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Decades of donating millions into worthy causes

By Belinda STRAHORN

STARTED by two Canberra brothers wanting to help others, the Snow Foundation has turned into one of the country’s largest philanthropic funders, and this year celebrates more than 30 years of supporting worthy causes.

During its three-decades long as sociation with community organisa tions and social entrepreneurs, the foundation has given $46 million in philanthropic donations.

From work to address the homeless ness crisis to helping eliminate disease from the indigenous community in the NT, chief executive officer Georgina Byron said the foundation had made a difference to the lives of many.

“It’s been quite incredible to witness the impact that the foundation has made not just on the local Canberra re gion, but also beyond that to the south coast, to Sydney, and to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communi ties,” said Ms Byron.

“We have had some great success stories over the years working with people and organisations who are making a significant difference.”

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Letters 14

News 3-14

Politics 7

Whimsy 11 Cover: Racing car driver Zach Bates. Photo by Holly Treadaway. Story Page 6.

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$144 million, the foundation has supported more than 400 organisations and 420 individuals, becoming one of the country’s largest philanthropic funders.

“I honestly never thought the foundation would grow to this extent,” Ms Byron said.

“To be able to work with people who want to give and who have big hearts has been the most rewarding experience. It’s an honour to lead the foundation.”

The Snow Foundation was built on the success of the Snow family’s business interests including the Canberra Airport and other developments, which has allowed them to donate generously to a great many causes.

In the early days, support focused on social welfare and disability programs, a number of whom the foundation still works with today.

Ms Byron said the foundation has expanded its reach focusing on social entrepreneurs and social justice issues through its Snow Entrepreneurs program.

The fellowship program offers mentoring assistance and grants of up to $100,000 for eight entrepreneurs who are one to three years into their career.

A recent recipient of a Snow Entrepreneurs grant is Joe Kwon, who is helping young offenders address the issue of recidivism through a program called Confit Pathways.

“Joe was in jail once upon a time but fortunately he met a mentor who encouraged him to get a job and an education,” Ms Byron said.

“He’s just about to get a degree, and he’s set up Confit Pathways, which is all about providing mentoring and fitness for young people in juvenile justice.”

“The program is incredible. It’s in six juvenile justice centres and they hope to get into Canberra, and are currently having discussions with the jail.”

While the Snow Foundation reached its 30-year milestone during the lockdown over the pandemic, Ms Byron feels now is the right time to celebrate the occasion.

“We had a fabulous event at Pialligo where 150 people gathered to celebrate Terry’s 30 years of giving, but it was also a time to celebrate all the great work that people in the community have been doing to make our community a better place,” Ms Byron said.

Despite the fact that her father has run a successful business, Ms Byron said he remains a down to earth and practical man who appreciates he is in a position to help others.

“He’s salt of the earth,” Ms Byron said.

“He loves spending time with real people in the community and he’s so committed to his work.

“Having a strong work ethic and persistence is something he admires in other people. He’s a good man.”

SEVEN DAYS

Great Wall stonemasons get a middle finger

THE Great Wall of Curtin, said to be the longest stone wall of its type in Canberra, has been sullied by graffiti… and a joke.

The stupid-head goblins have been out at night defacing the 650-metres of 20,000 handplaced stones along Cotter Road with a burst of incomprehensible spray paint to the southern end of the handsome noise-prevention wall.

So I stopped for a closer look at the colourful mess that sends an ignorant middle finger to the workmanship and skill of the stonemasons. And there, amidst the ugliness, in orderly capital letters, is an affirmation of the academic quality of the ACT education system in a message that says: “STEEM CLEEN MEE”.

The $1.2 million wall’s building in 2018 was subject to National Capital Authority approval because of Cotter Road’s proximity to Government House and its location on designated land.

Will that help to get it “cleened” off any quicker given it’s the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee?

THE silent Housing Minister Yvette Berry was stung into public comment this past week at the accusation from the ACT Council of Social Service that Housing ACT was coercing long-term and mostly female tenants to attend do-or-die meetings with the directorateappointed Tenant Relocation Exemption Panel that they hadn’t had time to prepare for.

No, no, no, nothing of the kind. The minister said the invitation was made to

“However, these meetings will be ongoing and no one needs to attend a meeting this week if they don’t want to,” she said. But anyone objecting will have to show up and be judged at some point.

“These meetings are just an opportunity for tenants, and any support people they’d like to bring, to attend a meeting to discuss their needs and reasons for seeking an exemption to relocation to support their application if they wish to.”

ACTCOSS CEO Dr Emma Campbell said:

“No information has been made available to tenants or the community sector as to the criteria for decision making; composition, qualification and independence of the panel; time period for the delivery of decisions;

and holistic manner”.

Transparent? Can’t wait to see that.

participants to play at the elite level.”

AS the stock exchange convulses and inflation runs faster than a Gungahlin tram (joke), there’s relief at the news residential water and sewerage rates are going to fall in the ACT this coming financial year.

PLEASING news in the Canberra Raiders being licensed to field one of four new clubs joining the NRL Women’s League next year.

The Raiders join the Cowboys, Sharks and Tigers in bringing a new team to the NRLW, which will see the competition expand to 10 teams.

Raiders CEO Don Furner said the inclusion of the Raiders in the NRLW was a very proud moment for the club.

“Having a team in the NRLW has been a huge focus for our club and now that we’ve been granted a licence, we look forward to providing a pathway for local female

While the average drop of 50 cents a week is unlikely to curl many toes with excitement, the fact prices aren’t going up is the godsend.

This comes on the news earlier this month that electricity prices are also going to drop – by a measly 83 cents a week – but buoyed by relief they aren’t going up.

However, there will be no escaping the impending shock of the annual increase in ACT property rates.

WHILE on the subject of saving money Barry Peffer, of Nicholls, wrote to say a friend of his has placed bubble wrap over her south-facing kitchen window and has noticed a beneficial difference in temperature.

He was writing to suggest we invite readers to share economical, non-traditional ways of keeping warm in the especially cold winter weather.

“It would be for the benefit of those people who can’t install adequate heating,” he says.

“This particularly applies to people renting or living in lower-rated EER dwellings. Any tips on how to reduce energy bills, I’m pretty confident, would be appreciated by all, especially with the cost of living rising so quickly at the moment.”

All ideas and tips welcome to editor@citynews.com.au

AND to close, a bon mot: Irony. The opposite of wrinkly.

Ian Meikle is the editor of “CityNews” and can be heard on the “CityNews Sunday Roast” news and interview program, 2CC, 9amnoon. There are more of his columns on citynews.com.au

No stopping Zach when it comes to racing cars

their racing careers. Zach’s cousins Harry and Lewis Bates are also national rally competitors.

“I was always interested in racing because of dad and Neal, but really became interested at about nine or 10,”

Not unlike another young Queanbeyan racing prodigy by the name of Mark Webber, Zach’s interest in racing was ignited by go-karting.

While young, he competed in kart state and national championships, but he says he was eager to get behind the wheel of a car as early as he could, having gone on to Formula Ford racing at 15 and now on to the Toyota 86.

“Cars are just a whole different

“Karts have the basics of accelerator, brake pedal and steering but in cars you have to deal with gears, everything’s so much faster, there’s different techniques and now you have to deal with suspension because go karts don’t have suspension.”

He says the technical aspects of the sport are part of what drives his pas -

are so many others that are involved in that process, people like mechanics and those who work to get the car on the grid.

“I couldn’t do it without dad and all the other people that are involved.”

Life away from the fast lane never slows down too much, either.

Zach keeps up a regular schedule of running, mountain biking and cardio work to ensure he’s fit for challenging conditions. Fitness, he says, is crucial to maintain, as temperatures inside the cars can get extremely hot extremely quickly.

While his mum Alison says she gets nervous watching the high-speed action, Zach says he’s not so fazed by the danger.

“All the cars have roll cages and race seats, you wear a neck brace as well as a helmet, gloves and a fireproof suit,” he says.

“The thought is always still there but safety is one of the highest factors in these events.”

unpredictable conditions.

“It was very wet, torrential rain made it hard to know how much grip there was going to be on the track,” says Zach.

This year Bates raced alongside Bathurst 1000 legends Warren Luff and Jonathon Webb.

“To lean on people like them and to get advice off them is invaluable,” says

He’s eager to prove himself this year after covid wreaked havoc with last year’s team schedules, leading Toyota to decide a championship would not be declared and denying Zach an official title despite his nine-win domination.

Zach. “It’s such a useful tool for young drivers and I tried to consume as much knowledge as I could.”

Zach himself comes from something of a racing dynasty.

His father, Rick, and his uncle, Neal, are twin rally pros who both took out multiple major events throughout

“You have to be a driver but you also have to be an engineer, you have to be able to feel what’s happening with the car and react, especially with those long races,” he says.

“It’s also very much a team sport. Even though you and the car are out on the track racing other people, there

While away from it all, the Canberra Grammar student is working his way towards the finish line of high school, but he’s still full speed ahead on pursuing a racing career afterwards.

“It is a very financially induced sport, so to be able to get the funds to get to that next step is definitely a challenge and you always have to have a backup in case it doesn’t work,” he says.

“Supercars is the ultimate goal.”

Pocock’s job is to build trust for ‘all the people’

The churlish Seselja should have read the writing on the wall on election night and conceded to Pocock. Instead, he remained steadfast until the final declaration by the Australian Electoral Commission.

Morrison, Seselja used his personal objection to Canberrans having the right to legislate on the “right to die with dignity”. His approach was even inconsistent with ACT opposition leader Elizabeth Lee and the attitude of the Liberal members of the Legislative Assembly.

These are just two issues that illustrate a long overdue change and one consistent with attitudes held by the vast majority of Canberrans who have voted to move from ultraconservative to progressive politics.

The change received a churlish response from Seselja. His Advance Australia lobby group supporters were happy to play dirty tricks politics with attack after attack focused on Pocock.

This should not have been surprising. The ruthless manner in which he originally pulled together the numbers to unseat his predecessor Gary Humphries illustrated his

willingness to play hardball politics.

When the Canberra Liberals moved their support from Humphries to Seselja, Humphries gracefully accepted the decision of the party and stood aside.

In marked contrast, the churlish Seselja should have read the writing on the wall on election night and conceded to Pocock. Instead, he remained steadfast until the final declaration by the Australian Electoral Commission.

It is time for good grace, respect and integrity to return to federal politics. An excellent start will be the establishment of an Integrity and Corruption Commission with real teeth.

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. There are more of his columns at citynews.com.au

Reset to being an energy superpower

“RESET: Restoration of Australia After the Pandemic Recession” is the title of Prof Ross Garnaut’s presentation of the 22nd Manning Clark Lecture.

The emeritus professor in economics at the ANU will argue that a reset is needed, amongst other things, to embrace Australia’s opportunities as the energy superpower of the zero-carbon world economy.

“The new parliament gives us a chance to get it right, but the resistance to getting it right is deeply entrenched,” he says.

“Respect for knowledge is the key to getting it right, as it was in earlier periods of successful economic policy in the national interest.”

At Manning Clark Hall, Kambri Precinct, ANU, 6pm, July 12. Book via trybooking.com

Local extinction of birds

CITIZEN scientist Con Boekel will talk about the local extinction of birds in Canberra’s inner-north nature reserves at the Friends of the Australian National Botanic Gardens “Thursday Talk” at the gardens’ theatrette, 12.30pm, July 7.

Boekel studied the patterns of occurrence of six woodland species in 16 inner-north natural and semi-natural fragments and will present his findings and discuss some implications for the urbanisation of the Lower Molonglo. Gold coin donation, book via friendsanbg.org

CANBERRA MATTERS

Deaf Greens do nothing as trees come down

THE worst behaviour of any politician or bureaucrat is when a mistake has been brought to their attention, that they double down, pretend there’s nothing wrong, produce alternative facts and discredit those who have identified the error.

The North Canberra Community Council (NCCC) meeting on May 15 discussed in fine detail how, in late April and early May, something went wrong with changes being made to the 2019 Draft Variation 369.

This was the initiative regularly boasted about by the ACT Greens as a step towards enhancing the suburban greenery and increasing permeable surfaces. Unfortunately for the trees, after 30 months it is still a draft with no action taken.

No-one was sure whether this mysterious change was a mistake or something quietly introduced to make the 2019 variations ineffectual. The work on these changes by a couple of residents has been forensic. The view was that the alterations introduced made the planning variation hard to understand and possibly allowed for loopholes to be exploited. Instead of protecting the environment and dealing with climate, the new version would allow suburban greenery to be

reduced even more.

Three ACT Greens government politicians were online for the NCCC meeting and witnessed the evidence highlighting the questionable changes being introduced. They were Jo Clay, Rebecca Vassarotti and Shane Rattenbury.

Despite being the ACT Minister for the Environment (trees and greenery and biodiversity), Ms Vassarotti made it clear that it was not her portfolio responsibility.

She also said that the new variations were introduced because people had bought land for houses and they should not be disadvantaged by new legislation. This spin was quickly put in its place when someone reminded

The community sector is expected to remain polite about criticising the planning bureaucrats. The community is expected to remain polite as the trees come down and the suburban biodiversity disappears!

the meeting that the norm is for such legislative changes to not apply to those already with development applications underway.

The three ACT Greens politicians sort of indicated that they sort of saw what the problem was and sort of committed to get people together to talk this through. That did not happen.

On June 1, in the Assembly, the ACT Greens member for Ginninderra, Jo Clay, asked a “Dorothy Dixer” (a planted question) of her government colleague, Planning Minister Mick Gentleman.

Statements were made by the minister, unchallenged by the ACT Greens or Canberra Liberals, that the variations on variations were

temporary and would be fixed later with the next stages of the planning reforms – maybe in 2023.

This was news to those outside the Assembly’s and the bureaucracy’s rarified worlds. Translated: People had to accept that they were wrong about the mess being made to the original intent of the variation; they were misguided even though they spent hours unpacking the wording in the new variation legislation.

The message was that community councils should realise that there was nothing amiss with a 30-month-old draft variation being varied again, that these were temporary variations added to take it through to later this year, and then it will be varied again sometime in 2023. And the trees, the greenery and the biodiversity? Don’t you worry about that!

This was a clear case of “gaslighting” the community. The ACT Greens’ Dorothy Dixer can only be seen as an action to create a false narrative in the hope that others would question the residents’ judgement and motives.

This despite the fact that three ACT Greens had seen the hard evidence that someone in the planning bureaucracy had made a mistake – or had

done something deliberately. And yet again, the Canberra Liberals remain silent on this planning mess.

As no-one dreams that the politicians write legislation, the chaos must have been created in the planning directorate. The ACT Greens and ACT Labor politicians take their lead on planning matters from the directorate’s bureaucrats.

Yet, the community sector is expected to remain polite about criticising the planning bureaucrats. The community is expected to remain polite as the trees come down and the suburban biodiversity disappears!

When the planning bureaucrats behave badly and display incompetence, do residents require permission from politicians to criticise this government’s unelected planning chief? Is the climate expected to also be as patient and as polite as the community sector?

Paul Costigan is a commentator on cultural and urban matters. There are more of his columns at citynews.com.au

OPINION / recidivism rates

Lies, damned lies and ACT government statistics

IN the “Portfolio Brief: Minister for Police and Emergency Services, 2020” at page 13, the incoming Minister for Corrective Services was advised by his directorate that: “Reimprisonment rates (recidivism) are higher than 90 per cent for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander detainees at the AMC, compared to 75 per cent for non-indigenous detainees.”

The portfolio brief, referred to above, is in the public domain and readily available.

Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services has from time to time relied, in good faith, on the data referred to above and published by the ACT government.

It is acknowledged that the brief is now over a year old, however, the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) report on recidivism rates across the nation, “Prisoners in Australia, 2021”, released on December 9, reveals that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander recidivism rate in the ACT is 94 per cent and the highest in Australia.

It was therefore surprising, to say the least, to hear the acting commissioner for corrections Ray Johnson recently claim on ABC radio that the

NO FINANCIAL CHECKS.

Aboriginal recidivism rate in the ACT is 40 per cent.

Because of the yawning difference between the rate published by the ACT government at the end of 2020 (over 90 per cent), which was recently confirmed by the ABS, and the 40 per cent rate claimed by Mr Johnson, I wrote to ACT Corrective Services seeking clarification on the issue.

In response the Directorate advised that:

“The latest data on recidivism is available in the ‘2022 Report on Government Services’.

“The ACT had 38.5 per cent of detainees (released in 2018-19) returning to prison (within two years from their release) against 45.2 per cent nationally. The return rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander detainees was 44 per cent compared to 56.8 per cent nationwide.”

who were re-imprisoned within two years of release and completely ignores the rest.

The information produced below, based on the latest ABS data on recidivism rates of all detainees and not just those re-imprisoned within two years of release, tells a very different story.

While one might ask why the ACT government has chosen to rely on ABS data for internal purposes but point to a much narrower set of data for public purposes, I think we all know the answer.

There you have it. A response that recalls the quaint old expression “Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics”. If a particular set of data is worrisome, then adopt an alternative data set that tells a different story. In this case, for example, the ACT government relies on data that relates only to detainees

It is interesting that the “Portfolio Brief” prepared for the minister, which I refer to above, and which advises that the re-imprisonment rate is higher than 90 per cent was clearly based on ABS data. While one might ask why the ACT government has chosen to rely on ABS data for internal purposes but point to a much narrower set of data for public purposes, I think we all know the answer.

The ABS report also reveals, to our continuing shame, that both the crude and age standardised incarceration rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the ACT are also the highest in the nation. The 2021 rate ratios are 21 (crude rate) and 19.5 (age standardised rate). In simple terms, an Aboriginal person in the ACT was, in 2021, 21 times

more likely to be sent to prison than a non-Aboriginal person.

Concerningly, the increase in the rate of imprisonment of Aboriginal peoples in the ACT over the last decade (while Greens leader Shane Rattenbury was the responsible minister) has also been the highest in Australia.

The ABS reports that in 2011, an Aboriginal person in the ACT was 11.6 times more likely to be imprisoned than a non-Aboriginal person while the national average was 14.4 times.

Under Minister Rattenbury, the likelihood of an Aborginal person being incarcerated relative to a nonindigenous person has increased by 9.4 times, while nationally the likelihood of imprisonment increased by 1.4 times.

As for recidivism the ABS has, as mentioned above, published the proportion of all prisoners in each year who had been previously imprisoned and not just those who were re-imprisoned within two years of release.

The ABS report reveals that the ACT, with an indigenous recidivism rate of 94 per cent, had as of December, again to our great shame, the highest recidivism rate in Australia. The recidivism rate in the ACT for nonindigenous prisoners is 74 per cent,

which is also the highest in Australia. Unfortunately, that is not all. The ABS has also tracked the change in the crude imprisonment rate over the last 10 years and it is no surprise to find that the crude imprisonment rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the ACT increased by 70 per cent, the second highest rate of increase in Australia, and more than twice as high as the Australian average of 31 per cent. Remarkably the incarceration rate for non-indigenous people in the ACT decreased, over the same period, by 6 per cent. What does that tell us? Corrective Services did also helpfully advise that, as of April 26, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who comprise 1.9 per cent of the ACT population, constituted 27 per cent of the ACT prison population. We really do need a Royal Commission into these issues.

Julie Tongs is the CEO of Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services.

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/ rumbling tummies

Problems with borborygmus and

The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind

The answer is blowin’ in the wind. – Bob Dylan

HAVING a noisy tum can be embarrassing, particularly when ambient noise levels are low.

Worst-case scenarios are having it happen at a critical business meeting, job interview, while hiding during an active shooter/terrorist incident, or during close personal encounters with other humans.

I asked Siri about rumbling tummies. She obviously had not encountered the problem because she referred me to “Rumble” which, I discovered, is a Canadian rival to YouTube.

The rumbling, growling or gurgling noises come from the stomach or small intestines. The noises are commonly linked to hunger because they’re typically louder when the stomach or intestines are empty. That’s because, without contents in them, the stomach organs don’t muffle the noises as well.

According to the Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinics of North America, when you’re hungry, hormone-like substances in the brain activate the desire to eat, which then sends signals to the intestines and stomach. As a result, the muscles in your digestive system contract and

cause these noises. The rumbling or gurgling noise made by the movement of fluid and gas in the intestines is called “borborygmus”.

After you’ve eaten, your abdomen may still rumble or growl as your intestines process food, liquids, digestive juices and air.

The walls of the gastrointestinal tract are mostly made up of muscles. They contract to mix and squeeze the contents through your intestines so it can be digested and moved on for disposal. This process is called “peristalsis”.

Peristalsis is generally responsible for the rumbling sound you hear eating. It can occur several hours after eating and even at night when you’re trying to sleep.

Non-hungry stomach noise can also be a result of anxiety or stress. If you experience intestinal noises at the same time as symptoms such as bloat, abdominal pain, diarrhoea or constipation, you could be suffering from irritable bowel syndrome, food allergies, intestinal blockage, or intestinal infection.

However, don’t panic, if your stomach rumbles occasionally around lunchtime or after a big meal, it’s a good sign – that your digestive system

is working as it should. It’s only if there seems to be a big change around the volume and occurrence, or there are troubling concurrent issues that you might consider a trip to your doctor.

On a lighter note. A young doctor moves to a country town to replace a GP who is retiring. The older man invites the young doctor to accompany him on his rounds.

At the first house a widower complains: “I’ve been suffering from

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a rumbling stomach and the runs.”

The older doctor says: “Well, you’ve probably been overdoing the fresh fruit. Why not cut back and see if that helps?”

As they leave, the younger doctor says: “How did you come to that diagnosis?”

“Well, you noticed I dropped my stethoscope on the floor in there? When I bent down to pick it up, I noticed half a dozen banana skins and orange peels in the waste bin.”

The younger doctor said: “Pretty clever. If you don’t mind, I’ll try that diagnostic approach at the next house.”

There, they spend several minutes talking with a young woman who says: “I’m feeling terribly tired lately.”

The young doctor observes: “You’ve probably been too active for the church. Perhaps you should cut back a bit and see if that helps.”

As they leave, the older doctor said: “I attend the same church and your diagnosis is almost certainly correct, but how did you arrive at it?”

“Well,” replied the younger man, “when I dropped my stethoscope and bent down to pick it up, I saw the vicar under the bed.”

Clive Williams is a Canberra columnist.

NEWS

By Nick

WORLD War I nurse Edith Blake was no Victoria Cross winner. Her name doesn’t appear on the War Memorial’s Roll of Honour. In fact, most people wouldn’t even know her name.

But her story is no less in credible.

In 1918, aged just 32, Edith is believed to be the only nurse killed in action during the Great War, drowned after the British medical ship she served on was struck by a torpedo fired from a German submarine in breach of wartime rules.

Almost a century later, Krista Vane-Tempest, an avid histo rian and writer, and the grandniece of Edith, would discover 138 letters written by the heroic nurse during her service.

Compiling the more than 100,000 words written by her great aunt, Krista has written a book that brings Edith’s inspir ing story to life.

In “Edith Blake’s War” readers come to intimately know Edith,

The brave story in letters of doomed nurse Edith

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river like Edie, who were blown along by the currents, the decisions of others,” says Krista.

“It’s important to know those stories because for many people that’s probably what their relatives did. Those stories of the people who were pushed around and sent places and who felt afraid but who tried to keep that stiff upper lip.

“It’s those normal people who did their duty every day that give people a clearer window of the past to look

Before writing “Edith Blake’s War”, Krista only knew faint details of the service her great aunt enlisted for not long after Britain declared war on Germany in August of

That was until 2011 when, while looking into family his tory, Krista’s father retrieved a plastic bag that had been stuffed away in the bottom of a wardrobe.

Inside were 138 letters written by Edie spanning an incredible range of moments in her life. In some, she tells her family about her training as a nurse at the public Coast Hospital in Sydney, where she worked gruelling 12 hour days treating some of the city’s poorest and most vulnerable patients.

“You won’t mind getting up in the morning, to see how a very bad case was progressing and you begin to realise, that perhaps the little bit you do for that patient, you may be help ing him to get better.

Later, her letters go on to describe the horrors of the operating table during her war years. They detail her experiences nursing wounded soldiers from Gallipoli while serving in Cairo.

Edie would even look after German prisoners of war, with her letters revealing a deep conflict as she found herself feeling sympathy for the en emy soldiers:

hearted when they get their home letters and they some times drop a few tears, we can’t help feeling the kindred spirit that makes us wondrous kind, and yet when you hear of the raids in London and loss of non-combatant life you feel you could screw all their necks.

“It was a game changer finding these letters, her own voice is in them, she speaks for herself,” says Krista.

“That’s what people are most often interested in. They want to read about what these people actually saw and experienced.”

She describes the Memorial as a “place of stories”, and one she’s proud that her great aunt’s is now more a part of.

“You can see in these stories that these people worked so hard,” says Krista.

“They were so stoic, they didn’t think they were ex-

The process of putting Edie’s story together was no easy task. It was a journey that would take Krista more than maybe even “honoured” by. With the family’s permission, Edie’s letters have since been donated to the Australian War Memorial, where Krista also volunteers as a tour guide.

Crematorium plan a threat to fauna and flora

WHY are we beset by a government that seems to have a penchant for considering developments in ill-conceived locations?

The latest is a commercial development application (Development Appln. 202138789) by InvoCare, to construct a cemetery and crematorium complex adjacent to the Callum Brae Nature Reserve on the corner of Mugga Lane and Narrabundah Lane, citing overloading of the current crematorium complex in North Canberra as the reason for the application.

A recent survey by the Australasian Cemeteries and Crematoria Association stated the ACT is using only 18 per cent of its current crematorium capacity.

This commercial, inappropriately sited and unnecessary proposal has the potential to damage endangered flora and fauna with the loss of mature native trees such as the critically endangered Yellow Box and Blakely’s Red Gum, grassy woodland, and nesting hollows of up to 168 avian species, including the Gang Gang cockatoo and Swift Parrot, all of which were sighted in this area up to this month by accredited observers. For anyone who cares for these lovely birds and the woodland of Callum Brae Nature Reserve, please make known your objections to the proposal and lease variation for this development by casting your vote before July 1 on the e-petition posted by the office of MLA Jo Clay. The website is bitly.ws/rZeH

Let’s protect our environment and the wildlife which inhabits it.

development application sign

CEO of CIT could also decipher this term and its contribution to human resources operations at CIT, because, from reading two of the definitions available on Google, this inquirer is left wondering if she is suffering from sudden onset brain-fog syndrome.

The minister, the CIT CEO and board need to be extremely honest and transparent with the public about the contracts’ expenditure breakdowns, processes, practical deliverables, staff learning impacts and any evaluation results.

Sue Dyer, Downer

Kangaroo slaughter ‘senseless and obscene’

Patricia Watson, Red Hill

Rather steel than consultants

AN interesting juxtaposition of words in “CityNews” letters recently to give us pause for thought.

This was the information that the government is “discussing how to build the tram bridge over the lake with consultants” (sic).

I think I prefer the writer’s initial thought that it should be built with steel. Of course, as the founder of the Progressive Pedantry Party (3Ps) I can reveal that is why I do not live in a glass house.

Eric Hunter,

Cook

No more weasel words, please

WITH luck and the application of some robust political will, Canberra’s ratepayers and taxpayers should soon be informed, in very plain English, about CIT’s monumental expenditure on, and results from, the mentoring and organisational renewal services delivered by a consultant mainly known for his mountaineering experiences and expensive motivational talks.

A range of CIT personnel and ACT government members (“I’m a survivor, get me out of here, comrades”, “Seven Days”, CN June 15) showed they could easily and quickly provide the public with “verbal diarrhoea” versions of what has been going on.

It is likely they were grabbing at quotes from CIT contracts, annual reports and the provider’s opaque websites, where he also promotes himself as “an active contributor to the nascent field of anthro complexity”. It would be helpful if Mr Steel and the

What a thoughtful government we have!

WHAT a thoughtful and considerate government we have here in the ACT. They actually employ people, paid for by ratepayers, to clean up after the kangaroo shooters, also paid for by ratepayers.

We couldn’t have our weekend walks in the nature reserves spoiled by the sight of kangaroo blood, could we? Blood on some of our favourite walking tracks, blood on the vegetation, blood on the large rocks where kangaroo joeys have had their heads smashed in… humanely, of course.

Yes, it’s lovely to live in such a civilised city where these things are not spoken of, swept away before they can be seen.

All this nasty, cruel stuff takes place under the cover of darkness, as it should be… against an enemy that has lived peacefully and in harmony with other creatures on this land for millions of years.

Jane Robinson, Evatt

Black blot on the landscape

I HAVE complained previously about the new, big, black building east of City Hill that hits you in the eye as you travel north on Commonwealth Avenue.

I was appalled, therefore, to read it has won the Sir John Overall Award for Urban Design, as part of the Constitution Place complex.

CONSERVATOR Ian Walker recently defended the ACT government’s kangaroo-killing policy. His remarks would be hilarious if they were not so tragic.

He claimed that kangaroos damage the ecosystem because they eat grass. What kind of science is that?

He claimed the government doesn’t need any notion of how many kangaroos are left in the ACT before deciding to kill 1650 more of them. Yet 1650 is a whopping 40 per cent of all the kangaroos that are left in the reserves, according to the only independent direct count that has ever been conducted in the ACT.

It is well-established that kangaroo populations cannot increase faster than 10 per cent a year. There can be no possibility of recovery from this scale of onslaught.

After the first three weeks of shooting on Red Hill Nature Reserve, the government sent in cleaners to wash away the blood trails of kangaroos wounded but not killed.

This scale of wounding was entirely predictable. In the Red Hill Reserve, the dense tree cover, along with the high winds of the last three weeks, guaranteed a horrifically high wounding rate.

The “Code of Practice” says the shooters must not shoot in adverse environmental conditions, but this has never stopped them yet.

Similarly, the code requires that joeys be killed instantly by a sharp blow to the head. Tell that to the poor young kangaroo found in a government burial pit in 2012.

The autopsy report showed it had been shot, bludgeoned and stabbed before dying of either suffocation or blood loss.

The government’s slaughter is senseless and obscene. It has to stop.

Frankie Seymour, Queanbeyan

also proudly reports: “And it will be infrastructure that is uniquely Canberran; built to support the lifestyle Canberrans want.”

Did I also worryingly forget that this caring government sought my opinion on infrastructure and its costs and my marbles loss has caused me, once again, to forget?

Andrew I’m in a state of panic! Can you please clear the air and explain what your take is on consultation, because my marbles bag is starting to feel lighter?

Please, please tell me this is just a crippling case of fig jam, the acronym of which stands for F (eff) I (I’m) G (good) J (just) A (ask) M (me).

John Lawrence, via email

Public transport emissions a ‘myth’

CANBERRA’S public transport causes more greenhouse emissions than the car travel that it displaces. Yet the Conservation Council and Transport Canberra continue to promote the myth that public transport is good for the environment.

The Conservation Council’s “Make the Move” website advises: “The easiest way for couples to start active travel is for the person who has the simplest daily commute to swap out of their car and on to public transport.”... “Buy a MyWay card to access public transport” and “Drive to a ‘Park & Ride’ or ‘Park & Pedal’ location and catch a bus or cycle the rest of the way.”

I understand it was Overall who, as first NCDC commissioner, ordained that buildings in Civic should be “white to off-white”, to ensure a visually harmonious centre in its wonderful landscape setting.

This dictum was faithfully followed by generations of planners (including me) but unfortunately in recent years the planning authorities have dropped the ball on this (and many other things).

Richard Johnston, Kingston

Good luck with the Chinese, Albo

WHILE I wish the prime minister luck with his trade negotiations with the Chinese Goliath, I think he should carry a sling and stone in his baggage. And the Port of Darwin?

Colliss Parrett, Barton

Crippling case of fig jam?

LOVED the June 2022 issue of that self-promoting, vote-for-us-again letterbox rag-stuffer called “Our Canberra-Belconnen”. Having had it forced upon me, I now find myself in a state of panic.

I relocated here in 1969, so I am a senior stumbling into his twilight years. Friends have been warning me for ages to keep checking my marbles bag to detect any early loss of aggies or bottleohs.

I fear it has started, hence the panic.

The front page of this publication has a beaming photograph of and message from our chief minister. In that message he reminds us of his $6.6 billion infrastructure program and spending, detailing proudly where it’s all going, which I worry: “Did I forget all that, along with its generational debt?”

I must have because it all has to be shoved in my face again. The minister’s little message

careers as ambassadors for their people, replacing the vastly overweight, fair-skinned people waving branches over a ceremonial fire on TV. They are needed to inspire ATSI children to literacy and numeracy.

Then we can hope for a future when an ATSI plumber, electrician, communication technician or refuse truck driver will serve the community with pride in their race and their achievements.

John L Smith, Farrer

Time to get on with nuclear energy

AS we have now found out to our chagrin, renewables on their own without large storage facilities (which are proving problematic and costly) are unreliable.

The time for procrastination is over. Australia must repeal existing laws and consider the use of nuclear reactors to cater for reliable baseload requirements or face disruptive and costly ongoing unscheduled power outages.

In the interim, as a medium to long-range stopgap, decommissioned coal-fired power stations must be brought back on-line in conjunction with gas-fired ones.

Expense is a secondary consideration under the circumstances we are now faced with; the sooner we start, the better.

On World Environment Day, Transport Canberra advised Canberrans to “start incorporating public transport into your routine and reduce your carbon footprint”.

In 2014-15 Transport Canberra’s buses caused 33,000 tonnes of CO2-e emissions and provided 13.4 million journeys. That’s 2.5 kilograms per person-journey.

Since then Transport Canberra has not reported its greenhouse emissions. From its reported fuel use, I estimate that its emissions fell to 2.1 kilograms per journey in 2018-19, and then rose to 3.5 kilograms per journey in 2020-21.

The average 10-year-old car causes about 270 grams of CO2-e emissions per kilometre.

The 2017 “ACT and Queanbeyan Household Travel Survey” found that Canberra’s average public transport journey is 10 kilometres, and that cars carry an average of 1.46 people.

On that basis, a 10-kilometre car trip causes about 1.8 kilograms of emissions per person. That’s 15 per cent less emissions than Transport Canberra’s best result.

Leon Arundell, Downer

Inspire ATSI children to literacy and numeracy

THE ABS 2021 “Prisoners in Australia” report shows that half of the prisoners in the ACT have committed “offences against justice”, presumably breaches of parole etcetera.

This is a protest by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) people who feel a lack of acceptance by society.

The sad thing about this situation is that wider acceptance of ATSI people does not need the changes to the “social imagination” demanded by the sexual revolution. It just needs a good public relations effort.

Every weekend the football stadiums are populated with an over representation of ATSI athletes who draw deafening applause for their extraordinary performances.

We need these people to continue their

The safety and performance of reactors has dramatically improved over the years, particularly now that thorium is being used instead of uranium, and small modular ones greatly reduce the spread of radiation should a mishap occur.

Mario Stivala, Belconnen

Catalogue of false or misleading claims

MAX Flint (Letters, CN June16) makes it abundantly clear that he is an entrenched climate-change denier.

His “organisation”, the grandly-named Australian Logistics Study Centre, amounts to a catalogue of false or misleading claims and, frankly, crazy “explanations” for what is happening to Earth’s climate.

For example, he ignores the now conclusive evidence from the work of hundreds of climatologists, climate scientists and meteorologists that global warming was initiated by the burning of fossil fuels, beginning during the first Industrial Revolution. These fuels generate carbon dioxide, the main driver of global warming.

Nuclear energy is not being considered in Australia because nuclear power stations cost about $12 billion and take 10 years to build. We simply do not have time to implement that “solution”, even in the case of small modular reactors.

Mr Flint is also wrong to claim that renewable energy “will ultimately prove to be unsustainable”. This is not the view of the energy production industry, energy retailers, or the Australian Energy Market Operator. I could go on, but I think any reasonable person would get the picture.

Dr Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin

The historic suburb that businesses call home

WITH an enormous range of different businesses, Fyshwick has played a role in Canberra’s history since it was gazetted in the 1920s.

Almost a century later, the suburb is still known for being one of the ACT’s most diverse business hubs, offering everything from home and car items to creative services.

This week “CityNews” takes a trip to Fyshwick to hear first-hand from the businesses proud to call the suburb home.

‘Beautiful’ furniture for the home

OWNER of Timberland Furniture Tony Purdy says he has a range of beautiful furniture that includes almost anything the home needs: bedding, dining suites, TV units, coffee tables, buffets and more.

Included is a range of Tasmanian Blackwood, says Tony, one of Australia’s most beautiful and sought after timbers.

“Tasmanian Blackwood is a prestigious hardwood with a warm and natural colour,” he says.

“It can adorn different rooms of the house, and can be complemented by any piece of furniture. You can’t beat it as far as I’m concerned.”

Tony says the store is currently having an end of financial year sale, with up to 50 per cent off selected floor stock.

He says size is often an issue for clients, so whether it’s a TV unit, bookcase or buffet table, Timberland Furniture can custom-make furniture to fit the space.

“We customise the size of a particular piece to meet the customer’s requirements and they choose the timber,” he says.

Canberra’s most eclectic range of second-hand furniture

LEADING second-hand furniture provider

Ex-Government Furniture has something for everyone, says co-owner James Fullerton.

“We’ve got chairs for as low as $2 right now, through to Herman Miller chairs, the most sought after executive chairs money can buy,” he says.

With a quality range spanning a wide variety of time periods and styles, James says people can find items suited to any home or office.

“We’re picking up some stuff from the ‘50s, right through to the latest model of chairs on the market today,” he says.

“Whether it’s a lounge, a desk, or something else, we’ve got a heap of interesting items and objects here to see.”

The business, which has been operating for more than three decades, has become a well recognised part of Fyshwick and James says the suburb is more and more becoming “the place

to be”.

“There’s heaps of great bakeries and cafes out here,” he says.

“We see heaps of people making a day out of their visit to Fyshwick, as there’s always something to eat, to drink and to see.”

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

Damian’s got auto repairs covered

“WHEN it comes to specialised auto repair and maintenance services, no one does it better than Latin Motors,” says owner Damian Jones.

“We’re a European car service and repair centre. We specialise in Audi, Volkswagen, Skoda and Saab but do service all other European makes and models.”

Having recently moved from Townsville Street to a new repair centre in Gladstone Street, Damian says no matter how minor or major car repair needs are, he has it covered.

Being both factory-trained in Audi and SAAB and having 18 years of experience in all European vehicles, he says he prides himself on providing reliable, honest and efficient customer service and information.

“I notify of any additional work required prior to it being carried out. You will be liaising directly with the mechanic who is working on your vehicle,” he says.

“I use premium German made and manufacturer

THE father and daughter team at Canberra’s longest running, locally-owned promotional products company, Paddywack Promotional Products, promises to “put your name everywhere”, says general manager Alison Slocum.

That’s the positioning statement from Alison and her father, Bill, who advise on, and source, the most suitable and cost-effective products that are proven to bring instant brand recognition and loyalty to their customers, which include businesses such as private enterprise, government departments, schools and sporting teams.

“We offer professional advice on thousands of personalised promotional products that strengthen brand awareness and loyalty to any business,” Alison says.

“[And we’re] dedicated to delivering the most valued products, based on a wealth of knowledge gained from

approved Ravenol lubricants. When you come to me, you can rest assured that I can provide auto services in accordance with your car’s manufacturer requirements that do not affect new car warranties.”

Latin Motors, Unit 6, 106 Gladstone Street, Fyshwick. Call 6280 5586 or visit latinmotors.com.au

years of experience within the sector.” Alison believes Paddywack Promotional Products delivers a winning team because nothing is too much trouble for them.

“We go out of our way to ensure our customers get the right products, at the best prices, [offering a] very personalised and committed service,” she says.

As a family-owned and operated business, Alison says they have a shared purpose, which has taken Bill close to 30 years to get right.

“His strong commitment to building a lasting family enterprise has required dedication as well as a great deal of extra time and effort, assuring customers of extremely personal service,” she says.

Help to make the world’s hardest job a little easier

BEING a mum is often referred to as being one of the hardest jobs in the world, and finding the right balance between being a person and being a mum can be difficult.

While a new baby brings joy and excitement, it’s also a big learning curve, with a whole range of new products and services needed.

This week “CityNews” has made things a little easier by compiling this handy guide to expert services, products, entertainment and activities for mums and mums-to-be.

Culturally safe and accessible maternity care

WINNUNGA Nimmityjah

Aboriginal Health and Commu nity Service’s midwifery program aims to remove barriers that prevent women from accessing maternity care by providing culturally safe, non-judgemental and flexible care, says CEO Julie Tongs.

“We focus on the clinical, cultural and spiritual needs of Aboriginal clients, families and the community and the midwifery program welcomed 68 babies into the community in 2020 and 2021,” says Ms Tongs.

Services that inspire love and connection

HOLLY & Sage provides a suite of services to celebrate a family’s image, elevate their confidence and inspire love and connection, says owner Holly Treadaway.

Having done portraiture since 2005, Holly brings her passion and photographic skill to maternity portraits, photographic birth stories, newborn portraits and family portraits.

“I like to think that through inspiring photographic imagery I can help a family to bond, connect, grow and enjoy each other through the good times and lift them out of the bad,” she says.

As a qualified birth doula, Holly says she’s also excited to be adding birth education to her services as well to empower, support, offer advice and more to mothers and their partners.

Safe exercise for mums and their children

THE highly trained team of physiotherapists and exercise physiologists at Higher Function provide exercise classes to keep mums and mums-to-be safe and healthy, says CEO Janet Fabbri.

“If we can get people doing prenatal exercise we can focus on stabilising their core and strengthening their abdomen and pelvic floor, meaning they are less likely to have problems after pregnancy,” says Janet.

“The midwifery team offers antenatal and postnatal care, community at home support, baby health checks, breastfeeding support, immunisations, and a range of women’s health services.

“Our midwives work closely with ACT hospitals, and assist in ensuring continuity of care between Winnunga Nimmityjah AHCS and hospital services”.

Ms Tongs says Winnunga also has a comprehensive child immunisation program they encourage patients to access.

“This also allows us to follow up on our patients’ progress with postpartum recovery, and to assist them with any needs in relation to caring for their infants,” says Ms Tongs.

Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services, 63 Boolimba Crescent, Narrabundah. Call 6284 6222 or visit winnunga.org.au

“As a birth photographer, I’ve witnessed a need for families to have a better understanding of their bodies and birth processes, as well as continuity of care from late pregnancy, when birthing, through to the fourth trimester,” she says.

“Everyone should have access to a birth doula who can educate, hold their hand and advocate for them through labour. It is such a big transformation and something that a birthing mother will reflect on for years as it is the beginning of her new identity as

Holly & Sage, visit hollyandsage. com.au or call 0408 205519.

Family Photographer & Birth Doula www.hollyandsage.com.au 0408 205 519

Birth education and support

Creating photographic artwork to celebrate your family’s image, inspire love & connection

“One important example not talked about enough is continence. One in three women who have a typical delivery will get some form of incontinence and postmenopause one in two women who have had a typical delivery will have some form of incontinence.

“Using the latest scientific research in our evidence-based treatments, we safely help guide women through during and after their pregnancy so they can be as healthy as possible.”

Janet says that Higher Function also offers classes that are specifically modified for new mums.

“Mums can bring their babies in and we can involve the baby in the class. They love it because they’re with mum, and we can tailor the exercises so that both mum and their baby are safe.”

Higher Function Physio & Pilates, Suite 4, Level 1/23 Petrie Plaza. Call 6262 9664 or visit higherfunction.com.au

P r e n a t a l & P o s t n a t a l C l a s s e s with a Physio

Strengthen your pelvic floor and improve your core stability safely, with an experienced physiotherapist Small group classes

Combination of Reformer and matwork

Claim from your Private Health Insurer

Bring bub along!

WINNUNGA NIMMITYJAH ABORIGINAL HEALTH AND COMMUNITY SERVICES

Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services (Winnunga) is a multiaccredited Aboriginal community controlled and managed primary health care service located in Narrabundah ACT.

We provide integrated client centric wrap around services, which focuses on the clinical, cultural and spiritual needs of Aboriginal clients, families and the community, including programs for Mums and Bubs.

The Midwifery Program aims to remove barriers that prevent women from accessing maternity care in mainstream services.

The Program maintains strong working relationships with each hospital which allows for seamless transitions of care.

Following the birth of baby, the Program provides up to six weeks of postnatal care in the client’s home assisting mothers with feeding, weight monitoring, emotional wellbeing assessments and mother-crafting/health education.

The Midwifery Program has developed strong links with the Winnunga Australian Nurse Family Partnership Program. Both programs work together to provide holistic care for first time Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander mothers, or mothers having an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander baby, in the Canberra region.

The programs complement each other and ensure mothers feel prepared and supported through their pregnancy and early parenting stages, up until the child is two years of age.

The ANFPP provides information and education to mothers using a strengths-based approach, which builds individual capacity to identify solutions to problems.

Mothers feel empowered as they learn how to work with their strengths, realise the power of their own actions and gain a greater sense of control over their lives.

Winnunga AHCS is a national leader in accreditation, was one of the first Aboriginal community controlled health services to achieve dual accreditation under RACGP and QIC standards. Winnunga AHCS has been at the forefront of setting a national agenda for quality improvement in Aboriginal community controlled health and continues to advocate locally and nationally for best practice standards in operational and governance areas of Aboriginal health services.

CLINIC hours | MONDAY TO FRIDAY 9am-5pm

6284 6222 | 63

AS parents themselves, co-owners of Heartstory

Photography Katie Kolenberg and Jeremy Byrnes know how quickly kids grow up.

The award-winning family portrait specialists have been capturing special moments for mums for more than a decade, from pregnancy right through to kids leaving home when they’re grown ups.

“It’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of life and forget to slow down and celebrate the little moments, your relationships, the kids’ milestones,” says Katie.

“Having those special moments captured by a professional is a beautiful thing.”

Having won Australian Family Photographer of the Year twice, and ACT Family Photographer more than half a dozen times, Katie says Heartstory has become Canberra’s most trusted family portrait photography studio.

They shoot both on location around Canberra and in their Belconnen studio which Katie describes as “comfortable, textural, nature-inspired and toddler friendly.”

“We provide a full service experience which means we look after you from the very first moment you contact us through to the very end of the experience when you pick up your artwork,” she says.

“That includes a personalised appointment after your shoot where we will show you all of your pho tos on a big screen. You get to see all the beautiful artwork options and choose what you want.”

Katie says that her and Jeremy believe family is the most important thing in the world and getting the chance to capture special moments for families is a real passion.

“We like for our artwork to become part of your home,” she says.

“We feel that it’s a really important part of life to capture memories and keep them.”

Heartstory Photography, Level 1, Loop Earth Building,

new location on Lonsdale Street, says owner Jen Takiari.

Now in its new location, Jen says they’ve got more gift ideas than ever before, from clothing and footwear to swaddles, towels, teethers, toys and more for newborns up to eight-year-olds.

“Because it’s a small business you really get to know the customers and experience all the different life stages with them,” says Jen.

“You’ll get parents coming in who are expecting, then they’ll come in with their baby, then they’ll come in and get their first shoes and then they’re getting things to start school.

“I just love getting to know people here, it’s a really fun place.”

Jen says she’s also proud that all the brands stocked in store come from Australian businesses.

“Some of the brands we stock are unique to us, you’ll only find them here in Lellow,” she says.

“A lot of people shop here for gifts because we’ve got something that’s that little bit extra special.”

Lellow Kids, 63/30 Lonsdale Street, Braddon. Call 6247 3679 or visit lellowkids.com

BLOSSOMS of Canberra has a beautiful range of gifts that will make any mum smile, says owner Tania Hancock.

“We of course have our selection of flowers, but there’s also a selection of plush toys, baby gifts, balloons, all sorts of gifts you can buy for mum,” she says.

The store can also deliver flowers and gifts to both homes and hospi tals, says Tania.

“People can order online, or they can come in personally and choose something to be delivered.”

Tania, who studied floristry at CIT and who has worked at the Canberra Hospital florist, says she’s always loved “dabbling with flowers”.

“The most rewarding part is the emotion that flowers convey, and the feedback you get from customers,” she says.

“I like the thought of making people happy with the products I sell, and making a difference in someone’s life.”

Blossoms of Canberra, 68 Comrie Street, Erindale Shopping Centre. Call 6231 0822 or visit blossomsofcanberra.com.au

Our photos from Heartstory are nothing short of magical. Katie goes out of her way to make you feel comfortable and was amazing with our two year old. She made us feel special and unique. At the purchasing appointment Jeremy shared his knowledge and guided us in how to put together some amazing artwork with our photos. The whole experience is personal and warm. Both Katie and Jeremy are a joy to work with and their amazing work will live in our home for many years to come.

SCAN ME

PHOTOGRAPHY THAT MAKES YOU FEEL

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OWNER of the ACT chapter of Ready Steady Go Kids Leonie Collis says the goal of their multi-sport program is to get kids moving and interested in being active from a young age.

Running over two terms, the program allows children aged one and a half to six to have a go at soccer, tennis, hockey, AFL, cricket, basketball, athletics, golf, rugby and tee-ball.

“The program covers all the gross motor skills, so catching, throwing, bouncing, kicking, batting, running, all are covered,” says Leonie.

“Getting their gross motor skills up means kids can gain confidence so that when they go to school they can get involved with sport knowing they

understand it.”

Leonie says parents are encouraged to get involved with the 45-minute classes and that each child is able to attend one free session to ensure it’s suited to them.

She also says they can take the program to Early Learning Centres.

“During the classes there’s lots of socialising going on through lots of group activity,” she says.

“The kids get the opportunity to be amongst each other and make friends in the class which is always great to see.”

Ready Steady Go Kids, visit readysteadygokids.com.au or call 1300 766 892

“BEING a mum is the hardest job in the world but it’s the best job in the world,’’ says manager of South Pacific Hemp Sue Booth.

“At South Pacific Hemp we have plenty of gifts for mum, from a unique collection of hemp foods and hemp seed oils to gorgeous balms and skin creams, homewares, bags and accessories, fabrics, pet products and more.

Sue says the store also includes a range of babycare products and clothing for both mums and their bubs.

“Our clothing is designed for wearability and versatility, is breathable, natural and easy to care for,” she says.

“Hemp protects your skin by naturally filtering UV light. It also resists bacterial growth and breathes excellently, preventing odours, has four times the strength of cotton and it won’t weaken when washed.”

Opened in March last year, Sue says the store is Canberra’s first all-hemp shop and that the dedicated team welcomes anyone to come and ask about their range of products.

FOR almost five years, counsellor Karin Holmes has been helping mums who experience postpartum difficulties.

“In counselling sessions we discuss strategies on how to incorporate self care into this hectic time with a newborn,” says Karin.

“Sometimes it’s for me just to be there to listen and to provide a safe space for mums to unload, vent and debrief. Everyone’s needs are different. People come when they need to or talk online through Skype or Zoom.”

After experiencing a miscarriage in 2011, Karin says she wanted to turn her hardship into helping others and was inspired to assist those dealing with loss.

“I felt really really alone and isolated after my own loss, and at the time I thought how can I help others

“There’s tea towels, totes, sponges, cookie cutters and for the body, there’s shampoos, oils, bath salts and divine creams and much more,” she says.

South Pacific Hemp, 84 Wollongong Street, Fyshwick. Call 0431 318898, visit southpacifichemp.com.au or email sthpacifichemp@gmail.com

feel less alone?” she says.

“I thought if I could help just one person then that would be really good.”

Today she says she provides grief counselling for people who have lost a loved one, a friend, a pet, a relationship, or to help with whatever type of grief they may be experiencing.

“I also provide mental health support helping people suffering from depression and anxiety,” she says.

“I am here to help you find your voice, in your own time, so you can tell your story in your own words. Your story deserves and needs to be heard.”

Karin Holmes Counselling, email karinhcounselling@ gmail.com or visit karinholmes.com

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Discovering the challenge of magical thinking

By Helen MUSA

WHEN it comes to tour-de-force acting roles, there are few parts more demanding than that in the stage version of Joan Didion’s memoir, “The Year of Magical Thinking”.

Originally performed by Vanessa Redgrave in 2007, it was staged by Cate Blanchett at the Sydney Theatre Company with Robyn Nevin in the solo role, then toured Canberra in 2009. Internationally, the play has rarely been out of production, but not so here.

Didion adapted the play from the book in which she attempts to deal with her loss of both her husband John Gregory Dunne and adult daughter Quintana within 18-months through the use of “magical thinking”, guiding the audience through her doubt and her struggle with grief.

In a touring production directed by Lau rence Strangio, Melbourne performer Jillian Murray takes on the Didion role in a quieter, more intimate approach to the work, only its second staging in Australia, she thinks.

from acting.

Murray is known as a powerful performer, but unusually, she spent a long time away

A Melbourne University graduate who went to the UK in the ‘70s to study drama at the celebrated East 15 Acting School, Murray worked in the UK, came back, performed

with the Sydney Theatre Company in a 1993 production by the late George Ogilvie, then left the stage after marrying an artist and having a child.

Her next job was in 2014 she says, when

The Year of Magical Thinking

by Joan Didion

“We felt like privileged listeners, given access to an extraordinarily insightful confrontation with the way in which grief loosens our grasp on reason ”

she was engaged by Strangio, her present director, to perform in Marguerite Duras’ play “L’amante Anglaise”, supposedly a fly-by-night show that ended up having four seasons from 2014 to 2018, a national tour and winning her a Victorian Green Room Award.

“Getting back on the bike after 20 years was quite a challenge,” she says, attributing it entirely due to Strangio’s invitation to perform.

The success of this play led to other things, such as a production of Ionesco’s famous absurdist play, “The Chairs”, which won her another Green Room nomination.

After that there was TV series work on shows such as “Jack Irish” and later a 2019 production at the Melbourne Theatre Company of “The Lady In the Van” with Miriam Margolyes.

Murray relates what fun it was to share a dressing room with Margolyes for six weeks – although when the actress came to dinner, she accidentally left with Murray’s dog in her car, of which she says, “that’s another story”.

“Laurence had directed me in the Duras piece and it was an exhilarating work… so he was keen to work with me again and suggested ‘The Year of Magical Thinking’,” she says.

“Initially, I was a little bit daunted… a 90-minute solo work is a huge task, but having done ‘L’amante Anglaise,’ I thought, well, why not?

“From the outset I was different from Robyn [Nevin]. I don’t do it with an American

accent, for instance Jillian Murray – it’s basically a version of me.

“I suppose also because of my background and my life experience there are some elements I can strongly associate with Joan Didion’s experiences.

“You think this won’t happen to you, but it will.

“This is a small theatrical work in the way we have presented it, with the utmost simplicity. It’s ideal for touring, there’s a chair, a table and magnificent lighting.

“It’s simple and elegant, but that chair is very important… we wanted that chair to travel with, it makes a difference having a bum on a particular chair.

“Our intention is to have a conversation with the audience and it never loses touch with the audience… in one place I seem to be giving audience members tips on how to manage grief.”

They first did it at fortyfivedownstairs creative hub in Melbourne, then were asked by critical stages to tour it at the end of 2019, before covid.

“Thank goodness it has been able to stay on the boil,” Murray says, “This is a really small work in terms of its look, but I think it has vast implications in terms of its humanity.”

“The Year of Magical Thinking”, The Q, Queanbeyan, July 7-9. Book at theq.net.au or 6285 6290.

STREAMING / Westerns

Outlaws galore as the cowboys come to town

WHILE for decades epic tales of gunslingers have been distilled by the cinema screen, in the last five years the genre has truly found a new home in the form of streaming television.

The western has been undergoing a trans formation from two-hour films to 10-hour TV shows told over multiple episodes.

The latest example is “Billy the Kid”, a loosely historical eight-parter on Stan about the famous outlaw who, before the age of 22, had killed at least eight men – and was six feet under himself.

How does a series about this notorious cowboy distinguish itself when its titular character has been in more than 50 film and TV outings before?

The extended form of storytelling provided by its eight episodes means viewers are cast right back to when Billy was actually just a kid.

From the get-go the audience drops in on the outlaw’s broken childhood, before subsequent episodes reveal the trials and tribulations of his teens that led him down his path of crime.

The result is a largely straightforward, yet engaging account of the journey that led Billy, or as he’s far less known, William H Bonney, to become one of the most infamous gunslingers of all time.

Daniel Webber, who accompanies Kid as the outlaw Jesse Evans.

Little known lead actor Tom Blyth takes on what no doubt would be a daunting role, but does a good job making the spurred boots suit him. He’s also joined by Aussie star

The good: there’s a truly detailed recreation of the late 19th century with some great costumes and sets. The cinematography is easily worthy of something that one would

pay for a ticket to see at the movies.

The bad: The show does drag its heels a bit in getting to the action. When it finally arrives it’s certainly worth it, but the series would have benefitted from whipping the reins a little.

The ugly: “Billy the Kid” opts to stay very by the book rather than taking any real creative risks. For Western die-hards that won’t matter, but for many casual viewers looking for a new series to get hooked on, it might not quite do the trick.

Stan is holding the series up as a new focal point for the platform, and one it hopes will draw in viewers as blockbuster western television continues to take up residence in

PARAMOUNT Plus, still a relatively new addition to the streaming landscape, is certainly a competitor with its western

This 10-episode series tells the tale of a family’s epic and dangerous journey across the west in the aftermath of the American Civil War, and their fight to establish what would become Yellowstone Ranch. Yes, “1883” is a prequel to “Yellowstone”.

Showrunner Taylor Sherdian said he considers the limited series to essentially be a “10-hour-long movie”. Indeed, the bingeable format of entertainment brought about by streaming has let westerns truly lean more into the epic form of storytelling they’re known for, giving writers more time to flesh out characters and the conflicts they find themselves in.

WHEN it comes to the current pinnacle

of this, Netflix is the clear winner with its seven-part series “Godless”.

This underrated cowboy romp tells the tale of a town left without men after a mining accident kills almost the entire male population.

In the aftermath, the women are left to their own devices to defend themselves from the dangers of the west, including Frank Griffin, a mercurial madman who leads a gang of ruthless outlaws and who is menacingly played by Jeff Daniels.

When one of Griffin’s former gang members betrays him and is forced to hide in the town of women, it’s only a matter of time before the outlaws track him down.

What it all builds to is a climactic, hourlong final shootout that ties off the series with an explosive finale.

“Godless” was originally pitched as a movie but director Scott Frank was encouraged to transform the idea into a series for Netflix. Its success, and the success of shows such as “1883” and “Billy the Kid”, means this is something we’re only going to see happen as more and more the genre rides into a new frontier.

CINEMA / Reviews Movie made to be different

“Men” (MA)

AT the movies, anything can be possible, any natural law may be flouted if the reason is credible.

Writer/director Alex Garland’s third film has a place in the fiction narrative pantheon but defining the kind of filmgoer who chooses to inhabit it is not easy.

To classify a whole movie as “horror” needs special treatment if it is to deliver an honest example.

I approached “Men” aware that its reputation foreboded horror.

The result falls short, achieving merely “disgust” expressed with anatomical improbability. A purist might, with the best will, judge what was on the screen to have failed to convince.

Rory Kinnear in “Men”.

motion past her window. That’s not bad for an opener.

Though Harper is repeatedly told she ought to feel grief and guilt, her real problem seems to be that

A forearm with its two bones neatly separated from the elbow down. Not pretty. Scary. Should be bleeding profusely if we are to take it seriously. Should have rendered the rest of the arm, indeed, the rest of the body, so disabled as to render the unfortunate owner increasingly incapable of functioning during the relatively brief remainder of its extravasated mortal days.

Harper (Jessie Buckley) stands in the front room of her London flat, watching her husband James (Paapa Essiedu) falling in slow

James hasn’t actually gone, that he’s doing it to sustain the principle that a widow can’t divorce a ghost.

Harper will return to this moment time and again while consoling herself during a break alone in a pleasant English country house.

But, as a creepy vicar tells her, she can’t really get away because she’s haunted.

“Men” turns out to be a lady-inperil, home-invasion movie, with Harper wielding a large kitchen knife against progressively more startling, violent males who, all played by Rory Kinnear, are

trespassing on her rented territory. The film winds up in a sequence with potential to go down in cinema history by spending its final quarter of an hour showing pregnant men getting delivered of naked full-grown male babies through vulva-looking areas of the previous guys’ bodies, the last of those being between the owner’s shoulder blades.

“Men” isn’t a bad movie. Rather, although made to be different, while moderately entertaining, it renders its horror promise as merely an unfulfilled possibility.

At Dendy and Palace Electric

BOOKS

War windows throw light on a forgotten artist

By Helen Musa

WHEN the 2022 Napier Waller

Art Prize winner is announced at Parliament House on June 23, many may wonder who Napier Waller was, but with the publication of Jan William Smith’s new book, “The Glass Cricket Ball”, that question is well and truly answered.

Mervyn Napier Waller was the Australian artist who, in 1915, enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force. In 1937 he was chosen to create the mosaics and stained-glass windows in the Australian War Memorial’s Hall of Memory.

What may be less well known is that, after his right arm was amputated in France, Waller immediately learnt to write and draw with his left hand, saying: “I think a man could learn to paint with his feet if he had the determination to keep at it and the pleasure to express himself.”

The official report declared him to have “suffered total incapacity… permanently unfit for service”, but as Smith observes, he would go home to paint the biggest picture of his life.

Before leaving for World War I he had already married his classmate at the Victo rian National Gallery’s art school, Christian Yandell, a theosophist and spiritualist who casts a shadowy figure in the book.

DINING / Rye Café, South Point

By Wendy JOHNSON

skulduggery and, above all, John Linton Treloar, the canny and money-wise, long-

World War I, when he realised another 40,000 men had been killed in World War II, was forced to change focus, but he never compromised on materials.

Waller was a perfectionist and also a pedant, stipulating to Bean that the thematic titles for the different windows should be between seven to 11 letters and no more. Bean rather enjoyed that.

It is the “Ancestry” (eight letters) part of the Western Wall that gives the title to this book, “The Glass Cricket Ball”.

FAR LEFT: Mervyn Napier Waller in a studio pose in France during World War I.

ABOVE: The red cricket ball in Waller’s naval gunner’s window at the Australian War memorial.

LEFT: Author Jan William Smith.

forms of artworks, saying that if he were asked to do mosaics he would do mosaics, if glass he would do glass.

at Waller’s home,” Smith says, “authenticity is one thing, but since we can’t always get that, I’ve had to make it up, though I do know that Treloar visited him at Ivanhoe.”

Waller’s talents in drawing and painting, but makes it apparent that on his return from the Western Front, he turned to different

Thumbs up for crab burger

Trained in the western tradition, he had a quintessential European sensibility where wall decoration had to complement architecture in glass, music, murals and frescoes, leading to an ongoing battle with Bean and Treloar not just over content but over materials, since Waller insisted on using glass and tesserae from Italy, even as war with Italy loomed.

Even Waller, whose eyes had been on

For when Waller got thinking about the essence of an Australian fighting man, it seemed to him that the love of cricket summed up the Australian spirit, so above the naval gunner’s head he depicted a wreath enclosing a red cricket ball, flanked by three stumps and two bails.

Waller died in 1972 seeing his mosaics and stained glass completed; the vision was incomplete until 1993 when then prime minister Paul Keating presided over the burial of The Unknown Australian Soldier, thereby making a memorial into a tomb.

In one of his many references to the strong Canberra light, Smith writes: “The setting sun will always light the red glass cricket ball above the naval gunner’s window… I think that Napier Waller would not have appealed against the light.”

Jan William Smith, “The Glass Cricket Ball,” Big Sky Publishing.

The Napier Waller Art Prize exhibition, open to the public, Parliament House, June 18-November 20.

IN 2016, Rye Café and Bar arrived in Braddon with a refreshingly different food offering, primarily gorgeous looking, open Danish sandwiches.

Fast forward to 2022 and a new location is in full swing at South Point Tuggeranong, with a prime position on the busy Anketell Street food precinct. Rye Café offers sweet and savoury dishes, specialty coffee, pressed juices and smoothies. You can graband-go or settle and relax.

This casual dining spot features a clean, bright interior, with Scandinavian-inspired design influences. A feature is the massive pink coffee machine and accompanying pink grinders, which all face the street front drawing major attention.

Another feature is the large display of desserts and small savoury items. I asked about the open Danish sandwiches, which I loved on my visit to Braddon, but only one was left. I was told they’re made fresh daily, but the Tuggeranong operation doesn’t carry a large range. Instead, at lunch, burgers, croquettes and a hot dog are on the main menu. Toasties are on a specials board. My choice was the soft-shell crab burger ($23), which arrived on a simple but attractive wooden board with a small selection of fries on the side.

The deep-fried crab was a generous serve and stuffed in a milk bun with coleslaw and tartar. It looked amazing but was big and I wondered how to manage it. In the end I deconstructed it, which seemed easier. The crab was fantastic, the tartar tasty and the bun super soft. The fries were disappointingly lukewarm (at best).

The toastie line-up is intriguing and, on our visit, included a smoked salmon and cream cheese, a

My friend ordered the pulled beef (fries, also lukewarm, were $4), which was pretty darn delicious and a lovely size for a lighter lunch. The tender pulled beef came with braised onion, capsicum, Swiss cheese and a creamy herb aioli. It went down the hatch just fine. The all-time-fave ham, cheese and tomato toastie is also on the menu for $10.

Other lunch options included beef cheek croquettes with fried egg, braised cabbage and celeriac fritters ($22). The crispy pork burger was $24, and the Copenhagen Street Dog ($19) comes with chilli jam, mustard, remoulade, braised cabbage and pickled cucumber. Coffee is by Five Senses and Three Mills provides the bread (gluten free available with any meal for a $2 surcharge) and delectable desserts.

Rye Café South Point has a large enclosed outdoor area. Ceiling heaters help in colder weather. The service was friendly but slow (post ordering). The café is happy to handle dietary requirements.

There are (many) more of Wendy Johnson’s dining reviews at citynews.com.au

By Jackie WARBURTON

With many fungal diseases, prevention is better than cure and is better for the longevity and health of the tree and its ability to produce fruit.

Copper ultimately impairs cellular function in viruses, fungi and bacteria. It causes them to collapse and prevent spores from producing and drying out.

Copper sprays are harmful to

ground or around ponds or water baths for wildlife. Spray copper in the cool of the day and not near flowering plants in the garden as it can be harmful for bees.

PLUM trees can be planted now and through winter. It’s cheaper to buy bare-rooted plants from the nursery, but they need to be planted as soon as they come home.

Japanese plums have red flesh and European plums, yellow. The European plums are semi fertile, but do much better with a correct pollinator to get the tree to fruit. They need space to grow as most plums are small-spreading trees with hanging fruit.

A pair of European plums that have been successful for me are “Angelina” and “President”,

providing an abundance of fruit and lovely trees in the garden. There are many pollination charts available online to help decide the right tree to grow.

COMMON winter herbs that grow well and can be used in cooking are sage, parsley, rosemary and oregano. They are great evergreen plants and, in the winter garden, fill bare spots and protect the soil from the elements. Most of my herbs get cut back hard in spring to make space for frost-tender salad herbs to grow.

ANYONE interested in growing feijoas should check out the grove of them planted at the Lindsay Pryor National Arboretum. For the home garden, one tree will grow fruit, but two trees make them perform better.

Feijoa is one of my favourite shrubs because of its multiple uses: it can be an evergreen hedge with aromatic beautiful flowers in summer and delicious fruit in winter. It’s hardy and perfect for our climate. With a maximum growth height of about five metres, they’re perfect for under the powerlines when minimal pruning is required.

ALL berries should be pruned now, including young berries and raspberries. Prune autumn-fruiting berries to the ground, but for summer fruiting berries, only remove old canes and leave canes that haven’t fruited and tie back to a trellis. Keep the base of the canes weed free and feed with compost and mulch for the winter.

WEEDS are going to be in abundance this year and removing them before they flower will prevent them being a problem next year.

A GOOD prune of roses should get rid of hips, old flower heads and unwanted growth. August is pruning time, but for now remove all leaf litter and spray all stems with copper and repeat a few times a year. There has been an increase of insects and pests with the wet weather and hopefully a few good frosts will sort them out.

THE Marymead winter plant sale is being held at 255 Goyder Street, Narrabundah, 9am-1pm on Saturday, June 25.

There are more of Jackie’s gardening columns at citynews.com.au jackwar@home.netspeed.com.au

WEEKLY HOROSCOPE PUZZLES

By Joanne Madeline Moore

ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

The approaching Mars/Pluto square could amp up your argumentative and bossy side. And relationships look challenging, as loved ones are more demanding than usual. With the New Moon stimulating your domestic zone, strive to be at your diplomatic best with family members. If you can temporarily morph from a raging ram to a gentle lamb, then life will be less bumpy. The Mars/Saturn link will help you manage your moods and regulate your responses.

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 21)

Have you been feeling like a tired Taurus and a perpetually busy Bull, with too many activities crammed into your timetable? Avoid extra work functions and social events this week. With Mars and Jupiter visiting your solitude zone, rest and relaxation are just what the doctor ordered. Volunteer work and humanitarian projects are also highlighted. As Princess Diana (who was born on July 1) observed: “Everyone has the potential to give something back.”

GEMINI (May 22 – June 21)

The New Moon shines a spotlight on your current bank balance as well as money mistakes you’ve made in the past. If your finances are in a mess, then it’s time to sort them out ASAP. The Sun also squares Jupiter, which increases your extravagant and gullible side. Be careful you don’t indulge in a ‘comfort shopping’ spree that you later regret. Slow down and think things through. Remember… good things eventually come to Geminis who wait!

CANCER (June 22 – July 23)

Sensitive Crabs are ruled by the silvery Moon so you can’t help but be affected by this week’s New Moon in Cancer, as it stirs up your emotions. Plus Mars and Pluto agitate work worries and relationship insecurities. But if you become overemotional and unreasonable then it won’t help matters. Instead, tune into the magic of the mid-week new moonbeams. And learn to love yourself, as you celebrate your strengths and follow your dreams.

LEO (July 24 – Aug 23)

The Sun/Jupiter square boosts your loud, proud, extravagant and spontaneous side as you eat, drink, spend, say, promise or party way too much. Calm down Cats! Then the New Moon lights up your intuition and solitude zone. So it’s a good week to spend some quality time on your own as you slow down, meditate, contemplate, ruminate, and listen to the quiet voice within. Your motto is from birthday great Princess Diana: “I work on instinct. It’s my best advisor.”

VIRGO (Aug 24 – Sept 23)

Have you been treading water at work? Do your dreams and goals seem to be stalled? The planets activate your career and aspirations zones, so opportunities are set to improve. Dealing with colleagues, clients and/or customers in clever and creative ways will lead to positive outcomes. Joint ventures are particularly favoured, as you boost cash flow with a more cooperative and strategic approach. Mid-week is the time to make a special New Moon wish.

LIBRA (Sept 24 – Oct 23)

Polite Librans are the peacemakers of the zodiac - and you’ll certainly require your diplomacy skills this week. Pluto squares Mars, so a relationship with a loved one could be particularly frustrating. The best way to handle the situation is with plenty of patience and understanding. The New Moon activates your career zone, so don’t be a Libran wallflower. Speak up and promote your talents! If you procrastinate, then opportunities will pass you by.

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 22)

It’s a good week to travel, explore, read, research or study as Wednesday’s New Moon stimulates your gypsy gene and boosts your curiosity. Be inspired by birthday great Helen Keller: “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” Then Pluto squares Mars, which can magnify your control-freak tendencies. You’re determined to win an argument or solve a problem but don’t step on other people’s toes in the process. Strive to be more subtle and strategic.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21)

It’s a big week for finances, flirting and fun! The New Moon highlights a fresh start involving money, business, joint ventures and/or shared finances. Make sure they are all in practical order. The Venus/Jupiter link puts you in the mood for flirtatious games and extravagant romantic gestures. The planets also activate your social media zone, so long-term love could be waiting online. Your motto is from birthday great Princess Diana: “I like to be a free spirit.”

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 20)

With Mars and Mercury making positive connections with Saturn, concentration is high and your attention to detail is even better than usual. So any work you do will be of an extremely high standard. Coupled Capricorn – it’s a wonderful week to work on deepening the love and commitment between the two of you. If you are looking for lasting love, don’t accept second best. Be discriminating, as you patiently wait for the right person to come along.

AQUARIUS (Jan 21 – Feb 19)

This week’s stars are fabulous for fiery bursts of creative inspiration, as the New Moon nurtures fresh ideas and encourages intuitive insights. Mars and Pluto also stir your rebellious nature and non-conformist approach, especially involving controversial issues in your local community. So your mantra is from birthday great Princess Diana (who had Sun in Cancer and Moon in Aquarius): “I don’t go by the rule book… I lead from the heart, not the head.”

PISCES (Feb 20 – Mar 20)

If you’re involved with a group, class, club or organisation, then expect power plays and personality clashes as the week progresses. A friendship could also be placed under temporary strain. When it comes to your social circle, aim to be more discriminating and don’t waste precious time on false friends and negative people who undermine your confidence. You need to consciously choose a peer group that will help propel you towards your preferred future.

Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2022

1 To have a wager, is to do what? (6)

7 Name an Australian pianist and composer, Percy ... (8)

8 Name an aquatic mammal found in tropical coastal areas of the Indian Ocean. (6)

9 Which document grants a person entry into a foreign country? (8)

10 What is a hard East Indian wood, yielding a red colour? (6)

11 Name a permanent cardiac dilation. (8)

14 Which device controls the amount of fuel being fed to an engine? (8)

18 What is a brief expression of thought, or opinion? (6)

19 Name another term for a scamp, or rascal. (8)

21 To be of little width, is to be what? (6)

22 To reduce, is to do what? (8)

23 Name a fortified and blended wine of southern Spain. (6)

1 What, colloquially, is a restless person? (8)

2 Which alloy consists essentially of copper and tin? (6)

3 Name an alternative term for an aubergine. (8)

4 What does a cartographer produce? (4)

5 Which term describes a concealed marksman? (6)

6 What are units of electrical inductance? (6)

12 Which ornamental pieces are for the centre of a dinner table? (8)

13 Name the Earth’s own galaxy. (5, 3)

15 Which Trojan warrior was slain by Achilles? (6)

16 To be rectangular, is to be what? (6)

17 To come forth into view, is to do what? (6)

20 What, in 17th-century Scotland, was an adherent of the Presbyterian cause? (4)