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NEWS / Canberra City Band’s centenary
Mr Chifley’s baby, all grown up, making history
Reporter ELIZABETH KOVACS traces the Canberra City Band’s century of musical contribution to the city that started with a small brass band of construction workers in 1925.
During the early days of constructing Canberra, a small brass band was formed by the workers in 1925.
With the inclusion of woodwind instruments in 1949, it is believed to be Australia’s oldest community concert band in Australia.
Canberra City Band (CCB), also known as “Canberra’s Official Band” from 1949 onwards, celebrates its centenary this year.
Battling the Great Depression, two temporary pauses in rehearsals (from rebellion to pandemics) and five separate rehearsal locations, CCB has performed at some of Canberra’s greatest events.
With its first appearance at the start of construction of the Causeway Hall, Kingston, in 1925, CCB was chosen the following year to play at the first Anzac Day ceremony on Camp Hill, at the rear of the Parliament House construction site. In those days, Duntroon did not yet have a military band.
After struggling through the Great Depression, the band hit a setback in 1937 when bandsmen refused to perform, demanding they be employed full time.
Annoyed by this request, Prime Minister Joseph Lyons ordered all government assistance to the band cease and the instruments – all donated – were put into storage for 10 years.
The band started up again in 1947 at the request of Prime Minister Ben Chifley, who had grown fond of bands after visiting Britain.
On Chifley’s instructions CCB was restored, however with the stipulation it had to become a military band with the inclusion of woodwind instruments, as the prime minister had come to appreciate the sound of concert bands from his travels abroad.
From here, CCB played at the laying of the foundation stones for the Australian National University in 1949, played for Queen Elizabeth II
when she visited Canberra after her coronation in 1954 (the first reigning monarch to do so) and even influenced the establishment of Stage 88 in 1988 after there were no suitable venues for outdoor performances.
Now calling Hawker College on Murranji Street home for rehearsals, the CCB band falls under the Canberra City Band Inc. banner alongside three other bands with more than 100 members spread across the organisation.
• Spectrum Big Band (formed in 1997) explores jazz music.
• The John Agnew Band (formed in the early 2000s and named after the former CCB junior band director in recognition of his service to music) is a social concert band, welcoming musicians of all skill levels to re-engage with music or continue playing post-school.
• The recent addition, the Prism Jazz Ensemble from 2023 is another social band for all skill levels that explores jazz.
Despite losing government funding in 1992, CCB has continued to play, even going so far as to make solo appearances to play the Last Post during the first covid lockdown outside their
life members returning to rehearsals every week, forming a consistent 3040 players in each rehearsal.
The 1989 National Piccolo Flute Champion Bernadette Evans (nee Keenan) has played with CCB since 1978, and continues to sit at the front of the band with her flute and piccolo.
“When I first joined in ‘78, it was a family affair,” she says.
“My sister joined the band with me, and my mother, who didn’t want to wait around to pick us up, set up the library system.”
sentatives of Australia for Expo 85 in Tsukuba.
Entering her 47th year in the band, she is now the librarian for the organisation, having taken over from her mother.
Bernadette is one of several life members who continue to play with the band.
In 2013, former bandmaster and celebrated music writer, the late Bill Hoffmann and former band member the late John Sharpe, meticulously compiled the history of CCB to cel-
for the band.
Chifley is recognised as an honorary life member of the band.
In the introduction, former Chief Minister Jon Stanhope says: “The band’s longevity is a remarkable achievement. It has survived the Great Depression, World War II and many ups and downs.”
More details at canberracityband.com Reporter Elizabeth Kovacs has played flute and piccolo with the John Agnew Band since 2016.
The earliest known photograph of Canberra City Band at the Acton Racecourse in 1929.
Photo: LJ Dwyer
Sad things Mr Weston could not have imagined
Having just launched my pean of praise for Charles Weston in The Man Who Planted Canberra with at least three million trees and shrubs, I am terrified that the trees in my suburb of Weston will be the end of us.
And I am deadly serious.
I don’t blame Mr Weston. He did a brilliant job in turning the national capital into his “dream city” where the designer Walter Burley Griffin failed.
But he presumed that subsequent authorities would tend to his creation that led the “garden city” movement into even greater comfort and pleasure for its residents.
He did not – could not – anticipate the Barr government that would destroy Canberra’s financial foundation in service to a 19th century technology – the tram.
He could not imagine (who could?) that after 24-years in charge, its health system would have people waiting four hours to be treated, and the neglect of its arboreal riches would threaten the lives of its men, women and children.
The Weston suburban experience is a sad example.
When we moved into our home unit in Mountview Estate which overlooks Cooleman Court, in 2003, the gully that carries the storm waters into the
Charles Weston… could not imagine that the neglect of Canberra’s arboreal riches would threaten the lives of its men, women and children.
drainage system had been planted with a well-spaced grove of young eucalypts and some exotic shrubbery.
through the park to the shops and the restaurants. Cooleman Court hosted a Woolworths, and the full range of necessities on the ground floor; upstairs a gym, more coffee, pop-up dress shops and a Reject shop upstairs. All with adequate parking.
Court equivalent. Shopping and even parking there is now a horrible, scary experience.
• They wrecked the Griffin/Weston plan for a compact garden city in favour of a spread-eagled expansion
Trapped in penny-pinch mode, the ACT government walked away from the essential servicing of the magnificent asset that Mr Weston and his successors bequeathed us.
• They destroyed our city’s financial integrity with a tram network that neither served the majority nor replaced the private traffic.
Trapped in penny-pinch mode, they walked away from the essential servicing of the magnificent asset that Mr Weston and his successors bequeathed us.
But what really worries me is the Weston gully. It is now a firebomb waiting to explode and the lighting spark called summer is nearly upon us.
In 2003 we had a view from the back deck across the suburbs to Mt Taylor. That finally disappeared three weeks ago behind a mighty wall of the gully’s fire-loving eucalypts now up to 30 metres high.
Their great branches wave to the
places that will inevitably create the spark that allows them to crack their seeds in the flames of procreation. And as we know from the last great firestorm, the wind speed will trap the residents in their homes.
I dare not think of the horror awaiting the crowded shoppers in Cooleman Court, for that’s where the gully leads.
When Weston experimented with species from around the world, he chose the several hundred that passed his trenchant examination of suitability for our soils and weather.
We got lucky; so many passed the test that he was able to spread many different species across the city.
Unlike Sydney and Melbourne, for example, where very few species protect their people. When climate change kills them, our trees would still bathe Canberra in shade.
We had the best arboreal protection in the world. But only if we cared for it. Then came the Barr government. robert@robert macklin.com
POLITICS / housing as a human right Housing law that makes social justice a priority
Will “housing as a human right” legislation really work? Or is it simply an aspirational exercise appealing to Greens’ voters?
The Human Rights (Housing) Amendment Bill 2025 has now passed the ACT Legislative Assembly, and it will be interesting to see the impact across the community.
It certainly appears as breakthrough legislation, with the ACT as the jurisdiction setting the standard for legislation that “makes social justice a priority”. Greens leader Shane Rattenbury, who introduced the legislation, argues it “will start the process of reshaping the way we think about housing in this city”.
The Bill presented to the Assembly states:
(1) Everyone has the right to adequate housing.
The Legislative Assembly committee that considered this bill and recommended support consisted of two Labor MLAs and two Liberal MLAs. The chair of the Standing Committee on Legal Affairs that considered this legislation is the Liberal member, Chiaka Barry.
The committee recommended a 12-month delay for the “Immediately realisable” implementation of the legislation. The government response supported the recommended delay when the legislation came on for debate. The delay was accepted, albeit reluctantly, by the Greens, and this allowed the legislation to go through.
(2) Immediately realisable aspects of this right include the following:
(a) everyone is entitled to enjoy this right without discrimination;
(b) no-one may be unlawfully or arbitrarily evicted from their home;
(c) no-one may have an essential utility service to their home unlawfully or arbitrarily withdrawn.
The committee’s report noted many submissions calling attention to the housing crisis in the ACT.
The government’s public housing waiting lists are an appalling revelation. Nearly 2000 approved “high needs” applications having to wait a minimum of three years to access
The government’s public housing waiting lists are an appalling revelation. Nearly 2000 approved “high needs” applications having to wait a minimum of three years to access public housing. The approved applications for “standard housing” have a waiting list of more than five years.
public housing. The approved applications for “standard housing” have a waiting list of more than five years.
The ACT Human Rights Commission told the committee that the introduction of this right was part of the incremental evolution of the Human Rights Act.
In offering support, the commission argued that there were already various policies and strategies in place to protect the right to adequate housing, and that the bill would further protect those rights.
The committee did not address the likely impact on private landlords. It is easy to think of landlords in the traditional manner, as wealthy, rapacious bullies. The reality is that many landlords in Canberra have one or two investment properties that are effectively part of their retirement plans. These are often ordinary public servants and other workers who are also entitled to human rights. Has this legislation managed to get the balance right? On the surface, it does appear so. The legislation is heavily focused on government
responsibility.
However, as Mr Rattenbury argues: “The government has a legal responsibility, as part of building a just society, to facilitate the fair provision of housing in either the private or public market.”
The legislation comes at a time when housing across Australia is in crisis. Rentals have skyrocketed at the same time as mortgagees have felt the impact of increasing interest rates, and in the ACT, the Land Tax which can be crippling. Not only are renters feeling the pinch, the same is true for the mum and dad landlords.
Mr Rattenbury has not lost sight of the political imperatives. He has stated: “With mortgages and interest rates also soaring, the housing system is breaking – and when it breaks, it’s our political system that will fracture first, not the market”.
This legislation weighs a range of
very broad policies, including how ACT government policies “impact home security, affordability, access to essential services like water and electricity, and whether homes are well-located and accessible to shops and services”.
The issue that remains unclear to me is the impact on decisions by tribunals and courts regarding needy tenants who seriously damage private tenancies, who fail to pay rent or act in an untoward manner that has consequences for those living around them.
The sentiment of the legislation is understood. The need is clear. How effectively it is implemented remains to be seen.
Michael Moore is a former member of the ACT Legislative Assembly and an independent minister for health. He has been a political columnist with “CityNews” since 2006.
The legislation comes at a time when housing across Australia is in crisis.
Rise of nasty game for nice folk
By Elizabeth KOVACS
“If you can sit in a chair, you can do chair yoga,” says exercise physiologist Holly Hazlewood.
A player of two years, Nerida Gill, 64, is the recent victor of the NSW Division 3 Golf Croquet Singles Croquet Tournament, bringing the title home for Canberra.
Thought to have started in Ireland, it arrived in Britain in the 1850s. Croquet is played between two, four or six players with the objective of hitting a ball through a course of hoops that are pinned to the ground, before aiming for the centre peg to win.
The resurgence of the sport was putting pressure on the croquet club in Yarralumla, which had a waiting list, so a new club was formed at the Belconnen Bowling Club in Hawker to take the overflow.
Nerida thinks the attraction of croquet is its ageless appeal.
“I know of a young man who’s 14 and he and his older sister are both playing. I’ve
pate, Nerida says it’s
ful, social sport, she “nasty game for nice hoop yourself, you’re
also heard of people in their 90s who are using a walker while they play,” she says.
Played in just about all weather conditions, Nerida says that, for her, there’s a lot of strategy involved.
“It’s a bit of a mental game,” she says. “You’re learning different strategies all the time, and that’s why I go to competitions, because I learn from other people.
“It’s not getting your heart rate up, like one of those really active [sports], but you’re still out and about and interacting with people.”
Without complicated rules
people going through the hoop,” she says.
“I’ve played at a lot of different clubs, but I’ve not come across anyone who’s been mean.”
With games running for up to an hour and 15 minutes, Nerida says it’s the perfect sport for others who don’t have a lot of time to dedicate to competitions and training.
The Belconnen Croquet Club at the Belconnen Bowling Club, Beetaloo Street, Hawker. is accepting new members with a variety of training sessions each week to cater to differing schedules. More at belconnencroquet.com.au
Come rambling on Black Mountain
The Friends of Black Mountain are hosting the 54th Black Mountain spring wildflower ramble to celebrate what they anticipate to be a special display of spring flowers.
Ramblers will discover the diversity of tiny orchids, bush peas, wattles and billy buttons on easy bush tracks with experienced guides.
Meet at Belconnen Way entry just before Caswell Drive turnoff. Book at trybooking.com/DEWYB to ensure there are sufficient guides on Saturday, October 11, 9.30am-noon.
Alex’s third-age view
Alex Gosman from U3A, is guest speaker at the next meeting of the Weston Creek View Club at the Canberra Southern Cross Club, Woden, from 11.30am on October 7. The lunch costs $40 and guests and interested ladies are welcome. RSVP to 0408 864616 by October 1.
Orders open for mangoes
Woden Daybreak Rotary Club is taking orders for its annual mango fundraiser at trybooking.com/DFQUX
Bold Bandannas at Belco
The Bold Bandannas Relay for Life team will raise funds for the Cancer Council ACT at the Belco markets, 8am-4pm, on October 4 selling preserves, craft items, children’s dress ups, plants and other “goodies”.
Gran and little Dion’s year of angst fixed in an hour
“Gran talked in such a way, chokes and all, that it was clear she was honest, she was not exaggerating. And like in the tearjerker movies, she triumphed.” HUGH SELBY has some good news in the public housing despair of little Dion and his gran.
I can’t imagine a liveable world without flowers. Florists with their artistry leave their mark upon so many of our life events, from birth to death and everything in-between.
This week a new florist has opened in the Dickson shops, taking the space deserted by the NAB several years ago and forlorn ever since. There is so much colour and energy about that shop. Fingers crossed that they do well.
It was four hands of fingers crossed when little Dion’s gran and I took the bus to Civic this week to go to the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (ACAT), down near the Civic pool and the pedestrian bridge that can take us all into this year’s bustling Floriade with colour, colour everywhere.
Readers will remember three-yearold Dion and his gran. CityNews has run a series of articles about their plight.
Helped by Canberra Community Law, gran had prepared the paper-
work about all the problems with her Housing ACT property.
She had set out not only what were the many defects in her home, but also how those defects had adversely affected their lives as tenants.
A message from Housing ACT a week ago gave no signs of hope. If anything, it seemed to gran that the tribunal prehearing conference was going to be a nasty waste of time.
The conference
The conference was run by a lawyer, the tribunal member, who sat at the narrow end of a shoe-box shaped table. I’ll use a fictional name for him, John.
Gran, her support person from ACT Disability, Aged and Carer Advocacy Service (ADACAS) and I were on one, long side, with a representative from Housing ACT and their lawyer on the other.
John knew how to manage all those there. He explained the conference
process and got each of us to say who we were.
Although he and both sides had all the paperwork he invited gran to tell her story.
There are moments in life when the unexpected creates a memorable shift in perception. Recall those moments in film when someone acts with unforeseen courage and strength. It is as much a surprise for the character as it is for the audience. The bottom line is that, against the odds, good triumphs.
That’s what happened in that
conference. Gran spoke about the house problems, the garden problems, how difficult it was to toilet train a small boy when taking him to the toilet needed an umbrella, why her son had to find somewhere else to live because little Dion’s room was mould infested and the window couldn’t open, so Dion took her son’s room. She talked about why she couldn’t let Dion out in the garden because of the druggie needles.
Gran talked. She talked in such a way, chokes and all, that it was clear that she was honest, she was sincere, she was not exaggerating.
And like in the tearjerker movies, she triumphed.
I have no clue as to what, if any, instructions the two young women from Housing ACT were given by their superiors. But I do know that they treated gran with respect, that they laid out a proper solution to all the problems that have continued for over a year, that they patiently explained and re-explained each part of that solution so that gran could fully understand it.
They could not have been more professional.
Tribunal member John played the critical part of moving things along, and ensuring that the orders he then made to resolve the dispute were clear, effective, and represented what the parties had agreed.
It took about one hour to resolve issues that have festered for more than a year.
Gran and little Dion’s needs have been respected, as have the shortfalls in their housing this past year. The rent has been properly reduced to compensate for those shortfalls. They are going to be offered another home.
Aftermath
Housing ACT does not have enough accommodation for those who are entitled to it. It does not have sufficient tradies to repair and maintain its properties in a timely manner.
If gran and little Dion’s experience is typical then its management is crisis driven: keep making wellmeant but impossible promises until that bluff is called.
This problem, especially the scale of it, lies with Life Leader Andrew’s priorities. I think he prefers shiny, red toys to giving shelter.
Gran’s face bloomed on the bus home, the stress melting, the colours emerging. Next day she was taking bursting flowers, and her excitement, to Canberra Community Law, to give them a well-deserved thank you.
The complete series of articles on this saga are searchable under Hugh Selby’s name on citynews.com.au. Hugh is a former barrister and CityNews columnist, principally focused on legal affairs.
Goodbye to mould… Gran and little Dion are to get a new home.
Journey begins, but implementation is the test
We are a society in which people have a number of avenues for the aggressive pursuit of dissatisfaction with the performance of public officials.
The stresses this situation creates can take their toll. For example, in NSW over the past 10 years scores of public school principals have faced compulsory medical retirement for illness associated with stress.
For more than 12 years I responded to requests from the NSW Department of Education and Training (as it was then) or the NSW Secondary Principals Council to visit schools to support inexperienced principals, or principals experiencing difficulties in relationships, often with Aboriginal communities.
As a result of those experiences, and in my attempt to deal with change in the school of which I was principal, I developed a structure for managing school improvement. It went : Issues Identification, Validation, Prioritisation, Options Search, Policy/ Procedure Creation, Implementation, Evaluation, Reporting and, hopefully, Celebration.
It has been fascinating to watch our community, the ACT, move through some of these steps as we acknowledge the reality of Aboriginal incarceration and recidivism in the
territory custodial system.
In my experience there is never a lack of people wishing to participate, formally or informally, with the first step of the process, the identification of areas of problematic performance for an organisation. They will precede their analysis by saying. “The problem is…” or “We should…” or “Why can’t we…”.
For many years there have been those who have been deeply concerned at the relationship between our Aboriginal community and our policing/justice/corrections systems.
Validation? Not difficult – we have the lowest overall jail detention rates of any state or territory in our nation, but the highest rates for our Aboriginal population.
In my experience, change in organisations always goes swimmingly to the point of implementation, but then there are always going to be winners and losers.
When I served on the bench of the NSW State Parole Authority we were deeply concerned at the difficulty of reducing overall recidivism rates below 50 per cent; recidivism among Aboriginal Territorians is over 90 per cent. No other state or territory has Aboriginal recidivism rates even approaching this figure.
Essentially, this means that if an Aboriginal person enters incarceration in the ACT it is unlikely that that person ever will resume normal life as a free person.
Priority? A vital question. Our territory has roughly the population of, say, the Blacktown Council area of western Sydney; I’m sure that that body does a fine job of meeting its responsibilities; it is not trying to run its own transport system, education system, health system, justice system, custodial system – these extraordinarily expensive services all are provided by the NSW Government
– we must fund our own.
Funding our public services is always a massive challenge.
So, what priority do we give to coming to grips with this issue in the lives of many of our Aboriginal families? That depends, really, on who we think we are.
In the vote regarding the creation of an Aboriginal Voice in the national constitution we were the only state or territory with a majority “Yes” vote; we like to think of ourselves as informed and just in matters of racial acceptance, and yet we tolerate treatment of our Aboriginal people that is far worse than that of any national neighbours.
Options Search? Well, yes, Jumbanna has done that for us with a report and recommendations, summed up by Julie Tongs (“Reports brutally expose depths of disadvantage”, CN September 11).
So now we are up to Implementation
In my experience, change in organisations always goes swimmingly to this point. But, ah, when we get to the point of implementation there are always going to be winners and losers; resources normally are finite; new expenditures have to come from somewhere; people have to change their behaviours, something most of us are not only reluctant to do but are capable of seeing as an insulting requirement – change inevitably meets resistance; there are very few governments in the world that have seen political capital in increasing expenditure on its prison population.
So, how will the Implementation phase go as we move along this journey we have begun? We’ll get an inkling when we see the government’s response to the Jumbunna work. I await that response with great interest.
Noel Beddoe was official visitor to the Keelong Juvenile Justice Centre in The Illawarra district of NSW before its closure and served on the bench of The NSW State Parole Authority for three and a half years.
A section of art from the cover of the Jumbunna Review.
The price of prestige can be emotionally high
“Never keep up with the Joneses. Drag them down to your level. It’s cheaper.”
–Quentin Crisp
Real estate agents love the word “prestige” and assure us that by buying certain exclusive properties we can gain it – but what is prestige, and can we gain it by spending a lot of money?
Prestige refers to the social respect, admiration and recognition that a person or thing seeks to gain within a society through purchases that serve as ways to display wealth, success, or exclusivity, thus allowing them to differentiate themselves from others or elevate their social standing.
In Canberra, it’s typically an action of the nouveau riche to attract the admiration of those less wealthy than themselves. The epitome is buying a multimilliondollar property, demolishing the existing house, building a much bigger multimillion-dollar house, this time with a basement garage for at least 10 cars – and stocking it with expensive vehicles.
The psychology behind why people seek to gain prestige is complex.
For some, it’s a way to boost selfesteem, as owning “prestigious” items can affirm their success or
elevate a sense of self-worth.
For others, it can be about social comparison, where people buy luxury goods to keep up with, or stand out from, their peers. This is particularly common in wealthier social circles, where luxury items serve as a form of conspicuous consumption.
Some buyers no doubt view luxury items as investments, believing that high-end goods can appreciate over time. This rationalisation can also play a role in luxury consumption. The kind of person who has a basement garage full of luxury cars that are seldom driven, for example. The reality is that few luxury items bought new will reach their original retail cost
in real terms for many years.
Overall, the drive for prestige and the act of spending to attain it are often intertwined with emotional gratification, social pressure and the desire to project an image of success. However, the desire for luxury goods can often reflect a sense of insecurity.
It’s said that luxury items can offer temporary relief from feelings of loneliness or low self-worth, and it extends to owning fake copies of expensive brands.
Purchasing fake Gucci bags and Rolex copies are a way that the less well-heeled can demonstrate that they too can own prestige items.
Owning what appears to be a “high-status” item can serve as a
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The drive for prestige and the act of spending to attain it are often intertwined with emotional gratification, social pressure and the desire to project an image of success.
signal to others that one is successful or worthy. This emotional need is amplified in environments where societal pressure to display wealth is pervasive, often driven by media or cultural ideals of success. What one might call the Mar-a-Lago syndrome.
While some wealthy individuals may genuinely enjoy luxury items for their quality or craftsmanship, they are usually not ostentatious about it, while the ostentatious display of high-value items is likely to mask deep insecurities or feelings of personal inadequacy.
On a lighter note: The phone rings and the caller says, “Mrs Joshi, please.”
“Speaking.”
“Mrs Joshi, this is Dr Kanitkar from ACT Pathology. I’m calling
you because you’re the nominated next-of-kin contact. When we logged your husband’s blood sample, we found we had a blood sample from another Mr Joshi as well...
“The fact is we’re uncertain which one belongs to your husband, but frankly, either way, the results are not good.”
“What do you mean?” Mrs Joshi asks nervously.
“Well, one of the specimens tested positive for Alzheimer’s and the other tested positive for HIV. But we’re not sure which is which.”
“That’s dreadful! Can you do the test again?”
“We could, but Medicare will only reimburse you for these expensive tests once.”
“Well, what should I do then?”
“All I can suggest – if you can’t afford to pay again – is to drop off your husband in Civic and drive home. If he finds his way home within a couple of hours, he doesn’t have Alzheimer’s, but then I strongly suggest you don’t sleep with him.”
The Mar-a-Lago syndrome… owning what appears to be a “high-status” item. Mara-Lago is an exclusive, 126-room, Florida resort owned by Donald Trump since 1985.
What emissions? BRT is the answer, right now!
The ACT Government’s EIS is tunnel-vision biased. It fails to take into account other modes of travel, such as Bus Rapid Transit, at half the price of light rail.
With similar carrying capacity, we could buy two systems for the price of one. Neither business cases for stage 1 and stage 2a stack up financially.
BRT uses existing roads – no expensive tracks. In the event of a crash or other incident, the route is not blocked as BRT can go around any such incidents on existing road infrastructure, with no tunnels or bridges needing to be installed.
BRT, like light rail, has low entry-exit points but BRT has more seating than LR making the journey more comfortable.
Shorter journey time is key to patron age take up. Light rail 2b will take longer, especially if it is routed through the Barton dog leg – a turn off for patrons who don’t want to waste time sitting in a tram.
Under my two-for-one argument, and looking at a number of trunk routes – Tuggeranong to Belconnen, Tuggeranong to Gungahlin –currently go through Civic, not direct. Using the Tuggeranong Parkway with BRT will be faster and encourage patronage take up.
Fewer cars on the road, faster travel – what a system! A patronage winner! Emissions? What emissions?
Want a system? Then BRT is the answer NOW!
Russ Morrison, via email
An ACT government impression of light rail on Sydney Avenue heading to State Circle after completing the Barton
a living treasure
With more than 44,000 rare and endangered trees across a 250-hectare site, what better place than the National Arboretum for the launch of Robert Macklin’s book on Charles Weston, The Man Who Planted Canberra (“The man of Canberra trees, three million of them”, CN September 11)?
The Arboretum is a living treasure in the true sense of the label and something all Australians can be proud of.
With development, deforestation and climate change, our trees are under more threat than ever before, so protecting and
planning, proposing that every citizen should have access to nature by being able to see at least three trees from their home, live in a neighbourhood with at least 30 per cent tree canopy cover, and be within a 300-metre walk of a high-quality green space.
Introduced by Cecil Konijnendijk in 2021, the rule serves as a global benchmark for urban forestry, aiming to improve public health, well-being, and city resilience against climate change.
While many parts of Canberra satisfy this rule, they tend to be in the older suburbs. The ACT government’s Urban Forest
Strategy gives Canberra residents an opportunity to request trees by visiting yoursayconversations.act.gov.au/trees-act/ tree-planting-across-cbr (tinyurl.com/ CBRTrees). An investment in the future.
Anne O’Hara, Wanniassa
Invaluable contribution to Canberr’s history
In a number of recent articles in CityNews, columnist Robert Macklin has justly celebrated, as central to the creation of Canberra, Charles Weston, first officer in charge of afforestation and director of City Parks & Gardens (1913-26), while detracting from the roles of Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin.
Arts editor Helen Musa followed suit in CityNews (September 11), contrasting Weston’s “much lauded contemporaries” and selecting the Cork Oak Plantation as a case of “disastrous direction” from Griffin.
At the launch of his biography of Weston (The Man Who Planted Canberra) at the National Arboretum on September 12, before a packed, interested Canberra audience, Macklin began his presentation with an astonishing declaration: “The creation of the national capital was too much for Griffin. He walked away from his position as Federal Capital Director of Design and Construction.”
This is historically wrong and misleading. Griffin departed from the capital project in 1921, after consolidating his City Plan
but succumbing to the politics of the same bureaucrats who were to frustrate Weston. He and Marion maintained their devotion to the “ideal city”.
In his book, Macklin provides, in Chapter Five, American Dreamers, a fair representation of Griffin’s background and personality and Marion’s renderings of the landscape and buildings of the capital.
Parts II and III of the book portray the collaboration between the town planner/ landscape architect and the arborist/ horticulturalist mostly as conflicts over species selection, with occasional “disasters” (Pialligo Redwoods and the Cork Oak plantation) with Griffin giving Weston a hard time, rather than highlighting the creative, mutual, successful outcomes, linking Griffin’s plan, soil conservation, arboreal and beautification elements.
There are fascinating narratives about the implementation of Griffin’s “painted” inner-city hills, the planting of Mt Pleasant, location of Gen Bridge’s Grave, and the planning of Griffin’s Continental Arboretum and “green hills” afforestation, which put their relationship to the test.
A National Library publication, the book and graphics, biographical details and acknowledgement of Dr John Gray’s earlier treatise are impressive, an invaluable contribution to the history of Canberra, although warranting much more contextual information and appreciation of the Griffins’ vision, achievement and legacy.
Brett Odgers, Swinger Hill
Pocock deserves a seat at the table
Soon after ANU Vice-Chancellor Genevieve Bell resigned, our four federal Labor representatives announced that they would be meeting with Chancellor Julie Bishop about “the next steps” in what the ANU website still calls the “Renew ANU Journey”.
They indicated they had received many constituent concerns about the paths ANU is now tripping down.
No mention was made of Labor asking Senator David Pocock to join their contingent, a move which would have created a strong nonpartisan approach from the ACT on the troubling and deepening fiasco surrounding ANU and its
education provision responsibilities and management.
For a long period of time now Senator Pocock has been an active community-based advocate, communicator, and responder inside and outside parliament about the many concerns that he too has received about the scope and impacts of Renew ANU.
He has liaised effectively and consistently with the campus community, and the broader public, which includes ANU alumni, donors and potential students.
He has queried and spoken out against the ongoing redundancies and ANU’s plans to shut down the School of Music and other well
established and well recognised arts and humanities entities.
Hopefully Senator Pocock will be afforded the same opportunity to meet with specific members of the university’s leadership team, should he wish to do so in addition to his relevant involvements to date in various parliamentary processes that have sought key pieces of information and answers from the ANU chancellery . Sue Dyer, Downer
When whale oil was used for heating
It seems that the climate warriors like Amy Blaine and Anne O’Hara et al would have us return to the period prior to the Industrial Revolution.
Then, whale oil and coal were used for heating and modern pharmaceuticals weren’t available to protect the population from rampant diseases.
I am a realist. Until when – and only then – a stable form of baseload power is available to allow more than 8.5 billion people to live comfortably and efficiently, coal and gas are the answer.
Of course, nuclear power is that source, but most Australians didn’t favour that solution at the last election. Meanwhile, India has 25 nuclear reactors with 11 more under construction. Hence, a lower overall greenhouse gas figure than us nasty Australians.
Dave Jeffrey, Farrer
“dog leg”.
‘Homeowners were informally, and clearly erroneously advised, that they would get nothing from a compulsory acquisition’
How ‘Mr Fluffy’ dudded every household $300,000
“We were underpaid, were given a pittance to help with relocation costs, our insurance didn’t cover anything, and there has been almost no acknowledgement of the latent health issues.” JON STANHOPE & KHALID AHMED reveal the cruel reality of the Mr Fluffy scheme.
The cost to each household embroiled in the Mr Fluffy scheme was, on average, around $300,000. In effect, the affected homeowners ended up paying for the government’s Asbestos Response Taskforce and the remediation costs, and then some.
In a previous article, we revealed the serious design and implementation failures of the asbestos remediation program. In this final column, we return to the question of what went wrong?
Our assessment of the outcomes has been guided by the principles prescribed by the Legislative Assembly when authorising the appropriation in 2014, and which were subsequently adopted by the government’s asbestos taskforce as its objectives.
This discussion would have been unnecessary if the taskforce or the government had produced a set of accounts consistent with accepted norms and accounting practices, or if there had been an audit of the program.
We note a “closure audit” was conducted by a private firm engaged by the taskforce. That is, of course, not a substitute for an independent performance audit by the auditor-general who has legislated powers to demand information and explanations.
In our analysis and review, we have set aside the closure audit due to scope and space considerations, but note that other government agencies would be thrilled if they too had the right to engage private consultants for performance audits of their programs.
Principle/Objective 3: Flexibility and options for informed choices
Appropriation Act: “Provide, so far as is possible and reasonable, flexibility and options for informed choices to be made by owners of affected homes.”
The issue of options for informed choices was raised in the inquiry by the Standing Committee on Public Accounts in several submissions, including one from the ACT Law Society. This remained unaddressed throughout the program.
The Law Society, in particular, expressed concern that the legal profession could not properly advise affected homeowners if there was no information on options or alternatives to the “voluntary” surrender and acceptance of the taskforce’s valuation. In the analysis of the scheme’s design we highlighted the bizarre requirement of the government for a certificate of legal advice. There was no advice on choices and, ipso facto, no ability to make informed choices. In fact, from
comments by affected homeowners it appears that they were informally, and clearly erroneously advised, that they would get nothing from a compulsory acquisition.
The taskforce, it seems, failed to comply with the guiding principle and deliver on its objective.
Principle/Objective 4: Minimise overall net costs to the community
Appropriation Act: “Minimise overall net costs to the Canberra community and the ACT government (thereby minimising the flow-on impact to other government policy and program delivery areas).”
A reasonable interpretation of this principle would be for the taskforce to minimise administration costs; to avoid unnecessary legal costs; to engage companies with experience and scale for demolition and clean up; and to aggregate tasks and activities.
It was recognised that while the program would cost the government and the community, the taskforce should nevertheless be as efficient as possible. The principle includes the word “net”, which recognises that the mechanics of the program may/ will involve acquiring land and then returning it to the owners or the market, ie, some revenue.
The taskforce had the following consideration in mind:
“The principle that government should seek every safe opportunity to minimise its demolition and remediation costs and maximise its return on the eventual sale of clean blocks with a view to defraying the overall cost of the scheme to the Canberra community” – Asbestos Response Taskforce Closure Report.
From minimising costs to maximising revenues, the taskforce made a critical jump that changed its focus and culture.
Land blocks must be acquired, albeit, under the pretence of voluntary surrender, being the means to delivering the revenue maximisation goal. It does not appear to have occurred to the taskforce, or at least concerned it, that it was aiming to maximise revenue from affected homeowners either directly or through forcing them into the market.
It appears that for the taskforce, homeowners became little more than mere instruments in this scheme. That is the only feasible explanation for the manifestly unfair policy, cynical design of the scheme, and the behaviour of taskforce officials.
The auditor engaged by the taskforce noted with apparent approval that the taskforce sold around 60 per cent of the properties above the then
they wished to avail themselves of the opportunity of opting for dual occupancy on the block. The value of these rezoning benefits was estimated at $93 million. For homeowners, of course, it resulted in an increase in cost.
Table 1 shows what was planned and what occurred, financially, from the government’s point of view. In a previous article we highlighted that households had to bear the cost imposts of an increase in the purchase price of their own land, while seeking to access funds for reconstruction.
A fair remediation program, in principle, would be at least cost neutral for affected homeowners. They would surely also have been entitled to any capital gains from the time they handed in their blocks to the time of their return. Some may have opted to downsize, but should nevertheless, like any other homeowner, have retained the obvious financial benefits.
market valuations (and even higher against the valuations given to homeowners), and thus achieved its revenue maximisation objective.
Table 1 details the aggregate costs of the scheme related to acquisition of land and dwellings, remediation and administration, offset by sales revenue. The table compares the actual costs with the financial estimates provided by the then treasurer, Andrew Barr, to the Standing Committee in 2014.
The table highlights some interesting facts.
Demolition, remediation and administration costs were about $35 million lower than the original estimates. While it is unclear from the information in the report whether this was through efficiencies, or through lower spending on support and assistance, or if the original estimates were generous, nevertheless, it is commendable.
The taskforce made $646.5 million in land sales revenue against the original estimate of $518.8 million, while selling fewer blocks. Its revenue maximisation focus produced
$234 million (an average of $242,460 per block) in land revenue over and above the unimproved value paid to the homeowners.
How was this achieved? We have written extensively about the constraints on land supply, particularly on the supply of standalone blocks resulting in soaring land profits for the government.
In 2015 a mere 329 standalone blocks were released by the land development agency, less than 10 per cent of the release a few years earlier. This was the market that the taskforce entered with around a thousand blocks in its hands. For some time, it was the dominant player and extracted monopoly profits.
The increase in revenue was also in part due to the rezoning of the affected blocks through Territory Plan Variation 343, which allowed for unit titling of 700 square metre, and larger, blocks.
Notably the planning policy, in its application, increased the costs of purchase back by affected homeowners, irrespective of whether
We estimate the cost of a fair voluntary program was in the order of $563 million. The cost of a compulsory acquisition program would almost certainly have been higher.
The original financial estimates implied a cost shift of $205 million to the affected homeowners due to the unfair elements of the scheme as previously discussed.
In reality, $268 million was borne by the government, and $295 million was carried by the homeowners, in direct land and construction costs or in foregone benefits which the government recouped.
In other words, the cost to each affected household was, on average, in the order of $300,000. The homeowners ended up, in effect, paying for the taskforce and the remediation costs, and then some more.
That the taskforce was able to dump $295 million of costs on households, against an original plan of $205 million hardly seems fair.
We conclude with a comment from an affected homeowner quoted in the Community and Expert Reference Group Report:
“I still don’t think the wider Canberra community realises just how poorly the victims of this were treated. Most people think we were paid a fortune for our houses.
“They don’t know that we were underpaid, were given a pittance to help with relocation costs, our insurance didn’t cover anything, and there has been almost no acknowledgement of the latent health issues.”
Jon Stanhope is a former chief minister of the ACT and Dr Khalid Ahmed a former senior ACT Treasury official.
Fence wrap is installed around a “Mr Fluffy” asbestos-affected house that was to be demolished in Guthridge Crescent, Wanniassa, in June 2015. Photo: Mick Tsikas/AAP
Table 1: Asbestos Removal Program Costs and Revenue – Original Estimates and Actuals
Women IN BUSINESS 2025 advertising feature
The women who keep their businesses spinning
These days, women make up more than 35 per cent of small businesses owners in Australia, which is double what it was in the ‘70s. Here are some of Canberra’s best women in business…
Suzanne’s a passionate advocate for lifestyle financial planning
Tribe Group director, financial planner and accredited aged-care professional, Suzanne McIntosh recognised a demand for more tailored financial solutions and expanded her expertise into financial planning.
She was finding clients asking “What’s next? What are the next steps?” after moving from a phase of wealth accumulation to a stage of reflection and strategic planning,
“As a passionate advocate for lifestyle financial planning, I take great pride in helping clients liberate themselves from financial constraints, allowing them to focus on what truly matters,” she says.
“My approach centres on creating personalised, clear and realistic strategies that empower clients to achieve their objectives and navigate the complexities they face with confidence.”
At the core of her work, Suzanne says she believes that by setting healthy, realistic expectations, she can build trust and provide meaningful guidance, ensuring her clients are well-equipped to make informed decisions at every stage of their financial journey.
trust and mutual respect, recognising that the right fit for each client is paramount.”
Sherina brings Lucid Body Acting to Canberra
Emerging actor, writer and producer Sherina BahkMeyers is the founder and director of her one-woman micro-business, Bahk-Meyers Production, an independ ent production company and creative studio.
Still in its infancy, Sherina says her ultimate goal is to produce films and plays, but has started strong with the introduction of new workshop concepts led by industry experts.
“While a big part of performing arts is about creativity and storytelling, what I love about the work that I do is getting to play a part, however small, in contributing to the growth of the creative industry,” she says.
Sherina’s latest creative endeavour brings the Lucid Body Acting Workshop to Canberra.
Developed in the US and taught at some of the world’s top performing arts schools, such as Julliard and Yale, Sherina says Lucid Body is designed in a way that is suitable for anyone seeking self-expansion and self-knowledge to elevate their presence, listening and communication.
Robert Maxwell is Australia’s first certified Lucid Body instructor and a highly respected and soughtafter acting, voice and movement coach based in Sydney.
“I am so excited that Rob has made Lucid Body available as a Canberra-intensive program, where participants will walk away having completed the Lucid Body Basics in two weekends, over four days,” she says.
With more than 20 years of experience as a chartered accountant in high-net-worth individuals and business
Pursuing her passion as a storyteller, Sherina says seeing correct representation in the industry is important.
“We’ve come a long way, but there’s so much
way.”
Bahk-Meyers Production, visit Instagram at bahkmeyers _production or Facebook at Bahk-Meyers Production
Lucid Body Acting Workshop with Rob Maxwell – Canberra: an intensive 4-day program across 2 weekends
Step into your most authentic self with the internationally acclaimed Lucy Body program taught by Australia’s first certified Lucy Body instructor. Everyone is welcome, not just actors!
Dates: 11-12 & 18-19 October 2025 (two weekends/4 full days to complete Lucid Body Basics)
Time: 10 am - 5 pm (each day)
Venue: XTEND Canberra City, Unit 4/54 Northbourne Ave, Canberra
$595 with 4-interest-free payment option available at https://www.trybooking.com/DCRTC (QR code below)
Workshop Highlights
• Discover the Lucid Body technique, a psycho-physical process that prioritises the practice of investigating with respect and without judgement the given circumstances of our body.
• Learn tools taught at the world’s top acting conservatories, including Juilliard, Tisch School of the Arts and the Yale School of Drama. Suitable for anyone seeking self-expansion.
Get a Sneak Peek of the Workshop – Watch on Facebook & Instagram: Bahk Meyers Production @bahkmeyers_production
Limited spots available – don’t miss out!
Enquiries to bahkmeyersproduction@icloud.com
Scan the QR code to book instantly
Sherina Bahk-Meyers, founder of Bahk-Meyers Production.
Tribe Group director Suzanne McIntosh.
Women IN BUSINESS 2025
Sarah’s family values shine bright in business
InDepth Landscape Construction CEO
Sarah Bateman, the 2024 Business Person of the Year in the Canberra Region Local Business Awards, says she’s exactly where she was meant to be.
After taking long service leave from her public service job in 2020, Sarah helped establish InDepth with her husband, something she says she has never looked back on.
“Dad was a builder, so I was used to being surrounded by the trade,” she says.
“Every day is different and I really enjoy the client engagement.”
What had originally started as a family business now employs 35 workers, all of whom Sarah considers “part of the family”.
“We have continued our family values and are so proud of the team and their hard work,” she says.
Sarah says it is important that they are bringing the face of construction back to the tradies, through thorough and clear communication.
“It all comes around to our team,” she says.
“You can only be what the team deliv ers, so fostering a sense of community and connection within is so important.”
Mum of three boys, Sarah says she is proud to show them that anything is possible, regardless of background.
InDepth Landscape Construction, Unit 3/1 Sawmill Circuit, Hume. Call 6293 2257 or visit indepthlandscaping.com.au
Sarah’s dream for early childhood education
For more than 40 years, early childhood educator Sarah McCulloch had been working towards owning and operating her own centre.
A qualified teacher with experience teaching kindergarten to year 4, Sarah’s dream has always been to put her own personal touch on an operation.
Working across three different boutique centres, she says each location has been carefully designed to feel like a “home away from home”.
“As one family put it, it feels like family daycare on steroids,” she says.
“Relationships are foundational, so we want our areas to feel homely, calm and relaxing to reduce high levels of anxiety.”
Operating for five years, Galileo Early Learning has had the same staff, many of whom followed Sarah’s dream from the start.
“Ninety per cent of our families found us through recommendations,” she says.
“We also get many schools advising us that these children are entering into the system exceptionally confident in themselves and their ability to tackle new things.”
It is this confidence that Sarah says they are constantly pursuing.
“We are getting them school ready, for them to know that they can do it.”
One of Galileo’s centres, the Galileo Spanish Australian Preschool, on 28 Astrolabe Street in Red Hill, features a culturally inclusive curriculum where teachers speak English and Spanish with the children.
“Every child comes with an invisible backpack, and it is up to us to unpack it and make their load a little
Galileo Early Learning, 19 Astrolabe Street, Red Hill (call 0433 461300), 3 Carleton Street Kambah (0447 757475).
Galileo Spanish Australian Preschool, 28 Astrolabe Street, Red Hill (0483 931860) or visit galileoearlylearning.com
InDepth Landscape Construction CEO Sarah Bateman.
easier by providing inclusive and supportive care,” says Sarah.
Galileo Early Learning director Sarah McCulloch.
Confidence, Community, Culture
We believe every child deserves the opportunity to become their own version of remarkable.
Here at Galileo, your child is invited to take the first steps of their educational journey within a supportive and caring environment as we cater for the developmental needs of children from 3 months to 5 years.
Our curriculum covers social and emotional learning, sensory experiences, STEM, literacy, arts, languages, meditation and yoga.
Galileo Spanish Australian Preschool 28 Astrolabe Street Red Hill
Galileo Early Learning 7/3 Carleton Street Kambah
Galileo Early Learning 19 Astrolabe Street Red Hill
Joanna’s
Women IN BUSINESS 2025
A quality picture framing service comes down to three things: design, implementation and reliability, says Civic Proframe owner, Joanna Lees.
Taking over ownership of the shop in July, Joanna says it’s a privilege to be a part of the vibrant com munity along City Walk.
“I’ve been lucky to meet so many wonderful clients and I want to thank them for trusting me with their stories and artworks,” she says.
“Every piece that comes through the door brings something special into the shop.”
Women make up 35 per cent of the picture framing industry in Australia, and as an industry that values creativity, detail and relationships, Joanna says women bring strength in those areas.
“Having women in leadership shows the industry is open, inclusive and evolving, it also means the next generation can look at this career and see a future for themselves in it,” she says.
Joanna began as a graphic designer at a small framing shop, learning about the craft as she went. Later, following another career path, it was fate when the previous owner of Civic Proframe retired, leaving her with an opportunity to return to the industry she’d fallen in love with.
“What I love most about framing is the many layers of meaning it carries,” she says.
“As office workers walk past the gallery windows, I see their surprise and delight when a piece of art catches their attention.
“It’s a small moment, but it reminds me that the work I do can brighten someone’s day.”
Civic Proframe, 8/240 City Walk, Canberra. Call 0492 992509 or visit canlabproframe.com.au
Dr Maryse takes the time to listen to her patients
Canberra Family Health Centre’s founder, Associate Professor Dr Maryse Badawy, is the principal practitioner at her Deakin clinic, where she manages the clinical responsibilities of a practitioner and oversees the day-to-day operations of the practice.
“There is no small amount of joy to be had from daily interactions with patients,” she says.
“I’ve had the privilege of rejoicing with my patients whilst sharing their happiness and successes, and crying with them when sharing their sadnesses and crises.”
A Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and of the Hong Kong Academy of Medi cine in the Discipline of Family Medicine, Dr Badawy also holds a Master in Family Medicine and a Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine to complement her Bachelor Medicine/Bachelor Surgery degree.
She is also a Member of the Australasian Menopause Society.
Dr Badawy says she is committed to providing a patient-centred approach by taking the time to listen to her patients, understanding their concerns to develop personalised treatment plans with one-hour appoint ments.
“I believe in being thorough and taking the time to get to know my patients and their needs,” she says.
“Trust is a key foundation and it is a privilege knowing you’re trusted and that patients can come to you.
“At Canberra Family Health Centre, we treat the whole person and cater to their entire needs.”
Canberra Family Health Centre is accepting new patients.
Canberra Family Health Centre, Peter Yorke Building, Suite 6, Level 3, 173 Strickland Crescent, Deakin. Call 5133 7112 or visit cfhc.com.au
Dr Maryse Badawy.
Civic Proframe owner Joanna Lees.
Your Family Doctor Who Delivers Truly Individualised Treatment
Women’s life stages are based on the reproductive cycle, beginning with menstruation and continuing through menopause. Women’s health needs change through different life stages and are associated with differing and unique health considerations during each phase. Within each phase, females may encounter distinct symptoms and varying disease risks. Adhering to routine medical check ups and promptly consulting a doctor when noticing unusual symptoms can aid in early detection and disease prevention and modification.
In adolescence and young adulthood, puberty, the beginning of menstruation, and the development of reproductive health are associated with hormonal fluctuations resulting in menstrual cycle difficulties and hormonal symptoms. The promotion of a healthy lifestyle, healthy nutrition, exercise and mental well-being as well as educating the adolescent promotes good adult health. Discussing sexual activity in an open and non-judgemental way promotes prevention of sexually related infections and pap smear abnormalities.
Adulthood and reproductive age which spans until the menopause is associated with various health issues, including infections, uterine and ovarian problems. Open discussion of contraception, pregnancy planning, prenatal care and postpartum health including mental well-being are crucial issues for consideration in the adult woman. Again patient education on the importance of regular check-ups, breast and cervical screening are pivotal in achieving and maintaining good health.
Perimenopause and menopause can be associated with severe symptoms , issues relating to bone health, cardiovascular health, and emotional well-being. These arise as the result of the natural decline in sex hormones. Customizing health care for women in this life stage is according to symptoms and the woman making informed decision regarding her management. Adjustments in lifestyle can contribute positively to achieving and maintaining good health and addressing the physical and emotional symptoms associated with this life stage. The first step to addressing any problem is to discuss your symptoms and learn how you can restore symptom control.
Founder of Canberra Family Health Centre , Associate Professor Maryse Badawy is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, and a Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine in the Discipline of Family Medicine. She obtained a Master of Family Medicine, a Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine, in addition to her
of Medicine / Bachelor of Surgery
involved in teaching, training, and mentoring medical students and graduates. Dr Badawy is a Member of the Australasian Menopause Society.
Dr Badawy has a deep passion for Women’s Wellness and Family Health, with a focus on addressing the unique healthcare needs of women, and has extensive experience in managing various conditions related to Women’s Health, including cancer screening and management options.
Her commitment is to provide a patient-centered approach, where
she takes the time to listen to her patients, understand their concerns, and develop personalised treatment plans and care with empathy and respect.
Dr Badawy is dedicated to empowering her patients with knowledge and support to ensure they understand and make informed decisions about their health. She strives to ensure that imparting women with knowledge allows them to lead healthy and fulfilling lives throughout all stages of womanhood and participate in the decision-making for their care.
YOUR EXPERIENCED FEMALE GP IN CANBERRA NOW ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS
With many years of experience and a compassionate approach, Associate Professor Maryse Badawy has a firm commitment in the delivery of medical care.
ONE-HOUR APPOINTMENT Our initial 1-hour appointment includes a complete medical history, a thorough examination, any necessary tests, and a personalised care plan focused on prevention and proactive health.
As a female GP in Canberra, Dr. Badawy understands the unique medical needs of women. Our services include:
• Routine and preventative women’s health checks
• Support for hormonal and reproductive health issues
• Management of women’s chronic conditions
• Mental health support
• Pre-pregnancy and postnatal care
We are here to support women at every stage of life, offering care that is compassionate, confidential, and comprehensive.
Generational Family Care: With a career spanning leadership roles and academic accomplishments, Dr. Badawy has even provided family care for up to four generations of the same family.
Dr. Badawy is committed to providing personalised, evidence based care tailored to your needs.
Bachelor
degree. She is
Principal Practitioner Associate Professor Dr Maryse Badawy at her new Deakin clinic… “It is really heartwarming to see new patients relax knowing that I have a commitment to them.”
salon is three times larger than when or visit aboutfacetuggeranong.com.au
Dr Sarah empowers women with knowledge
Whether it’s guiding a mother through her breastfeeding journey, helping a family navigate complex health decisions or being a trusted voice when a patient is feeling overwhelmed, medical director of The Mother Hub Dr Sarah Bombell says she feels privileged to be a part of those moments.
“Every day is different and I’m constantly inspired by the resilience, strength and courage of the women I work with,” she says.
“I believe that workplaces that support women are the workplaces of the future.
“At The Mother Hub we are building not only a centre of healthcare excellence, but also a family-friendly workplace where clinicians can thrive professionally while balancing their own family commitments.”
Passionate about being a role model for the next generation of women in medicine, Dr Bombell says she hopes to show that leadership, family and compassion can co-exist.
“It’s at the heart of what I do,” she says.
“So many women tell me they’ve felt dismissed or overlooked.
“Empowering women with knowledge about their bodies, their choices and their health allows them to step into motherhood and womanhood with confidence.
“Where women feel empowered, families and communities thrive.”
The Mother Hub, Suite 29, John James Medical Centre, 175 Strickland Crescent, Deakin. Call 6196 6722 or visit themotherhub.com.au
Dr Sarah Bombell with baby Eliza, aged 11 months, who she’s known since the early stages of her Mother’s pregnancy. Today, Suzy’s
About Face Beauty & Anti Aging team, from left, Jessica, Suzy, Renee, Chelsea and Jess.
The Mother Hub is a specialist pregnancy and breastfeeding clinic in Deakin, run by Medical Director Dr Sarah Bombell and her team of dedicated Women’s Health professionals. We are excited to soon be offering a general GP service, in addition to our specialised care of pregnant and breastfeeding women and their babies for feeding related problems. Our services include pre-pregnancy, antenatal and postnatal care, support with breastfeeding and bottle feeding challenges, tongue tie assessments and release, clinical psychology, counselling, diabetic education and osteopathy, as well as Women’s Health services including fertility, contraception and menopause care.
Medical
Our GP obstetricians provide pregnancy and postnatal care, and labour care for women birthing at Queanbeyan Hospital. Our Women’s Health GPs provide pregnancy and postnatal care, baby checks, family planning services, office gynaecology and other women’s health services, as well as care of babies and children. Our specialist lactation GPs offer tongue tie release.
Midwifery
Our Endorsed Midwives and Lactation Consultants provide midwifery care for women including continuity of antenatal and postnatal care. As IBCLC’s, our lactation consultants provide speciality lactation care. Our midwives all have an extended scope of practice, and Medicare rebates are available for some services.
Allied Health
Our Clinical Psychologist and Counsellor focuses on the needs of women and families as they transition through pregnancy and early parenting. Our osteopaths provide care for babies with feeding difficulties and pre/post tongue tie release exercises, as well as care of women and older children. Our Research Officer manages the collation of data for the various projects Mother Hub is involved in. We are further expanding our allied health services soon.
Lucy & Anna lead a ‘boutique’ approach to family law
Eight years ago, law partners Lucy Stramandinoli and Anna Neilan decided to open a family law firm that offered a boutique approach in providing law advice to clients. At the time, the firm was one of the first female only led law firms.
“We have more than 40 years of combined experience working exclusively in family law and we wanted to provide individualised services to our clients,” says Anna.
“In family law, you need specialised skills and we wanted to make sure that our clients were supported by their lawyer.”
Lucy says they know from being mothers and directors of a busy law firm that it is hard to juggle a work/ life balance, but says these challenges inspired her to continue pursuing a leadership role in law.
Lucy says “finding her tribe” has created a great environment to work in.
According to Anna, everyone supports each other in the office.
“If someone has a heavier workload, the rest of the office assists,” she says.
Lucy says this environment has made for a produc tive, happy and meaningful place to work.
“We had strong role models and it is important to show our staff as they develop from being young lawyers to more senior lawyers,” she says.
Conscious of the difficult nature of accessing justice for some, Anna says they work with and volunteer for organisations that provide legal support for vulnerable people.
Neilan Stramandinoli Family Law, Suite 1, Ground Floor/5 Farrell Place, Canberra. Call 6152 0493 or visit nsfamilylaw.com.au
regarding women’s health.
“I’m passionate about women feeling comfortable in a safe environment and having a really good health care service to address issues such as pregnancy, menopause and fertility,” she says.
“Women have a specific set of challenges that the other 50 per cent of the population don’t have, and I think women need a safe space to be able to talk to other women.”
Queenbee specialises in menstrual problems,
Working for the best possible solution
At Neilan Stramandinoli Family Law, we pride ourselves in our proven track record, our commitment to excellence, and expert knowledge of family law. We understand how difficult and emotional family law matters can be; we are compassionate and empathetic, guiding you towards the best possible solution.
For separating couples:
• Parenting arrangements
• Dividing property and superannuation
• Family violence matters
New or existing relationships:
• Best arrangements for your children
• Protecting assets and yourself
• Preserving entitlements
Dr Ellis says the practice has been her dream for the past 10 years.
“Being in the clinic is more than just going to get an illness fixed,” she says.
“It’s about what we can work on together. It’s a journey to better health.”
Queenbee Women’s Health, 69-71 Monaro Street, Queanbeyan. Open Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9am to 5pm. Visit queenbeewomenshealth.com
Anna Neilan Family Lawyer
Lucy Stramandinoli Family Lawyer
Anna Neilan, left, and Lucy Stramandonoli.
The Queenbee Women’s Health team, from left, admin officer Emily Sander, Dr Jeannie Ellis and admin manager Tricia Chacos.
diverse (CALD) women across Canberra to step into leadership and business.
The event was delivered in collaboration with community partners, including Raffy Sgroi, of Sage Advice, whose expertise in business and leadership development is helping shape the project’s delivery.
The launch coincided with the graduation of 14 women from IWiN’s NETRI Leadership Program, a firstof-its-kind culturally responsive leadership program designed and delivered by IWiN Chair, Dr Madhumita Iyengar.
“NETRI means ‘The Woman Leader’ in Sanskrit, and the name reflects the spirit of this program: to empower women to lead with courage and vision,” Dr Iyengar says.
“Evidence proves that NETRI has provided a culturally safe space where CALD women can strengthen their voice, grow their confidence, and step into change.”
Dr Iyengar says the symbolism of the project runs deep.
“The ORANGE Skirt Project is an initiative driven by the values of empowerment, justice, and inclusion,” she says.
“For me, the ORANGE Skirt is more than a project, it is a promise to create a new generation of women entrepreneurs who dare to realise their dreams against all odds.”
Raffy Sgroi says: “We are honoured to partner with Dr Iyengar in launching the ORANGE Skirt Project.
“Together, we’re committed to empowering women and driving meaningful change through this transformative program.”
Initiatives For Women In Need, call 0432 261541 or visit iwinact.org
Dr Henriette’s passion for gentle dentistry
In business, Dr Henriette Macri-Etienne says she has always looked for opportunities to combine her passions for growth and learning.
She has founded and grown dental practices in Lithgow and Katoomba as well as her practice in Civic – Integrated Dental Canberra (IDC).
She has also grown her own skills to assist patients with dental anxiety – something for which she has been recognised through national awards and a cover spot on the dental industry magazine Bite.
Dr Macri-Etienne established IDC in 2022 and has grown the business into a practice recognised in the September edition of Bite for its combination of “gentle dentistry and outstanding clinical results”.
“One of my passions is to offer the best ap proaches to managing dental anxiety and phobia, drawing from western medicine, but also eastern modalities where those can assist,” Dr MacriEtienne says.
“Options are varied and patients are an empowered, active part of the process. These are things that motivate me in the work of running a business.”
Dr Macri-Etienne’s passion for growth also led her this year to form a partnership with the Smile On Clinics group, a leader in high-end cosmetic dentistry and dental implants.
She says the partnership helps to establish IDC as a stand-out in providing customised care for anxious and other patients and high-end services, including cosmetic dentistry, orthodontics and implants.
Integrated Dental Canberra, 5/16 Moore Street, Canberra. Call 6249 8551 or visit integrateddentalcanberra.com.au
Raffy Sgroi, left, and Dr Iyengar, far right, with the 14 NETRI graduates.
Integrated Dental Canberra owner, Dr Henriette Macri-Etienne.
Jenn helps women stand out, for all the right reasons
There’s a lot of psychology behind the way you dress that influences emotions and levels of confidence, says Peak Women founder and designer, Jenn Cowley.
“I noticed in my workplace that women talk about job opportunities and their outfits in a similar manner,” she says.
“It was all negative, so I created something that is both inspiring and feminine, and is designed to boost confidence in women to aspire for new opportunities.”
Building her own clothing brand 18 months ago, Jenn says her greatest wish is to inspire women to find themselves and know their own worth through their outfits.
“We’ve taken the female body into considera tion with the design,” she says.
“From adjustable waistlines, wider sleeve ends, as well as inside and outside pockets, our blazer and trousers are designed to be mix-and-match.”
Hidden affirmations have been printed into the lining of the blazers as a subtle reminder for the wearer that they are capable, worthy and belong.
“We want women to stand out for all the right reasons,” says Jenn.
“Women shouldn’t feel like they belong on the sidelines and be ignored.”
Jenn’s models are all real customers, representing and showcasing the very “real” women of Canberra.
Her new collection releases in October.
Peak Women, visit peakwomen.com.au or Instagram at peakwomen
New partner Connie loves the rhythm of law
Growing up professionally at BDN Lawyers, new partner Connie Park has celebrated her 13th year at the firm.
“Achieving partnership represents both personal fulfilment and the ability to make a meaningful impact on the firm and those within it,” she says.
“It allows me to shape the culture, mentor junior lawyers and strengthen client relationships.”
As a working mother, she hopes her experience demonstrates it is possible to combine professional commitment with family life and says it’s important that perseverance, resilience and dedication is recognised and rewarded.
“There is often a perception that lawyers are only needed when something goes wrong; and while that is sometimes true, I love being able to help clients prevent problems by guiding them through important transactions,” she says.
Originally planning a career in music, Connie says she was drawn to law when she noticed a similarity in structure and rules, with room for interpretation and creativity.
“That combination of intellectual challenge, creativity and meaningful impact is what keeps me passionate about my career,” she says.
Working alongside several talented women, Connie says having women in the profession is very important.
“It sends a strong message to the community, to aspiring lawyers, and even to children – the future of our world – that gender is not and should never be a barrier,” she says.
Peak Women is an Australian, women-led fashion brand redefining power dressing.
We design elegant , easy-care suits made to move with you from boardrooms to coffee runs. Thoughtful tailoring, functional pockets, wrinkle free fabrics and empowering linings. For more information visit our website www.peakwomen.com.au
Peak Women founder, Jenn Cowley, right, with a customer modelling her latest collection.
BDN Lawyers partner Connie Park.
Lorraine White
Richard Baker
Tanya Nadin
Women IN BUSINESS 2025
Claudia steps in, building confidence and community
Teaching more than 3000 Canberrans how to Nordic Walk, Capital Nordic Walking director
Claudia Martin says the activity is a safe, effective and accessible exercise for all ages, fitness levels and health conditions.
Combining exercise, health, wellbeing and community, Claudia says she chose this career as a way of helping people stay active, reduce pain and feel connected with others.
“Building a place where thousands of Canberrans can move with confidence and form friendships is exactly the kind of work I hoped to do,” she says.
“It’s a low-intensity, high-impact, total-body workout that’s ideal for rehabilitation and for managing arthritis, joint pain, diabetes and even neurological or cardiovascular conditions.”
Bringing fresh ideas, compassion and a focus on wellbeing, Claudia says having leading women within the industry shows that exercise and health initiatives can be inclusive and community-driven, making the activity accessible and meaningful for everyone involved.
“It’s rewarding to watch someone who might have felt limited by pain or illness discover that they can move freely and confidently again,” she says.
“I see people build strength and balance, feel less pain and regain a sense of independence.”
Claudia says she is often told that the exercise has helped clients stay active when nothing else has felt possible.
Capital Nordic Walking offers a community outreach program of supported walks, run by dedicated volunteers, Claudia says they are always on the lookout
Capital Nordic Walking, call 0423 789614, email hello@capitalnordicwalking.com.au or visit capitalnordicwalking.com.au
Nordic Walking in Canberra
6284 6222 or visit winnunga.org.au
• 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.
for more helpers (known colloquially as “Angels”) to welcome walkers and offer companionship. No experience is required, just a friendly spirit and love of community.
Capital Nordic Walking director Claudia Martin.
Winnunga Nimmityjah CEO Julie Tongs.
“Compassion
Meets Cutting-Edge Dentistry”
Patients Inspire Partnership to Deliver High Tech, Trauma-Informed Dentistry
Award-winning Canberra dentist and joint-owner of Integrated Dental Canberra, Dr Henriette
Christy
is about
Women IN BUSINESS 2025
building body confidence
Family owned and locally operated, Total Body Contouring owner Christy Christensen says she is proud to be working with cutting-edge technology to help Canberrans feel like the best version of themselves.
“We are Canberra’s trusted local choice for body contouring, offering expert care and results our clients love,” she says.
With years of collective experience within the organisation, Christy says they are constantly keeping up to date with new and revolutionary technology to create a pain-free experience.
Currently offering a $300 fat-freezing treatment using Cooltech technology, Christy says they can target up to 40 per cent of fat in the area within two to three months of use.
“There’s no downtime required,” she says. “It’s non-invasive and we provide free consultations prior to treatment.”
New to the salon are their Benda Wrap treat ments, that has a lipolytic, draining and sculpting effect by activating the splitting of adipocyte membranes and normalising the process of fat metabolism.
“For professional and restorative draining treatments, the Bendra Wrap treatment is aimed at reducing the manifestations of cellulite and fat deposits,” she says.
Christy says Total Body Contouring is about building body confidence.
“We give a personalised experience and journey, everyone is different,” she says.
Total Body Contouring, Shop 3/22 Franklin Street, Grif fith. Call 6239 7347 or visit totalbodycontouring.com.au Total Body Contouring
Law firm principal Aarti brings a ‘modern twist’
Joining the Mazengarb Arora Family Lawyers team in 2020 and appointed a partner in 2023, Aarti Arora was made principal at the firm in July.
Heavily involved with the firm before her appointment, she specialises in family law and family violence matters.
Aarti says her new position, and the practice’s name change to Mazengarb Arora Family Lawyers, “works with the firm’s commitment to helping clients live well in the community”.
“It’s about solutions, as well as, what modern technology brings,” Aarti says.
She says Mazengarb legacy – which started in 2007 – will continue to help the region.
Aarti brings extensive experience from operating and managing a business to working her way up in the legal profession.
“If you’re hit with a family dispute, you need the right advice to ensure you and your rights and those of your children are protected,” she says.
Aarti says her team understands that finding a lawyer you can feel comfortable with is an essential process associated with family breakdowns.
“We try to become the lawyer you appreciate, any problem and the solution we propose,” she says.
Mazengarb Arora Family Lawyers, Level 3/10 Rudd Street, Civic. Call 6243 0199, or visit mazengarblawyers.com.au
owner Christy Christensen.
Mazengarb Arora Family Lawyers principal, Aarti Arora.
Now proudly Mazengarb Arora Family Lawyers, a new name, the same trusted care.
At Mazengarb Arora Family Lawyers, we understand that no legal matters are the same. For over two decades, we have helped Canberra families navigate life’s most challenging legal issues with compassion, clarity and genuine care.
You are not just another case. You are our priority.
Need legal advice? Our areas of expertise include:
Parenting & Custody Matters
Property & Financial Settlements
Binding Financial Agreements
Family Law Mediation
Court Representation
Family Violence
Let’s talk about how we can help you move forward Over 22
Contact 02 6230 0199 or Book your initial 30 min FREE consultation
Kim says renovation is more than bricks and mortar
More than just “bricks and mortar”, Renovation Matters owner, Kim Persson, says her work is about people, trust and meaningful results.
“I wanted to create a service that truly takes the stress out of renovating and selling,” she says.
Seeing too many situations where people in difficult circumstances were taken advantage of, Kim says there was a clear gap for a service that offered genuine support, trustworthy advice and reliable trades.
“Renovation Matters was born from my passion to help clients not only achieve the best possible results when selling, but to also improve and enjoy their own homes if they choose to stay,” she says.
Every client that Kim sees is different, making each renovation project individualised.
“I enjoy shaping each project to meet goals and bring out the best in every property,” she says.
Kim’s reward comes in seeing the transformation of not just the home, but of her client’s outlook.
“Watching someone walk into their freshly renovated space and knowing that my work directly helps people sell faster, for more, or simply enjoy their homes more, makes it all worthwhile,” she says.
Traditionally a male-dominated field, Kim says she’s proud to represent women in the industry and show that they can deliver high-quality work, man age complex projects and build trusted relationships with both clients and trades.
“My goal is not just to complete renovations, but to create a community where people feel supported, educated and empowered throughout the process,” she says.
Renovation Matters, call 0427 696 662, or visit renovationmatters.com.au
Renovation Matters offers transformational renovations that add the biggest impact and value when selling your property.
If you are not selling, we can help you renovate to meet your specific requirements!
NOW IS THE TIME…
Rebecca offers clients a ‘toolbox’ to fight chronic pain
For 11 years at Arthritis ACT CEO, Rebecca Davey has been advocating for people living with chronic health by providing support services and facilities.
“It’s our job to show them that their life isn’t over just because they have chronic pain,” she says.
More than half of her team lives with chronic pain themselves, which she says is important.
“It’s really important that our patients are treated by people who know what they are going through and can provide the right level of care,” she says.
Previously working in nursing and midwifery, Rebecca says her past has played a pivotal role in her journey.
“I love what I do, and I love the team and our clients as well,” she says.
Coming from a background of someone living with chronic pain herself, Rebecca says it’s important that her clients know that just because things change, or can become harder, it doesn’t mean that they’re not important.
“People come in lost, and I help them unpack everything and give them a path forward,” she says.
“We are giving people a toolbox to move forward.”
Rebecca says work doesn’t feel like work when she’s doing something she’s passionate about.
For her, the greatest joy comes from hearing back from their patients and hearing that they can “do this now”.
“It’s the little things that matter,” says Rebecca. “Our goal is to turn negative things into positives.”
Physiotherapist Emil comes to us with a wealth of physiotherapy experience and knowledge from the public hospital system and also private practice. Emil works closely with our team of Exercise Physiologists on a coordinated approach to improving your pain and overall wellbeing. Emil has a special interest in neurology and improving the lives of people living with neurological conditions. He’s also mad keen on soccer and will support you with all sports related injuries and injury prevention.
Sophie Bullock – Exercise Physiologist
Sophie has post graduate qualifications in hydrotherapy, and as a non-sports centred Exercise Physiologist, helps clients who struggle with engaging in exercise due to a lack of sports participation. Sophie’s goal is to improve clients health via our hydrotherapy program, gym instruction and in-home visits. Sophie also is known for her passion for working with children.
Sarah Solano – Exercise Physiologist
Sarah believes that exercise is the best medicine. She is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist with her degree in exercise physiology and rehabilitation. Previously Sarah was a swim teacher, personal trainer and an allied health assistant in the hydrotherapy field.
Jarrod Phillips – Exercise Physiologist
Jarrod is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist who graduated from the University of Canberra in 2024.
He has a passion for wanting to help those in need and aims to provide the best possible treatment and advice to each and every one of his clients.
Blake Dean – Exercise Physiologist
Blake has expertise in improving clients mobility and decreasing their pain through appropriate exercise. Blake delivers our ‘My Exercise’ program, targeting the relief of lower back and sciatic pain, shoulder and upper body concerns as well as leg, hip and ankle interventions – for those who do not qualify for physiotherapy-led GLAD programs. Blake provides individual & group exercise for younger people with a disability. Blake treats clients in-clinic or via our hydrotherapy program as well as attending your gym with you.
Jacqui Couldrick – Physiotherapist
Jacqui has a particular interest in hip and knee osteoarthritis. Jacqui delivers the GLAD program designed to reduce the need for joint replacements, or if a joint replacement is unavoidable, to prepare you thoroughly for surgery and recovery for day to day tasks. Jacqui is studying towards a PhD in the outcomes of the GLAD program.
Holly Hazlewood – Exercise Physiologist
Holly is a former sports journalist who believed so strongly in the power of exercise to heal and nurture that she undertook her 4 year degree in Exercise Physiology. Holly is be able to work with people directly to support them through their pain journey and regain independence and a joy for living again. Holly provides one on one and group exercise classes both on land and at our hydrotherapy centres to support people to gain freedom from chronic pain.
• Occupational Therapy – Assistance with the planning and modification of your home, workplace or car. Applications for NDIS, the Disability and Housing Support Pension, and also driving assessments.
• Physiotherapy – including the GLAD program for knee and hip osteoarthritis, sports injury prevention and rehabilitation, and pain condition support.
• Exercise Physiology – Individual exercise prescriptions, small group classes to increase strength and improve rehabilitation, strength and balance classes, hydrotherapy support.
Women IN BUSINESS 2025
Justine thrives on helping to improve lives
A person’s postcode or bank balance shouldn’t be the barrier to good health, says Diabetes Australia Group CEO, Justine Cain.
“As part of our mission to eliminate the impact of diabetes, we’ve created multiple channels that connect Australians living with diabetes, and those at risk, with support services and trusted information,” she says.
“One Australian is diagnosed with diabetes every five minutes. That’s a shocking but very real statistic.
“One of the ways we can help to stem this rising tide is through advocacy and awareness.”
Justine says seeing a difference in the lives of clients is what she loves most about her job.
“Everyone at Diabetes Australia is 100 per cent focused on our goal of eliminating the impact of diabetes for Australians,” she says,
“That shared purpose is what drives the whole team, includ ing myself, to perform at the highest levels.”
Diabetes Australia has a membership base of 417,000 members, a figure that Justine says continues to rise.
“It’s a privilege to hear and share stories of hope, resilience and the daily challenges faced by people living with diabetes,” she says.
One way that Diabetes Australia provides support is through Diabetes YOUnited, a free membership that supports Australians living with, but not limited to, type one, type two and gestational diabetes.
With two million Australians living with diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes, costing the health system $9.1 billion a year, Justine says providing the right information at the right time is pivotal for an individual’s health.
“This is about improving lives and creating a healthier future for all Australians.”
Diabetes Australia, tenant B, 19-23 Moore Street, Turner. Call 1800 177 055 or visit diabetesaustralia.com.au
Living with type 2 diabetes or pre‑diabetes?
We’re here to support you. Diabetes Australia has a range of programs and services to help you stay well and healthy. From telehealth consultations to exercise and nutrition programs, to joining our free Diabetes YOUnited membership program and education sessions, Diabetes Australia is there for you.
Discover how we can support you today.
Always consult your doctor or a qualified healthcare provider for primary care and before making any health-related decisions.
Cassandra’s compassion in funeral services
Bringing a sense of calm and structure to families during what can often be the most turbulent period of their lives, operations manager for Invocare ACT Cassandra Proctor says it is a privilege to guide and assist families through the process of honouring their loved ones.
“Each individual has a unique story, and I cherish the opportunity to connect with people from all walks of life, learning about these stories and crafting a lasting tribute that truly reflects who they were,” she says.
A traditionally male-dominated field, Cassandra says women bring a fresh perspective, increased empathy, nurturing and compassionate approach for grieving families.
“This representation is vital for the future, encouraging diversity of thought and enabling us to better serve the needs of our community,” she says.
“Seeing women in varying death-care roles demonstrates that anyone can succeed in this field, from embalmers and morticians, directors to consultants, regardless of gender.”
Invocare is the parent company of Tobin Brothers and upholds the values of family, honour, trust, respect, commitment and loyalty.
“We stand on a foundation built by a long-standing tradition of compassionate and personalised service, setting us apart with our unwavering commitment to honouring each individual’s life with the utmost respect,” says Cassandra.
Knowing that her work helps families rest easy while their loved one is cared for with the utmost dignity gives Cassandra a feeling of pride and purpose.
“It’s about connecting with families during their
Accountants Gail & Bethany lead a team of ‘amazing people’
Gail Freeman and Co is a family business, a firm of chartered accountants that specialises in taxation, superannuation and financial planning, says director Gail Freeman.
“I first started the business in 1987,” she says.
“My daughter, Bethany Freeman-Chandler is a senior accountant at the firm, and helps to make up a team of amazing people.
“Being able to work together as a mother-anddaughter team is really special.”
Gail specialises in tax and superannuation, she says,
and Bethany focuses on accounting and computer programs.
“We have different strengths, so we can help a wider variety of people,” says Gail.
“I love what I do, every day, and I find working with a team who are really special makes life so much easier.
“The work is ever changing and I’m always learning, and both of those things work for me.”
Gail Freeman and Co, 9/71 Leichhardt Street, Kingston. Call 6295 2844, or visit gailfreeman.com.au
difficult time and guiding them toward closure through a personalised service,” she says.
Tobin Brothers Funerals, 101 Nettlefold Street, Belconnen, or 310 Anketell Street, Tuggeranong. Call 6295 2799, or visit tobinscanberrafunerals.com.au
Operations manager for Invocare ACT, Cassandra Proctor.
Diabetes Australia CEO, Justine Cain.
Bethany Freeman-Chandler, left, and Gail Freeman.
STRONG HEALTH, STRONG CULTURE, STRONG COMMUNITY
Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services is a community-controlled health service
in Narrabundah, providing holistic, culturally safe care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the ACT and surrounding regions.
WINNUNGA OFFERS A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES, INCLUDING:
Health and Medical Care
• GP and specialist clinics
• Aboriginal Health Workers
• Chronic disease support, pathology, immunisations, dental, optometry, and more
Pregnancy, Parenting and Family Support
• AFPP: Free support for young, first-time Aboriginal mums from pregnancy to bub’s second birthday
• Healthy Pregnancy Group & Childbirth Classes
• Mums and Bubs Clinic
Quit Smoking Support
• Free nicotine replacement therapy, personalised quit plans, and culturally safe support through the Tackling Indigenous Smoking program.
Social and Emotional Wellbeing
• Counselling and mental health support
• Drug and alcohol programs
• NDIS, court and justice support
Community and Justice Programs
• Men’s and women’s groups
• Yarning circles, nutrition and healing programs
• Support for people in custody and post-release
Women IN BUSINESS 2025
Five years into owning her own business, Panacea Landscapes owner, Shannon Blackbourn, is an award-winning landscaper, recently taking out gold for her garden design at this year’s CIT Floriade display competition.
Inspired by the Science and Nature theme, Shannon’s design, ‘“The Ponder Pond”, is a space to reflect and connect with the landscape while giving the opportunity to “explore the limitless possibilities of scientific discovery”.
Featuring the geometric renditions of the Fibonacci sequence, kinetic energy, molecular structures, DNA and the atom, Shannon says the garden blends natives with herbs and annuals, inspiring viewers to wonder and learn.
Shannon also won bronze at the 2025 Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show in the Balcony Garden Competitions, following her first place prize the
year earlier.
Now leading her team of six other landscapers, as well as other contractors, what had initially started as an opportunity to work flexibly to accommodate a young family, has expanded into working more than an average nine-to-five. Luckily, Shannon says, she loves it.
“This is my calling,” she says. “It’s a lot of work, and you’ve really got to love what you do, but the more that I keep at it, the more that it all falls into place.”
Being her own boss has given Shannon the opportunity to seamlessly slot her two passions together.
“I’m still able to be a mum and go support my kids,” she says.
“I’m lucky to have a great team helping me out.”
Panacea Landscapes, visit panacealandscapes.com or call 0498 287789.
Panacea Landscapes
• Led by a qualified horticulturist and landscape designer with over 15 years of experience
• Specialising in soft-landscape design, garden transformations and ongoing maintenance programs
• Serving residential, commercial, strata and real-estate clients with friendly, reliable service
• A family-owned local business committed to the highest quality workmanship and tailored solutions
Little Bird Properties director Heidi Rosin.
From left, Jessica McCann, Kaleah Pesenhofer and Shannon Blackbourn of Panacea Landscapes.
Bridge Strata, 95-97 Monaro Street, Queanbeyan, call 6109 7700, or visit bridgestrate.com.au Bridge Strata co-director Jan Browne.
STRATA MANAGEMENT
QUEANBEYAN - CANBERRA REGION
BRIDGE STRATA IS THE SOLUTION
Led by Principals Jan Browne and Craig Bowditch with 70 years combined experience in Strata and Community Association Management.
Experts in overcoming the complex issues of legislation, maintenance and finances.
Tailored personalised solutions for your circumstances.
For a proactive service at a competitive price, call 6109 7700 NSW/ACT
QUEANBEYAN: Level 1, 20C Monaro Street
QUEANBEYAN: Level 1, 95-97 Monaro Street
like to put a face to a name
With more than 20 years of experience within the accounting sector, WWAcounting business owner, Wanda Wojciechowska, says her journey of owning and successfully running an accounting firm was fuelled by hard work, determination and support
“Starting accounting while raising children was hard. Once the kids grew older, I found the courage
Wanda’s daughter, Aimee Kohler helps her
“I’ve worked with mum for ten years,” says Aimee, “Friendships formed with clients make my job more
WWAccounting specialises in individual and business taxation/accounting, bookkeeping and corporate services for individuals, companies, trusts and partnerships.
“I was fuelled by seeing – in my previous jobs –the lack of personal service that the clients deserved.
I needed to work in an environment where I could put my heart into it,” Wanda says.
“Back then, accounting was a male-dominant industry, but here I was, a woman determined not to let anything talk me out of my ultimate goal of owning/running my own business.”
According to Wanda, it was the best decision she ever made and encourages all women of any age and experience to pursue their dreams & goals.
Wanda says the goal of a good workplace is by upholding old-fashioned service through meeting clients, putting a face to a name and maintaining great relationships.
“The secret of our success is being passionate, reliable and listening to our clients and actually hearing them. It’s the personal touch that stands WWAccounting apart.”
WWAccounting, call 0400 083 938 or wandaw@wwaccounting.com.au
Your financial affairs and tax may seem complex to you, however for us it’s all too easy, because we’ve been helping people with their tax for over 20 years.
Let us take the stress out of accounting for you, so you can get on with running your business.
services include Individual & Company returns Trusts & Partnerships New business setup & guidence Bookkeeping IAS and BAS
Get your tax affairs sorted
Call Wanda on 0400 083 938 Red Hill, Canberra Admin@wwaccounting.com.au
DICKSON: 4/55 Woolley Street
DICKSON: 4/55 Woolley Street
Aimee Kohler and Wanda Wojciechowska.
GARDENING
Must-have plant for any garden
By Jackie WARBURTON
There are run-of-the-mill viburnums, some unusual ones, some with or without fragrance and even deciduous or evergreen ones –the choice is endless!
So many of this genus grow well in our climate. Some are flowering now and others through the summer.
The fragrance of Viburnum burkwoodii is sensational and while a messy looking large shrub most of the year, the autumnal colour is lovely, but it is the fragrance of the flowers that is grown for.
It’s a must-have for any Canberra garden.
WITH the soil warming and the frost mostly gone, planting seedlings can begin.
Seedlings for the garden and vegetable patch can be annuals or biennials.
Annual flowers that attract bees and pollinators to the garden are essential. Plant as many blue-flowering plants to attract more native blue-banded bees.
When planting in the vegetable patch, ensure that crop rotation is in play and don’t plant the same plant in the same spot as last year.
Where tomatoes grew, plant zucchini, root vegetables or greens and where underground produce was grown (such as carrots, potatoes and onions), plant above-ground produce, such as tomatoes, eggplants and zucchinis.
The most important factor for growing vegetables is moisture in the soil by continually adding compost to keep shallow roots from drying out.
I use sugar cane mulch as a final layer in my vegetable patch as the snails don’t like it. Once seedlings are watered, sprinkle a little diatomaceous earth and protect them until they double in size.
Planting seedlings when they are small is a cost-effective way to get a lot of colour through summer for minimal cost. For instance, punnets of begonias, dianthus and lobelias will last all summer and can be biannual if planted in a protected area.
There is even less cost if raising your own seed. Some seeds to sow for novice gardeners are zinnia, cosmos or calendulas. All are easy to grow. Sprinkle some light sandy propagation mix and water on top and keep in the shade until there is germination and growth, increase light to the seedlings and once there are at least six sets of leaves, plant in the garden and sow some more seed to extend colour through to the end of summer and into autumn.
The swamp cypress (taxodium distichum) is a deciduous conifer that’s unsuitable for
The swamp cypress… a deciduous conifer that’s too
flooded ground.
It is one of the few conifers that have brilliant autumnal colour and lime-green spring growth. I’ve seen it as a bonsai tree under a metre tall but it takes work to keep it at that.
The most unusual characteristics for the swamp cypress is when the root system is established and planted in boggy areas or on the fringe of a lake. It will produce protrusions that rise to form “knees” or buttresses at the base of the tree.
Another deciduous conifer that grows well in our region is Dawn Redwood (metasequoia glyptostrobides), which grows as high as its cousin. It almost became extinct in ‘40s, but thanks to a successful propagation program, this beautiful, large tree is available commercially. Both of these conifers can be seen as mature trees in Commonwealth Park.
jackwar@home.netspeed.com.au
Jottings…
• Pick thick asparagus spears when small with a fruit knife.
• Stake dahlias and sprinkle with a little lime.
• Keep weeds from self-seeding.
• Spray roses for fungal disease before it appears.
Viburnum burkwoodii… a messy looking shrub grown for the fragrance of its flowers.
Photos: Jackie Warburton
big for the backyard.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
INSIDE True tale of the ‘Bogus Boffin’ who wasn’t there COLIN STEELE
Mighty opera gala to mark theatre’s anniversary
By Helen MUSA
In a show of strength to mark the 60th anniversary of Canberra Theatre Centre, an impressive line-up of the Opera Australia orchestra, chorus and soloists will be coming to town for a one-night-only gala concert.
This huge logistical undertaking is also something of a coup for retiring director of the centre, Alex Budd, who will take over shortly as CEO of Opera Australia, to appear here for the first time in 42 years, a signal perhaps of things to come in the future if and when we get a lyric theatre.
Conductor Tahu Matheson will be lead more than 80 artists, including singers such as Canberra-trained soprano Lorina Gore, mezzo-soprano Sian Sharp, tenor Diego Torre, soprano Jennifer Black, baritone Luke Gabbedy and bass David Parkin in a night of big hits from the opera repertoire by composers such as Mozart, Puccini, Bizet, Verdi and Wagner.
When I catch up with Sharp to talk about the coming gala, she’s just taken a day of vocal rest, with lots of steam and gentle warming
That’s the life of a working opera singer, guarding the precious vocal instrument. Sharp, whose key roles for OA this year include the title role of Carmen in Bizet’s opera and Prince Charming in Cinderella, is one of the flagship opera company’s most in-demand singers, but one who’s readily put her hand up over the years for gala
ARTS IN THE CITY
performances of this sort on New Year’s Eve and at The Domain.
Next year, she’ll be playing Suzuki in what is claimed to be the last showing of the Moffatt Oxenbould production of Madama Butterfly, and Maddalena in Elijah Mojinsky’s 1960s-style Rigoletto, where the chorus does The Twist at one point.
There’s no mezzo-soprano in a new pro -
Witty, moving and silly shanties
Canberra’s music lovers can look forward to a heady offering of springtime fare.
Former CityNews Artist of the Year Fred Smith teams up with members of the Spooky Men’s Chorale for Urban Sea Shanties, billed as witty, moving and silly “thinking men’s drinking songs” and selected from their 2009 award-winning album of shanties. The Street Theatre, October 4.
From Argentina With Love will see mezzo-soprano Maria Eugenia Nieva and guitarist Andrew Blanch bring Argentina’s folkloric roots to life in a mix of tonada, zamba, cueca and, naturally, tango. Wesley Music Centre, Forrest, September 28.
Fred Smith and the Spooky Men’s Chorale… The Street Theatre, October 4.
Canberra Choral Society plans to celebrate spring by blending traditional Icelandic and Appalachian songs with contemporary choral works, exploring nature’s beauty and its connection to human life. Songs of Open Country, directed by Dan Walker with pianist Anthony Smith, Wesley Uniting Church, October 4.
The Alma Moodie Quartet will be back again, this time joined by Canberra pianist Edward “Teddy” Neeman, to play Haydn’s Emperor Quartet, Korngold’s Piano Quintet
Louise Keast, will be here to sing with the Opera Australia chorus at Canberra Theatre on October 9, then for a concert with Elizabeth Cooper and pianist Kathleen Loh. Love Through Many Lenses, All Saints Anglican Church, Ainslie, October 10.
Beyond the concert halls, the ACT Multicultural Awards recently named Canberra Dragon Dance as winner of the Arts, Media and Culture Award. The group’s lion
Smile: The Story of Charlie Chaplin, written and performed by Marcel Cole, who is just back from a success with the show at the Edinburgh Fringe, is about the life story of one of the greatest physical comedians of all time.
Smith’s Alternative, Civic, October 2.
the Canberra Theatre, describing it as “an interesting appointment“ and noting how long he had worked with Opera Australia out of its Melbourne office, looking after touring for the company.
“It’s a good thing having someone who knows the institution as a leader,” she says.
She will be pulling out all the stops and singing some of the great favourites, including the seductive Seguidilla from Carmen, which she says stands alone as a concert piece perfectly, The Flower Duet from Delibes’ Lakme together with Gore and as part of the trio, Soave sia il vento, from Mozart’s Così fan tutte.
She tells me that her colleague Torre will be singing one of opera‘s best-known arias, La donna è mobile from Rigoletto, while Gore will sing The Jewel Song from Faust by
duction of Turandot to be created by director and choreographer Ann Yee, so she won’t be part of that next year, but she praises the company’s decision to do new productions of its most popular works and looks forward to its further announcements.
Sharp, like many of her fellow-singers, is curious about the appointment of Budd to Opera Australia, from which he came to
As for Opera Australia’s mighty chorus, the jewel in crown, opera fans can pretty well guess what they’ll be singing – the epic Anvil Chorus from Verdi’s opera Il Trovatore and another Verdi powerhouse, Va, Pensiero, the Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves from Nabucco, still sometimes suggested as a potential Italian national anthem.
“The general public loves to hear tunes they know,” Sharp says. “ For most people, evenings like this are simply for enjoyment.”
Opera Australia Gala, Canberra Theatre, October 9.
The Opera Australia orchestra, chorus and soloists will be coming to town for a one-night-only gala concert.
Mezzo-soprano Sian Sharp… “For most people, evenings like this are simply for enjoyment.”
STREAMING MUSIC
Top casting has Black Rabbit hopping
Jude Law and Jason Bateman. How about that for a powerhouse casting in Netflix’s new drama Black Rabbit?
This eight-episode show, now streaming, stars the duo as two brothers who start a high-end restaurant that’s on the brink of be coming Manhattan’s new dining destination.
But, of course, something sinister is cooking up in the background.
Things begin to spiral when Vince (Bate man) returns to town drowning in a huge debt he owes to the criminal underworld.
His brother, Jake (Law) is now forced into a dangerous and potentially dream-shattering limbo: bail out his brother, put the success of the business first or try to do both?
This is a slick, fast-paced series that’s easy to watch thanks to its two fantastic leads.
It doesn’t shy away from its inspirations.
The plot moves with a similar, thrilling rhythm to Ozark, which also starred Bateman as a man who must devise increasingly cunning ways to escape a debt that his life rests upon.
All that is stirred in with some clear influence from The Bear, an Emmy-winning drama series that takes audiences inside the pressure-cooker environment of hospitality.
Black Rabbit takes ingredients from both and mixes them together for a fun, edge of your seat thriller.
The recipe works.
IT’S not often that Darwin and the NT get the spotlight in a big streaming production.
However, it’s the setting of Top End Bub, a new series on Amazon Prime Video made in the NT.
This homegrown comedy-drama is the sequel to 2019’s Top End Wedding (available
on ABC iView) a film about an indigenous lawyer named Lauren who is forced to search the territory for her mother just days before her wedding.
Years later, Lauren is living with her husband Ned in Adelaide chasing big-city dreams when they learn that Lauren’s sister has died in a tragic accident.
Lauren’s niece, an eight-year-old girl named Taya, has been orphaned and Lauren and Ned now have to make the tough decision to put their own goals aside to return to the NT and raise the child.
Unlike Top End Wedding, this sequel is a TV show rather than a film, stretching out its story over eight episodes.
It’s the right choice for the follow up.
Miranda Tapsell, who plays Lauren, is also the creator of the show and explores her own heritage and the clash between family roots and city life. It may sound heavy in premise, but there’s a bitter-sweet sense of humour here that, along with its unique setting,
makes Top End Bub stand out.
Charlie Sheen, an actor whose life has been plastered in headlines and in the media for decades and yet his name has still found new currency amongst streaming subscribers with a new doco on Netflix.
It’s made by Andrew F Renzi who was also behind “Pepsi, Where’s my Jet?”, one of Netflix’s more obscure but most entertaining documentaries.
Following its success Renzi has been given the green light on an even bigger subject matter.
This new two-part show goes into detail about Charlie Sheen’s life, his break at fame and the many controversies that followed.
Each episode runs for a whopping 90 minutes, essentially making them two whole
documentary films.
That hasn’t put viewers off, though. The documentary has successfully made it into Netflix’s coveted top 10 this month.
If Charlie Sheen interests audiences enough to sit through more than three hours of what is perhaps the most comprehensive account of his career, then this doco undoubtedly does its job.
For those who don’t really care, don’t expect this production to make you.
It’s remarkable how much traction the star of Two and a Half Men still gets.
Personally, I didn’t get much further than two and a half minutes.
Vince has something to celebrate
By Helen Musa
It’s 50 years since ScottishAustralian jazz singertrumpeter-songwriter Vince Jones started out as a bebop trumpeter playing the club circuit in Melbourne and he’s celebrating in Canberra with a performance at The Street
Jones, memorable for his virtuoso trumpet, his laid-back voice and his incisive words, will perform classics and some new songs with his regular quintet – pianist Matt McMahon, double bassist, Karl Dunnicliff and Canberrans John Mackey, tenor sax, and James Hauptmann, drums.
Known for his attraction to R&B music and even more for creating the biggest-selling Australian jazz album of all time, Come In Spinner, he grew up with jazz, soul and rock with a lot of horns, much of it on records owned by his dad, who had been a band conductor in Scotland.
It was not horns but the trumpet that would inspire him, seen over a long career and a long line of Aria, APRA, Mo and Bell awards.
When I catch up with Jones by phone from his home in Bingie on the south coast, where he’s lived for around 30 years, he tells me that at age 71, he’s enjoyed a long life.
“I like writing original music,” Jones says. “Here in Australia I saw how heavily we were affected by British and American rock ‘n’ roll; I always felt the need to look in another direction away from the American influence and I thought I’d like to make music that is special to this country.”
But the music he’ll perform at the Street Theatre will include a couple of standards from the American Songbook, which he still loves, along with some past hits as Jones and his quintet work their way through a handpicked selection of songs.
With a new album being mastered to come out later this year, he’s been reflecting on the contemporary online music phenomenon.
“I like the concept of a CD or album and this one has got 10 or 12 tracks on it,” he says, arguing that platforms such as Spotify create very little room for new music, and even more importantly, discourage real listening, as they can be called up automatically.
It’s the same in the film industry, he suspects. He got talking to playwright David Williamson recently, of whom he’s been a fan since 1975 when he heard the Galapagos Duck soundtrack for the movie of The Removalists, and asked him whether he ever gets royalties from the old movies of his plays. Williamson told him: “Yes, but you have to hassle.”
“These platforms pay almost nothing to artists,” he says, adding, “but then again, I’m a dinosaur.”
Vince Jones celebrates 50 years, The Street Theatre, September 28.
Jason Bateman as Vince, left, and Jude Law as brother Jake in new drama Black Rabbit on Netflix.
Ned (Gwilym Lee) and Lauren (Miranda Tapsell) with niece Taya (Gladys-May Kelly) in Top End Bub on Amazon Prime.
Joanne Briggs’ memoir of her father, Michael Harvey Briggs (1935-1986), is a true story of staggering deception.
Adam Courtenay recently reflected that his father, Bryce, was “the greatest fabulist of his age”. Joanne comes close to that descrip tion in The Scientist Who Wasn’t There (Ithaka. $45), calling her father a “fraudulent, fantasist scientist”.
When Briggs was appointed Deakin University’s Foundation Dean of Sciences in 1976, he had an international research reputation as a hormonal researcher with numerous publications. He had held, although often briefly, numerous international academic and commercial research positions.
Joanne reflects that her father’s career was one “of him abruptly moving away from situations where he might get found out and towards lesser-known institutions who were grateful to have him.
“They thought he was marvellous because he told them he was – it’s a classic conman routine”.
Another Briggs flight was when he left his wife, daughter Joanne, then seven and son Andrew in 1971. Now 61, Joanne, a former barrister, uses her legal research skills to fully document how her father, as the News of the World put it, became, “the Bogus Boffin”. At Deakin University, he was to prove to be the Wizard of Oz in more ways than one. He received $3 million in research funds
non-existent.
Joanne writes that the ”Deakin Hormonal Laboratory only really existed in my dad’s mind”. Internal whistleblowers at Deakin University, queried Briggs’ results and claimed drug firm funding was finding its way into his personal bank account.
Briggs lobbied the vice-chancellor and the chancellor to reject a damning report findings by Prof Jim Rossiter, chair of the Deakin ethics committee. By the time of a third Deakin inquiry nearing conclusion in 1985, Briggs abruptly resigned with the university
career, which had spanned jobs in Britain, America, Africa, NZ and Australia, including stints as a NASA space scientist, working as research director for a West German drug company and an adviser to the World Health Organization.
She found that Briggs, having obtained a master’s degree at Cornell University in the 1950s, had fraudulently changed the title pages of the thesis to transform it into a PhD, which future employers never physically checked.
After spending three years at the Victoria University in Wellington, Briggs managed, through administrative chicanery, to gain, at the age of 27, a honorary doctorate of science, based on a questionable publication record.
The Scientist Who Wasn’t There is a compelling combination of personal memoir and detailed investigation into Briggs’s misconduct and a lack of diligence by the scientific research establishments that appointed him.
At times, a stream of consciousness seeps into the factual narrative as Joanne reconstructs scenes from Michael’s life. Ultimately, Joanne reflects: “Maybe he thought he hadn’t the time to stand still and prove to everyone how clever he was – that he needed to fake it until he made it. And then he kind of forgot he was faking it”. In that context, her father’s greatest invention was himself.
to assert that Briggs had faked his research relating to his work on the oral hormonal pregnancy test Primodos, which had been given to 1.5 million women in Britain alone in the 1960s and 1970s.
Primodos was alleged to cause birth defects and was to be the subject of a British all-party parliamentary group investigation from 2020 to 2023, culminating in the publication of A Bitter Pill: Primodos-the Forgotten Thalidomide in 2024.
The resurfacing of Primodos in 2020 had caused Joanne to investigate her father’s
Many of Briggs’ career publications, which ultimately numbered nearly 200, were mostly short one page articles, literature reviews or invited articles. Many were non-peer-reviewed and published by drug companies or in journals owned by pharmaceutical companies. Nonetheless, these fake results found their way into the wider scientific literature and impacted subsequent research.
In the scientific world, where the pressure to publish continues, peer reviewing is under pressure , AI is increasing the potential of fraud, and Trump’s attacks science, we need to reflect on Elizabeth Finkel’s words in her recently published book Prove It: A Scientific Guide for the Post-Truth Era (Black inc,$36.95) that we all “rely on the proper functioning of the scientific machine. We must not stand by and see it dismantled”.
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DINING / L’épi Artisan Bakery
Bakery’s sweet taste of Floriade
Floriade is on the menu at L’épi
Artisan’s Bakery’s three locations
– Kambah, Chisholm and (now) Yarralumla – as well as at The Gin Experience, Underground Spirits’ pop-up gin garden set among the tulips at the flower festival itself.
A collaboration between L’épi and Under ground Spirits has resulted in the beautifullooking and divine-tasting Floriade Tart.
This artisan creation features gin-soaked pine apple, topped with passionfruit curd, encased in a passionfruit mousse, on a gin-soaked sponge and crunch tart base. Petals of purple flowers decorate the bright yellow tart making it super pretty. The tangy, tropical tart is not to be missed ($8.80) and is worth a trip to one of L’épi’s locations.
The Collector’s and Explorer’s Gin used in the tart, created especially for Floriade 2025, celebrates bright floral notes and offers citrus sparkle ($75 a bottle).
L’épi is a French tradition through and through, worshipping quality in all that it does.
For lunch, on a visit to the newest bakery location in Yarralumla, I ordered a freshly made wagyu sandwich made with light, fluffy bread. Three slices of beef were meticulously rolled and placed on top of an onion-style jam, which added a lovely touch of sweetness ($14). Every bite was delicious.
My friend adored her steak pie, with chunks of tender meat encased in light, fluffy pastry ($8.70). The pie demonstrated the skill L’épi brings to the table in its pastry-making. Kid’s mince pies are available ($5) and other varieties include vegetarian curry pie ($8.50)
Also showcasing artisan quality are quiches ($7.90), including chicken and mushroom; ham, cheese and onion; and capsicum, spinach and feta.
Sausage roll lovers won’t be disappointed ($7.90).
Indulging in a treat from the extensive range of cakes, tarts, croissants and pastries, all artfully displayed, is a must when visiting L’épi. We loved that the bakery offers a great selection of macarons ($3.30) and mini tarts ($3.50), including a vibrant lemon meringue, for those who want to indulge just a little.
Going all out, we also indulged in a layered chocolate cake, with lovely textures and not overly sweet. The line-up of flaky, buttery croissants includes plain ($5.50), chocolate ($7) and almond ($8.30).
We sat and relaxed over cups of Ona Maple
WINE / Cullarin Wines
coffee, with notes of caramel, biscuit, nuts and spices, watching staff interact in a warm, inviting way with a steady stream of customers. Breads are available, and I’ve been enjoying every bite of my three-seeds loaf ($9.90). L’épi makes 12 types of sourdough and is happy to slice loaves. Next time, I’ll pick up a jar of L’épi jam to spread on hot, buttered toast. And, last but not least, L’épi translates to “ear of wheat”… meaning the ear of wheat used to bake bread. and crunch tart base.
Vines that go back to the seventies
I was provided with three bottles of Cullarin Wines to taste and appraise, for which I am most grateful to Ron Molloy, of Oatley Wines. That appraisal was undertaken at dinner with four others.
Cullarin is owned by Eden Road, although the vines at the Lake George site sit at the base of the Cullerin Range (note the different spelling) were planted in 1971, a considerable period before Eden Road wines was established in 2006.
The principal owner of Eden Road, Peter Wiggs, bought Cullarin in 2011 from Lake George Winery.
The Cullarin wines are made by Eden Road’s own Celine Rousseau, a French import who knows how to make good Australian wine. All grapes in the Cullarin range are estate grown, but the wine is made in Murrumbateman.
Each supplied wine has the words “Block 71” down the side to show that 1971 was the date of the planting of the vines. Which reminds me that, as Celine would know, the ‘70s have become popular in France of late because the decade possesses a certain Gen X sais quoi. But I must admit I dislike the female singers of the 1970s: just a bunch pre-Madonnas
I hit 20 in the early seventies, so I obviously really don’t remember them all that well. But I do remember the wines.
The Cullarin white was the 2022 chardonnay. This pale-yellow wine had a citrus nose, akin to a whiff of a riesling, and a mix of acid and toast on the palate, the latter presumably from the oak ageing that was undertaken.
The wine finished long with a mineral hit
that didn’t quite match with the sardines I’d ordered for entrée. As the wine came up to room temperature, the toastiness became more
The 2022 pinot noir was paired with duck. This is a light, bright wine that has none of the earthy, forest-floor mouth feel of some pinots.
It had sufficient acidity to cut through the fattiness of the duck, but the acid didn’t overwhelm, nor did the tannins, which were soft and agreeable. I liked this wine a lot. One of our company thought this the best wine of the evening.
The second red was a 2019 Syrah. This is a lighter, high-country style of shiraz that contrasts markedly with the big Rutherglen and Barossa wines that are high in alcohol and generally very fruit forward.
This wine has a more subtle flavour profile and is 13 per cent alcohol by volume, a wine reminiscent of those from the Rhone Valley in France.
The situation with labelling to differentiate syrah from shiraz appears to be, from a higher, cooler area, call it syrah; from a hotter area call it shiraz. But it’s the same grape variety.
In any event, this wine had a cherry bouquet with a light, red-fruit finish, medium bodied, the fruit well balanced with the tannins in the wine. It’s a real crowd pleaser and a soft approachable wine. It was my favourite of the three.
“I read in a book once that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but I’ve never been able to believe it. I don’t believe a rose WOULD be as nice if it was called a thistle or a skunk cabbage.”
– LM Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
Cullarin Wines’ Block 71… the vines at the Lake George site sit at the base of the Cullerin Range and were planted in 1971.
HOROSCOPE PUZZLES
By Joanne Madeline Moore
ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)
This week the Sun and Mercury both activate your relationship and joint ventures zones, so harmonious partnerships and creative projects are highlighted. If you combine diplomacy with dynamism (and Ram charm with a sense of adventure) then you’ll sail through any temporary challenges. Balance is the key. Your motto is from actress Claire Danes (who has the Sun in Aries and the Moon in Libra): “Relationships are a constant negotiation and balance.”
TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 21)
Courtesy of Venus (your patron planet) a problem involving a child, teenager or close friend should start to improve, and many Bulls will feel a creativity boost as well. With the Sun and Mercury both moving through your health-and-wellbeing zone, find a diet and exercise routine that suits you right here and right now. Unhappily single? Don’t sit around waiting for love to fall into your lap. With Mars visiting your partnership zone, it’s time to be proactive.
GEMINI (May 22 – June 21)
This week Jupiter squares your ruler Mercury, which can lead to impulsive behaviour and rash decisions. So slow down and think things through before you speak and act. With Uranus visiting your sign, expect the unexpected! A disappointing rejection one day could lead to a welcome opportunity the next. Be inspired by birthday great, singer and actress Julie Andrews (who turns 90 on Wednesday): “When one door closes, another window opens.”
CANCER (June 22 – July 23)
Remember that Jupiter (planet of optimism, growth and prosperity) is visiting your sign, which only happens every 12 years. Between now and June 30 (when Jupiter transits into Leo) it will be easier to initiate positive changes than at other times. So make the most of the opportunities that are around! Your motto is from peace activist (and birthday great) Mohandas Gandhi: “Our greatest ability as humans is not to change the world, but to change ourselves.”
LEO (July 24 – Aug 23)
Calling all Cats - are you making the most of your clever mind? This week the Sun and Mercury activate your communication and education zones. So conversation, passionate debate, informal study, research and creative thinking will take you far. But – in order to avoid misunderstandings – do your best to convey your ideas in a clear and precise way. It’s also a good time to dig deeper into a relationship problem – the answer is waiting for you to find it.
VIRGO (Aug 24 – Sept 23)
Personal projects and long-term partnerships (of the romantic, platonic and business variety) are highlighted this week. You may get a knock-back as Saturn tests commitment and perseverance, but don’t get bogged down with negative self-talk and constant criticism. Keep the mood upbeat and the conversation uplifting! Your motto for the moment is from birthday great, actress Julie Andrews: “Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th.”
LIBRA (Sept 24 – Oct 23)
Librans love to be pampered and preened but it’s time to jump out of your comfort zone and shake up your usual routine! Jupiter is visiting your public reputation zone and Uranus is revving up your adventure zone. Which encourages you to do things differently, as you banish boredom and initiate positive changes. So your motto is from birthday great, political and peace activist Mohandas Gandhi: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”
SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 22)
Courtesy of the Sun and Mercury in your solitude zone, you’re not in the mood to mix and mingle. So keep a low profile this week as you relax, recharge and selfnurture. Plus – with the Moon and Pluto linking up in your family zone – secrets from the past could boomerang back, as some old karma catches up with you. Expect vivid childhood memories to return or the resurfacing of a sensitive issue. Smart Scorpios will clear the emotional debris and move on.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21)
Jupiter (your power planet) is in your money-from-others zone which often coincides with financial luck and a boost to cashflow. But this week – with Mercury squaring Jupiter – any gains could be gobbled up by burgeoning bills, increasing expenses or extravagant impulse buys. So plan accordingly and don’t fritter good fortune away. With Venus visiting your career zone, nurture your connections with work colleagues, clients and/or customers.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 20)
The Sun and Mercury light up your career zone, so utilise your drive and communication skills to attract opportunities into your world. Then use your can-do Capricorn attitude to take action. Mars (visiting your hopes-and-dreams zone) reminds you to be proactive and keep setting goals. Preparation is the key. As singer/actress (and birthday great) Julie Andrews observes: “Work hard, apply yourself and be ready. Then, when an opportunity comes, you can grab it.”
AQUARIUS (Jan 21 – Feb 19)
Flirt alert! With Venus and Uranus in two of your relationship zones (plus the Sun and Mercury in Libra) you’re at your flirtatious best as you charm the cynics and dazzle the doubters. (When amorous Aquarians are in charm mode, you’re hard to resist.) Already attached? It’s time to reboot a tired relationship with some good old-fashioned romance. Singles – are you searching for your soulmate? Be on the lookout for a gregarious Gemini or a lusty Leo.
PISCES (Feb 20 – Mar 20)
This week’s stars highlight close partnerships, intimacy, secrets, trust issues and joint finances. With Saturn back in Pisces (until February 14) you will make messy mistakes and experience disappointments along the way. But don’t let them deter you from your chosen path. With hard work and a positive attitude, you can turn things around. As writer (and birthday great) Truman Capote wrote: “Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavour.”
Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2025
(7)
What might we call a native of Jerusalem? (7)
What colloquially are discarded partly smoked cigarettes? (7) 12 Which boat basin offers dockage for small craft? (6) 14 When one entertains one does what? (6)
What in cookery are formulas for preparing dishes? (7)
21 To be of low character is to be what? (7)
22 To have prodded or goaded is to have done what? (7)
23 What is another term for understanding? (7)
24 When one makes certain one does what? (7)
1 Name an English orchestral conductor; Sir Thomas ... (7)
2 What are distinctively marked and shaped anchored floats? (5)
3 What is a printing of a newspaper? (7)
4 Name a man’s soft felt hat with an indented crown. (6)
5 Name a more common term for a seraglio. (5)
6 What are marijuana cigarettes often called? (7)
7 Which slender pieces of metal join potions of wood together? (5)
13 Which childhood disease can be the result of lack of vitamin D? (7)
15 What is a person of eminence or distinction? (7)
16 Which term also describes regions? (7)
17 What are words spoken in undertones? (6)
18 To wash lightly is to do what? (5)
19 Name a large white bear. (5)
20 Name a hard heavy durable wood most highly prized when black. (5)
CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT
Craving certainty for instant asset write-offs
Brock and Piper are keen to buy new equipment for their expanding business.
"For the last few years we haven’t known how much we could spend on new assets because the legislation wasn’t passed," Brock said.
"Do you have any idea as to how much we can spend this year, Gail?”
I replied that there was some good news.
“A bill has been introduced into parliament to extend the $20,000 small-business instant asset write-off for the 2026 financial year," I said.
"This proposal was included in the budget and it's great to see it being introduced into parliament early in the financial year.
"Personally, I'd prefer that it not be legislated from year to year so that small businesses have certainty."
I told Brock and Piper that it was hard to make business decisions when the information was not to hand.
"While I don't like to pre-empt legislation that is still before the parliament, I think we can assume that small businesses with an aggregated turnover of less than $10 million will be able to deduct the cost of eligible assets less than $20,000, provided those assets are used or installed ready for use by June 30, 2026," I said.
"The bad news is that if there are no further legislative changes, the threshold will revert to $1000 from July 1, 2026.”
Piper was keen to know when the legislation might be passed. I told her the bill was introduced into parliament on September 4 and, at this stage, no further information is available.
"The next sitting of Parliament is on October 7, so we may have some more detail after that,” I said.
“As the threshold is set to reduce from July 1, 2026, at this stage, it would be prudent to come up with a plan for asset replacement this year to maximise the small-business opportunity.
"A good thing about this proposed $20,000 threshold is that the threshold applies to each asset and not to your total assets, provided that each asset is under this cap.
"So I suggest we have another meeting once the legislation is passed so we can review the situation and really utilise the productivity benefits that will flow to your business."
However, I cautioned them that there was a downside of buying a lot of equipment.
"If you plan to keep it and not sell it, there is not too much of an issue. However, if it is an item that you may sell later, if you have fully depreciated the item, the total proceeds are assessable," I said.
"I have seen some new clients who did not realise this, and while they had a huge tax deduction five years earlier, now they have a larger, unwelcome tax bill, which they were not anticipating. That's why it's important to plan for these major purchases.”
If you need guidance on purchasing new assets or any other tax matter, contact the experts at Gail Freeman & Co Pty Ltd on 02 6295 2844.
