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DETERMINED ALISTAIR COE STARTS THE LONG, HARD SLOG MARCH 30, 2017

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KIRSTY BUDDING sees the benefits of putting drama into her students’ lives

MITCHE LL

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Pledge an end to violent prostitution

ANDREA TOKAJI

Responsibility to make schools safe

TIM BAVINTON

The healthy ways of dog ‘walkies’

HEIKE HAHNER

Heroes & villains

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Cancer Convoy drives Melissa’s need to help

By Danielle Nohra

MELISSA Gardiner was in the right place at the right time when she came across an ad from the Cancer Support Group seeking staff.

Watching her mum recover from cancer and then having a close friend die from a rare bone cancer, Melissa was determined to get involved in any role available.

“I was actually standing in line to get on a plane to fly to Nepal when my husband rang me saying I’d missed a call from the Cancer Support Group,” she says.

Melissa ended up having the interview, over the phone, just before she was about to scan her ticket.

The Cancer Support Group wanted to go ahead with a second interview and said they needed someone straight away.

After the interview Melissa hopped on a plane, not to Nepal though, she was on her way back to Canberra even though the group couldn’t promise her that she would get the administration position she had applied for.

That Monday Melissa was offered a job as CEO. “My heart’s in it, I have a big passion for the Cancer Support Group,” she says.

“Great patients come through, it’s a very rewarding job, I’ve never had one like it.”

Melissa admits she doesn’t know what the patients are going through, but she knows what it’s like to be a loved one of someone with cancer.

“With my mum it was really hard, you don’t like to think of your parents dying,” she says.

“This was 18 years ago, mum was only young

index Arts & Entertainment 23-25 Cinema 25 Dining 25 Crossword 27 Gardening 26 Horoscopes 27 Letters 12 News 3-14 Politics 7 Socials 16-17 Wine 24

Cancer Support Group CEO Melissa Gardiner… “Great patients come through, it’s a very rewarding job, I’ve never had one like it.” and I had just had twins so I took it a lot harder.”

Another person close to Melissa was Mandy, who died seven years ago.

“Mandy’s death really hit me hard because before she died she called and I missed her call,” Melissa says.

“She was calling to tell me that her cancer had come back. She died two days later.”

Since her death, Mandy’s father and her

brother have also died from cancer.

Sadly, this isn’t uncommon and Melissa has seen multiple families, including a mum, a dad and a teen all get diagnosed within a week of each other.

“There was no Cancer Support Group for Mandy because she lived in another state,” Melissa says.

“Her partner had to give up work to care for their three young kids.”

The Cancer Support Group helps families in these situations but to do this they need to consistently raise funds.

One of the first things Melissa did after being hired in April, 2012, was to get the fundraising Cancer Convoy, a convoy of hundreds of trucks and hundreds of motorcycles that drive from Beard Industrial Estate to Exhibition Park in Canberra, up and running again.

“The convoy makes up about a third of our budget. It’s such an important event for us,” Melissa says.

This year the convoy will be held on Sunday, April 2, to raise money for local cancer patients in the Canberra and Queanbeyan region.

“We give cancer patients and families money for food and fuel vouchers,” she says.

“Obviously their immunity is low so we help with supplements, dietary supplements, electricity and gas bills, chemotherapy and medicine.”

“The big companies raise money all year and the day before they bid for their position in the convoy,” Melissa says.

The company that raises the most money will get the privilege of being the first truck to lead the convoy.

“We have live entertainment, a tribute band to INXS, the number one tribute band in Australia,” Melissa says.

“We also have merchandise for sale, food and drink as well as games for the kids.”

The Cancer Convoy will be followed by a family fun day at Exhibition Park. Radio presenter Chris Coleman and the 2CC team will broadcast the convoy’s progress live from 10am.

Since 1993: Volume 23, Number 11

Healthy ways of dog “walkies”. Story Page 14.

Well written, well read

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seven days

Colonel Sanders gets the finger-linking message FANS of the ‘90s cult movie “Fight Club” know “the first rule about fight club is you do not talk about fight club”, but it appears a conversation must take place on MMA (mixed martial arts) or cage fighting in Canberra.

Agreeing that a ban on the rapidly growing sport would drive it underground, the ACT AMA says the government must set rules.

Pre and post-bout medicals, the removal of bikies and organised crime groups from the sport and the prevention of serious injury are among the considerations.

Branch president Steve Robson says: “There was a clear distinction between combat sports and collision sports; having the whole aim of the thing to bash someone senseless is not acceptable to most doctors”.

One of Canberra’s favourite footballing daughters has made sporting history with Bec Goddard leading the Adelaide Crows women’s team to win the inaugural AFLW Grand Final.

COLONEL Sanders may have had a Southern secret or 11 up his sleeve when he began frying fowl back in Kentucky but he’s failed the “vibe” test in northern Canberra.

A petition with more than 1600 signatures objecting to a KFC outlet at Gold Creek Village has been presented to the ACT government, considering a development application. Gold Creek business owners contend the area is unique in the ACT and that KFC would be ”completely contrary to the vibe of the village”.

ACT Green Caroline Le Couteur has also waded into the fast-food fight. The MLA says, with “six out of 10 Canberrans overweight or obese”, she has serious health concerns for the region and also has animal rights

and employment issues with the company.

Ms Le Couteur cited recent reports that companies such as KFC “have suppliers which routinely abuse animals and exploit their migrant workforce”.

DESPITE Immigration Minister Peter Dutton’s blunt advice to CEOs to stop commenting on “fringe issues” such as same-sex marriage, the Canberra Airport is forging ahead with its second campaign supporting marriage equality. CEO Stephen Byron says electronic and 3D boards will greet transiting pollies with the message: “The right to marry is pivotal to the wellbeing and happiness of LGBTI Australians who just want to get on with their lives”.

MEANTIME, the airport’s relationship with Singapore Airlines may have hit turbulence with the carrier conducting a review of the Singapore/Wellington/Canberra link. While CEO Byron says results to date were “beyond expectations”, Chief Minister Andrew Barr

dose of dorin was less ebullient. Barr says he understands the reality is the service is unsustainable without the Wellington leg.

The airline’s spokesman Karl Schubert says the review is simply seeking ways to make the services more successful and its commitment to the Canberra region “remains unwavering”.

ONE of Canberra’s favourite footballing daughters has made sporting history with 38-year-old, high achiever Bec Goddard leading the Adelaide Crows women’s team

to a thrilling, six-point win over the (until Saturday) undefeated Brisbane Lions in the inaugural AFLW Grand Final.

Ms Goddard, a member of the AFP’s Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (SAPOL) quoted lyrics of the John Farnham hit “You’re the Voice” – “We have the chance, to turn the pages over” – to describe the team’s part in football history.

Goddard was handpicked for the role by the Crows in October and says: “AFL is Australia’s greatest game and now it’s a game for everybody”.

AN article in New York’s “Village Voice” suggests it’s possible to build a light-rail system that pays for itself. The premise of the piece, published online, titled “The Dark Side Of Light Rail” is that if you build light rail in the right place and, “in collaboration” with developers, the route will be magically lined with multi levels of small boxes for people to live in. Sound familiar?

The boxes would automatically appreciate in value and ultimately realise extra revenue through property taxes.

Though a parallel between the Brooklyn-Queens Connector, or BQX, and the Gungahlin leg of the ACT light rail might be more akin to comparing (big) Apples with lemons.

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Determined Coe starts the long, hard slog With another four years in opposition ahead of him, new Opposition Leader Alistair Coe tells ROD HENSHAW the Canberra Liberals are ‘a little bit too experienced’ in opposition “NOBODY gets into politics to be in opposition.”

So says ACT Liberal Opposition Leader Alistair Coe. It’s an ironic observation given that all of his eight and a half years as an Assembly member has been just that – in opposition.

And his party has been there for more than 15 years.

“Opposition is very frustrating,” he concedes.

“Unfortunately, the Canberra Liberals are a little bit too experienced in opposition.”

But Coe is quick to deflect any suggestion that his party is actually resigned to opposition: “I think the enthusiasm and the effort we keep putting into the elections proves that we’re definitely dedicated to winning an election.”

Coe clearly balances that motivation and enthusiasm with sheer patience that, after such an inordinate time on the opposition benches, must be akin to mixing bromide with an aphrodisiac.

At just 33, married for three years to Yasmin and with a couple of toddlers at home, Coe’s youthful appearance can be deceptive at first glance.

The “Doogie Howser MD of local politics” impression soon gives way to a much deeper persona once you lock down in serious conversation with him.

Canberra-born, he’s no newcomer to the party political fray, having joined the Liberals at age 16 while he was still at school.

“I firmly believed that governments

are best when they concentrate on a limited number of things and doing them well rather than chancing their arm on everything and doing everything poorly,” he says.

He studied commerce at the ANU before going on to stints with a small engineering consultancy firm and then a short time with the RSL, before seeking preselection in Ginninderra in 2008.

As a relatively new leader, Alistair Coe is reluctant to talk about leadership comparisons between himself and his opposite number, Andrew Barr.

Instead, he prefers to point to the double-edged sword of longevity and potential complacency in government, which provides something of an insight to where he is aiming his strategy between now and the next election in 2020.

“We need to have a government that’s approachable and which doesn’t get caught up in its own agenda and I think there are a couple of problems this government is facing,” he says.

“I think they are becoming increasingly elitist and in effect, they have an attitude that it’s their way or the highway.”

The Liberal Opposition team of 11 members is an interesting mix comprising the long-time stalwarts still smarting from the 2016 election loss to the four “newbies” elected last October, still exuberant and busy learning the ropes of their shadow ministries to yet feel the frustrations of opposition.

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Opposition Leader Alistair Coe… “Because people aren’t following politics, it’s not to say they don’t care about issues.”

Photo by Rod Henshaw meetings and it’s inevitable that what comes out of the party room is better that what goes in. And that’s (because of) the collective experience of the members,” says Coe. This is a significant dynamic when viewed in the context of the Labor government’s long reign in power,

made up of members who’ve never had to experience the sour taste of opposition. And, of course, a couple of supporting Greens help out.

Coe is hardly disillusioned about the task ahead to overcome those barriers.

Nor is he daunted by the reality that they simply have to do something dif-

ferent if they’re going to change their electoral fortunes during this term.

This started with the decision to commission a review into last year’s election to work out what exactly went wrong, and more importantly, how to fix it. Coe doesn’t elaborate on the findings, but one suspects it wasn’t flattering.

“It’s provided a lot of advice and a lot of constructive opinion. So that’s certainly an important part of moving forward,” he says.

The hard yards will be to bring the voters of Canberra along with him, many of whom are largely disdainful of politicians of every hue and jurisdiction.

“Because people aren’t following politics, it’s not to say they don’t care about issues,” says Coe. “The challenge is how we communicate the issues that concern them in a way that’s actually relevant for them.

“I have no doubt the number of people following Question Time in the Assembly would be extremely low. But the number of people concerned about the issues we are discussing during Question Time would be very high.”

Coe has three-and-a-half years to turn it all around. It’s not a long time in politics. As Coe says, it goes like a flash in government, but in opposition it’s a long, hard slog.

If 2016 was psychologically “devastating” despite the closeness of the vote, a loss in 2020 wouldn’t bear thinking about and so far as he’s concerned, that’s not in the script.

Beneath that affable, youthful – and certainly genuine – disposition, you are left with the impression there lies a steely determination to succeed.

Maybe longevity in opposition is his greatest friend.

mum in the city

Another year, another birthday, hooray!

MY little girl is about to turn 11 and she can hardly contain her excitement.

Birthdays are very special when you are young. There’s cake, presents and the thrill of being one year older, just that bit more grown up.

Of course, as we get older, well past those milestones of 16 and 21 things slowly get a bit different. Birthdays lose a bit of their shine. I’m certainly in that territory. Indeed I’ve got a significant milestone coming up this year and I’m inclined to stay firmly in denial.

That’s been my spouse’s policy for quite a few years now. If he can get away with it, he likes to let his own birthdays slip past, without celebration. I can understand that thinking. After all, once you hit middle age, well it’s all downhill from there, right?

But should it be that way? Birthdays are always meant to be a celebration of getting through another year of life.

I got thinking about this recently when I was talking to a friend who nearly died from a car accident in her teens and then spent years dealing with very serious health issues. Every birthday is

If you’re not having a birthday, the show’s over. So, better to light the candles and celebrate whatever the number on the odometer. an achievement for her and a chance to celebrate that she has made it this far.

That made me think about how important it is to celebrate all the milestones of life.

Parenting, after all, is just one long line of milestones. When I think back to those endless sleepless nights with number one and then number two; fretting myself grey over their feeding (or lack of it), their eating (or lack of it), their sleeping (or lack of it), their toilet training (or lack of it), I didn’t think I would ever get to this point. But here we are. My daughter is now in the final year of primary school, while my boy is in high school.

Looking ahead there are pimples, teenage heartache, exams, driving, jobs and maybe study or work far from home. Yes, there are still many milestones ahead.

And, hopefully, many birthdays to celebrate yet. So perhaps I’ll bite the bullet and celebrate big this year – not only for me but for all of our family including my husband, who really is a terrible stick-inthe-mud when it comes to acknowledging his own birthdays.

With every year comes new challenges, new achievements and new experiences, some good, maybe some not; but if you’re not having a birthday, the show’s over.

So, better to light the candles and celebrate whatever the number on the odometer.

SONYA FLADUN

politics

Hate, racism and the art of distraction THERE is a tension between racial hate and free speech. Racial discrimination in all its forms is despicable. On the other hand, one of the fundamentals of democracy is freedom of speech.

This tension provides the Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, with a brilliant opportunity for the political games of distraction, consolidation and appealing to base instincts.

Using World Harmony Day to announce the intention to move changes to Section 18c of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 seemed politically naive.

Naïve, that is, unless the attempt was to seriously distract from his other political challenges. And, as more and more people become enraged over the $50 billion tax break to corporate Australia, the Prime Minister needs distractions.

The proposed tax break comes at a time when company profits increased over the last year by 20 per cent while wages fell in real terms. This was salt in the wound of the decision by Fair Work Australia to slash the Sunday penalty rates of the poorest working Australians. The Prime Minister was badly in need of a distraction.

He also needed to consolidate the conservative elements of his party, who have been pushing for the change to Section 18c. It is only the ultra-conservative rump of the parliament that has been pushing for the change. Even Tony Abbott put it on the backburner as a bad idea.

The proponents are pushing for the change on ideological grounds. Whereas the Prime Minister is much more pragmatic. So, why would he go down this path unless it was politically advantageous?

Section 18c has been examined extensively.

No changes have been recommended to this clause in the legislation. The report of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights “Freedom of Speech in Australia” set the tone. More than 10,000 submissions were made. After a thorough examination, the committee did not recommend any changes to this section of the Act. Instead, the committee outlined the issues at Recommendation 3 as follows: “Given the nature and importance of the matters considered by the committee for this inquiry – primarily the right to freedom of speech, the right to be free from serious forms of racially discriminatory speech,

and the importance of the rule of law – views varied among members of the committee as to how to balance these appropriately”.

The committee made 22 recommendations about changing processes. A sensible approach. However, this was not good enough for the government.

The temptation for a prime minister who is not doing well in the polls is to appeal to base instincts. Politicians all over the world have used marginalised groups as scapegoats. The appeal is instantaneous – attacking people who are “different”. An emphasis on the right to freedom of speech also has appeal as a basic right under our democracy. It works politically because it places the majority at odds with the minorities who suffer the discrimination.

The disturbing part is that Australia has come such a long way towards a tolerant and multi-cultural, multi-faith nation. The debate has once again reared its ugly head. Unfortunately, simply for political gain.

Even more disturbing is the level of impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have been on the end of discrimination after discrimination since Australia was first colonised. At a time when Australia is beginning to make progress, an issue like this rekindles the fires of hatred and racism.

A recommendation for this type of change would never have come from anyone who had been on the receiving end of serious discrimination. Instead, the proposal comes from the most powerful, dominant group in our society, people who fear losing just a small amount of their privilege.

Turnbull is able make a huge fuss without any penalty. It must have been clear to him that he would not get the numbers in the Senate to change Section 18c.

The Nick Xenophon team, the Greens and Labor would never support this change.

Instead, the Prime Minister has seen a political opportunity and has run with it. The political advantage of distracting the community from his proposed reduction in company tax while cutting the wages of the poor was just too great to ignore.

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CityNews March 30-April 5, 2017 7

news

Nannas needle for a clean world

By Danielle Nohra

ARMED with knitting needles and wool, nannas Annie Close and Gill King aren’t like conventional activists.

They’re members of Knitting Nannas, Faiths and Friends for Freedom From Fossil Fuels or “Knaff”, a group that holds a weekly vigil in support of people who are suffering from the effects of coal, gas, coal-seam gas and oil mining.

“Fossil fuels are dirty, they harm our climate, wreck our air, deplete our water, wreck the soil and wreck human’s health,” Gill says.

This is why every Wednesday the Knitting Nannas can be seen on the corner of Barry Drive and Marcus Clarke Street knitting outside the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association.

“It’s really scary, so a lot of our role is supporting people who are worried,” Gill says.

“We have a moral obligation to not harm others, to be fair and care, which resonates with people everywhere, across cultures around the world.

“It’s all about caring, everyone loves their nannas. We’re caring for people and caring for the world.”

The nannas use humour and granny love to raise awareness towards this current “climate emergency”.

Canberra’s knitting nannas at their weekly protest outside the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association in Civic.

Photo by Danielle Nohra “We’re thinking of setting up some wash basins to ‘clean’ some coal like the nannas up north have done,” Annie says.

Gill and Annie represent the ACT nannas, but they’re not the only granny activists in the world. The Knitting Nannas Against Gas is an international “disorganisation” and the first group to form in Australia was the Northern Rivers in NSW. “You don’t have to be a nanna to join and you don’t have to know how to knit, we’ll teach you,” Gill says.

The nannas have taken on “knitting” for the title but any other craft form is welcome as long as the participants are passionate about the cause.

“Issues that we’re talking about include safe water, safe air, safe food and health,” Gill says.

But Australia isn’t there with these issues and nanna Annie who has two grandchildren, a two-year-old and fiveyear-old, is worried about their future.

“I can’t tell you how worried I am about their future,” she says. “If we don’t stop burning fossil fuels then

we’ll reach scary temperatures.

“Fossil fuels is a dying industry that’s cropped up artificially for selfish reasons, causing people harm.”

Annie emphasises that solar is cheaper than gas and questions the point of it.

“The Australian Government supplies $7.7 billion in subsidies that could be going to schools and hospitals,” she says.

The ACT Knitting Nannas can be found on Facebook.

Ivan’s got a new burst of Energy CANBERRA business identity Ivan Slavich has been appointed CEO of the publicly listed energy management technology and services company Energy Action Limited.

He starts in the new role on April 3. Slavich has 22 years’ experience in the energy, telecommunications and consulting sectors, having previously held senior executive positions with the AGL Energy Group including ActewAGL. He headed ActewAGL’s retail division with responsibility for all aspects of the utilities business across energy, water and communications. More recently Slavich headed his own management consulting business in Canberra.

“Much has been said on the supply side in terms of a Ivan Slavich… off new gas peaking to energy. plant in SA, battery storage in SA and an upgrade of the Snowy Hydro facility, but very little has been said in terms of the demand side equation,” Slavich says.

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ACCC puts hearing-aid industry on notice

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The Australian Competition and Consumer consideration the wellbeing and best interest of Commission (ACCC) have just released its findings the consumers they are consulting.’ Dr Vass feels into an investigation undertaken within the hearing this is exactly the point and strongly recommends aid industry. The primary focus of the report is on independent advice before anyone considers consumer protection issues around the sale of purchasing a hearing aid. ‘The industry needs to hearing aids. Dr Vass is a long-standing advocate regain its integrity and back away from a sales for an increase in regulation and transparency based model, ‘ideally commissions should be within the hearing industry. He has welcomed this abolished, but at the very least clear disclosure investigation and its findings. An important finding needs to be provided to all clients looking to of the ACCC report revealed that ‘Sales may be purchase hearing aids’ declares Dr Vass. driven by commissions and other incentives rather Another part of the ACCC report talks than consumer need.’ Dr Vass says that about vulnerable consumers such as this is an industry-wide issue and he recent case Dr Vass had involving believes strongly that the patient’s a 94 year-old-year old woman needs come first, not sales My philosophy who was told she needed to commissions. is simple,‘treat spend $12,500 on hearing everyone as you Having established his own aids by a clinician working would like to practice on honesty, integrity for a large retail chain. After a and ethical standards, Dr Vass be treated’ consultation with the woman, is the first to admit that this Dr Vass fitted her with hearing - Dr Vass approach doesn’t result in large aids that were almost 50% less profits but, he says ‘that’s not why expensive. She was very happy with I became an audiologist. I entered the her new hearing aids and the services profession over 30 years ago to help people Dr Vass provided, but was confused as to with hearing loss and my patient-centred approach why she had been quoted such a high amount has always remained my focus. My philosophy for hearing aids? Perhaps the need of higher is simple, ‘treat everyone as you would like to be commissions could be the answer to her question. treated.’ This ‘golden rule’ of Dr Vass’ helps to make When seeking advice for hearing loss there are a his practice unique and assures patients of the few things to consider Dr Vass explains ‘have an highest professional and ethical standards. assessment with an independent, locally owned The ACCC report states that some clinics are clinic and look for a clinician who is well qualified paying their clinicians up to 15% commission on to look after you’. hearing aid sales; along with setting sales targets.

If you are looking to have a full hearing These practices shift the focus from helping clients assessment or just in need of a second opinion to selling a product. To quote the report ‘as with you can contact Dr Vass’ clinic on 6282 2717, other healthcare professionals, consumers expect to view the full ACCC report you can visit www. that these clinicians will provide independent hearingclinic.com.au and follow the link. and impartial advice and have as their primary

Dr William Vass Suite14, John James Medical Centre, 175 Strickland Crescent, Deakin Phone: 02 6282 2717 • Email: williamvass@bigpond.com • Website: www.hearingclinic.com.au

opinion / safe schools

briefly

Responsibility to make schools safe

‘Fashion alley’ fundraiser

NICK Jensen’s opinion piece (“Parents lose power to the ‘rainbow ideology”, CN, March 2) on the Safe Schools Coalition revisits familiar concerns and issues raised nationally in the last year or more, but offers little for a Canberra reader about how the program is evolving and what its overall goals and approach are.

The Safe Schools Coalition program is delivered locally by Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT (SHFPACT). We have a long record of service provision and advocacy to meet the needs of same-sex-attracted, sex and gender-diverse Canberrans, and we’re proud of a long-standing commitment to gender equity in health, education and community services through training programs for professionals in these industries.

Late last year, the ACT government backed its public statements of support for the program with a financial commitment that will enable us to continue to meet the needs of our school communities. Federal government funding for the national program ends in June.

This is a challenging area of work, because we are dealing with the intersection of important human needs for safety, respect, care, support, and recognition. And how these needs intersect with our values and attitudes about relationships, sexuality and gender.

School should be a welcoming, safe and inclusive place for all students, families and staff.

These are not marginal issues, they are central to our experience of being human and of being in a community.

Attacks on the program nationally and here in Canberra, including the fears Mr Jensen raises in his article, rely on emphasising some genuine concerns out of proportion to the real issues the program is attempting to address.

The genuine concerns relate to how we will live together in our community with others who don’t share our experiences, beliefs or morals, without resorting to discrimination and violence. And there are some serious attempts to critique how well the program materials and approach achieve their goals without creating other challenges.

The very real needs and risks our program is addressing include the reality that children and young people who are gender diverse and same-sex attracted (or will be at some point in their lives) are at higher serious risk for poorer mental health, self harm and suicide as a result of prejudice, discrimination and bullying, and the absence of appropriate supports.

School should be a welcoming, safe and inclusive place for all students, families and staff.

That many same-sex-attracted and gender-diverse children, young people and adults have identified school as one of the most unsafe places they experience does place a responsibility on all of us to mitigate and improve this situation.

There is no inconsistency with an anti-bullying goal and the program’s approach of making visible and celebrating difference. This is exactly how we positively approach addressing racism and cultural prejudice in our community. And there is no inconsistency in focusing attention on particular needs, while not losing sight of the overall goal of schools providing a positive environment for all.

In the longer term, our hope and goal is that as school communities and education professionals become more confident and skilled at addressing the needs of same-sex-attracted, intersex and gender-diverse students, families and staff, the need for these supports provided by an external agency will also change.

However, what we don’t expect to change is a commitment to

support school communities to be places where both the challenges and benefits of embracing and accepting our differences are actively engaged; where diversity of sexuality, sex and gender is not a focus of prejudice, discrimination, harassment or bullying any more than diversity of ethnicity, culture, hair colour, weight or ability are.

The program supports will remain voluntary, schools will be in control of the degree and nature of their engagement and we will continue to encourage school leaders to communicate openly with their parent/carer community consistent with how they approach this for other important areas of school need and life.

Tim Bavinton is executive director of Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT (SHFPACT), a non-government, non-profit health promotion charity and lead agency for the Safe Schools Coalition work in Canberra. More information at shfpact.org.au

TIM BAVINTON

Does your business want to save money and be environmentally responsible?

CARDIF Collective is hosting a “fashion alley” event in Highgate Lane, Green Square, Kingston to support the Heart Foundation on Saturday, April 8 from 7.30pm. The laneway will be used as a catwalk and local designers will launch new-season collections. Bookings to cardifcollective.com.au/events

Treasures wanted THE Canberra Seniors Centre is looking for unwanted “treasures” for its autumn fete on Saturday, May 6. Anything from clothes to toys, games, books, jewellery, plants and, of course, trash and treasure will be gratefully accepted. Donations to 10 Watson Street, Turner on weekdays or call 6248 9509 or email cseniors@bigpond.com

Come cheer the Cats THE Canberra Cats welcome all supporters of the Geelong AFL team to cheer the Cats on at the Woden Southern Cross Club’s big screen when they meet Melbourne on Saturday, April 8, from 4.35pm. The Canberra Cats will also muster at the same venue for rounds 7, 9, 11, 14, 17, 19, 22 and 23. Sign up for the newsletter by emailing canberracats@gmail.com

Lots in Little dinner NATIONAL food personality and author Valli Little will talk about her new book “My Kind of Food” at the next “Meet the Chef” dinner at University House on Thursday, April 27.

Canapes, dinner and wine is $85 and bookings to unihouse.anu.edu.au/events

Actsmart offers a range of free programs for ACT businesses including:

• • •

support to implement efficient recycling and waste management practices obligation free onsite energy and water assessments rebates of up to $5,000 (on a cost share basis) to upgrade inefficient equipment

More than 1000 ACT businesses have already signed up to Actsmart programs.

10 CityNews March 30-April 5, 2017

ZOO 55396

For more information: visit actsmart.act.gov.au email actsmartbusiness@act.gov.au call Access Canberra on 13 22 81

opinion

Pledging to end the violence of prostitution ADRIAN Bayley, the man who raped and murdered Victorian journalist Jill Meagher in 2012, had a history of violence towards prostituted women.

His attitude was, according to an interview, that once he pays for someone he can do what he wants with them.

Although not all men who buy sex have these attitudes, when a legalised industry allows a man to “rent” a woman’s body in prostitution, it has the real effect of temporarily suspending her wishes and desires – making it closer to coercion rather than an equal and fair transaction.

Also, when considering the high levels of abuse and exploitation in the industry, it is difficult to see its workers as “voluntary”.

Rachel Moran, activist and survivor of the sex trade, recounts that the majority of women in prostitution are there as a result of various forms of exploitation – whether psychological, emotional, physical or financial – and witnessed first-hand women who were trafficked, kidnapped, raped and physically brutalised.

The statistics bear this out as well. Renowned psychologist and researcher Melissa Farley’s international study into nine countries of the conditions for prostituted women found that 73 per cent of women in prostitution have been physically assaulted, 64 per cent have been threatened with a weapon and 57 per cent have been raped – why would anyone “voluntarily” enter such a degrading, violent and abusive workforce of their own free will?

Needless to say, it is mostly women who take on the role of prostitute, and it is mainly men who take on the role of the “John”. This, therefore, becomes a gender equality issue. As we pass another International Women’s Day, it is important to recognise the gender inequality that occurs in the adult industry.

Male sexual entitlement, which is inherent in violent sexual behaviour, is something that needs to be recognised and addressed.

The truth is, we will never address gender-based violence in our community if we continue to allow women and girls to be bought and sold in legalised industries.

The Prostitution, I Don’t Buy It campaign seeks to bring the men into this conversation publicly.

Why would anyone ‘voluntarily’ enter such a degrading, violent and abusive workforce of their own free will?

It calls on all men and boys to take a pledge declaring that they no longer want to see the commodification or exploitation of women in their communities – and pledge to make healthier choices in their tomorrows.

Tom Meagher, husband of Jill Meagher, ran the Prostitution, I Don’t Buy It campaign in Ireland and was successful in shifting not only the social acceptance of male sexual entitlement and sexualised violence against women in legalised industries, but also changing legislation in favour of the Nordic countries’ approach of treating all purchasing of sex as violence against women.

This campaign in Australia is a way to bring the conversation into the public arena and encourage men to consider the broader impact their choices are making on all women in our community. It calls on all men to reject the idea that a person can be sold, traded or bought in any way for personal sexual gratification.

This is the first year of what will become an annual campaign that calls on all state and territory jurisdictions to change the laws that make exploitation and trafficking a possibility in our nation, and legislating towards a more human-rights compliant, gender-equal policy framework along the lines of the Nordic Model.

By signing the pledge (at prostitutionidontbuyit-fightingforjusticefoundation.nationbuilder.com) we will give a clear signal that our mothers, sisters and daughters should never be bought and sold in any society that values the inherent dignity in every woman.

Andrea Tokaji is a PhD candidate on gender-based violence and Founding Director of Fighting for Justice Foundation at fightingforjusticefoundation.com

ANDREA TOKAJI

grumpy

Wind and sun won’t save us IDEOLOGUES have the public believing that if only we could have all electricity generated from wind and solar, with a potentially explosive battery in household garages, then the problems of climate change would be solved.

The local Barr-Rattenbury government continually repeats the claim of 100 per cent of energy requirements from renewables by 2020 when the truth is that Canberra will always be dependent during peak demand on fossil fuel-fired generators somewhere on the grid.

Even Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has just muddied the water in the Snowy Hydro scheme with a proposal for a $2 billion expansion.

The first point to note is that Snowy Hydro is a water-management scheme, not a renewableenergy project.

Snowy Hydro is good for helping

Reader John L Smith, of Farrer, finds the concept of a city dominated by roof-top solar and household batteries highly questionable... meet the peak electricity demand that occurs around sundown. It is much less suited to redressing any prolonged downturn in renewable power output due to unusual weather conditions and other contingencies that a reliability actuary would have to consider.

There is no doubt the more renewable energy sources we have then the less the CO2 emissions will be.

The enigma concerns how many renewable installations is enough or, realistically, what complement of renewables, fossil-fuel-fired generators and energy storage systems can we afford. I find the concept of a city dominated by roof-top solar and household batteries highly questionable, it being completely contrary to

the economy-of-scale principle.

Finally, if all this were resolved we would have reduced the world CO2 emissions rate by 0.2 per cent.

If we accept the evidence that significant climate change is inevitable then Australia has far more urgent challenges to address in the decades ahead to secure our water supplies, our agriculture, combat the bushfire threats and, as an island, prepare for sea-level rises.

We would better play our part in the community of nations if we focused on these challenges.

I sometimes wonder whether our representatives know the difference between social engineering and civil engineering.

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CityNews March 30-April 5, 2017 11

letters

Where does she think the money comes from?

I AM surprised that Elisha McMurray (letters, CN, March 16) admits to being not only an easy target but silly enough to not take precautions and then openly admitting to it, even though she is acutely aware of the prevalence of STDs.

STDs they cure them; if she knows about vaccines and condoms why did she not use them?

Elisha goes on to say the Turnbull government should recheck its priorities because cutting $220 million from the AusAid budget is immoral and it is not a cost but an investment in people’s health. Just like her income, there is a limit to how far it will stretch.

Elisha is one of the reasons he has to do this because of the Budget blow-out. Is she not being immoral She talks of the free public health system in Australia for all to access. Where on earth does she think the money letting the rest of the country pay for her indiscretions and silliness? It would be nice if we could all live free comes from? Is she so silly that she thinks it free? We are from disease, but this is impossible as we do not have a all paying for her and her cohorts to have an STD check because they cannot control themselves or take measures bottomless bucket of money.

Elisha, I hope you have learned a lesson from your to prevent the likelihood of disease. close shave and in future take precautions, the next time She says: “The majority of STDs are preventable you may not be so lucky. through public health measures such as vaccines, Vi Evans via email antibiotics or condom usage”. Antibiotics do not prevent

Memories of the manse I WAS delighted to see a photo of my home for the first 2½ years of my life in Nichole Overall’s “Yesterdays” column (CN, March 23).

After having been born at Lonan Private Hospital in Queanbeyan (wherever that was) over 80 years ago, the Queanbeyan Presbyterian Manse became my home.

In 1934, my father had been invited to fill in at St Andrew’s Church Canberra for six weeks. While there, he was asked to visit the Queanbeyan church to see if he thought it could be made a viable parish.

Many church members had moved to Canberra and Queanbeyan membership had dwindled.

My dad reported that he believed it could be made viable and was told: “Well, you go and do it”.

He did.

Concerned about aviation safety DIFFICULT to believe what I was reading about Canberra Airport boss complaining about “scaremongering” around aviation safety at the airport (Seven Days, CN, March 16).

My concerns about the airport are certainly real.

On November 5, 2002, a Boeing 737 travelling from Melbourne encountered turbulence during the landing flare on runway 35. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) incident report indicated turbulence resulted from a hangar completed in April of that year, located contrary to the abundance of airport advisory material relevant to the siting of building structures to avoid this risk.

On July 2, 2006, an open day was held to mark the opening of the new runway extension, partly funded by the Australian taxpayer. What caught my attention

Rewa Bate, Coombs

was newspaper coverage showing upwards of one thousand people allowed under the approach of an operational runway… far from safety first.

In the latest ATSB safety report on Australian aviation wildlife strike statistics, 2006-2015, the bureau found that both the number and rate of bird strikes per 10,000 movements in high-capacity operations have increased markedly in the past two years 2014-15. The largest increase in the rate of strikes was observed at Cairns, Canberra, Darwin, Gold Coast and Sydney.

Safety issues such as those outlined briefly above are taking place with the safety regulator, CASA, now virtually deskilled in airport engineering.

Graham Bailey, Queanbeyan

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Left: Two-year-old Rewa helps her dad mow the backyard of the Queanbeyan Presbyterian Manse in 1935.

Why mince must be cooked FURTHER to Wendy Johnson’s restaurant review titled “Cooked all the way through... it’s the law!” (CN, March 23), I originally trained at UNSW as a food technologist (BSc 1981) and remember either hearing or being told on numerous occasions, in lectures and elsewhere, that minced meat MUST be cooked completely, until there is no pink meat left.

The microbiological reason for this is that when you mince any meat (beef, lamb, pork, even chicken) you are increasing the surface area of the meat open to the air and also distributing any micro-organisms that may already be lying on the surface through the mince.

Proper cooking kills the most of these microorganisms as possible.

Likewise, every time you slice or dice meat into chunks of raw meat you are increasing its surface area.

As an analogy consider the surface area of the lungs.

In an adult this is roughly equal to the surface area of a tennis court.

I might add here that this also goes for the preparation of liver pâté and other meat-based pâté. Chicken liver pâté, for example, that is served pink (that could even be “bright” pink) is definitely undercooked and a potential health risk.

So there is nothing new about this “requirement” for the safe cooking of minced meat and more generally for any meat product that is cut up raw before being cooked. Remember, many of the relevant species of bacteria concerned with food poisoning, etcetera, can double their numbers roughly every 20 minutes.

Paul Myers, Karabar

Stanhope hits the spot JON Stanhope’s column (CN, March 23) in support of SHOUT hits the spot.

I am not and have never been connected with SHOUT, but I have been involved in community volunteering for over 60 years and appreciate the incalculable value and benefits that accrue to our society per se. When properly computed beyond direct black and white figures, these mostly preventative-oriented services considerably offset rapidly accruing remedial government and personal expenditures.

Your quoted list of voluntary health and community agencies benefitting from SHOUT easily proves this reality – and the cost/benefit ratio, including the often immeasurable, far outweighs short sighted government maths.

Here we have a proven method of providing co-ordinated support services for people grouped together to mutually encourage each other through self-help for better health care and preventative

lifestyles. It is an imaginative and cost-effective idea without which some of these enterprising agencies could not hope to be as efficient.

I agree with Jon that the withdrawal of the $110,000 annual ACT Government grant seems to be short sighted and lacking in any real understanding of the SHOUT concept – or is it likened to so many bottomline government decisions as just being an accounting exercise? Even if so – the end outcome would not stack up if considered for the broader conceptual values. Yes, I can sympathise with public servants trying to meet political priorities, but I am bemused when genuine community priorities may be victim to ideological preference over longer-term community benefit.

Like Jon, I can but hope that those holding the purse strings may yet take time to see the multiplier self-help benefits of the SHOUT model.

Len Goodman, Belconnen

The postie’s special delivery I ENJOYED “Love Blooms in a Changing World” (CN, February 27) about Elisabeth Rose, the prolific, successful and talented writer of romance novels.

My friends and I remember her also as an excellent teacher of tai chi. We attended many of the sessions she took at Aranda for the Tai Chi Academy.

Since coming to Canberra from Melbourne, to be with our son and family, I have met many wonderful people, through tai chi and other activities.

Just recently, walking back from Cooleman Court shopping centre with a heavy backpack and two laden bags, I stopped to rest. Our local postie went past, stopped and asked me where I lived, and then

invited me to put the bags in his panniers. When I arrived home, I found my shopping at my front door.

Canberrans are friendly and generous.

Bernadette Gately, Stirling

Write to us Letters are invited from “CityNews” readers.

Let loose to: editor@citynews.com.au or write to the editor at: 9b / 189 Flemington Road, Mitchell 2911.

healthy eating

Is weight worth the worry?

FOR decades, weight has been the measure used to track health and wellbeing. But how much is our weight really telling us?

The answer is: not a lot.

If we want to get technical about it, our weight is only telling us the gravitational relationship between us and the earth. That’s it. It’s one number, summing up all of our composition. It’s not just our body fat but our muscle, our organs, our bones, our water and the contents of our bowels.

Weight is also challenging because we don’t have a lot of control over it. Aside from going to the toilet, there is very little you can do to directly change the number on the scales from one moment to the next. While jumping on the scales before and after a trip to the bathroom can be an interesting experiment, it doesn’t reflect any change to our health or wellbeing.

Yet, we use this rudimentary yardstick to measure our progress in all things health related. While there is irrefutable evidence that excess body weight and a high BMI (Body Mass Index) is associated with health risks in population groups, at an individual level body weight alone is an inaccurate and frustrating marker for health.

I work with many clients who have made positive changes to their diet and lifestyle, feel better and have more energy. However, if the number on the scales hasn’t changed, all those positive habits lose their value. A lack of weight change can be due to so many variables in body composition, but there is no way of determining that by jumping on the bathroom scales.

So, what should we be really looking for in body composition to better track our

health status?

Visceral fat. The fat that surrounds our organs is more strongly associated with increased risk of metabolic disease, cardiovascular disease and cancer, than weight alone.

Visceral fat is particularly related to insulin resistance, the precursor to Type 2 diabetes.

Muscle. The muscles in our arms, legs and torso are metabolically active, which means they are churning through energy even when they aren’t in use. The more muscle we have, the more effectively our body utilises fuels such as carbohydrates. Increased muscle also supports our bone health and immune function.

Bone minerals. Our skeleton is made up of minerals including calcium and phosphorus.

Maximising bone mineral density throughout our lives can reduce the risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures as we age.

Water. Hydration is essential to good health.

Dehydration can impair our immune system, our kidney’s filtering system and our brain function.

With this in mind, I propose a revolution to ditch the bathroom scales, get an accurate reading of your body composition and then focus your energy on the habits that will support good health long term.

Clare Wolski is a practising dietitian at The Healthy Eating Hub, call 6174 4663. healthyeatinghub.com.au

CLARE WOLSKI

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Wednesday 24 May

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briefly

New chief for Cancer Council

Bargains before winter THE prolific weekly Wanniassa charity garage sales in aid of Towards a Better World are now open every second Saturday from April 8 until May 20. They close for winter with a half-price clearance on May 27.

All proceeds go to funding projects that promote sustainability and self-reliance in poor communities.

Offering a wide range of baby, kids, adult clothes and household items, the sales are at 5 O’Grady Place, Wanniassa.

Albert needs you EXPRESSIONS of interest are invited until April 7 to join the new Albert Hall advisory reference group. The group will advise the ACT government on the maintenance, priorities and development of the building, a Yarralumla landmark since 1928.

Application forms are available via economicdevelopment.act.gov.au

Call for designers DESIGNER applications are now open for Fashfest 2017 at fashfest. com.au. Applications close on May 18. Organisers say Canberra’s annual fashion event will continue to highlight the work of local designers.

Sandra Turner.

SANDRA Turner is the Cancer Council ACT’s new CEO. With a career spanning nursing, the pharmaceutical industry and the Australian Defence Force, she has worked as CEO for the Australia MedicAlert Foundation and, most recently, Girl Guides SA. Ms Turner succeeds Joan Bartlett, who recently retired after leading the organisation for almost two decades.

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Creating Love, Passion & Families • ACT Members ready to meet 02 60416305 • www.countrydating.com.au CityNews March 30-April 5, 2017 13

exercise / walking

The healthy ways of dog ‘walkies’ “Do you really want to be told by some spotty computer geek when, how and why to walk your dog? I don’t!” grumbles pets columnist HEIKE HAHNER WE have new smartphone apps thrown at us these days like confetti and it’s unsurprising that there’s an app that monitors a dog’s activity level.

The original intentions of FitBark were good. If a dog is ill or getting old and there’s no time to spend observing its behaviour, this app will help keep track of how much an ailing dog is moving during the day when it’s unsupervised.

However, recent research from the company claims that Australians are among the laziest people on the globe, that obesity and diabetes are rampant in dogs and humans, and that the saviour to all these problems comes in the bone-shaped tech gadget that dangles from a dog’s collar.

Apparently, owning FitBark will make all the difference to this sad state of health affairs. Really?

So, how lazy are we? Well, according to this latest research, of 122 countries Australians ranked 35th. At first sight this might look low, however by looking at which countries ranked in the top 10, it becomes clear that 35th out of 122 is

possibly not so bad.

The number 1 spot goes to Bangladesh; 2 to Mozambique, followed by Comoros, Benin, Malawi, Greece, Cambodia, Mongolia, Burma and, in 10th place, the Netherlands.

According to the Bureau of Statistics 67 per cent of Australians born in Australia exercise regularly, so do 59 per cent of Australians not born in Australia.

Better still, the highest participation rate for sport and physical recreation in Australia was in the ACT with 73 per cent.

Another study in October looked at dog owners and their dog-walking habits. Dr Hayley Christian, of the University of WA, found that dog walkers are not only more likely to be physically active but that walking the dog can help people in their neighbourhood feel safer.

This study included more than 1000 dog owners from Perth and three US cities – San Diego, Nashville and Portland.

“In all four cities, dog owners walked their dogs five to six times

Dog walking is one thing but what does need improving is feeding routines; more fruit, vegetables and lean meats for dogs and people. a week for more than 90 minutes a week,” Dr Christian said.

However, what does need improving is feeding routines; more fruit, vegetables and lean meats for dogs and people. Avoid, or at least reduce, highly processed foods such as dried dog food for dogs and junk food for people to reduce obesity and the risk of diabetes.

Finally, ask yourself: do you re-

ally want to be told by some spotty computer geek when, how and why to walk your dog? I don’t!

My dogs do a great job every day in letting me know when it’s time for, and I quote Barbara Woodhouse here, “walkies”.

Heike Hahner is a dog and pet training and psychology consultant, hhahner@bigpond.com

Festival of walking just for fun MEMBERS of walking clubs from the Netherlands and Russia will be visiting the ACT, as well as individual walkers from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Lithuania, NZ, Norway and the US, for the 26th Canberra Walking Festival on the weekend of April 1-2.

The festival is part of an international series of walks around the world and is run entirely by volunteers.

Walkers select their preferred distance(s), with options available from 5km to 44km. Participants walk at their own pace, following a signed route with checkpoints and drink stations located along the way. The event is not a race and running is not permitted.

“Walkers who are registered for the longer distances will walk through several nature park areas and all walkers will walk through the grounds of the Australian War Memorial and the memorials on Anzac Parade.

The walks aim to showcase the best of Canberra, with plenty of variety over the weekend. On Sunday walkers will circumnavigate Lake Burley Griffin.”

The meeting and finishing location for all festival activities is Charles Sturt University, Blackall Street, Barton.

Online registrations have closed but walkers can enter on the day. Entries are $25 a day and $10 for accompanied children under 12.

More details at aussiewalk.com.au

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Budding Theatre / cover story

advertising feature

‘These programs help children develop confidence and performance skills through timeless stories and characters’

Heroes, villains and the movie-star moment DRESSING up and acting as superheroes and fairytale characters is a childhood dream, but drama classes can also help increase confidence and improve reading and language skills, says Budding Theatre producer and tutor Kirsty Budding.

Kirsty and her team run themed drama classes for young children and teenagers, as well as school holiday programs and producing theatre shows.

The company offers a range of themed drama programs for children in various locations across Canberra, including “Fairytale Drama” for three-to-six-year-olds and “Heroes and Villains Drama” for 7-to-11-year-olds.

“These programs help children develop confidence and performance skills through the popular appeal of timeless stories and characters,” she says.

“The themed focus gives them confidence, because they already have some knowledge of the story and from there we can build on their skills including public speaking, reading and language skills.

“Even if a child is shy or has never tried drama before, they are immediately able to contribute ideas and have fun because of their familiarity with the stories.

“The students in the ‘Heroes and Villains’ program love to dress up every week, develop their own characters with special powers, improvise scenes, and perform their own plays.”

Budding Theatre also integrates film and special effects technologies into drama classes to give children a “movie-star experience”.

“We often make short films where I add special effects like monsters, fairies and teleportation; the students love seeing themselves battling a supervillain or running from an alien invasion,” says Kirsty.

School holiday program Budding Theatre is about to run its four-day school holiday program, “Myth and Fantasy”, in the upcoming holidays from April 10-13.

“The program is led by fantastic tutor Ali Clinch, who is a director and teacher with a passion for drama as a tool for learning and engagement,” says Kirsty.

All tutors who lead classes with Budding Theatre must have a bachelor’s degree and a graduate teaching qualification as a minimum.

Budding Theatre also offers targetted classes for teenagers on three levels, including “Theatre and Film”, “Comedy and Tragedy” and “Advanced Monologues: Professional Prep”.

“If teenagers are interested in doing drama and acting, they’re generally already confident, energetic and happy performing on a stage,” she says.

“The teen class offers a space where like-minded

Kirsty Budding... “The students love seeing themselves battling a supervillain or running from an alien invasion.” teens can collaborate while taking their acting skills to the next level. The students perform both film and theatrical pieces, and have a short show-reel filmed as part of the course.”

Youth talent show Kirsty says Budding Theatre is known for its original playwriting showcases, annual Christmas shows and variety productions such as the “Canberra Youth Talent Show”.

The “Canberra Youth Talent Show” began in 2016 at the Canberra Theatre Centre and features a grand prize of $1000, last year won by singer Kaitlin Nihill.

Open to singers, dancers, musicians and other performers aged 6-18, the next “Canberra Youth Talent Show” will take place on Saturday, August 12, at the Belconnen Community Theatre, with auditions on May 20.

Budding Theatre will also debut a new full-length play in August called “The Inheritance”, written by Canberra playwright Greg Gould and directed by Cate Clelland.

It is set after the death of a wealthy real estate tycoon, where his dysfunctional family gather to claim their inheritance.

There are roles available for children and adults; expressions of interest close April 5.

Kirsty is well known for her work as a playwright, having won the Canberra Area Theatre Award for Best Original Work and the Short+Sweet Festival Award for Best Script.

“I use these skills to help students to interpret text, develop character, and draw on their own experiences and emotions,” she says.

Her first book of performance writing will be published with Blemish Books in 2017, with an accompanying showcase planned for later in the year.

Email submissions@buddingtheatre.com or visit buddingtheatre.com for more information or to express interest in auditioning for a production or joining a drama program.

CLASSES GALORE Holiday program: • “Myth & Fantasy” (ages 6-12,) April 10-13 (9am-5pm), Civic.

Term 2 Drama (10 weekly classes): • “Fairytale Drama” (ages 3-6): Sundays, 10am11am, Gungahlin; Sundays, 3pm-4pm, Civic.

• “Heroes and Villains Drama” (ages 7-11): Sundays, 11am-noon, Gungahlin; Fridays, 6pm-7pm, Calwell; Wednesdays, 5.30-6.30pm, Civic.

• “Mission Impossible: Special Effects” (ages 7-11): Sundays, 4pm-5pm, Civic.

• Teen Drama: “Theatre and Film” (ages 12-16): Sundays, noon-1pm, Gungahlin; Fridays, 7pm-8pm, Calwell.

• Teen Drama: Full-length Play (ages 12-16): Sundays, 5pm-6pm, Civic.

CityNews March 30-April 5, 2017 15

scene / around canberra

Photos by MADDIE McGUIGAN

At the GIO Stadium open night, Bruce

Mark Wilson with Claire and Damien Webb

Karley Steele, Louise Curtis and Louise Bilston

Helen Taylor and Peter Mercer

Brett Boulton and Adriana Perabo

Natalie Rayner and Alicia Shepard

Rebecca Spradau, Helen Creigh and Omania Terry

At the Autumn High Tea, National Gallery

Diana Hansen, Sam Whyte and Vanessa Wilson

Sheree Kahlefeldt, Sonia Downie and Rochelle Kahlefeldt

Hannah Semler and Michael Matthews

Anna Rita Tamponi and Svetlana Sharapa Zazo

David Middleton and Vicky Kidd-Gallichan

Sarah Thomson, Dimitra Lyras and Samara Purnell

Nancy Donoso de Salazar and Juan Salazar Sancisi

Kate Prior and Lindy Ross

sundayROAST Stay in touch with the names making news on Sundays from 10am as 2CC and “CityNews” present Canberra’s only local weekend news and current affairs program.

It’s a revolving panel show that brings to the microphone great “CityNews” commentators and 2CC personalities.

Be part of the conversation and call 6255 1206 between 10am and noon.

16 CityNews March 30-April 5, 2017

invite us / scene@citynews.com.au

At The Photography Room’s new exhibitions opening, Kingston

At the National Day of Greece reception, Yarralumla

Vakas and Aeneas Zisimos with Lavinia Foukara and Alia Papageorgiou

Giscard El Ghoury, Stephanie Jacobs and James Pollalis

Peter and Jacqui Vardos with Narelle Phillips

Peter Vandepeer and Grant McCabe

Mark Dowling and Kon Velanis

Ray Vance, Chris Rickey and Hamish Paterson

Gabriel Kelly and James Webster

Ben and Leigh Watson with Dion Isaacson

Claudia Noerring and Dimitria Nikias

Sarah Mangan and Julia Duhaut-Bedos

Peter Axiom, Dino Nihlas, Kelley Axiom, George Anagnostopoulos and George Havas

Ulvi and Aivar Tsarski

Jorge Trujillo Hernandez and Clara Morilla Perez

6 - 8 April 2017

“Full of heart, genuine laughs and incredible talent.”

Cultural Flanerie

Adult $52 | Concession & Groups 8+ $47

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The Q - Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre

Call 6285 6290 or visit www.theq.net.au CityNews March 30-April 5, 2017 17

all about mitchell

The many business faces of busy Mitchell Brake service with a smile

SUPPORTED by Gungahlin’s newer surrounding suburbs, Mitchell is home to a growing variety of businesses and services.

UNDER new management Colin Gillie, owner of ACT Brake Service Mitchell emphasises a family friendly business with 15 years’ experience.

ACT Brake Service Mitchell now strives for the best customer service from its friendly staff.

Regular servicing of brakes is essential to keep them in full working order.

There are many things that can make car brakes work ineffectively, including issues with the brake fluid and brake pads.

ACT Brake Service Mitchell has all the latest equipment on hand to ensure a thorough check of brake systems, so any problems can be identified quickly and accurately.

The suburb was named after Maj. Sir Thomas Livingstone Mitchell, surveyor-general and explorer of NSW, and all its streets are named after Australian industrialists.

“CityNews” went out to meet some of the top businesses operating out of the northside’s commercial hub.

ACT Brake Service Mitchell. 21 Huddart Court.

Call 6241 2911 or email stop@actbrakes.com.au

Cher takes to the air

Businesses urged to secure their data

AERIAL Sports in Mitchell has been a place where adults can “play” since 2015, says owner Cher Albrecht.

It’s an “adult playground” dedicated to aerial acrobatics, Cher says.

Cher grew up singing, dancing and performing in Los Angeles and it was during this time she discovered a passion for acrobatics.

She began performing shows in theme parks and she went on to doing stunts in popular TV shows and movies in LA. Now, Cher shares her skill with the Canberra region.

“There’s a lot of joy for me as a teacher to see people who never imagined that they could hold their body weight in the air, and then do it,” she says.

“It’s an alternative way to work out, it’s a fun kind of fitness and people are exhausted by the end without even realising how much work they’ve done.”

Cher says that anyone can come, including complete beginners.

“They get a lot out of it because they’re training new muscles and moving in new challenging ways.”

WITH an increasing presence of viruses and intrusions in the world of technology managing director of OmniIT Michael Warnock says it’s essential that businesses secure their data.

OmniIT provides a complete range of IT support services to small and medium businesses.

This year its focus is data backup and security.

Michael says these threats are so prolific that it’s not a matter of if people get infected but when because the methods of infection are becoming more and more sophisticated.

He asks, would your business function if you suddenly lost access to all of your data?

OmniIT are so concerned with

Aerial Sports. 17a Darling Street. Call 6262 0215, email info@aerialsports.com.au or visit aerialsports.com.au

rra! obatics in Canbe Learn Aerial Acr e ez ap • Lyra • Static Tr Aerial Silks

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educating Canberra businesses about the threat that they have created a 15-minute presentation discussing CryptoLocker, how prolific the issue has become, how to avoid infection and what to do if you are infected.

They are keen to present this free presentation to all businesses in the region.

Michael believes that education is the most effective way to stop the impact of these viruses.

To accompany the presentation OmniIT is offering a free,10-point security health check to any interested business.

OmniIT. Unit 8, 12 Sandford Street. Call 6230 3839, email info@omniIT.com.au or visit omniit.com.au

The Paris End Canberra Business IT support

We have flexible drop-in classes for adults & term classes for teens & kids. Our space is a dedicated aerial studio with plenty of height & multiple apparatus to play on and explore.

Boutique Bazar and Health Works The Paris End is where you’ll find an eclectic mix of local Crafters, Makers, Designers, Artists, Artisans and Purveyors.

www.facebook.com/aerialsportscanberra 17a Darling St, Mitchell ACT 2911 02 6262 0215 www.aerialsports.com.au info@aerialsports.com.au 18 CityNews March 30-April 5, 2017

10am-5pm Tuesday - Friday 1/56 Heffernan Street, Mitchell 0417 994 049

Open Now

Specialising in fixed price IT support services Call Michael and his team to discuss your data security and backups.

Mention this ad for your free 10 point data security health check.

Ph: 02 6230 3839 • support@OmniIT.com.au

advertising feature

Traditional martial arts for the modern world AT Cummings Karate Dojo, learning self-defence from martial arts classes is not only a great way to get fit but is also a lot more enjoyable than just working out on your own.

The Cummings Karate Dojo has opened enrolments for term 2 and currently has spaces available in its seniors (ages 14 and above) programs, and limited spaces in its junior (ages 13 and under) programs, with both offering two free lessons.

The classes focus on not only developing practical self-defence skills, but also fitness, confidence, coordination and reflexes, self-discipline and respect.

All programs are suitable for beginners, with or without experience, and use a systematic approach to learning that ensures everyone can learn at their own pace.

These karate lessons have a focus on physical exercise but also growth in one’s self through training the mind and body.

Classes are small in size with the aim to provide the students with the highest quality of instruction of martial arts and self-defence.

Classes are taught by the centre’s director Reece Cummings, an internationally qualified instructor who has trained extensively in Japan (Okinawa) and holds accreditation as a coach under the National Coaching Accreditation Scheme with the Australian Sports Commission through the Australian Karate Federation, and also has a Diploma of Sport Coaching.

Cummings Karate Dojo. 38 Hoskins Street.

Call 0429 392785 or visit KarateCanberra.com.au

Realistic self-defence for adults & teens

Okinawan karate teaches a diverse range of dynamic and effective unarmed self-defence skills for adults and teens. Techniques include striking, throwing, stand-up grappling, two-person drills, kata and incorporates the use of strength and cardio training, bagwork, and other supplementary training programs.

We have classes for all ages & experience levels Book in for your 2 free trial classes now at...

KarateCanberra.com.au or call 0429 392 785

“GET YOUR ROCK STAR ON!” At Fretvision Music Tuition - Canberra’s Modern Music Academy Our passionate hard working teachers provide expert tuition for you to be the best musician you can be!

• Specialising in Guitar, Bass, Drums, Keyboard, Vocals & Ableton Live • Catering to most styles and all levels of ability • Kids 6+ and adults of all ages welcome • Earn reward points as you learn awesome music skills

Book your FREE TRIAL lesson today

Jake Lang… “At Fretvision we’re getting students motivated and excited about playing music.”

Making the most of playing music THE teachers at Fretvision are all about helping each student discover their passion, says owner Jake Lang.

Jake, who also teaches the guitar, was given his first guitar from his parents in year 9.

Jake says he was disappointed because he wanted a keyboard. But, a little while later, once he started listening to heavy metal music, Jake became obsessed with learning the songs he loved.

“At one stage, my parents confiscated my guitar because I was playing it so much,” he says.

“At Fretvision we’re getting students motivated and

excited about playing music.”

Jake says Fretvision’s motto is discovery, mastery and creativity.

“We’re helping people discover their passion so they create beautiful music that pleases their interests.”

Fretvision offers guitar, bass, drums, keyboard, voice and ableton live lessons.

Fretvision. 2 Dacre Street. Call Jake on 6255 0016 or 0433 043381 or visit artistguitars.com.au

www.fretvision.com • P: 62 550 016 • 1/2 Dacre St, Mitchell CityNews March 30-April 5, 2017 19

all about mitchell

LAND ROVER, EUROPEAN, JAPANESE & 4X4 SPECIALISTS

Specialising in a quality service

Roverworks is the Land Rover specialist of choice for repairs, service, parts and maintenance. Our mechanics specialise in Land Rover and Range Rover models, and the servicing of all 4x4s, and especially European and Japanese variants.

Take advantage of our logbook servicing, for all other car types (non 4x4) starting from only $230.

4X4 FIXED

Call today: 6241 8777

Check us out on the web at:

roverworks.com.au

Email: info@roverworks.com.au

38 Hoskins Street, Mitchell

PRICE MINOR SERVICING ONLY

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papheatingsolutions.com.au PHONE: 02

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SECURITY AND FIRST AID TRAINING Choose from our fully accredited courses: Certificate II in Security Operations CPP30411 Certificate III in Security Operations CPP40707 Certificate IV in Security & Risk Management CPP50611 Diploma of Security & Risk Management CPCCWHS1001 Prepare to Work Safely in the Construction Industry SITHFAB002 Provide Responsible Service of Alcohol HLTAID001 Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation HLTAID003 Provide first aid CPP20212

BY concentrating on European car models and 4WDs Roverlworks is able to master a handful of cars says the owner Richard Orchard.

“We will do everything, but the difference is that there’s a handful of vehicles that we really know,” he says.

New to Roverworks is a European mechanic who specialises in makes such as Citroen, Renault, Peugeot, Volkswagen, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Subaru and Mazda.

The highly qualified mechanic team also specialises in Land Rover and Range Rover models.

“If you have a Range Rover or Land Rover, you’d be mad to take it anywhere else,” says Richard.

“If you have a problem with your car we can fix it, we can do anything and we can do it better and cheaper than anywhere else.

“That’s our speciality, once you get good at something, that’s your point of difference.”

Roverworks is also launching a parts supply business that will get cars back on the road at a cheaper price than dealers.

Giving artists the room to grow NEW to the Mitchell scene, Anthony Bean has opened up an art and fashion store called The Paris End to support local designers and artists.

Anthony and his partner Rebekah Biggs were previously the owners of Hummingbird Vintage, but dreamed of something more permanent.

“We wanted to start our own business and have our own venue,” Anthony says.

The Paris End is an eclectic mix of local crafters, makers, designers, artists, artisans and purveyors.

“We have an emphasis on sustainable businesses and don’t have as many stipulations as other gallery spaces,” he says.

Anthony says there isn’t any budget spaces in Canberra so this will help smaller businesses get their work out there.

He also suggests that people keep an eye out for Rebekah’s opening of The Health Works upstairs where she will be focusing on a range of massage therapies.

The Paris End. 1/56 Heffernan Street. Call 0417 994049.

Roverworks, 38 Hoskins Street.

Call 6241 8777 or visit roverworks.com.au, enquiries at info@roverworks.com.au

First steps to a career in security THE security industry welcomes a wide range of people from 18-year-olds looking for a career path to retired people wanting to work again, says Australian Security Education & Consulting Pty Ltd (ASEC).

ASEC is a local family owned Registered Training Organisation (NRC 88065) that has focused on education in the security industry since 2003.

ASEC is committed to providing high-quality learning and training, both theoretical and hands-on, to support and guide students in their career paths.

To achieve this goal, ASEC is committed to employing instructors who can demonstrate their background in the security industry or with current hands-on industry experience.

One of ASEC’s passions is to break down the wrong

Ask for Norma on 0416 257 044 or 02 6134 6631 Visit our website www.asec.com.au E: norma@asec.com.au or office: asec@optusnet.com.au Australian Security Education & Consulting Pty Ltd 20 CityNews March 30-April 5, 2017

Australian Security Education & Consulting. Unit 8A/160 Lysaght Street. Call 6134 6631 or 0416 257044 or visit aseac.com.au

Canberra’s leading supplier of quality dance wear and costume hire services for boys and girls

CALL US TODAY

(Security Master Licence 17501515) (RTO 88065)

image that the community might have about security guards. The education programs that ASEC delivers concentrate highly on communication skills, both non-verbal and verbal.

The type of work available for security guards includes airport security, government buildings, hospital security, patrol security, military bases, shopping centres, special events around Canberra, embassy security or crowd control security, just to name a few.

The company says that the security industry is very suitable for females.

Level 1, Shop 11, 53-55 Heffernan Street, Mitchell | P: 6174 4631 | attitudeaust.com.au

We stock quality dance products for ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, hip hop, gymnastics,ballroom and latin dance styles as well as costume hire services.

Attitude Australia is the ACT’s exclusive stockist of Repetto.

Suppliers of:

• Repetto • MDM • Grishko • Energetiks • Capezio • Strut Stuff • Dream Duffel • Kurve • Boys Dance Too • So Danca

advertising feature

SPECIALISTS IN ALL JAPANESE MOTORCYCLES AND EUROPEAN DIRT BIKES

For all motorcycle needs BRUCE’S Motorcycle Repairs has been servicing the Canberra motorcycle community for 30 years.

With winter just around the corner, Bruce and his team are available to give any motorcycle a thorough service and make any repairs necessary to get riders through the winter months.

Bruce says don’t leave a motorbike idle over winter, get the most out of it and enjoy riding all year long.

Bruce’s Motorcycle Repairs is open 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.

Bruce’s Motorcycle Repairs, left, Bruce and Charlie.

Bruce’s Motorcycle Repairs.

Unit 3, 44-46 Grimwade Street. Call 6241 1175.

Big on batteries and advice TWO years ago Peter and Michelle Macaulay took over All Type Battery Solutions in Mitchell making it a family owned business.

The name says it all, as All Type Battery Solutions offers expert battery advice and sells a wide range of quality batteries for motorcycles, cars, trucks, caravans, motorhomes, 4x4s, marine, mobile phones, deep cycle, mobility equipment, security, remotes, cordless phones, solar and now hearing-aid batteries.

Michelle says visit the new website for an even more comprehensive list of batteries.

The business is primarily a Bosch battery dealership, offering a nationwide warranty on all Bosch batteries.

“Our aim is to ensure that people have the right batteries when they need them,” Michelle says.

“We are here to offer friendly service to help people make the right battery choices.”

All Type Battery Solutions has a free call-out service that operates seven days a week during business hours, plus an after-hours phone line for emergency assistance (conditions apply).

The Mitchell shop is well located on Sandford Street and includes parking out front and also has a back entry into the workshop.

Michelle says this means customers can pull straight into the shop to get batteries changed in all weather conditions.

All Type Battery Solutions, 12-16 Sandford Street. Visit batteriescanberra.com.au or call 6241 1671.

MOTO

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www.batteriescanberra.com.au • Ph: 02 6241 1671 • 12-16 Sandford Street, Mitchell Discover... batteries for cars, trucks, solar backups, alarms, Proven...

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Staying ahead of the complex car game SERVICING the Canberra region since 1994 Mitchell Service Centre is a family operated mechanical workshop owned and operated

by John and Cheryl Whyte.

Discovering his passion young, John began working on a FB Holden given to him by his grandparents at the age of 10.

Since then John and Cheryl have seen the automotive industry evolve over the years.

“Cars are a lot more complicated these days and I think it’s a much more technical industry than it was when we first opened,” Cheryl says.

Cheryl says Mitchell Service Centre strives to keep up with the latest diagnostic tools and the latest trends in cars, while keeping the quality of customer service and care the same.

A Mitchell Service Centre member who illustrates dedication and motivation in his work is Michael the service manager.

Michael has been part of the team since 2002 and has completed his mechanical apprenticeship and LPG course at the centre.

SERVICE FOR YOUR QUILTS, PILLOWS & CUSHIONS

Custom made products to your specifications: • repairing, resizing and re-casing services • add extra feather and down to your quilts, pillows or sleeping bags.

Unit 9, 10-12 Kemble Court, Mitchell • www.thermaquilts.com.au Phone: 6241 6859 • Email: shop@thermaquilts.com.au

remotes and even a large variety of small batteries Bosch, Enirgi (Alco) and SSB brand batteries The right battery solution for all your battery requirements Battery testing and fitting (during business hours only) with all vehicle batteries roadside battery service (conditions apply)

• Tune-Ups • Rego Inspections • Diagnostics • LP Gas Repairs • Log Book Servicing

Mitchell Service Centre. 1/84 Hoskins Street. Call 6242 7030 or visit mitchellservicecentre.com.au

The feather and down experts for over 30 years New range of winter quilts!

Eco-friendly cleaning and rejuvenation of: • All feather & down products.

• Woollen, silk, polyester and cotton blankets and underlays.

s ’ e c BrRuCYCLE REPAIRS

• Brakes • Clutches • Batteries • Exhausts

• Radiators • Drive Shafts • Transmissions • Cooling Systems

6242 7030 1/84 HOSKINS STREET, MITCHELL, ACT 2911 www.mitchellservicecentre.com.au CityNews March 30-April 5, 2017 21

all about mitchell

advertising feature Hot news about floor heating

High-end dance wear OPENING in January last year, Attitude Dancewear is all about bringing affordable and quality dancewear to the Canberra region.

The store exclusively stocks brands such as MDM and the high-end Paris brand, Repetto.

Open seven days a week, management at Attitude Dancewear says it’s easily accessible for anyone’s schedule.

Known for its casual and relaxed atmosphere, management says customers will love the friendly in-store service.

Attitude Dancewear has a broad range of quality boys and girls products for ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary, hip hop, ballroom, Latin, gymnastics and cheerleading.

It also has a large range of costumes for hire and offers free costume consultations for solos, troupes and school productions.

Attitude Dancewear. Level 1, Shop 11, 53-55 Heffernan Street.

Call 6174 4631 or 0449 225538 or visit attitudeaust.com.au

SPECIALISING in floor-heating products and services, P.A.P. Heating Solutions has the experience and expertise to provide the floor-heating system for any application Australia wide.

From commercial to domestic buildings, the company offers a full design, quotation and installation service for in-slab heating and under-tile heating.

The company says: “No other heating system provides the all-round benefits of floor heating.

“It is efficient to install and run and is generally maintenance free as it doesn’t require cleaning or replacement of filters. Floor heating is absolutely silent and is also versatile, it can be incorporated into almost any building product.

“There are floor-heating systems perfect for carpeted, tiles and polished concrete floors and many timber floors.”

P.A.P. Heating Solutions is the Australian importer, distributor and designers for the premium-quality ELEKTRA Heating Cables.

According to the company, the ELEKTRA DM20 Twin In-Screed Heating Cable is an “in-floor heating cable” that is installed on top of an existing floor in a cement screed or self-levelling compound of about 6-8mm thick and can be installed under many different floor surfaces that radiate heat easily, such as tiles, slate, stone, low-pile carpet and some wooden floor panels.

“The ELEKTRA DM20 is a ‘quick response’ heating system and if the room has effective thermal insulation it may be used as the primary heating system,” the company says.

“Especially popular in bathrooms and toilets where it provides warmth underfoot and keeps your towels and floors dry and free of mould.”

P.A.P. Heating Solutions, 23 Winchcombe Court.

Call 6242 9310 or visit papheatingsolutions.com.au

All about quilts, pillows, cushions and more THERMA Quilts is a family-run business that specialises in making and servicing feather and down products from quilts to pillows, cushions and anything made from feather and down.

Using quality textiles, the seamstresses at Therma Quilts hand-make every item suited to the customers needs and provide a top-up service when quilts and pillows show signs of wear or loss of warmth and fluffiness.

“Servicing of feather and down products is essential for keeping them in optimal condition for comfort,” says owner Jennifer Kusa.

“With time and usage, body proteins and lipids (natural oils and perspiration) are absorbed on to quilt casings and into the feather and down inside.

“Over time, this build-up dampens the down, which causes it to lose its thermal resistance.

However, regular servicing of your quilts would ensure that your down is fresh, fluffy and keeps

you nice and warm during winter.

“In addition, if your quilt is not warm enough or too warm, we are able to adjust it to your requirements.”

With its eco-friendly cleaning process, Therma Quilts services feather and down products including sleeping bags and down clothing as well as other textiles such as silk, polyester, cotton and wool quilt underlays.

Therma Quilts now has a new range of fine Egyptian cotton fabrics all made in Germany.

The Egyptian cottons are as light as 76 grams per square metre and the lightness combined with warmth makes for a luxuriously comfortable quilt.

“Whether you’re wanting to rejuvenate your quilt, customise it or buy a new custom-made one we can look after you,” Jennifer says.

Therma Quilts, 10-12 Kemble Court. Call 6241 6859 or visit thermaquilts.com.au

Under New Management

MITCHELL – 02 6241 5122 • BELCONNEN – 02 62515996 • PHILLIP – 02 62811311

21 HUDDART CT MITCHELL ACT 2911 www.actbrakes.com.au 22 CityNews March 30-April 5, 2017

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arts & entertainment

Secret of knowing when to breathe

Richard Calver

Singing Stephanie steps up to a big role

By Helen Musa

WHEN 16-year-old Stephanie MacLaine steps on stage soon to play Cosette in Free Rain Theatre’s production of “Les Miserables”, she’ll be stepping into a very different world from the one she knows.

Free Rain is making much of the fact that her age is much the same as that of Victor Hugo’s young romantic heroine around the time she meets her love interest, Marius, but with that, the similarities disappear.

For Cosette, though convent-educated by her adoptive father Jean Valjean to become a fine young lady, is a survivor of psychological and physical torture and has much in her past to hide.

MacLaine, by contrast, is a year 11 student at Canberra Girls Grammar School and is looking forward to a bright future with her eyes firmly set on an operatic singing course at the Victorian College of the Arts.

Since 2007 she’s been studying classical voice with one of Canberra’s best-known and most exacting singing teachers, Theresa Rayner, who has encouraged her to study piano to a high level in preparation for a future career.

The wardrobe ladies at Cook Community Hub attest to MacLaine’s glorious voice, which they hear wafting down from the rehearsal room as they create a magnificent wedding dress for her to wear. But she counts herself lucky, since last year she was stricken by glandular fever and was worried she might not impress.

“Luckily, I got it,” she says of her coveted role as Cosette.

MacLaine is plainly impressed by the credentials of her

After “Les Mis” she’ll be playing the prize role of Miss Hannigan in her school’s production of “Annie”.

But this is the first really major role she’s had on the main stage and she’s been keen to plan well.

Her self-devised approach to preparing has been to look at how different actresses have performed the role of Cosette. As well, as she says: “I’ve been getting a lot of background training simply by working with Pete and Sam.” She has been imagining what would have happened in the years since Cosette was a little girl found neglected and wandering in the forest by Valjean on a cold Christmas Eve. “She’s grown up in a convent and educated to be a lady after being subjected to horrendous abuse as a small child before she is rescued, but around 10 years have gone by and she has forgotten all of those people,” MacLaine says.

But has she? It seems scarcely credible that she can’t remember even the Thernadiers’ daughter Eponine when they meet again in Paris. MacLaine speculates that after Valjean rescues and reclaims Cosette with his humanity and goodness, that she suppresses the memory of unpleasant times.

Whatever the reason, she’s a sitting duck for a romantic relationship with the young aristocrat Marius.

“She is really a young girl who has suppressed her Stephanie MacLaine, who plays Cosette… “A young girl who has suppressed her difficult past and who’s very vulnerable to love at first sight.”

Photo by Janelle McMenamin difficult past and who’s very vulnerable to love at first sight,” MacLaine says. co-stars, Peter Cousens playing the central character played Erica in the Girls Grammar School’s production “Les Miserables”, The Q – Queanbeyan Performing Arts of Jean Valjean and recent VCA graduate Sam Ward of “Hating Alison Ashley” and a role during 2015 in Centre, April 4-22. Bookings to theq.net.au or 6285 6290. playing Marius, but she is no theatrical novice, having Marist College’s “Buddy.”

Waltzing up (and down) City Hill

By Helen Musa

7

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WHEN it comes to site-specific art, the raison d’etre of the coming festival “You Are Here”, there’s nowhere much more site-specific than City Hill.

That’s where dancer-choreographers Ashlee Bye and Patrick “Paddy” Meessman will perform their autumnal work, “Deciduous Waltz”, to the scratchy recorded accompaniment of old swing-style music, snatches of old-time waltz and the natural sounds of birds, the wind and passing traffic.

Bye and Meessman are both graduates of the Victorian College of the Arts. Each comes from a youth dance background in Canberra and the far coast of NSW respectively, but now work together in Melbourne, where they’ve been teaching dance to young people at Penleigh and Essendon Grammars while also experimenting with the use of newer media such as Skype in dance.

Bye is no stranger to Canberra audiences. A former member of the Quantum Leap dance company, she worked on QL2’s long-distance dance project “Far Flung” for You Are Here in 2015.

Since last year, the pair have been collaborating and they headed to the Dandenongs last autumn to begin a version of “Deciduous Waltz”, now being expanded for Canberra.

Describing the Canberra show as “a second coming”, they explain how they looked for a site with a sloping angle.

“I drive past City Hill all the time, but hadn’t thought of it at first,” Bye says.

“Our dancing is in response to the site, we are running and exhausting ourselves, but also we want to make an image that will last in the viewer’s eye,” Meessman adds.

“We’ve got to make our own work,” Bye tells “CityNews. It’s a familiar refrain from independent dancers and the pair have been keen to create

Margaret Dimoff Art Gallery

36-38 Grey Street, Deakin | 0407 416 480 Open Fri–Sun, 10–4 | E wmdimoff@bigpond.com www.margaretdimoffartworks.com.au

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Phone 6282 1333 | www.duratone.com.au Cnr of Botany Street & Altree Court, Phillip Ashlee Bye and Patrick “Paddy” Meessman... will perform their autumnal work, “Deciduous Waltz”, on City Hill. site-specific work that, as Meessman sees it, “gives the audience a very particular feeling of light and clouds and smells, a full sensory experience”.

So, what will happen?

“We circle the absurd and trip up the tricky terrain,” they say. As well, like Jack and Jill, they’ll come tumbling down the hill at Vernon Circle.

“Deciduous Waltz” won’t be the only site-specific work for You Are Here, one of the event’s three producers, Rochelle Whyte, says. In fact, the five-day showcase of independent arts features many other events located in familiar and unfamiliar spots.

Choreographer Alison Plevey’s Australian Dance Party, for instance, will brighten up a “mystery” urban car park with a revved-up dance called “Autonomous” that will weave in and around cars to comment on social disconnect, laziness and the carbonisation of our environ-

ment that she says fogs up the window screens.

Then there’s “Racquet Racket Duel Dual”, where musicians Tina Havelock Stevens and Liberty Kerr create a “wrestle-spectacle” in the Senate Rose Garden tennis courts. There are also performances in a Dickson house where stories are acted out in the lounge and the bedroom, with supper thrown in afterwards – that’s one of the few ticketed events and when you book, you’ll get the address.

Above all, there’s the reclamation of an old pub space in the Sydney Building that will be used as the Festival Hub and for a range of interactive installations, comedy shows and experimental performances. And when you get there, you’ll know “you are here”.

You Are Here festival, around Canberra CBD, April 5-9. Program details at youareherecanberra.com.au

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wine The French muscat is as far away from the Rutherglen brown-tinted fortified, fruit-cakey muscat as Paris is from Dubbo.

“Viceroy’s House”... the British-Indian historical drama premieres at the Young at Heart film festival.

Drama at the premiere YOUNG at Heart bills itself as “the only film festival in the world catering to film lovers over 60 years of age”.

High on this year’s list of movies is the Australian premiere of British-Indian historical drama “Viceroy’s House”.

At Palace Electric Cinemas, April 3-9, bookings to youngatheart.net.au SOPRANO Louise Keast and mezzo-soprano Veronica ThwaitesBrown have teamed up with baritone David Smyth, tenor Kenneth Goodge and pianist Emily Leong to stage “The Telephone” by Gian Carlo Menotti, “A Hand of Bridge” by Samuel Barber and “Rhapsody in Blue” by George Gershwin. At Wesley Music Centre, 2pm and 7pm, Saturday, April 8, and 2pm, Sunday, April 9. Bookings to trybooking.com/247064 or at the door.

CANBERRA Youth Orchestra is kicking off its 50th year with a concert featuring The Idea of North. Expect jazz and theatre favourites. Trish DelaneyBrown, founding member of the vocal ensemble that began in Canberra, will replace Sally Cameron for this concert.

At Llewellyn Hall, Saturday, April 8.

Bookings to ticketek.com.au GUEST director Dan Walker leads Luminescence choir in performing “powerful, achingly beautiful and audaciously surprising” works from the 17th century’s most pre-eminent madrigal composers. At Ainslie Arts Centre, 6.30pm, April 7, to be followed by a launch party of the choir’s 2017 season at 8pm.

ART Song Canberra’s next concert

Starring

PETER COUSENS as Jean Valjean

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is “A Breath of Fresh Air”. Mezzo-soprano Sally Wilson with pianist Mark Kruger will perform works centring on Alban Berg’s “Seven Early Songs”. At Wesley Music Centre, 3pm, Sunday, April 2. Tickets available only at the door.

THE Australia Cuba Friendship Society is holding a fundraiser with Cuban dancing, Latin performers, Latin DJ, Cuban drinks and Latin food. In aid of Cuban people with disabilities, the event is at St James Church Hall, 40 Gillis Street, Curtin, 6pm-11.30pm, on Saturday, April 8. Tickets at the door, under 10 free.

FORMER Canberra jazz guitarist, Daniel Hunter is here to promote his second album “Refuge”, joined by Warren Walker, the saxophonist from his Paris quartet. They’ll be playing in pianist Sally Greenaway’s new home performance space at 4pm, Sunday, April 2 (bookings to greenawaystudio.com.au) and in the band room at the ANU School of Music at 7.45pm on April 4. Tickets at the door.

DUO Blockstix, recorder player Alicia Crossley and percussionist Joshua Hill will appear in the next concert at the High Court, 1.30pm on Sunday, April 2. Free entry but registration is essential to hcourt.gov.au SYDNEY comedienne, writer and improviser Sarah Gaul will be at Polit Bar, 8 Franklin Street, Manuka, 7pm-9pm, on April 7 and 8. Bookings to eventbrite. com.au CANADIAN songwriter and storyteller Irish Mythen will be at Smith’s Alternative, 76 Alinga Street, Civic, 7pm, on April 5.

Bookings to smithsalternative.com

4-22 April 2017 QueAnbeyAn Performing Arts Centre

02 6285 6290 www.theq.net.au

www.freeraintheatre.com Licensed exclusively by Music Theatre International (Australasia) and CAMERON MACKINTOSH LTD. All performance materials supplied by Hal Leonard Australia.

24 CityNews March 30-April 5, 2017

Secret of knowing when to breathe WHEN I was young my palette tended to the sweet. As I have grown older, my palette and my disposition have moved to the bitter. Ageing in wine doesn’t just produce a finer product, it also produces vinegar.

I think the secret is to know when to give it air; time to breathe is essential.

Anyway, I recently went to Bungendore to the Tres Bon restaurant with my companion and it was a very good night out.

Usually, I don’t eat dessert. But on this occasion, I was inveigled by the description of the chocolate tart (and a little tart can be something good to have).

The menu said that the chocolate was French and that it came with crème Anglaise. It defies the usual stereotypes to think that a British element adds a touch of sweetness or that the French would deign to name something after the country they tend to deplore.

The wine list offered a Muscat de Bagatelle petit muscat 2009. To be precise, the wine is Clos Bagatelle Muscat de Saint-Jean-de-Minervois, from Languedoc, France.

It was a typical, light, orange-blossom tinged muscat, a grape variety that is also known as moscato or frontignac. When I sipped the wine there was little sugar discernible.

The French muscat is as far away from the Rutherglen brown-tinted fortified, fruit-cakey muscat as Paris is from Dubbo. In fact, on first taste, I went ho-hum.

The wine opened up with the bitter chocolate tart.

The two both lifted as the flavours became a true complement – being transported in Bungendore seems oddly like a nineteenth century prison sentence.

But I only have compliments for chef Christophe Gregoire, who knows the matching of wine to his food. And my companion said: “I didn’t know you liked fortified wines.”

Oh, dear, the other trait that is accentuated as I grow older is the fine art of pedantry, the undue display of unnecessary learning.

You sit back in your chair, swirling the wine in your glass and tell all the world: “Hold on to your hat”. Or at least make a correction that enables you to stroke your ego.

“No, no, no – this is not a fortified,” I say, fortified by my own knowledge.

“This is from late-harvested grapes where they are shrivelled and wrinkled and full of sugar,” perhaps offering an inspection of my own wrinkles.

“The difference is that, with fortified wines, they add grape spirit, which gives them alcoholic clout.

“The clout in these late-picked grapes is because they have gone so late in the harvest that they are just mega-sugar and can be given an even bigger push if they are infected with the rather weird botrytis fungus.

“It gives sugar concentration and water loss a big boost.”

“What?” she says. “Did you say something? I think I got lost in the lovely taste of this crème brulee.”

“Yes, well,” I say, “I gave up appreciating that sort of custard when I was young. Have we ever had a discussion about how your palette changes as you grow older?”

I think it was at that point that I was asked to call for the account as, obviously, we needed a breath of fresh air.

RICHARD CALVER

dining

A comfy local in the heart of Crace

The beast (Dan Stevens) looks too gentle to be truly scary, while Emma Watson makes a bubbly Belle.

cinema

More beast than beauty “Beauty and the Beast” (PG)

“Life” (MA)

“The Boss Baby” (G)

IN 1711, Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve’s profligate husband left her a 26-year-old impoverished widow.

The same year saw the birth of Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont. In 1744, Barbot published a fable about love and sacrifice that Leprince de Beaumont abridged, re-wrote and published in 1756.

It has become the basis of 25 cinema and TV versions since 1899.

The credits for this $US160 million live action reprise of the 1991 Disney animation mention neither of those names. Its screenplay by Stephen Chbosky and Evan Spiliotopoulos, directed by Bill Condon, relegates their achievement to a framework for cutesy-poo invented characters to delight modern audiences.

Will children like this live action version as much as they liked the animated one?

Littlies will probably not get the message.

Double-digit kids may. Grown-ups, whether accompanying their young or escaping them, will judge it to be a pleasant-enough lightweight.

The beast (Dan Stevens) looks too gentle to be truly scary. While Emma Watson makes a bubbly Belle, she gives the role little depth. The best word for the self-extolling Gaston (Luke Evans) is shallow. Josh Gad as LeFou, a Sancho Panza to Gaston’s Don Quixote, makes the most of a limited role. Kevin Kline does his best as Belle’s father. And a grey horse called Philip stylishly comes in handy to draw a cart or carry somebody from danger whenever the need arises!

The word that most aptly describes Condon’s film is “schmaltz”, delivered by some notable actors voicing artefacts in the beast’s castle – Ian McKellen as Cogsworth the clock, Emma Thompson ever ready to pour tea as Mrs Potts and Ewan McGregor as Lumiere the candelabra.

For my money, the film that tells the story most beautifully is the 1946 version scripted and directed by French poet Jean Cocteau.

THE theme of space travellers beset by extra-terrestrial nasties has given rise to some notable horror films.

In 1979, Ridley Scott gave us “Alien”. In “Gravity” (2014) Sandra Bullock nearly got a best actress Oscar for leaving George Clooney floating around in space.

Swedish director Daniel Espinosa’s “Life”, written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, brings to that genre a sci-fi horror tale that works hard to be fresh and realistic.

It damn nearly succeeds.

Aboard a multinational research station in earth orbit, six scientists are researching that elusive prize, extraterrestrial life. And by golly, it looks like they’ve found it. It’s a single cell that, as the scientists watch, grows from a blob into a multi-lobed organism looking for all the world like a cephalopod, but without the suckers that line the arms of earth-bound models.

They call it Calvin.

Calvin has an amazing growth rate. It moves very fast. Its anti-social demeanour is, to say the least, disagreeable. Its appetite is voracious. And what do you think its favourite food is? And where do you think it might find lots of that?

There’s contrivance in this array of Calvinist attributes sustaining a two-hour film in which screenplay, staging and performance work together to develop into tensions that strive mightily to achieve credibility and come close to succeeding.

It doesn’t come quite down to last scientist standing. After a string of mishaps, ranging from mechanical and structural failure on the station and a total breakdown of communication with Earth, it comes down to two escape pods, one carrying medico Jordan (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Calvin, the other carrying biologist Miranda (Rebecca Ferguson). Imagine the worst possible outcome.

SEVEN-year-old Tim is a much-loved only child whose parents both work for Puppycorp, which is devoted to putting a puppy in every family. Great idea although, like marriage, owning an animal is a responsibility not to be entered into lightly!

Mother and Father decide that Tim should have a sibling. They don’t ask him whether he likes that idea. Nor should they feel obliged to.

In due course, the shipping department at Babycorp randomly chooses a baby for delivery directly to company management en route to a family. The film tells the story of Tim’s adjustment to this competition and Baby Boss’s adjustment from the role inflicted on him to infancy’s realities. It’s marshmallow stuff that would be okay but for one unforgiveable contradiction.

The fons et origo of this animation directed by Tom McGrath (most known, with some justification, for those penguins of Madagascar) is a novel by Marla Frazee whose moving-image career appears to be confined to a TV series “Designing Your Future” made in 2007 for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

“The Boss Baby” is about children but that doesn’t mean it is suitable for them.

No, it’s not about baby-making high jinks.

When children ask, “Mummy, Daddy, where did I come from?” parents’ answers are a matter for family judgement. As is right and proper.

Making a film giving incorrect information to adults about those matters is bad enough. Giving it to children is unforgiveable. The classifiers have got this one wrong. It should be PG at least.

At all cinemas

THE Drawing Room is a comfy local in the heart of Crace. We headed that way on a Saturday for lunch, not knowing quite what to expect, but keen on a new experience.

We were delighted that breakfast is served weekends until 2.30pm, with some interesting dishes on offer.

We also agreed that the lunch menu is simple, compact and fairly typical of your average café – three burgers, a pasta, a risotto and six mains, including fish and chips and a chicken schnitzel (dishes from $14.50 to $18).

The 64° green eggs caught the eye of one of our party ($16). The two eggs came with smashed avo, kale, asparagus, parmesan and truffle oil, all served on healthy soy and linseed bread. Overall, the dish was satisfying but the eggs were cold and the kale could have been more crispy.

Two of us ordered the barramundi special ($25). The fish was piping hot, delicate and moist. Mine came with a generous fresh salad and hot, thin chips. My only complaint was that the skin on the barramundi wasn’t crispy, so I just set it aside.

The fourth member of our party ordered the second special – sirloin ($32). He ordered it rare, but it was more on the blue side.

While he was okay with that, some diners might not be. The meat – super tender and high on taste – came with an attractive medley of roasted root vegetables. As with all our dishes, the food looked delightful on the plate.

The Drawing Room’s décor is light, bright and airy and the chairs are comfy. The indoor area is divided into two – bar and dining. The outdoor patio area is no doubt popular on weather-perfect days.

The playroom, equipped with two PlayStations, a TV, games and more, is a great spot for kids to hang out.

Two of us ordered the barramundi special. The fish was piping hot, delicate and moist. Mine came with a generous fresh salad and hot, thin chips.

The wine list is intriguing, with a good number of options available by the glass (from a reasonable $7), and bottles ranging from $24 to $67.

The service was mixed, with some staff switched on and others not. The staff member who initially served us didn’t know how the specials were cooked or what accompanied the fish or meat. It took several trips to the kitchen to discuss the details.

Surely, it’s not hard to brief before a shift formally starts?

We couldn’t quite connect the interior design with the idea of a traditional “drawing room”, except perhaps for the lamps used on the walls and the detailing on the ceiling, although that didn’t detract from the taste of our food.

We agreed that if in the area on the first Wednesday of the month, we’d head to The Drawing Room for paella night ($25 per person with bookings essential).

The Drawing Room, on the corner of Abena Avenue and Galore Street, Crace, is fully licensed and open Tuesday to Sunday (breakfast, lunch, dinner, various hours).

Call 6174 4695.

At all cinemas

At all cinemas

Seafood paella… the first Wednesday of the month is paella night at The Drawing Room.

Photo by Maddie McGuigan CityNews March 30-April 5, 2017 25

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SEDUM is a plant that anyone can grow, without any gardening knowledge, that performs year after year in drought or rainy weather.

The sedum genus of more than 600 species are mainly low growing to about 10cm. Examples include Sedum “Purple Blob”, S. “Silver Blob”, S. “Gold Blob” and S. “Grey Blob”, all suitable for pots or hanging gardens, commonly known as Stonecrop or Live Forever plant.

If you watch the TV show “Grand Designs” you will see them often used on environmental roofs.

THEN we have taller varieties such as S. “Dynamite”, which as the name suggests, has bright red flowers to 80cm tall x 60 cm. The most popular tall variety is Sedum spectabile “Autumn Joy” (pictured here on our nature strip), is native

24/08/2015 3:46 pm

AN ideal companion plant for autumn flowering is the tough as nails salvia family, originating in Mexico. They are coming into flower now.

Like sedums they range from low-growing Salvia “Aztec Blue” to S. “Impact Purple” or S. “Impact Pink”, both growing to 40cm tall with a spread of 1m. There are other varieties that grow up to two metres with more than 40 varieties generally available in local garden centres in flower at this time.

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to China and Japan. This sedum can be found in almost every garden in Britain and Europe for its autumn colour and the ease of growing and propagation.

It is a super plant for children to grow. Simply put a stick in the ground next to the plant in late winter marked in centimetres and record each week how fast it grows.

The flower heads start as light green, gradually changing to pink, then deeper pink and finally in late autumn/early winter to bronze.

When the severe frosts arrive they will affect the tall flowers on the long stalks, at which time they should be cut to ground level.

Then the fascinating new growth starts immediately in mid-winter with soft, tiny, new shoots that are totally frost hardy. These tiny shoots, a couple of centimetres high, continue to grow through winter and, by spring, are about 10cm tall.

Growing steadily all summer to up to 40cm tall, when the first of the flowers start to form.

Dramm… the hand-watering wand that delivers an even flow without damaging the most fragile plants.

Sedum… performs year after year in drought or rainy weather.

can vary enormously. Shown here are the two heads, the smaller if your water pressure is low and the BUT for the continuing warm larger head for high water pressure. days, I wouldn’t normally be discussTake into account that in hot ing watering at this time of the year. weather pressure will be affected Most sprinkler heads sold on the by everyone arriving home and end of garden hoses with the adjustwatering, too. able nozzles are generally totally Are they tough? My Dramm useless. The water wand and nozzle watering wands are now at least 35 used by almost every commercial years old! nursery here and overseas is the As I have said numerous times, Dramm water wand. Delivering an hand watering of trees and shrubs is even flow without damaging the generally a waste of time. most fragile plants this is ideal for watering pots and annuals.

Jottings...

It has two different sized heads depending on water pressure, which • This is caterpillar time and the bane of vineyards. Treat with Dipel, a natural bio-insecticide that is non-toxic to humans. Spray under leaves and the ground around the plants.

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• Harvest pumpkins and leave to dry out before storing.

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YESTERDAYS 26 CityNews March 30-April 5, 2017

in...

puzzles page Joanne Madeline Moore

GAIL FREEMAN & CO PTY LTD

General knowledge crossword No. 587

Your week in the stars – April 3-9, 2017

ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT

Expect some dizzying highs and dismal lows this week! Thursday is potentially the best day, as Mars (your ruler) trines Pluto, which increases your personal magnetism and ability to manifest. But if you don’t use your personal power in positive ways, then it could all come crashing down on the weekend when you’ll feel stymied at every turn. Patience and tact (not your natural virtues) are the keys to extricating yourself from frustrating situations with your reputation intact.

Managing tax after a profitable year

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 20)

A romantic or platonic relationship may be strained this week as Saturn, Pluto and retrograde Venus regurgitate an unpleasant or unresolved issue from the past.

The worst way to handle it? With a stubborn attitude and an unforgiving heart.

The best way to handle it? With an abundance of Bullish patience and grace! Be inspired by the wise words of writer and activist Maya Angelou (born on April 4, 1928): “It’s one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, to forgive.”

GEMINI (May 21 – June 21)

Avoid being too brisk and brusque with loved ones this week, as your business side goes into overdrive. Family and friends respect your multi-tasking skills, but they can also be overwhelmed by them. So pace yourself. When it comes to a problem involving a work colleague, an acquaintance or a joint financial arrangement, there’s much more going on beneath the surface than you currently realise. So take the time to look into the situation in a deeper and more detailed way.

CANCER (June 22 – July 22)

The planets push your insecurity button this week, which will activate your protective Crab claws. But you’ll find the more defensive you are and the more resistant you are to change – the more exhausted you’ll feel and the more difficult the week will be. So strive to get the balance right between maintaining the status quo (with things that are working), and changing the aspects of your life that aren’t functioning so well. A close relationship certainly needs to be re-evaluated and renewed.

LEO (July 23 – Aug 22)

Prepare for an exasperating week when Saturn and Pluto trim your fiery wings; curb your creativity; and stymie your natural Leo ebullience. And your love life could take a hit too! So what’s the celestial message amidst all of this frustration?

The planets are teaching you to be less stubborn and much more patient. So your motto for the moment is from birthday great, writer and activist Maya Angelou: “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”

VIRGO (Aug 23 – Sept 22)

If you’re searching for smart ways to make money, don’t over-capitalise or attempt to re-invent the wheel. Tried and tested methods will work best at the moment.

And be extra careful what you say to a stressed loved one, especially on the weekend. Criticism will definitely not be appreciated – no matter how ‘constructive’ it is. So make sure you think before you speak, and choose your words wisely.

If you’re unsure how a comment will be received, it’s better to say nothing!

Across 1 What is a popular way of having one’s potatoes done? (6) 8 Which drink is often taken as an appetiser? (8) 9 Name the J K Rowling boy wizard, Harry ... (6) 10 To have a special natural ability, is to be what?

(8) 11 What do we call a hymn of patriotism? (6) 13 Name a renowned Australian cyclist and politician, Sir Hubert ... (8) 16 Name another term for a magician. (8) 19 Who befriended Oliver Twist, the ... Dodger? (6) 22 To have haggled insistently over trivial matters, is to have done what? (8) 24 What is a line drawn on a weather map? (6) 25 Which horseback riders open a bullfight? (8) 26 What, in golf, are scores of two below par? (6)

Down 2 Name the fruit of the oak. (5) What is a coop for confining small rabbits, etc? (5) 3

Solution next week

4 Which prison is located in Devon, England? (8) 5 Which structure on the hull of a ship improves stability? (4) 6 What do we call a person who comes first in a race? (6) 7 What is a theatre where films are shown? (6) 12 Which term is applicable to one of two children brought forth at a birth? (4) 14 What is another word for heaven? (8) 15 To fail to catch a ball properly, is said to do what?

(4) 17 Name a well-known kind of soup. (6) 18 Name a species of wild dog that hunts in packs at night. (6) 20 Which sandal is held loosely on the foot by two strips of leather? (5) 21 Which term describes the customary way of doing something? (5) 23 Which machine weaves yarn or thread into fabric? (4)

LIBRA (Sept 23 – Oct 23)

Oh my goodness, what a wonky week for partnerships of the romantic and platonic kind! With Venus (your ruling planet) retrograde and squaring retro Saturn, relationships will definitely not run smoothly. The weekend is the most sensitive time so try to communicate clearly and calmly with those around you.

Attached Librans – circumstances will create some distance between you and your partner. Singles – a promising date could turn out to be a disappointing dud.

Sudoku hard No. 193

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 21)

Get ready for a week of extremes Scorpio! Thursday should be a terrific day as Pluto (your ruler) trines Mars, which boosts your energy, enthusiasm, motivation and mojo. But frustration levels then rise, culminating in a weekend when you could end up in a power struggle with a colleague. Or a relationship with a child, teenager, lover or friend could take a decidedly frosty turn. Try to keep things in perspective and resist the temptation to be sulky, sarcastic or just plain pushy.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 22 – Dec 21)

Sagittarians prefer life to be fun and games, with minimum effort and elbow grease involved. And sometimes your fiery spontaneity and versatile virtuosity are all that’s required. But not this week! Saturn stirs up your home zone as a family member causes problems or a domestic issue demands to be fixed. So you’ll just have to step up to the plate and accept your responsibilities. As movie legend and birthday great Bette Davis declared: “The key to life is accepting challenges.”

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 19)

This week Saturn (your power planet) goes retrograde, and then squares retro Venus. Which equals double trouble in the love department! So prepare for plenty of relationship hassles or old issues from the past to return. Perhaps a partnership problem re-surfaces or an-ex-lover suddenly reappears – but do you really want to do that dance again? The more bossy you are on Saturday and Sunday (especially with family members) the more difficult the weekend will be.

If you need help with year-end tax planning, superannuation or any other tax-related matter, contact the friendly team at Gail Freeman & Co Pty Ltd.

AQUARIUS (Jan 20 – Feb 18)

Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2017

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Solutions from last edition Sudoku medium No.193

PISCES (Feb 19 – Mar 20)

Venus is now reversing through your sign until mid-April, so you’ll find that a personal project or a close relationship may suddenly stall – or even go backwards!

Don’t waste too much time worrying about it, or expend too much energy trying to fix it. Instead, use the week productively as you review, revise, re-evaluate and re-percolate. With a view to completely rebooting the situation after April 15. So the main virtue you require at the moment is plenty of Piscean patience.

Solution next week

Crossword No. 586

Many people will feel particularly over-sensitive and over-reactive this week. So it would be best to keep idiosyncratic ideas and controversial comments to yourself.

And avoid getting drawn into petty arguments and pointless debates (especially online). Money matters also look complicated, as abundance planet Venus reverses through your cash zone (until April 15). So hold off making important business decisions and momentous financial moves until a more suitable time.

Jared and Carolyn's business had had a very profitable year and the couple came to see what they could do about minimising their taxes before June 30.

"Superannuation is the big one involving significant changes from July 1," I told them.

"Firstly, the concessional cap, which is the maximum amount that the company can contribute on your behalf, will reduce. Currently, this is $35,000 for those over 50 and $30,000 for those under 50. From July 1, there will be one cap which applies to everyone regardless of age, which will be $25,000.

"To maximise your retirement benefit, it would be prudent to maximise your concessional contributions before June 30.

Jared said they had the cash flow to do that and he believed it would would save a fair amount of tax.

"You could salary sacrifice about $50,000 between you," I said.

"This would save tax of between $20,000 and $25,000. However, you would have to pay $7500 contributions tax in the fund.

"The other aspect to superannuation is that you can also contribute up to $540,000 each as a non-deductible contribution.

Should you do this after July 1 that amount will be reduced to $300,000.

"Just to remind you that you cannot withdraw the funds until you either retire from your employment after age 60 or reach age 65. I can provide more detail on this next time we meet."

The other thing reminded them of was the $20,000 immediate asset write off, which is available to all businesses that satisfy the definition of "small business" in the Income Tax Assessment Act. The requirement is that turnover is less than $2 million.

"If you buy a single asset that costs less than $20,000, then you can write off the cost in full when you buy it," I advised them.

"However, if the cost of the asset is $20,100, then you have to depreciate the whole cost in the normal way. This write off could be very helpful for you, but it is scheduled to finish on June 30. I recommend that you consider this carefully so you don't run out of time."

I told them there were another couple of things they needed to do before June 30.

"The first one is to write off your bad debts if you have brought them to account," i said.

"You will need evidence of your attempts to recover them and you need to have a director's meeting before June 30 to formally write them off. If you do not hold the meeting or have a signed resolution before June 30 you cannot write the debt off for taxation purposes.

"It's also a good idea if you are planning to make a large donation that you do that before June 30 so that you get the deduction this financial year."

On leaving, Jared they had plenty to think about and looked forward to fine tuning things at our next meeting.

ABN 57 008 653 683

Listen to our tax tips on 2CA and 2CC (Chartered accountant, SMSF specialist advisor and Authorised Representative of Lifespan Financial Planning Pty Ltd AFS Lic No. 229892)

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