CityNews 190509

MICHAEL MOORE / IF YOU CAN’T STAND THE CANDIDATE, LEAVE A BLANK SPACE! MAY 9, 2019

Befuddled saga of the bush healing farm

JON STANHOPE

Greens fail to protect the local greenery

PAUL COSTIGAN Time to prune deciduous trees

CEDRIC BRYANT

Nichole takes

THE CHAIR All-boys school St Edmund’s has its first female chair, not that that fazes NICHOLE OVERALL

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Nichole takes the chair at all-boys St Eddie’s

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Charity cries out for food.

Story Page 6.

in Queanbeyan when, as a family, they checked out every school in the area.

“He said this was the school that he felt a connection to,” she says.

And while the decision was ul-

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Arts & Entertainment 26-29 Canberra Matters 12 Cinema 29 Crossword 31 Dining 28 Gardening 30 Horoscopes 31 Letters 16 News 3-16 Politics 8 Socials 20-21

In Nichole’s case, it was her sons who made the decision to attend St Edmund’s.

Nichole’s oldest son was about to finish his primary schooling at St Greg’s

O

INDEX

Incoming chair Nichole Overall and St Edmund’s College principal Joe Zavone…

“The school has always had strong female role models.”

Photo: Holly Treadaway

H

Queanbeyan-based author and social historian, Nichole Overall was selected for the role after chair of four years, Michael Cooney, stepped down.

“It is a great honour, but I don’t think it’s that unusual,” Nichole says.

“The school has always had strong female role models.

“Former head of middle school Patricia Doyle [was] an intrinsic part of [the college’s] fabric for almost 40 years… and retains her involvement as patron of the Old Boys’ Association.

“Then there’s our mums and sisters and grandmothers, positively participating in and to the life of the school in so many ways.

“Half the college leadership team is female and we also have four women on a board of eight.”

St Edmund’s principal Joe Zavone says the decision was to put the best person in as chair and the best person happened to be a woman.

W

SIXTY-five years ago St Edmund’s College was the first Catholic secondary boys’ college in the region and now it’s making history again by appointing its first female chair.

timately Nichole and her husband Tim’s choice, she was glad her son participated in a decision that was so influential on his life.

“I had gone to a co-ed school myself so I had my reservations, but in a really short amount of time I was proved completely wrong,” she says.

While at St Eddie’s, Nichole’s oldest son was the vice captain and was awarded the school’s top award and her youngest son was a house captain.

“It’s a reflection of their commitment to the school and they still continue to talk about the influence of this school on their lives,” she says.

“I attended a Catholic school when I was young, but the bond of the community here is something I’ve never experienced before.”

As a historian, Nichole was also drawn to the historic element of the school.

Opened in 1954, St Edmund’s War Memorial College was built in memory of all the Christian Brothers’ students around Australia who had given their lives in the two World Wars.

“Our continued focus is on connections, relationships and helping nurture fine young men, and I’m keen to do what I can to help further encourage all of these aspects,” she says.

With about a third of St Edmund’s students coming from Queanbeyan, Joe says it’s also great for them to see one of their locals in the role.

S

NOHRA

“Whilst we’re always looking for a good balance on the board, we weren’t specifically looking for a female board chair,” he says.

“The decision was made in consultation with the board members.”

Joe believes Nichole, a mother of two former St Edmund’s students and someone who has been on the board for two three-year terms, will bring a fresh perspective to the role.

Nichole’s older son started at St Edmund’s in 2009 and she was invited by a past principal to join the board in 2012.

Her youngest son graduated in 2017.

“I think it’s a great honour to be able to serve the school in such a capacity and I also know how important the school was to my sons,” Nichole says.

“They loved the school, so I felt it was important and I felt motivated to give back.”

While Nichole’s appointment is historic for the school and while there have always been strong women figures present in the school, Joe says the school isn’t looking at becoming co-educational and believes single-sex schools such as St Edmund’s are still relevant.

“Schools have to suit certain individuals. Some boys thrive and flourish in a co-ed environment, others in an all-boys environment,” he says.

“I think the education world has to provide good alternatives for parents and their children.”

N

By Danielle

Email: seminars@wfscanberra.com.au CityNews May 9-15, 2019 3

SEVEN DAYS

Arrogance competes with spin in bus shemozzle ARROGANCE competed with polished corporate lines around the roll out of “the largest ever change to our public transport network” as Canberra’s public transport system’s first major shake up in more than two decades experienced “bedding down” issues.

While many commuters, mostly school students, were confused and angry at the changes, the new timetable’s architects held the line: “The team had spent the past eight months frantically ironing out kinks in the proposed network after a mammoth community consultation period”.

According to responses to “The Canberra Times” Facebook page the day following the launch, only one positive comment from 200.

Transport Canberra chief Duncan Edghill said it was a matter of balance, “every time you’re putting a bus in one place… you’re moving it away from another”.

However, Transport Canberra’s executive group manager of transport operations Judith Sturman began the week flippantly describing the new network as “swings and roundabouts” and by Friday was dismissively confident “we had all moved on”.

WITH light rail finally rolling, advertising flags promoting a 2018 launch date continue to flutter outside Canberra Metro’s Northbourne Avenue office.

Hanson said while “strip clubs are a perfectly legal business” and “many men in this country have visited one”, they don’t align with her party’s “family values”. Thanks to Dickson, political types will now be much more aware of who’s watching.

TWENTY five super fit cyclists passed through the capital midweek en route to Melbourne, fundraising for the Salvos. The riders, who left the Sydney Cricket Ground on April 29, planning to reach the Melbourne Cricket Ground by May 8, are competing in the inaugural Red Shield Ride which has an entry requirement of $5000. As of May 4, the riders had raised almost $210,000 which goes to support the Salvos’ work in providing shelter for the homeless, assisting families in crisis and guiding people with addictions.

Canberra Metro’s dirty and tattered Move Live Grow flags.

Exactly why the now dirty and tattered Move Live Grow flags are still flapping is unclear. Nostalgia, or is someone in Canberra Metro just too busy to Move Live Grow?

THE Washington strip club expose of former One Nation official Steve Dickson will impact Canberra’s strip clubs. While discretion is the cornerstone of the adult industry, it’s long been accepted many in “the bubble” patronise such establishments during the long, cold, winter sitting months.

An irate One Nation leader Pauline

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DESPITE the orchestrated Dump Zed campaign, ACT Liberal Senator Zed Seselja found time in his busy re-election campaign schedule to door knock in the Sydney electorate of Warringah for former PM Tony Abbott. ACT independent Senate candidate Anthony Pesec tweeted a picture of campaigners including Zed and MP Sussan Ley proudly wearing “Team Tony” T-shirts.

Pesec pledged to “be dedicated to being a real voice for Canberra not to helping my hard-right mates cling to their seats”.

Participants in the Sydney-to-Melbourne, inaugural Red Shield Ride pass through Canberra.

Photo: Mike Welsh a Facebook post account, since deleted, in the name of (UAP) candidate Tony Hanley calling Saudi Arabians “tea-towel heads” and referring to children of taxi drivers as “future terrorists”.

Hanley’s stumbles may have cost politics a true visionary. In a 2016 Facebook post Hanley urged the Canberra Libs to “stop playing by the Marquis of Queensbury rules and become street fighters”. Last week Liberal MLA Mark Parton labelled the party’s Federal team as “street fighters”.

Also in 2016 Hanley posted “Clive Palmer has lost over 20 kilos and will be back.

WARNING I TOLD YOU ALL SO!”

FURTHER confirmation of Canberra’s mantle of being well ahead of the IT curve, with Google offshoot Wing getting the green light to conduct drone deliveries in the US. The Federal Aviation Administration has approved Wing’s plans to operate deliveries in the state of Virginia. The FAA says Wing “met the agency’s safety requirements by participating in a pilot program in Virginia and by conducting flights in Australia”.

UNITED Australia Party leader Clive Palmer described comments purportedly made by his candidate in the new ACT seat of Bean as “not acceptable”. The ABC reported

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NEWS

Charity cries out for food donations

By Kate

MEIKLE THE shelves at Canberra’s largest emergency food charity, St John’s Care at Reid, are almost bare and management is reporting an urgent lack of supplies to support an increasing number of people in need.

The charity was in this pre-winter position last year as demand outstripped its ability to supply.

Right now, canned goods, jars of pasta sauce, cereals, mince meat and fresh vegetables are particularly in such low supply that the team says they are beginning to worry about how they will feed the increased numbers of people who require assistance from St John’s Care’s pantry and emergency relief.

“We are insanely busy, we have people lined out the door for our help,” says programs manager, Jason Haines.

Jason says that the St John’s Care team are now feeding at least 100 families each week, including the “working poor” who are struggling to get ahead.

6 CityNews May 9-15, 2019

“The team are now stocking up items such as spaghetti on the pantry’s shelves three times each week, which would have lasted for one week,” he says.

Jason says that it is frightening to think that supplies are so low in the busy pantry, which is run by a small team of staff and volunteers.

Executive director, Sarah Murdoch says that donations from the community are critical: “There’s been an increase in the cost of living and as a result, unfortunately, we have had a decrease in both goods in kind and financial donations.”

Ozharvest is a partner of St John’s Care and recovers food from the major supermarkets for the pantry. As the cost of fresh produce has increased, Sarah says that the supermarkets are decreasing their orders of supplies.

“This has a ripple effect that there is less volume of food that is recovered by Ozharvest and given to our pantry,” she says.

“The cost of meat has also increased, so what we were able to spend each week on meat doesn’t have the same impact as it previously did,” she says.

Jason says that the community can drop off food items and toiletries such as children’s toothpaste and toothbrushes, deodorant and

BRIEFLY ‘Canberra Times’ sold… again “THE Canberra Times” has been sold again, barely five months after Nine Entertainment spent $4 billion acquiring the businesses of Fairfax Media.

Nine has sold off its regional newspapers and printing business to former Domain boss Antony Catalano and Thorney Investment Group for $115 million.

The Australian Community Media and Printing titles, comprising more than 170 papers and including “The Canberra Times”, “The Newcastle Herald”, “The Illawarra Mercury” and “The Border Mail” were acquired and now onsold by Nine as part of the Fairfax deal.

In the July-December, 2018, audit period, sales of the daily Canberra paper continued their more than 16-year slump to 13,808 copies a day during the week, 20,881 on Saturdays and 14,126 on Sundays. To illustrate the depth of the paper’s demise, in 2002 it was selling more than 72,000 copies on Saturdays.

Masses of stuff

St John’s Care programs manager Jason Haines and executive director Sarah Murdoch… “We are insanely busy, we have people lined out the door for our help,” says Jason.

Photo: Kate Meikle shaving cream directly to St John’s Care or make a donation through its website.

“Some people generously buy groceries online and arrange for the supermarket to deliver them

straight to us,” he says.

To assist visit stjohnscare.org.au or deliver pantry items directly to St John’s Care, 45 Constitution Avenue, Reid.

RELAY for Life Team the Bold Bandannas is promising a charity garage sale of “masses of trash ‘n’ treasure” at 93 Onkaparinga Crescent, Kaleen, 8am-5pm, on Saturday, May 11, to raise funds for cancer research, prevention and support services. They’re also selling homemade preserves and a range of hand-sewn items (including children’s dress-up clothes, hand-knitted dolls’ clothes, beanies and scarves). Topping it off is a sausage sizzle.

Winter sale WINTER is the theme of the latest in St Ninian’s at Lyneham’s unstoppable series of sales. This one’s at the corner of Mouat and Brigalow Streets, 9am-2pm, Saturday, May 18, and will feature winter jackets, linen, curtains, plants and cakes.

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POLITICS / senate voting reforms

If you can’t stand ‘em, just leave a blank space!

YOU don’t have to vote for those candidates you can’t stand – well on the Senate ballot paper at least! The most important lesson for the 2019 election, for informed voters, is leave the space blank against such candidates.

Reforms to the Senate voting system have put more power into the hands of the voters. However, there is a minor catch. As instructed on the paper, voters must number to at least 6 above the line or at least 12 below the line.

The other lesson is to forget party recommendations and choose your own preferences.

The House of Representatives voting paper still requires numbering every box for a valid vote. However, this is not difficult with the seat of Fenner having only five candidates, the seat of Canberra six candidates and the seat of Bean with eight candidates.

Optional, proportional representation has now been adopted for the first time for the Senate.

This has made voting easier, whether you vote above or below the line.

dose of dorin

You have the power to choose who you think will be the best representatives and senators, and leave blank spots next to those you don’t want.

When numbering the Senate ballot paper, you can now choose to be absolutely sure that a vote does not go to someone who, in your opinion, ought not be a senator.

In this year’s Federal election there are just 17 candidates for the Senate in the ACT. Below-the-line voters have the option of leaving five spaces blank.

With eight positions above the line, the safe option for this type of voting is to leave just one space blank. The main lesson is to number to six above the line or 12 below the line, then leave a blank space next to someone who does not deserve to be a senator.

For our readers in NSW, this process is even more important.

In Eden-Monaro there are just eight candidates on the House of Representatives ballot paper and every candidate must be numbered.

However, this year on the Senate ballot paper there are 105 candidates in NSW and more than 30 parties. Voters are only required to number to 12

below the line and six above the line, unlike previous Federal elections when voters had to number them all.

On the NSW Senate ballot paper there is a wide range of interesting (and largely unheard of) parties including HEMP, Pirate Party, Australian People’s Party, the Together Party and the Science Party. Similarly, there is a myriad of candidates making it almost impossible to have a completely informed vote. No problem. The optional voting system of numbering to 6 or 12 allows an informed vote and mitigates against informal ones.

In previous Federal elections where every box had to be numbered, there was a danger when voting below the line of double numbering or some other mistake that would simply mean the vote would be discarded.

This is in marked contrast to ACT elections where a vote is valid up to the point where there is doubt about voter intention.

Preferences have been a challenging issue. The major parties have been accused of doing deals. Glenn Druery, “the preference whisperer”, has had significant influence amongst

minor parties in the past. This does not have to be the case. Reforms to the Senate voting system and the simplicity of the House of Representatives paper means voters can forget party recommendations altogether and simply list their own preferences.

Allow me to provide an example.

Prominent in the ACT and NSW Senate papers is Fraser Anning’s Conservative National Party. Considering his behaviour as a senator, I would not put a mark against his party, or any candidate that was prepared to run under his name.

With this new process for listing your own preferences on the ballot paper, you have the power to choose who you think will be the best representatives and senators, and leave blank spots next to those you don’t want.

We should thank current MPs and senators for the fact that voters are even more empowered this election.

Michael Moore is a former member of the ACT Legislative Assembly and an independent minister for health. He has been a political columnist with “CityNews” since 2006.

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OPINION / ngunnawal bush healing farm

GRUMPY

Befuddled saga of the healing farm

In search of a bus timetable

The obvious question is why not use the Ngunnawal Bush Healing Farm for the purpose for which it was constructed.

OF late, I have been engaged by the sorry saga of the Ngunnawal Bush Healing Farm (NBHF).

The catalyst for my recent interest in the issue was the convening of a meeting of stakeholders, including Health Minister Megan Fitzharris and the Indigenous Affairs Minister Rachel StephenSmith to determine the purpose of the NBHF. Were it not for the fact that the purpose of the NBHF was agreed 12 years ago when funds were included in the ACT Budget for its construction and that the facility opened two years ago, one might think that it was reasonable to have a meeting to decide what to do at a government facility that cost $12 million and is built on 268 hectares of valuable land.

Of course, the obvious question is why not use it for the purpose for which it was constructed. The point at issue is that while the opposition is insisting that the NBHF was always intended to be an indigenous-specific drug and alcohol residential rehabilitation facility, the government claims that was never its intended purpose.

In a Ministerial Statement on September 12, 2017, Fitzharris in attempting to explain why it was built, said: “The NBHF will provide a place of healing, a place where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will feel safe and supported. Cultural healers will work to make ongoing and meaningful changes in their lives and to break the cycle of drug and alcohol dependency.”

I confess, I really don’t know what that means.

However, the minister went much further on September 20, 2017, in responding to a motion from the Liberal Party calling on the government to ensure that the NBHF was set up and funded to operate as an indigenous drug and

alcohol residential rehabilitation facility. In asserting that this was the intended purpose the Liberal Party referred to a press release issued by me in November, 2007.

Ms Fitzharris was less than kind about my press release and insisted that it was “old” and unclear about the purpose of the NBHF. She concluded her comments by stating emphatically that, as she had previously advised the Assembly, “it was never intended that (the NBHF) be an alcohol or other drug clinical rehabilitation centre”.

She explained: “The bush healing farm was always intended to address root cause issues that led to substance abuse and treatment relapses, and to reconnect Aboriginal people to land and culture with the aim of assisting them to better respond to life’s challenges.”

It would, I think, have been wise for the Minister to have been a little more circumspect in her interpretation of my press release, particularly since it was based on what I said, in my capacity as Chief Minister, Treasurer and Minister for Indigenous Affairs, in the second reading speech for Appropriation Bill 2007-2008 No 2, and the bill itself, which I introduced on November 13, 2007.

In that speech I said: “Today I announce that the government will create a purpose-built residential facility for alcohol and drug rehabilitation for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Iwslander community, here, those indigenous Canberrans caught up in alcohol and drug abuse will be able to find care.”

My intention and that of the government was clear. The language I used was unambiguous.

I reiterated that intent one week later, on November 20, in Question Time when I said: “I announced last week, as part of the second appropriation bill, funding of $10.8

Compelled to use public transport, reader Jenny (surname withheld) of Braddon is grumpy at not being able to get a bus timetable.

The Ngunnawal Bush Healing Farm… the opposition is insisting that the NBHF was always intended to be an indigenous-specific drug and alcohol residential rehabilitation facility, but the government claims that was never its intended purpose. million over this budget cycle to create a culturally appropriate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander specific alcohol and drug rehabilitation service.”

It is of interest that immediately following the contested claim made in the Assembly by Ms Fitzharris on September 20, 2017, that the NBHF was never intended for alcohol and drug rehabilitation, the shadow health minister Vicki Dunne said in response: “What was the intention? That intention was to establish a residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility. I heard the minister; I listened very carefully to the minister. I would like her to reflect very carefully on what she said.

“My recollection of what she said is that that had never been the intention. I would like her to reflect upon that. If she did say that, she needs to go back to look at the history and then reflect on whether or not she has just misled the Assembly.”

Mrs Dunne’s concern is clearly valid. However, of greater concern than potentially misleading the Assembly is whether the use to which the NBHF has been put, as described by the Minister, is con-

sistent with the purpose detailed in the 2007-2008 Appropriation Bill No 2, as outlined in the second reading speech, and for which $10.8 million was appropriated.

“If the answer is no, then the question which follows is whether the government has complied with the Financial Management Act.” The sanctity of the Financial Management Act is, as it should be, a matter of great importance to the Labor Party. Just ask Kate Carnell or alternatively google the Legislative Assembly Hansard and search sequentially: Kate Carnell, Bruce Stadium, Financial Management Act, Motion of no confidence and then round out the history lesson with Chief Minister resigns.

Jon Stanhope was chief minister from 2001 to 2011 and represented Ginninderra for the Labor Party from 1998. He is the only chief minister to have governed with a majority in the Assembly.

I LIVE in Braddon. I don’t drive so, sadly, need to use buses. For most of my life I’ve been happy to use them.

For some time we’ve been told the new busroute timetable would be available late March, then sometime in April.

So I pop into the Civic Transport Canberra office.

I was shocked to see staff there – normally they hide out the back. I ask when timetables will be there. They point to their trolley and say 10 minutes, but I need to catch my bus so I leave.

I go back the next day, expecting to see a rack of timetables – nothing and, of course, no staff to ask. So I go behind the counter, nothing there either. So I go to the phone to ring the 131710 number – “Where are timetables?”

Someone appears from the back room and what follows is truly either a Faustian conversation or at least worthy of John Cleese.

Staff member: Can I help?

Me: I’m looking for timetables.

They’re out the back. If we put them out the front, they disappear.

Of course, people who use buses take timetables.

Which route?

I’d like three copies of Civic, Belconnen and Woden [one each for me and two neighbours].

I can only give you one copy.

What about my elderly friends?

They have to get their own.

I’ll have one each of Civic, Belconnen and Woden routes.

No. When I say you can have one, I mean one book.

This is madness. When was it decided timetables would be rarer than hen’s teeth and as elusive as gold?

Grumpy is an occasional column dedicated to things that get up your nose. Readers are invited to vent (no more than 300 words, please) at editor@citynews.com.au

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DO YOU KNOW HOW TO MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT? Green ballot paper – Number every box in the order of your choice LY

ON

CI

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House of Representatives Ballot Paper

OFF

FEDERAL ELECTION, SATURDAY 18 MAY 2019

AL USE

Electoral Division of Division Name

It’s important that you understand how to vote correctly.

Number the boxes from 1 to 8 in the order of your choice

2

SURNAME, Given Names

3

SURNAME, Given Names

7

SURNAME, Given Names

• a large white one for the Senate

4

SURNAME, Given Names

On the green ballot paper you are voting for a representative of your local area or electorate in the House of Representatives.

1

SURNAME, Given Names

5

SURNAME, Given Names

6

SURNAME, Given Names

8

SURNAME, Given Names

On election day, you’ll receive two ballot papers: • a green one for the House of Representatives

On the white ballot paper you are voting for representatives of your state or territory in the Senate.

PARTY

PARTY

PARTY

PARTY

PARTY

PARTY

PARTY

M

P

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Don’t worry if you make a mistake.

Just ask for another ballot paper and start again.

INDEPENDENT

S

A

Remember... number every box to make your vote count

Sample ballot paper

White ballot paper – you can choose to vote either above or below the line

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5

2

1

PARTY

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Either By numbering at least 6 of these boxes in the order ofEither your choice (with number 1 as your first choice).

AL USE

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You may vote in one of two ways Above the line

ON

LY

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Senate Ballot Paper

AL USE

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EITHER Vote above the line Number at least 6 boxes for parties or groups, in the order of your choice.

Or

Or

PARTY

PARTY

PARTY

PARTY

PARTY

PARTY

UNGROUPED

Below the line By numbering at least 12 of these boxes in the order of your choice (with number 1 as your first choice).

SURNAME Given Names PARTY

1

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8

SURNAME Given Names

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SURNAME Given Names PARTY

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SURNAME Given Names

SURNAME Given Names INDEPENDENT

SURNAME Given Names

PARTY

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OR

SURNAME Given Names INDEPENDENT

Vote below the line Number at least 12 boxes for individual candidates, in the order of your choice.

SURNAME Given Names SURNAME Given Names

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A

M

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PARTY

Sample ballot paper

Your vote will help shape Australia. Practise voting at www.aec.gov.au To learn more

www.aec.gov.au 13 23 26

Authorised by the Electoral Commissioner, Canberra.

CANBERRA MATTERS / canberra’s climate emergency

Greens fail to protect the local environment DURING the last decade the ACT Labor Party has depended on the ACT Greens to form government.

The logical outcome of this marriage of political convenience between the Greens and Labor should have been a high priority on looking after the city’s urban trees, green spaces, biodiversity and the wonderful environmental aspects that make this city the bush capital.

The ACT Greens gained publicity this year by raising the issue of the 3000 trees that go missing annually across Canberra, mainly due to urban development. There was general support for this push by the ACT Greens to have this addressed by the ACT government.

After being in coalition with Labor for a decade, surely the ACT Greens would have secured the future of our greenery, our biodiversity and would have overseen a growth in green spaces. This has not happened.

Then there was this unfortunate event. The ACT Greens called on governments to sign up to a climate emergency, given that so many damaging things were being done to our natural and built environments.

Sounds good?

Weirdly, the Greens staged their media event at Henry Rolland Park.

This new archi-park, with its inappropriate hard edges, is the eastern section of West Basin. This is the lake

There’s a climate emergency happening right here under the auspices of this ACT Labor/Greens coalition government. foreshore with proposals endorsed by the ACT Greens/Labor coalition to transform it from an open space composed largely of greenery, trees and biodiversity to a massive apartment suburb with hard lakeside edges.

Did the ACT Greens not see the contradiction with talking about climate emergencies on a site that is about to add to the damage being done to our climate thanks in part to their role in government? Apparently they did not see this.

There are numerous ACT developments that voters once would have expected the Greens to have been out there fighting against. The list includes the threats to the Downer heritage trees, the use of green spaces in Dickson and Chapman for housing (and loss of trees), the imminent removal of about 70 trees for the Dickson supermarket site with no plans to offset this, the West Basin saga that could see hundreds of trees disappear along with important lakeside biodiversity, the proposal to use parklands for an expansion of the Kippax shopping centre, the loss of greenery across suburbs such as Campbell due to inappropriate zoning;

new suburb developments that massively restrict (prohibit) shrubbery and trees (shade), and the later stages of the Ginninderry developments that could see housing perched near fire-prone slopes and too close to the Murrumbidgee River.

What politicians are taking responsibility for or are being outraged by what has been happening to our trees, our green spaces and our biodiversity? Not the Greens, not the Liberals and definitely not Labor.

This opinion piece is not meant to be an attack on the ACT Greens but rather an awareness raising of the anxiety people are experiencing as they witness this long-term damage being done right here in Canberra.

There’s a climate emergency happening right here under the auspices of this ACT Labor/Greens coalition government. This government produces spin and loads of meaningless rhetoric about sustainability, but the evidence from what is actually happening points to neglect and a lack of care about how urban developments are not addressing climate issues.

The problem definitely lies on the desks of the numerous (and somewhat

West Basin… Didn’t the Greens see the contradiction with talking about climate emergencies on a site that is about to add to the damage being done to our climate?

Photo: Paul Costigan useless) planning and urban development ministers – and shared by all those in government and opposition.

Canberra residents urgently need to rethink who we elect. We need to elect ACT and Federal politicians who take Canberra’s cherished green infrastructure seriously. Our politicians need to insist on legislation so that development applications are measured on how they add to the greenery and enhance opportunities to address climate change through urban developments. Are there any

ACT Greens, and any other politicians, prepared to act now to address this urgent urban climate challenge?

Paul Costigan is an independent commentator and consultant on the visual arts, photography, urban design, environmental issues and everyday matters.

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Christian Science practitioner, teacher and international speaker, Michelle Nanouche, explains how a deeper awareness of God brings greater meaning and well-being into our lives.

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War memorial is more than a military museum STEVE GOWER, director of the AWM between 1996 and 2012, has misgivings about the plans to demolish Anzac Hall warning that community outrage cannot be dismissed so ‘airily’ and that the ongoing controversy is ‘disturbing and damaging’.

I FIRST contemplated writing a book about the Australian War Memorial towards the end of my more than 16 years as its director and had produced a first draft when my work had to stop in late 2011.

My wife became seriously ill and I took carers’ leave. I was never to return to the memorial and it was not until 2015 that I felt inclined to resume work on the book.

In writing it I have, essentially, started at 1917, the year of many important decisions relating to a future Australian War Memorial. The thengovernment agreed to Charles Bean’s recommendation (supported by several others who shared his vision) that there be a special institution established that would commemorate the service and sacrifice of Australians in what was then called the “Great War”. It was intended to give those at home an insight into the hitherto unimaginable circumstances that fellow Australians were exposed to and had operated under.

The Australian War Records Section was also set up in London that year under John Treloar (later to be the longest-serving director) and schemes for war artists and photographers began. In late 1917, Gen Birdwood issued

a memorandum to all members of the Australian Imperial Force that they should start collecting relics to make the proposed national museum “the finest of its kind”.

The extensive and diverse national collection and its conservation exists to support “commemoration by understanding” and not the purpose of being a military museum, which is quite a different thing.

Not unexpectedly, relationships with architects and builders are covered, particularly for Anzac Hall. This was a Centenary of Federation (2001) project opened by Prime Minister John Howard in the presence of Great War survivor, Ted Smout.

The hall went on to gain architectural accolades and won the Sir Zelman Cowen award for the best major public building. A Sydney paper described it as “arresting, seductive and unforgettable” and another as “an architectural triumph which complements the main building’s heritage status”.

I’m not going to comment on the present director’s plans to demolish Anzac Hall except to observe that his recent delayed attempt to justify it asserts, amongst other things, that it is “no longer fit for purpose”.

Former AWM director Steve Gower... has written a new book on the memorial.

That is nonsense (in the context of the many possible other options) as is the claim that it’s the content that is special, not the building.

On that basis even the heritage main building might be demolished! Community outrage cannot be dismissed so airily; the ongoing controversy is both disturbing and damaging. Perhaps it is time for an independent review.

My first association with the memorial came soon after my arrival at Duntroon in 1958, when I attended the Dawn Service. In those days attendees could be fitted within the commemorative area around the Pool of Reflection

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and the cloisters upstairs.

In 1960, I was a proud member of the tri-service guard of honour. There was no shortage of World War I veterans then; indeed, there were Boer War men in the march past. As I stood to attention on parade pondering the architecture of the new, heritagelisted main building, little did I think I would be up on the dais 35 years later as the memorial’s director.

Charles Bean was probably up there as a member of the memorial’s board (now council). Since then I have seen and spoken with most of the subsequent chairpersons and directors.

I haven’t covered the earlier days of the memorial in the same detail as former deputy director Dr Michael McKernan did in his council-sponsored book in 1991, “Here is their Spirit”. Its publication coincided with the 50th anniversary of the AWM’s opening.

But I did think it was necessary to cover the memorial’s origins and early days to give context to all the latest developments such as the interment of the Unknown Soldier in the Hall of Memory.

I’ve endeavoured to make the book a comprehensive and engaging account of the first 100 years of the memorial, with more than 100 photographs.

For the memorial, there have been challenges along the way, inevitable controversies and periods of financial st a r vat ion.

But people have persevered and soldiered on, and the result is a unique Australian commemorative institution.

“The Australian War Memorial – A century on from the vision”, Wakefield Press, $60. Available from AWM bookshop.

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Canberra Business Chamber and Meyer Vandenberg bring you the annual ACT Budget Breakfast.

This important event provides a valuable opportunity to hear details of the 2019/20 ACT Budget first hand, from the ACT Chief Minister and Treasurer, Mr Andrew Barr MLA.

Register here: https://www.canberrabusiness.com/event/ Ph: 02 6247 4199

When: Wednesday 5 June 2019

National Sorry Day

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NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK / May 20-26 LETTERS

Many ways to volunteering Distorting iconic names

to spin development

THIRTY years ago Volunteering Australia started National Volunteer Week to celebrate and say thank you to all the volunteers across Australia.

This year, from Monday, May 20, to Sunday, May 26, thousands of events will be held to thank more than six million Australians who, true to the 2019 theme, are “Making a world of difference”.

Out of the six million Australians, Volunteering and Contact ACT CEO Vicky Darling says Canberra has the highest rate of volunteering in the country at 36.8 per cent, which is nearly four in 10. This means volunteers in the ACT give 10.9 million hours a year.

Passionate about supporting volunteers in the region, Volunteering and Contact ACT is holding a week of free and ticketed training sessions, a symposium and an open day.

From 12pm to 2pm on Monday, May 20, it will hold a free “Volunteering Essentials” training session. “[It] is an opportunity for people to learn more about what is involved in volunteering and understand their rights and responsibilities as a volunteer,” Vicky says.

Then from 5.30pm on Tuesday, May 21, Volunteering and Contact ACT will be hosting the 28th Annual Volunteering Awards for the Canberra region.

Over the next two days, Wednesday and Thursday, will be a two-day symposium, which Vicky says is a ticketed event run by renowned psychologist Dr Adam Blanch about helping managers protect the wellbeing of their teams.

“On the second day we have workshops on how to navigate legal issues when having volunteers and how to leverage digital marketing to tell compelling stories,” she says.

THE Griffins gave us a wonderful city plan that included a lake, but Lake Burley Griffin of the 1960s is not pure Griffin, nor can that ever happen.

Volunteering and Contact ACT CEO Vicky Darling.

Dr Blanch will be back from 8.30am to 6pm on Thursday, May 23 conducting a free workshop, which is particularly helpful for volunteers involved with supporting vulnerable clients.

Finally, on Friday, May 24, Vicky says they’re wrapping up the week with a volunteering open day at the shopfront.

“If you have ever wanted to volunteer but need help getting started or are looking for more information, drop in and see our friendly team,” Vicky says.

Bookings at vc-act.org.au

Interested in volunteering?

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National Museum of Australia Register at vc-act.org.au/events 16 CityNews May 9-15, 2019

Our Lake Burley Griffin is a stunning masterwork of landscape design and engineering in a functioning and attractive expression. It received the Australian Institute of Landscape Architecture Award of Landscape Excellence in 1986 and in 2001 the Award of Excellence from Engineering Australia.

The lake system was established by the NCDC in the 1960s with the best engineers and hydrologists in the nation, who undertook substantial research to achieve a lake that worked. The resulting lake reshaped all of Griffin’s three basins, deleted the large East Lake and also deleted the Griffins’ circular retaining walls in West Basin.

For the ACT government to keep pushing “Griffin” at West Basin is deliberate damaging spin to justify taking lakebed land for development infrastructure while ignoring and insulting the outstanding work of the NCDC team.

West Basin is one area of the lake suitable for a predominantly naturalistic lake edge as it is mostly offset from the eroding force of water-flows and has been evolving with water-edge planting that assists in lessening nutrient runoff and blue-green algae growth, now exacerbated by climate warming.

Taking three hectares of lake, smothering the lake edge environment and securing the infill with a retaining wall is estimated to cost the ACT taxpayer around $34 million. The proposed tiled-concrete surfacing and lake wall edging, such as at Henry Rolland Park, provides no lake environmental treatment although it attempts a “modern” image with extravagant brass ornamentation.

Acton Park, West Basin, has the potential to be a vibrant and exciting landscape in a most strategic location and should be retained to provide public green recreation spaces as well as some concessions such as cafes or small public “institution” buildings.

Lakeshore parks such as Acton Park are needed for our children, our grandchildren and future generations’ recreation yet the spin from the planning leaders claims that the West Basin development is just a small chip off Lake Burley Griffin’s shores. What nonsense!

The West Basin development is a huge bite out of the lake that will set a damaging precedent in the comparatively small lake impoundment. How dare the government-developer alliances mine a public parkland resource for profit, particularly when they have ignored researching the aesthetic scenery, the environment, heritage and social needs as well as the increasing stress of climate change, traffic, night lights and sound blight that will ensue with the development.

In 2017 Canberra citizenry voted overwhelmingly for “the Bush Capital” as their number-plate slogan, but that does not suit at least one of Canberra’s wealthiest development teams who claim that slogan tones down ambitious projects such as theirs that they believe represent a sophisticated emerging city.

There is nothing new, progressive or sophisticated in Canberra’s high-rise, concrete-cake development – it is a Dallas-style of lumping high-rise towers that has been around in Australia for over 30 years.

By contrast the sophisticated cities of the world all appear to have a strong backbone of heritage features that are loved and protected.

The NCA set up the framework for the West Basin development 14 years ago branding the proposal with the Griffins’ name, yet in recent years have allowed yet another major Griffin vista, University Avenue, to be destroyed. Despite rising temperature, lake pollution, excessive city development with an escalating population that needs recreation space, nothing has been done to redress the damaging West Basin development proposal.

Meanwhile the ACT Chief Minister, while basking

in the glow of the light rail, boots out all attempts for heritage protection of our national significance and favours a development-or-die whatever-wherever approach to urban planning.

It is time to chuck out the distressing and damaging West Basin development proposal before we have no Griffin structure, no Bush Capital and a damaged Lake Burley Griffin.

Juliet Ramsay, Burra

The Stanhope Independents!

I THOROUGHLY agree with John Milne’s suggestion – Jon Stanhope for chief minister (CN, May 2).

However if the idea of Jon returning to the political fray meets with family opposition, there is an alternative. Form a new political party, say the Stanhope Independent Party (SIP) with Jon as the leader. The SIP then endorses two candidates (sans Jon) with sound Stanhope values to replace the sitting Greens at the next ACT Assembly election.

Assuming they achieve the balance of power, bring the Budget back into surplus and fix the many glaring shortfalls of the current regime.

James Wain, Amaroo

The sole tenant, at right in the Coombs Community Local Shopping Centre.

Costigan’s Coombs critique is ‘spot on’ PAUL Costigan’s critique on Coombs infrastructure (CN, May 2) was spot on.

Although Coombs Shopping Centre was established in 2014 it remains an empty monstrosity. Local residents are forced to travel to Weston Creek to buy essentials like milk or bread.

Many people in Coombs do not drive, accordingly they are forced to spend time and money on taxis and public transport to merely exist.

Only one brave business has taken the initiative to open a retail outlet at the centre; and needless to say they are doing it tough.

The ACT government which is selling crown land to developers at alarming rates doesn’t care about the infrastructure required to create dynamic communities.

As political parties and politicians increasingly act in their own self interest rather than for the people they are elected to serve; it is time for the electorate to get vocal and demand the representation and services they deserve.

Jennifer Rowe, Coombs

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

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HADRILL Accounting’s director Jane Hadrill wants to help people get smart about running their small business in her four-session course at CIT Bruce titled “Get Smarter about Running your Small Business”.

The course covers how small businesses fit within the Australian tax system framework, how they can maximise tax deductions, how to interpret financial statements, and how to create and utilise a budget. It also goes over monthly reporting and cash flow management.

Jane loves teaching her students how to run their business and says seeing students grow with their businesses is the biggest reward.

“I love watching small businesses have an ‘aha’ moment about their financial statements, and then make better decisions based on that information,” she says.

Jane says many businesses have been with Hadrill Accounting for more than 10 years, which means the team is able to take into account all aspects of their clients’ lives. “[We] frequently see small businesses grow from being just an idea to an integral part of the Canberra community,” she says.

Jane and her staff also enjoy working with a wide range of businesses.

“On a daily basis I might be dealing with a sole-trader dentist, a mechanic with 20 staff

WITH all the end of financial year sales, Oatram Finance and Leasing director Andrew Barmin says now’s the best time to get working finance for any working equipment.

“Lots of dealers have end-of-financial-year sales and having pre-approved finance enables you to be able to negotiate strongly on the best deal,” he says.

Whether it’s new or used, from a private sale or a dealer, the family-run business can help.

For about 35 years, Oatram Finance and Leasing has been specialist brokers in finance and leasing for working equipment such as trucks, earth-moving equipment, forestry equipment and recycling equipment.

“We help everyone get excellent rates, from large well-known companies to individuals,” Andrew says.

“We have a wide variety of lenders where we’re able to obtain finance.

“We’re able to do older equipment as well as new and know how to handle private sales.”

But it doesn’t stop there according to Andrew, who says they can find gear for people short on time, too.

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Hadrill Accounting’s director Jane Hadrill. or a graphic designer,” she says.

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on their behalf,” he says.

“We offer finance on second-hand vehicles over 10 years old and, say you want an engine rebuild on a truck, we will have a lender who can handle that.”

And, Andrew says it all comes with an excellent service from people such as himself and his dad, who are happy to travel to clients at a time that suits them.

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Gail helps business navigate change

Buy property now before it’s too late

WITH an election nearing, the team at Gail Freeman & Co is on hand to help businesses navigate through whatever changes arise.

“There are changes afoot, and the election outcome will confirm what these changes are,” says director Gail Freeman.

“It’ll be a time where people will need help with their business, help with their superannuation and help with their taxes.

“People don’t like change, but we’ll have all the information, know what it all means and how it’ll impact businesses and their cash flow.”

But regardless of the election, and with less than two months until the end of the financial year on June 30, Gail says now is the time for businesses to act.

“People need to make decisions on their superannuation, their profitability, their budget for next year, they need to review how much tax they might have to pay, and at the same time, find more time to run their business,” she says.

“We endeavour to make sure we know all the latest tax changes and we can minimise the possibility of our clients being audited.

“On the business end, we have processes that can lead businesses to improve their profitability, reduce their waste and generally run a better business.”

NOW is the time to buy property in a selfmanaged super fund (SMSF), says Wholistic Financial Solutions’ founder Catherine Smith. “[But] your time may be about to run out,” she says.

Catherine says both Labor and Liberal governments are looking to remove the ability for people with a SMSF to borrow to buy a property.

“Their reasoning for this is vague but it is still a very possible outcome after the election,” Catherine says.

“My suggestion for anyone who is thinking about buying a property in an SMSF would be to do it now before it’s too late.”

Catherine says buying property in an SMSF has great advantages such as investing in bricks and mortar, using gearing to maximise return, diversifying superannuation investments into the property market and reducing the chance of losing a lot of superannuation if the share market crashes.

“At Wholistic Financial Solutions we can help you through all stages of buying a property in an SMSF including setting up the SMSF, arranging the borrowing and even helping find you the investment property,” she says.

For a free meet and greet to discuss this further, Catherine says give the office a ring and ask for an appointment.

Gail Freeman & Co, 9/71 Leichhardt Street, Kingston. Call 6295 2844, email info@ gailfreeman.com.au or visit gailfreeman.com.au

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18 CityNews May 9-15, 2019

Wholistic Financial Solutions’ founder Catherine Smith.

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SCENE / around canberra At Business After Business, Crowne Plaza

At the Order of Australia Association’s reception

Amy Luttrell and Alex Elliott

Terry O’Brien with Carol and Philip Bryne

Jodie Boyce and Phil Baker

Courtney Lean and Nicole Lieschke

Chamber CEO Michael Schaper, Samantha Thompson and Rob Stewart

Jill Bruce and Hannah King

Don Grgic and Vicki Williams

Lauren Babic and Shaneel Parikh

Lorcan Murphy and Dinko Colak

Helen and Russell Bielenberg

Janean and David Richards with Meredythe and Michael Crane

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www.mrbrandman.com.au 20 CityNews May 9-15, 2019

SCENE / around canberra

invite us / scene@citynews.com.au

At the Property Council’s gala ball, Hotel Realm

Chris Park, Nicky Cooper, Kiah Lingwood, Felicity Birtles and Caitlin Hoadley

Mark Parton and Shaun Masters

Guy and Karen Randell

Kate Mason and Hayley Bowyer

Dulani Nanayakkara, Prabhjot Singh and Rachael Thomson

Natalie Clark and Jamie Browne

Sarah Evans-Malone, Katie De Veau, Ajla Jennaway and Zoe Beresford

At the Suicide Awareness Ball, Hellenic Club

Rose Clapham and Sophia Millwood

Dylan Jones, Sian GwymJones and Britt Sheppard

Keely Wilkinson, Felicity Manson and Hayley Gorman

Craig Bickell and Michael Spark

Jen Starkey, Jacinda Greaves and Annie Levido

Michael Ross and Luke Skillicorn

Phil Harding and Nikoletta Nikias

Natascha Battocchio and Allie Doyle

Mel Allen, Elise Brazel and Mel Meier

At ‘Creators meet the Makers’, Canberra Glassworks

Edmond Cachia, Sarah McDougall and Amanda Lyall

Peter Nilsson with Sarah and Michael Snare

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.

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Julie Skate with Katherine and Tom Nguyen CityNews May 9-15, 2019 21

DISCOVERING BARTON

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TWENTY-one years after Australia’s first prime minister, Edmund Barton came to power, the settlement of Barton was established in his name in 1922.

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Other heritage-listed areas in Barton include the Brassey Hotel, which was completed in 1927 by the Federal Capital Commission in an American colonial revival style. Another is Hotel Kurrajong, which was designed by John Smith Murdoch in the garden pavilion style. It often housed politicians, especially from the ALP, for half a century and is particularly noted for being the place of Ben Chifley’s death.

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The leaders of Yellow Edge itself, the four founding directors, were colleagues at a large multinational and decided to start the business after they were frustrated with the constraints imposed on them in their former roles, which Yellow Edge client consequently affected their clients. service manager Now, Victoria says they support Victoria Appleby. leaders through training programs, professional coaching, citizen engagement and consultancy work.

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All hail Canberra’s ‘best day spa’ CREATED to be Canberra’s most sought-after wellness destination, there’s nothing else like Hale Gym & Spa, says the hotel manager of Brassey Hotel, Kathryn Carling.

Whether people want to work on their fitness in the gym or relax in the spa, Kathryn says Hale provides a sanctuary for the body and mind.

When it comes to the mind, Kathryn says Hale Spa is a place of complete indulgence and relaxation where people can escape to. “[There’s a] full suite of spa treatments across nine luxurious rooms including a couple’s suite with a bath and dual shower,” she says.

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THE Canberra Services Club manager, Marija Djeke, is calling on Canberrans to come to Barton and support the club so it can continue to support service people of the ACT and its surrounds.

“We’re here to help service people, so when you support us, you’re helping us support ambulance services, firefighting services and police,” she says.

“We support the ACT branch of the War Widows’ Guild of Australia, too, by Canberra Services Club providing them with an office manager Marija Djeke. here.”

So Marija invites all locals to come to the club’s great location and have a meal or use its function space for events such as weddings, anniversaries, reunions, birthdays and christenings.

“We do conferences, too, and have corporate catering options,” she says.

Marija says the club also has specials throughout the week such as $4 stubbies on a Thursday and its meat raffles on Friday nights.

“We have happy hour every day from 4pm to 6pm,” she says.

“And we have great, reasonably-priced pub food such as pizzas, burgers, steaks, pasta dishes and chicken schnitzel, which is a popular one.

“The atmosphere is also great. It’s friendly, the place has a nice home-like feel and the staff always go above and beyond.”

WHEN Lanette Gavran started Pilates Canberra in the ACT about 24 years ago, there was only one other studio around.

“At the time I was a personal trainer and realised very quickly that lots of people have an injury and weren’t able to lift weights or go for a run,” she says.

“I realised Pilates was an avenue to rehabilitate people to a good level of strength and mobility.

“We do a lot of general strength and conditioning as well as rehabilitation from injuries and specific conditions.

“We also do a lot of pre and post natal work and have referrals from allied health specialists and medical specialists.”

Since opening, Pilates Canberra has grown, and so has Lanette’s skillset, which brings

many visiting instructors from Australia and internationally to her studio to study with her.

“We’re one of the top Pilates studios in Australia,” Lanette says.

“I travel annually to the US to study with people who are prodigies of instructors who were working directly with Joseph Pilates.

“So I have a knowledge base that’s greater than many others and am constantly passing it on to my wonderful instructors.

“My instructors all have or are studying the highest Pilates qualification in Australia, which amounts to four years of study.”

Pilates Canberra, 14 Macquarie Street, Barton.

Call 0412 022917, email barton@pilatescanberra. com.au or visit pilatescanberra.com.au

Vince offers quality massage therapy for all AFTER working with elite sportspeople at the Australian Institute of Sport for about 13 years, Vince Cosentini decided to open The SMART Centre last year so he could provide sports massage and rehabilitation therapies to the general public.

Vince brings with him almost 19 years of experience, and has treated athletes at two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games, before deciding to head The director and massage therapist of The SMART his own practice, which treats Centre, Vince Cosentini. everyone.

“Primarily I wanted to work with the general population again, sharing my knowledge and expertise in treating a variety of conditions such as back and shoulder injuries,” he says.

“I also wanted to build a team of therapists around me to help everybody with massage therapy.”

At The SMART Centre, Vince says each and every one of their clients can be confident they’ll get the best care.

“All the therapists undertake regular professional industry education and are recognised within the massage therapy industry,” he says.

“In this industry so many massage clinics pop up that don’t have qualified therapists. All the therapists at The SMART Centre have industry qualifications, professional association memberships and the appropriate professional insurance.

“The primary reason to go to someone who is qualified is you get the best in massage therapy and health care to overcome muscular aches and pains.”

The SMART Centre, inside the Brassey Hotel, corner of Belmore Gardens and Macquarie Street, Barton. Call 0411 762082, email thesmartcentre@outlook.com or visit thesmartcentre.net.au

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Tony’s in love with his new trattoria WENDY JOHNSON

A concert to be played to have pleased Richard

By Helen

MUSA WHEN Kirsten Williams takes the stage as concertmaster for the Canberra Symphony Orchestra’s coming “Richard Gill – In Memoriam” opera gala, she’ll be on very familiar ground.

Williams, while best known in Australia as associate concertmaster with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, has another string to her bow with her well-known involvement with music-for-healing purposes. In 2014 she was named Volunteer of the Year for her work playing to the babies in the intensive care unit at Westmead Children’s Hospital.

As well, she is patron of the Goulburn Strings Project, which sees violins provided to disadvantaged students from year 2 to 6 at Goulburn Public School, proving, she says, what the late CSO director Richard Gill used to say – there are classroom benefits in maths and reading to be gained from a musical education.

She is stepping down from the SSO after 16-plus years and now plans to divide her time between Sydney and Canberra – increasingly in Canberra, she hopes, with regular side trips to teach the kids in Goulburn.

She’s only been CSO concertmaster since

Conductor Jessica Cottis… graduate of the old Canberra School of Music.

CSO concertmaster Kirsten Williams. early this year leading the orchestra for the outdoor Riverside concert in Queanbeyan – “I was surprised at how many were there, it was thrilling.”

According to Williams, the CSO musicians are having a wonderful time playing Monteverdi, Gluck, Mozart, Beethoven, Puccini, Cole Porter and even Sondheim in preparation for the orchestra’s night of nights with soprano Jacqueline Porter and bass-baritone Jeremy Kleeman.

Gill, whom she and many other Australian musicians revered, was a known opera-lover and in his time directed Oz Opera and the Victorian Opera, so she believes that he would be “very pleased with this”.

The gala will be conducted by Jessica Cottis, a graduate of the old Canberra School of Music, a significant conductor on the international scene and a prominent advocate for musicians in England.

“Jessica is one of the few conductors who

Richard Gill… he would be “very pleased with this”.

can apply a unique level of eloquence in her ability to talk to the audience,” Williams says.

“She can hold the orchestra’s attention, too, and it’s something fresh.”

She should know. At the last CSO Llewellyn Series concert when oboist Diana Doherty’s instrument suffered an unfortunate accident, the orchestra looked nervous until Cottis held the audience’s attention entertainingly while Doherty ducked back to her hotel to fix the problem.

“It’s not just the way she delivers herself, it’s what happens when she’s conducting – communication is so important,” Williams says.

As it happens, the coming opera gala takes place on election night, so speculation is rife as to whether Cottis will be giving a running commentary on that, too.

Canberra Symphony Orchestra Opera Gala, Llewellyn Hall, 7.30pm, Saturday, May 18.

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SATURDAY Series Opera Gala RICHARD GILL AO In Memoriam JESSICA COTTIS Conductor

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CSO Direct 6262 6772 or cso.org.au

MUSIC

Composer challenges the ‘gods’

By Helen Musa

tion. None of them, he shows, collaborated with Aboriginal musicians and communities, rather CHRIS Sainsbury is one of our most acquiring tunes by hearsay or sampling melodies respected composers and a senior recorded by anthropologists such as AP Elkin. lecturer in composition at the ANU. Once dismissed scornfully by Sculthorpe when the light-skinned Sainsbury spoke to him of his His “Ngarra-burria: First Peoples Composers” Dharug (Eora) ancestry, he now analyses the project has gathered together a stellar group of disrespectful way some non-indigenous composers young Aboriginal composers, including violinist have made use of Aboriginal themes and culture, Eric Avery; James Henry, the grandson of Jimmy usually without acknowledgement or permission.

Little; Sonya Hollowell; Nardi Simpson, from the “When I look into it, non-indigenous composers Stiff Gins duo and Marcus Corowa. will say: ‘This is in homage’ and that’s great, but they “The ANU is really very happy to have the still don’t say whether they have engaged with the Ngarra-burria program, which I brought here [from local people whose culture they’re using,” he writes.

Eora College in Sydney] and ANU College of Arts and On a positive note, he cites the deep involvement Social Sciences has been very supporting,” he says. of non-Aboriginal musicians such as Mark Pollard, Sainsbury is no newcomer to composition. who composed around the reclaimed language of His “Concerto for Guitar (The Luthier)”, written the Gunnai people; jazz pianist Kevin Hunt, who lived for Spanish virtuoso Jose Maria Gallardo Del Rey, in Redfern for many years, and percussionist Claire was featured at the 2002 Darwin International Edwardes, of Ensemble Offspring, an exemplary Composer Chris Sainsbury… analysing the Guitar Festival. In 1988, the Australian Chamber mentor to emerging Aboriginal composers. disrespectful way some non-indigenous Orchestra performed his string orchestra piece While he believes that the aim is always for composers have made use of Aboriginal “Homage to TS Eliot”. excellence, he says there are times when western themes and culture.

Since he’s been in Canberra, he has composed musical criteria may be at odds with relevance, “As Wild As All Get Out”, featured on the National Sainsbury has inadvertently become somewhat citing south-coast composer Brenda Gifford’s Carillon during the 2017 Canberra International notorious, taking on the god-like figures of justifiable insistence on the use of clap-sticks as a Music Festival, and “Jul-Jul” for Toby Cole’s Turner composers Peter Sculthorpe, John Anthill and central part of female music making.

Trebles. In 2018 the Griffyn Ensemble performed James Penberthy in the newest quarterly platform But there is a way forward, Sainsbury says, to his flute and harp work, “Djagamara”, at the paper for Currency Press, titled “Ngarra-Burria [to collaborate with non-indigenous musicians. That Canberra Sorry Day concert. listen, to sing in Dharug language]: New music can be summed up very simply – “include us.”

And just last weekend, his new work, “Bach of and the search for an Australian sound.” the ‘Bidgee’” was performed at the NGA for the Famed for their use of Aboriginal themes in Platform Papers 59: “Ngarra-burria: New music 2019 Canberra International Music Festival. their music, their search for Australianness may and the search for an Australian sound”, $18.99, In the lead-up to National Reconciliation Week, have led them down the path of misappropriaavailable at currency.com.au

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THEATRE

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A day to remember Ralph

By Helen Musa

BESTRIDING the Canberra Theatre like a colossus, the late theatre director Ralph Wilson staged 300 plays in the national capital, bringing light and fiery debate into the theatre scene and introducing Canberrans to the great classics of the stage.

A brilliant linguist and educationist who had topped the NSW Leaving Certificate in German, he was principal of Canberra High School (1970-1981), where he taught generations of school children and became famous for remembering the names of all his pupils.

A senior producer for Canberra Rep in the ‘50s and ‘60s and an aficionado of German, Russian and Polish film and theatre, he later joined the Australian Theatre Workshop, co-founded the Classical Theatre Ensemble, and later formed his own Rawil Productions.

In 1976 Wilson joined a campaign for the ANU Arts Centre and in October, 1976, launched the space with Roger Pulvers’ edgy original play, “Drop Drill”.

After his retirement in 1981, he devoted time to directing. He was awarded an OAM in January, 1988, and in March of the same year he was named Canberran of the Year.

Theatre director Ralph Wilson pictured in 1994… staged 300 plays in the national capital and introduced Canberrans to the great classics of the stage.

Photo: Heide Smith Gorman Arts Centre later launched the “Ralph Indie Season”, to honour his memory.

Now to mark 25 years since his death, a group of Canberra theatre identities are mounting a grand celebration of his life in “The Ralph”, the theatre in Gorman Arts Centre that was named after him.

From lunchtime to evening on Tuesday, May 28, the exact 25th anniversary of his death, there will be reminiscences, moving and still imagery and excerpts from the plays he loved, performed by actors including Liz St Claire-Long, Peter Robinson, Phillip Mackenzie and John Cuffe.

A special treat will be performances by the young actors of Daramalan College Theatre acting sections from one of Wilson’s favourite plays, “Mother Courage”, by Bertolt Brecht, directed by Joe Woodward.

An unusual feature will be the

display of watercolour sketches recently unearthed in the ACT Heritage Library, which show Wilson visualising his own productions.

As well, a plaque in his name will be installed by his son Kyle outside the Ralph Wilson Theatre, where his ashes lie.

The organisers have set up a crowd-funding campaign at gofundme.com (enter “remember Ralph Wilson” into the search box) and are seeking contributions to help pay for the plaque, catering, a program and framing.

Ralph Wilson Day at “The Ralph”, Gorman Arts Centre, Braddon, 12.30pm-5pm, Tuesday, May 28. It’s free but register at eventbrite.com.au Helen Musa is the author of an entry on Ralph Wilson published in “The Australian Dictionary of Biography” at adb.anu.edu.au

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THEATRE

DINING / the italian place, braddon

Tony’s in love with his new, true trattoria

By Wendy

JOHNSON TONY Lo Terzo is true Italiano. He loves people. He loves food. He loves hospitality. He loves everything Italian (and everything Canberra).

Didem Caia, left, with “Mono/Stereo” workshop participants at Tuggeranong Arts Centre.

Theatre with a democratic twist

By Helen Musa

ONE of Australia’s leading theatre makers, Didem Caia, is beavering away behind closed doors at Tuggeranong Arts Centre, but the results won’t be seen for a while.

It’s all part of a project called “Mono/ Stereo” which will eventually result in a play, possibly cast by public audition.

Centre CEO Rauny Worm met Caia at a Bite the Big Apple! arts and cultural management tour in New York and immediately snaffled her up for TAC’s community arts and cultural development initiative.

Though proudly from a working-class background, on her own admission, Caia is very well educated with a diploma in theatre arts from Victoria University, a bachelor of creative writing from RMIT (with first-class honours), a postgraduate diploma in playwriting from NIDA and a masters in dramaturgy from the Victorian College of the Arts.

She’s had plays produced through NIDA, The Griffin Theatre Company, Theatre 503 in Newtown, Melbourne’s La Mama and 45 Downstairs Theatre.

When I catch up with her, she’s been

RUSSELL MORRIS

presents

Didem Caia at Tuggeranong Lake…

“Every play is a political statement, it comes from the people.” deep in weekend workshops with participants from the Tuggeranong and Woden regions, eventually settling on a core group of five to work with on a new play.

She’s used this process twice before, working through a set of writing exercises in order to gather story, voice, character, nuance and even syntax.

“Theatre is and should be the most democratic form of art, everyone should understand what’s going on,” she says.

“But I come from a working-class family where people are not used to it, so I like making work for people who might not feel comfortable in normal, middle-class theatre.

“Every play is a political statement, it

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comes from the people, the Polis, and the best plays withstand the test of time… look at Arthur Miller and Anton Chekhov; look at Shakespeare and his very rich psychological understanding.”

The Canberra project is in full swing and she’s deep in her Melbourne study turning workshop materials into script, asking herself how to find a “spine” to the stories, as well as more subterranean links.

Caia first came to Canberra in November and met seven or eight people of varied age, culture and sexuality, of whom five are now committed to the project.

What followed, she says, “has been a kind of a conversational heaven, with discussions ranging over climate change, domestic and personal wars and the inability to communicate in English”.

“The democracy of their stories really struck me and also the nuances of the vernacular,” she says.

“The group dictates what the story will be, it’s better if it comes from the grassroots level, I work very intuitively until the storyline starts to emerge.”

Conventional theatre is not her ultimate aim.

“The end is to develop the community and to build confidence in a group who might otherwise never have experienced it,” she says.

These days Tony has a new love. The Italian Place in Braddon, which he’s recently opened with friend Francesco Petrillo.

A true trattoria, The Italian Place has a yummy menu for dining and an enticing selection of Italian small goods and fresh goods to buy – cheeses, olives, meats, pasta, anchovies, breads, desserts, meals to take home (all made onsite) and more.

“I grew up in a deli and love quality food,” says Tony. “Honest, tasty food. And I believe a good eating establishment makes its food available for sale to customers. We’ll get more items in over time.’

There wasn’t a dish on the relatively tight menu we wouldn’t have indulged in and there wasn’t a dish we were disappointed with. Oh, what a difference simple dishes created with the best ingredients and litres of love make.

We shared the pork fennel sausage with braised cannellini beans and baby spinach (and then, at the end of our meal, promptly all bought sausages – and other goods – from the deli). These sausages are specially made by a local butcher to a secret recipe that has been tested, adapted and then tested again ($16 for small or $25 for main). OMG!

All pasta is made onsite, including the long pasta with clams, mussels, prawns, cherry tomatoes, garlic and a sensational hit of chilli ($28). The balance of flavours made this dish a 10-out-of-10.

Rigatoni fans will drool over the pork neck ragout with shaved parmesan ($26). The ragout was rich, the meat melt-in-the-mouth – an explosion of flavours.

The saltimbocca – pan-seared backstrap layered with salty prosciutto and sexy sage – is such a classic and another 10-out-of-10 ($32).

We applaud The Italian Place for its salads.

We’re often frustrated with kitchen-soup salad, loaded with ingredients that don’t get along or even belong together, but at The Italian Place our grins were as wide as Tony’s with the simple and respectful radicchio lettuce salad with thinly sliced green pears, walnut and knock-em-dead gorgonzola ($9).

You may have seen Tony around the traps, including at Italian and Sons, where he worked for years, or at Pialligo Estate or dipping in and out of other establishments such as Molto.

The décor at The Italian Place has a friendly, rustic vibe – as true trattorias do. It’s open from breakfast through to dinner, which we applaud.

The wine list is impressive, with selections from Italy and our own region, of course, and all reasonably priced. If you’re not familiar with the Italian varieties, just ask Tony.

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CINEMA

The magical odyssey of wandering young Aja

By Dougal

MACDONALD “The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir” (M) WATCHING Ken Scott’s film about the wanderings of a young man seeking his father after the death of his mother, I was struck by the similarities of the structure of Romain Puertolas and Luc Bossi’s screenplay with another story that’s generally considered to be the second-oldest extant example of Western literature.

That’s Homer’s “Odyssey”, about a man who spends a decade journeying home after the fall of Troy. In Scott’s film, the traveller is Aja (Dhanush) who has grown up on the streets of Mumbai where his mother supports him by washing at a public laundry. Aja goes to school but he’s also eager to learn from what surrounds him on the streets.

As he grows into manhood, he becomes a talented fakir or magician.

Aja is telling his life’s story to three boys in the police station, giving them a lesson in how a boy like them can grow into a man like him.

The film’s main body involves live-action re-enactments of Aja’s travels. They begin when, armed with a new passport and a 100-Euro note, he flies to Paris. From there he goes to Britain where a migration official (Ben Miller) explains the facts of life before shredding passport and Euro note as forger-

Dhanush as Aja in “The Extraoridnary Journey of the Fakir. ies and leading his colleagues in a brief song and dance number that has little relationship with the film’s plot but must have made somebody happy on the set.

From there it’s off to adventures in Europe, before back home to Mumbai. While they are entertaining in their own way, their patchwork fabric is a tad short of exciting, although pleasant enough to justify a couple of hours watching it.

At Dendy

“Top End Wedding” (M) IT would be interesting to know what the indigenous ladies playing crowd scenes were thinking during filming the wedding sequences at the end of this little romantic comedy.

ARTS IN THE CITY

I expect that indigenous director Wayne Blair was respectful of tradition when specifying costumes and face painting. And that Miranda Tapsell made co-writer Joshua Tyler aware of indigenous customs during the writing of the screenplay. Miranda Tapsell is also the star and one of the film’s producers.

Lawyers Ned (Gwilym Lee) and Lauren (Tapsell) live together in Adelaide. He has just resigned from working as a prosecutor but hasn’t yet told her. She has just been made an associate in the law office led by Hampton (Kerry Fox) who has given her 10 days to get married or lose the job. Big problem, that, because Lauren says she must have her mother Daffy at the wedding. And her father Trevor (Huw Higginson) is going through emotional agony because Daffy (Ursula Yovich) has split from wedded bliss and he has no idea where she is. So Lauren and Ned

fly to Darwin to find her.

Ned is, let’s face it, not all that sharp about doing what men are expected to do. Petrol in the tank of the rented diesel 4wd is not a good beginning. Lauren pops out for just an afternoon drink with the girls and doesn’t get home until well into the night.

What we have here is a noisy comedy of errors that visits a small number of territory scenic spots before coming to a halt on Bathurst Island. A good excuse for the wedding party that Hampton has flown up to organise. Trevor and Daffy are reunited. Roll end credits.

It’s pleasant enough. Miranda Tapsell and Kerry Fox have good acting chops. The screenplay might cause people to wonder how or why characters, equipment and actions get where they are seen.

The NT government gave financial assistance to “Top End Wedding” in expectations of it encouraging tourism. The return on that investment is a pudding awaiting judgement in the eating.

At all cinemas

“Long Shot” (M) FOR its pure escapism, its cynicism about the US political system and its delectable star, this film was a refreshing coda to a day’s movie watching.

The delectable star is Oscar-winning (for “Monster” in which she played sex-worker Aileen Wournos executed for murdering clients who had abused her) Charlize Theron.

Her dramatic endowment is manifest. She is

a beauty on the topmost tier of a business where beautiful women are a principle ingredient of the product. Here we discover her as a deft comedienne.

In Jonathan Levine’s spiky rom-com, Theron plays Charlotte, who at age 16 baby-sat 12-year-old Fred. Fred is now a journalist with an online daily for which he writes confronting exposés of topics needing exposing. Seth Rogen, whom frequent filmgoers will associate with coarse comedies, plays him with a lot of noise.

Charlotte is Secretary of State under a president (Bob Odenkirk) who came to office after playing a president in a popular TV drama series. Charlotte’s political smarts have persuaded him that she is the party’s potential winner in the next presidential election. That coincides with Fred getting fired after his paper gets bought by a new owner (Andy Serkis) who’s going to appear later as a palpable villain. Coincidence brings Fred back into her life as her speechwriter. It’s an unusual combination but in the end it works.

“Long Shot” moves along at a cracking pace with satirical flavour, an absolutely uninhibited vocabulary and body behaviours reflecting Rogen’s unrestrained creative style. The screenplay by Dan Sterling and Liz Hannah is witty and knowledgeable of the media and government environments in which it is unfolding. Outcomes may be a little predictable but not so much so as to defy credibility. The comedy is rich yet subtle. I laughed a lot.

At all cinemas

By Helen Musa

“Wicked Sisters”, from left, Nikki-Lynne Hunter, Elaine Noon, Alice Ferguson and Lainie Hart…

Courtyard Studio, May 15-18.

Papermoon rises wickedly again PAPERMOON Theatre, formed at the ANU 25 years ago, vanished when the university decided to close its drama department. Now it’s back with a vengeance as one of the three original directors, Tony Turner, directs Alma de Groen’s play, “Wicked Sisters”, in which four former friends meet after the death of one of their husbands and uncover multiple betrayals during a night of wine. At Courtyard Studio, May 15-18, book at canberratheatrecentre.com SCUNA, the ANU Choral Society, launches its concert season for the year with “Gloria!”, a celebration of two favourite Baroque composers, Henry Purcell and Antonio Vivaldi, conducted by Leonard Weiss and featuring soprano Veronica Milroy, mezzo soprano AJ America and pianist Anthony Smith. At St Peter’s Lutheran Church, Reid, 5pm, Sunday, May 19. Book at trybooking.com JUMP First, Ask Later” tells the stories of six young champions of Fairfield’s underground “parkour” and street-style community. The performance combines street culture, parkour, breakdancing, gymnastics, kinaesthetics and martial arts with humour and wit. At Bicentennial Hall, Queanbeyan (next to The Q), 10.30am and 8pm, Friday, May 17. Book at theq.net.au or 6285 6290.

FRESH from standing ovations at the National Folk Festival, Shortis and Simpson will reprise their newest show “Happy Little Copyrights”, a tribute to the noble art of song-stealing, with musos Dave O’Neill, Ian Blake and Jon Jones. At Carrington Inn, Bungendore, May 17-18.

Book at trybooking.com AGATHA Christie’s tale “Towards Zero” has only recently been made available for performance. There is a brutal murder and all the house guests have opportunity and motive. At Belconnen Community Theatre, May 17-25. Book at canberraticketing.com.au AS part of Canberra Opera’s recital series, soprano Louise Keast will perform “Letters: Scribed & Sung” (excerpts from Italian, French, German and Russian opera) that centre on the theme of letters. At Wesley Music Centre, 2.30pm, Sunday, May 12. Book at trybooking.com HONEST Puck theatre’s latest show “The Woman in Black” tells the story of a lawyer obsessed with a curse that he believes has been cast over him and his family by the spectre of a dark woman. Directed by James Scott, it features Scott himself, Brendan Kelly and Katherine Berry. At Perform Australia Theatre, Fyshwick, May 17-26.

Book at honestpuck.com.au CityNews May 9-15, 2019 29

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NOW’s the time for pruning many deciduous trees and shrubs. Pruning of trees should never take place from the first week in September to the third week in October.

At these times the sap is rapidly rising and wounds from pruning can bleed profusely.

Another word for pruning is stimulation, ie to stimulate new growth with more shoots to produce bushier growth. In turn, this will give the pleasure of more flowers.

The golden rule when pruning deciduous trees is to remove dead, diseased or damaged branches.

The next step is to look for crossing-over branches rubbing against each other. Just like our skin, this can break the bark and provide access for disease or insects such as borers.

With most flowering trees, once the flowers are finished and most of the leaves have dropped pruning can begin. For example, autumnflowering shrubs such as hibiscus syriacus in our garden has now finished flowering. This, along with other plants such as crepe myrtles, produce their flowers on new season’s wood. So they can be pruned back by one third any time now. Come spring, a mass of new shoots will appear resulting in many more flowers in autumn.

Winter and spring-flowering trees should not be pruned at this time as they will be covered in buds.

One example is the flowering apricot, prunus mume. This can flower in June in Canberra with the two best varieties prunus mume Splendens with double, deep-pink flowers and yellow stamens. It has a delicious fragrance, especially in the evening. Equally is Rosebud with large, semidouble pink flowers along the bare branches.

Both these trees will grow to about 4mx3.5m and will show a mass of buds in garden centres at this time. They could be planted now to enjoy the blossoms in a month to six weeks’ time or leave in the container until after they have finished flowering.

ON September 28, 2013, I attended the opening of the then-Queanbeyan Council’s sensory garden at Riverbank Park. This was one of the events to mark the city’s 175th birthday.

At the time, it was in its embryonic stage with new plants in raised stone walls. Recently, I went back for another look and it is indeed a pleasure to walk through the garden with the scents of plants wafting through the air. Spectacular red salvias nearly two metres high, rosemary with its soft blue flowers in abundance and many other fragrant plants now fully mature. The added touch of ambience is the river in the background, a perfect place for a picnic.

THE POD CANBERRA

The Sensory Garden in the Riverbank Park, Queanbeyan.

I WAS and still am fascinated by the amazing gate designed by council worker Alan Neal featuring old farm tools. How many tools can you identify? The sensory gardens located in the Ray Morton Park, part of the Riverbank Park, next to the Art Gallery and Riverbank cafe.

Amazingly, this is just one of more than 50 parks in Queanbeyan all immaculately kept. The grass is regularly mowed with hardly a weed to be seen and the forward thinking of advanced tree planting by the council, which today incorporates the Palerang Shire. If only our parks and gardens were kept to the same standard...

Jottings...

• Unless you know where you are going to place new plants, don’t buy them. They will sit around in the pots and possibly end up root bound or dying!

• Keep leaves off hedges, particularly small hedges such as box. Wet leaves can be very heavy and kill parts of hedges.

The entrance gate of historic tools to the Sensory Garden.

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30 CityNews May 9-15, 2019

PUZZLES PAGE Joanne Madeline Moore

General knowledge crossword No. 684

Your week in the stars – May 13-19, 2019 ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT

This week is all about formulating smart strategies and finding practical solutions.

Focus on business and/or work, as the planets help you tap into the extra energy, enthusiasm, discipline and motivation needed to boost your finances and/or career. You’ve got the power, so make sure you use it positively! Saturday night’s Full Moon stirs up your self-esteem zone as you take a deeper look at your core values and transform an outdated belief about yourself.

Joanne’s super plan to stay ahead of pollies

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 21)

Venus (your patron planet) visits your sign from Wednesday until June 9. So it’s a wonderful week to have fun, mix, mingle and socialise, both in person and online.

Then Saturday night’s Full Moon urges you to get the balance right between individual projects and joint ventures. And it also fires up your flirting zone. Do you long for more love and romance in your life? If you flutter those Venusian eyelashes (or flex those Bullish biceps) then you shall receive!

GEMINI (May 22 – June 21)

You’re keen to have fun this week but resist the tendency to be a superficial and garrulous Gemini. There’s a lot more going on beneath the surface than meets the eye. Saturn, Pluto and the Full Moon encourage you to slow down, strip back the layers of polite conversation, listen and learn. And Neptune also boosts creativity, compassion, perception and intuition. So you’ll find some thoughtful observation and insightful soul-searching will take you far.

CANCER (June 22 – July 23)

In the lead-up to Saturday night’s Full Moon (in fellow water sign Scorpio) expect an intensely emotional week when unresolved issues with a loved one could rise to the surface and demand to be addressed. Jealousy, possessiveness or power games could also be cause for concern. With proactive Mars moving through your sign (from Thursday until July 1) do your best to deal with dramas in a straightforward and honest way. Definitely no side-stepping Crabs!

LEO (July 24 – Aug 23)

The Sun/Pluto trine (on Monday/Tuesday) brings the opportunity for recognition and advancement at school, college or work. Through your daily words and actions, you have the power to influence people in positive and productive ways.

So don’t miss the chance to make a real difference. Watch out for domestic dramas on the weekend though, when the Full Moon shines a spotlight on a family fiasco.

Clever Cats will step back and observe from the sidelines.

VIRGO (Aug 24 – Sept 23)

Your Virgo curiosity will be piqued this week. Plus Saturn, Pluto and the Full Moon could generate a lucky opportunity involving travel, education, children, sport or social media. So get your ideas out there (in person and online) as you inform and entertain others with your marvellous mercurial mind. Your motto for the moment is from writer (and fellow Virgo) Samuel Johnson: “Curiosity is one of the permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous mind.”

LIBRA (Sept 24 – Oct 23)

Have you been shopping up a storm when you should have been saving or paying off debt? If the answer is ‘yes’ then you can expect a financial hiccup this week, as the Full Moon highlights money matters. It also brings up issues involving your personal values and self-esteem. So you’ll find the less you base your core self-worth on money, status, image, physical appearance and unrealistic media expectations of what beauty is, the healthier and happier you’ll be.

Solution next edition

Across

Down

4 Name the Biblical strongman who was betrayed

by Delilah. (6) 7 Which annual AFL medal is awarded to the best and fairest player? (8) 8 What does an accountant do to one's financial accounts? (6) 9 What is a visionary fancy indulged in, while awake? (8) 11 Which term applies to the horserider who opens a bullfight by enraging the bull? (7) 13 What do we call a violent whirlwind? (7) 15 Which immature creature grows into a frog or a toad? (7) 17 Name a musical or other entertainment given usually by a single performer. (7) 20 What are arbours formed of horizontal trelliswork supported on posts? (8) 23 Which fraction is half a quarter? (6) 24 What is an indirect derogatory intimation about a person or thing? (8) 25 Name the panel containing a set of keys for entering data into an electronic machine, etc? (6)

1 What is an elaborate melody for a single voice? (4) 2 Stockholm is the capital of which European kingdom?

(6) 3 What is anything that serves to guide in the solution of a problem, etcetera? (4) 4 Name a title for a Hindu religious teacher. (5) 5 Name the capital of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. (6) 6 To surpass in performance, is to what? (5) 9 What is a temporary way around the main route? (6) 10 Which term describes one of the twelve disciples? (7) 12 Name an outstanding Flemish painter, Peter ... (6) 14 Which chess piece moves obliquely on squares of the same colour? (6) 16 Name a limicoline bird that frequents shores and wet grasslands. (6) 18 Which term is applicable to the choice or best part? (5) 19 Which plant-sucking insect is also known as a greenfly? (5) 21 What is a circular band given as a token of betrothal or marriage, etcetera? (4) 22 Name a disease caused by the HIV virus. (4)

Sudoku medium No. 242

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 22)

Pluto and the Scorpio Full Moon increase your magnetism and you’ve got the power to inspire others and transform your own life. So do your best to find appropriate ways to let off steam and choose positive and challenging projects to channel your intense energy into. A major relationship (whether romantic or platonic) could also go through a metamorphosis, as you voice your concerns in a respectful way and work through a problem that’s been holding you back.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21)

The Full Moon stimulates your spirituality zone. So it’s a good time to meditate, contemplate, ruminate and rejuvenate your rundown batteries from within. And try to view a stressful situation from a less personal and more spiritual perspective.

Your intuition is certainly switched on, as you uncover important information that you would usually miss. Be inspired by Sagittarian writer Gustave Flaubert: “Anything becomes interesting if you look at it long enough.”

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 20)

Disclaimer This column contains general advice, please do not rely on it. If you require specific advice on this topic please contact Gail Freeman or your professional adviser.

AQUARIUS (Jan 21 – Feb 19)

Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2018

02 6295 2844

Unit 9, 71 Leichhardt Street, Kingston

Solutions from last edition

ABN 57 008 653 683

Sudoku hard No. 241

This week do your best to assiduously avoid Piscean passivity and procrastination!

With the Full Moon activating your adventure and aspirations zones, it’s time to be courageous and confident as you proactively set ambitious goals and follow your dreams. So your motto for the moment is from birthday great, actress and director Cate Blanchett: “It’s important to travel and move and have a continual set of experiences so you’ve got more to feed back into your work and your life.”

Solution next edition

Crossword No. 683

PISCES (Feb 20 – Mar 20)

Joanne has returned to the workforce after an 11-year break and came by to ask me to look into her superannuation balance.

“I have a small inheritance and I want to look at my super and how to pay off my mortgage,” she said.

I asked if her mortgage interest rate was around 4 per cent. She told me she was paying 3.93 per cent.

“For the last 10 years, your super fund has earned an average of more than 7 per cent,” I told her.

“We’ll need to compare whether you would be better off with your money in super or paying off your mortgage.

“Clearly, the earning rate in super is more than your mortgage rate. So without doing a complex calculation to look at the tax effect on both transactions, which would generally return the same result, it would be a good idea to look at maximising your super before you start paying off your mortgage.

“You can continue to pay your mortgage and then at retirement you can pay off the remaining balance.”

I advised Joanne to consider contributing to her super because she can have up to $25,000 per year paid into it, which is tax deductible to her and her employer.

“Your employer is obliged to pay 9.5 per cent of your salary into super,” I said.

“So based on your current salary, your employer would contribute about $10,000 for you.

“This means you should be able to contribute another $15,000 in personal contributions.

“There are two ways that you can do this. You can either make the payment direct or you can salary sacrifice it through your employer.”

I cautioned Joanne and told her about the Labor Party’s platform at the upcoming election and the party’s ability to remove personal super contributions.

If Joanne wished to take advantage of this deduction it would be prudent to do so before May 18.

I told Joanne if she contributed $15,000 to super then she would get an additional tax refund of more than $5700. While salary sacrifice produces the same tax effect it is done pay period by pay period, she doesn’t get a lump sum tax refund, her gross pay goes down each pay period and at this stage of the financial year it would probably mean that she wouldn’t get much salary.

“You also have $100,000 that you can contribute as non-tax deductible super,” I said.

“There are special provisions that allow you to make up to three years’ contributions in one year but then nothing more during the three years.

“So if you have $300,000 available to you it could be a good idea to contribute this also before May 18. It is part of the Labor platform that this figure will be reduced to $75,000, which means that the three-year total would reduce to $225,000.”

My overall recommendation to Joanne was to maximise her super and if there’s spare cash, to put it towards her mortgage.

“However, there are two considerations,” I said.

“Firstly, we should look at what the post-election changes mean and if interest rates increase, please come back as the advice might change.”

Joanne was happy with the plan and said after discussing it with her partner, they would come back to see me soon.

If you need advice on any superannuation or tax related matter contact the friendly team at Gail Freeman & Co Pty Ltd on 02 6295 2844.

The planetary patterns promise a satisfying week… with one proviso. Can you keep your control-freak tendencies under control? If you can, then you’ll astound and amaze others with your can-do Capricorn attitude, your natural personal authority, and your talent for leadership. You’re ready, willing and able to work.

Just make sure you are generous and inclusive, as you encourage family, friends and/or colleagues to contribute their creative ideas and share in your success.

Beneath a somewhat detached and deceptively calm exterior, you’ll feel rather restless this week. Uranus and the Full Moon imbue you with a sense of urgency and you’re keen to get things moving, especially at home. But gradual, structured modifications are what’s needed and there’s still plenty of background work to complete. It’s also important to do your best to get the balance right between your professional/public life and your personal/private life.

Gail Freeman & Co Pty Ltd

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)

info@gailfreeman.com.au • www.gailfreeman.com.au Follow us on Facebook

• Follow us on Twitter @gailfreemantax CityNews May 9-15, 2019 31

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