicks

prisoner’?

NOVEMBER: Robert

Macklin’s reportage on Canberra’s secret prisoner, “Witness J”, quickly became the best-read online article for the year after he broke the national story a month ago.

PAUL COSTIGAN

“16 years on, is this Canberra’s worst building mess?”

SEPTEMBER: Sixteen years after someone bought a residential lease in Banks, “Canberra Matters” columnist Paul Costigan questioned if the abandoned construction site is Canberra’s worst decaying mess.

using phones

1 2 3 5 4

APRIL: When police announced that new technology upgrades to its traffic operations fleet can see if a driver is using a mobile phone, “CityNews” readers were interested to find out how.

NICHOLE OVERALL

“When the dam wall falls, Queanbeyan has 34 minutes”

AUGUST: Looking back to occasions when heavy rain had been a real risk to Queanbeyan, “Yesterdays” columnist Nichole Overall said that emergency procedures suggest that should the Googong Dam wall ever fail, residents would have about 34 minutes before their town became a modern-day Atlantis.

SUMMER SALE

for their safety

NOVEMBER: The safety of Gungahlin residents raised an alarm in the region when hundreds of people contacted the Canberra Liberals with concerns about the rate of crime in their suburbs.

donations

JON STANHOPE

“Andrew, mate; ScoMo here, how much do you need?”

JUNE: When Chief Minister Andrew Barr used almost all of his foreword to this year’s Budget Paper No. 2 to attack the Federal government, columnist Jon Stanhope wondered what these attacks would produce. “Could it be that he actually believes he can bully or embarrass the Prime Minister into submission?” he wrote.

ROBERT MACKLIN

“Collaery battles on, but who cares?”

AUGUST: Does anyone care? asked “Gadfly” columnist Robert Macklin about the Federal government’s court case against former ACT attorney-general Bernard Collaery and the former ASIS operative known as “Witness K”.

MICHAEL MOORE

“Use vote to send a message to the big parties”

MAY: In the lead up to the Federal election, readers were drawn to a political column by Michael Moore urging Canberrans to use their votes to send a message to the major parties. The message? “The ACT needs to be taken seriously,” he wrote.

THE GADFLY / federal politics

Election a good one for Labor to lose MY SUMMER

Journalists love it when one of their predictions – among all those they got totally wrong –actually comes up trumps. So I take particular pleasure in what was really a throwaway “Gadfly” line: “For Labor, this was probably a good one to lose.”

I was referring, of course, to the May Federal election when the Morrison government was returned with a small majority and Bill Shorten was rejected by the electorate as prime minister material.

Shorten aside, the real problem, it seemed, was not just that they would have inherited a slowing economy but if a Labor government did the right thing and sacrificed the Budget surplus by boosting the economy with a Newstart increase and big investments in health, aged care, the NDIS

With the country on fire and the rivers drying up Australians are watching with growing amazement that Morrison’s belief in ‘miracles’ extends to a blind denial of science and the evidence all around him.

and infrastructure, they would be dubbed irresponsible spendthrifts by the conservatives.

And the Liberals would punch home their favourite furphy that they were always the better economic managers.

Instead, the Morrison government is obsessed by the surplus and it’s now dawning on the populace that they ain’t necessarily so. Even Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe is running out of patience with them.

The same goes for climate change. Labor would have set strong carbon reduction targets and a conservative Opposition would once again have cried wolf. Whereas now with the country on fire and the rivers drying up

Australians are watching with growing amazement that Morrison’s belief in “miracles” extends

to a blind denial of science and the evidence all around him.

It’s the same with Aboriginal recognition. The do-nothing approach of the Coalition, even with an Indigenous Minister in Ken Wyatt, cannot stand. As ever more attractive, articulate young Aboriginal people speak out in the public forums, that old notion that if you ignore them they’ll go away doesn’t play anymore. They’ve had enough of the condescending pronouncements from on high.

At the same time there’s a growing recognition in the political centre that we have to get serious about closing the gap. If we don’t, the recent case of a $290 billion claim for the destruction of culture together with economic and emotional damages visited upon the WA Noongar people is just the first of a big legal campaign for

justice. And by rights it should eventually extend to the British colonial power who began and condoned the cultural genocide.

The same with foreign affairs where Morrison is increasingly compared to America’s Donald Trump. Just imagine the tangle of a Labor government trying to walk the tightrope between traditional fealty to the US Alliance and wacky presidential tweets. Bill Shorten, who had called Trump “barking mad” would have had to hide in The Lodge basement.

So, wherever you turn, it seems the Morrison victory was good for Labor. But that’s just a journalistic score card. The profession of politics is not about scoring points. Nor is it about the seemingly happy chance of avoiding the tough decisions and watching your opponents stumble across the political landscape. Anyone on today’s Opposition frontbench would swap places with their government counterparts in a heartbeat. They know that only there can you make a difference for the better.

The real question is whether they’ll be like the generals who fight the last war with a reprise of May 2019, or create a whole new catalogue of mistakes for 2022.

robert@robertmacklin.com

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406 622

After a busy year, “CityNews” Artist of the Year Michael Dooley plans to spend most of the summer with his family by…

• Swimming at Kambah Pool or Casuarina Sands.

• Taking my boys to see the Big Bash cricket game at Manuka Oval.

• A bush walk in Namadgi National Park.

• Camping in the snowy mountains, possibly up at Yarrangobilly, or exploring the alps on the Victorian side of the border.

• I will be going to a concert of my friend Sarahlouise Owens, who is a singer and is premiering a new song cycle I wrote, at the Wesley Centre in Forrest.

This summer, “CityNews” columnist and former chief minister, Jon Stanhope, plans to…

• My wife Robyn and I are kicking off the summer with a week of bike riding in the South Island of NZ.

• Our local plans include a week at Murramarang, near Batemans Bay, with family. We have always enjoyed the national park at Murramarang, which has hopefully been spared by the recent fires.

• Robyn and I are also planning to cycle to Gundaroo, for a coffee and a muffin, and return.

• I have also decided that I will walk to Yankee Hat, in Namadgi National Park, to visit what I understand is one of the more significant Aboriginal art sites in the region.

Heide turns her creative eye to the south coast

AT 82, celebrated former Canberra photographer Heide Smith shows no signs of slowing down.

Heide and husband Brian relocated last year from Hobbs Point, on the estuary behind Narooma, opting for a less taxing lifestyle in Tuross Head, where they have set up a small gallery separate from their living space.

Famous for “shooting” famous Canberrans, Heide has taken to the photographic challenges of her new home town as the pictures show, and says the south coast offers her a chance to photograph stunning landscapes.

Heide took up photography as a young girl in Germany in 1948, when her uncle gave her a Zeiss Ikon camera.

Gaining diplomas in photography and advertising, she began her career as an industrial photographer before moving into photojournalism, working for daily papers and magazines.

After moving to England in 1963, she worked as a freelance photographer. In 1971 she emigrated to Australia, working initially in Sydney as a photojournalist and later as a technical supervisor in a professional colour laboratory in Melbourne.

Seven years later she moved to Canberra, where she established a studio that operated until 1997, endearing herself to the city through her books “I Love Canberra” (1983) and “I Love

Canberra II” (1986).

In early 1998 she moved to Narooma, before relocating last year to Tuross Head.

“CityNews” arts editor Helen Musa recently headed for the coast to view a joint exhibition by Heide and painter Wendy Macklin and returned with a swag of Smith’s ravishing pictures of the south coast.

Heide Smith welcomes visitors to her gallery throughout the holidays, by appointment at 0415 382905 or fotoheide@gmail.com

John Howard, warts and

BY ARTS EDITOR

Helen MUSA

“WE call this Lazarus Lane,” Prof Tom Frame says as he walks me into the inner chambers of Old Parliament House to visit the Howard Library.

That’s a reference to the time when John Howard, after whom the library is named, claimed that any chance of his returning to the Liberal Party leader ship after his 1989 election loss to Bob Hawke’s Labor government, was like that of “Lazarus with a triple bypass”.

Frame, an academic at UNSW Canberra and the former bishop to the Australian Defence Force, is director of the library and the university’s public leadership research group, had contacted us for a walk through the Howard Library as it celebrated a year of operation in December.

The library houses more than 10,000 items spanning Howard’s politi cal career from 1974 to 2007.

Frame is keen to emphasise that he is first and foremost a scholarly historian and when John Howard told him: “I don’t want a shrine”, quick as a flash, Frame had replied: “It’s not on offer.”

“To intentionally misquote John Howard,” Frame says,“we will decide what is displayed and the circumstances in which it is displayed. The university has exercised complete control over the choice of exhibits and the text panels in the displays”.

Howard has in fact been scrupulously hands-off in matters of curating the material, which ranges from smiling prime ministerial happy snaps and lifebuoys from HMAS Manoora and Norwegian freighter

Brandis. Frame is quick to clarify that Brandis has claimed he merely called Howard a “rodent.”

There’s even a wall devoted to “Honest John’s” denial that he would introduce a goods and services tax – “There’s no way that the GST will ever be part of our policy… Never ever. It’s dead.”

Frame is even-handed on a dubious point in Australian public morality when the Tampa affair led to the introduction of the Border Protection Bill, saying: “In 2001, politics were on steroids and there were genuine concerns about merchant ships being commandeered – we present both sides of the argument.”

To that end, the collection includes

Lazarus Lane

from the government of the Solomon Islands and a section on Howard’s role

Labor leaders Kim Beazley, Simon Crean and Mark Latham.

There’s even a Philip Ruddock themed room showing the former Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs’ strong record in human rights, something rarely emphasised in the press, a diary from former Howard government minister Peter Reith showing how he took notes verbatim to counter a poor memory and a section on Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer.

Central to the collection is Howard’s enormous library of written material, a cabinet of his sporting trophies, with his favourite cricket bat at the centre, some unusual honours including a knighthood

There’s a kimono worn by the former PM at the 1995 APEC meetings in Osaka, a bullet-proof vest he was forced to wear, very reluctantly, when he addressed angry gun owners in Gippsland in 1996, and a corner devoted to the 9/11 attacks, since Howard was in Washington DC at that time.

Frame is particularly proud of Howard’s own Chesterfield armchairs and the prime ministerial maple desk, put into storage by Gough Whitlam then brought out again by Howard until, as he lamented: “The style police didn’t like it”.

Volunteer curator Trish Burgess says she’s had a lot of fun curating a fascinating display of official gifts, some of them priceless, presented to

Howard and later passed on to the library. These include a solid-gold, apple-like object from the Sultan of Brunei and a bronze bear (the state emblem of California) from thengovernor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Frame sees considerable irony in the fact that he was raised in a strong Labor-voting family, but he brings to his job the measured approach of an historian saying: “Here we do critical analysis… John Howard changed the country for good and in some cases for ill, it is our job to be critical and scrutinise the 11-year period in which he was PM.”

The Howard Library, Old Parliament House. Free after entry via the Museum of Australian Democracy. Open weekdays, 9.30am-4.30pm. Closed for holidays until Monday, January 6.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Poster show from a titan of printmaking

By Helen MUSA

BEYOND the blockbusters, the National Gallery of Australia is always running smaller exhibitions year round, many revealing the depth of its own collection.

A case in point is “Lichtenstein to Warhol: The Kenneth Tyler Collection”, a showcase of post-war American large-format printmaking from titans such as Anni and Josef

Mitchell, Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol, Claes Oldenburg, Nancy Graves and David Hockney.

Behind the transformation of printmaking from a minor technique to a hot international art form was the trailblazing master printer and publisher Ken Tyler, admired by gallery director Nick Mitzevich as a revolutionary and a regular visitor to the gallery over the years.

The exhibition marks the establishment of The Kenneth E Tyler AO and Marabeth Cohen-Tyler Foundation to enable the NGA to continue maintaining a dedicated publication and exhibition program.

“Printmaking was a small affair, frowned on as derivative until Tyler came along,” NGA curatorial assistant David Greenhalgh says, adding that in Europe the rule was that prints should be small.

“Tyler changed all that, ushering a print renaissance that linked well with abstract expression and the big, gestural paintings,” he says.

Mitzevich notes the NGA’s first director James Mollison was quick off the mark, acquiring the Kenneth Tyler Print Collection in 1973, followed by other major acquisitions, so that the collection now includes more than 7400 editioned prints, proofs, drawings, paper works, screens, multiples and illustrated books as well as photography, film and audio.

In 1963 Ken Tyler received a Ford Foundation fellowship to attend the Tamarind Lithography Workshop in Los Angeles to work on ink and plate research and collaborate with the Bauhaus artist and colourist, Josef Albers. He was a prodigy, Greenhalgh says, and soon became technical director at Tamarind, where he and colourist Albers

worked with a further 32 artists.

Looking around the NGA’s Orde Poynton Gallery, where the show is installed, Greenhalgh sees an exhibit that can be enjoyed by the public and also serve as a living textbook on printmaking for the experts.

Robert Rauschenberg’s “Booster” is one of his favourites. Six X-rays of the artist’s body joined together to form a life-sized lithograph as “a self-portrait of inner-man” it was, when made in 1967, the largest hand-printed lithograph ever produced. Greenhalgh says he wanted the X-rays to be the same size as him, among the many problems was sourcing large enough paper stock.

Radically different prints are on show, from Donald Sultan’s minimalist blue poppies, part of Tyler’s “bigger, brighter, bolder” push to the lyricism of Nancy Graves’ etchings and aquatint printing in coloured inks and chalks, who worked with Tyler in New York when he began to seek out younger creators and female artists to work with.

Some works on show are printed on dry paper, some on wet, some

are painterly and some sculptural, as in an early kind of 3-D printing where Claes Oldenburg moulded coloured polyurethane relief over two-colour lithograph.

The subject matter ranges from humble objects such as bread slices and electric toothbrushes to a scene from the Japanese “The Tale of Genji” and the complex vision in Frank Stella’s even more complex print, “Ambergris”, 1993, on the walls for the first time, which reveals the subtle variations in the proofing process.

Ah yes, “and there’s just one Andy Warhol work in the show, but it’s a beauty,” Greenhalgh says. Warhol and Tyler only worked once on a fundraiser for Democrats’ presidential candidate George McGovern in 1972, with the lurid colours making satirical comment on opposing Republican candidate Richard Nixon.

Alas, Nixon won a majority vote in 49 states, putting both Warhol and McGovern on the outer – not Tyler though.

“Lichtenstein to Warhol: The Kenneth Tyler Collection”, National Gallery until March 9. A free exhibition.

CONVERSION SERVICE

ARTS IN THE CITY

A closer look at eye contact

By Helen Musa

“EYE to Eye” is a new summer remix from the National Portrait Gallery’s collection arranged by degree of eye contact of the subject, from turned away with eyes closed to right-back-at-you. Portraits of Natalie Imbruglia, Kev Carmody, Miranda Otto, David Williamson and a marble bust of Peter Garrett feature. NPG, Parkes, until February 16. Entry free.

JOHN Bell’s Cuban-flavoured production of Bizet’s “Carmen” returns to Sydney as a scorching choice for the summer season, with five singers making their Opera Australia debuts. The femme fatale is played by Italian mezzo-soprano Veronica Simeoni while another Italian, Roberto Aronica plays her hapless lover Don José and Polish bass-baritone Lukasz Golinski plays Escamillo, the macho toreador. Sydney Opera House, January 11-March 26, book at opera.org.au

THE Bundanon Trust, which administers the Arthur and Yvonne Boyd properties on the Shoalhaven River, has announced the 2020 artists-in-residence. The good news is that among them are poet, photographer and ”CityNews” writer Judith Crispin, and senior curator at Canberra Museum & Gallery, Virginia Rigney.

THE National Film and Sound Archive’s summer school holidays program “We can be (Kid) Heroes” kicks off in January with princesses, penguins, aliens and adventurers in movies as varied as “Brave”, “Happy Feet”, “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” and “Where the Wild Things Are”. Arc Cinema, NFSA, January 6-17, book at nfsa.gov.au

“Natalie Imbruglia”, 1999, Polly Borland, type C photograph in Eye to Eye… at the National Portrait Gallery until February 16.

FOR adults not into sharing games with children, the NFSA has adults-only after-hours events throughout the summer, including “Local Heroes of Gaming” on January 17, where Canberra game creators will share their experiences in the industry. Book at nfsa.gov.au

DOMENIC Mico tells us that the Ginninderry estate will name one of its streets “Blue Folk Lane” after the radical community arts organisation of the same name which he founded at Strathnairn in 1979.

“AS the decade draws to a close,” Canberra Contemporary Art Space says, “so does our time at Gorman Arts Centre.” As we predicted, they’re looking forward to celebrating the opening of their new home at East Space on the lake, but although they’ve already enjoyed their “last day ever” at Gorman, there’s a date yet to come for the re-opening, so as they’re saying, “stay tuned”.

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MUSICAL THEATRE

Emily takes the lead as a feisty, feminist fish

By Helen Musa

ICKLE Pickle Productions is staging Disney’s musical, “The Little Mermaid”, the sad story of the mermaid who trades her fishy tail for a pair of legs to win the love of an uncaring prince, as its January holiday show.

The director is Jordan Best, whose previous musicals with Ickle Pickle include “The Emperor’s New Clothes”, “The Three Musketeers”, Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” and “Alice in Wonderland”.

“Disney’s prince is charming but also a bit awkward and vulnerable so it’s not a case of the young mermaid falling for an older man. It’s two young adults who fall in love with each other – it’s just Disney,” says Best.

She admits that some of the underwater scenes stretch credibility, so while it’s been a lot of fun to do, it’s also been “hard work producing Disney magic on the smell of an oily rag”.

The fun is evident in the array of ridiculous characters, such as Sebastian the lobster, a manic French chef, evil Ursula and her eel offsiders, Flotsam and Jetsam, a tap-dancing seagull and the catchy numbers such as “Under the Sea”, “Positoovity”, “Kiss the Girl” and “If Only” add to the overall sense of colour and entertainment.

Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid” was the quintessen -

with love for the prince, is wracked with pain on land, where walking feels like treading on knives, and is silenced by having her tongue cut out.

by Doug Wright, Ariel the mermaid (Andersen didn’t give her a name) is not a victim but a feisty, feminist female fish and a heroine who saves the prince from drowning. She has to sacrifice her voice to become a woman in a deal set up by Ursula the sea witch – not nearly so scary.

Canberra soprano Emily Pogson, last pictured in these pages as Nancy in Queanbeyan Players’

and youth performers have been rehearsing since the beginning of September, and describes the show as “a perfect fit for the theatre company, as it offers performance opportunities for adults, teenagers and children”.

“The Little Mermaid”, Belconnen Theatre, January 10-25. Book at trybooking.com or 0460 401621.

Rachel drops her clothes

By Helen Musa

RACHEL Reid leads a double life.

By day a Giralang mother of two, she transforms herself at night into showgirl and burlesque performer Jazida, in which guise she’s represented Australia at the Burlesque Hall of Fame in Las Vegas. Now she’s armed with a grant from artsACT to develop her first one-woman show, one she says will “have you dropping your guard as she drops her clothes”. Billed as an immersive dance-theatre experience, it follows suspected thief Jazida as she flees police through every speakeasy, cabaret club, circus tent and burlesque bar in Canberra.

“Catch Jazida”, Courtyard Studio, Canberra Theatre Centre, January 15-19. Book at canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 6275 2700.

JUMBO CROSSWORD

Pleasing perennials for the heat

the Mediterranean to South Africa, and are ideally suited to our hot, dry climate and survive on a minimum of water compared with annuals such as petunias.

The perennial gaillardia hails from Texas, Arizona and south into Mexico, and features colours typical of plants from a hot climate. The Horticultural Society of Canberra has a number of gaillardia varieties growing in its demonstration garden in Bruce.

als is alstroemeria, or Peruvian lily. I was given a small pot of the variety “Zsa Zsa” a few years ago from Anthony Tesselaar, the famous Dandenong nurseryman. This has now multiplied into an area nearly a metre square. It’s already flowering and will continue until severe frosts hit. With a bit of spring warmth, it takes off again. It’s easy to divide, filling in bare spots in the garden and perfect for potting up for school and church fetes.

Now is the ideal time to cut back Chrysanthemums, salvias and Michaelmas daisies. All are late summer/autumn flowering plants and should be cut back by 50 per cent now, and again in mid-summer. Sounds drastic, but this will dramatically increase the number of flowers on strong sturdy stems.

Extremely drought tolerant, happy in full sun or frost, and with a delightful fragrance, daphne is ideal for the Canberra climate. It has a long flowering period, although the extreme temperatures in the last few months, ranging from 14C to 36C within days, is really knocking the flowers about.

Mediterranean daphne is becoming more popular, with “Eternal Fragrance” the first variety

particularly Italy. It’s easy to tell the difference from the size of the leaves – Chinese daphne has large glossy foliage and the Mediterranean daphne very small, dull-looking leaves. Most Mediterranean plants, such as rosemary and lavender, have small leaves in common to survive in extreme heat. The larger the leaf, the more moisture they need to cope with transpiration.

The most widely grown is the Chinese daphne odora, which flowers late winter/early spring. This has been cultivated in China for thousands of years, although not introduced to the west until the late 17th century. There are now numerous varieties of this daphne, including some with variegated leaves. Take cuttings now and at the same time, give the plant a light trim all over; nothing too severe.

In “Daphnes: A Practical Guide for Gardeners” by Robin White, more than 200 varieties are listed. Many are hard to find, though I now have 20 in my collection. Still a long way to go.

HOROSCOPE 2020 / your year in the stars

Keep an eye on your finances but gear up

“CityNews” weekly astrologer

Joanne Madeline Moore shares her predictions for the year ahead.

For most of 2020 Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto transit through the practical, productive and professional sign of Capricorn. So it’s not a year to do things in a half-hearted or amateurish fashion.

Governments, politicians, banks and corporations that take short cuts or are dishonest will be caught out and penalised in very public ways. Plus new laws will be brought in to regulate financial institutions and aged-care facilities, and to tame global tech giants like Facebook, Google, Apple and Amazon.

Uranus continues its transit through Taurus. Uranus is the planet of revolutions, disruptions, shocks and changes; whereas Taurus rules money, the economy, banks and material possessions. So prepare for financial, real estate and stock market instability in 2020, which could result in a global recession. In December 2020 Jupiter and Saturn transit into Aquarius, the sign of freedom, equality and humanity, which will usher in a progressive mini Age of Aquarius.

LOVE & LUST

May 13 until June 25 will be a difficult period for love, when your ruler Venus is retrograde. Be especially careful around June 5-6, when the lunar eclipse could exacerbate an existing problem. Attached Bulls – you may feel as if your relationship is stalling or even going backwards. Singles – suitable suitors will be thin on the ground around this time. August is a wonderful month to escape on a romantic weekend getaway with your sweetheart. Singles – get circulating in your local community in August, because true love could be as close as the boy or girl next door!

LOOT & LUCK

Resist the compelling urge to spend extra cash from May 13 until June 25 when indulgent Venus reverses through your money zone. In uncertain economic times, business-savvy Bulls should concentrate on thrifty shopping, smart saving and sustainable living. Luckiest days are January 23, March 28-29 and December 14-15, when good-fortune planet Jupiter links up with your ruler Venus and you’ll look and feel fabulous.

LIFESTYLE

Uranus is romping through your sign, so it’s time for risk-averse Bulls to jump out of your comfort zone and venture into exciting new territory! Experiment and explore, as you do something daringly different or go on a grand adventure. If you are too entrenched in your old lifestyle and don’t make necessary changes voluntarily, then Uranus will stir things up and throw a curveball in your direction. With Jupiter jumping through your adventure zone, travel beckons – especially in January, late March and August.

NEW YEAR MOTTO

“It’s important to travel and move and have a continual set of experiences.” (Cate Blanchett)

(June 22-July 23)

LOVE & LUST

2020 will be a year of extremes as Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto all transit through your relationship zone. Some attached Crabs will finally get engaged or married, while others end an unsatisfactory union or finalise a divorce. Singles – look for a long-term partner who has a good sense of humour but is also reliable and mature. The most romantic days of the year are July 27 and October 12, when Jupiter and Neptune promise magical moments and lashings of love. But don’t do anything major like propose, get married or initiate a breakup between May 13 and June 25, when Venus is retrograde.

LOOT & LUCK

With Saturn moving through your joint finances zone from March 22 until July 2, you need to make sure that loans, contracts, wills, work agreements, tax returns and retirement plans are organised by a qualified person. If you take cheap short cuts or do things yourself, then it could backfire on you later. The period between September 9 and November 14 is not a good time to launch a business, apply for a promotion or look for a job, as Mars reverses through your career zone.

LIFESTYLE

In 2020 there are four eclipses in your personal image and wellbeing zones. So it’s important to express your authentic self, embrace your individual style, and look after your physical and mental health. Being emotionally strong and resilient will take you far. The best day to start a healthy eating plan, reboot your exercise routine or update your hair and wardrobe is June 21.

reverses through your adventure and travel zone.

NEW YEAR MOTTO

“I’ve never wanted to be a lady who lunches… I’ve always wanted to be a woman who works.” (Meghan Markle)

March 21-April 20)

LOVE & LUST

Passionate Mars fires up your sexuality zone in early January. Singles – you’ll feel extra frisky in January and April, as you flirt up a storm and circulate in style. So it’s a terrific time to host a party, go on a blind date, join a singles club or look for love online. If you’re attached, January and December are super months to travel with your sweetheart. But your libido takes a temporary tumble from mid-September to mid-November when Mars, your power planet, turns retrograde.

LOOT & LUCK

With Uranus moving through your money zone, finances will be erratic in 2020. So when cash is coming in, make sure you squirrel it away to tide you over when unexpected expenses appear and the budget is tight. January is the best month to kick-start an entrepreneurial enterprise or a joint venture, and March is the luckiest month for making extra moolah, landing a promotion or winning a competition. In late July, you’ll be given a golden opportunity to take your career in a creative new direction.

LIFESTYLE

Plan a holiday or weekend escape for early June, when the lunar eclipse lights up your travel, adventure and adrenaline zone. But you need to take things easy from September 9 until November 14, when your ruler Mars is retrograde. This can be a very frustrating time when selfcriticism is high, energy is low, projects stall and you feel like you’re going backwards. So make sure you slow down, reassess, recalibrate, be kind to yourself and try to relax.

NEW YEAR MOTTO

“I allow myself to fail and I’m not afraid of my flaws.”

(Lady Gaga)

(April

(May 22-June 21)

LOVE & LUST

2020 will work well if you alternate solo projects with joint ventures. So do your best to get the balance right between being an independent Gemini gadfly and having satisfying relationships. Attached twins – January and April favour cosy companionship and pampering your partner, so plan something special. Unhappily single? The best months to search for your soulmate are January when love, work and travel are linked, plus April and August. Communicating with your sweetheart or a potential partner will be complicated between October 28 and November 4, when your ruler Mercury reverses through your romance zone.

LOOT & LUCK

Courtesy of lucky Jupiter, in 2020 you could benefit from a favour, freebie, inheritance, bumper tax return, divorce settlement or superannuation payout. But, with miserly Saturn and penny-pinching Pluto also in your moneyfrom-others zone, you could encounter delayed payments, tax issues, legal problems, unexpected extra expenses or budget blow-outs. Separating your wants from your needs is a must as smart twins get thrifty, cut excess consumption, and learn to get by on less.

LIFESTYLE

Best days are January 2, May 10 and August 29, when generous Jupiter boosts your natural charm, people skills and party-loving nature. But fun and games will be in short supply when Venus reverses through your sign from May 13 until June 25 and you have to deal with a slump in your social life, a financial shortfall or an unresolved relationship problem. You’ll have to make an important personal decision around the time of the lunar eclipse on November 30, so consider carefully and choose wisely.

NEW YEAR MOTTO

“By overcoming difficulties, we gain strength and maturity.” (Angelina Jolie)

NEW YEAR MOTTO

“It is very important to know who you are; to make decisions; to show who you are.” (Malala Yousafzai)

(August 24-September 23)

LOVE & LUST

Courtesy of Jupiter and Neptune, 2020 is a positive year for relationships. If you’re attached, you have much to learn from your spouse and the more you explore new horizons together, the better the partnership will be. Singles – you could discover your perfect match while travelling; be attracted to someone from another country or culture; find true love with a wise teacher; or a long-term platonic friendship could take a surprisingly romantic detour! But there will still be challenges along the way, and make sure you’re not viewing your partner or potential partner through decidedly rose-coloured glasses.

LOOT & LUCK

Some Virgos will be lucky in 2020, as prosperity planet Jupiter moves through your good fortune zone. So it’s an auspicious year to enter a competition, buy a lottery ticket, visit the casino, win at the races or launch a lucrative project. But avoid making important financial decisions like applying for a loan, buying a house or signing a contract when your ruler Mercury is retrograde from February 17-March 10, June 18-July 12 and October 14-November 4.

LIFESTYLE

2020 is a fabulous year to reassess your aspirations, redesign your dreams and reach further for your goals. April 5, July 27, November 12-13 and December 21-22 are the dates when hard work and opportunity meet destiny, but make sure you’ve done all the preparation required before you pounce. And be extra diplomatic with colleagues, clients and/or customers from May 13 until June 25, when Venus reverses through your career zone.

NEW YEAR MOTTO

“As soon as I accomplish one thing, I just set a higher goal. That’s how I’ve gotten to where I am.” (Beyoncé)

(July 24-August 23)

LOVE & LUST

Expect some challenges in 2020 as Saturn and two eclipses stir up your relationship zones. Single Lions – expect a few disasters before you find your dream lover. Don’t give up though – each dating disappointment will lead you closer to your soulmate. Attached Lions – plan a romantic weekend escape with your sweetheart between January 1 and February 15, when Venus boosts your fiery sensuality and lust for life. But things could come to a dramatic head around June 5-6, when the lunar eclipse shines an unforgiving light on a frustrating problem.

LOOT & LUCK

Good fortune and hard work are linked. With Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto all powering through your daily routine zone, there’s no escaping diligence and detailed work in 2020! If lucky breaks come along, they will be ones you have earned via rolling up your sleeves, burning the midnight oil and getting things done. Money matters look OK, if you’re realistic about your financial situation and budget accordingly.

LIFESTYLE

In 2020 there are three eclipses in your humanitarian zones. So you’ll find the more you reach out and help others, the happier you’ll be. The best days for altruistic endeavours are January 10-11, June 21 and November 30. And February is a wonderful month to welcome an adorable new pet into your Lion’s den! But avoid initiating an ambitious project or going away on a big holiday between September 9 and November 14, when Mars

(September 24-October 23)

LOVE & LUST

Venus turns retrograde and rocks the relationship boat from May 13 until June 25 when it will take your substantial diplomatic skills to get things back on an even keel. And then Mars reverses through your partnership zone from September 9 until November 14. So these are not good times to propose, move in together, get married, renew your wedding vows or escape on a romantic holiday. Singles – you’ll have to kiss a few frogs before you finally find your Prince or Princess Charming. Be patient because the love stakes improve in leaps and bounds from mid-November to late December.

LOOT & LUCK

Expect a financial rollercoaster ride in 2020! Venus (which rules love and money) turns retrograde, plus unpredictable Uranus and retrograde Mercury stir up your $$$ zones. So avoid making important decisions involving money from May 13 until June 25, and from October 14-28. And avoid making expensive non-essential purchases, as cash flow could fluctuate due to unforeseen circumstances. Clever Librans will look for unusual and entrepreneurial ways to boost current income.

LIFESTYLE

In 2020 you could redecorate, house-sit, buy or sell

for a progressive, productive year ahead

real estate, move house, get a new housemate, start a business from home or renovate your present place. And there could also be extra domestic duties or family responsibilities that you have to deal with. Jupiter and Neptune encourage you to appreciate each special moment of the day as you enjoy the simple things in life – like a walk in the park or a kiss from a child.

NEW YEAR MOTTO

“I live every day to its fullest extent and I don’t sweat the small stuff.” (Olivia Newton-John)

(November 23-December 21)

LOVE & LUST

With Venus and Mars reversing through your relationship zones from May 13-June 25, and from September 9-November 14, it will be a bumpy road to lasting love. If you’re attached, aim to get the balance right between committed coupledom and invigorating independence. If you leave your partner on their own too often, they could go looking for attention elsewhere. Singles – the best months to meet your soulmate are late July, early August and December, when your fiery charm attracts admirers from near and far. Be patient because it will be worth the wait!

a good time to look for love online or go on a first date. Instead, be patient and wait for the romantic sparks to fly in August, when Venus visits your relationship zone.

LOOT & LUCK

Prosperity and success planet Jupiter journeys through your sign until December 19. So it’s a fabulous year to rub shoulders with influential people, maximise opportunities, enter a big competition or apply for a dream job. But there could be a temporary financial setback between March 22 and July 2, when serious Saturn moves through your money zone. So make sure you’re extra cautious and responsible with finances during this period. Your luckiest days are December 21 and 22, when your ruler Saturn joins forces with auspicious Jupiter.

LIFESTYLE

(October 24-November 22)

LOVE & LUST

Unpredictable Uranus continues to shake up your relationship zone in 2020… which can be a good thing! Coupled Scorps – the most risky thing for your relationship is boredom. So do all you can to reboot the romantic connection between the two of you and keep it fresh and exciting. Singles – look for a lover from outside your comfort zone; someone who is not your usual type. The best days to escape on a romantic getaway with your long-term sweetheart or special new suitor are January 10-11 and July 27-28.

LOOT & LUCK

The more you rely on other people to prop up your financial security, the more problematic 2020 will be, as three eclipses and retrograde Venus stimulate your money zones. Venus is retro from May 13 until June 25, so it’s not a good time to make expensive purchases like a house, car or share portfolio or invest in a business venture. But it is a suitable time to reassess your financial position, do research and reboot your budget. Financial independence is a goal worth pursuing. With hard work and determination, you’ll eventually get there.

LIFESTYLE

The year starts with a fiery bang, as mighty Mars charges through your sign. So try to keep this sparky momentum and gung-ho motivation going. Trust is a big issue, so make it a priority to surround yourself with honourable people who have your best interests at heart. Plus learn to trust and follow your inner voice. If you listen to your intuition, it will point you in the right direction. Inner and outer confidence is the rocket fuel that will take you places in 2020!

NEW YEAR MOTTO

“If you present yourself with confidence, you can pull off pretty much anything.” (Katy Perry)

LOOT & LUCK

When it comes to finances, with lucky Jupiter and pennypinching Saturn both transiting through your money zone, it will be one step forward and two steps back. You could receive a welcome cash boost via a gift, pay rise, windfall or extra work. But if someone owes you money, don’t expect it back in a hurry. And – if you make an unwise financial decision and then find yourself in difficulties –don’t presume that family or friends will bail you out!

LIFESTYLE

Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto are visiting your self-esteem zone, so it’s time to truly love yourself just the way you are, warts and all. In 2020, mistakes will lead to maturity and flaws will add to your feisty charm. If you require help, don’t dismiss the assistance of others. With an experienced teacher, coach or mentor on board, you can achieve great things. If you travel, it’s likely to be for work or study purposes, rather than just frivolous fun.

NEW YEAR MOTTO

“You don’t learn from successes and awards… You learn from mistakes and failures.” (Jane Fonda)

Adventurous Jupiter is moving through your sign for most of the year, which gives you the impetus to imagine your preferred future, and the chutzpah to initiate personal changes and take on the world. Make the most of this powerful energy surge, because it only happens every 12 years. With Saturn and Pluto also transiting through Capricorn, it’s the perfect time to take on ambitious projects and venture into challenging areas that would usually daunt you.

NEW YEAR MOTTO

“Tomorrow belongs to those who can hear it coming.”

(David Bowie)

(December 22-January 20)

LOVE & LUST

The lunar eclipse on January 10-11 heralds a dramatic year for love. Attached Caps – January is a fabulous time to travel with your partner. But your romantic life looks rocky from June 18-July 12, when Mercury reverses through your partnership zone and communication goes haywire. So it’s not an ideal time to make important decisions about matters of the heart. Singles – mid-June to mid-July is not

(January 21-February 19)

LOVE & LUST

Relationships will mostly be ‘steady as she goes’ in 2020, which could be an issue for adrenaline-addicted Aquarians! If you’re attached, do all you can to reboot a stale partnership or fix a frustrating problem. If you allow boredom and complacency to set in, then it won’t be long before you’re heading out the door. An established or burgeoning relationship could temporarily run off the rails sometime between May 13 and June 25, when Venus reverses through your romance zone. With some extra diplomacy, patience and understanding, you can get things back on track again by July.

LOOT & LUCK

In 2020 the fortuitous Jupiter/Neptune link could send Lady Luck in your direction. You’ll find the more creative and altruistic you are, the more successful you’ll be. But avoid gambling, real estate speculation and joint financial ventures in February, May and June, when retrograde Mercury and retrograde Venus scramble and confuse your business brain. Instead, be patient and wait for a more opportune time.

LIFESTYLE

Activities like meditation, contemplation, yoga and journaling are favoured in 2020, as Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto stimulate your spiritual zone and you tap into the wisdom within. The Jupiter-Neptune connection activates your generous humanitarian side in February, July and October when you’ll feel like sponsoring a child, giving money to a relief fund or helping someone closer to home. You’re keen to travel in September, October and November but expect some delays and detours along the way.

NEW YEAR MOTTO

“Success provides you with the ability to make a difference, not only in your own life but in other people’s lives.” (Oprah Winfrey)

(February 20-March 20)

LOVE & LUST

Singles – with Venus vamping through your sign from January 14 until February 7 you’ll be at your bewitching best as you attract admirers like moths to a flame. So it’s the perfect time to fall in love, join an online dating site or update your current profile. The period around June 21 is also a fabulous time to go on a first date or celebrate a major milestone, as the solar eclipse stimulates your romance and party zone. If you’re attached, 2020 is the year to pamper your partner and travel together in style.

LOOT & LUCK

The more you follow your heart in 2020, the happier you’ll be. Just make sure you surround yourself with a positive peer group who celebrate your successes and encourage your dreams. Luckiest days of the year are February 20 and July 27 when Jupiter blesses a personal project or a group endeavour. But September 9 until November 14 is not a good time to apply for a loan, make a big-ticket purchase or sign a major contract, as Mars reverses through your money zone.

LIFESTYLE

Avoid the Piscean tendency to procrastinate. Adventurous Jupiter makes a rare connection with Neptune, your patron planet, in February and July. So they are the best months to dream big dreams, make magical wishes, set ambitious goals and then pursue them with passion. With lucky Jupiter on your side, 2020 is the year when you can be proactive and make your dreams come true!

NEW YEAR MOTTO

“I feel very adventurous. There are so many doors to be opened, and I’m not afraid to look behind them.”

(Elizabeth Taylor)

Hydrotherapy at locations across Canberra

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.