MICHAEL MOORE / It’s not about Peter or Albo, it’s about voting local
‘Strumpet of Patriots’ faces fiery comeback
ROSS FITZGERALD
It takes a time for tall poppies to bloom again CLIVE WILLIAMS Barr versus Trump. And the winner is… KEEPING UP THE ACT
music FRAGILE
Percussionist NIKI JOHNSON is playing glass-sandstone gongs and cymbals at the upcoming Canberra International Music Festival
“Patient-centered care is the focus for this doctor’s new practice in Deakin” Taking new patients at Peter Yorke Building, Suite 6, Level 3, 173 Strickland Crescent, Deakin. Call 5133 7112 or visit cfhc.com.au
APRIL 24, 2025
“Astonishing”—Canberra CityNews
Music by Beethoven, Perica, Janáček and Golijov that pulses with a vital force and speaks directly to the heart. A beautiful experience to share with someone special this Mother’s Day.
NEWS / illegal parking BRIEFLY
Nature-strip parking threatens trees
By Elizabeth KOVACS
Well-travelled town planner
Colin Lyons says Canberra has the worst cases of illegal parking he’s ever seen.
Specifically when it comes to parking on nature strips, which Colin says is not just an aesthetic problem, “it’s causing environmental damage by compacting the soil over tree roots”.
The ACT Government’s Nature Strip Guidelines (2019) state that maintenance and upkeep of a nature strip is a shared responsibility of the property owner and government.
“Where this relationship exists, the nature strip can perform its essential role as a conduit of services and make a highly valuable contribution to Canberra’s picturesque street character, which in turn can lead to higher individual property value and sustainability benefits,” it says.
Property owners are asked to sustain an upkeep of their nature strip as an extension of their own property, despite ownership belonging to the government.
Colin is a member of a local residents’ group Friends of Hawker Village (FoHV).
Previously raising concerns with the
ACT government regarding excessive and ongoing parking on nature strips, Colin says it’s a difficult issue because nature-strip parking compacts the soil and threatens tree plantings.
to have nature strip parking rather than insisting on cars being parked on the roads.”
nature strip in the ACT is illegal under the
community-wide problem that occurs in Belconnen and other areas through the ACT,” he says.
“FoHV has recognised that, while
development of two public car parks in the Hawker Centre.
Becoming an incorporated association in March 2013, the group aims to
support, promote and protect the suburban, social and environmental qualities and character of the Hawker Village shopping centre and its surrounding suburbs of Hawker, Weet-
“We support the minimisation of adverse environmental consequences associated with urban planning and
“It doesn’t look very appealing to have loads of cars parked out the front
“Some of these cars haven’t been
Working as a town planner, Colin says his eyes have well and truly been opened to the state of Canberra’s na-
“The problem is the housing and how it’s been built, it’s not the family’s fault they don’t have the space to fit so many cars once their kids grow up,” he
Although not much can be done about the current housing, Colin says it’s something that should be looked at
“Nature strips add to the beauty of Canberra and uphold our reputation as
“It’s all of our jobs to make sure our
Friends of Hawker Village. Visit friendsofhawkervillage.wordpress.com or contact fohv1975@gmail.com
One
suburb in
bin pick-up day change
Only household bin collections in Charnwood are affected by a change of contractor, when pick-ups move from Mondays to Wednesdays.
Last year the ACT government announced the consolidation of all three household waste collection services into one contract. This contract was awarded to JJ’s Waste and Recycling from April 28.
Volunteers go to school
The ACT School Volunteer Program is recruiting volunteers to work with students in their local school in 2025. The program says it needs patient adults who can help a child who struggles with reading or using numbers or completing the tasks set by the teacher. Training and induction is provided. The next Mentor Orientation Seminar is at 10am-12.30pm on May 5. Book via text to 0434 537555 or at shoringnola@gmail.com
Stall with mum in mind
The Bold Bandannas Mother’s Day fundraising stall is at Bunnings, Majura Park, 9.30am-4.30pm on May 10. The Relay for Life Team raises funds for cancer research and support and will be selling handmade items including crocheted hand towels, knitted and lace coat hangers, children’s dramatic play items and, as winter approaches, beanies, scarves, mittens and knee rugs.
Arts & Entertainment 17-21
Crossword 23
Dining & Wine 20
Gardening 22
Letters 12
News 3-13
Politics 4, 6
Streaming 19
Sudoku 23
Since 1993: Volume 31, Number: 16
General manager: Tracey Avery, tracey@citynews.com.au
Senior advertising account executive: David Cusack, 0435 380656
Advertising account executive: Damien Klemke, 0439 139001
Editor: Ian Meikle, editor@citynews.com.au
Journalist: Elizabeth Kovacs, elizabeth@citynews.com.au
Arts editor: Helen Musa, helen@citynews.com.au
Production manager: Janet Ewen
Distribution manager: Penny McCarroll Cover: Percussionist Niki Johnson with a glass gong used in her Shock Lines performance. Photo: Peter Hislop. Story page 17.
Mitchell.
Parking on nature strips causes “environmental damage by compacting the soil over tree roots”, says concerned resident Colin Lyons.
Photo: Colin Lyons
Strumpet of Patriots faces fiery comeback fight
Former Canberran and self-styled ‘Strumpet of Patriots’ Fiona Patten is in a political comeback fight for a Victorian Senate seat against the might of Clive Palmer’s Trumpet of Patriots’ candidate and, strangely, Mark Zuckerberg, writes ROSS FITZGERALD.
As the Australian voter’s penchant for independents and minor parties continues to grow, the Senate is becoming a very colourful chamber.
In the federal election, there will be a fascinating contest for the last Senate seat in Victoria.
This is where a David and Goliath clash between Clive Palmer’s Trumpet of Patriots and the Legalise Cannabis Party will take place.
The latter’s lead candidate is former Canberran and former Australian Sex Party leader and Victorian MLC Fiona Patten.
With Palmer set to invest much more than the $123 million he spent on advertising his party at the last federal election, Ms Patten has a job ahead of her, especially as she has a war chest of less than $100,000.
In this election, not only does Ms Patten have Palmer’s millions to counter, but the US billionaire Mark Zuckerberg is working against her.
Meta has banned all Legalise Cannabis Party ads for political donations, branding them as de facto drug dealers.
A search for Legalise Cannabis Party on Zuckerberg’s platform comes up with a banner that reads: “If you see the sale of drugs, please report it.” Patten and the party are working to change this, but it has hampered early fundraising.
It’s ironic that Zuckerberg could support Donald Trump’s political aspirations on Meta’s platforms, but deny the right to advertise a legitimate party that has four sitting MPs in Australia.
Yet Zuckerberg has no problem advertising rival Australian parties. For example, Palmer is all over Meta promoting his Trumpian messages. Surely this is a form of discrimination that undermines the electoral process.
A few weeks ago, election expert Kevin Bonham said: “The 2022 figures suggest Legalise Cannabis could be competitive for a seat if it could roughly double its vote to about 6 per
She was also the first MP to admit to being a regular cannabis user.
Initially, Ms Patten was regarded as a novelty by the establishment. But her ability to lobby politicians in the Victorian parliament and her position chairing the influential legal and social issues committee soon made her one of Victoria’s most successful independent MPs.
have managed the transition to federal parliament. NSW independents Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott did so.
Patten is a political survivor who, as a former high-profile sex worker, now publicly refers to herself as the “Strumpet” of Patriots.
cent, which isn’t unthinkable with the is very media-savvy and will play well
It is noteworthy that in recent NSW and Victorian by-elections in Port Macquarie and Werribee, the Legalise Cannabis Party scored more than 7 per cent and 5 per cent respectively, which puts Patten within range of victory in the Senate.
Like Palmer, Patten is a political enigma. She was the first former sex worker to be elected to a parliament in Australia, though as she reminded people in her maiden speech, “the clients of sex workers have been elected in far greater numbers before me.”
In eight years as an MLC, Patten was responsible for new laws protecting abortion clinics and voluntary assisted dying, initiating hate speech laws, and legalising Victoria’s sex industry. This is a record of social change that Palmer’s solitary MP, the “Trumpian” United Australia Party senator for Victoria, Ralph Babet, can only dream of.
Losing her seat in the Victorian parliament in 2022 came after a bout of cancer and a public fight with the so-called “preference whisperer” Glenn Druery.
Comebacks are rare in Australian politics. With federal parliamentary terms only lasting three years, unless a person holds a safe seat – those are increasingly rare – most political careers are not long ones.
Australia’s most memorable political comebacks are those of former prime ministers, notably William Morris (Billy) Hughes, and more recently John Howard. In contrast, there aren’t many former state or territory MPs who
Although Patten’s policies often promote personal freedom and human rights, Patten has plenty of conservative connections to keep her anchored in the real world.
In her 2018 memoir Sex, Drugs and the Electoral Roll, she cited some unusual bedfellows as her mentors. These included Malcolm Fraser’s former press secretary David Barnett, Australian Democrats founder Don Chipp and former ACT Liberal chief minister Kate Carnell.
Politically, Patten most resembles the independent senator for the ACT David Pocock, and the feisty senator for Tasmania, Jacqui Lambie. This troika could end up all being MPs this year, holding the balance of power in the Senate.
If so, they might prove to be a considerable challenge for either Anthony Albanese or Peter Dutton in what might well be a hung parliament.
Ross Fitzgerald is Emeritus Professor of History and Politics at Griffith University. In the 2013 federal election he was lead NSW Senate candidate for the Australian Sex Party.
• Safe, effective, and accessible exercise for all ages and levels of fitness
• Combines walking with core and upper body training – shown to be more effective than jogging, running, cycling or swimming.
• Our proven programs are delivered by certified instructors, teaching skills sequentially in individual or group settings
• Includes professional pole fitting service - trial different styles and take home the most suitable
• Join our vibrant community! Nordic Walking is fun and social, with free weekly group walks across Canberra for our community to get together.
A second opinion on hearing loss – you need professional advice, not a sales pitch
A woman came into my clinic for a consultation about her hearing aids, telling me her hearing aids were 4 years old and she had never found them to be of much help. She said the salesperson quoted her $14,000 for a pair of hearing aids, however, the monthly special of 20% discount meant they cost her $11,200. So, she ‘only’ paid $11,200 for hearing aids that did not help her. Sadly, I hear this all too often.
Here are some things to do to avoid this type of problem:
1. Visit your GP. If you or someone you know has a problem with their hearing, visiting your GP to check for wax in the ears, and to get advice is a starting point.
2. Qualifications. Always check the qualifications of the person you are dealing with. A person without professional qualifications has no business advising you about your hearing. They need to belong to a professional association with a Code of Conduct, so you know they are acting in your best interests, not their own.
years. If you are not sure about their advice, then seek a second opinion. The wrong hearing aids can be an expensive waste and could lead you to stop wearing them. You should always have a trial of hearing aids to ensure that they are right for you.
6 Pensioners and eligible DVA card holders often have entitlement to free services. If you are covered by a government concession, then let the clinician know (even though your clinician should ask). Eligible clients may obtain free hearing tests, consultations, and free hearing aids (referred to as fully subsidized hearing aids).
“A person without professional qualifications has no business advising you about your hearing. They need to belong to a professional association with a Code of Conduct, so you know they are acting in your best interests, not their own.”
– Dr Vass
These hearing aids are appropriate for many people, however if you have great difficulty hearing in background noise (for example a restaurant), then you may want to consider partially subsidized hearing aids. This is when the government pays a certain amount, and you pay for additional features and benefits. Your decision should be based on the following:
you are dealing with a qualified clinician, then they belong to a professional association. The best contact is an independent complaints body referred to as Ethics Review Committee. You can email ethics@auderc.org.au and view the website www.auderc.org.au. You can make an anonymous complaint and your complaint will be handled in a confidential and professional manner. If you are in the ACT, contact the ACT Human Rights Commission email human rights@act.gov au and the website www.hrc.act.gov.au
3. Independent advice. You should get independent, professional advice.
4. There are a wide range of hearing aids out there. Finding the right hearing aids for your communication needs can be challenging. Hearing aids vary in price and performance. Bluetooth® connectivity and rechargeable hearing aids are available on most hearing aids, along with apps that allow you to control your hearing aids from your mobile device. Be aware that just because a hearing aid is more expensive, that doesn’t mean they are the best hearing aid for you.
5. Just as hearing aids vary in performance, clinicians may also vary in performance due to training, experience, and skills. Make sure that you are comfortable and confident in their advice. You are likely to be with this clinician for the life of your new hearing aids, typically 4 to 5
(a) Can you afford the more expensive hearing aids? Don’t go into financial stress if you can’t afford them. (b) Are you clear on the free vs partially subsidized features & benefits? Never believe someone who tells you the free hearings are not good or of poor performance, this is simply not true. (c) If you try the partially subsidized hearing aids and are not happy, then return them. Do not keep hearing aids because you think the failure is yours or that you will improve over time. If the hearing aids are not working for you in the trial period, then they will not work for you in a year or two.
7. If you have a complaint, then seek help. Your clinician should be able to help you through most of your needs. Sometimes, a problem may be beyond the expertise of even the best clinician. However, if you have a complaint there are things you can do. If
POLITICS / The House of Representatives
It’s not about Peter or Albo, it’s about voting local
You are not voting for Anthony Albanese or Peter Dutton. Certainly, not directly, although both major political parties want you to think that way.
The complicit media present a similar view encouraging people to think of elections as “presidential” ones. We have a system of representa tive democracy in the lower house and state/territory based proportional representation in the Senate.
Without going to an election as leader of the Liberals, Malcolm Turnbull became prime minister by securing support from enough MPs in the House of Representatives to overthrow Tony Abbott. It was a similar story with the Rudd, Gillard, Rudd saga.
Kevin Rudd believed his own rhetoric about being directly elected by the people. After his loss to Julia Gillard, he believed himself disenfranchised from his rightful position. He then ran a ruthless campaign, despite Gillard being the face of Labor that won the next election. A change of heart then allowed him to replace Gillard mid-term.
candidate who sees this election as “a once-in-a-generation opportunity for us to make real change”. Bola Olatunbosun came from Nigeria more than a decade ago to settle in Canberra and is running with the Liberals. She believes in the “values of family, community, and personal responsibility”.
If independent Claire Miles and the Greens’ Isabel Mudford support each other, there’s an outside chance that the seat of Canberra will move from Labor.
Will Roche, believes Canberra has been “forgotten”, “taken for granted”, “abandoned by an out-of-touch government”. Unfortunately for him, such words ring hollow following attacks by Peter Dutton on Canberra.
The seat of Bean is held by David Smith with a comfortable margin, just shy of 13 per cent. Smith has held the seat since 2019 and before that was an ACT Senator for a couple of years.
The Liberals do not provide a threat.
ter who”. Jessie Price is a journalist and mother of three, who wants to “see politics done differently”. She argues “the major parties have shown their sense of entitlement to politics; we are doing grassroots, participative democracy”.
It is so much easier to frame an election as a presidential-style battle between Albanese and Dutton as the two contenders rather than deal with the intricacies of an election based on representative seats. The voters in the
The seat of Fenner is a lay down misère. Andrew Leigh is the sitting MP who has represented the seat of Canberra for five terms. He has done so effectively and intelligently. His rational and thoughtful contribution in the community and in the parliament has been exemplary and he deserves to be re-elected.
In this election Mr Leigh has two challengers. Dani Hunterford is “a young person, a renter, and a passionate advocate for change working in the not-for-profit sector”. She is a Greens’
The seat of Canberra is not so clear. Alicia Payne has held the seat since 2019. She is not as well-known as her colleague, Andrew Leigh. However, she holds the seat by a margin of more than 12 per cent. With the increasing popularity of independents and Greens, there is always a possibility that she will be toppled.
If independent Claire Miles and the Greens’ Isabel Mudford support each other, there will be an outside chance that the seat of Canberra will move from Labor. The Liberal candidate,
The outside chance for a change in this seat would require an outstanding and co-ordinated effort from the Greens’ Sam Carter, and independent candidate, Jessie Price. Carter is a Paralympian and advocate for people with disabilities. His pitch is: “I’ve seen how government decisions can impact the livelihoods of so many in our community, no mat-
This is not a presidential election. When you vote for your candidates in the House of Representatives, you delegate to them the responsibility of voting for the first amongst equals as the prime minister. To the chagrin of the major parties, most independents understand this. It is right that they do not declare who they will vote for in terms of prime minister. This would undermine their negotiating position in the event of a minority government. Each vote does count. But a nuanced approach would dismiss any understanding that there is a direct vote for either of the major party leaders.
Michael Moore is a former member of the ACT Legislative Assembly and an independent minis ter for health.
OPENINGEXTENDEDHOURS
Enter the Mint’s captivating world of coins
The Royal Australian Mint, operating since 1965, plays an essential role as the nation’s sole producer of circulating currency.
It is also a proud issuer of collectible coin programs that commemorate our country’s history and culture.
Thanks to a $6 million upgrade last year, the new museum at Deakin features interactive displays that will entertain young and old alike. Visitors can design their own digital coin and see if they have what it takes to produce coins with games that test skills of efficiency and precision. There are also new wow-factor installations, starting with the coin column as visitors walk through the entrance. It contains 24,432 gold $1 coins. And, yes, they’re legal tender.
Wander through the museum and take in the variety of collectible coins that commemorate historical milestones, Aussie icons and unsung heroes.
Featuring quintessential animals such as the kangaroo and koala, major events such as the Olympics and Paralympics, or the end of World Wars, these coins serve as miniature pieces of history, as well as miniature pieces of art. From the factory viewing platform, visitors can gaze over the machines that make millions of coins each year and see the star of the show, Titan, the giant orange robot, lift barrels of gold and silver coins that weigh up to a tonne.
Downstairs, visitors can mint their own coin in the Mint Shop, or enjoy a barista coffee or bite to eat in the café.
The Royal Australian Mint, Denison Street, Deakin. Call 1300 652020, email hello@ramint.gov.au. Free entry, tours and parking, 8.30am-5pm Monday to Friday, and 10am-4pm on weekends. More information at ramint.gov.au
A factory view with a difference
From the Mint’s factory viewing platform visitors can observe the intricate process of coin production, including the minting machines at work, the precision of die-casting, and the quality control steps that ensure every coin meets strict standards.
Visitors can learn about the history of Australian currency, the design process and the technology that powers the Mint.
Interactive displays and expert guides enhance the experience, providing insights into the Mint’s role in Australia’s economy.
This platform offers an engaging, educational experience for all ages, offering a rare opportunity to see the art and science of coin production in action. It’s a must-visit for those interested in Australia’s heritage and the fascinating world of numismatics.
Coins make miniature masterpieces
At the Royal Australian Mint, innovation is at the heart of every design, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
Have you seen the stunning holographic coin with fireworks bursting over the Sydney Harbour Bridge? Or the vibrant coins celebrating Australia’s favourite children’s books, bringing beloved stories to life in full colour?
Scan to learn more
And if you love collecting, you’ll be amazed by the Mint’s one-kilo coins – yes, a whole kilogram of beautifully crafted gold or silver. These extraordinary pieces showcase the Mint’s world-class artistry and cutting-edge technology.
Whether it’s colour, holograms or sheer size, the Royal Australian Mint continues to redefine what coins can be.
Free entry, open 7 days
Denison St, Deakin ACT 1300 652 020 | ramint.gov.au
Visitors overlooking the Mint factory and Titan the robot.
Scientists who challenge climate change with data
DAVID
continues his series of profiles of Canberrans with a story. This week the focus is on two scientists striving to do amazing things with digital data.
Science has changed. Ten years ago, you could study botany at university and emerge with a degree that’d set you up for a career.
But those days are gone. Today, scientists need to marry expertise in their domain science with expertise in technology.
Why? Because digital technology delivers the data they need. No data. No research.
For example, there are two environmental scientists at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation who spend their days looking over the horizon.
Eco-hydrologist Dr Ashmita Sengupta and botanist Dr Shaun Levick are trying to find ways to use the latest digital technology to combat climate change.
Their focus?
The two killers in our landscape – floods and bushfires.
The head of Digital Water
and Landscapes Program at CSIRO, Peter Fitch, explains: “To be able to predict floods or bushfires, we need to under stand the landscape, and to do that we need to gather accurate information from large areas.
“Just collecting so much data is a challenge, even before you try to develop predictive capacity, so we are exploring how much new technologies can help.
“Sophisticated computer systems, drones, satellites, Li DAR pulse technology, machine learning, artificial intelligence are all coming into play.”
Dr Sengupta is an eco-hydrolo gist, an environmental engineer and modeller, who has extensive experience researching water problems around the world.
“Floods are amongst the most damaging natural disasters in the world,” she says.
“The consequences are huge. For example, in 2022 the floods in southeast Queensland cost about $8 billion.”
There is technology to
accurately map flooding, but it is too slow to be of any use as far as prediction is concerned.
“What the digital water and landscapes program has enabled us to do is use machine learning methods to predict floods and hydraulics,” she says.
“Our project developed a next-generation platform that enables rapid flood predictions.
“Where previous model runs took days, this new approach takes hours.”
Dr Levick is a botanist.
His challenge is how to measure three-dimensional landscapes when most existing maps are only two dimensional.
And we’re talking about large areas of land. Entire landscapes.
“Whether to find out how much carbon is locked up in the forest, or how extreme the fire risk is from fuel build up, we need to measure the biomass in the landscape – the amount of woody material,” Dr Levick says.
“The only way to truly measure biomass is to cut down a tree, harvest it and weigh it.”
But Dr Levick’s team is trying to develop a nondestructive means of measurement, and to that end he’s reached out to the National Aeronautical Space Agency in the US and the European Space Agency.
“We’ve been working with the space agencies to see if they can tweak their satellites a bit
to help us to collect data over large areas of land,” he says.
“Locally, we’ve also been trialling the latest drone technology and we’ve been experimenting with ‘LiDAR’, which stands for light detection and ranging.
“LiDAR instruments emit a laser pulse which interacts with objects like an individual tree or branch, anything.
“We can then reconstruct the environment in three dimensions on the computer.”
But collecting the data is just the first hurdle.
“Imagine how much information there is in documenting the biomass in a tropical rainforest,” he says.
“Grasslands or Mallee are easier, but it takes hours just to document one hectare.
“We need to find a way to do it a lot faster than that.”
While being able to accurately predict bushfires or measure carbon are worthwhile, they are not the only benefits Dr Levick’s work offers.
Collecting detailed data on a large scale of our environment also provides an accurate way of monitoring the health of the
environment.
“We could detect changes in vegetation, even predict whether different crops would outperform what is in the ground in particular regions at present,” he says.
Peter Fitch reminds us CSIRO has a commitment to serve industry in its charter.
“We already know climate change is making the north of Australia wetter, and the south drier,” he says.
“That presents a big challenge for agriculture, and for the community generally. We are hoping we can explore new technologies and find tools that will help farmers and the community adapt to the changing landscape.
“It’s my job to select the team of scientists, to motivate them, and to help them find projects that can make a difference.”
Journalist David Turnbull is writing a series of profiles about interesting Canberrans. Do you know someone we’ve never heard of? Share the name in an email to David via editor@citynews.com.au
TURNBULL
Eco-hydrologist Dr Ashmita Sengupta… “Our project developed a next-generation platform that enables rapid flood predictions.”
Botanist Dr Shaun Levick adjusts a drone… “Locally, we’ve been trialling the latest drone technology.” Photos: CSIRO
ARTHRITIS ACT JUVENILE ARTHRITIS INFORMATION DAY JOINS
SUNDAY MAY 4 • 9AM TO 1PM
COOMBS COMMUNITY CENTRE WOODBERRY AVENUE, COOMBES
Everyone Welcome • Amazing Stalls
• Specific information for families affected by Juvenile Arthritis
• Information for carers and teachers
FREE FACE PAINTING
COME & ENJOY A GREAT SUNDAY!
ADVERTISEMENT
A bonding activity for students and seniors
School Volunteer Program of the ACT (SVPACT) president, Nola Shoring says volunteering tackles two elements of mental health.
“Not only are we helping school children who are struggling both educationally and emotionally, but we are giving seniors a purpose, by fuelling their sense of self-confidence.”
Established 20 years ago, the SVPACT is a voluntary mentoring program for seniors to visit schools across Canberra and help students in need.
“Something that has stuck with me was being told that I might be the only adult who has sat and listened to a child all week, month, etcetera,” says Nola. “And that’s what gets me out of bed.”
With children selected by teachers to be in the
Senior volunteers needed for supporting students at school
School Volunteer Program ACT is celebrating 20 years of mentoring students
Build relationships with students, teachers & other volunteers
Mentor vulnerable students while increasing your own well being
To find out more contact Nola Shoring on 0434 537 555
Please check out the website today svpact.org.au to view the simple steps to become a volunteer
program, Nola says volunteers are matched to the child depending on their own skills.
“Life experience is super important,” she says.
“Our volunteers don’t have to have teaching backgrounds to help.”
From engineers to public servants, Nola says all levels of experience are invaluable.
“Ultimately the program gives our volunteers a family,” she says. “They’re part of a team.”
Nola says they will host an information session for anyone interested at the Hedley Beare Centre for Teaching and Learning, Stirling at 10am-12.30pm, May 5.
The School Volunteer Program of the ACT. Call 0434 537555 or visit svpact.org.au
Connecting generations. Connecting communities. Connect with us.
Those car parks in Gungahlin are drama-cabanas
After working for many years, I bought my first new car.
One day I returned to the car park to find my beautiful car badly smashed in the rear by another car.
I see people struggling to park their SUVs and large sedans between cars or between a car and a concrete post. It’s a nightmare we all drivers go through.
Why? It’s because of the so-called car park “standard” which was defined long before many of the present generation of retirees were born.
To overcome parking difficulties, many people reverse park. Unfortunately, with our car boots backing on each other, some shoppers force their shopping trolleys between parked cars, invariably causing scratches.
Oh, if you like to experience Australia’s worst underground car park, drive into the K-mart carpark in Gungahlin.
I am convinced that the two entryexit points were designed by primary schoolkids who have just learned about acute and 90-degree angles. What an effort to get our car windows aligned to access the ticket machine.
In a nutshell, car parks in Gungahlin are drama-cabanas! Make sure you are on top of your blood-pressure medications.
Nizam
Yoosuf, Gunghalin
Does ACT Planning do any research?
“So, let’s build a new 86-child Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Centre,” says an interstate developer.
“Where? Here’s a nice space, right opposite the busy entrance to Weetangera
Primary School’s car park on the busy Southwell Street that most days becomes one-way as it accommodates pre-school and sports oval traffic and parking.
“Set the ECEC Centre on the high side of the street, amongst seven neighbouring
homes, front it with a 26-space car park and garbage bin space backed by a one and two-storey, imposing warehouse-like building.”
Does ACT Planning do any research to plan for future ECEC centres in appropriate locations?
With its impact on road safety and the suburban amenity of the area, this is most certainly not an appropriate site. Should the commercial interest of a developer be given precedence over safety and legitimate concerns of residents?
Nola
McKeon, via email
Can any local Jew justify the war in Gaza?
“The (army) ordered the destruction of the ghetto, block by block.
People were forced to leap from burning buildings as they were destroyed by tanks and flame throwers.
“Some tried to escape through the sewers but the (army) injected poison gas. At its peak, 450,000 people were trapped in the ghetto. “Overcrowding exacerbated the spread of disease, and the lack of medical supplies meant that diseases quickly became epidemics.
“Residents were provided starvation rations only. In total, 13,000 people died, about half of them burnt alive or suffocated.”
Gaza 2025? No! That’s a brief summary of the Nazi response to the 1943 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising by 700-750 poorly-armed Jewish resistance fighters trying to delay the final clearance to the death camps.
Reflecting on the parallels between now and then, can any member of the Canberra Jewish community continue to justify the war in Gaza? I assume that at least some have made their opposition known to the Israeli embassy?
What about a further brave step? Would you hold a demonstration, and invite others to join you outside the embassy, to support the hostage families, the IDF conscientious objectors and the thousands of Israeli protestors defending democracy in Tel Aviv against the Netanyahu government?
Conor Bradley, Belconnen
Easy to see Dutton genuflecting to Trump
While Peter Dutton would always protest that he would never kiss Donald Trump’s ass, it is easy to imagine him burbling and genuflecting to the one he quickly and admiringly labelled as “shrewd” and “a big thinker”. Imagine, too, the treatment Australia might receive and the requirements imposed if the Coalition’s economic and diplomatic power posse of Dutton, Littleproud, Taylor, Hume and Cash took off for neo-liberal and deal-making chats and negotiations in Washington, aided by a newly appointed ambassador to the US, Scott Morrison, and special trade engagement envoy Tony Abbott.
Or if not these two individuals, because they are already busily immersed in lucrative right-wing podium strutting, policy advising and lobbying work in the US, then others of their ideological ilk and competence who would be eager for new cosy Coalition gigs. Australia would need much more than the “thoughts and prayers” of dozens of world leaders to survive such an expedition and its aftermath.
No wonder the Coalition parties want voters to think about an LNP world that is no further away than the local petrol bowser and focuses on offering even more economically irresponsible and costly promises of handouts instead of solid, equitable policy development and vision.
Sue Dyer, Downer
dose of dorin
It
takes
a little
“A politician is a fellow who will lay down your life for his country.” –Tex Guinan (actress and entrepreneur)
Australians generally have a low opinion of politicians until after they’ve been dead for a while. Why is that so?
Australia’s colonial history laid the foundation for its scepticism of authority. Many early settlers were convicts transported from Britain, and their fraught relationship with the ruling elite fostered a national ethos of irreverence toward power.
This anti-establishment spirit persists, promoting a culture where contemporary leaders are often viewed with suspicion or outright disdain.
Australia’s vibrant and often critical media landscape intensifies public scrutiny of politicians. Satirical commentary on programs such as The Chaser or in editorial cartoons magnifies leaders’ flaws, fostering public scepticism.
Moreover, the Australian “tallpoppy syndrome”, where individuals who achieve prominence are often cut down, ensures that no leader is spared criticism. Politicians, being highly visible figures, become easy targets for caricature.
When politicians leave office or pass away, attitudes often shift. The
time for tall poppies to bloom again
passage of time provides distance from partisan conflicts, allowing for a more balanced assessment of their contributions. Historical achievements, once overshadowed by controversy or scandal, can be appreciated. The process of posthumous recognition is evident in several notable Australian leaders:
Gough Whitlam (1916–2014)
As prime minister from 1972 to 1975, Gough Whitlam’s term was marked by dramatic reforms and intense political conflict. His government introduced universal healthcare (Medicare), abolished university fees and championed indigenous land rights.
However, Whitlam’s tenure was also plagued by economic challenges and political mismanagement, culminating in his controversial dismissal by Governor-General Sir John Kerr in 1975.
During his lifetime, Whitlam was a polarising figure, hailed as a vision-
ary by some and derided as reckless by others. In the years following his death, Whitlam’s legacy has been reassessed with a focus on his transformative impact on Australian society.
Bob Hawke (1929–2019)
Bob Hawke, Australia’s prime minister from 1983 to 1991, enjoyed popularity during his tenure, but faced criticism for his economic reforms, including deregulation and privatisation.
These policies, while credited with modernising Australia’s economy, were divisive at the time.
Hawke’s personal struggles, including a well-documented battle with alcoholism, poor treatment of his wife and extramarital affairs diminished his stature.
Hawke is now remembered as one of Australia’s most effective leaders – but isn’t appreciated in Canberra for his role in delivering costly selfgovernment.
John Curtin (1885–1945)
John Curtin, prime minister during World War II, faced immense challenges, including managing Australia’s war effort and forging
alliances with the US.
His decision to shift Australia’s reliance from Britain to the US was controversial at the time, as was his leadership style, which some considered overly cautious.
Curtin’s wartime leadership is now widely regarded as pivotal to Australia’s survival and independence. His emphasis on social welfare and national unity set a template for future governments, earning him a revered place in Australian history.
Some memorable quotes about politicians:
• If God wanted us to vote, he would have given us candidates. –Jay Leno
• The problem with political jokes is they get elected. –Henry Cate, VII
• We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. –Aesop
• Politicians are the same all over. They promise to build a bridge even where there is no river. –Nikita Khrushchev
• When I was a boy I was told that anybody could become president; I’m beginning to believe it. –Clarence Darrow
• Why pay money to have your family tree traced; go into politics and your opponents will do it for you. –unknown
• Politics is supposed to be the second-oldest profession. I have come to realise that it bears a very close resemblance to the first. –Ronald Reagan
• Politics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich, by promising to protect each from the other. –Oscar Ameringer
• I offer my opponents a bargain: if they will stop telling lies about us, I will stop telling the truth about them. –Adlai Stevenson
• Politicians are people who, when they see light at the end of the tunnel, go out and buy some more tunnel. –John Quinton
• Instead of giving a politician the keys to the city, it might be better to change the locks. –Doug Larson
• We’d all like to vote for the best man, but he’s never a candidate. –Kin Hubbard
Clive Williams is a Canberra columnist.
From left, John Curtin, Gough Whitlam and Bob Hawke.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Businesses ensuring safe and healthy workplaces
Ensuring businesses, events and organisations are conducting safe work practices that adhere to the Australian Work Health and Safety (WHS) Strategy 2022-2032 is no small task.
The strategy’s “clear, unifying national goal” is to create and promote safe, healthy workplaces in Australia and reduce worker fatalities, injuries and illness.
It says WHS is the “result of combined efforts and a fundamental commitment to collaborations from all governments, industry, and workers and their representatives.”
In this feature we focus on some Canberra businesses committed to helping with safe work practices.
Pat, who runs the business with his son Shane. Pat says Seears Workwear has grown to provide one of the largest ranges of workwear in Australia.
“We have brands such as Akubra, Rockport, Swanndri, Levis, FXD and Timberland just to name a few,” he says.
Seears first opened in 2002 in a much smaller version of the shop today. Beyond hi-vis clothing, safety boots and safety equipment, it also sells a huge range of outdoor clothing, casual boots,
Balance and Mongrel. Customers after height safety, safety cones, barriers, safety tapes, spill kits and fire extinguishers are also well catered for.
Seears Workwear can also assist companies through their corporate uniform services, which provide customised embroidery and printing for promotional clothing and business uniforms.
Seears Workwear, 60 Barrier Street, Fyshwick. Visit seearsworkwear.com.au or call 6280 4111.
Creating an
educational change in workplace safety
Specialising in training and industry consultation, Creative Safety Initiatives (CSI) manager, Brian Vernon says the organisation aims to reduce the number and severity of accidents in the workplace.
“CSI is an ACT-based organisation committed to a continuing focus on improving safety standards in the building and construction industry,” he says.
“We have nationally recognised and accredited training courses, ACT government approved courses as well as non-accredited training courses.”
With an aim to accommodate the busy schedules of those working in the building and construction industry through flexible training modes, Brian says most training can be conducted at a client’s workplace and at a time that suits the organisation.
With courses ranging from crystalline silica exposure prevention and bullying, harassment and racial vilification training to electrical safety awareness training, CSI delivers more than 25 different courses in its programs.
Creative Safety Initiatives represents a
Your Partner in Safety, Compliance & Innovation
At Creative Safety Initiatives, we don’t just provide safety solutions –we build lasting partnerships based on trust, expertise, and results. With decades of industry experience, we deliver customised safety systems and compliance services that protect your people, your business, and your peace of mind. Discover how our commitment to excellence is reshaping workplace safety across Australia.
NON-ACCREDITED TRAINING COURSES
• Bullying, harassment & racial vilification training
• Chemical awareness training
• Electrical safety awareness training
• Environmental awareness training
• Hazardous manual tasks training
• Healthy eating & nutrition awareness training
• Heat awareness training
• Height safety awareness refresher training
• Ladder safety awareness training
• NSW Asbestos and silica awareness training
• Onsite fire & emergency procedure awareness training
• Personal protective equipment (PPE) awareness training
• Preliminary impairment assessor training
• Safe & respectful workplaces workshop
• Safe talk suicide prevention awareness training
• Safe use of hand & power tools training
• Sun smart training
• WHS committee member training
• WHS hazard identification training
• WHS managers & supervisors training
• Workplace mental health awareness training
group of dedicated individuals committed to creating safe work environments and safe communities for workers and, through education, they aim to encourage harm reduction and attitudinal change in safety in the workplace, Brian says.
Creative Safety Initiatives. Unit 7/10, 8 Cape Street, Dickson. Visit csisafety.com.au or call 6230 1320.
NATIONALLY RECOGNISED & ACCREDITED TRAINING COURSES
• 10830NAT Course in crystalline silica exposure prevention
• 10894NAT Course in workplace impairment prevention
• 11084NAT Course in asbestos awareness
• CPCWHS1001 Prepare to work safely in the construction industry
ACT GOVERNMENT APPROVED COURSES
• ACT Health & safety representative refresher training (1 day)
• ACT Health & safety representative training (5 days)
To enquire or book training, please contact our friendly staff by phone on 02 6230 1320, email info@csisafety.com.au or visit www.csisafety.com.au
Seears Workwear owners Pat Seears, right, with son Shane.
Creative Safety Initiatives manager Brian Vernon.
MSA AUTHORISED DEALER
Full range of:
• Harnesses • First aid kits
• Safety equipment
• Protective clothing
• Corporate and trade uniforms
• Wide range of protective gear
• Workwear for all trades
Australia wide distribution
TRADE AND MASTER BUILDER MEMBER DISCOUNTS APPLY
Member of MBA & HIA
We assist you with:
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS HELP MAKE YOUR EVERY DAY TASKS EASIER
Planning and design of custom builds or modification to your home
Workplace modifications to make working easier, efficient and less painful
Car modifications and driving assessments - if you have been told you need this Applications to the NDIS and other schemes e.g Housing and Disability Support Pensions
We work closely with our team of physiotherapists, exercise physiologists, art therapy and dietetics at Build a Better Me: Arthritis, Pain Support & ME/CFS ACT to provide you with the best support possible!
You do not need to have any particular condition to utilise our services, just a desire to ‘Build a Better You’.
CLASSES & OFFICE: 170 Haydon Drive, Bruce
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Percussionist Niki thrills to
By Helen Musa
tle gently in the crevices of the glass.”
Ughetti’s first Canberra International Music Festival, of course, is far more than glass as he expertly fuses
The opening night concert will see the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra, with the Flinders and Ellery Quartets, performing Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, Beethoven’s Egmont Overture and the world premiere of Richard Mills’ violin
But in contrast, there’ll be Eight Pipers for Glass performed by a French ensemble of pipers led by Erwan Keravec, where Breton tradition meets the music of Philip Glass.
As the sun rises on Lake Burley Griffin, Five Short Blasts features an intimate one-hour experience on electric boats,
four consecutive afternoons at the Canberra Glassworks during the coming festival, glass artists will work to a curated playlist of “glass music” such as Mozart’s 1791 composition Adagio in C Major for the Glass Armonica, followed by a live performance for glass percussion and live electronics.
When I catch up with Johnson at the Glassworks, I find that she is no stranger to Canberra, having grown up here, studied piano as a child, played in her high school band and fell under the influence of two legendary Canberra percussionists, Wyana O’Keeffe and Veronica Bailey.
She studied in the ANU’s pre-tertiary music program and joined Canberra Youth Orchestra, before eventually taking out a degree in classical percussion from Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where she quickly found an interest in experimental music.
She’s now a regular with Speak Percussion, the very ensemble founded by festival director Eugene Ughetti and performs with Ensemble Offspring
and has done freelance shows at the Art Gallery of NSW and the Museum of Contemporary Art.
Also completing a doctorate at Monash University in Melbourne, Johnson divides her time between there and Sydney, where she had met the Dubler sisters while teaching percussion at Tara Anglican School in Sydney.
Caitlin, trained as a jeweller, used glass fired from sandstone found in their family home backyard, which became pink after firing. Natasha, who was a sound designer, took audio samples of the activation to create a sound that worked in pairs with the instruments, then Johnson and Natasha composed the music.
“We had talked about activating vessels in about 2020 in 2021… we made heaps of pieces using different forms and tested them… powdered glass and sandstone together, but once embed-
ded in the final glass instrument… it gives a different understanding of this beautiful material,” Johnston says.
“Glass can make such a beautiful sonic instrument.”
Shock Lines is in five movements. Across half of the performance space, small cymbal forms are suspended from the floor to the ceiling while solid-cast glass objects and small objects made of fused glass and sandstone sit nearby. At the back hangs a large, textured circle.
Johnson strikes, scrapes and rubs these objects to create gritty sounds, mixed with electronic tracks built on pre-recorded samples to explore the timbres of grinding sandstone, the resonance of glass, and microtonal pitch shifts.
Tantalisingly, they say: “The decay of each mallet strike holds a delicate buzz as loose grains of sandstone rat-
30 April — 4 May 2025
Wednesday 30 April Snow
Then indigenous elder and yidaki/didgeridoo master, Mark Atkins, performs another festival highlight, Mungangga Garlagula, and the festival finale premieres a massed choral piece by Nicole Smede written in her ancestral language, Gathang.
Above all, Ughetti puts his stamp on the event in Mosso: Music in Motion, a marathon day-long event on May 3 where the National Film and Sound Archive hosts live ensembles, moving images, and soundscapes in a rolling program of new Australian work, much of it in the Arc Cinema to live spatial sound operated by Bob Scott.
Here’s just one Mosso experience: in a free event, The Magnetic Quiet Zone explores the frozen sounds and silences, the strange atmospherics and dynamic forces in the Antarctic, all drawing on the research of sound artist Philip Samartzis, visual artist Martin Walch, and writer/composer Sean Williams.
You’ll have to be there to feel it.
Shock Lines, April 30-May 3, Canberra International Music Festival, April 30May 4, all details at cimf.org.au
Sheldon,
Thursday 1 May & Friday 2 May Street Theatre, 8pm
ARTS IN THE CITY
Cruel Sea bobs up with new album
By Helen Musa
The Cruel Sea will launch their first album in 23 years by running through two sets in an intimate theatre setting as they perform the album, Straight Into The Sun, in whole as well as a set of Cruel Sea classics and selected tunes. Canberra Theatre, May 3.
Truth to Power Café is an international performance event created by artist Jeremy Goldstein, inspired by the beliefs of playwright Harold Pinter and his Hackney Gang. The 60-minute event combines memoir, image, poetry, music, film and live testimony from participants of all ages, experiences and backgrounds speaking their truth to power in response to the question: “Who has power over you and what do you want to say to them?” Tuggeranong Arts Centre, May 3.
Canberra Choral Society will perform Handel’s Dixit Dominus and Arvo Pärt’s Berliner Messe, directed by Dan Walker, with soprano soloists Josephine Brereton and Rachel Mink, mezzo soprano AJ America, tenor Tom Hallworth and bass-baritone Alasdair Stretch. St Paul’s Anglican Church, Manuka, May 3.
The next National Indigenous Art Triennial, After the Rain, will feature 10 large-scale multi-disciplinary installations that celebrate inter-generational legacies and cultural warriors of the past, present and future. Artistic director Tony Albert says he decided to commission fewer projects on a more expansive scale and challenge everyone to come and sit and think – resonate or respond. Free exhibition, National Gallery, December 4-April 26, 2026.
Greenaway Studio will host vocalist Annaliesa Rose, bass player John Burgess and pianist Daryl Wallis (piano) for Three Views of a Secret, an afternoon jazz concert, 164 Namatjira Drive, Chapman, April 27.
Former CityNews Artist of the Year, Elizabeth Cameron Dalman’s new book Nature Moves will be launched with a short dance performance by Vivienne Rogis and Peng Hsiao-yin at The Book Cow, Kingston, April 27. The book is a detailed but approachable account of some of her lifelong work in dance.
Ali McGregor, the opera star-turned-cabaret-queen, will be joined by Signum Saxophone Quartet for a musical journey from Berlin to Hollywood in Musica Viva’s Hollywood Songbook. Llewellyn Hall, May 3.
Saturday 3 May Snow Concert Hall, 7.30 pm
Sunday 4 May
Snow Concert Hall, 6.30 pm
Fantasia Melbourne Chamber Orchestra
Concert Hall, 7.30pm
Magic Realism
Jane
Mark Atkins, Erkki Veltheim
Eight Pipers for Philip Glass
Erwan Keravec and pipers, Sonya Lifschitz
Finlandia
Australian/Finnish musicians
The Cruel Sea… Canberra Theatre, May 3. Photo: Tom Wilkinson
Percussionist Niki Johnson with a glass cymbal used in her Shock Lines performance… “Glass can make such a beautiful sonic instrument.”
Photo: Peter Hislop
COVER STORY
A haunting comedy about ghosts, but it’s not
By Helen Musa
Noël Coward’s Blithe Spirit is one of the most enduring plays on the stages of Canberra.
Apart from professional touring productions, including one in 1987 starring the late June Salter as Madam Arcati, there have been several in recent years, including one directed by Colin Anderson for Rep in 1994, another in Theatre 3 by Supa Productions in 2005 and one more by Canberra Rep in 2014.
Now, a new production by one of Canberra’s brightest young directors, Lachlan Houen, is unashamedly setting out to make people laugh.
Houen has been seized by the realisation that while our staged practitioners are busy grappling with the big questions of the time, audiences are desperate for a bit of fun, and even more so since the show opens just before the federal election.
It’s not all that different from Coward, who was appealing to British audiences ground down by the war when Blithe Spirit was first staged in 1941.
Time for a quick precis. Novelist Charles, looking for writing fodder, invites the medium Madam Arcati to conduct a séance. When she conjures up the spirit of his formidable first wife Elvira, his present wife Ruth is none too pleased and all hell breaks loose.
The play, partly built around the archetypes of warring wives, is also a comedy about ghosts, but it wouldn’t do to take that too seriously, Houen says, and while there
for Mercury Theatre Wynnum in Brisbane, has been deeply involved in theatre here ever since, mostly for Rep. She has played an entertaining assortment of character roles, though none with quite so much character as Madam Arcati.
“It is a pleasure to play this role,” Noon tells me, “Madam Arcati is so authentic and genuine, she absolutely believes in her abilities.”
Canberra Rep’s copywriters have described her as a self-styled medium, but as we agree, she’s more than that – she actually pulls it off.
Noon notes that she takes her work as a medium seriously and is mortified when she’s called an amateur – “it’s not a word I can tolerate,” she says.
One quite delicious scene is where she manages to make contact with the ghostly Elvira.
“It’s very exciting that Elvira materialises just when the audience would be thinking Madam Arcati is crazy, she’s endearing,” Noon says.
is a spiritualist in the show, it’s not about spiritualism.
With bright, eclectic new costumes by Susan Cooper and a set design by Michael Sparks and Andrew Kay – the latter designed the set for the show in 2014 – Houen hopes the production will be “bouncing”. It has to be, for when the poltergeists take hold, objects quite literally start bouncing off the walls of the set, providing one big headache for Sparks and Kay as well
mistress Gail Cantle and set co-ordinator Russell Brown.
Blithe Spirit takes its title from Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poem, Ode to a Skylark and there’s a fair bit of skylarking around as the straight man of the show, Charles, played for the second time by Peter Holland, is turned upon by his two ghostly but contrasting wives Ruth (Alex McPherson) and Elvira (Winsome Ogilvie). The none-
get away from them.
Enter veteran Canberra actor Elaine Noon, who plays the plum role of Madam Arcati, the spiritualist. Through her good offices and a bit of luck, in the middle of a séance, she is amazed to find herself conjuring up the dead Elvira, who is determined to get her own back on Charles.
Noon, who first came to Canberra around 2001 after having performed in 17 shows
Nobody in the cast has been doing much research on spiritualism. There’s no need to dig too deep, she cautions: “This play is meant to be light-hearted”.
The focus has been more on technique and for a young director, Coward’s brilliant comedy is a tough assignment.
“The pacing is vital with Coward,” Houen says. “Drop the ball and the momentum is gone.”
Blithe Spirit, Canberra Rep Theatre, Acton, May 1-17.
Elaine Noon, who plays the plum role of Madam Arcati, the spiritualist.
Photo: Peter Stiles
STREAMING Powerful and sombre, Aussie drama at its best
There is nothing quite like the Australian war story.
From the tragic ending of 1981’s Gallipoli to the intensity of more recent films such as Danger Close, the tales of bravery and tragedy that emerge from Australia’s military history hold a special place in film and television.
A new series streaming on Amazon Prime Video now adds another story to that canon.
It’s called The Narrow Road to the Deep North, based on the award-winning 2013 novel of the same name by Richard Flanagan.
This series stars Brisbane-born actor Jacob Elordi as Dorrigo Evans, an army surgeon who becomes a Japanese prisoner during World War II, forced into building the Burma railway.
The series takes place over five episodes and is split into three different eras of Evans’ life.
The first chapter recounts his years before the war, marked by a passionate affair that ignites with his uncle’s wife.
The memories haunt Evans as he is shipped overseas into service, a time that becomes marked by tragedy and turmoil as he experiences the full brutality of existence as a prisoner of war.
The third act takes place in the aftermath. Evans, now an old man (played by Ciaran Hinds) is trying to come to terms with the past as feelings of failure and guilt clash with the heroic status he now holds.
The structure of this story offers a perspective into the mind of someone
whose life was consumed by the war thrust upon him.
Elordi brings his A-game with what is his most human performance yet and it’s backed up by Hinds in the emotional third act.
On paper these two actors look nothing alike, but here they absolutely feel like the same person.
A powerful and sombre experience, The Narrow Road to the Deep North is Aussie drama at its best.
NOW to the realm of the fictional, and a new Star Wars series has just hit Disney Plus.
Ever since the franchise got Disney-fied it feels like its been dying a slow death.
Endless sequels, spin-offs and TV shows have watered down the magic of the classic sci-fi saga and it’s left even diehard fans feeling fatigued.
The outlook for the galaxy far, far away has looked grim for quite a while now.
Then, in 2022 Andor was released.
For the first time since the house of mouse acquired the rights to George Lucas’ creation, it felt like someone was doing something truly original with the franchise.
Andor was a gritty, political and bold,
ARTISTS WANTED
new take that followed a motley crew of revolutionaries fighting to overthrow the empire.
The show’s titular Cassian Andor, charismatically played by Diego Luna, is an outcast who knows he could help in the fight against evil but is frightened to do so.
It makes him one of the most flawed and therefore most interesting characters of the saga, one so memorable it was like he had
come from the classic originals.
All of this made fans realise they weren’t sick of Star Wars, they were sick of lacklustre
Andor not only became the best new entry in the franchise but also became widely recognised as one of the best shows
Now it’s back for a second and what will, sadly, be its last season.
Disney has opted for a different approach to episodes, releasing three every week. An interesting move, but perhaps a nice compromise between an all-out binge or being forced to wait for a new entry a week.
The story of the second season will take place over multiple years in the Star Wars
While it’s a shame not to get more Andor after this, it is refreshing to see the show be unafraid to skip to the best parts and go out on a high, rather than milking every shred of lore they possibly can in a bid to sell as many Disney subscriptions as possible.
This is what will make Andor stand out. In 30 years time, when the franchise probably gets its umpteenth reboot, Andor will be what fans fondly look back upon in this era as “classic” Star Wars.
Jacob Elordi plays Dorrigo Evans, an army surgeon who becomes a Japanese prisoner during World War II.
Cassian Andor, played by Diego Luna, is an outcast who knows he could help in the fight against evil but is frightened to do so.
DINING / Cartel Belconnen
Tasting Mexico with every bite
You can’t escape the Day of the Dead theme at Cartel Belconnen. It’s everywhere (even decorating the staircase), but that’s part of the fun. Indeed, the entire place is a riot of colour, with a great vibe.
It was margarita time, and I asked for a “traditional lime”. The chap behind the bar (you order at the counter or through each table’s QR code) explained that Cartel’s take tastes like lime, but is actually brilliant blue in colour because it features blue curacao.
When I hesitated, he didn’t skip a beat and offered me a taste. I was won over. My friend ordered a frozen strawberry marg, served in a fun glass with a stem shaped like a cactus plant.
Cartel is obsessed with tacos and wants you to taste Mexico with every bite. While recipes are authentic and celebrate many parts of the country, Cartel Belconnen dares to add its own twist.
We shared the fritter bites, great value at $8 for a small serving and $12 for a large. These mini morsels are super tasty, and whole kernels of yellow corn are mixed in with zucchini.
My friend is a lobster lover and couldn’t move past the Langosta Y Queso ($27). This taco was loaded with chunks of lobster tail and garlic butter. The house bechamel was great, and the Mexican cheese added another dimension.
The dippy side of lobster prawn bisque missed the mark, we agreed. It was a bit gluggy and lacked flavour. Dip aside, my friend wasn’t shy with her praise of the dish overall.
My La Gama taco was super fun, and Cartel Belconnen didn’t hold back on the chilli and garlic king prawns ($16). I wasn’t sure, when I
read the menu, about the caramelised pineapple salsa, but it worked a treat.
We also shared a cob of corn (already cut in half). It was charred with garlic butter and honey and came with a bold chipotle aioli ($12). On top was coriander, salty feta and tajin, a Mexican spice featuring chilli, lime and salt.
Cartel Belconnen has four eating areas –outside, inside upstairs, inside main area, and an inside side area, with floor-to-ceiling windows, which is where we settled admiring the water views (Cartel Belconnen holds a prime possie on Belconnen’s boardwalk). It was hot and still in -
side, and the air con struggled to keep up. Some tables are packed in, and we could definitely rub elbows with neighbouring diners.
Service was okay. It was hard to flag down staff to ask questions about the menu, even though a lot of staff were milling about.
Cartel opened its first operation in Queanbeyan, in Ray Morton Park. It’s still going great guns.
Old Vic turns on a taste of Rutherglen WINE / Rutherglen
I’ve been to Rutherglen in northeast Victoria many times, as it’s a town very close to a large number of wineries and it’s an easy drive from Melbourne (where I lived for 22 years) and 384 kilometres from Canberra.
There are extensive bike paths around the area including the excellent Murray to the Mountains trail.
Rutherglen is at the heart of a region known for its big reds and fortified muscats and tokays made by esteemed wineries such as Chambers Rosewood, Morris and Stanton & Killeen.
Most producers are small, family owned estates, but corporate ownership is a trend, with Morris bought out by Casella Family Wines, that made its mark through the Yellowtail brand, with Rutherglen Estate now owned by De Bortoli.
Having said that, both these larger winemakers are family owned rather than part of one of the dominant offshore-based companies such as Accolade.
The town itself is a mix of the historic, the well restored and some barelyhanging-in-there architecture. Unfortunately, the main street is often split by the physical presence of and noise from a large number of heavy vehicles
Scion Wines at Rutherglen... offered a wine on taste, a sweet white that was a modern spin on muscat.
that need to use the Murray Valley Highway.
One of the standout buildings that has been given love and money attention is the Victoria Hotel, a major redevelopment by new owners Kate and Matt Halpin.
It’s a pleasant mix of heritage architecture, from the building’s 1800s origins, with modern open space, especially the front courtyard. So, with a high sense of anticipation, seven of us travelled to Rutherglen recently to attend a Victoria Hotel event called Rutherglen Reimagined. The blurb for this event promised exposure to a range of local wines and produce for an entry ticket price of $85.
We weren’t staying at the Victoria Hotel so we decided to get there a bit early before the event so we could look around the hotel.
But 20 minutes before the event, we were turned away with an abrupt: “Go and get a drink elsewhere”. We did.
We shared a bottle of a pleasant sparkling red made by Cofield, a non-vintage shiraz and durif blend that can be bought from the winery for $26. I paid $50 for a bottle at the upmarket wine bar, Thousand Pound, just down from the Victoria Hotel, a venue owned by All Saints winery and which is a very well set out, renovated space. After having this aperitif we ventured back to the Vic. We were given a “passport” that entitled us to a sampling from 14 different food and drink outlets, including an oyster on entry. I am allergic to oysters but others said that was a good start.
The Discovered Wildfoods venison was easily the best of the food, with the James & Co Italianstyle sangiovese a counterpoint to the traditional big reds you’d expect from this region’s producers. Scion Wines also offered a wine on taste, a sweet white that was a modern spin on muscat. The Morris stand offered traditional fortifieds and a taste of their whiskey but there were no big reds on offer (unless you purchased them). It felt like when I visited the library to ask for books on paranoia and the librarian whispered to me: “They’re right behind you”.
The band played at 8.30pm, Minnie and the Moonrakers, a very polished ensemble that had a few people up dancing. As I danced, I thought just try to be as light on your feet as these new style wines. The music was very good, and when the band stopped for a break the silence was only interrupted by the hum of the attendees and the muffled sound of a truck’s airbrakes.
“Adaptability is the simple secret of survival.”
–Jessica Hagedorn
Author’s whydunnit rather than a whodunnit
Although she now lives in the UK, Australian writer Kate Kemp lived in Canberra as a child in the 1970s, which she has described as a fascinating period in Australian history, when the country was “on the cusp of change, culturally, economically, socially, politically”.
Kemp was recovering from surgery after cancer, when she decided to write her debut novel, The Grapevine. She thought of her mother, for whom her treatment had not been available.
“Writing this is, in a way, me travelling back in time to meet my mum and just say: ’Hey, what is it like to be a woman here?’”
As a result, Kemp set her novel in January 1979. The residents of Warrah Place are a close-knit group. Nine houses in a cul-de-sac back on to the bush, with a nature strip in the middle called “the island”.
“Every now and again, people came from their houses and converged there. It was the quickest and easiest way to get the rumour mill fired up”.
The previous winter, the Mariettis had moved into the Italian House, named after the Italians who had built it with “its tall, pale pillars”. It was already the subject of gossip, but the Mariettis compound the antagonism of their neighbours. The Warrah Place grapevine calls them “posh”. Mr Marietti works at the embassy. They have “a new car, slick clothes,
The Grapevine has already received some critical acclaim, but my problem with the novel is that Kemp’s Canberra is not the Canberra I remember. We too moved into a Canberra suburb in the late 1970s, into a house in a cul-de-sac that backs on to the bush.
Kemp has either ignored or forgotten the rhythms of a Canberra summer: the exodus to the coast; the constant barbecues and the afternoons at the local swimming pool.
Historical fiction needs a degree of verisimilitude for it to completely succeed.
ELLY Griffith’s latest novel The Frozen People mixes crime and historical fiction with a dose of HG Wells.
Griffiths is best known for her incredibly popular Dr Ruth Galloway Mysteries. However, the last in the series, The Last Remains was published in 2023.
big hair-dos. They thought nothing of plane trips and everything of themselves”.
All except their handsome, charming son, Antonio, who makes friends easily, especially among the women of Warrah Place.
Twelve-year-old Tammy is fascinated by Antonio. Tammy spies on everyone in Warrah Place, watching and listening, trying to make sense of adult behavior, but Antonio becomes “her favourite thing to watch”.
at the back of Warrah Place, which is quickly identified as Antonio’s. It’s obvious he’s been murdered and dismembered.
The Grapevine is a whydunnit rather than a whodunnit because the murderer appears on the first page. Kemp has said the purpose of her novel is to ask whether a woman can change her life if she’s not happy with her lot, and is the answer different for different women?
Now Griffiths introduces a new main character Ali Dawson, aged 50. She has a degree in history, has had three husbands, one son and is a career policewoman.
Ali works for a cold case unit, which uses
time travel to search for evidence of miscarriages of justice. There are strict rules on time travel. “Watch. Bear witness. Don’t interact. Stay safe”. Usually the team is invisible and only stays in the past for a couple of hours.
However, for her latest assignment Ali has to travel back to 1850 to discover whether the great-great-great grandfather of a government minister was guilty of murdering an artist’s model.
Cain Templeton had been a patron of the arts, supporting struggling artists and their models, letting them live in his house rent free. He was also a member of a club, “a really gruesome group called the Collectors, and to be a member, you had to kill a woman”.
When Ali arrives in 1850, she discovers, as she approaches Cain Templeton’s house, that she can actually be seen and then that the gate she must use to return to the present won’t open.
Griffiths describes The Frozen People as “a new venture for me, stepping into the unknown, terrifying and exhilarating”. The result is a strange novel, full of fascinating facts about daily life in the Victorian era, mixed with bizarre plot twists and an ending that reveals a promised sequel. Prepare to suspend disbelief.
Author Kate Kemp… recovering from surgery after cancer, when she decided to write her debut novel, The Grapevine, which is set in Canberra in 1979. Photo: Anthony Bothe
GARDENING
0458 807 882 admin@alpharoofingact.com.au
Autumn colour leads to compost
By Jackie WARBURTON
The autumnal colour on display in Canberra right now is spectacular as mature streetscapes planted over many years are in all their glory.
The liquid ambers, oaks and elms are dropping their leaves, and all these can be collected, composted and placed on to the garden over winter or early spring.
The smaller the leaf, the quicker it breaks down. Keep that in mind if you’re looking for a shade tree. Plant it where the leaves fall into garden
beds for ease of future maintenance and not over a path where they can be slippery.
Autumn’s shorter daylight hours and cooling temperatures activates the abscission process and leaves will start to reduce auxins, change colour and drop to the ground. Break up big leaves by placing them on the lawn and mowing over them. Pop them in the compost and turn it over, adding water when it’s dry. Over time, the material will become unrecognisable and that means it’s ready to add to the garden.
It can be put at the base of all plants, native or exotics, but don’t cover the stem.
For autumn colour, buy plants now when the colours are at their best. There are so many to choose
from, but I wouldn’t recommend a tree over eight metres for a Canberra backyard garden. That height will keep it away from any future tree regulations.
Canberra Tree Week is from May 3 to May 11 and there are many activities in and around Canberra that display our tree history and stories of the region.
All the events are available to the public. The main event for Tree Week is a dinner on May 7 at the Weston Creek Labor Club with a guest speaker talking about oak trees. For more information, contact Friends of the ACT Trees on sites. google.com/site/factacanberra.
ANY unusable space can become a garden to grow ferns, Acanthus and other shade-loving plants by changing the soil with good organic compost to mimic an understory of a forest and a little misting.
If there is no direct sun on the plants, bright light is just as good.
However, if there are too many shade plants, they can become leggy and will show they don’t like that space.
Watering is different from a
garden in the sun with frequent applications, but not large amounts at one time.
Rocks can also be a good addition to this style of garden as they help to keep plants’ roots cool in the heat of summer. Decorative rocks are a low-maintenance mulch.
PRUNING of winter irises and hellebores can be done now. Remove all old leaves and clean out the crown of the plants to allow sunlight to access the base of the plant. Removing all the old leaves will take away any overwintering aphids and white fly that may be under the leaves and there will be more flowers in winter.
jackwar@home.netspeed.com.au
Jottings…
• Prune crepe myrtles as soon as leaves have dropped.
• Sprinkle diatomaceous earth under roses to prevent hibiscus flower beetles.
• Plant conifers before the soil gets cold.
The autumnal colour now on display in Canberra is just spectacular. Photos: Jackie Warburton A shade garden… If there is no direct sun on the plants, bright light is just as good.
HOROSCOPE PUZZLES
By Joanne Madeline Moore
ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)
Mercury, Neptune and Venus are visiting your sign, and dynamic Mars (your patron planet) is in Leo. So your fiery, passionate, proactive, boisterous, bossy Aries side will be on full display. Do your best to get must-do, routine tasks out of the way early in the week. Then you can enjoy the activities that really make your heart sing. Be inspired by birthday great, actress Audrey Hepburn: “I believe, every day, you should have at least one exquisite moment.”
TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 21)
It’s time for Bulls to bewitch and bewilder! With the Sun, New Moon and Uranus lighting up your sign, your positive and negative Taurean traits are boosted this week. So expect to be more sensual, stable, patient and dependable … and more possessive, pedantic, slow-moving and stubborn! Your motto for the moment is from iconic Taurus actress (and birthday great) Audrey Hepburn: “The most important thing is to enjoy your life – to be happy.”
GEMINI (May 22 – June 21)
Jolly Jupiter (the planet of prosperity and aspirations) is transiting through your sign until June 9-10. This lucky placement only happens every 12 years, so make the most of it while it’s still around! You’ll find confidence, authenticity and robust self-esteem will take you far. Be inspired by Hollywood movie star, fashion icon and humanitarian Audrey Hepburn (who was born on May 4, 1929): “Always be a first-rate version of yourself.”
CANCER (June 22 – July 23)
The New Moon activates your hopes-and-wishes zone, which boosts confidence as you pursue ambitious and adventurous aspirations for the future. Avoid being too safe and sensible! Let go of a perceived failure that has been holding you back. If you learn from your mistakes, then you can finally move forward. Family and friends will help you along the way. Your motto is from birthday great, Audrey Hepburn: “The best thing to hold onto in life is each other.”
LEO (July 24 – Aug 23)
Have you been hibernating in your Lion’s den? With the New Moon and Uranus activating your career zone, do your best to initiate positive, innovative changes at work. It’s time to be bold, rather than brooding, and proactive, rather than reactive. And spend some quality time in nature. If you’re lucky enough to have one, then get out and potter in the garden. As birthday great Audrey Hepburn observed: “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.”
VIRGO (Aug 24 – Sept 23)
Prosperity planet Jupiter is jumping through your career zone until June 9-10, which only happens every 12 years. So don’t procrastinate and vacillate, Virgo, a lucky opportunity could come out of the blue. You need to make hay while the sun shines and strike while the iron is hot! Be inspired by birthday great, actress Audrey Hepburn (who was born on May 4, 1929): “Opportunities don’t often come along. When they do, you have to grab them.”
LIBRA (Sept 24 – Oct 23)
Libra is the zodiac sign that rules appearance, aesthetics, fashion, cosmetics and personal pampering. And this week’s stars urge you to look for the inner beauty in yourself – and other people. So here are some beauty tips from Hollywood movie star (and birthday great) Audrey Hepburn: “For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak words of kindness. And for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.”
SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 22)
There’s a New Moon in your relationship zone, and love planet Venus links up with compassionate Neptune, so the focus is on partnerships (romantic and platonic). Smart Scorpios will go out of their way to avoid power struggles and controlling behaviour, as they argue a lot less and empathise a lot more. As Hollywood movie star, humanitarian and birthday great Audrey Hepburn observed: “Nothing is more important than empathy for another human being.”
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21)
Impatient, speedy Sagittarians can be too quick to ditch family members, dismiss close friends, and disregard work colleagues who stuff up or disappoint. But is that always the best thing to do? Perhaps most people deserve a second chance? As Hollywood star, humanitarian and birthday great Audrey Hepburn wisely said: “People have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed. Never throw out anyone.” Friday favours creative projects.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 20)
It’s time to enjoy the simple things in life! On Monday you’ll be at your Capricorn best as the New Moon activates your leisure-and-pleasure zone, so it’s a good day to socialise with friends. In the words of birthday great, actress Audrey Hepburn: “Enjoy the day to the hilt. The day as it comes. People as they come.” Then Venus joins Mercury and Neptune in your home zone mid-week, when you may have to lend a helping hand to a stressed family member.
AQUARIUS (Jan 21 – Feb 19)
The New Moon and Uranus (your power planet) activate your family zone, so home is where the heart is this week. Even though you may be faced with an unpredictable domestic problem, be thankful for the relatives who nurture and support you. As birthday great Audrey Hepburn said: “I may not always be offered work, but I’ll always have my family.” With Mercury and Venus visiting your local travel zone, try to escape on a much-needed weekend getaway.
PISCES (Feb 20 – Mar 20)
Uranus and the New Moon increase your tendency to blurt things out and spread secrets. So think before you speak! When it comes to a recalcitrant relative or an annoying neighbour, be more diplomatic as you build bridges and let bygones be bygones. And don’t let negative self-talk hold you back. Be inspired by actress and humanitarian Audrey Hepburn (who was born on May 4, 1929): “Nothing is impossible. The word itself says ‘I’m possible’!”
Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2025
4 To quit, is to do what? (6)
7 Name another term for an apostate from a religious faith. (8)
8 What is a bluish-purple colour? (6)
9 To throttle, is to do what? (8)
11 When one disembarks from a bus, one does what? (7)
13 To have modified, is to have done what? (7)
15 To be running off to marry, is to be doing what? (7)
17 Which term means to give up or surrender? (7)
20 To be starlike, is to be what? (8)
23 Name a state of deadened sensibility. (6)
24 To have dawdled, is to have done what? (8)
25 What is a blood vessel that conveys blood from the heart to any part of the body? (6)
1 Name a cardinal point. (4)
2 To be cautious and to watch out, is to do what? (6)
3 To suspend, is to do what? (4)
4 What is an occasion of merrymaking? (5)
5 Name the lowest form of animal. (6)
6 To welcome, is to do what? (5)
9 Which term implies that one is frightened? (6)
10 What is the other main component of a board game containing snakes? (7)
12 To have drooped, is to have done what? (6)
14 Name a facial irregularity. (6)
16 What do we call one employed to carry baggage? (6)
18 To go in, is to do what? (5)
19 Which term implies that someone is before time? (5)
21 What do we call a portable shelter of canvas? (4)
22 What might we call two people involved in a romantic relationship? (4)
CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT
Tax debt takes its toll if left unchecked
Business partners Luca and Jian have been struggling with the tax payments for their business over the last few months. They entered into a payment arrangement with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), which has about 18 months to run.
"We have found this really helpful because, like many other small businesses, we’ve been struggling since covid and this payment arrangement has just eased these difficult times," said Luca.
"I have just heard that we will not be able to claim interest on our tax repayments in the future and I’m rather concerned about this, what's the story, Gail?”
I replied that he was correct that both general interest charge (GIC) and shortfall interest charge (SIC) will not be deductible from July 1.
"Just for clarification GIC is a penalty for late payments of tax, whereas SIC is interest charged on tax underpayments due to errors in tax returns," I said.
"The current rate of GIC is 11.42 per cent while SIC is 7.42 per cent. So you are paying 11.42 per cent on your payment arrangement currently.
"As you can see this is a very high rate and it is only the tax-deductible nature of it that makes the rate remotely palatable.
"Once it becomes non-deductible it is a very high rate for you to be paying. At present interest on borrowings whether from the ATO or other lenders is tax-deductible for businesses but not for non-business taxpayers.”
I told Luca and Jian that I had a few suggestions which may make it easier so that they're not in this situation in the future.
"Firstly, we should come up with a budget for estimated tax payments and their due dates.
"Then I recommend you save this amount out of your takings each week so that you have the funds on hand when you need them. I realise that your business is seasonal and there are times of the year when its cash flow is not as good as others so perhaps in the easier times you should aim to save more so that you always have money available to meet your future tax debts.
“Looking at the past debt, the first comment I have to make is that 11.42 per cent non-deductible is too high. It may be that you can claim interest on money you borrow to pay your tax, or that could be changed so I suggest that you borrow from an alternative lender the amount you need to pay off the debt and then if you need to borrow in the future you are not borrowing for a tax debt.
"As you’re saving money for tax, you will actually be borrowing for working capital and to meet your regular commitments. The interest on those borrowings should be deductible under the current tax laws.” Jian liked the idea, saying he'd rather be indebted to the bank than to the ATO.
I said: “Not only that, but you could be borrowing from an alternative lender at a rate somewhere between 5 per cent and 8 per cent, which would be far easier for you to handle.
I should add that if you get yourself in difficulty in the future in paying your tax debts, let me negotiate with the ATO on your behalf as soon as you are aware so that we can minimise anything that needs to be done. "It is really important that you keep on top of this so that it is not an ongoing problem. We have until June 30 to effect the changes I have suggested.”
Luca and Jian were pleased with this strategy, saying: "Monitoring it with you should make it easier going forward.”
If you have any small business concerns or tax debt concerns contact the expert team at Gail Freeman and Co Pty Ltd on 02 6295 2844.
Disclaimer
This column contains general advice, please do not rely on it. If you require specific advice on this topic please contact Gail Freeman or your professional adviser. Authorised Representative of Lifespan Financial Planning Pty Ltd AFS Lic No. 229892.
