Australian Times weekly newspaper | 13 August 2013

13 - 19 August 2013 Issue: 476

JONATHAN PFAHL

Founder Rockstar Mentoring Group EXPAT factor P13

STAND-UP IN SOHO Aussie comedian Luke McGregor

An ORGANIC life How to live it in London

entertainment P8

food & wine P7

41769

CONTRACTING? TIME TO EARN MORE TAX, FINANCIAL AND MIGRATION EXPERTS: Money Transfers, Tax Refunds, Visas, Limited Companies & Accounting, UK Bank Accounts, CV & Job Assistance, Travel Clinic, Shipping, Legal and Umbrella Services

RUDD SAYS YES TO GAY MARRIAGE TONY Abbott should confirm a coalition conscience vote on samesex marriage or risk inner-city seats, gay rights group Australian Marriage Equality (AME) says.

AME spokesman Rodney Croome has welcomed Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s commitment, made during Sunday night’s federal election debate, to introduce legislation within 100 days of taking office.

Mr Croome has also welcomed Mr Abbott’s acknowledgment of the issue, but says the opposition leader needs to go further.

Mr Abbott described the issue as “very important” during the debate, before reaffirming his personal opposition to same-sex marriage on Monday.

“The majority of Australians who support this reform don’t expect Tony Abbott to change his mind but they do expect him to allow a conscience vote,” Mr Croome told AAP. “Kevin Rudd can’t achieve this reform by himself, he needs the coalition to also have a conscience vote if this reform is to have a fighting chance.”

But the AME is taking some heart from Mr Abbott’s performance.

“He pointedly didn’t defend the status quo,” Mr Croome said.

“That gives me hope that a coalition conscience vote is more likely than not after the election.”

Mr Rudd also challenged Mr Abbott to match the ALP’s conscience vote.

But the National Marriage Coalition, which opposes the reform, condemned

the PM’s promise and urged the coalition to resist a conscience vote.

“We call upon all parties to focus on what matters most to Australians, guiding the nation always to a better future,” spokesman Gerard Calilhanna said in a statement.

“Our children deserve better.”

Mr Croome said the coalition would find victory in marginal inner-city seats more difficult while Mr Abbott refused to guarantee a conscience vote.

AME will leaflet seats including Brisbane, Perth, Wills and Batman, identifying which candidates support the reform.

“Going to the election with the commitment to a conscience vote would be a very smart move because it would allow inner city Liberals who support this reform … to campaign hard on it,” Mr Croome said.

“At the moment they’re hamstrung.”

AME says polls consistently put support for the reform at 65 per cent across the country.

Mr Croome said Mr Abbott should not fear a possible conservative Senate crossbench over the issue because some in Katter’s Australia Party and the Palmer United Party supported samesex marriage.

Meanwhile, Mr Croome said there were no plans to approach Mr Abbott’s openly-gay sister, Christine Forster, who has publicly disagreed with her brother’s stance.

“I think she’s most effective as an advocate when she does it her own way,” Mr Croome said. - AAP

London Life When reality doesn't meet your expectations | P6

0808 141 2314

www.1stcontact.com/mast2

Withdraw asylum ads says oppn

Tax-payer funded advertising used to promote the Rudd government’s asylum seeker policy within Australia has drawn criticism from opposition MPs, who claim that using public funds to promote government policy during an election campaign was a breach of convention.

Last month, the Rudd government launched an advertising campaign designed to explain reforms to Australia’s refugee policy and deter asylum seekers from seeking out the services of people smuggling in an attempt to enter the country.

The multifaceted campaign includes general advertising in Australia, domestic advertisements targeted at specific ethnic groups and advertising in vulnerable overseas markets.

Immigration Minister Tony Burke announced late last week that the Rudd government intended to continue its advertising campaign throughout the election in order to maintain pressure on people smuggling operations within the region. The coalition has argued that this is a breach of election convention, which would preclude a government utilising public funds to promote its own political position.

Shadow Attorney-General George Brandis called the Labor Party’s continuation of the advertising campaign “a scandal” and insisted ...continued on p3

Sponsored by

Be our next great travel writer

WIN A travel voucher worth £250 Turn to P10 for details

2 | News

13 - 19 August 2013

How do I vote in the UK?

n

If you are currently enrolled there are two ways to vote from the UK.

Vote in person at the voting centre at Australia House Publisher: Bryce Lowry Editor: Alex Ivett Production/Design: Jackie Lampard News Editor: Paul Bleakley Business Editor: Sepi Roshan Contributors: Tim Martin, Georgia Dawes, Phillip Browne, Michelle McCue, Erin Somerville, George Katralis, Jacqui Moroney, Will Fitzgibbon, Chris Arkadieff, Kiel Egging, Daniel Shillito, Mat Lyons,

Sandra Tahmasby, Tyson Yates, Jennifer Perkin, Charlie Inglefield, Thomas Jones, Alistair Davis, Will Denton, Chloe Westley, Bonnie Gardiner, Michaela Gray, Marian Borges, Haylee Slater, Emma O'Neill, Ally Juchnevicius, Courtney Greatrex, Poppy Damon Directors: P Atherton, J Durrant N Durrant, R Phillips and A Laird

Additional content: Who are we?

Australian Times is written and compiled by young Australian journalists living in the UK. Contributing on a volunteer basis, they are uniquely placed to reflect the interests, opinions and attitudes of our community.

If you would like to join us, contact info@australiantimes.co.uk Address: Unit 7C, Commodore House Battersea Reach, London SW18 1TW Tel: 0845 456 4910 Email: info@australiantimes.co.uk

WEBSITE:

The paper used to print this publication has been sourced from sustainable forests (farmed trees). Please reduce waste by recycling your copy or pass it on others.

DISCLAIMER The printed opinions of advertisers and writers are theirs and not necessarily shared by Blue Sky Publications Ltd. Unless otherwise stated, copyright of all original materials is held by Blue Sky Publications Ltd. Official media sponsors of the following organisations:

Pre-poll voting services will be offered by the Australian High Commission, which is located at Australia House, Strand, London WC2B 4LA (corner of Aldwych and Strand).

The High Commission will be open for pre-poll voting during the following times:

Monday 26 August 2013 11:00 – 19:30 Tuesday 27 August 2013 11:00 – 19:30 Wednesday 28 August 2013 11:00 – 19:30 Thursday 29 August 2013 11:00 – 19:30 Friday 30 August 2013 11:00 – 19:30 Saturday 31 August 2013 10:00 – 18:00 Sunday 1 September 2013 CLOSED Monday 2 September 2013 11:00 – 19:30 Tuesday 3 September 2013 11:00 – 19:30 Wednesday 4 September 2013 11:00 – 19:30 Thursday 5 September 2013 11:00 – 21:00 Friday 6 September 2013 11:00 – 21:00 Pre-poll voting will not be available on Saturday 7 September 2013 due to the time difference between London and the closing of

Your Say

THE NRL IS BACK & IT’S BIGGER THAN EVER EVERY GAME

EVERY ROUND

FROM INCLUDING THE GRAND FINAL

STATE OF ORIGIN

LIVE & EXCLUSIVE

PLUS 32 GAMES FROM

THE CHAMPIONSHIPS SUBSCRIBE NOW

0871 663 9000 PREMIERSPORTS.TV

was impossible no matter what the Libs were prepared to give him.

The Truth, the whole truth and nothing but the Truth.

On: Top 10 Home and Away moments

I have recently started watching Home and Away again after a long break owing to the change of time and work etc. I love it now as much as ever. Really enjoy The River Boys and the superb Steve Peacocke as Brax. Well done to all involved!

Clare

On: The wisdom of our future PM? Abbott’s top 5 verbal gaffes No wonder we got this goose as our potential PM. Howard’s chosen one, Mal Brough, was booted out of Longman when his boss got the flick in 2007.

But now he will be back, after crucifying a cohort of some 30 years standing in public office.

Why? Mal wants to be PM and eight years of trying to get Somylay to retire or change seats

?

What’s your view

polls at 18:00 Australian Western Standard Time (AWST).

Voters will be security checked and admitted for pre-poll voting in the order they arrive. There is no appointment system available. To

On: You know you’re British when…

Peter

Although born in England my late father’s family arrived in Australia in 1816 and settled in Glenlee, NSW, as a child growing up in England I was raised on a diet of Banjo Patterson and learnt Dorothea Mackellar’s poem "My Country/Core of my Heart”. As for cricket I have always rooted for Australia and I always thought that the Don was God. Andrew

And also you no longer find summer days lasting until 10pm at night as amazing…

Duncan

And you know there’s more to the UK than England.

Anne

Share your comments on these and more stories online: AustralianTimes.co.uk

avoid security delays, voters should not bring large bags/backpacks with them when they vote. Dangerous goods (such as scissors or knives) must NOT be brought to the High Commission.

Submit a postal vote

Postal vote applications can be submitted up until Thursday 5 September 2013. The AEC will send out ballot papers to a nominated address after candidate nominations close on Thursday 15 August 2013.

Ballot papers must be completed and posted back to the AEC on or before election day. You only have 13 days after the election for your ballot papers to be received by the AEC. To apply for a postal vote you will need to: • Provide your current enrolment details • Confirm the address you want your ballot paper mailed to • Declare you are eligible to apply for a postal vote.

To apply for a postal vote see Aec. gov.au/election/pva/ At the 2010 federal election, 72,306 votes were issued at overseas posts, including 16,041 in London and 7,797 in Hong Kong. *Please note: The following information was correct at the time of publication and is subject change. Consult the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) website for the latest information.

SKY CHANNEL 428 CALLS COST 10P PER MINUTE ON THE BT NETWORK, CALLS FROM OTHER CARRIERS AND MOBILES MAY VARY. TERMS & CONDITIONS APPLY.

AustralianTimes

@AustralianTimes

+Australiantimes

Australiantimes

company/australian-times

News | 3

AustralianTimes.co.uk

Europe Summer 10 DAY

Up tp

30% OFF

EuroClub

Democracy Road 27 August 2013 NOW

WAS £940

7 DAY

5 October 2013

5 October 2013

Jordan & Israel WAS £1,105

£1,026

Includes £310 Local Payment Tour Jordan and enjoy a short visit to Israel

Jordan Adventure WAS 625

£576

Includes £130 Local Payment A fantastic 7 day Topdeck trip of Jordan

7 DAY

EuroClub

Tapas Trail 21 August 2013

WAS £717 NOW

9 DAY

£752

Visit 8 countries including Hungary, Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Netherlands & Belgium

£574

See the best of France and Spain on this tasty trip

North O10F%F America

20 DAY

EuroClub

European Getaway 24 August 2013

£1107

Includes £270 Food Fund

8 DAY

24 August 2013

WAS £695

8 September 2013

WAS £695

£626

Visits Vegas, Grand Canyon & Yoesmite

12 DAY

Southwest States 7 September 2013

WAS £1185

£1067

Visits Austin, Monument Valley & Vegas

www.topdeck.travel L8291 / Y2992

31 August 2013

WAS £646

Split to Split (Ribic)

California Calling – LA to San Fran

Turkey Explored

WAS £1520

Visit 10 countries including France, Italy, Austria & the Czech Republic

7 DAY

Explorer

12 DAY

£442

Hurry last spaces

SAVE 15%

£452

Visit Istanbul, Cappadocia, Fethiye, Troy & Gallipoli

Croatia Sailing

8 DAY

Split to Split (Moja Moja) 31 August 2013

WAS £485

£412

Call 0845 257 5210 Open 8am-9pm

TOPDECK 1973

2013

EBR

A

RS

was a 2012 recipient of the Charlie Perkins Scholarship, a scholarship to assist indigenous Australians pursue postgraduate study at Oxford and Cambridge Universities.

The scholarship program is supported by the Australian and British governments, Rio Tinto, the Pratt Foundation, the Cambridge Commonwealth Trust, the Cambridge Australia Trust and The McCusker Foundation.

Ms Brown told The Australian she is looking to return to Australia to help others follow in her footsteps into tertiary education.

“I see education as really being a vehicle where we can think about change,” she told The Australian.

“I am intrigued as to that process that can trigger more indigenous participation. The levels of indigenous education, the disparity is ridiculous.

I really want to take a step up and specifically to close that gap.”

26-29 August 2013 3/4* Hotels

CEL

27-YEAR-OLD Lilly Brown has graduated from Cambridge University in England with a Masters of Philosophy in Politics from prestigious Trinity College.

Ms Brown is the first indigenous Australian to complete a degree at Cambridge.

Identifying with the Gumbangerrii people of the NSW mid north coast, Ms Brown became the first in her extended family to pursue a tertiary education when she completed a degree in history and anthropology at the University of WA. This was followed by Honours at Melbourne University in indigenous studies focusing on activism, racial literacy and anti-racism within higher education and a secondment to McGill University in Montreal in Canada to work with the Mohawk people.

Ms Brown, originally from the Eastern Hills of Western Australia,

10% OFF

NOW

Lilly Brown has completed a Masters of Philosophy in Politics from Cambridge University, becoming the first indigenous Australian to graduate from Cambridge.

Jordan

NOW

n

£189

Per PerSOn

La Tomatina, Valencia, Spain

NOW

Indigenous scholar Lilly Brown graduates from Cambridge university

By Paul Bleakley

FrOm

NOW

AustralianTimes.co.uk/news

to bolster their illicit businesses.

Mr Burke said: “I don’t want the calling of an election to be the next trigger that people smugglers use to try to tell people, now’s your last chance … I don’t want there to be a situation where people are lied to and have their lives put at risk.”

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie joined the coalition in criticising the Rudd government’s decision, releasing a statement in which he described the continuation of the advertising campaign as “cynical”. He questioned the role played by domestic advertising in disrupting international people smuggling networks, suggesting that domestic advertising was tantamount to

4 DAY TRIP

NOW

Get More News

political campaigning.

Mr Wilkie said: “Labor’s decision to continue taxpayer-funded ads in the Australian media about their inhumane PNG asylum policy is hardly surprising.

Running these ads in Australia was always about trying to win votes. The line that ads are needed in Australian media to communicate with locals involved in people smuggling is nothing more than a flimsy excuse.”

In a statement released earlier this week, the coalition agreed to support the continued roll-out of advertising in international markets. Rudd government Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said that the continuation of the campaign in its entirety was “in the interests of national security.”

La Tomatina

NOW

just over 120,000 two months ago, with most of that increase occurring on Saturday and Sunday.

Shortly after 8.20am (AEST) on Monday, the opposition leader’s numbers plunged to just over 165,000 as the paid-for accounts were removed.

His numbers reached 168,725 by early afternoon.

It’s unclear who paid to boost Mr Abbott’s account.

One hundred thousand Twitter followers can easily be bought anonymously online, with marketing companies offering to supply 100,000 new followers for as little as $274.

Followers can be added at a preprescribed rate, such as five per day or one per hour.

Facebook `likes’ can also be bought online for similar prices.

Queensland University of Technology’s Associate Professor Axel Bruns said Mr Rudd’s numbers were also boosted by about half a million in 2009 and 2010 when Twitter suggested new users follow him.

“We actually looked at the follower growth over time and there are periods from mid-2009 to the start of 2010 when Twitter recommended Rudd to people who were signing up in Australia,” Prof Bruns told AAP. “To the point where you almost had to follow him to complete the account set-up process.”

Prof Bruns said it’s unclear if a big, genuine Twitter following translates into increased popularity at the ballot box. - AAP

that the party paid for the advertisements themselves for the duration of the campaign. Coalition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison also criticised the Rudd government’s decision, suggesting that it was directed at “vote people… (not) boat people.”

Mr Burke argued that the continuation of the advertising campaign was vital in the government’s campaign to disrupt people smuggling operations, citing previous occasions in which people smugglers had used Australia’s internal political instability

NOW

PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd has never paid to boost his social media profiles.

But his office acknowledges some of his 1.4 million Twitter followers aren’t genuine.

“Neither he (Mr Rudd), nor his office, has ever paid to boost the Prime Minister’s Twitter followers, Facebook friends or Facebook likes,” a spokesman for Mr Rudd told AAP. “What spambots choose to do in their own time is a matter for them.”

Spambots are automated programs that create fake social and email accounts to flood users with spam and a number appear to follow Mr Rudd, who is easily one of the most popular Australians on the social media site.

Telltale signs of spambot Twitter accounts include those with little or no personal profile information combined with zero or few tweets and very few followers.

An analysis of Mr Rudd’s followers list shows a number of accounts fitting that description - though it remains unclear what proportion are genuine.

Most famous people on Twitter have spambot followers - and there’s little they can do about it apart from the report the accounts and hope they’re removed.

It comes after Opposition Leader Tony Abbott was bombarded by about 80,000 fake, paid-for followers over the weekend.

“We are working with Twitter now to remove the fake accounts and investigate who was behind this,” the Liberal Party wrote on Facebook.

“The Liberal Party has not purchased or artificially sought to inflate any social media numbers.”

By Monday morning Mr Abbott reached 208,357 followers - up from

...continued from p1

NOW

Pollies admit fake followers

Advertising campaign disrupts people smuggling, says govt

AT I N G 4 0 Y E

*Terms and conditions apply. Prices quoted are for specific departures only. All trips subject to availability. Discounts are off the base trip price only, and do not apply to food funds and local payments. Flights not included. For full terms and conditions please visit www.topdeck.travel

4 | News

13 - 19 August 2013

n

The federal election has been announced for 7 September and both parties are gearing up for a tough fight. We take a look at the two leaders going head to head, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.

RUDD VS ABBOTT

By Michaela Gray

Full name Kevin Michael Rudd.

Position Prime Minister of Australia, Leader of the Labor Party.

Electorate Griffith, Queensland. Elected November 1998.

D.O.B 21/09/1957 in Nambour, Australia.

Family Married to Therese Rein. Father to Jessica, Nicholas and Marcus.

Career pre-politics Rudd spent most of the 1980s overseas while working for the Department of Defence, before becoming involved in politics in 1988 as Chief of Staff to then Queensland Opposition Leader Wayne Goss. He remained with Goss after he was elected Premier in 1989 until 1995. Fluent in Mandarin and with a keen interest in Asia, Rudd was hired as a Senior China Consultant by the accounting firm KPMG Australia in 1996, before winning the Queensland seat of Griffith for Labor in the 1998 federal election.

Rise to power 4 Dec 2006 Rudd won the ALP leadership from Kim Beazley who had called a spill. Julia Gillard was elected Rudd’s deputy.

24 Nov 2007 The Kevin ‘O7 campaign led Rudd to a landslide victory over John Howard. Rudd became Prime Minister.

24 Jun 2010 With dwindling party support and under pressure from Gillard, Rudd called a leadership vote but stood down before the ballot was held. Gillard was elected party leader unopposed and became PM. 22 Feb 2012 Rudd abruptly resigned as Foreign Affairs Minister claiming he had lost the support of Gillard and senior ministers. The PM called

a leadership vote on 27 Feb, Rudd stood but was unsuccessful, promising that he would not initiate any further leadership challenges against Gillard but not ruling out becoming party leader again at a later date.

26 Jun 2013 Rudd defeated Gillard 57-45 after the PM called a leadership spill. Rudd became Labor leader and subsequently Prime Minister for the second time. He is the first former PM to return to the office since Robert Menzies in 1949.

Key election policies • Offshore processing of asylum seekers in PNG. • Axe carbon tax in favour of an emissions trading scheme.

• Education reforms (Gonski).

• Labor party reforms.

• Gay marriage.

Controversies • 19 Aug 2007: It is revealed that while in New York City as Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2003, Rudd had visited a strip club.

• Feb 2012: An expletive-laden video of outtakes of Rudd attempting to record a Chinese language message during his time as Prime Minister was released anonymously on YouTube.

• Rudd’s nephew, Van Thanh Rudd, a member of the Revolutionary Socialist Party, has received occasional media coverage for his activism and controversial artworks.

Outside politics • As a child, Rudd’s family struggled financially after the sudden death of his father. Rudd suffered taunts of “charity case” at school because of the family’s poverty.

• Suffering rheumatic heart disease, in 1993 and again in 2011 Rudd underwent a cardiac valve transplant.

• He speaks fluent Mandarin.

• The family cat, Jasper, achieved internet celebrity status after becoming a regular character in Crikey’s First Dog on The Moon cartoons. His death in October 2012 was announced on Twitter and reported on by the major newspapers.

Full name Anthony John Abbott.

Position Leader of the Opposition, Leader of the Liberal Party.

Electorate Warringah, New South Wales.

Elected March 1994.

D.O.B 04/11/1957 in London, England.

Family Married to Margaret. Father to Louise, Bridget and Frances.

Career pre-politics Abbott trained as a Roman Catholic priest in the mid-1980s before working as a journalist, business manager and political advisor.

Rise to power 2007 Following the Liberal party’s election defeat and the resignation of John Howard, Abbott nominated for the leadership then withdrew his name before the ballot. He was appointed to the Shadow portfolio of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs by newly elected Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson.

26 Nov 2009 Abbott resigned from his portfolio in protest against then Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull’s support for the Rudd Government’s Emissions Trading Scheme.

1 Dec 2009 Abbott became Leader of the Liberal Party and Opposition Leader after challenging Turnbull.

21 Aug 2010 A hung parliament is produced by the election result. Abbott failed to win support of crossbenchers in order to form government. Gillard and the ALP retained power.

Key election policies • ‘Turn back’ asylum seeker boats.

• Repeal the carbon tax and Minerals Resources Rent Tax. • Overhaul finance sector regulation.

• Lower taxes, reduce red tape for small business and create jobs.

• Strengthen laws applying to registered organisations (eg, trade unions) Controversies • In 1998 Abbott established a trust fund to bankroll civil court cases against One Nation party founders Pauline Hanson and David Ettridge, who were subsequently imprisoned. The conviction against Hanson was ultimately overturned.

• In 2004 it was revealed that at the age of 19 Abbott had fathered a child who was put up for adoption. The boy had become an ABC sound recordist working at Parliament House and involved in the making of television programs in which Abbott appeared. DNA testing later revealed that Abbott was not the man’s father.

• In October 2007, as Minister for Health, Abbott said of dying asbestos campaigner Bernie Banton “just because a person is sick doesn’t mean that he is necessarily pure of heart in all things.” He later apologised.

• Abbott’s Catholicism and traditionalist beliefs have been the subject of media commentary, with suggestions he polarises female voters.

Outside politics • Abbott is a volunteer member of the NSW Rural Fire Service.

• He has four published books.

• As Opposition spokesman on Indigenous Affairs, Abbott spent several weeks teaching in a remote Aboriginal settlements in 2008-09.

• A keen sportsman, Abbott regularly participates in events for charity.

6 | UK Life

13 - 19 August 2013

Richmond riches SUBCULTURE SLEUTH > PAUL BLEAKLEY

London is one of the most multicultural cities in the world. It is full to the brim with every kind of person you could possibly imagine, and as such it is sometimes difficult to get a grasp on the authentic ‘English’ experience.

That is why Richmond is an area that is close to my heart. Although it is only a short Tube ride from the urbane Aussie stronghold of Hammersmith and Fulham, stepping through the barriers at Richmond is

like stepping into that English village that you always imagined you would live in while watching Midsummer Murders with a bowl of popcorn on a Saturday night.

You never feel more English than you do when you are in Richmond.

Head down to Richmond Green on a Saturday afternoon and you will find the good old chaps playing a lovely game of cricket while locals gather around with wicker picnic baskets.

Take a stroll by the river and you will find couples rowing downstream on a romantic outing. A walk down the high street will provide a multitude of options, from independent coffee

Aussies: Save Big on Expat Car Insurance!

• Worldwide Liability Protection • Accident Forgiveness • Fast Claim Processing • Multi-policy Discounts • 65 Years of Experience

Get a FREE quote at clements.com or call +44 (0) 20 7397 4960

shops to hole-in-the-wall pubs that have most likely been in operation for centuries.

Suffice to say that I fell in love with Richmond and its quaint, not-quiteLondon feel from the moment I discovered it. While I live within half an hour’s walk of the Richmond high street, I still felt like I had to follow my heart and move to this area that

had captivated my attention.

It seems you have to pay for quality.

One property that caught my eye happened to be on the market for a cool £10 million, which is a tidy sum for a riverside mansion with seven bedrooms to be fair. The price-tag Richmond real estate suddenly put everything into perspective: it wasn’t a sleepy English village at all.

The properties were immense, the clothing was all designer and the cars revving at the lights were all Ferrari.

Okay, so I might not be able to live out my English village fantasies in Richmond, my meagre pay packet won’t allow it. On a lazy summer’s day, however, there is no better place to suspend reality for at least a few minutes.

Aussie life in London

Expectations vs Reality Honeymooning Nomad > Jacqui Moroney

When embarking on a new adventure we tend to believe that everything is going to be shiny, new and exciting – until the reality hits you. Moving to London is no different. You soon remember things like rent, bills and transport costs still exist, that it is harder to make friends in your late 20s and life is not always a holiday.

Though you might be having the time of your life in London, it is important to remember expectations don’t always match reality. Here is 10 expectations I had about living in the UK that have been put to the test over the past few months.

1 2 3

Expectation: You’re on a working holiday visa, which means you will be travelling all the time.

Reality: You are always strapped for cash and you end up working six days a week to pay for rent and a short holiday every few months.

Expectation: You'll work little and play hard.

Reality: You are tired from working so hard saving for the Sail Croatia trip you always wanted to go on. Maybe next week you’ll finally hit up Bijous and hang out with Prince Harry.

Expectation: You will party all the time in London with the new friends you made on your last trip.

Reality: Your friends list on Facebook increases exponentially but you will probably never see them in person again.

4 5

Expectation: You'll spend your weekends at farmers markets, cafés and funky restaurants.

Reality: You spend your Saturdays trying to get over Friday night drinks and Sundays catching up on TV you missed while out during the week.

Expectation: You’ll spend weekends exploring the English countryside, and will head to the beach in summer for fish and chips.

Reality: Your travel card is valid for zones 1 – 3, and come Saturday you don’t even think about leaving your neighbourhood, let alone London.

6 7 8

Expectation: Groceries, food and transport seem less expensive than at home so it is easy to save money for your next holiday.

Reality: You are also earning much less and you opt for the camping holiday instead of the hotel option.

Expectation: Being in the nightlife capital of Europe, you’ll spend your nights in the coolest bars and clubs London has to offer.

Reality: The bouncer at Infernos knows you by name.

Expectation: You’ll catch up with friends and family back home on Skype, Viber, What’s App or on the phone all the time.

Reality: The only time for a decent catch up seems to be when you’re recovering from Friday night drinks or Saturday night. Surely they can just Facebook stalk me?

9 10

Expectation: You’ll visit all the tourist attractions, learn about history and take in the city’s unique culture.

Reality: Are you kidding?! Those places are full of tourists!

Expectation: You’ll be the exception to the Heathrow Injection curse and go to the gym every night after work.

Reality: You go to the pub every night after work and you start buying looser fitting clothes at Primark.

That onesie you wore to the Church that one time is now your most comfortable piece of clothing.

Food & Wine | 7

AustralianTimes.co.uk

ORGANIC FOOD SPECIAL

By Michaela Grey So, you’re an organic vegetable, what makes you so special?

I’m the vegetable equivalent of an Olympic athlete. Grown on a pure diet, in optimal conditions. I’m worth more than your average vegetable and I perform better.

Wow, that’s a big claim. Can you prove it?

Prove it? Of course I can! Well, not really, but plenty of people have tried.

I’ve heard of Olympians using performance enhancers, you’re not one of those athletes are you?

No way, I’m as natural as can be. I’m free of the pesticides and chemicals found in other produce because I’m grown all natural, the way farmers did it way back

An Organic Life What’s in a name n

Let’s get to the root of the hype by going straight to the source. We ask an organic vegetable, what’s your deal? before industrialisation and genetic modification.

affordable. I’ll add just a few extra pounds to your weekly shop.

Pesticides and genetic modifying haven’t killed me yet, why should I eat organic?

Trust me, you’ll feel better. Plenty of organic converts say their skin is brighter, their allergy symptoms have lessened, they feel healthier and have more energy. Plus, you can brag about it.

I already eat plenty of “natural” food, isn’t it that same as “organic”?

I’m insulted. Anyone can call a product “natural” but to be “organic” you have to be grown according to strict standards. I told you, it’s an exclusive club.

I can brag about my vegetables?

Don’t you read any of the tabloids?

Everybody is talking about what they’re eating (or not eating), what other people are eating (or not eating). Get on the organic bandwagon and you’ll be part of a very exclusive club.

Oh, exclusive means expensive.

Not at all, in the UK I’m very

Ok, I’m convinced. Where do I start?

Excellent, grab your reusable shopping bag and head to your nearest supermarket. There are organic alternatives to plenty of your favourite fruit and veg as well as meat, fish, eggs, pasta and dairy.

There are tonnes of speciality stores around or you can buy organic from your local street market.

Hm, if organic food is everywhere it can’t be very “exclusive.”

(Sigh) This is a health movement, it takes a lot of people buying these products to keep them so readily available on the shelves. Now, do you want to eat organic or do you want to have your visa cancelled?

Sorry, forget I doubted you.

That’s ok, your brain is probably so riddled with harmful chemicals you can’t think straight. You should probably go on a detox – an organic carrot will help with that. Here, try this one…

(Munch, munch, munch) Taste that?

Taste what?

Exactly! No pesticides or chemicals.

Delicious, isn’t it?

Buying organic Australia vs UK

By Michaela Gray

BUYING organic in the UK is more affordable than in Australia, yet here the food trend is on the decline.

While foodies concerned with health (their own and that of the environment) would have noticed the price gap, the difference to their budget bottom line may be short lived as the organic market takes a dive.

Figures show that over the past year in the UK the amount of land dedicated to growing organic produce decreased, the number of organically reared livestock fell and

the organic sales market as a whole contracted.

The downward trend began during the 2009 recession as middle income families – the largest consumer group in the organic market – dramatically reduced their spending on ‘luxury’ items.

The fall in demand has continued as consumer confidence remains weak and has led to a contraction of the UK’s organic market as a whole, down 1.5% by the start of 2013. This represents a decrease in market value of £1.67 billion to £1.64 billion.

With fewer products being purchased, the acreage of farmland dedicated to organic crop production has reduced. At the end of 2012, UK farmland classified as organic was down 7.4% compared to the previous year.

At the same time, farmers are refraining from committing new land to costly organic production, with conversion land (which must be managed organically for two years, before being approved as

Tastes like a carrot.

Just like a carrot should. organic) dropping by 12.4% at the end of 2012.

Similarly, fewer animals are being reared to organic standards. In 2008 there were over four million organically raised birds in the UK, but by the start of this year that number was down to just over two million.

At the opposite end of the scale, the revenue from organic farming in Australia is predicted to rise by 12.5% to $617 million by the end of the year.

Having identified organic farming in Australia as “a blossoming industry,” IBISWorld has forecast that “the industry will continue to grow strongly over the next five years” with revenues to rise 10.3% per annum over that period.

UK based Australians soon to return home will be hoping the market’s good fortune will be passed on to consumers through a reduction in shelf prices.

At present, organically grown foods in Australia are as much as 300% more expensive than other produce. Cost-of-living research from Suncorp Bank has shown that a basket of organic goods including bananas, eggs, mince and chicken breasts, would cost a consumer $100 versus $56 for regular items.

Over the course of a year organic buyers could spend more than $2300 extra.

The Whole Meal > Ally Juchnevicius

Food is a bit of a mystery. Most of us don’t know where it comes from or how it works, not really. It’s taken for granted because, in the first world at least, it is always available.

Recently, thanks to a wave of food documentaries, books and culinary scandals like the horse-meat debacle, the length and complexity of the food chain has entered the spotlight.

Beyond the basic nutrients, we are starting to want to know more about the origins and the life of our food.

We are starting to care as much about the labels inside our clothes as the ones on our food.

As a result, there are a lot of buzzwords being thrown around.

Fresh. Natural. Artisan. Heirloom.

Authentic. Organic is one of the most commonly heard of this group.

The word holds within it so many connotations, and importantly, significant marketing potential. But what does it tell us about our food, and is it worth the extra money?

In the UK, for food to be certified ‘Organic’ it must adhere to standards set by the Soil Association, a regulatory body who monitors producers and retailers. All aspects of the food chain are inspected yearly; from production and packaging, to animal welfare, sustainability and pesticide use. Despite popular belief, organic food is still grown with the use of chemicals, but this is minimal and restricted to those on a Soilapproved list.

Is it healthier? It is still up for debate whether organic food is more nutritious, but there are other benefits to take into consideration. Organic food is safer for farm workers and nearby farms, which are exposed to fewer chemicals, and in turn is usually more environmentally friendly. And if you buy through farmer’s markets you’re also

supporting your local economy.

Why is it more expensive? It generally has higher labour and feed costs, and lower yields. Organic food can cost between 10-100% more than conventional food by the time it reaches the shops.

So is organic food all created equally? Some foods are more important to buy organic than others.

Every year the Environmental Working Group release their ‘Dirty Dozen’ list, comprised of foods that have the highest levels of pesticideresidue. The list changes yearly, depending on weather conditions and farming policies, but some items crop up year after year. Keep these in mind and choosing organic becomes simpler, and much more accessible.

Dirty Dozen - choose organic: Leafy greens (think kale, spinach, collard), berries, tree fruits (apples, peaches, nectarines), celery, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, grapes, potatoes, fatty meats and milk.

Clean 15 - conventional is fine: onions, sweet corn, pineapples, avocado, cabbage, sweet peas, asparagus, mangoes, eggplant, kiwi fruit, sweet potatoes, grapefruit, watermelon, mushrooms, papaya.

Where to buy? The best places in London are farmer’s markets, in particular the Growing Communities market in Stoke Newington where all produce is certified organic. Local wholefood stores will be able to put you in touch with community box schemes or neighbourhood allotments where you can grow your own and have a truly transparent food chain.

If all else fails, most local grocers and supermarkets are now offering organic options.

8 | Entertainment

What’s On Sam Simmons Shitty Trivia 12 - 24 August @Soho Theatre San Cisco 20th August @London's Sebright Arms Amity Affliction 14 September @Underworld Adam Hills Happyism 22 September @Hammersmith Apollo FilmFest Australia October 2013 @Barbican Centre Barry Gibb 3 October @O2 Arena Tim Minchin in Jesus Christ Superstar 13 October @02 Arena For full details...

...and more Aussie gigs go to: AustralianTimes.co.uk/entertainment

See what we are following this week on

Australian Election @DaniBoksjo

Between a rock and a hard place for Australian Federal Election. #help @batemanjs

I've just been alerted that the Liberal Party has more Facebook 'likes' than any other Australian party.

Why even bother with the election? @Antibolt

Murdoch appoints enormous lump of congealed food fat extracted from London sewer to oversee election coverage by his Australian newspapers. @JoelStanton

TAbbott is such a bland and uninspiring robot. Does he even know, let alone believe what he says? #auspol

13 - 19 August 2013

Searching for a soulmate at Soho Theatre n

INTERVIEW | Named Best Newcomer at this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival, the world is now Luke McGregor’s oyster. His awkward quest to find the woman who will be his pearl is bared in My Soulmate is Out of My League, on at Soho Theatre.

By Michaela Gray So, your soulmate is out of your league – who have you been eyeing off?

Charlize Theron, and 1990′s Gillian Anderson. Also current Gillian Anderson.

You were named Best New Comer at this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival, surely that’s a title that helps pull the chicks?

I haven’t tried announcing it as I walked into a bar yet, but I’ll do it tonight and report back before I send off this questionnaire…

Postscript: It didn’t go great.

Is it that you grew up in Tasmania that’s putting off the ladies? You haven’t got an extra limb have you?

I don’t have an extra limb, but if I did I’d choose a third arm and use it to nail drum solos. Hopefully growing

@beck_kevin

Kev will get honourary PHD if he wins Australian election it is a major thesis 500,000 words with hypothesis 'r voters really as stupid as?'

Follow us on Twitter @AustralianTimes

Never mind about the love life, let’s talk business. You’re about to begin a stint at Soho Theatre, what does it mean to you to perform on a stage frequented by Australia’s favourite comedians?

I’m really looking forward to it, it’s an honour to be able to perform there. It’ll also be the first time I’ve performed my show overseas (it’s the first time I’ve been overseas to be honest). I hope audiences outside Australia enjoy it, if not I have a backup plan – cry on the flight home and tell everyone at my school reunion that it went brilliantly and I got a role on Doctor Who. You’re up there for an hour – to avoid a parched throat what will

be your drink of choice to have on-hand?

Beer. Or a milkshake if I can organise it.

In the show you talk about your fear of failure – is it important to do as mum always said and try anyway?

I think so, unless someone yells out ‘I need a doctor over here!’ and you’ve got no medical training. If you’ve got a smart phone though I guess you could look up the symptoms and see how you go, plus tweet the outcome.

You’ve got 2,201 (at last count) Twitter followers yet you’ve tweeted less than 50 times (I’ve really done my research). Are you saving your jokes for the paying audience?

Most of my jokes are over 140 characters long. If Twitter ever gave me 141 characters though – it would be like a dam breaking that spews out pure comedy gold.

Go on then, give the show a plug…

It’s on at 7:30pm at Soho Theatre – 5 August to 17 August (not on Sundays, I’ll be doing touristy stuff that day, like eating jellied eels – which my friend told me is a thing).

Luke McGregor is performing My Soulmate is Out of My League at Soho Theatre until August 17. Tickets £15.

See www.sohotheatre.com for details.

Biggest Aussie tunes for 2013

n

When you are travelling around Europe, you don’t always have time to keep up-to-date with the most recent Aussie music. Luckily KIEL EGGING has taken the time to give Australian Times readers a run-down of the biggest Aussie tunes that you have missed so far this year.

During my travels around Europe over the last few months, I’ve lost count of the amount of times that I have heard Daft Punk’s Get Lucky, Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines or tracks from Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, P!nk and Justin Timberlake blaring out of a club.

As a result of all the partying and repetition in each club (oh, and that little thing called travelling as well), my usual intake of home-grown hits has been depleted. But – during my downtime – I’ve managed to take a quick listen to what has surfaced while I’m away, and compare it with what tunes were booming just before I left.

The result: a selection of the biggest tracks from Australian artists this year so far, which you have probably missed while you have been living it up here in London (or other parts of the globe, for that matter).

Empire of the Sun – Alive

@JoAndAmy

I don't know what makes me want to jump on another plane out of here quicker; Australian television shows or the election updates

up in Tasmania doesn’t hurt my chances, in fact males who grow up in Tasmania are usually very good at sex – ask any Tasmanian male and don’t Google it.

Fresh from touring and collaborating with Elton John via his original band Pnau, Nick Littlemore regrouped with the zany Luke Steele in April to bring us the first track in five years from the Walking On A Dream hit-makers.

It’s a massive return as well – Alive is packed with an anthemic chorus and some solid production that makes it impossible to not tap your foot (or fistpump) along. Their extravagant outfits are back in full force as well – just check out the clip below. I haven’t sat

down yet to hear Empire’s sophomore album Ice On The Dune, but fingers crossed it’s been worth the long wait between releases.

Matt Corby – Resolution

A former expat-Londoner who floored everyone with his hit Brother last year, winning the ARIA for Single of the Year. Corby has been busy working on his debut album, which is set for release in late 2013.

Resolution is the first offering from it, and it builds from intricate guitar into a powerful track that serves as yet another showcase of his sublimely raw vocal talents. And to think this dude was almost swallowed up by the Australian Idol machine when he was runner-up in 2007.

Flume – Holdin’ On

Okay, so this was technically released in 2012. But since this track reached No.4 on the Triple J Hottest 100 back on Australia Day, Flume has blown up and found himself all as the crossover electro-hype act it’s cool to like. That hype has transferred over here as well – he just did two sold out shows at Heaven nightclub and headlined one of the smaller stages at the Wireless festival earlier this month.

Bernard Fanning – Battleships Birds Of Tokyo – Lanterns

Who else but the band’s frontman to offer us the first bit of work since Powderfinger called it a day in 2010? Battleships is the lead single from Fanning’s second solo album Departures (released back home last month) – and thankfully, it’s more swagger-filled and shies away from the country/folk-ish twang that dominated his 2005 debut Tea and Sympathy. Expect the chorus and atmospheric guitar to hang around in your head for a few days.

An incredibly wussy offering compared their previous stuff, Lanterns was featured in all the Channel 7 promotional advertisements for US drama Revenge during the Australian Open in January, meaning the chorus was firmly engrained in your head by late summer. It also led to it become a local radio staple back home, and, showing there’s no escape, I even heard it blaring out of an Itsu store in London just last week. It’s a hearty song, but you could just as easily hit the ‘next’ button before the one-minute-mark due to its lack of bite. Check out their more-recent single When The Night Falls Quiet instead, which is much more digestible.

Honourable mentions: Bliss N Eso – House Of Dreams, Boy & Bear Southern Sun.

AustralianTimes.co.uk

Istanbul In the footsteps of the sultans n

Hammams, meze, baklava, kebaps: Istanbul is a city of the senses. It also bridges the pious and the hedonistic, the Byzantine and the modern Turkish – and the landmasses of Europe and Asia. Heather Walker spent a few days in old Constantinople.

Travel | 9

By Heather Walker If there is one place visitors to Turkey will make a point of seeing, it’s Istanbul.

It has long lured tourists with its exotic charm and minaret-studded skyline, and is a particularly popular destination for Australians living in the UK. Istanbul is the only city in the world that straddles two continents – and you will see the influences of both Europe and Asia here. As the former capital of three world empires – the Roman, the Byzantine and the Ottoman, it has borne three names: Byzantium, Constantinople and Istanbul, each of which has inscribed its mark on the palimpsest of modern Istanbul. Today it is the vast, bustling home of 13 million residents, mainly moderate Muslims, who are fiercely proud of their rich heritage.

Sightseeing

The best way to soak up a sense of the city’s grandeur is by wandering the cobbled streets. Retrace the steps of the Byzantine emperors when visiting Sultanahmet’s extraordinary monuments and marvel at the mosques built by the Ottoman sultans on the city’s seven hills.

Probably Istanbul’s most famous monument, the rust-hued Hagia Sophia is a former Orthodox church later converted into a mosque and now a museum. Its gravity-defying dome is an architectural marvel and its walls boast a handful of gold mosaic panels that survived the iconoclastic period, most notably the Deesis (Last Judgment) depicting Christ Jesus flanked by John the Baptist and the Virgin Mary.

Avoid the hordes of school group and tourbus visitors by seeing this and other major attractions in the afternoon.

A magnificent Byzantine mosaic pavement depicting hunting and mythological scenes that was uncovered in the 1950s behind the Blue Mosque is displayed in situ in the Great Palace Mosaic Museum. If you’re a museum junkie like me, you’ll also enjoy the archaeological ...continued on p10

10 | Travel

13 - 19 August 2013

Be our next great travel writer Get your travel story published with Australian Times and WIN a £250 travel voucher from our friends at Topdeck.

Do you harbour dreams of being the next Bill Bryson?

Submit your original travel articles for publication on the Australian Times website. The editor will then select the best story each month to be published in the Travel section of the Australian Times newspaper with the writer winning the £250 voucher to any Topdeck tour of their choice!

Embrace your own writing style and make those dreams of being a published travel writer a reality.

How to submit Email your feature to editor@australiantimes.co.uk with the subject ‘Great Travel Writer’.

It should be: • 600-1200 words length • An original first hand account • Accompanied by 3 high resolution photos taken on the trip *Solicited features and third party links will not be accepted.

For full T&Cs go to AustralianTimes.co.uk/travel

WIN

museum, which much like the British Museum, contains many treasures plundered from other lands, such as what is believed to be the ornate sarcophagus of Alexander the Great, as well as fascinating artefacts from Istanbul through the ages.

Give yourself at least half a day to see the nearby Topkapi Palace, for 400 years the royal residence of Ottoman sultans. You can see, among other treasures, the harem complex and some surprisingly fascinating rooms dedicated to collections of weapons, clocks, holy relics and jewellery.

If you have time, why not visit one of the sultans’ later homes, across the Bosphorus Strait. At Dolmabahce Palace, known as the Versailles

of Turkey, you can stroll through beautiful gardens and some lavishly decorated rooms to see the largest crystal chandelier in the world.

Istanbul has more than 3,000 mosques and there are several historic ones worth visiting. You need to take off your shoes before entering and women are obliged to cover their heads inside. Most close to visitors for lunchtime prayers.

The Blue Mosque, built by Sultan Ahmet to rival its neighbour the Hagia Sophia, gets its name from the thousands of decorated tiles that cover its walls – its intricately patterned dome is a sight to behold.

The New Mosque is, in my opinion, more blue than the Blue Mosque and equally impressive, while Suleymaniye mosque, built by the richest and most powerful sultan Suleyman the Magnificent, is much simpler yet just as breathtaking.

No matter where you happen to be at sunset, you are likely to be stopped in your tracks by the evening calls to prayer from one or more mosques in the vicinity. I find the wail of the muezzin mesmerisingly

Travel | 11

AustralianTimes.co.uk

Fun Facts Visas

Australians need a tourist visa to travel to Turkey. There are two ways to purchase a visa: • Purchase on arrival at all major airports or border checkpoints.

• Purchase ahead of time using the Turkish government’s new e-visa system at www.evisa. gov.tr. An e-visa will be emailed to you and must be printed and presented at entry.

• Visas for Australian passport holders are €45/US$60.

• Visas for UK passport holders are £10 paid on arrival using Sterling, or via the e-visa system.

Areas of Istanbul Sultanahmet-Old City: Contains most of Istanbul’s main historical sights including the Blue Mosque, Aya Sofya, the Grand Bazaar and Topkapi Palace. Just south of Sultanahmet square is Cankurataran, a neighbourhood with a large cluster of accommodation options.

Galata: Across the Golden Horn from the Old City, this district is sometimes referred to as the “city center” and features the city’s main nightlife, restaurants and shopping. The liveliest part for nightlife is Beyoglu and the area of Istiklal Caddes.

Ortaköy: A modern and trendy seaside neighbourhood, featuring cobbled alleys and a picturesque waterside quay. It also hosts the neo-baroque Ortaköy Mosque.

Fener & Balat: Two neighbourhoods on the UNESCO World Heritage List, these historical areas are rich with architectural monuments, markets, synagogues and hammans.

beautiful; others would say it’s just plain annoying – but it’s all part of Istanbul’s unique character.

If it’s gold mosaics you’re after, the Chora Church has some of the finest in the world – its interior reminiscent of St Mark’s Basilica in Venice (on a smaller scale). It’s tucked away in the little-visited Western Districts but is easily reached by bus or taxi – and worth the effort.

Shopping, eating and chilling

No visit to Istanbul would be complete without a visit to the famed Grand Bazaar – important to note that it’s closed on a Sunday (don’t make the same mistake we did)! A great place to find gifts, scarves, trinkets, carpets and loukum (Turkish delight).

Be sure to haggle and don’t bother buying the flavoured tea – it may look beautiful but actually has no taste! If you find the Grand Bazaar overwhelming, try the nearby Spice Bazaar, it’s a more manageable size and less crowded to navigate.

Pounding the streets looking at buildings can be thirsty work – and luckily around just about every corner there are little stalls selling freshly squeezed orange or pomegranate juice. I believe London would be a happier place if this trend started in Blighty.

For nightlife and a variety of decent restaurants, head across the Galata Bridge to Beyoglu, the modern heart of Istanbul. There are of course the ubiquitous kebap joints, but seafood is also fresh and abundant, or you could gorge yourself on plates of

meze. Be sure to end the meal with a sticky helping of baklava.

A visit to a hamam is a quintessential Turkish experience.

Most are open until late at night and are the perfect way to unwind after a long day. Istanbul boasts more than 80 old Ottoman baths where you will get naked (men and women are in separate baths) and be scrubbed and rubbed to a degree of cleanliness you have never experienced! The majority of hamams are popular with

locals but there a few more touristy ones, which are slightly pricier but generally offer more treatments.

Sleeping

When you’re travelling on pounds, Istanbul’s accommodation is great value for money. We had a pleasant stay at Hotel Amber, one of several Best Western hotels dotted across the city. The rooms were spacious and airconditioned, and a sumptuous breakfast was served on the roof terrace with a

gorgeous view of the sea. *Heather visited Istanbul courtesy of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Photos by Heather Walker and Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Get More Travel

AustralianTimes.co.uk/travel

12 | Travel

13 - 19 August 2013

Emerald Beach, NSW

Postcards from Australia

n

Haylee and her husband are currently driving around Down Under. Follow along with their highlights from the road in this series of Postcards From Australia.

By Haylee Slater

Includes free unlimited booze on the road.

Huge party event in every city.

6

travel with

5 4

3

1

9

7 8

2

1. VALENCIA, SPAIN

6. BERLIN, GERMANY

2. BARCELONA, SPAIN

7. PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC

3. PARIS, FRANCE

8. BUDAPAST, HUNGARY

4. BRUGES, BELGIUM

9. MUNICH, GERMANY

5. AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS

The sky is calm and steely today and the rolling clouds threaten us with rain. We are in Emerald Beach, praying for clear skies 20 minutes north of Coffs Harbour. The locals don’t seem to be at all perturbed by the impending downpour as they cook their family’s lunch on the electric barbeques. The children’s playground usually glowing in primary colour even manages to take on an ashen hue.

Surfers glide in with the break and look like seals clambering onto rock as they fight the surf to stand upright.

Usually a perfect surf beach, today the water reflects the swirl of dirty water in a washing machine.

We are staying in the caravan park directly adjacent to the beach and are amazed to find a sub-tropical haven hidden away. We feel a bit as though

we have cheated somehow, staying in a place as nice as this. The park warns of wandering wildlife and at dusk we meet two such nomads.

Two kangaroos approach our tent, and as we are visiting in the low season, we have much of the grassed area to ourselves.

The kangaroos munch grass right in front of our site and we cook sausages to eat in fresh bread while we watch them.

Completely unfazed, the female shares a secret with us. Carefully surveying the area around her, she lets a small joey slip out of her pouch to hop and wobble about. A big possum enters the fray, making an unbelievable amount of noise as it clambers up and down the trees.

These are the moments we dreamed of when we set out on this trip: quite time together with full bellies before a good night’s sleep.

Great News!

STARTING AT

LA TOMATINA

ENDING AT

Oktoberfest

AT ANY CITY ..AT ANY CITY..

FOR MORE DETAILS WRITE TO GEMMA@STOKETRAVEL.COM OKTOBERFEST THE RUNNING OF THE BULLS WORLD CUP BRAZIL & CARNIVAL BRAZIL THE SURFARI SPRING BREAK IBIZA

LA TOMATINA SAN SEBASTIAN SURF CAMP BARCELONA CITY STAYS FETES DE BAYONNE SAIL CROATIA SAN VINO THE WINE FIGHT MOROCCO SURF HOUSE

TWITTER@STOKETRAVEL

STOKETRAVEL.COM

COME CREEP WITH US...

FACEBOOK.COM/STOKETRAVEL

Just scan this QR code or go to

AustralianTimes.co.uk/newspapers

You can now get your Australian Times newspaper every week as a FREE digital edition for your iPad, iPhone or Android.

Professional Life | 13

AustralianTimes.co.uk

the Expat factor

Extraordinary Aussies in the UK

Sydney raised Jonathan Pfahl is the founder and Managing Director of the Rockstar Group, the UK’s largest entrepreneur and mentoring firm. It’s Rockstar by name and by nature - Jonathan has taken the business world by storm with his professional passion, energetic style and finance acumen. Nine years after moving to London Jonathan reflects on his company’s successes, plans for its future and his love for the city he calls home.

I’ve always believed in the concept of mentoring. I knew after doing extensive research that the majority of British entrepreneurs believe that the fastest way to be successful in business is to go out and find someone who has already done what you want to do and to get them to show you how to do it, one to one. So in 2007, I went out and found a large number of multimillionaire entrepreneurs who did want to mentor younger businesses and created a one-stop shop where you could access the most relevant one to you.

We’ve developed with the times, so we’ve created a very high tech and successful online mentoring platform. As a result of launching Rockstar Live we’ve now been able to take it to other parts of the world because it’s all online. We’ve been working with a number of our national and global partners who are now reselling and offering that service in the UK, certain parts of Europe, America and soon to be Australia.

We were approached by James Caan, Chairman of the British Government’s Start-Up Loans initiative, to be the delivery partner of the £120 million scheme.

Rockstar Youth is our governmentbacked facility that offers 18-30 year olds start up capital by way of a loan and free mentoring. Since our first incubator in November

First class pet travel

At Flypets we can take away all the added stress transporting the furry members of your family, leaving you to concentrate on the rest of your family's move.

We can offer a range of services for you: • We can collect from your home • Arrange the relevant documentation • Book your pets on the most direct flight Call • Provide your pet to d ay on with their own 0 1 9 3 2 875227 air kennel

I didn’t come to London to start my own business. I came to London in 2005 to continue my career in finance and the reality of it was that I struggled to get the same type of job or salary in line with what I was getting in Australia. I ended up investing £3,000 into a three-month mentoring program with a multi-millionaire property investor. By the end of the three months I’d bought six houses in London and then became a mentor myself. I thought; no one is doing this for any other sector, no one is creating a one-stop shop for mentoring regardless of what sector that you’re in. So with the blessing of the company I was working for I came up with the idea of Rockstar.

"The fastest way to be successful in business is to go out and find someone who has already done what you want to do, and to get them to show you how to do it"

We go further specialists

for your quote

www.flypets.co.uk

Jonathan Pfahl

Founder and Managing Director of the Rockstar Mentoring Group we have now created 1,500 new jobs for entrepreneurs. A lot of them have employed other people, which is great, and they’re all benefiting from access to big name mentors.

I believe it is a lot easier to set up a business in the UK than in Australia. I absolutely feel that what’s now on offer for small businesses in this country privately and now with the support of government is much, much better.

The cost to set up, the tax advantages, the simplicity and ease of creating a new company and getting your bank account sorted, and the size of the market. I’m biased because I’ve only ever set up a business here but I would absolutely encourage people to do so if they think they’ve got what it takes.

We have had tough times, I had to invest a lot of my own money into the business to keep it going during the recession. 2010 was a difficult year for Rockstar, we had a lot of our members defaulting or unable to pay their mentoring fees. But by 2011, as the recession began to come to an end, the government and other large Blue Chip organisations began to endorse mentoring to help small business grow. That’s when mentoring really became a lot more sought after, and given Rockstar was already known

Now recruiting

A dynamic engineering firm, working with leading UK companies

as the premier brand, we began growing strongly again.

"I believe it is a lot easier to set up a business in the UK than in Australia" I really can’t see myself going back to Australia any time soon.

London is home for me, it really is.

I’m married to an Australian so she puts up with the weather, but only just! It’s wonderful to visit Sydney but I do find it quite an isolated, small place in comparison with London. In terms of business, the next stop for me in the States. We’re reselling very strongly in New York, Miami and Chicago.

I’m a huge rugby fan so I spend a lot of time at Twickenham Stadium. Whether it’s the England games or the Heineken Cup finals or the premiership finals, which I really enjoy. The other thing I love is that in nine years of living here I’ve still only seen probably 5% of the bars, restaurants and attractions that are on offer. There’s so much here to do, there’s such diversity and if you do get tired of the weather you get on a plane to Spain or Greece.

Interview by Michaela Gray

If you are a tradesman looking for work in the UK, contact us.

Call Becky : +44(0)1223 653500 www.z-tech.co.uk

14 | Professional Life

13 - 19 August 2013

Waterhouse sells betting business to William Hill n

Australian bookmaker Tom Waterhouse has sold his online betting agency to UK company William Hill for $34 million.

By Paul Bleakley PROMINENT Australian bookmaker Tom Waterhouse has sold his successful online betting business to British company William Hill in a deal that is believed to be worth between $34 and $104 million.

William Hill’s purchase of TomWaterhouse.com adds to the company’s growing portfolio of gambling interests in Australia, with the company making a $670 million take-over of Centrebet and Sportingbet earlier in the year.

William Hill chief executive Ralph Topping suggested that the purchase of Tom Waterhouse.com would not signal the end of its expansion in the Australian market.

Mr Topping said that TomWaterhouse.com was a good investment due to the exclusive deals that it enjoyed with partners in the NRL and horse racing industry.

He came out in defence of Mr Waterhouse, who is expected to continue on at the company as a managing director.

Mr Topping said: “We are delighted to have secured this acquisition. International expansion is a key part of William Hill’s growth strategy and making Australia our second home is our priority. I’m impressed by Tom Waterhouse and his team, who are passionate and entrepreneurial.

They’ve built a good business in a short period of time and have achieved strong growth momentum.”

In May, Mr Waterhouse made a public apology after attracting criticism for the oversaturation of advertising for his website that took place during televised sporting events. He said that he had “listened to the PM and Australia” and had

made the call to “dramatically cut back on my advertising.”

Regarding the sale of his business, Mr Waterhouse said: “Things change in business and marketing direction changes all the time. Whether and what marketing direction we take remains to be seen, obviously we listen to our customers in that respect and I’m here for the long term.”

There were suggestions earlier in 2013 that several British betting firms had made offers to purchase the online business established by Mr Waterhouse in 2010. William Hill’s Irish competitor Paddy Power has also made investment into the Australian betting industry with its purchase of Sportsbet.com.au earlier this year.

Mr Waterhouse’s deal with William Hill is believed to be well-under the figure floated to purchase the business by rival bookmakers Ladbrokes in March. This may have been impacted by Mr Waterhouse’s controversial year, which saw him scaling back advertising and embroiled in the More Joyous racing scandal with mother Gai Waterhouse and business identity John Singleton.

The William Hill deal is reported to be predicated on expected earnings over the next two financial years. It is believed that TomWaterhouse.com will be required to make between $10 and $30 million in profit by the end of 2015 in order for Mr Waterhouse to receive an additional $70 million as a part of the sale.

Dollar Review

Positive Chinese data helps lift the Aussie dollar

By Jaco Herselman The Australian dollar started trading this week (5 – 12 August) stronger after it fell to a three-year low on the previous Friday. The past week saw several local data sets and figures being released, many of which had a bearing on the direction the Aussie took. The data released included the Australian Retail Sales figures, the Reserve Bank of Australia’s interest rate decision and the Australian employment figures.

On Tuesday morning the Australian dollar was trading lower after weaker Retail Sales figures put more pressure on the Reserve Bank to cut the interest rate. As expected the RBA decided to lower the interest rate to a record low of 2.5%. On Thursday the Australian Bureau of Statistics figures showed that the unemployment rate remained at 5.7 per cent in July.

The weak local data put downward pressure on the Aussie dollar; however there was some respite from abroad. Positive Chinese trade data released on Thursday went some way toward easing fears of a Chinese

economic slowdown and in turn helped to strengthen the Australian dollar. According to Rashique Rahman of Morgan Stanley: “This should continue to support the broader risk environment, prolonging a rally in commodity currencies.”

On Friday the RBA stated that it will continue to adjust rates “as needed” and according to Sean Callow at Westpac, “this moreneutral outlook has helped lift the Australian dollar”.

Exchange rates GBP/AUD: 1.6904 EUR/AUD: 1.4535 USD/AUD: 1.0927 NZD/AUD: 0.8742 09:15 GMT, 12 August 2013

Note: The above exchange rates are based on “interbank” rates. If you want to transfer money to or from Australia then please register/login on our website, or call us on 0808 141 2335 for a live dealing rate. Make use of a Rate Notifier to send you alert when the Australian exchange rate reaches levels you are looking for.

GAIN A PROFESSIONAL EDGE FOR YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS Sable offers an impressive portfolio of professional services. We have over 25 years of experience advising individuals, contractors and small businesses who have international interests and connections.

Get More Jobs & Money

AustralianTimes.co.uk/jobs-money

New Players Wanted

sable services Accounting Tax

Kingston Rugby Club is a friendly successful rugby club that welcomes players from all over the world.

Wealth Mortgages Forex Offshore Nationality

We have excellent coaching, training, player support and facilities.

Sable Group

Castlewood House 77/91 New Oxford Street London WC1A 1DG t: +44 (0) 845 094 3990 info@sable-group.com www.sable-group.com

This season we are expanding the number of teams we run and are looking to recruit new players of all abilities. We are also looking to recruit additional team managers.

Sable is a group of professional service companies.

Sable Accounting Limited is a limited company registered in England and Wales with registered number 03517738.

Sable Private Wealth Management Limited is registered in England & Wales, number 04305265, Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Visit: AustralianTimes.co.uk/move-to-australia

For further information: headcoach@kingstonrfc.com | 0781 585 4628

44761

In association with

www.sable-group.com

Sport | 15

AustralianTimes.co.uk

Tag teams ‘T-up’ for London Tag Rugby Championships

By Alistair Davis Teams made up of Australian players look set to dominate the 2013 London Tag Rugby Championships, taking place this Saturday. This year’s event looks set to be the biggest and best yet, with over 40 teams converging on East London Rugby Club including the Tongan over 30s national men’s team and the Ireland Tag Barbarians, a mixed team made up of Irish internationals.

In the mixed Champions League, Tagquila Shots are a great chance of shedding their bridesmaid tag, with the class of Tom Parsons and Pat Wright likely to cause problems for all teams. Hash Tag, Southfields Sharks and Phibbers will also provide stiff opposition.

The men’s division is expected to be dominated by The Tongans, Tag Puss and Tag Me Maybe. The latter, led by Sydney’s Arron Lombardo,

host a number of very experienced Oztag players, so would fancy their chances even against the Tongans.

The mixed beginner/intermediate grade has a field of over 25 teams competing for the Cup, Plate and Bowl. Shoreditch’s the Lollabies are a great chance of having the last laugh, if they bring their outstanding league form to Saturday’s competition.

Speight’s, Tuggas, Donkey Punching Kangaroos, Saturday Strokers and Tom’s Try Tag Tagging Tigers that Tango will also fancy their chances at the Cup. All other teams are a great chance at either the Plate or Bowl with teams such as Fulham’s Tag Reflex in their replica Newtown Jet’s kit and Rotherhithe’s Massive Jugs likely to turn a few heads.

Off the field is where the real action will be, with teams also competing for the title of best dressed team. This year’s theme is T, so expect to see random groups of tigers, traffic lights,

Round 20

By Will Denton

Expect to see plenty of diving tags made at the London Tag Rugby Championships this Saturday

tourists and more wandering around East London way on Saturday.

In other news, the London Residents and Great Britain over 30’s men’s teams are confident of good displays heading into their matches with Tonga this Thursday and Tuesday week respectively.

Autumn leagues starting August 27 are taking place in Barnes, Borough, Battersea, Clapham Common, Finsbury Park, Highbury, Rotherhithe, Shoreditch, Tooting Bec, White City. If you would like to register to play Tag Rugby in London, go to www.trytagrugby.com. or email info@trytagrugby.com for more details.

Crystal Palace should offer top dollar, says Victory ...continued from p16

be around $A500,000 with add-ons.

Postecoglou says Milligan is the best player in Australia right now, and doesn’t want to sell a player central to his A-League plans.

“We haven’t got a `for sale’ sign up. If somebody knocks on your door, and says I want your house, do you give them a price? Or do you tell them what you want?”

Postecoglou said on Monday.

“We value him very, very highly ... we’d expect them to meet our valuation of him.

“He’s the best player at our club, he’s the best player in the country at the moment.

“I don’t think we need to be out there trying to flog him, and we’re certainly not doing it for the money.”

Milligan has a further two years remaining on his Victory contract,

meaning the club does hold the whiphand in any negotiations.

If the 28-year-old does leave the Victory, it would leave a massive gap for the club to fill for the A-League season starting in October.

Already the Victory have sold midfielder Billy Celeski to the Middle East, and after the departures of Marco Rojas and Marcos Flores in the off-season, they can ill afford to lose a player of Milligan’s quality. - AAP

Potter pleads to see out contract with West Tigers ...continued from p16 Two-time Dally M Medal winner Potter said the pair get on fine, but admitted the saga surrounding Marshall’s future has affected the team.

“It’s been distracting for the team, he’s an influential player amongst his peers and I didn’t want to let him go,” he said.

“But he’s made that decision to move on and I wish him all the best.”

Marshall has struggled to recapture

the brilliance of previous years but Potter accepted he must shoulder some of the blame for failing to get the best out of him.

“He’s trying to make it work for him and that’s part of my job to get that out of him,” he said.

“I see that as a little bit of a failing within me that I’m not being able to get what Benji wants to do.

“I thought he had an improved performance on the weekend and it’s no lack of effort from Benji and I’m really happy that he’s trying his best.”

Potter’s position will be reviewed at

RUBDOWN

THE

the end of the season but he pleaded with the Tigers board to show some patience and allow him to see out the second year of his contract.

“I think I haven’t been here long enough,” the 49-year-old said.

“With a couple of the circumstances that have arisen over the past six months I don’t think that would be the right thing to do to say my tenure’s finished.

“I think I’m doing a lot of good things behind the scenes and think there’s some changes that need to be made.” - AAP

Well, it looks like it’s finally happened. The back has been broken, the dominoes have fallen and, like the ’82 Holden Camira, the Essendon FC looks destined for the wreckers (It did get ‘Wheels Car of the Year’, though).

Fair play under the circumstances as well, for it has taken an amazing amount of resolve, intestinal fortitude and hair product to front up each week under such intense speculation and scrutiny.

More often than not they found a way to get the job done. However after big losses to Hawthorn and now West Coast, and the continuing threat of sanctions never before seen in the AFL, the white flag is just about up. It almost looks like they are doing a massive ‘up yours’ to the AFL and penalising themselves by ruining their season before the league does it for them.

On the other hand, the Eagles will lament this win, thinking about what might have been had they played like this all year. If they snuck into the final 8, with this style of footy who knows, but mathematically, they’re stuffed.

Plenty of other clubs will be focussing on next year, Adelaide, North, Carlton and Brisbane have shown some serious glimpses but never really quite got going. The

Doggies second half of the year has been much improved as the young pups are starting to show plenty, culminating with a sensational win over the Blues. Old grey dogs in Gia and Bob Murphy are leading the litter brilliantly whilst red-dog Cooney looks to be back at his Brownlow best.

Apparently Head Trainer Cesar Millan is very happy with the progress.

The Giants also put on an impressive 20 min display vs Freo, unleashing five unanswered goals in a devastating period. Unfortunately, it was the rest of the game that was a bit pedestrian, as Freo went on to win by a club record 113 points. Top two is within reach for the Dockers whilst retirement looks bloody sweet for Sheeds.

The Black and White army transcended into Homebush for their annual away match with Sydney, and wasn’t it beautiful for the Pies. Not just the looting and burning cars, but the manner in which they tore the Swans a new one was a bit scary to be honest.

They could cause some major carnage come September.

Geelong also seem to be priming for finals with a semi clinical dismantling of Port, however this wasn’t good enough for the locals as boos and Bronx cheers were directed at the Cats for taking the foot off the pedal a bit. Yeah, short memories some people. And the Tigers are in. Finals.

It’s happening. All I can say is ‘Brace yourselves...’

FINAL HOME GAME OF THE SEASON roncos

heB #Backt

In2Touch fancy dress Touch Social World Cup

By Mike Abromowitz of 02Touch If you happen to be wandering past King George’s Park on Saturday 31 August and see a mash of cultural stereotypes running around a pitch – don’t be alarmed! It’s just that time of year again – the In2Touch Social Touch World Cup time! Adorning items of clothing along the lines of a plaid kilt or hula skirt, teams will be dressed to impress, representing 20 of the world’s countries. From the classic underdressed ‘wife beater and stubbies’ for the Aussie team to the more traditional and respective Kimono for the Japanese team, the title of bestdressed team will be as highly sought after as the winners gold medal.

With spaces filling up quickly, this year’s In2Touch Social World Cup is set to be bigger and better than ever, with events continuing well into the, as the Scottish team would say, ‘wee hours of the morning’.

With this being not one of, but the BIGGEST social event of the year in UK touch, you’d, as the Aussie team would so delicately put, ‘have a few

kangaroos loose in the top paddock’ if you didn’t get amongst the sure fire action that is set to take place.

‘Seeing a whole lot of super Mario’s chasing around a team of Togas sure does cement that you’re exactly where you’re meant to be in life’ said one of last year’s participants.

From a day of seeing world class touch with New Zealand taking on Kazakhstan or England defending themselves against Samoa, that night will see local bar GJ’s filled with those rowdy sports fans singing along with the nights entertainment of a ‘Edinburgh Fingers Style’ singa-long piano man and later on a DJ to really see the night through.

With maximum 20 teams playing that day, and less than 10 spaces left, register NOW to avoid missing out. Team entry is £195.00 per team (teams of up to 12 players). Please note: This is a mixed SOCIAL tournament played with at least two girls on the pitch at all times.

NB: If your team has more than 4 England NTS, National Representative or London Super League players in it, then they need

v HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS Saturday August 17th, kick-off 3:00pm at the Twickenham Stoop, TW2 7SX Under 19s, kick-off 12.30pm

to play with three girls on the pitch at all times.

To get involved in the day, why not drop an e-mail to info@in2touch.com or call the In2Touch London office on 020 85420827. For more information about this and other great touch events and leagues happening near you, go to www.in2touch.com/uk. or competition, go to www.in2touch. com/uk or e-mail info@in2touch.

allenge • Selco half time ch Outside jazz band n ball competitio • Foxy bingo zorb Supporting State of Mind.

londonbroncosrl.com

@LondonBroncosRL facebook.com/LondonBroncosRL

RUBDOWN

THE

Old dogs, new tricks

P15

SPORT

MCKENZIE’S VISION n

Wallabies back James O’Connor says he knows he can be part of the new team culture set by coach Ewen McKenzie ahead of this weekend's Bledisloe Cup. CONTROVERSIAL and sometimes wayward back James O’Connor is eagerly buying into the revised Wallabies culture and is getting some early credit from new coach Ewen McKenzie.

O’Connor incurred some disciplinary blemishes and unwanted media headlines under former coach Robbie Deans, most recently being spotted at a fast food restaurant at 4am in the week of the second Test against the British and Irish Lions.

“I don’t play rugby to be talked about off the field,” said O’Connor on Monday as he waits to learn if he’ll be selected by McKenzie for Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup opener against the All Blacks in Sydney.

“I’m playing rugby because I love it and that’s what I want to be doing, playing for my country.”

McKenzie spoke to the players after they assembled last week about what he expects in terms of standards of behaviour.

“It’s not hard to do, it’s just putting the team first,” said O’Connor of McKenzie’s requirements.

“I can’t express everything, but it’s something I’m pretty excited about.

“It’s something I know I can be part of.”

O’Connor revealed he was already making changes to his own approach as well as embracing the new team culture.

“There’s definitely things that I already have changed and am in the process of doing, personal things,” O’Connor said.

“It’s not an easy process, I just keep on moving forward.”

McKenzie recognised and praised O’Connor’s efforts.

“Credit to him, he’s just invested through action more than words,” McKenzie said.

“He’s gone and done a few things which have invested in rugby.

“He went out there and played some club footy. He was water boy one week.

“I think he actually enjoyed all that, I think he’s recalibrated a little bit.”

While O’Connor has rarely had to worry about making the starting

Premier League make play for Mark Milligan

A-LEAGUE club Melbourne Victory are determined not to lose Socceroo Mark Milligan for anything less than top dollar and would prefer not to lose him at all.

English Premier League side Crystal Palace have confirmed they are chasing Milligan, and the Victory say they have submitted an offer.

But the Victory say it is well below market value - believed to ...continued on p15

Potter gets shirty over Marshall video

(AAP Image/Mark Dadswell) side, he is taking nothing for granted, especially after established prop Benn Robinson was dropped last week.

“That was a surprise to all of us, that was definitely a wake up call,” O’Connor said.

“Even our best performers if you are not playing or not training right, you’re not going to be playing.”

O’Connor was excited about McKenzie’s vision of the way he wants Australia to play, especially the scope for individual expression.

He was philosophical about McKenzie’s decision to move him from five-eighth - where he played against the Lions - and consider him as an outside back.

“I’ve spent most of my time in Test

football out wider, so I guess looking at the Lions Test series, we weren’t successful there, so it wasn’t too big a shock,” O’Connor said.

Currently out of contract after the Melbourne Rebels declined to offer him a new deal, O’Connor said he was only focusing on the Bledisloe Cup matches and not his Super Rugby future at the moment. - AAP

BELEAGUERED Wests Tigers coach Mick Potter has slammed Benji Marshall for appearing in a video wearing an Auckland Blues shirt while still playing for the NRL club.

Marshall enraged Tigers supporters by announcing his signing with the Super Rugby outfit on the Blues’ official website, wearing their jumper, just 24 hours after Friday’s 26-22 loss to Parramatta - the last-placed Eels’ first win in 10 attempts.

The 28-year-old former Kiwis skipper demanded a release from the final two years of his current deal in July after the club downgraded a contract extension from $1m a season to $700,000.

Potter, who’s fighting to save his job after a disastrous first season in charge, agreed on Monday when asked if he thought Marshall’s video appearance was an up-yours gesture to the Tigers.

“Yeah I see it a little bit like that but I think it’s more just in bad taste,” Potter told Sky Sports Radio.

“I wouldn’t say it’s naivety because I think Benji probably knows better.”

Potter’s decision to drop Marshall to the bench for a game against South Sydney earlier this year is believed to have effectively ended his relationship with his star player. ...continued on p15