Australian Times | 23 July 2013

23 - 29 July 2013 Issue: 473

Cardiff Coffee Cult

Queen of Pop

Embrace Alentejo

Aussie Madonna Tribute

Keeping to The Plan

Chilling in nature

entertainment P8

Food & wine P6

Travel P9

41564

100,000 MONEY TRANSFERS EACH YEAR - BEST RATES! TAX, FINANCIAL AND MIGRATION EXPERTS: Money Transfers, Tax Refunds, Visas, Limited Companies & Accounting, UK Bank Accounts, CV & Job Assistance, Travel Clinic, Shipping, Legal and Umbrella Services

WAR OF WORDS ON BOAT POLICY

n Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has accused Opposition Leader Tony Abbott of undermining the tough message on people smugglers, while Abbott says policy held together with “sticky tape”.

KEVIN Rudd has accused Opposition Leader Tony Abbott of seeking to undermine the tough message to people smugglers in the escalating war of words over the government’s PNG solution.

Mr Abbott says Prime Minister Rudd is being misleading “to the point of dishonesty” in claiming his PNG plan would send asylum seekers there with no prospect of ever reaching Australia.

“It’s not legally binding and it doesn’t say what Mr Rudd says it says. It doesn’t say that everyone who comes to Australia illegally by boat will go to PNG and it doesn’t say that no one who goes to PNG will ever come to Australia,” he told reporters in Melbourne on Monday.

Initially caught flat footed when Mr Rudd announced the plan on Friday, the opposition has since gone on the attack, citing a wide range of concerns.

But Mr Rudd was unconcerned.

“Mr Abbott is out there deliberately undermining the government’s clear message to people smugglers,” he said.

That was not in the national interest, although it might be in Mr Abbott’s personal political interest, he said.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said the Liberal Party was desperately trying to undermine the arrangement with PNG “simply because it suits their political interests for the boats to keep coming”.

While Mr Abbott says the plan was

Homegrown Talent Aussie stars in Edinburgh | P7 held together by sticky tape, PNG prime minister Peter O’Neill says the projects Mr Rudd agreed to fund in exchange for the deal have not been costed.

“The costings for the RamuMadang highway has not been done, design and costings for of course Lae hospital has not been done. So it costs

FREE ENtRy LIA TRA S U A

J D 1 .

N0

all neW

0808 141 2314

www.1stcontact.com/mast2

into millions of Kina,” Mr O’Neill told journalists in Port Moresby upon

ALP Abroad launches overseas voter drive

WITH England taking out the second Test on the weekend, Australian cricket fans at Lords had little to cheer about.

ALP Abroad instead focused on the economic record of Australia, handing out pamphlets outside the stadium with the message: “After the Ashes, come home to a strong economy.”

The overseas arm of the Labor party used the third day of the second Test to launch its overseas voter enrolment drive.

Volunteers distributed flyers with a smiling Prime Minister Kevin Rudd encouraging voters to ensure they are enrolled overseas and able to vote in the upcoming federal election.

Paul Smith, President of ALP Abroad, said it was important voters in England were aware of the need to enrol as an overseas voter.

“The votes of the 1 million Australians could be decisive this election but most overseas Australians will need to enrol to vote as an overseas voter to make sure their vote counts,” said Mr Smith.

“We are encouraging overseas Australians to enrol to vote as overseas voters so they can vote for an Australian government they can be proud while they are overseas ...continued on p3

Sponsored by

Be our next great travel writer

...continued on p3

soUnd

28 July 2013

WIN

sYsTem

A travel voucher worth £250

th

7-8 Cavendish Parade | ClaPham | london | UK | sW4 9dW

dJ seT

Turn to P10 for details

2 | News

23 - 29 July 2013

Integrating in London

The Australian Way n

Publisher: Bryce Lowry Editor: Paul Bleakley/Alex Ivett Production/Design: Jackie Lampard News Editor: Paul Bleakley Business Editor: Sepi Roshan Contributors: Tim Martin, Georgia Dawes, Phillip Browne, Michelle McCue, Erin Somerville, George Katralis, Jacqui Moroney, Will Fitzgibbon, Chris Arkadieff, Kiel Egging, Daniel Shillito, Mat Lyons,

Sandra Tahmasby, Tyson Yates, Jennifer Perkin, Charlie Inglefield, Thomas Jones, Alistair Davis, Will Denton, Chloe Westley, Bonnie Gardiner, Michaela Gray, Marian Borges, Haylee Slater, Emma O'Neill, Ally Juchnevicius, Courtney Greatrex, Poppy Damon Directors: P Atherton, J Durrant N Durrant, R Phillips and A Laird

Additional content: Who are we?

Australian Times is written and compiled by young Australian journalists living in the UK. Contributing on a volunteer basis, they are uniquely placed to reflect the interests, opinions and attitudes of our community.

If you would like to join us, contact info@australiantimes.co.uk Address: Unit 7C, Commodore House Battersea Reach, London SW18 1TW Tel: 0845 456 4910 Email: info@australiantimes.co.uk

WEBSITE:

The paper used to print this publication has been sourced from sustainable forests (farmed trees). Please reduce waste by recycling your copy or pass it on others.

DISCLAIMER The printed opinions of advertisers and writers are theirs and not necessarily shared by Blue Sky Publications Ltd. Unless otherwise stated, copyright of all original materials is held by Blue Sky Publications Ltd. Official media sponsors of the following organisations:

We go further specialists First class pet travel

At Flypets we can take away all the added stress transporting the furry members of your family, leaving you to concentrate on the rest of your family's move.

We can offer a range of services for you: • We can collect from your home • Arrange the relevant documentation • Book your pets on the most direct flight Call • Provide your pet to d ay on with their own 01932 875 air kennel 227

for your quote

www.flypets.co.uk

While Australians living in London may be stereotyped as loud and obnoxious Antipodeans that spend all of their time at the Walkabout, TIM MARTIN explores the unique way in which Aussies integrate into British society.

There’s a certain stereotype for Australians living in London. It assumes that most of them live here in overcrowded house-shares which brim with loud and obnoxious Antipodeans that are only up for visiting the Walkabout, getting drunk and slating their hosts. And while this perception is sometimes perpetuated by Aussie travellers visiting the English capital its roots extend a little bit further.

Foreign communities living abroad face a myriad of problems when trying to assimilate into a new found home. They’re often hit with cultural differences; a strange new world that isn’t immediately familiar; and the task of integrating into a new and sometimes unwelcoming society. Aussie expats in London face equivalent challenges. While the cultural differences are not too dissimilar to the ones left behind in Oz (there are no language barriers to overcome, the food’s basically the

Your Say On: Aussie injured in Running of the Bulls named

Garawi

I believe anyone that abuses animals is nothing but a barbarian.

Animals have as much right to be on this earth as we do. People who hunt animals are nothing but cowards. I would like to see one of those big game hunters confronting a lion or any other wild animal without a gun in his hand.

Mario

They get what they deserve. If you swim among a group of hungry sharks and get bitten, it’s your own choice. Humans have choice but unfortunately the animals do not.

Pamela

Same as bullfighting, it is a barbaric custom, and it should be banned.

George

AustralianTimes

problems begin to arise when people stop integrating and start enshrining themselves in faux communities that do little to interact with the outside world.

And so we return to the initial stereotype of London-based Australians. There will always be those that fit this perceived image but the fact of the matter is that most Aussies living here are open-minded professionals, who give back to their adopted society as much as they take out. Of course many are likely to celebrate an Ashes win rather raucously. In a Walkabout.

Maybe a little bit tipsy. But these are the same people who will just as soon enjoy a visit to the Tate with an English mate or an ale in a traditional city pub, surrounded by their fellow Londoners.

I do not wish anyone any harm, but whatever happens to these kind of people is self-inflicted. Don't feel sorry for her.

Thank you Kevin Rudd for having the spine and foresight to definitively deal with this problem.

Barbaric cruelty to the bulls, enough said.

Later reports indicate the riots began before Rudd’s announcement and was based on a (false) rumour that Manus Island was shutting down.

Get More Opinion

AustralianTimes.co.uk/news

Brad

Geoff

Pamplona is cruelty to animals and should be avoided at all cost. By taking part in it or even going to see it deserves punishment. Hope she learnt a lesson. And others too.

Even worse are the Spanish bull fights where the animal has only a minimal chance where the Matador drives a sword into the body of the bull via the top of the neck until it hits the heart and the bull suffers a painful death. Fortunately the Portuguese do not kill the bulls but it is still cruel.

?

What’s your view

same and the lifestyle comparable), London can still be a menacing place that takes some skill to navigate.

One of the best ways of establishing an immediate foothold in a new city such as London, is to seek out compatriots who have paved the way before you. They will have encountered many of the same problems you’re most likely to face, have broken down barriers that you’ll probably have to overcome and done the initial legwork in finding the good and the bad of your new home.

It’s understandable then, that Aussies will seek the company of fellow Aussies. And if not for advice, then maybe just to share and compare the trials and tribulations fought, won and lost in London-town. It’s no secret that people of the same nationality will gravitate towards each other due to common likes such as sporting, political or locational allegiances; humour; tastes; and views. But

Rachael

On: Search for missing British-Australian man continues in Blue Mountains

David

Very disturbing, hope the police find him safe and sound. Prayers that this happens and prayers for his anxious family.

Corinne

Please be assured that the search is intensive. Police used our balcony as a vantage point today, as we overlook the valley. They then set off through the bush with machetes. The police helicopter has been used extensively, and dogs were used today. I hope it all ends well for Gary and for all of you.

David

I'm in the area. I watched the night choppers fly over the area last night.

They used powerful search lights while flying overhead. Our thoughts are with you Gary. Stay strong. It's very cold here today.

Suzanne

On: Riot in Nauru detention centre after Rudd refugee announcement

The asylum seeking rioters are merely demonstrating what great Australian citizens they would have been. Not.

On: Rudd says no illegal boat arrivals will resettle in Australia

Christine Milne comes from a pary that seems to think Australian taxpayers are an open chequebook for the Greens' beliefs. Representing only 12% of the vote, I think she should personally sponsor, house and feed boat people if she is so fond of them. This announcement is a great solution to an increasingly difficult problem and Rudd is quite right to make a loud and clear statement to people smugglers that the games over. Australia will still be taking their quota of 20,000… this is simply taking task with those trying to rort the exisitng immigration system.

AJ

When were Australians ever given the choice as to who can settle here. These illegals are using the “green coalition” to queue jump requirements and access a country flowing with milk and dole money that they did nothing to earn; all to keep corrupt Indonesians floating in Australian taxpayers money.

Good riddance.

Talisman

Share your comments on these and more stories online: AustralianTimes.co.uk @AustralianTimes

+Australiantimes

Australiantimes

company/australian-times

News | 3

AustralianTimes.co.uk

Labor caucus pass leadership reforms

PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd has crossed another item off his pre-election to do list after caucus endorsed internal reforms before a possible poll next month.

Mr Rudd also gave federal MPs a rousing address during which he named about eight seats he thinks the ALP could win back at the election, which might be called within a week.

However, the prime minister is keeping his election timetable options open after dealing with outstanding policy issues on the carbon tax and asylum seeker boat arrivals, and internal reform.

“These are big challenges for government, we still have other challenges to deal with,” Mr Rudd told reporters in the Sydney suburb of Balmain after the caucus meeting on Monday.

31 August has now firmed as favourite poll date, although Mr Rudd could still wait and call a vote for October.

Labor MPs, barring former prime minister Julia Gillard and some ministers who resigned after Mr Rudd was returned almost four weeks ago, gathered at the Town Hall in Balmain, which has symbolic links with the ALP. They debated and voted in favour of changes to rules governing the election of the parliamentary leader, which would make it harder for MPs to remove a Labor prime minister – like Mr Rudd was in 2010.

The vote for leader will be split 5050 between caucus and grassroots members, giving the 44,000 rank and file supporters a say for the first time in the party’s history.

“Each of our members gets to have a say, a real say, in the future leadership of our party,” Mr Rudd said. “Decisions can no longer simply be made by a factional few.”

In power, a ballot could only be

called if the prime minister resigned or requested one, or if at least 75 per cent of caucus signed a petition stating the leader had brought the party into disrepute.

In opposition, a ballot would be held automatically after each federal election or if at least 60 per cent of caucus signed a petition.

“There was overwhelming support for the changes,” Labor MP Daryl Melham said.

Mr Rudd also addressed MPs on the election and told them they could reclaim the seats of Hasluck in Western Australia, Boothby in South Australia, Aston and Dunkley in Victoria, Denison in Tasmania, Bennelong and Macquarie in NSW and Solomon in the Northern Territory.

Mr Rudd’s return has improved Labor’s stocks among voters, and his personal ranking is well above Opposition Leader Tony Abbott’s, the opinion polls show.

But the minority government needs to hold its current 71 seats and win at least another five to return to power and head off a coalition victory.

Mr Rudd also discussed decisions to move from a fixed to a floating carbon pricing regime and the treatment of asylum seekers.

While the carbon decision was broadly welcomed, some MPs were concerned about the hardline Papua New Guinea plan, which effectively denies settlement to asylum seeker boat arrivals.

Mr Rudd wants to send those people to Manus Island for processing and eventual settlement there if they are determined to be refugees. - AAP

PNG PM says deal has not been costed ...continued from p1 his return from Brisbane on Monday.

“But I cannot just simply give you a figure that is imaginary.”

He also said he did not know where asylum seekers would be resettled.

“We’ll get there when we start processing them.”

Mr O’Neill declined to nominate an upper limit to the number of asylum seekers he expects to be processed in PNG. PNG’s Opposition whip Tobias Kulang has blasted the plan, demanding Australia explain just how it plans to assist PNG manage this program.

But with Labor doing well in the polls, Mr Rudd had no trouble selling his PNG solution to his own MPs, although some expressed concerns about this radical change at Monday’s caucus meeting in Sydney.

He told MPs it was the right way to deal a fatal blow to the people smuggling industry.

Although actual transfer of asylum seekers to PNG is weeks and perhaps months away, the first concrete step in the new policy was taken on Christmas Island on Monday.

Officials advised 81 Iranians who arrived on boats over the weekend they would never be permitted to settle in Australia.

The government has faced a blizzard of condemnation from refugee groups and others who protested noisily outside the Sydney caucus meeting.

Anglican Bishop of Tasmania John Harrower declared on Twitter: “Mr Prime Minister, Jesus weeps”.

He later said Mr Rudd and Mr Abbott, both practising Christians, should find a more compassionate solution. - AAP

Get More News

AustralianTimes.co.uk/news

‘RAZOR SHARP BRILLIANCE’ THE AUSTRALIAN

8

CULAR A T C E P S IN WEEKS END ST THE WE UMS! POSS

Get More News

AustralianTimes.co.uk/news

UK Aussies may play decisive role in federal election

Presenting Partner

DIRECTED BY SIMON PHILLIPS ...continued from p1 and a country that will still have a strong economy when they return.”

Mr Smith said out of the estimated 1,000,000 Australians overseas only 16,000 are currently enrolled as overseas voters.

Australians living overseas can register as an overseas voter if they intend to return to Australia within six years.

The votes of the Australian expat

community in the UK could prove important in any contest between Mr Rudd and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.

According to the Australian High Commission there are currently an estimated 300,000 Australian expats living and working in the UK. In in the 2010 election Australia House in London was the largest polling station in the federal election.

It is estimated 16,000 Australians living in the UK voted in the last election.

Official Carrier

Hotel Partner

LONDON PALLADIUM

13 NOVEMBER 2013 - 5 JANUARY 2014 0844 874 0743 seetickets.com ALSO ON UK NATIONAL TOUR 2013/14

Produced by

and

2013 23 - 26 OCT, MILTON KEYNES THEATRE•30 OCT - 2 NOV, CARDIFF - WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE•5 - 9 NOV, EDINBURGH FESTIVAL THEATRE 2014 21 - 25 JAN, NEWCASTLE THEATRE ROYAL•28 JAN - 1 FEB, SOUTHAMPTON MAYFLOWER•4 - 8 FEB, NORWICH THEATRE ROYAL•11 - 15 FEB, GLASGOW KING'S THEATRE 18 - 22 FEB, BRISTOL HIPPODROME•25 FEB - 1 MAR, LEEDS GRAND THEATRE•4 - 8 MAR, MANCHESTER OPERA HOUSE

FOR FULL SHOW INFORMATION AND TO BOOK TICKETS VISIT

DameEdnaFarewell.com

4 | Exclusive Interview

23 - 29 July 2013

Great News! the Expat factor

Extraordinary Aussies in the UK

You can now get your Australian Times newspaper every week as a FREE digital edition for your iPad, iPhone or Android.

Nicola Samer is a theatre director and co-founder of IronBark.

IronBark presents the best new Australian writers to UK audiences using the talents of local cast and creative teams.

I moved to the UK in 2004 to study my Masters in Theatre Directing. I’d been here previously on scholarship to study design at Central Saint Martins and was inspired by London and what it had to culturally offer. The Masters course I chose involved studying in Moscow at GITIS, the school Meyerhold founded, so I felt I was coming to a city where a world of possibilities could be realised.

"The biggest difference working in the UK is the perception of theatre to the public and within the industry."

Just scan this QR code or go to

AustralianTimes.co.uk/newspapers Thomas Exchange Global Ltd. Retail, Wholesale & Commercial Foreign Money Dealers

Travel Money & Overseas Payments instant availability of over 120 currencies best exchange rates in london with 0% commisson l na Ho tio a l n bank to bank er ey mo iday Int Mon ers n f m o n e y t r a n s f e r s s ey ran T

We offer better rates than Banks, Post Office, M&S, Thomas Cook, Travelex & other major competitors.

EXPERTISM TO PROFIT BY

Five branches in London: Strand (Head Office), Victoria, Liverpool Street, Cannon Street & Hammersmith

www.thomasexchangeglobal.co.uk - 020 7240 1214 - info@tegforex.co.uk

Honestly I don’t think I definitively knew how long I was going to stay in the UK. My plan was to work, study and achieve international directing credits. As it happens I’m still working, learning and I’ve been lucky enough to work from show to show. I’d of course now love to direct a show back in Australia. As a director you’re the artistic backbone of the production and your priority is to enrol the producers, the creative team, the actors and the technical departments in your vision for the show and the story you want to tell.

There is an incredible potential for creativity when this synchronicity is achieved.

The biggest difference working in the UK is the perception of theatre to the public and within the industry. Australia is going to continue to be “new” for a few decades yet, our classics referring to the New Wave of the 70s as opposed to Shakespeare or Jonson, which is an incredibly liberating position to be in. I’ve been incredibly fortunate with work and the career opportunities that I’ve been privy to. Above all I couldn’t have ever envisaged the wonderful and inspiring people who are now part of my life. I feel very lucky indeed.

"The UK is a vast cultural network, steeped in an intoxicating theatrical history."

I love how reserved the British public are because there is nothing greater than the possibility of evoking an emotional response from them.

I dislike when the Australians lose the cricket, rugby and well sporting events in general as I never hear the end of it.

In Australia there is, to a degree, greater support for the arts, as it exists within a smaller

Nicola Samer

Theatre director and co-founder of IronBark

community. Those that are advocates for theatre and Australian culture are fervently passion about its survival, reach and propagation into the international market. This passion and reinforcement of the industry is second to none, in my experience. I think this is why Australians are so readily received; we have a superb work ethic because we have to.

The UK is a vast cultural network, steeped in an intoxicating theatrical history. I feel this is very much part of the fabric of UK life and has been for generations. There is a respect for both the old and new, giving rise to a talented next generation of artists.

I grew up five minutes from Bondi and was a state swimmer so the sheer distance from the seaside or local pool took quite a while to get used to. Last year was the first opportunity I had to return to Australia to catch the summer, it was wholly idyllic! I try to get back to Australia once a year.

I travel a lot for work so sometimes it’s actually wonderful to spend the weekend locally. I have very close friends in Paris and New York so they’re the next trips planned. Maybe a Greek Island or two. My typical weekend in the UK involves the theatre, markets, yoga, food, friends, films, a gallery and Skype.

The biggest career challenge that I have faced since moving

to the UK has been making the choices that are most authentic and advantageous to myself as an artist. I don’t think this is particularly a UK based challenge.

All artists, regardless of geography need to make these choices on a daily basis. The theatre industry is more prolific here and hence there have been more opportunities to pursue within the UK.

"The theatre industry is more prolific here and hence there have been more opportunities to pursue within the UK." I think that Australians come to the UK looking for a shift in gear to their usual reality, but seeking familiarity. Ten years ago if Australians wanted to work in another country, London was the first choice for a variety of fields - law, the financial and business sector, the arts – now however, many can go to the States and be afforded these same opportunities. The Australian dollar and economy is also vastly stronger than it was ten years ago so I think this has affected how and why Australians have sought their international experiences.

Next week we interview Zoe Caldwell, Associate Producer and co-founder of IronBark.

Community | 5

AustralianTimes.co.uk

Park life in the London sun n

Our Subculture Sleuth couldn’t work out what Londoners did when a heatwave came around… until he discovered the local park.

SUBCULTURE SLEUTH > PAUL BLEAKLEY

If people came with instructions on how to care for them like animals do, Australians would undoubtedly be labelled as an outdoor species.

We spend our lazy days sitting on a beach, or by the pool. We pride ourselves on our outdoor living areas, complete with barbeque and a flatscreen TV mounted in the pagoda.

The concept of a pub or tavern without a beer garden is, frankly, enough to make you cringe.

It has always been a curiosity as to what people in London do when it gets warm. I have a vague recollection of last summer: drinking rum by the river at Richmond whilst watching foppish English lads fail to steer their boats as they tried to impress their girlfriends with their rowing prowess. I realised, of course, that this Richard Curtis inspired scenario was not the norm and so when the sun rose I set out in search of the quintessential summer experience.

That is when I discovered the secret — in London, it is all about the park.

My local park in Gunnersbury has proven to be something of a hidden gem. Located right at the end of my street, I had never felt the need to cross the threshold and see what it was all about until very recently. When I did, I got the shock of my life.

People lazed about on the grass in bikinis, while families gathered nearby for all-day picnics. There was a Mr Whippy van whirring away by a children’s playground, and in the background there were a number of people enjoying the park’s purposebuilt golf course.

Mating season n

Summer is when London really comes alive, and no more so than for the city’s singletons – coaxed from hibernation with the promise of fun, flirting and first dates.

Honeymooning Nomad > Jacqui Moroney

One thing I have noticed about living in London is the large number of reality television shows that feature each night on the 50+ Freeview channels (more if you have Sky). Most recently I have been sucked into watching the variety of dating shows that have dominated the evening schedule such as Dates, Why Am I Still Single, First Dates and Mating Season. Like watching a car crash, I can’t tear my eyes away from the turmoil experienced by the participants as they fumble through first dates and are shut down in front of the nation.

My heart goes out to the elderly couple (one divorcee and one widower) who have just been set up on their first date, and I cringe at the crass lad who has been paired with the equally obtuse and somewhat orange blonde. After being drawn into the hype of the will-they-makeit-to-the-second-date drama, I have come to realise two things. The first was that hubby and I are lucky to have each other. The second was that the drama unfolding on TV was only half as good as the real thing going on right in our own living room.

With summer finally turning up late to the party, the warm (and drier) weather seems to have coaxed Londoner’s singletons out of hibernation. Over the last two months we have seen our housemates

The concept of ‘going to the park’ in Australia conjures up images of children’s birthday parties and unruly teenagers looking for a place to drink after dark. Here, the park stands for something completely different. It is a place for communities to gather and kick around a football, or sunbake, or even (on one occasion) engage in some unsubtly amorous behaviour.

Forget the river, forget the pub. Grab a few beers from the offie and pump up that football. Girls, pack your bikinis and head down to the park. In London, it is the place to be. emerge, like beautiful butterflies – plucked, dyed, groomed and dressed to perfection in preparation for upcoming speed dating and first dates. The transformation has been amazing, but as a household we are slowly learning that the dating scene in London is grim.

There is a much higher proportion of single people living in London than anywhere else in the UK. According to the Office for National Statistics, only 47% of the 45.5 million England and Wales residents are married, a decrease from 51% in 2001, while around half the London population between 20 and 59 years are single.

There are many types of single women in and around London. They range from bra-burning feminism to the career-minded businesswoman to the heartbroken spinster who wants nothing more than to settle down into a life of snotty kids, unshaven legs and a paying off a massive mortgage.

But with the chances of meeting a future spouse in the workplace or thumping nightclub quickly declining, how is a girl to meet their perfect match?

It seems to me that singletons of London are turning to ‘scientific’ internet matchmaking or time efficient speed dating for help. And why not?

The concept isn’t new. Personal ads have a history going back to the first matrimonial agencies of the 1700’s.

According to match.com, 1 in 5 relationships now start online. There is even a television show about How to Find Love Online.

At first, internet dating was almost considered shameful or taboo, but internet dating has been a growing trend for a number of years. It is no surprise that internet dating is becoming the norm when we reply on the internet for everything else. Internet dating is just another form of social media that makes our increasingly virtual lives that little bit easier. Who doesn’t know a couple who started by winking at each other online?

Visit: AustralianTimes.co.uk/move-to-australia In association with

Aussies: Save Big on Expat Car Insurance!

• Worldwide Liability Protection • Accident Forgiveness • Fast Claim Processing • Multi-policy Discounts • 65 Years of Experience

Get a FREE quote at clements.com or call +44 (0) 20 7397 4960

6 | Food & Wine

23 - 29 July 2013

The original and the best n

For healthy eating choices, nothing matches up to an authentic product.

‘The Plan’ in Cardiff

The Whole Meal

By Kiel Egging

> Ally Juchnevicius

When I was eleven, all that I wanted was a pair of Adidas snap pants. All of the cool kids wore them. As much as I campaigned though, Mum and Dad held their ground; they were too expensive, I wouldn’t wear them. Then one Saturday we were shopping and I spotted a stall selling rows of them.

They were black and white, had the snap-sides, and were only a fiver. I convinced my parents. But when I got them home, something was off.

The iconic logo was missing and the label read ‘Sportz Xtreme’. They had all the elements of the real deal, but something didn’t feel quite right.

I learned a valuable lesson that day: the original is the best. Whether we value a designer’s trendy branding or an artist’s unique brushstrokes, there’s an aura around the authentic beyond just what we can see, it is something we feel. The same is true with food.

Unfortunately, for the most part we are being sold replicas. Foods that have been taken apart and put back together, had the popular nutrients of the moment added and demonized ones removed.

From a quick look in the supermarket, you would think we are more enlightened about nutrition than ever. It seems we have food figured out – we have engineered it to cut out bad, add in good. So why are there record levels of obesity and chronic disease? It just doesn’t add up.

Nutrition as a science is still relatively young and many things about food aren’t entirely understood.

One thing that is generally agreed, but isn’t as profitable, is that eating food in its unrefined, original state is best. Nature has devised some pretty

Coffee Cult visits

clever systems that mean wholefoods nourish us on a level we can’t replicate through processing.

So how can we get more of the real deal onto our plates?

Ask more of your fruit and veggies. Consider the skins, cores and seeds. This won’t work with everything, watermelons I’m looking at you. But there are heaps of options; adding citrus peel to salads, baking potatoes whole, chomping on kiwifruit, hairy skin included.

Eat and drink full-fat dairy. It tastes better, and our bodies can’t properly digest it without the fat.

Milk and yoghurt also contain fatsoluble vitamins, meaning we won’t absorb those nutrients if it’s been skimmed. Choose real butter and ditch margarines, which are chemically altered and all round bad for you.

Use real oils. Cook with stable fats such as coconut oil or ghee. Use olive, sesame and nut oils at very low temperatures only or - better yet - just as dressing, as they release dangerous free-radicals when heated. Avoid easily damaged, processed oils such as canola, vegetable and sunflower.

Think outside the breast – chicken, that is. Go beyond muscle meats and try using more of the animal such as liver, offal and marrow. Keep the bones from your roast to make nutrient-rich, homemade stock.

Choose disease fighting, immuneboosting and, best of all, delicious wholefoods. Whether they’re snap pants or snap peas, don’t settle for pale imitations, they just won’t feel right.

When in the heart of Welsh capital Cardiff, the task of navigating your way through its many funky arcades packed with boutique stores eventually warrants the need for a late-afternoon caffeine fix.

Faced with this dilemma (and also, trying to find my bearings) during a post-Glastonbury stopover at the beginning of this month, a quick search on Beanhunter found that I was only a short stroll away from the The Plan Café in Morgan Arcade. User reviews had described the Riverside venue as ‘a little oasis in Cardiff’, and guaranteed that as long as you visited on a weekday and head barista Trevor Hyam was in the house, you would be buzzing after one of his brews.

The decision was made to follow the gospel and head down the Stairway (or should that be alleyway) to Trevor, and hope he wasn’t cleaning out the machine and done for the day.

Good news on both fronts. Upon entry, a scattering of punters were having some afternoon munchies on the bottom level, and the smiling semi-bald man in a black-and-whitechequered shirt behind the counter revealed himself as the much-hyped coffee craftsman.

A brief chat ensued before I was invited to take a seat and check out the menu, kick-starting what would become a pretty pleasant stopover in a unique little hub.

The Craic Sitting by the window in a two-story café smack-bang in the middle of a semibustling arcade definitely gave the feeling that you were in a little bubble (or ‘Oasis’ as described on Beanhunter) compared to the surroundings outside.

Although nobody was up there given the time of day, a peak at the upper level and it felt more like a restaurant setting, perfect for a bite of lunch.

Downstairs, although filled with some pretty standard décor, definitely felt cosier and more informal, with the flashing lights underneath the bar gave off an added cool vibe.

The place was also (understandably) happy to show off its honours - a handful of Trevor’s certificates from various barista competitions hung behind the counter, as did little signs mentioning the café’s inclusion in The Independent and The Guardian’s lists of the top 50 cafes in the UK.

The Crucials A desire to find the essence of a good coffee and also indulge with my regular beverage of choice resulted in two caffeine fixes being ordered

– a single espresso (£1.65) and a mocha (£2.75), both of which Trevor brought over to me freshly produced and on a nicely-presented tray.

Made of a blend of beans from Ethiopia and Guatemala, the Espresso had a citrus-like bitterness to it and a bit of weird aftertaste. Nonetheless, in terms of perking one up, it definitely did its job and I was feeling pretty alert five minutes later.

On the other hand, my delicious Mocha ticked all the right boxes.

It was creamy, not ridiculously hot and had a great mix of flavours, with neither the chocolate nor coffee overpowering one another. To finish off, the presentation was superb as well, with a nicely-dusted choc topping and a leaf/fern design staying on top and intact as I got to the bottom of my cup.

While Coffee Cult stuck purely to the beverages, plenty of sweet food options such as cakes and biscuits are available to order, along with breakfast and lunch at various stages during the day.

The Connection

CHEF DE PARTIES AND ABOVE 5 Star Hotels, Restuarants, Sports Events, VIP Catering and More

Create buffet, canape receptions and lavish banquets for a large range of clients - from awards ceremonies to film premieres and Royal receptions.

Ltd Company & Self Employed welcome.

ongoing temp & permanent roles

£9 - £15 per hour depending on chef level & experience

Apply to austimes@heatlondon.com or 0203 142 7117 www.heatlondon.com

Hmmm... as outlined up top, does finding this café through Beanhunter count? The organisation proudly declares on their website they are ‘Made in Melbourne, Australia’ – proving users’ desire to find great coffee extends far beyond Australia’s capital of latte lovers!

The Conclusion While there isn’t too much to compare it with, the fact that you have a two level café with passionately made coffee in the middle of an arcade are solid enough reasons to take a peak inside The Plan. It’s conveniently located for music buffs as well – Spillers Records (dubbed ‘the oldest record store in the world’) is right next door, as is the local arm of former Oasis and now Beady Eye frontman Liam Gallagher’s ‘Pretty Green’ clothing chain. If you need to recharge and rest the legs after stomping around the nearby Castle (or any other part of the CBD for that matter), sticking to The Plan will bring some satisfying dividends.

The Plan Cafe/Bar 28-29 Morgan Arcade, Riverside, Wales, CF10 1AF

Entertainment | 7

AustralianTimes.co.uk

Home-grown talent at the n

The Edinburgh Fringe is a chaotic place that is bursting at the seams with every kind of performance art that you could possibly imagine. To help navigate, POPPY DAMON has prepared a list of the top ten Australian acts performing at the festival this year.

Heading up to the Edinburgh Fringe is like popping into a fancy Bottle-o and trying to buy some Shiraz: overwhelmed with choice, it’s sometimes best to look for the one with the map of Australia stuck on the label and hope for the best. We have scoured the mass of incredible acts at the Fringe to find you our top ten Australian shows appearing this year.

1

Adam Hills: Happyism Adam Hills is probably the most well-known Australian entertainer to grace British shores since Kylie Minogue, and has quickly made an impact on UK audiences. Shooting to fame as host of Channel 4 program The Last Leg, he is now performing an hourlong set at the Fringe’s Assembly Hall which is not to be missed.

2

Claudia O’Doherty: Pioneer Claudia O’Doherty is an incredibly off-beat, and wacky Aussie performer, and her latest show promises ‘horror, amazement, learning and of course, Jeremy’s Hour’. Last year she was proclaimed one of Edinburgh’s Comedy Award nominees and, no doubt, she will have a jam packed hour for her fans this year. Grab a ticket to see her at the Pleasance Courtyard.

3

I (Honestly) Love You On first glance the title of this play may conjure up scarring flashbacks of Olivia Newton John in a pink sweat band, but the show is in reality an award winning troupe travelling from Western Australia to present its offering to the Fringe. Recently nominated Best Play in Western Australia, this is a comedy about a couple ‘inflicted with a truth-telling disease’, and the trials and tribulations of a new and fledgling relationship. Check them out at C-Venues.

4

Australia is F***ed Stamped with a hefty 18+ rating, this brand new show by Kieran Butler, does what us Aussies love most: takes shots out our own country. With the promise of stand-up and musical comedy in his fifth year at the Fringe, this will undoubtedly be a great night to meet fellow expats at comedy venue Laughing Horse @ Jekyll & Hyde. Buy your ticket, with the guarantee that you will actually get all of the jokes and even understand the accent.

What’s On Empire of the Sun 26 - 28 July 2013 @Splendour in the Grass Sam Simmons Shitty Trivia 12 - 24 August @ Soho Theatre San Cisco 20th August @London's Sebright Arms Amity Affliction 14 September @ Underworld Adam Hills Happyism 22 September @ Hammersmith Apollo FilmFest Australia October 2013 @ Barbican Centre Barry Gibb 3 October @ O2 Arena

For full details...

5

...and more Aussie gigs go to: AustralianTimes.co.uk/entertainment

Ladyboner This one certainly looks weird and wonderful. If cabaret, glitter and Goths are your thing you should see this show, which finds a home this year at C-Venues. Or perhaps you simply want to see what happens when stand-up, cabaret and comedy have a love child. Promising to cater to those with short attention spans, it really wouldn’t be a Fringe experience if you do not check out some of the Cabaret, and what better way than seeing some Aussie talent in the form of Lisa-Skye.

If the title alone doesn’t get you giggling, check out their bio on the Fringe website.

6

Champagne Cabaret If LadyBoner sounds a little scary, maybe head down to see an Adelaide troop, presenting their show Champagne Cabaret for some bubbly instead. Coming off a sell-out season at Adelaide Fringe, OzCabaret will be performing in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town at The Hispaniola. Promising that audiences can expect ‘five delicious sparkling wines paired with famous wine songs from Morrissey, Waits, Queen, Bublé and more’, though we’re not entirely sure how the wine is served, or what to expect on this one, its rave reviews and its guarantee of free booze should be enough to spark your curiosity like it has ours, we will see you there!

7

Who Are You Supposed To Be? Adelaide-based theatre production company Binka Boo bring you a not-so-classic love story at C-Venues. To be quite honest, their bio does not give too much away, but this fresh new piece could be a risk that fantastically pays off. If you like Doctor Who or can’t get enough of Han Solo this show promises to be for you.

8

It’s Dark Outside Do you like puppetry?

Animation? How about live performance? Even if you don’t, this may be the ‘grand epic western’ for you. Hailing from Perth, Tim Watts, Arielle Gray and

See what we are following this week on

The Ashes @dougatron17 Im fuming, she’s going up her mates and leaving me indoors to watch the Ashes and golf all day before I go and play 18 this afternoon @philharrison81 I’m English but #MichaelClarke has to be the world’s best captain at the minute, reminds me of a young @Michaelvaughn #bbccricket #theashes

Chris Isaacs are the team behind the multi award-winning The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik: Deep Sea Explorer - also on at this year’s Fringe. In It’s Dark Outside they bring you an exciting and unique piece of theatre, to be performed at Underbelly.

9

David Quirk: Shaking Hands With Danger For humour that is a little dryer and a tad more observational, try Melbourne-based stand-up comedian and performer, David Quirk. With show names like The Day I Ate Wombat, Quirk can often imply he’s ...err quirky, but expect more traditional (though by no means dull) stand up from Dave, performing at the Pleasance Courtyard.

10

Felicity Ward: Irregardless.

Felicity Ward is easily one of the most likeable comedians that Australia has to offer. With the description ‘She’s putting her cards on the table and her dick on her sleeve’ Ward promises a typically-Australian, unpretentious set jam-packed with puns. Head over to Underbelly in Bristo Square for guaranteed laughs.

@paulevoevans Just realised that the Queen is head of state for both England and Australia. So who was she supporting yesterday? #TheAshes @Corpse_in_Pads Kevin Rudd says all Asylum Seekers should take a lesson from Stuart Broad “Just stay put and let me make the decisions.” @RichieBenaud_ The Swedish bobsleigh team have asked the Aussie cricketers for a meeting. They want to know how they went downhill so fast. #ashes @piersmorgan Bit of a problem for the Aussies when their bell-ringer is the best player at Lord’s today. #Ashes #Waugh @js_kay Wonderful honour for the Queen. She’s about to meet Ashton #Agar #Ashes

Follow us on Twitter @AustralianTimes

8 | Entertainment

23 - 29 July 2013

The man who is Madonna n

For five nights in August, Michael Griffiths - star of Jersey Boys - is Madonna. In Vogue: Songs by Madonna is a cabaret show on at the Edinburgh Playhouse for the Fringe, which sees the Queen of Pop at the piano, playing all of her hit songs.

Let us rejoice, for online we’re...

E

By Thomas Jones

still FREE

Close your eyes. Imagine Madonna in a cocktail bar, sitting at a piano, performing all her classic hits. With no gyrating choreography in sight, she would sit still, play a few chords and talk to the audience.

“My mother loved classical music, besides her kids it was her passion,” a candid Madonna begins to reminisce.

“So I walked down the aisle to marry the man of my dreams to my mother’s favourite song.” The Queen of Pop then performs a heartfelt (and live) rendition of her 1986 single True Blue.

As part of the Edinburgh Fringe,

Visit: AustralianTimes.co.uk

website | eNews | mobile | social media

Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools (NIS), are seeking to employ experienced teachers for a ground breaking na?onal Educa?on project. This is an excellent opportunity for teachers to work alongside local Kazakh teachers and to share their exper?se.

Vacancies for August 2013: ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥

Physics Mathema?cs Biology Chemistry ICT

¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥

Librarian

Economics Primary Global Perspec?ves & Research Visual Art

A full, generous, benefits package is offered which includes accommoda?on (includes u?li?es and internet), medical cover, return flights, seJling in allowance as well as a salary of approx: $4000-­‐5000 per month (taxed at 10%). Contracts are for 1 yr.

Applica7ons from fully qualified teachers who meet the following requirements are welcome: ¥

¥

A Bachelor or Master's Degree in educa?on Full teaching qualifica?ons (diploma, post graduate cer?ficate, BEd etc.) ¥ At least 3 years teaching experience ¥ A fluent English speaker

For an informa?on/ applica?on pack and to apply for a posi?on please contact Amy Bardsley at TIC Recruitment, who is working on behalf of NIS: amy@?crecruitment.com

Applica?on deadline 12th July 2013 (early applica?ons encouraged) and interviews will be held on a rolling basis

Enquiries: +44 (0)2920 212083 Web: www.?crecruitment.com

Australian musical theatre performer Michael Griffiths channels this more talkative and stripped-back Madonna in his one-man cabaret show.

Created by Griffiths and Dean Bryant, the acclaimed writer and director, In Vogue: Songs by Madonna pays respect to an often forgotten feature of the iconic singer.

“I think she is a very clever songwriter and lyricist, and to my knowledge it’s not something discussed, people don’t acknowledge it,” Griffiths says.

“People are just too swept away in all of the other controversies in her life and don’t think about her as

actually being a very sophisticated and accomplished lyricist.”

But don’t be mistaken In Vogue is not simply a Madonna tribute show.

“We do poke fun at her. We love her but we’re Australian, so we have to take the piss. It’s in our nature.

Even though we put her songs on a pedestal, we hang sh*t on her failed movie career, her failed marriages, and stealing black babies.”

A graduate of the Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), Griffiths has performed in We Will Rock You, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, and recently finished a five-year tenure with Jersey Boys, starring as Bob Crewe.

When Bryant approached him about doing a cabaret, for Griffiths, a huge Madonna fan, only one name came to mind.

“Very early on I said I want to be Madonna. I certainly never wanted to sound like her musically, but I thought to be her creates this lovely, camp, immediacy because it just puts you in the room with her so the stories really resonate.”

The show contains no conical bras, lace wedding dresses or leotards.

Griffiths performs as Madonna in a shirt and tie, no wig, and his Australian accent.

“I never actually say I’m Madonna… people just go there, because it’s a given and it’s absurd, and audiences are tickled by it because it is so ridiculous.

Then they forget and half way through the show you just get so caught up in the stories and the songs, because they’re so good.”

For an artist whose career spans three decades, and whose discography contains over 70 CD singles, to pick which Madonna songs to include was not an easy task. After listening to every song, Griffiths sat down at the piano, found a key to suit his baritone voice and began writing new arrangements.

“Some songs work when they’re stripped back, and some songs just don’t. So it was a combination of how does it sound with a male voice and piano, and then also does it lyrically lend itself to her biography because we wanted to tell her story, because her story is in her songs.

After listening to Griffiths’ original arrangements, audiences in Australia, New Zealand and New York have found a new love for these tunes.

“People say ‘Oh my god I had no idea there was so much storytelling in these songs.’ Because when you listen to a pop song you’re seduced by the sound and the beat and you can dance to the arrangement. So when it’s just the lyrics and a piano, suddenly the lyrics have so much more weight.”

And of course no Madonna show would be complete without the hits.

“We had to have Vogue, Like a Prayer and Express Yourself. These are non-negotiable. We also put Like a Virgin and Material Girl in even though she didn’t write the lyrics to those songs, but they’re so iconic we just thought we had to have them.

In Vogue: Songs By Madonna is on from 8-17 August at The Boards. To book tickets visit www.edfringe.com.

Travel | 9

AustralianTimes.co.uk

n

For those tough-to-shift stresses of living in London, we recommend a triple-cleansing combo of chilling in nature, getting big-time active and embracing culture. We found all three in the lesser-known region of Alentejo, Portugal.

10 | Travel

23 - 29 July 2013

By Gordon Glyn-Jones

Gentle Cycle

Welcome to a bitter-sweet travelwriting moment when a future-fave is given away. Lisbon, Porto and The Algarve are typical Portuguese destinations, which is why Alentejo is so attractive by contrast. Turns out the unpopular kid at school has something to be proud of after all.

On the first day we drove through the dry, straw-coloured countryside everything just felt right with the world. We only realised why later on an eco-walk near the town of Sines, where Vasco Da Gama was born.

The fact is, you can find yourself in unspoiled nature without having to battle major hordes to do so. It’s sparsely populated, understated and easy to navigate. We recommend you use a hire car for this trip. The public transport is shaky at best.

This South-West Atlantic coastline is edged by literally hundreds of miles of pristine white beaches; whilst the interior is endlessly knotted with sweeping olive groves and cork plantations. Small towns are laid out sparsely as if to give everyone enough legroom in the heat of summer. Mostly homes are painted white with yellow or blue detailing round the door and window frames.

Top Tip: Check out an organisation called Casas Brancas (casasbrancas.pt) who have committed to maintaining this vision of sustainability and natural purity. They have connected various mellow activities such as walking and mountain-biking with decent accommodation to match.

Sports Wash

Paradoxically, what most people need to clean out their mental pipes with a good flush of mega-stress. When you’re five miles above the earth, hurtling towards some seriously hard granite, you’re not thinking about what ‘Martin in IT’ said last week.

With this in mind, we visited Skydive Europe at Figueira de Cavaleiros, mid-Alentejo. The school has a good reputation, a brand new plane and instructors who make gnarly gestures like adrenalin junkies worldwide, but just in Portuguese.

So what of the jump itself? Well, you are strapped onto another dude’s stomach, which is mildly intimate but not what concerns you as the engine roars, the runway drops away, and avgas fills your nostrils. Ten minutes of aforesaid instructor high-fives and whoosh! ... you’re out the plane.

Recipe for cerebral rinse: Take

one shocked wail of a child, a very cold flapping face and three whole minutes of exhilarating terror (‘I actually might die here’). Chuck all ingredients into the brain and blend on eleven. Before you know it, there’s a sound like your dad whipping the cover off a Ute and total silence, blissful suspension and the stunning horizon stretching out in every direction. Do it before you die.

It’s that simple.

For those who prefer their adrenalin via watery tubes, you might need to know that the world’s biggest wave was recently surfed off the coast of Alentejo. Whilst you may not be quite at this level yet, it goes some way to establish the surf-cred of the area. Once again though, the real charm of surf destinations like Sao Torpes, is that it’s relatively undeveloped. In this area, you can go on self-guided surfaris and camp by the beach. Or if you’re new to surfing, join one of a smattering of friendly little surf schools whose wetsuits will ease you into Atlantic temperatures. Add just the right sprinkling of relatively new beach bars and once again its understated coastal perfection.

Top Tip: We ate at a restaurant called Arte & Sal in Paiai de Morgavel, S.Torpes. Best fresh mango, sardines and ice cream ever. We’d travel to the region just to go there again. Facebook. com/RestauranteArteeSal

Cultural Conditioning

There are poignant connections between the agriculture of the area and the culture of the Alentejan people. For example, cork is the main ancestral crop and about one third of all wine corks in the world come from Portugal. We challenge you to find something the Alentejans haven’t tried to make from cork; try wedding dresses to handbags and even

Be our next great travel writer Get your travel story published with Australian Times and WIN a £250 travel voucher from our friends at Topdeck.

WIN

Do you harbour dreams of being the next Bill Bryson?

Submit your original travel articles for publication on the Australian Times website.

The editor will then select the best story each month to be published in the Travel section of the Australian Times newspaper with the writer winning the £250 voucher to any Topdeck tour of their choice!

Embrace your own writing style and make those dreams of being a published travel writer a reality.

How to submit Email your feature to editor@ australiantimes.co.uk with the subject ‘Great Travel Writer’.

It should be: • 600-1200 words length • An original first hand account • Accompanied by 3 high resolution photos taken on the trip *Solicited features and third party links will not be accepted.

For full T&Cs go to AustralianTimes.co.uk/travel

Cork handbags...

Travel | 11

AustralianTimes.co.uk

Sunvil Discovery offers tailormade itineraries across the Alentejo. Our itinerary costs from £854 pp (two sharing) including • Return flights (Heathrow) with TAP Portugal (www.flytap.com) • Seven nights’ B&B accommodation staying four nights at Naturarte Campo in São Luís, and three nights at Hotel M’Ar de Ar Aqueduto in Evora, and car hire.

• Activities extra – book through Sunvil.

For further information about the Alentejo, see visitalentejo.pt/en/ 020 8758 4722 | Sunvil.co.uk

Cork UGGboots!

Europe Summer

Final Rinse

So our advice is to take a week at pretty much any time in the year, hire a car and build yourself a trip with a combo of chilled out, active and cultured, where the sun shines 300 days in the year. We know you’ll love it. In fact we’ll go as far as to say that if you don’t, you probably haven’t followed the clean care instructions properly.

Morocco

Images by Gordon Glyn-Jones

10 DAY

8 DAY

23 August 2013

30 August 2013

14 DAY

WAS £605

WAS £605

£531

£531

Includes £110 Local Payment

Includes £110 Local Payment

Visits Marrakech, Rabat, and Fes

A truly Moroccan Sahara experience

EuroClub

17 DAY

WAS £1310

NOW

NOW

14 August 2013

WAS £1145

£860

£986

Includes £195 Food Fund

Includes £230 Food Fund

Visit 8 countries including France, Italy, Austria & Germany

Visit 8 countries Italy, Austria, Czech Republic & Netherlands

20 DAY

EuroClub

EuroClub

11 DAY

European Express

European Getaway 17 & 24 August 2013

9 August 2013

WAS £1520

WAS £720 NOW

Sahara Adventure

NOW

Moroccan Explorer

15% OFF

30% OFF

European Pathway

15 August 2013

£1107

£552

Includes £270 Food Fund

Includes £160 Food Fund

Visit 10 countries including France, Italy, Austria & the Czech Republic

Visit 6 countries including France, Switzerland, Italy & Germany

Explorer

12 DAY

Turkey Explored 31 August 2013 NOW

WAS £680

£476

Visit Istanbul, Cappadocia, Fethiye, Troy & Gallipoli

Festivals

And yes...Cork Wedding dress

North O15F%F America California Calling – San Fran to LA 4 August 2013

NOW

WAS £695

£591

Visits LA, Grand Canyon & Vegas

9 DAY

FROM

£279

4 DAY TRIP

Edinburgh Fringe & Tattoo,

PER PERSON

Edinburgh, Scotland 23-26 August 2013

FROM

4 DAY TRIP

La Tomatina, Valencia, Spain

£189

PER PERSON

26-29 August 2013 3/4* Hotels

Vegas to the Coast 8 August 2013

WAS £975 NOW

7 DAY

£829

Visits LA, Vegas, Yosemite & San Fran

8 DAY

Split to Split (Ribic) 24 August 2013 NOW

WAS £695

5 Connections to check out

£442

8 DAY

Hurry last spaces

SAVE 15%

Croatia Sailing

Split to Split (Omladinac) 31 August 2013

www.topdeck.travel L8291 / Y2992

£413

Call 0845 257 5210 Open 8am-9pm

TOPDECK 1973

2013

EBR

A

RS

NOW

WAS £530

CEL

Winefarm Malhadinhanova.pt City Guide olga@alentejoguides.com Surf School in São Torpes Costazulsurf.com Eco Guide andre@sonnenkinder.org Mountainbiking Portugalbestcycling.com

EuroClub

European Wonder

NOW

UGGboots Each cork tree needs 25 years before it can be harvested and after that only every nine years. So whilst our guide tells us Alentejans are the butt of all the ‘lazy jokes’ in Portugal, we think perhaps they are simply very patient.

Another natural export central to the soul of the people are the gorgeous Lusitano horses. They were originally bred for Portuguese bull-fighting, which is performed mainly on horseback. They are thus powerful beasts, with brave hearts and lightningquick reflexes. As Portuguese bullfighting becomes more a display of horsemanship than a blood sport, Lusitanos are more often found in show jumping or dressage. We met a family who runs an Eco-hotel with Lusitano breeding program. We were treated to a display of Pamela, the hotel owner’s wife performing a dance with her chestnut-coloured long-haired steed to classical Guitar played by husband, Rui. Olive oil is another major export from the region.

Next time you’re in Sainsburys check the labels - 60% will be from Portugal.

Whilst this article has praised wild Alentejo, Beja and Evora are

Top Tip: Portugal has a system of Pousadas, which are basically historical buildings turned into modern accommodation.

Use them. Pousadas.pt

Tailor-made Tours

NOW

both small cities worth visiting for at least a night each to experience local hospitality. The economy is under severe strain at the moment, so tourists are very welcome and the prices quite sensible. If you’re a history buff, engage a local guide for a truly fascinating ride. The country on the elbow of Europe has at turns been invaded by Moors, Romans and Spaniards, each culture leaving its mark on the language, architecture and religion. Some of the most famous maritime adventures were begun here in Alentejo and locals even claim that Christopher Columbus was actually Portuguese.

AT I N G 4 0 Y E

*Terms and conditions apply. Prices quoted are for specific departures only. All trips subject to availability. Discounts are off the base trip price only, and do not apply to food funds and local payments. Flights not included. For full terms and conditions please visit www.topdeck.travel

12 | Travel

Postcards from Australia

23 - 29 July 2013

n

Haylee and her husband are currently driving around Down Under. Follow along with their highlights from the road in this series of Postcards From Australia.

Image by Richard Douglas-Denton

By Haylee Slater

*

Here at the south-eastern tip of Australia, the sea meets a vast network of meandering waterways.

Only 40kms from the Victorian/ New South Wales border, Mallacoota is nestled deep within the Croajingolong National Park.

Arguably in the middle of nowhere, Mallacoota is well worth the drive.

A popular stop-off for those taking a coastal drive from Melbourne to Sydney, we are joined by many others on the road.

When we arrive, we find the town bustling. Locals sit outside the bakery enjoying coffee and cake. Visitors flock to take advantage of the perfect boating conditions, canoers eye the calm waterways and weary travellers picnic in the sunshine.

Pelicans glide along the shallow water and boats bob up and down in the marina.

The best way to take in Mallacoota is by foot. Walkways lead off in all directions offering a stroll along the lake harbour or further along to the coast. Self-drive roadways lead to

*Trips for 18yo and over

Image by Kathleen Crislip

secluded beaches where surfers wait eagerly off the shore for their next set. Fishermen wait patiently for their catch where the salty and fresh water meet.

Pushing off from the rocky shore at Betka Beach we swim out through the chilly water, duck-diving head first into the surf. A pod of dolphins frolic near a boat on its way out to Gabo Island where the historic lighthouse still stands. Smoke drifts into town from a nearby burn-off and the air smells of crackling gum leaves. Children swim in the estuary where the Betka River meets the sea.

On the drive back out of Mallacoota, we take in the sights from the Entrance Viewing Deck.

Before we head north it is nice to be able to look back on how far we have already travelled. I imagine many others have done the same thing we have, but standing here just the two of us, it doesn’t feel that way.

Get More Travel

AustralianTimes.co.uk/travel

Professional Life | 13

AustralianTimes.co.uk

Popular Aussie franchise hits UK

Advertorial

n

Dollar Review

Metals bounce supports Aussie dollar claw back

Following great success in Australia and New Zealand, Local Appliance Rentals Ltd is now inviting new franchisees to join by Anton van Teylingen & Dylan Goate them in growing the business in Britain.

FOR the Australian dollar, Local Appliance Rentals Ltd is an established franchise with over 80 franchisees in Australia and New Zealand. They have achieved this outstanding result in less than three years of operations. They are now proud to announce that they have recently appointed a master franchisee for the London region alone.

However, as founder and CEO Kenneth French points out “Prior to starting our franchise operation, we had been running Local Appliance Rentals for many years and had a very profitable business model that we wanted to share with others.”

Local Appliance Rentals Ltd rents a large range of household appliances to consumers including fridges, washing machines, flat screen TVs, laptops, smart phones and furniture. The rental term is usually over two years and the customer is able to own the product at the end of the rental term through a zero pound ‘gift-it’ offer.

The rental industry is well established in the UK with several large to medium sized operators.

However, until now, there has not been an opportunity to join a franchised operation.

In these tough economic times, the industry has proven to be totally recession proof. With so many businesses struggling during the Global Financial Crisis, Local Appliance Rentals Ltd actually experienced substantial growth with sales unaffected by the difficult economic times. In fact, Mr French said it was sometimes embarrassing talking about how well their business was doing whereas many other businesses had only tales of doom and gloom.

Mr French says that the rapid growth that Local Appliance Rentals Ltd has achieved in less than three years is only possible because of the massive performance that is being achieved from their franchisees.

Mr French comments, “Many of our franchisees have voted with their cheque books, with twelve of our franchisees having purchased multiple territories and another 15 having upgraded their territories to the next level as they have decided to expand their businesses.”

Mr French said that just recently they have even had a staff member

who has left their role at head office to become a franchisee. As he says, “You can’t get a better endorsement of the business than that.”

The majority of franchisees work from home and love the flexibility that this gives them and the fact that it is a business that only operates Monday to Friday 9am-5pm with no nights, weekends or public holidays. This is in stark contrast to so many other business models where owners are working long hours, 7 days a week.

“With a Local Appliance Rentals Ltd franchise, the hours that you work are flexible and there are many franchises operated by women who can run the business from home but can also pick up the kids from school,” says Mr French.

One of the features of this franchise is the online software system called SAFRA. This custom software is used to run the entire business from producing contracts, to ordering goods, keeping track of payments and customers and making your tax simple and easy to calculate at the end of the year.

Launching in June at the British Franchise Exhibition in Manchester, potential franchisees had an opportunity to meet the team including the International Sales Director Mr Sacha Caller.

Mr Caller is himself a multi-unit franchisee with several franchises in and around Melbourne that are already running successfully under his management.

“We are looking for keen motivated franchisees in all areas of the UK but we also have several opportunities for master franchisees for the more experienced operator,” Mr Caller said.

Mr Caller says that they are making a special UK launch offer of 2 territories for the price of 1 for the first five franchisees.

Wednesday this week will provide another round of manufacturing data being released from China.

Strategists say that any hint of further slowdown in Chinese economic activity could send the recently struggling Aussie on the down slope again.

The last week was better for the Australian currency. After opening at a low, following an announcement from Chinese finance minister Lou Jiwei indicating that China was unlikely to receive any further positive fiscal stimulus this year, the Aussie strengthened slightly during the week against the major currencies, helped by a 1 percent jump in precious metals. Gold reached a

one-month peak and the rising prices of iron ore, Australia’s top export earner, lent further support to the currency.

While coming off its midweek highs, the Aussie sustained some of the gain into this week’s opening as the sharp bounce in gold and bank interest-rate reforms in China underpin demand.

Exchange rates GBP/AUD: 1.6622 EUR/AUD: 1.4267 USD/AUD: 1.0836 NZD/AUD: 0.8598 12:26 GMT, 22 July 2013

Note: The above exchange rates are based on “interbank” rates. If you want to transfer money to or from Australia then please register/login on our website, or call us on 0808 141 2335 for a live dealing rate. Make use of a Rate Notifier to send you alert when the Australian exchange rate reaches levels you are looking for.

GAIN A PROFESSIONAL EDGE FOR YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS Sable offers an impressive portfolio of professional services. We have over 25 years of experience advising individuals, contractors and small businesses who have international interests and connections.

sable services Accounting Tax

Entry level investment from GBP£49,577+vat To find out more, contact: byron@localappliancerentals.co.uk Call: 07773339444 www.localappliancerentals.co.uk

Wealth Mortgages Forex Offshore Nationality

Sable Group

Castlewood House 77/91 New Oxford Street London WC1A 1DG t: +44 (0) 845 094 3990 info@sable-group.com www.sable-group.com

Sable is a group of professional service companies.

Sable Accounting Limited is a limited company registered in England and Wales with registered number 03517738.

Sable Private Wealth Management Limited is registered in England & Wales, number 04305265, Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Thinking of moving?

Visit: AustralianTimes.co.uk/move-to-australia

In association with 44761

For more information:

+44 (0) 844 272 6731 Professional, affordable vehicle shipping services to Australia with First Base Freight. info@firstbasefreight.com Reliable, specialist Taking care of your every need. company on your doorstep!

www.sable-group.com

14 | Sport

23 - 29 July 2013

London Tag Rugby Championships adds international flavour

The Oztag Australia national teams will be touring the UK again in July 2014

By Phillip Browne The 2013 London Tag Rugby Championships, now in its fourth year, will be held at East London RFC on Saturday 17 August. Try Tag Rugby’s marquee event is already on track to smash last year’s record participation numbers of 28 teams.

The tournament includes a champions league, which is invitational basis only. Teams can only qualify if they make an A grade final throughout the year. This ensures that all the best tag rugby teams in London will battle it out to see who will be the champion team in the capital!

The London Tag Rugby Championships will also feature a mixed beginner/intermediate division (playing a round robin tournament before splitting into a Cup, Plate, Bowl format where all teams have something to play for at their appropriate level) as well as a men’s division. Besides the tag rugby, the tournament will have a party atmosphere with DJ entertainment provided after the matches to whip the tag rugby community into a post-match frenzy.

To keep in the social and fun spirit that tag rugby provides, there will be an award for the team which comes in the best matching fancy dress outfit. The fancy dress theme for this year will be the letter T! Anything goes providing it starts

with the letter T. In a huge boost to the 2013 London Tag Rugby Championships, the Tongan men’s over 30s national team have confirmed they will be taking part in the men’s division. In addition, the Ireland mixed opens national team have confirmed their entry for the champions league.

Along with London’s best teams, there will be some serious tag rugby talent on show this year.

In another boost to the sport of tag rugby in the UK the Oztag Australia CEO and creator of the sport Perry Haddock has confirmed a London tour for a number of Australian players from the over 90,000 strong tag rugby community Down Under.

In July 2014 Australian tag rugby players will come to the UK to play in the following formats: men’s opens, mixed opens, ladies opens, men’s over 30s and mixed over 30s.

The Aussies last toured London in 2011, clean sweeping the series against the London residents and the series against Great Britain.

However they have been impressed with the steady growth and development of the sport in the UK and are looking forward to visiting these shores again.

If you would like to register for the 2013 London Tag Rugby Championships, go to www. trytagrugby.com or email info@ trytagrugby.com for more details.

THE NRL IS BACK & IT’S BIGGER THAN EVER EVERY GAME

EVERY ROUND

FROM INCLUDING THE GRAND FINAL

STATE OF ORIGIN

LIVE & EXCLUSIVE

PLUS 32 GAMES FROM

THE CHAMPIONSHIPS SUBSCRIBE NOW

0871 663 9000 PREMIERSPORTS.TV SKY CHANNEL 428 CALLS COST 10P PER MINUTE ON THE BT NETWORK, CALLS FROM OTHER CARRIERS AND MOBILES MAY VARY. TERMS & CONDITIONS APPLY.

McKenzie’s quest for Bledisloe Cup begins NOTHING can be taken for granted as Ewen McKenzie is running a finetoothed comb over every Wallabies position in plotting for Australia’s first Bledisloe Cup success in 11 years.

Contrary to public perception, which is expecting a heavily Reds-tinged team, McKenzie has indicated his first Test outfit will have a healthy balance of form players across all five Super Rugby provinces.

And “healthy” is the operative word, with the new Test coach stressing he won’t rely on established players who aren’t 100 per cent fit.

McKenzie hinted on Monday that some regular Wallabies may be best served by missing next month’s back-to-back Bledisloe Tests against the All Blacks to overcome longterm injuries, creating opportunities for the previously overlooked.

The timing of his appointment, two years before the 2015 World Cup, is also encouraging McKenzie to introduce new players.

“Some players have been carrying injuries for a long time,” he told AAP. “The mind is always willing

and the heart is willing, but the body has to be co-operating.

“We need to be mindful of that and we don’t want to get into the situation where `this bloke 70 per cent fit is better than this other bloke’.

“You have to pick players who are fit and raring to go.

“By doing that you create depth, you create competition, you create trust and all those things can add up.”

Incumbent No.8 Wycliff Palu (knee) appears to be one Wallaby in need of extended rehabilitation while others may require surgery following an intense start to 2013, capped by the taxing series loss to the British and Irish Lions.

Captain James Horwill (calf) and vice-captain Will Genia (knee) were among the carnage and below their best in the Reds’ qualifying final loss to the Crusaders but McKenzie indicated they could freshen up before the first Bledisloe fixture on August 17.

The outgoing Queensland coach is tying up the loose ends of his fouryear Reds’ tenure this week, while at the same time locking in a plan heading into the ANZ Stadium clash, which also kicks off The Rugby

Championship.

The appointments of fellow selectors, assistant coaches and other staff are expected to be finalised this week, while his initial Test squad will be unveiled in less than a fortnight.

Australia last held the Bledisloe Cup in 2002 and the Wallabies’ record of just three wins in 18 transTasman matches under Robbie Deans was a major reason for the Kiwi’s demise.

There are concerns about the lack of firepower in the Wallabies pack due to long-term injuries to the likes David Pocock, Scott Higginbotham, Tatafu Polota-Nau and Sitaleki Timani.

But McKenzie felt there was the depth, as well as the requisite skill and smarts, to upset New Zealand.

He said the 2-1 Lions series loss made it appropriate to review all Wallabies positions.

“We’re coming off a loss basically so we have to sit back and have a look,” he said.

“With respect to everyone out there it’s good we review each position and the candidates.”

By Jim Morton in Brisbane

Praise for Richie Porte in Tour De France ...continued from p16

Former grand tour winner Sean Kelly on Sunday was quick to praise Porte - whose only bad day on the ninth stage cost him a chance of a podium finish.

“Porte has done a great job,” the Irish classics legend said.

“He’s a talented rider capable of winning a big tour himself in the years to come.”

It’s likely Froome will defend his Tour title in 2014 but Sky could well back Porte as team leader for either the Giro d’Italia or Vuelta a Espana.

Having sacrificed himself for his leader, the 28-year-old Porte ended the Tour 19th on the general classification (GC) almost 40 minutes behind his teammate.

THE

Round 17

By Will Denton

Everyone loves surprises right?

Well, depends if it’s an ‘enjoyable wow-wee how good is this astonishment’ surprise or ‘bombshell what is this kill me now cyanide’ surprise.

As footy fans we have gone through our fair share of both, unless you happen to be one of those oxygenthieving cretins that jumps on whoever is winning at the time (you know who you are). And of course, some sets of fans have endured more pain, suffering and sleepless foetal position nights than others, but give or take a few years questioning the footy gods plan, we’ve all been there.

Yet for some bizarre reason, knowing that more than likely your mob is going to get pasted into well, a paste, is what keeps bringing us all back, just in case something truly amazing happens and your team somehow emerges on top.

Like Adelaide did against the Cats.

Former winner Cadel Evans (BMC) had a disappointing three weeks, finishing 39th some 1:30:14 in arrears in what now seems likely to be his last crack at the race he won in 2011.

He hopes to make amends in 12 months time but acknowledged on Sunday the team might have different ideas.

“Personally in my heart I don’t want to finish my Tour de France career like this,” he said.

“I’d like to finish on a much higher note.”

Evans said if he couldn’t aim for the podium in 2014 he would rather stay at home and watch the race on TV. He praised Froome as “exceptional” saying he deserved to win “a particularly hard Tour”.

Mick Rogers was the best-placed Australian overall finishing 16th on

RUBDOWN The Crows, once a top four fancy, effectively have seen their season dissolve in front of them, not unlike Tex Walker deciding to chop his mullet off.

Then, the one player that’s been carrying the team in vain on his shoulders, Patrick Dangerfield, goes down with a serious shoulder injury (surprise, surprise) and you’d think all hope is lost.

Then, inexplicably, against the second ranked team, the Crows find a way to win.

All of a sudden, Adelaide are back on the radar for finals. Seriously.

The night before, the Pies made a rare road trip up to the Gold Coast to grab the four points quickly before Dane Swan notices all the shiny lights.

The Suns had other ideas. So did Gary Ablett. Not only in just winning the match but experimenting whether or not anyone would notice if he brought his own footy. Racking up 49 touches, two goals, 25 clearances and curing 14 orphans of leprosy, he guided his boys to the sweetest of victories.

The Kangaroos also chucked in a surprise of their own, this time not chucking away a massive lead but attempting the old reverse choke and actually try and pull off a comeback. No

GC 26:51 behind Froome.

He got to climb onto the Champs Elysees podium after his SaxoTinkoff outfit won the team classification.

Tasmanian Matt Goss (OricaGreenEdge) again failed to deliver in the Tour’s most prestigious sprint and he can expect further scrutiny over his lack of results.

But his 12th place on Sunday couldn’t detract from Orica-GreenEdge’s great performance in the first week.

Simon Gerrans won the third stage and took yellow the next day when Orica-GreenEdge won the team time trial.

The Victorian passed the race leader’s jersey to teammate Daryl Impey after the sixth stage and the South African kept it until the race hit the Pyrenees. - AAP shock in the result though, they stuffed up the last play and lost marginally again. North, whatever it is, you’re doing it wrong.

Mick wasn’t too pleased with his Blues efforts however and stood up forcibly several times during the final term, although mail from the box was that this was due to the fact his coffee was still impossibly hot to hold let alone consume. His postgame press conference comprised of just three words – ‘Heads gonna roll’.

Port nearly did a North and almost chucked away a 48-point lead as well as any respect they have earned so far this season.

Thankfully the Saints are a bit rubbish and couldn’t quite work out how to win, not unlike the Eagles.

Another home loss, this time to the Swans who at this point in time look like giving the flag a proper tilt.

Luke Hodge produced the smother/ torp/goal combo of the millennium in the Hawks win over the Dogs (that’s all you need to know).

Essendon luckily escaped with a 10 goal win over the Giants, and Richmond conjured up possibly the biggest revelation of the round by beating Freo, all but locking in some September action.

Now that truly is surprising.

Sport | 15

AustralianTimes.co.uk

There is enough talent in “I can win another one soon,” says Scott this squad, says Clarke ...continued from p16

...continued from p16 “We’ve got plenty of talent in this group we just have to make sure we’re performing,” Clarke said. “... I would imagine the 11 players who take the field (against Sussex) will come from the Ashes squad that has been picked.”

Clarke described Australia’s batting as “unacceptable” but said the fact every player in the top seven, except opener Shane Watson who has a top score of 46, had made at least one half century this series suggested consistency and not lack of ability was the problem.

England’s Joe Root (180) and Ian Bell (109, 74) taught Australia all about patience and batting for long periods at Lord’s, as the home side grinded their rivals into the dirt by setting a mammoth second innings target of 583 early on day four.

Australia were bowled out three balls before stumps.

“What can I say? Our performance with the bat in the first innings was unacceptable,” said Clarke.

“The wicket was very good for batting, we had a great opportunity and we let ourselves down.

“We’ve got plenty of experience in our top seven. We’ve seen already in

Michael Clarke (AAP Image/Damian Shaw)

this series that guys can score runs against this attack. Our shot selection was poor and we just didn’t have the discipline that England had.”

Don Bradman in 1936-37 scored double centuries in the third and fourth Tests and 169 in the deciding fifth, to turn a 2-0 deficit into a thrilling series win for Australia.

However, Clarke is the only superstar in this current line-up, and he can’t stop England on his own.

Clarke was laughed at by the crowd during the post-match onfield ceremony when he suggested Australia could still win the series.

“I heard a lot of the crowd laugh when I said that and rightly so, given the position I sit in right now today,” he said. “... We need someone to go on and make a big hundred - as England have done.”

Free touch boat cruise party

By Mike Abromowitz of 02Touch To thank all of our hard working In2Touch team organisers and to celebrate In2Touch’s tenth year in the UK, we are throwing a free boat cruise party for Spring and Summer team organisers (plus, one guest each). Season in, season out, the team organisers never cease to amaze here at In2Touch with all the time, effort and hard work put into getting their teams up and running each season. Departing from Tower Pier we’ll see London from a different view. Get set for an amazing night cruising down the Thames; with a DJ and cash-bar, the night is sure to go off with a bang.

But amazingly enough, the Boat Party won’t be the biggest social event of the year. Come 31 August, King George’s Park will be sporting quite an international look. The sixth annual In2Touch Social Touch Rugby World Cup is set to rock the Putney/Wandsworth pitches! With teams having to dress to impress, by representing the individual countries they are given. Who could think of a better way to spend a Saturday, than seeing Samoa verses Kazakhstan or Japan verses South Africa?

And the action won’t stop once

the games have! That’s right, there is an after party. We have organised our very own Piano Man playing ‘Edinburgh Fingers Style’ tunes from 7:30pm until 11pm followed by a DJ to see off the night into the late hours! All teams, from beginners to intermediate, are very welcome and to register a team you need to go to www.in2trouch.com/ uk or e-mai info@in2touch.com for more information.

“The best thing about Touch Rugby here in London is that it’s not about having people pay, play and then that’s it. This season they have really taken care of us – touch isn’t just a sport, it’s a community.”

This was a quote directly from one of our players on our social media and one we really appreciate. The sport isn’t the only thing we are concerned about, but creating an all-around brilliant atmosphere.

With our summer season almost mid-way, we have more exciting events as well as the autumn leagues to continue throughout the rest of 2013.

For more information or if you would like to register for an O2 Touch league or competition, go to www.in2touch.com/uk or e-mail info@in2touch.com

"I think the disappointing thing is this one I felt I wasted a little bit," said Scott, who closed with a 72 to finish tied third at one-over with overnight leader Lee Westwood (75) and Ian Poulter (67), one behind Sweden's Henrik Stenson (70).

"I let a great chance slip," he said.

"I'm happy I put myself in with a chance. My game is in great shape.

That's the good thing to take from it.

"But had I played a little more solid in the middle of that back nine, I could have had a chance coming in."

The defeat will be easier to swallow given Scott broke his major duck by

becoming the first Australian to win the Masters in April.

But after surrendering a four-shot lead to lose to Ernie Els at last year›s Open, 33-year-old Scott will carry a nagging feeling he should already have multiple majors to his name.

Not one to consider possible mental frailties within his game, Scott was staying positive and remained confident another big win could be as close as next month›s US PGA Championship.

"I like where my game's at, you know, up there and contending for most of the week," he said.

"That's where I want to be. That's

Adam Scott (AAP library)

where I've got to keep myself. I believe I can win another one soon.

By Liam FitzGibbon in Gullane

THURSDAY NIGHT RUGBY LEAGUE

ncos

Bro e h t k c a #B

v LEEDS RHINOS Thursday August 1st, kick-off 8:00pm at the Twickenham Stoop, TW2 7SX

ON THE NIGHT

allenge

ats • Selco half time ch

ers & acrob Steel band • Fire breath

londonbroncosrl.com @LondonBroncosRL facebook.com/LondonBroncosRL

THE

RUBDOWN

Smorgasbord of surprises

P15

SPORT

CLARKE: WE DO HAVE THE GOODS

n

Despite calls to bring in the reinforcements for the third Test at Old Trafford, Australia captain Michael Clarke says there’s enough talent in house for success.

By Ben Horne in London MICHAEL Clarke believes the Australian squad has the talent to fight their way through their Ashes nightmare, amid calls for outside reinforcements.

Half centuries and a 98-run stand from him and Usman Khawaja, as well as more courage from the lower order led by James Pattinson (35), couldn’t mask the fact that Australia had been obliterated in a 347-run defeat at Lord’s with a day to spare.

Only one team in Ashes history has fought back from 2-0 down to win a series, and Australia’s batting woes seem far too entrenched to be fixed in the short-term.

SOS calls for Simon Katich and Ricky Ponting seemed fanciful before the series started, but after Australia’s embarrassing first-innings collapse at Lord’s, selectors could do worse than inject veteran stars who are still in run-scoring form on English soil.

Australia have now lost six Tests in a row and one more defeat will equal their worst-ever losing run.

The last time Australia dropped six on the trot, Kim Hughes quit his post as captain and broke down in tears when addressing the press.

Clarke, speaking after Australia’s fourth consecutive Ashes loss, was asked whether he was headed down a similar path to Hughes.

“Presume nothing,” he said, with his own emotion obvious.

Clarke said selectors would decide if extra players other than David Warner needed to be called in from the Australia A squad in Africa or indeed from a list of past Test greats.

But he said squad members would be backed to start the rescue mission in a tour match in Hove later this week, and suggested he’d like to see faith shown in the existing squad. ...continued on p15

Adam Scott rues another British Open meltdown

ADAM Scott frankly admitted wasting a great chance at a second major title after a case of British Open déjà vu.

For a second straight year, Scott was left to rue a disastrous backnine collapse of four consecutive bogeys when leading the final round battle for the Claret Jug. Unlike 2012 when he dominated most of the tournament at Royal Lytham, Masters champion Scott crept steadily into contention through the week at unforgiving Muirfield and looked to have made his move at just the right time as he seized a one-shot lead with six holes to play.

But the Australian dropped shots at the next four holes as a fast-finishing Phil Mickelson raced away with the title.

While there was no guarantee he would have beaten an ultraimpressive Mickelson, who carded a superb five-under 66 to win by three shots at three-under 281, Scott knew he should have at least made it a contest.

...continued on p15

Cup QUEST BEGINS McKenzie casting his Wallabies net wide | P14

BLEDISLOE CRUSADER: Ewen McKenzie draws the curtain on his Reds tenure to embark on his mission with the Wallabies to return the Bledisloe Cup to Australia (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)

Richie Porte key to win for Froome in Tour De France RICHIE Porte led the Tour de France peloton onto the Champs Elysees in fitting tribute to his key role in teammate Chris Froome’s victory in the 100th edition of cycling’s greatest race.

As the riders approached the finish in Paris, Froome (Sky) put a hand on Porte’s back and then paced him to the front of the bunch so he had the honour of being first onto the famous cobbles.

“This is one yellow jersey that will stand the test of time.”

On its team website Sky acknowledged Porte “played a huge role as Froome’s wingman in the mountains - most notably on Alpe d’Huez when the yellow jersey had his most difficult day on the race”. ...continued on p14