CityNews 191205

DECEMBER 5, 2019

‘Gormless’ Rattenbury should start sacking

JON STANHOPE

Government muzzles the Molonglo mess

PAUL COSTIGAN

Make the most of garden watering

CEDRIC BRYANT

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THE SECRET PRISONER

‘Gormless’ Rattenbury should start the sackings THE Minister for Justice and Community Safety, Shane Rattenbury has been reported as claiming that he knew nothing about “Witness J”, a prisoner in the AMC for 15 months, for whom he was, as Minister for Corrections, administratively responsible.

He was further reported as “slamming” the Federal government for the “disturbing” and “extraordinary” secrecy it imposed on the case.

Accepting that the trial of Witness J was conducted by the Commonwealth, and in secret, the fact that Mr Rattenbury was, as he says, subsequently kept completely in the dark about the presence of Witness J, in a jail for which he is ultimately responsible, raises some “disturbing” questions of its own about ACT government practices and the principle of ministerial responsibility.

The facts at the heart of this national scandal are sketchy, to say the least, but there are things we know because of the publication by the ACT Supreme Court of a decision handed down by Justice Burns on November 8.

The case was brought by Witness J, also known as Alan Johns, while incarcerated in the AMC. His reason for bringing the action was to seek relief from treatment he was subjected to at the instigation of ACT government officials, who were responsible to the

If I was the Corrections Minister, I would sack every single one of the senior officers who thought it appropriate and reasonable to leave me swinging, in blissful ignorance, in the breeze.

Minister for Corrections.

The action was brought against the director-general of the ACT Justice and Community Safety Directorate.

The director-general answers directly to the minister, Shane Rattenbury.

While it is not clear from the published decision when Witness J commenced the action, there is reference to an affidavit made by Witness J on May 1, so one may assume that the action was initiated on that day or sometime earlier. In any event it was while he was under the care and control of Minister Rattenbury.

The case was heard in the Supreme Court on July 17 at a time when Witness J was still imprisoned in the AMC. Pertinently the director-general of the ACT Justice and Community Safety Directorate was represented in court during the hearing by the ACT Government Solicitor who had briefed K Musgrove of counsel while the Commonwealth was represented by the Australian Government Solicitor and by J Knowles of counsel.

It is interesting that Justice Burns notes in his decision: “The plaintiff

INDEX

asserted that he had done nothing wrong during his period as a detainee to justify any punitive action against him, and that he was distressed by the actions of Ms Justaston (general manager of the AMC) in providing information to the AFP (resulting in the execution of search warrants at his brother’s house and in his cell at the AMC) and in restricting his email access within the AMC.” Justice Burns further notes that before launching legal action, Witness J had, in late February and early March 2019, sought the assistance of both the ACT Official Visitor and the ACT Ombudsman in resolving his grievances about his treatment by ACT Corrective Services officers.

However, Justice Burns noted that “he (Witness J) considered their subsequent actions to be ineffectual, and he believed that they were biased.”

This history of involvement of senior members of the ACT government in aspects of the incarceration of Witness J in the AMC begs some challenging questions.

Justice Burns identified the following senior ACT government officials

as having been directly involved with Witness J over the 15 months he was in the AMC. 1. The general manager of the AMC. 2. The immediate past general manager of the AMC. 3. The director-general of the Justice and Community Safety Directorate. 4. The ACT Government Solicitor. 5. The ACT Ombudsman. 6. The ACT Official Visitor. 7. The AFP. I find it remarkable that despite the significance of this case and its obvious political and other serious ramifications that not one of these officials apparently felt the need or obligation to advise their minister or the Chief Minister, over a period of 15 months, of the existence of Witness J or the fact that he was incarcerated in our jail.

It is stunning to think that a director-general of a major and critically important ACT government directorate, such as Justice and Community Safety, would hide from his minister that he was being sued.

I also find it inconceivable that the ACT Government Solicitor would not brief the Attorney-General and the Chief Minister about a case in which he was representing one of the most

senior members of the ACT Public Service in an action brought by a prisoner in the AMC, who we think may have been there for breaching a national security law.

It is similarly, I think, beyond credible that the fact that the ACT Ombudsman and the ACT Official Visitor had been contacted by and become involved with Witness J would not have been reported to relevant directors-general and ministers.

But the Minister for Corrections is an honourable man and if he says that none of these things happened, that he was kept completely in the dark, then I believe him.

Having said that it does make him look irrelevant, foolish and gormless and, if I was him, I would sack every single one of the senior officers who thought it appropriate and reasonable to leave me swinging, in blissful ignorance, in the breeze.

Do you ever wonder, Minister, what other secrets they keep from you? Or do you think it better that you not know?

Since 1993: Volume 25, Number 47

Arts & Entertainment 27-29 Canberra Matters 6 Cinema 29 Crossword 31 Dining 28 Gardening 30 Horoscopes 31 Letters 14 News 5-14 Politics 13 Socials 21-23 Cover: Pablo Picasso “La lecture” 1932. Musée Picasso, Paris. Story Page 10.

Well written, well read

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CityNews December 5-11, 2019 3

SEVEN DAYS

Developers cry foul at the government squeeze MAJOR players in Canberra’s building industry are crying foul over pressure from the Barr government to run dodgy builders out of town.

The directors say the government’s approach is “misdirected”, suggesting it should “stop hassling head office and get out on construction sites if it wants to improve building quality”.

Barry Morris, director of the Morris Property Group, says: “Developers were not to blame for problems around building quality. The ACT government is going the wrong way on the food chain.”

Is it possible the local construction industry has fallen victim to TBS (Tall Building Syndrome)? Columnist Michael Moore looks a little deeper on Page 13.

MOTHER Nature has been giving the capital a decent whack. Early week high temperatures suddenly plummeted with snow forecast for the Brindabellas while bushfires loomed around Braidwood. A dust storm became a smoke haze and high winds whipped up a “swell” on Lake Burley Griffin.

STILL on matters meteorological, spare a thought for the skywriter tasked with the relatively simple job of writing “Thanks Team”. A rare window opened on Wednesday between heavy dust storms and thick smoke haze, offering clear blue skies. Not wishing to pan the penmanship of the pilot, but by the

the MLA will be hoping 2020, “the year of the rat”, will bring relief. Columnist Jon Stanhope adds to the minister’s miseries on Page 3.

The bushfire blaze near Bungendore. time they began “team”, “thanks” resembled an ultrasound image.

BELOW, on the lawns of Parliament House, local students participated in a Climate Classroom Rally. Organisers say “the aim of the action is to show the Australian Parliament what real democracy looks like; teaching each other about climate crisis and working together as an inclusive community.”

The Prime Minister was invited but due to a constant caning inside a stunt double was wheeled out.

ALL the usual cliches, from “rumbles” through to a “united party” were also wheeled out in the days following reports of a local Liberal leadership spill. A small

Photo: Andrew Campbell number of “disaffected” members, concerned they couldn’t win the 2020 election with ultra-conservative Alistair Coe, were reportedly urging Elizabeth Lee to step up.

A self-imposed confidentiality agreement prevents me from naming who I believe would lead the local Libs out of the wilderness. However, if the “status Coe” remains we will miss the rare opportunity of having the nation’s first colour-blind, race-calling, exradio announcer as CM, and may be forced to endure the spectacle of a rebranded Alistair (“call me Al”) Coe in a baseball cap, thumbs up, drinking beer with randoms at sporting events for the next 12 months.

on the disharmony, describing the libs as “the most right wing of any party room in Australia”, adding Alistair Coe “is the most conservative leader the Liberals have ever had”.

ACT Greens leader Corrections Minister Shane Rattenbury will be looking for 2019 to end. The member for Molonglo has had a horror year with attacks coming from all sides, mostly over his handling of the troublesome Alexander Maconochie Centre.

Nicknamed “the rat” by local greyhound trainers protesting a ban on their sport in 2017,

INTERNATIONAL diplomacy comes in many forms but it’s unusual for an ambassador to be bagging his country’s capital.

The latest round of Canberra Bashing came from veteran diplomat Gary Quinlan, our ambassador to Indonesia.

Responding to a question at the Jakarta Foreign Correspondents Club about plans to move Indonesia’s capital from Jakarta to the island of Kalimantan, Quinlan said Canberra was “one of the biggest national mistakes we ever made”. Quinlan warned a lesson locals could learn from the Canberra model is it was too spread out in the early days and “had no natural centre”.

WHILE Mr Quinlan may have fallen out of love with Canberra one tech giant is keen to look deeper into our city. An Apple Maps white Subaru with what appears to be an R2D2 type robot strapped to its roof has been cruising around gathering images and information for its new “Look Around” feature.

NOT missing the free kick, Chief Minister Andrew Barr offered a running commentary

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CANBERRA MATTERS / outrage in the suburbs

Government muzzles Molonglo’s planning mess WHEN the ACT Legislative Assembly voted in October to establish a committee to examine the planning problems that plagued the development of the Molonglo suburbs of Wright and Coombs, it would follow that this signalled that someone may be paying attention to what residents have been saying for the last few years.

At least that is what we should be thinking.

One of the stated motivations was to ensure that such mistakes and non-delivery of commitments do not happen again, especially given that development work is underway on the nearby suburb of Whitlam.

The Assembly committee is expected to work on these issues until May 2020.

That presents an interesting question; a little over a year from now we will be having the 2020 ACT election.

When any tough issues get sent off to a committee for discussions you have to wonder, especially when they are contentious planning issues and everyone knows who is responsible.

Is history about to repeat itself? The Greens are yet again making similar noises about sustainability and climate in relation to new developments.

Could it be that the government is being disingenuous by approving this committee to keep a certain ACT Greens politician quiet as well as to be able to say that in the lead up to the elections these matters are now being examined (with no promises that anything will actually happen)?

Let’s travel back to 2010 when the ACT Greens made statements that the new Molonglo suburbs were: “The potential turning point for the ACT and Australia as we design and plan for a world where we need to account carefully for our energy and water use.

“This development requires a whole-of-government commitment to make sure we get the best outcomes for the Canberra community.”

The Molonglo residents would not agree that the outcomes have been great.

Coombs and Wright residents like their suburbs. But they rightly want to be provided with the commitments that were made when they bought in.

They feel as though the ACT’s Labor/

Greens government has been responsible for the false advertising about what was to be provided for residents.

At a recent Weston Creek meeting the frustrations were clear. The question was asked a couple of times: why have the residents had to devote so much energy to about six different campaigns to try to get the government to address particular serious suburban deficiencies?

The list includes the lack of community spaces (that they can access and afford), that the government ministers and bureaucrats provide insulting spin instead of doing something about the empty Coombs shopping centre and developers continue to submit outrageous development applications for far more apartments than were allowed for purchased sites.

There is also that outrageous change that the then-Planning Minister introduced for these suburbs that removed the need for community consultations.

That minister was Andrew Barr. All these issues and more were outlined clearly in a statement released last year – but little has been done.

Which brings me to question why

Government urged to stop spinning and do something about the empty Coombs shopping centre.

Photo: Paul Costigan the ACT Greens think the people of Coombs and Wright need a committee to sit around for the next eight months talking about all this when the residents have produced ample documentation that clearly states what the problems are.

Surely it is time for action rather than another committee?

And there’s the timeline involved.

This committee is to ponder on what the problems are and then there will be the noise and distraction of the 2020 elections. Meanwhile the bulldozers are at work and the development is in full swing for the suburb of Whitlam.

Just ask nearby residents about the amount of dust now being sent across

the established suburbs.

Is history about to repeat itself?

The ACT Greens are yet again making similar noises about sustainability and climate in relation to new developments. Will this political noise actually deliver any improvements for the residents of Coombs and Wright and, more worrying, will it again be business as usual for the Whitlam developers who have their own notions of what is good development?

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

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NEWS

Success stretches the bottle-top recycling boom

By April March

THE founder of a Victorian charity turning bottle tops into limbs for kids has thanked the Canberra community for its “overwhelming” support, as it battles to process a backlog of bottle tops.

Envision Hands is a Melbournebased company that upcycles bottle lids destined for garbage tips into mechanical hands and arms, using 3D printing.

Its founder Sean Teer says the charity is slowing down bottle top collections across the ACT and NSW as it works to whittle down its stockpile.

“We have far surpassed our goal of two million caps with over three million collected in Victoria alone,” said Mr Teer.

“There are some 10 million bottle

Lids4Kids founder Tim Miller.

tops sitting outside Victoria, we are currently looking at how to get them processed interstate instead of them coming here to Melbourne.

“This is a fantastic effort and we are extremely grateful for the bottle caps, but now we have to focus on processing the tops and making them into mechanical aids.”

And that’s no easy feat.

“Once the bottle caps are delivered to Envision Hands we shred them, and they are made into a filament,” Teer said.

“That is then fed through a 3D printer with a software program, and we end up with ‘fingers’.

“It sounds simple, but it’s a lengthy and arduous process compared to normal 3D processes because the plastic that we’re working with is quite difficult – but the guys are doing a fantastic job in putting it together.”

Mr Teer said the project has been “overwhelmingly” supported across the Canberra and Queanbeyan region.

“It’s gone gangbusters,” Mr Teer said. “Canberra has really jumped on board.

“Please don’t stop collecting; we are just asking that organisations hold off on sending bottle caps for a month or so, until we can catch up.”

In less than three months, more than 21,000 lids have been collected across Canberra and Queanbeyan, largely through the work of Canberra

Queanbeyan’s Campbell Street Childcare Centre director Tanya Latter with Eve Gordon, left, and Lucy Fahey show some of their collected lids. charity, Lids4Kids.

Lids4Kids works in partnership with Envision Hands; the foundation’s brainchild, Tim Miller, processes thousands of bottle caps each week from his Aranda home.

“Tim’s been the driving force for collections outside of Victoria,” said Mr Teer.

“He’s as passionate as I am to never see another bottle lid in landfill again.”

A sentiment shared by the community groups and organisations who

have jumped on board.

“We’ve had a wonderful response, our families, kids and staff are really getting into it,” said Queanbeyan’s Campbell Street Childcare Centre director Tanya Latter.

“It’s important that we build generosity and care for others into our learning; and a part of our curriculum is sustainability, and so this is a lovely way to give back to our community and the environment.”

Milk, water or soft-drink bottle tops are the best to collect. The bottle

lids must have a 2 or 4 written on the underside and must be rinsed out.

Donation drop-off locations include: Aranda Holden Rally Team; St Thomas Aquinas, Charnwood; Farrer Primary School; Harrison School OSH Club; Nicholls Gold Creek Primary; Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School, Nicholls; Campbell Street Childcare Centre, Queanbeyan and Harris Park Preschool, Queanbeyan.

Tim Miller’s Canberra-based Lids4Kids is asking the ACT government, the Federal government and beverage companies to collectively donate the $600,000 needed buy machines to shred the lids and turn the plastic into items for children living with disabilities.

“Close the loop, give us money so your products don’t go to landfill. Little kids have stepped up and said: ‘No, we don’t want this to go in the bin.’

“Give us money for the machines so we can recycle them,” Tim told “CityNews” last month.

When Lids4Kids gets the shredders, Tim says it will train people who are living with a disability to use them.

“Then the pellets that come out of them can be sent to plastics workshops and made into any product.”

Meanwhile, a community-based fundraising appeal has been launched to help Envision Hands buy machinery to process its bottle lids.

Donations can be made via gofundme.com/envision-hands

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NEWS / cover story

Picasso in his studio, Rue des Grands Augustins, Pablo Picasso “L’Arlésienne: Lee Miller” 1937. Private 1939.

Photo: Brassaï international collection

Matisse in his studio, Boulevard du Henri Matisse “Nature morte aux oranges” 1912.

Montparnasse, 1948.

Photo: Gisèle Freund Musée Picasso, Paris.

Art’s turbulent friends and fruitful competitors

By Helen Musa

A COMPLEX mix of rivalry and admiration between two giants of 20th century art is at the heart of the NGA’s big end-of-year blockbuster, “Matisse & Picasso”.

Not just a visual feast, it will also serve to tell

the story of Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso’s turbulent yet fruitful relationship, which ended with Matisse’s death in 1954, when Picasso said: “Nobody ever looked at Matisse’s work as thoroughly as I did. And he at mine.”

Even while alive, they were often paired by critics as the leaders of modern art.

The show involves loans from Musée Picasso

in Paris, Tate in London and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, private lenders in Australia, England and France and the gallery’s own considerable collection.

We caught up with curator Simeran Maxwell as she was heading into the daunting installation process. With around 250 paintings, sculptures, drawings, premier-quality prints, illustrated books and costumes to install, there’s been a great deal of background work beyond the selection and acquisition of work.

Both the Matisse and Picasso estates are very strict about reproduction rights, so it’s been “tricky”. Matisse is out of copyright in Australia with some caveats, but Picasso’s works are still within copyright, so she says, “we touched base with them years ago and have been working very closely”.

The exhibition has been three years in the making. With 250 works and costumes and designs by both artists for the Ballets Russes drawn from the NGA’s own collection, and Matisse’s paper cuts from the 1930s when because of health reasons he couldn’t paint anymore, it’s likely to be a sumptuouslooking show.

The exhibition is chronological, covering the period from 1906, when the two artists met at the Paris salon of Gertrude Stein and Alice B Toklas and became lifelong friendly rivals, until Matisse’s death in 1954. Maxwell stresses that it does not venture into Picasso’s later life and art during the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s.

“Matisse & Picasso” begins with a very small room highlighting a few works by each, indicating where they were at the time they met.

At that time, Matisse was the leader of the notorious Fauves (“wild beasts”) artists whose works featured wild colours, whereas Picasso was a child prodigy who had moved to Paris and was enjoying the cabaret culture – a bit like Toulouse-Lautrec or Degas.

The two men could hardly have been more different, yet they instantly if grudgingly admired each other. They met regularly at the Steins’ Saturday soirées, where reputedly most people came to see their collection of Cézannes.

The second room in the exhibition in fact covers the influence of Cézanne, who made a huge impact on them, Maxwell says: “They both thought Cézanne was incredible and proceeded to unpack his work.”

But while slightly older Matisse lashed out with colour, Picasso turned to Cubism.

Matisse openly despised it at first, although later he was to come around to it.

The exhibition moves into the popular area of the Ballets Russes’ costumes, which sit outside the formal chronology of the show, exhibiting Matisse’s 1920 costumes for “The Song of the Nightingale” and Picasso’s for “The Three-Cornered Hat,” both from 1919-20.

Another area of focus is the way both artists ventured into exoticism. Picasso’s African-influenced period began after he saw African artefacts in the Parisian ethnographic museum during 1907. Matisse spent seven months in Morocco from 1912 to 1913, which led to about 24 paintings, numerous drawings, and his famous “odalisque” paintings.

“We see how divergent their approach was in depicting women, but we don’t always see a direct cause-and-effect in their influence,” Maxwell says.

“For instance, something that Picasso said in 1912 will trigger Matisse in the 1920s or 1930s. The exhibition goes back and looks at what they have done and the way they changed their minds.

“Plainly Matisse thought Cubism was complete crap, but he changed his mind, and Picasso started out monochrome, but after viewing Matisse he appeared to say: ‘I could do that, I could do with a bit of colour’.”

As for the look of the show, Maxwell says: “We are going modern. This show is about a relationship but it’s really about the art they produced, so it’ll be a pared-back colour palette, pale light blue and light pinky mauve, to work with the works and not overwhelm them.

“Such colourful things, such different things over that 50-year period… We really want the works to speak to the viewers.”

The two men could hardly have been more different, yet they instantly if grudgingly admired each other.

10 CityNews December 5-11, 2019

“Matisse & Picasso”, National Gallery of Australia, December 13-April 13.

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OPINION / climate change

On climate disruption, the truth really matters

By Tim

HOLLO THEY say the first casualty of war is truth. Tragically, in the face of climate disruption, truth has long been a casualty.

We’ve had decades of deliberate denial of the science, of course. But there’s also been ongoing mythologising about what parties have done over the last 10 years which is no less damaging.

When facing a challenge of this scale, truth really matters. We need to understand and respect the science, and we need to fairly and accurately represent what our parliaments have done – the bad, the ugly, and the good.

If we don’t, how can we hope to find solutions? If we’re so busy throwing blame around that we can’t give credit where it’s due, and celebrate successful negotiations for really positive outcomes like here in the ACT, we’re in a pretty dire place.

In this context, it’s deeply disappointing that political columnist Michael Moore would write an article about climate politics riddled with basic mistakes of fact (How the Greens failed climate change”, CN, November 28). Debate and opinions are important – but they have to be on the basis of reality.

dose of dorin

While Labor didn’t initially want to go there, they now are happy to claim credit for the fact that Canberra is now powered 100 per cent by renewable energy, cutting our contribution to climate heating by a massive 40 per cent.

Moore’s most ridiculous error is to claim that the Greens opposed Kevin Rudd’s CPRS “under the leadership of Christine Milne”. A simple Google search would have reminded him that Senator Milne became leader of the Greens in April 2012, 2 1/2 years after the CPRS was rejected. That he chooses to blame Senator Milne rather than Senator Brown should raise eyebrows.

This isn’t the only error of fact.

Moore starts off by reflecting on when “Malcolm Turnbull worked with the Rudd government and the Greens to implement a price on carbon”. This is imaginary, to put it politely. The truth was quite different.

As has long been on the public record, Kevin Rudd refused to negotiate climate policy with the Greens under any circumstances. Famously, he refused to even meet with Bob Brown to discuss it.

The Greens, putting forward amendment after amendment, requesting meeting after meeting, had the door slammed repeatedly.

Meanwhile, Rudd was negotiating with the Liberal Party while in public

he was constantly niggling them, driving the wedge which eventually split the party and led to the spill which delivered Tony Abbott.

Of course, at the same time, he wasn’t even talking with his Cabinet, leading to his own removal a few months later.

Canberrans will remember that time well.

But Moore’s most bizarre claim is: “There has been no going back”. History records it differently. Half a year after the collapse of the CPRS, Julia Gillard scraped into government with the support of the Greens and independents. In negotiating to make her Prime Minister, the Greens secured the establishment of the Multi-Party Climate Change Committee, which to this day remains the most successful example of long-term, cross-party negotiation of difficult policy in the Australian Federal Parliament.

The brain-child of Christine Milne, the MPCCC involved regular meetings, including expert external advice, and clear and well-understood terms of negotiation. And it produced the Clean Energy Act, which suc-

cessfully turned around Australia’s ballooning climate pollution, through not just emissions trading but the $10 billion Clean Energy Finance Corporation and much more.

To pretend this didn’t happen is dishonest and deeply unhelpful. It shows that, when Labor doesn’t turn their backs on the Greens, excellent outcomes are possible.

And that’s exactly what the ACT Assembly has shown. Moore pointedly ignores the decade of balance of power here, which has seen the Greens working highly successfully to pull Labor towards ever stronger climate action. While Labor didn’t

initially want to go there, they now are happy to claim credit for the fact that Canberra is now powered 100 per cent by renewable energy, cutting our contribution to climate heating by a massive 40 per cent.

While much of our climate politics is undeniably a hot mess, there are real achievements to celebrate. In those achievements lie hope for us all.

Michael Moore’s parade of untruths only dampens that hope. The truth can bring it back.

Tim Hollo, executive director of the Green Institute, was an adviser to Senator Christine Milne, 2007-2013.

NEWS Rising chamber shakes off government cash

Rotary’s Jeff Ibbotson and Doris Wilson.

Doris’ last big spin EIGHTY-eight-year-old Doris Wilson, who has dementia and recently suffered a stroke, wanted to enjoy one last bike ride.

But with her limited mobility, staff at Uniting Mirinjani Weston had to get creative to grant their aged-care resident her wish.

They contacted the Woden Rotary Club, which has a trishaw (or trike) and fit volunteers to pedal passengers around.

Doris had her wish granted with a half-hour ride around Weston 12 CityNews December 5-11, 2019

and enjoyed the windy day with characteristic good humour.

“I felt a lot, luckily my pants didn’t blow off!” she said.

“Rider” Jeff Ibbotson, from Rotary, is calling on other services to make the most of the trishaw, especially for people with mobility issues.

“They’re thrilled to get out in the open air and it’s a change of scene as they’re often indoors most of the time,” he said.

Book a test ride at ibbo@netspeed. com.au or 0427 755920.

CANBERRA Business Chamber CEO Dr Michael Schaper says the organisation has “begun to reduce” its reliance on ACT government funding, raising Dr Schaper. the question of how independent the city’s principal voice of business has been of government influence over recent years.

In releasing its annual report, Dr Schaper – who took the chamber’s helm in January – says that the absence of government money would “allow us to remain a strong independent voice for the business sector.”

Dr Schaper has led something of a renaissance of the chamber with the annual report showing a major improvement in its finances and membership over the past year.

Key achievements include an operating surplus of $135,000, the budget deficit eliminated and balance sheet now positive again and a 10 per cent growth in members.

Correction IN last week’s “Health and Fitness” feature, medical information from Orthopaedics ACT should have been attributed to sport and exercise physician Dr Lari Trease and orthopaedic surgeon Dr Phil Aubin.

This was an editing error.

POLITICS / building regulation

Developers bridle at the restrictions of regulation CANBERRA developers do not like the “dodgy-developer” label. They see it as “unfair” and “degrading”.

The term is a generalisation. And to every generalisation there are exemptions. However, people living in dodgy and unsafe apartments are the ones who really understand unfair and degrading. The time is right for government action.

Gordon Ramsay is the Minister for Building Quality Improvement and is responsible for ensuring better construction and setting the parameters for better and safer construction.

His campaign to bring developers and builders into line is really just getting underway. It is a move in the right direction.

Arguments by “perplexed” developers are ridiculous.

Laws are rarely directed to compliant citizens but rather to hold others to account.

The first argument against regulation is that it ought not be the developers who are held to account.

It should be the builders, architects, engineers and tradies. Anyone but us. Nonsense! Of course developers should not be exempted. Builders, the professions and trades, as well as the developers, all need to be subjected to accountability measures.

The ACT government is preparing legislation and regulation to ensure safe, effective construction. The boardroom and their directors is the right place for ultimate focus. Developers who do not ensure compliance with ACT building standards must be held to account.

Minister Ramsay points out that developers who do the right thing have nothing to fear. However, some prominent developers in Canberra would like to have no external checks and balances.

Barry Morris is reported by Tom Lowry, of the ABC, arguing the government has it wrong. “They’re going up the food chain to developers but, in fact, I think they should be going the other direction down the food chain to consultants, designers, all the engineering disciplines,” he said.

The other direction is important. However, developers are the ones project managing the buildings. Developers are the ones with ultimate responsibility. Developers are the ones who take the risks and who stand to make the prime profit. The perspective that the government does not understand the relationship between the developers, builders and subcontractors is untenable.

Of course, developers argue that it is unfair for them to carry the risk and be held accountable for the actions of other licensed professionals. How unfair is that compared to people who have taken mortgages to purchase an apartment that is uninhabitable? Currently there is no real path to follow for a faulty apartment, or worse still, when a whole building is faulty.

Morris’ argument is “we have an arm’slength, third-party contract with a builder, and the builder then has arm’s-length contracts with designers and subcontractors”. And when things go wrong, where does the purchaser go?

The ACT government has come in for constant criticism on the issue of building and development and it needs to be congratulated for finally taking action. However, much more needs to be done.

The relationship between large developers and building inspectors also needs close examination.

The question to be explored is whether it is simply too easy for an unhealthy, interdependent relationship to flourish. This is a matter that ought to be one of the first to be examined by Justice Dennis Cowdroy through the anti-corruption and integrity commission that he now chairs.

Coming out in support of Barry Morris was a spokesperson from the Doma Group who opposed licensing of developers as unrealistic.

She is also reported by Tom Lowry as arguing: “The notion that a developer can force a builder to cut corners to save costs is foreign to us, as the builders we use would rightly reject any such pressure”.

She added: “The call to licence developers and make them responsible for building defects to address building-quality issues is completely misdirected and disingenuous”.

The notion of licensing and accountability might be offensive to some developers. However, Ramsay’s response indicates appropriate firmness from the government. He argued: “The fish rots from the head” and indicated that the government has no intention to back off from its plan to exclude “dodgy” developers from the ACT.

Minister Ramsay points out that developers who do the right thing have nothing to fear. However, some prominent developers in Canberra would like to have no external checks and balances.

NIUGINI ARABICA

advertising feature

Winning local roasters on top of the world CANBERRA-based coffee roaster Niugini Arabica has been awarded two bronze medals at the Golden Bean awards, the world’s largest coffee roasters’ competition.

The annual competition, attracting 1500 entrants, was held last month in Port Macquarie.

Niugini Arabica, which specialises in beans from PNG, won its awards in the categories of “milk-based latte” and “single-origin espresso”.

“It is not a surprise that Niugini Arabica won the award for milk-based latte because a lot of hard work went into perfecting a specialised roasting technique to create a roasted bean that best compliments milk,” says marketing manager George Levantis.

“It is usual for roasters to try and perfect the flavour of espresso coffee, but by far the majority of coffee drinkers combine their coffee either with milk or milk alternatives such as soy milk or almond milk”.

Nevertheless, Niugini Arabica won an award in the single origin espresso category.

George says the awards are a vindication of the company’s “fine-quality” philosophy, which is about selecting the most excellent beans and roasting them in the best way to produce the finest product.

He says the company’s raw, green beans are selected exclusively from the Eastern Highlands of PNG and Niugini Arabica only buys certified organic beans.

“This is important for two reasons: coffee grown

George Levantis, left, with roaster Lea Renard. organically tastes better and certified organic is the most ethical way to buy beans,” says George.

“Although there is much that is trumpeted about ‘fair trade’ or ‘Rainforest Alliance’, farmers in PNG get a far better outcome when they sell their beans as ‘certified organic’.”

Niugini Arabica is predominantly a wholesale business, but it doesn’t normally supply cafes. George says its focus is selling beans directly to the public through retail outlets across Canberra as well as from its shopfront in Duffy.

“The wholesale market for providing coffee to cafes is saturated and dominated by the big players who sell their products by subsidising espresso machines,’’ said George.

“This award will help us to instead focus our attention on the space in the market that demands high-quality, fine products.”

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.

BRIEFLY The bell will toll for murdered women THE Zonta Club of Canberra Breakfast’s support of the international 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign will end on December 10 with a morning ceremony at 6.30am at Nara Park, at which the Canberra

Rotary Peace Bell will toll for each of the 48 females killed in Australia in the last 12 months. On December 6 the Captain Cook fountain will be lit orange, the colour of the UN Sustainable Development Goal 5, which sets out a commitment to achieve gender equality.

Pottery gift fair CANBERRA Potters Christmas Fair is offering unique, handmade gifts by one of the city’s artisan potters at the Watson Arts Centre, Aspinall Street, 10am-4pm, Tuesday to Sunday until December 21. Fair participants include: Ingrid Adler, Robyn Booth, Georgina Bryant, Maryanne Devey, Lea Durie, Sue Hewat, Lucy Ings, Yegana Jafarova and Jacqueline Lewis.

CityNews December 5-11, 2019 13

LETTERS

No more dangerous gum trees in the suburbs CONGRATULATIONS to “Canberra Matters” columnist Paul Costigan for his recent articles on the government’s policy on the type of street trees used in Canberra suburbs.

The government’s tree-planting policy has been driven more by ideology rather than suitability, and the administration of the policy, high-handed and obdurate.

As Paul points out, the use of gum trees in a suburban setting should be stopped on any number of grounds and I suggest these would range from aesthetics, in that some of these trees are out of scale and clash with the rest of the streetscape; the impossibility of planting low-cover plants in the vicinity of these trees, especially on your own property; the damage their roots and falling limbs can cause to private property and, particularly in the case of falling branches, to people who happen to be in the area.

However, it is the real danger of eucalypts catching fire that should force the government to remove existing gum trees from Canberran verges and to stop any future plantings.

I must confess, I have two of these “incendiary devices” in front of my house and dread the real possibility that my house will be destroyed and family killed or injured if ever these monsters catch fire.

However, getting the ACT government to get rid of these trees is well nigh impossible.

Yes, they will respond to a request to remove

14 CityNews December 5-11, 2019

trees on the verge, invariably in the negative, or they may send someone out to lob off some branches, but the idea of uprooting these dangerous trees seems to be an anathema.

I might add that some corporates do not share the views of the ACT government and its administrators. One insurance company specifically asks in its house-policy application if there are any trees higher than twice the house located within 20 metres of the residence.

Anyway, thanks for raising this important grassroots issue. Hopefully, the government will come to the realisation that it won’t just go away.

Michael Duggan, via email

Half-an-alphabet?

THE new ACT Library website is live. You have to register with a “minimum 13-character paraphrase password”.

I think ASIO would have smaller, easier password guidelines.

I feel sorry for older library users trying to use this new website.

Robert Doyle, Kambah

Time to jump right, Jon MEMO to Jon Stanhope: I have been following your articles in “CityNews” and I, and some others who I have spoken to, have come to realise that because of the way you actually care more about Canberra than the

would be the appropriate sentence drastically reduced.

If drug use by choice helped an offender to blot out his reasoning then surely breaking the law by choice in the taking of an illicit drug(s) should not be allowed as a mitigating factor in the commission of an alleged offence. Otherwise, law breaking is being rewarded.

Colliss Parrett, Barton

dose of dorin

Under your rock, Ricardo

current mob in power – then Canberra needs you back.

If Warren Mundine and Mark Latham (who, I believe has matured and become a better politician without the constraints of the Labor Party) can cross over to the “dark side” then Jon, as a former “leftie” myself, I ask that you consider my request to join the right of politics and, if possible, bring with you Khalid Ahmed and Paul Costigan.

Jon, I believe that you would have to “cross over” because I don’t believe that, even you, could get much out of the current lot in power.

Please think about it, Jon. Ron Robertson, Charnwood

Drug taking is no excuse INCREASINGLY cases are appearing in court where an accused pleads mental illness as a mitigating factor in alleged crimes, some very serious.

Without denying sympathy for anyone with a mental problem, it would seem fundamental to justice in such cases to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the alleged offender either knew or did not know right from wrong at the time of the alleged offence.

Increasingly, offences are blamed on illicit drug use, with a rapidly growing approach that offenders under the influence of illicit drugs should either be let off, or have what

HOW dare Ricardo Castro (‘Move out or harden up’, letters, CN, November 28) suggest that Garran locals “move the hell out” if we can’t endure helicopters and sirens 24 hours, seven days a week.

Many of us were here long before the arrival of South Care helicopters and some before the hospital.

Garran residents are being subjected to a number of poorly thought out infill projects by the ACT government to make a quick dollar to pay for other stupid ventures before being kicked out next year.

Liberal health spokesperson Vicki Dunne has described the SPIRE project as “being designed on the back of a beer coaster”!

Mr Castro should go crawl back under the rock from whence he came!

Robert Courtney, Garran

Write to us Let loose to: editor@citynews.com.au

GROWING GUNGAHLIN

advertising feature

Plenty of experts make Gungahlin their home AS one of Australia’s fastest growing regions, Gungahlin is expected to keep changing with new businesses continuously joining the well-established ones to call the region their home.

In 1991, the town of Gungahlin, which is an Aboriginal word meaning “little rocky hill”, was launched as Canberra’s fourth “town” with a population of 389 residents. In 2016, the district as a whole, according to the census, had a population of 70,871, an increase from 46,971 in the 2011 census.

This figure is expected to hit 83,167 by 2020, according to the ACT government report “ACT Population Projections 2017 to 2020”.

To keep up with the growing region, “CityNews” headed out to Gungahlin to speak with some of its new and old experts in the region…

Hair to feel amazing about

Enrolments open for new early learning centre

A FRIENDLY, welcoming attitude and a passion for making clients look and feel amazing is important to Renee Pound, owner of Meki Hair.

“I absolutely love our clients, they’re a fabulous, loyal bunch,” she says.

Renee has been in the industry for 23 years and started Meki Hair in 2008 at Bruce, before relocating to Franklin three years ago.

Renee says the salon offers all forms of colouring services, including foils, creative colour and balayage, and says they also love to do bridal styling.

“We currently have a staff of four senior stylists and two emerging stylists, and we all enjoy working with clients to achieve colour results they love,” she says.

Another important focus for the salon is being eco-friendly.

“We are a member of ‘Sustainable Salons’, and we recycle 95 per cent of our salon waste,” she says.

“We had an award last year in recognition from De Lorenzo hair care for our sustainable practices.

“We’re also a gold member of the Australian Hairdressing Council, which promotes professional business practices in the hairdressing industry and we have a green select membership, which acknowledges our sustainable practices through the Australian Hairdressing Council (AHC).”

NEWLY opened Little Penguins Early Learning Centre, located in the heart of Ngunnawal with seven rooms, catering for 115 children aged six weeks to six years, is now taking enrolments, says director Belle Agresta-Sylvester.

“We have a team of amazing, professional and passionate educators skilled in a wide range of qualifications and experience,” says Belle, who’s worked in the childcare industry for 26 years, holds an advanced diploma and is a mum of four.

What Belle loves about the Little Penguins Early Learning Centre is its close ties to the local community.

“We regularly host excursions to the local shops, schools, nursing homes and the park, as well as centre incursions including monthly visits from performers Wiradjuri Echoes,” she says.

At Little Penguins, Belle says children will also

participate in a dynamic program that caters to each child’s individual needs, abilities and interests.

“We engage and extend our learning with indoor and outdoor classroom environments, cooking classes with our centre chef, the opportunity to engage in language, culture and developing future sustainability warriors with our garden and recycling projects,” she says.

The daily fees are $125 for birth to three years and $122 for three years to school age, which includes all meals, nappies and a bucket hat. A sibling discount is available too, Belle says.

Little Penguins Early Learning Centre, 56 Yarrawonga Street, Ngunnawal. Call 6241 0075, email director.ng@littlepenguins.net.au or visit facebook.com/lpngunnawal

Meki Hair, 128/1 Clare Burton Crescent, Franklin.

Call 6251 1011 or visit mekihair.com.au

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Little Penguins is located in the heart of Ngunnawal. Our centre has 7 studios catering for children aged 6 weeks to 6 years.

Ngunnawal ACT 2913

director.ng@littlepenguins.net.au | www.facebook.com/lpngunnawal CityNews December 5-11, 2019 15

GROWING GUNGAHLIN Family brings popular Burmese food to Casey

We’ve grown!

There’s more to Hadrill Accounting than Jane www.hadrillaccounting.com.au 3/6 Dacre Street, Mitchell Ph: 02 6154 7792

BURMESE restaurant Myanmar Corner in Casey is the latest culinary adventure for chef and manager team, Ko and Aye, who previously ran Sukothai in Yarralumla and the Red Hill Tea House.

“We wanted to bring more of our native dishes to Canberra, so we opened Myanmar Corner in October,” says Aye. Along with chef Ko, Aye says the whole family helps out at the restaurant.

She says that Burmese food is a unique fusion of its many ethnic populations, with Indian, Thai and Chinese cuisines all having an influence.

With soups, stir-fries, curries and Myanmar’s spin on salads, Aye says their cuisine is like an adventure to the market food stalls of Yangon, Mandalay and Mawlamyine.

“One of the dishes we love and are proud to serve is mohinga, a traditional rice noodle and fish chowder from Myanmar which is an essential part of Burmese cuisine,” Aye says.

“It’s considered by many to be the national dish of Myanmar and it’s often sold by street hawkers and roadside stalls.”

Another popular dish is Nan Gyi Thoke, a Burmese salad made with thick round rice noodles mixed with

Nan Gyi Thoke is a Burmese salad dish at Myanmar Corner. a special chicken curry, Aye says.

“The dish is garnished with fish cake, toasted chickpea flour, sliced onions, roasted chilli powder, crispy noodles, slices of hard-boiled egg, chopped coriander and lime or lemon zest,” she says.

“There are a lot of other dishes we want to create and

we will be changing the menu every few months to keep it interesting and maintain the quality that we pride ourselves on.”

Myanmar Corner, 38/68 Dalkin Crescent, Casey. Call 6241 2526, email myanmarcornercanberra@gmail. com or visit myanmar-corner.com

Please come and explore the beauty of Myanmar cuisine Unit 38/68, Dalkin Cresent, Casey, ACT 2913

Ph: (02) 6241 2526

Trading Hours Lunch: 11:30pm to 2:00pm Dinner: 5:00pm to 9:00pm

www.myanmar-corner.com 16 CityNews December 5-11, 2019

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@Myanmar_Corner

advertising feature Celebrating Christmas with free family event

Jake Hickenbotham and his wife Monique Ravenswood of Car Service Canberra.

Jake gets cars back on the road CAR Service Canberra provides quality car servicing and mechanical repairs to the wider Mitchell community and surrounding areas, says owner Jake Hickenbotham.

With 13 years’ experience as a mechanic, Jake and his wife Monique Ravenswood took over the business a year ago.

Offering mechanical repairs, log book services, battery checks and replacements, engine diagnostics, cooling system service, brake and clutch service, Jake says he finds the work rewarding.

“It’s satisfying to start on a car that’s not working and to get it going,” Jake says.

The Repco-authorised service centre does

FUSION City Church is celebrating Christmas with its free family event full of carols, games and food on Sunday, December 15.

The church was pioneered by pastors Matt and Gill McGaw in 2008 with a vision to build a contemporary, legacy-building church that would help people know and enjoy God, discover their purpose and make a difference.

“Our expression is vibrant and contemporary and you will love the warm, family atmosphere, sense of community and diverse age range,” says senior pastor Matt.

On Sundays Fusion City Church hosts a 10am service at Palmerston Primary School and a Sunday Night Live service at 5pm at Fusion LifeCENTRE in Hoskins Street, Mitchell.

“Sunday Night Live is an hour-long service followed by a light supper,” Matt says.

“We also have a range of mid-week community programs and groups on offer, as well as our fun-filled Ignite Youth program on Friday nights during term.”

auto-electrical work, manufacturer’s log book service, engine diagnostics, commercial van and light truck servicing, campervan and caravan service and trailer safety check and service.

Jake says they have a team of fully qualified mechanics who are always up to date.

“I like what I do,” Jake says. “We enjoy helping people and I find it rewarding to be able to get them back on the road after an accident or something going wrong with their car.”

Fusion City Church. Call 6156 2497, email admin@ fusioncitychurch.com.au or visit fusioncitychurch.com.au

Car Service Canberra, 7 Baillieu Court, Mitchell.

Call 6241 3011 or visit carservicecanberra.com.au

Senior pastors of Fusion City Church, Matt and Gill McGaw.

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LOCATION 7 Baillieu Court, Mitchell, ACT BOOK ONLINE carservicecanberra.com.au CityNews December 5-11, 2019 17

HOME IMPROVEMENT

advertising feature

Many ways to make a home look ‘new’ again WHETHER purchasing a new statement item for the home, retiling the kitchen or bathroom or brightening up with a coat of paint, experts can help get the job done.

No matter the project, “CityNews” speaks with experts available from the Canberra region, who are ready to help with revamps and renos.

Furniture that makes an affordable statement WHEN updating the home, a statement piece of furniture can lift the feel of a room, says owner of Ex-Government Furniture, James Fullerton.

“A single designer piece can look cool and if you have the space to showcase an item it can make a huge difference to the space,” James says.

Ex-Government Furniture has designer and vintage chairs in stock, as well as high quality office furniture like filing cabinets, desks and workstations.

“Shopping with us is an easy way Ex-Government Furniture owners James to get a designer item at a fraction of the price, and for uni students or Fullerton, left, and Taylor Radnell. anyone who doesn’t want to spend “We have shelves and cabinets that can big, it’s ideal,” James says. help hide away all the junk that can end up “The thing we also love about it is the all over the house.” reusing aspect. We are helping to reduce the And, James says a well-organised home environmental footprint of furniture waste. study space is helpful as a quiet space to “Everything we have is good quality, retreat to. it’s built to last and would have otherwise “The reality is that we need a space like ended up in landfill.” that at home and we have everything you An area that needs storage and that need to set it up.” tends to be forgotten about is the garage, James says.

Ex-Government Furniture, 6 Yallourn Street, “With relatives visiting over Christmas Fyshwick. Call 6280 6490 or visit exgovfurniit’s time to get organised,” he says. ture.com or facebook.com/exgovfurniture

Team has advice for any project HOME Timber and Hardware in Phillip is a one-stopshop for all home improvement needs and advice, says store manager Sandy George.

“We specialise in paints and have a large nursery as well as an outdoor furniture range in addition to basic general hardware and tools,” she says.

Open seven days a week, Home Timber and Hardware offers a seniors’ discount and loyalty program and an online service where customers can “click and collect” by paying online before picking up their items in store.

“We have a delivery service for tradespeople, we cut timber to size [and we have] key cutting services too,” she says.

Sandy says the team are passionate about what they do and always go above and beyond to help customers.

“The staff regularly undertake training and have a lot of knowledge,” she says.

“Steve is our paint guru, Darren and Michael look after the nursery and specialise in garden power tools. They also do demonstrations for customers and help them with any of their questions.”

Home Timber and Hardware Phillip, 101-103 Hindmarsh Drive, Phillip. Call 6281 1744 or visit homehardware.com.au

James helps tile dream homes WITH a large variety of new and trendy tiles, Rivoland Tiles’ general manager James Hibberson says tiles are a great way to update the home.

“Our comprehensive service provides a great knowledge of tiles, and we have the latest, most advanced products sourced from overseas,” he says.

“We are conscious of the everchanging styles available and our team is always up-to-date with current trends and technologies.”

Rivoland Tiles, a family-owned

and operated business, provides quality service and commitment to creating the best tile selection experience, James says.

He says they are one of the largest tile stockists on the eastern coast and are the largest supplier of tiles in the Canberra region.

With a knowledgeable and reliable team on hand, James says Rivoland Tiles also provides fixing materials, tools and technical advice to achieve the best possible outcome, whether it be for a project home, boutique or a

large-scale development.

“We love helping families build their dream home or making their investment a success,” he says.

Rivoland Tiles. Queanbeyan showroom at 100 Crawford Street, call 6297 4510. Mitchell showroom at 55 Darling Street, call 6241 1557.

Visit rivoland.com.au

MAGNET MART HOME TIMBER & HARDWARE 101/103 HINDMARSH DRIVE, PHILLIP. TEL: 6281 1744 “ Fo r a ll y o u r ent H o m e Im p r o v e m needs“

18 CityNews December 5-11, 2019

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BORDEAUX Construction and Management doesn’t shy away from complex renovations or extensions, says project manager Michael Milutinovic.

No matter what an existing home or block looks like, Michael says the family-run business will work with clients from the initial concept stages all the way through to building them a dream home.

“Everything we deliver is a high-quality product that we can stand by for the long term because our reputation and our clients’ needs are very important to us,” he says.

And, Michael says that’s the case for any project, whether it’s from scratch or refreshing a home with a renovation or extensions.

With any home extension, he says they work with clients from the start to understand the vision they have in mind and then work with them step-by-step

from the beginning to handover.

“We provide an obligation-free consultation which covers initial design and costs,” says Michael, who holds an unrestricted, “A”-class builder’s licence and has more than 10 years’ experience in the construction industry in Canberra and Sydney.

When families outgrow their home but don’t want to move, Michael says Bordeaux Construction and Management can offer professional extension solutions for areas including new sunrooms, master suites and ensuites.

“We have worked with clients to open up their living spaces,” he says.

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Law Council of Australia’s outgoing CEO Jonathan Smithers, centre, with wife Felicity and Zac Smith

Julie Dobinson and Di Simpson

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Law Council president Arthur Moses with wife Sylvia and son Nicholas

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SCENE / around canberra At Panama’s National Day celebrations, Weston Creek At Bruce Carmichael’s Canberra Theatre Centre farewell

Cherif Khali, Zambian high Costa Rican ambassador Armando commissioner Frank Bwalya and Vargas and Heinz Heimann Kenyan ambassador Isaiya Kabira

Marta Guzman and Salima Estefan

Lina Sanmiguel and Liuba Montano

Jaime Campas and Zimbabwean ambassador Joe Mhishi

Penny Perez, Steven Barraclough, Halyna Yusypiuk and Noel Sutton

Indonesian ambassador Kristiarto Legowo, Fatine Medrek and Moroccan ambassador Karim Medrek

Santiago Osorio, Maria Mesa and Morten Aulund

Jose Castillo and Paul Varricchio

Canberra Theatre Centre’s outgoing director Bruce Carmichael and Harriet Elvin Chris Maher, Karina Hopkins and Annabel Scholes

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CHRISTMAS GIVING

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Unique gift ideas take the stress out of shopping WITH the days slipping away and less than three weeks until Christmas, there’s no avoiding it, it’s time to get some serious shopping done.

For those thinking about gifting an experience, something long-lasting and practical, or something fun with wheels for the outdoors, then look no further! This week “CityNews” takes the stress out of Christmas shopping by speaking with locals who have unique gift ideas that people are bound to love.

Emporium goes big for Christmas UNLIKE any other Christmas shop, the Christmas Emporium has moved into an exciting and spacious new location on Gladstone Street in Fyshwick, says its owner Mike.

“The new space is much bigger and more accessible,” he says.

“People can take their time going around and enjoy the shopping experience.”

With Christmas items suited to any budget, Mike says the expanded shop has allowed him to offer a wider range of decorations such as trees, table linen, bon bons, nativity sets and a beautiful array of ornaments including pressed gold style and baubles by UK brand, Gisela Graham.

“We have a large amount of Christmas linen, including embroidered large tablecloths for eight to 10 seated tables, [too],” says Mike.

But right now, Christmas trees are a focus as people begin to decorate their homes, says Mike.

“We are noticing that larger trees are popular this year, especially ones that are already lit and don’t require any extra lighting,” he says.

“People are being more adventurous and varied in their tree choices

this year.”

Mike says there’s been an increased interest in trees with a “flocked” snow-like effect rather than plain green ones.

Christmas Emporium at Hang Ups, 72 Gladstone Street, Fyshwick. Call 6280 0312 or email info@hangups.com.au

Simulator lets anyone fly, anywhere

Practical gifts that are made to last

EVER fancied being the captain of a commercial jet plane, cruising over the Swiss Alps or making a tricky landing in a major city airport? A virtual flight with Jet Flight Simulator Canberra makes a unique Christmas present, where people can “fly” around the world without leaving town, says owner Trevor Vickers.

It’s as close to the real thing as it gets, he says, with a cockpit of screens and indicators that need to be monitored and all real-life aircraft check-lists required.

People can pretty much go anywhere they like, with 22,000 airports in the database, he says.

“Some people want to do daredevil stunts and fly under the Sydney Harbour Bridge, or land in the old Hong Kong Kai Tak Airport,” says Trevor.

“Others want to fly along the Thames or go to Paris.”

Trevor says they have just moved the business from Fyshwick to North Lyneham, where there’s plentiful parking and it’s more accessible, being on the ground floor.

The flight simulator is based on the Boeing 737-800NG and is run by professional pilots who, Trevor says, will show “captains” a few of the basic checks and relevant features needed to be ready for take-off.

“For some people, it’s about piloting the plane, learning all about the primary controls, instruments and procedures, and for others it’s more about the sightseeing aspect,” Trevor says.

THERMA Quilts has practical gifts to last a lifetime, with its luxurious quilts, pillows and cushions that are made out of durable feather and down items, says a Therma Quilts spokeswoman.

Located in Mitchell, the seamstresses hand-make every item suited to the customer’s needs and provide a top-up service when quilts and pillows show signs of wear or loss of warmth and fluffiness, says the spokeswoman.

“Servicing of feather and down products is essential for keeping them in optimal condition for comfort,” she says. “With time and usage, body proteins and lipids (natural oils and perspiration) are absorbed on to quilt casings and into the feather and down inside.

“Over time, this build-up dampens the down, which causes it to lose its thermal resistance.” With its eco-friendly cleaning process, Therma Quilts services feather and down products including sleeping bags and clothing as well as other textiles such as silk, polyester, cotton and wool quilt underlays.

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

Jet Flight Simulator Canberra, 4 Montford Crescent, Lyneham.

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CHRISTMAS GIVING

advertising feature

David’s got scooters to ‘envy’

Stephen’s cars drive the holiday fun

COOKIES Cycles is making gift buying easy by offering shoppers the option to layby items from the store’s large range of skateboards, scooters and bikes, says owner David Cook.

And he says he can store any items on layby right up to Christmas Eve. “Now is the time to come in and layby for Christmas,” he says.

“We have the new ‘2020 Envy Prodigy Series 8’ scooters which are really popular.”

Cookies Cycles stocks everything from balance bikes and three-wheel scooters for the little ones, up to larger scooters to skateboards, mountain bikes, electric bikes and road bikes, BMX bikes for the racer as well as street and park riders.

“We’ve got folding electric bikes, low step and flat bar, and kits that you can use to convert your current bike into an electric bike,” says David, who’s been in the industry for 35 years, and opened the shop in September 2015 to cater for the family cyclist.

He says they also have a large range of parts and accessories for all the products they sell.

CHEAP but reliable, Way2Fast’s owner Steve Bywater has new ready-to-go remote control cars that make the perfect Christmas present for all children and any adult that’s a kid at heart.

In the lead up to Christmas, Steve says he’s making sure all their remote control cars and flock car sets are even more affordable for the holidays by offering 10 per cent off these products, right up until Christmas Eve. But if someone’s already got a remote control car that’s not working well and they’re trying to get it up-and-running, Steve says Way2Fast can service and repair them, too.

For other Christmas gift ideas, Steve also offers gift vouchers for racing slot cars at Way2Fast, where he says children will enjoy racing with family and friends on four different tracks, which range from four to eight lanes.

“We have 1:32 scale electric motor driven car tracks, which are driven by a hand controller,” says Steve.

Open seven days a week over the school holidays, Steve says Way2Fast will only be closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. “We are happy for kids from five and up to have a go and it’s good fun for everyone,” Steve says.

He says Way2Fast is also Canberra’s largest retailer for slot cars and spare parts, offering more than 20 manufacturers such as Scalextric, SCX, Ninco, Revell, Slot it, Pioneer, NSR, Carrera, Parma and MJK.

Cookies Cycles, 227 Flemington Road, Franklin. Call 6242 0338, email shop@cookiescycles.com.au or visit cookiescycles.com.au

Native market with growing gift ideas THIS Saturday, December 7, Cool Country Natives in Pialligo is hosting a Christmas market, where expert growers from the region can share plant-inspired gift ideas.

Then, there will be more markets in the New Year on the first Saturday of February, March, April and May. But if people want plants outside of the market dates, Cool Country Natives owner Karen Brien says they are Canberra’s only native plant retail nursery and are open seven days a week.

With a growing team of 10 knowledgeable staff, Karen says the whole team takes the time to happily talk to customers and help them with any queries.

Shoppers can find groundcovers, grasses, ferns, climbers and small-to-large shrubs and trees such as acacia, banksia, crowea, daisies, ferns and grevillea.

Cool Country Natives also stock and propagate a range of locally endemic species to the Canberra region.

“Native plants are drought hardy and the choice is getting bigger every year with the increase of good wholesale growers,” she says.

Karen says they give a discount to members of the Australian Native Plant Society and friends of the Australian National Botanic Gardens.

Cool Country Natives, 5A Beltana Road, Pialligo. Call 6257 6666 or 0402 307275, email retail@coolcountrynatives. com.au or visit coolcountrynatives.com.au

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Turkish delights at the foreshore WENDY JOHNSON

Anna’s balancing act of thrills and bewilderment

By Helen

MUSA ENJOYING an international circus career and looking after a young child is quite a balancing act for Cyr wheel artist Anna Lewandowska, coming to Canberra Theatre soon as part of “Cirque Stratosphere” – but that’s what she does best.

Lewandowska and her former circus-performer husband live in Montréal, Canada with their five-year-old daughter, audible in the background as we speak by phone, but she’s about to embark on a whirlwind tour of Australia on contract with the very new company Cirque Stratosphere.

The entirely new circus is from the Works Entertainment, a division of the Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group who created “Circus 1903” and last summer’s “The Illusionists: Direct from Broadway”.

They plan to transform the Canberra Theatre stage into “a futuristic space-age utopia” for its

world premiere.

Billed as family-friendly entertainment, management promises that the stunts “will elevate, thrill and bewilder… this is a journey out into the stratosphere that will leave audiences stunned and amazed by seemingly impossible aerial feats.”

There’ll be the “Columbian Wheel of Death”, stunts on roller-skates, acrobatics on a “Russian Bar” where the performer is thrown in the air by two partners holding the bar, and Lewandowska’s own performance on an LED light wheel, which requires perfect balance and timing.

“I was living in Poland, taking part in competitions and this kind of stuff, but when I was 20 I went to Montréal to join Cirque du Soleil, which is how my career started,” she says.

“Montréal is the circus capital of the world,” she asserts, and proof apparent is in the number of Chinese and Russian circus artists trying their best to get in.

With Cirque du Soleil, she travelled all over the world performing for seven years, but is thrilled to have settled down at Montréal’s Cirque Éloize, a contemporary company founded in 1993 by Claudette Morin, Jeannot Painchaud, Julie Hamelin and Daniel Cyr, who gives his name to the large

metal wheel in which Lewandowska performs.

Her expertise is in the aforementioned Cyr wheel, based on a deceptively simple idea of a big metal wheel spinning on the floor.

But as with everything else she does, the balance is all-important – “you have to be a certain size and a certain height and a certain weight to perform on the Cyr wheel,” she says.

“Basically it’s a spin where the person transfers weight from one foot to another in perfect timing… and it takes quite a while to get the wheel spinning.

“Once you get it spinning, then you can do different tricks to make it more interesting for audiences.”

There’s going to be a first for her this time, when she also performs on the LED wheel.

“It’s the same thing, only the LED one has light switches which are controlled by a person at the side…

I’m told they can flash all sorts of images, including a logo if they need – it’s a lot about technology,” she says, adding, “but for me, it’s pretty much dance.”

Cirque Stratosphere, Canberra Theatre Centre, December 10-21. Book at canberratheatrecentre.com.au

Cyr wheel artist Anna Lewandowska… “It’s a spin where the person transfers weight from one foot to another in perfect timing.”

Space to surprise

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CityNews December 5-11, 2019 27

ARTS IN THE CITY

Recorder rock star’s concert of whimsy

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Turkish delights at the foreshore SUCCESSFUL dining precincts offer tasty variety, so it’s great to see a Turkish restaurant opening at the Kingston Foreshore.

Zeytin is just across from GoBoat, on Trevillian Quay (this spot has been home to a couple of restaurants recently – we’re keeping our fingers crossed that this establishment will be a winner).

Turkish food is so colourful and exotic.

Zeytin’s impressive line-up of dishes includes traditional, all-time faves and intriguing specialty creations.

The menu kicks off with dips, moves to entrees, then mains and salads. We wanted to share the mains and were told this wasn’t a problem. Indeed, nothing at Zeytin was a problem.

The chilli dip (only $8 for a generous serve) was fabulous – so colourful on the plate and the chilli slowly made its presence known on the palette. Ingredients included fresh red chilli (not super-hot) and red capsicum, blended with walnut, olive oil, breadcrumbs and fresh herbs. It was a delish introduction to Zeytin’s cuisine, and who doesn’t love Turkish dips with fresh, soft, scrumptious Turkish bread?

Our group worships octopus, when well done. Zeytin’s looked fabulous and packed a punch on taste. It was super tender and not overly chargrilled ($16). We’ll be back for more.

The Kadayif prawns scored a 10-out-of-10 ($15). They were plump, juicy, sweet and so dramatic looking with crunchy shredded

pastry wrapped around each one – baked a golden brown. It’s a sign of a good restaurant when staff know that a dish is served with a set number of pieces and your party doesn’t perfectly match that number. In this case, the dish had three prawns. We were a party of four, but Zeytin immediately suggested a fourth prawn so we wouldn’t struggle with sharing.

The chargrilled, whole baby snapper is so worth ordering ($42). The flesh was moist and the taste delicate. The bulgur rice was beautifully cooked. The vegetables overly so for our liking.

Kebabs are one of the most popular dishes in Turkey and Zeytin gets that. The Beyti Kebab ($36) is a great dish to share (massive on its own as a single main, we agreed). The lean lamb mince – flavoured with garlic, chilli and parsley – is first grilled on skewers. Next, the pieces are carefully wrapped in lavash bread with a special sauce drizzled on top.

The eight pieces are placed around a round bed of rice sitting in the middle of the plate.

Zeytin occupies a unique spot on the Foreshore – across from the main action which means it’s a bit quieter. The outdoor dining area is inviting and we’ll be back one day, even if just for a glass of wine and some of those gorgeous dips.

Zeytin Turkish, 28/6 Trevillian Quay, Kingston Foreshore.

Open for dinner, seven days from 5pm. BYO wine only ($8 corkage a bottle).

RECORDER rock star Alicia Crossley and the Acacia Quartet are bringing their program, “Muse”, billed as a “beguiling concert full of whimsy and musical storytelling” to Wesley Music Centre, Forrest, 7pm, December 13. The program features Australian compositions for recorder and string Recorder rock star quartet inspired by poetry, Alicia Crossley…

Wesley Music Centre, mythology, historic tunes December 13. and storybook characters

by Lyle Chan, Anne Boyd, Chris Williams, Stephen Yates, Jessica Wells and Canberra’s Sally Whitwell. Tickets at wesleycanberra.org.au or at the door.

“ANUSHKA in the Woods” is an adventure into a world of the unknown through fairy tales and myths in song with Canberra-raised chanteuse Anna Simic and Dave Evans on accordion and piano. At Smith’s Alternative, Civic, Thursday, December 12. Book at smithsalternative.com REBUS Theatre is staging “A Tender Thing”, an original play about love and disability written and directed by Heidi Silberman and Ali Clinch. At Ralph Wilson Theatre, Gorman Arts Centre, Braddon, December 6-8. Book at rebustheatre.com ADHOC Baroque will celebrate the festive season with a concert of Baroque gems, and will be joined by bass Andrew Fysh in a cantata by Stradella portraying the angel appearing to the shepherds, as well as Christmas and Epiphany trios by Charpentier. Guests include Bianca Porcheddu and Dan Russell on violin, Clara Teniswood on cello and Rachel Walker on viola da gamba. At the Chapel of the Annunciation, Canberra Girls Grammar School, 3pm, Sunday, December 15. Tickets at trybooking.com or at the door.

MARUKI Community Orchestra, conducted by John Gould, will play a varied program of Dvorak’s Slavonic Dances, the Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4 and Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” for the year’s last concert.

At Albert Hall, 3pm, Sunday, December 8. Tickets at marukicommunityorchestra.org.au or at the door.

ITALIAN pianist director and composer Alessio Nelli joins soprano Susannah Lawergren and mezzosoprano Hannah Fraser in a concert of opera with a dash of Christmas. All Saints, Ainslie, 1.30 pm, Sunday, December 8. Tickets at trybooking.com, 6778 1233 or at the door.

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CINEMA

Painter who went home to mothering his mother “Mrs Lowry & Son” (PG) IN 2000, in the Manchester suburb of Salford, an art gallery costing £106 million opened to present the works of Laurence Lowry.

Never heard of him? I’d also not heard of director Adrian Noble, whose filmic portrait of Lowry and his mother Elizabeth has come to Canberra. I had indeed heard of Vanessa Redgrave, in her 80s playing Elizabeth propped up in bed upstairs and am pleased to advise that she’s looking well and giving a top portrayal of a woman who at first was uncomfortable even looking at her son.

Writer Martyn Hesford has set the film in 1938, a year before her death, when Laurence was 51.

Laurence worked as a rent collector, coming home to do the housework, painting when Elizabeth was asleep. Elizabeth used illness to secure her son’s attention and obedience. In a very real way, Laurence was spending his life mothering his mother.

Don’t think, from this brief outline, that ”Mrs Lowry & Son” is going to be a depressing movie unworthy of your attention. Indeed, it’s no bundle of warm fuzzy feelings. But playing Laurence, Timothy Spall more than compensates for that. One of Britain’s most versatile actors, he doesn’t need to look good to be good. Indeed, he’s better than that.

The film contains passages that make you wonder why Laurence didn’t just tell Elizabeth to get out of bed and manage her own life.

That he didn’t is what makes the film such a tour-de-force.

Laurence’s paintings wonderfully observe working class life. Naïve perhaps, but emotionally powerful.

He died in 1976 aged 88 leaving an estate valued at £298,459, after rejecting five honours ranging from OBE to Companion of Honour, and a knighthood. And his work now commands seven-digit prices.

All this adds up to a low-budget, high-provenance movie that says much about devotion and passion.

Not of the conventional kind.

Vanessa Redgrave and Timothy Spall in “Mrs Lowry & Son”.

“By the Grace of God” is a dramatic treatment of real, indeed, still current, events leading to the 2019 conviction of Cardinal Barbarin (François Marthouret) of Lyon for concealing the conduct of Father Bernard Preynat (Bernard Verley).

It opened in France in December 2018. The version screening here has been updated to an unspecified date in 2019, before the Vatican defrocked Preynat.

In 2014, Alexandre Guérin (Melvil Poupaud), a respected banker and devout Catholic, discovers that Preynat, who he believed to have been defrocked for sexually abusing him, is not only still a priest, but is still working with children.

Shortly after, François Debord (Denis Ménochet) who also claims to have been abused by Preynat contacts Alexandre. Now a militant atheist, François has formed an advocacy group which he hopes will be able to stand against the church and see Preynat not just defrocked, but criminally convicted.

Ozon’s film is sparse, dramatically gripping, even-handed in describing events and attitudes. Its documentary feel delivers a credible intertwining of characters and issues, of conflicts and tensions.

Its 138 minutes provide more than simply entertainment.

At Dendy, Capitol 6

At Dendy

“By the Grace of God” (M)

“Knives Out” (MA)

FRENCH filmmaker François Ozon has made a powerful and timely film telling how a movement grew to bring justice and emotional solace to the victims of a French paedophile priest and illuminate the ostrich-like responses of the Catholic Church’s upper hierarchy whenever such cases came to their attention.

THIS one comes on a wave of prerelease hoo-ha promising a great cast in a thrilling movie.

There are worse crime thrillers in the cinematic universe. But I don’t regard “Knives Out” as a contender for the top spot. Writer/director Rian Johnson shepherds his actors through a story suggesting he has read enough Agatha Christie

to understand the formula and acknowledge its merits in an oversupplied market.

The structural template for “Knives Out” is surely Miss Marple.

The characters are members of the Thrombey family and the household staff of crime-novelist writer and patriarch Harlan (Christopher Plummer), wealthy enough on his 85th birthday not to need to worry about anything for the rest of his life.

Wrong kind of worry not needing to be worried about! After the party, Harlan’s found lying in a pool of blood in the library.

Murder? Suicide? All the family have a reason to want him dead. All that money. Who gets it?

The cops need to know who dunnit. And somebody has asked private eye Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) to sit in on the investigation.

Harlan’s will leaves everything to his private nurse Marta (Ana de Armas), whose South American mother is illegally in the US. All Harlan’s descendants by birth or marriage would happily see Marta, or every other of them, go down for the murder.

Some commentators describe “Knives Out” as a very funny movie.

Not the peculiar kind. Nor, I fear, particularly humorous comical funny. Of the day’s three films, it was the best patronised. But the laughter didn’t ride much above the occasional snigger or light chuckle.

The credits include a dialect coach for Daniel Craig. Didn’t work too well.

At all cinemas

New award remembers actor Helen

By Helen Musa

CHRISTOPHER Samuel Carroll, an Irish-born actor who has made the city and the local arts scene his home, is the inaugural winner of the Helen Tsongas Award for excellence in acting.

The late Helen Tsongas, who would have been 41, died in a motorcycle accident with her husband Peter Brajkovic eight years ago and this new award for excellence in acting is an initiative of the Tsongas family to keep the memory of their daughter and sister alive.

Those who knew Tsongas said she was known and respected as an energetic and passionate advocate for the arts in The late Helen Canberra.

Tsongas.

Over the years she performed in many different productions, including “An Absurd Double Bill”, “An Ideal Husband”, “Noises Off”, “Wuthering Heights”, “To Kill a Mockingbird”, “Steel Magnolias”, “Cosi”, “The Female Odd Couple” and “The House of Bernarda Alba”.

She had been cast in Moliere’s comedy “The Imaginary Invalid”, which opened in May, 2011, shortly after her death.

In my “CityNews” review of the play I wrote: “Director Jordan Best has stepped on to the stage as Argan’s hypocritical second wife Béline, replacing at short notice Helen Brajkovic, whose untimely death has shocked the Canberra theatre community and who will be remembered as one of this city’s finest serious performers.”

The award comprises a $1000 cheque and a certificate going to the best Canberra actor of the year, with no restrictions on age or gender, as judged by the theatre panel of the Canberra Critics Circle and will continue over the coming years.

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CityNews December 5-11, 2019 29

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SUMMER GARDENING

Make the most of watering IN Canberra and Queanbeyan “Permanent Water Conservation” measures are in place.

Basically, this means that, from September to May, sprinklers may be used on lawns and garden beds only between 6pm and 9am.

Obviously, this is when the evaporation is lowest.

The wasteful use of water to wash driveways is definitely out at any time! The full details are at iconwater.com.au The continuing dry means more time is taken in watering plants; some require more water than others, for example annuals with shallow roots dry out very quickly. Whereas perennials, many from the hottest parts of the world such as the Mediterranean area, require considerably less frequent watering.

As a reminder, Canberra’s average annual rainfall is 619 millimetres and the evaporation is a massive 1800 millimetres. To the end of October, our rainfall has been about 350 millimetres.

While this can vary considerably between Tuggeranong to, say, Belconnen, evaporation continues at the same vicious rate. Mulching garden beds to a depth of about 75 millimetres reduces this considerably.

The most effective method for watering garden beds is using drip irrigation. The most ineffective method of watering plants is with a hand-held hose and the best way to water plants in pots is to use a watering can.

Drip irrigation provides an even distribution of water soaking directly to the root zone; usually each drip outlet is 30 centimetres apart and emits two litres an hour. Whereas micro sprays watering the surface simply wets the mulch with only a small amount penetrating the soil and possibly none to the roots.

There is some confusion in thinking a drip pipe is simply a pipe with a series of holes. As illustrated here, quite a complicated valve is inserted into the pipe during manufacture.

This controls exactly the amount of water as described above.

It is important when buying drip pipe to always insist on “pressurecompensating” pipe, which will ensure an even pressure throughout the length of the pipe.

Some will only release their seeds with the application of heat such as bushfires. This is why our native bush revives itself after such fires. As an example, banksias have a particularly hard seed case. When we had our nursery, we placed the seeds in the oven as an artificial method of using them for propagation.

However, when native plants are introduced into the home garden it is a completely alien environment. They need the same regular feeding and watering like any other plant, and even pruning. Most native plants don’t have the rigid conformity of shape as many exotic shrubs.

One important point I cannot stress enough when using native plants is not to plant them near the house, particularly near raised timber decks.

Most native plants have a high content of natural oils from eucalypts to tea trees and are highly flammable.

This was very evident in our Canberra fires of 2003 when embers landed near houses and on decks.

The drip pipe valve… inserted into the pipe during manufacture, it controls exactly the irrigation flow rate.

It is recommended that the drip line is placed 40 centimetres apart ensuring all plants receive adequate water.

I have emphasised watering this week given the weather bureau is predicting very little rain this summer. Our extra 4000-litre rainwater tank is due to be installed shortly.

MANY new to gardening think native plants are the answer as opposed to exotic or introduced plants. Native plants in the wild have adapted over millennia to cope with the extremes of weather.

For example, they shed leaves and build up a natural mulch to reduce evaporation. In addition many drop seeds that remain dormant in that mulch until conditions are right, such as rainfall.

Banksia seeds… need extreme heat to release them.

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PUZZLES PAGE

NOW FREE PUZZLES EVERY DAY AT citynews.com.au

Joanne Madeline Moore

General knowledge crossword No. 714

Your week in the stars – December 9-15, 2019 ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

OUR DIFFERENCE

Rams are fantastic at starting things but not so good at finishing them. Thursday’s Full Moon heralds a brilliant light-bulb moment, when you have the ideas and enthusiasm to get an ambitious project off the ground. Luckily Venus, Saturn and Pluto all link up in your career and life direction zone, which will give you the dogged determination and persistence to see a project through to a successful conclusion. Friday is fabulous for spiritual pursuits and helping others.

Our region has a very different sort of real estate agency – Australia’s only social impact model – that gives 10% of profits to Hands Across Canberra for homelessness initiatives plus $400 to Soldier On for every defence housing australia investment sale.

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 21)

The Full Moon shines a spotlight on personal and shared finances, plus power and trust issues. Also Saturn and Pluto encourage you to take a good long look at your basic values, life philosophy and future aspirations. And how much do you truly value yourself? Remember, there is just no substitute for healthy core self-esteem.

So your motto for the week is from singer-songwriter (and birthday great) Taylor Swift: “Just be yourself. There is no one better.”

GEMINI (May 22 – June 21)

Are you having trouble with a relationship (of the romantic, platonic or business variety)? Creative communication and smart negotiation are the secrets to smooth partnerships at the moment, as you take the time to talk things through. When it comes to financial matters and property issues, if you’ve done the hard work required then you’ll be able to capitalise on the lucky breaks that come your way.

So don’t rush… it’s all in the preparation and timing.

CANCER (June 22 – July 23)

You’re keen to daydream the hours away in your cosy Crab cave, as the Full Moon visits your solitude zone. But – as you retreat into your own private world - make sure you can differentiate between fact and fantasy, otherwise you’ll end up in a confusing mess. A joint venture (or a romantic partnership) needs to pass the Practicality Test. So try to balance being idealistic with being realistic. And don’t make serious commitments unless you’re 100 per cent certain you can keep them.

LEO (July 24 – Aug 23)

When it comes to ambitious aspirations, social networking and your peer group, the more versatile and inventive you are, the better the final outcome will be. A realistic and disciplined daily routine will also help you to pursue your dreams and achieve your goals. Do your best to show extra kindness and compassion towards a friend or family member who’s going through a tough time. The things they are dealing with are more serious and complex than you previously thought.

VIRGO (Aug 24 – Sept 23)

Your work and home life look lively, as Mercury and the Full Moon fire up your family and career zones. If you make a mistake, then be kind to yourself. You’re very fastidious but no one can possibly do things perfectly 100 per cent of the time! So keep things in perspective, accept changes with good grace and adapt accordingly. Your motto for the moment is from Beyoncé (a fellow Virgo): “If everything was perfect, you would never learn and you would never grow.”

LIBRA (Sept 24 – Oct 23)

You’re full of wonderful ideas as the Full Moon activates your creative thinking zones. But, if you take a sharp detour into fantasyland, stern Saturn and perceptive Pluto will bring you back down to earth with a thud. A family matter also needs to be examined in a careful and forensic way. Then you need to put on your big girl (or big boy) pants and make a firm decision. No fence-sitting allowed! If you don’t make a decision, then someone else will step in and do it for you.

Across

4 Who was Australia’s first Prime Minister, Sir Edmund ...? (6) 7 Name the Swedish naturalist who accompanied James Cook to Australia in 1768, Daniel ... (8) 8 Which written agreement is deposited with a third person? (6) 9 Which disease is often called cancer of the blood?

(8) 11 Who is the captain of a ship? (7) 13 What is the spouse of a reigning monarch called?

(7) 15 Name another term for a germ. (7) 17 What is a tabular surface of high elevation, often of considerable extent? (7) 20 Who writes hymns? (8) 23 What is a person licensed to practise medicine?

(6) 24 What is an extended musical composition? (8) 25 Name an appointed church officer with variously defined duties. (6)

Down

Solution next edition

1 To receive unemployment benefits, is to be on the what? (4) 2 Which Australian politician contributed much to federation, Sir Henry ...? (6) 3 Name Eve’s gentleman friend. (4) 4 What, in billiards, is a particular score? (5) 5 What is a formula for preparing a dish in cooking? (6) 6 Which layer is a rather restricted region in the outer portion of the stratosphere? (5) 9 Name another term for a jail. (6) 10 What is a narrow strip of land bordered on both sides by water? (7) 12 What was the given name of Mr Menzies? (6) 14 Which electricity is produced by friction? (6) 16 Which implement is used for cleaning the barrel of a rifle? (6) 18 To be free from bonds, is to be what? (5) 19 What is another term for a pinafore? (5) 21 To be partly open, is to be what? (4) 22 Who was Australia’s Governor-General 1953-60, Sir William ...? (4)

Sudoku medium No. 257

We are a real estate agency with a purpose.

While still delivering professional marketing campaigns and achieving the premium price for your property, we have 6 GENUINE points of difference: • Your privacy and confidentiality is very important to us, and your data will never be given to a financial or insurance company; • Our social Impact model ensures 10% of all our profits go to a local homelessness initiatives as guided by Hands Across Canberra who will validate our figures each year; • Our preferred suppliers and trades will equally have a community cause they support; • Our recruitment policy shows any employee or agent must pass the public scrutiny test and have their own cause; • Our Environmentally Conscious Policy shows we are committed to having a positive contribution to climate change with annual audits; and • Gifts to our clients are sourced from indigenous businesses and social enterprise businesses

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 22)

Selling your home or investment property is an important journey, and you now have an opportunity for this to have a positive social impact on the broader community.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21)

Call Christine on 0405 135 009 or Gillian on 0416 017 072 today for an obligation free appraisal to plan your 2020 sales campaign

Money matters could become increasingly complicated, as the Full Moon stirs up your money zones. Shrewd Scorpios have a good business brain – just make sure you’re using it! Ignorance is no excuse so do all you can to improve your financial literacy ASAP. Friday’s Mars/Neptune trine is fabulous for kick-starting a creative project or helping a charitable cause. A relationship becomes more intense on the weekend, as you dig deep and get up-close-and-personal.

With the Sun and Mercury both visiting your sign, it’s time to shake off the shackles of other people’s expectations and instead, be the authentically real you. Draw inspiration from fellow Sagittarian, actor and martial artist Bruce Lee: “Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself. Do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate it.” Friday’s Mars-Neptune trine encourages dreaming big dreams and imagining creative schemes.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 20)

With the Full Moon activating your wellbeing zone, get moving and exercising! If you have the confidence to listen to your wise inner voice, then you’ll be one step ahead of the professional pack. Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto are all powering through your sign. This planetary quartet makes you more proactive about turning average opportunities into good fortune. So your motto is from birthday great, poet Emily Dickinson: “Fortune befriends the bold.”

Solution next edition

AQUARIUS (Jan 21 – Feb 19)

Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2019

Solutions from last edition Sudoku hard No. 256

PISCES (Feb 20 – Mar 20)

A work issue, volunteer project or family matter is taking up a lot of your time and attention but, if you hang in there, it will pay off in the long run. The main celestial theme for this week? Mars activates your travel zone and motivates you to move forward. And your ruler Neptune has you dreaming of exotic escapes and foreign adventures. So your motto for the moment is from explorer (and fellow Piscean) David Livingstone: “I will go anywhere, provided it be forward.”

FREE SUDOKU EVERY DAY AT citynews.com.au

Crossword No. 713

This week the Full Moon stimulates your drama and eccentricity zones plus Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto fire up your imagination. So it’s a wonderful week to tackle a creative project and express yourself in your own unique and quirky Aquarian way. Be inspired by singer-songwriter Taylor Swift (who was born on December 13, 1989): “If you’re lucky enough to be different, don’t ever change.”

An inspiring idea (that helps others) could also take off.

mob: 0405 135 009 christines@csproperties.com.au christineshawproperties.com.au @christineshawproperties CityNews December 5-11, 2019 31

GIRAFFE ENCOUNTER

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CHRISTMAS GIFT VOUCHERS AVAILABLE

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Canberra’s National Zoo and Aquarium features a combined aquarium, metropolitan zoo and easily walked open range section, as well as amazing up-close and personal animal encounters and tours.

Explore the recently opened Adventureland, a truly unique playground featuring a total of 55 activities including various sized fibreglass animal sculptures for children aged 2-12 to explore and play on.

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There is truly something for everyone at the National Zoo and Aquarium!

Gift vouchers for animal encounters, memberships and Jamala are available online or at the zoo.

Stay at jamala wildlife lodge 999 Lady Denman Drive, Canberra ACT Zoo 02 6287 8400 Jamala 02 6287 8444

www.nationalzoo.com.au www.jamala.com.au