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Canberra Outlet Spring into CANBERRA’S
HOME OF BIG BRANDS
As Canberra’s jacarandas bloom and events fill the calendar, spring brings a fresh energy and the perfect excuse to refresh your wardrobe. Canberra Outlet, now home to Boss, delivers everything from tailored suiting to laid-back streetwear, all in one stop.
Spring in Canberra carries a kind of dual personality. Mornings often cling to crispness, eased by light wool or layering, while afternoons
often deliver warmth and gentle sun. Rainfall edges upward as the season unfolds, reminding you that your outfit choices must be adaptive. That climate calls for a wardrobe built on clothes you can layer or shed: crisp buttondowns, lightweight knits, tailored jackets, waterresistant outerwear and smart-casual staples. And with racing, weddings and weekend events popping up across the calendar, you’ll want your options ready.
Dressing the occasion: Racing & weddings
One of spring’s social highlights is racing, especially Fashions on the Field days at Thoroughbred Park, where sartorial statements command as much attention as the horses. Men line up in sharp suits, colourful ties or bow ties, and refined shoes. It’s a chance to dress boldly but tastefully.
Weddings also demand a considered balance: breathable fabrics, lighter colour palettes, and a blend between formal and comfortable. Daytime ceremonies need sun-friendly choices; evening receptions may call for layering back in. A fine wool linen blend suit, elegant shirt, and classic accessories serve beautifully across both occasions.
Boss has arrived
The real headline this spring at Canberra Outlet? Boss is now on the roster. With the brand’s reputation for immaculate tailoring, refined suiting, premium knitwear and elegant outerwear, its presence elevates the Outlet’s formal o ering significantly. Best of all, being in an outlet environment means you can access highquality labels at more approachable prices.
If you’re preparing for a wedding or aiming to make an impression at the racetrack, stepping into Boss gives you access to fine fabrics, sharply cut silhouettes, and the kind of timeless elegance you’ll turn to year after year.
Formal & elegant tailoring
Beyond Boss, Canberra Outlet is already home to a number of formal and classic menswear destinations: MJ Bale, Van Heusen and Peter Jackson o er full suits, dress shirts, tailoring services and accessories, ideal for the formal demands of weddings, black tie or corporate events.
Ralph Lauren’s factory store adds an element of elevated casual, with sport coats, blazers, polos and knitwear that sit comfortably between smart and relaxed.
Rodd & Gunn treads the line between premium casual and refined dressing, perfect for when you want to look sharp without being overly formal.
Together, these labels provide the foundation for a spring wardrobe that can pivot e ortlessly from formal event to city dinner.
Casual, street & everyday style
Spring is also the season for relaxed weekends, casual dinners and catching up with friends, and Canberra Outlet doesn’t leave that side of menswear behind.
Tommy Hilfiger, Levi’s, Politix, Tarocash, Connor, Axl and Co and Johnny Bigg carry the wardrobe staples: jeans, casual shirts, jackets, logo tees and layering pieces that bring personality to the everyday, across all size demands.
Streetwise, Surfy or sporty in lean? Nike, Adidas, New Balance, Fila, Quiksilver and Billabong and
more provide performance tees, hoodies, track pants and jackets that work perfectly under a blazer or stand on their own for weekend wear. Mixing these casual and sporty pieces with smarter layers lets you create outfits that adapt to Canberra’s ever-changing weather.
Footwear & finishing touches
No outfit is complete without the right shoes, and Canberra Outlet covers every occasion. Dress oxfords, derbies and loafers pair perfectly with formal suits, while suede or leather boots and moccasins elevate smartcasual looks. For o -duty days, clean sneakers or performance styles from Nike, Adidas or New Balance keep things relaxed yet refined. Polish, good socks and belts matched to your shoes complete a cohesive, intentional look. Add the finishing touches — a watch, pocket square, or even a lightweight scarf or umbrella — to bring your outfit together.
Spring style plays & wardrobe moves
“From Boss for formal elegance to casual, street, sport and footwear brands, everything you need is under one roof.”
Mix formal and casual pieces to create e ortless crossover looks; a tailored blazer with dark jeans and leather sneakers is as fitting for a lunch meeting as it is for an evening event. Statement footwear can instantly elevate an outfit — clean white sneakers, for instance, add polish to a suit trouser hem. Don’t overlook accessories, either: a silk tie, pocket square or elegant belt can turn a simple look into something refined.
As the season warms, peel back layers; when the wind kicks in or evenings cool, bring them back. And if unexpected showers roll through, a water-resistant jacket ensures you stay stylish without compromise.
Why Canberra Outlet owns your spring wardrobe
To make sure you’re set for the season:
1. Step into Boss and lock in a suit or blazer combination in navy or charcoal
2. Pick up a Ralph Lauren knit polo and a lightweight blazer (for smart casual versatility)
3. Add a few premium shirts: white, pastel blues, micro pattern styles
4. Invest in a quality leather belt and pair of dress shoes
5. Grab a pair of clean sneakers (white leather, retro runner) and perhaps one weather-resistant model
6. Look for a lightweight overcoat or smart mac for unpredictable days
7. Complete with accessories such as a watch from Timeless Watches
In conclusion
Spring in Canberra calls for smart dressing that adapts with the weather. Think layered flexibility: start the day with a shirt, merino sweater and unstructured blazer for cool mornings that give way to warmer afternoons. Choose light fabrics and tones — linen-blend trousers and pastel shirts keep things comfortable when the sun’s out.
Canberra Outlet makes it easy to build a complete spring wardrobe in one place. From Boss for formal elegance to casual, street, sport and footwear brands, everything you need is under one roof. Outlet pricing means premium labels are more attainable, while the timing couldn’t be better — the arrival of Boss strengthens the formal selection just as racing and wedding season heats up.
No matter your style — classic, casual or sporty — Canberra Outlet has something for every taste, helping you look sharp and feel confident all season long.
Your spring shopping to do at the Outlet
Spring in Canberra is the perfect time to reawaken your wardrobe. Between the city’s unpredictable weather and a packed social calendar of races, weddings and outdoor gatherings, men need clothing that can flex, perform and impress. With Boss joining the Canberra Outlet family — alongside formal favourites and a full range of casual, street and performance brands — there’s no better place to refresh your look. Step inside, explore the new arrivals, mix and match your style and enjoy your sharpest spring yet, complete with free parking, always.
A rock star in spite of Canberra
by GEORGIA CURRY
There’s a non-descript, red-brick youth centre in Braddon that’s not particularly remarkable, except for the fact that lead singer of The Church, Steve Kilbey, first found his voice there.
It was the early 1970s, and a 19-year-old Steve Kilbey was about to give his first public performance with his garage band, Precious Little. However, the front row was packed with college bullies.
“[The lead singer] and I both looked round the curtain and he said, ‘I can’t do it, I can’t sing because of all these guys are going to beat me up,’ and he wouldn’t be talked into it,” Steve said.
“They said ‘Well Steve, they’re your songs, why don’t you just sing them?’ And so it was a baptism of fire. I became a singer that night.”
Wise Street in Braddon should have a star etched in the pavement to mark where Steve Kilbey went from being just a bass player to a front man.
Mind you, Steve was just as terrified of the bullies because he was a self-described “bully magnet” at Daramalan College.
“I deserved it,” he said. “Yeah, I was mouthy. I
was sort of saying stuff and then I’d get thumped. I probably deserved every thump I ever got, seriously.”
At 71, Steve still remembers this formative experience vividly, right down to the clothes he was wearing – satin pants (material his mum had purchased especially), make-up and dyed red hair to look like David Bowie.
“I walked on stage and every bully from Lyneham High and Daramalan, anybody who would have known me, they were all standing in the audience,” Steve said. “They all saw me and not only that, I was a glam rocker. I thought when I walked out to the car, they were all going to thump me and they didn’t. I never once got thumped for being a musician.”
Thankfully, Steve didn’t give up on music that night.
“I think it was ok. It obviously wasn’t bad enough for me to go home and give up forever but that gig is more of a memory for me than a thousand gigs doing Red Hot Summer tour, I’ve already forgotten that, but O’Donnell Youth Centre lives on in my mind forever.”
For better or worse, Canberra seems ingrained in Steve’s memory and if Nick
Summers is reading this, Steve hasn’t forgotten your brief exchange at Monaro Mall in 1971.
“My early life in Canberra growing up, I remember those details far more than I do remember playing a six-month tour in America three years ago,” Steve said.
“Something somebody said to me in Civic at a record shop in 1971, I could probably regurgitate every word ... when I was 16, there was a kid that went to Telopea High, I hope he’s reading this, called Nick Summers. What a f***ing cool name that is.
“He had long blonde hair and a pair of glasses and one day he came over and said, ‘You should try this one.’ It was Pink Floyd’s Ummagumma and on his recommendation, I shelled out for this double album. That memory, it sticks in my memory and is more important to me than winning an ARIA.”
Steve’s brief stint in the public service was not quite so memorable, and he admits he “did very little service”.
“I joined when I was 19 and I left when I was 23, so I did like four years, but I was mainly running out, buying records or being on the phone trying to organise my next band,” Steve said. “I did very little work and I held them all in contempt.”
Steve was quite pragmatic about Canberra’s small-town limitations, quitting his job and moving to Sydney.
“I knew I could never become anything in Canberra,” he said. “I threw it all away and people said, ‘you’ll regret that’, and I moved to Sydney and suddenly ... I got caught up in the pub rock explosion and got a record deal and then in 1981 it all happened. I made the right decision leaving my well-paid job and my nice townhouse in Rivett.”
For all our short-comings, Canberra still sticks in Steve’s mind.
“The Monaro Mall and David Jones and Garema Place, these places were thriving and full of kids on a Friday night,” Steve said. “I still go searching for the ghosts of my past ... if you’re really lucky on a warm Canberra night when there’s no wind and you find yourself in the right place, you can catch some echoes of the past. They’re the sort of things that I think about, I don’t think about playing a concert in Denmark to 80,000 people.”
The Church concert this Sunday is sold-out but an encore performance is scheduled for 5 February 2026 at The Canberra Theatre. Get in quick. Tickets: canberratheatrecentre.com.au/ show/the-church-the-singles-tour-26
The Church is playing The Canberra Theatre this Sunday and returning for an encore performance in February 2026. Photo: Adam Nicholas
Inquiry finds systemic failures in MyWay+ rollout
An ACT Legislative Assembly report into the troubled rollout of the MyWay+ public transport smart ticketing system has identified widespread failures in project management, planning, and communication.
The inquiry was launched on 9 December 2024 after public backlash over the $64 million launch, which “created uncertainty and stress amongst Canberrans who rely on public transport”, the Legislative Assembly noted when setting up the inquiry.
On the first day, users reported glitches, including QR codes not scanning, credit cards failing to scan when tapping off, app issues, ticket validators not working, and a shortage of MyWay+ cards after retailers quickly ran out of stock.
The Standing Committee on Environment, Planning, Transport and City Services was tasked with inquiring into the system’s procurement and delivery. At the time, the Assembly noted that the system was not fully functional when launched in late November; that pre-launch testing was inadequate; that launching it at one of the busiest times of the year was a mistake; and that
customers were potentially being overcharged.
The report, tabled today, found that the government had decided to go live despite stakeholders pointing out that MyWay+ was “clearly not ready for launch”; that community testing “was undertaken so poorly that it was almost meaningless”; and that Transport Canberra officials failed to take security vulnerabilities and data breaches seriously, and told the committee there was no basis for these concerns.
It further stated that the government “lost the trust of public transport users by promising basic features, like real-time tracking, that were not delivered at launch”.
It also found that MyWay+ did not meet accessibility standards for people with disabilities, and that the government did not provide senior Canberrans with adequate services or information.
Committee chair Jo Clay MLA (ACT Greens) said that the MyWay+ rollout was “unique in that the aspects that did not go to plan took place in full public view, as they happened”.
The inquiry received 109 submissions and held
four public hearings and two in-camera sessions. At each public hearing, Ms Clay said, the committee “heard of new problems and issues with the MyWay+ system”.
“The level of community engagement, and the almost unanimously negative feedback, received by the Committee is a clear sign of the deep public impact that MyWay+ had in the ACT,” Ms Clay said.
“Project management and service delivery failed at many key points, and further inquiry is likely to lead to more findings of failure.”
The Committee’s report makes 22 findings and seven recommendations that aim to embed lessons from MyWay+ into future digital projects, through “stronger oversight, clearer accountability, and transparent public reporting”.
“The problems raised during this inquiry point to systemic shortcomings in the planning, governance, and delivery of large-scale digital projects,” Ms Clay said. “These issues must be addressed.”
The ACT Government must formally respond to the inquiry’s findings within four months.
Lessons for the Canberra Liberals
with BILL STEFANIAK AM RFD FORMER ACT OPPOSITION LEADER
Firstly, well done to the Federal Nats for their sensible policy position of not bankrupting the country in the pursuit of net zero, and aiming to reduce emissions by following the rest of the world instead of charging off on our own little tangent, especially as we, as a country, can do nothing in real terms to affect global emissions.
The local Liberals, on the contrary,
have not had a good week.
Let me start by saying that I like Leanne Castley and believe she would make a good Chief Minister if given the chance.
Let me also say, I can’t for the life of me see why the local Liberals voted to reduce the sitting weeks from 13 to 12.
Elizabeth Lee and Peter Cain were right, in my view, to cross the floor, and as various commentators have noted, it’s hardly a hanging offence.
That said, I have spoken to Peter — now one of my local members — on a number of occasions and urged him, along with his colleague Elizabeth, to kiss and make up with Leanne and take on some serious shadow ministries. Both are very capable members, and Elizabeth
was not far off being in a position to become Chief Minister after the last election.
I can understand her being bitterly disappointed at narrowly missing out on becoming Chief Minister last year — and if the count had gone differently, there could have been 10 Liberals, 10 Labor, three Independents and two Greens. But at the end of the day, you’re there to serve your electorate first and foremost, before personal ambition comes into it. Politics is also a rough game.
At present, I think the combination of Castley and Jeremy Hanson is fine.
There are obviously things I don’t hear, but from what I see, the lessons from this week are:
1. Don’t vote for fewer sitting days — you’re on a hiding to nothing.
The more sitting days you have, the greater your chance of holding this government to account.
2. Elizabeth and Peter, please
come home. Leanne seems to genuinely want you to pick up portfolios again.
3. Over my nearly 20 years as a Liberal MLA, I don’t detect that the current Liberals are any less capable of getting along with each other than we were — and we had some difficult members at times. All parties do.
4. Don’t be afraid to vote with the Greens if they put up a good motion — it’s local government, for goodness’ sake. It’s not as though you’re being asked to get into bed with their more feral, anti-Semitic federal counterparts. At the end of the day, Shane Rattenbury, despite his party’s silly ideas on some things, is a decent human being.
5. Use this opportunity to turn a very negative week into a positive by ironing out your issues with each other behind closed doors, then get on with it.
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Take Me to the River: The Murrumbidgee electorate
with NICOLE LAWDER
FORMER ACT MLA AND DEPUTY OPPOSITION LEADER
The Murrumbidgee electorate is named after the Murrumbidgee River, which flows through it, hence the reference to this week’s song from 1974, Al Green’s “Take Me to the River” (or the recent Lorde cover).
The electorate consists of the Woden Valley, Weston Creek and Molonglo suburbs, as well as the south Canberra suburbs of Deakin,
Yarralumla, Forrest and Red Hill, as well as Uriarra Village and Stromlo.
I recently spoke with Fiona Carrick MLA about what she sees as the main issues facing the electorate at the moment.
Fiona is an independent Member for Murrumbidgee and she is passionate about standing up for the Woden area.
You can hear more of her comments on the “Bite-sized politics” podcast, including the success of the campaign (and petitions) to save Burrangiri, an Aged Care Respite Centre which was slated to close. Due to the spirited community campaign, in May 2025, the ACT Government agreed to support the Salvation
Army to operate Burrangiri for another two years. A recent ACT Legislative Assembly committee inquiry made a number of recommendations about the future of Burrangiri, and aged care in the ACT generally.
Over the years, a persistent concern has been the loss of community facilities, including sporting facilities. The loss of the Curtin horse paddocks through a land exchange with the National Capital Authority, the closure of the basketball stadium at Phillip and more recently, drama about the Phillip pool have all been the focus of much attention.
Phillip pool zoning was changed from the existing 50m to 25m to accommodate a mixed-use development on the site. This change apparently took place in a draft Territory Plan weeks before the pool site was sold in 2022, but opponents of the change (which
was not publicised at the time) fear that the loss of a 50m public outdoor pool in the centre of Woden will mean loss of amenity for locals, with the Stromlo pool too far for some to travel. Furthermore, there was no public consultation about the change beforehand.
You may have seen “Save Phillip Pool” campaigners and signs around Woden and Tuggeranong, with locals determined to have their say. What I find even more interesting is that the Minister for Planning, Chris Steel, presided over these changes, even though he is a local member for Murrumbidgee himself. Furthermore, in his 2025 “Statement of Planning Intent”, one of the nine key priorities is to “Support community needs across the ACT”.
I, for one, don’t understand how changing the zoning of the Phillip pool from 50m to 25m supports community needs.
Vinnies Christmas Appeal: Festive season a struggle for millions
Christmas is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, but for millions of Australians, it’s fast becoming the most difficult.
A new national survey commissioned by the St Vincent de Paul Society reveals that soaring costof-living pressures are threatening to turn the festive season into a time of financial and emotional stress rather than celebration.
Across the country, 62 per cent of Australians say that cost-of-living pressures are making it hard to plan or look forward to festive celebrations. Alarmingly, almost half (49 per cent) of families with children under 18 are worried about simply putting food on the table this Christmas.
The findings come as the St Vincent de Paul Society launches its annual
Vinnies Christmas Appeal, calling on Australians to help bring hope, comfort and dignity to families facing hardship this Christmas.
In ACT and the surrounding region, the situation reflects the national trend.
“Every day, our volunteers and staff are hearing from families who never imagined they’d need help,” Lucy Hohnen, CEO of St Vincent de Paul Society Canberra/Goulburn, said.
“The cost-of-living crisis has pushed many to the brink, and Christmas only magnifies that stress. We’re seeing more first-time callers than ever before, and the requests for food, rent, and utility support are at record levels.”
But it’s not only Christmastime when people are hurting; almost one in three (32 percent) Australians admit they have skipped meals or gone without food
in the past 12 months to afford other essentials, such as rent or electricity.
“On the Vinnies Emergency Relief Helpline, we’re hearing from people who have never reached out before,” volunteer Paula Bounds said. “The stories are heartbreaking: parents are skipping meals so their children can eat; families are facing eviction; and older people are struggling to afford medication. The need is urgent, and every donation makes a real difference.”
Last year, the St Vincent de Paul Society Canberra/Goulburn supported more than 5,000 individuals and families through the Vinnies Emergency Helpline, providing over $2 million in direct assistance.
The 2025 Christmas Appeal aims to raise vital funds to provide food hampers, tenancy support, and
emergency relief to more families.
“That’s why this year’s Vinnies Christmas Appeal comes with a special plea for anyone who can afford to donate,” Ms Hohnen said.
“Your generosity will help us share hope and joy by providing gifts, nutritious meals, and essential support for people facing an otherwise bleak Christmas.
“Every dollar raised will help support locals who are doing it tough — and could be your greatest gift this Christmas.”
Donations can be made at: donate. vinnies.org.au/christmas-appeal-act
Donations to the Vinnies Christmas Appeal provide food, gifts and relief to families facing hardship.
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Canberra’s underground pinball culture
by GEORGIA CURRY
There’s a subterranean pinball culture in Canberra where dozens of pinball wizards come out of the woodwork once a month to compete at makeshift arcades in suburban garages and local pubs.
More than 650 people follow ACT Pinball on Facebook, and each month up to 40 players compete in tournaments, carting expensive ($20,000+) 100kg pinball machines from their private collections to the Belconnen Bowling Club or The Baso.
The motor skills of these pinballers on the flippers should not be underestimated, with elite players able to calculate angles in a split second and predict where a ball will go as it hurtles up to 90km/h.
ACT Pinball co-director Paul Chamberlin, 59, is ranked in the world’s top 100 and he
has 11 pinball machines – some dating back to the 90s – in his garage. The former journalist and now lobbyist has travelled far to improve his world ranking, competing in international pinball championships in New Zealand and the United States.
“You just don’t see many machines, but it’s still being kept alive,” Paul said. “It never really went anywhere.”
Paul is in awe of the speed and dexterity of the world’s top players, even comparing them to some of the world’s greatest athletes.
“The former world number one – a 22-year-old kid from Colorado – watching him play is like watching [Rafael] Nadal or [Roger] Federer,” he said. “He’s just so far ahead of the rest of us.”
School teachers take note: pinball is a great way to gain math and physics knowledge. This is a game of skill, not luck.
“There is a formula; these young kids know the rule sets. I just don’t have enough brain space to understand the rule set of every machine ever made, nor do I have the skills. I mean, I’ve made the top 1000 in the world, but that’s about as far as I’ll ever get; these people are just next level, they know where the ball’s going to bounce.”
But just like life, the silver ball always gets you in the end.
“They’re going to lose three balls every game like everybody else ... it’s a great equaliser. Everybody loses three balls in every game, but there’s so much more to making sure you don’t lose the ball.”
Paul’s longest pinball game lasted for an hour-and-a-half, played at home on his private collection (his favourite retro machines are Attack from Mars, Addams Family and the newer Iron Maiden).
Paul admits that “old white males are well represented” at local tournaments, but he said more and more women and young people were joining their monthly meet-ups.
“This is sort of almost a second family to me now, the pinball players in Canberra,” Paul said. “It’s fun, it’s a good time, everybody’s very open and friendly.”
The all-important question: how does one save their prized top score on a pinball machine when it has to be unplugged and relocated for a tournament? (aka George Costanza’s memorable Frogger dilemma in Seinfeld).
“As long as you replace the batteries every now and again, the high scores will stay,” Paul said. “I’ve got the grand champion scores on all of mine at home.”
Given Paul’s fierce competitive streak, I asked whether he’d been guilty of a “slam
tilt” (when an over-zealous player lifts, drops, pounds or kicks the machine, a tilt switch is activated, ending the game).
“So, in the game it’s been known as a ‘rage tilter’ but you know, I tilt all the time,” Paul said. “In fact, it’s cost me a top eight place in
a world championship and it also cost me a top eight in a big comp in Australia.”
A national pinball tournament using 50+ pinball machines is planned for Canberra in October 2026. ACT Pinball is on Facebook
ACT Pinball members at a monthly tournament, keeping old-school pinball culture alive in Canberra Photo Georgia Curry
Opinion: The ACT has had a parliamentary crisis for some time
by LEIGH COX
Leigh Cox is the former Party Secretary and Campaign Coordinator of Independents for Canberra, which elected Thomas Emerson MLA at the 2024 ACT Election. He served as Mr Emerson’s interim Chief of Staff in 2024-25.
When Canberrans next go to the polls in 2028, the Canberra Liberals will have spent close to three decades in opposition. To put that into some perspective: the September 11 attacks occurred about a month before the Liberals last lost Office, we had dial-up internet, and smartphones didn’t exist.
For a long time now, the Canberra Liberals have failed to present themselves as a credible alternative government. Don’t take my word for it — voters themselves have made that judgment repeatedly at the ballot box.
The indefinite suspension of Elizabeth Lee and Peter Cain from the Canberra Liberals is sobering, and it highlights the level of internal decay. In many
people’s eyes, Ms Lee, the former Opposition Leader, represented the kind of moderate the city might actually elect to lead a government. Yet she’s been tossed aside in favour of a further-to-the-Right re-imagining. It’s the latest act in this long-running, multiple-vehicle pile-up of a tragedy — the party’s refusal to evolve in a growing city that has clearly chosen to move on without it.
Canberra is Australia’s most educated jurisdiction — a place where voters can express nuance and can care about integrity, inclusion, and environmental sustainability as much as they might care about addressing cost of living and having a diversified economy with thriving local businesses. People, typically, get on with one another here, and they’re community-minded.
Instead of recognising this, the Canberra Liberals have persisted time and time again with an outdated brand of conservatism that divides people. Their recent move to support the government and reduce the 2026 parliamentary sitting year from 13
to 12 sitting weeks means fewer opportunities for parliamentary scrutiny. Attempting to expel two sitting MLAs, from a political party that once prided itself on allowing its members to express personal views and cross the floor, hardly screams “winning strategy”.
Maybe, just maybe, winning hasn’t been the goal for a while. The Canberra Liberals membership is, by many accounts, dominated by angry, middleaged white men who are pseudo-educated by Sky News After Dark and are more interested in setting policies than actually implementing any (I say this as a 40-year-old white guy myself, admittedly). Within party ranks, some people say that there’s chatter about when a certain Deputy Leader may challenge for the top job, and who within the party membership is jostling to secure preselection next. These are issues that do not reflect the lived challenges preoccupying the minds of most ACT residents.
A city with real problems, but no real contest This might all be mildly amusing if it weren’t so [continued on page 28]
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serious and consequential. Canberra faces serious challenges: a cost-of-living crisis biting harder each month, ever-increasing rates, a housing market slipping out of reach for many, ongoing business closures, and a budget strained by ambitious infrastructure projects and growing health costs. Whatever your personal politics, these are legitimate grounds for debate and scrutiny.
But a credible opposition can’t remain trapped in ideological nostalgia and expect to threaten a government in any serious form. It can’t credibly preach fiscal discipline and sound economic management while fighting the ghosts of the past. The result? A government that governs with little fear of losing power — and that’s bad for everyone.
Complacency
breeds arrogance
After almost two and a half decades of easy
Take the Canberra Liberals’ latest decision as proof. With Peter Cain and Elizabeth Lee now suspended, the ACT Government has not one but two potential avenues to support its legislative agenda: the ACT Greens, who have held it to account on recent budget matters, or a bloc of four alternative MLAs. The Canberra Liberals have somehow made governing an easier proposition for Labor. People are entitled to ask: who would a decision like this really serve, other than a handful of MLAs eager to protect their own political interests?
The Liberals’ endless internal warfare and ideological rigidity have left the ACT without an effective democratic safeguard. In any other jurisdiction, we’d recognise this as a parliamentary crisis.
It’s time for something better
Someone needs to offer voters a more genuine alternative. That may well mean voters abandon the Canberra Liberals altogether in favour of another party or a community independent — as clearly I have done — or that a group of passionate individuals takes the bold step of creating a better party-based option. Until structural change occurs, Canberrans
IMAGINE IF THERE WERE NO BUSINESS IN CANBERRA...
may do well to expect a continuation of the status quo.
Before the last election, I decided to help campaign for Thomas Emerson to help him win a seat in the Assembly. It was hard work, but I am pleased to say that he won his seat. I got involved because I believed it was time to stop staring, mouth wide open, at that multiple-vehicle pile-up as an innocent bystander. It was time to start pitching in. It’s like that old saying goes: “There are two kinds of people, voyeurs and participants. You’re either on the field playing the game or you’re in the crowd watching.” Maybe this latest unravelling will convince many interested observers to consider doing the same.
The ACT Legislative Assembly in Canberra.
Photo Jordan Mirchevski
BMX takes over Braddon
by GEORGIA CURRY
Two thousand BMX riders will swarm Braddon this weekend for ACT Jam 2025, including kamikaze stuntmen from Nitro Circus, who are detouring from their world tour, not to perform but to witness the world’s best “high air.”
Traffic will come to a halt on Elouera Street this Friday and Saturday night (7-8 November) as the road is closed off and the best international BMX riders launch off custom-made street ramps for the very first time.
Last year’s ACT Jam was held at Fitzroy Pavilion at Exhibition Park in Canberra, where one BMX champ flew off a ramp and almost hit the eight-metre-high roof.
“He literally blew the roof off it,” said Tyson Jones-Peni, president of Freestyle ACT BMX Club and co-owner of Canberra’s Back Bone BMX shop, which organises the annual event.
“I would definitely say you’ll be seeing double backflips, long jumps and all sorts of crazy stuff, lots of triple tail-whips,” Tyson said.
When Tyson first started ACT Jam in 2013, it was a modest affair with 300 Australian riders. Today, it’s one of the biggest BMX events in the world and the largest freestyle BMX event in the Southern Hemisphere, even attracting Olympic gold medallists.
“Canberra’s got really good riding facilities and the BMX community in Canberra has been
really strong,” Tyson said. “The location, the proximity to all the skate parks. BMX has a rich heritage in Canberra.
“An important part about building the community and the culture and making sure that it keeps going for future generations is to have them build the memories that you can’t erase, being able to sit there with your idol.”
The gravity-defying tricks this weekend will take off from speciallybuilt, three-metre-high wooden quarter-pipes in Braddon, and dirt ramps at UC Canberra Stromlo Forest Park – one of Australia’s best freestyle jump parks.
“They’d be like six meters in the air easily, off the top of the jump,”
Tyson said. “That’s off the top of the takeoff, not off the ground, so they’re going to be over ten meters high.”
The Hillfire jumps at UC Canberra Stromlo Forest Park promises “big lines” and “big sends” – basically the sky’s the limit.
“In terms of riders, Canberra’s certainly got some of the world’s best riders,” Tyson said. “I was coaching a girl named Sarah Nicki who is a Canberra local and she’s since had to move to the Gold Coast to be on the Australian Olympic team when she was just 16.
“She was actually the youngest competitor on the world stage at the time. I’ve known her since she was about eight years old.”
The youngest BMX riders at this jam start at four years old and go up to 54, provided your knees hold out (there’s no suspension in a BMX bike).
“This event is made so that the young kids and up-and-comers get to rub shoulders and ride with the best riders in the world,” Tyson said. “I’m not trying to create an event where everyone sits back and watches. It’s for young, local BMX riders. As long as they sign up, they can be literally sitting on the deck or on the starting hill with the world’s best.”
ACT Jam 2025 is on 7-8 November at Elouera Street Braddon from 4pm-10pm and on Sunday 9 November at Stromlo, from 3pm-8pm. Info: backbonebmx. oxm
ART AND PHOTOGAPHY COMPETITION
Got something to say about ageing, connection or community?
Enter the UPSTAGEING Art and Photography Competition for a chance to win cash prizes and showcase your work as part of Canberra’s new creative ageing arts festival.
Find out more at www cotaact org au/upstageing
Themes include positive and creative ageing, reducing ageism and celebrating the connections between generations.
Two thousand BMX riders, including the world’s best, are descending on Canberra this weekend for ACT Jam. Photo:
Voluntary assisted dying begins in the ACT
by NICHOLAS FULLER
The ACT has joined every Australian state in legalising voluntary assisted dying. From Monday 3 November, terminally ill Canberrans have the right to choose the timing and manner of their death.
“Our voluntary assisted dying model is the most progressive in the country,” health minister Rachel Stephen-Smith MLA said. “It puts compassion, dignity and safety at the centre of care, while ensuring people have genuine choice and control over their final days.”
Voluntary assisted dying is available to people aged 18 and over who have lived in the ACT for at least 12 months, and who suffer from an advanced, progressive medical condition expected to cause death and intolerable suffering. They must have the
capacity to make decisions at every stage of the process, and be acting voluntarily, without coercion.
In December 2022, the Federal Parliament overturned a 25-year ban blocking the ACT and Northern Territory’s rights to debate euthanasia: Labor MLA Alicia Payne and her NT colleague Luke Gosling introduced the Restoring Territory Rights Act, which independent Senator David Pocock championed in the upper house. The ACT Legislative Assembly introduced its Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill in October 2023 and passed it in June 2024.
Human rights minister Tara Cheyne MLA, who introduced the legislation, said:
“Even with the best end-of-life care, some Canberrans with an advanced condition, illness or disease can experience intolerable suffering near the end of their lives… This is a compassionate and dignified option … ensuring their autonomy is respected during the most vulnerable time in their lives.”
Doctors, palliative care teams, and aged-care providers have spent months preparing for the new laws, Ms Stephen-Smith said. Training and support systems are in place to guide families through the process, alongside existing end-of-life care. An independent board will oversee and report on how
the scheme operates.
Canberra Health Services has set up a care navigator service to help patients, families, and health professionals understand the new laws. The service can provide information and connect eligible people with authorised practitioners. It is available Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm, on 5124 1888.
Reactions
Advocacy group Dying with Dignity ACT “could not be more pleased to see the introduction of VAD” after decades of campaigning, president Sam Delaney said. “The ACT Government has given us legislation which is an improvement over that of other Australian jurisdictions.”
However, the Catholic Archbishop of Canberra and Goulburn, Christopher Prowse, denounced the bill:
“Legislation of this dire nature is misguided and thoroughly contrary to the common good. It does
ACT ministers Tara Cheyne and Rachel Stephen-Smith.
Photo: ACT Government
nothing to advance a culture of life in our society. We must be able to consider legislation beyond simply subjective considerations.”
Canberra Liberals leader Leanne Castley MLA said the reform reflected broad community support: “Voluntary Assisted Dying in the ACT provides Canberrans with a compassionate and dignified option at the end of life… We trust that the Government has undertaken, and will continue to undertake, the necessary due diligence to ensure this process remains safe, transparent, and carefully regulated.”
Andrew Braddock MLA, ACT Greens spokesperson for VAD, said the new laws would allow terminally ill Canberrans to “die with dignity”, but argued that eligibility criteria should eventually be broadened to include people who lose the ability to make decisions partway during the process or those with degenerative but non-terminal conditions that cause intolerable suffering.
“Some Canberrans who are intolerably suffering are being denied the option of a peaceful death,” Mr Braddock said. “Canberrans deserve the right to choose the time they access VAD if they have terminal conditions and experience an intolerable level of suffering. Widening the scope is common sense and widely supported.”
Likewise, Mr Delaney hoped that the scheme would extend to people with dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases, arguing they should be able to make end-of-life choices earlier than is possible in other states, while they can still make decisions.
A YouGov poll last year showed that 81 per cent of Canberrans supported allowing people suffering intolerably from health conditions to request voluntary assisted dying if they considered their quality of life was significantly diminished.
However, only 56 per cent believed people with untreatable chronic pain or mental health issues — suffering without causing death — should be able to access voluntary assisted dying.
Many Canberrans were pleased with the news. “It’s about time!” several Redditors thought.
• “Death is a part of life and all adults should be able to have a say in every part of their life, including how it ends. This is an unbelievably positive thing for the wellbeing of people.”
• “Voluntary assisted dying … [is] a hell of a lot more dignified and respectful than forcing someone to live.”
But others wondered how VAD might be implemented and how it might function under pressure, and the lessons from jurisdictions like
Canada, which has one of the most permissive models.
Canada introduced voluntary assisted dying a decade ago; The Guardian reported last year that vulnerable people who were not terminally ill but who had an “unmet social need” — homelessness, isolation, unemployment, mental illness, suicidality, stress — were being euthanised.
• “It’s (relatively) easy to draft and pass legislation that deals with people who have the best intentions. The real test is when policy encounters people with bad intentions or motivations. And in this I include governments and institutions experiencing financial pressures.”
• “I can’t wait for this to inevitably creep into the suggested treatment plans for those with depression, or veterans, etc, as has happened in Canada.”
Likewise, Belgium has euthanised children and prisoners. In the Netherlands, too, a woman with autism, anxiety, depression, and trauma — but not terminally ill — chose to die on the grounds of mental suffering. Benelux, sed non bene.
If the issue of voluntary assisted dying raises issues for you or your family, you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Griefline on 1300 845 745.
Raiders star Papalii has intimidation court case dropped
by JACOB SHTEYMAN, AAP
A court case against Canberra Raiders NRL star Josh Papalii has been dropped after a judge found police had abused legal processes by using an encrypted messaging app to discuss proceedings.
The 33-year-old was fighting three charges after an alleged incident at the Gungahlin Raiders Club last year, including intimidating police and refusing to leave a licensed venue.
But at an ACT Magistrates Court hearing on Friday 31 October, Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker permanently stayed the case, meaning it will be dropped
indefinitely, after finding police undermined the integrity of the prosecution by discussing the proceedings in a Signal chat.
Police alleged Papalii was behaving aggressively towards staff after being asked to leave the leagues club in Canberra’s north during the early hours of 16 September 2024 after a night of drinking.
After police were called to the venue, he allegedly became verbally abusive and threatening towards officers and refused to leave the premises.
Papalii pleaded not guilty to the charges.
But the case was delayed when Papalii’s lawyers discovered the existence of the private group chat on messaging service Signal, which included the officer who was the alleged victim of the alleged intimidation, as well as investigating officers.
Police are not prohibited from using encrypted messaging services like Signal to communicate in the ACT, although other jurisdictions do not allow it.
Defence barrister Steven Boland asked Ms Walker to issue a permanent stay of the proceedings, meaning the case would be dropped indefinitely.
Mr Boland argued the officers’ use of the Signal chat to discuss the case, which was set to automatically delete messages after one week, constituted an abuse of process and would bring the administration of justice into disrepute.
As messages relating to the case could have been automatically deleted, it meant the prosecution’s duty to disclose evidence pertaining to the proceedings could not be met.
The conduct was “sufficient to bring the administration of justice into disrepute and erode public confidence in it”, the defence submitted.
The prosecution argued there was no evidence of messages in the group chat detailing information that would have materially changed the course of the proceedings.
There was thus no evidence that by not keeping a record of the messages, it would have been materially unfair to the defence, prosecutors argued, calling for a lesser remedy than a permanent stay to be applied.
The chief magistrate said while there was clear evidence that Signal was used by the investigating police to communicate about the investigation, the defence was unable to establish the deletion of the messages left them at a practical disadvantage.
But the unknown remains unknowable, she said, and the “cavalier” use of Signal by the officers raised the spectre that additional communication that was unfair to the prosecution may have occurred.
“Allowing the prosecution to proceed … is an irremediable affront to the integrity of the process,” she told the court.
“A permanent stay of the prosecution is granted.”
A magistrate has halted the prosecution of Josh Papalii, finding police had abused legal processes. Photo: Lukas Coch/AAP Photos
have you heard?
GIVIT donation of the week: Cot
and mattress
GIVIT is an ACT Government partner working with an organisation in the region that provides support to families while transitioning to their own accommodation after experiencing crisis or homelessness. They are seeking support for a First Nations man who is rebuilding his life. This young father just moved into transitional accommodation and is trying to reconnect with his 2-year-old daughter with the assistance of Child Youth and Families Services. He is seeking assistance to set up his home and progress with supervised visits with his daughter. GIVIT is requesting a cot and mattress to help him create a safe, comfortable environment and rebuild his relationship with his daughter. Generous Canberrans can donate a cot and mattress or fund its purchase. 100% of your financial donation will be used to purchase the items. To help, please visit: GIVIT.org.au/what’s-needed, search; Location State: ‘ACT’, Keywords: ‘cot and mattress’ and Suburb: ‘Bonython, 2905’.
community noticeboard
news@newstimemedia.com.au with ‘HYH’ in the subject field
Brass on the Grass
Enjoy an afternoon of live music at Brass on the Grass on Sunday 16 November at the Hall Heritage Centre, Victoria Street, Hall. Heritage displays open from midday, with food available from 4pm and the concert beginning at 4:30pm. Free entry and parking. Bring a chair or picnic rug, or use the seating provided.
Friends of the ANU Classics Museum, Tours
The Friends of the ANU Classics Museum offers monthly public tours led by volunteer guides in the Museum (AD Hope Building). Tours are free and are conducted every second Friday of the month between 11am and 12 noon. The next tour will be on Friday 14 November. No booking is required.
Monster Christmas Garage & Plant Sale
Christmas bells are ringing for the final Garage & Plant Sale of the year on Saturday 15 November, 9am–1pm, at 255 Goyder Street, Narrabundah. Browse homemade Christmas treats, crafts, toys, books, clothes, jewellery, plants and more. Find unique vintage gifts and enjoy a cuppa with a scone or a sausage sandwich while helping raise vital funds.
Lifeline Canberra Open Book Event
Lifeline Canberra presents its 5th Open Book: Candid Conversations on the 50th Anniversary of the Dismissal of Gough Whitlam on Monday 10 November, 5:30 to 8pm, at the ACC Centre, Charles Sturt University, 15 Blackall Street, Barton (free parking on site). Panellists include John Menadue, Tom Wharton and Jack Waterford. Tickets include a drink on arrival and a light grazing table. Book via Humanitix or lifelinecanberra.org. au/events
Bold Bandanas
The Bold Bandannas, Relay for Life Team are holding a stall at the Fyshwick F&V Markets (inside Ziggy’s Shop) on Saturday 15 November from 8:30am to 4:30pm. We shall be selling only our trademark jams, pickles, chutneys, marmalades and lemon butter and for those who are diabetic, our sugarreduced products too. For further info, please contact Jan on 0451 679 220
Friends ANBG Thursday Talks
Josh Coates, a PhD candidate at ANU, will present his research in pollination ecology in Kosciuszko National Park, including the Bogong moth. ANBG Theatrette, opposite the Australian National Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre, Thursday 13 November, 12:30 to 1:30pm. Trybooking.com/DDEFV. Gold coins, notes and EFTPOS donations most welcome.
Making Memories Open Garden & Plant Sale
Join the Dementia Demolition Squad, authorised fundraisers for Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), for the Making Memories Open Garden & Plant Sale on Saturday 15 November, 10am–6pm, at 2 Limbunya Street, Hawker. Enjoy delicious Greek sweets and savouries, explore the garden, browse plants and crocheted items, and help raise funds for dementia and Parkinson’s research. Cost: adults $20, concession $15, teens $5, children under 12 free. Tickets: trybooking.com/DDEJB
Chisholm Garage & Op Shop Monster Sale
Come along to the Chisholm Garage & Op Shop Monster Sale on Saturday 15 November, 8am–12pm, at Good Shepherd Community Church, corner Hambidge and Proctor Streets (behind Chisholm shops). Enjoy a cuppa and scone while browsing plants, collectables, books, toys, Christmas decorations, clothes, jewellery, cakes and more. EFTPOS available.
Lecture: A Path to Restoring Body, Mind & Spirit
Discover the teachings of Bruno Groening (1906–1959) and explore holistic approaches to healing and personal balance at this free lecture on Monday 24 November, 6–7pm, at the Ainslie Art Centre, 30 Elouera Street, Braddon. Learn how spiritual practices can support transformation and wellbeing. Admission is free; donations appreciated. Details: brunogroening.org/en or contact Katherine on 0409 972 620.
A Saturated Life exhibition
A Saturated Life brings together artists Rozalie Sherwood, Steve Tomlin and Pinal Maniar, exploring memory, material and the emotional resonance of place through stitch, colour and fibre. The exhibition runs from 14–29 November at Tyger Gallery, 84 Comur Street, Yass, with a preview evening from 6pm Friday 14 November and an artist walkaround at 1:30pm Saturday 22 November. Details: tygergallery.com.au.
HYH Submissions
Submissions to our free Have You Heard community noticeboard are reserved for charity, not-for-profit and community organisations. Deadline for submissions is 10 days prior to the Thursday edition date. Email your submission with essential details – who, what, where, when, cost, contact details – to news@newstimemedia.com.au with ‘HYH’ in the subject heading. Flyers and attachments not accepted. Due to space restrictions, please keep it brief. Please note: publication in print is not guaranteed.
ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19)
People rarely learn anything the first time, so it’s wise to release yourself from that kind of expectation. Keep revisiting the lesson. Repetition is the glue that makes a change stick. This week shows you improving incrementally each and every day. You inspire those around you.
TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20)
Wish you’d handled something differently? Well, it wasn’t about poor judgment. Instead, it’s about not having the fortification you need in the moment. The real issue is pacing and preparing yourself. When you’re strong and rested, you’re also powerful, creative and capable.
GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 21)
BRAIN BUSTERS
1 Which Australian state is mentioned in the second stanza of Clancy of the Overflow?
2 Fettuccine boscaiola is based on mushrooms and what type of meat?
3 Which Chinese revolutionary was the founder of the People’s Republic of China in 1949?
4 Who starred as Amanda Woodward in the 1990s TV series, Melrose Place?
5 Türkiye is bordered by which two countries to the south?
Accept your feelings. If this is all you do this week, you’ll have done a lot. The astral omens point to emotions as important information and clues to be explored. Feelings are top-secret, empowering information that, once processed, puts you on your way to next-level solutions.
CANCER (JUNE 22-JULY 22)
With your social savvy, you notice what people desire and you could easily serve it up. But should you? Curating yourself for the eyes of another might be effective for meeting the needs of a moment, but at what cost? Because even if you win and they fall in love with you, who is the “you” they love?
LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22)
You encounter new people regularly; they’re all around you. But you only welcome someone as a new friend when something inside you is ready. If you were closed, distracted or guarded, the same person could drift by unnoticed. This week, readiness meets timing, meets opportunity.
VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22)
This week, the real work may not get proper credit – the quiet art of holding tension between frustration and grace, intensity and tenderness. Your emotional balance keeps things flowing for everyone around you, though to you, it may just feel like another day of showing up with heart.
LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 23)
People cover up their neediness, and yet the primal needs such as safety and connection are so obvious to you. These human cravings are disguised differently by each person, but you recognise them like you would a movie star in a new role. This week, you’ll meet needs and win hearts.
SCORPIO (OCT. 24-NOV. 21)
For you, life is not a system that measures by milestones and trophies. You’re working in a system that measures in meaning and connection. Those currencies never lose value. This week, a certain connection is just extraordinary – not tidy or sentimental, but alive.
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21)
There’s a decision hanging in the balance this week. Ask yourself: If I let go, do I feel peace or regret? Peace means you are releasing what cannot be changed. Regret means there’s unfinished business to tend to. In that case, apply forethought and strategy, and you will make quick work of it.
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19)
Your loved ones may not give you a showy kind of attention. But do they really support you? Are they there when you need them? Do they love you for who you are and let you be yourself? This week, you will be considering your support system, tuning it up, making additions and, if needed, cuts.
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18)
The only person who can make your mark is you. Others may do something similar, fulfill an order, check a box. You can do that, too. But your mark – that’s something different. This week, you’ll make an effort to give what only you can give. If just about anyone can do it, leave it for someone else.
PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20)
Maybe complaining won’t solve anything, but it could help you zero in on a problem, and with this kind of precision, you’re halfway to the solution. In a sense, the best complaining is the kind you do analytically. It leads to a very constructive mindset, followed by a solid plan.
DIFFICULTY RATING
Chicken Cacciatore
The name ‘cacciatore’ means ‘hunter’ in Italian, so don’t get it twisted – this isn’t some dainty dish. It’s proper, beltunbuckling food, and it’s got a bigger personality than your cousin Nicky at a family barbecue after three too many spritzes.
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
2 tablespoons olive oil, for frying
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 red capsicum (pepper), deseeded and diced
2 garlic gloves, finely chopped
½ cup (125ml) red wine (optional)
1 × 400g tin diced tomatoes
1 cup (250ml) chicken stock
1/2 cup (60g) pitted black olives
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, to serve
Method
Pat the chicken dry with paper towel and season it all over with salt and pepper. In a casserole
Canberra restaurant claims major gong at national awards
ACT French restaurant, Les Bistronomes, was last night awarded one of three major awards at Australia’s Restaurant & Catering Hostplus National Awards for Excellence, at Doltone House in Sydney.
Marking the grand finale of an extraordinary year for the industry, more than 450 industry guests attended the event, which honoured the restaurants, cafés, and caterers setting the benchmark for quality, service, and consistency across the nation.
Recognising the Best in Australian Hospitality, The National Awards for Excellence celebrate achievement across more than 32 categories, with Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards presented to showcase
the remarkable depth of skill and professionalism within the sector.
Les Bistronomes also received another two Gold Awards in the European Restaurant and Premium Dining categories.
Other ACT Gold Award recipients included Anatolia Mediterranean Restaurant in Wanniassa in the Specialty Restaurant category and Chartwells – Australian National University, Acton, in the Education Caterer category.
INKA Canberra, took out the Silver Award in the Asian Restaurant category and the Diplomat Bar & Grill at the Ramada by Wyndham, Griffith, received the Silver Award in the category for Restaurant in a Hotel or Resort.
dish or a deep frying pan with a lid, heat the oil over medium–high heat. Add the chicken, skin side down, and cook until the skin is golden brown, then turn it over and brown the other side. Set aside on a plate.
To the same pan, add the onion and capsicum and cook over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the red wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the tomatoes, stock, olives, oregano and basil, and some salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 5–10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Return the chicken pieces to the pan, reduce the heat to medium–low, cover and cook for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Garnish with parsley and serve.
Images and text from Eat! An Italian Cookbook by Sooshi Mango by Joe Salanitri, Carlo Salanitri and Andrew Manfre, photography by Mark Roper. Murdoch Books RRP $39.99.
MACKEY Serhan
Principal Adviser / Founder
PSS, CSS, MSBS and DFRDB Specialist
“My practice focuses on providing advice to people nearing retirement, Australian public servants and anyone with a membership of government or military defined benefit schemes”
Phone: 0422 354 617
Email: serhan@canberraadvice.com.au
Website: www.canberraadvice.com.au
Canberra gets its own Fringe Festival
by BERNIE RYAN
Unlike Australians in other capital cities, Canberrans have not been afforded the annual and diverse delight of a traditional ‘Fringe Festival’.
That, however, is about to change with the inaugural Canberra Fringe Festival, running on 21-23 November at the Pot Belly Bar in Belconnen.
Over three full days, Canberrans can choose from a smorgasbord of comedy, cabaret, dance, music, theatre and circus acts performed by local and invited acts.
And no one could be more enthusiastic about what is about to land in Canberra than festival producer Phil Aughey.
“What makes a fringe festival unique?” says Aughey. “Is that it is an open access event where artists have the license to perform what they love, free of censorship or the pressure to be commercially viable.”
“It’s art, for art’s sake,” he says. Aughey, of Anvil Creek Theatre Company near Cessnock NSW, has been touring theatre shows for 25 years and founded the now highly successful Newcastle Fringe Festival in 2016.
He realised that Canberra was missing out on something special, so he decided to test the ACT’s appetite for fringe performance last year with Fringe on Tour Canberra. The response, he said “Was very positive”.
Hughes (of the band Machine Gun Fellatio) with their Newcastle Fringe Award-winning show, Parlour Noir Bowler says she plays the “straight woman to Chris’ kind of craziness. She’s the big singing voice, with Liza Minnelli/Judy Garland/ Edith Piaf… and I do a Dietrich character”
“It’s very old school Vaudevillian cabaret, and we have a great time doing it. It’s ‘all killer, no filler’ as we like to say,” she says.
Nicholas Rheinberger and Tia Wilson of musical comedy act Rheinberger and Wilson and Watch and Act Productions (the team behind Gladys: A Musical Affair) are also delighted to perform at Canberra Fringe.
Rheinberger recalls that “Canberra was very good to me” when, around thirty years ago, he spent years busking in Garema Place with The Pickled Herrings musical comedy group and writing comedy for the then newly minted FM104.7.
What can people expect from their show?
“I think people are going to recognise themselves in the songs we do and have a good laugh at the silly things that crop up when you’ve been in a relationship for a long time,” he said.
Canberra Fringe will also include several local acts at various stages of their careers, including first-time fringe act, Whispers of Persia: A Musical Journey.
Office: Suite 258, 44 Constitution Avenue Parkes ACT 2600
And voila, Canberra Fringe was born.
A total of 14 acts over 16 performances are expected to fill each session at the Pot Belly Bar to capacity as Canberrans snap up the opportunity for some good oldfashioned, original entertainment.
Accomplished performer and writer Jude Bowler is thrilled to have been invited to Canberra Fringe to team up again with blues belter and vaudeville vamp collaborator Christa
This performance unravels the secrets of Persia’s rich musical heritage — from ancient folk echoes and haunting traditional tunes to the vibrant pulse of contemporary songs. Tickets to Canberra Fringe are available now at bushfringes.com.au.
With something for everyone, including the kids, Canberra Fringe dares you to enjoy what could be one of your best Canberra weekends to date.
Musical comedy act Rheinberger and Wilson will be performing at the inaugural Canberra Fringe later this month.
Now sh wing
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere (M)
In 1981, Bruce Springsteen (Jeremy Allen White) finishes his latest sold-out concert tour and is expected to quickly get back to work recording a new studio album. Not liking the city, Bruce’s manager and producer, Jon Landau (Jeremy Strong), rents a house for Bruce near his old family home in New Jersey. Once at the house, Bruce becomes increasingly melancholic about his childhood and soon sets up a home studio to prep a demo tape.
Most people know Bruce Springsteen, a.k.a. The Boss, from his energetic and joyous hits Dancing in the Dark and Born in the USA. It is surprising, then, to see this character here, chasing isolation to explore an inner darkness born from a difficult childhood due to an alcoholic and abusive father. Using inferior home equipment, Bruce records dark folk songs about the trappings of the past and, conversely, the need to remember where one has come from for his album, Nebraska.
The movie’s main focus should have been its best part: the creative, constructive relationship between Bruce and his empathetic, nurturing producer. Jeremy Strong’s Landau manages Bruce’s career while shepherding his artistic expression in an organic, authentic way, whether or not the result aligns with the studio’s expectations. Like producer Jimmy Iovine with Dr Dre, Landau believes in Bruce and openly trusts his process, whatever shape the output takes to achieve his potential.
- Luke McWilliams themovieclub.net Viewed at Dendy Cinemas.
Verdict: A beautifully acted and shot production with an unclear focus.
Jeremy Allen White as Bruce Spingsteen.
Canberra’s SpringOUT Pride Festival starts with over 40 events
SpringOUT Pride Festival has started. Offering more than 40 events celebrating the capital’s vibrant LGBTIQA+ community and welcomes everyone to join. Choosing which events to attend is a hard task; however, here are some highlights you won’t want to miss.
Art takes centre stage early in the program with two powerful conversations. On 9 November, Canberra-born artist eX de Medici, known for using her work as a mirror to society’s injustices, shares insights into her life and radical practice. Two days later, Bangladeshi filmmaker and multidisciplinary artist Dipa-Mahbuba-Yasmin explores how queer presence can be reclaimed through folk art traditions. Dipa’s collaborative work with painters inserts queer bodies and love stories into a heritage that once erased them, proving that when speech is forced down, art must speak.
From contemplation to competition, the festival offers something for every energy level. Sport Your Pride (14-16 November) is a celebration of movement
under the theme ‘Move, Play, Belong’. The three-day extravaganza kicks off Friday night at the National Hockey Centre with Pride Hockey and a Friday Night Lights gathering. Saturday brings free come-and-try sessions from touch football to CrossFit, plus the launch of Canberra’s LGBTIQA+ ice hockey team. Sunday wraps with roller derby in Denman Prospect. Humour and heart collide on 21 November when the SpringOUT Comedy Gala showcases the capital’s finest queer wit. From trans icon Holly Hazlewood’s sharp observations to RAW Comedy National Finalist Caitlin Maggs’ effortless charm, the lineup spans whimsical storytelling, irreverent philosophy, and performers proving that aging disgracefully is an art form.
Loud & Proud on 23 November breaks new ground as Canberra’s first all-ages, all-trans and non-binary live music concert. Featuring Stella Eve, Transista Groove, nonbinarycode, Shoeb Ahmad, and Kalokairi, the evening promises powerful voices and big feels.
The festival brings pride to retail on 28 November at Westfield Belconnen for Pride-Day Night Shopping. DJ CandyCane spins live alongside MC Wayne Herbert while shoppers hit the Black Friday sales, proving that pride and retail therapy make perfect partners.
The festival culminates on 29 November at The VAULT, with One Night in HEAVEN 2, a nostalgic dance party honouring Canberra’s legendary gay nightclub from 1993 to 2001. Expect original Heaven DJs spinning 90s/00s anthems, drag performances, and psychedelic visuals.
Visit springout.com.au to explore the full festival program.
1-30 NOVEMBER
40+ events covering family-friendly days out to after-dark dance floors, from quiet moments of reflection to loud, proud festival energy.
• Catch live music showcases,intimate gigs, drag performances, comedy events and variety shows.
• Dive into art exhibitions, film and theatre.
• Find workshops, talks and community gatherings.
• Lace up for fun-runs, sports/social games and roller disco.
SpringOUT is bursting with colour, connection & celebration, and welcomes everyone!
One Night in HEAVEN 2 on 29 November at The VAULT, a dance party reunion for Canberra’s legendary gay nightclub HEAVEN.
Ocean Alley brings the beach to Canberra
by GEORGIA CURRY
SummerSalt left Canberra’s shores last year but to make up for it, the organisers are bringing us some psychedelic rock in the form of Ocean Alley in March 2026, plus a few of their all-star friends.
Ocean Alley, from Sydney’s northern beaches, are touring regional Oz (that’s us even though we’re a proper capital city) and dropping in on Exhibition Park on 7 March with all-star lineup Skegss, American rockers Allah-Las, Byron Bay’s Babe Rainbow, indie-rock five-piece Mid Drift, indie/psych-pop pals Le Shiv and raw indie-rockers Seaside.
If you like a bit of cruisy psychedelia and reggae with your rock, you’re in the right place.
The tour comes on the heels of Love Balloon’s release – the band’s fifth studio album, which debuted at #1 on the ARIA Vinyl and
Australian Album Charts, #3 on the ARIA Albums Chart and has remained in the Top 10 Australian Album Charts for six weeks.
Not bad for an independent band that began playing in a backyard shed in 2011. It’s hard to believe they once drove themselves around Australia in their own 4WD for their first national tour. Nowadays, they jet around the world selling more than 100,000 headline tickets globally.
Their latest record is a journey through love and life in all its colour and chaos, anchored by moments of light, vulnerability and connection, led by the luminous single “Drenched” and its nostalgic early-2000s-inspired video.
With over 1 billion streams and a reputation for magnetic live performances, Ocean Alley has become one of Australia’s most successful musical exports. Across five albums – including 2022’s Low Altitude Living – the six-piece (Baden Donegal, Angus Goodwin, Lach
Galbraith, Mitch Galbraith, Tom O’Brien and Nic Blom) continue to evolve their unmistakable sound.
With chart success across Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the US – and nine gold singles – Ocean Alley are stepping confidently into a bold new chapter, with stadium-sized ambition and an enduring global legacy in sight. Ocean Alley/SummerSalt Presale tix on sale Thursday 30 October, 9am. General on sale Friday 31 October, 9am via Ticketmaster. For more info: summersaltmusic.com.au
Ocean Alley is coming to Canberra’s Exhibition Park on 4 March 2026. Photo: Getty Images
Book talk
Jeff Popple reviews three exciting thrillers about new and old crimes. More of Jeff’s reviews can be found on his blog: murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
Silent Bones by Val McDermid Sphere, $34.99
Val McDermid is the Queen of cold case crime, and her latest Karen Pirie thriller is another exquisite murder mystery. Karen and her Scottish Historic Cases Unit are called into action when a torrential storm uncovers a body. The victim is quickly identified as journalist Sam Nimmo, who had been the prime suspect in the murder of his fiancé when he disappeared eleven years ago. Now Karen has to re-investigate the original murder and Nimmo’s, along with the suspicious death of an Edinburgh hotel manager. Once more, Val provides an engaging plot, a great cast of characters and believable investigative detail. Highly recommended.
Franz Josef by Alan Carter Fremantle Press, $34.99
Alan Carter is also in very good form with his latest novel about New Zealand detectives Nick Chester and Latifa Rapata. A body has been found in a glacier near the small South Island town of
Franz Josef, and the pair are sent to investigate. Their efforts, however, are hampered by flooding from a massive storm, which cuts the town off from help. As the body count rises, Chester and Latifa have to deal with environmental dangers and a crime with international origins. Franz Josef opens well with a strong sense of place, and the action and suspense continue until the end. Very entertaining.
The Detective by Matthew Reilly Macmillan, $44.99
In a dark, remote corner of the American South, women have been going missing for 150 years. And all of the investigators who have gone in search of them have also disappeared. Now Sam Speedman, an unusual private detective on the spectrum, is on the case, and as he ventures into the vast swampland, he finds more than he was expecting. Fast-paced with furious action and some very gruesome scenes, The Detective is a gripping thriller that also shines a sharp light on the dark belly of the American South. Speedman is a great character, and this is probably Reilly’s best novel to date.
Local author brings back beloved character in new children’s book
by BERNIE RYAN
A new children’s book hit the shelves in late October 2025 and it’s sure to amuse and surprise. Blossom Possum and the Gumnut Man is a picture book for children, from bubs to mid-Primary School age. But it’s sure to delight the grown-ups, as well.
Published by Wilkinson Publishing, Blossom Possum and the Gumnut Man is the second collaboration between award-winning author, Dr Gina Newton, and the highly talented illustrator, Nandina Vines — they released the absorbing and inspiring Spider Wars, in 2024.
This time, Dr Newton and Ms Vines have created a humorous, action-packed tale with many twists and turns.
Dr Newton’s first published book was Blossom Possum: the sky is falling down under (Scholastic 2006), which is having its 20th anniversary next year (now titled Blossum Possum); to date, it’s sold
over 155,000 copies and is still in print.
Dr Newton, a Canberra local, marine biologist, zoologist, and science communicator, says that twenty years ago, she became aware that most books for children featured animals from other countries.
“I wanted to write a book that showcased Australian animals, in a way that was not only fun and entertaining, but so that children could learn,” she says.
“And above all, in a way that the creatures would become endeared to them and they would want to look after them when they grow up.”
So, “I really wanted Blossom Possum to come back!”
Many of the old gang are back for the new book — Rocky Cocky, Toey Joey, Echo Gecko, and that scoundrel By-jingo Dingo, and there’s some fabulous newbies — Trilby Bilby, Okka Quokka, Hurrah Galah, and of course, the indomitable
Gumnut Man!
Blossom Possum’s latest adventures have been magically brought to life by illustrator Ms Vines.
“She injects so much humour, surprise and beautiful scenery, and I’m so fortunate to have been able to collaborate with her”, Dr Newton says.
Blossom Possum and the Gumnut Man will be launched at The Book Cow in Kingston, on Sunday 9 November at 2pm by Canberra’s own Julie Long OAM, President of the ACT Branch of the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA).
All are welcome to attend the launch, which will include refreshments and activities for children, and, Dr Newton says, a surprise element to the day!
Online registration is available: bookcow.com. au/events
What’s on!
MUSIC
Recorders and cantatas: BlockSounds recorders
9 NOV
BlockSounds recorders, directed by Robyn Mellor, presents an afternoon of early baroque cantatas. Thrill to the drama of Johann Ahle’s 17th-century Spiritual Concertos The False Prophet and The Wicked Servant, sung by Greta Claringbould (soprano), Maartje Sevenster (mezzo-soprano) and Frank den Hartog (tenor)!
20 BADIMARA ST, WARAMANGA, ACT. A vibrant sanctuary on a sloping block and created just four years ago with locally sourced native plants, this is a space of resilience and regeneration utilising waterwise principles, dry riverbeds, frog ponds, worm farms & 3D printed bird boxes. ‘Must-see’ inspiration for new gardeners and anyone who loves nature. Non-member entry $10 for visitors 18 years+. 8-9 Nov, 10am – 4pm; more information and membership at opengardenscanberra.org.au
WIN! A Special Kit for You: Supporting Breast Cancer Awareness
Every day in Australia, 58 people are diagnosed with breast cancer. It remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women, with more than 21,000 new cases expected in 2025. Heartbreakingly, nine Australians die from the disease every single day.
Despite these confronting numbers, conversations about breast cancer are often avoided, leaving many women to face their fears in silence. A new national campaign from tea brand Tetley in support of Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) aims to change that, by transforming something as simple as a chat over a cup of tea into what could be a life-changing conversation.
To learn more or to donate, visit bcna.org.au. For more information about the campaign, visit tetley.com.au/theuncomfortablecup.
Thanks to Tetleys and the Breast Cancer Network Australia, CW is giving away one Special Kit.
ENTER TO WIN!
To enter, scan the QR code or visit canberradaily.com.au and click on the ‘Entertainment’ tab to ‘Competitions’, find the competition you wish to enter and follow the entry instructions. Entries close 9am Friday 14 November 2025 and winners drawn same day. One entry per person per giveaway. Entrants must be aged 18+. To enter, you must be subscribed to a Canberra Daily newsletter.
COMMUNITY
South Jerrabomberra Town Park Launch
15 NOV
The Village Building Company, in partnership with the QueanbeyanPalerang Regional Council (QPRC), is proud to announce the official opening of the South Jerrabomberra Town Park and Community Centre — an exciting milestone in the growth of this thriving new community. The Launch Event will be held on Saturday 15th November from 10am to 2pm, featuring a ribbon cutting ceremony with local dignitaries present, entertainment, free food stalls, kids’ activities, outdoor games, and giveaways.
South Jerrabomberra Town Park, 1 Carnation Drive, Tralee, Saturday 15 November, 10am – 2pm; southjerra. com.au
COMMUNITY
22
NOV
2025 Korea Day Canberra
Experience Korea in Canberra! Enjoy cultural performances, K-pop, traditional games, Hanbok, photo zone and delicious Korean food stalls. A fun, vibrant and familyfriendly festival celebrating Korean heritage. Everyone is welcome.
Glebe Park, Canberra Saturday 22 November, 11am – 3pm
A proactive approach to men’s mental health
When it comes to men’s mental health, most people think about what to do once things start to fall apart. But looking after your mental health is something that can and should start well before that. Just like your physical health, it’s about what you do every day that keeps you well, not just what you do when you’re struggling. I want to talk through some tips here about how men (and all of us really) can take a more proactive approach to our wellbeing, as it is something worth talking about and looking after.
Keep the basics in check: Sleep, nutrition and movement are the foundation of good mental health. It sounds simple, but it’s where most people start to slip when life gets busy. Late nights, skipped
meals and working through lunch all take a toll on your body and mood. Keeping a regular routine helps you stay balanced and more resilient to stress.
Movement and body image: Exercise is one of the best tools for managing stress and improving mood. But it’s easy for men to get caught up in training for appearance (chasing a certain size, shape or weight goal). Moving your body can just be about feeling better. Do it because it clears your head and boosts your energy, not because you’re trying to change your body. More men than ever are feeling pressure to look a certain way, which can lead to excessive exercise and disordered eating behaviours that often go unnoticed.
Stay connected: One of the biggest risks to men’s mental health is isolation. When life gets full with responsibilities, friendships often fall away. But connection is protective. Make time to see your mates, even briefly. Talk about what’s really going on, not just sport or work.
Talk early: Don’t wait until you’re in crisis to reach out. Talking to your GP, a psychologist, or a trusted
friend can stop stress from building up. You don’t need to have something wrong to look after your mental health. Think of it as maintenance, the same way you’d service your car or go for a check-up.
Caring for yourself to care for others: When you feel rested and emotionally steady, you’re better able to show up for your partner, your kids, your mates, and your work. Looking after yourself isn’t just good for you, it’s good for everyone around you.
If you’re worried about yourself or a man in your life, reach out and check in. Ask how they’re really going and listen without judgment. Encourage them to talk to their GP or MensLine (1300 78 99 78) for support. I also have a new book coming out for men called Embracing You: An Improvement Guide to Body Image and Self-Love (Australian Academic Press).
Taking care of yourself isn’t selfish or weak, it’s smart. Being proactive about your mental health isn’t just about avoiding problems, it’s about making choices every day to prioritise your own health and wellbeing.
When doctors told Ron Prouse he had pancreatic cancer, the 61-year-old Adelaide father-of-eight thought he’d been handed a death sentence.
“I’d heard about this stuff - this is the stuff that you die from,” he says.
“If you’re gonna get a cancer, it’s the one you don’t want.”
Mr Prouse had gone to hospital in 2022 with severe stomach pain that spread through his back. His blood pressure was dangerously high and the pain wouldn’t ease, not even with morphine.
Scans initially suggested pancreatitis, but further tests confirmed something far more serious.
“Within a week, I was in hospital having an operation,” he says.
“It all happened really quickly.”
The procedure, known as a Whipple, is one of the most complex surgeries in the field of
medicine.
Surgeons removed part of Mr Prouse’s pancreas, gall bladder and sections of his upper gastrointestinal tract before reattaching what remained. Only about one in 10 pancreatic cancer patients are eligible for the surgery and even then, the risks are high.
“Sixteen per cent of people don’t make it off the table,” Mr Prouse says.
“I was lucky. A week and a half later, I walked out of hospital.”
He then underwent six months of chemotherapy, a gruelling process that left little time to process what had happened mentally.
“I didn’t have any time to get my head around it,” he said.
“They didn’t really give me choices, they just told me what they were going to do. But there was no question I’d say yes. I wanted to live.”
For most Australians diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, that option never comes.
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The disease is notoriously hard to detect and often advances without symptoms until it’s far too late for surgery.
Dr Mark Buzza, Head of Research, Innovation and Advocacy at the Pancare Foundation, calls it “the silent killer” - a cancer that’s rising fast but still poorly understood.
“It’s often called the silent killer because the symptoms are either very, very vague or often get passed off as other things, such as stress or back pain, or a bit of indigestionand who doesn’t have that?” he says.
Early detection can result in effective surgery, but as the symptoms are so easily dismissed, most patients only get diagnosed when “that ship has sailed”.
“Too many Australians hear the words ‘pancreatic cancer’ for the first time when it’s already advanced,” Dr Buzza says.
“Unlike other common cancers, there’s no national screening program. It’s up to individuals to advocate for their own health.”
Each year, more than 4500 Australians are
diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, but survival rates are a shocking 13 per cent.
By 2030, it’s projected to become the nation’s second leading cause of cancer death.
Dr Buzza says the grim outlook is driven by late detection, low awareness and a lack of research funding.
Australians should be paying close attention to any symptoms and pushing for screening and blood tests when something “feels off or wrong”, he says.
In Mr Prouse’s case, his symptoms could easily have been mistaken for something minor.
“I went in there with stomach cramps, stomach pain, diarrhoea but the pain was horrendous - right across my stomach and deep into my back,” Mr Prouse says.
Doctors later discovered the tumour had blocked his bile duct - one of the few ways pancreatic cancer can make itself known early.
“I got very, very lucky,” he says.
“That blockage made me sick enough to get checked.”
According to Dr Buzza, that kind of luck is rare. Symptoms such as jaundice, itchy skin, dark urine, abdominal or back pain, unexplained weight loss, fatigue or changes in appetite are often dismissed or misdiagnosed.
“People think it’s stress or diet-related,” he says.
“If something feels off, get checked. Early detection gives people the best chance of effective treatment.”
Four years on, Mr Prouse considers himself one of the fortunate few. His cancer markers remain clear, though the aftermath of his surgery means he now lives with type 3c diabetes - a form that develops after injury or surgery.
“I thought I’d dodged it, but eventually what was left of my pancreas couldn’t keep up,” he says.
“Now I’m one of the walking wounded. But it’s manageable - and it’s better than the alternative.”
He’s sharing his story during Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month in the hope others won’t ignore early warning signs.
“I was healthy - running 10km two or three
times a week. I was going to the gym four or five times a week,” he says.
“I didn’t see myself as an old, decrepit person dying of an ‘old person’s cancer’.”
Pancreatic cancer patient Ron Prouse thought his diagnosis was a death sentence.
Adult ADHD
is diagnosed when you are ‘functionally impaired’. But what does that mean?
by DAVID COGHILL
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects around 2.5 per cent of adults and 7 per cent of children. It causes difficulties with attention, impulsivity and hyperactivity.
If unrecognised and untreated, ADHD can significantly impact educational and work achievements, and social and emotional wellbeing. It can also increase the risks of serious accidents and injuries, offending, mental illness and substance abuse.
When accurately identified and appropriately treated, these negative outcomes can be significantly reduced.
But as a recent article in the Medical Journal of Australia highlights,
some people struggle to access and afford diagnoses and treatment the disorder.
Meanwhile, some popular social media channels that provide online “tests” for ADHD are sponsored by private clinics that, once you have screened positive, direct you to their sites for an online assessment. This has raised concern about potential overdiagnosis.
So, what is ADHD diagnosis actually based on? A key component is functional impairment. Let’s take a look at what that means.
Why a brief assessment isn’t enough
In Australia, there are reports of business models where clinics are charging several thousand dollars for a quick, brief online assessment and diagnosis.
These brief assessments don’t comply with evidence-based guidelines and are problematic because they:
• focus solely on ADHD and don’t attempt to assess other aspects of a person’s difficulties
• rely heavily on information from the person being assessed and don’t seek the opinions of significant others
• rely heavily on information about symptoms, gathered through questionnaires, and don’t assess their impact on day-to-day functioning.
This is important because a core requirement for a diagnosis of ADHD is evidence that the: symptoms must interfere significantly with social, academic, or occupational functioning.
No matter how many symptoms you have, if they’re not having an
impact on your day-to-day life, a diagnosis of ADHD shouldn’t be made. So what is a comprehensive assessment?
To make an accurate diagnosis of ADHD, a comprehensive assessment is needed. This includes a clinical interview to evaluate the current and past presence (or absence) of each of the 18 core ADHD symptoms and associated impairment.
While there are scales such as the Weiss Functional Impairment Rating Scale and the World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Schedule that can aid assessment, these are best used as conversation starters rather than stand-alone tools. A comprehensive assessment also includes a broader assessment for current mental and physical health
problems, developmental history, personal and family mental health, substance use, addiction and, where appropriate, interactions with the justice system.
This interview shouldn’t be conducted as a simple tick-box exercise, with yes and no answers. A detailed interview is needed to explore and identify symptoms and evaluate their impact on functioning.
It’s also strongly recommended the clinician hears from one or more people who can speak to the person’s childhood and current functioning. What counts as ‘functional impairment’ is very individual
The diagnostic manuals don’t give detailed accounts of what counts as significant enough impairment to be diagnosed with ADHD.
This has led some commentators to complain that the lack of a standardised definition could lead to overdiagnosis.
But the impacts of ADHD are so broad it would be very difficult to
formulate a clear, comprehensive and encompassing list of valid impairments.
Such a list would also fail to capture the very personalised nature of these impairments. What is impairing for me may not be for you and vice versa.
So a rigid definition would likely result in missed as well as misdiagnoses.
How do clinicians determine if someone is impaired?
Clinicians are very used to assessing the impact of symptoms on functioning. They do so for many other mental and physical health conditions, including depression and anxiety.
Research has identified several common themes in ADHD: impaired romantic, peer and professional relationships, parenting problems, impaired educational and occupational achievements, increased accidents and unintentional injuries, driving offences, broader offending, substance use and abuse, and risky sexual behaviours.
ADHD symptoms are often
associated with: emotional dysregulation, exhausting levels of mental and physical restlessness, low self-esteem, fatigue, and high stress levels.
However, ADHD shouldn’t be ruled out on the basis of high levels of achievement in certain aspects of life like school or work. A person may be under-achieving relative to their potential, or having to put in extreme levels of effort to keep afloat.
An adult with ADHD, for example, may be excelling at work but by the end of the workday is too exhausted to do anything but sleep. They may also be experiencing impairments in other aspects of their lives that aren’t obvious unless specifically asked about.
Others will present multiple impacts that, when explored, aren’t true functional impairments.
So it’s crucial clinicians drill down into the details until they’re confident that it is or isn’t a genuine impairment related to the core ADHD symptoms.
Clinician training is essential The skill of accurately assessing impairments in ADHD is not difficult to train or learn. This is done by observing experienced clinicians and practising with structured protocols.
Newly trained clinicians quickly become confident in assessing impairment and there is generally close agreement between different professionals about whether an ADHD diagnosis should be made.
However, few health professionals currently get high-quality training in ADHD either during their core or more advanced training. This must change if we’re going to improve the accuracy of assessment and reduce missed and misdiagnoses.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license and was written by David Coghill, Financial Markets Foundation Chair of Developmental Mental Health, University of Melbourne.
Retailers ponder quitting ciggies as illegal sales soar
by BEN MCKAY, AAP
Supermarkets are considering a once-unthinkable move to ditch tobacco from their shelves, as the illegal trade makes stocking cigarettes almost unviable.
The immense scale of the loss of legal sales and retailers’ revenue is clear from financial reports issued this season.
Quarterly data posted by Woolworths on Wednesday showed sales down 51 per cent compared with the same three months in 2024, while Coles sold 30 per cent less tobacco across the past financial year.
Sales at wholesalers Metcash are down almost half compared with four years ago, a drop of $1.3 billion that now has tobacco representing just 17 per cent of sales.
Viva Energy, which operates 1000 petrol stations nationwide, revealed this week sales had plunged 12.5 per cent in the last quarter, blaming the latest set of packaging law changes from the federal government.
Those changes include new antismoking messages both inside and outside packets, coupled with excise hikes which now amount to $1.50 per cigarette stick.
Lower sales might be celebrated as a public health success if
it weren’t for the soaring underground cut-price tobacco industry.
The under-the-counter trade accounts for 39 per cent of sales, according to a consultant’s report prepared for the tobacco industry, showing Australians have no qualms in buying cheaper unregulated product.
his liquor store shelves and would next consider doing so from supermarkets.
“We have exited from 25 of our 72 liquor stores ... the sales just don’t warrant it when you’ve got $25,000 (in stock) sitting there and you’ve got $300 in sales a week,” he said.
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Some studies – including in Western Australia – are proving what many anti-smoking advocates are feeling to be the case anecdotally, that cheap cigarettes are producing the first rise in smoking rates in a generation.
Police link the illegal tobacco trade to multinational crime syndicates.
Fred Harrison, the chief executive of the IGA-aligned Ritchies supermarket group – including 82 grocery shops and 72 liquor stores across three states – is witnessing the collapse.
“We’ve seen over the last four years our tobacco sales decline from $300 million; we’re on track this financial year to hit around $60 million,” he said.
“If people have stopped smoking and moved away from tobacco, we’ll wear that on the chin.
“However, we know that smoking is dramatically up ... and it’s all going to the illicit (trade) and it makes me extremely upset.”
Mr Harrison - a 50-year veteran of the industry - said he had begun taking cigarettes off
“We are going to review a number of supermarkets in the new year. There’s probably six to 10 where we’re saying it shouldn’t be part of our offer.
“That’s frustrating when it’s a legal product and you’re sick to death of letting the bad guys win.”
Mr Harrison is savage on the Victorian government for not joining other states to legislate specific anti-illicit tobacco laws which target landlords of illegal tobacco sellers, threatening businesses with closure and fines.
At the Metcash AGM this year, chief executive Doug Jones also lashed “the effectiveness of the various law enforcement initiatives” as “disappointing to say the least”.
IGA stores are also joining the lobbying effort for bigger fines –as NSW and Queensland have legislated – to landlords housing illegal tobacconists.
While Ritchies has begun to phase out tobacco, it’s unclear whether the supermarket duopoly will follow.
In response to questions from AAP, Woolworths said it was yet to do so, while Coles did not respond.
Retailers are reporting a slump in tobacco sales, blaming black market sellers and high taxes. Photo
Rush for home care spots ahead of landmark reforms
by ZAC DE SILVA, AAP
Older Australians have snapped up thousands of extra home care places as they prepare for major reforms to the sector from next month.
Under political pressure from the opposition, Greens and crossbenchers, the federal government announced plans last month to release 20,000 home care places between September and the end of October.
Aged Care Minister Sam Rae said as of Thursday, all 20,000 packages had been allocated.
“These packages are giving
thousands of older Australians and their families the support they need to live at home for longer with dignity and joy,” he said in a statement.
Home care allows older people to get the support they need while living independently in their own dwelling.
The extra places were originally planned to be released in November, but faced with a 200,000-strong queue of older Australians waiting for the care they needed, the federal government agreed to release the spots earlier.
Labor says an extra 63,000 home care packages will be rolled
IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF YOUR PET, NATURALLY
Give your best fur friend the gentle care they deserve.
out by mid-2026.
The figures come as the aged care sector prepares for major reforms to kick in from the start of November, which will require older people to pay more for their own care.
The changes, which will be grandfathered so people already
in care won’t be left worse-off, are aimed at getting the sector on a more even financial keel.
Clinical care like nursing and physio appointments will be covered by the government, but some older Australians will have to pay for other services like showering.
At Happy Healthy Tails, non-invasive techniques such as Emmett, Bowen and Low Intensity laser can support your pet’s recovery and wellbeing.
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Major reforms to aged care will start in November, requiring older people to pay more for care.
Photo: Alan Porritt/AAP Photos
Cool, calm and collected: styling your home for summer
As Canberra eases into its warmest months, the city’s homes start to shift with the season. Heavy throws are packed away, the blinds are drawn open, and long evenings on the patio or balcony start to call. Styling your home for summer in the capital doesn’t have to mean a major makeover. A few simple swaps can make your space feel lighter, fresher and ready for those sun-soaked days ahead. Let in that Canberra light
Summer is the perfect time to make the most of the extra sunlight. Replace heavy curtains with airy sheers or linen panels to invite light and movement into your rooms. If your home faces that strong western sun, consider thermal roller blinds that block heat without losing brightness. A well-placed mirror can help reflect natural light deeper into the room, perfect for apartments or homes in leafy suburbs.
Cool colours and natural textures
Canberra summers can be hot and dry, so think
in terms of cooling tones and breathable fabrics. Swap deep winter shades for lighter palettes such as sage, eucalypt and sand, paired with crisp white or soft grey. Incorporate natural textures like jute, rattan and timber to bring warmth without heaviness. These materials sit beautifully alongside the neutral brick and concrete tones found in many local homes.
Light layers for living
Give your living areas and bedrooms an instant refresh by swapping thick blankets for cotton or linen throws. Change out heavy bedding for crisp sheets in natural fibres that breathe through warm nights. Even small updates, like new cushion covers or lightweight rugs, can make your space feel ready for the season.
Add a touch of greenery
Canberra’s dry heat can make indoor plants work a little harder, so choose varieties that can handle bright but indirect light. Devil’s ivy, rubber plants, and
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peace lilies thrive indoors, while hardy herbs such as basil and rosemary love a sunny kitchen window. Greenery instantly softens modern interiors and helps balance the warmth of the season. Make the most of outdoor living
From Gungahlin courtyards to Woden patios, outdoor living is part of the Canberra lifestyle. Blend your indoor and outdoor spaces with matching cushions, woven furniture, and outdoor rugs. Add string lights or solar lanterns for evening ambience and keep a few lightweight throws on hand for those cooler mountain breezes.
Set the summer mood
Finish with scent and sound. Trade winter candles for fresh citrus, green tea or linen fragrances, and build a playlist that feels relaxed and sunlit, perfect for a Sunday afternoon at home or a slow dinner outside.
Whether you’re living in a modern apartment or a classic red-brick home, styling for summer in Canberra is all about light, flow and comfort. Let the sunshine in, pare things back, and enjoy the calm, easy rhythm of the season ahead.
INNOVATION, QUALITY AND AFFORDABILITY IS ONLY THE START…
Cesana Australia.
Canberra’s leading shower screen and wardrobe supplier.
Providing the highest quality service and solutions.
Better Sleep, Brought to You.
Sleep Electric brings Australia’s leading adjustable beds, recliners, and pressure care mattresses straight to your door. Our free mobile showroom is fully accessible and perfect for those with disability or mobility needs. Try our products safely and comfortably at home — across Canberra, the ACT, Sapphire Coast, Wagga Wagga, Nowra, and surrounds.
Enjoy a personal visit from a sleep specialist who’ll help you find your ideal sleep solution.
Mobile showroom servicing Canberra, the South Coast, and regional areas within a three to four hour radius of the ACT. For more information or to book a free home trial, call Paul directly on 0497 101 714 or visit sleepelectric.com.au.
Quick DIY WIN for Spring ! giveaway
Spring is the ideal time to refresh your home and repair wall imperfections. Gyprock One Patch™ makes DIY projects simple with its lightweight, ready-to-use filler that repairs minor holes, cracks, and surface damage in one coat for a smooth, professional finish.
Suitable for plasterboard, masonry, concrete, and timber, it dries quickly, holds its shape, and resists moisture and mould — perfect for bathrooms and laundries. Made in Australia to AS2588 standards, Gyprock One Patch’s low-VOC formula supports a healthier home.
Available in a 420g pack (RRP $23.45) from Bunnings Warehouse. For more information, visit gyprock.com.au
CW has ten 420g Gyprock One Patches to give away.
ENTER TO WIN!
To enter, scan the QR code or visit canberradaily.com.au and click on the ‘Entertainment’ tab to ‘Competitions’, find the competition you wish to enter and follow the entry instructions. Entries close 9am Friday 14 November 2025 and winners drawn same day. One entry per person per giveaway. Entrants must be aged 18+. To enter, you must be subscribed to a Canberra Daily newsletter.
Concept to Completion — Built by Locals, Trusted by Canberra.
Not an interstate franchise. No fancy ‘lock-you-in, real-price-later’ deals.
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Our family builds every project as its own - no shortcuts, no excuses!
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The kind of quality you can see — from start to finish.
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Space and comfort in Calwell
Calwell, 53 Martley Circuit
Set in a peaceful pocket of Calwell, this beautifully maintained home delivers space, comfort and flexibility for the modern family. With its elevated position and generous block, it offers a lifestyle that feels both relaxed and connected.
At the heart of the home lies the open-plan kitchen, family and meals area, a light-filled space that flows seamlessly to the outdoors. From the large covered entertaining area to the smaller side deck, there’s no shortage of spots to host friends and family or simply unwind while enjoying the fresh air.
Inside, two separate living zones provide the freedom to gather or retreat, while the well-appointed kitchen, with ample storage and bench space, caters to busy family life. Each bedroom is comfortably sized, and the master suite features its own ensuite and built-in robe.
With excellent presentation throughout, this home is truly move-in ready. The location adds to its appeal, just minutes from local schools, Calwell Shopping Centre, and sporting facilities, with easy access to the Monaro Highway for city commuters.
Spacious, inviting and designed for family living, this Calwell gem offers the perfect balance of comfort, convenience and charm.
5 2 2 EER 2.5
Auction On-site Saturday 8 November, 11am
Price Buyer feedback has been $1,100,000+
View As advertised and by appointment Agent Gillian Thorn Mob 0416 017 072
Blackshaw Manuka 6295 2433
Find your new home at The Borough Ready to move in.
1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments available in the heart of Denman Prospect, each with spacious floorplan and custom Flexi-Space design. Visit our display apartments at
1 Carden Street, Denman Prospect.
For more information, call LJ Hooker on 0417 668 668.
Built
North Facing 3 Bedroom Home
It’s more than a home, it’s a community
The Grange is in the heart of Deakin, just 300m from shops and close to medical services. Enjoy refined, independent living in your own private home, with 24-hour onsite staff for peace of mind.
Be part of a warm and spirited community where every day is yours to enjoy as you choose — from dining out in the Dining Room to social events, fitness classes, and swims in the indoor pool. Stroll nearby walking tracks or explore Canberra’s cultural gems, all just moments away. Call Michaela Howard on 0447 695 380 to book a tour.
This North facing light and spacious three-bedroom home includes:
• Modern kitchen with granite benchtop, stainless steel appliances including dishwasher
• Large open plan lounge and dining opening onto a covered outdoor area
• Bathroom with separate toilet
• Good sized internal laundry with dryer
• Ample storage
• New paint and flooring
• Staff on-site at all times in case of an emergency
Call 0447 695 380 to find out more www.thegrangedeakin.com.au
Truly one-of-a-kind from Wollongong to Narooma, this architect-designed 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom residence sits on 2.6 acres of north-east facing landscaped waterfront, overlooking Coila Lake and the Pacific Ocean.
Wake to uninterrupted water views in the master suite, and enjoy serene Japanese-inspired gardens that wrap the home in privacy. Expansive floor-to-ceiling windows, cathedral ceilings, and cross-ventilation fill the interior with light and coastal breezes. The large kitchen with butler’s pantry, open living areas, and kids’ games room offer ideal family living and entertaining. Practical features include a double garage, 3-bay shed, ample room for boats or trailers, 6.5kW solar system, 110,000L rainwater storage, and full Starlink connectivity. Whether a growing family or active couple, this home combines modern living, self-sufficiency, and coastal serenity. Truly, every day feels like a holiday.
Contact Megan for a private inspection—properties of this calibre are rarely offered.
Waterfront Coastal Sanctuary!
42 Skipjack Reach TUROSS HEAD NSW 4 bed 3 bath 5 car
Trades & Services Guide
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ALL-TILE REGROUTING
LOCAL TILING ACT
environment, energy and water, said.
The lake, like many Canberra waterways, was under pressure from nutrient pollutants — fallen leaves, fertiliser, grass clippings and soil — that wash into stormwater drains from gardens and driveways.
The Healthy Waterways Program has built wetlands and upgraded stormwater systems to stop nutrient pollution from the stormwater system entering the lake. However, Ms Orr said:
Proposals in the consultation requiring community action include reducing fertiliser use in gardens; storm water recycling at sports fields; and increased street sweeping.
Community consultation is open now until Friday 12 December. For more information and to have your say, visit yoursayconversations.act. gov.au
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Mammograms can save your life
As October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month recently ended, Canberrans are urged not to ‘ghost’ their breast screenings.
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Sometimes in today’s modern world we can forget the beauty in artisanal craftsmanship. Get in touch to start your dream project today.
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Breast cancer is the most common cancer for women, and the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in Australia, according to the Breast Cancer Network Australia and Cancer Australia. Women have a 1 in 7 risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer, and men 1 in 556. 20,336 new cases were diagnosed this year — or 58 people every day.
But a 20-minute mammogram can detect the cancer early and save someone’s life.
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Email: Bantoniak051@gmail.com | 0417 092 760
news briefs
Consultation opens for cleaner Lake Tuggeranong
The ACT Government is seeking community feedback on proposals to improve the water quality of Lake Tuggeranong as part of a 10year plan to keep the lake free of harmful bluegreen algal blooms.
“The community will be invited to have their say on how the lake’s conditions affect them, how implementing these options will impact them, and to help identify the best ways to support residents to adopt practical solutions,” Suzanne Orr MLA, minister for climate change,
Breastscreen ACT recommends that women aged 50 to 74 have a mammogram screening every two years, as 80 per cent of breast cancers occur over the age of 50. People aged 40–49 or over 70 can also have free screenings.
“Regular mammograms help detect cancers when they are small,” health minister Rachel Stephen-Smith MLA said. “The earlier a cancer is detected, the better the outcome is likely to be.
“Since the breast screen program began more than 30 years ago, deaths from breast cancer have been reduced dramatically.
“We know that booking your first mammogram can be a bit scary, but it’s quick, it’s free, and –while it may be a bit uncomfortable – it will be over before you know it.”
To book a free mammogram, call 13 20 50 between 8.30am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, or visit the BreastScreen ACT website.
www.michellerichardshearing.com.au
Local care. Expert solutions.
If you’re experiencing hearing di culties or simply want to stay on top of your hearing health, Michelle Richards Hearing o ers the trusted, personalised care you’ve been looking for — right here in Canberra.
Proudly independent and locally owned, Michelle Richards Hearing is not part of a chain or franchise. That means you receive genuine advice, no sales pressure, just hearing solutions tailored to your unique lifestyle and needs.
Michelle Richards, a highly experienced Audiometrist with over 20 years of clinical expertise in adult hearing rehabilitation, is passionate about supporting people of all ages to live better through better hearing.
Michelle stays at the forefront of audiological innovation, o ering the latest hearing aid technology including discreet, rechargeable, and AI-powered options.
Whether you need a comprehensive hearing assessment, tinnitus support, hearing protection, or hearing aids, Michelle delivers expert care with a warm, community-focused approach.
Conveniently located in Dickson, Michelle Richards Hearing welcomes private, pension, DVA and Hearing Services Program (HSP) clients. Home visits are also available for those who are unable to travel.
