MUSIC FESTIVALS SPECIAL EDITION
1 - 7 May 2012 – Issue: 410
Headline Hard Rock Calling
Performing the album Graceland and Greatest Hits!
First live show in Northern Hemisphere in 30 years!
PLAYING LIVE THIS SUMMER
IN HYDE PARK
SEE COLD CHISEL ON FRIDAY 13TH JULY For tickets got to hardrockcalling.co.uk
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KIDS IN GLASS HOUSES
BLACK STONE CHERRY
HYDE PARK, LONDON
SKINDRED
LIFE IN FILM
FRIDAY 13TH JULY
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A Live Nation presentation
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(subject to licence)
1 - 7 May 2012 – Issue: 410
GETTIN’ CRABBY The tastiest seafood on earth? VOICES P4
ON TOP OF THE WORLD
Llamas, Israelis & Bolivian snow
CAN ANYONE STOP HIM?
Magnussen ‘Missile’ set for London Games
TRAVEL P6
SPORT P10
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BORIS V KEN: AUSSIES DECIDE n With the London Mayoral election taking place on Thursday, leading candidates Boris Johnson and Ken
Livingstone tell Australians living in London their plans for the city and say why they should get our votes.
Swan not ruffled by big Clive’s jive
IT’S a tight battle for the mantle of London Mayor. Both of the leading contenders, Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone are scrapping for every vote they can muster and have been courting the Aussie community to help them get across the line. In the blue corner, representing the Conservative (Tory) Party, is the affable incumbent Boris Johnson (or just ‘Boris’); an enthusiast of pushbikes and Routemaster buses. In the red corner, we have Labour’s Ken Livingstone. ‘Red’ Ken was the first Mayor in the new London Assembly when it was instituted in 2000, having been the leader of the former Greater London Assembly when it was abolished by Thatcher in 1986. We asked the two candidates what their plans are for London and why Australians are so important to the city and their chances of victory. What is your message to London Australians? Boris Johnson: “I lived in Melbourne for a while in the early 90’s and I enjoyed myself thoroughly. In the same way I know many of you feel very fondly about London, and there are thousands of you making very significant contributions to this city in a range of fields. If you live or work in London, then you are already invested in its future and this election represents your chance to help cut crime, continue investing in transport, grow London’s economy and create new jobs, make the Olympics a success and keep council tax low.” Ken Livingstone: “My vision of London is a city that is open to the world, globally connected, turned outwards and welcoming of all the different cultures – in music, dress, food, dance, style, faith – brought here by all the worldwide diasporas that have made a home here. I would be a Mayor that celebrates what Australians have brought this city,
QUEENSLAND mining magnate Clive Palmer wants to take on Treasurer Wayne Swan in his inner Brisbane seat of Lilley as calls for an early election intensify. Mr Palmer announced he was seeking Liberal National Party preselection for the marginal Labor seat on Monday, but not before telling Brisbane reporters he would build a luxury cruise liner and call it Titanic II. Mr Swan, who holds onto Lilley with a slim margin of 3.2 per cent, was quick to try to sink Mr Palmer’s federal parliamentary bid, holding a press conference to declare he welcomed the challenge. “Over the moon to fight in Lilley for relief for families and small businesses, against Clive and [Opposition Leader] Tony Abbott fighting for Clive’s profits,” Mr Swan tweeted earlier in the day. He said Mr Palmer must guarantee he won’t use his wealth to buy his way ...continued on p3
treating you as Australian Londoners, not as an ‘immigrant’ community.” What are the main challenges London is facing? BJ: “When I came into office in 2008 London faced some serious challenges.
Ken Livingstone had underinvested in transport, violent crime was on the rise and City Hall was fire-hosing money on wasteful spending and pet political projects. Over the past four years I have gripped the waste and bureaucracy that infused City Hall and turned it around,
freeing up £2bn of taxpayer’s money so that it is put where Londoners want to see it spent. I have a strong record of delivering on my promises from the 2008 election. Tube delays are down 30 per ...continued on p3
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2 | News
1 - 7 May 2012
A-League must learn from its year from hell
n Soccer is supposed to be the ‘beautiful game’ but in Australia
at the moment, it is nothing but ugly and it is such a crying shame. Publisher: Bryce Lowry Editor: Tim Martin Production/Design: Jackie Lampard Australia Editor: Ashlea Maher Music Editor: Paul Judge Contributors: Bianca Soldani, Shannon Crane, Kate Ausburn, Sara Newman, Justin Ng, Phill Browne, Kristy Kenny, Carmen Allan, Mario Hannah, Amy Fallon, Rose Callaghan, Lesley Slade, Simon Kleinig, Kris
Griffiths, Guy Logan, Nathan Motton, JP Breytenbach, Cameron Jenkins, Will Denton, Leigh Johnston, Lee Crossley, Shane Jones, Adrian Craddock, Liam Flanagan, Emily Banyard, Mel Edwards, Raquel Messi Advertising Manager: Dominic Young 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
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the hard word > NATHAN MOTTON
IT WAS such a remarkable A-League season for entirely all the wrong reasons, that it seemed fitting that this amateur competition concluded in such obscenely ridiculous circumstances. Contrary to popular opinion in Australia, the world game really is the beautiful game. It demands respect and when played at its best - arguably rivals any sport in the world. Of course our nation’s domestic competition will never feature the world’s best football players, but it can still be an incredible example for our children. But it’s not. The awarding of the Joe Marston medal to Brisbane midfielder Thomas Broich seemed innocuous enough, despite one other player’s performance being far superior. But in a press conference that immediately followed the final, A-League administrators were forced to rescind Broich’s medal and award it to Perth Glory captain Jacob Burns (seated alongside them). Why? Well somewhere between nine votes being cast and that name being sent to the announcer, something went awry. Frankly, as it has done so all season. Clive Palmer’s Gold Coast United had their licence revoked by Football Federation Australia earlier this year following a protracted battle with the FFA and its chairman, fellow
Your Say On: Marking the ANZAC Spirit in London
I am not an Aussie or a Kiwi, but my Grandfather, born in the Welsh valleys, emigrated to NZ in 1911 and subsequently served with the NZ Field Artillery in Gallipoli and on the Somme. He was one of the survivors and eventually moved back to the UK. One of my nephews has now moved to New Zealand and has had two sons out there. So for me, ANZAC Day is about remembering those that fought, whether they died or survived, and helped shape a world where people can (largely) move freely around the globe. So be proud of ANZAC Day – for all that it stands for. Barry Rees Australiantimes.co.uk/travel/ anzac-day-travel
On: Australians could be told to earn £31K or leave the UK
Seems like a silly political stunt to me. Aussies have such a long history of working in the UK and its been great for the two
? What’s your view
billionaire Frank Lowy. After three years in the league, United was officially axed at the beginning of April from next year’s season, blaming a lack of public and corporate interest in the club. Palmer has since set up a rival independent football body Football Australia, in an ongoing attempt to antagonise Australia’s football governing body. Just a week after that announcement, billionaire owner of marquee club the Newcastle Jets Nathan Tinkler handed back his clubs licence. He said he lost $12 million in less than 18 months, and claimed the A-League’s private ownership model doesn’t work. What happens to Tinkler’s Jets remains to be seen, but without any thought or introspection, the FFA will now bankroll a new western Sydney team, despite the Gold Coast becoming the third club to fold since the A-League’s inception just seven years ago. Even the announcement of the new Sydney team seemed rushed and somewhat ill-conceived. While the source of some of the clubs frustrations lie in administrative matters, clearly the league is doing something wrong. Unlike most European leagues, there is no system of promotion or relegation. This must change. Australia needs a second-tier football league, like I have argued for the AFL, to encourage a higher standard. Football was the second most popular sport in terms of participation for children in Australia in 2009, countries’ relations. The people affected by this are probably young and poorly paid but they are still contributing – it is not the same as being unemployed and/or a burden on the welfare system! Interesting to see what Julia will have to say about this. Aussie Gal AustralianTimes.co.uk/news
On: Save Australian animals from extinction: Professor Flannery
Tim Flannery is a joke, a joke with absolutely no credibility whatsoever. I wouldn’t trust a word from his nonsensical mouth. Max Randall AustralianTimes.co.uk/news Max – what do you base your absurd comment about Tim Flannery on? Do you not agree that Australia’s wildlife and biodiversity are in dire straits? Deb AustralianTimes.co.uk/news
On: Reader poll: What’s the greatest song for homesick Australians?
I love Australia “I Still Call Australia Home”, even in the UK. Gary Via Australiantimes.co.uk/ entertainment
Share your comments on these and more stories online: AustralianTimes.co.uk
behind swimming, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. AFL sat at just 8.6 per cent. There is an appetite for the sport at a junior level that needs to be harnessed further down the line. Why can’t regional centres like Canberra, Albury-Wodonga, Hobart, Geelong, Wollongong field sides in a secondtier competition, funded by wealthy local consortiums. Lowy has already backed the idea. It would widen the pool of potential stars in the game while ensuring the best teams are competing in the premier competition. The MLS in the USA has a ‘designated player’ system, similar to the A-League’s ‘marquee player’ format. But the MLS provides teams with greater scope for attracting these players outside the salary cap, and allows each team with two players, while Australia’s domestic competition only allows one. Clubs need to attract higher-profile figures to improve the game’s flair and by extension attract greater attendances. FFA chief executive Ben Buckley has made few friends this year. He and his cronies need to start thinking outside the square to improve the competition before too many disgruntled clubs walk. Otherwise ugly scenes will continue to blight the beautiful game in Australia. AustralianTimes.co.uk/voices
What we’re following #Clive Palmer
@DeathStarPR Clive Palmer's building the Titanic II. As the guys who built the Death Star 2, take it from us, sometimes sequels don't work out. @Wil_Anderson Forget Titanic 2, Clive Palmer should build his own Transformers and then charge people to watch them fight... @SquigglyRick Clive Palmer announces Titanic II. Neglects to mention it's just his ego with a steel-plate hull and no third class. Lee Murray @ cousincat Clive Palmer - Australia's own Jabba the Hutt @NeilMcMahon Australia 2012: Clive Palmer, billionaire boofhead, National Treasure. Clive James, legendary man of letters, humiliated on TV for sport Check out what we’re following today on AustralianTimes.co.uk and follow us on Twitter @AustralianTimes
News | 3
AustralianTimes.co.uk
Palmer makes titanic bid for government Continued from p1... into parliament. He added Opposition Leader Tony Abbott must reveal any financial contribution Mr Palmer makes to the LNP ahead of the next election and the policy promises he has made to Mr Palmer. The billionaire did not tell Mr Abbott of his political ambition before announcing it to the press in front of a banner that read: “Swan’s song .. Lilley election 2013.” “I was as surprised as everyone else at the announcement today,” Mr Abbott said. “Clive Palmer, like millions and millions of other Australians, is desperate to see a bad government gone. “But like everyone else who wants to run for the LNP, I’m afraid he’s got to run the gauntlet of a very testing preselection process.” Mr Palmer said he had no plan to lead the country one day. “I think Tony Abbott is a great leader, and he is someone I support 100 per cent as the next prime minister of Australia,” Mr Palmer said. “I don’t have any aspirations beyond the seat of Lilley.” Mr Palmer also believes his business interests would not conflict with being a federal MP. “I don’t think I would have to give up anything,” he said.
“Politics is about ideas; you are not going to become rich being a politician.” But Prime Minister Julia Gillard said Mr Palmer was proof the Liberal Party was “the party of billionaires” and the Labor Party was the party of “working people”. Australian Greens leader Christine Milne said Mr Palmer already owned the LNP in Queensland and was now moving towards taking ownership of the federal coalition. “This is man who thinks litigation fun, who thinks it fun to invent conspiracies that defame another political party and then to say he made it up to distract the media,” Ms Milne said. In March, Mr Palmer claimed that the CIA was part of an environmental conspiracy with the Greens against Australian miners to benefit US mining interests. The 58-year-old donated $4 million to the coalition in the past two years, according to the Australian Electoral Commission. He played a big role in backing the LNP’s Queensland election campaign but even so, newly elected Premier Campbell Newman refused to say whether he supported Mr Palmer’s tilt at federal politics. “I don’t run around endorsing people for preselection. I let that happen through the process of the party,” Mr Newman said. - AAP AustralianTimes.co.uk/news
If you’re Aussie and you know it, vote for me Continued from p1...
cent. Over the last four years we’ve seen a 10.8 per cent drop in overall crime; it is down 20 per cent on the Tube and we now have the safest tube network in Europe.” KL: “Australians in London face the problems that all ordinary Londoners are facing in these most difficult economic times since the 1930s. People are getting worse off and many are finding it hard to manage. Wages are too low – many people, especially in immigrant communities, do not even receive the London Living Wage, currently £8.30 an hour. Rents are too high, especially in the privately rented sector. Bills are going up and so is crime. I have said my priority as Mayor will be to put as much money as possible back into Londoners’ pockets, through measures like a cut in fares, setting up a not-for-profit letting agency to cut out estate agent fees and support fair rents, organising an energy co-op that can provide cheaper fuel through bulk purchase and I will tackle crime by reversing Boris Johnson’s cuts to the police and strengthen the Safer Neighbourhood Teams.” What choices do Australians living in London have at this election? BJ: “The choice for London on 3 May this year – (is) to return to the past and the irresponsible and unaffordable approach of Labour (which should be very familiar to Australians), or to move into the future with a programme of essential investment and modernisation that will keep our city competitive and keep transport fares low in the long run. I hope that as Londoners you will have your say in the future of this great city on 3 May. Whether you intend to stay for a year or a decade, issues such as council tax, transport and crime have a real impact on your day to day lives and I need your support to make sure that
London remains such a fantastic place to live and work. I believe London deserves another four years of sensible, moderate, no nonsense government.” KL: “I have a manifesto commitment to work with a variety of businesses, to showcase the best of London’s small businesses, entrepreneurs and self employed people and to share best practice. I particularly welcome business from Australia and other countries, which bring investment and jobs to London. London has always been open to the rest of the world for business - it’s one of the features that make it such a great city. I have said my priority as Mayor will be to put as much money as possible back into Londoners’ pockets. Our campaign is reaching out to Londoners in every part of the capital and from every background and political opinion who want a fairer deal. Londoners need a Mayor who is in touch and understand the pressures that they face every day. They need a Mayor who will make them better off.” Voting for the London Mayoral elections will be held on Thursday, 3 May. All Australians resident in London are eligible to vote as long as they registered before 18 April 2012. If you registered, you should have been sent your ‘polling card’ which will tell you where you can go to vote (at your local polling station). Local polling stations will be open from 7am-10pm. By Tim Martin, Peter Hulme
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LM_UK_SA_times.indd 1
4/27/2012 2:54:22 PM
4 | Voices
1 - 7 May 2012
Possibly the greatest seafood in the world
n Tucked away in the wilds of Norfolk, our Aussie chef in London (and main man at Claridge’s Restaurant)
found crabs to write home about. Here he shows us how to cook them up, good and proper.
chris’s
kitchen > CHRIS ARK
FOR all those lovers of seafood and the sweet succulent flavours of mud crab, there’s no need to go without the delicious taste while living in the UK. Fortunately the Norfolk coastal town of Cromer is home to some of the best and tastiest shellfish and fresh crab in the world. We all tend to stay away from buying fresh crab due to the work involved in preparing the tasty sucker or the thought of been attacked by an angry crab if it is lucky enough to escape the pot. But now good fishmongers have started preparing crabs for us for easy use and a mess free kitchen.
All you need to do for this recipe is ask your fishmonger for a ‘dressed Cromer crab’ or ‘dressed Brown crab’, which are easy to find. Crab meat is fantastic, but only if handpicked - if it’s frozen, I wouldn’t bother. If you are a purest of the crab cuisine, tackling the shell and legs will reward you with the freshest and tastiest white meat that is to die for. All you will need is a large pot of boiling salted water, ice bath for chilling the crab down and a small meat mallet to crack the claws. Place the crab in the fridge once home and then once the water is boiling on the stove, place the crab in the pot and cook for seven to eight minutes. Remove from the pot and place into the ice bath until cool. Remove and start cracking the legs off, followed by the shell and scoop out the brown meat and the white. Both brown and white crabmeat is edible. For this week’s recipe, we will be using freshly dressed crab so all the messy work is done for you (I don’t want to turn you off from cooking it at home!). So lets get started and have a go. Enjoy and happy cooking!
ley and chili
rs Tasty crab linguine with fresh pa What you need (for 4 mates): • 1 x dressed Cromer crab • 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped • 1 small fresh chili finely chopped • 2 plum tomatoes finely chopped • 500g linguine pasta • ¼ bunch of fresh flat leaf parsley • Olive oil • ½ cup of white wine • Salt and pepper
What to do:
• Place a large pot of salted water on a high heat and bring to a fast rolling boil. • Take the dressed crab, separate the meat and place back in the fridge. • Keep the meat chilled at all times. • Add the pasta to the pot - you now have 13 minutes to cook the rest… • So don’t stop cooking and remember to stir every five minutes. • Take a large saucepan and add a good splash of olive oil to the pan. • Keep it on a medium heat. • Add the chili, garlic and tomato to
the pan and cook slowly without burning the ingredients. • Add the wine and reduce by half. • Strain the pasta and add to the pan and mix the sauce through the pasta. • Just before serving, add the crabmeat and toss together.
• Don’t overcook the crab. • Add the parsley and serve onto large plates. Enjoy... AustralianTimes.co.uk/voices
The wonder of London’s Saatchi Gallery
n Champagne, oil and Saatchi! Our London adventurer gets
the VIP treatment as she ticks #90 of her London Top 100 list and explores the fabled Saatchi Gallery on the King’s Road. bron in
the don BRONWYN SPENCER
I WAS lucky enough to be offered a ticket to a preview of an exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery through my work and since it was #90 on the London Top 100 list, I couldn’t resist saying yes. A couple of work mates and I made our way down to the famous gallery in Sloane Square after work and felt very VIP when we had to wait in a queue and say ‘my name is on the list’. After stepping inside the doors to the gallery it wasn’t long before we were given a glass of champagne and directions into the first gallery. Inside here at the moment is the Out of Focus Photography exhibition which has just gone on display and it was a great way to start an evening’s viewing. The images captured portraits in an individual and interesting way. From there we wandered around the ground floor galleries checking out colour saturated landscapes and double exposures before stumbling on my favourites of the whole gallery. There are three photographs that are collages of three amazing cities – Tokyo, Paris and New York. I stood there gazing for ages picking out each iconic landmark and placing the puzzle together. It wasn’t long before we were all asked to go upstairs to Gallery 14 where they would announce the winner of the Google Photography Prize – the exhibition we were invited to see. Google sponsored a competition that over 20,000 student photographers entered and the ten finalists are exhibited at Saatchi. We
managed to wander around the gallery before the announcement and check out some great photographs. Some I liked more than others with several telling a series of stories or reporting on events such as the riots in Norway, however for an untrained art mind there was a few that I just didn’t ‘get’. The winner was very deserving and it was amazing to see what students can do – imagine how good they will be when they are professionals! From there we continued to wander to view some more amazing, interesting and sometimes bizarre photography and artwork. The gallery itself provides a perfect blank canvas for all displays with high ceilings, airy white walls and light flooring meaning that the rooms don’t feel crowded and there is plenty of space to take in the work from different angles and distances. As we were wandering I bumped into a workmate who said ‘have you seen the basement? You totally have to go’. Even though this sounded quite ominous of course we couldn’t resist and went down
there almost immediately. The basement is home to the Richard Wilson’s 20:50 installation which to summarize – is a whole bunch of oil in a room. The first thing that hits you is the smell and when you walk onto the platform you are instantly mesmerised. The black oil so still that it reflects every corner and crevice of the room. It’s creepy to see so much liquid sit so still however it is also calming at the same time – that is if you can resist the urge to throw something in there. We asked one of the attendants how much was in there and he said that the oil only sat a few inches deep. That surprised me as it seemed that something so still must be so deep. My VIP night soon came to an end as before I knew it, it was closing time. I was glad to get the opportunity to check out such a great gallery for an awesome event however I think I would have loved the Saatchi Gallery just as much minus the champagne! AustralianTimes.co.uk/voices
Voices | 5
AustralianTimes.co.uk
An Anzac Day in London to remember By Will Fitzgibbon ANZAC DAY is an important event in London’s calendar. Whitehall is closed to traffic. The Westminster Abbey Choir warms up its collective larynx. This year, only the weather chose not to put on its best behaviour for the occasion. Three events punctuated a grey and wet London Wednesday, for Anzac Day 2012. For the 4:30 am Dawn Service, thousands of Australians and New Zealanders amassed in a crepuscular corner of Hyde Park. Following the tradition according to which Anzac Day Dawn Service is held in alternate years between the Australian and New Zealand War Memorials, crowds huddled before the 2006 Kiwi monument of 16 bronze pillars. Antipodeans draped in national flags, enveloped in warmer-looking polar fleeces or wearing kahu huruhuru, traditional Maori cloaks, faced the New Zealand War Memorial in Hyde Park Corner as the day broke. Diplomats, British royalty, armed service men and women and local children commemorated the 97th anniversary of the Anzac landings at Gallipoli. Two hours earlier, in Gallipoli, Turkey, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard had told the assembled crowds of the Diggers in 1915 and promised that “the sun will never set on the story of their deeds”. In the weak light of an early London morning, we remembered them. Four hours later, at 11 am, minus those who had returned to bed or gone to the office, a smaller but equally happy few, collectively remembered at London’s Cenotaph on Whitehall. The Cenotaph or “empty tomb” stands soberly and unadorned to the memory of those lost in battle whose bones lie in “some corner of a foreign field”. Traffic was stopped through the normally busy Whitehall as a marching band and dignitaries encircled the monument for a mid-morning act of remembrance. The weather had deteriorated but the masses’ enthusiasm was high as spectators moistly clapped on the marching members of the armed forces, past and present. In trying conditions and with umbrellas akimbo, people from all backgrounds came to commemorate. One attendee remembered living in the Solomon Islands with her husband, an armed services officer, following World War II. In the rain and the gusty winds, we remembered them. The crowd was only too happy to cross Parliament Square and seek sanctuary inside the dry Gothic Portland stone of Westminster Abbey for the noon Service of Commemoration and Thanksgiving to mark Anzac Day. With the remains or memorials of eminent Australians and New Zealanders looking on from the Abbey’s recesses, including pharmacologist Howard Florey, poet Adam Lindsay Gordon, musician Sir William McKie and New Zealand Nobel Prize winner Ernest Rutherford, the final event of the day took place. High Commissioner of New Zealand Mr Derek Leask and High Commissioner of Australia Mr John Dauth read biblical texts while The Right Reverend Richard Ellena, the Bishop of Nelson, New Zealand, gave an appropriately balanced sermon on mourning, pride and national confidence. Throughout, traditional Maori melodies alternated with 17th Century English Protestant tropes. Scores of wreaths, multiple God Save the Queens and a handful of Last Posts
later, Anzac Day 2012 London ended. In the historical surrounds of Westminster Abbey, we remembered them. Just as we in London do every year. As Prime Minister Gillard said at Gallipoli, “We come back. As we will always come back. To give the best and only gift that can matter anymore – our remembrance.”
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tow, DAN SLATER attempts to conquer a mountain higher than Kili and hold in all his ‘excitement’ on the Bolivian Altiplano. I HUNKERED down, silently admiring the curvaceous flanks of the alabaster temptress who loomed above me. She stared back stonily, daring me to attempt to scale her peak. Her name was Huayna Potosi, and if I was to conquer her, I would require all the power at my disposal. Being just outside La Paz, Bolivia, a short taxi ride had sufficed to bring my guide and me to the rocky observatory which served as the Huayna Potosi trailhead. We’d reached our snowline base camp after just one hour of hiking, and already I’d carried an ice axe in the appropriate strap on my rucksack - that achievement was almost worth the $100 fee alone! However, the real work would not start until 1am. We needed to be up and down before the warm morning sun softened the snow too much. Right now though, I had more immediate concerns. My crouched position was not a feeble attempt to evade the fabled Furious Snow Badger, but
rather an aid to evacuating any residual rancid fluid from my colon. This grim condition had been brought about by a hair raising 16-hour bus ride, from the steaming bowels (pun intended) of the lowland jungle around Rurrenabaque (199m) up to the world’s highest capital, La Paz (3632m). This involved the bus reversing often down the narrow, deteriorating track and out onto a passing place, teetering hundreds of metres above the mangled wreckage of earlier buses which littered the valley floor … but that’s another story. I’d survived the notorious ‘road of death’ only to succumb to the sudden change in altitude which sent my intestines into spasm. Having already booked the trip, I’d spent a sleepless night dashing back and forth to the unsavoury facilities in the hostel. With only three days until I was to be at my next South American destination, I couldn’t delay and risk missing the last bus to Sorata, where a
IMAGE: The Mars Volta will be performing at Hard Rock Calling in London’s Hyde Park on 13 July. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)
Hard Rock Calling Reading Wireless Download
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An Aussie's guide to the
Festival fever Australian invasion Survival guide Best fests and line-ups
FESTIVALS
AustralianTimes.co.uk/music-festivals
IN EUROPE and the UK, when the days get longer and cider becomes more of a pub staple than mulled wine, you know that festival season is on its way. And 2012 is shaping up to be a festival feast! It’s that time of year to dust off the tent, bust out the gummies (gumboots to those ‘wellington’ wearing Poms among you) and get out the oversized sunglasses because there is hardly a better time to be in Britain than FESTIVAL SEASON. We hate to admit when the English do something better than us but hats off to them when it comes to a music festival. UK festivals are a summer tradition up there with Wimbledon and Pimms. They are as numerous as they are varied and even though there will be a Glastonbury-sized hole in proceedings this year (it is that dreaded Glasto fallow year, where they give the mud at Michael Eavis’s farm time to rejuvenate), don’t be dismayed for there are so many other gems out there that it is almost too hard to choose from. Maybe you’re pumping for Hard Rock Calling in Hyde Park? Or itching to get your rocks off at Download? You have possibly even said ‘sod you’ to UK festivals and have your flights booked to Bilbao for BBK? Whatever your musical poison is - when the bands hit the fields and the stages this year, do yourself a favour and get out there. You’ll see a part of the world you might not have necessarily gone to; you’ll hear some amazing music; you’ll meet new people; and you will soak up the awesome festival vibes. It’s something you will be talking about for years and will make you a lifelong festival addict. So enjoy the camping. Enjoy the atmosphere. Enjoy the inevitable showers and mud. But above all enjoy the music. Rock on!
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WE'VE put the finely tuned Aussie Times blagging skills to work and come up with the goods to help get the 2012 festivals party started. We've nabbed you good readers tix to three of this year's best fests to be won. We have 1 pair of three day full camping tickets to Reading, which is this year headlined by The Cure, Kasabian and Foo Fighters. Go hard at Download where Metallica perform the Black Album in it’s entirety. There’s a pair of tickets to that beast up for grabs. For Wireless Festival in Hyde Park, we have 2 pairs of tickets to the Saturday, 7 July when Aussie boys Hilltop Hoods will be gracing the stage with Labrinth, Nero, Example, Nicki Manaj and loads more. Then for Hard Rock Calling, also in Hyde Park, we have 5 pairs of tickets up for grabs for the massive Friday 13 July, featuring Soundgarden, The Mars Volta, Iggy & The Stooges and, of course, our very own Cold Chisel for what will be a glorious slice of UK Aussie rock history in London. Bringing up the rear for Hard Rock Calling on Sunday 15 July is Paul Simon celebrating 25 years of Graceland by playing the album in it's entirety, with Ladysmith Black Mambazo on hand. We have 5 pairs to that to be won as well. Enter the competitions at: AustralianTimes.co.uk/ music-festivals
GOOD LUCK, AND SEE YOU AT THE FRONT.
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Giant, Jayson Norris, JT Mills Experience, Dave Gander, Anna Coddington. www.homelanz.co.uk
festie highlight of the year for us Aussies who love a beer and a bit of a sing. Plus, should you pick up; forget the tent, it’s off to your place. Rock on, London!
Bluesfest
Highlights: Bruce Springsteen, Cold Chisel, Paul Simon, Soundgarden, The Mars Volta, Iggy & The Stooges. www.hardrockcalling.co.uk
When: 26 June-6 July Where: London and Manchester Love your Byron Bay blues? Well why not try it London style! Now in their second year, the Bluesfest brings a week long celebration of jazz and blues as it grooves its way across Britain’s northern and southern epicentres Highlights: Sir Tom Jones, Van Morrison, Robert Cray. www.bluesfest.co.uk
Camden Crawl When: 4-6 May Where: All over Camden This north-London indie haven never fails to intrigue. Launching the spring festival season, the Camden Crawl has a distinctly carnivalesque feel, showcasing comedy acts, busking performances, karaoke and plenty of alternative music. Highlights: Death in Vegas, Alabama 3, Sway, The Futureheads, The Raincoats, Gas Coombes. www.thecamdencrawl.com
Lovebox When: 15–17 June Where: Victoria Park, London It’s authentic, it’s righteous, it’s
just so London. Knocked together by good ol’ Groove Armada, it’s one of London’s hottest events. And in 2012, they’re celebrating a decade of love with a mix of hip hop, indie, punk and electro, and a huge dance line up, you’re sure to love! Highlights: Lana Del Rey, Emeli Sande, Hot Chip, Crystal Castles, Kelis, Friendly Fires, Azealia Banks, Mike, Grace Jones. www.lovebox.net
Homelanz When: 16 June Where: Boston Manor Park, London Missing music from home? Now in its second year, this London festival showcases the biggest tunes from Aussie, Kiwi and Saffa bands in celebration of the best the Southern Hemisphere has to offer. Muck in and support your fellow Australasian businesses and entertainers... many of who are based in London, just like you. Highlights: Alex Lloyd, Prime Circle, Kora, I Am
Music Festivals 2012
Wireless
South West Four When: 25-26 August Where: Clapham Common, London Keen for some funky beats? Head down to the Common and dance the weekend away at one of the world’s premiere electric festivals. Highlights: Chase and Status, Carl Cox, Skrillex, Zane Lowe, 2manydjs. www.southwestfour.com
Highlights: Rihanna, Calvin Harris, Drake, Jessie J, Deadmau5, Labyrinth, Hilltop Hoods. www.wirelessfestival.co.uk
Hard Rock Calling When: 13-15 July Where: Hyde Park, London No Glasto, no worries! London has the perfect antidote, bringing the biggest bands to your backyard. And with Cold Chisel on the bill, it’s got to be the
Highlights: The Temper Trap, DZ Deathrays, Maximo Park, We Are Scientists, Mystery Jets, Dry The River. www.escapegreat.com
Liverpool Sound City When: 17-19 May Where: Liverpool Into your indie? Slap on your skinny jeans and head out to this alternative rock fest. There are plenty of new names on this year’s bill with loads of fresh Aussie bands plus The Temper Trap. Highlights: The Temper Trap, Alkaline Trio, Death In Vegas, Bear In Heaven, By The Sea. www.liverpoolsoundcity.co.uk
Rockness
When: 6-8 July Where: Hyde Park, London Isn’t it awesome having Hyde Park just around the corner? If this dominant pop and dance festival isn’t enough - there’s Hard Rock Calling not too long after. Carnival rides, music workshops and street theatre performances showcased alongside huge international headliners plus a visit from our Adelaide homies, Wireless certainly ain’t your ordinary pop fest!
talent. Known as Britain’s answer to South by Southwest, this is Europe’s leading festival for new music (plus it hosts the annual and awesome Aussie BBQ).
When: 8-10 June Where: Loch Ness, Scotland
The Great Escape When: 10-12 May Where: Brighton Escape to Brighton for a rhythmic explosion of new
This monster festival on the banks of Loch Ness boasts an electric selection of bands to
AustralianTimes.co.uk/music-festivals
enjoy alongside your pint and haggis. What more do you want? Highlights: Kasabian, The Chemical Brothers, Ed Sheeran, Deadmau5, Friendly Fires, Justice, Noah and the Whale. www.rockness.co.uk
Download When: 8-10 June Where: Donington Park
It’s the UK’s hardcore home of metal and this premier rock festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary with the mighty Metallica performing their Black Album in its entirety. Full-on circle pit action and tats aplenty. Highlights: Metallica, Black Sabbath, The Prodigy, Soundgarden, Tenacious D, Megadeath, Machine Head. www.downloadfestival.co.uk
Isle of Wight When: 21-24 June Where: Newport, Isle of Wight
It’s alternative, it’s fun and this year you can catch Peal Jam, Jessie J and Tinie Tempah rocking it out on the island. It’s also rumoured Kate Moss and Jamie Hince will be making an appearance, choosing the exclusive festival to renew their vows. Highlights: Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, Jessie J, Tinie Tempah, Feeder, Lana Del Ray. www.isleofwightfestival.com
Hop Farm
Latitude
No sponsorship, no branding and no VIPs means this funky festival has no pretences - just music, as it should be. Having hosted the likes of Prince and The Eagles last year, the faithful will be back with the 2012 instalment featuring old gravel throat himself, Mr Bob Dylan.
More than just music, Latitude is a sumptuous cultural festival. Set on a grand old English manor, it features magnificent forest and lakeside stages, and with a host of incredible activities including contemporary art exhibitions, theatrical installations and a literary arena – you certainly won’t get bored!
When: 29 June-1 July Where: Hop Farm, Kent
Highlights: Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel, Richard Ashcroft, Primal Scream, Suede, Maximo Park. hopfarmfestival.com
Known for attracting the liveliest of audiences, this is Scotland’s largest and longest established music festival and one of the best in Britain. Featuring stacks of A-list headliners, this festival is not to be missed. Highlights: Snow Patrol, Calvin Harris, Jessie J, Florence and the Machine, The Stone Roses, David Guetta, Sweedish House Mafia, Niki Minaj. www.tinthepark.com
Highlights: Elbow, Metronomy, Bon Iver, Paul Weller, Laura Marling, Tim Minchin. www.latitudefestival.co.uk
When: 18-19 August Where: Chelmsford and Staffordshire Two venues, two days of chart topping acts. We can’t guarantee Dicky Branson will be there with his Virgin spaceship (or submarine), but the festival will be serving up a decent dose of pop, rock and r&b that will satisfy the tastes of every good little consumer. Highlights: The Killers, Snow Patrol, David Guetta, Niki Minaj, Ed Sheeran, The Stone Roses. www.vfestival.com
Secret Reading Garden Party When: 19-22 July Where: Huntgindon
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When: 12-15 July Where: Henham Park, Suffolk
T in the Park V Festival When: 6-8 July Where: Balado, Kinross-shire, Scotland
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When: 24-26 August Where: Reading (and Leeds)
Year after year this ‘party’ festival attracts the craziest and most flamboyant of followers. With its other-worldly sounds and surroundings, SGP is a magical escape from normality. Leave your rational self at home – here, silliness is encouraged and madness is a prerequisite.
If they’re on the bill here, you know they love to play cos they tear the roof off in one town, then head to the next and do it all again the very next day. With a diverse line up of acts ranging from indie and alternative rock, to punk, metal and dance, this festival won’t disappoint. And to top it off, it’s over the August Bank Holiday. Winner!
Highlights: Orbital, Little Roy, The Ladykillers, King Charles, KT Tunstall, Little Dragon, Passenger, Utah Saints. www.secretgardenparty.com
Highlights: The Cure, Foo Fighters, Kasabian, At The DriveIn, The Vaccines, Kaiser Chiefs, Paramore, The Black Keys. www.readingfestival.co.uk
Bestival When: 6-9 September Where: Robin Hill Country Park, Isle of Wight Sporting fireworks, freak shows and a Bollywood bus bar, Bestival is the Isle of Wight’s flower power love child. With diverse musical acts and a carnivalesque feel, you can let loose and embrace your inner hippie. Oh, and don’t forget your fancy dress! Highlights: Stevie Wonder, The XX, Soulwax, Sigur Ros, Friendly Fires, Orbital, Spiritualized, SBTRKT. www.bestival.net
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Music Festivals 2012
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FESTIVALS are awesome! Enough said. But what is even more awesome is getting a little slice of home brought right to your festival door. That’s exactly what’s happening this year when some of our favourite and beloved Aussie bands are coming over for various music fests in the UK and Europe. 2012 seems to be producing a bumper crop and already Cold Chisel, Hilltop Hoods, Wolfmother, The Temper Trap, Tim Minchin and many more are confirmed to take to a stage near you. There are so many amazing Australian artists on their way this summer, it would be rude to miss out on seeing at least one of them. So here’s a list of which Aussies are performing where. Check it out, cut it out (stick it on the fridge), and get all your Aussie mates excited. Because our boys and girls are coming to show this northern hemisphere lot how we rock Down Under. Enjoy!
Interview by Lee Harte – Part One
Great Escape, Sound City & Aussie BBQ Heaps of Aussie acts will be hitting Brighton, Liverpool & London for The Great Escape, Liverpool Sound City and the London Aussie BBQ respectively this year. Some will play one of the events, some will play all – so here’s who you should be watching out for: The Jezabels, Pond, Jinja Safari, Last Dinosaurs, Step Panther, Millions, Inland Sea, Ben Salter, Bonfire Nights, Oliver Tank, JacksonFirebird, The Bowers, Sietta, Emma Louise, Ironside and more!
Top Aussie talkers
Because sometimes there is more to life than music… John Pilger - Latitude Peter Tatchell – Green Belt
“WE shoot people.” This frightening threat from one of Australia’s most unassuming but influential songwriters, Don Walker, is not to be taken lightly, especially as his band Cold Chisel prepare to return to the UK for their first northern hemisphere show in nearly 30 years. The threat came as I confessed to the man responsible for writing ‘Khe Sahn’ and ‘Choir Girl’, that I hadn›t yet listened to the new Cold Chisel album, No Plans. OK, maybe I wasn’t actually going to receive a bullet and the threat was just another classic wry Walker jest, but one thing is for sure, the Chisel ‘we’ are back together and they mean business. Having lost their talented drummer Steve Prestwich to a sudden brain tumor back in January 2011 (Prestwich - when not being a brilliant musical time keeper - happened to write the stunning songs ‘Flame Trees’ and ‘When the War is Over’), the remaining members of Cold Chisel pledged to record the album they had been working on at the time of Prestwich’s death. That album, No Plans, is on international release this month. They also decided to complete the plans they had to play live, a decision that sees the veteran Aussie rockers leading a tribe of Australian music ‘invaders’ to the European festival scene this summer. I was lucky enough to speak with Don as the band warmed up for their first UK dates in almost three decades. Preparing to thrill Hard Rock Calling in Hyde Park in July, this is what the Chisel keyboard legend had to say… Q. What have you got in store on the new album? DW: “There’s quite a lot of rock and roll on the new album, which is a nice
change from contending with an album full of medium paced ballads.” Q. So a few sprightly piano break-outs? DW: “Ha, I can think of at least one solo – I’d be disappointed if I could think of too many more. It’s (in) the last song on the album called ‘I Got Things to Do’, which has Steve singing (and is one of Steve’s final recordings) and is written by Steve.” Q. Any screaming solos from Mossy? DW: “Yeah, Ian is doing a fair bit of wailing and thumping.” Q. How’d the album title track – No Plans - come about? DW: “I was stuck in traffic one day in Sydney, which is a pretty constant experience, and out on the sidewalk there was a guy there who’d been sleeping rough. He was smoking a cigarette and had already been to an early opener and he was looking out at the traffic and he was just laughing and I thought, you know - he’s got it caned! Here I am sitting under a hot windscreen in the traffic who’s really got it figured out?” Q. With Steve no longer with us, have you found the live shows hard? DW: “Without Steve we’ve done 36 dates and four in Melbourne with our new drummer Charlie Drake. It’s working out really well and we get better every show.” Q. You’ve recruited Kevin Shirley (Screaming Jets, Silverchair, HIM, Slayer) as producer for No Plans what’s it like with a new producer in the studio? DW: “Well, this album is the first album we’ve done that wasn’t recorded to tape and we put ourselves at the hands of a different producer. Usually I get quite involved in every little detail and I made a conscious decision - well you’ve
hired this guy and he’s one of the top five in the world - he’s sitting there - he loves the band - he knows what we do let him do it. Write your songs, play your piano and watch the whole thing unfold. That’s how it was done.” Q. What’s in store for the gigs? Does the new album feature heavily? DW: “To launch the new album we’re doing half a dozen songs off the new album then the rest of the set is what people expect to hear.” Which led us to talk about the past. The Cold Chisel back catalogue reads like a Top Ten radio playlist. Actually if Chisel had never released any music you’d have long, gigantic swathes of radio silence adding up to hundreds of hours of missing musical gold. ‘Flame Trees’ alone, that seminal Chisel classic, has crossed over into so many genres thanks to every backyard cover band (I once heard a reggae version), it’s evolving more rapidly than the band. Q. Why so long for a new album? DW: “For so many years (during our breakup) we could of played together but we didn’t because we always
thought it could happen next year or it could happen in 10 years. And one of the big lessons out of the Steve thing is that you don’t have unlimited time.” Sage words from the Aussie music maestro. Pay heed and get out and see them at Hard Rock Calling, in London’s Hyde Park on 13 July, because as Don says “you don’t have unlimited time”. Don’t miss Part Two of Lee Harte’s interview with Don Walker next week, where they discuss the never fullyrealised future of one of the greatest Australian rock bands of all time.
Travel | 7
AustralianTimes.co.uk
uphill madness
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big traveller group was gathering. But could I make it with my legs crossed and my eyelids propped open, all the time gaining altitude? There was nothing for it but to swing by a chemist for Imodium and rehydration salts, grit my teeth, clench the sphincter and do it! As I squatted, I gazed up at Huayna Potosi with determination. I was no longer in top shape, but I would give it my best damn shot. A long lazy slumber in my down sleeping bag would be perfect preparation, but was sadly impossible due to the biting cold at 4720m. So, another sleep-free night, but at least the chemical plug I’d metaphorically rammed up my backside seemed to be working. My guide roused me at midnight. Dressing was swift (I was already wearing everything I had) and my excitement overcame my drowsiness as I got into my plastic boots and fastened on the crampons. With the mittens, goggles, axe and helmet, I looked the business. Behind us, a group of Israelis were similarly preparing as we crunched onto the first snow. The night was gorgeously clear and bright. The moon shone onto each individual white crystal, weaving them into a precious, shimmering carpet. The rocks and cliffs were pure black against this sparkling landscape, and white dissolved into deep shades of grey where we passed immaculately sculpted crevasses - each a beautiful and enticing doorway to grisly death in the heart of the mountain. Though maybe a little late in the piece, I enquired, “Is this dangerous?”. “Poco” came the reply. ‘A little’. Hmm. Suddenly we arrived at a short, vertical, snow face. Time for some real action! We’d been roped together from the start, and now I received a very brief briefing on scaling this obstacle using my new tools. Chik! - in with the axe. Heave up and Tuk! Tuk! - bury in the tips of the crampons. Chik, heave, tuk, tuk, repeat. “Be very careful here,” I heard, as a deep void yawned away to my left. Erm … thanks. I wasn’t worried though, I was thrilled to bits! All those emails I’d sent detailing prior escapades: “Today we climbed Pungent Volcano”; or “I just
scaled Mount Flange!” Pffft! Those had just been steep walks. Now I was really climbing, and it was fabulous. Next came plenty of uphill trudging. The stars were gradually fading while my lungs were failing quickly. We were making good time but my burning breath and shaking legs were slowing us down. Even climbing stairs in La Paz leaves you wheezing, but when you need to rest every three steps to hyperventilate you know the atmosphere is pretty thin. We persevered though. It was a slog, but it was the most stunning slog in the world. As day broke, we were at the foot of the final push - a 50 metre, 70 degree cliff of smooth, cold, compacted snow. This was a long stretch for my tired limbs, and stopping en route to heave like a drowning walrus was inadvisable. Despite having to chase every oxygen molecule, with Israelis snapping at my heels and that damn gravity still acting on me, I crawled onto the apex at last. Magnificent! The Cordillera Real rolled away beneath us in all directions. At 6088m - higher than Kilimanjaro - I could easily imagine myself astride the summit of Everest. It couldn’t be too different from this, could it? I shook hands with my trusty ‘Sherpa’, threw snowballs at my adversaries and posed for heroic pictures - ice axe over shoulder, gazing into middle distance. Sadly, we had to descend before avalanches threatened, and the return journey was not pretty. I stumbled often as fatigue finally overcame me, repeatedly finding myself face down in a drift, nodding off. I all but tumbled back to base camp. But that’s not important right now; the main thing is that if I never strap on the crampons again, I can take pride in the fact that once upon a time, on the faraway Altiplano, I was a bona fide mountaineer! Hoorah! AustralianTimes.co.uk/travel
Topdeck.travel/morocco
8 | Jobs & Money
1 - 7 May 2012
Dollar Review
Australian Dollar reverses week’s losses THE AUSTRALIAN Dollar traded between 0.954 and 0.972 to the US Dollar between the period of the 23rd of April to the 30th of April 2012. It also traded between 1.552 and 1.568 to the British Pound during the same period. At the beginning of last week the AUD fell to a 2 week low against the USD after weak inflation data was released. With this news, the Australian Reserve Bank is likely to raise the interest rate. Mr Dragicevich, currency strategist at Commonwealth Bank, says he expects more downward pressure on the Australian dollar, not just from the CPI data but from poor economic growth outlook in Europe. American market. “In combination they should keep Bank of New Zealand currency the Aussie on the back foot,” Mr strategist Mike Jones said improved Dragicevich said. We think if things company earnings from the US continue as they have been in Europe, helped market sentiment and gave the Australian dollar could head down risk currencies like the Australian towards 102.00 US cents over the next dollar a boost.“It’s just been a general couple of days.” improvement in offshore risk appetite Towards the end of last week the which has underpinned the Aussie AUD did strengthen against the USD dollar over the past 24 hours or so,” on the news of stronger stocks in the Mr Jones said from Wellington. Composed by Matthew Cridge Note: The above exchange rates are based on “interbank” rates. If you want to transfer money to or from Australia then please register/login or call us for a live dealing rate. Make use of a Rate Notifier to send you alerts when the Australian exchange rate reaches levels you are looking for.
GBP / AUD: 1.553 EUR / AUD: 1.265 USD / AUD: 0.955 Correct at 08:00, 30th of April 2012 UK time.
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EEA Family
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My sister and brother-in-law wish to relocate to the UK. My brother-in-law has Dutch citizenship. Will this enable him to live and work in the UK? Will my sister be able to accompany him and work whilst they are in the UK?
A:
Yes, any EU citizen can take up residence in the UK, in terms of the EU treaty. Their dependants are allowed to accompany them. Your sister will be able to accompany him as a dependant, subject to satisfying the maintenance and accommodation rules which apply to EEA family applications from outside the EEA. She will also be allowed to take up work in the UK without any restrictions, provided that she has a valid EU family permit, your brother-inlaw is still in the UK and their marriage subsists.
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Sport | 9
AustralianTimes.co.uk
Australia score rugby sevens win over NZ Continued from p12...
between NSW and the Crusaders on Sunday (which the Crusaders narrowly won 37-33). Lucas and New Zealand coach Gordon Tietjens both supported the concept and hoped there would be more one-off matches held before either Super or Bledisloe Cup games. "I reckon the more games Australia
and New Zealand play, the better," Lucas said. Tietjens, the longstanding New Zealand sevens coach, agreed. "I think it's awesome that you could put some formula together where you can see both forms of the game supporting each other," Tietjens said. "To play it before a Bledisloe, that would be awesome, that would be great. It's just like all things, it's
getting the timing." Lucas said the win following victory in the last World Series leg in Tokyo was another boost for the Australians heading into the last two legs in Britain this month. "Scotland and London sevens have been our must successful tournaments over the last few years and coming off a win in Tokyo to beat the top dogs, that's a lot of confidence," Lucas said.- AAP
Six month hiatus could cost Aussie cricket Continued from p12... World No.2 South Africa head to Australia at the end of 2012 before next year offers a tour of India that leads into back-to-back Ashes campaigns. The time off from Test action will mean plenty of speculation with several players struggling to prove themselves despite the successful start to the Clarke era. Opener Ed Cowan will go into the home series against South Africa's world-class pace lineup of Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel knowing he's running out of time to make a big score that will cement his place in the team. The Proteas' pace guns will provide plenty of questions for Australia's batsmen, with Shane Watson yet to solidify himself at No.3 and veterans Ricky Ponting and
Promotion
A big year for Southern Hemisphere Rugby
2012 will be a historic year for rugby in the southern hemisphere with Argentina to take part in what was formerly known as the Tri Nations (officially now called 'The Rugby Tournament'). It has been a long time coming for the Pumas whose inclusion has been the subject of persistent rumours for years. Finally, on 18 August in Cape Town, South Africa - Argentina will have their chance to show the world they could have been included in the competition a lot sooner. It is the biggest shake up of the tournament in its 16 year history and could breath new life into the format which has been criticised for becoming stale in recent times. There are fears that Argentina could become the “Italy” of the Southern Hemisphere (Italy only having won 9 of 65 matches in the Northern Hemisphere 6 nations rugby tournament) although examining their recent world cup performances hints that they are more than capable of an upset. In the 2007 World Cup especially, Argentina finished third with two memorable victories over France including in the Bronze medal match. No doubt Wallabies fans will be relishing the chance to travel to Argentina to watch them take on the Pumas on 6 October in Rosario. Argentina is renowned for its amazing natural attractions such as the Perito Moreno glacier and Iguazu Falls, its cosmopolitan cities and its famous cuisine - most notably mouth-watering steaks and red wine. Chimu Adventures is offering an 8 day rugby package to Argentina , led by Wallaby greats Elton Flatley and Richard Harry, for £3,490 including return flights from the UK. For further details, call or 0207 403 8265 or email UK@chimuadventures.com today. Founded in 2002, Chimu Adventures is an Aussie owned company with offices in Sydney, the Sunshine Coast and London. Chimu specialises in customisable itineraries to Latin America and Antarctic Cruises. Visit Chimuadventures.com for more information.
Michael Hussey never far from scrutiny due to their advancing years. Clarke believes focus on individuals isn't always the best way to go, particularly after a Caribbean tour with few standout performers but a successful end result. "I've said for a long time that the focus is the team having success," Clarke said after Friday's third Test win in Dominica. "You're going to have down times and you're not going to make as many runs as you'd like or take as many wickets as you can but, if you can help contribute to the team's success, then you play a big part in this team." Question marks over the batsmen remain but there's also some concerns with Australia's bowlers too. Young guns Patrick Cummins and James Pattinson will have a home summer
to demonstrate their durability following their recent injury woes while veteran fellow paceman Ryan Harris is important but remains an ongoing fitness concern. At least Clarke feels he has a man for all seasons in Nathan Lyon, who continues to impress in his fledging Test career and has apparently ended Australia's spin cycle since Shane Warne's retirement. "I think we have a wonderful group of fast bowlers. Now the key is to try and get better," Clarke said. "If we can keep all the boys improving, we can compete against any team in the world in any conditions. "It's not just our fast bowlers. You look at Shane Watson, you look at Nathan Lyon, you look at Michael Beer ... I think our squad and our attack continues to improve so that's a really positive sign for us." - AAP
Stoner finally beats Spanish hoodoo IT took his "greatest race ever" but defending MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner has finally conquered the Jerez track to win the Spanish Grand Prix despite a continuing arm muscle problem. The Honda rider had never performed well at the circuit in the past and said he hated racing there. His qualifying effort was only good enough for fifth place on the grid but a few changes to his set-up transformed the bike on race day and put his title defence back on course, getting the better of two local favourites in the process. Yamaha's 2010 world champion Jorge Lorenzo was second on Sunday while Stoner's Honda teammate Dani Pedrosa was third in his 100th premium class race. Lorenzo started from pole and was trying to become the first rider since Valentino Rossi in 2001 to win the first two races of a season and he retained the series lead thanks to winning the opener in Qatar where Stoner finished third. Double world champion Stoner, though, was ecstatic at his victory on a track where his previous best
result was a third placing. "That is the greatest race I've ever done," said the 26-year-old, who extended his run to 17 successive podium finishes. "I had a poor start and the conditions were dodgy at first but the bike was working fantastic. "However, having taken the lead, I felt my arm start to pump and I thought, oh no. "Thankfully, when I saw the two laps to go marker, more blood seemed to flow through my arm and I felt a lot better and strong enough to hold on." The arm weakness cost him probable victory at Qatar as he couldn't operate his bike at full pace in the closing laps, losing the lead. Lorenzo said he had desperately wanted to deliver victory to his home fans. "Sadly, I was not strong enough today and Casey rode a remarkable race," he said.- AAP
AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport
Early Summer Tag Rugby competitions kick off
CAN’T TOUCH THIS: This week Early Summer Tag Rugby kicks off across the capital!
By Phillip Browne THIS week across the capital, Try Tag Rugby’s Early Summer competitions are kicking off! There will surely be some competition for silverware this season with over 20 teams registered for Finsbury Park, 17 at Wandsworth and 14 at Balham. This summer, Try Tag Rugby has more venues and competitions than ever before, right across London and for the first time, in Reading. This means more choice for you to find a convenient league suitable to your standard or experience level! There is still space available for teams and individuals to join leagues starting next week which take place at Acton (Mon), Highbury Ladies (Tues), White City (Wed) & Willesden (Thurs). There are also a handful of spaces available at leagues which will commence this week. Email info@ trytagrugby.com for more information on availability for leagues. Meanwhile, the inaugural Try Tag Rugby Corporate Challenge is set
to take place on Friday afternoon/ evening, 25 May at London’s iconic Regent’s Park. The Corporate Challenge tournament will be a great way to finish off the working week with your company and a fun team building exercise! This event will include pool stage fixtures and then break into four divisions to cater to your team’s playing standard. Already Google, Sky, Yahoo! & PCubed have shown interest in the event. If you would like to get involved in one of the fastest growing sports in London, new team and individual registrations are welcome. This is a great chance to develop a network of friends if you are new to London. To register for a Try Tag Rugby competition, go to www.trytagrugby. com or email info@trytagrugby. com for more details. AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport
10 | Sport
1 - 7 May 2012
A bite in the tail for London's Aussie Demons By Mark McPartland
FOLLOWING on from last year’s preseason international success against Madrid, the Wandsworth Demons Aussie Rules club this year travelled to Berlin to tackle the Berlin Crocodiles. Playing in the shadows of the Berlin Olympic Stadium, both teams came out firing in the first quarter, trading goals till the break. In the second, the Crocs, who fielded a team of 50% Germans, nudged ahead of the 100% Aussie Demons. In the third quarter Dave ‘Bushy’ Parfitt and Big Markham Johnson began to take control of the midfield while new recruit Matt Tucker held firm at Centre Half Back. Goals to Mark Brescacin and Kieran Burton made sure the Demons took a lead into the last. A see-sawing final quarter saw the
lead change a number of times and as the final siren drew nearer the Crocs had more run and stretched their lead to eight points. A last ditch effort from the Dees saw goal sneak Ange DeIacovo pull one back, closing the gap to two points, before time ran out. All was not lost in the competitive stakes for the day however, as back at the local watering hole - the Crocs v Demons boat race took center stage. Undefeated in 11 years were the Crocs (or so the story goes) but this is one event where the practice of the night before, which may have hindered the Dees on the field, was to our advantage, taking their boat race crown in style. Both teams and friends then continued celebrating into the wee hours. The AFL London season kicks off 12
Aussie Rules gets wet and wild By Will Denton EUROPEAN DELIGHTS: The Wandsworth Demons and the Berlin Crocodiles after their AFL match in front of the Berlin Olympic Stadium.
May. The Wandsworth Demons play and train on Clapham Common and anyone interested in playing Aussie Rules can email contact@wandsworthdemons. com or visit: Wandsworthdemons.com AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport
Socceroo stars in the thick of EPL run-in Jelavic carrying the load up forward since his arrival in January. With their clubs sitting comfortably in the top half of the table, Cahill and Schwarzer can almost afford to allow their minds to start drifting towards the off-season. It is not so simple for compatriot Chris Herd at Aston Villa. Villa’s 0-0 draw at West Bromwich Albion means his club remain just three points above the drop zone although with a better goal difference
than the sides below them. Dutch-based Brett Holman, who has signed on to play with Aston Villa next season, will no doubt be keeping an eye on their progress. Meanwhile Socceroos defender Rhys Williams may have played his last match for English Championship club Middlesbrough after they missed out on the promotion playoffs. They lost 2-1 at Watford on the final day and were unable to catch sixthplaced Cardiff City. Williams was subject to a STG6 million ($A9.41 million) bid from
JAMES Magnussen's international rivals are doing little so far to suggest they are any hope of catching the 100m freestyle world champion at the London Olympics. Cesar Cielo, arguably Magnussen's biggest international sprint rival, was the latest to post a 100m time at the Brazilian trials in Rio this weekend. Just two days after clocking a superb 21.38 seconds in the 50m freestyle the fastest 50m time in the world this year - Cielo clocked 48.28 seconds to take out the 100m final. It placed Beijing 100m bronze medallist Cielo fourth in the world
rankings but the swim would have failed to cause any real concern for Magnussen, who remains almost a second ahead of his international rivals. Magnussen clocked a remarkable 47.10 seconds at last month's Australian titles in Adelaide, the fastest 100m swim in a textile suit. His biggest competition is likely to come from vastly-improved teammate James Roberts who clocked 47.63 in Adelaide. No other rival has broken the 48-second mark this year, with Frenchman Yannick Agnel (48.02)
Continued from p12...
EPL side Bolton during the January transfer window. With Bolton in the thick of a relegation dogfight this season, the 23-year-old opted not to push for a change of club. -AAP
Swim rivals can’t get near Magnussen
Unforgettable Australian Olympic moments Beijing 2008: Matthew Mitcham beats the Chinese at their own game Known for their prowess in diving, the Chinese were almost certain of taking a clean sweep of all the gold medals in this sport at the 2008 Beijing Games. We may well doubt whether they were overly worried when the tall, very pale, very blonde figure of Matthew Mitcham stepped up to the board. However, not only did Matthew prove himself a more than worthy competitor by taking the gold in the final round of the 10 metre platform, he also recorded the highest single dive score in Olympic history, drawing four perfect 10 scores on his final dive.
RUBDOWN
THE
and Russians Nikita Lobintsev (48.21) and Danila Izotov (48.27) coming closest. Swimming trials are being held at different times around the world in the lead-up to the Games with the US trials not held until late June. - AAP
AND on the seventh day, God finally got to watch a proper game of Aussie Rules. His expectations were high after lending a hand (literally) to Jarrod Blair of Collingwood, and help him ‘kick’ the last goal of the match to steal the ANZAC clash and force James Hird to politely slam the door a bit harder in the change rooms. It was another classic but unfortunately most of the other games were played with massive flooding or in a massive flood. The Carlton/Freo game was built up by the usual Bruce propaganda but the Blues were as clinical as a German micro surgeon and cut up the Dockers for most of the game. But in true Freo fashion, after doing a pretty damn fine impersonation of a tropical crab migration, they started to play footy for the last 10 minutes of the game only to go down by 8 points. Note to Fremantle FC – big sticks = goals. Geelong and the Lions played a game at the Gabba, which can only be described as ‘Blind, Slip‘n’Slide Underwater Ball Sport’. Apparently
it’s really big in Ukraine. The other wet game was at the MCG and the Saints prevailed over a Melbourne team that people are just starting to feel sorry for now. Hopefully star Dees recruit Mitch Clark will recover from his suicide attempt last week and play against the Cats. Giants lost again, so did the Suns, no surprises there. However come Sunday, Hawthorn were expected to take care of the Swans down in Tassie, but it seems that the Hawkers got ahead of themselves yet again and were steam rolled by an impressive Sydney outfit let beautifully by 300 gamer Adam Goodes. They are one of two teams currently without loss. The other being the Eagles after they fought out a fast and furious encounter with the Tigers, and had it not been for a Jack Riewoldt brain explosion, Richmond would’ve won the game of the year so far. Adelaide showdown XXXII closed off the round and it’s the Crows fans who will be enjoying the taste of free beer this week. Amen. AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport
LONDON BRONCOS
COUNTDOWN TO THE
LONDON OLYMPICS 12 weeks to go
AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport
BRADFORD BULLS AT: Brisbane Road, Leyton Orient FC KO: 2.00PM DATE: Sunday 6th May 2012 For tickets please visit lofcdirect.co.uk/events facebook.com/LondonBroncosRL @LondonBroncosRL
UNTIL 29 TH F RO M 3 0
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AustralianTimes.co.uk
Sport | 11
THE BIGGEST SUMMER EVER
Tag Rugby to fill London (and beyond) like never before P9
AUSSIES BEAT THE KIWIS IN RUGBY'S TWENTY20 EQUIVALENT
n Australia are in ominous form ahead of their huge trip to Britain after trouncing New Zealand in their Sevens
Rugby international in Sydney The Aussies now will look to back-up their sizzling form in Glasgow and London.. AUSTRALIA have thrashed transTasman rivals New Zealand 3519 in their one-off Sevens Rugby international at Sydney's Allianz Stadium on Sunday. With two tournaments left on the World Sevens calendar this year, New Zealand are the No.1 side, with Australia back in sixth place. However, the locals defied their ranking and led from start to finish against the heavyweights of rugby's Twenty20 equivalent, running away with the match five tries to three. A penalty from the first ruck after the kick-off allowed Australia to open their account after just 38 seconds, with Jordan Tuapou producing a big left foot step to cross under the posts. New Zealand hit back shortly after with Jack Wilson showing great speed down the right touchline, but from there it was all one-way traffic for the Australians wearing lime-green. Captain Matt Lucas, brother of Queensland star Ben, scored right before halftime for a 14-7 lead, before former Gold Coast rugby league player Shannon Walker crossed for arguably the try of the match shortly after the break. Despite his enormous potential, Walker's league career never got off the ground, but his brilliant individual effort down the left-hand touch-line where he beat three defenders before evading the fullback with a left-foot step, showed he has a promising future in his new code. An intercept saw Lindsay Crook score next for Australia, and despite two late tries for New Zealand through Joe Webber and Charles Piutau, the home side put the result beyond doubt with a late touch-down to Lewis Holland. The IRB Sevens head to Scotland for a 5-6 May tournament, before the season ending finale in London on 1213 May. A healthy crowd arrived early to see the Sevens international, ahead of the showpiece Super Rugby fixture ...continued on p9
Cahill puts one past mate Schwarzer TIM CAHILL compounded a miserable day for long-time Socceroos teammate Mark Schwarzer by poking a low volley past him as Everton crushed Fulham 4-0 in the English Premier League. After coming on as a second half substitute for Darron Gibson, Cahill latched onto a scooped pass from Steven Pienaar in the 60th minute to round out an impressive Saturday afternoon for the hosts at Goodison Park. Cahill celebrated his third goal of a testing season in customary fashion, pummelling the corner flag. In his eighth season with Everton the 32-year-old Australian remains highly regarded by manager David Moyes but is no longer such a central figure. He has played more in the midfield this campaign than in recent seasons, with striker Nikica
...continued on p10
Biggest challenges loom for Aust cricket
STONER’S GREATEST EVER WIN Casey smashes his Spanish hoodoo | P9
AUSTRALIA'S Test cricket success under skipper Michael Clarke has masked problems that could be exposed by great challenges looming over the next 18 months. The Test side goes into a sixmonth hiatus following a busy nine months, during which they have won nine of the 14 Tests since Clarke took over the captaincy. In that time, Clarke has overseen series wins away from home against Sri Lanka and the West Indies, shared a series on the road with the highly-rated South Africans and crushed India 4-0 during the domestic summer. But lying ahead are probably some of the biggest and toughest assignments Clarke's men could possibly face. ...continued on p9
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