The Hobart Magazine July/August 2019

THE HOBART MAGAZINE

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/ JULY / AUGUST 2019: ISSUE 08

I N D E P E N D E N T + LO C A L

SUE HICKEY THE SPEAKER ON FINDING H E R VO I C E

J U LY/AU G U S T 2 0 1 9

Influencers in the wild at Bonorong.

W E LC O M E TO

THE HOBART MAGAZINE

Editorial Editor: Steph Williams Art Direction: Mark Cleary Advertising advertise@thehobartmagazine.com.au Publisher James Marten Contributors Genevieve Morton, Bonnie Liston, Darren and Jeanette Radley, Qamar Schulyer, Stephanie Williams, Sarah Ugazio.

Cover Image Andrew Wilson Publisher Information While all care has been taken, some information may have changed since publication. The Hobart Magazine regrets it can’t accept liabilities from errors or omissions contained in this magazine. The publisher reserves the right to refuse, withdraw or amend all advertisements without explanation. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited.

The views expressed in articles and advertisements are not endorsed by the editor or publishers. We welcome any questions or feedback, email editor@thehobartmagazine.com.au.

As I write this, the mountain is covered with snow and I’m warming my hands with a hot tea. We’re well and truly in the thick of winter - Dark Mofo is behind us, the Festival of Voices and Mid-Winter Festival are on the horizon and our bodies are all probably craving a bit of sun.

In this issue, we go behind the scenes with Sue Hickey on her campaign to help the homeless of Hobart. Check out our Hobart Happenings for some practical ideas on how you can help. We also chat with Kudelka about his new gallery space and get some advice on how to communicate with those closest to us.

Every time you pick up a copy, like a social post or recommend us to a friend, it means the world to us as a small, independent business.

We thank you for your support and welcome suggestions on what you’d like to read about in the future. We’re also looking for walkers to help us get the mag out there, so email us if you’re keen to join the team!

Cheers, Steph editor@thehobartmagazine.com.au

WHAT'S INSIDE...

01 Welcome 04 Local Lad 05 Local Lady 06 Feature - Annia Baron 08 Hobart Happenings 12 Science 14 Cover Story - Sue Hickey 18 Calendar 20 Feature - Jon Kudelka 22 Travel On The Island 24 Feature - Good Grief Studios 26 Wellbeing 27 Feature - Energy Saving 28 Psychology 30 Madame Saisons 32 Photos

L E T T E R S TO T H E E D I TO R I wanted to write a small note of thanks for helping to spread the word about our Everyday Essentials campaign. A volunteer showed me the Hobart Happenings in the March/April edition which was great to see, thank you. We were overwhelmed by the amazing generosity of the Tasmanian community and our volunteers are enjoying being able to pack new socks, underwear and other essentials into our bundles. We were thrilled to receive over 2,000 undies, 1,000 socks and almost 500 singlets. Along with toiletries, it was over 6,000 items donated! Amazing and incredibly generous.

– Clair Harris (founder) Tassie Mums I have enjoyed reading previous editions of The Hobart magazine and have found the contents informative. In the May/June 2019 edition I noted in ‘Thumbs Down’ - Politician’s Payday is incorrect. This error perpetuates the myth of politicians being eligible for a pension for life.

Since the election of 2004, any new members of parliament are not entitled to the pension, and are in line with APS community standards of superannuation. – Nella Keane ED: Thanks for the feedback Nella, we stand corrected.

For more information, visit www. aph.gov.au.

Love your mag, keep the good work up. I’ve got some concerns I wanted to share. The MWCC DA has finally been lodged and then it was paused after just one day. It's like the school assignment for a subject where you didn’t care what marks you got, but you had to hand something in anyway. No traffic plans, no heritage study, and a visual impact study done by Adrian Bold himself. They couldn't even bother doing the drilling work to find out if it's even possible to build these towers. And that’s all we know about so far! And why is the Premier Will Hodgman such a strong supporter of MWCC? People are comparing MWCC cable car to the one in Queenstown, in Cape Town and the cable car in Canada, where the only way to the top of the mountain is on the cable car. There’s no road to the top of the mountain like we have on Mt Wellington.

I want to know how long before the MWCC asks the State government to close the road to the top.

I give it 2-3 years! The road will then become a service/fire trail with no other car access. Then what happens, the cable car will finally become financially viable for a small handful of wealthy individuals. I ask the people to say NO to this con job! – John Kingston

Photo: City of Hobart

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LOCAL LAD Tell us a little about your work?

I am an adventure therapist. I work with people one to one in the outdoors. We do walk and talks together, and other adventures close to Hobart. I am spoilt to have such a practice here. There are so many refreshing and therapeutic places to go near the city. I’m part of a national and international community who work in this way with individuals and groups. It’s a pleasure to work with the people who come to me, and see what we do together, and what being in nature does to us, work its magic to make things better.

Where’s your favourite eatery?

Sawak Café. Good food, good people, and a vibrant atmosphere.

Drink of choice and where do you head for it?

I love a craft beer, so anywhere where that’s happening. A good coffee is also very good. My office in the city is Room For A Pony.

Nick in nature

NICK HALL

FROM DODGES FERRY

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s a surfer and adventurer, Nick Hall’s love of nature and the great outdoors has become part of his work.

What do you love about the suburb you live in?

I live in Dodges Ferry, which is one of those places the saying “What’s not to love,” was made for. We are a satellite community of Hobart - seaside and rural with a sense of kinship and who we are as a community. I’m a long time surfer, a canoeist, and more recently a trainee sailor. I live in a perfect location for these.

What’s the best thing about Hobart?

It’s not too big and not too small. Lots of things happen here in an easily accessible way. Also the river, the mountain, and being next to the South West Wilderness.

And the worst?

Getting from one side of the city to the other. Are we going to build a tunnel, or a flyover, or what other ideas do we have to get our city flowing nicely?

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Guilty pleasure?

Shame on me eh? A guilty pleasure! I’m not saying.

I’m not into feeling guilty so I would probably call it a naughty pleasure, if I told you what it was.

What do you never leave home without?

Working in the outdoors there is a bit of a list. Car keys and car, raincoat, beanie this time of year, water bottle, first aid kit, phone, credit card, business cards, and a snack. Not a healthy snack, a guilty snack.

When there's nothing to do, you...

Get on my motorcycle and go for a ride.

Favourite Hobart secret?

It’s probably the River Derwent in summer where it becomes fresh water just above New Norfolk. What a beautiful playground. It has saved my life in times gone by, and now it is a place to go with my family and my friends and enjoy letting the river carry us.

What do you love doing outside work?

Surfing. Surfing is such a beautiful pastime. I have never been a competitive surfer, so for me it truly is a pastime. I love the search for good waves and surfing with others who are just chilled out and sharing the waves. I love the incredible places where surf happens. ■ www.nickhalladventuretherapy.com

LOCAL LADY

BONNIE DAVIES

Bonnie ready to race

FROM TAROONA

W

hen she’s not nursing in theatre at the Royal, Bonnie is running, completing marathons all over the world.

What do you love about the suburb you live in?

I’ve lived in Taroona for the best part of 33 years, moving there as a child. Taroona is close enough to the city without the hustle and bustle. It’s green, leafy and full of wonderful fauna. When I first met my husband, moving out of Taroona really wasn’t an option!

What’s the best thing about Hobart?

I love that Hobart is nestled at the base of beautiful Mt Wellington and on one of the deepest natural harbours in the world. Within minutes I can be in the foothills of the mountain on my bike And the worst?

Right now it’s the traffic. I try to avoid using my car as I prefer to walk, run or cycle but the congestion at times through Sandy Bay as traffic attempts to enter the city is pretty diabolical. I certainly don’t envy the person delegated with the task of finding a solution.

Tell us a little about your work?

I’m a Registered Nurse employed within the theatre precinct at the Royal Hobart Hospital. I thoroughly enjoy my work and having a personal understanding of what having surgery is like has provided a greater understanding and desire to help make our patients' journey a more comfortable one.

What do you love doing outside work?

Running! I just love it. I’m a marathon runner and travel all over the world with my husband to participate in events. I use my love of running to highlight the plight of rhinos and wear a custom designed singlet and make personal donations to Save the Rhino and The Rhino Orphanage after each one. I also enjoy sharing my love of running with others and became a certified run coach through Athletics Australia. I coach a lovely group of ladies some who have since completed their first half and full marathons. Additionally volunteer my time regularly in fun runs running as a pace runner and at park run.

Where’s your favourite eatery?

Without a doubt Bury Me Standing. I just love this quirky little place and they provide a variety of food choices suitable for all dietary needs. The cinnamon scrolls are incredible and Vegan too!

Drink of choice and where do you head for it?

My drink of choice is a Soy Hot Chocolate. Yes, boring to some but I find them comforting and satisfying and no one soy hot chocolate is the same. For a take away option, it has to be Liv Eat and for the sit back and watch the world go by, it would be Seagrass in Lower Sandy Bay overlooking the beach and River Derwent.

Guilty pleasure?

Dark Chocolate or Licorice, BOTH! Especially after a nice long run.

What do you never leave home without?

My Garmin. Fondly named Gary he provides a myriad of information and I honestly don’t think I would function if he wasn’t with me.

Favourite Hobart secret?

Secret Falls. Beautiful, quaint and unmarked just off a mountain trail. It’s a lovely place to just sit, listen and think. Even better when I’m the company of my Labrador.

Quote to live by?

I am a fairly humble person and In the words of Alexander Pope I like to “do good by stealth and blush to find it fame.” ■ 5

FEATURE

Annia at work

ANNIA BARON Words Stephanie Williams

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nnia Baron wears many hats - singer, musician, yoga teacher, psychologist, walker. Ahead of her Festival of Voices performance she shares what drives her to perform in every part of her life.

What role does being a psychologist play in the other parts of what you do?

It's just who I am. I get to go to work and be me.

Quite curious, quite scientific, quite creative, quite inquisitive about people's lives. So all of that interplays with each other. The psychology helps me to write songs and be a good yoga teacher. The yoga helps me with the psychology and music. All those three things are like a beautiful triangle in my life where I'm in the centre and those keep me really well balanced. Being a psychologist and being understanding of what people are going through, that helps with songwriting. And the yoga space is an interesting one because there's so much connection in yoga about learning about yourself, learning about people, shedding layers of yourself, learning to not be bothered about what is happening on the outside, and learning how to trust yourself.

How did you get into music?

My Dad was a preacher so I sang in Church growing up, gospel and all that, and then was a bit of a rebel 6

and left church at 13 and said 'Dad, I don't want to do this anymore'. My Dad played guitar and piano and Mum sang. I had a bad experience in Melbourne, where I grew up. Some producers came to my music school and wanted to work with me. I was very young, malleable, and could see through a lot of what was going on and I didn't like it. I got really disheartened by the industry and I didn't want to do any of it. Around 19 my Dad got sick and he passed away. After that I shut off from the world, partied hard, did drugs, drank and did whatever to escape the pain, as you do.

What can the audience expect from your Festival of Voices performance?

They can expect some quintessential Annia stuff, which is a smooth mix of some old-school jazz

FEATURE pieces, blues pieces. I also love to take some stuff like Tame Impala and make piano versions that are a little bit fun and different. I'm feeling in a really playful, free sort of headspace and feel like that's given me permission to explore and take risks with maybe creating or re-creating some well-known songs.

You’ve been doing some hardcore fundraising these past few years.

Yes. Two years ago in the middle of winter I embarked on a bit of a crazy solo walk from Hobart to Launceston. I did that to raise some money and awareness to get music into age care facilities across the state. My beautiful Mum was diagnosed with Alzheimer's back in 2017. She's been quite unwell for a long long time, even getting to the point of diagnosis is so hard. I didn't really tell many people about it at the time. I was like ‘yeah, I'm just going to go for a walk’. I hooked up with a wonderful music therapist up in the north of the state, Alex Morse. We used the funds to then personalise iPod programs for residents who were suffering from dementia. A year after I did the walk, I went back up there to film the outcome. It was really nice to go and see how the loop came back. For me that was quite healing, because it didn't really make sense to a lot of people why I needed to do this. I was just like, I need to walk, I need to just go.

Will you do it again?

The walk whisper has come back! So, this time I'm going to walk from Hobart to St Helen's, which will be a little bit longer, maybe a little bit harder.

You’re now based in Hobart. Why Tassie?

I came here for my birthday to see Mona and fell in love with the place. I'm just an outdoor girl at heart and I love being out on the beaches and getting dirty and hiking. The nature here blew my mind. I was applying for my Masters at the time and decided I'll live here for a couple of years while I study, and then it just grew into my skin. At the time I had a wonderful boyfriend who was also a musician here and he encouraged me to start singing. We sang together at a pub and then things just started again. It was organic in a way. I think I just stopped caring so much about what people might think of what I was doing. I just wanted to do it because I enjoyed it, not to try so hard. That's where I feel like I've found me, with my music.

people in a real way and letting people in to see you, then it's supportive of what you want to do here.

But you have to be respectful of the environment for what it is. There's a trade-off of course, for living in a smaller city like Hobart in comparison to Melbourne. For me it's been wonderful, and when I do get to perform I have friends and family that come and support me, I get to talk to people at shows and it feels like extended family.

Where do you go for your catch-up of choice?

The beach. I think the beaches here in Tasmania are the most beautiful in the world. My little favourite one is Coningham.

What’s your Hobart secret?

Pollen Tea Room. Not so hidden but one of my favourite little eateries for a long time now. The outdoor garden, the fireplace, the delicious, healthy food made with love and creativity, and the kindness and care shown by the owner and those that work there. Whether devouring eggs and olive oil drizzled smashed avocado on sourdough or their heartwarming porridge, every time I leave that place, I am literally filled with joy.

If you could perform on stage with anyone, who would it be?

Definitely Pharell Williams, oh my God, he's like a monk to me. And hearing him speak, and the attitude he has for life and for wanting to make himself and the world a better place. I really admire that guy.

To view the full program and book tickets visit www.festivalofvoices.com. Check out Annia’s fundraising page at mycause.com.au and search ‘Walk With Music In Your Heart’. ■

Does living in Hobart help or hinder your craft?

It's helped. If you’re open to sharing yourself with 7

HOBART HAPPENINGS THUMBS UP Dark Mofo. Thank you for getting us out in the cold to socialise and experience all kinds of artistic expression.

Homie. This streetwear label regularly closes their store for VIP days where homeless youth can pick up new clothes. www.homie.com.au Local council and the state government working together to find practical solutions to the homeless crisis in Hobart.

Team work makes the dream work.

Endangered Swift Parrot.

Let's get behind saving this year's Dark Mofo ogoh-ogoh from extinction.

HOMELESSNESS IN HOBART It’s not ok that an estimated 750 people sleep rough here each night, with many more in insecure housing situations or under mortgage stress.

If you can, DONATE warm blankets, clothing and non-perishable food. Try Bethlehem House, Hobart City Mission, Tassie Mums and St Vincent de Paul. Or perhaps you can spare a few hours to assist one of these charities behind the scenes. If you’re experiencing housing stress, homelessness or are at risk of homelessness, Housing Connect is a good starting point. For assistance call 1800 800 588.

SYNAGOGUE SEEKING DESCENDENTS The Hobart Synagogue, consecrated in 1845, is the oldest synagogue in Australia. The Hobart Hebrew Congregation is planning the 175th anniversary of the consecration of the synagogue for July 2020. The congregation would like to invite descendants of the many families that were vital to our survival to play a special part in this celebration. If you are a descendant with ties to the Hobart Synagogue and are interested in the 175th anniversary, please contact Jeff Schneider, enquiries @hobartsynagogue.org or 0466 434 620

Development frenzy. With so many significant projects at the DA stage, let’s hope our city planners have the time to consider each project properly.

Influenzas. Asking restaurants for a free meal in exchange for ‘coverage’. Follow #couscousforcomment

Adani. Do we really need another coal basin being opened up?

THUMBS DOWN

Share your ups and downs at editor@thehobartmagzine.com.au 8

Django & Grappelli Gypsy Jazz

DJANGO & GRAPPELLI GYPSY JAZZ Hobart gypsy jazz musicians Harry Edwards (lead guitar) and Charlie McCarthy (violin), along with their band, are presenting a Django Reinhardt & Stephane Grappelli tribute show at the Salamanca Arts Centre on 27 July. Their show, Django & Grappelli: The Originals, will focus on the original compositions of these two influential jazz musicians. The concert will feature two sets of music, punctuated by stories and legends of the two musicians and their collaborations.

There’s one matinee from 2-4pm and one evening performance from 8-10pm. Last year’s shows sold out so get in quick!

Tickets available via www.salarts.org.au

HOBART HAPPENINGS

WE NEED WALKERS! Are you looking for a bit of extra cash? Want to exercise and work at the same time? We’re on the lookout for trustworthy people to help deliver our magazines across Hobart. Perhaps you’re an older person wanting to get out and about?

Or a parent who is walking kids to sleep anyway!

Or you just want to pick up some extra cash.

Whatever your motivation, send us an email at advertise@thehobartmagazine.com.au or call James on 0405 424 449 for a chat.

A VERY LONG WALK Hobartians Paul and Kaye Gilhooly are on the adventure of a lifetime, currently walking the Via Francigena, an old pilgrim way from Canterbury in the UK to Rome.

Their journey is on foot over four countries, 2000kms and the Alps. Ouch! The trip was inspired by Bishop Sigeric, who walked from Canterbury to Rome to become Archbishop of Canterbury way back in 990AD. They’ve said it’s not a religious pilgrimage but a time of reflection, conversation and adventure.

“We’re not in a hurry,” says Paul, who at 61 and Kaye at 58 trained regularly over the preceding four months to build up their strength and stamina. And do they have a good track record (pun intended!)? “We started this whole adventure from scratch, with no long distance walking experience or any of the gear needed to complete it.

We started with an idea, a will and sense of adventure.” All the best Paul and Kaye!

SING YOUR HEARTS OUT Hobart transforms into a welcoming winter festival of song from 2 to 14 July with the 15th Festival of Voices. A stellar line-up of local, national and international artists will present choral, contemporary, cabaret, jazz and classical shows.

The restaurant and entertainment strip of North Hobart is also a brand-new Festival destination this year with exciting performances at the Hobart North Uniting Church, sing-along cinema at The State Cinema and the stunning cabaret A Migrant’s Son at Hellenic Hall.

SELF CARE WORKSHOPS FOR MUMMAS If you’re a busy Mum, then put this in the diary.

Mental: The Mother Load workshops will be held at The Haven (121 Macquarie Street) on 23 and 24 July. Mental: The Mother Load is a creative documentary performance exploring the beauty, grotesque and poetic in the madness and mundanity of motherhood. It’s been developed by five artist mums, Carrie McLean, Julie Waddington, Rebecca Thomson, Bryony Geeves and Mel King.

As part of the documentary they’re holding creative workshops for Mums to have a play, have a cuppa and take part in some creative self-care. It’s a free, but ticketed, event. The Haven has a separate area with toys and one of their team will be on 'play' duty so feel free to bring your bub along. For more details search ‘The Haven’ on Facebook.

BENNY BINTRUCK Our editor, Steph, has been working away on her new children’s book, Benny Bintruck, which is almost ready to be released. Benny Bintruck is a messy, noisy and hardworking garbage truck who discovers he might not be as useful as he thinks. Enter the Bin Rats to help their friend Benny get back on track. As a mum of two, Steph has consumed her fair share of kids books and is looking forward to releasing Benny Bintruck in the coming months. You can follow Benny’s progress at @bennybintruck or order a pre-release at www.bennybintruck.com.

Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival Credit: Lusy Productions

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SCIENCE

Collecting samples

GIANT FORESTS IN THE SEA Words Qamar Schulyer

T

all stalks tower above you, rising over 30 metres from the ground. Light filters through the canopy, softly illuminating a diverse and complex understory. The leaves sway gently, providing cover for a huge variety of species. You sense movement from the corner of your eye, and suddenly come face to face with a giant cuttlefish!

That’s because this forest you’re in is a giant kelp forest, home to abalone, cray, and weedy seadragons. You’re diving in one of the last remaining stands of giant kelp in Tasmania; indeed, in all of Australia. Giant kelp once blanketed nearly the entire east coast of Tasmania, as well as parts of Victoria and South Australia, but over the past 30 years nearly 95% of it has died off. Now only isolated patches of habitat survive.

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This die off is not only a problem for the kelp itself, but also for the ecosystem it supports. Like coral reefs, kelp provides structure, protection, and food for a huge number of species, including many that are commercially important for Tasmania’s economy.

So…what happened to cause such a precipitous decline? To find out, I spoke with Dr. Cayne Layton, a postdoctoral fellow at UTAS’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS). Cayne, originally from New South Wales, moved to Hobart specifically to study kelp for his PhD. He told me that the problem began, unsurprisingly, with us humans. One of the lesser known effects of climate change is that it alters normal ocean circulation patterns. Here in Tasmania, the main impact is that the East Australian Current (EAC) has strengthened and extended southward, bringing warm, nutrient

SCIENCE poor waters from the north, and displacing the cool, nutrient rich waters that the kelp depend on. But that’s not all. Riding in the waters of the EAC was a particularly nasty larvae – that of the long spined sea urchin, otherwise known as Centrostephanus.

These urchins thrive on kelp, and can eat so much of it that they create what is known as “urchin barrens.” These are essentially bare, nearly lifeless zones, where the kelp are entirely grazed out, and it is almost impossible for them to re-colonize. The double whammy of the warm waters and the urchins decimated not only the giant kelp, but also the common kelp (albeit to a lesser extent), a smaller but equally important species.

Now, this all sounds like a very, very bad state of affairs for the kelp, as well as for the extremely lucrative cray and abalone fisheries which depend on them. And when I say lucrative, I mean about $850million per year lucrative! That’s not to mention the other ecosystem services kelp provides, such as protecting the coasts from erosion. So, Cayne and the rest of the team he works with have launched an ambitious project to help the kelp recover.

The idea is pretty simple. Those surviving stands of giant kelp? Well, there is something unique about them genetically, which has enabled them to survive the warmer EAC waters. So, Cayne is collecting their spores, breeding them in the lab, testing them to find the ones that are most heat tolerant (the super kelp!), and then transplanting them into the wild.

Of course, the heat is only half of the problem.

Other researchers at IMAS are working to develop a sea urchin fishery, so that the pest becomes a resource. The team is even involved in development of a robotic “Urchin Terminator,” an autonomous underwater vehicle designed to kill the urchins. They plan to begin planting out 10m x 10m test patches near Bruny and the Tasman Peninsula in the very near future, so watch this space! And, if you can find one of those remaining stands of giant kelp, do yourself a favour and have a snorkel. You surely won’t regret it.

The beautiful strands

“Light coming through a giant kelp forest kind of reminds me of a cathedral, and the light coming in through stained glass. It’s about as religious as I get.”

– Cayne Layton

This article is part of a series featuring early career researchers; scientists in the beginning phase of their careers. imas.utas.eau.au/kelprestoration Follow Cayne on Twitter @CayneLayton Follow Qamar on Twitter @Qamarsky

Urchins 13

COVER STORY

In the big chair

SUE HICKEY Interview Stephanie Williams

A

s the city ramps up efforts to help the less fortunate, politician Sue Hickey has placed herself firmly in the centre of the debate. Not one to shy away from controversy or hard work, we discovered what has shaped Sue’s drive and determination to help.

Some readers might not know but you were Miss Tasmania. Did that shape your interest in public life?

With reflection, it was a blessing I didn't understand at the time. Everywhere the Premier or Lord Mayor went, Miss Tasmania was expected to go. Having that experience gave me a lot of confidence and poise and all of those things you need for public life. I'm still opening flower shows all these years later! That started my interest in the not-for-profit sector and being aware of people, who for no fault of their own, were suffering disability and disadvantage.

You're not scared of hard work. Is that born from 30 years as a small business owner?

Definitely. Also from having hardworking parents.

We were raised that if we wanted anything in life we had to work for it. So from the age of 15 I was working at the very first Kmart in Tasmania. It instils 14

a lot of things - discipline, working in a team and responsibility. I don't think hard work hurts anybody.

In fact, I rarely have any time off. I read something that said, ‘the time you choose to waste is not waste of time’. I have to actually enforce that for myself, otherwise I’d be going 24 hours a day.

You were Telstra Business Woman of the Year in 2007 and completed your MBA in 2012. What advice do you have for people carving out their careers or creating a business at the moment?

Never stop learning. Never assume you know everything. Try and find yourself a mentor when you need it and put in. Anyone who thinks you can just cruise through small business is kidding themselves.

When I started out, there'd been many a times I was working through the night. I have one daughter but she might be sick in the office, and I'd still be banging away quotes at 3am in the morning. That's what I had to do to survive because I couldn't afford stuff. I was the cleaning lady, did the quotes, sold the goods, packed the items.

You created the business, Slick Promotions?

Yes. With $1,000 borrowed off my father. 26 years later I had to sell it to go into Parliament. It was a really good

COVER STORY career and I learnt an awful lot about management which I didn't have when I went into it. When I finally could afford the time off, I did the company director's course.

And then I had always wanted to go to uni. I was going to run for parliament and found that I couldn't do it. So I thought, well, I'm not going to waste the next four years feeling sorry for myself. I'll make sure I'm the best qualified politician I can be! I loved it. I learned a lot of different ways of thinking. Suddenly I had this expanded bureaucratic understanding. I decided to run for Hobart City Council and the MBA was so beneficial to being able to understand the high-level thoughts.

You spent four years as Lord Mayor of Hobart.

What are you most proud of there?

Changing the governance. It was critical to me that we had full accountability of what the Alderman were costing, that we had strict rules around behaviour and things we were doing. I had pet projects - I loved to see the rollout of solar panels, energy saving mechanisms, the beautiful parks we were creating, and the toilets. The toilets became an absolute passion because some of them were the most hideous things I've ever seen! I used to say to the staff who built the parks and the footpaths, ‘one day you'll be proud, you'd be able to bring in children past this and say, dad built this’. And that's what I do now. I go around and have a secret little chuff. People always referred to ‘my’ toilets at Salamanca, which is very funny because one day when we were about to open them, I was standing outside – I had my pearls on and pink pair of gloves and a toilet brush for a photo shoot. A tourist said, ‘the third one is a bit dirty’. I said, ‘no worries, I'll go and fix it right now!’

Rattling tins for a good cause

How did it feel when you took your seat in the Speaker’s Chair?

That's a day that was very surreal. It was my first day in Parliament. I didn't know where the toilets were!

All my life I've stepped up to an opportunity. When I look at my path, although it was never intentional, one opportunity would lead to another and each one enhanced my skillset. So whilst I know it was a shock for a lot of people and people want to attach some mischievous meanings to what happened, I think it's a bit of divine intervention because I've landed in space where I can help contribute to a better Tasmania. I suffered quite a bit of abuse for the first six months.

People wanted to call me a ‘traitor’ and ‘the rogue speaker’. I think now that I'm earning a bit of respect, they can see that sometimes having an independent speaker might be healthy. Once you're a member of a party, they have a caucus and they’re bound by whatever the majority is. I'm not restricted by that now. I stood for Parliament to make a difference and as the member for Clark I intend to.

“If we all pull together, and by that I mean tripartisan support and community support, hopefully it will get us back to a place where we're proud to say that we take care of our own.”

As Speaker, you sometimes hold the balance of power. How do you navigate that and what does it look like behind the scenes?

It can be quite stressful. Decisions come up that you know the public will not understand fully. Most people read the headline and make a judgment just on that. Whereas I have read all of the data, listened to the debate, consulted widely, and come to a decision after I've heard the last person speak. That’s a skill I learnt in local government. Of course you're going to have an opinion. It might’ve been one of the Greens members, because they taught me an awful lot to change my thinking, one of them would say something and I'll think, oh, I haven't looked at it like that. I think we should be prepared to listen. Now, sometimes it's also a matter of saying is that the biggest fight? Can I get a better outcome by agreeing with this one and going for the jugular on the next one? But I put my 15

COVER STORY own compass over it. Is this the best outcome? Is this the best law? Will this harm people or will it add to their livelihood or lifespan? The thing about local government was that it was all about enhancing the community for the wellbeing of people. In Parliament, it’s about life and death decisions and things that affect people's livelihoods and their families. It's a much higher bar, and there have been a couple of things that have really pushed my parameters. You go home and you're quite worried about.

What has stayed with you?

There was one recently about the climate emergency.

I really do believe we should be dealing with a climate emergency but the government was fairly convincing that it was addressing a lot of issues. I probably wish I had it voted for that because I do think it's an important statement to make to the world. Other things have been more confrontational, like the gender one.

Actually meeting parents and meeting transgender people and doing lots and lots of consultation in this space, I believe we came up with a much fairer law to recognise people as individuals and to give them the rights they deserve. And in that case, my decision opened the door for that legislation to go upstairs.

It was thrashed around, they altered things and then we had a much better outcome. I was very satisfied with that one. I felt that's a law that probably affects less than two percent of Tasmanians, but gee, what a difference it's going to make to them.

to school. I thought, oh my God, something's got to happen. So the more I got into it, the more carried away I got. There were fresh flowers, food in the fridge, every toiletry, everything. I wanted it so that when they walked in, they went to bed for the first time in weeks in a warm, clean bed and got up the next morning and started their lives. And people said, oh they won't last. Well there's still there! I just wish I could do it for everybody. I don't think we can ever neglect our less fortunate who are falling by the way.

And there's always been a hardcore group but now we have got the working poor, they might be a cleaner or work at Shiploads or something like that and two incomes just won't pay the $600 a week rent.

It’s life changing.

And the interesting thing is the younger generation couldn't see the fuss. The media were pretty positive about it because they are young journalists.

You're a strong advocate for the homeless and disadvantaged in Hobart. Why is that so close to your heart?

I had a very typical middle-class upbringing, but I went to Catholic school. We were told to look out for the less fortunate. I can't walk past somebody who's suffering, so I do what I can behind the scenes. It’s not just a ‘feel good’, it enriches my life. When I first became a member of Parliament, there was the Showground issue and I got involved and helped two different families get housed. I happened to know a friend who had two properties. So that friend and I painted and scrubbed and bought everything they needed. In one particular family, the young girl was ashamed of living at the Showgrounds and was studying in the ferret shed there, then she'd go 16

Camping and knitting!

COVER STORY But even someone on a normal median income, that's still a lot of money.

There's no way people can afford it. There's been decades of under investment in social housing so that's added to it. And then we've had social housing that hasn't been maintained. I am concerned where we're hitting at the moment with the homeless and begging and things like that. But I think if we all pull our resources, we're going to address it faster. That's always the perils when the city starts to be revived and grow, which I saw as Lord Mayor. We were suddenly getting buildings and it was all very exciting. The city had been in a little coma for 25 years and then suddenly took off, and we could do brave things.

We could put in Morrison Street and do a lot of the parks, the toilets, all of those things. We ended up with a huge influx of workers - there were estimates we had up to 5,000 workers extra in the city on any one day, which adds to traffic woes, means more accommodation required. The Airbnb thing took off as the hotels weren't available. That's a base we can't pull back, and unfortunately we lost a lot of rentals through that. And then of course the prices of everything skyrocketed and the rentals that still exist are huge, they've just doubled.

People want to help. What do you suggest?

People now are increasingly concerned as we shine a torch on this issue. The best way we can help is to help the professionals. Hobart City Mission need nonperishables. I know groups of people who are going to do little fundraisers where everyone brings a couple of tins of food. Nobucks is a wonderful organisation (offering free weekday lunches and showers). This weekend Mum and I put together 40 toiletry packs and people have been dropping stuff off to my office, which is wonderful. Volunteer too if you can, if you feel emotionally up to it because it's pretty tough.

"All my life I've stepped up to an opportunity."

Are there any practical small wins we can make in the short term?

Local government really need to be able to provide the toilets to be opened earlier because people sleeping in a car need to be able to wash the kids faces and get them to school. We need to weather this next couple of years of growing pains. If we all pull together, and by that I mean tripartisan support and community support,

hopefully it will get us back to a place where we're proud to say that we take care of our own.

What does downtime like for you?

Downtime? That's a funny one! I have some really close girlfriends I love to catch up with. That's a bit of escapism. Downtime is going home after a full day with a heavy bag of reading, then not opening it! And remembering that you still need to talk to your mum, your family and friends for that sanity. I really like to potter around the house. At the moment I'm gathering things for homelessness or fundraising for friends.

Cleaning up Glenorchy with the Mayor

Where's your favourite place for coffee, drinks and dinner?

I love to go to Daci&Daci for coffee. Contrary to what it might sound like I’m not out much, because you have to eat here (at Parliament House) so often and to do all the entertaining. I'm not a drinker but I might have a champagne if I'm out or something, anywhere along Salamanca is always good. The Astor Grill is always nice but that's a rarity. Take away Chinese in front of a movie is probably as good as anything! â–

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JULY 02

04

06

Festival of Voices kicks off in Hobart with events across the city until 14 July with 86 ticketed events and 67 free events.

Hilary Green’s exhibition After the Flood opens at Moonah Arts Centre (MAC) at 6pm.

Cliff Richard and The Shadows 60th Anniversary Tribute Concert is on at the Theatre Royal tonight recreating their distinctive rock ‘n roll sound.

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Watch North Melbourne take on St Kilda today at Blundstone Arena. Kids under 15 are free!

Learn how to create a blog (for free!) today at the Kingston Library at 2:30pm. Register online.

Kids aged 10-15 will enjoy a poetry and journaling workshop with Erica de Jong at Rosny Farm, learning how to turn small words into something wonderful. Tickets $10.

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Get along to the Karadi NAIDOC Quiz Night at Republic Bar tonight with MC Rob Braslin.

Tickets $10.

Willie Smith’s Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival starts today with bonfires, cider, wassailing and food.

Catch Kirsty Webeck at the Jokers Comedy Club tonight, recently opening for Tommy Little and Joel Creasey.

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Listen to two of the world's best climbers, Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson as they share their take on the world’s hardest rock climb, the Dawn Wall.

Got a small business idea?

Join Marisol Miró Quesada, from Coinventa, at Kingston Library to bring your business idea to life. Free government initiative.

Rock Bang opens tonight at the Theatre Royal. A hilarious rock'n'roll circus extravaganza, co-created

by Circus Oz and Die Roten Punkte.

AUGUST 02

04

09

Let’s Tango! The Tasmanian Tango Club will host a formal Milonga tonight at St Francis Xavier Church Hall, South Hobart. Non-members and spectators welcome.

Ladies...pay for your partner to go to the Understanding My Wife session with Nicole Kingston.

Love cycling? The Big Bike Film Night showcases the best cycling short films from around the world.

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The Festival of Bright Ideas is on at PW1 today, a hands-on celebration of the Tasmanian science sector. Under 18’s are free.

The 2019 Tasmanian Whisky Week kicks off today until Sunday, events and tastings around the state.

Hadley’s Orient Hotel hosts the Rare Whisky Auction tonight, with coveted Tassie whisky from private collections and distillers up for grabs.

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Bursting with ideas? Join the EnergyLab Tasmania Clean Energy Hackathon and design systems to affordably generate clean energy in teams.

The 2019 Top Dog Film Festival presents a 2-hour cinematic celebration honouring the bond between dogs and their people at the Stanley Bunbury Theatre.

Take the little bubs to Outreach Rock & Rhyme at the Clarence Plains Child and Family Centre, starts at 10am.

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Don your scarves and beanies to catch North Melbourne as they take on Melbourne at Blundstone Arena today.

The TSO presents The Colours of the Saxophone featuring Amy Dickson, bringing her artistry to Matthew Hindson’s dazzling new Saxophone Concerto.

Darren Coggan returns to his country roots ‘Like A Rhinestone Cowboy’, performing the music of Glen Campbell at Wrest Point tonight.

Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival Picture Lusy Productions

FEATURE loud clang and I fell off in a very comical fashion which would definitely have looked hilarious to anyone watching.

Kudelka and Coffee

LAUGHTER LINES Words Genevieve Morton

A

ward-winning Tasmanian cartoonist Jon Kudelka is passionate about conservation, caricature and NOT falling off his bike before a deadline. Every now and then he cracks himself up.

What are the challenges and benefits of working in Hobart?

I’ve always found it’s a lot easier to be a rank outsider to do my job. Being “in the know” is not terribly useful for getting a feel for what might be funny to people who aren’t. It’s usually better to keep your ears open and draw your own conclusions and that’s a lot easier to do from Hobart.

You recently opened your own gallery Kudelka & Co in the CBD, has this been a long standing dream?

Actually, I spotted the space in Liverpool St for rent and applied for it on the spur of the moment. I’ve been doing quite a bit of non-newspaper art for some time and it’s nice to have somewhere to hang it.

Is it true you rode your bike into a telephone pole during the making of the book The Wonks Dictionary?

I often go for a ride when I’m trying to come up with an idea for a cartoon. One evening the deadline for The Australian and the deadline for the book were both becoming a little too imminent so I hopped on my bike and realised that I can ride a bike and think of one other thing and not ride into a pole. But the not-riding-into-a-pole skill is reduced considerably when trying to think of two cartoons. It made a very 20

Name one person who makes your job easy?

Barnaby Joyce. If he didn’t exist, it would be necessary for cartoonists to invent a hat-wearing beetroot with an overinflated sense of selfimportance only exceeded by its lack of selfawareness. The cartoonists of Australia thank you Barnaby, even if any remaining fish in the MurrayDarling do not.

When do your best ideas come?

All of my ideas come from that special place known as ‘Last Minute Panic’. After I’ve read everything in sight, the trick for me is like with those 3D images where you have to unfocus your eyes to make it jump out at you. As soon as something occurs to me, I try and write it down because the good ideas can be surprisingly elusive.

What's your creative process?

Reading everything.

Shouting at my computer. Making snacks. Sobbing in a corner. Pulling something out of the fire at the last minute.

You’re vocal about protecting Kunanyi / Mt Wellington from cable car development.

I’ve always felt the cable car proposal was mostly a stalking horse for plonking a wildly inappropriate tourist trap on the summit. People seem to forget that the summit is pretty much inimical to human life until they’re standing in a howling southerly coming straight from the Antarctic, and I expect the poor tourists will be quickly herded inside the Disneymountain complex for wildly overpriced coffee and cake and Mount Wellington snow domes.

It’s a real shame, because a sensitive development at The Springs could be an amazing development for locals and tourists alike.

Do you crack yourself up?

I have been known to giggle evilly whilst sketching up one I particularly like. I also have a habit of adopting the expressions of the people I’m drawing at the time, which can look a little weird. ■

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CCT_GNI2019_105x148.indd 1

19/6/19 3:40 pm

TRAVEL ON THE ISLAND

The elusive Southern Lights

CATCH THE SHOW Words Genevieve Morton Picture Luke Tscharke

O

nce you’ve experienced your first Aurora Australis sighting, you’ll be forever chasing the next one. That’s the promise from devoted ‘Aurora Chaser’ and Hobart photographer Luke Tscharke.

“There’s nothing like it, it’s an incredibly exciting experience. It’s such an exhilarating phenomenon that once you’ve seen it, you’ll always be wanting more.”

Winter is the best time to see the Aurora – or Southern Lights – because it’s darker for longer.

Auroras occur when the upper atmosphere is hit by energetic charged particles, principally electrons from solar wind, which travel along Earth’s magnetic field lines. Given the earth’s magnetic field is closest to the surface at the North and South poles, Tasmania and Antarctica are the best spots to witness the Aurora Australis.

To the eye the aurora will appear mostly as white light with faint colour but through a camera’s sensors the aurora may appear a vibrant green, red or purple. Luke says he stayed awake all night to photograph the Bruny Island lighthouse under the spectacle of the aurora. And the FOMO was real.“Fear Of Missing Out is intense because you can’t leave the spot – at 2am it might get even better.

It can be nerve-wracking, you feel so determined to get the shot – you have to stay all night.”

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He’s not alone. The Aurora Australis Tasmania Facebook page has more than 82,000 followers sharing space weather reports, photos and best viewing spots. The Aurora Australis Tasmania Alert NOW Facebook page is also one to watch for realtime sightings.

The best spots to capture the aurora offer a clear view of the horizon and the least amount of light pollution. Goats Bluff at South Arm is Luke’s favourite destination but he says if the conditions are good he’ll head straight to Kingston Beach. “That’s the thrill in Tasmania, you’re so close to the action, you can be at the beach setting up your camera ready to go quickly. “You won’t be alone though, if the aurora forecast is good and it’s been hyped up a bit on social media you’ll find car parks at the beach will be full of Aurora Chasers.” ■

BEST SPOTS TO SEE THE LIGHT • Goats Bluff (South Arm) • Bruny Island • Kingston Beach

• Mt Nelson

• Howden

• Rosny Hill

• Dodges Ferry

• Seven Mile Beach

• Tinderbox

6/19

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FEATURE

Opening night

The studios

GOOD GRIEF STUDIOS Words Bonnie Liston Picture Nick Green

T

hose passing by the big yellow and blue building at 62 Argyle Street may have seen some changes of late. Big green men and colourful murals have started to creep over its walls and eye catching art pieces are appearing in the windows.

property. The building is scheduled for demolition some time in the next five years and the space will then be filled with further installation for the University’s City Campus expansion. However in the meantime it has been granted a brief but beautiful new life as the home of Good Grief Studios.

Those passing by the big yellow and blue building at 62 Argyle Street may have seen some changes of late. Big green men and colourful murals have started to creep over its walls and eye catching art pieces are appearing in the windows. These changes mark the venue’s transformation from a derelict Good Year automotive warehouse into Good Grief Studios – an independent artist-run space for artistic development and experimental creation, which functions as a gallery space and workshop.

The new space has inspired them to increase their scale and their vision. “It’s very exciting to start something new” says Caitlin Fargher, a member of the board of independent artists who organise the day-to-day running of the Studios. “We want to fill a gap that we see in the Tasmanian art scene. Most galleries in Hobart are commercial for established artists or government run - all of which are great!

But we want to be a space for the contemporary practices that might not fit into certain boxes. We’re independent, out there and fun, but we’re also a professional space that’s accessible.”

Inside, the space houses a gallery, an outdoor courtyard and a small store filled with clothes, accessories, arts and crafts, all handmade by local Tasmanian artisans. And if you can finagle your way behind the scenes you would find the cavernous garage is now a shanty town of artist spaces where some of the brightest up-and-comers on the Tasmanian art scene have the space and resources to create works as large, complex, and experimental as their imaginations can conceive of.

Many of the artists involved in leading this venture come from Television Haus, an art studio that operated in Melville Street for almost 10 years.

When the block was bought out by the University of Tasmania for its intercity developments they managed to broker a deal and received the stewardship of another piece of University owned 24

Applications are open now for an artist residency and 2019 exhibitions. Anyone can apply stresses Fargher. “Get involved if you have new ideas or if you just want to paint a mural. We’re hoping to have a really diverse range of shows. Being in the city makes us really accessible as a space,” says Fargher, “We want to create an environment where everyone – from grandmas to toddlers – can all hang out, enjoy some art and feel welcome.”

The studio’s first show opened in April and was a showcase of their current stable of studio artists.

Updates about their upcoming shows and projects can be found @goodgriefstudios on Facebook and Instagram. ■

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Advertisement

“My job is to represent and help the people of Clark which includes Hobart, Glenorchy and Taroona.

Feel free to get in touch to speak with me or one of my staff.�

Andrew Wilkie MP Independent Member for Clark www.andrewwilkie.org andrew.wilkie.mp@aph.gov.au Telephone 03 6234 5255 Authorised by Andrew Wilkie MP 188 Collins Street Hobart 7000

WELLBEING IMMUNITYBOOSTING TASSIE TONIC Ingredients: (Makes 4 cups) 1 head garlic 1 lemon 4 chillis (red and green)* Fresh ginger (4cm piece) 2 tsp turmeric (ground) 2 tbsp honey 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar 1 litre water Tasty Tassie Tonic

GO ON - HIBERNATE

Method: Roughly chop the garlic, lemon, ginger and chilli (remove stems but leave skin on garlic and peel on lemon).

Words and Picture Genevieve Morton

I

f you’re feeling the pull towards hibernation - wellness practitioners say it’s time to slow down.

Resist overloading your schedule, embrace the longer nights with adequate sleep and above all else – don’t push yourself. ‘Winter in Tassie is not the time to be feeling like a hamster on a wheel,’ Goulds naturopath Belinda Robson says.

‘Hibernation and slowing down are a natural pattern for all animals but we humans tend to push on with our busy lives and try to ignore it.’ She recommends self-care, getting to bed early and taking the time to make nourishing soups, broths and immunity-boosting tonics to ward off any coughs and colds. Tonics are traditionally made with garlic, ginger, lemon, chilli, turmeric, cayenne pepper and apple cider vinegar. Boil it all together, sieve and sip.

Ginger has long been regarded as an immunity powerhouse for its antiinflammatory properties, high levels of vitamin C and magnesium.

“Ginger stimulates circulation to your fingers and toes, which is helpful for people feeling cold and chilly with a cold or flu, and for reducing the stagnation that occurs when you are sick and spending a lot of time not moving much,” Belinda says.

Garlic has antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties, helping to ward off a cold – and lessen the severity. But it’s not just what we eat and drink that will help us stay well this winter.

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Put all ingredients in a large pot (squeezing the lemon as you go) and cover. Simmer gently for 20 mins. Sieve the liquid.

Sip hot whenever you need a pick up. * Leave out the chilli if you can’t take the heat.

South Hobart naturopath Iain Mclean of Live Life says stress and an overly busy life will make you more susceptible to picking up colds and flu. “Stress, both physical and emotional, can suppress part of your immune function so that makes you susceptible to developing infection,” he says. “Enabling yourself to take steps to nourish your body and your mind can empower you to have a degree of control over how your body responds to illness this winter.” ■

FEATURE

Save money, shower together

EASY POWER SAVING TRICKS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW Words Stephanie Williams

D

id you know it can be cheaper to run a slow cooker on the weekend? Nope.

Neither did we. In light of winter, we’ve compiled the ultimate energy saving hacks that you might not have considered, from people in the know – a few local team members from Aurora Energy.

Neil works in the Hobart office, he reckons you can cut down your hot water use by limiting yourself to one song in the shower. "Hot water is a big user of power so shorter showers are a must. Four minutes is all you need. Enough for a few renditions of your team song or your favourite old classic." One epic power ballad it is then.

Mitch has probably heard every power-saving trick under the sun helping customers in the call centre. His best one – “When you're cooking and need boiling water. Boil your water in the kettle first and then tip it into your saucepan and you're ready to go - no more hanging around waiting for your pot to boil!” Genius.

And did you know that if your hot tap drips, you're not only using more water but also more power? Dig out that wrench and tighten it up to save a bit there too.

According to Chelsea, the best time to do a big batch cook is when you can tap into off peak power, if you have that option. "In winter I use my slow cooker more and more, especially on weekends. Because I'm on a Peak and Off-Peak product, weekends are when it’s cheaper to use power. I always cook extra when I use the slow cooker so I have pre-cooked meals for the week ahead.”

Use timers to make sure your heating or cooling turns on and off only when you need it. Keeping the temperature between 18 and 20°C is best - every degree you add could cost you up to 10% on your power use.

And finally, the easiest power saving hack you’ll ever find. Turn it off. If you’re not in a room, turn off the lights or if you’re not using an appliance, turn it off at the wall. Your bank account will thank you for it. ■ 27

PSYCHOLOGY

Talk it up

THE TALK Words Darren & Jeanette Radley

“You always think you’re right and I always end up being the loser in these arguments!”

“If you hadn’t spent all that money then we wouldn’t be in this mess right now!”

A

common exchange seen in couple counselling is the ‘right fight’ or ‘blame game’ where neither partner is listening and instead a point of view fight develops. One partner is pitted against the other to prove their opinion makes the most sense and will keep driving it home like a jackhammer until the other partner either gets it or gives up.

What is fundamentally missing in this exchange is validation and personal responsibility. This is acknowledgement of the other person’s feelings or opinion in a safe and respectful environment, and accepting you can only control and manage your own reactions/behaviours, not your partners. The goal is to create emotional safety. Conflict avoidance can also be as problematic as overt conflict. Again, validation and personal responsibility are absent.

Each partner may have tried to raise concerns but was quickly shut down resulting in further withdrawal and blame their partner for their own withdrawal. Research suggests couples who deal with issues as they arise fare better than couples 28

who are conflict avoidant or store up their issues until they surface in an angry explosion. Good communication is the most important tool in the relationship toolbox. It is important to take personal responsibility for managing life’s stressors and find healthy ways to de-stress such as exercise and socialising. This will decrease the tension in the home.

Another useful strategy is learning how to self-soothe and how to soothe others. One way to do this is to take in a few deep breaths and say some calming, soothing words to yourself or your partner. If necessary, take time out and agree to discuss the issue later when you are both calmer and have collected your thoughts.

Conflict is a normal part of any relationship and learning how to deal with conflict in a healthy way is key to relationship longevity. ■ Darren Radley, Relationship Counsellor & Sex Therapist ; Jeanette Radley, Psychotherapist/ Counsellor & Mediator The EPICentre at 160 New Town Road, New Town.

P: 6228 5535 www.theepicentre.net.au

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EliseArcher ArcherMP MP Elise Archer MP Elise “She’ll be “She’llbe be “She’ll apples” apples” apples” if not, please contact if please contact if not, please contact contact if not, not, please contact

EliseArcher Archer Elise Archer Elise

on 6212 2210 or 6212 2210 onon 6212 2210 oror or on 6212 2210 or elise.archer@dpac.tas.gov.au elise.archer@dpac.tas.gov.au elise.archer@dpac.tas.gov.au elise.archer@dpac.tas.gov.au elise.archer@dpac.tas.gov.au

Liberal Member Clark Liberal Member forfor Clark Liberal Member for Clark Liberal Member for Clark Authorised by: Elise Archer MP, 62 Main Road, Moonah Tas 7009 Authorised by: MP, 6262 Main Road, Moonah Tas 7009 Authorised by: Elise Archer MP, 62 Main Road, Moonah Tas 7009 Authorised by:Elise EliseArcher Archer MP, Main Road, Moonah Tas 7009

MADAME SAISONS UMAMI VEGETABLE STOCK

Hubble Bubble

STOCKING UP Words Sarah Ugazio

I

f there’s one thing we can all agree food should be right now, is that it’s got to be hot! Steaming porridge, simmering soups, roasts and ragus are all the rage, if not a vital requirement to keep us thermally stable.

While weekend slow cooking is a fabulous excuse to have the oven going strong as an additional heat source in the home, mid-week dishes have got to defrost our chilled cores, and fast. While being a Master of Pasta promises quick home cooked dinners throughout these winter months, one may want to ease off carb loading from time to time as summer, and bathers, will return, eventually.

Filling your fridge with quick cooking proteins, such as fish or thinner cuts of meat allows for a quick sear or stir fry to be speedily served. But to really up your flavour game while keeping it fresh, do as any decent chef does – simply have great stock on hand. Not the salty dissolvable cubes nor watery tetra packs. We’re talking about rich, homemade flavour-bursting liquid, a secret weapon for your tastebud toolkit, arming you this winter to elevate simple dishes from dull to delicious.

Add a few spoonfuls to deglaze pan juices, whisk in a knob of cold butter until melted and emulsified and voila – a rich sauce for your steak. Using a decent liquid flavour base, soups become superb, poaching poultry and fish become a gourmet quick dish, or even blanching veggies such as silverbeet or spinach takes dinner sides to pro level.

While restaurants may make several types of stocks for various sauces, the home cook can go a long way with either chicken and vegetable, or both. A big batch, portioned into airtight containers and ice cube trays, can easily be made ahead and whacked in the freezer for up to three months. One of the most basic yet underappreciated kitchen staples, good stock is easy way to elevate your mid-week meals without things becoming a complex culinary affair. ■ Follow Sarah on Instagram @madamesaisons

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Ingredients: Makes 10 1 ½ cups warm water 1 Tbs Olive Oil 1 Tbs Butter (omitted for a vegan recipe version) 2 Medium brown onions 1 Leek, washed and coarse green tops removed.

5 large carrots, 3 Celery stalks, 1 Skin from whole pumpkin (reserve skin offcuts normally thrown away when next cutting up a pumpkin, store in freezer until ready to use) 1 Clove garlic, bashed 5 Dried Shitake mushrooms* 5 cm Dried Tas wakame* 1 Bay Leaf 4 Parsley stems 1 Sprig of thyme 3 Peppercorns Method: Heat the butter and oil over a medium heat in a large stock pot. Sauté onions and leeks for 3 mins. Add carrots, celery, pumpkin skins and garlic, sauté for another 5 mins. Add remaining ingredients. Pour 3 litres of water over vegetable mix and bring to the boil, then turn down heat and simmer gently for 1.5 hours. Strain liquid through a large fine sieve or muslin lined colander. Store in airtight containers in fridge (up to one week) or freezer (up to 3 months) Notes: *Shitake mushrooms and wakame (a type of dried seaweed) will give a rich savory flavour to the stock.

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“ The best peaks are off-peak” Chelsea lives in Glenorchy with her partner, as well as her golden retriever Indie.

She also works at Aurora and knows a fair bit about how to save power.

Chelsea likes to make the most of her off-peak energy on the ‘Time of Use’ product.

It’s half the cost compared to peak times. That’s why on weekends: on goes her washing machine; and on goes her oven to make tasty biscuits for the love of her life… pampered pooch Indie.

Chelsea, Aurora Energy Marketing Team

The power of choice. The power of Chelsea.

The power of Tasmanian.

More tips from Chelsea at auroraenergy.com.au