Reading ……………………..32 to Food………………………… o

One of the key messages that Mullins makes in his book is that the bushfire seasons of the northern and southern hemispheres were star ng to overlap, meaning that equipment could not be transferred from one country to another. It was this concern that Mullins a empted to press upon the Government early when it became clear that 2019 presented a substan al risk of an early bushfire season. Sadly, the warning signs were ignored, despite Mullins and ELCA having made every a empt to brief the responsible ministers on the issue. In what should have been released to the public as a travesty of consulta on with cons tuents, Mullins describes how ELCA’s le ers to Agriculture Minister David Li leproud were responded to formulaically, including a le er dated 8 December 2019 referring in past tense to a telephone mee ng that never occurred on 10 December 2019. Such lack of respect shown by government ministers towards the experts in their field demonstrates why there is such a loss of faith in governments to act in the public interest. How the Coali on Government has been ineffec ve in dealing with our fire crisis Aside from the Prime Minister abandoning the na on as it burned, other Liberal Party ministers have handled the situa on equally as ineptly. This cynicism towards the Government is compounded again when Mullins describes another blow-off of bushfire survivors Fiona and Aaron from Taree. When any a empt was made to link the fires to climate change, the associa on was flippantly dismissed by everyone from MP Michael McCormack to former NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian. In a rundown dispelling the numerous myths that were propagated about the bushfires, Mullins pours scorn on the asser on that greenies were somehow responsible for stopping hazard reduc on burning which contributed to the fires. The widespread misinforma on campaigns that circulated around the 2019 bushfires, all whilst poli cians and media failed to acknowledge the elephant in the room, distracted from any a empt towards meaningful ac on in response to the fires. Hence why it is so impera ve for voices, like those of Greg Mullins, to be heard. For too long, poli cians have been willing to write off the calls of ac vists and other thought leaders for greater climate ac on. Now the calls are coming from those people working on the front line. With the people most qualified to examine the effects of a warming planet on our livelihoods advoca ng for more government ac on, one wonders how long the Government can con nue to ignore the need for increased abatement of carbon emissions.

arts Brush up with advanced ar st workshop from the Bas

Serious crea ves and ar sts can sharpen their skills and find new inspira on at an advanced ar st workshop at picturesque Meringo on Saturday 26 March. World-renowned ar st and tapestry weaver Valerie Kirk will work collabora vely with ar sts in a range of crea ve ac vi es, discuss concept development and help spark their imagina on and discover new direc ons for their prac ce. The advanced workshop is the first in a series of three that expands the public program of the Basil Sellers Exhibi on Centre. Ready to Write with Julie Keys, and Sensing Ecology with Linda Luke, will be held later this year. Eurobodalla Council’s crea ve arts development coordinator Indi Carmichael said the three intensive yet in mate workshops were for aspiring ar sts keen to develop and extend their prac ce. “With the Saturday Sessions proving to be so popular in 2021, we quickly realised some par cipants were ready for something more advanced that would extend their skills and exis ng crea ve prac ces,” she said. “These advanced workshops are for the serious ar st or crea ve who may be working towards an installa on, exhibi on or, in the case of our Ready to Write workshop, a manuscript. “For this program we teamed up with the Old Dairy at Meringo as the venue, which is set amidst 40 acres of wildlife sanctuary, to really allow the crea vity to flourish.” The full-day workshop is limited to six par cipants costs $350, including lunch. For more informa on or to book visit h ps://thebas.com.au/public-programs

Above: Valerie Kirk will host the first in a series of advanced ar st workshops at Meringo as part of the Basil Sellers Exhibi on Centre’s public program.

SCULPTURE Bermagui winners

2022 Award Winners - Congratula ons to all recipients! * Bermagui Beach Hotel Award – No.38 by John Fitzmaurice: ‘Twist and Pop’ * SCULPTURE Bermagui Award – No.2 by Sam Anderson: ‘Bwindi’ * Cox Family Acquisi ve Award – No.49 BY Daryl Harbrow: ‘King of the Sky’ * Rob and Sally Hawkins Acquisi ve Award – No.92 by Edward Willson: ‘First Day on Earth’ * Bermagui Business Acquisi ve Award – No.32 by Michael Ferris: ‘Forest’ * Dorothy Heasty Award – No.147 by Brandt Noack: ‘Seaweed Fruits 3’ * Bermagui Country Club People’s Choice Award for Outdoor Sculpture - No.42 by Jesse Graham: ‘2020 Vision’ * Bega Cheese People’s Choice Award for Indoor Sculpture - No.172 by Emily Valen ne: ‘Lorwhawha’ * Peter ‘Beatle’ Collins Memorial Acquisi ve Award - No.141 by Boyd McMillan: ‘Windy Morning’ * Carol Ladd Encouragement Award – Bob Teasdale * South East Arts Award – No.61 by Daniel Lafferty: ‘Boulders by Fire’ * Ivy Hill Gallery Exhibi on Award – Shannon Stone - Images provided by David Rogers Photography and ar sts.* *