Australian Times weekly newspaper | 12 March 2013

12 - 18 March 2013 Issue: 454

Oxford SPEED exposed RACER

Coffee cult

True story of the yard glass legend

The Aussie influence

Aussie Speedway star on the UK circuit

UK life P5

Food & Wine P8

SPORT P15

42118

ACCOUNTING - £200 IF YOU REFER A FRIEND! 0808 141 2314

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

www.1stcontact.com/mast2

AUSSIE VISA CLAMPDOWN Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison has rejected government claims that businesses are using skilled migrant worker visas as their first choice to fill jobs.

Immigration Minister Brendan O’Connor says businesses should not use the 457 visa program as their first option.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard last week said she was concerned the program was being abused by employers and that Australian workers were missing out on jobs.

Mr O’Connor says the government supports 457 visas to address short-term skills shortages.

“What we don’t accept is that you allow this scheme to undermine employment conditions or allow it to become the first option for employers,” he told ABC Television on Sunday.

But Mr Morrison said all employers had to try to employ Australians first before they could use the 457 program.

“That has always been the system,” he told AAP. “Brendan O’Connor’s straw man arguments is no substitute for sound policy and sound investigation.”

Mr O’Connor said the growth in 457 visa applications had been significantly greater than the total employment growth rate over the past several years.

The information technology (IT) sector had received most 457 visas and wages had been affected, he said.

“We have seen over several years a fall in real wages between five and 12 per cent in those positions held by (IT) applicants,” he said. ...continued on p3

WA sticks with Barnett’s Liberals

IF HE was listening to political commentators and polling before the election, WA Labor leader Mark McGowan knew defeat was coming but he handled the loss with optimism and grace.

The Opposition leader conceded defeat on Saturday night just three hours after polling closed in the state election.

Western Australia resoundingly voted to re-elect the Liberals under Premier Colin Barnett. The Liberals won Saturday’s election with a landslide victory over Labor, which lost several seats.

Mr Barnett no longer needs the Nationals to form government, after what he called a “slight shift in the balance of power”.

However he has delayed any cabinet announcement until after all the votes are counted from the state election.

“I will not make any decision or any overtures about the composition of cabinet until the final result is known,” Mr Barnett told ABC radio.

In his speech to his supporters, Labor leader Mr McGowan said he was proud of the values that were reflected in the party’s policies, which aimed to support West Australians in the regions as well as in the metropolitan suburbs.

“I think we did a good job,” he said.

“We went out there and we were bold in what we stood for. ...continued on p3

THE EXPAT FACTOR

Making it in the UK | P4

WIN

this signed footy!

HOME LOANS FOR BACK HOME. To explore the possibilities contact our London office on 020 7710 3993 or visit www.commbankuk.co.uk/mortgages

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

Stay connected www.commbankuk.co.uk/mortgages Call 020 7710 3993

Applications for finance are subject to credit approval. Full terms and conditions will be included in our Loan Offer. Fees and charges are payable. Commonwealth Bank of Australia ABN 48 123 123 124 is incorporated in Australia with limited liability, registered in England No.BR250 and authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Services Authority. This communication is only directed at persons living within the UK and it must not be acted upon or regarded as being directed to persons outside of the UK.*APRA monthly banking statistics, 2012.

Minimum size 25mm INT0008_HomeLoan_40x200_R3.indd 1

6/08/12 5:08 PM

Grab it on P14

2 | News

12 - 18 March 2013

Australia’s ‘Goldilocks economy’

n This week’s national accounts showed the economy has been

recession-free for 21 continuous years, in the current global climate.

By Colin Brinsden, AAP Economics Correspondent Publisher: Bryce Lowry Editor: Alex Ivett Production/Design: Jackie Lampard News Editor: Paul Bleakley Business Editor: Sepi Roshan Contributors: Catherine Burrell, Tim Martin, Georgia Dawes, Phillip Browne, Michelle McCue, Erin Somerville, George Katralis, Lee Crossley, Jacqui Moroney, Will Fitz-gibbon, Chris Arkadieff, Bronwyn Spencer, Daniel

Shillito, Mat Lyons, Nicole Crowley, Alex Bruce-Smith, Sandra Tahmasby, Tyson Yates, Amber Rose, Jennifer Perkin, James Martin, Josh Reich, Shannon Loves, Charlie Inglefield, Kris Griffiths, AJ Climpson-Stewart, Thomas Jones, Anna Bow, Justin Ng, Richard Powell, Michael McCormick, Alistair Davis 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:

POLITICIANS like to remind us how tough things are, but a report by the British trade union movement suggests otherwise.

Whether or not you are down on your luck, after listening to our pollies going on about cost of living pressures and how hard it is to make things meet, you walk away feeling that much poorer.

It’s little wonder that we have apparently turned into a nation of savers, fearing what dreadful event might be around the next corner.

But a report by the UK’s Trade Union Congress suggests we should get a grip.

It found that Australia’s real wages growth, after taking inflation into account, rose by 6.9 per cent between 2007 and 2011, and right through the monstrous upheaval of the 2008-2009 global financial crisis.

That compares favourably with 5.4 per cent growth in Canada, while pay actually fell 4.5 per cent in the UK during that same period.

Now that really is tough.

And let’s not forgot our most recent official inflation figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics – an annual consumer price index rise of a tame 2.2 per cent, and a cost of living index for employees of a mere 1.1 per cent increase over 2012.

But perhaps consumers are looking at the facts rather than listening to our national representatives.

This week’s retail spending figures showed shoppers had a definite spring in their step at the start of the year, spending a record $21.6 billion in January.

This was a 0.9 per cent increase compared to December, and the biggest monthly rise since June last year.

Such exuberance coincides with more buoyant consumer confidence, which now stands at its highest level in more than two years.

Meanwhile, there was more

Your Say On: Pauline Hanson to run as independent in federal election

Last time when Pauline Hanson was elected to federal parliament she received 23% of the vote and was so popular that she scared the two major parties. She was gaoled on trumped up charges ( aided and abetted by the Media) of which she was finally acquitted.

The government’ sycophants media have continued to character assassinate her ever since. She will get my vote.

Peggy

On: Ted Baillieu resigns as Premier of Victoria

I feel a little sad for Ted, he is one of only a few real gentlemen in politics, probably too nice, but his one big

?

What’s your view

positive news on the broader economy with the national accounts showing a respectable 3.1 per cent expansion during 2012, close to its long-term trend.

While the resource sector remains a key driver of growth for now, with still only glimmers of hope from the non-mining fraternity, at least the economy overall continues to expand, which is always good for the employment outlook.

In fact, the economy has now been recession-free for 21 continuous calendar years, unheard of among other major advanced economies in the current global climate.

It passed this milestone for financial years last June.

Commonwealth Securities chief economist Craig James described it as a “Goldilocks economy” – not too hot, not too cold, in fact just about right.

“Why our good economic circumstances aren’t trumpeted more, defies rational explanation,” Mr James says.

“Inflation is under control, unemployment is low, the economy is growing at a “normal” pace and our government deficit and debt levels are low compared with other advanced nations.”

Give him his due, Treasurer Wayne Swan did his bit talking up the economy during his national accounts media conference, pointing out that Australia is growing more than four times the average of member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

“This is a pretty impressive outcome,” Swan said.

“Over a 30 year period, governments have put in place the sort of policies which have supported our economy, put in place the reforms which have built the prosperity for the future.

But he also spent a lot of the 30-minute conference discussing the comparison of real gross domestic product (GDP) – the usual focus of growth – and nominal GDP, as did shadow treasurer Joe Hockey’s

rebuttal.

In a rare turn of affairs, nominal GDP at an annual rate of just two per cent has now undershot real GDP for the past three quarters, something that hasn’t occurred in 50 years.

The long-term trend for nominal GDP is six to 6.5 per cent.

It explains why company profits are down because the value of our goods and services (nominal) are below that of output (real), which Swan blamed on a high Australian dollar and declining terms of trade.

Hockey, unsurprisingly, just blamed it on government mismanagement.

If your eyes haven’t glazed over already, Finance Minister Penny Wong took up this topic, along with the government’s budget strategy, during a speech in Melbourne.

“Nominal growth is what drives profits across the economy and consequently government revenues,” she said.

“In light of this, the economically responsible course of action is to maintain spending restraint but not continue to cut to offset the revenue writedowns if that would risk employment and growth.”

No doubt we will hear more on this scintillating topic in the run-up to the May 14 budget, if not all the way to the September 14 election.

Explanations of the nominal/ real GDP relationship may be interesting to the pointy heads in our community, but is it really a vote winner?

Perhaps we should just take a leaf out of former British prime minister Harold Macmillan’s book, who said in a 1957 speech: “Let us be frank about it, most of our people have never had it so good.”

It would certainly enliven the economic debate.

mistake was not getting rid of Geoff Shaw months ago. I hope the Libs can now focus on governing Victoria.

of hand sometimes and it is the Police under greatest scrutiny.

Give them due respect as great Australians, doing their job to protect and serve.

R.F

On: Public protest planned against alleged police brutality at Mardi Gras

The calls for Police to have “special Mardi-gras training” is beyond belief! This is what they are trained for. Their job is already hard enough, there are not enough of them, they are severely stressed, they must make split-second decisions in horrible environments! Give them the proper respect. The problem is that the public refuse to respect authority. To classify Police action as homophobic is stupidity and attention seeking nonsense. The Police are given the responsibility of handling a huge number of revellers at many Australian events. Things get out

Get More News

AustralianTimes.co.uk/news

Steve

On: Dollar for pound, Australia’s cities are ludicrously overpriced

I have lived in Melbourne since 1957 and I believe that until just a few years ago it was much cheaper to live here. However, five years ago I went to Europe and realized then just how much more expensive it is for us in Australia. It is not just the higher dollar, we are being ripped off left, right and centre and all for lower quality goods and services.

Rosie

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

News | 3

AustralianTimes.co.uk

McGowan gracious in Labor WA election loss No evidence of visa rorts, says Opposition ...continued from p1

...continued from p1 Mr Morrison said the IT industry was not the dominant industry for 457 visas.

“It barely made the top five,” he said.

He said the healthcare and social assistance sectors were the biggest users of the 457 program over the past five years.

Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Julie Bishop said Ms Gillard had no reason to launch an attack on foreign workers as the system was not being rorted.

“I’m worried that Julia Gillard’s targeting these workers ... as a smokescreen because of her

failings on the border protection front,” Ms Bishop told Network Ten. Mr O’Connor said a ministerial advisory council on skilled migration last year recommended reforms to protect the interests of local workers.

“That is what the government is going to do,” he said.- AAP

Get More News

AustralianTimes.co.uk/news

“I know that we need to provide those basic core services, those basic facilities where people live in an expanding, growing state like Western Australia, and that was the vision we took to the election.

“That was what we wanted to make sure people understood that we stood for and that we strived to achieve in the course of this campaign.

“All of those ideas are ideas that we will pursue into the future.”

Labor had been courageous in putting out its ideas, he said.

“You may have heard of one of them, Metronet,” he said, drawing laughter from the crowd.

“I’m proud of that plan.”

WA Labor’s election campaign revolved around Metronet but it was

UK to introduce plain packaging

By AJ Climpson-Stewart THE UK is planning to follow Australia’s example and introduce plain packaging for cigarette packets later this year says The Guardian.

Proposed legislation would require all branded cigarette packaging to be replaced with identical ‘plain’ packaging carrying health warnings.

In Australia all cigarettes are sold in olive coloured cartons.

Pictures of possible health effects of smoking are featured on one side and the brand name on the other. It is thought plain packaging helps deter young smokers, who are considered the most susceptible to branding and imaging.

According to the Plain Packs Protects campaign, making tobacco packaging look less attractive can increase the effectiveness of health warnings and remove the positive association with cigarette brands and image.

The proposed legislation will also see laws introduced to prohibit people smoking in a car with anyone under the age of 16 present. The new legislation is expected to be announced in May during the Queens speech.

The move follows a recent report which suggested UK health and wellbeing was well below much of the rest of Europe, Australia and the US. The study showed tobacco accounted for 12 per cent of the disease burden, followed by high blood pressure, high body mass, physical inactivity, alcohol and poor diet.

Chief Executive of health charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Deborah Arnott said the Lancet study clearly showed that smoking remains the major preventable cause of premature death in the UK and was the primary reason the UK lagged behind that of

other developed countries in health outcomes.

“The government is to be congratulated for being first in Europe to commit to getting rid of the brightly coloured packs designed to attract children and young people to replace the 100,000 smokers who die each year. This is both justified by the evidence and is popular with the public,” she told Australian Times.

Ministers in the UK believe the ban on branded packaging will help reduce smoking and deter young people from initially taking up the habit. 100,000 people currently die from smoking related illness in Britain every year.

“We are going to follow what they have done in Australia. The evidence suggests it is going to deter young smokers. There is going to be legislation,” a senior Whitehall source told The Guardian.

The UK Department of Health undertook a consultation on plain packaging from March 2011 until August 2012. Research for the department by the University of Stirling found that “plain pack colours have negative connotations, weaken attachment to brands, project a less desirable smoker identity, and expose the reality of smoking”.

Australia’s plain packaging have earned the federal government a nomination from the London Design Museum in its annual Designs of the Year awards.The packaging is nominated in the graphics category for its “anti-design”.

Australia made the move to plain packaging last December. New Zealand is currently trying to introduce similar measures.

Get More News

AustralianTimes.co.uk/news

“To what extent that had a role to play in the state election is very difficult to say,” he said.

Labor MP Paul Papalia, who won his seat of Warnbro, struggled to hide his disappointment, telling reporters that the Liberals were clearly struggling with a lack of talented leaders since they had to appoint controversial MP Troy Buswell as treasurer.

“What we’re going to have is an even bigger pool of people who are incapable of performing at an appropriate level for the state,” he said.

However, the result would suggest the public has no such problem with Mr Buswell or the Liberals.

As the crowd of about 100 Labor supporters drowned their sorrows in food and drinks, Mr McGowan took the time to thank people individually, maintaining an optimistic smile all the way. -AAP

WIN a 5 d n e k e e w n o d n o L

n British

ministers will announce plans to introduce legislation requiring plain packaging for cigarettes. Similar laws enacted in Australia require cigarettes to be sold in plain olive packages and carry graphic images and health warnings.

seen as an ambitious proposal and competed with the Liberal party’s more piecemeal transport plans.

Mr McGowan said the premier was gracious during their “chat” on the phone.

It was a hard fought campaign and hard to win, but they did their best and WA Labor would come back stronger, he said.

Mr McGowan thanked his family for their support and joked that his daughter Amelia, who was already in bed, had been a star in the campaign and would be premier one day.

“She will be the first premier of Western Australia in ponytails I’m sure,” he quipped.

The Labor leader also thanked his staff who he said made him “look good”.

Earlier, deputy leader Roger Cook, who won his seat of Kwinana, admitted there had been some damage to the Labor brand from the federal government.

This week’s deals on Wotif.com: US

A

ES

Marco Polo Beach Resort, Miami including breakfast & WiFi

fr. US

$175pn

P

N

superior

Petit Palace Lealtad Plaza, Madrid including breakfast & WiFi

fr.

€99pn

T AU

L

Hotel Nicolaas Witsen, Amsterdam

Art hotel Vienna

including breakfast & WiFi

including breakfast & WiFi

fr.

€69pn

fr.

€69pn

WIN a five star weekend

at Athenaeum Hotel in Mayfair, London, including a £100 dining voucher to use during your stay.

Go to www.wotif.co.uk to enter.

www.facebook.com/wotif @WotifEurope

4 | Exclusive Interview

New Section From the editor’s desk > alex Ivett

Welcome to our new profile initiative at Australian Times. This weekly profile will recognise and promote the interesting, exciting and innovative achievements of Australians living and working in the UK. We will feature individuals from all sectors and areas of UK life – from business professionals, to entrepreneurs, entertainers, foodies, artists or those simply enjoying a sea change. We want to celebrate the remarkable ways in which Australians are making a valuable contribution to UK society, and share these stories with you.

These features will be both informative and inspirational.

We want to encourage readers, both in the UK and back home, to think outside the box in terms of realising what Aussies are doing in the UK. We want to share the amazing opportunities that might be available to Aussies who are thinking of coming over and those experiencing the exciting expat life.

If you know of an Australian in the UK with an interesting story to share, please let us know at editor@australiantimes.co.uk.

We hope you enjoy this new section and get to know some amazing Australians along the way!

The sky's the limit!

Get the inside track on life in the UK including help with British citizenship exams.

Call Steve on: 07710 692550 or Email: ward.stephen@sky.com

12 - 18 March 2013

the Expat factor

Extraordinary Aussies in the UK has allowed me to reinvent myself as a performer. I felt free to try new things out and push in new and different directions without feeling the (admittedly, self imposed) expectations that existed for me in Australia.

Chloe Angel dreamed of an international career in singing and performing, and has moved to London to pursue these goals. You may have seen her warming up the crowds in Covent Garden.

I’ve now signed with Primadonna Music Artist Management and I’m looking forward to a few local and international gigs, and starting to audition again in a few months.

I first moved to London in February 2011 to pursue my performing career as an Opera Singer. I had always wanted to sing abroad and after working as a classical singer in Macau S.A.R (China) for 11 months, London seemed like the next logical step.

I think every Australian’s experience of the UK is going to be different – it depends on the person. I’m not a drinker or a party person, and my typical weekend in London involves work, and sleep.

But I really enjoy what I do, and don’t ever want to do anything else so I don’t mind. I don’t often get out of London, but I recorded my album in a beautiful little place called Farheath Studios – it had some donkeys and other little animals. If I get stressed I usually just sing it out.

It feels like it’s taken some time - forever - for my career to develop during the time I have been here. A six month part in Opera Up Close’s La Boheme shortly after I arrived kept me singing, and eventually, after about a year in, I started to feel I was building a nice momentum.

I successfully auditioned for a busking spot on the Opera pitch in Covent Garden, which has been an amazing experience.

It involves no heating, no amplification, and quite often people who really aren’t that interested in hearing you sing.

It has taught me a lot about how to draw a crowd and helped me to work on my performance and vocal technique.

The Opera singing world is probably a little more cut throat out here – though I’ve had both lovely experiences and not-solovely ones in auditions both UK and Australia. Really, it’s part and parcel of the entertainment industry. I just try to hold on to the idea that if I’m not right for a particular role it’s because something else is just around the corner and try to keep my head down and not buy into the drama too much.

Chloe Angel Performer/Opera Singer

I have struggled with the anonymity of moving to the UK. I didn’t know anyone in the industry when I first moved here, and I wasted a lot of time trying to figure out what to do and building up the confidence to do it. Hardly anybody knew who I was or had

heard of or seen anything I had done, so they were sometimes reluctant to see me. I don’t think it helped that I hadn’t attended a UK Drama School either.

On the other hand, coming here alone and not knowing anyone

My favourite discovery in London has been the Camden Markets, and it’s the place I go when I feel a bit home sick or emotionally restless. It reminds me of a cross between Newtown in the early noughties, and the Hong Kong night markets.

I do miss the Australian bush.

I’m a mountains girl – so the fresh air, summer rainstorms and animals is what I go back for.

I only planned to come to the UK for the two years the Youth Mobility Visa allows, but here I am at the end of it racing home to renew my visa – and see my mum of course. I don’t feel I’m finished with London yet, and I hope to stay for the foreseeable future.

Interview by Alex Ivett

Survey seeks to understand why Aussies move to London n

A dissertation project currently being undertaken by Madeline Kirby seeks to understand the motivations and make-up of the Australian community in London and the UK. Complete her short survey and we’ll report on the outcome, answering the age old question – why do Aussies come to the UK? WHY am I living here? What has motivated me to leave behind the sun and surf of summer in Australia, and move thousands of kilometres away to a country which is dark, predominantly grey and gloomy? What are my reasons for being here?

These are questions every

Australian living in the UK has at some point asked themselves during their stay. Usually when faced with another day of constant drizzle, or stuck on a bus in traffic on the way to work. They are also questions that a student of the University of the West of England hopes to answer.

Madeline Kirby is currently in her last year of a BA(Hons) Geography Degree undertaking a dissertation research project titled What are the key motivations for Australian migration to the United Kingdom? A London case study.

Madeline is studying the trends of people migrating from Australia to the UK, where migrants are choosing to live in London, and their motivations behind making the move, particularly considering the current economic climate.

“There has been a gap in recent years of data on migration from Australia to the UK, in particular London, and I am attempting to fill this gap with my dissertation,”

says Madeline.

Madeline is hoping to collect accurate primary data on this topic through the use of a short questionnaire survey.

These are important questions and the data collected will provide interesting insights into the spread, makeup and motivations of the Australian community living in London. Australian Times is interested to see the results of this survey, and encourages all its readers to participate to assist Madeline get the most comprehensive and accurate information available.

The survey only takes approximately 2 minutes to

complete, and will be completely anonymous and used only for the purpose of the dissertation.

If you wish to assist Madeline, go to www.surveymonkey.com/s/ AustraliansInLondon.

Australian Times will report on the outcome of Madeline’s research, and maybe we’ll all be able to find an answer to that question – why are we here?

Get More UK Life

AustralianTimes.co.uk/uk-life

UK Life | 5

AustralianTimes.co.uk

the hawke legend

The real story of Bob Hawke’s World Record n

ALP Abroad’s pilgrimage to Oxford has uncovered the true location, and story behind Bob Hawke’s record breaking feat; drinking a yard glass of ale in under 12 seconds.

By Amber Rose Having lived in Oxford for over seven years now, I like to think I know a bit about the place. One of my favourite spots to take visiting expats has always been the Turf Tavern, a quintessentially English boozer with a distinctly Australian claim to fame. Or so I thought.

For many years now, I have believed the Turf Tavern to be the place that Australian living legend Bob Hawke drank a yard glass of ale in under 12 seconds, breaking a Guinness World Record and completing a feat that has become part of the fabric of not only the Labor Party, but Australian history. I’ve even told all of you to visit the Turf to see the chalkboard commemorating Bob’s achievement in a previous article. Well, I thought, it’s in Wikipedia so it must be true.

The search for the Holy Grail

As Tuesday 5 March marked the 30th anniversary of the Hawke government winning power, and the man himself commencing the longest term of a Labor Prime Minister to date, it seems it’s now time to set the record straight. I joined the ALP Abroad pilgrimage to Oxford on their “quest to find the location of the Holy Grail”, the REAL location where Bob completed his beer-conquering feat around 60 years ago.

Sure, it set a world record, but why such interest in this one solitary event in the life of one of Australia’s most influential individuals? An Oxford graduate, a Rhodes Scholar, Reserve Bank board member and president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), Bob himself has suggested that this one single exploit – setting a beer-drinking speed record – may have contributed to his political success more than any other achievement, by endearing him to a voting population with a strong beer culture.

We were lucky enough to have the President of the Oxford University Student’s Union, who also happens to be Australian, lead us on our quest. Our first stop was University College, where Bob studied as a Rhodes Scholar from 1953 to 1956.

Rhodes Scholarships are known as “the world’s most prestigious scholarship”, awarded not only for academic achievement, but also strength of character. Perhaps it is

for this reason that many recipients find political success following their time at Oxford. Other politicians to be awarded the scholarship include former US president Bill Clinton, former WA premier Geoff Gallop, former Deputy Prime Minister and current Australian Ambassador to the US Kim Beazley, as well as current opposition leader Tony Abbott.

CLAPHAM COMMON

SIX NATIONS RUGBY

Round Five

Sat 16 Mar Italy v Ireland Sat 16 Mar Wales v England Sat 16 Mar France v Scotland

14.30 17.00 20.00

Tracing a tradition

So why did Bob do it in the first place? Oxford University is an institution steeped in quaint tradition, and even more so in the 1950’s when Bob was a student.

Students take their evening meal in the dining hall of their college, and are required to attend wearing a gown. Back in Bob’s day, if you turned up not wearing a gown, you were subject to a challenge against the ‘sconce master’ of the college.

“Sconcing” is a tradition unique to Oxford University, which demands a person drink a tankard of alcohol, usually ale, as penance for a breach of etiquette – such as forgetting to wear one’s gown to dinner! The story goes that Bob had to drink the yard of ale from a sconce pot faster than the sconce master, or face buying a round for all present. Being unable to afford to buy the round, Bob had no choice but to beat the sconce master. And beat him he did, setting a world record and carving a place in Australian history at the same time.

“Being unable to afford to buy the round, Bob had no choice but to beat the scone master. And beat him he did.”

So what did this mean for our quest? It meant that despite what Wikipedia or the Turf Tavern may claim, that it was actually in the dining hall of University College that Bob conquered that tankard.

For it would have been a tankard, made of silver or pewter, not a yard glass that Bob drank from that day, making the challenge even harder.

Apparently students are not trusted with these drinking vessels any more, and they are used only for decoration at the college master’s tables from time to time.

Perfecting the party trick

Since that fateful day in Oxford, necking beer has become a bit of a party trick for our Bob. Another famous drinking incident took place in 1972, when he downed another yard of beer in the presence of then Labor leader Gough Whitlam. He has also completed a recap of the feat during the 1990’s, in the very dining hall of University College where it first took place – this time with his own portrait looking down on him, from its pride of place above the fire.

And most recently he knocked back a large lager at the SCG in January 2012, this at the age of 82. The clip has had over a million hits on YouTube, as well as stirring up much patriotic admiration in the hearts of many of us.

Bob Hawke was the Prime Minister of Australia when I was born, which is probably true for many of you reading this. So it’s easy to forget or even take for granted some of Hawkes’ achievements and contributions during his term of Australian Prime Minister from 1983 until 1991. Medicare, outlawing of sexual discrimination in the workplace, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC), protection of the World Heritage listed Kakadu National Park from uranium mining, the proclamation of ‘Advance Australia Fair’ as the national anthem and green and gold as the national colours are just some of the notable legacies of the Hawke government.

Amongst all these achievements was Bob Hawkes’ ability to appeal to the working people, to be somebody they could identify with and believe in, a larrikin, but with intellect and ability. Many people voted for Bob Hawke because they loved him, at times his approval rating was above 70% - compared to today where it seems that people are voting for who they dislike the least, or perceive to be the lesser of two evils. With September’s federal election looming, I’m sure that both Labor and the Liberals would love to capture just some of the same likeability and appeal to voters that Bob Hawke had back in the Eighties.

Drinking a yard glass of ale in under 12 seconds probably won’t do the trick – besides, it’s already been done. However, I’m probably not alone in thinking that our current political leaders could learn a thing or two from Bob Hawke about engaging the Australian public, and most importantly, getting their vote.

EVERY THURSDAY LIMITED SPACES TO BOOK NOW VISIT

VISIT WWW.THEUNDERDOGBAR.CO.UK

Great News!

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

Just scan this QR code or go to

AustralianTimes.co.uk/newspapers

6 | UK Life

12 - 18 March 2013

Cancel the cold n

Add some glue to ya meal

That didn’t make sense, but supplementing an amino acid called glutamine definitely does. Numerous studies have proven the effectiveness of glutamine supplementation on immunity and also muscle repair, so add a teaspoon to your post workout shake and you’ll be firing on all fronts.

With the cold weather set to continue, our fit Aussie gives you his handy hints for staying healthy, and sane, this spring.

Catch ‘em zees Fit Aussie > Michael McCormick

Every day on …

No pain, No gain n

Is weight gain an inevitable part of living in London for an extended period?

This Backpacking wife gets physical in an attempt to prove the “Heathrow Injection” is nothing more than a myth.

As a recent(ish) arrival in London,

Honeymooning I had an awful feeling that the Nomad “Heathrow Injection” had caught up Jacqui Moroney

Is this what dying feels like?

I have a horrendous pain in my side, my chest is heaving, I’m getting dizzy and my face now matches the new trainers I bought last week. They’re pink… and I mean pink.

No I’m not in surgery. I’m at the gym.

I admit it has been a while.

“How long?” asks the class instructor.

Well…

The fact I have to think about it – not a good sign. I have been travelling since May. I had my wedding in April.

I was preparing for my wedding in March…

Is it really a whole year since I last entered a gym?

After 45 minutes of torture I was trying to understand why I even wanted to claw my way back onto the horse. I think I was quite happy where I fell off.

There must have been a reason.

No one would do sit ups, push ups, skipping, squats, lunges, burpees and a number of other ridiculously named exercises for no reason.

Maybe it was that news story about the obesity rate rising. Or perhaps it was when I had to stop to catch my breath after walking up the escalators instead of standing on the right. Or it could have been the doctor I finally registered with informing me that I was slightly overweight. Whatever the reason, I knew it was time.

with me. I had put on a few kilos since I’d left Australia.

But is there any truth behind the “Heathrow Injection”? My slowly increasing muffin top would argue yes, but I still can’t work out why.

As different as they are, I don’t think my English lifestyle is much worse than my Australian one. I don’t have a car in London and I do try and walk most of the time… well, at least when weather permits.

Fresh fruit and veg seem much more wallet friendly here than back home.

I do however, get it delivered to my flat and carted up 3 flights of stairs by the Tesco guy. Alternatively, the dirty grocer across the road has much cheaper fruit and veg, if you don’t mind that it is not as fresh. And I can’t find a McDonalds anywhere near my home or work. There are only pubs, Pret’s and Eat’s, which have to be more healthy, surely?

If I am trying to put the blame somewhere, I am going to do what every good Englishman (or woman) does and talk about the weather. I have high hopes for the arrival of summer and the departure (hopefully) of my muffin top…

But in the meantime, I’m going to channel Olivia Newton John and get physical.

Get More UK Life

AustralianTimes.co.uk/uk-life

Apart from the fact it’s technically spring, you could be forgiven in thinking this has been a particularly long winter. The frosty mornings have definitely begun to take their toll on my mood to the point where one of the girls at work called me the grumpy Aussie. I used to be a very cheerful person London!

The last thing I and, I’m going to go out on a limb here, every other travelling Australian wants, is to get sick. So I feel it is my duty to bestow upon the readers my (somewhat whacky) ways to stave off the curse that is the ‘Brrrrrrrrrritish Bug’.

There are of course the conventional ways of not getting sick when it’s cold - rugging up, getting your vitamin C and drinking hot cocoa by the fire while mum reads you bedtime stories. But then you still get sick. “What the expletive!”, right?

Keeping healthy in this kind of

cold requires you to think outside the square. You know what, don’t even think - let me do the thinking for you.

Here are my top five tips for staying healthy when ‘winter’ (or ‘everyday’ as some Londoner friends of mine call it) hits.

Expose yourself

To the cold that is, not the little old lady in the park. Get your body used to the cold and build your immunity by taking a cold shower every few days, going for winter wonder walks in shorts and a singlet, or just cryogenically freezing yourself. That last option might be slightly more expensive than the other two.

Get massive

The more muscle the better, as, from a science nerd perspective, your muscles require a massive amount of energy to function (upwards of 60% of your total daily calorie expenditure) and hence your body will turn into a fat burning furnace if you add some muscle to your frame. The fat burning is a nice side effect.

Sleep is extremely important for so many bodily functions and building strong immunity is a major one.

Furthermore stimulants that keep you awake such as caffeine have been shown to lower immunity, so probably best to steer clear as much as you can and look to improve your time in dreamland instead.

Get Busy

Now this is actually based on no scientific nor pseudoscientific fact or fiction. It is merely my own theory. I believe that getting sick is in part due to boredom. Now before you call me crazy think about the last time that you were heavily involved with a project, or even just general life matters. Do you recall getting sick?

So there it is fellow A-UK-lians - heed my advice and I promise that if you go Greek island hopping during the summer you will not catch a cold. Actually, that can be the number one tip.

Michael McCormick is a personal trainer based in London and can be contacted at thefitaussie@gmail.com for sessions or advice.

Southbank’s Got Talent n

With Arts in her eyes, our resident adventurer visited one of the most popular and vibrant cultural destinations in London. It is also #66 on the Timeout London Top 100 – the Southbank Centre bron in

the don BRONWYN SPENCER

Located by the river’s edge between Waterloo and London Bridge is the Southbank Centre.

My first, and up until recently, my only visit to the Southbank Centre was a couple of years ago when I saw Australia’s own Angus and Julia Stone perform at the Royal Festival Hall. It was a great gig and the venue really complimented their understated folk essence. I just sat there and chilled out to their music.

This lone experience, though memorable, meant that I only ever thought of the Southbank Centre as a performance venue. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Not only does it stage theatre and music gigs, it also hosts a variety of cultural programs, arts festivals and exhibitions throughout the year.

There is even monthly wine tasting sessions.

One such exhibition is Light Show at the Hayward Gallery. We bought our tickets online for £11. Only upon arriving did we realize our advance purchase was a gift that kept on giving. Saturdays in London are busy, and if you’re looking for some respite, the Southbank Centre is not the place to go. It gets busy. By 10:30am they were already turning people away at the door because the exhibition had sold out.

I was left in the dark about what this exhibit would present. Only

upon entering did I see the light; a beautiful chandelier-like sculpture with lights glittering in lots of different patterns. I was like a moth to a flame. I stood there for about 10 minutes before dragging my eyes into the next exhibit.

The entire light show proved to be fascinating and beautiful, with many memorable pieces of artwork and sculptures.

After spending about an hour and a half in the gallery we walked into the light of day and discovered a fresh food market. While it cannot be compared with Borough Market, for its size it certainly offers a lot.

There were stalls selling hot cider and hot chocolate, tempting on a cold day, but with the £3 pounds of change we had between us, we opted to buy a delicious brownie and fresh bruschetta as a snack.

The light show and market, not to mention the hustle and bustle of the Southbank Centre on a Saturday, may have been a far cry from the peaceful sounds of Angus and Julia Stone, but all-in-all it was a great way to further exploration of this side of the Thames. There is a massive list of what is on in the future – my only problem will be choosing what to go to first.

UK Life | 7

AustralianTimes.co.uk

Embrace the space, or lack thereof

n

Australia was established as a penal colony because there was no space left in the correctional facilities in Britain. Centuries later the lack of space in the UK continues to present challenges, as our Edinburgh Expert is all too aware.

Edinburgh Expat > Tyson Yates

AUSTRALIA has a lot of space.

Britain has less.

I know what you’re thinking – if there was an award for the most unoriginal thought, I’d be runnerup, pipped at the post by America’s version of The Inbetweeners.

When moving to the motherland one’s concept of space is redefined with a mixture of good and bad results. When faced with limited space, you find yourself susceptible to real-estate terminology in an attempt to make the situation bearable. A wee pub with no free seats is not crowded so much as it is “cosy”, and replacing your own car with public transport becomes an “environmentally conscious urban life choice”. Think about the latter, the next time you’re standing on a bus with ten bags of groceries. It helps.

While there are many aspects of UK city life to embrace and enjoy, an abundance of space isn’t one of them. But just as I didn’t move from Australia to Britain in search

of sunshine, I didn’t come here to stretch my limbs.

Living in Edinburgh, like any urban centre, has meant doing away with the luxuries that I have become so accustomed to in Australia, particularly having space. Of course a city centre is always going to be cramped both here and at home.

However, where it is possible to rent an entire house in Brisbane, backyard and all, and still be near the main drag, Edinburgh offers you a shoebox.

Stack one hundred of these bad boys on the same block and you’ve got yourself a beehive. Your kitchen now doubles as your laundry, your bedroom becomes your lounge room, and the ironing board is used as an office, dining table, a freelance shelf, a footrest – basically everything but ironing. Who irons? So small are these spaces that a loud conversation between your immediate neighbours becomes the backing track to your love life. Though to be fair your love life has been the backing track to their breakfast on occasions.

It’s not all bad. Compare the lifestyles on offer in Australia and the UK. While I may have lived close

Arsenal assimilation n

In an attempt to understand the almost religious fevour with which football is followed in our adopted homeland, our sleuth dons the red and white and tries to go incognito at the ‘North London derby’.

SUBCULTURE SLEUTH > PAUL BLEAKLEY

It is well-known fact that Australians love their football. We have multiple professional codes of the game, and it is almost a requirement of citizenship to be a die-hard fan of one team or another from the embryonic stage of life.

That is why what I am about to say next may be a little bit surprising.

When it comes to football, the

Image by quiquemendizabal

English do it better.

I recently made my way up to North London on the day of the Arsenal match against Tottenham. This is what they call the ‘North London derby’, with the rival teams going head to head in a match that is often the trigger for antipathy, malice and hilarious banter.

Acquaintances that are Arsenal fans gave us the hot tip as to which pub near the stadium to go to, and so we traipsed up to the El Comandante bar at lunchtime to watch the match a mere stone’s throw from Emirates Stadium.

Let me make something clear: I

to Brisbane’s city centre, getting to University took twenty minutes by car and an hour by bus. Work was a further twenty minutes away, and the local cinema was a thirty-minute drive from the centre. By Aussie standards this is considered close by.

The two big questions of daily life were how am I going to get there and wont someone be my designated driver? Compare this to Edinburgh, where I walk. Everywhere. Why? Because my new “environmentally conscious urban life choice” enables me to do so.

I suppose what it all comes down to is making the most of the space you are given. It is a message that can be applied to all aspects of life. Take this column for instance. A skilled writer is able to articulate a point in the limited space allocated to their article, whereas a poor writer will run out ohave on occasion written about the chav lifestyle, and I am not at all saying all football fans in England are chavs. Without question, football is an important (almost religious) experience for most. However some of the hooliganism associated with the game is the result of bullish chavs looking to unleash repressed aggression. On the other hand the majority of Arsenal supporters at the El Comandante were ‘proper geezers’ that loved their team and were excited by the Gunners 5-2 victory over their arch-nemesis.

English football fans, chavvy or otherwise, are passionate about their sport. All it takes in the bar is for one exuberant fan to yell the first line of a well-known chant and the entire crowd erupts in song. The chants range from supportive of key players in the Arsenal squad, to slightly more colourful ones expressing their distaste for their Tottenham opponents.

The beers flow after the Arsenal victory and, as happens when too many boys and too much beer is put together, things start to get a bit rowdy. At one point, the lights came on and a bell started ringing.

Confused, I looked around to find the source of the commotion and a chant burst out from the other side of the bar. Fans started pointing at a rather suspicious looking group of men standing by the bar, yelling the question “Are you Tottenham in disguise?” in unison.

The crowd grew louder, as the opposition had been identified in the heart of Arsenal supporter territory.

The men in question made the wise move of leaving the premises rather quickly, and things returned to normal. It was a small insight into the football culture and ‘lad’ attitude that exists in English sport. It can be confrontational to the novice fan, but you can never say it’s boring.

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

8 | Food & Wine

12 - 18 March 2013

Coffee Cult visits

Fleet River Bakery in Holborn

By Alex Ivett

We go way back, Fleet River Bakery and I. Tucked away in a small alley off Kingsway it is a haven of freshly baked smells, creamy lattes and understated rustic charm, that has, by chance, played witness to a number of significant steps in my own personal London story.

It is here in the initial first days of London life I fortified myself with welcome caffeine for an impending interview with a recruitment company nearby. It had been a long few weeks of unemployment, uncertainty, incessant rain and Starbucks coffee, and the discovery of Fleet River with its piles of cheesecakes and paper cupped takeaways was a comforting slice of home.

Subsequent visits coincided with rare sunny days. Employed in an unfulfilling legal job, I sometimes joined the scores of other office workers streaming into nearby Lincolns Inn Fields for a brief respite from a dark office for a dose of Vitamin D and a Fleet River brown takeout lunchbox of fresh quiche and lentil salad.

More life changes, more coffee. A weekend course at the nearby London School of Economics titled ‘How to Be A Journalist’ felt incomplete without a morning spent first back at the bakery burying a rising sense of intrepidation at this next step with baked goods and a bucket of caffeine.

And now, back again. Ostensibly to cast a critical Coffee Cult eye over the whole establishment, but unlikely to be able to separate any assessment from the debt of acknowledgment I owe to its status as dispenser of the black liquid gold at key moments in my London experience.

The Craic The theme is comfort. A moment, a timeout, a break from the hectic weekday pace of life outside. The menu is scribbled on a big blackboard with changing fresh specials on offer daily. The first bench is crowded with pastries, cakes and muffins during early service, and replaced with big bowls of salads, frittatas and seasonal sandwiches at lunch.

The small front room gets crowded quickly with busy office workers and a plethora of bobble-hatted university students milling like Beliebers at Justin Bieber concert, waiting for the appearance of their everyday idol – caffeine. Out the back at least there

Tongue twister

n

From the kitchen of Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s, Chris Arkadieff shows us his unique take on your everyday salad.

chris’s

kitchen

> CHRIS ARKadieff

From the first time I tasted pickled ox tongue I was hooked. With its subtle saltiness and beefy flavours it’s perfect with crisp, bitter leaves such as chicory.

Salted or pickled ox tongue reminds me of salted brisket, or corned silverside. Served cold and shaved

wafer thin this unusual cut of meat is worth trying, whatever your palette.

Both salted and pickled ox tongue can be found at most butchers. This dish is simple to prepare and can be cooked in a large pot of water flavoured with carrot, onion, celery, thyme and cloves. This century old technique is perfect for a cold winters afternoon of slow cooking.

I like to add a handful of pomegranate to the salad. This will add the fruitiness and sweetness needed to lift the saltiness of the pickled ox tongue.

Pickled ox tongue salad with honey and wholegrain mustard dressing is space to sit, but given the largely takeaway nature of the crowd during the week, it’s often largely underutilised.

The Crucials With beans sourced from Monmouth Coffee Company, and aforementioned paper coffee cups, it would be hard to go wrong. Given the hard-earned pounds Coffee Cult has previously exchanged for liquid gold in this place, we feel well qualified to comment both on consistency and quality. Both get the tick.

Similarly, having sampled from both the breakfast and lunch menu, Fleet River always seems to have an impressive array of fresh and simple options, easily transported to dine al-desko in eco-friendly boxes. Dining in this time, it was a quick, easy, filling breakfast of creamy Bircher muesli topped with a deliciously tart berry compote, rounded off with a heartdecorated cappuccino.

The Connection Our sources tell us Fleet River Bakery is Australian. Sources being a helpful waitress, although we could find nothing on the world wide web to confirm. We’re happy to leave it in this state of ambiguity if it means being able to claim Fleet River Bakery as one of our own.

The Conclusion Freshness and quality have proved consistent on all our visits to this hidden hideout in the middle of the bustling city. Alas, our regular love affair is no longer geographically possible, but Fleet River Bakery will always hold a special place in Coffee Cult’s heart.

Fleet River Bakery 71 Lincoln’s Inn Fields City of London, WC2A 3JF

What you need • 1 pickled ox tongue • 1 medium carrot, chopped roughly • 1 small onion, chopped roughly • 2 sticks of celery, chopped roughly • 1 bay leaf • 4 sprigs of thyme • 1 tsp of black peppercorns • 2 cloves • 1 head of white chicory • 1 head of red chicory • 1 pomegranate seeded • 1 small handful of fresh parsley • 1 tsp of honey • 2 tsp of whole grain mustard • 150ml light olive oil • Salt and pepper What to do • Place the ox tongue under running water for 20 minutes to remove and excess salt.

• Add the carrot, onion, celery, thyme, bay leaf, cloves, peppercorns to a pot of water larger enough to hold the tongue and vegetables.

• Bring the pot to a slow rolling boil, add the tongue and allow to gently

braise for 3 hours.

• The tongue is ready when it is easily pieced with a knife.

• Remove the tongue from the stock once cooked and place to the side to cool.

• Once cooled peel off the outer layer of white skin to expose the pickled meat.

• Discard the cooking liquor, as it will be too salty to use in this recipe.

• Separate the chicory leaves and place them in a large mixing bowl.

• Mix the honey, olive oil and whole grain mustard together in a small bowl for the dressing.

• Using a sharp knife, carefully slice thin wafers of the ox tongue and add them to the bowl of chicory leaves.

• Add the parsley leaves, pomegranate and the honey dressing.

• Toss and mix well.

• Add a small amount of pepper and salt if needed.

• Serve on a large platter adding more slices of ox tongue.

Entertainment | 9

AustralianTimes.co.uk

What’s On Olivia Newton-John 13 March @ Royal Albert Hall Tommy Emmanuel 16 March @ Shepherd’s Bush Empire The Jezabels 22 March @Barfly Camden Pam Ann 28-29 March @ Hammersmith Apollo Sarah Blasko 11 April @Barbican Centre Xavier Rudd 24 June @Koko Tame Impala 25 June @ Hammersmith Apollo Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite 16 July @ Shepherd’s Bush Empire Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds 26 - 28 October 2013 Hammersmith Apollo

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

See what we are following this week on

I heart St James Theatre n

Bookmark the ‘What’s On’ page of the St James Theatre, because their list of shows is too long to take in with one glance.

By Thomas Jones When Shakespeare penned ‘all the world’s a stage’ he had probably just Googled ‘theatres in London’.

In a city with so many, it is a remarkable feat, that after only six months, the St James Theatre has managed to distinguish itself from the crowd.

It helps that it is the first theatre complex to be built in Central London in 30 years. The interior, particularly the spiral staircase in the entrance, is very new age.

It also helps that it is not in the heart of the West End, offering audiences the chance to step away from the crowded pavements into a more peaceful neighbourhood. It’s located right alongside Buckingham Palace.

More than the venue or location, it’s the shows themselves which really set the St James Theatre apart. They range from professional productions to smaller variety performances, including cabaret and comedy shows.

I recently saw Australian Alison Jiear perform in a very unique and

intimate space at The St James Theatre called ‘The Studio’. It has all the hallmarks of a classic cabaret venue; comfortable seating, dark wood, dimmed lighting, a bar with table service, and of course set to the tunes of Ella Fitzgerald, Dusty Springfield, Burch Bacharach, and Maria from the Sound of Music.

Well, the latter is a bit random I admit. However as Jiear proved, if you’ve got a great voice and a good ear for jazz you can reinterpret anything, including ‘Favourite Things’, into a beautiful and convincing cabaret tune.

Jiear, who grew up in Brisbane, has had a successful career as a cabaret artist and musical theatre performer in London. Her voice is faultless, and even the hardest songs are a walk in the park. Despite her talent and worldwide success – in 2004 she was nominated for a Lawrence Olivier award – Jiear clearly doesn’t take herself too seriously. The show itself was called Under the Influence.

With a wicked sense of humour, she was an open book as she recounted her childhood, her successes, failures, personal

struggles and her love of music.

The audience, most of whom she seemed to know personally – even if she didn’t, her skill as a performer meant you felt like she did – lapped it all up, particularly, the anecdote about her audition for the West End production of Les Miserables.

The director was prepared to cast her in the role of Fantine, a sufferer of tuberculosis, but only if Jiear lost weight. Six months later and no lighter, she didn’t get the role.

However, in a classic example of coming full circle, last year Jiear performed in the ensemble for the film adaptation of the stage show.

This story then led into a highly

amusing country and western interpretation of ‘I dreamed a dream’.

I would recommend you go and see Alison Jiear for yourself, however her show at The Studio was for a limited season; two nights. This is the great thing about the St James Theatre. They are aware that the amount of talent in this city far outweighs the number of venues.

In an attempt to let audiences experience as much of it as possible, the line up is constantly changing – something new almost every night.

St James Theatre is at 12 Palace Street London, SW1E 5JA. See www.stjamestheatre.co.uk.

Aussie talent reigns supreme in Stoker

n

The Aussie invasion of Hollywood has never been more evident than in Stoker, a Hitchcock style thriller now showing in UK theatres.

By Thomas Jones

Russell Crowe’s UFO Sighting @SupermanTweets It was me, dad… @The_Kanishka It was alien spaceship sent by supreme commander of galactic empire to catch australian fruit bats. Solved! @EmRusciano EVERYTHING about this story makes me happy. RUSTY CROWE saw and filmed what he believes to be, a UFO. SHUT THE GATES. @rgoddes I’m having trouble getting past the fact that there’s something called Woolloomooloo... @job1866 Ive seen these things where I live in NJ. It’s no f&@#ing joke. They are very real. I do believe you @somebadideas you know what’s crazier than UFOs? That you set up a camera to capture fruit bats! @garydbales Streak of the same colours behind the trees in the first and third shots. THEY’RE HERE!

Follow us on Twitter @AustralianTimes

Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman and Jacki Weaver represent three generations of Australian actresses. They also play three of the leading roles in the recently released Stoker.

The film itself is a psychological thriller about a mother and daughter, who, in the midst of mourning the death of their husband/father, become newly acquainted with ‘Uncle Charlie’, the deceased’s brother.

Mia Wasikowska is every part India Stoker, a Dexter like teenager with the disposition of a hunter.

With sharp eyes, she is instinctual, invisible and vigilant as she tries to discover the truth about her uncle.

The actress, born in Canberra, first appeared in the Australian medical drama All Saints. Her star rose to prominence when in 2010 she fell down the rabbit hole in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland.

The youngest of the three Australians, Wasikowska found the experience of working alongside her more seasoned peers “amazing”.

When asked about Nicole Kidman, who plays India’s narcissistic mother, Wasikowska told UK’s Metro: “Being a young actor coming from Australia, she’s the ultimate role model. She really took me under her wing and was really giving of her experiences of growing up in movies.

“Nicole was one of the first people to really transcend or cross over into working internationally, so I would love to do the same thing.”

Nicole Kidman of course needs no introduction. 2013 marks 30 years

since her first film role as Judy in the Australian classic BMX Bandits and ten years since she won the Best Actress Oscar for her performance as Virginia Woolf in The Hours. Critics have praised her performance in Stoker, even suggesting it is her finest work in the last decade.

Rounding out the strong Australian contingent, Jacki Weaver features as Gwendolyn, Charlie’s aunt. Proving that age is no barrier, Weaver has had Hollywood calling in recent years after receiving great acclaim for her chilling performance in Animal Kingdom. She is the master of making audiences feel uncomfortable and her performance in Stoker, though small, is no exception.

The casting? Spot on. The story?

Hitchcockesque. The direction?

Absolutely beautiful. Almost every shot could be a striking photograph in itself. The man behind the lens is the highly acclaimed Park Chan Wood, a South Korean director. His ability to escalate drama through restraint, rather than dialogue or action is highly creative, and will have watchers captivated right from the opening credits.

Stoker is currently screening in UK cinemas.

LONDON O2 SHEPHERDS BUSH EMPIRE TUESDAY 16TH JULY

BUY ONLINE AT TICKETMASTER.CO.UK LIVENATION.CO.UK

A LIVE NATION PRESENTATION IN ASSOCIATION WITH ITB GET UP! THE NEW ALBUM FROM BEN HARPER & CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE OUT NOW

10 | Travel

12 - 18 March 2013

n

Tour the sights or live the life? A tough decision when it comes to a city like Amsterdam. NICOLE CROWLEY tried to find a balance between the two when she travelled to the city where rules are made to be broken.

ST PATRICKS DAY Included: • Return coach from London • City centre hostel accommodation • Breakfast • Pub crawl • City walking tour • Guinness storehouse tour • St Patricks Day parade • Gift bag

£249 MARCH 15-18

RUNNING OF THE BULLS LA TOMATINA Included:

• Camping accommodation • Pickup upon arrival in Pamplona • Regular shuttles to centre of Pamplona • Bull run • Gift bag

JULY 5-8

£139

Included:

FROM

£119

• 4 star hotel accommodation • Breakfast • City walking tour • Bus transfers to festival • Tomato fight • Gift bag

AUGUST 27-29 www.gogombo.com info@gogombo.com

Travel | 11

AustralianTimes.co.uk

TOPDECK 1973

2013

AT I N G 4 0 Y E

Ski Austria

Festivals

in Europe

A

RS

CEL

EBR

4 DAY Queen’s Day Amsterdam

4 DAY Amsterdam Easter

28 April - 1 May 2013

29 March - 1 April 2013

£249

Amsterdam beckons on this amazing value Easter break. Canals, clogs, bikes, world class museums, the Red Light District… and did we mention the nightlife? Don’t let Easter go to waste – spend it with Topdeck in Europe’s party capital!

£199

Join the orange madness of Queen’s Day with the locals and tourists!

There’s no better time to experience all Amsterdam has to offer along with the carnival atmosphere for this unique event.

8 DAY Ski Austria FROM

Dep. 30 March 2013

£399

What’s Included:

Snow bike pub crawl, traditional Austrian Xmas Dinner on Xmas week, PLUS MORE!

Egypt

Favourite Big Tour Operator

ANZAC

Favourite Ski/Winter Operator Favourite Tour Operator in Western Europe

10 DAY Spirit of Egypt Dep. 24 March 2013

NOW

WAS £742

£627

3 DAY ANZAC Western Front

20% OFF

Includes US$270 food fund

23-25 Apr 2013

£319

8 DAY ANZAC Sortie 19-26 Apr 2013

£450

Visits Ypres, Lille, The Somme, Villers-Bretonneux & Amiens.

Visits Istanbul, Bursa, Kusadasi, Ephesus, Pergamon, Bergama, Troy and Gallipoli.

5 DAY ANZAC Patrol

14 DAY ANZAC Expedition

22-26 Apr 2013

£285

Visits Istanbul & Gallipoli.

13-26 Apr 2013

£660

Visits Istanbul, Ankara, Cappadocia, Konya, Antalya, Saklikent Gorge, Fethiye, Pamukkale, Kusadasi, Ephesus, Pergamon, Bergama, Troy and Gallipoli.

19 DAY Ultimate Egypt Dep. 2 April 2013

NOW

WAS £763

£653

20% OFF

Includes US$345 food fund

www.topdeck.travel/times L8291 / Y2992

Call 0845 257 5411 Open 8am-9pm

*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. Egypt trip price includes local payment based on $1 = £0.618, which must be paid locally in USD. For full terms and conditions please visit www.topdeck.travel

12 | Travel

12 - 18 March 2013

Get More Travel

AustralianTimes.co.uk/travel

Professional Life | 13

AustralianTimes.co.uk

All in it together n

Dollar Review

Aussie can expect some relief

Focusing on strengths and synergies, not stereotypes, leads to greater gender diversity By Ruth Laatz-Reineke THE Australian Dollar opened this and better outcomes in the workplace.

> SEPI ROSHAN

ALL OVER the world, more women are graduating from universities. A more educated female population translates into more gender diverse work environments. The economic reality for many families is that women, whether they choose to have children or not, need to work.

There is no evidence that women have fewer aspirations than men to become senior business leaders, or that these aspirations are waning.

Professional women are here to stay, and as they enter every type of workplace, it is imperative we become blind to gender.

Unlike at the end of World War II, there is no longer the expectation that women will hand over their jobs to men. Women are becoming better educated and continuing to fulfill their career potential. The commitment of organisations and government to keeping women in the workforce is based on economic realities, including skill shortages in various industries. The economic importance of women participating in the workforce has been reiterated by the UK’s Business Secretary, Vince Cable, who has publicly urged businesses to employ more women.

The participation of women in all aspects of society is on the rise.

While still not representative of the population split, in the UK, women are becoming more visible in professional life, making up 22% of MPs; 22% of judges and 31% of local councillors. Whether you believe in them or not, quotas seem to be a popular approach to demonstrate a commitment to gender diverse workplaces. By 2015, the UK wants its FTSE 100 companies to have women represent 25% of their boards. The EU has proposed rules that will force larger listed companies to have women represent 40% of their non-executive directors, with harsh penalties for breach. In Australia, the ASX introduced new guidelines requiring companies to establish and report progress against gender diversity policies and targets, in 2011.

Many roles are no longer gender

specific. As we move towards a more knowledge-based economy, the only differences that remain prevalent and cause tension are perceptions and stereotypes about gender. If we take gender out of the equation and start looking at each other as people, we can concentrate on how we can develop synergies and greater returns.

So what can you do?

Learn

Get to know yourself and your team based on identified strengths and challenges, rather than focussing on gender.

Listen

To the development needs and feedback your team is providing about how they define success, preferred work styles and their motivations.

Leverage

Use your learning to the advantage of your organisation by harnessing the talents and strengths identified.

Work collaboratively to develop synergies based on how your individual team members work best.

Women and men work will continue to share offices, factories and shop floors. As our understanding and appreciation of the importance of gender diversity increases, we will continue to see more diverse workplaces. It is up to all of us to become blind to gender in the workplace. Business leaders must continue to support and act on their commitment to gender diversity at work. The bottom line is that both women and men need to work together for the greater good of us all, focussing on our strengths and synergies, rather than our gender.

Exchange rates GBP/AUD: 1.4608 EUR/AUD: 1.2724 USD/AUD: 1.0225 NZD/AUD: 1.2474 07:38 GMT, 11 March 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

Sepi Roshan is Business Editor of Australian Times, and Director of Astute Coaching & Development, helping Professionals become fearless presenters and leaders.

Find out more at www.astutecd.com.

Wealth OFFSHORE Foreign Exchange Law Immigration

Get More Professional life

AustralianTimes.co.uk/jobs-money

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.

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

In association with 44057

an astute aussie in london

week weaker than where we left it on Friday, swapping hands around 1.023.

After a busy seven days of economic releases around the globe, this week will bring some relief to the currency with no major releases scheduled.

Last week, the Aussie took investors by surprise on opening, plummeting on Monday from an opening level of 1.0201 US Dollars to a low of 1.0114, its weakest point since July last year.

Tuesday saw the Aussie gain after figures showed that retail sales for the month of January unexpectedly climbed by 0.9 percent. The positive reading followed three consecutive months of falls. The RBA announced a decision to keep interest rates on hold at 3 percent, reiterating that it has room to cut further if needed.

Wednesday once again saw the Aussie stronger against its US counterpart, reaching its highest level in a week after domestic GDP figures

came in on expected levels. Investors were spurred on following a growth reading which showed Australia’s economy expanded by 0.6 percent in the final quarter of 2012 taking the final year figure to 3 percent.

By Thursday the Aussie opened at 1.0238 against the US Dollar after positive economic releases throughout the US had strengthened the Greenback.

Dropping from an opening level of 1.0267 on Friday the Australian Dollar shed around one third of a US cent late last week with a slight return back into the Greenback also doing little to help the cause of the higher yielding asset. The medium-term range of 1.0150 – 1.0350 shows few signs of being broken, and longerterm continued signs of weakness in China as well as a rebound in the US are likely to weigh on the Aussie.

www.sable-group.com

14 | Sport

12 - 18 March 2013

ASADA investigation likely to last for weeks ...continued from p16

still have the threat of a drugs ban hanging over their heads again hit home.

Interim coach Peter Sharp admitted his players were under enormous mental anguish as they took the field for the Titans contest.

“It’s all emotional and the thing is for us we can’t rely on emotion for the rest of the year and that’s why we want it resolved as soon as possible,” Carney said on Monday.

A quick resolution is unlikely, however, with the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority’s (ASADA) investigation into the club likely to last for another four weeks.

The impact of last week’s dramatic culling of four staff members was still being felt on Monday with the club confirming sacked football manager Darren Mooney had been admitted to hospital suffering stress-related issues.

Pressure is also mounting on club chairman Damian Irvine to step down after he claimed in a report that players had been injected with horse drugs in 2011.

The issues facing the Sharks are being

felt around the NRL with Parramatta superstar Jarryd Hayne saying he was sickened by the doping crisis.

“As another player, I feel sick just watching it,” Hayne said on Monday.

“For them (Cronulla), I hope it gets sorted out as soon as possible.

“I recorded the game .. and for the fans to march and really support the area, I think it’s just great for rugby league and for the shire area.

“For the fans to really stick strong and stick solid is a good thing.”

Hayne said he was confident the club and the players would overcome the saga.

“Everyone just wants this knocked on the head so we can play football and do what we do best,” Hayne said.

“I’m sure they have the right people around them and they will get over this.”

By Steve Jancetic and James MacSmith

Get More Sport

AustralianTimes.co.uk/sport

This could be yours!

...continued from p16 three position.

Arthur said it was one of the toughest decisions he has had to make, but it was about creating the right team culture.

“The teams that are the best in the world have best the attitude, best behaviour patterns and a good hard ruthless culture.”

However the move drew instant condemnation from some quarters, criticised as a ‘harsh measure’ which could have immeasurable ramifications.

Former Test batsman Mark Waugh said he was stunned.

“I just want to know what would

“Hard ruthless culture” needed in Australian cricket, says coach have happened if eight of the guys hadn’t filled in the form, we wouldn’t have a team for the game.

“I’ve never heard of this sort of thing before at top level in any sport.

“When you are losing there are niggling things there but they’re grown men, it’s not school boy stuff. It’s not under sixes, this is Test cricket... there would have been a

better way.”

“Adults we are, not schoolboys!” blasted Bulls coach Darren Lehmann on Twitter.

While Dean Jones tweeted, “I feel it is deeper than it appears. Aust are in trouble!!”

Australia are set to take on India in the third Test in Mohali on Thursday, looking to recover from devastating

We’re taking a stand, say Reds leaders ...continued from p16

following an altercation between Ioane’s older brother and another patron in a Prahran hotel on Saturday afternoon.

But the Queensland Rugby Union have been quick to act and send a strong message ahead of any police findings after being unhappy with a continued slip in standards expected at Ballymore.

“We’re taking a stand at this point in time that this type of behaviour is not what we’re about,” said Reds director of coaching Ewen McKenzie.

“This isn’t just a message to Digby but to all our players about what we think is acceptable and what isn’t.

“It’s irrelevant of what’s going in terms of the police investigation.

It’s how we want to be seen in the rugby community and how our young players see our senior players.”

The pub incident took place the

same day Reds teammate Quade Cooper posted a picture of him, Ioane, James O’Connor and Kurtley Beale as well as Hawthorn star Lance Franklin and other bare-chested men in gangster-style poses in a spa on a Melbourne rooftop.

QRU chief executive Jim Carmichael and McKenzie were both unhappy about how it represented their code.

A role model for other young Polynesians at the Reds, Ioane’s been guilty of letting his behaviour lapse before the weekend, and has persisted in playing a mug lair in public.

“There’s been bits of things over the years and there’s always a cumulative impact,” McKenzie admitted when asked whether the 27-year-old had been guilty of other misdeeds. “But it’s subtle things and we know how we want to be perceived.

“Our culture is very important to us.

“Sport is about culture as much as anything.

“There’s been lots of things over time, and lots of players, and we’ve

got to this point in time that enough’s enough.

“We’ve taken a stand ... and this type of stuff has to stop.”

Queensland normally have ample depth in their outside back division to replace the tackle-shedding Ioane against the Force but they’re also missing another Wallabies flyer Dom Shipperley, who injured his back in the 23-13 win over the Melbourne Rebels, as well as Rod Davies (hamstring).

Teenager Chris Feauai-Sautia and one-cap Wallaby Luke Morahan, dropped from the 22 to play the Rebels, are now set to start on the wings.

In good news for the Reds, Wallabies halfback Will Genia will make his long-awaited return from a knee reconstruction on Saturday night and captain James Horwill (ankle) is on track to play the following week against the Bulls.

By Jim Morton

Tyres upset F1 progress, says Vettel

To launch the upcoming Easter Series matches in London and Copenhagen, AFL Europe and Australian Times are giving away a signed Sherrin game ball from last year’s Western Bulldogs vs Port Adelaide match at the Oval.

The ball has been signed by the coaches and captains of both teams on the day - Hamish Hartlett and Shaun Higgins.

To grab your tickets to the big Australia vs Europe match in Guildford on 6 April, go to: afleasterseries. eventbrite.co.uk We hope to see you there supporting the future stars of the AFL and our European challengers including the best of the GAA.

WIN

footy! this signed

To enter now, go to

AustralianTimes/win.co.uk

DRIVERS, led by triple Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel, have been frustrated by the Pirelli rubber, which has played havoc with some teams’ preparations ahead of this week’s Melbourne Grand Prix.

Mercedes, based on testing times in Spain, have emerged as an unlikely frontrunner while the traditional pacesetters have been left working overtime before Sunday’s F1 seasonopener.

Vettel said the problems with the tyres meant Red Bull could not uncover where improvement was needed.

“It is extremely difficult to pinpoint any exact area we are not satisfied with because the tyres are not consistent enough,” Vettel said in Barcelona.

“We need to have a good look at the data to have a better understanding of the data between now and Melbourne to have a better understanding of what to expect in Australia and the first few races of the season.”

Red Bull topped only one of the practice sessions but Vettel dismissed the time charts as irrelevant.

While he and teammate Mark Webber managed only 158 laps between them on the final weekend, Mercedes, now with former world champion Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, took data from 248 laps.

“We would love to have had the opportunity to work more on the setup and read the changes but the tyres were not very consistent so I think everyone was struggling with that,” Vettel said.

However, he said the puzzling

LEADER OF THE PACK: Sebastian Vettel embarks on his quest for four straight world titles this weekend in Melbourne. (AAP Image/Joe Castro) characteristics of the tyres, which would wear dramatically at times and last longer during other runs, meant Red Bull was not the only team left with just a few days to find an edge.

While pre-season test times are notoriously unreliable because teams all have different agendas, Vettel said this past session had been the most unreliable he had ever experienced.

“I would say that we never had a winter that was less conclusive than this one,” he said.

“The tyres last more or less, depending on how much temperature you are able to create, so I think it is impossible for all of us to read the pace of the cars and to make out any

favourites.

“I think we all have been limited by what the tyres can do. It was extremely difficult to read some setup changes and find a direction with the car as the tyres were simply not good enough.”

Despite time closing in, the 25-year-old German is still confident his engineers can produce a highly competitive car again.

“I think the target is there to really improve the car by a lot...but for now it’s to understand a little bit more with the new parts and find the right direction,” he said.

By Robert Grant in Melbourne

Sport | 15

AustralianTimes.co.uk

A tag team by any other name

By Alistair Davis One of the beauties of playing a social sport like Tag Rugby is the freedom to name your team. With nearly 700 teams having taken part in a Try Tag Rugby league or event over the last four years, it’s time to celebrate the ten cleverest team names.

10. God Loves a Tagger These mainstays of the Wandsworth mixed league always seem to get the bounce of the ball!

9. How I Tagged Your Mother Closely followed by Your Mum, recently reformed and on the lookout for mums to join their team at Bermondsey.

8. Fifty Shades of Tag Romantic, liberating and not a bad team. Just took out the Borough winter mixed league division two title.

7. Ref’s Nuts Born from a merger of North-west London super team Ref’s Fault and

Finsbury Park’s Nuts & Jugs 6. All alcohol inspired team names The original was Balham’s Scrum and Coke, next came the twice as potent Double Scrum & Coke, who have developed a fierce rivalry at Rotherhithe with Tagquila Shots. Lastly, we can’t forget Finsbury Park’s TägerBomb.

5. No Woman No Try Regulars at Southfields, inspired by Bob Marley and the rules of mixed Tag Rugby, where female tries are worth double. Recently recycled by an all ladies’ team at Highbury.

4. Tagnam Style Can be seen pulling some great moves in Barnes.

3. Al – Tryeda Osama Bin Laden in Tag shorts. Enough said.

2. Phill Browne Tagged us inappropriately Around the time when the Jimmy Saville story broke in 2012, a similar scandal was breaking at Try Tag Rugby

Special guest players join Al – Tryeda

HQ, with the name a light-hearted nod to the tagging skills of Try Tag Rugby CEO Phill Browne.

1. Tagliatelle When an un-named team of Italians registered for the summer 2010 Finsbury Park league, it didn’t take long to come up this highly appropriate name.

Try Tag Rugby is on the lookout for clever team names to use in 2013. If you’ve got any suggestions, please email info@trytagrugby.com. To get involved in a Try Tag Rugby league or event visit www.trytagrugby.com.

World champ wobbles at Quiksilver Pro ...continued from p16

Slater pulled out an amazing fourthround heat, scoring a nine and a 9.27 to post a near-perfect 18.27 out of 20 to move into the last eight at the expense of Australian pair Bede Durbidge and Matt Wilkinson.

The 41-year-old American also dismissed claims by Parkinson that he was the man with the target on his back as the greatest surfer of all time.

“The target’s on Joel,” said the 11-times world champion.

“He’s the world champ. He beat us all last year.

“He can point the finger at whoever he wants but we’re all trying to catch Joel now.”

Looming as Slater’s potential semi-final opponent is two-time world champion and Snapper Rocks local Fanning.

The 31-year-old has hardly looked flustered in his three appearances so far in the tournament and eased into the last eight by beating American Brett Simpson and South Africa’s Travis Logie.

“Everything’s feeling really good,” Fanning said.

“My boards feel good. My body feels good and it was good to get that nerve-wracking one out of the way in the morning.

“Go home and relax tonight and get ready for the next couple of days or one day, whatever we do.”

Tuesday’s action begins with the elimination fifth-round heats with Parkinson set to face his fourth-round conqueror Wilson in the quarters if he can overcome Melling.

The Queenslander is ready to take on the world No.1 with confidence

RUGBY LEAGUE ON YOUR DOORSTEP

however after his win on Monday.

“It feels good to beat him,” Wilson said.

“He beat me here last year through local knowledge and obviously his ability but it definitely helps to get a win on him at this stage of the event.”

Officials will look to run the fifth round and quarter-finals on Tuesday before deciding whether to complete the competition at Snapper Rocks or make a switch to Kirra for the semis and final.

“If it’s big Kirra, great, let’s do it,” Fanning said.

“It’s no use going down there how we went the other day. It was small and hard to ride and I think the fans would rather see people doing big turns rather than trying to sneak in and out of little closeouts.”

roncos

eB #Backth

v HULL FC Saturday March 23rd, kick-off 3:00pm at the Twickenham Stoop, TW2 7SX londonbroncosrl.com

By Ed Jackson

Speedway Success

@LondonBroncosRL facebook.com/LondonBroncosRL

n

INTERVIEW | Forget county cricket, make way for Speedway.

AJ CLIMPSON-STEWART talks to Aussie Speedway star Cameron Woodward about the appeal of the UK circuit.

MOTORBIKES themselves come with an inherent sense of danger, but when you take away brakes and gears – the essential components used in stopping – you really are asking for trouble.

However, for Australian rider Cameron Woodward, the drive to win overrides these fears, the same fears that keep most of us well clear of a motorbike let alone a race track.

For Cameron, this is the appeal of Speedway and it has led him, and a number of other Aussies, to regularly travel to the UK to compete in the highly competitive UK Speedway competition.

“Speedway is raced on an oval dirt circuit in stadiums. Each race has four competitors. Races consist of four laps with the average track being around

300m plus,” explains Cameron to Australian Times. “[It involves] really close elbow to elbow action, short races that are run and won in about 1 minute.”

Speedway racing is not for your everyday average motorbike rider. The catch is you have no breaks, no gears and are sitting on an alcohol fuelled machine that matches an F1 for initial acceleration.

To make it around the bends of the track and control the bikes speed – essentially stop it going at 100km into the wall – riders have to put the bike into a controlled slide, using a combination of their leg and acceleration to survive the corner.

Cameron has now been racing in the UK for ten years, and has been captain of the Eastbourne Eagles since 2010.

The Eastbourne Eagles are a British speedway team who compete in the British Elite League.

The UK scene suits Cameron, as the professionalism of the UK circuit allows him to follow his passion full-time.

“We are able to race as professionals here, as the money is better and the meetings are far more frequent. So I prefer here. I’m a plumber when I’m home. ”

Cameron spends only three months of the year back in Australia and feels the UK is now his permanent base.

“At the moment I live here for nine months of the year, pay tax and have a great friendship base.”

Having come to the sport at the early age of 12, Cameron has now clocked up years of experience since he first started riding in Mildura, Victoria. Cameron competes in Speedway and Longtrack - an individual form of the sport - in the UK, Poland, Germany, France, Holland, Finland, Norway and Italy.

This year Cameron hopes to win the World Longtrack Championship, as well as the Speedway World Cup with Australia, and to further his success with the Eagles.

“I have spent all my money on great bikes and surrounded myself with the best people. Everything is crossed for a great season.”

Cameron will compete throughout the UK this year with Eastbourne as part of the Sky Sports Elite League.

If you want to check out this fast-paced adrenaline fueled sport for yourself, see www.eastbourneeagles.co to find out where and when the Eastbourne Eagles are racing.

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.

NAME THAT TAG

Top ten Try Tag team names P15

n

Aussie team in meltdown ahead of third Test against India. Four players axed by coach Mickey Arthur for discipline with Shane Watson leaving the tour to head home.

CRICKET IN CRISIS

By AJ Climpson-Stewart

AUSTRALIA will go into the third cricket Test against India without four key players who were sensationally dumped on Monday.

Vice-captain Shane Watson, bowlers James Pattinson and Mitchell Johnson plus young batsmen Usman Khawaja were all told they will not be considered for selection in Thursday’s Test following their failure to complete

a team task requested by Australian coach Mickey Arthur.

A defiant Arthur said the decision was a “line in the sand” move to promote the right team attitude.

Players had been asked to give Arthur an individual presentation explaining how they and the team could improve their performances over the next two tests following Australia’s humiliating 2-0 defeat in Hyderabad.

The four players missed the

Saturday deadline and now have been ditched by Captain Michael Clarke and Arthur for the Test in Mohali.

“We have given the players a huge amount of latitude to get attitude and culture right,” Arthur said in a press conference.

“We believe that those behaviours were not consistent with what we want to do with this team.”

It is a bold move by the Australian team management in an Ashes year,

giving selectors just 13 players to pick from for the starting 11.

The decision leaves the struggling Aussies without the experience of Watson or the firepower of arguably their best bowler of the tour so far in Pattinson.

The tourists will also now have to stick with out of form batsmen Phil Hughes, who was likely to be replaced by Khawaja for the number ...continued on p14

ALL TYRED UP!

Unpredictable tyres have emerged as the wildcard which could shake up the grid at this week’s Australian Grand Prix | P14

Drugs ban threat spooking Sharks CRONULLA five-eighth Todd Carney says the Sharks need the drugs crisis engulfing the club resolved as soon as possible, admitting the side can’t play on emotion all season.

The Sharks put the most dramatic week in the NRL club’s history to one side as they beat Gold Coast 12-10 at Sharks Stadium in an emotion-charged performance on Sunday night.

But as the squad gathered for Monday’s recovery session, the reality that as many as 14 players ...continued on p14

Reds axe Ioane for bad behaviour PAST misdemeanours have come back to haunt Digby Ioane as the Queensland Reds on Monday sought to improve a flagging team culture by axing the Wallabies winger for one match.

Despite being the Reds’ second best player this season, behind flanker Liam Gill, Ioane has been stood down for Saturday night’s Super Rugby clash with the Western Force following an incident in a Melbourne hotel on the weekend.

Victorian police are still investigating an alleged assault

...continued on p14

Parko faces sudden-death

AS defending world surfing champion Joel Parkinson faltered, his main rivals took full advantage at the season-opening event on the Gold Coast.

Parkinson was beaten on Monday for the second time in four outings at this year’s Quiksilver Pro to leave him facing a sudden-death fifth-round heat against Adam Melling at Snapper Rocks.

But while the 31-year-old was being eclipsed by compatriot Julian Wilson in the fourth-round, rivals Kelly Slater and Mick Fanning had no such problems as they booked quarter-final spots.

SMOKIN’: Mark Webber lights them up in his new Red Bull at the Top Gear Festival in Sydney on Saturday. (AAP Image/Edge Photographics, Mark Horsburgh)

...continued on p15