A new exhibition reveals a few top secrets of what it’s really like to be a spook, reports APRIL MARCH.
THE cloak-and-dagger exploits of fictional characters such as James Bond and Jason Bourne have shaped our cultural idea of spy work.
But these films have little to do with the reality of Australian intelligence.
A fascinating new exhibition is shedding some light on the real stories of Australia’s security agencies, told through photographs, gizmos and gadgets, intelligence memos and candid interviews with real-life spooks.
Developed in partnership with ASIO, the National Archives is delving into the world of spies to unveil the curious history of espionage in Australia.
“Spies have appeared in popular culture for decades, but we don’t know enough about our own country’s history of espionage,” said National Archives director-general David Fricker.
“We need to have a much better understanding of why we have security and intelligence services in Australia… so that we can stay at the forefront of international affairs, that we can be a sovereign nation and enjoy our prosperity and freedom.
“The exhibition has given us the opportunity to open up many of the unrevealed secrets of ASIO and ASIS and other intelligence agencies.”
Fricker spent a decade working for ASIO before he was appointed to the
Archives in 2012.
“I’ve come from a job where my role was primarily to keep secrets, into a job where my role is to reveal secrets,” Fricker said.
“Most of the records we received at the archives were private, secret and withheld at the time they were created, so our job is to reveal those secrets.”
Secrets and stories such as the infa mous Petrov defection and Skripov’s double agent, to lesser known events such as the Red Flag riots in Queens land and details about Australia’s first spy, Wilson Le Couteur.
Exhibition curator Emily Catt said the interactive exhibition – two years in the making – is designed to get visitors up close and personal with spy craft and spy equipment.
Radio Unit in Melbourne,” said Fricker.
Psst, the Archives’ sharing secrets about spooks
Arts & Entertainment 22-25
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Canberra Matters 6
Dining 24
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Jumbo Crossword 26
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“We were able to borrow from ASIO real objects that were used by officers, like a book with a camera hidden inside, a tie with a hole cut out for a camera and microphone… things that have never been seen by the public before.”
There’s a defector’s kit from the Cold War era, a tobacco tin containing material for copying keys and a disguise kit used during covert surveillance.
But perhaps the most intriguing items, and never exhibited in Australia before, are two cryptographic machines used to break codes during
Cover: Actor David Suchet with his alter ego, the Belgian detective Poirot. Story Page 14.
by Ian Meikle, 9b/189 Flemington Road, Mitchell.
“These women were heavily engaged in code breaking… doing that hard work to break the codes that enabled Australia to win the most important battles of World War II.
“We were able to borrow two cryptographic machines from the National Cryptologic Museum in America… this lets you stand up close to the sort of machinery and the sort of computational power that was being used to break codes during World War II.”
Notably, the exhibition explores questions of what security means in a modern democracy. How much secrecy is enough? How do we keep our country safe without compromising
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built? How do we identify the enemy, and can intelligence officials target the wrong people? Were the “Save Our Sons” mothers, jailed in Melbourne in the ‘70s for handing out anti-conscription pamphlets, really a risk to national security?
“These are fascinating stories and they add so much to the depth of our understanding of what security means in a modern democracy like Australia,” said Fricker.
“With the advent of the internet and the idea that we are all under surveillance, Australians are wondering where does my privacy end and what do I have to give up as a citizen of Australia for our collective security?
“Espionage, national security… be it terrorism, be it politically motivated
ference are all very much on the front pages of the papers in Australia now.”
As Australia’s intelligence and security agencies adapt to increasingly sophisticated threats from home and abroad, the exhibition provides a window into the work of those protecting our country.
“It’s a pretty intense and high-pressured job to work in security intelligence in Australia… it’s not martinis and fast cars; it’s a serious hard slog to protect Australia’s democracy from threats. It’s a serious business,” Fricker said.
“Spy: Espionage in Australia”, National Archives of Australia until April 27 before touring around the country. Admission is free.
Code breaking during World War II at the Fleet Radio Unit in Melbourne.
Archives’ David Fricker and Emily Catt.
FREE-RANGING
Elevator etiquette has its ups and downs
A PERSON spoke to me in a lift once. And it shocked me. Not that it left me so traumatised I am unable to enter another lift; it was just a totally unexpected experience.
It was more of a greeting than an attempt to engage me in conversation, but nonetheless, a person actually spoke to me in a lift. This had never happened before.
Had I been greeted in the hallway or the foyer of the very same hotel, by the same person, my response would have been an immediate and cheerful reply, but I was not expecting words to be uttered in a lift.
The lift was in a Sydney hotel. Granted it was a tourist, an American visitor to be precise who broke the silence, perhaps in the interests of global harmony I should refer to the lift as an elevator.
I even tweeted the story and got several retweets, sharing my surprise at this happening. I can’t recall the exact words my friendly co-passenger used, possibly due to shock. I wanted to respond. I wanted to behave in the usual civilised manner expected of me. Had I been greeted in the hallway or the foyer of the very same hotel, by the same person, my response would have been an immediate and cheerful reply, but I was not expecting words to be uttered in a lift.
Farting is much more common according to the list of “Ninety fun things to do in a lift”, which also includes the suggestion you draw a little square on the floor with chalk and announce to the other passengers this is your “personal space”.
I was, to my shame, left speechless. In mitigation for my crime against humanity, the shortness of the ride and the point at which my American lift co-rider uttered the friendly words left precious little time for me to compose myself and respond before that unmistakable ping sound, which always makes lift riders look up, signalled our plummeting, metal-lined conveyance had landed.
Apparently this awkward activity happens more often than you think. There are the motivated and opportunistic souls who use their time in lifts to hone or apply their sales-pitching skills, running the risk of annoying those who are suspicious of others wishing to engage them in social intercourse. But for most of us, we just get on and get it over with – the riding of the lift, not the
intercourse, social or otherwise. Although one does hear stories.
Conversing with a fellow lift traveller isn’t something that comes naturally for the bulk of the lift-riding population. For that reason there was a movement floated several years ago to actively promote the practice. I had a spokesperson from the group on my radio program back in the day.
He offered a special certificate to those who got involved in the push. There may have even been a special day gazetted to promote the activity. I have my very own certificate somewhere, which states soberly and in gothic font that I, Michael Francis Welsh, contributed to the “advancement of people speaking to one another while riding a lift”.
Apart from liveried lift attendants in the department stores of my childhood, who stylishly and helpfully navigated the journey for shoppers and the muzak-mix designed to make the journey more enjoyable that replaced them, not a lot has changed in lifts.
Why is it that people don’t freely speak to each other in lifts or greet one another or even vaguely acknowledge the presence of a fellow human traveller as they enter a lift? It remains one of the mysteries of mankind.
New-Age guru Deepak Chopra suggests “talking to strangers fosters serendipity” and that we should “welcome the randomness of someone who joins us in an elevator”.
So the next time you use a lift, good luck. I’ve done my bit to educate society on this awkward social situation and I have the certificate to prove it.
TUITION BY KUMON
60 YEARS OF PROVEN RESULTS
When Kevin rushed home to tell his family he received an “A” in his Maths exam they were all thrilled. Kevin had not always been good at Maths. In fact, a few years ago his mum, Janet saw him stuggling and enrolled him in the Kumon Maths Program.
Three years on and Kevin has gone from lacking basic skills and not believing in himself to being top of his class.
Canberra Labor senator David Smith has a big list of things to get through in the summer but here are some of his top picks…
• Getting out to the Sunset Cinema at the National Botanic Gardens for one of their many movies being shown up until early January.
• I’ll be busy at the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum, which will be hosted in the middle of January. More than 300 participants, including parliamentarians, will be attending and I’ll be helping show them around our great city once the hard work of the forum is done!
• And I’ll be aiming to catch the cricket with the Big Bash games early in the season and then the women’s T20 internationals coming to Canberra and Manuka Oval in late January.
“I can honestly vouch for the benefits of the Kumon approach to learning” Janet reflected. “Kevin now has a solid foundation in Maths, greater discipline towards his study, better focus and confidence with all subject areas. I am very glad we enrolled him in Kumon.”
If your child can benefit from improved skills and greater confidence, then Kumon is for you.
Kumon Maths and English programs cater for children from preschool to year 12 with a daily approach to developing excellent academic skills. The Kumon Instructor tailors your child’s study program based on their specific needs. Students attend Kumon classes twice each week and receive homework to do every other day.
We have four Kumon Centres in Canberra located throughout the city. We’ve collectively helped thousands of students improve their Maths and English abilities for almost 30 years.
David Smith, centre, with his wife Liesl, and from left, their children Marcus, Stella and Eamonn.
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CANBERRA MATTERS
Talk all you like, they’re so not listening…
IN August, Ben Ponton, the ACT’s chief planner, said: “Your feedback plays a key role through your unique ability to communicate useful observations into issues that may affect your neighbourhood…”
And the reality?
Residents fill out heaps of “Your Say” online surveys and make endless submissions. Mostly, it’s a waste of time. The government’s response to people having their say, is: “This is what we heard”.
That is, the bureaucracy sets the questions and interprets the responses to ensure that residents’ issues are rarely addressed.
The most insulting term is that “there were divergent” or “a number of views”. Those often-used terms are the bureaucracy’s justification to skew the results to suit the government’s predetermined agenda, ie keep the minister happy!
It is possible to read what residents aspire to.
Simply look to the documentation produced by the city’s hard-working
If this government was serious about building quality and good design, then why is it not insisting on registration for building, engineering and landscape professionals to be involved with the total delivery of new buildings.
community councils. Here residents set the questions, collate the data and provide a reality check on what is going on. Politician-free data!
The preliminary results from the Inner South Canberra Community Council’s late 2019 survey delivered no surprises. The responses are more or less the same as residents from all over Canberra have been saying for yonks: residents value their streetscapes (trees and gardens) and open spaces (parks, ovals and bushland for recreation).
These top a list that includes serious stuff such as the maintenance of urban areas, a desire for good design, proper planning, thoughtful developments and a host of building issues. And not to be left out, are the concerns about the ever-increasing rates and charges under this Labor/ Greens government.
This survey and previous ones (eg Campbell) reinforce that the major ity do not wish to live in high rise. Most residents still prefer to be in stand-alone houses, or townhouses, duplexes or dual occupancies.
Yet again, there’s the wish for good design – both in architecture and land scape. Absolutely no surprises there. And talking of building quality, it was sad reading to see some draft meeting notes put out by the Weston Creek Community Council for a meeting with Gordon Ramsay, Minister for Building Quality (the meeting is yet to happen).
“The bureaucracy sets the questions and interprets the responses to ensure that residents’ issues are rarely addressed,” says columnist Costigan.
The notes included such basics as: building certifiers should ensure that the National Construction Code is followed, and who in the building process ensures that buildings are fit for purpose?
At the moment there’s a list derived from real experiences that includes that if a building is built to the specifications approved, why are so many rooms too small, the wardrobes often contain air-conditioning or some other unit, paint falls off the
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walls, the windows jam and tiles peel off. Included were references to how the concept design for many buildings may be undertaken by architects, but once approved anyone involved alters the design to suit themselves. Lights are put where the electrician thinks they could go, plants are not well placed (and usually die quickly) and the list goes on. Where are the building profes -
sionals who should be overseeing the
The architects are usually off the scene early in the process and after that there is very little in the way of registered design professionals on the
If this government was serious about building quality and good design, then why is it not insisting on registration for building, engineering and landscape professionals to be involved with the total delivery of new buildings as well as all aspects of the redevelopment of established suburbs. This is what residents are talking about – and this is what the
In April, I scored the chief planner very poorly (20 out of 100) against statements. He talks constantly about the value of consultations. There would be few residents who have had positive experiences dealing with this chief planner’s bureaucrats on planning and development.
As I said in April, he can do better. A lot better! He could do something radical – such as read and act on residents’ submissions.
Paul Costigan is an independent commentator and consultant on the visual arts, photography, urban design, environmental issues and everyday matters.
• New Year gifts to all guests, visitors, participants, lucky fruits & personalised New Year messages
• Prayers for everyone’s ancestors, parents, family
• 8.30pm: Blessing speech by Abbout Thich Quang Ba
• 9pm: Crackers & Lion Dance (tbc) by Prosperous Mountain team
• 9pm - Late: Cultural performances intertwined with
• New Year welcoming message given by invited VIPs, MLAs & community leaders
• New Year gifts presented to all children & adults
• 11.50pm: Crackers & Lion Dance (tbc)
• 12.05am: Prayers for world peace & family well-being
Our 30-minute circuit and caring community help build strength, improve endurance, and increase flexibility so you can live the life you deserve.
Find your Curves Moment
Legal flap over school file request
MY wife and I have a son attending an ACT primary school and decided we’d like to view his school file.
After a meeting with the school principal, I was told this would be fine.
We also viewed the “Access Student Records Policy” on the ACT Government Education webpage where, at Section 2.4, it confirms that as parents we have access to our son’s records.
To wit: “2.4 Student and parent access to records: Parents and students can request access to records held by a school or by the Directorate and can request amendments where they believe the record is incorrect, out of date, incomplete or misleading.
“In general, a student’s parents are able to obtain access to their child’s records, at least until the child turns 18. This will always depend on the particular circumstances surrounding the request for access.”
So, I went to the school to view my son’s file where the office staff advised I would need to request access from the ACT Education Legal Liaison Section.
Not wishing to wait for the interminable wheels of bureau-
Reader ROBERT McQUIRE , of Melba, had a simple request: to look at his son’s primary school file. Nothing prepared him for what followed…
cracy to turn, I placed a call, while still at the school, to the ACT Education Directorate.
I explained I wished to view my son’s file and would appreciate it if they could arrange for me to do so. I advised I’d wait at the school.
The official indicated she would take my request to the appropriate person then get back to me.
She promptly called back 15 minutes later and explained I would still need to send through a request to the ACT Education Legal Liaison Section before I could have access to my son’s student file.
When asked why I couldn’t view his file while I was there, I was informed “they” needed time to review the file and redact any third-party information.
So I’ve sent my request to view our son’s file to ACT Education Legal Liaison, but I ask myself (and one all parents of kids attending ACT schools should be asking themselves): What’s the point?
Part of the reason for wanting to view his file is to see if the record is correct, incomplete or
misleading and, importantly, who has said what regarding our son and his educational progress.
We wanted to see the raw data and comments pertaining to his performance and progress within the school. And, yes, if we found anything untoward, challenge it or request changes.
Like an auditor performing an on-the-spot audit, I wanted to view his record right then, not some time later. This would prevent anyone making changes the Education Directorate or the school deemed sensitive or legally compromising.
But the reality is that all parents of ACT school children really don’t have the right to view their child’s file or at least an unsanitised version of it.
Note the email address for requesting access: legalliaison@ act.gov.au. which indicates straight away they’re taking a defensive position, checking legally, to ensure they remove any information they feel may become litigious.
The official indicated they
required time to redact any third-party information. Well if the directorate really had any intention of allowing parents to see the real information in their child’s file they could have me sign a non-disclosure agreement or statutory declaration then and there and provide access in real time.
Any delay simply provides ACT Education time to ensure the file is sanitised and squeaky clean. And even if this doesn’t occur, the time delay certainly provides that perception.
My request is now being processed and, at some point in the future, I’ll read my son’s school records in his school file. But if there were anything in his file that I needed to see – it will have long since been removed by that time.
Open, honest and transparent government? Yeah, right. Just sit back, relax and let them decide what you can or can’t see or know about your child’s experience in an ACT government educational institution.
Grumpy is an occasional column dedicated to things that get up your nose. Readers are invited to vent (typically around 300 words, please) at editor@citynews.com.au
MY SUMMER
This summer local writer Mullins is hoping for a peaceful Canberra so he can…
• Look forward to morning walks around Lake Burley Griffin, breakfasts on the Kingston Foreshore, and an evening wine at the Pop Inn at Bowen Park.
• There’s nothing better for reading than a rainy summer, so walks, wines and meals aside I’m also hoping for wet days where I can put a dent in the much-swollen stack of books by my bed: Hilary McPhee’s “Other People’s Houses” will be first.
• The National Gallery’s Matisse and Picasso exhibit, and the National Archives’ ASIO exhibit, are both on the to-do list, perhaps even on the same day: there should always be shadows to beauty.
• I’ll take a break from writing by seeing the NLA’s exhibit on Australian children’s literature; and will escape the heat by going to Manuka Pool.
After a busy year, Alicia Payne who is the Australian Labor Party member for the redistributed seat of Canberra, is looking forward to…
• Spending lots of time with my family and friends outside on the deckcatching up after a busy year!
• Getting my son Paul into swimming at Dickson Aquatic Centre and the newly renovated Manuka Pool.
• Paddle boats! One of my favourite things to do as a child – so glad they’re back and can’t wait to check it out.
• Evenings at Snapper on the Lake – great fish and chips, spectacular view and Paul loves running around and seeing all the boats.
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The end is nigh… if we let it be MY SUMMER
AS a teenager I was fascinated by that wonderful book by HG Wells, “The War of the Worlds”.
I re-read it half a dozen times over the years before I rejected the idea that any visitors from outer space would necessarily be bent on taking over our world and destroying the human race.
But recently an even more horrifying thought has been much more difficult to banish. It’s this: our world, it seems, is separating itself into two violently opposed camps – the people v. their failed leadership – and an undeclared war between them will do what Mr Wells’ space invaders could never quite accomplish: the destruction of planet Earth and of human society as we know it. Yes, I know, that sounds absurdly alarmist, the maunderings of an ageing pessimist, but bear with me for a moment.
The evidence is all around us.
Our world is separating itself into two violently opposed camps – the people v. their failed leadership – and an undeclared war between them will mean the destruction of human society as we know it.
Indeed, it’s so ubiquitous on our news channels each evening that it’s deceptively like the new normal – that frog in the slowly heating pot who thinks everything’s okay until suddenly it isn’t.
So, what’s driving the heat under our human pot? Well, climate change is the active ingredient. But we could handle that if it were not for the other forces at play, and they’re to be found in the make-up of the human race and our sudden evolution from part of the natural order to the notion that the world and all its creatures are ours to do with what we will.
and other Middle Eastern religions: it’s to be found in its purest form in the first book of the Christian Bible – Genesis 26: “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth’.”
It’s an invitation to the vandalism that Western society has propagated ever since. And the result is a world in peril.
It’s one of the founding notions of the Christian, Jewish
But it’s not the only mad idea that flows from the biblical source.
Another is close to the heart
of our Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his Pentecostal pals. “I believe in miracles”, he cried after his election and he wasn’t speaking in jest or in tongues. He and many like him actually reject the laws of physics when it suits them in favour of the supernatural. They call it “faith” and they make laws to protect their irrationality from the world of science and reason.
Another is nationalism given heavenly blessing by God’s “gift” of Israel to the Israelites, a notion that could hardly be better designed to cause conflict within the human family.
And as climate change puts millions of refugees to flight over land and sea, the whole concept of national borders will be drawn into battle. Just ask Donald Trump and his mythical wall.
But perhaps the most volatile of the explosive forces has much less to do with the ancient creeds. Rather it’s the rising inequality and tyranny that today has millions of protestors in the streets of South America, the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and Hong Kong. Where next? Where, and how, will it end? More about that next time.
robert@robertmacklin.com
Excited for her break, St John Ambulance ACT CEO Russell is excited to spend her summer by…
• Summer is the perfect time for evening picnics, my favorite place is Lennox Gardens at sunset, so I’ll be heading there with my partner to enjoy some cheese and crackers.
• There’s no better place to escape the heat in summer than the movies, so I’ll be catching a movie in the city.
• Summer always inspires me to get out and enjoy the community so I’ll be grabbing a bike and going for a ride and the lake is the perfect track to ride.
• I will be volunteering with our CBR Nightcrew. Christmas can be a busy period in the city with people celebrating so I will be out on the streets with the team!
• Lastly, I will be heading to the National Gallery. I love the calmness it brings. Plus it’s also cool and it’s nice to enjoy a coffee after seeing the incredible artworks.
For Brindabella’s Liberal MLA Andrew Wall summer means…
• Summer in the region is my favourite, especially because I get to spend a lot of time with my family!
• My wife and I have two daughters and two dogs and spending time with family and friends at home is also a much-loved thing to do in summer.
• Barbecues at the Cotter and visits to Fadden Pines and Kambah adventure playground with the girls are a great way to spend summer holidays in Canberra. There is nothing better.
MLA Andrew Wall with his two daughters, Sophia, six, left, and Piper, 18 months.
NEWS / discrimination
Pilloried in car parks for ‘invisible’ disabilities
DANIELLE NOHRA reports on an ugly and intimidating side of our community where people with disabled parking permits get abused for looking ‘normal’.
DAYS chronic health sufferers are in the most pain are often the ones they experience discrimination and abuse for using their disability parking permits.
This was the case for Janet Ewen, 48, of Curtin, who looks fine on the outside despite suffering from type 2 respiratory failure, psoriatic arthritis and other chronic health issues.
Her “invisible” disabilities forced her to get a disability pass about four years ago to help on the days (which is more times than not) she’s feeling really unwell.
But what was initially supposed to be something to help her, sees her faced with anxiety when using her pass.
“[About a year ago] at an underground car park in Fyshwick, a man came up and was yelling at me through the window,” Janet says.
“He was implying that I didn’t have a disability and I shouldn’t be parking there.
“I said to him: ‘You don’t know that I’m not dying from cancer or what’s wrong with me’.”
Not only did that incident leave Janet feeling really upset but it also made her feel guilty for parking there when she had every right to.
What’s even more frustrating is that when Janet’s mother, who has a slight limp from a past knee reconstruction, is with her, she doesn’t get a second glance because Janet believes people think the pass is for her.
But when Janet’s on her own she says people always come up to the window and check to see that she’s got a pass.
JUMBO SOLUTION
“I often don’t feel like I can use it and often take other car parks so other people can use the spot,” she says. “I don’t like using it, but there are days when I definitely need it.
“Just because someone’s not in a wheelchair doesn’t mean they don’t need a disability parking space. People need to be more understanding and mindful that other people are suffering, even though they may not look that way.”
‘You look like a short walk would do you good…’
ANOTHER woman, Karen Castro, who also has a chronic “invisible” illness told “CityNews” she has experienced abuse and has been made to feel very uncomfortable on multiple occasions for parking in a disabled car park.
Karen first became ill in her late 20s after getting glandular fever, which led to myalgic encephalomyelitis, commonly known as chronic fatigue syndrome, a poorly understood condition, she says.
Although Karen struggled (and still struggles) to do many things, she never thought a disability permit was even an option.
“I didn’t have it initially. I assumed because I didn’t have a wheelchair that I didn’t need one,” says Karen, 33, of Gungahlin.
“I started parking in short-term parking spots and would risk getting a parking fine.”
But when Karen’s work moved offices and the
new one was a 400-metre walk from the carpark to the office, things became complicated.
“I would have to sit in my car for 30 minutes to recover enough to be able to drive home safely,” she says.
Following the move Karen was granted a temporary disability parking permit, which gets reviewed every few months, and as she increasingly gets better, she hopes she won’t have to use it for much longer.
She says it’s been essential for her and she wishes people would understand that she wouldn’t use it if it wasn’t necessary.
“People that have challenged my eligibility for the pass have usually been quite confrontational,” she says. “The angry outbursts or passive-aggressive notes create additional stress that is not needed when I’m already trying to manage everything as best I can.”
On one occasion in particular, Karen found a “passive-aggressive” note on her car, which said: “Hi, sorry if I am wrong about this, but you two look like you don’t need this disability pass. Indeed, you look like a short walk would do you good. My cousin, a paraplegic, is not infrequently able to find a disability spot. It’s a serious problem for him. So I respectfully ask [that] you consider the impact of using the pass when it is not necessary.”
Experiences such as this one have affected both Karen and her partner, and she says she often weighs up whether the physical relief the pass provides is worth the cost of a possible confrontation.
‘They give those stickers to anyone these days…’
MORE people live with an invisible disability than a visible one, says Arthritis ACT CEO Rebecca Davey, who believes there needs to be more awareness around people living with invisible disabilities, especially when it comes to parking permits.
There are almost 25,000 active mobility permits, and 1450 dedicated accessible parking spaces in public and ACT government car parks, according to an Access Canberra spokesperson. Rebecca says they often hear regular stories from Arthritis ACT members about people being pointed at or “spoken at” when they use the disability permits.
She hears of people being told that “you clearly don’t have to be that disabled to get one of those stickers” or “they give those stickers to anyone these days”.
“Sadly it’s more often in places like hospitals and medical service car parks than in general community car parks,” Rebecca says.
“It tends to be younger people that are at the receiving end of these behaviours, too. It’s almost as if, as a society, we expect older people to have an invisible disability, or just the society belief that ‘you’re old so you must be disabled’ (which of itself is wrong) [and then people think that] younger people are not meant to have an invisible disability.”
There seems to be a stereotype around the typical disability parking permit user and Rebecca wonders if the symbol for disabled car parks should be associated with another image rather than a wheelchair.
and it was something I didn’t need on that day,”
“I know personally, living with a child with a disability, I’m actually less likely to use a disability car park when I have her with her wheelchair than when I have her without her wheelchair, and that’s because we can do distance with the chair,” she says.
“But if she is having to mobilise without her chair, then we usually need to get closer to the destination to allow that to happen.”
Rebecca says people living with an invisible disability are trying to get on with their life, and recommends people donate to the “Big Issue” or offer to buy a meal for someone who is homeless, rather than give someone, who they know nothing about, a hard time.
“Go home and read up on invisible disabilities,” she says.
“At the end of the day it’s really, really hard to get a disability parking permit, so if a medical practitioner has deemed someone to be in need of one and they have jumped over the hoops required, then they actually deserve it.”
Disability parking permit holder Janet Ewen… “A man came up and was yelling at me through the window.”
Photo: Danielle Nohra
The letter left on Karen Castro’s windscreen.”
Hercule and me: living with a Belgian detective
BY ARTS EDITOR
Helen MUSA
WHEN you’re chatting to actor David Suchet, it’s almost like talking to a family member.
That’s because for more than 25 years of starring as Agatha Christie’s famous Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot, in all 74 Poirot television mov ies, he’s been coming to our living rooms up close and personal.
“Sometimes I’m stopped in the street by people who say they’ve grown up with me,” Suchet tells me by phone from London.
He’ll be here during late January in an unusual show, “David Suchet, Poi rot & More: A Retrospective”, where he chats with Australian journalist Jane Hutcheon about – well, everything.
“It’s not so much a scripted work as an evening with me,” he explains. “We talk about how I trained, how I devel oped into an actor and how I prepared for my TV character roles, ending up with Hercule Poirot.”
In the second half, he’ll be talking about how he started at the Royal Shakespeare Company, also reading from some Shakespearean roles in “a mixture of performance and chat, and having a lovely evening.”
Suchet will also talk about his spiritual life. Raised in no religion, he converted to Anglicanism as an adult.
“Your spiritual life is very connect ed to the creative side of what a human being is made up of, I will discuss that at length,” he says.
It was in Suchet’s third year at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) when he discovered character acting, he tells me.
“In the first two years I learnt a lot but I was given the wrong roles – ingé -
tion with his alma mater and funds a bursary for students in their final year, once won by Canberra actor Ed Wightman.
It’s an obvious question, but I ask how he’s managed to survive his domineering TV character, which he
“Easy,” he replies in a flash. “I didn’t have to reinvent my career… I didn’t come to Poirot until I was in my early 40s, by which time I’d headed up two or three TV series and played huge classical roles at the Royal Shakespeare Company like Iago in ‘Othello’, Shylock in ‘The Merchant of Venice’ and Caliban in ‘The Tempest’ – wonderful roles.”
During his Poirot years, he explains, there were many breaks between each series, so he’d always do another TV part, a West End play or a play in the provinces.
Cases in point are his roles as
well in the TV movie “Maxwell”, for which he won an Emmy.
“I did that all at the same time as Poirot, I was always doing other things,” he says.
He hasn’t slowed down and is very proud of his recent role as Gregory Solomon in Arthur Miller’s “The Price”. Oh, yes, and for fun he’s been playing Lady Bracknell at the Vaudeville Theatre in London for years.
But certainly Poirot has formed a
large part of Suchet’s life, and in his view he’s been lucky, “because, if you take away a big, huge character like Hercule Poirot, what you’re left with is David Suchet who is a character
It’s quite true, he says, that Dame Agatha didn’t like the character at all, especially his obsessive-compulsive disorder characteristics.
“But that has nothing to do with being faithful to the character she wrote,” he says. “And you know what? You don’t bite the hand that feeds you and Agatha kept writing Poirot stories.”
Weirdly, Suchet appeared as Inspector Japp in “Thirteen at Dinner” in 1985, where Poirot was played by Peter Ustinov, who immediately suggested Suchet should have a go at the role himself.
“I was briefed by the Christie estate that I wasn’t to make him a jokey chap… when I read the stories, I immediately saw a man that I had not seen in any of the portrayals. I wrote down 93 characteristics in note form so that I could carry them around and always refer to them.”
At this point in the interview there is a shuffle in the background, after which Suchet returns to the phone gleefully carrying those very dogeared notes.
“My mission was that I wanted Agatha Christie’s reading public, billions of them in number, to see the chap that she wrote. It wasn’t for my own benefit,” he says. “What Poirot did for me was that he made me a better listener.”
It was the Belgian detective himself who said: “I listen to what you say, but I hear what you mean” and Suchet now believes “to listen is a very active verb, it takes an effort to listen”.
“David Suchet, Poirot & More: A Retrospective”, Canberra Theatre, January 20-21.
David Suchet… “Your spiritual life is very connected to the creative side of what a human being is made up of.” Photo: Ben Symons
David Suchet as the detective Poirot… “What Poirot did for me was that he made me a better listener.”
Canberra experts with skills worth sharing twice
OVER the past 12 months, many expert Canberra businesses have chosen “CityNews” to get their story out to the community. And now they’re telling them again.
From recyclers, plant growers and education providers, to an optometrist, hairdresser, accountant, swim school and ballroom dancer, here are some Canberra locals with skills to share...
Karen’s plants grow through the drought
WITH the long, hot summer upon Canberra, Cool Country Natives in Pialligo is fully stocked with drought-hardy plants, says owner Karen Brien.
The nursery is also holding a native plant market on the first Saturday of February, March, April, May, September, October, November and December, where local independent growers have stalls.
With a growing team of 10 knowledgeable staff, Karen says the whole Cool Country Natives team takes the time to happily talk to customers and help them with any queries.
Shoppers can also 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 stocks and propagates 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
Stephen’s slot cars drive the excitement
ANY children who love cars or parents who remember playing with Scalextric will have a blast at Way2Fast over the school holidays, says owner Steve Bywater.
“We have 1:32 scale electric motor driven car tracks, which are driven by a hand controller,” says Steve.
Open seven days a week over the school holidays, Steve says kids aged five and up can have a go and that it’s good fun for everyone.
Steve offers gift vouchers for racing slot cars at Way2Fast, where he says children will enjoy racing with family and friends on four different tracks, which range from four to eight lanes.
Steve also sells new ready-to-go remote control cars, and if someone’s already got a remote control car that’s not working well and they’re trying to get it up and running, Steve says Way2Fast can service and repair them, too.
He says Way2Fast is also Canberra’s largest retailer for slot cars and spare parts, offering more than 20 manufacturers such as Scalextric, SCX, Ninco, Revell, Slot it, Pioneer, NSR, Carrera, Parma and MJK.
Way2Fast, Unit 2/20 Essington Street, Mitchell. Visit way2fast.com.au or call 0424 453544.
Metal recyclers recognised worldwide
WITH more than 100 years’ experience in the metal recycling industry, Sims Metal Management purchases scrap metal from businesses of all sizes and individuals in the greater ACT region.
“We source ferrous metals from manufacturers, known as production offcuts, and from generators of electricity, telecommunication service providers, as well as others who generate obsolete metal,” the company says.
“Members of the public, peddlers and metal dealers, who collect from a variety of sources, also deliver material directly to our facilities.
“Our sister company also has a free electronics drop-off facility at Hume.
“Our processing capacity, which includes five fragmentisers, shears, balers and
Grasses, ground covers, shrubs and trees suitable for cool climate gardens available year round. A large range of unusual grafted plants and bush food plants also available. Expert staff happy to advise or answer questions.
granulating plants, operates to the highest environmental and quality standards (EPA-approved) to produce products that are recognised and sought after throughout the world.”
Sims Metal Management says it provides customised recycling services to meet the individual needs of commercial and industrial scrap metal producers, and has a strong customer focus.
“Our services are customised to maximise each scrap provider’s net scrap revenues,” the company says.
“Our goal is to ensure that each client receives the same high level of customer service and efficiency.”
Sims Metal Management, 47 Alderson Place, Hume. Call 6129 8800 or visit simsmm.com.au
BUYERS OF ALL SCRAP METALS
Canberra and Australia’s largest Scrap Metal Recycler. Operating in ACT for over 15 years.
Sims Metal has ACT’s first and only END OF LIVE VEHICLE STATION that removes all fuels, oils, coolants which are captured in tanks and environmentally disposed of.
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Free Electronic Waste drop off.
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We supply bins to industrial and commercial clients and farm clean ups for steel, iron and all non ferrous metals.
‘CITYNEWS’ SHOWCASE
Hair to feel amazing about
A FRIENDLY, welcoming attitude and a passion for making clients look and feel amazing is important to Renee Pound, owner of Meki Hair.
“I absolutely love our clients, they’re a fabulous, loyal bunch,” she says.
Renee has been in the industry for 23 years and started Meki Hair in 2008 at Bruce, before relocating to Franklin three years ago.
Renee says the salon offers all forms of colouring services, including foils, creative colour and balayage, and says they also love to do bridal styling.
“We currently have a staff of four senior stylists and two emerging stylists, and we all enjoy working with clients to achieve colour results they love,” she says.
Another important focus for the salon is being eco-friendly.
“We are a member of ‘Sustainable Salons’, and we recycle 95 per cent of our salon waste,” she says.
“We had an award last year in recognition from De Lorenzo hair care for our sustainable practices.
“We’re also a gold member of the Australian Hairdressing Council, which promotes professional business practices in the hairdressing industry and we have a green select membership, which acknowledges our sustainable practices through the Australian Hairdressing Council (AHC).”
SWIM school operators Aquatots took over Club Googong last year and has been running swimming classes there since, says Alena Sarri, the founding director of Aquatots.
“We’re thrilled to have this venue, it’s an exciting addition to the Queanbeyan and Googong [communities],” says Alena.
Alena says the indoor 25m pool at Googong is surrounded by glass that can open up in the summer months and connect to the splash park outside.
“There are so many lakes, rivers and dams around in this area, and it’s so important for kids to learn to swim and survive as early as possible,” she says.
Aquatots’ classes are led by highly qualified teachers who mostly hold AUSTSWIM and Swim Australia awards.
“We also offer special needs programs, aqua aerobics, teenage classes and an all-women’s class,” she says.
Aquatots is a family-owned and operated local business that specialises in teaching infants to swim and caters for all children aged from six weeks through to swim squad level.
Aquatots classes are held in four locations, including Club Googong, Black Mountain School in O’Connor, Gold Creek Country Club and its own facility in Forde.
Club Googong, Beltana Avenue, Googong. Call 6162 0507 or visit aquatots.com.au
Dale’s dance classes are a lot of fun
TEACHING a range of classic dance styles, Dale’s Ballroom Dancing offers a fun way to get fit, socialise and compete in a friendly environment, says owner Dale Harris.
“You don’t realise how much exercise you’re doing, you’re constantly on the move,” she says.
Dale, who loves seeing her students having fun and improving in her classes, teaches styles such as the 10 traditional ballroom dances: waltz, tango, foxtrot, quickstep, Viennese waltz, cha cha, samba, jive, rumba and paso doble.
Backed by more than 20 years’ experience teaching dance, Dale started dancing even earlier, at the age of 6, when she developed an interest in ballroom dancing. She’s since received many qualifications in ballroom dancing and is also a championship adjudicator who travels interstate to judge ballroom competitions.
But, she says she also loves to see them having a great time and enjoying the classes, with classes for adults, children and social classes, too.
And while it’s not compulsory, Dale says her students have a chance to compete and she loves seeing them
CANBERRA’S south holds a unique place where children from all backgrounds are growing and learning, says Kristen O’Connor, owner of Kidstart Southside Education and Activity Centre.
“We have a lot of new families from other countries come to us and we help them learn the Australian education system,” she says.
Kristen, who speaks English as a second language, says Kidstart is playing a key role in children adjusting to schooling in a different country.
“The unique part of it is the love of learning that these kids develop while they’re having so much fun,” she says.
Beginning as a small operation in Rivett in 1996, they have since moved to bigger premises in Wanniassa to cater for a lot more families.
Kristen says they run two age-based programs, one for children under three, where families can come and join in on the fun, and another for children older than three, which is an independent group where kids come to learn, listen and explore away from parents.
Both programs encompass activities such as music, arts and crafts, parachute play and activities which incorporate gross motor skills.
The programs, according to Kristen, not only aid children but benefit parents, too, because she says they know their children are growing in an educational, fun, play-based atmosphere.
Kidstart Southside Education and Activity Centre, 65 Sternberg Crescent, Wanniassa. Call 0422 406622 or visit kidstart.com.au
Holiday art workshops explore the past
FOR budding creatives, Lavender Art Studios is offering school holiday art workshops aimed at children aged between five and 13, says art studio manager Elita Mackay.
There will be 10 “Dinosaur Art” workshops running from January 20-24, looking at the triassic, jurassic and cretaceous periods and set in the mesozoic era.
Then, from January 28-31, the studio will run eight workshops titled “Relics, Remnants and Ruins”, which focus on different cultures.
“The 10 ‘Dinosaur Art’ workshops will artistically and creatively investigate the natural world and the particular dinosaurs of each period,”Elita says.
“[And the] ancient and historically focused art workshops will be an excellent way for young artists to create artwork.”
Elita says all morning sessions go from 9am-12pm and afternoon sessions are 1pm4pm. It costs $75 per three-hour session, per child, with a sibling discount available. Two sessions run per day, and students can stay over the lunch break.
“Book for the whole 18 sessions or attend on a casual basis,” Elita says.
“Either way, your child is assured of a fun, wholesome, culturally diverse and enlightened art experience.”
Bookings are also open for term one art classes for children, young people and adults.
Lavender Art Studios, first floor, 42 Townshend Street, Phillip. Call 6292 6339, email elita. mackay@lavenderartstudios.com.au or visit lavenderartstudios.com.au
The teaching team from Kidstart Southside.
Art Classes with Greg Devenny-Mackay
Summer Holiday Art Workshops
Drawing, Painting, Sculpting & Printmaking
Dinosaur Art Workshops: 20 – 24 January
Relics, Remnants and Ruins: 28 – 31 January
Suitable for children 5 – 13 years
Book casually or for all sessions
Now also taking enrolments for 2020 term classes Visit lavenderartstudios.com.au
Email elita.mackay@lavenderartstudios.com.au
First Floor, 42 Townshend Street, Phillip ACT facebook.com/lavenderartstudios
‘CITYNEWS’ SHOWCASE
Catherine gets clients ahead financially
“MY passion has always been to help clients improve their overall wealth,” says Catherine Smith, CEO of Wholistic Financial Solutions.
Catherine says Wholistic Financial Solutions has everything her clients need, with a team of 20 including a tax accountant, financial advisors, SMSF specialist, real estate agent, mortgage broker as well as a life and financial coach.
“We offer solutions that cover the whole of a client’s financial life, including their tax affairs, financial planning, mortgages, properties, superannuation and insurances,” she says.
Having worked in the financial industry
for 30 years, Catherine says she loves seeing clients’ overall financial position improve year after year through the wholistic advice that her firm offers.
“Many clients come to us with no idea where to start or a feeling that they are lost or stuck in the financial maze,” she says.
“Because we offer advice across all financial industries, no matter where a client is up to on the journey, we are able to assist.”
Wholistic Financial Solutions, Unit 4/6 Pelle Street, Mitchell. Call 6162 4546, email reception@wfscanberra.com.au or visit wfscanberra.com.au
Independent optician offers personal service
FOR more than 20 years, the independently owned business Curtin Optical has differed from large chain stores by giving the Canberra community a personalised service, says owner Corey Nicholls.
“We go that extra step to be helpful and provide excellent product knowledge,” Corey says.
Corey says the team of three experienced optometrists cater to all optometry needs, from general optometry services to express spectacle services and optical dispensing.
And, he says they offer a mobile optical dispensing service providing selection and delivery to those who are unable to get to the store due to age or disability. This also includes spectacle repairs and adjustments and an after-hours service.
As a full workshop facility, Corey says Curtin Optical has a same-day turnaround for in-store services and a 24-hour turnaround for mobile jobs.
Stocking a wide assortment of eyewear, contact lenses and accessories, Corey says they cater to all tastes, offering affordable brands and well-known, more expensive brands, too.
And, as providers to the ACT pension scheme and the Department of Veteran Affairs, Corey says Curtin Optical can help a broad range of Canberrans.
Principal Catherine Smith and the team at Wholistic Financial Solutions.
Curtin Optical owner Corey Nicholls.
‘Canberra’s most Awarded Accounting and Financial Services Firm’
Our clients are average Australian’s who want to create and protect wealth for themselves and their families. We Base our advice on assessing clients goals, needs and wants and the financial feasibility of the goals both now and in the future.
Based on these goals, and the clients own preferences we devise individual wealth creation, tax planning, debt reduction and superannuation strategies to assist clients create, build and protect wealth for their family and their next generation. We believe in partnering with clients to advise, educate and guide them to make the right financial choices.
Our motto is It’s all about YOU. The client is the fundamental focus of our firm and our aim is to always put the client’s needs and goals first. All advice given is only given if it is truly in the best interests of the client. People before Profit.
See www.wfscanberra.com.au/why-use-us/ awards for a full list of
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Bacon, eggs and a glass of fiano RICHARD
Peter plans ‘big bang’ start to new company
the problems that beset young singers in Australia, and the fact that outside the capital cities, there’s not much work. For that matter, the major opera companies aren’t doing much for local Australian singers
That means that developing artists rarely get a chance to perform with experienced singers in a profession where leading by example was once the rule, as when in the 1980s the famous Australian baritone Ronald Maconaghie directed and acted for the old Canberra Opera – “a wonderful mental fit”,
Canberra which, as the capital city of Australia and with an educated population, seems like the natural place for an opera company.
“Let’s create a safe haven for Canberra’s young singers and young singers around Australia,” he says.
“Ideally, we shouldn’t be bringing singers in but realistically, it will be good for Canberra’s singers to be exposed to professional artists.”
Australia awards in 2015 for precisely that.
Coleman-Wright was also honoured for his work in fundraising, something that will come in handy as he works out how to sustain a new company.
His Canberra connections go back further, with a youthful win in the Shell Aria at a time when opera lovers from all around the country flocked to Canberra for the annual contest. And in more recent years, he’s appeared at the National Arboretum in Chris Latham’s “Voices in the Forest”.
While the pair live with their universitystudent son in Sydney, they have been assiduously travelling to communities around Australia as vocal adjudicators and facilitators for small opera companies. We catch up with Coleman-Wright and
the National Opera’s new company manager, Stephanie McAlister, in St Paul’s Church Hall in Manuka, where they’ve been gauging the talent pool by listening to local singers.
McAlister, a trained singer and president of Canberra Opera for the past six years, has a very clear view of the road ahead as the organisation forges into the professional sphere, partly armed with a bequest of $500,000 from opera lover the late John Stuart Drabble, who died in 2017.
Coleman-Wright is determined to tread the fine line between nurturing new singers and presenting operas that will genuinely put Canberra on the map.
It won’t be a little touring company
like Adelaide Co-Opera and it won’t be an experimental chamber opera like the original Stopera in Canberra, but it might take a leaf out of the book of Sydney’s Pinchgut Opera, which took baby steps at first but has now carved out a huge audience for its brand of baroque opera.
Undeterred by the plastic chairs and the wide-open spaces of the church hall, Coleman-Wright’s eyes light up with the vision splendid of an inspiring new opera company that will bring excitement, tourism and occasionally some notoriety.
“These days, everything is about money, not about vision,” he says.
“It’s well known that I’ve been wanting to
“I want something classy and professional,” he says, but admits that $500,000 will not go a long way in setting up a company, where several million would be more like it.
In any case, McAlister puts in, the John Drabble Fund is keen that the funds be directed towards the development of new singers, who are defined as those under 35.
It’s early days. Not only is he listening to aspiring young singers to see what the talent pool is like, but he’s also looking around at suitable auditoriums.
He won’t go for a big community hall, no matter how beautifully renovated. Nor will it be an ill-equipped multi-purpose space – it must be a proper theatre, but of modest size.
The questions come as fast as the answers. What’s the capacity of The Q? What about The Street? Whatever happened to the
He’s worked with many of the world’s greats, but he’s not about to overstep the mark, saying, “I could ring up Kaufmann [Jonas Kaufmann, the German operatic tenor] today and ask him to come here, but that wouldn’t be skilful.”
Besides, he remembers a conversation with legendary Opera Australia director Moffatt Oxenbould, who advised him that any new company founded it would have to be inclusive – “people will need to feel it’s their company,” he had said.
He’s been at pains to pick exactly the right work for the first opera and says, “you have to be very careful,’’ as he invites me into a guessing game.
It won’t be Puccini, nor Verdi and, despite saying some very nice things about Mozart, he’s pretty-well ruled him out. But what he has in mind is going to be special.
“We’ll start with a bang – watch this space,” Coleman-Wright says.
Peter Coleman-Wright in Manuka… “Let’s create a safe haven for Canberra’s young singers and young singers around Australia.” Photo: Helen Musa
CALVER
Peter Coleman-Wright in action.
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Shop 6, Crawford Centre, 166 Crawford Street, Queanbeyan
Relaxed, but serious about food
Sean McConnell has created a menu that is inspiring with dishes not seen elsewhere in Canberra. Think modern Australian with touches of Europe.
THE first feature that struck us when we entered Rebel Rebel in NewActon was the cathedral ceiling installation created from reclaimed hardwood from the now demolished public-housing units on Northbourne Avenue. Stunning.
Rebel Rebel – a bar, bottle shop and eatery – has a totally relaxed vibe. The team is serious about food but there’s no air of pretension about the place, which we love. We also love the “all-purpose” flavour of the place. You can pop by for a drink and something light, a full meal, pick up a bottle of wine (at retail cost!) or something to take away (including just coffee).
Sean McConnell (former Monster Kitchen and Bar, Ovolo Nishi) has created a menu that is inspiring with dishes not seen elsewhere in Canberra. Think modern Australian with touches of
The first dish out of the large, open-concept kitchen was the smoked
beef tartare, with whipped tahini and bright and spicy zhoug – an inspirational combo of ingredients and a well-executed dish all round.
When we enquired about the corn and manchego croqueta ($8) we were told it had quickly become one of Rebel Rebel’s more popular dishes and it immediately became one of ours. The tasty prawn head aioli was glorious and the dish cheesy and salty.
We weren’t totally enamoured with the rich and oily sardine piadina ($9) but couldn’t pinpoint why. It’s not that we don’t love sardines, and certainly caramelised onion, pine nuts and currants unite with great force. Sometimes food just comes down to personal preference…
The grilled beef tongue dish ($24) won’t be for everyone, but we were glad we gave it a go. It’s fabulous that Rebel Rebel is pushing the boundaries with some dishes and the tongue married beautifully with the peppers marinated in Spanish fortified wine. A lovely touch of Europe.
Another popular dish is the pork neck with confit fennel (such a mar-
vegetable) and cabbage ($32). It was five stars for this creation.
Desserts are intriguing. If you don’t want anything large, you can choose from a selection at the counter (or take away). We couldn’t resist each having a taste of the blood orange meringue and indulged in one of the larger desserts, the blueberry ganache. It offered up amazing textures and who doesn’t love bright-coloured pomegranate
Rebel Rebel’s wine list gets a huge round of applause, with many interesting options available by the glass. The staff are knowledgeable and well prepared to explain dishes and wine, and make recommendations. The service was super attentive until the end. Dessert took a loooong time to arrive, one of our coffees was forgotten and we had to prompt the staff for our bill.
We
Do you want to get out of the house and meet new people?
Bacon, eggs and a glass of fiano, anyone?
RECENTLY, I was invited to the “Meet the Makers” wine tasting at the QT Hotel in Civic run by Cellar
This was the second time I had attended this now annual event and it is great to be able to taste a large array of wines and meet some of the people behind their production.
I went with a female friend who is also on the board of M16 Artspace. She is much younger than me and taller and far more attractive than me, as well as being better dressed (I look terrible in a skirt). During the course of the evening, a woman who might have had a few more tipples than was wise came up to me and said: “Wife or daughter?”
“Both,” I said as I walked away, happy to leave the woman confounded.
Often, driven perhaps by asinine comments/ questions of this kind, I am sympathetic to the sentiments in a tweet I read on the internet: “Life is a constant balancing act between wondering why you weren’t invited to something and wondering how to get out of it.”
So, relatedly, I suppose that’s why Woody Allen is attributed with saying that “Showing up is 80 per cent of life.”
We showed up. I explained to my companion, perhaps too didactically, that there were a large number of elements that I would be looking for in a wine, some everyday but objective, others more subjective.
These are the wine’s name, the winery, the variety (or varieties where it is a blend), the region and the vintage (year). I would then look at the colour, which ranges from clear to brown, and the viscosity and then would only swirl the
There are a large number of elements that I look for in a wine, some everyday but objective, others more subjective.
wine in my mouth after I had placed my ample nose deeply in the glass to get the odours clear. The swirling of the wine in the mouth well before swallowing is to see where on the spectrum of tastes it sits, noting that this is not a progression but more a circle where you sip two or three times after long sniffs of the bouquet to assess sweetness, minerality, the level of tannin (does it take none, a small bit or all of the spit out of your mouth?) and whether there are tastes that are discernible, such as red or black fruit or citrus or leather or less pleasant smells/tastes like a mud flat at low tide or a visit to Rotorua.
In response, she informed me that her main criterion was the time of day.
“What?” I asked.
“Well,” she said, “some wines are day wines, some are night wines and there is a different wine for each time of the day.”
Quite coincidentally, Nick Whiteway from Altero Wines described his range of mostly Italian style red wines from the Fleurieu Peninsula in Adelaide as “lunchtime” wines. This is because they were light and refreshing and made with lower alcohol than the Australian red styles epitomised by big Barossa shiraz.
I was particularly taken with the Altero 2018 Sangiovese, which showed a good balance between sour fruit and medium tannins with a good clean acid finish.
My companion was also impressed, saying the wines produced an idea of a long lazy lunch where Italian food kept coming and the wine could even be slightly chilled.
The next wines that evoked her image of time of day were the white wines from the Stefano de Pieri winery. I have had two fabulous meals at Stefano’s restaurant in Mildura where the emphasis on quality local produce and local wines was worthy of approbation.
We tried the 2018 Merbein Vineyard Fiano. This varietal is not my favourite but at $13 a bottle, if ordered on the night, was very good value. It is a light, fruit-driven wine with a hint of pear and an acidic finish.
“Ahh,” said my companion, “a breakfast wine, something to have with bacon and eggs.”
I laughed: it felt good to get out of the house.
Rebel Rebel, 21-23 Marcus Clarke Street, Acton, open seven days.
Corn and manchego croqueta… glorious, cheesy and salty.
Photo: Wendy Johnson
ARTS IN THE CITY
‘Ouch’ doctors come with fun and facts
By Helen Musa
OXFORD University-trained medicos and twins Dr Chris and Dr Xand van Tulleken still work in hospitals, but they’re much better known for their hilarious TV show, “Operation Ouch”, packed with crazy experiments and amazing facts to keep children fascinated. They’ll be here with a new show at Llewellyn Hall, 11am, 2pm and 4.30pm, Monday, January 20. Book at ticketek.com.au
THE 35th Illawarra Folk Festival will have 75 new sets in its full 155-act line-up. Eric Bogle will return, as well as a swag of international artists. Bulli Showground, January 16-19. Book at illawarrafolkfestival. com.au
PADMA Menon’s dance contemplations turn to the courtesan tradition in Indian temple dance. Her intensive workshops, for which no previous experience of dance is required, will consider the ritual, dance and emotional content of the courtesan domain in temple dance. Moving Archetypes Studio, Unit 10, 19-25 Kembla Street, Fyshwick. Book at movingarchetypes.com.au
The Australian Ballet rehearsing… The Playhouse, January 16-18.
WA and SA, will make its inaugural journey to Stage 88 with an all-Australian electronic line up. Book at viagogo.com
COLD Chisel has re-formed for just four national tours, and will be playing outdoors at Stage 88 with guests Paul Kelly and Magic Dirt, Thursday, January 30, book at ticketmaster.com.au
THE Castaway Festival, well-known in
MY SUMMER
Things author and “CityNews” columnist Robert Macklin loves about summer are…
• When everyone else is on holidays I can write my books without interruption.
• I’ll be putting the finishing touches on the story of a Canberra company whose inventions are changing the military balance of power in our region.
• We’ll definitely be taking in the Matisse/ Picasso blockbuster at the National Gallery, a delicious throwback to the time when I was Canberra’s arts editor-at-large and the gallery’s former director Betty Churcher staged them every year.
THE Australian Ballet’s “Storytime Ballet” is coming to town again with its new production of “The Nutcracker”. It’s an interactive, educational ballet production that encourages kids to learn, practise and explore their love of dance, created especially for children aged three
colourful cast of characters at a Christmas party involves the young audience members in an adventure. Dressing up in favourite ballet-inspired outfits is encouraged. At The Playhouse, January 16-18. Book at canberratheatrecentre.com. au or 6275 2700.
MEGALO Print Studio + Gallery in Kingston are gearing up again after the
holidays and have announced an exciting line-up of artists-in-residence for 2020.
Local 2020 Megalo artist-in-residence awards go to Naomi Zouwer and James Lieutenant to explore respectively fabrics and woodcuts, while Sophie Quinn, Katie Breckon and Nadia Odlum are the national awardees. The international residency goes to New York City illustrator and printmaker Qiaoyi Shi, who will be working in the press studio creating a new series of etchings.
FAST NEWS FREE
Top: Cold Chisel… Stage 88, January 30. Above: “Operation Ouch”… Llewellyn Hall, Jan 20.
Indian temple dance with Padma Menon.
JUMBO CROSSWORD
GARDENING
When it’s hot, fill up the bird bath
HOW can one have a true garden without the sounds of birds?
Waking to the ridiculous laughing of kookaburras was a regular early-morning feature when we had our coast house. Usually far too early, but what a great Australian sound.
Here in Canberra, the cheerful singing of our friendly blackbird is a far more gentle way of waking up, albeit also far too early. The added advantage of the blackbird is it’s singing all day long, even after dark, never repeating a tune.
In these drought times, with natural ponds and dams devoid of water, it’s essential to top up the bird bath every morning. There has never been a task more important during the heat of summer.
It’s also important to keep a bird feeder well stocked up each day.
In my garden I have two bird baths, plus a smaller one at ground level for the blue-tongue lizards and geckos. I think most folk forget about the latter, yet they’re important for keeping snails in check.
I can’t imagine a garden without birds.
The regular visitors to our garden range from seed-eating parrots to honeyeaters looking for nectar from the camellia sasanqua. Currawongs can be a bit savage and seem to eat everything, even robbing young birds from other nests in spring. Then there’s the curious sound of the top-knot pigeons as they take off. The peewees take great delight in looking at themselves in mirrors; even the rear-vision mirrors on the car if one is too long at the traffic lights. Magpies rival the blackbirds in their repertoire of songs. garden, from silver birch to rare maples, all attracting different birds.
they’re safe with no cats to cause them stress. We love watching them dunk themselves in the water and wash their wings.
HERE are a few low-energy things to do in the garden now – ideally in the cool of the evening.
The Horticultural Society suggests gathering up all the dead leaves from spring bulbs. If some were in the wrong place, dig them up now for replanting in autumn. Give the roses a summer prune, or at least dead-head the old flower heads, and remove any dead or broken branches.
With the recent strong winds, check fruit trees for broken branches. It may be necessary to lighten the load on branches, even sacrificing unripe fruit. Pick up fallen fruit to reduce fruit
mushroom compost well clear of all acid-loving plants, including all natives, camellias, rhodos, azaleas and daphne.
Now, all of these suggestions are light holiday work – nothing too strenuous. Go enjoy your garden!
