Cinema

Vol 16 September 15th 2017 Vol 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018

One of the rare pleasures of the pandemic has been the chance to get to know the National Capital’s hidden delights, especially the nature walks and picnic spots. Last weekend at one of the Vol 16 September 15th 2017 Vol 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 best – Dairy Farmer’s Hill in the Arboretum – came a revelation: It’s time to vote the Andrew Barr Labor Government out of office. The Hill commands the most delightful view of Canberra, bar none. On this day, the Lake was a shimmering wonder from the foreshore of Yarralumla, across the wide reaches past Morrison’s folly, the Queen Elizabeth II islet, under the bridges Commonwealth and King, and away to the Molonglo with the midday sun flashing off the Aluminium triangle above Parliament House. From this angle and at this height, it’s a scene that would make Walter Burley and Marion Griffin weep with joy. But when you work your way around the lookout, the sudden reality of the Barr Government’s vision of the Capital’s future glares back at you. Everywhere you look you see the mad expansion designed for his Canberra of endless growth as he calls for a huge increase in immigration. And though his foolish obsession with the tramline of 19th century technology, is hidden behind Black Mountain, its raison d’etre, of catering for endless suburban development, is everywhere you look. New suburbs named Whitlam and Throsby (discoverer of the Limestone Plains) and Taylor (who knows?) are being torn out of the landscape, all designed for McMansions to house the migrant influx. It’s this pathetic attachment to ‘growth’ as the economic miracle-maker that Barr is using to destroy the quality of life that made living here such a pleasure, and that delighted visitors on their journeys to the cultural heart of the nation with free access to the National Gallery and the solemn memorial to the servicemen and women who gave their lives in the horrors of war. That’s the way it was when Barr took over from Chief Ministers Jon Stanhope and Katy Gallagher in 2014. It was Stanhope who sponsored the magnificent Arboretum – against much opposition – that is now Canberra’s crowning glory. And it was Katy who carried her Labor convictions into the Senate where time and again she has exposed the profligacies and incompetence of Morrison Government ministers. But Barr, alas, is a convert to the neo-liberalism that uses massive increases in rates, parking fees and stamp duties to finance his tramlines when electric buses made much more sense then, and especially now when public servants are working from home. And it’s Barr, timid as a mouse, when the Feds are turning the War Memorial into a sideshow of weaponry, normalizing if not promoting the obscenity of war. He’s even set forth to buy New South Wales land beyond the ACT boundaries to feed the developmental frenzy. The result, already, is overcrowded roads, complaints of suburban potholes and overgrowth of the undergrowth in many of those nature walks and picnic places that provided us with relief from the confines of home in the seemingly endless battle against Covid. Labor has been in office, mostly with Green Party support, for two decades and that alone should be enough to demand a change of government. Indeed, these days the Greens leader Shane Rattenbury had been totally subsumed into the Barr-becue, a mere sausage among the Labor chops. And since none of them are obvious chef material, and the Libs are split between right and extreme right, perhaps it’s time for a local version of the Rise of the Independents to step up to the Barr. robert@robertmacklin.com

Reading—A beer with Baz A modern day remix of Helen Reddy’s ‘I am Woman’ had a few of the old blokes in the pub tut-tu ng. Bazza chewed on the end of his pencil and hovered over his allocated page, as the pub trivia announcer moved onto the next ques on;

Vol 16 September 15th 2017 Vol 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018

“Single word, noun….. not deterred by danger or pain; brave.” Bazza rubbed his chin but was interrupted by a red faced Mick who immediately unloaded the schooners. “Bloody hell Bazza, who the bloody hell does Grace Tame think she is? Her behaviour with Sco Mo before Australia Day was disgraceful. I mean fair dinkum, she is supposed to be Australian of the Year. I have it on good authority that Jen and the girls were baking scones un l midnight for the morning tea and the man himself knocked up a chicken curry fresh from his homemade chicken coop.” Bazza looked beyond Mick to the announcer, scratched his head and mouthed a few words. “And Bazza, she shows up, not wearing a summer frock and pre y much ignores our Prime Minister. I tell you, if we are going to reward this kind of young woman with an award like Australian of the Year, it’s a piss poor example for today’s youth. She is showing a li le bit too much……..” “COURAGE” Bazza said loudly and scrawled down the word. Mick shook his head and took a long drink as the pub trivia announcer grabbed the microphone again. “Ok ladies and gentlemen…… last ques on…..A phrasal verb……two meanings ‘con nue an ac on or task to its conclusion’ or ‘con nue the movement of a stroke a er the ball has been struck.” Bazza tapped the pencil on his forehead to the beat of ‘I Am Woman’. “Now Bazza, Sco Mo has been open to all sorts of consulta ons and I’ve lost count of the inquiries and commi ees. On top of that, Jen and the girls keep him on track with all the issues that Grace Tame has raised. I reckon she must expect him to………” “Ahhhh….. ‘FOLLOW THROUGH’, Mick. The answer is ‘FOLLOW THROUGH’. I reckon I’ve won this quiz.” Bazza waved his piece of paper above his head and the announcer confirmed his win. They both took a good drink. “So where are we up to, Mick?” “I’ve been talking about Grace bloody Tame, Bazza. What’s your view?” “Ah right…… well I reckon her parents were spot on with her given name and …… her last name is more than a tad ironic.”

Have a beer with Baz at john.longhurst59@gmail.com

PIGEON MATCH. – An old sport in this district will be resuscitated at Mogo on Saturday, 11th, Feb. when a pigeon shoo ng match will be held. On the same day a £7 Sheffield Handicap and numerous other events will Vol 16 September 15th 2017 Vol 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 take place. BERGALIA FACTORY. – The ordinary general mee ng of the Bergalia Co-op. Dairy Co. will be held on 15th prox., when the shareholders will be called upon to elect two directors in place of Messrs. H. Bown and W. Clarke, both of whom are eligible for re-elec on. The balance sheet, just out of the printer’s hands, shows that from 18th October, 1920, to 8th October, 1921, 842,561 lbs. of milk were treated at this factory, producing 79,455 lbs. of cheese, which realized £4452 6s 9d, and which cost £372 8s 5d for manipula on. BURGLARY. – By cu ng the wire of the large meat safe under the willow tree on Wednesday night or Tuesday morning, someone gained an entrance into the office of Mr. M. Kea ng’s butcher’s shop. When Mr. W. Ryan went to work in the early morning he found that the main doors had been unbolted from the inside, and all the papers and books which had been on the desk strewn about on the floor. For his exer ons the intruder was rewarded with the princely sum of a half-penny, the only coin of the realm on the premises. Money was undoubtedly the object of the visit, as the meat in the shop was le untouched. PERSONAL AND OTHERWISE. - Mr. Godfred Hanscon, the capable film operator at the Amusu Theatre, was, it is reported, married in Sydney this week to Miss Alice Cowdroy, of Mantle Hill, Moruya. We wish the young couple every prosperity and happiness. MOGO (From Our Correspondent). – I regret to have to again report misfortune. Mr. G. Veitch Snr., while working in the mill he fell and broke a rib. However, under the skillful and courteous treatment of Dr. Cutler, he is doing well. Mr. Vero Veitch, son of Mr. J. G. Veitch, has contracted pneumonia in a serious form. Dr. Cutler is in a endance and everything is being done to fight the dread malady. OBITUARY. – It is with feelings of deep regret and sorrow that we have to report the sudden death of Mr. Phillip J. Coman, of “The Lodge,” Eurobodalla. … Dr. Quilter was summoned, but death took place, very shortly a er the Doctor’s arrival, from heart failure. Mr. Coman was born at Bumbo [1855] and was the 5th son of the late Mr. and Mrs. William Coman, highly respected residents of Eurobodalla, he was educated at St. Stanislaus’ College, Bathurst, and a er finishing his educa on, he accompanied his brothers on a memorable trip to Queensland where a lake which was discovered by the Coman brothers was named Lake Phillip a er the deceased. … He leaves three brothers, John (Bemboka), James (Narooma), and Denis (Queensland), and four sisters, Misses Kate, Mary, Alicia and Ellen (The Lodge, Eurobodalla. R.I.P. Extracted from the Moruya Examiner by the Moruya and District Historical Society Inc. h ps://www.mdhs.org.au

The Kings Highway remains a killer The Beagle Editor, I’m reading a lot of commentary about the recent increase in car crashes along the Kings Highway, and Vol 16 September 15th 2017 Vol 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018 everyone’s opinion. The Police, who are the ones keeping the data, provide the five main reasons for fatali es and injuries on our roads: 1. Driver distrac on (mobile phones etc) 2. Driver fa gue 3. Drivers under the influence 4. Drivers speeding 5. Not wearing seatbelts 2. Those are the top five reasons for fatali es and serious injuries on our roads. Not the road, not the trees next to the road and not people driving under the speed limit. Yes our numbers of fatali es are declining, but I personally believe that’s because the safety of our vehicles is becoming be er. While fatali es are declining, serious injuries s ll con nue. Any car travelling higher than 60km in a crash is considered a high speed crash. So even travelling at the sign posted limit, speed can s ll impact you. It doesn’t ma er how great a driver you, you share the road with people who do the wrong thing. Their ac ons will impact you. I’ve been hit by a drug driver. She was high on ICE and was sentenced to five years in prison, three years non-parole. She has since been released on parole. We survived because we had our seatbelts on, our car was reasonably modern and had access to quick recovery and medical interven on. We were travelling at 100km/hr, the speed limit. Imagine the difference if we were travelling at 110? The physical and psychological trauma she caused hasn’t stopped. My son was 13 at the me. He has spent the past four years recovering from five surgeries in physio, hydrotherapy and countless hours in the gym and therapy. He is s ll working to recover everything she took away from him. He was a promising footballer at the me. It was taken away from him. While he works to get back to where he was, I work with Canberra Health Services to help minimise risk taking behaviour in youth via their PARTY Program. I engage with media and have supported blood dona on and policing/road safety campaigns. I donate blood products despite the significant psychological and physical distress it causes my body. The volume of crap we have to endure post crash with the insurance company is something I never wish upon anyone. They forget we didn’t ask to be in that crash and we’d give anything to go back in me and be at home that day.

I can s ll taste, smell, feel, see and hear everything about that day. The words of the retrieval doctor telling me I can’t go in the helicopter with my son. The feel of the seatbelt restric ng my movement. The sound of my shirt being cut off. The sound of my door being cut off. The heat of the day. The sound of being told to close my eyes. The smell of the ambulance. The sight of my mo onless son.

The other things I won’t forget is the trauma nurse and doctor trying to tell me what’s happening with my son. The tears on the fire and rescue team when they saw my son alive. They student nurse who comforted my son before emergency services arrived. My son’s surgeon calling the opera ng theatre upgrading the urgency of his final surgery. The smell of my son in hospital. Our cars and roads are major weapons and need to be treated that way. Be safe on the road. I’d rather you arrived 30 minutes late than not at all.

I beg everyone to please respect the weapon you’re in, respect other road users. Drive to survive. Not all of us have a right to a driver license. But we all have a right to use the roads free from harm TJ Campagna Recovery

Vol 16 September 15th 2017 Vol 28 December 7th, 2017 Vol 48 April 27th 2018