HOROSCOPE 2021 / A YEAR OF BREAKTHROUGHS AND LIVING
Doctor’s orders: ‘Go ahead, give yourself a break’ VIVIENNE LEWIS
Phillip likes his ‘therapy’ in a glass PHILLIP JONES
KATE
Special cafe giving young people a taste of work
By Belinda STRAHORN
BRYCE Lloyd has struggled to find work since leaving school because of his learning disability.
Now 20, and employed full time, Bryce says things are on the up.
“I love coming to work,” he told “CityNews”.
The hard-working kitchen hand has been given an opportunity with Bean Central cafe in Queanbeyan, which teaches those having difficulty finding a job how to make coffee, take orders, wash dishes, prepare food and wait on tables.
“This is my first job, I work here five days a week...it’s really great,” Bryce says. Bryce is one of 13 employees who have a range of disabilities, including intellectual disabilities, autism and Down syndrome.
The cafe, which has taken up residence in the former Central Cafe premises on Monaro Street, opened its doors earlier this year and has a policy of creating jobs for people with special needs.
Matt Morrissey, 46, Bean Central owner, hopes it will turn around un-
employment rates and discrimination against people with disabilities trying to find a job.
“It’s not until you give someone an opportunity, that you can see what they are capable of,” Matt says.
“When you are first placed in front of someone with a disability it’s very easy to judge and think they won’t be able to do what I can do, but once you show them a task, they nail it.”
Matt, a former public servant turned chef, says he hasn’t looked back since opening the cafe.
“The very first day I met Bryce, he wouldn’t make eye contact with me, since then the change in him has been phenomenal.
“If you are looking for someone to provide a positive experience to your business, then you need to look outside the box of regular employees.
“I would hire all of these guys again, 10 times over, and would recommend it to any business owner.”
Only 52 per cent of the estimated 2.2 million people of working age who live with a disability in Australia are in the workforce.
But young people aged between 15 and 24 living with a disability have a 10 times higher chance of facing discrimination compared to those aged over 65.
Robbie Leahy, 27, has struggled to find work since the cafe at the Queanbeyan library closed down.
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The budding barista is now back behind the coffee machine and loving it.
“I like making coffee, cleaning the tables and I’m learning to take orders,” Robbie says.
Working has given him a boost and he hopes to continue making coffee in the future.
“Chef Matt is a good boss,” he says.
Disability Support Agency Valmar says employers need to do better.
“We approached nearly every cafe in Queanbeyan to try and get these guys
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some work, just an hour or two a week, and everyone said no,” Queanbeyan Valmar Support Services worker
Amanda Ryan says.
Amanda, 42, wants to shake up the market to help people with disabilities find meaningful employment.
“Give them a go,” Amanda says.
“From where these guys were to where they are now, the change is amazing.
“Their personalities have come out, their confidence has gone through the
roof, they are getting a go and they feel normal.”
Disability employment services have mixed results because usually only one in 10 people go on to attain a permanent job.
“It’s really hard to find these guys work,” Amanda says.
“I’m so thankful for Matt and this cafe, it brings me to tears every time I think about what meaningful work is doing for these guys.”
Bean Central hopes to be an example to other cafes wanting to move in a similar direction.
“If you can just give people a go, you will often be surprised just how much they can do,” Matt says.
“The guys are always on time, they have a smile on their face, they are interacting with customers and we have noticed a huge change in their demeanor.
“I want to give opportunities to people that might otherwise be overlooked.”
Steph Rowe, 27, and Kyle Burnell, 23, feel the job has given them the skills and confidence to tackle everyday life.
“We all have fun here,” says Kyle.
“I feel really happy when I step through the door, it’s great to have a job,” says Steph.
Amanda Ryan can be contacted at 0447 061237.
WHATEVER
It’s only words and words are all I have…
WORDS are to me as horseshoes are to a blacksmith; I forge the adjectives, hammer the verbs and cobble them into sentences that are shaped into paragraphs, columns, pages and papers.
Am I a wordsmith, I vainly wondered. “A skilled user of words,” Google confirmed. A lifetime in journalism hasn’t been a waste then, though truth be told, I’ve never felt particularly gifted with an especially grandiose vocabulary (though I do know what crapulent* means).
I feel words. Other wordsmiths’ toes curl at the mere mention of a gerund** and they take split infinitives very personally. Not me. I like the metre (rhythm) of active news reporting and can be very forgiving in my editing, favouring substance over form.
The best invention in the past 100 years was the zipper (1913). The best of all time was the printing press. But I reckon the computer’s spellcheck is my favorite, despite the Americanisms.
Speaking of America, I was at Oracle World in California late last century as managing director looking to buy a state-of-the-art accounting system
Ian Meikle is the editor of “CityNews” and can be heard on the “CityNews Sunday Roast”, 2CC, weekly 9am-noon. They’re
for “The Canberra Times”. I had a lot of chutzpah (love it!) in those days, bluffing my way through hours of mind-numbing new-tech speak.
I recall little from those terrible, earnest sessions save for two words of jargon that made my skin crawl. One was packetize, which is geek speak for partitioning or separating data into units for transmission in a packet-switching network, whatever that means.
The other was functionality, which has morphed from being a computer expression characterising the range of operations that can be run on a computer to, these days, being defined as “the quality of being suited to serve a purpose well; practicality”. I shamefully bit my tongue after using it in conversation the other day.
While I’m at it, I loathe hospitalised. When I was a reporter you were taken to hospital (not conveyed as our local plod rather quaintly describe the journey) and admitted. And if you want to hold down a job on this paper you won’t be using helmed (to lead), either.
Then there’s dove. Not the small, plump white pigeon nor the soap product that turned up when I went looking for the definition. No this one is another American expression for dived, ie he dove headfirst into water. Do me a favor!
Although my superior what-would-theAmericans-know-about-English sniffiness took a dove recently.
I’ve always sniggered at their describing
autumn as fall. However, I discovered that their founding fathers took the old English description for when leaves fall from trees to America (doh), while the fickle Poms succumbed to autumn via the French word automne. Fall it is!
From this past year we have coronavirus to thank for a whole lexicon of new and repurposed words such as pandemic and unprecedented (which mercifully spiked in March).
The Australian National Dictionary Centre’s word of the year was iso, an abbreviation of “isolation”. Meanwhile, over at the Australian “Macquarie Dictionary” they had two words of the year. One, the people’s choice, was the selfexplanatory covidiot and the other, the dictionary committee’s choice, doomscrolling, a word new to me describing the act of thumb scrolling presumably on a smartphone “through the seemingly endless barrage of bad news in 2020”.
But next to unprecedented, the word I grew most to loathe was pivot (as in gin stills pivoting to making hand sanitiser). By year’s end everyone in business seemed to be pivoting some way, somehow and the word, to my ear, took the seriousness of covid-damaged enterprises to a comical image of corporate whirling dervishes.
There can’t be a wordsmith who can resist “Words” by the Bee Gees:
It’s only words and words are all I have
To take your heart away.
But is it “it’s only words” or “they’re only words”? Where’s a wordsmith when you need one?
*Crapulent… suffering from excessive eating or drinking.
**A gerund is the –ing form of a verb that functions the same as a noun.
Hmmms
THAT Damian Cantwell is a wag. “No party or candidate is obliged to accept public funding,” the ACT electoral commissioner joshed when he announced the post-election distribution of $2.1 million to those poor and needy political parties that secured more than four per cent of first-preference votes in any one of the five electorates in October. Each vote is worth $8.62 and Labor trousered nearly $878,000 for its 101,826 votes, the Libs pocketed a tidy $785,000 from their 91,047 first preferences, the Greens earned more than $313,000, the Belco Party nabbed $45,380 from Ginninderra and the Canberra Progressives got $23,420. Fiona Carrick , who was having a shot at Murrumbidgee, was the only independent to score a payment. She picked up $32,610 for her troubles.
MORE seriously comes disturbing research that only 36 per cent of Australians consummate their marriage on their wedding night, according to a study of 980 couples across 44 countries by compare. bet/en-au. We are rated the worst in the world, with Finland topping the popping at 89 per cent, followed by Egypt (88 per cent) and Brazil (87 per cent).
NAUGHTY content
warning: According to London gossip sheet “Popbitch”, the Nishi-Nippon City Bank has been conducting a colouring contest for kids in Nagasaki. They have to colour in a picture of the bank’s cute mascot: Wank the Dog (pictured).
When have we needed our cartoonists so much?
moadoph.gov.au/BTL
Tragedies that drive top traffic cop to distraction
By Danielle NOHRA
POLICEMAN Marcus Boorman has led high-profile cases –attempted assassinations of heads of state, homicides and organised crime events – but says his role leading ACT’s road policing is one of the most demanding jobs he’s ever had.
Although it doesn’t have to be, says Insp Boorman.
“There’s a driving culture in the country where people say ‘oh well, these things just happen’. They don’t have to happen,” he says.
“I’ve [worked in] homicide and it’s terrible, but the amount of people that are dying on our roads is a lot more than people getting murdered in the country.”
With 30 years in the force, Insp Boorman is commenting ahead of the holiday period where the ACT will see an increase in the volume of traffic leaving and then returning on Canberra’s arterial roads.
“People have work break ups and all the rest of it, but what I’d like to see is
people in the workplace looking after their mates and looking after each other, and if they see someone that’s obviously had too much to drink, or is incapable of driving, do something,” he says.
“I’m not the fun police. I like having a great time and I encourage people, because it’s been a tough year, to let your hair down, have a great time, just don’t get into your car and drive when you’ve been drinking. Get an Uber.”
Insp Boorman advises holidaymak ers to plan their trip and take that extra time to get to their destination.
“I know everyone’s keen to get to the destination, but if you make silly mistakes and poor choices, you might not ever get there,” he says.
Despite the consistent road-safety messaging, he says there has been an increase in people using mobile phones while driving over the past few years.
“We detected three [people driving and using their phone] in 2017. In 2019 there were 10,” he says.
“I’m not just talking about talking on the phone. I’m talking about tex ting, social media-type stuff.”
Insp Boorman says distraction is a major cause for collisions in the coun try, but speed is a significant issue, too.
“We recently launched our ‘who are you rushing to meet campaign’ that will run for six months, which has a
“It is traumatic for everybody involved. The first responders, the members of the community that hapcoming home.”
“I have to admit I was wrong,” he
“Each year, nationally we get an excess of anywhere between 12,00014,000 deaths on our roads.
“I attend predominantly all fatalities in the ACT. You don’t forget it.
“I’m very committed and I’m passionate about road safety because I really think that if we can do something, as a community together, [we could] get to a stage where our community says: ‘No, this isn’t acceptable’.
“It’s not just the police role to maintain road safety. If we could enforce our way to safe roads, we would have done so decades ago.
“It’s frustrating. We get out there, we do the messaging, we detect people continually and then they still keep doing the same thing. It’s like drink driving and drug driving, you get people three or four times.
“I was young once, believe it or not. I look at probably some of the driving behaviour that I engaged in, thinking back at it, I was a fool.
“I had a collision when I first got my licence, probably not concentrating and probably pushing the boundaries a little bit, and I was extremely lucky. That was my big wake up.”
A detective for most of his career, focusing on complex investigations such as homicide, arson, serious crime, when he got the call to take over road policing, he thought: “How hard could
Tara speaks up for the power of youth
By Belinda STRAHORN
SHE may only be 24-years-old but when Tara McClelland talks, people listen.
And as the 2021 ACT Young Australian of the Year, Ms McClelland will be using her achievement to make sure young people have a voice.
“I feel that, as a society, we undervalue the power of youth and I really want to change that,” she says.
“Our voice is just as important, just as loud and deserves to be heard.
“We are in a time where the future is uncertain, we’ve had a global pandemic and we are facing a cli mate catastrophe; why are we not listening to young people? Young people have incredible knowledge, insight and ideas we need to give them a seat at the table.”
As a Salvation Army youth worker, Ms McClelland works with 16-25 year-olds experiencing, or at risk of being homeless.
“These people are going through some really tough situations but they are always so optimistic and hope ful that tomorrow will be better,” she says.
“Often when a young person is homeless it’s not their fault, it’s usually external factors that have contributed and they just need someone to give them hope, to walk with them, to tell them it’s going to be okay and help them on their journey.”
With one in four young Australians experiencing a mental health condition, Ms McClelland is particularly passionate about speaking out on the issue.
“Mental health has always been prevalent, it’s just not been spoken about until recently, and that’s a
ACT Young Australian of the Year Tara McClelland… “We
undervalue the power of youth and I really want to change that.”
“This generation of young people are facing some ed global pandemic coming, we are facing a climate emergency and it’s making young people anxious and nervous. “Breaking into the housing market is hard, then there’s stress related to jobs and education; this year has affected so many people but particularly the youth who are still developing.
“It’s really important we have the support in place to help people through their struggles.”
It’s not only Ms McClelland’s work with the Salvos that won her a nomination for the award, but also for her volunteer roles with the Canberra Youth Theatre and Headspace.
She has also assisted the Children and Young Peo ple Commissioner’s office, which is part of the ACT Human Rights Commission, with their work on fam ily violence.
“Family violence is definitely affecting young people in the ACT,” she says.
“It’s a prevalent issue and often it can lead to home lessness so it was really good to work on a project that was youth friendly and will hopefully make some positive changes in that space.”
Helping others is in McClelland’s DNA.
“I’ve always wanted to give back to the community and help out,” she says.
“I was dedicated at the Salvation Army as a baby and then many years later I did a university placement with the Salvos in Brisbane and I just loved it, I love what the organisation stands for and I knew at that moment that this work was what I wanted to do.”
Over the years her contributions have been recognised with a commendation for a 2019 YOGIE Award and a nomination for 2020 Young Canberra Citizen of the Year.
Ms McClelland’s role as ACT Young Australian of the year kicks off in January, with an invitation to the 2021 Australian of the Year awards.
Like other Young Australians of the Year from each state and territory, she is in the running to be named 2021 Young Australian of the Year.
“You don’t do this work to win awards,” she says.
“It’s a huge shock to win but such an honour, I really want to use this platform to do good.”
MY SUMMER
This summer, Canberra Liberals’ leader ELIZABETH LEE will be…
• At home with my family.
• I want to show my daughter Mia the best that Canberra’s nature has to offer including visiting Square Rock (where her father – Nathan – was deployed with the Rivers Volunteer Bushfire Brigade during the Orroral Valley fires last summer), Tidbinbilla and Casuarina Sands.
• Nathan might even talk me into taking Mia on her first overnight camping trip to “the Cotter”.
• There will also be lots of food and time with the extended family!
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By Belinda STRAHORN
ONCE upon a time, if you wanted a beer you went to Queanbeyan, simple. Thanks to King O’Malley, the federal Minister for Home Affairs of the day, Canberra was a dry town from 1911 to 1929.
O’Malley, a fierce teetotaller, who called grog “stagger-juice” and abstained from it, persuaded his cabinet colleagues to ban, in 1911, the granting of liquor licences in the Federal Capital Territory.
Queanbeyan resident Phill Hawke, who is researching O’Malley’s “flamboyant” life, says that at the time it wasn’t illegal to possess or drink alcohol in the ACT, you just couldn’t sell it.
“So, most would head to Queanbeyan, fill their boots with grog, come back and drink it,” says Hawke.
“It is believed that around 70,000 bottles were collected as rubbish in the first six months of 1926.”
The five established pubs in Queanbeyan were swamped by Canberra drinkers, particularly on the weekends.
One famous cartoon showed Parliament House deserted, with thousands
heading to Queanbeyan.
“The road to Queanbeyan was called the ‘road to ruin’,” Hawke says.
“People walked the seven miles [11 kilometres] from Canberra to Queanbeyan and back, just for their grog... with cars, taxis and people on horseback all clogging the road.”
A “colourful” character who claimed he was American and then later a Canadian so he could qualify for election, O’Malley worked as an insurance salesman before entering politics.
“In both professions making use of his knack for oratory and publicity stunts,” says Hawke.
Famous for his flashy dressing and his radical ideas of democracy, he is remembered for his role in the development of the national capital as well as his advocacy for the creation of a national bank.
Thanks to his American background, he was also responsible for the spelling of “Labor” in Australian Labor Party.
But his unpopular ban on alcohol in the ACT was perhaps his most known legacy.
O’Malley’s “stagger-juice” circular, projecting his views to his Home Affairs Department of ficers, is an interesting document.
It says: “Stagger juice and official business are absolutely incompatible… There can be no efficiency with-
out speed, and speed is impossible with muddled whisky brains.”
From 1927 MPs and their staff were able to enjoy the bar at Parliament House, but anyone else who wanted a drink had to make the trek across the border to Queanbeyan.
“Apparently, motor cars were employed to carry liquor into Canberra from Queanbeyan and that a service of buses was run to take workmen from Canberra to Queanbeyan so that the town was converted into a Saturnalia [an ancient Roman festival of Saturn in December, which was a period of merrymaking] every weekend,” says Hawke.
As a result, the hotels of Queanbeyan did a thriving trade for many years.
It’s not the first time Canberrans have crossed the border in search of prohibited activity.
In 1956, Queanbeyan roads were choked with Canberrans again, with the introduction of poker machines in NSW.
“Poker machines were not introduced in the ACT until 1977 and so another influx of people came across the border,” Hawke says.
And in 2020, Canberrans prevented from playing pokies due to coronavirus restrictions were crossing the border into NSW.
“Funny how history has a habit of repeating itself,” Hawke says.
As Canberra grew and more public servants took up residence, O’Malley’s ban on liquor sales came under pressure.
In January 1928, “The Canberra Times” reported that drinkers in the territory were resorting to drinking tonic wine obtained from chemists.
“They certainly were obtaining grog on the sly,” says Hawke.
“The ‘Braidwood Dispatch’ reported in February 1926 a case where three men faced the Queanbeyan Police Court charged with selling liquor without a licence, they were each fined 30 pounds or three months in jail.
“It was stated in court that a car carrying the sly grog arrived at Red Hill and a Constable Foster pretend ing to be intoxicated gave the sellers 15 shillings for five bottles.”
In 1928, the government led by Prime Minister Stanley Bruce held a plebiscite and O’Malley’s 1911 ban was overturned.
Premises were leased at Civic, Kingston and at Manuka to operate as cafes along the continental style of having drinks at tables.
In 1935 two of the cafe licences were sold and the purchaser of the Kingston licence built the Kingston Hotel, the first traditional-type hotel in Canberra.
In the end, O’Malley’s wish that the territory “shall be dry” was not achieved.
King O’Malley… a fierce teetotaller, who called grog “stagger-juice”.
CANBERRA MATTERS
Things can happen when the locals get to work
WHEN community groups bring residents together to collectively do something for their suburb, good things happen.
This was illustrated in the November annual report by the outgoing Kingston Barton Group president, Rebecca Scouller. She outlined how in May more than 50 volunteers had planted nearly 9000 bulbs and annuals in Jardine Street. The event was co-ordinated with military precision. It was a fun event and the Kingston shopping centre looked really great.
This was part of Floriade Reimagined and was one of similar enthusiastic community events across Canberra. For some, this was a first hesitant step out following the pandemic lockdown. It involved families with children, older people and those not so attached.
A big thing was the support from local small businesses.
In Downer, the local group had such a good time with its Floriade Reimagined, it has since gathered to follow up with
Looking back at 2020, there were nasty things happening thanks to the Planning Directorate and inappropriate developments. Despite this many community groups turned their attention to the fun things that they could be doing.
some new plantings, building on the earlier funded upgrade to the Downer Village Square. This village square has a very welcoming atmosphere thanks to local energies and enthusiasm. And Gang Gang is always a good café to meet friends – or to sit quietly and read a book.
There are lots of local initiatives that took place in 2020 that deserve to be recognised.
One was the planting of trees and shrubs in local parks. The one in Campbell in the park near the shops is going gangbusters and is starting to look like a small arboretum. This has been assisted with a small grant, but is largely due to a few bringing others together.
People quickly become keen to do something in their suburb – in this case in one corner of Campbell’s central park. There are other such
planting activities happening and another success story is the one in Cole Street, Downer.
A good word goes out to certain government workers who have developed a reputation for their welcomed assistance whenever possible to make these fun things happen.
Seeing any one of these projects, I cannot help but think how wonderful it is when locals do these things themselves. These community goings-on are so much more successful when it is driven from within the community and is managed and followed up by locals.
Canberra has a great network of joint community councils and, alongside them, a host of smaller suburban groups – some formal and some not so.
Many have come into being to fight off some outrageous proposal by the Planning Directorate and its developer mates. Having come into being, many soon take the opportunity to turn their attention to bringing the community together for fun things that build a sense of community.
They do this in Lyneham with their Light Up Lyneham Festival. Sadly because of the pandemic, this was not to be in 2020. But based on the huge success in 2019, I am sure it will be back in 2021.
Looking back at 2020, there was a heap of nasty things happening thanks to the Planning Directorate and the on-going inappropriate developments. Despite this, or maybe in answer to this, many community groups turned their attention to the fun things that they could be doing –such as those mentioned above. There were many more.
Surely the new Labor/Greens government should be seriously thinking
about allocating more resources to work with the established resident groups to have wonderful things happen in the local parks and community centres.
The key is not to simply have more of those disconnected pop-ups and coloured street thingies, but to resource community groups directly so locals can take the running on what and where things could happen. It is really that easy.
Paul Costigan is an independent commentator and consultant on the visual arts, photography, urban design, environmental issues and everyday matters.
Another community success story in Cole Street, Downer. Photo: Paul Costigan
A word to the wise, you daggy, munger bandit
THERE doesn’t seem to be as much Australian slang or swearing about these days – or maybe I just don’t mix as much with those who use it.
I joined the Australian Army when I was 18 in Singapore and was flown to Australia to attend the Officer Cadet School at Portsea in Victoria.
I wasn’t expecting to have a language problem in Australia because I was under the impression that Australians spoke English, but that proved to be rather an unsophisticated and naïve view.
My “father” at Portsea (“Bindy” Bourke – a worldly senior-class cadet and my designated mentor) was a former jackaroo who was well-versed in the Australian vernacular. The same was true of most of the cadets who (unlike me) were either former diggers or had knocked around Australia before joining the army. Bindy told me on day one: “When we get out of here [after the first 50 days confined to barracks], we’ll shoot through to the Conty and sink a few tubes”.
I wasn’t expecting to have a language problem in Australia because I was under the impression that Australians spoke English, but that proved to be rather an unsophisticated and naïve view.
This translated as: “We’ll head to the Continental Hotel at Portsea to have a few cans of beer”.
Going to the pub introduced us foreigners to “the shout”. This proved not to be a yelling contest or karaoke, but a system whereby each person in a group paid in turn for a round of beers. Anyone who left without buying a round was regarded as a “tight-arse”. And anyone who drank other than beer was regarded with deep suspicion – as was anyone who left the male group to talk to females. Anyway, back to day one. Bindy went on to tell me that 2130 hours was lights-out – when we would all “hit the farter”. I wondered who this poor
“emu bob”. I initially took this to be some sort of ritual Australian dance, but it only referred to picking up rubbish. Emu-bobbing probably does not happen now for health and safety reasons – and concern about being sued if someone gets injured by a discarded needle.
Our NCO instructors were well versed in the Australian vernacular. We were regularly told “get your arses into gear”, which did not mean getting one’s backside into army clothing – it meant “get organised and moving – now!”
Animals were seemingly important
Christmas Eve: 11am - 9pm Christmas Day & Boxing Day: 11am - 6pm Sunday 27th: 10am - 9pm Monday 28th: 11am - 6pm Otherwise normal hours except for New Year’s Day: 11am - 6pm
surname), grunt (infantry soldier), subbie (junior officer), snake (sergeant), snake pit (sergeants’ mess), screw (military police), gonk (nap), munger (food), munger bandit (food lover), head-shed (headquarters), whinger (serial complainer), bludger (a lazy bugger, or one who “borrowed” without repaying as in “bludging a fag”), while the worst thing to be was a “jackman” (a selfish person who didn’t look out for his mates).
Not having met any Australian civilians, I assumed that all Australians spoke this way – as did the foreign cadets – but we learned this was not the case when we were allowed out of OCS and discovered that the “f” adjective was not in common usage, especially when asking a girl for a dance.
arse what you think”. An incorrect response to an instructor’s question about how you should do something was often met with “pig’s f****** arse you do”. A skilled swearer could actually work the “f” word into most sentences.
There were quite a few individual expressions that seemed unique to the Australian Army, such as furphy (rumour), pam (doctrinal publication), skip (digger addressing his platoon commander), daggy (scruffy), stick-book (sexy novel), hoochie (shelter), dixy (metal plate), chalky (teacher), two-fathers (hyphenated-
However, Australian civilians had their own fair share of unusual expressions: “swinging a ewie” – which had nothing to do with swinging a sheep and everything to do with changing your vehicle’s direction of travel. “Are you right?” wasn’t someone questioning your knowledge but instead was someone asking: “Do you need help?”
I could go on about service acronyms and public service jargon, but maybe I’ll save that for another time.
Clive Williams is a Canberra commentator.
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LETTERS
Mystery of the Audi car-window smashing
MY car window was smashed last month. The vehicle was in a basement car park in Braddon.
The glass of the passenger side was totally shattered. What’s strange was nothing was stolen, despite my having some cash in the car.
It wasn’t news until I noticed recently at least three other Audi cars parked in another apartment in Belconnen were also smashed, and the person who did this only targeted Audi, only aimed at passenger-side window glass and stole nothing.
I speculate this person has problems with some Audi owners, so he or she took revenge or something like that.
Another thing worth mentioning is neither my apartment nor the other one in Belconnen have security cameras installed, so the police and apartment management could do nothing about it.
I would like to request you to let more people in Canberra know about this so they can do anything possible to prevent such misfortune.
Jingwei Jai, Braddon
Chinese have prospered
ROBERT Macklin’s article, “Chinese may have a point with Australia” (CN, December 10) is sobering; Australia is paying for its past appalling treatment of some Chinese immigrants over the last 200 years.
But, might I respectfully remind the current People’s Republic of China leadership (via its embassy, which monitors all public comment on the PRC) that many Chinese migrated and prospered, particularly in northern Australia. More widely, thousands of Chinese restaurants operated in regional towns and city suburbs.
More recent decades have seen the successful integration to Australia of hundreds of thousands of people of Chinese ethnicity.
During World War II, Australia and the Republic of China were allies in the fight against the Japanese occupation of much of China.
China tied down huge Imperial Japanese
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Army forces, keeping them from fighting in the region to the immediate north of Australia. We owe China a massive debt for that.
The Chinese navy does its international duty on anti-piracy patrols in the north-west Indian Ocean. More than the Royal Australian Navy does.
In the early ‘70s, our federal government brought PRC students to study at the then CCAE (now the University of Canberra).
And who can forget that beautiful couple of hours in Australian tennis in 2011 when Belgian Kim Clijsters came from a set down against China’s Li Na to win the Australian Open final.
OPEN TO ALL ARTISTS
While Clijsters was the winner, the roar for the Chinese player was deafening. She and her (husband) coach were the ambassadors of the hour, acknowledged by the actual PRC ambassador, who made a gracious, praising and warm speech humorously conceding that he was outranked for that match by the great PRC player. Sport doesn’t get any better.
Christopher Ryan, Watson
Have we gone crazy?
THE story “Swift parrots go the wrong way” (CN, December 10) reveals that there are fewer than 300 swift parrots left in the wild, and this beautiful parrot may well be heading for extinction.
The swift parrots’ natural habitat is the eucalyptus-dominated forests and woodlands to the east, north and north-east of Melbourne; in a narrow strip along the NSW coast, and in a scattered band on the western slopes of NSW. The parrot migrates to the warmer parts of Tasmania (yes, there are such places) in the breeding season.
Most of those habitats are rapidly being lost to logging (mostly for unprofitable and subsidised wood chip production), deforestation for agriculture and urban expansion – for city people wanting a “tree change”.
Is there anyone else who thinks too many Australians have gone crazy?
Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin
Outraged at secrecy
AUSTRALIANS are outraged when they hear that the Morrison government is still seeking to cover up the Timor-Leste spying case with court proceedings in secret against Witness K – a former senior ASIS intelligence officer who expressed concerns to his superiors and briefed his lawyer, Bernard Collaery – 16 years after the bugging.
While the secret trials drag on, the financial benefits obtained from the bugging by a minister and senior bureaucrat through a consultancy and board appointment, have been ignored.
It is deeply concerning that “national security”, as determined by the attorneygeneral, be given greater weight than any other consideration. This is a threat to foundational principles of law, such as open justice and fairness. Many in the legal profession are increasingly concerned, including the Law Council of Australia.
Calling on national security is designed to intimidate the defendants, hide proceedings from the public, and deter officials or journalists who might dare to disclose what the government doesn’t want known – its unlawful activity.
Drop the prosecutions.
Anycie Berkmann, Strathfield, NSW
Poor health of public health
THANK you to “CityNews” for continuing to inform us about the funding of public health in the ACT.
A critically important factor (“How the ACT government deserted public health”, CN, December 10), as stated by Jon Stanhope, is that: “It is not being cynical or unreasonable to suggest that somewhere around 2013/14 the ACT government took a decision… that public transport was a higher priority than public health”.
Since that time the 10 per cent or so of Canberrans who use public transport have benefitted, but not the 100 per cent who will access the hospital system at some stage in their lives.
The consequences of the decision to give public health a lower priority than public transport are well documented, such as the excruciatingly long waiting times for patients at the Canberra
Hospital’s Emergency Department and the high rate of burnout of junior doctors due to understaffing and the inadequate provision of physical resources.
I am puzzled that the members of the Legislative Assembly are happy to discuss the banning of plastic spoons while doing nothing about the seriously underfunded health system. Their legacy will be that they sat on their hands as the ambulances were being routinely diverted from the Canberra Hospital and the waiting lists for essential surgery grew longer and longer by the day.
I don’t want to wish them ill, but perhaps their attitude would change if a couple of MLAs were rushed to the Emergency Department as urgent patients and were told that the waiting time was as long as four hours. Believe me, that happens. Let them experience the emotions of disbelief, anxiety, despair and anger which many others experience under the present conditions.
There has been enough analysis and discussion. It is time for the ACT government to rethink their funding priorities before the situation deteriorates further. As it is, the government is failing the people of Canberra.
dose of dorin
David Pederson, O’Connor
Canberra Hospital… excruciatingly long waiting times for patients.
How Hare-Clark helped the Greens win seats
THE ACT election on October 17 was the tenth election for the Legislative Assembly under self-government.
The 25 members were elected under a proportional representation system. Given that PR is very common in Australia for upper houses but equally rare for lower houses why is it that all 10 ACT elections have been held under PR systems?
The explanation is simple. The Liberal Party refused to contemplate the conventional Australian system of single-member electoral districts because it feared Labor would win every seat. That could have happened. So, without PR the ACT would not have had self-government.
The Liberal Party had no view as to the type of PR. The result was that the first system was an above-the-line voting method whereby 17 members were elected from the whole ACT, voting as one electorate.
At the first election in March, 1989, Labor won five seats, Liberals four and minor parties eight. At the second election in February, 1992, Labor won eight seats, Liberals six and minor parties three. Both elections were shambles. Before 1989 there was one Australian lower house elected by PR, the Tasmanian House of Assembly elected since 1909 by the Hare-Clark system. In 1909 the party machines did not have the grip on elections they have
The big party machines never wanted Hare-Clark because it involves the
today. Tasmania’s Hare-Clark is now thought by psephologists like me to have been the original and the best PR system in the world.
Given the increasing grip the machines of big parties have in the modern era it was not a surprise that the first ACT system was (as the Senate’s is today) a party machine appointment system. Voters were, in effect, asked to distribute numbers of party machine appointments between parties on a PR formula.
Clark, I claim to be described as the “deputy owner”. Its details are exactly what he wanted, not exactly what I wanted. Nevertheless, I now defend every detail of his system.
and 6062 for the Greens.
Some react by saying: “The system must have been rigged by the Greens”.
A recent email I received said this: “I’m not sure how they did it, but I think the Greens pulled a swifty. Maybe just running three candidates in an electorate is how they did it.”
I can assure readers the Greens did not rig the system. Essentially, they were lucky in 2008 (when they won 24 per cent of the seats for a vote of 16 per cent) and again at this recent election.
At the 1998, 2001, 2004, 2012 and 2016 elections the Greens were underrepresented, winning a share of seats lower than their share of votes.
The Greens were not around when the system was designed. However, when Musidlak designed this system he chanced to confer a benefit on the Greens while never realising that he was doing such a thing.
Greens always stand five candidates, as do the Labor and Liberal parties.
In the ACT the words at the bottom of the ballot paper in each electorate read: “Remember, number at least five boxes from 1 to 5 in the order of your choice”. Those words conceal the fact that a single first-preference vote counts as a formal vote for that candidate.
Understanding that point, the ACT Greens typically stand three candidates – and that does help them. In effect they cannot do that in Tasmania.
Bogey and I used to argue on this point. I insisted the ACT should copy Tasmania. He insisted on his own ideas – and prevailed.
The difference is permanent. Both systems are permanent. Both were designed according to strict democratic principles – without any regard to which party might benefit.
It was a miracle that the ACT would copy Tasmania in having Hare-Clark. The big party machines never wanted it because it involves the concept of candidates from the same party competing with each other. It is far too democratic for their tastes.
The man who worked that miracle was the late Bogey Musidlak (1953-
The first point to notice is that the system is semi-proportional, not purely proportional. Thus, at the recent election Labor won 10 seats with 101,826 votes, Liberals nine seats with 91,047 and the Greens six seats with 36,369 votes. The averages are 10,183 for Labor, 10,116 for Liberals
The point is that there is a difference between the Tasmanian and ACT versions of Hare-Clark. In Tasmania, the words at the bottom of the ballot paper read: “Your vote will not count unless you number at least 5 boxes”. Since a vote is informal if the elector does not vote 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, the Tasmanian
Malcolm Macker ras is Honorary Fellow of Australian Catholic Univer sity at malcolm. mackerras@ acu.edu.au
The late Bogey Musidlak.
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ROAST
ARTS Drama makes a return to radio
By Helen MUSA
THE extraordinary longevity of radio as a live entertainment form is fast realising its potential for reinvigorating the art of playwriting, and Canberra is experiencing the phenomenon, too.
Over the last couple of years, for instance, The Street Theatre and Canberra Rep have staged radio plays, and the resurrected Papermoon Theatre Company has a podcast series, “Paper Moon Radio Theater”.
Now, retired admin officer at the ANU, playwright Bart Meehan, and “CityNews” musical theatre writer, Bill Stephens, have joined forces to create a new play series on ArtSound FM public radio that seems likely to continue into the future.
Each 30-minute episode of the series “ArtSound Radio Theatre” features one or two short plays, most of them newly written by contemporary playwrights of the Canberra region or sourced from the ArtSound archives. It’s already up and running, with productions of “Shopping for Underwear” by Harriet Elvin, “The Last Letter” by Meehan and “The Boy Who Came with the Frame” by another “CityNews” writer, John Lombard, among the seven plays broadcast by the time you’re reading this.
tion which continued after the Courtyard production was postponed.
well as out-of-copyright plays by Alan Ayckbourn and Alan Bennett and an excerpt from “Under Milk Wood”, performed by Richard Burton as an exemplar of radio theatre.
The series also includes introductory segments and interviews.
Stephens says that at one stage, he considered pulling old plays out of the ArtSound vaults, but found problems with copyright and also the quality of shows recorded so long ago. “They would not have made riveting listening,” he says.
Instead he began using his connections with Canberra writers, many of whom have plays in the bottom drawer that have even won prizes.
He’d directed a 10-minute Harriet Elvin play with Liz St Clair Long acting, and thought that would work, looked at other entries that were part of “Short+Sweet Canberra”, and is now considering monologues staged by Perform Australia. Happily, he and Meehan found it relatively easy to adapt dialogue-based plays for radio.
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Stephens, a long-time presenter at ArtSound FM with all the technical know-how, has provided the directing and technical savvy, while Meehan, whose “Love in Lockdown?” was one of the six plays selected into the UK’s 2020 “Pint-Size Plays” competition this year, is learning fast.
Papermoon’s Tony Turner was to have staged Meehan’s “The Parting Glass” at the Courtyard Studio in April-May this year before covid struck,
Meehan was already a radio fan and recalled fondly his childhood in Darwin before TV, when he tuned into ABC radio serials and weekly plays by writers like Ruth Park and Douglas Stewart which were, he says, “absolutely magnificent… I’ve always liked the idea of radio in terms of its audience having to use their imagination’’.
He and Stephens agreed with ArtSound on a separate program dedicated to radio plays written and presented by Canberra writers, directors and actors.
Mind you, the season does also include “Village Wooing”, a play told in three conversations written by George Bernard Shaw in 1936, as
WATCH IT! / streaming and stuff
Timing is of the essence in radio programming, Stephens says and one question is how much you can fit into an hour program, and how to fill in the gaps.
For Meehan’s part, there was a solid connection with local actors, many like Tony Turner and Elaine Noon from Papermoon, keen professionals such as Joanna Richards and some from “Short+Sweet”.
“My interest as a playwright is in character, rather than a narrative in what the characters feel and how they react. You draw on your own life experience,” he says.
And the enterprise continues. Although he’ll probably do some guest appearances as director and presenter, after co-producing 11 episodes, Stephens believes Meehan is ready to go it alone.
“ArtSound Radio Theatre” Sundays at 4pm, 92.7FM, 90.3FM in the Tuggeranong Valley, online at artsound.fm, and via digital radio. Inquiries from playwrights welcome via admin@artsound.fm
Bingeing the world’s best drama on Netflix
By
Nick OVERALL
AS Netflix continues to grow its global streaming empire, more and more original productions from around the world are being pumped out and finding the spotlight.
It just so happens that this content is proving to be some of the best of what’s on offer.
“Dark” was the first foreign series to really make some noise in streaming news. It’s a German supernatural thriller which not only gets your mind bending but certifiably ties knots in it itself.
Since that show’s success, more stuff from around the world has popped up in Netflix’s “Original Series” feeds. “Money Heist” is another example, a pithy series from Spain about a criminal mastermind and his crack team of criminals attempting to pull off the biggest heist in history.
Now the newest to make its mark is “To The Lake”. This one from Russia no less, about a deadly disease that
desperate attempt to outrun it.
As is the usual affair with such premises, we’re introduced to a mismatched group of survivors who have to band together to get through the apocalyptic scenario.
Without a doubt, the show is chock-full of influence, especially that of the zombie genre. In particular “The Walking Dead” and “28 Days Later” seep into the show’s design, even as closely as the musical score, but there’s still certainly enough originality to give it its own style and voice.
Where usually we’re used to seeing film and TV zombies hobble around the New Yorks or Londons of the world, the stark and snow-filled outskirts of the Moscow cityscape here give “To The Lake” an eerie
Another international production on Netflix this year that had me bingeing was “Into The Night”, a Belgian production with an original and thrilling concept that quickly hooked me.
In this one, a group of survivors are lumped together in an airplane that must continuously travel through the night because, in the light of day, everything goes haywire and starts to destroy all it shines upon.
The script can get a little loose here and there, and the characters can fall into the “stereotypical end times survivor round-up”, but the pure originality of its premise makes for an addictive run of episodes.
A bit like what’s going on with the plane itself in the series, the whole show has really flown under
the radar for general Netflix viewers. If we’re talking “international” though, what about Australian productions?
Well, even we have our own zombie end-of-the-world do-up with “Cargo”. It’s about a father infected with a deadly disease who’s stranded in the Australian outback looking for a safe haven for his child. Seems that audiences certainly are nowhere near tiring of any and every iteration of apocalyptic premise. Even closer to home, Netflix actually boasts a drama series set right here in “pollie town” called “Secret City”. It centres around a political journalist, Harriet Dunkley, who pulls together the threads of a tangled web of conspiracy amidst rising tension with, would you believe, China. Tad topical.
I don’t think I’d be alone in thinking it’s a very strange and exciting thing to see a big-budget series on Netflix with all of its crisp cinematography focused firmly on where you yourself live.
I reckon it’s about time Netflix rolled out a show across the border in Queanbeyan… and it better not be called “Struggle Town”.
More of Nick Overall on Twitter @nick_overall
By Belinda STRAHORN
IT’S time to let go of all the food guilt and just enjoy the damn pie!
With the holiday season and festive guilt in full swing, clinical psychologist at the University of Canberra Dr Vivienne Lewis says it’s not naughty
“It’s okay to indulge a bit more than you might normally, but try to keep active, do a bit of exercise and don’t overdo it consistently because that will have an effect on your health and well-being.”
The holidays don’t have to ruin your wellness plan and make you turn as green as the Grinch.
In fact indulging in a little of what you fancy can be better for you in the long run, according to Dr Lewis.
has taught us to slow down, take stock and realise what’s important.”
“It’s all about getting away from feeling guilty,” she says.
“It’s normal that we eat more this time of year and there’s nothing wrong with that, so don’t beat yourself up if you have been over-indulging a bit.”
This is important reassurance, especially at a time when temptation is everywhere.
“If people are going to indulge over Christmas that’s fine, it’s only a couple of days, but if people are doing it over a long period of time, that’s when they will start to experience health issues.”
Dr Lewis says indulging is often not the problem, it’s our attitude to our bodies and food.
“Food isn’t bad,” she explains.
“You haven’t done anything wrong by eating mince pies and turkey, we need to take the guilt away from food and associating it with some moral value.”
Given the uncertainty that this year has thrown at us, Dr Lewis’ message is
think we are.”
“just give yourself a break”.
“Be kind to yourself, look after yourself,” says Dr Lewis.
“It’s been a hard year but we’ve got through it and sometimes we need to acknowledge that we are stronger than we think we are.”
It might be hard to count our blessings in 2020, but Canberra psycholo -
gist Kate Fasch says it can’t take away what’s best about the season: gratitude, love, and connection.
“There’s been a lot of marketing to say you should spoil yourself because of the year it’s been, but I think covid has taught us to slow down, take stock and realise what’s important,” Ms Fasch says.
“You don’t have to have a massive spread at Christmas just because you have all the family over or because your sister-in-law is watching.
“You don’t have to spend up big because everyone else is, just do whatever makes you feel good and above all be kind to yourself and others.”
Ms Fasch says Canberrans should make the most of the holidays by switching off from work and recharg-
“It’s been a really difficult year,”
“Give yourself permission to feel whatever emotion you are feeling and don’t beat yourself up if you are not feeling jolly all the time.
“Go easy on yourself, take a break, do what makes you happy, show kindness to yourself and others.”
A sentiment echoed by Dr Lewis.
“Take time off,” Dr Lewis says.
“People tend to do too much with the family and are exhausted from their holiday so it’s really important to have down time where you really slow down.”
And if you do over-indulge this holiday season, don’t sweat it, just start afresh in 2021.
“But don’t put yourself on a diet that is going to make you miserable because it never works,” Dr Lewis says.
“Diets don’t work if you feel starved or deprived, be realistic and be sensible about it.”
WAREHOUSE CIRCUS AND BELCO ARTS PRESENT
‘TIS the season for parties, desserts, and decadent dishes – but don’t worry, Kate Freeman, Canberra nutritionist, founder and managing director of The Healthy Eating Hub, explains why you shouldn’t stress about “overdoing” it this holiday period.
“You don’t need to feel guilty about what you eat, no matter what you eat,” Kate says.
“I don’t like the idea of guilt-free foods because I like to think you can eat anything. The key is thinking about how you want to eat over this season and making food choices accordingly.”
So with the holidays in full swing, and while this should be a really enjoyable time, Kate shares her tips on how, with some planning, you can enjoy all the indulgences the season brings.
BE A FOOD SNOB
Don’t just eat for the sake of it. Be mindful when you make a food choice. Only eat the dessert you really want to eat and savour every mouthful of it.
BE A GOOD LISTENER
Pay attention to your body. Eat when you are hungry and stop eating when you are full. You can eat the cheese -
cake or the pav, but try and eat it only when you genuinely feel like eating it.
HAVE A FOOD ROUTINE
Despite all the parties and events, try and keep an underlying and consistent routine of making healthy food choices.
DON’T MAKE FOOD RULES
You are just going to rebel against food
HEALTHIER ROCKY ROAD
Ingredients:
200g chocolate, dark melted, dairy free for vegan option
50g chocolate, white melted, dairy free for vegan option
60g almonds, raw
40g coconut, flakes
40g apricot, dried finely sliced
20g sunflower seeds
20g sesame seeds
Instructions:
Line a tray with baking paper and evenly spread out the nuts, seeds, coconut and dried fruit. Evenly pour over the melted dark and white chocolate and try to coat as much of the other ingredients as possible.
Use a toothpick to draw patterns through the chocolate. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to set.
Break into bite size pieces and serve. They make a nice gift in a pretty paper cup with cellophane and a bow.
rules so it’s better to eat what you want and take genuine responsibility for your food choices.
DON’T START A NEW DIET THIS TIME OF YEAR
It’s not a good idea to lose weight this time of the year, that is always going to end badly, just enjoy yourself and take the pressure off.
DURING lockdown, Canberra’s Phillip Jones, aka the Martini Whisperer, took the internet by storm with his YouTube videos where he cre ated cleverly named cocktails, such as the “Quarantini” made with vermouth, vodka, shaken and finished with edible silver dust.
Of course, the way the smartly dressed, craft-spirit guru shook a cocktail was a key part of his videos, but what had so many people hooked was the “joy” he found creating pleasurable drinks during times of uncertainty.
“There was quite a bit of therapy in a glass going on during lockdown,” says Mr Jones.
“The world got smaller but it also got bigger because even over something as frivolous as a cocktail, people really bonded and found something to inspire and liberate them outside whatever grief they were in.”
Inspiring many to grab a shaker and create a fresh cocktail while at home, the Martini Whisperer says, the holidays are the perfect excuse to make creative drinks at home using local ingredients.
So, with vermouth, rum and liqueur, Jones has rounded up the most festive creations to welcome in the new and hopefully better year ahead.
SUMMER SIPPER
• A nip of white Aussie rum
• Frozen lime juice ice cubes
• Quality dry ginger ale
• Fresh mint
Build in a tall glass with two cubes of lime ice, plus some regular ice, add rum, top with dry ginger ale and garnish with plenty of mint and stir.
VERMOUTH TWILIGHT
• 20ml dry vermouth
• 15ml cassis (syrupy liquor)
• 60ml soda water or premium tonic water
• Slice of blood orange garnish over ice
Build in a tall glass with ice, add vermouth and cassis, then top with soda water and garnish with a blood orange slice.
SUMMER SPRITZ
• St Germain elderflower liqueur or a non-alcoholic cordial
• Soda water
• Cucumber and lemon
Build in a tall glass over ice and finish with thin slices of cucumber and lemon.
Note: spritzers are an easy low-boozy option for hot days and evenings.
Choose a local vermouth, white wine or rose and add quality soda and some fresh citrus, or your favourite garnish like strawberries and pepper, or rosemary and olives, blood orange and mint.
Phillip Jones.
THE BEST OF 2020 / on citynews.com.au
Fire and coronavirus sweep the year’s top stories
OUR popular website, citynews.com.au, had its best year in clicks with reportage on bushfires and covid leading the numbers, making up eight of the top 10 stories of 2020.
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JANUARY: Topping the list, citynews.com.au’s best-read story of the year revealed that almost all Qantas flights, in and out of Canberra, were cancelled due to “hazardous” smoke conditions across the ACT. At the time, the air quality was worse than countries such as China and India, Kate Meikle wrote. One “CityNews” reader likened the news to the science fiction movie, “Blade Runner 2049”.
TOP OF THE COLUMNISTS
IAN MEIKLE
“Lobby turns into a blot on the landscape”
Knife-wielding Calwell offender strikes after dark
JUNE: A knife-wielding man lunged at and stabbed multiple people on the streets of Calwell, leading police to urge residents to be aware of their surroundings. Curious about whether the knife-wielding offender is still at large, “CityNews” asked police, and a spokesperson said: “The investigation has been suspended until further information becomes available. There is no further threat to the community.”
FEBRUARY: “What a forlorn and shabby eyesore the former Lobby Restaurant on King George Terrace in Parkes looks these days,” wrote “Seven Days” columnist Meikle of the NCA and Commonwealth-protected building, who say they’re “committed” to preserving its heritage values.
PAUL COSTIGAN
“Barr bags out Geocon’s Kingston tower”
JULY: “Surely, Geocon’s proposal for inner Kingston is a joke? asked “Canberra Mat ters” columnist Paul Costigan about the design, which he called a “bland box tower”. But the “really big surprise” was an email from Chief Minister Andrew Barr, who wrote: “I consider the proposal released doesn’t fit with the form and amenity of the surrounding neighbourhood.”
NICHOLE OVERALL
“Whispers of the end of the known world in 1919”
MARCH: Not long after citynews.com.au reported Canberra’s first confirmed coronavirus case, “Yesterdays” columnist Nichole Overall wrote of the parallels between the COVID-19 pandemic and the influenza pandemic of 1918-19 – the Spanish Flu. “Masks normally the domain of health professionals are donned by the public and proclamations issued on everything from travel restrictions to school closures and the cancellation of public events,” she said, describing the Spanish Flu.
3
Bin strike widens: Is your suburb affected?
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Speed van hasn’t hit the brakes
The website’s most-read article this year was actually a story published in July, 2018. “Revealed: secrets of the speedcamera vans” continues to pique the interest of readers looking to find out everything they want to know about white-van speed cameras, but are too afraid to ask.
JON STANHOPE
“Why this ACT government should terrify you”
NOVEMBER: If this well-read story, that quickly rose to number three in just over a month, speaks for anything, it’s that Canberrans really don’t like people messing with their bins. The article came after bins were disrupted for a third week due to ongoing industrial action by drivers employed by the collection contractor, Suez. A few unhappy readers, such as Neil, of Fisher, moaned about paying higher taxes and getting worse services.
JANUARY: Before the ACT October election, columnist Jon Stanhope about the dire and unfair consequences of the ACT government’s planning and housing policy, which he said has kept “silent” Canberrans, such as pensioners or people in lower-income households, from being able to afford a detached house.
MICHAEL MOORE
“Don’t surrender West Basin to the developers”
JULY: “Water’s-edge projects, such as that proposed for West Basin, will destroy the current habitat, remove access for ordinary Canberrans and concentrate the benefits in the hands of a few. UnAustralian!” wrote political columnist Michael Moore, of the project which has since been retitled as “Acton Waterfront”.
ROBERT MACKLIN
“Witness J: My life among the paedophiles”
APRIL: After Robert Macklin, last year, broke the national story of Witness J, the prisoner held secretly in Canberra’s Alexander Maconochie Centre for more than seven months, this year Macklin reported on the release of his book “Here, There are Dragons”, about Witness J’s experience of being incarcerated with some of Australia’s most odious paedophiles.
JANUARY: A map from the Emergency Services Agency revealed a grim picture when it predicted that a fire, burning in Tharwa, was moving towards the Canberra suburbs of Banks and Gordon.
5
Bus passengers told to quarantine themselves immediately
MARCH: Readers were concerned to learn that a whole Murrays bus full of people travelling from Sydney to Canberra were asked to quarantine after the ACT’s third confirmed coronavirus case, a woman in her 70s, was on it.
Creativity triumphs over grim circumstances
In a grim year for artists everywhere, Canberra’s creators and creative institutions have been remarkably fertile, with only a momentary hiatus in performances and
a spontaneous dance and music performance following the principles of social distancing as it unfolded with twists, turns and surprises along the pathways of Lakes Burley Griffin, Ginninderra and Tuggeranong.
Canberra’s top dance artists and a single violinist moved in a spatially-distanced procession to live musical accompaniment, entertaining audiences of dance goers and members of the wider Canberra community.
DANCE: Lake March, the Australian Dance Party, on Lakes Burley Griffin, Ginninderra and Tuggeranong, August and September.
FOR the second time running, Alison Plevey’s Australian Dance Party came up with the premier dance event of the year in “Lake March”,
VISUAL ART: “Know My Name:
Australian Women Artists 1900 to Now”, National Gallery of Australia, until July.
ALTHOUGH forced to close down for some time, the National Gallery of Australia went ahead with Part I of its perception-changing show “Know My Name: Australian Women Artists 1900 to Now”, described by its curator as “certainly the most complex and biggest exhibition of art by women ever seen in this country”.
presence of Canberra artists, with considerable prominence given to works by GW Bot, eX De Medici, Marie Hagerty, Alison Alder, Brenda L Croft and Vivienne Binns.
In a collaboration with the business Art Girl Rising, t-shirts with the names of Australian artists were made available for purchase.
Magnificently laid-out, with installation and artworks from floor-to-ceiling, revealing the beauty of Colin Madigan’s building, this show will be followed by another on the same theme next year.
was beamed out live across the world in April to around 270 households watching online, as part of the online Melbourne Guitar Festival.
“Even without a live audience, Withers did not lack any of his usual musical charisma and quality playing,” our reviewer wrote, adding, “COVID-19 couldn’t stop the music”.
THEATRE: “Barren Ground” virtual First Seen presentation at The Street Theatre, September.
classical guitarist
A whole wall of posters refers to Canberra’s art history and there is a visible
via
is part of the brave
Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre, February.
Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”, introduces survivors Prospero, Miranda and Ariel, who are assisted by Christmas Islander local, Caliban, a thoroughly disturbing character.
OR people who couldn’t get to Sydney for Mardi Gras, the production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s “HMS Pinafore” at The Q in Queanbeyan, described as being “as camp as a row of tent pegs” might have been the next best thing. Directed by the inventive Kate Gaul, who was also momentarily director for the new National Opera production of “La Rondine” for a nanosecond until covid-related changes intervened, the show incorporated both the instrumental and vocal talents of the whole cast in gender-bending, hypertheatrical and kinky headed by Canberra countertenor Toby Cole, this time singing baritone as Captain Corian. It was a shining beacon in a sea of darkness.
ARTS IN THE CITY
Heide’s beachside pelicans lift off
By Helen Musa
PHOTOGRAPHER Heide Smith has once again outdone most other snappers with her “seasonal best wishes” image of pelicans on their watery runway, taken at Tuross Head, where she and husband Brian now live. Famous for “shooting” famous Canberrans, Heide has turned to nature for her inspiration.
COLLECTOR Julie Carter was attracted to Studio Anna souvenir ceramics depicting Canberra’s Shine Dome which she frequented as part of her work at CSIRO. Her husband Andrew Carter, a horticulturalist, collected ceramics with designs of native flora and fauna. Now on show at CMAG, their collections show how Australiana ceramics wound up being hung in pride of place in Australian homes. “Pride of Place: Julie & Andrew Carter’s Australiana Ceramics Collection”, until January 16.
OPERA Australia will be back at the Sydney Opera House with “The Merry Widow”, after a nine-month hiatus because of the covid shutdown. Directed by
Graeme Murphy, the opulent production, replete with the glitz and glamour of art deco France, will star Julie Lea Goodwin and Alexander Lewis. At Sydney Opera House, January 5-16, bookings at opera.org.au
MIKELANGELO and the Black Sea Gentlemen will celebrate their 20th anniversary with a run of shows at the Four Winds Festival site, Barragga Bay, Bermagui, 7pm, Friday and Saturday, January 8-9, book via fourwinds.com.au/whats-on/
PROFESSOR Ken Lampl, former head of the ANU School of Music, with his collaborator Kirsten Axelholm, has composed the score and soundtrack for the new Australian sci-fi film, “2067”. The film opened in the US in early October, then screened at the Adelaide Film Festival in its Australian debut. The producer Lisa Shaunessy, who had liked their score for the rural horror film “The Furies”, hooked them up with her husband, “2067” director Seth Larney. Sony Music has released it on their label Milan Records and the soundtrack has been named one of the top film scores of 2020 by “Film Music Magazine”.
Heide Smith, “Liftoff at Tuross Head”.
Canberra
Matt Withers locked himself away from his family in the Pacific Suites Hotel in Northbourne Avenue to perform his “Songs of Yesterday”, which
Lake March… dance performances around the lakes. Photo: Lorna Sim
“The Wreckers”, detail, by Canberra artist eX De Medici.
Dramaturgy
Zoom
Tobias Cole and Katherine Allen in “HMS Pinafore”.
Wendy’s top five eateries in a terrible year
“Reflecting on 2020 food reviews was a stark reminder of what an annus horribilis it was for many in hospitality,” writes dining reviewer WENDY JOHNSON
REFLECTING on 2020 food reviews was a stark reminder of what an annus horribilis it was for many in hospitality. We bid a sad farewell to those forced to close. We applaud those who stirred the creativity
pot to keep us fed in new ways. We worship those who weathered bushfires, hail and COVID-19 to stay with us.
Here are this year’s top five picks, in no particular order.
1. Pilot , a 30-seat restaurant at Ainslie, creates amazing food and has a wine list aficionados love exploring. We adored the beef tartare and fish curry. Pilot takes food seriously but not too seriously and the roast chook dish is a classic example. This is Pilot’s special take on the good old Aussie chicken sandwich. Delicious and fun.
2. Dumpling Social has a prime possie on Bradley Street. Its funky fitout and
special vibe make you want to eat loads of dumplings, which we did. We indulged in pork and chive dumplings, the Xiao Long Bao (delicate steamed pork dumplings swimming in hot soup) and the fashionable beef and beetroot dumplings (the pastry is two-toned in colour). Also explore the signature dishes.
3. Breizh Café , a little slice of Brittany at Ainslie Shops, specialises in crepes and patisserie. The mushroom galette was with Gruyère, potatoes sautéed in parsley and garlic butter and baby spinach. The smoked salmon – presented as a rose in the centre of the plate was pretty and delicious with a hard-boiled egg, tomatoes, sour cream
JUMBO CROSSWORD SOLUTION
and salty capers. We enjoyed lunch with a grenache/shiraz blend from Provence, and topped off with traditional Kouign-Amann, created with bread dough layered and folded with butter and sugar.
4. The foundation of a glorious pizza is the dough. At the relatively new Department of Pizza at Campbell shops, dough is king – not too thin, not too thick and easy to digest. Pizzas, created with love, are wood fired, traditional and authentic. That includes the Margarita with a flavour-bomb tomato sauce, fresh, aromatic basil, and yum fior di latte. Just as sensational was the moist limoncello cake and the out-of-thisworld tiramisu.
5. Les Bistronomes’ COVID-19 model deserves a top pick for innovation and quality. “Cooking with Clem”, created during the pandemic, kept the restaurant afloat. The idea was so popular it continues, with Christmas take-home dinner packages selling out early. A three-course meal, partially prepared at Les Bistronomes, is delivered in a basket with a recipe card and a link to a cooking YouTube video. Unpack the basket, read the card, grab un verre de vin and watch Clem explain how to execute the remaining steps for finishing off the dishes. We loved the beef Wellington and duck à l’orange.
Now it’s rest time before tantalising the taste buds again in 2021. Happy holidays.
Pilot’s chicken + steamed white bread + mayo + fresh side salad… the best roast chook experience in a long time.
Smoked salmon galette at Breizh Café… pretty on the plate, simple yet aromatic basil and yum fior di latte.
Duck a l’orange from Les Bistronomes… with pickled red cabbage, orange and duck jus and citrus segments.
HOROSCOPE 2021 / your year in the stars
Get set for scientific advances and more of
“CityNews” weekly astrologer JOANNE MADELINE MOORE shares her predictions for the year ahead.
IN 2020 – on December 17 and 19 – Jupiter and Saturn transited into Aquarius (the sign of the future, freedom, diversity and experimentation). So in 2021, expect exciting advances in space travel, medical breakthroughs, scientific discoveries and a new vaccine or wonder drug to combat COVID-19.
The travel industry, higher education and aged care will be reinvented, and many of us will be working in more flexible and innovative ways. We’ll also be doing more online – from work, business and study to shopping, socialising and being entertained. As increasing emphasis is placed on technology, we’ll find comfort and security in community connections and local solutions.
Uranus continues its transit through Taurus. Uranus is the planet of revolutions, disruptions, shocks and changes; whereas Taurus rules money, the economy, banks and material possessions. So prepare for further financial, real estate and stock market volatility in 2021.
Businesses that adapt and people who pivot are the ones that will navigate the bumpy road ahead and learn to thrive rather than just survive.
(April 21-May 21)
LOVE & LUST
Attached Bulls – the eclipses (in May, June, November and December) could stir up hidden tensions, particularly if you’ve been putting work before a relationship. It’s best to bring these problems out into the open, where they can be examined, discussed and resolved. Singles – Cupid’s arrow is most likely to strike in April, August or November, when you’re attracted to a sexy Scorpio or a charismatic Capricorn. So brush up on your flirting technique and seductive one-liners.
LOOT & LUCK
Jupiter and Saturn journey through your career zone for most of the year. So it’s a good time to work hard, rub shoulders with influential people, maximise opportunities or apply for a professional award. Your luckiest period is from April 14 until May 9, when your ruler Venus visits your sign. But there could be a temporary financial setback between May 29 and June 22, when Mercury reverses through your money zone. So be cautious and responsible with finances during this period.
LIFESTYLE
Uranus and a lunar eclipse activate your sign, so 2021 is the year to become the Bull you were born to be! With Jupiter and Neptune stimulating your hopes and wishes zone, you definitely need to follow your dreams. Times may be tough but you have more chance of success if you’re doing work that suits you, and pursuing dreams that capitalise on your Taurean talents. If you write down your goals and aspirations (and refer to them regularly) then there is more chance they will manifest.
NEW YEAR MOTTO
“All of us invent ourselves. I’ve always taken risks and I don’t worry about what the world thinks of me.” (Cher)
NEW YEAR MOTTO
“Life has got all those twists and turns. You’ve got to hold on tight and off you go.” (Nicole Kidman)
CANCER
(June 22-July 23)
LOVE & LUST
Powerful Pluto continues transiting through your relationship zone. If you’re attached, 2021 is the year to take a long hard look at your partnership and transform it in some way. Are you truly 100 per cent committed to your spouse? If not, then it’s time to resuscitate the relationship… or extricate yourself as gracefully as possible and move on. Single Crabs: give superficial suitors the flick. Look for a potential partner who is passionate, resourceful and a deep thinker. The best months for blind dates and romantic rendezvous are January and November.
LOOT & LUCK
In 2021 (courtesy of lucky Jupiter) you could benefit from a favour, freebie, inheritance, bumper tax return, divorce settlement or superannuation payout. But, with penny-pinching Saturn also in your ‘money-from-others’ zone, you could encounter delayed payments, tax issues, legal problems, unexpected extra expenses, budget blow-outs or employment problems. Separating your wants from your needs is a must as smart Crabs get thrifty, cut excess consumption, and put any extra money aside in an emergency fund.
LIFESTYLE
Over the coming year, with three eclipses in your wellbeing and spiritual zones, it’s very important to look after your physical, mental and emotional health. Appreciating and guarding your privacy is also a priority as you spend regular quality time on your own, to meditate and contemplate. The best months to start a healthy eating plan, reboot your exercise routine or start a relaxation practice are May and June. A much-needed holiday is on the cards in July, when Jupiter transits through your travel zone.
zone, the more authentically you express your talents and creativity, the more you’ll sparkle and shine. But remember there’s a fine line between blowing others away (with your energy and enthusiasm) and turning them away with your blunt (and sometimes bossy) approach.
NEW YEAR MOTTO
“If I can’t be daring in my work and the way I live my life, then I don’t really see the point of being on this planet.” (Madonna)
March 21-April 20)
LOVE & LUST
Many Aries will be extra amorous during the first six days of January, when sexy Mars moves through the sign. Attached Rams, March and April are the best months to book a romantic weekend getaway. Singles – get circulating in your local community in the merry month of May, because true love could be as close as the boy or girl next door! But a relationship could stall (or even go backwards) when Mercury reverses through your love zone from September 27 until October 18. Do your best to keep the channels of communication open.
LOOT & LUCK
Expect the unexpected in 2021 when Uranus, Jupiter, Saturn and a lunar eclipse stir up your finance zone. A sudden influx of cash could be followed by a lean period, so you need to put extra funds aside to tide you over when money is tight. Be careful in January, when you could get carried away and overspend at the New Year sales. April and May are good months to tap into your entrepreneurial side and turn an abstract, innovative idea into a practical, productive venture.
LIFESTYLE
2021 is the year to reassess your aspirations, redesign your dreams and reach further for your goals, as Jupiter and Saturn stimulate your hopes and wishes zone. Hard work and opportunity meet destiny, so make sure you’ve done all the study and preparation required before you pounce. And try to be extra diplomatic with colleagues, clients or customers from July 29 until September 15, when fiery Mars charges through your work zone.
NEW YEAR MOTTO
“With the right kind of coaching and determination, you can accomplish anything.” (Reese Witherspoon)
(May 22-June 21)
LOVE & LUST
With two eclipses revving up your relationship zone, expect a rollercoaster ride in 2021. May and June are tumultuous months, when it will be tricky to get the balance right between invigorating independence and cosy coupledom. Peace is restored in August and September when Venus visits your love zone. Some optimistic Geminis will revisit an old romance in October. But do you really want to travel down that rocky road again? December brings the opportunity to revitalise a tired old relationship or start a delightful new dalliance.
LOOT & LUCK
Be very careful about money matters (and avoid making business deals) in February, June and October, when Mercury (your power planet) is in retrograde mode. If you’re patient and perceptive, then you’ll manage to stay out of financial strife in 2021. When it comes to making a major work decision, have the courage to listen to your inner voice. It will point you in the right direction.
LIFESTYLE
2021 is the year to restructure your aspirations, reboot your dreams and revise study or travel plans. Lucky opportunities will come your way… but only if you’ve put in the preparation required. Shortcuts won’t work. Be extra diplomatic with family, friends and colleagues in February, June and October, when Mercury (your ruling planet) is retrograde. It’s also important to express your authentic self and embrace your individual style. The best date to restyle your hair, revamp your wardrobe and update your image is when the solar eclipse lights up your sign on June 10.
NEW YEAR MOTTO
“ I work on instinct. It’s my best adviser.” (Princess Diana)
(August 24-September 23)
LOVE & LUST
In 2021, Jupiter heralds adventure, Neptune sends romance and Pluto promises passion. The best months to find a new love (or resuscitate a flagging marriage) are in January and March (courtesy of Venus) and from May 13 until July 28 (when bountiful Jupiter visits your relationship zone). These dates are also a good time to join an online dating site, enjoy a romantic getaway, organise an engagement party or get married. Unhappily single? You could find yourself drawn to a dashing person from another country or culture.
LOOT & LUCK
Virgos need to be extra vigilant with money matters in 2021. The best months to sell services, stock or property and boost cash flow are August and September, when lucky Venus and proactive Mars move through your $$$ zone. The worst months to finalise financial deals, sign contracts, start a new job or embark on a business trip are February, June and October, when Mercury reverses through your work, career and money zones. Instead, be patient and use these times to revise, review and prepare.
LIFESTYLE
With restless Uranus and a lunar eclipse activating your adventure zone, 2021 is the year to travel (locally, interstate and even overseas) as long as it’s in a responsible and sensible way. Use your talent for detailed research to find places you can go that are covid-safe and open for business. For those Virgos who can’t get away, outdoor activities like bushwalking, running, hiking, biking and camping are all favoured, as you explore and enjoy the great outdoors.
NEW YEAR MOTTO
(July 24-August 23)
LOVE & LUST
2021 will be a year of extremes as Jupiter and Saturn transit through your relationship zone. Some attached Cats will finally get engaged or married, while others end an unsatisfactory union or finalise a divorce. Single Lions – look for a long-term partner who has a good sense of humour but is also reliable and mature. The best month for romance is July, when Venus and Mars boost your charisma and sex appeal. But don’t do anything major (like propose, get married or initiate a breakup) between January 30 and February 21, when Mercury reverses through your partnership zone.
LOOT & LUCK
The luckiest period is from May 13 until July 28, when prosperity planet Jupiter jumps through your ‘moneyfrom-others’ zone and you could benefit from an inheritance, bumper tax return, promotion or better paying job. But (under the influence of nebulous Neptune) be careful you’re not viewing money matters through decidedly rose-coloured glasses. You need to deal with financial facts rather than wishful thinking.
LIFESTYLE
Lions are ambitious creatures, and 2021 is the year when you can really stand out from the crowd and make a strong impression in the public sphere. With unique Uranus (and a lunar eclipse) revving up your career and reputation
“I don’t regret a thing I’ve done. I only regret the things I didn’t do.” (Ingrid Bergman)
(September 24-October 23)
LOVE & LUST
O ver the next 12 months, unpredictable Uranus will shake up your ideas about who you can really trust. Look to a person’s history and inner character, rather than their glossy image and outward appearance. Passionate Mars fires up your love and sexuality zones in January and February. Singles – you’ll feel extra frisky in the New Year, as you flirt up a storm and circulate in style. So it’s a terrific time to host a party, go on a blind date, join a singles club or look for love online. Attached Libra: in 2021, expect lashings of romance coupled with serious relationship responsibilities.
LOOT & LUCK
Some Librans will be lucky in 2021, as prosperity planet Jupiter moves through your good fortune zone. So it’s an auspicious year to enter a competition, buy a lottery ticket, visit the casino, win at the races or launch a lucrative project. But avoid making important financial decisions (like
for a
a
or
through your luck
ing a contract) when Mercury
life online, with comfort in community
zone (in February) and through your sign (in October).
LIFESTYLE
Three eclipses activate your education zones in May, June and December. So it’s important that you channel serious and focused energy into updating your skills, studying diverse subjects and discussing new ideas. Books are your best friends in 2021, as you expand your mind and read up a storm. You’ll find the more you challenge yourself mentally, the more talents you’ll develop, the more options you’ll have, and the better your future will be.
NEW YEAR MOTTO
“Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.” (Eleanor Roosevelt)
(November 23-December 21)
LOVE & LUST
With three eclipses activating your relationship axis, expect some stormy times ahead as you find it tricky to get the balance right between independence and togetherness. Unhappily single? Cupid is most likely to come calling in March or April, when Venus and Mars visit your romance zones. So January and February are the months to reboot your dating profile and spend lots of time with family and friends. Attached Archers – love and lust are on the menu in May, when your sex drive soars. June is the month to be extra considerate towards your partner, as you try talking less and listening a lot more.
LOOT & LUCK
(October 24-November 22)
LOVE & LUST
Disruptive Uranus continues to shake up relationships in 2021. Coupled Scorpio: the sexual sparks fly in June, as the solar eclipse luminates your lust zone. However, if you’ve been putting up with bad behaviour from your partner, then things could come to a dramatic climax around the time of the lunar eclipse in November. Single Scorpio: avoid looking for love in the same old places. You could be attracted to someone who is much older, much younger, or from a different culture. Whatever happens, when it comes to romance in the coming year –expect the unexpected!
LOOT & LUCK
Resist the compelling urge to go on a wild spending spree in May, June or December, when three eclipses stimulate your money zones and financial common sense flies out the window. In uncertain economic times, business-savvy Scorpios will choose to concentrate on thrifty shopping, smart saving and sustainable living. Luckiest month is July, when prosperity planet Jupiter jumps through your good fortune zone and opportunity comes calling.
LIFESTYLE
In 2021 you could redecorate, house-sit, buy or sell real estate, move house, get a new housemate, start a business from home or renovate your present place. And there could also be extra domestic duties or family responsibilities that you have to deal with. Jupiter and Saturn urge you to have fun and appreciate each special moment of the day, as you enjoy the simple things in life – like a walk in the park, a kiss from a child or a beautiful sunset.
NEW YEAR MOTTO
“I want to have fun, I want to shine like the sun.”
(Joni Mitchell)
The internet and luck are linked in 2021. Your career and/or public profile could suddenly take off via the clever use of social media (and a helping hand from Jupiter). Something you write could reach a wider audience or even go viral. Smart Sagittarians will find numerous ways to monetise these opportunities when they come along. May 13 until July 28 is fortunate for money matters involving family members, real estate or a home-based business.
LIFESTYLE
Two eclipses light up your sign, so independence and identity are important themes in 2021. You have a compelling need to be your own captain and sail your own ship. But that must be blended with good communication skills, personally and professionally. Balance and compromise are the keys. March and April are lucky months to promote a project or business online and make a splash on social media.
NEW YEAR MOTTO
“I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.” (Louisa May Alcott)
May is the best month to be proactive, when assertive Mars charges through your partnership zone.
LOOT & LUCK
Expect a bumpy path ahead, as Jupiter and Saturn both transit through your money zone. It could be a case of cash pouring in one month and then slim pickings the next. Jupiter brings financial benefits in January but then things look complicated in February, when Mercury reverses through your $$$ zone and your bank balance could go backwards. So make sure you plan and prepare for a feast and famine kind of year.
LIFESTYLE
Jupiter and Saturn are visiting your self-esteem zone, so it’s time to truly love yourself just the way you are, warts and all. Hopefully, mistakes will lead to maturity and flaws will add to your Capricorn charm! If you require help, don’t dismiss the assistance of others. With an experienced teacher, coach or mentor on board, you can achieve great things. If you travel, it’s likely to be for work or study, rather than frivolous fun.
NEW YEAR MOTTO
“If you want to see the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.” (Dolly Parton)
and responsibility in your life. With three eclipses stimulating your peer group zones, is 2021 the year to finally sever ties with a fair-weather friend? Make it a priority to fill your friendship group with positive people who encourage your talents and support your dreams. When it comes to communication, computers and travel, be extra flexible in February and October, when Mercury reverses through Aquarius and your adventure zone respectively.
NEW YEAR MOTTO
“I always say don’t make plans, make options.” (Jennifer Aniston)
(February 20-March 20)
LOVE & LUST
Coupled Pisces: are you experiencing ongoing problems with your sweetheart? March and August are the prime months to be positive and proactive, as you lead the way and set new ground rules in the relationship. And try to be extra diplomatic and understanding with your partner in October, when Mercury reverses through your intimacy zone. Single Pisces: you need to be patient! Your soulmate finally comes calling in August, when Venus and Mars both visit your partnership zone. Love is particularly likely with a virile Virgo, a sensual Scorpio or a charismatic Cancer.
(December 22-January 20)
LOVE & LUST
With powerful and perceptive Pluto in your sign, you have to be happy with yourself before you can have a satisfying relationship with someone else. And with unpredictable Uranus in your romance zone, you also need to be flexible and open to sudden changes. Attached Capricorns: plan a special surprise for your partner in April or May. Single Goats: look for love with a tender Taurus, a caring Cancer or a sexy Scorpio. But don’t sit around waiting for your soulmate to magically appear!
(January 21-February 19)
LOVE & LUST
2021 will work well if you alternate solo projects with joint ventures, as you strive to get the balance right between invigorating independence and satisfying relationships. Attached Aquarius – January and April favour cosy companionship and pampering your partner, so plan something special. Looking for love? The best months to search for your soul mate are March, April and July. Communicating with your sweetheart (or a potential partner) will be complicated between May 29 and June 22, when Mercury reverses through your romance zone.
LOOT & LUCK
Prosperous Jupiter and patient Saturn are transiting through your sign for most of the year. So make sure you’ve done all the hard work and homework that’s required, so you can take advantage of good luck when it comes along. Your motto for 2021 is ‘Preparation + Opportunity = Success.’ The best period for financial growth and making business decisions is from May 13 until July 28, when wealth planet Jupiter moves through your money zone. So strike while the iron is hot!
LIFESTYLE
Do your best to get the balance right between freedom
LOOT & LUCK
The luckiest months are March and April, when Venus visits your cash zone and a tempting financial opportunity could appear. But avoid lending money, borrowing funds, buying investments or signing contracts between September 27 and October 18, when Mercury reverses through your ‘money-from-others’ zone. If you work hard, plan carefully and save wisely, then you’ll sail through any temporary financial glitches and end the year in good fiscal shape.
LIFESTYLE
January through until April is the time to slow down and listen to the wisdom of your inner voice. It will point you in the right direction in 2021. Then Jupiter barnstorms into Pisces from May 13 until July 28, which boosts motivation, optimism and good fortune. You’ll find confidence is the rocket fuel that can really take you places in the future! Be extra diplomatic with family members and/or housemates in June, when Mercury reverses through your domestic zone.
NEW YEAR MOTTO
“Don’t let the noise of other opinions drown your own inner voice.” (Steve Jobs)
© Joanne Madeline Moore 2020
Great food & great service is Blu Ginger’s
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK FOR LUNCH AND DINNER OVER DECEMBER AND JANUARY
(CLOSED CHRISTMAS DAY)
JUMBO CROSSWORD
GARDENING
Canberra’s year in the garden
CANBERRA’S climate is great for gardening, with its distinct seasons and the wide range of plants that grow here.
We can grow a greater range of fruit trees, berries and edible crops than almost anywhere else in Australia.
The average annual rainfall in Canberra is 619mm, with the starting figure for evaporation of 1800mm; the latter mainly in summer. Temperatures range from 35C+ in summer down to -5C in winter, at times both hotter and colder. If moving into a new home, I’d suggest not making any dramatic changes to the garden. Observe it for three to six months, and see what
flowers first or which trees may need attention. Wattles in full bloom announce the arrival of spring in September; along with many other native plants. It’s a good time to visit the Australian National Botanic Gardens. Fruit trees, generally potted, will still be in abundance in garden centres. Apples, pears, plums and most berry fruits can be planted now, before the heat of summer. Spring is blossom time for the wonderful flowering crabapples, cherries, pears and plums. Then we have bursting forth the rhododendrons, azaleas and magnolias.
The selection of perennial plants that grow here is amazing, with many flowering from now through summer and into autumn.
In October, the first of the early flowering clematis will appear. This is the time of surprises of buying an existing garden, when bulbs start to appear. It’s also the time of the Floriade spring festival. Hopefully the worst of the frosts will be over, and citrus such as lemons, limes and cumquats will appear. Unfortunately oranges do not generally do well here; they need longer, hot summers such
as in the Riverina. Roses also start to flower. By November it’s time to plant tomatoes, plus a wide range of summer veggies. December, except for regular watering is one of the quietest times in the garden during Christmas/New Year and holidays. One of my highlights at this time is the fragrance of daphne in the garden. January and February, the hottest months when watering cannot be neglected. Deadheading flowering roses is important at this time to provide continuous flowering into autumn. Generally planting is not recommended until autumn; it being mainly a maintenance period. March and April are one of the most beautiful times of the year, when Canberra comes into its own. The deciduous trees as the leaves change into their rich autumnal colours are a sight to behold. Especially when viewed from the lookouts on Mount Ainslie or Black Mountain. Autumn is equal to spring for flowering trees and shrubs, with crepe myrtles, hibiscus and a bevy of perennials coming into their own; Michaelmas daisies, salvias and belladonna lilies, to name a few. Autumn is planting time; the heat of summer has passed. The ground is still warm without the searing heat and blasting hot winds. Then comes winter, time to plant all deciduous ornamental trees, fruit trees and roses.
