Canberra CityNews October 25

election 2012: MICHAEL MOORE and where power swings in the balance OCTOBER 25, 2012

TRUE CONFESSIONS What’s to like about Canberra?

LANCE EMERSON

Parenting, the new public health issue LAURA EDWARDS

WIN

Zissler sleeps rough

Tickets to Elton John Tickets to‘Voices in the Forest’ ‘Howzat! Packer’s War’ DVDS

CEDRIC BRYANT

The fragrance of citrus flowers SOCIALS

190 familiar faces

www.kazarslaven.com.au

citynews.com.au

Dates, mates, meets greets

&

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CityNews October 25-31 3

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news

Fess up: what do you like about Canberra?

Laura Edwards reports

AS the ACT election draws to a close, locals are being urged to cast another vote – to nominate their favourite thing about living The “Like Canberra” logo... “It will be impossible to build significant pride in Canberra throughout in Canberra.

The search has begun for the top 100 reasons why people like living in Canberra, as part of the Canberra Centenary community engagement campaign, “Like Canberra”.

Executive director of the Centenary of Canberra, Jeremy Lasek, says the campaign aims to instil and build local pride ahead of next year’s Centenary.

“Our aim is to get Canberrans talking about what a great city they share and to help us put together a big list of the things we enjoy most about living here,” he says.

“It could be the spectacular Canberra colours in autumn, a walk around the lake, a picnic at the Cotter or grabbing a coffee at Manuka – the options are almost endless.

“It will be impossible to build significant pride in Canberra throughout the rest of the nation, until we feel that sense of pride ourselves first.”

The campaign will use the Facebook “like” symbol in its advertisements, which will be

the rest of the nation, until we feel that sense of pride ourselves first,” says Jeremy Lasek.

plastered across ACTION buses, newspapers, flags and websites.

“This is purely local, and it’s a significant campaign – a big conversation,” Lasek says.

“I’d be surprised if we’ve ever tried to engage as many Canberrans in a campaign, as this one will.”

Nominations will be accepted online, via Facebook or on Twitter via the hashtag #likecanberra until the end of the year.

The nominations will then be grouped and distributed for a big, city-wide vote in January with the aim to find the 100 most special things about life in Canberra.

The top 100 will be announced in March, Canberra’s 100th birthday month.

To nominate what you like most about life in Canberra vote on www.canberra100/likecanberra, on Facebook, or Twitter #likecanberra.

index / contacts Arts&Entertainment 26-27 Canberra Confidential 23 Cartoon 10 Cinema 26 Dining 27 Election 2012 12-13 Gardening 29-31 Home 32 Horoscope 33 Letters 10 News 5-16 Puzzles 33 Social Scene 19-22 Cover: Amanda Whitely, Jenny Bibo and Brett Bennett.

Story Page 9.

Photo by Silas Brown

Since 1993: Volume 18, Number 40

Editor: Ian Meikle, editor@citynews.com.au Journalists: Laura Edwards, laura@citynews.com.au Libby Hill, libby@citynews.com.au Kathryn Vukovljak, kathryn@citynews.com.au Arts editor: Helen Musa, 0400 043764 Chief executive officer: Greg Jones helen@citynews.com.au 0419 418196, greg@citynews.com.au Design and photography: Senior advertising executive: Silas Brown, 0412 718086 Ernie Nichols, 0421 077999 Graphic designer: Leonie Fox Advertising sales executives: Contributing photographer: Andrew Finch Rebecca Darman 0411 225169 Sara Poguet, 0415 706758 Accounts manager: Bethany Freeman-Chandler Advertising sales co-ordinator: accounts@citynews.com.au ad@citynews.com.au Distribution and circulation: Sydney advertising sales: Richard Watson, circulation@citynews.com.au Ad Sales Connect, 02 9420 1777

Phone 6262 9100 Fax 6262 9111 GPO Box 2448, Canberra City 2601 www.citynews.com.au twitter.com/city_news facebook.com/canberracitynews

Responsibility for election comment is taken by Ian Meikle, Level 1, 143 London Circuit, Canberra.

CityNews October 25-31 5

news

Mike turns bum in extreme CEO sleepout Laura Edwards reports

HE’D taken part in CEO sleepouts before, but nothing could quite prepare head of Lifeline Canberra Mike Zissler for the “real” experience of life on the streets.

“The [Vinnies] CEO sleepout is a great cause, but at the end of the day you’re surrounded by colleagues, you’ve got shelter, minders, and there’s tea and coffee,” he says.

“When you’re homeless, you’re on your own, you’re fending for yourself – you’ve got nothing.”

Stripped of his cash, phone and wallet, Mike spent almost 24 hours homeless, sleeping alone under a bridge, in deep winter, as part of a social experiment for one of three short films shot by award-winning Melbourne filmmakers Mike Hill and Sue Collins.

Each film is designed to expose the reality of homelessness in Canberra and raise awareness and support for Common Ground Canberra, a new housing project.

With around 70 people sleeping rough every night in Canberra, Common Ground proposes to build up to 80 units for a mix of people who are chronically homeless or on low incomes.

Specialists in mental health, social work and employment support would be on hand to help residents.

Common Ground housing has already been established in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney and is being developed in Tasmania and Brisbane.

Director of Common Ground, Diane Kargas, says while the Territory Government has acknowledged the model is a good idea, the main hurdle is obtaining capital funding.

“There are currently no homeless shelters in Canberra for men in particular,” she says.

“We’ve just gone through winter, and one of the coldest winters we’ve had in a long time. With organisations like Vinnies, the Smith Family and the Salvos – all they can give, if they’ve got it, is warm clothes and a sleeping bag.

And just seeing people having to leave

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Lifeline CEO Mike Zissler safely back in his suit (photo by Silas Brown) and the winter night he was sleeping rough... “I was given a sleeping bag and had to find a safe place to sleep, and woke up the next day after sleeping really poorly – cold, sore, in pain.” with just a sleeping bag is just heartbreaking.

“We want to get people into accommodation, and then find out what their needs are. We help them build self esteem, get their cooking skills up, get their health and hygiene right, help them try and find employment.

“We are hoping the Government will make a commitment to fund this model, and we are hoping people will watch these films and get behind this.”

Mike says he jumped at the chance to help promote Common Ground, swapping his suit for clothing from Vinnies.

Left to fend for himself, he went through the process everyone must go through when they find themselves homeless.

“It was hard from the start – I was told there would be no room in any of the refuges, for at least two nights,” he says.

“I was given a sleeping bag and had to find a safe place to sleep, and woke up the next day after sleeping

Director of Common Ground, Diane Kargas... “There are currently no homeless shelters in Canberra for men in particular.”

really poorly – cold, sore, in pain. And I thought, ‘well that’s ok, it’s another day’. But if you did that every night, it would erode your capacity to do things. It’s just so hard.

“I think if you arrived on the streets sleeping rough, and you didn’t have a mental health problem, you might after a couple of weeks. You don’t have simple things, like water or somewhere to go to the toilet. There’s a dignity thing, there’s a risk thing. People get beaten up just for being homeless.”

Mike believes it can be easy for the homeless to lose their sense of self.

“We are what we wear, where we work, where you see yourself,” he says.

“If you don’t do that, you lose all sense of identity. The homeless people I met were known not by their names, but by their nicknames. They don’t say, ‘I’m Mike Zissler’, because they no longer relate to a person.”

Some of the people Mike met had been homeless for up to 22 years.

“Here at Lifeline we get calls from people who have been homeless for just two months, who are suicidal – they just have nothing, and they come from all backgrounds, it can happen to anyone,” he says.

“To have something like Common Ground is really important. This is a way forward, it’s a long-term sustain-

able solution. I think the Government and decision makers have got to realise a serious intent really works.

We need to change the rules around homelessness.”

Mike believes it’s become easy for people to turn away from the pain around them.

“They’ll walk around the homeless person, avoid them, they’ll cross the road rather than look them in the eye,” he says.

“But the problem is here, right in front of them.”

He recalls one night where this became startlingly clear.

“On the night I was homeless, there was something going on at the Canberra Theatre, lights on, people having a good time,” he says.

“Meanwhile, there were people sleeping rough just metres away. It was a cold night, and I was sure those people who were doing the walk to their cars from the theatre were saying, ‘gee it’s cold, won’t it be nice to get home’.”

More information on the Common Ground model at http://commongroundcanberra.ning.com/

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cover story

Dates, mates, meetings and greetings WHILE she was on maternity leave, Amanda Whitley had begun to feel “isolated”. Jenny Bibo was new to Canberra and wanted to meet people in a relaxed way. And for Brett Bennett, it was all about looking for someone outside the realm of noisy nightclubs and “awkward” set-ups.

They are part of a new wave of Canberrans who have joined or formed networking groups with the aim of meeting like-minded people to connect with.

An internet search reveals a long and varied list of local “meet-up” groups that have cropped up in recent years; anywhere from coffee catch-ups, to movie lovers, to art clubs. People can be seeking romance or simply companionship in a city that’s new to them.

For Brett, navigating his way through bustling bars to find someone he connected with was becoming a bit like “finding a needle in a haystack”.

“I don’t drink, so I found my values were very different to the people who go to the common social spots, so it was tough,” he says.

After moving to Canberra last year, Brett joined fitness group “fit2date”, which was created by Sydneysider Erica French five years ago and launched in Canberra in 2010.

The idea behind it is to gather “fit singles” for regular training sessions in a natural, friendly environment.

So far “fit2date” has been responsi-

All the lonely people, where do they all belong? Well, unlike Eleanor Rigby, these days they’re out there networking in Canberra in a multitude of new ways, as LAURA EDWARDS discovers ble for 13 marriages – including Erica herself – and “countless, long-lasting friendships”.

“It’s not just about romance, but really just a fun environment where you can meet people with the same interests as you. It’s refreshing to have that, to feel a part of something,” Erica says.

And there’s been a great response from Canberra residents according to Erica: “They’re ‘work hard, play hard’ kind of people.”

Brett admits he’s been on a few dates and has struck up a “lot of friendships” from “fit2date”, and he’s now a trainer for the Canberra sessions.

“The atmosphere is great because we’ve already got that similarity with our love of fitness, so there’s a closeness there,” he says.

Belconnen resident Jenny started the Canberra model of franchise “A Table for Six” in February this year after realising there was “something missing” for singles in Canberra at the time.

“There was a gap, something missing as a way to meet people in Canberra in a relaxed environment,” she says.

Since then, “A Table for Six” has become a popular weekly event where

singles can meet over dinner or a drink.

Jenny believes Canberra can get lonely for some people as “a lot of residents have come here from elsewhere, so they don’t have years of growing up and that history of building social structure.”

She liked that “A Table for Six” took the pressure of “matchmaking” away by offering a more relaxed environment.

“Chatting over dinner is a nice way to get to know people without making any premeditated judgements from a website,” she says.

“Canberra has so many great restaurants, so it’s a good place to do this sort of thing.”

But getting “out and about” can be difficult at times, as mum of two Amanda discovered.

While she was on maternity leave, she longed to build networks with busy mums like herself.

“I was getting frustrated with the lack of information on places to go in Canberra – I remember googling kidfriendly places in Canberra and found nothing,” she says.

Amanda launched women’s website

Amanda Whitley, Brett Bennett and Jenny Bibo... part of a new wave of Canberrans who have joined or formed networking groups with the aim of meeting likeminded people to connect with.

Photo by Silas Brown “HerCanberra” in January last year, and recently created an events register on the site which has monthly get togethers – anywhere from fitness classes to learning how to cook nutritious food.

“The thing is, I wanted my site to be a supportive place. When you do become a mum you don’t know how competitive motherhood can be,” she says.

“It can be incredibly lonely, as it’s just you and a baby at home. That’s when I discovered how online can

facilitate those connections and it’s an easy way to connect, especially when you’re a mother stuck at home.

“It’s been really successful – I’m glad to have given people the opportunity to interact online and now in real life, too. It’s about getting people to discover things about their city and also strike up those friendships you really need.”

More information at: atableforsix. com.au; fit2date.com; hercanberra.com. au/; meetup.com/cities/au/canberra/

CityNews October 25-31 9

opinion

dose of dorin

Let’s all ‘grow up’!

THE Centenary is around the corner and Canberra is flourishing.

There are now more than 373,000 of us, with the ACT Government predicting around 28 per cent growth over the next quarter century. As one of the fastest expanding States or Territories, catering to the needs of our increasing population is a critical issue.

According to urbanist Ricky Burdett, population growth is the greatest challenge of the next 25 years for cities across the world. Speaking at the recent Property Council “Growth Summit” in Melbourne, Burdett urged Australians to embrace urban density. Traditional suburban planning, he says, can only result in greater social inequality and ignores the opportunities that density has to offer.

“Density… promotes intellectual exchange and economic activity, and environmentally it is a no-brainer,” he says.

Burdett made comments pertinent to our preoccupation with suburban housing, noting that “the level of sprawl, car dependency and dispersion in the Australian city is significant and… there seems to be far more to do to deal with these profound behavioural and structural challenges”.

Mind you, given this is his first time

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Helping Pegasus

Catherine Carter property

in the country, maybe he doesn’t fully appreciate our cultural attachment to the suburban “Australian dream”.

But Burdett did shine the streetlight on important issues – people in new suburbs do deserve the best access to healthcare, education and community services and such services are not always provided on time.

In Canberra, we can “grow up” with the same quality results we have achieved in “growing out”.

High-rise and terrace-style, mixeduse development in combination with Canberra’s unique suburban experience will enhance what is already a beautiful city. Combining medium and high-density living with vibrant parks and public spaces, cultural institutions and an effective public transport system would embrace a growing population offering a range of lifestyle choices.

As we approach our 100th birthday it’s time to grow up – we can plan and deliver a future capital that sets the standard for Australian sub and central urbanism.

Catherine Carter is ACT executive director of the Property Council of Australia

briefly

letters Not so genuine

for the Greens is a vote for Labor will also come to pass and that the current government will survive despite the MICHAEL Moore writes (CN, October 11) electorate showing a wish for renewal and that the current US contest is a “genuine regeneration. There is an outside chance presidential election”. that the Greens might recognise this fact In fact, Americans no more vote for a and co-operate with Zed Seselja to form a presidential candidate than we vote for a working government despite not having chief minister. Americans vote for members Cabinet representation. of the Electoral College, who choose the If Labor was to concentrate on cost-ofPresident. The college was a mechanism living issues, along with good economic to ensure (in the 1780s) that political management, and the Greens move from power stayed in the patrician hands of the idealism to supporting good environmental Northern merchants and the Southern practice within a solid economic frameplantation owners. work, I might consider returning to the fold Today, of course, it is a political conduit that so many others have apparently left. for party nominees.

I also hope that “The Canberra Times”

Stephen Brown, Forrest might review the biased way it reports polling and electioneering and am pleased that my radio interview on the day preceding the election with your correspondent, Mark Parton, turned out to be accurate as were IT appears, from the ACT election results my comments on the preceding speaker, to date, that my views on the Labor/Green “Canberra Times” journalist Noel Towell, government and the mood of the electorwhere I said I had a “jaundiced view” in ate have been corroborated. relation to his reporting of the election.

Ric Hingee, Duffy I also suspect that my view that a vote

Election view vindicated

ROTARY Club of Canberra City’s president Patricia McDonell presents $6000 to Pegasus representative Richard Lucas. The cheque was the proceeds of the club’s Autumn Antique Fair. Pegasus is a not-for-profit community organisation that provides equestrian activities for people with disabilities. The club’s next fair will be at Albert Hall in March.

Fête to Paris One of the largest public school fêtes in the ACT, Telopea Park School’s La Grande Fête will be held from 2.30pm to 7pm on Saturday, November 3. The school’s Raffle Extraordinaire features a prize pool of 39 prizes worth more than $22,000, including first prize of two return airfares to Paris. All proceeds go towards projects that directly benefit students. More information at telopeapnc.org.au/

Zonta’s invitation ZONTA Clubs of Canberra invite the public to attend the presentation of local Fellowship recipients and learn about Zonta’s programs advancing the status of women worldwide at a dinner at the Waldorf Hotel, London Circuit, Civic, on Wednesday, November 7. Tickets are $65 for three courses with wine and coffee/ tea. Bookings to mperdriau@hotmail.com or call 6258 3449.

election 2012

Growing from a slap in the face Failing at an election is a slap in the face for candidates who have worked their guts out for months, says MARK PARTON. He should know, he was one once...

OF the 74 candidates contesting the election, 17 were successful, but 57 missed out and were rejected by the electorate.

Missing out is a slap in the face for those who have worked their guts out for weeks and in many cases months and even years to win support.

You’ve worn out shoes door knocking; survived on five hours sleep a night; spent so much time raising money; spent your own money, all in the belief you could win a seat in the three-ring circus on London Circuit and make a difference.

When you don’t make the cut, how do you deal with it ?

As an independent candidate for Ginninderra, on election night in 2008, I was quietly celebrating with supporters at home till around 8 o’clock. At that stage, the Elections ACT website and various media outlets suggested that I was a serious chance of winning a seat.

I hightailed it to the tally room in Reid to get close to the action.

I can distinctly remember being approached by veteran political commentator Malcolm Mackerras on the floor of the tally room. Malcolm had declared in radio interviews during that week that I had no chance of winning a seat. At about 9pm, as I edged further and further in front of Vicki Dunne and Mary Porter, he declared to

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me: “You’re in the Assembly, Mark!”

He was wrong and it became apparent later that night that I would just fail.

How did I deal with it?

I got very, very drunk. I’m not a big drinker, so it didn’t take much for me to achieve that. I got a cab home at around 3am and I can remember getting a call from “The Canberra Times” six hours later. They wanted to come around and conduct an interview. When? Right now!

I got the journalist to “hang on for a moment” while I threw up and suggested that they give me half an hour. I can remember being so unsteady on my feet that I couldn’t stand up for long enough to have a shower.

When the hangover subsided, I was able to get the experience into its context.

It’s a brave and courageous thing for anyone to stand for public office. Every beaten candidate should be proud of every single primary vote they achieved. Everyone who stands as a candidate at this level grows from the experience. There is no shame in defeat.

Ros Dundas, the former Democrat MLA and now head of the ACT Council of Social Service, chimed in on twitter on this topic late last week. Her advice was: “There are many ways to be engaged with the community outside the Assembly.

Follow your passion… but have a holiday first.”

Where power swings in the balance With the usual uncertain outcome in the ACT election, there is a struggle for the high moral ground about who has the right to govern, says MICHAEL MOORE ON the day after the election with around 83 per cent of the votes counted, the Canberra Liberals had won the largest number of seats, but the Labor Party had the highest number of firstpreference votes.

For yet another ACT election, it comes down to who wins the balance of power. Even with a first-preference swing of 4.9 per cent against the Greens, they are still likely to decide government – unless the Motorist Party’s Chic Henry unseats Greens convener, Meredith Hunter, in the electorate of Ginninderra.

Zed Seselja has managed a significant swing of 7.1 per cent in favour of the Liberals and has already argued that the conservatives, as the party with the highest number of seats in the Assembly, have earned the right to govern. A neat argument with just one problem: it is not consistent with the Westminster system of government nor with the ACT Self-Government Act, which is effectively the ACT Constitution.

Katy Gallagher has responded using the argument that, with the highest number of votes of any party in the election, the Labor Party has the moral right to claim victory. Both

leaders have been wise enough to leave these as informal comments instead of trying to claim victory on an election night that saw a swing in favour of both parties.

The significant swing against the Greens will most likely halve their numbers in the Assembly leaving them with just two members. However, the swing against them was not enough to allow such a significant swing for the Canberra Liberals and the small swing in favour of Labor.

The reality is that most of the swing came from the non-sitting parties. In the 2008 election there was a strong showing by candidates such as 2CC radio announcer Mark Parton and former Queanbeyan Mayor Frank Pangallo. It was only Chic Henry, for the Motorist Party, in Ginninderra and across-the-board support for the Bullet Train for Canberra Party (4 per cent) that really picked up a proportion of these other votes. Otherwise, there was a significant swing away from these non-sitting minor parties and candidates that allowed the major parties to both increase their firstpreference vote.

Following the election of the Speaker at the first meeting of the ACT Assem-

Election night... Chief Minister Katy Gallagher and Opposition Leader Zed Seselja address their respective party faithful.

Photos by Silas Brown bly, elected members will vote on who will be Chief Minister. The member who has the most votes in the Assembly will become the Chief Minister and will appoint the government ministers.

It is not a question of who won most of the first-preference votes any more than which party won more seats than another party. Under Westminster, the Prime Minister, Premier, First Minister or Chief Minister is the elected member who can command a majority of the votes in the Parliament.

The most likely outcome is that the vote of the Greens will determine the final outcome of the party that goes into government. The Greens have worked well with Labor since the 2008 election and are likely to support them in government again. Their dif-

ferences with the Canberra Liberals seem to me to be an obstacle that is too difficult for them to surmount to have meaningful negotiations with Seselja and his team. Another reason the Greens will not be able to support the Liberals is that the Greens support a more equitable system of taxation – the very antithesis of the “triple your rates campaign” of the conservatives.

On the other hand, Gallagher has not taken the Greens for granted and is likely to conduct a sensible negotiation. She will not only want a guarantee of support should a motion of no-confidence be put by the Liberals, but a general commitment to the major goals of the Labor Party. In return, the Greens will expect sensible support for the sorts of policies that they have

put to the electorate. The Greens’ policies at this election were well beyond the “aspirational”. They were costed and the costs analysed by Treasury.

As such, negotiations should be on a firm and practical footing.

It remains unclear as to how the preferences will fall with regard to the Greens in Molonglo, but they will win one seat. It is also possible that Labor will win an eighth seat or Chic Henry will unseat Meredith Hunter to support a Canberra Liberal government.

However, it is looking most likely that Katy Gallagher will be able to form government with the support of the Greens.

Michael Moore is a former independent member of the ACT Legislative Assembly and minister for health.

CityNews October 25-31 13

The Majura Park Medical Centre

New medical centre to aid airport A NEW medical centre is set to open in the New Year for the thousands of people who work and shop in the airport precinct.

The Majura Park Medical Centre will house general practitioners, regional training providers, physiotherapy and pathology.

Canberra Airport’s Richard Snow says there are currently about 10,000 workers in the airport precinct,

but the medical centre would also service North Canberra and the Defence precinct at Russell.

“There are a significant amount of people who will benefit from this,” Richard says.

A medical centre has been a part of the plan for Majura Park for “a long period of time” and Richard has been actively targeting complementary health professionals.

“We are now actively seeking other medical specialists such as a dentist, psychologist, imaging

and radiologist to complete the mixed-used medical practice, which is currently under construction and scheduled to open in January,” he says.

Since 2006, Majura Park has continued to establish itself as a major mixed-use destination with commercial and retail spaces.

“We are constantly trying to provide all the amenity of a town centre at Majura Park to help people who work at the airport have those services at their doorstep,” he says.

Full range of GP services WORKERS in the airport precinct will have access to a full range of GP services at the Airport General Practice says general manager Paul Hartigan.

Paul says it will be quite a large practice by Canberra standards, with seven consultation rooms and will be managed by Dr Tuck Meng Soo, who is currently the principal of the Interchange General Practice in the city.

“He would be familiar to many Canberrans as he’s one of Canberra’s best and is very well known within the medical profession,” says Paul.

The Airport General Practice will have a focus on being nonjudgemental and giving patients the time they need.

“There is a large office population in the airport precinct and we’ll be

and alcohol dependency.

The construction of the new medical centre is underway after some careful planning to avoid common problems with shared medical facilities such as sound leakage.

Paul says each consultation room is being built like a cocoon to minimise noise leakage.

Paul, who is also the general manager of Interchange General Practice in the city, says they treat a lot of patients there who don’t live in the area, but there because it’s close to work.

“We expect the airport will be the same and we’ll treat a lot of workers that live elsewhere,” he says.

Dr Tuck Meng Soo... one of “A lot of office workers and Canberra’s best and well known shoppers at the airport will find it within the medical profession. very convenient. trying to help people with the kinds of “The integrated medical centre pressures that come with those highly will have physiotherapy, pathology stressful jobs,” Paul says, adding that and dentistry, which amounts to a Dr Soo is a specialist in treating drug genuine one-stop shop.”

Pathology with personal touch CAPITAL Pathology has been a part of the Canberra medical community for more than 40 years, and is set to expand with a new collection centre at Majura Park.

The Majura Park collection centre will offer a full range of pathology services for patients and doctors, and will complement the other 28 collection facilities around Canberra and the region, including Queanbeyan, Cooma, Jindabyne, Goulburn and the south coast.

“Most of our centres offer appointments and many are open extended hours,” a spokesperson for Capital Pathology said.

“In these days of automation and fast movement, it is often the personal touch that may be forgotten.

“All our staff embrace our motto, ‘We take it personally’, a reminder to us all not to forget that behind every pathology specimen there is a person 14 CityNews October 25-31

Physiotherapist Louise Steinman... “Canberra is such a lovely place to be outside and be active, and physios are the best people to get people back on track and staying active.”

Physio offers customised care The Capital Pathology team... “Behind every pathology specimen there is a person expecting, and deserving, prompt, efficient and professional service.” expecting, and deserving, prompt, efficient and professional service.

“This means that our patients, members of the community and health professionals can be assured Capital Pathology takes the services we provide personally, and will always do our very best to provide exemplary service of the highest quality.”

Capital Pathology is led by Dr Ian Clark and his team of nine specialist pathologists, and employs more than 300 local staff including scientists, collection staff, courier drivers and administration staff.

Testing is performed in a laboratory in Deakin and there are regional laboratories in both Bega and Goulburn.

PHYSIOTHERAPIST Louise Steinman will open Ascent Physiotherapy Sports and Lifestyle Clinic and says she has been looking at Majura Park for years.

“We were waiting for this opportunity... It’s a central hub for Canberra,” Louise says. “For me, it provides a great opportunity to service an area that’s not being serviced at the moment.”

As a working mum, Louise says she understands how busy people are and believes the new medical centre will be convenient for a range of people.

“There are something like 20,000 cars that drive past the area every

day and there is a large amount of retail there as well now so people can combine activities,” she says.

Ascent Physiotherapy Sports and Lifestyle Clinic will focus on providing customised care to keep people active for life and helping people live, play and work.

“With our goal being full functional recovery: both restoring movement and function for the long term and to prevent injuries recurring, or occurring in the first place.

The practice will offer: a clinical Pilates studio staffed by experienced physiotherapists, personalised rehabilitation and recovery gym programs, work fit and gym conditioning for workplace injuries and occupational health matters, whole-body vibration, dry needling,

equestrian sports and rehab with rider posture assessment and correction and customised physiotherapy assessments and treatments.

Louise has been a physiotherapist for more than 20 years and a sports physio for more than 12 years. She has a practice in Bungendore and has worked all across Canberra for many years.

“Canberra is such a lovely place to be outside and be active, and physios are the best people to get people back on track and staying active,” she says.

Louise has been through about 10 orthopedic surgeries herself so she understands the work involved in recovering from surgery or injury.

“We want to help people achieve the height of their health,” she says.

/ advertising feature

precinct workers and shoppers

Artist’s impression of the new Majura Park Medical Centre.

CityNews October 25-31 15

news / children

Parenting, the modern public health issue DR LANCE EMERSON, CEO, Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth, gave the Save The Children Annual Address in Canberra recently. In this edited section from his speech, he looks at the complex job of parenting...

I

16 CityNews October 25-31

T’S the specific behaviours that occur in the home that are the single most important determinant of a child’s health and wellbeing.

That’s why I think parenting is a public health issue; it’s the modern day equivalent of safe drinking water.

We know parenting has this major influence, however it remains the elephant in the room when it comes to child wellbeing. But I think it’s time that the private business of parenting demanded public attention – parents, I think, want to do their best, and are sick and tired of feeling stressed and guilty, children are saying they want things changed – what sort of game changers are needed to address the situation?

The starting point, I think, is to properly understand parenting in Australia. The funny thing is, for the most important determinant of a child’s wellbeing in Australia, we lack a national parenting dataset. That said, we do have some good indicators: Reading to children is a great measure of not only future literacy skills but also parent – child attachment – we know that in the most disadvantaged families, around 40-50 per cent of children are not read to at all, compared with only 15-20 per cent of children from the most advantaged families.

Similarly, talking with children from a very early age is critical to their development.

The brain develops through use. But we know that in disadvantaged families, children hear around 600 words per hour. Whereas in those advantaged families, children hear around 2000 words per hour.

This means that by the age of four, a child from a poorer family could have heard 32 million words fewer than their classmates, placing them at a distinct disadvantage at kindergarten.

Shared mealtimes is another good indicator – there is good evidence to show that young people who have regular family meals report better grades in school, are more motivated at school, and get along better with others.

On the other hand, those who do not eat regular family meals together are more likely to smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, use other drugs and are more likely to report feeling depressed or having trouble at school.

In Australia, around 71 per cent of students aged 15 years and 65 per cent of indigenous Australian students aged 15 years reported eating the main meal of the day with parents more than once a week. So this means that around 30 per cent of children aged 15 in Australia only eat meals with their parents once a week or less.

So, assuming you can find the time – when we look at stats on parents spending time “just talking” to their adolescent children, we know that around 50 per cent of students aged 15 years and 52 per cent of indigenous Australian students say that their parents spend time just talking with them about things that are important to them.

So this means around half of all 15-year-olds in Australia go for at least a week without just talking with their parents about things important to them.

While some of these stats are surprising, I’m very conscious that we need to be very careful not to blame parents here.

It’s time that we recognised the fact that parenting is the most important determinant of a child’s wellbeing, and the future of Australia. I think there is a lot more that can be done to enable parents to do the best they can, and to build

self-efficacy and resilience. Having quality time early on, for example through paid parental leave, is a fantastic (evidence-based) start, but we need to seriously ramp-up these sort of initiatives if we are to have a significant impact.

S

O what is the best way forward?

We need a new way of empowering parents – avoiding punitive approaches to building strengths, capacities and resilience of parents, to make it the norm to seek assistance, rather than such assistance being seen as a sign that you have failed your children, or that you have been forced to seek help because you are a “bad parent”.

We also need to take a step back and focus on a long-term systemic reform toward tackling poverty and extreme disadvantage, to improve social mobility and reduce the gap between those families with access to resources and support, and those that don’t.

To achieve an integrated and empowering approach, through facilitating self determination to help improve the wellbeing of Aboriginal children and young people, we need to fill the huge policy gap for the 0-3-year-olds – we basically have no response to the needs of children in this age group – we wait until kindergarten or pre-school to do something. This is the most important time of a child’s life.

Likewise children in the middle years of childhood. Improving service quality of nongovernment organisations, through creating a stronger culture of evaluation in services, and taking the guesswork out of what is delivered to improve child and youth wellbeing. And all the time, focusing on the whole child, aged 0-24, and using child rights and wellbeing as the compass for determining action.

W

HEN you compare Australia to other developed countries, you may be surprised to know that we don’t lead the world at all. In fact the ARACY report in 2008, one of the first to look at Australian children’s wellbeing in the international context, placed us middle of developed or OECD countries. A Save The Children Report was a little more pessimistic, placing us close to last, and various OECD and UNICEF reports between the ARACY and Save The Children report.

When we released it, I was surprised to hear people say “So what? Middle is pretty good!”. But you don’t hear people being comfortable with just middle results when we slip in sporting achievements (like the Olympics), or when we slip from our economic rating. Why so for children?

I believe that Australia is in a unique position to lead the word in child and youth wellbeing by 2020. We can learn from other countries experience to develop a unique Australian approach. But the constant bitsy, short-term, programmatic approaches to improving complex issues just won’t cut it if we are to improve things by 2020.

I think these are very difficult agendas for governments to lead – and as a society we should perhaps stop expecting them to do so.

We need to be working together more in identifying and progressing sustainable solutions.

I want to see Australia in the top five in the world for meeting children’s rights and wellbeing, as we are with economic growth. Only by committing to longer-term change, and focusing on collaboration, evidence and prevention will we achieve that.

CityNews October 25-31 17

Hellenic Club in the City / advertising feature

City club savours the taste of success THREE years after opening and the Hellenic Club in the City has been named ACT Small Club of the Year – a testament to its committment to quality, says venue manager Mick Douros.

“Here we pride ourselves on our excellent customer service, providing a friendly environment and offering the best food and beverages,” he says.

Mick has worked with the Hellenic group

Christian’s lamb souvlaki Here’s Christian’s famed recipe for lamb souvlaki with lemon, garlic and thyme braised potatoes and garlic yoghurt dip Ingredients for Souvlaki: 400 grams Lamb Backstrap 1 tsp fresh chopped garlic 1 tsp dried oregano ½ tsp thyme leaves Seal salt and pepper for seasoning ¼ cup vegetable oil ¼ cup olive oil 1 skewer Method: - Clean fat and sinew off backstrap and cut into 2.5cm cubes, place in a bowl.

18 CityNews October 25-31

for 14 years and has been with Hellenic in the City since it opened.

“The city club is intimate – you can stand at the front of the club and see the back of the club. When people walk in they are greeted, there’s always a friendly face,” he says, explaining that staff have a three-metre rule: if they come within three metres of a customer, they say hello to them and look to see if they need service or assistance.

“We’ve retained a huge number of staff from day one. All of them have a sense of ownership over the place.”

Mick says the Greek community is the core of where the Hellenic Club began.

“The club has developed into a community hub these days and it’s now a club that has 50,000 members, still maintaining it’s Greek origins,” he says.

“We’re always bettering the club to ensure members have access to the best facilities.

We pulled the front window out and replaced it with bi-folds, we’ve got a new cafe out the front with an extra 40 seats. We’ve also got two new bars upstairs, a new deck, new furniture.”

It’s the food at the Hellenic Club that keeps the members coming back for more and Mick says about 150 meals are served each lunchtime on weekdays – mostly to people working in the thriving city west precinct.

“We have a quick-service menu and people can feel comfortable that they can come here during lunch and have a good-quality steak - Add garlic, oregano, thyme, seasoning, oils and mix well. Skewer meat.

Ingredients for lemon braised potatoes: 3 medium-sized potatoes 3 cloves peeled garlic 1 sprig rosemary 1 sprig thyme 2 lemons 1 tsp dried oregano Sea salt and pepper for seasoning Vegetable oil Olive oil Method: - Cut potatoes into quarters and place into small baking tray.

- Crush garlic with the palm of your hand and place into the tray along with thyme, rosemary, oregano and seasoning.

- Squeeze the fresh lemons and add juice to the potatoes and add vegetable oil and

Great food: like father, like son HEAD chef Christian Bourandanis learnt everything he knows about food from his father Angelo. As a young boy, he would hang around in the kitchens of his father’s restaurants watching him chop and cook.

Hellenic Club in the City venue manager Mick Douros, left, and head chef Christian Bourandanis... “Here we pride ourselves on our excellent customer service,” says Mick. without exceeding their break time.

“Towards the end of the year we’ll serve 200 meals each lunchtime, every day of the week,” he says.

Mick thanks all the members and staff for their commitment to the Hellenic Club in olive oil 50/50 until potatoes are covered 3/4. Mix well - Cover with baking paper then foil, place in hot oven at 180C for around 40 minutes.

Potatoes are ready when you pierce with a knife and they slide off with no resistance.

- Drain oil from potatoes and set aside, hen place potatoes under a griller until gratinated.

Ingredients for garlic yoghurt dip: 2 tablespoons Greek yoghurt 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon lemon juice Seal salt and pepper for seasoning.

the City over the past three years and looks forward to working with the community for many years to come.

Hellenic Club in the City. 13 Moore Street, Civic. Visit hellenicclub.com.au/city/index_city. html Method: Mix all together and serve.

To serve: Cook souvlaki on chargrill to your liking and serve with potatoes and dip. Drizzle some of the remaining oil from potatoes over the souvlaki.

Angelo started working at the Hellenic Club in Woden when it first opened in 1976.

Christian, who has been with the Hellenic Club for about eight years, took over from his father and became head chef at the City club almost two years ago.

“I started working with dad when I was about 16 and learnt all the tricks of the trade from him,” Christian says.

“I always had a passion for cooking, just from watching my dad.”

“When you cook a meal for someone and they come up and tell you it’s one of the best steaks they’ve had, you feel rewarded and it makes it all worthwhile.”

Steaks are a specialty at the Hellenic Club and Christian believes they do the best steak in Canberra.

“We get the best-quality meat and we give it at the best price for the customer so there’s value for money, too,” he says.

All the butchery is done onsite

by Christian so all the meat is trimmed and prepared there. The beef is grain-fed yearling sourced from northern NSW. “We know it’s the best because we benefit from 30 years of my dad sourcing meat from all around the country,” Christian says.

The other hot item on the menu is the beef, chicken and lamb souvlaki.

scene

B ROUG YOU BY

H T TO

Canberra’s only locally-owned Subaru dealer

ROLFE SUBARU

At ‘Making Waves’ charity dinner, Southern Cross Club

At Master Builders ACT annual dinner, Hotel Realm

Heniz and Cassandra Schlimbach, James Reynolds and Belinda Schlimbach

Christopher, Emma, Renay and Andrew Spinelli

Ian Ruff, Lynne Harwood and Matt Owen

Kirsten Winefield and Ali King

Theresa and Robert de Castella

Elizabeth Tobler, Chris Roberts, Virginia Hayward and Wendy Roberts

Steve and Michelle Cartwright and Malcolm Page

Jo Ritchie and Kate Forde

Sandy and David Leitch

Sharon Feist and Tori Bell

Deputy Chief Minister Andrew Barr with Halina and Ross Barrett

Laura Marcantonio and Daphne Bain

Warwick Beutler, Margaret Duncun and Geoff Vest

John Miller and MP Gai Brodtmann

Jodie Littlewood and Jade McGlashan

At Australian Breast Cancer Day dinner, Woden

Edna O’Dell, Bea Dickson, Norma Bradley and Mary Pedersen

Eleanor Bates, Annette Ellis and Marisa Gerussi

Pam and Graham Robertson

Maureen Ashford and Brenda Watts

Jane MontgomeryHribar and Kathy King

Kaye Johnston, Sally Saunders and Marilyn Brookes

Gale Lacey and Kate O’Hara CityNews October 25-31 19

scene

ROLFE SUBARU AT PHILLIP & BELCONNEN

‘Spring Soiree’ at the Swedish embassy, Yarralumla

At Cheers! Club and Society Awards, University House

Anna Prosser with host Swedish ambassador Sven-Olof Petersson

Ava Atkinson-Barclay, Ellen Rykers and Ruohan Zhao

Carol Taylor, Libby Oliver, Asa Rowe and David Moore

Loreign Randall, Rhona and Chris Woodthorpe and Theresa Rayner

Sophia Notaras, Inger Scully, Nanna Jakobsen and Dianne Anderson

20 CityNews October 25-31

Tasman Vaughan, AJ Neilson, Phoebe Malcolm, Chris Karas and Tom Barrington-Smith

Sue and David Carpenter

Barbara Tan, Hang Chang and Xueting Zhang

Duncan Fraser, Bianca Hennessy and Nick Barry

Jarrod Ali, Jessica Lai and Kenji Sato

Francis Pavez, Andrew Donnellan, Samantha Cheah, Reyes Gonzalez and Tessa Bradbury

scene At ‘Exhibition One – Works by Jacinta Scott’, Soju Girl

At Canberra Latin Dance Festival, ANU Sports Centre

Artist Jacinta Scott and Anthony Mijoc

Raquel Paez, Neeraj Haskara, Olesya Sydorenko, Ismael Otero and Andrea Paez

David Muir, Jenny and Bruce Adams and Dana Tosolini

Caroline Marsh and Lynne O’Brien

Vanessa Carlin, Julie Evans and Lali Burton

Chris Magner, Julie Beck, Omania Matling Haywood and Stephen Ryan Terry and Mary-Anne Waldren

Patrick Lawson, Bethany Eggins and Tom Heaney

Vanessa Tohme, Melanie Xabregas and Sandra Betrus

Xarjie Zhou, Isabella Urbanek, Carol Pirutti, Zoe Piper and Scott Callow

Nicole Joy, Sohel Hoque with Selase and Sunny Dugbaza

Sue Halburn and Angela Tsitsikronis

At Canberra Business Council gala dinner, Hotel Realm

Jacqui Hamilton, Megan Campbell, Lisa de Cure and Amanda Lauerie

Brendan Smyth MLA, David Marshall, Harriet Elvin and Keith Scott

Janeen Williams, Poppy Notaras and Peta Hoff

George Anagnostopoulos and Margit Selg

Eileen Webb, Julie Dobinson, Jacqui Curtis and Alison Osmand

Angeline and Paul Nicholas

Stephanie Lynch, Wayne Ford and Shawna Kelly CityNews October 25-31 21

scene

ROLFE SUBARU AT PHILLIP & BELCONNEN

At Save the Children’s ‘Australian Children 2020’ lunch

At Beaver Gallery’s exhibition openings, Deakin

James McDougall, Melina Saunders, Dr Lance Emerson, Dr Helen Watchirs and Mark Parton

John and Penny Metcalfe

Nick Tebbey, Gary Beck with Celia and Brian Acworth

John Uren and Susan White

22 CityNews October 25-31

Glen King, Sarah Cleaves, Sue Watson and Richie Fort

Dr Sue Packer, Morag McArthur, Sandra Forbes and Stephanie Taplin

Brian Corr, Benjamin Edols, Mel Douglas and Ruth Oliphant

Pilar Fox and Valerie Alfonzi

Brent Flohr and Peta Brownbrooke

Louise Maher and Iand Fraser

Grace Su and Bruno Leti

Canberra Confidential The party parties TALE of two parties... money was no object as Labor celebrated its election status quo into the night at the National Press Club – with the bar tab on the party. While round at the Libs’ knees-up at Eastlake Club, “CC” noted partygoers lined up at the bar paying for their drinks.

No stoppin’ Robyn IT seems Centenary of Canberra creative director Robyn Archer can’t help but steal a show, even if she’s not on stage – or in the country, for that matter.

During a top-secret Centenary project briefing, the audience was treated to a news report on Robyn – who was on a plane from London at the time – about her recent delivery of the Arthur Boyd Lecture. That was all well and good, but just as Zoo Advertising MD Clint Hutchinson finally had his chance to step up and capture everyone’s attention, Robyn’s news report accidentally began an encore performance on the big screen. An embarrassed Centenary of Canberra executive director Jeremy Lasek tried desperately to stop the video, but alas, Robyn was not to be silenced – and off she went, stealing the show again!

Lance a lot 2CC breakfast announcer and mad cyclist Mark Parton, pictured, who was kindly helping out a Save the Children lunch at Old Parliament House as moderator, brought the house down when he wrapped up, sincerely thanking keynote

speaker “Dr Lance Armstrong”. He meant Dr Lance Emerson, CEO of the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth. “Give me a break, I’ve been up since 2.45,” he whimpered in defence.

Up stumps, Coate’s orf PERSONABLE and popular Rick Coate, pictured, GM of the Royal Canberra Golf Club for the past four winters, is throwing away the frosty greens for the sweltering confines of the terribly posh Hong Kong Cricket Club in January.

Established in 1851 “to promote the game of cricket, tennis, croquet and other athletic sports and pastimes”, it’s the oldest cricket club in Asia, with more than 2300 members and a staff of more than 200.

But it’s another world: in his latest club newsletter, Rick’s predecessor writes: “If guests are invited into the club by a member, they should be properly recorded in the guest register at reception – and if that guest is a private servant, that they be treated as a guest and not carry out the function and duties of care to children in the company of the member.”

Giving it all away WHILE “The Canberra Times” takes self-promotion of its free iPad app to orgasmic heights, it is sobering to see them effectively giving the paper away, in every sense.

The august Australian Newspaper History Group’s latest newsletter has a table charting the audited circulation of Australian metropolitan newspapers now and 10 years ago. It exposes “The

Know something? / confidential@citynews.com.au

Times” as the nation’s worst performing, with the largest Saturday slump over the decade of 34.96 per cent, the worst-performing weekday paper in the land with a fall of 26.22 per cent and second only to the Sydney “Sun Herald” on Sunday, with a fall of 25.44 per cent. And they’ll be better on digital because?

For snappy snorers LOOK carefully at this besuited man... for he is wearing pyjamas.

Following the bewildering popularity of the snuggie and the adult onesie, here come the $90 Suitjamas, the creepy satin pyjamas that look like a man’s lounge suit.

Fans of TV show “How I Met Your Mother” will recognise the four-piece pyjama suit popular with character Barney Stinson.

According to some bumph sent to “CC”, Suitjamas ensure the wearer looks suavely sophisticated any time of the night. Suitjamas are made from satin material and have an elastic waistband so they can comfortably be worn to bed. Reassuringly, a clip-on tie completes the look, without being a choking hazard. They’re available at www.suitjamas.com

So Mike, what’s caught Sharon’s eye?

CANBERRA’S perennial King of Commercial Talkback, Mike Welsh, has been crowned best regional talk presenter for the sixth consecutive time at a national awards night in Sydney. While the 2CC drive presenter looks at home in the official picture, what is it in the other shot that’s caught the eye of celebrity prize presenters Sharon Osbourne and Merrick Watts? “CC” thinks it’s a fly malfunction, but will accept any other smartarse opinions at confidential@citynews.com.au Station buddies Peter Davidson and Richard Phelps nailed the best multimedia execution (sales) for the 2CC Christmas Lights and FM competitors 104.7 won a gong

for Best Station Sales Achievement (Provincial) and Kate (“Knuckles”) Taylor was named the country’s leading news presenter (Provincial) for the second year in a row.

CityNews October 25-31 23

Melbourne Cup lunches

Local winners in the Cup lunch stakes What to do and where to be seen on Melbourne Cup Day FOR all the atmosphere and action of Melbourne Cup Day in Canberra, Thoroughbred Park is one of the best places to be.

The ACTTAB Melbourne Cup Race Day is one of the biggest social events of the year for local racing fans who can watch the running of the Melbourne Cup on the big screen in Flemington while surrounded by the atmosphere and excitement of local racing.

ACTTAB Melbourne Cup Race Day is on Tuesday, November 6. Gates open at 9.30am with local racing from about 1pm.

Adults, $25; aged pensioners, $5; children (12-17), $15, and members are admitted free.

Tickets are available at the gate or you can prepurchase online or from the Canberra Racing Club administration office at Thoroughbred Park.

Information from 6204 0000 or at www.thoroughbredpark.com.au

Cup lunch in a tropical setting THE Pavilion on Northbourne offers a Melbourne Cup luncheon in a beautiful tropical atrium setting, says group general manager Jackie McKeown.

There will be full TAB facilities with the race broadcast live on the big screen.

“We’ll be having a fashion parade

by Memento in Manuka as well as

24 CityNews October 25-31

a Melbourne Cup trivia quiz,” says Jackie.

“We want everyone to get dressed up and wear a hat or fascinator and come along, we have a best-hat prize as well.”

Tickets include a three-course lunch, with a glass of sparkling wine on arrival.

Information at pavilioncanberra. com or call 1800 828000.

/ advertising feature

The fashionable art of enjoyment THE race that stops the nation will be celebrated at Belconnen Arts Centre with the Ray White Belconnen Arts Centre Melbourne Cup Lunch.

There will be a fashion parade from CIT fashion students as well

as treats to eat with catering by Belconnen restaurant Black Pepper.

Punters can try their luck in a sweep or raffle and enjoy the ambience of the spacious foyer by the lake, all while helping to raise funds for the arts in Belconnen.

Cost is $50 per person or $360 for a table of eight.

More information from info@ belconnenartscentre.com.au, call 6173 3300 or go to belconnenartscentre.com.au

Centre of excitement and atmosphere SEARCHING for all the excitement and atmosphere of the Melbourne Cup in the heart of Canberra?

Look no further than the Canberra Labor Club Group, says functions co-ordinator Matt Michell.

A range of events are on offer across all four club venues: Belconnen, City, Ginninderra and Weston Creek.

Receive a free glass of bubbly with every luncheon booking, enjoy the entertainment at Belconnen and try your luck with sweeps available for the main race and lucky door prizes given away during the day.

Extra TAB facilities will be provided at all clubs and the

Melbourne Cup race will be shown live on big screens around each venue.

“Why not join us at Belconnen or Weston Creek the night before the big race for Canberra’s Best Calcutta?” Matt says.

For information go to www. laborclub.com.au

CityNews October 25-31 25

arts & entertainment / movies

Goodies, baddies and lots of bodies

Ian Darling’s “Paul Kelly: Stories of Me” … screening at Canberra Theatre on November 2 with Kelly appearing live.

“Savages” (MA)

For opening night... Ken Loach’s feelgood, heist film “The Angels’ Share”.

How Simon sees the reel world IT’S our annual joke – Canberra International Film Festival director Simon Weaving’s trip to Cannes Film Festival must be a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it.

Weaving happily agrees, describing it as his “main shopping trip”.

“I watch 60 films in 12 days and have about 60 meetings with directors,” he explains, “but it’s always wonderful to be there.”

As “just a humble film festival director”, there’s no sex, drugs or rock ‘n’ roll for him, but he has read that the incidence of larceny dramatically peaks at the time of the festival.

And the mention of larceny leads us to the fun film Weaving’s chosen for opening night.

“After three years of tormenting the openingnight audiences with some amazing, heavygoing films, I wanted one this year that would be entertaining,” he says.

His choice for October 31 is Ken Loach’s heist film “The Angels’ Share”: “A feel-good film with

Helen Musa reports

a lovely plot in which everybody comes off the better, even the victims.”

So, do our festival-goers demand premieres?

“Provided that it hasn’t been shown in Canberra before, they don’t mind,” Weaving says. But there are 14 Australian premieres, and “I could fill the festival with world premieres and they’d probably be the worst 60 films you’ve ever seen, but we’ve got high-quality storytelling.”

Weaving says that documentary film making has really come of age in the last decade and this year he’s programmed in music documentaries, including one about Chile’s Violeta Parra and Ian Darling’s “Paul Kelly: Stories of Me”, to screen at Canberra Theatre on November 2 with Kelly appearing live.

“CityNews” has noticed Weaving’s strange obsession with zombies.

With 60 films, he figures, he’s free to target

a younger audience, who love these movies, “cheesy and tongue-in-cheek, with another level of meaning, often taking the mickey out of American consumerism.”

We chortle over the sci-fi movie, “Grabbers”, set in Ireland, where giant octopi-like beasts love human blood, but only under a certain blood-alcohol level – the local townspeople head to the pub.

The Arc Cinema will be the centre for many of these monstrous movies, including “Robot Monster”. Weaving is evidently proud of its Golden Turkey Award for “Most Ridiculous Monster in Screen History”. You can dress up for the outdoor screening on November 10.

Finally, in a deft move, Weaving combines horror, feature and doco with a retro-screening of Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining”, with a documentary about its making. Now, that’ll be a scream!

Canberra International Film Festival, October 31-November 11. Full program and tickets at canberrafilmfestival.com.au/

OLIVER Stone’s actioner offers vigorous pace, a gory, violent, cruel plot, high body count, combatants motivated only to amass more money than they need and intellectual levels more rat-cunning than scholarly. This list of ingredients is not new.

The good guys are Ben (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) with degrees in business and botany and his bestest-ever buddy, ex-Navy Seal Chon (Taylor Kitsch). They share not only a thriving business marketing the high-THC marijuana that Ben has developed, for which customers happily pay premium prices, but also the lithesome blonde babe O (Blake Lively). The bad guys are warring with each other as much as with the good guys. And the DEA agent (John Travolta) handling the case is playing both sides against the middle.

The southern Californian and Mexican locations look good, but

Dougal Macdonald cinema

the action could happen anywhere.

Its emotional engagement relies on bad guys totally lacking moral merit. Salma Hayek is spectacular as the ruthless head of the Mexican cartel that wants to control the trade. Benecio del Toro reprises the morally empty enforcer loyal only to himself.

It’s a fun movie served well

by Stone’s well-honed filmmaking edge. But it’s longer than necessary, numerous moments of up-close-and-personal images connected by flaky, flicky editing reinforcing the ambience without propelling the plot. Stone delivers a choice of endings, one like the last act of Hamlet, one more mainstream, both with body counts high enough to satisfy the most discerning taste.

At Dendy, Hoyts and Limelight

Woody goes to Rome “To Rome with Love” (M) WOODY Allen’s films since abandoning New York as his favourite location have travelled to London, Barcelona, Paris, now Rome.

Different cities, similar dramatic structures. A collection of small stories in which characters’ paths intersect and part. No violence, love finding a variety of expressions, low-pitched emotional appeals delivered with Allen’s brand-name humour.

In Rome, he takes aim at Americans off their home turf, playing a retired music publisher, who hears a bathroom baritone and insists on staging “Pagliaci” with him in it. An aspiring young actress (Ellen Page) has had her ability to make personal choices

fried in the boiling oil of social media. The media appear at the door of a businessman (Roberto Benigni) to make him famous until the next celebrity comes along. A young wife, newly arrived in Rome, becomes lost while looking for a hairdresser and ends up in bed with a middle-aged movie star.

The base of Allen’s reputation is acidulous comment in a sugar coating. It’s easy to understand why actors clamour to work for him. His themes for these mini-stories have merit and their delivery has charm.

Their combined flavour here lacks a sense of completeness. I find this quite sad. But I also took enough from the film to leave it adequately pleased.

At Dendy and Greater Union

Comedy with a bite “Safety Not Guaranteed” (M)

26 CityNews October 25-31

DIRECTOR Colin Trevarrow and writer Derek Connolly have confected a small but well-formed comedy with edge and bite.

On a small-town weekly, reporter Jeff (Jake Johnson) gets sent to research the story behind an ad seeking a companion to accompany the advertiser on a time journey.

It could be dangerous, but he’s done it and survived. The editor assigns interns Darius (Aubrey Plaza) and Arnau (Karan Soni) as Jeff’s dogsbodies. Jeff despises both for their lack of experience.

Darius does most of the leg-work and discovers that Kenneth (Mark Duplass) placed the advertisement.

While the film’s dramatic level

wavers only lightly from a flat line, the screenplay drives it along with self-mocking energy and nicely gauged wit. Aubrey Plaza is a wonderfully deadpan comedienne with attitude, a tiny powerhouse physically resembling Ellen Page.

Darius and Kenneth carry most of the film. Jeff’s objective is less to get the story than to track down Belinda (Kristen Bell), the spectacular redhead who gave him his first blow-job at 15.

Agreeably short (86 minutes), “Safety Not Guaranteed” avoids the fantasy so often used to portray time travel. A home-made machine such as Heath Robinson might have enjoyed delivers a spectacular display of tongue-in-cheek pseudoscience to wind up a quite agreeable small, unpretentious, film.

Greater Union

arts & entertainment

The call of fresh-daily ‘superfoods’ WHOLEFOODS made fresh daily is the philosophy driving Maple + Clove, the newest food addition to Barton’s Realm Precinct.

The menu is designed around wholefoods, high on antioxidants, made with “good-health fats” and natural, low-GI sweeteners. “Nourishing superfoods” is what the dishes are about – it’s all very admirable.

So I was a tad confused when I stumbled upon the chorizo and tomato bake. If chorizo has “good health fats” I’m in heaven, ‘cause I adore it. If not, perhaps it’s low GI? If not, did I care? No, I didn’t.

The description on the menu sounded simply too scrumptious.

My dish was elegantly presented, as were many others I saw being served, including items in beautiful glass goblets. My piping-hot bake came in a small, cast-iron frying pan, on a wooden board with a piece of toast made with pure wholemeal spelt flour ($18). I enjoyed every bite and every sip of my creamy cappuccino.

Other dishes on the savoury breakfast line-up that tickled my fancy were house-made baked beans, cooked in tomato ragu with lean-beef sausage ($16) and several items on the sweet line-up. Try the breakfast crumble ($9.50) or quinoa porridge, cooked in coconut milk with banana, walnuts, shredded coconut, chia seeds, cinnamon, and agave nectar ($15). Also try a

Wendy Johnson dining

nutrient-dense smoothie or juice.

Maple + Clove loves kids and has an impressive menu for those up to the age of 12. Providing “stuff’ for kids to do is taken care of with crayons and a puzzle and colouring sheet.

The kitchen is an open concept (the chefs need to remember this) and huge, enabling the café to serve the steady stream of those wanting take away. The fit out is funky and it’s a delight to see herbs growing everywhere in pots.

The take-away operation is neatly tucked away from the main dining area. Two, long, communal tables are in the centre of the dining area and bench seating along both sides. The benches are comfortable, but a bit low for those of us vertically challenged. I needed the Yellow Pages under my derriere to prop me up.

One disappointment was the service. It took some time for my food order to be taken, although the place was far from packed with customers. It was a fair while before my table was cleared. I wasn’t asked if I wanted another coffee – or anything else for that matter – and no one brought a bill. So when I spotted someone at the cash register, I went over and arranged to pay.

Maple + Clove. Open seven days from 6.30am.

Prosciutto and buffalo ricotta.

Call 6162 0777.

Photos by Silas Brown

New book celebrates a century of words

LOCAL artist and the director of Form Studio and Gallery in Queanbeyan, Claire Primrose, is over the moon at having been accepted into both the Fisher’s Ghost Art Prize the $20,000 Paddington Art prize.

LIKEWISE, over the moon is former Canberra art critic and now Taralga-based painter, Geoff de Groen, who has exhibited at the Drill Hall and Chapman Gallery in the past year or so, on learning that the NGA has acquired his work “January 16, 2011.”

THE closing date for entries from artists over the age of 25 into Tuggeranong Arts Centre’s popular Capital Chemist Art Award is Tuesday, October 30. Details at www.tuggeranongarts. com.au CAN you believe it’s 50 years since The Beatles released their first single, “Love Me Do” with Parlophone Records? Shortis and Simpson will mark the occasion with a nostalgic show, “The

theatre

“To Kill a Mockingbird” Adapted by Christopher Sergel from Harper Lee. At The Courtyard Studio, Canberra Theatre, until November 27 Reviewed by Helen Musa

LOCAL writer and editor, Irma Gold, is launching “The Invisible Thread: One Hundred Years of Words” at the end of the month. A Centenary project with illustrations by Judy Horacek and a foreword by Robyn Archer, it’s an anthology of 75 works by Canberra regionrelated writers, praised by Frank Moorhouse as “a very special anthology about a special city.”

THE Queanbeyan Players are doing a kilt-less production of the Broadway classic, “Brigadoon”, which tells the story of two Americans who stumble on a mysterious village in the Scottish highlands. We are disappointed by the Players’ spoilsport justification that kilts were banned from 1745 to the mid-19th century, but it should be a good show. At The Q, November 2-17, bookings to www.theq.net.au or 6285 6290.

‘Mockingbird’ with a bite

Irma Gold... launching book.

Act You’ve Known for All These Years,” at Teatro Vivaldi, November 2-4, bookings to 6257 2718.

WE warned you about burlesque. Now there’s “Batman Follies of 1929”, a “classic, 1920s-style, vaudeville performance set in Gotham City”.

Conceived by producer Russall Beattie, the brains behind the Australian version of the “Star Wars” burlesque, “The Empire Strips Back”, it’s at the Playhouse on November 2, bookings to 6275 2700 or www.canberraticketing.com.au ALEX Pinker has written to us about The International Screen Academy Sydney, a new screen-acting school opening in February in Waterloo. The ISA is run by professionals, such as AFFIX award winner Nicholas Hope, of “Bad Boy Bubby” notoriety, who will be head of acting. Information at www.isasydney.com.au.

“FOR the first time in Australia,” enthuses publicist Coralie Wood, Canberra is getting “Russia’s finest opera singers in a seamless theatrical presentation, Moscow Novaya Opera Soloists and Orchestra with dancers from the Russian Imperial Ballet” – and with a 44-piece symphony orchestra. “Operamania”, at Llewellyn Hall, from April 23-25 next year, (don’t say we didn’t give you notice). Bookings to 1300 795012 or ticketek.com.au

THIS ambitious production of a play based on Harper Lee’s 1960s Pulitzer Prizewinning novel will always have the celebrated Gregory Peck film to contend with.

Director Liz Bradley and her cast met that challenge squarely, though the audience had to listen carefully as the focus wandered across the large cast, crammed into a complicated set by Cate Clelland that conjured up a steamy summer in a small Alabama town.

A mishmash of Southern accents is hard to avoid in a non-professional production, so that Steph Roberts as Miss Maudie and Kathy Gray as Miss Stephanie stood out for authenticity in an uneven vocal landscape.

In a coup for Free Rain, three quietly impressive African-born actors play the black American roles – Joyce Waweru as Calpurnia, Ewen Atuknwa as Rev Sykes and David Kinyua as the accused, Tom. As the honourable father/lawyer, Atticus Finch, Colin Boldra acted with understated authority, holding the audience spellbound in his famous courtroom speech that upholds the dignity and equality of man. Peter Holland’s aggressive performance as the prosecuting counsel paved the way for the speech, obviously filling the audience with rage.

The cast’s capacity to move and enrage us at the same time ultimately makes for a compelling “Mockingbird.”

Helen Musa’s full review can be read at citynews. com.au CityNews October 25-31 27

28 CityNews October 25-31

home & garden Creative, quirky, clever garden Cedric Bryant

Fragrance of citrus flowers

WORDS: Kathryn Vukovljak PHOTOS: Silas Brown

IT’S the second open garden in two years for Christine Gascoyne, whose lovely, hand-built garden in Gowrie has seen a few changes since it was last open to the public in April, 2011.

“SInce then, I’ve been getting into more unusual plants, and have been trying mailorder companies for things that are just a little bit different,” she says.

“I’ve even been culling a few of the first shrubs and trees I put in years ago to make way for new things.”

Christine is particularly proud of her “dove tree” (Davidia involucrata), which she says doesn’t often grow in Canberra. “But mine is flowering,” she says excitedly. “When it’s out, the white leaves resemble doves’ tails or handkerchiefs.”

The creative garden, with quirky art and clever ideas around every corner, will be open on the weekend of November 3-4 as part of Open Gardens Australia.

Hidden from the street thanks to its battleaxe design, the garden is private in the front and back, so Christine has been able to utilise every bit of space. As well as thriving shrubs, trees and perennials, a spectacular golden gleditsia, white wisteria and a parterre with Pierre de Ronsard roses, Christine has also built her own rock walls and paths with scavenged items.

“I don’t have the biggest budget for the garden and I love sourcing things from the tip or garage sales,” she says. “There are plenty of people giving things away, if you know where to look!”

Mirrors give the illusion of the garden paths winding off into the distance, although she says they don’t fool her anymore.

“I don’t really get the value out of the mirrors now, but people always comment on how much bigger it makes the garden feel,” she says.

“One visitor was most concerned that my dog had gone into the next yard!”

Since retiring, Christine says she’s been getting into propagating perennials, ground cover and shrubs.

“People who come to my open garden will be able to see a plant they like, know that it grows successfully here in Canberra, and then be able to buy it at the end,” she says.

“I like being able to sell people something they won’t find in the garden centre.”

Christine’s garden at 48 Weathers Street, Gowrie, will be open 10am-4.30pm, Saturday, November 3, and Sunday, November 4. Adults $7, children under 18 are free. Funds raised will go to Open Gardens Australia. More information at opengarden.org.au

Christine Gascoyne... “People who come to my open garden will be able to see a plant they like, know that it grows successfully here in Canberra, and then be able to buy it at the end.”

Open for Marymead A TRIO of grand, inner-south gardens will open on the weekend of October 27 and 28 in aid of local charity Marymead.

Open both days, 10am-4pm, the garden at 6 Tennyson Crescent, Forrest, will include the sale of plants, refreshments and a sausage sizzle, provided by the Marymead Auxiliary. On Saturday, 57 Arthur Circle, Red Hill will open for the day and, on Sunday, it will be 22 Dampier Circuit, Forrest. Entry is $6 each garden.

CityNews October 25-31 29

garden

The fragrance WHILE the recent cold spell, plus snow and wind, might have been uncomfortable for a couple of days, just think of the wider benefit for the garden.

The substantial rain will keep the garden ticking over for several weeks without any need to water, except for plants in containers.

With regular rainfall, it is more than two years since I turned the drippers on to any part of the garden.

Talking of snow, as I write this I am looking at our magnificent Prunus padus, or Bird Cherry, with its long, semi-double white flowers creating the effect that it is indeed covered in snow. The flowers have a distinctive almond fragrance and the fruit is very small and bitter tasting. As an ornamental tree with a distinctive upright growing habit of 7m-10m tall, it presents a wonderful sight in spring.

WHILE on the subject of fragrance, this is the time of the year for the tantalising fragrance of citrus flowers. Now is an ideal time to plant citrus and, at this time, they

Cedric Bryant gardening

are just coming into flower.

The strongest fragrance is just as the flowers open. Citrus originated in China, although oranges have been grown in the Mediterranean region for more than 2000 years.

Oranges have been grown commercially in China for more than 3000 years. The plant hunter Meyer in 1911 noted more than 80 kinds of edible of oranges grown in China.

Citrus, particularly kumquats, are a traditional house-warming present and for the Chinese New Year.

DURING the Cultural Revolution, Christian missionaries and the citrus industry associated with them were viewed with disfavour. In fact, the Communist Party chairman Mao Zedong called for the destruction of all orange trees in China!

The land was cleared for growing rice. However, commonsense prevailed and when Mao died in 1974 and was succeeded by Deng Xiaoping, he took a completely different view of the citrus industry.

He proclaimed that citrus research was of central importance to the

Spectacular Rhododendrons... on display at The Iris, Rhododendron and Azalea Spring Spectacular at the Wesley Churches Centre, National Circuit, Forrest.

The spring spectacular THE Iris, Rhododendron and Azalea Spring Spectacular by the Horticultural Society of Canberra is at the Wesley Churches Centre, National Circuit, Forrest, noon-5pm on Saturday, October 27 and 11.30am-4pm on Sunday, October 28. Admission is free. Rare bulb sales and plant sales are a feature plus floral-art displays. Lunch and afternoon teas available. A show not to be missed.

30  CityNews  October 25-31

of citrus flowering Communist concept of self-reliance and self-sufficiency. Replanting commenced beginning with 150,000 hectares planted by 1978 rising to 526,000 hectares by 1988 and now plantings run into many millions of hectares.

THERE are many varieties of citrus ranging from the smaller-growing Meyer lemon introduced by Meyer to the larger-growing Eureka and Prior Lisbon. The Meyer, along with kumquats, is ideal for growing in containers where space is an issue, such as where balconies or small courtyards are the only areas for growing.

The Lemonade tree is another favourite with its distinctive flavour of the juice. Check the many varieties at your local garden centre and enjoy the fragrant flowers as you select your plant.

IT distresses me to see supermarkets selling live plants in a business that they should not be in. As a prime example, I was walking past Woolworths in Kippax last week. At the front there was a range of live plants for sale. Live plants, did I say?

The callistemon were totally dead and bougainvillea not far behind.

Citrus flowers about to open... this is the time of the year for the tantalising fragrance of citrus flowers.

Bougainvilleas for here? Except for a very isolated position with no frost, they will not survive in our region.

At another branch of the same store on another occasion, almost every plant was dead. I drew it to the attention of one of the staff,

suggesting some water would be useful. “It’s not my job,” was the reply. “The girl who looks after them has been off sick for a while.”

Need I say more, why do they bother? They should leave the live plants and gardening advice to garden centres.

CityNews October 25-31 31

home

Think pink... A playroom provides a wonderland for kids to make noise, host parties and play games together with friends or on their own.

The perfect playroom INSPIRING imagination, encouraging exploration of ideas and creating an inviting atmosphere for children to play in is important for their social development and early learning phases, says Bree Leech, Dulux’s colour expert.

“Play is what being a kid is all about and a playroom provides a wonderland for kids to make noise, host parties and play games together with friends or on their own,” she says.

“Important elements to consider when planning a playroom makeover include theme, style and colour.

“For young kids, vibrant paint colours on walls such as bright blues, greens and yellows are popular and create an inviting and cheerful

environment to play in. Using a metallic or pearl finish is also a great way to create visual interest.”

Bree suggests tying the room together with colourful accessories such as floor cushions or beanbags, throws, rugs and wall decals.

“Painting furniture such as tables, chairs, shelving and wall units is a clever way to inject colour throughout the room, refresh tired pieces and complement existing colour schemes,” she says.

Get the kids involved in the design process, Bree says, as it will make decorating the room an enjoyable activity for the whole family.

“Not only will this make the room more appealing for them to play in, but will also reflect their personality,” Bree says. “Keep it simple by offering them a choice of three favourite colours, rather than overwhelming them with an entire paint chart.”

Try applying chalkboard paint to table tops, walls or toy boxes to

encourage your child’s artistic talents and imagination.

“The beauty of chalkboard paint is that the surface can be erased with a damp cloth to create a blank new canvas,” says Bree.

She also suggests using a lowVOC (Volatile Organic Compound) paint range on playroom walls, because it has less emissions and odour, making it safer for your children.

Playroom design tips: • Create stations; such as arts and crafts, construction corners, reading nooks and multimedia centres.

• Storage crates, bins and shelves are ideal for keeping toys and books tidy and off the floor.

• Bean bags and cushions can also double up as cosy reading nooks.

• Be adventurous with your paint – try creating wide stripes or a simple graphic design for extra “wow” factor.

• Personalise the room with posters, children’s art pieces and photographs.

32 CityNews October 25-31

puzzles page Joanne Madeline Moore

your week in the stars / October 29 - November 4

ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

Hasty words and actions could land you in a heap of trouble on this crazy Full Moon week. So think things through (especially when you go shopping), and avoid buy now, pay later offers. When it comes to close relationships, Venus encourages you to morph from a rambunctious Ram into a caring Lamb. Try to be tactful with a frazzled family member on Sunday.

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 20)

Venus in Libra and the Taurus Full Moon encourage you to enjoy romance, music, fine food and convivial company, plus projects you are passionate about. (But aim to do so without breaking the bank.) If you are stubborn with loved ones you’ll get nowhere fast, so strive to be more flexible. On Friday expect the unexpected, as unpredictable Uranus stirs up a close relationship.

GEMINI (May 21 – June 21)

Can you keep a secret? Gregarious Geminis are real chatterboxes but remember – loose lips sink ships! Over the next seven days, watch what you say and who you say it to. Otherwise tricky Mercury/Neptune aspects will scramble your antennae and cause communication chaos. Friday is a fabulous day, as jolly Jupiter boosts your confidence and energy levels.

CANCER (June 22 – July 22)

Are you ready for your monthly dose of Full Moon madness? Expect a rollercoaster ride as your moods run the gamut from A to Z. If you pace yourself (and avoid people who push your emotional buttons), then you’ll get through the week without tantrums and tears. Venus is visiting your home zone, so it’s time to beautify your domestic space – and don’t forget the flowers!

LEO (July 23 – Aug 22)

Expect dramatic developments at work, as the Full Moon fires up your creativity – and stirs up petty jealousies and insecurities. Use your talent for self-promotion to shine in the spotlight, but avoid antagonising others with bossy behaviour. And don’t believe everything a child, teenager or friend tells you. For some single Lions – true love is waiting online.

VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sept 22)

Calling all Virgo fuss-pots! You have high standards and a critical eye, but try not to be too hard on friends and family this week. With the Full Moon in fellow earth sign Taurus, let non-essentials go and focus on what’s really important to you. Mercury (your ruling planet) moves into Sagittarius (until November 14), so it’s time to tackle challenges with extra energy and enthusiasm.

LIBRA (Sept 23 – Oct 23)

The Full Moon stimulates your sex/money zone. Attached Librans – expect plenty of passion with your partner. Singles – look for love with a lusty Leo or an amorous Aries. And how’s your bank balance going? The full moonbeams and Saturn highlight hiccups in your spending habits and financial management. Aim to be less careless with cash, and more cautious with credit.

General knowledge crossword No. 383 Across Down 1 What is a concise summary of the essential facts of a book, etc?

8 Which boards are used by painters to lay and mix colours?

9 What, in Hindu mythology, is the incarnation of a god?

10 Which radiation has wavelengths greater than visible light, and shorter than microwaves?

11 What is a coincidence in pitch of two or more notes, voices, etc?

13 Which number is also known by the Roman numeral XIII? 16 What are large open-air fires used for celebrations?

19 Name an ancient province, formerly a kingdom, in Ireland.

22 Which type of gold is sought in sand or mud deposits?

24 Name the term which relates to a year.

25 What is the payment for the use of money borrowed?

26 Name the inland duty on spirits, tobacco, etc.

2 Name a large, glossy, black, somewhat predacious bird.

3 When one quotes a passage, one does what?

4 Which runner races at full speed, especially for a short distance?

5 Name a symbol in music notation placed on a stave.

6 What was the former name of Alice Springs until 1933?

7 To strike out anything written is to do what?

12 Name the metallic element, symbol Fe. 14 To cover an electric wire with notconducting material, is to do what?

15 Which other term describes a passage out?

17 To be in the form of a rectangle is to be what?

18 What do we call lucky chances?

20 What relates to sound waves?

21 Name the processes of testing pupils.

23 In the ancient Roman calendar, what do we call the 15th March, etc?

Solution next week 1

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Sudoku hard No.91

Solution next week

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 21)

Partnership problems (and unresolved issues) come to a head this week, as the Full Moon stirs up your love and marriage zone. A stubborn, fussy attitude will only lead to a fraction too much friction for everyone. If you are patient and understanding, then your personal relationships will gradually improve. Don’t be a selfish Scorpio – cool compromise is the key.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 21)

The Full Moon energises your wellbeing zone, so focus on health and fitness. Make a resolution to swap sleep-ins for gym sessions and cream buns for carrot juice! Friday is your best day, as Jupiter promises good times with convivial company. But don’t limit your peer group to the same old safe crowd. Fabulous new friends are waiting to add interest and zest to your life.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19)

It’s time to flirt up a storm and have some frivolous fun, as the Full Moon activates your romance/entertainment zone. But are you being a controlling and condescending Capricorn at work? Venus encourages you to adopt a more cooperative and diplomatic approach. Plus take the time to nurture your local and foreign contacts – who knows where they might lead?

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18)

Have you been so busy that you’ve neglected home and hearth? The Full Moon heralds a house move, home renovations, guests arriving or domestic dramas. Attached Aquarians – it’s time to shake up a stale relationship before one of you gets bored. Some amorous singles will fall in love at first sight but – if you’re smart – you’ll slow down and take a second look!

PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 20)

Fish are trusting creatures, but don’t let a smooth operator lead you down the primrose path to Piscean trouble. And don’t confuse fact with fantasy.

The Moon, Mercury and Neptune are at odds on Thursday, which makes communication confusing. And, with unpredictable Uranus stirring up your financial zone, save big money moves for a more auspicious week.

Daily astrology updates at www.twitter.com/JoMadelineMoore Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2011

Solutions

Crossword No.382 C P C H A R B O U A A T L A W Y E R E N R T I S C R E E N E C H A P T E U L E B I T U M E I O P T E R M I T

P A R A G R A R E L I X I S S L T R E L L O E P R I S F E R G D A M A T E N T C C A T H O E A Y

Sudoku med No.91 O N E R S T I S M S H E U R B D E T

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