CityNews 210325

PAUL COSTIGAN / PLANNING PLODDERS LEARN NOTHING

As federal integrity falters, corruption finds a way

MICHAEL MOORE

Hungry island is Morrison’s shame

JON STANHOPE

Stopping a pandemic is a jab well done!

CLIVE WILLIAMS

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How the Beowulf family fought rough justice – and won

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Forgotten memorial forest falls victim to neglect

By Nick OVERALL

PALMERVILLE Memorial Forest is a seemingly forgotten piece of Canberra, where trees once planted to remember passed loved ones now lie dead or missing entirely.

Former ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope was on one of his regular walks when he found the forest covered in knee-high grass, trees lying fallen or dead, and countless plaques dedicated to people who have died tragically stripped away.

“It’s unbelievably sad. All I can see is a betrayal of trust to those who planted a tree here in memory of a loved one,” said Mr Stanhope.

There’s an ethereal and solemn feeling to the place. Steeped in history, the land located beside Giralang, off Owen Dixon Drive, was home to some of the earliest European settlers in Canberra’s history, arriving in 1829.

In the late ‘90s, a campaign by Landcare Australia and Conservation Volunteers Australia saw land in the park dedicated for the memorial forest. People were able to plant a tree that would be grown in honour of

those who have died. Accompanying it would stand a plaque displaying the passed loved one’s name, and that they were remembered through the “treeswith-love” project.

Many of those plaques are gone. Most of the others are buried by the grass.

“The other concern about the state of the forest is the fire hazard it poses,” said Mr Stanhope.

“With dry grass this long, and dead trees and branches laying around it’d be easy for it all to go up in flames. It would be terrible to see the forest reduced to less than it’s already become.”

Karissa Preuss, CEO of Landcare’s ACT division, said the memorial forest was part of a national campaign that, at the time, did not involve the local Landcare network.

“It is now well recognised that local Landcare groups and networks should be involved in the earliest stages of environmental planning and management,” said Ms Preuss.

“Over the last few months Landcare ACT has been in conversations with the local landcare network, Ginninderra Catchment Group, the ACT government’s City Services and Landcare Australia about this issue.

“These partners will work together to identify what is required to best remediate the Palmerville Forest. Following this, funding will be sourced to

Since 1993: Volume 27, Number 12

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Days 4 Cover: The rough justice faced by an innocent family. Photo by Holly Treadaway. Story Page 12.

undertake the work, with local Landcare networks.”

A sign just next to the forest reads it’s “managed” by Conservation Volunteers Australia, however the organisation did not provide comment when contacted.

works to be undertaken at this site,” she said.

“We do get phone calls every so often from people about their plot, some people wanting it fixed up and others wanting to plant a tree. I think we’ve become a bit of a ‘go-to’ for people to call as a Landcare organisation in the area.”

The group has also had some on site meetings with City Services, who Fiona said were “receptive” to concerns, and are developing a “long-term strategy” for regeneration.

A spokesperson from City Services said the department was not involved in the establishment of the forest, nor were they responsible for its maintenance. However they had met on site with the Ginninderra Catchment Group to look at options for maintaining it.

“Horticultural maintenance works were discussed including removal of dead trees and dead material as well as mowing in the forest,” said the spokesperson.

Sadly, they also said due to the density of the forest, it will not be possible to replant dead trees in their original location.

Projects officer of the Ginninderra Catchment Group Fiona Spier said their organisation had previously tried to generate some interest in community clean up days for the forest, but without success.

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“Our group was not involved or consulted as part of the original program but we can certainly see the need for

Despite these discussions of restoration, it remains a sombre fact the area had to so distinctly fall through the cracks before something more has been done. “Why?” is a question nobody seems to know the answer to.

Why can’t the toxic prison stay out of the news?

THE ACT’s politically toxic prison just can’t stay out of the headlines. It’s got to be time for a public enquiry to find out why.

This past week we learned that repairs to the Alexander Maconochie Centre from November’s riot, in which prisoners set fire to their cells, are estimated to cost more than $2.5 million.

Under Freedom of Information, documents obtained by “The Canberra Times” also revealed there was a lack of a clear command structure during the emergency; no direct notification to police about the incident by Corrections and then advice received that a “full siege” was taking place; “Inconsistent messages” from the corrections commissioner and concerns for the location and safety of the vulnerable female prisoners.

Also this past week an unnamed male prisoner lodged 63 complaints of discrimination against officials at the AMC. His issues were referred to the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal by the Human Rights Commission over his treatment in prison.

Which is ironic given that when then-chief minister Jon Stanhope opened the $130 million AMC in

September, 2008, it was heralded as Australia’s first human rights prison.

But Mr Stanhope’s vision of a prison built to reform not punish faded fast from the government’s corporate memory once he retired from the Assembly in May, 2011.

These days it’s viewed as the worst prison in Australia for drugs and its disproportionate number of indigenous prisoners. And that’s before we get to deaths in custody, contraband through a hole in the fence, the “hangman” racist incident and the funny business of

WEHAVEMOVED... MOVED...

“Witness J”.

In recent weeks we’ve seen the publication of a confronting letter by remandee Julieann Frances Williams , 37, vehemently complaining about being strip-searched in front of male inmates against her will and listing accusations of racism.

Corrections Minister Mick Gentleman was having none of the Aboriginal woman’s complaints and has shrugged off calls for an inquiry by saying, in effect, that all staff at the AMC had his full support

and confidence and that he did not believe the allegations of racism.

In recent days Ms Williams failed in a bail application before the Supreme Court.

The CCTV of her being forcibly strip-searched is said to be truly shocking, so little surprise that the ACT government, doubtless fearful of a “Don Dale” moment, briefed one of the territory’s top barristers to attend the hearing to ensure that the footage was kept secret.

Mr Stanhope, who knows Ms Williams, writes in a comment on citynews.com.au : “It should be noted that Julieann did not object to it being made public. In the event the judge ordered that the footage be suppressed. What, I wonder, are the real reasons for not wanting anyone to see the footage?”

We have a glimpse this week of life in the AMC on Page 12.

Thorsten Beowulf spent a year on remand and says: “The biggest issue in there is the drug dependence and that’s exacerbated by the reliance on prescribing methadone.

“I’m not saying those people are wrong for using it or that it’s wrong for the prison to be prescribing it, but it’s not much better than the drug itself.”

READER Paul Crowhurst , of Hawker, wrote with a quiet grumble about noisy eateries.

“There are some places I will not go to and it’s not price driven, it’s the noise and general din.

“Some places are built like echo chambers with so many hard surfaces, glass, hard ceilings, hard floors and hard walls, the sound

bounces all over the place.

“The result is that people talk louder and louder over each other, then try to talk louder than the next table so they can be heard and so forth. I’ve had an audiology check and that’s not the problem.

“One place in Emu Bank was so bad we, a table of four, have not been back as you just could not hear the person next to you.”

I know Paul’s problem; there’s a place in Swinger Hill with great food and terrible acoustics that I avoid.

Anyone else prepared to name names and call out the noisy restaurants and cafes? Fire away to editor@citynews.com.au

Ian Meikle is the editor of “CityNews” and can be heard on the “CityNews Sunday Roast” news and interview program, 2CC, 9am-noon.

Post-pandemic, fretting in kids

By Belinda STRAHORN

WHILE the peak of the pandemic may have passed in this country, anxiety and stress in children is accelerating, a child behavioural expert warns.

“The pandemic amplified existing anxiety for kids, but it also created anxiousness in children whose mental health was tracking fairly well before the pandemic hit,” said Dr Jodi Richardson.

Dr Richardson has spent 20 years studying behaviour in childhood and argues that the implications for increased childhood anxiety, as a result of covid, are not yet fully understood.

She is guest speaker at an online seminar hosted by the Association of Parents and Friends of ACT Schools Inc.

The seminar is in response to a survey conducted by the Australian Primary Principals Association (APPA) of 700 primary schools that cites anxiousness in young students as a “significant issue”.

“I wasn’t at all surprised by the research,” Dr Richardson said.

“During the pandemic there was

so little control over our lives, life as we knew it was over and that was really hard for adults to deal with let alone for kids.”

Until the pandemic hit, going to school, hanging out with friends, and playing sports, had all been part of a typical childhood.

For many children and teenagers, it was a time of restrictions, unpredictability, and loneliness, with the pandemic depriving them of a daily school structure and access to social groups.

And, according to Dr Richardson, that means children are not all right.

“Uncertainty is a driver of anxiety and anxiety is our bodies’ and brains’ response to threat, so in the midst of the pandemic we were faced with a very real threat to our safety,” Dr Richardson said.

“The lack of connection with friends, the change of routine, the worry about the virus combined with not being able to do the things that help with mental health such as seeing friends and exercising.”

Similarly, returning to school presented its own challenges and adjustments, Dr Richardson said.

“A lot of kids that were developing challenges with anxiety during covid were at home where parents could comfort them, but returning to school and getting back to routine

took kids out of their safety zone and that has been particularly hard for some.”

In the APPA survey 60 per cent of schools stated they were underresourced to deal with the issue of anxious students.

“Teachers aren’t trained to be counsellors and psychologists and yet a lot of the work they do with kids is counselling, supporting and nurturing kids who might be struggling,” said Dr Richardson.

Making sense of the pandemic has been challenging for everyone, but for children, it’s been especially hard.

Dr Richardson said support services are “overloaded” with many families waiting months for appointments.

“Tele-health has been amazing and enabled people to connect with psychologists that are not in their area, but it’s totally different talking to a screen versus being in an actual room with someone face-to-face.”

Dr Richardson, a mother of two school-aged children, said there are strategies parents can try at home.

Having struggled with anxiety since she was four, but not being diagnosed until her twenties, Dr Richardson said recognising the patterns of anxious behaviour and helping kids manage their response to anxiety is key.

“The pattern that was very strong in my house when I was an anxious child was that I would have a worry, I would go to mum and mum would say it’s okay and my anxiety would settle down for a short time, until I would go back to mum again and it became a pattern,” Dr Richardson said.

Once parents start to recognise anxious patterns then simple strate gies can be applied, she adds.

“One of the physical changes that can occur with anxiety is shallow breathing which mucks up the bal ance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood and that can make us feel dizzy,” Dr Richardson said.

“One way to settle that anxi ety symptom is a style of breathing, which I will teach in the seminar.”

Dr Richardson said early inter vention is key to preventing emerg ing conditions from worsening.

“I know what it’s like to be the anxious kid and my parents and teachers were not equipped to help me, so a huge part of my mission is to help parents recognise it so they can get help for their kids sooner rather than later.”

The online seminar is at 7.30pm, March 29. Tickets from drjodirichardson.com

Retire to The Aerie at Narrabundah

CANBERRA MATTERS / planning Planning plodders

THINK back to 2015 when Chief Minister Andrew Barr had to back down on a mess of land dealings locally known as the Manuka Land Swap.

It was a planning disaster that was not in any way the outcome of any form of planning. It was a deal put forward by a large corporate body to make a heap of money from developing land around the Manuka Oval. The obvious hindrance was that the service club had to be moved off its site. A plot was put together behind the scenes. There were grubby goings-on. The ACT government had put together a plot to force the Manuka Child Care Centre to relocate from its site to the tennis courts and then the child-care site would be handed over for redevelopment – for housing and a new service club. Done deal!

The then-education minister, Joy Burch, told the Telopea school community to get over the land grab that saw the school lose its tennis court (this being the third attempt to extract it from the school). The community was furious – but

As is now the norm, almost everywhere across Canberra, what gets considered, and usually approved, is what the developer proposes will be great for their own bank accounts.

were told it was a done deal so get over it (search Manuka Land Swap for details).

In August, 2015, the ACT government backed down. There were lessons to be learnt on every front. Manuka needed a master plan. Promised – but never happened. The Planning Directorate needed to plan. Are you kidding – what’s that? The Planning Directorate should learn to consult and work with residents. It doesn’t happen as they don’t understand the concept.

Now to 2021. In February, the ACT government had to pass special legislation because developers were making their way through the Planning Directorate to plonk waste facilities next to commercial outlets in Fyshwick.

The area is a commercial hub with light industries, small businesses as well as commercial shopping. Any planning would have quickly shown up the inappropriateness of having

new large, noisy and dirty waste facilities within this precinct. There is no master plan. Another big fail for the ACT Planning Directorate.

As is now the norm, almost everywhere across Canberra, what gets considered, and usually approved, is what the developer proposes will be great for their own bank accounts.

This form of developer-led planning doesn’t deliver on the worthy sounding but superficial policies of this Labor/ Greens government. What the Planning Directorate allows to happen is of greater importance than what glossy policies the various ministers for urban stuff extol as being their commitment to being a good government. Those commitments remain wafer thin at best. This is their “Building A Better Normal”.

The Planning Minister explained that the urgent legislation was needed to stop the independent ACT Planning Authority (ACTPLA) from approving these heavy industry facilities for Fyshwick. This was going against the election promises made by so many going into the 2020 elections.

The truth is ACTPLA, as an inde -

evaporated at least 10 years ago.

The reality is that the planning legislation allows one person, the chief planner, to be ACTPLA, while he is also the CEO of the Planning Directorate answerable to the Planning Minister (whatever his name is). Given the level of bad planning and the heap of questionable developments constantly being approved – that really works!

What the Fyshwick mess illustrates clearly is that absolutely nothing was learnt from the Manuka Land Swap fiasco. Nothing sensible was put in place, no master plans were undertaken that could have seen developers simply not waste energy putting inappropriate proposals to the planning bureaucrats.

Last year, ACT Greens’ MLA

Caroline Le Couteur tried hard to have a set of major changes introduced into the planning system. The collective will of the then Labor/Greens government was to be polite but to largely ignore such recommendations. I could imagine the advice they would have received from their Planning Directorate who would have had to completely change its governance models to cope with these recommendations. And now these same plodding bureaucrats are supposed to review the planning system. You have to be kidding – surely!

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

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As federal integrity falters, corruption finds a way

INTEGRITY is a key issue for all governments. But none more so than the current federal government.

The laws on donations to political parties are much less transparent and more open to corruption thanks to the combined efforts of the federal Labor and Liberal parties.

Additionally, attempts to establish a federal anti-corruption and integrity commission have been watered down, delayed and blocked by the government.

The most recent report by a parliamentary committee on political donations was a cop out. The bright light was a dissenting report by Greens senator Larissa Waters, who had introduced the bill to parliament. The single recommendation of the majority of members was to reject the bill.

What they rejected was a bill to:

“Prohibit political donations from property developers, the tobacco industry, the industry, liquor and gambling

Making shonky donations easier for political parties has been the subject of a struggle between the states and territories on the one hand and their federal counterparts on the other.

maceutical companies, the mining industry and representative organisations for these industries.”

Senator Waters’ dissent started by saying: “Too often, governments prioritise the private interests of their donors over the public interest.”

It is this sort of prioritisation that undermines our democracy

However, the bill went further to “impose a cumulative limit on political donations from any source of $3000 per election term; and extend the definition of ‘gift’ to include subscription and membership fees, as well as attendance at fundraising events”.

Making shonky donations easier for political parties has been the subject of a struggle between the states and territories on the one hand and their federal counterparts on the other.

Luke Beck, a professor of constitutional law at Monash University, pointed to the efforts of the Morrison government to overturn restrictions

at a state level that apply federally. Donations that need to be declared at state and territory level if they are more than $1000 can be bypassed by declaring they are for “federal purposes”.

In this case they do not have to be declared if under $14,300. In 2019, the High Court upheld the right of Queensland to restrict such donations. However, this has not stopped the federal parties finding a way around the legislation.

Prof Beck pointed out that the more restrictive legislation in Queensland was the result of a recommendation of the Crime and Corruption Commission. The obvious question is: what would a federal anti-corruption commission make of such efforts – had it not been repeatedly blocked.

Integrity has been at the heart of so much discussion following the revelations of Brittany Higgins and the accusations levelled at Christian Porter. While the government has worked to find solutions to its political problem, it has struggled to find the right sort of inquiry.

could have immediately commenced an inquiry. Hopefully, it would have been able to do so with similar powers to a royal commission. This would have been consistent with the mercilessly repeated “rule of law”, a phrase that has been politically useful for Scott Morrison. However, the Morrison government was self-serving in defining “rule of law” very narrowly. Criminal prosecution is just one element of the “rule of law”. The presumption of innocence is another. These are important concepts that avoid opening a Pandora’s box of unfounded accusations that could cripple governments. However, the rule of law does allow

alternative inquiries – such as those provided by a royal commission or an anti-corruption and integrity commission. Such inquiries provide opportunities for assessment of appropriate behaviours and make recommendations on preventive measures.

Similar bodies have served well in jurisdictions such as Queensland and NSW. In Canberra, we are still awaiting the first report of the Anti-Corruption and Integrity Commission that was promised in the 2016 ACT election.

The ACT has been a leader on the issue of political donations. Senator Waters’ dissenting report identifies, for example, the importance to “limit all political donations, from individuals or organisations, to $3000 per election term (roughly equivalent to $1000 per year) to level the playing field and avoid those with more money gaining greater access to government”. It also favours ACT-style caps on expenditure.

The combination of an appropriate integrity commission with real teeth, including the powers of a royal commission and a limit on political donations would be an excellent start in enhancing our democracy.

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

CALWELL SHOPPING CENTRE

‘The retailers and customers are what makes Calwell Shopping Centre so special.’

Celebrating vibrant retailers from day one to now

CALWELL Shopping Centre is celebrating 30 years of being a vibrant and convenient centre, offering everything shoppers need in the one place, including easy parking, says centre manager Amanda Flack.

Owned by the Tsoulias family, Con and his son Arthur play a hands-on role at the centre, saying their tenants have helped make the centre the great place that it is.

“The relationships that have been built over the years between the centre, the retailers and customers is what makes Calwell Shopping Centre so special,” says Arthur.

With more than 22 retailers, including a car wash, Con bought and developed the site more than three decades ago, and Arthur says a number of the retailers or their businesses have been there since day one.

“It creates a great community and consistency for customers when we are able to have our tenants remain at the centre for such a long time,” says Amanda. While most of the businesses have remained the same, she says they were very happy to welcome the charity store, Mary’s Market Op Shop to the centre last year.

The shop adds to the great, local personalities that make up the friendly, communityminded feel of the centre, says Amanda, and recently “CityNews” spoke with some of the retailers there, who are passionate about the centre and what they do. Here are some of them…

Calwell as a teenager, she had no idea that she’d become a pharmacist and end up owning the chemist there as well as Capital Chemist Isabella Plains, in partnership with Kathleen Tran.

The previous owners mentored and encouraged Elise,

the centre and each other,” says Elise who has seen the centre grow and change over the years. With renovations currently underway inside the chemist, Elise says she is excited to be able to offer more services to patients such as consultations on sleep

LOCALS love Vinton Bakery for its fresh bread, pies, pork rolls and sweet treats, say owners Long and wife Dunt Chu.

a baker for 15 years.

Ten years ago, Long and Dunt took over the bakery that’s open every day from 7.30am.

SHOP TO WIN AT CALWELL SHOPPING CENTRE

There’s still time to enter Calwell Shopping Centre’s “Shop to Win” promotion, where the winner of the top prize will take home a Hyundai Venue Go car, says centre manager Amanda Flack.

Supplied by Lennock Motors, she says it’s the first time a car has been given away at Calwell Shopping Centre,

and to be eligible for the draw, shoppers need to spend $20 or more at the centre.

The car will be drawn on June 19, and Amanda encourages people to enter the online draw to also have the chance to win weekly gift vouchers to the centre.

Enter at calwellshops.com.au

“My mum used to work at the bakery and I would come in to help,”

Long says: “We enjoy working alongside the nice people here and business

Court Chinese Restaurant has been a much-loved, local favourite at the centre for many years, says manager Nicole Xu.

She says the restaurant attracts a lot of locals who either enjoy eating in or taking home a delicious

Chinese meal, as part of their shopping experience. The most popular dishes on the menu are Mongolian beef and satay chicken, says Nicole.

And she says: “The people here are really friendly and nice. They are also patient when we get busy!”

The rough justice faced by an innocent family

TWO young men at university couldn’t have imagined that a knock at the door one morning would irrevocably change their lives.

In 2015, Thorsten, 32, and Bjorn, 31, Beowulf stood wrongly accused of the murder of their grandmother, Katherine Panin, and spent 14 months incarcerated and fighting to clear their names.

Their mother Melissa, 61, was jointly accused of the same crime, and along with her sons, was remanded behind bars.

Despite the trio being acquitted of murder in April, 2019, the ordeal is still something the Beowulf family cannot easily forget.

“It was surreal,” Melissa said.

“I was appalled that anyone could think I would be guilty of such a crime.

“It came out of nowhere at a time I was grieving the death of my husband.

“To have complete lies being told about me was really hard.”

Melissa’s husband, Thor, had died of pancreatic cancer in 2015.

Later that year, her mother-in-law Katherine was found dead on the backyard steps of the family’s Canberra home in Red Hill.

Arowing for Bjorn, who at the time of his arrest was studying and living on campus at the University of Canberra.

t the trial, prosecutors had alleged the 81-year-old was killed by her daughter-inlaw, Melissa, and her two eldest sons Thorsten and Bjorn, in a dispute over family money.

The two-month murder trial centred on whether Katherine died in an accidental fall or was murdered by her three family members.

It took only a few hours for a Canberra jury to acquit them.

Despite being cleared of murder of their late grandmother, almost two years ago, the brothers still live with the stigma of being accused of a grim crime.

“It totally uprooted everything I was doing at the time,” Thorsten said.

“I was at Sydney University finishing my agricultural science degree and that very morning I was preparing for a test when I got a knock at the door and found 20 police standing there.

“A few minutes later I’m at the station, then a few hours after that I’m

The moment his life was turned upside down is still deeply ingrained in his memory.

“The most extreme bit of that morning was the knock at the door and finding it was the lead investigator coming to arrest me,” Bjorn said.

“The public humiliation of being taken through the front lobby was intense.

“It was like a scene shift in a film going from one frame to the next, and suddenly you are not in your life anymore, it’s like you are in a suspended animation.”

Arrested, accused and locked up, the trio spent over a year at the Alexander Maconochie Centre.

Adjusting to life inside was an eyeopening experience made slightly bearable by the fact the brothers shared a cell.

“It’s as boring as anything in there, you have nothing to do, you are completely at your own discretion, and that is made doubly worse when you are locked in your cell unable to leave

“We definitely were able to get along with all sorts of people because it’s a melting pot in there, there’s people who have committed the worst crimes to those who have speeding fines and everyone is in together.”

The brothers’ observation from their time in prison was that methadone treatment is worse than drug addiction.

“The biggest issue in there is the drug dependence and that’s exacerbated by the reliance on prescribing methadone,” said Thorsten.

“I’m not saying those people are wrong for using it or that it’s wrong for the prison to be prescribing it, but it’s not much better than the drug itself, it’s not great.”

Melissa was housed in the women’s section of the prison, in shared cottage-style accommodation with six other prisoners.

Her status as a renowned artist and Archibald Prize finalist was of no benefit to her inside.

For a woman who spent a large part of her life with artistic freedom, to be

for the first time was appalling, it was immensely distressing,” she said.

“I’d had breast cancer in 2011 and needed follow up appointments at hospital and so I was double cuffed and taken through the main door of the hospital and put on display, it was awful.”

Despite the hardening ordeal, life on the inside wasn’t all bad.

“They gave me a birthday party, one girl painted a bowl and cup for me, we had a nice dinner and they put streamers across the place; it was the first time I’d celebrated my birthday,” said Melissa.

A lack of freely available legal advice at the time of Beowulf’s incarceration meant the family had to rely on their own resources and prepare as best as they could for their own defence until legal aid was sorted.

“We basically worked on our own case without legal input until just before the pre-trial, with the purpose being to identify all the deficiencies that were there,” said Thorsten.

“Every week we got a new document, we were always reviewing things, there was no time to be complacent or

wallow in self pity,” said Bjorn. “Once we got bail we had a mountain of material that we could draw upon, because so much of the case was about the history of the family; it was intense.”

he trio were granted parole in 2018, went to trial the following February and were acquitted in April, 2019.

When finally found not guilty of the most serious crime, the Beowulfs didn’t feel a sense of relief or justification, it was a flat feeling, still carrying the stigma of being accused and the sense of injustice is something they

“It’s not like woo-hoo, it’s more like finally this is over but you don’t feel like you’ve won,” said Thorsten.

“You feel like you have been dragged through this process for nothing, you knew what the result should be and it ended up being that way.

“Does it feel good to be vindicated? A little bit but it doesn’t feel like a victory and it doesn’t undo the damage.”

The family’s lack of understanding of the legal process from the time of their incarceration is motivating them to set up an advocacy group for people who find themselves on the wrong side of the law.

“You’re just dumped in jail with no warning and no information, you are just put in a cell and you don’t know what is next,” said Bjorn.

“One of the upshots of our experience is we want to inform people what their rights are, just basic rights, like the search procedures and things like that,” Melissa said.

“You think you understand the legal process because of what you see in the movies, but it’s nothing like that, we were so ignorant of the law.”

Doing their best to put the worst time of their life behind them, the Beowulf’s are trying to remain positive about their future.

“It still worries us being in a public place, especially if people recognise us. They don’t say anything if they do but now we have, at least, an alternative opinion out there and that has helped us feel normal again,” said Thorsten.

“I wouldn’t say we are bitter; we are still sorting out some legal matters, and once that’s done it’s back to getting on with life.”

‘We love hemp and all its uses and are keen to increase awareness of Australian-grown hemp.’

THE stylish, new-concept store, South Pacific Hemp, celebrates the time-tested health benefits of hemp and its multiple uses, say its owners Darren Steinhardt and Brett Walker.

Located in Fyshwick, they say the store also supports Australian small businesses and producers who work with hemp, an eco-friendly, sustainable material that can be used in a myriad of products, from beautifully soft fabrics to therapeutic balms and beauty products, food and even pet treats.

“It’s time we moved away from hemp’s old reputation – while hemp and marijuana both come from the cannabis plant and often get confused, hemp is most definitely not something that can get you high,” Brett says.

“Hemp has strength, medicinal and nutritional value, and was first cultivated more than 10,000 years ago,” he says.

“It’s an incredibly versatile plant that doesn’t take much water to grow compared to other crops. It also doesn’t require much fertiliser and grows relatively quickly, giving an excellent yield and the whole of the plant can be used.”

Brett and Darren have worked with artist and designer Samantha Small to create a space that beautifully displays the products they’ve sourced.

From antique tables and rustic wood to a stunning vintage dresser and upcycled ladders as shelving, the shop itself has a high-end, eco luxe feel and features a wall mural of hemp plants designed by Samantha and hand-painted by Clayton Grant.

“We wanted the shop to be an experi ence in itself,” says Samantha.

“We have all been doing so much more online shopping this past year, so it’s great to be able to come to a concept store like this and really enjoy being here in the space.”

South Pacific Hemp has brought together a unique collection of hemp foods, hemp seed oils, skincare, with gor geous balms and skin creams, babycare, homewares, bags and accessories, fabrics and pet products.

“We see the shop as an alternative to mass-produced, quick-fix shopping,”

Darren says.

“All of our hemp oils, food items, balms and creams are carefully sourced and selected from small businesses and producers in Tasmania, SA, WA and NSW.”

Darren Steinhardt and Brett Walker… “[Hemp is] versatile and viable as an alternative source of oil, food and fibre in Australia,” says Brett.

from belts, bags and bedding to scarves and throws, plant-dyed yarns to reusable

There’s even dog beds, leads, collars, treats and supplements available.

For the body, there’s shampoos, oils, bath salts and divine creams. And the kitchen is covered, too, with tea towels, totes, sponges and cookie cutters.

“If people are interested in the nutritional benefits of hemp and want to take advantage of that, the shop sells an impressive selection of quality, Australianmade hemp food and hemp seed oil,”

He says South Pacific Hemp sells delicious salad dressings and a range of hemp flour, hemp protein and hulled hemp seeds that contain the highest quality ingredients and are certified organic, vegan-friendly, gluten and GMO free.

“We love hemp and all its uses and are keen to increase awareness of Australiangrown hemp, particularly its versatility and viability as an alternative source of oil, food and fibre in Australia,” says Brett.

South Pacific Hemp, 84 Wollongong Fyshwick. Call 0431 318898, email pacifichemp@gmail.com or visit

• Specialising in hemp oils, hemp seed, hemp food, therapeutic balms and skin creams • High quality ingredients, certified organic, vegan friendly, gluten and GMO free • Unique range of homewares, baby

Hungry island is Morrison’s scandalous shame

I was the official secretary and deputy administrator of Norfolk Island in the early 1990s and am in regular contact with some people who live there.

At the time that my family and I were resident on the island, the people enjoyed the same democratic rights as residents of the ACT.

That all changed in 2015 when the federal parliament, without a single dissenting vote or voice in opposition, revoked the Norfolk Island Self Government Act, after 40 years of self-government, and effectively reduced Norfolk Island to its original status as a colony.

The only powers that residents were left to exercise were those of a local government council. All statetype responsibilities, ie those most relevant to our day-to-day lives – such as health, education and the environment etcetera were delegated to the NSW government.

However, the residents of Norfolk Island were not granted any right to participate in NSW elections.

As an aside, the NSW government has advised that it is not prepared to continue to be part of this disgraceful charade and is ending its involvement. The Commonwealth is, accordingly, busily flashing its 30 bits of very tarnished silver before the eyes of the Queensland government in the hope of seducing it into agreeing to take over as Raj or colonial overlord of

The situation on Norfolk Island, a part of Australia and populated by Australian citizens, really is scandalous… [they] are denied the right to vote for and choose those responsible for the day-to-day governance of their community. This is a matter of national shame.

Norfolk Island.

In recent months the Commonwealth, having abolished self-government just five years ago and imposed a Clayton’s and clearly undemocratic form of governance on Norfolk Island, has used its untrammelled power over the territories to disband the council and appoint an administrator in its stead.

Norfolk Island is currently being governed entirely from Canberra and Sydney – the residents have been disenfranchised at both a state and local level.

In fact, Australian citizens resident on Norfolk Island probably have fewer democratic rights than the residents of Hong Kong and possibly only little more than the peoples of North Korea and Myanmar.

In recent days, I received a copy of a plea from the Norfolk Island Chamber of Commerce to the Prime Minister seeking urgent action from the Commonwealth to overcome food shortages on the Island.

Yes, that is correct. The Norfolk

Island Chamber of Commerce – not exactly a hotbed of ratbags and wild radicalism – is advising that the people of Norfolk Island, not North Korea, are running out of food.

This is some of what the chamber had to say: “The food stock (for humans and animals) on Norfolk Island is at a dangerous level – there are none of some products on the Island. This is causing people stress, anxiety and mental health issues.

“The chamber and others have on several occasions asked the administrator, as the Australian government representative, to assist in solving the freight problem but he has ignored the requests.

“People are desperate. Businesses are embarrassed they do not have the stock and are unable to open.

“The change to Norfolk Island governance was the decision of the Australian government so the Prime Minister cannot sit back and do nothing – he has to act.”

By coincidence, Canberra friends of my wife, Robyn, and I are currently

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holidaying on Norfolk Island and we dropped them a line to ask about the concerns expressed by the Chamber of Commerce regarding the availability of food on the island.

This was their response: “Shelves are very bare. Milk, the day we arrived, was $14.95 a litre. Yesterday, finally local milk was $8 a litre.

“We brought with us tinned salmon and cheese for lunch and went out for dinner. Sensational fish meals. Bond store is nearly empty. No white wine at all. Fortunately, I brought six bottles with me. We got half a dozen eggs first day and none in shops since.”

The situation on Norfolk Island, a part of Australia and populated by Australian citizens, really is scandalous. In a governance sense the same can be said about Australia’s two Indian Ocean territories Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. There are somewhere in the order of 5000 people living on these three Australian external territories, almost Australian citizens, who are denied the most basic democratic right. The right to vote for and choose those responsible for the day-to-day governance of their community. This is a matter of national shame.

The issues, as a result of remoteness and population size are certainly complex, but they are not insurmountable. Other nations around the world have been faced with similar challenges in developing democratic models for the governance of the small and embarrassing remnants of empire and colonialism with which they are associated, but unlike Australia they have persisted and succeeded.

The immediate priority is, of course, for the Commonwealth to respond urgently to the very evident lack of food and supplies on Norfolk Island.

It is moot to note, as the Chamber of Commerce has in its cry for help, that never under the years of selfgovernment did the people of Norfolk Island ever face, as they now do, the prospect of running out of food.

Jon Stanhope was chief minister from 2001 to 2011 and represented Ginninderra for the Labor Party from 1998. He is the only chief minister to have governed with a majority in the Assembly.

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How family care centre grew from sheep paddock

By Belinda STRAHORN

BEFORE the days of a childprotection system, a group of devoted Franciscan nuns raised enough money to build six modest cottages on a sheep paddock in Narrabundah. The cottages became temporary homes for Canberra kids in crisis, and thus Marymead was born.

Since its inception in 1967, the chari table, not-for-profit organisation has provided support for needy children and their families in Canberra, and more recently across regional NSW.

At a time when the community is in need of urgent mental health services, Marymead – which survives barely on the fumes of ACT government fund ing – is calling on further government support.

“More than 50 per cent of our ser vices are delivered in the ACT, yet the grant funding from the ACT govern ment is one per cent [$200,000], the federal and state governments make up the lion’s share of our funding,” said Tracey Hall, Marymead client services director.

COVID-19 saw an exponential in-

“Any government funding, particularly ACT government funding, is needed because the value we can generate in

Ricky Stuart House, a short-term res pite house for families with disabled

Heavily supported by volunteers and community organisations, Marymead’s auxiliary plays a pivotal role in fund-

“They just donated $90,000, that’s their highest ever annual amount over the auxiliary’s 50 years in existence,” said Jaclyn Callaghan, Marymead

“The walkathon was the auxiliary’s original fundraiser, it became an institution in Canberra, but now they do a garage and plant sale.

Attempting to position themselves for the future, Marymead owns and operates Azure Village, an 84-unit retirement complex for people over 55.

“To address the need for housing for older Canberrans we thought why don’t we build homes that are affordable and over time generate revenue that we can invest in the work we want to do but that governments don’t want to pay for,” said Ms Hall.

There’s work like MULCH, Marymead’s Urban Land Community Harvest Scheme, a seed-to-sale business for young adults with a disability.

From a market garden in Stirling, the “mulchers” nurture seedlings, grow fruit and vegetables and sell the harvested produce.

“You can see the difference in the participants when they, for example, master the skill of the eftpos machine; this is meaningful work for them,” Ms Thomas said.

Although the Franciscan nuns are gone, their rich legacy lives on in the organisation’s approach to assisting the community.

ling portfolio in mental health and post-separation services, we have Marymead’s Autism Centre support-

“The first one was a couple of weeks ago, on a Saturday, and they made $15,000 in a few hours.”

“The story I love is that way back when Marymead started, sometimes the nuns needed help caring for the kids, so the nuns would telephone mothers in the community to come and give them a hand with the children at dinner, bath and bedtime… some of those women are still on our auxiliary today,” said Ms Hall.

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Heritage exclusion for The Lodge by the lake?

THE Commonwealth government’s reported exclusion of Attunga Point, on the southern shore of West Lake, from the imminent heritage listing of Lake Burley Griffin is a worry.

That’s apparently to allow, as planned (somewhat secretly), the future Prime Minister’s Lodge to be built on that northfacing promontory, near the yacht club, free of objections on heritage grounds.

However, the public would be excluded from the foreshore. The new Lodge site was originally to be south of lakeside Alexandrina Drive. Now, there’s clearly a preference to ape Kirribilli House, the PM’s harbourside residence in Sydney. So, in the case of Attunga Point, heritage listing could help preserve the lake’s integrity and accessibility.

Elegantly bifurcated Commonwealth and Kings Avenue Bridges are to also be excluded from the listing, suggesting similar heritage paranoia on the part of the ACT and/or the Commonwealth, probably because Commonwealth Avenue is regrettably earmarked for light rail.

So, again, heritage listing could be helpful in saving the bridges (recent official focus groups revealed strong community support for the preservation of Commonwealth Avenue Bridge – see the NCA’s Bridge Values survey.) Sensitive upgrades to the bridges’ safety etcetera would, of course, be acceptable.

On the other hand, the admirable reinstate -

ment or installation of some of Walter Burley Griffin’s missing elements, such as his shoreline geometry, or his Acton Peninsula and Causeway crossings, might be inordi nately held up if the lake precinct is listed. Clearly heritage listing can be a doubleedged sword, and is politically malleable. The listing process of Lake Burley Griffin must be open, honest, professional, and inclusive for all; but not excessively restrictive.

Jack Kershaw, Kambah

Gordon Ramsay was a distant fourth in poll

PETER Ellis (Letters, CT March 9) shows the born-to-rule mentality that currently infests ACT Labor in claiming that Gordon Ramsay had a “wafer-thin loss” in October’s election. Throughout the count for Ginninderra the incumbent government coalition (Labor and Greens) had consistently just over three quotas. Once the list fillers were excluded Ramsay was a distant fourth in that coalition, over 1000 votes (13 per cent) behind Jo Clay. That gap only narrowed marginally as Liberal and other opposition candidates were excluded from the count and he was excluded 2000 votes short of a quota.

strongly to the Liberals eventually electing two with about two quotas.

Rather than pointing at the electoral system, Peter Ellis would be better advised to look at the failings of Gordon Ramsay as Attorney-General, where for instance, he allowed more than 100,000 ACT residents to be subjected to further arbitrary discrimination in the tax system.

Peter Bradbury,

Holt

of new donation bins at the Chisholm shops (near Aldi).

All previous bins were removed a couple of years ago and now these new bins prove once again (like so many others around Canberra), they literally just become a dumping spot. Old TVs, broken toys, all sorts of rubbish and even the odd microwave or wall oven can be spotted on occasion.

accepting second-hand items.

Our smaller local shopping precincts are typically in very ordinary condition already and this type of dumping just makes it even harder to make these places look a little cleaner and welcoming.

Bjorn Moore, Gowrie

The Prime minister’s split personality

ROBERT Macklin’s excellent and thoughtprovoking article “Our great continent has had enough” (CN March 4) is for me an unpleasant reminder of the split personality of our “accidental leader”, Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

On one side is the man who was sacked by the NZ Office of Tourism and Sport in 1999, and by Tourism Australia in 2006 after his widely ridiculed advertisement with the theme: “So where the bloody hell are you?”.

This personality also mouths platitudes such as: “We’ll get to net zero emissions sometime this century” and we’ll get there “by [unspecified] technology, not taxes”.

If Ramsay had been elected it would have been the greatest travesty in ACT electoral history. The short-voting gerrymander instigated under Labor almost paid off though. When ex-Liberal Bill Stefaniak was excluded from the count over half of his bal -

Rubbish dumped at clothing bins

DONATING clothing is something everyone should do if you can and only so long as all

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Most unfortunately though, the muchloved donated clothes get thrown around the place, spill out of the overflowing bins and can become ruined, rained on etcetera.

This type of dumping has been a problem in Canberra for decades. Donation bins should not be placed in public places. Only staffed, drop-off type shopfronts should be

In the meantime, the other side of Morrison’s personality is doing deals with the fossil-fuel industry, which are guaranteed to increase, not decrease, carbon-dioxide emissions and encourage global warming. Frankly, I don’t trust either side of Scott Morrison’s personality.

Dr Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin

Rudyard would be rolling in his grave

I HELD off writing this letter for a week, hoping against hope that what I thought was the case was not so, and that I was in error.

However, upon opening the March 11 edition of “CityNews” my fears were realised. In my mind it was confirmed that the English language is plummeting towards a fatal state of Americanism, for there, on Page 16 was the terrible confirmation I dreaded.

The answer to the crossword question in the March 4 edition “What is the name of Kipling’s tiger?” was given as “Cher Khan”!

That moaning noise you hear is poor Rudyard rolling in his Westminster Abbey grave.

Henry Moulds, Wanniassa

The buck stops with MLAs

THANK you, Peter Sherman, for your letter and photograph (Letters, CN March 4) covering Northbourne’s unsightly entrance to the capital.

This excuse for infrastructure screams: “Who’s in charge of quality control” and “How badly stung have the ratepayers been on this job?”.

I can imagine people along stage 2 of the light rail already putting up barriers with signs saying: “Not over here until you sort the mess on Northbourne”.

What is really amazing is that MLAs must be regularly travelling along Northbourne yet not one of them has cringed or shuddered at this mess. What’s the point of a Legislative Assembly with people nodding off on the job with oversight gone out the window. Maybe it’s time we got rid of top-heavy government and reverted to a city council system. Self-government seems to have failed in this instance.

The fix is fairly simple and carbon neutral. Don’t blame public servants or sub-contractors because the buck stops with MLAs.

Just fence off the road and the light rail track and truck in a few loads of feral goats, camels and buffalo from the NT to chomp the rubbish back to ground level, fertilising as they proceed, then follow the recommendation of Peter Sherman. Easy!

John Lawrence via email

More focus on safety

THE WorkSafe commissioner continues her sterling efforts to shake up intransigent employers in the residential construction sector, yet it seems much more government and construction-sector reform is needed in the near future to deal proactively with those who flout even basic safety requirements on building sites (“Three worksites forced to stop work” , citynews.com.au, March 9).

In addition, it would be reassuring to know if the frequent discovery of serious safety deficiencies across many new-suburb building sites also rings alarm bells for ACT government authorities responsible for stamping out the building defects scourge that has afflicted so many new residential projects in recent years.

Might not tin-eared operators who cut corners so brazenly on employee and public safety matters be doing the same in relation to building quality and design standards and other specific requirements set down for their projects and sites?

Public confidence would be boosted by regular reporting by the ACT minister for building quality about all prohibition, stop-work, rectification or similar orders issued to fix safety, construction and engineering related defects, with updates about eventual outcomes.

Given the many thousands of units and other dwellings already under construction or being approved for development in the ACT, more updates are needed about the ACT’s safety, defect inspection, auditing and rectification regimes and any plans for strengthening them this year. Hopefully the minister can be transparent about the gaps that still remain within these regimes and when and how they will be plugged.

Sue Dyer, Downer

Mum’s the word and the world to author Jenni

By Kathryn VUKOVLJAK

ANNIE Gidman was a survivor, says her daughter Jenni McMullan, who’s written her mum’s biography “A Good Girl… Seldom” from recordings made before she died.

Jenni, from Reid, said she’d “slip down to Batemans Bay” as often as she could in the late 1990s to get Annie, then 83, talking about her life.

“Mum had been through so much and had so many adventures. I remembered some of the stories first hand, and others I’d heard over the years. I’d always wanted to write them all down but life got in the way,” Jenni says.

It’s a ripper read, too, with Annie getting up to all sorts from fencing smuggled diamonds, flirting with soldiers for drinks, keeping secret lovers in the box room and protecting an illegal abortionist.

She also survived the war, experienced violence at the hands of her husband and had to become independent from a young age, because “her mum was such a bitch”, Jenni says.

“Nellie, my grandmother, was selfish; she’d gamble, drink, steal Annie’s

During the war, Harry had been torpedoed off the escort aircraft carrier HMS Avenger in 1942, and it was all over the news that everyone on

“Mum thought she was a widow for ages then she heard he was alive, but doolally. You don’t know what experiences like that do to people.”

The title of the book refers to a phrase Annie would say to Jenni as a child, when she’d ask her mum if she’d

“I didn’t know what ‘seldom’ meant, so it sounded great to me,” says Jenni.

It’s also something her mum said about times when she and her sister would enjoy nights out with soldiers during the war, but didn’t want to “take things any further”.

“The girls would promise they weren’t sneaking off by asking the soldiers to look after their white gloves until they came back,” says Jenni.

and you just hope you don’t have any holes in your

“But they were just cheap cotton gloves that they’d buy by the boxload. Mum said there must have been a trail of white gloves left behind them all

“Good girls... seldom, indeed!”

“A Good Girl… Seldom” by Jenni McMullan, is available via Amazon ($44) and for kindle, or email jenni. mcmullan@bigpond.com for a copy,

ALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL

Stopping pandemics is a

“APPLE is designing an e-car. But they’re having trouble installing

Now I have your attention, this week I thought I might write about paronomasias, malapropisms and something more obscure – paraprosdokians.

Paronomasias are better known as puns. A pun exploits multiple meanings of a term or similar-sounding words for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect; a pun involves expressions with multiple correct or fairly reasonable interpretations. By contrast a malapropism is an incorrect variation on a correct expression. It occurs often unintentionally when a word is produced that is nonsensical or ludicrous in context, yet similar in sound to what was intended. A paraprosdokian is a figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence is surprising or unexpected in a way that causes the receiver to reinterpret the first part. It is frequently used for humorous or dramatic effect.

Aca-

demics (and Germans) would probably analyse them by whether they are typological, homophonic, homographic, homonymic, compounded, recursive or visual. You’ll no doubt be relieved to know I’m not going to do that. Rather, I’ll give you some examples, so you can identify them for yourself:

Paronomasias

• I have a pencil that was owned by William Shakespeare. He chewed it when thinking. Now I can’t tell if it’s 2B or not 2B.

• A man’s home is his castle, in a manor of speaking.

• Those who jump off a bridge in Paris are in-Seine.

• Shotgun wedding – A case of wife or death?

• Does the name Pavlov ring a bell?

• Bakers manage recipes on a kneadto-know basis.

• Condoms should be used on every conceivable occasion.

• When two egotists meet, it’s an I for an I.

• Stopping pandemics is a jab well done.

Malapropisms

• Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott once claimed that no one “is the

suppository of all wisdom”.

• “They misunderestimated me.” (George W Bush)

• A cookbook is being compiled by the ladies of the church. Please submit your favourite recipe, also a short antidote to go with it.

Paraprosdokians

• Where there’s a will, I want to be in it.

• The last thing I want to do is hurt you ... but you’re still on my hit-list.

• If I agreed with you, we’d both be wrong.

• “War does not determine who is right – only who is left.” (Bertrand Russell)

• I used to be indecisive, but now I’m not so sure.

• You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice.

• “I’ve had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn’t it.” (Groucho Marx)

• “Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.” (Groucho Marx)

Now you can confound others with your newfound knowledge. But remember when it comes to higher learning – no matter how much you push the envelope, it’ll still be stationery.

Clive Williams is a Canberra columnist.

Public holiday decision helps workers’ pay

THE ACT government has announced an extra public holiday during the Anzac Day long weekend.

With a public holiday already to be held on Monday, April 26, the ACT government has declared that Anzac Day will also be a public holiday this year.

Workplace Minister Mick Gentleman said the additional public holiday was established to allow all Canberrans to take part in Anzac Day commemorations.

“Anzac Day is a significant day for many Canberrans and this will empower workers to attend commemorations and ceremonial events held on the Sunday,” he said.

“It will also mean full public holiday awards will be paid on Sunday and [will] help ensure Canberrans who work on weekends are not disadvantaged.” Following this announcement, the union representing retail, fast food and warehousing workers – the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA) – has welcomed the news, saying the move meant that many retail and fast-food workers would not have the opportunity to commemorate Anzac Day and honour the sacrifices of Australia’s Defence Forces.

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Ashmore aims for a shot at the Paris Olympics

By Greg Campbell

THOMAS Ashmore knows what it’s like to touch, feel and wear an Olympic Games gold medal. Now the Australian pistol athlete is aiming to win one himself.

Ashmore grew up in Canberra with Olympic modern pentathlon athletes Chloe and Max Esposito, who both represented Australia at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

When Chloe Esposito rocked the sporting world with her gold- medal victory at the Rio Olympics, Ashmore was glued to the television while working in a Canberra café when balancing a business administration degree at University of Canberra and representing Australia at ISSF Junior World Cup events.

“The café pretty much stopped because I turned on the TV and I was cheering,” said Ashmore.

When Esposito returned home after the Games, Ashmore met up with her and proudly hung the gold medal around his neck.

While he missed selection for this year’s Tokyo Olympic Games after being placed second during the Olympic nomination trials last year behind his close friend, Sergei Evglevski, in the men’s Rapid Fire Pistol event, Ash-

more has his sights on the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Ashmore has been long regarded as a highly talented marksman and the national selectors’ confidence in him was confirmed last month when he was named in the National Performance Squad.

Ashmore’s shooting career began as a 12-year old after watching his father James compete at the Sporting Shooters Pistol Club in Majura.

At the time, Ashmore was also play ing rugby at St Francis Xavier College and had no intentions of advancing a career in shooting, but his focus soon changed.

Ashmore attended the 2013 Oceania Championships in Sydney where he caught the attention of National Pistol coach Vladimir Galiabovitch.

Two years later, the Canberra National Pistol Club member won Australian team selection for the ISSF Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany, and reached the Rapid Fire Pistol final where he was placed fifth.

“It was the first time I’d put on an Australian uniform. It was great,” he said.

But he quickly realised he was a small fish in a large global pond when it comes to scores.

Canberra pistol athlete Thomas Ashmore… “It’s about staying in the moment. It’s so easy to be mentally side-tracked.” Inset: Ashmore with his silver medal.

Charitable Trust to assist his sports career and tertiary education.

At ACTAS, Ashmore is working closely with Krystle Tate, head of Athletic Performance, on his strength and conditioning, particularly his core strength, legs, and the connection of muscle groups for overall stability.

While the 24-year old Ashmore has Galiabovitch and Tate as key members of his support team, he admits the mental side of shooting needs improvement.

“Shooting is more mental than technical. I am not perfect technically, but I am a lot more skilled technically than mentally. If I was able to have the exact same mental and technical ability, I’d be a lot more consistent,”

“It’s about staying in the moment. It’s so easy to be mentally side-tracked.”

“I was getting praised in Australia for shooting a (score of) 530. They for a junior was 565 and, in the men’s, if you don’t shoot over 580, you don’t have a chance,” he said.

While he has also competed in 10m Air Pistol, Ashmore prefers the Rapid Fire Pistol event.

While Ashmore won’t be standing on the line at the Tokyo Olympics, he is aiming to win selection for the Oceania Championships in November, and the Commonwealth Shooting and Archery Championships scheduled for India in January where he hopes to win selection alongside Evglevski.

In 2016, Ashmore attended more Junior World Cup competitions in Suhl and Gabala in Azerbaijan, where he captured a bronze medal in the 25m Standard Pistol and his appetite for

Throughout his journey, Ashmore has enjoyed support from the ACT Academy of Sport and in 2019 he was one of 10 recipients at the University of Canberra to receive a $10,000 scholarship from the Eldon and Anne Foote

But there is one other line where Ashmore and Evglevski will be standing beside each other on November 13 – Ashmore’s wedding to his childhood sweetheart, Jessica Goulding, where Evglevski is a groomsman.

WITH cooler months ahead, now is the perfect time to find ways to make the home a place to enjoy being in.

Whether it’s sprucing up the garden, giving the bedroom, bathroom or kitchen a makeover, or maybe renovating for sale, “CityNews” speaks with home improvement experts who know how to improve any space.

Growing a beautiful garden with natives

A THRIVING garden can improve the value of a home, says Cool Country Natives owner Karen Brien whose range of hardy, local plants are sure to make any garden look good.

Despite the view that spring is the best time to plant in Canberra, Karen says her range of hardy, local plants are suitable for winter conditions.

Unlike exotic plants from Europe or North America, native plants require less water and can attract native birds and bees to the garden, she says.

“We have a lot of local wattles and some that flower in every month of the year,” says Karen.

Others will even grow in poor conditions, she says.

“In Moncrieff and Taylor, the soil is really poor and you’re going to struggle to put a lot of exotics up there,” she says.

“But with our natives, some of them will cope with that soil with minimal change.

“Because we’re a drier country, our plants are a lot more adapted to a drier environment, generally speaking.”

Open since 2015, Karen says Cool Country Natives offer the largest range of native plants in the Canberra region, and they have an expert team that can give advice and guidance for implementing beautiful greenery into any home environment.

Cool Country Natives, 5A Beltana Road, Pialligo. Call 6257 6666 or 0402 307275, email retail@coolcountrynatives.com.au or visit coolcountrynatives.com.au

Tips to confidently choose a tradesperson

CHOOSING a tradesperson to do maintenance around the home can be overwhelming, which is why it’s important to do research and get multiple quotes before deciding on one, warns Access Canberra’s ACT commissioner for Fair Trading, Derise Cubin.

“It’s important to do your research so you have confidence in the tradie you hire,” Derise says.

“No one should feel pressured to sign contracts on the spot or after the first call they make.”

By researching first, Derise says consumers will be able to protect themselves from any aggressive or dishonest sales tactics, and it’ll help them become a savvy consumer, allowing them to pick a tradesperson that best meets their needs.

Derise also suggests getting recommendations from family and friends, asking for itemised quotes, especially for big jobs, so consumers know where the costs are coming from, and checking to see whether the tradesperson has an ABN and, when required, a valid licence.

“You should check to see whether any public warnings or compliance action has been taken against the person or business, [too],” she says.

Consumers also have the right to see a tradesperson’s Public Liability Insurance certificate, to ensure it’s up-to-date, and before signing a contract, consumers have the right to know the tradesperson’s full name

and physical address, she says.

“If you do not understand the terms and conditions, speak with friends or family before signing a contract or seek legal advice,” she says.

And, Derise warns to be cautious if a tradesperson insists on signing up with them on the spot, asks for a full, upfront payment, insists a payment must be made and offers to drive the consumer to an ATM, or asks a consumer to pay for services that aren’t complete.

For more information call 13 22 81 or visit act.gov.au/ choosingatradie

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.

HOME IMPROVEMENT

Getting homes looking stunning for sale

THE team at Your Property Profits can help homeowners maximise their home value before selling, says co-owner Kim Persson.

Whether it’s small fixes to the home or major extensions or structural changes, Kim says Your Property Profits can make the renovation process

there’s always something interesting coming through the

“At the moment, camborne cabinets are hard to come by and we’ve just got a bunch in,” says James.

Unlike with traditional swing door cabinets, James says their camborne cabinets have roller doors, which are perfect for cramped environments such as the garage. and reducing waste, he says.

“We charge fair prices and are often able to source the best, no-nonsense, quality furniture available, always with an eye for good quality,” says James.

Ex-Government Furniture, 6 Yallourn Street, Fyshwick. Call 6280 6490 or visit exgovfurniture.com or facebook.com/ exgovfurniture

HOME IMPROVEMENT

Building bathrooms with confidence

BEING one of the oldest bathroom companies in the region, the community can be confident that The Bathroom Company knows how to do renovations well, says owner Andrew Finn.

Established in 1993, Andrew says they’ve become quite “embedded in Canberra”.

“We’re bricks and mortar and that gives people confidence,” he says.

The team, led by general manager Claire Carroll, are specialists in bathrooms, and sit down with clients to listen to what they want in order to design the bathroom they want.

With professional designers in-house in the Manuka office, Andrew says they can help with all decisions, from colour options to tiles and baths.

Offering a smart, stylish and stress-free experience,

member who will help them through the whole project.

“We offer a complementary shopping service with our designer to assist in selecting clients’ tiles and bathroom fixtures,” he says.

“We also provide a complementary clean by a professional cleaner as a standard inclusion for every bathroom.”

The Bathroom Company can also custom-make vanities, is available to do stone work, and can incorporate modern modicums like LED shower lighting or full-body showers, says Andrew.

Their designs complement the home, he says, including designs such as art deco.

The Bathroom Company, 7 Murray Crescent, Manuka. Call 0437 222631, email quotes@thebathroomcompany. com.au or visit thebathroomco.com.au

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Experienced in renovating homes

BORDEAUX Construction and Management is a “one-stop-shop”, guiding renovation projects through the design process to the end of its construction, says project manager Michael Milutinovic.

This makes the process easier for clients, according to Michael, who says the family-run, Queanbeyan-based business can do it all when it comes to renovations, such as renovate the kitchen, adjoin a new master bedroom or ensuite, or even attach a sunroom.

“We’re not waiting on anyone and we can guide them through the finishes,” he says.

“We work with some interior designers to guide them through the colour and finishing selection, too.”

The business even has in-house joiners that can provide renovators with custom joinery solutions for their walk-in robes, ensuites and vanities, says Michael.

Often, Michael says clients like where they’re living

and they like their suburb but they want to improve their home.

“They don’t want to move but they want to maximise their quality of life at home as well as add a bit of value to their home while doing so,” says Michael who holds an unrestricted “A”-class builder’s licence in the ACT and is licensed in NSW.

With more than 14 years’ experience in the construction industry in Canberra and Sydney, Michael says the business doesn’t shy away from complexity.

“We do everything from extensions, full home renovations and new builds,” he says.

“We can really look at any type of construction. We have experience across the board.”

Bordeaux Construction and Management, 8 Aurora Place, Queanbeyan. Call 6299 4642 or visit bordeauxbcm.com.au

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Showroom Hours: Mon-Fri: 9.00am to 4.00pm, Sat: 9.00am to 12pm, or by appointment

HOME IMPROVEMENT

FROM concept to completion, MMM Interiors works closely with renovators to ensure their project is a success, says principal designer and director Mimmi Freebody.

She says MMM Interiors can design everything from total home interiors and extensions to smaller projects such as bathrooms and kitchens.

Their showroom, recently relocated to 61 Wollongong Street, is full of inspirational products, from tiles and benchtops to bathware and accessories, as well as designer lighting, she says.

“MMM also designs and builds stunning al fresco spaces, external kitchens, roofed pergolas [and offers] stylising for external furnishing,” she says.

“Other special design and build projects include spaces such as walkin wardrobes, libraries and studies, as well as bespoke entertainment units and occasional furniture pieces.”

Mimmi says their experienced designers can help select the individual items and every Saturday run a free-of-charge talk to a designer or project manager service.

It allows people to book a time in the showroom to discuss their ideas and the various design steps involved. They will also help people determine the cost of their project, she says.

MMM Interiors, 61 Wollongong Street, Fyshwick. Call 6280 9980 or visit mmminteriors.com.au

focus on care, professionalism, reliability and efficiency, JWS Removals is Canberra’s removalist of choice, says owner Jack Stafford. Jack, who’s been specialising in furniture removals, logistics, as well as fine arts and antique relocations, for more than 10 years, established JWS Removals to fill a gap in the industry, offering a more personalised removalist service.

Being a small, privately-owned and operated business, Jack says he works with clients personally, from the quote all the way through

“We pride ourselves on our professionalism and that’s why we don’t use labour hire, only quality, experienced removalists who know how to get the job done right,” Jack says.

“We leave nothing to risk, using specialised furniture blankets, boxes, plastic furniture protective covers, trolleys, carpeted truck floors, felt pads for in-home floor protection and much more to ensure a risk and stress-free move.”

And, so there’s no hidden costs, JWS Removals offers in-person, no-obligation, free quotes.

This also allows Jack to see the furniture and valuables in advance so he knows exactly what protective materials are needed to make the move as quick and safe as possible, he says.

JWS Removals, call 0448 401604, email contact@jwsremovals.com.au or visit jwsremovals.com.au

Self Storage Solutions, a family-run business, was established about 30 years ago to fill the gap, says owner Lewis Jones.

Lewis’ parents saw the need for affordable storage options when they were running a removalist company in Sydney, which inspired them to open Self Storage Solutions, conveniently located near the truck stop at Marulan, only a one-hour drive from Canberra. Lewis, who lives in Canberra, says he recently took over the reins when his parents retired.

He says clients love the savings they get by storing their items outside of the city.

“Our monthly storage costs are easily half the price of a storage unit in Canberra,” says Lewis.

“Our clients are typically people who are relocating or renovating and who don’t require regular access to their storage unit.”

Self Storage Solutions offer three storage unit size options and Lewis says caravans, boats and trailers can also be stored, to keep them out of people’s home driveways. He says they can be collected seven days a week during daylight hours.

“We can also offer a removalist service, if required,” he says.

Self Storage Solutions. Call 9986 3618 or visit selfstoragesolutions.com.au

EXPERTS OF CIVIC

Experts make Canberra’s central district home

ESTABLISHED in 1927, and gazetted a year later on September 20 under the division name City, Civic, also known as Civic Centre, was initially planned to have its market centre elsewhere.

Walter Burley Griffin’s original design for Canberra included a “civic centre” with a separate “market centre” located at what is now Russell.

However, the Prime Minister of the day, Stanley Bruce, vetoed the idea and only the Civic centre was developed.

Now, Canberra’s central business district is dominated by passionate experts, such as retailers and hospitality businesses, making it their home, or their go-to destination to do business.

Hardy Lohse’s photo “Currong Apartments” is in the “Habitat: Ways of living exhibition”.

Canberra Museum and Gallery (CMAG) has plenty of exhibitions and spaces to explore, says director Sarah Schmidt.

The exhibition, “Habitat: Ways of Living”, reveals life in a variety of environments from high-rise, high-end apartments, to suburban subdivisions and locations where inhabitants have endured the collapse of their communities.

There’s also “Seeing Canberra”, an exhibition where visitors will journey through four key periods of the city’s development, and for each will encounter an object that represents a prism to understand a way of seeing at that time.

And, the exhibition “Remembrances of my

iconic Australian artist Sir Sidney Nolan. Children and families are well catered for, too, says Sarah, who points to the dedicated “MakerSpace” for children from four to 10 years of age.

The “MakerSpace” links works of art in the CMAG and Nolan Collections to engaging artmaking activities, she says.

Over the long weekend, the gallery will be open from 10am to 5pm, with the CMAG cafe open from 10am to 1pm, making the perfect addition to the day, Sarah says.

Canberra Museum and Gallery, Cnr London Circuit and City Square. Visit cmag.com.au or call 6207 3968.

HABITAT

WAYS OF LIVING

This exhibition reveals ways of living in a variety of environmentsfrom high-rise, high-end apartments, to suburban subdivisions and locations where inhabitants have endured the collapse of their communities. Contemporary artists reveal how the built environment responds to, and is influenced by, circumstance. The exhibition tel ls individual stories of the resilience of human spirit.

Alex Asch

Burchill/McCamley

Miriam Charlie

Sean Davey

David Flanagan

Michal Glikson

Tina Havelock Stevens

Katherine Hayne

Mikhaila Jurkiewicz

Waratah Lahy

Hardy Lohse

Catherine O’Donnell

David Paterson

Alan Patterson

Patrice Riboust

Natalie Rosin

Khaled Sabsabi

James Tylor (Possum)

OPEN: Easter Fri 2 Sat 3 Sun 4 & Mon 5 April 10am – 5pm

CMAG Cafe Open: Sat 3 Sun 4 & Mon 5 April 9am – 1pm

Regular Hours Mon – Sat: 10am – 5pm

Restaurant serves wholesome Italian food

OPEN for dinner everyday over the Easter period, except for Sunday, April 4, now is the time to book in at Briscola Italian to lock in an Italian holiday feast, says owner Gianni Guglielmin.

Located in the Melbourne Building, Briscola Italian is fast be coming one of Civic’s iconic Italian restaurants, serving wholesome and traditional Italian food in an historical atmosphere, Gianni says.

The beautiful colonnades out the front add to the restaurant’s historical facade, says Gianni, who describes Briscola Italian as a casual, unpretentious, quality, Italian dining experience.

The family-run restaurant is owned by Italians, which, Gianni says, influences their traditional menu, with signature dishes such as a homemade ravioli recipe that’s made from scratch.

The restaurant is award-winning, too, winning titles such as Canberra’s Best Pizzeria in 2014, Canberra’s Best Italian Restaurant, 2015, and in 2016 gained accreditation from the Academy Italian Kitchen, also known as the Accademia Italiana della Cucina, by the Italian ambassador.

Briscola Italian is open for dinner seven days a week, with lunch services running Tuesday until Sunday.

Briscola Italian, 60 Alinga Street. Call 6248 5444, email briscolaitalian@gmail.com or visit briscolapizzeria.com.au

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Andrew offers affordable custom framing

WITH everything from custom frames to art and memorabilia, Civic ProFrame owner Andrew Trousdell says he does custom framing cheaper than many of his competitors.

Located on the corner of Akuna Street and City Walk, Andrew also offers services such as custom matting, slide and negative scanning, photo restoration and canvas sketching.

In the decade since he took over the business, he says new high-rise apartment buildings have sprung up around the city, but his eclectic mix of clientele has stayed the same.

Andrew also has a gallery space, which at the moment features an intriguing mix of works such as Trevor Dickinson’s bus stop and Canberra-themed prints, as

well as movie-themed artworks.

“We try to be a little bit different,” he says.

Civic ProFrame is also the only business in Canberra processing 35mm colour film, he says.

“If you take your film anywhere else they’ll send it out to Melbourne and it will take about three weeks, while we’ll have it ready the next day in most cases,” says Andrew.

“We’re developing more than a hundred rolls a week and half of them are from disposable cameras of kids’ parties and what not.”

Civic ProFrame, corner of Akuna Street and City Walk. Call 6247 6230, email info@civicproframe.com.au, or visit canlabproframe.com.au

BRISCOLA ITALIAN

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Season of mellow fruitfulness

AUTUMN is my favourite time of the year in the garden, with the blasting heat of summer days over and plants breathing a sigh of relief.

It is also changeover time with summer flowers ending and autumn flowers bursting forth.

Dahlias come into their own in autumn with an amazing range of shapes and colours; one can understand why they are the national flower of Mexico. Roses are also presenting us with their final flush of blooms, as are the annual flowers of petunias.

However, there’s still work to do in the garden and in this column I’m providing reminders of important tasks that will benefit next spring’s displays.

While deciduous trees and shrubs still have leaves, it’s the perfect time to remove any dead, diseased or broken branches.

They’re hard to pick once the leaves have dropped. Stand back and view the plants – can wayward

branches be trimmed to provide more flowering branches next season?

Also remove any crossing-over branches, the ones rubbing against each other that can cause damage to bark.

EVERGREEN shrubs, from the smallest box-hedging plants to intermediate shrubs such as daphne, need an autumn prune. Some gardeners seem reluctant to prune daphne; however, both the Chinese daphne (such as Daphne odora) and the Italian varieties (“Eternal Fragrance”) will benefit from a light trim now to encourage more flowers.

This gives the new shoots a few weeks to harden off before the serious frosts arrive.

Larger evergreen shrubs such as viburnums and pittosporum should all be trimmed now. If any of these shrubs are grown as hedges always trim the top narrower than the base to allow even sunlight to all parts of the hedge.

The traditional time to trim conifers is March and October. Never cut back into the old wood. Unlike other evergreen shrubs, new growth will not grow back again on old wood with conifers.

MANY spring and summer-flowering, evergreen shrubs will already be forming an

abundance of tiny flowering buds, Camellia sasanqua for example, and must not be pruned as this time.

The pride and joy of many gardens is the display of deciduous spring flowering shrubs. These include magnolias, viburnum and philadelphus, often with rich fragrance. If any buds are showing, don’t prune them until after flowering. Some shrubs revel in hard pruning, one of the best examples is buddleia or “Butterfly Bush”. Left unpruned they quickly end up an uninspiring scraggly bush with no flowers.

SOME of the smallest plants, namely herbs, are often neglected and overgrown. Like shrubs, now’s the time to give them the chop, the cut off pieces hung up to dry for later use. Constantly I see in magazines and TV shows herbs being grown in tiny pots, often displayed on a kitchen window shelf. This may look good given they’re close at hand when cooking, but the coldest place in the home in winter is by windows.

The majority of herbs originate in the Mediterranean and love heat; rosemary, lavender, thyme, while often shown growing in small pots, need at least 30cm pots and to be grown outdoors.

Herbs will not need as regular watering as other plants. To get the ultimate flavour, herbs need to be cut often to encourage new, fresh growth. Like other perennial plants it is the perfect time to divide herbs.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT INSIDE

Good folk are getting together in Queanbeyan

By Helen MUSA

ALL eyes will be on Queanbeyan over the Easter weekend as the inaugural Good Folk festival swings into action.

The brainchild of National Folk Festival managing director, Helen Roben and Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council, the mini-festival will see more than 22 gigs taking place over three major venues – The Royal Hotel, The Q and the Bicentennial Hall.

A session bar for gigs will be set up in a marquee pitched on one of the greens at the newly-trendy local “bowlo” the Campbell & George, and there’ll be live music at The Hive and out on Crawford Street, which will be packed with music and street stalls on the Saturday.

Roben can hardly wipe the smile from her face at having come up with such a lively interim event (which she calls “the first”) in a year which could’ve been very dismal for the cancelled national event, accustomed to hosting around 50,000 visitors at Exhibition Park.

But Queanbeyan has restaurants, parks, performance venues and pubs, making it at least as congenial a location as EPIC.

Joining the venture is Queanbeyan-

Palerang regional council, which quickly offered logistical support, the Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre and its close relative the newly-refurbished Bicentennial Centre, where big names such as ARIA-winner Fanny Lumsden and the environmentally-aware FourPlay String Quartet will perform.

Kate Burke is one of the central artists in The New Graces, a trio made up of Melanie Horsnell, Robyn Martin and Burke herself, who together will be performing at The Q on the Saturday.

All hail from Candelo, near Bega, now famous as a mecca for original music.

Burke was already well-known as part of the folk duo Kate and Ruth and Irish/Australian traditional band Trouble in the Kitchen, but The New Graces, who brought out a new album right in the middle of lockdown last year, came specifically out of the lifestyle of the valley.

Martin and Burke have shared not just music but a house while raising small children who, in Burke’s case, play piano and drums and are always singing.

Burke, now married to Candelo musician Pete Wild, was brought up in Canberra and knows the National Folk Festival well.

Horsnell, who has an international profile, moved to the district about 10 years ago, also with family life in mind.

Inevitably, a couple of years ago the three of them got together, made an album and restyled themselves The New Graces.

Burke sees their talents as evenly matched. They each wrote four songs to put on the 12-number album, which has a strong country focus, with titles such as “Farmer’s Daughter”, “Let You Love Me” and “Kameruka Nights”.

The subject matter varies in the songs.

Martin, for instance, grew up on a sheep

farm in SA – so sheep feature. Horsnell’s speciality is love songs, and Burke, who was raised on bush dancing, brings that flavour to her songs.

Good Folk wouldn’t happen without sponsors and apart from the council, Roben has been able to secure solid Queanbeyan support.

Royal Hotel proprietor Anthony McDonald, whose sophisticated cabaret spot The Upper House has recently been host to packed-out gigs featuring Mahalia Barnes and triple ARIA-winner Sarah McLeod, says the Easter resonances are strong.

McDonald says his target audience is patrons aged 35 and up, who enjoy music from the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s.

“We love our entertainment and we like original music, so when we realised there was an opportunity to work with the council to bring Good Folk to Queanbeyan, we were in.”

A much more arty sponsor is Ben Ashman from local business, The Recruitment Hive. Last year he set up a covid-related video festival, “The Recruitment Hive Dance Music Creator Search”, which paid Canberra musicians $400 each to perform online.

Good Folk, Queanbeyan, April 3-4, book at folkfestival.org.au/good-folk/ The New Graces will perform with Montgomery Church at The Q, 6.30pm, April 4. Book at theq.net.au

Thrilling three stories seek a form of pain relief

“Crisis” (MA)

WRITER/director/producer Nicholas Jarecki delivers a 118-minute dramatic thriller telling three stories in which the common element is opioid pain relievers.

In a way, it’s also a message movie. Gary Oldman heads the cast list playing medico Tyrone Brower working as a consultant advising a drug company about to release a new non-addictive pain-reliever to supersede oxycodone.

Armie Hammer plays US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) agent Jake working undercover to take down a gang of Armenians preparing to sell a big scrunch of drugs on the US and Canadian markets. Evangeline Lilly plays Claire, an architect and reformed drug user determined to track down and take down the people who supplied the drugs that killed her teenaged son. These themes could individually support their own movies. Jarecki deftly intertwines them into this single film. It works well enough but sometimes gets a bit bitty.

The film canvasses the competing interests involved with the big money from a single product capable of doing harm. Dr Brower has come to the testing lab to try to explain why the test rats are pigging out on the new product then dying.

Jake is dealing with Mother (Guy Nadon) who’s the Armenians’ conduit into the American market. Claire simply is out of her depth in the dangerous game that she has decided to play.

The film’s dramatic structure examines

subordinate issues (especially university thraldom to possible sources of funding).

Cliches that might have clogged the plot are thankfully absent or brief. Final judgement – a potboiler saved by moral moments alleviated by changes of dramatic pace.

At all cinemas

“White Riot” (M)

HERE are extracts from the information available to me about filmmaker Rubika Shah’s film when choosing this week’s new releases for review...

“Britain, late-1970s. Punk is exploding. The country is deeply divided over immigration. The National Front, a far right and fascist political party, is gaining strength.

Talking to the names making news. Join the ‘CityNews’ editor and 2CC personalities Sundays, 9am-noon.

That (edited) summary may mean more to today’s Britons who were alive half a century ago than to younger folk. For Australian audiences, a valid question is, “is it worth seeing?” I approached it with some uncertainty. I left it happy to have seen it, though some may find it a tad confusing.

At Dendy and Palace Electric

“French Exit” (MA)

MICHELLE Pfeiffer was in her early sixties when she played Frances in this unhurried film who, after her husband’s death, in a single sentence that is the leitmotif for Azazel Jacobs’ film, “My plan was to die before the money ran out”, inherited a lot of money and didn’t.

be a force against racism.

“Teaming up with like-minded creatives Roger Huddle, Kate Webb, Syd Shelton and Australian graphic designer Ruth Gregory, the team bands together to create Rock Against Racism (RAR) and a fanzine… stories and issues that mainstream British media ignores.

“The National Front begins to strike back, committing acts of violence against RAR supporters and petrol-bombing their HQ. Despite this, RAR spreads… a grassroots youth movement… a moment in time when music changed the world.”

“French Exit” is a pleasant, somewhat disjointed and ultimately minimalist movie that says little if anything about growing old.

Frances sells her Manhattan residence and, with her adult son Malcolm (Lucas Hedges) and her blue-eyed black tom cat, moves at short notice to Paris to spend the rest of her life while doing her best to get rid of the money. And, when it’s all gone, remains alive.

Is the film a portrait of a failure? Yes, but Frances’ disappointment doesn’t inhibit her from gathering friends and staff while

WATCH IT! / streaming and stuff

her stack of 100-franc banknotes slowly dribbles away.

Patrick DeWitt’s screenplay, based on his novel, takes its time showing her progress, from a trans-Atlantic steamship voyage to the accretion of the circle of friends who keep her company in the Paris apartment. Malcolm is her chief concern. She finally tells him the circumstances of his begetting and birth.

Malcolm’s New York girlfriend arrives with a husband in tow and decides that she prefers Malcolm.

Hangers-on, including the private detective Julius (Isaach De Bankolé) whom she employs, and the medium Madeleine (Danielle Macdonald), drink and eat at her expense. When she’s alone, she communes with the candle through which her husband’s spirit visits her.

These off-beat elements and others combine to deliver 110 pleasant minutes in which not much happens.

Ms Pfeiffer is a fine actress. She carries “French Exit”, but when it’s over, and Frances still hasn’t died, you could be forgiven for wondering what it was about.

At Palace Electric and Dendy

News of the world’s cowboy movies

By Nick OVERALL

NETFLIX’s newest western drama has kicked up quite a fuss, and it’s far from the only movie of its genre that’s found a popular home on the streaming frontier.

It’s called “News of the World”, and it throws viewers into post Civil War America, with superstar Tom Hanks playing a slightly different “cowboy” to his famed, Pixar animated cattleman.

Here he’s Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd, made to escort a 10-year-old girl across the ruthless Texas west of the late 19th century.

The film’s success reveals the strong place the western still holds in modern pop culture, made possible by a ceaseless cycle of reinvention that keeps audiences across generations firmly planted in their saddles.

Take, for example, the genrebending “Westworld” on Binge, throwing all the tropes of the old west into a frying pan and stirring them in with the prescient twist of virtual reality.

The show depicts a world where people can live out their wildest fantasies as cowboys in a digital desert, and

the dangers that come of it. That’s only the start though, there’s a heap of gunslinging goodness strewn throughout the streaming platforms.

Stan is quite the winner when it comes to westerns with a throng of iconic films available. These include the Clint Eastwood classics “A Fistful of Dollars’’, “Hang ‘Em High”, and what’s widely considered one of the best films of all time: “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”.

For those seeking a more modern spin, Stan also has 2010’s “True Grit” starring Jeff Daniels and Matt Damon. A remake of the original film from 1969 (the original can be watched on SBS On Demand), “True Grit” tells the tale of the boozy, trigger-happy US marshal hired by a 14-year-old farm girl intent on avenging her father murdered by an outlaw.

It’s directed by the brilliant, and often bug-nut crazy, Coen Brothers who are most renowned for their

other notorious neo-western thriller “No Country for Old Men” (also on Stan).

The cinematography of “No Country” is deeply linked with its fame, handled by one Roger Deakins, a master of capturing the desert as showcased in his work on another hard-hitting horse opera “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”, on Netflix.

The film dives headfirst into one of America’s most fabled figures, a Robin Hood-like character with as many misconceptions swirling around him as there are heroic mythologizations.

While we’re on Netflix, the platform has one of Quentin Tarantino’s best works on tap: “Django Unchained”, with Jamie Foxx playing subservient slave turned vicious avenger in the heavily stylised tribute to spaghetti westerns.

Fun fact: in his own words Tarantino called “The Good, the Bad and

the Ugly” the greatest achievement in the history of cinema. Unsurprisingly, “Django” is absolutely littered with references to the film that are good fun to pick up if you watch both in proximity.

And, for those with a strong stomach, catch Kurt Russell playing a sheriff hellbent on hunting down a terrifying cult of cannibals in the brooding and brutal “Bone Tomahawk”. It’s a riveting western thriller, but I don’t kid, one that is deeply disturbing.

The land down under doesn’t miss out either: The “meat-pie western”, as it’s affectionately been coined, has more than its place in streaming. On Binge is “The Proposition”, written by musician Nick Cave, that offers a merciless look at the outback of late 1800s Australia.

And on Amazon Prime Video is the 2018 film, directed by talented Aussie director Jennifer Kent, “The Nightingale”. It tracks an Irish female convict pursuing a British officer for revenge through the stunning Tasmanian wilderness. All of this is only scratching the surface of the start of what’s out there in the wild west of streaming.

“News of the World” is just the latest example of this genre that keeps on kicking on, although I was a little disappointed there weren’t any snakes to be found in Tom Hanks’ boot this time round.

DINING / Dockside, Kingston Foreshore

Sunny spot cafe proves popular for casual eating

A NEW café, just opened on the Kingston Foreshore, is bright, sunny and a perfect place for a casual meal.

Dockside’s fit out is fresh, with the soft colour palette featuring mint green, light pink, dove grey and bright white. Plenty of outdoor dining is available, and in the sun. There’s a long bar area outside also, great for people watching (and dog watching).

Coffee is by ONA Coffee and our cappuccino and latte went down smoothly.

All-day breakfast is on the menu weekends and, although not extensive, the variety is great and effort made to cater for all tastes. Lunch is

available from 11am and kids are taken care of with a breakfast option ($14) or nuggets and chips ($12). Check out the large cake cabinet too, with homemade goodies that change weekly.

My coconut chicken salad was lovely ($24). The poached chicken was moist and lemon coconut dressing perfectly balanced. The salad was created with coriander, which always lifts a meal to new heights, fresh mint, mixed salad and spinach. It was topped off with coconut flakes.

My only concern was the large amount of thickly cut and powerful-tasting red onion that overwhelmed the delicate nature of the rest of the flavours. I pushed most of it aside so as not to confuse my tastebuds.

My friend was looking for something a bit more substantial, settling on the angelhair pasta ($28) with homemade tomato

Angel-hair pasta with homemade tomato onion sauce… plump prawns, tender calamari and loads of garlic and chilli.

on the plate with the black squid ink pasta contrasting sharply with the bright oranges,

greens and reds of the other ingredients. It’s a generous dish with plump prawns, tender calamari and loads of garlic and chilli. The baby spinach was fresh and

ARTS IN THE CITY Adelaide Festival hit comes to Canberra

By Helen MUSA

CANBERRA Theatre has secured one of the big hits of this year’s Adelaide Festival, “A German Life” by Christopher Hampton and directed by Neil Armfield. It features Robyn Nevin as Brun hilde Pomsel, an unassuming woman with good shorthand skills who worked in Joseph Goebbels’ Propaganda Ministry. At The Playhouse, May 11-16. Book at canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 6275 2700.

HONEST Puck Theatre presents actor James Scott performing “According To Mark”, a 90-minute dramatised recitation of the gospel story. At Perform Australia Theatre, April 2-4. Book at honestpuck.com.au/tickets

“ANOMALY” is a new jazz vocal group formed and directed by Rowan Harvey-Martin which will burst on to the scene with UK composer Will Todd’s “Passion Music” for gospel soloist, choir and jazz ensemble. The soloist will be Sonia Anfiloff. Chapel of the Annunciation, Canberra Girls Grammar School, 7pm, Thursday, April 1,

ROTARY Club of Canberra Sunrise is holding a movie night fundraiser featuring the 2020 film,

“The Courier”, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Cold War spy Greville Wynne. At Palace Electric, 7pm, April 8. Book via trybooking.com

PHILLIP Mackenzie, of Polonius Productions, who has a life-long attachment to Edward Fitzgerald’s translation of the classic “Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam”, will be joined by Dawn Gardiner, dancer Alli Jury Gereige and musician John Mimellis in a sundown reading by the river, with a few selected verses also to be read in Farsi by Sam Sharifi. At Riverbank Cafe, Trinculo Place, Queanbeyan, 4.30pm, Sunday, March 28. Cafe open. Book via trybooking.com

FEEL-GOOD Irish music and dance feast, “A Taste of Ireland”, with a company of more than 20 leading Irish dancers and musicians as well as new sets, costumes, tunes and effects, is at Canberra Theatre, 7.30pm, April 3. Book at canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 6275 2700.

HALL School Museum and Heritage Centre presents its popular traditional brass-band concert, “Brass on the Grass”, hosted by local David Kilby, from 4pm, March 28. It’s free but book via trybooking.com

the cherry tomatoes beautifully ripe. My friend’s only concern, and we agreed it was a personal-taste issue, is that the sauce was

Also available at lunch is a wagyu steak (100g and sous vide, $28), a cheeseburger ($22), creamy mushroom linguine ($25) and

The café isn’t licensed but has plenty of teas, fresh juices, frappes and dairy-free

Dockside was busy, as new places so often are. Canberrans flock to them with

It was service with a smile and Dockside is aware it has a few teething problems to sort out including – on our visit – smoke from the exhaust system (shared with a neighbouring restaurant) and service that was a bit slow when we ordered at the bar. Our feeling is that they’ll get there quickly, and become a permanent presence on Eastlake Parade.

Dockside charges 10 per cent extra on Sundays, 15 per cent on public holidays.

EXHIBITION / ‘A Nation Imagined: The Artists of the Picturesque Atlas’ Nation imagined through drawings and paintings

By Helen Musa

A SERENDIPITOUS conjunction of art, artisanship and social history can be seen in an exhibition now running at the National Library of Australia, co-presented with the Art Gallery of NSW.

“A Nation Imagined: The Artists of the Picturesque Atlas” turns the spotlight on the 19th century publication that was the “Lonely Planet” of its era, giving its 50,000 subscribers a visual impression of life in Australia at the time.

It ended up as a three-volume, fine-art book and was seen by visitors to the world expositions in Melbourne and Chicago, where it won a medal.

As I found it during a walk-through with the animated and erudite Natalie Wilson, curator of Asia and Pacific Art at AGNSW, “The Picturesque Atlas”, published in supplements between 1886 and 1889, had international counterparts but only the Australasian publication used the term “atlas”, featuring maps as well as drawings and paintings.

Alas, with the global depression of 1890, the high subscription prices

brought the publication to an end.

essential features of the exhibition, which includes more than 180 drawings, steel and wood-engraved illustrations and paintings by artists dispatched across Australia and the Pacific, and, most fascinating to me, the original engraving tools of “Atlas” artist George Collingridge. Wilson’s co-curator, Gary Werskey from Sydney University, is the author

the bohemian art scene of late 19th century Sydney, particularly attractive to AGNSW, since the reputation of Sydney giants such as Julian Ashton, Albert Henry Fullwood and Frank Mahony were to be eclipsed by that of the Heidelberg school in Melbourne.

As Wilson notes philosophically, “history is written by the victors”

While the art of Fullwood and Mahony is still widely known, Ashton has gone into the annals less as an artist than as the founder of the Julian Ashton Art School in Sydney and a trustee of the Art Gallery of NSW.

But this exhibition does show Ashton’s “The Prospector” and his famous picture of Ned Kelly in the dock.

Artworks are also on show by other “Atlas” contributors, William Macleod, Ellis Rowan, Constance Roth and Americans and Frederic B. Schell and William Smedley, whose impressionistic, rain-washed streetscapes Wilson particularly admires.

In fact, it is the contention of Werskey and Wilson, highlighted in the final room of this exhibition, that “The Picturesque Atlas”, which

documented life in the still-colonial Australia through illustrations, maps and text, served as a catalyst for the Australian Impressionism art movement that followed.

From the art history perspective, the exhibition is a must-see, with much evidence of the “en plein air” approach to painting advocated by Ashton, the rare presence of female artists such as Rowan and Roth, the emerging technology of photography and the technique of

transferring photographic images on to wood blocks for engraving. The differences between the “Atlas” artists emerge clearly in the show. Macleod and Mahony worked at “The Bulletin”, so became adept illustrators of works by Henry Lawson and Banjo Paterson, but when left to their own devices, Macleod preferred portraiture, Mahony liked painting animals and Ashton went for miners and selectors.

Sydney’s “Atlas” artists, Wilson surmises, enjoyed “a roaring time” and enjoyed collegiate relationships between artists of the time, including the visiting Americans who, oddly, called themselves “the kangaroos”.

They also went on tours such as Fullwood’s excursion to the Hunter Valley, well documented in the show.

Central to the exhibition is the art of engraving.

During this era, the art of halftone printing was not yet developed and so it was necessary to prepare works for printing through engraving, raising the age-old question of where art ends and craft begins, since in some cases by eliminating extraneous detail and enhancing the skies through cross-hatching and other fine line techniques, the engravers sometimes improved on the originals.

The world of 19th century illustrations may give what Wilson calls a “biased” or partial view of Australian life but visually, it is an accurate one.

PUZZLES PAGE FREE PUZZLES EVERY DAY AT citynews.com.au

By Joanne Madeline Moore

ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

This week the Sun, Venus and Mercury are moving through your sign. So drop the warrior woman attitude and the defensive (and sometimes aggressive) Aries posturing! It’s your time to sparkle and shine, as you show the world how charming, creative and communicative you can be. Your motto for the moment is from birthday great, author and activist Maya Angelou: “The best part of life is thriving with passion and compassion, humour and style, generosity and kindness.”

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 21)

The current planetary aspects help you communicate your ideas with extra passion and power, as you link up with like-minded friends and influential people at work and within your peer group. But don’t get so stirred up and side-tracked that you lose sight of the authentic Taurean within. Be inspired by singer Celine Dion (who turns 53 on March 30): “What do you need to stay grounded, in touch, in love, connected and emotionally balanced? Look within yourself.”

GEMINI (May 22 – June 21)

Proactive Mars is charging through your sign, which provides you with the drive and passion to start steering your life in a more autonomous direction. It’s also time to stop blaming other people for the problems in your life. Put on your Big Girl (or Big Boy) pants and accept responsibility for the choices you make. Be inspired by birthday great, writer and adventurer Giacomo Casanova: “Whatever I have done in the course of my life… has been done freely; I am a free agent.”

CANCER (June 22 – July 23)

Avoid being a lonesome Crab! This week professional projects and creative collaborations with colleagues are favoured as you spark ideas off each other and pool your talents to produce something special. The Sun, Venus and Mercury increase enthusiasm and help you reform a rickety work relationship that’s been experiencing problems. Setting positive new patterns of behaviour sees the union move to a deeper and more satisfying level. Close consultation is the key.

LEO (July 24 – Aug 23)

Are you in the process of making an important decision? A parent, teacher, mentor or close friend has some wise advice for you. Listen closely to what they say and then let your intuition be your guide. Coupled Cats – Jupiter and Saturn are transiting through your romance zone, so work hard to make the relationship even better. Single Lions – you will find your soul mate, as long as you are realistic. (Remember – the ‘perfect’ partner doesn’t exist; everyone has flaws!)

VIRGO (Aug 24 – Sept 23)

You’ve got a tremendous amount on your plate at the moment Virgo but avoid getting into super-stressed mode! Mars is in your career zone and Mercury (your boss planet) is moving through your relationship zones, which will help a close partnership or a joint venture that has been stuck on cruise control. And Mercury also links up with Neptune and Pluto (on Tuesday and Friday). So you’ll find kindness, creativity, focus and a strategic plan will take you far over the coming week.

LIBRA (Sept 24 – Oct 23)

Mighty Mars is powering through your learning and travel zone (until April 23). So education, research, philosophical conversations and local adventures are favoured over the next few weeks. Venus and Saturn also shine a bright spotlight on the important relationships (of the romantic and platonic variety) in your life. How can they be nurtured and improved? But don’t let other people drain your energy and disrupt your Libran equilibrium. Stay strong and centred!

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 22)

Be careful you don’t upset a sensitive child, teenager or friend by making an insensitive comment. Friday’s Mercury/Pluto connection encourages you to transform your life by broadening and deepening your horizons… physically, mentally and spiritually. It’s also time to expand your circle of influence and make positive changes (personally, within your neighbourhood and further afield). Stay alert so you can capitalise on any lucky opportunities that come your way.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21)

Expect a tricky juggle this week Sagittarius. On the one hand, avoid jumping to hasty conclusions. On the other hand, don’t waste too much time weighing up the pros and cons of a given situation. The current planetary patterns discourage being impulsive AND postulating for too long. The best approach is to think things through for a couple of days, and then start turning your ideas into productive projects. So try to get the balance right between deep reflection and fiery action.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 20)

This week Saturn (your patron planet) forms positive links with Venus and the Sun. So a lucky break could come your way, especially via a business contact or a family member. But if you don’t have the experience and confidence to capitalise on this opportunity, then it will promptly pass you by. Plus proceed carefully when you’re communicating with other people (particularly online) otherwise you could find yourself slap bang in the middle of a very confusing situation.

AQUARIUS (Jan 21 – Feb 19)

Saturn is visiting your sign, which can make you feel restricted and self-conscious. Jupiter is in Aquarius as well, so you’ll also experience a strong drive for freedom and independence. It’s definitely a delicate balancing act but being the real, authentic you is still possible in the current climate of Covid rules and regulations. Your motto is from birthday great, writer and activist Maya Angelou: “If you’re always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.”

PISCES (Feb 20 – Mar 20)

This week Mercury and Neptune (your power planet) pair up in Pisces (on Monday and Tuesday) which increases your creativity and sensitivity. So it’s a wonderful week to express yourself as you write, sing, draw, dance, perform, paint or play music. Be inspired by birthday great, writer and civil rights activist Maya Angelou: “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humour and some style.”

Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2021

4 Name the renowned Australian

(6)

9 What is an act of retaliation? (8)

11 Which messages are sent over the teleprinter exchange? (7)

13 What is a US colloquial term for a detective? (7)

15 To burst inwards, is to do what? (7)

17 When one walks about aimlessly, what does one do? (7)

20 What is a three-sided figure? (8)

23 What is a combination of two? (6)

24 Which term describes a temporary prevalence of a disease? (8)

25 To have gazed fixedly, is to have done what? (6)

Down

1 What do we call a poker stake? (4)

2 Name the remains of anything broken down or destroyed. (6)

3 What is a burden, or a responsibility? (4)

4 Which term describes something that is not fresh? (5)

5 To tidy something up, is to do what to it? (6)

6 What is present in the upper atmosphere, and screens the earth’s surface from excess ultraviolet radiation? (5)

9 Who exercises ruling power in a kingdom, during the absence of the sovereign? (6)

10 What is an artist’s studio? (7)

12 To withdraw formally from an alliance is to do what? (6)

14 What do they call a junior lifesaver? (6)

16 What, historically, was a mounted soldier? (6)

18 Name the perch upon which domestic fowls rest at night. (5)

19 What is a high-spirited horse? (5)

21 Name an Egyptian goddess of fertility and nature. (4)

22 What is a resting place of a wild beast? (4)

Covid-19 has been a reality check – and weirdly even a positive. Realising you can spend more time at home and be just as productive at work is great. I’ve had clients move to the South Coast, still with their Canberra jobs, with less stress and a better lifestyle. For me, the reality check was that working 100+ hours a week running my own business was not for me. Don’t get me wrong, I love selling homes, but the time and energy running a company was not for me. After a wonderful discussion with Andrew Chamberlain at Blackshaw Manuka, my social impact model in real estate has now moved. My Instagram, my Facebook, and my website remain. I don’t have to change how I do things, and I wake up each morning not worrying about company stresses.

Here are Andrew and Belinda’s words:

“We are proud to welcome Christine Shaw, together with Gillian Thorn and Michele Dingle to the Blackshaw Real Estate agency group. Managing Principal Belinda Chamberlain announced the new collaboration as a logical merger of Christine’s outstanding sales ability and commitment to achieving housing equity with the strength and resources of the Blackshaw property network. Operating from our Manuka premises, Christine has over 30 years’ experience in the Canberra community, and is a respected and renowned real estate agent. Known for her enthusiasm, organisation, and ability to always go above and beyond for her clients, Christine’s passion for people and ability to establish strong relationships is obvious from your first interaction. Finding a way to combine the property industry and community initiatives, Christine has used her background in social policy to create real estate with a purpose™. From 2012, her ‘Investors Can Help’ project has assisted the ACT refugee community to secure affordable housing. In 2017, she also became a member of the ACT Government’s Consultative Group on Affordable Housing and Homelessness. Christine’s commitment to Hands Across Canberra also sees her donate 10% of her sales profits to homelessness initiatives, merging two of her greatest passions, clients and community. With increasing levels of repeat and referral business, Christine’s results speak for themselves.

We look forward to what milestones and achievements are instore for 2021, with this outstanding new addition to Blackshaw Real Estate team.”

The lesson for me during Covid-19 was certainly to not worry about what other people think – just do what you want to do each day, and be happy.

10, 13, 15, 17 APRIL 2021

LLEWELLYN HALL, SCHOOL OF MUSIC, ANU

Director: Peter Coleman-Wright AO

Conductor: Dane Lam

Orchestral Partner: Canberra Symphony Orchestra

Featured artists: Bradley Daley, Catherine Carby and Helena Dix

Tickets: www.nationalopera.org.au/tito