NovoNews Edition 001

NOVONEWS Newy’s New

ISSUE 001 FEBRUARY 2021

NovoNews

Annual

Co-working spaces are becoming the new normal, with many businesses and employees transforming how they work, and where they work.

See page 13

NovoCulture

Jasmine Miikika Craciun draws inspiration from her indigenous heritage and focuses on art that tells stories and enacts change.

See program page 8 & 9

See page 10

NovoHealth

(Left to Right) Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes, Ella Heathmore, Zackari Watt, Councillor Carol Duncan and Sci-fi Spectacular Performers

One woman is determined to get the Newcastle community talking about workplace mental health, with a strong focus on education and connection.

See page 6

NovoSport

Claire Coelho is the Newcastle Jets W-League Goalkeeper and a Criminal Lawyer, two professions requiring years of dedication, commitment, and mental and physical endurance.

See page 16

PEP11 Decision in limbo With the PEP11 licence for offshore gas drilling up for renewal on February 12, Federal Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese joined fellow Labor MPs and community activists to call for its cancellation.

Albanese was joined by Labor MPs from all along the coastline, including Member for Newcastle Sharon Clayton and Federal Member for Shortland Pat Conroy , along with representatives of the Save Our Coast Group and Surfrider Foundation Australia and dozens of residents concerned at the possible effects of drilling 5km off Central Coast beaches.

Albanese told the crowd PEP11 had the potential to the entire coastline from Sydney to Port Stephens.

Not only would any drilling impact the way of life along the coast, but it would

also have an economic effect on the fishing industry and tourism, which he said was a “vital employer” for coastal communities. “(Drilling) would be a disaster even if things went well, but if they didn’t it could be potentially catastrophic,” he said.

Albanese said the Labor Party was not opposed to oil and gas exploration in appropriate areas but drilling along the coastline was “just not on”.

He said the Federal Government needed to ensure an application for renewal of the licence was denied.

Sharon Clayton said renewing the licence would pose a huge threat to the coastal communities’ environment, economy and very way of life.

Labor’s Dobell MP Emma McBride who hosted the event said “In 2019, 1.94 million people visited the coast,

adding $692M to our local economy, and in the pandemic recovery, tourism should be boosted, not threatened by risky proposals like PEP11.”

Office: 2 Dick Street, Newcastle West 2302 - Phone: 0437441804 - E-mail: editorial@novonews.com.au - Website: novonews.com.au

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Welcome to NovoNews As most of you will be aware, it has been a torrid past few years for regional newspapers and regional journalism.

Many have attributed this to the rise of large digital platforms and, more recently, to the impact of Covid-19 on regional cities and towns. Others still, say that people have just stopped reading newspapers!

We don’t agree.

In 2019, David Abrahams and I established Community News Partners to support the continued delivery of high quality, independent and fiercely local news to the communities of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Central Coast.

Why are we doing this?

First and foremost, I am a Novocastrian at heart. I was born in the Upper Hunter and moved to Newcastle in 1987 to study at University Newcastle. I watched the very first Knights home game and dislocated my shoulder learning (and failing) to surf the break at Newy Beach.

Newcastle nurtured me for a long time, and now I want to nurture it back.

But perhaps more importantly, David and I believe that independent news journalism, undertaken with

fear or prejudice, is a key pillar of a free and democratic society. This is as true for Newcastle as it is for any other city in the world.

We also believe that local news services, both print and digital, are an essential community service for providing important community announcement and other information.

For this reason, we are committed to providing our newspaper and

Ross Barry and David Abrahams

access to our website free to all local residents of Newcastle via as many distribution points as we can so that everyone has access to the news irrespective of their socioeconomic circumstances and understanding of technology.

No paywalls here!

We are also committed to the notion of “community journalism”.

This means that we invite you to share with us your letters and news

stories (and all your wonderful pics!).

We will, of course, adhere to our editorial guidelines and journalistic standards.

We hope you enjoy and please bear with us as we get our approach and format right.

Please contact us on this email address editorial@novonews.com.au Ross Barry

Ranger Dog on the Job Bella, the Ranger Dog, is the City of Newcastle’s newest recruit and is helping to educate the community about pet ownership and the responsibilities that come with it.

Two-year-old golden retriever Bella has been joining the Rangers for patrols along Bathers Way, as well as the off-leash dog park at Acacia Avenue Reserve, North Lambton.

Senior Ranger Lauren Whitmore said for the last six months they had been trialling Bella on foot patrols around parks, and footpaths like Bathers Way. “It has been very well received within the community and a considerable amount of positive feedback has been given by members of the public,” Whitmore said.

“During these patrols Rangers engage with dog owners to educate people about being responsible pet owners.

“When Bella’s with us during patrols we’ve found people are more willing to engage and have a conversation with the Ranger team.”

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the City’s Dogs in Open Space Plan was a guide that helped to improve and manage off-leash dog areas for the next 10 years.

“We know that dog owners want suitable spaces to exercise their dogs safely, and work is underway to progress the development of strategically located fenced dog parks such as our Acacia Avenue

facility,” Cr Nelmes said.

“Another priority action of the Dogs in Open Space Plan is to provide community education and information on responsibilities for dogs in public places, which is why it’s so great to see our Rangers trialling new measures such as using Bella to enhance their interactions with the community.”

Newcastle has one of the highest

rates of dog ownership in the state, with more than 44,300 registered canines in the local government area.

Whitmore said they were looking at making Bella an official Ranger later this month.

Information Source: Media Release, Jan 27, City of Newcastle

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Bathers Way Paving the Way If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to skate, then now’s your chance, with a new wheelchair accessible terrain park and beginner to intermediate skate bowl coming to South Newcastle Beach.

The upgraded skate park is only a small section of the Newcastle Beach Community Infrastructure Renewal Project Stage 1, which is apart of the City of Newcastle’s major Coastal Revitalisation Program.

Local skater, Taylor Mclean, is looking forward to an updated skatepark and believes it will bring opportunity and interest to the social sport.

“This is going to make way for a lot of people who want to learn but aren’t confident enough to go to skate parks,” Mclean said.

“Skaters who are especially from marginalised groups such as females, the disabled or even older people will feel more comfortable to start learning.”

Other upgrades include wider accessible pathway, a new kiosk, public amenities, landscaping, lighting, improved beach access, exercise equipment and viewing areas.

Indigenous artwork and signage are also part of the new designs, not only bringing creative artwork to the area but providing representation of Newcastle’s Indigenous community.

Mclean said the Indigenous representation had brought a sense

The original skate park, Septemember 2020

of togetherness and inclusion, which was a strong cultural belief in Aboriginal communities.

“As an Aboriginal woman, I am extremely pleased with this feature,” Mclean said.

“These artworks will help increase our visibility as people and serve our ancestors with the acknowledgement they deserve.”

Newcastle Lord Mayor, Nuatali Nelmes, believes the project will positively affect the surrounding community, with increased foot and wheel-based traffic boosting businesses in the area.

“By renewing the site’s infrastructure and building new facilities, we hope to revive South Newcastle Beach as

a vibrant and attractive place to visit,” Cr Nelmes said.

“Completed sections of the Bathers Way have prompted 50 per cent usage increases, with Merewether one of the busiest due to its additional facilities, and we expect to see similar impetus from this revitalisation project.”

Bathers Way South Newcastle upgrades’ estimated cost is $11M, with the skate park and bowl costing $1.6M, all of which are partly funded by a $5M grant from the NSW Government.

The Coastal Revitalisation program began in 2010, with beaches like Merewether, Dixon Park, Bar Beach

and Nobbys, all receiving updates to seating facilities and walkways.

Bathers Way Coastal Pathway will eventually connect all beaches with a 6 kilometre coastal walk, with wider, stairless pathways, creating complete accessibility to all members of the community.

Stage 1 construction commenced in August 2020, with an estimated completion of two years.

Once the Newcastle Beach renewal project is complete, the last two sections in the Coastal Revitalisation Program are King Edward Park and Memorial Drive with new designs already underway.

by Hayley McMahon

Google set to survive Australian media laws The main demands made by the Government stay in place, but some of the details will be changed. This allows the Government to claim victory, while the damage to Google will be limited.

The signs suggest that the Australian Government and Google are close to a compromise, writes Paul Budde.

The main demands made by the Government stay in place, but some of the details will be changed. This allows the Government to claim victory, while the damage to Google will be limited.

Publishers will in one way or another be paid for news, either through a payment based on the value of the news and the value of the Google search facility. An arbiter in the middle will come up with fair arrangements.

The other option will be for publishers to use Google’s News Showcase based on a partnership between Google and publishers and get paid that way. Several Australian publishers have already signed up to this service.

It was interesting to see the tactics that were used in this power play.

Microsoft became involved at its

highest levels, indicating to be more than willing and able to offer an alternative with its Bing search engine. If it had come to that, this obviously would be one of the few alternatives for Australia.

Australia has bungled the issue of regulating global digital companies like Google, says Paul Budde.

But let’s be honest it is not for

nothing that Bing only has a 4 per cent market share, while Google has a 90 per cent market share.

Whatever way you look at it, Google is by far the more superior product.

It would not have been a good outcome if Google would no longer be available to Australian users.

Furthermore, it would be extremely destructive for tens of thousands of Australian businesses who to a large extent depend on Google for advertising.

While all of this is positive, at the same time it is not taking away the broader issues of monopolies such as Facebook and Google. It has already become clear that it will not be enough to just regulate the existing giants. We need to look at the underlying elements, being their platforms.

by Paul Budde see novonews.com.au for more

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Pat Conroy, Member for Shortland and Anthony Albanese, Labor Leader

PEP11 Decision in limbo From page 1 Save Our Coast representative Tim Heffernan said that the Federal Government must now act to cancel PEP11, which “doesn’t make any sense”, once and for all.

“Save Our Coast has been leading the campaign with the community for a number of years to stop seismic testing and drilling off the most populated coastline in NSW, which is also a major whale migratory route,” he said “Tens of thousands of people from along the coast and beyond have joined actions, signed petitions and contacted their local MPs. “We are opposed to the project because the risk to our precious marine environment, tourism sector and coastal lifestyle far outweighs any benefits, especially in a time when the entire world is moving away from fossil fuels and transitioning toward renewables.”

Surfrider Foundation Australia

National Campaign Director Damien Cole said while gas exploration was the main thrust of PEP11, there was also the potential for oil exploration.

“This could lead to oil slicks which could destroy everything we’ve ever known” he said.

A spokesperson for Deputy Premier John Barilaro confirmed he will recommend refusal of the extension of the licence.

“In 2017, the NSW government’s position was to refuse further applications to extend the life of PEP 11 – that position has not changed,” the spokesperson said.

Barilaro, has said to NovoNews he will “refuse further applications to extend the life of PEP 11”.

He also said “PEP 11 was issued under a Commonwealth Act, the exploration area is in Commonwealth waters, and the ultimate decisionmaking power rests with the Commonwealth”.

Barilaro’s statement comes two

days before the expiry of the Petroleum Exploration Permit 11 (PEP11) licence which allows gas and oil drilling off the Central Coast, Newcastle, and Sydney coastline.

Minister for Resources Keith Pitt said he was yet to receive any formal submission or advice from the NSW Minister.

“The National Offshore Titles Administrator (NOPTA) will provide advice to assist with my decision,” “Any exploration project or petroleum activity will require approval from the independent expert offshore regulator, the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) “I will carefully consider all relevant information before making my decision.”

Novo News reached out to the resposible Federal Department. A spokesperson for the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and

Resources said “The decision maker for suspension and extension applications is the relevant Joint Authority. (National Offshore Petroleum Titles Authority) NOPTA’s role is to assess the merits of the application and provide advice to inform the Joint Authority’s decision and implement the decision.

“Under section 265A (1) of the OPGGS Act the permit continues to be in force until the Joint Authority makes a decision on the current suspension and extension application.”

CEO of BPH Energy, David Breeze, is one of the license holders of the PEP11 title.

When asked why $9M was raised by the company even though the decision to extend the licence is still pending, Breeze said he was “certainly committed to continue with the project”.

by Terry Collins

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UON Cuts a Quarter of its Courses Eight undergraduate degrees, 14 postgraduate degrees and 530 individual courses are set to be consolidated or discontinued at the University of Newcastle (UON) this year Eight undergraduate degrees, 14 postgraduate degrees and 530 individual courses are set to be consolidated or discontinued at the University of Newcastle (UON) this year.

The course culling announcement results from the University’s comprehensive review of course structures announced earlier last year in response to the forecast $58M in revenue that the institution lost as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic UON’s consequent need to find $35M in savings.

The announcement included details about the newly unveiled ‘Course Optimisation Project’ that will create space in degree programs to ensure that all students are able to undertake work placements and projects known as ‘Work-Integrated Learning’ before they complete their studies.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor

(Academic), Professor Mark Hoffman, said the changes were aimed at reducing duplication amongst UON’s 2,200-course subjects, creating more collaboration across disciplines, and betterpreparing students for life after university.

“This project lays the foundations for the implementation of our Looking Ahead strategy, specifically, preparing Life Ready Graduates,” Prof Hoffman said.

“The changes will transform the way we educate, breaking down discipline silos by bringing students together in new ways and allowing us to embed Work Integrated Learning into every student’s program.

“In June (2020), we signalled the need to consolidate the courses that we offer if we’re to enhance the way we educate.

“The financial impact of Covid-19 accelerated the need for these planned changes.”

Prof Hoffman confirmed that UON would ‘teach-out’ discontinuing programs across all of its campuses, meaning that any student who has already commenced a degree will

be able to complete that program.

New students who applied to study at the Central Coast Campus for 2021 will be contacted if their particular degree has been consolidated or discontinued.

Despite the uncertainty facing UON this year, Prof Hoffman added that incoming student numbers remained extremely positive.

“We’re thrilled that the interest in our degrees is at an all-time high,” he said.

“Some course structures will look different, and we know we’ll be offering a high-quality education experience that will set our students up for future success.”

The following undergraduate programs have been discontinued: Bachelor of Creative Industries; Bachelor of Creative Industries/ Bachelor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship; Bachelor of Technology (Renewable Energy Systems); Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Business; Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Science; Bachelor of Fine Art (Honours); Bachelor of Information Technology (Honours); Bachelor of

Computer Science (Honours).

The following postgraduate programs have been discontinued: Master of Workplace Health and Safety; Master of Health Science; Master of Applied Management (Nursing); Master of Family Studies; Graduate Certificate in Family Studies; Master of Professional Engineering (Chemical); Master of Professional Engineering (Environmental); Master of Professional Engineering (Mechatronics); Master of Professional Engineering (Computer Systems Engineering); Master of Professional Engineering (Software Engineering); Master of Studies; Graduate Certificate of Studies; Master of Environment and Business Management; and, Master of Environmental Management and Sustainability.

The following postgraduate programs have been suspended for 2021 due to low student numbers: Graduate Certificate in Creative Industries; Master of Creative Industries; Graduate Certificate in Digital Media; and, Master of Digital Media

by Dilon Luke

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Novocastrian Filmmaker Jye Currie is unmasking the many faces of domestic violence through creative film, with his latest short film ‘Victim’ already winning nine international awards.

The psychological thriller follows the story of a mother, wife, and victim of domestic violence, who after years of abuse, must come to terms with her missing son, and why he disappeared.

“Victim shows a raw inside look into a house that suffers from domestic violence,” Currie said.

“The mother must retrace her steps to find out where her son is, where she discovers that the violence in the household is what forced his disappearance.

“The father is a theatre actor who takes on this character that embodies his violence.”

Currie said the film portrayed the two sides of the father’s character, the successful role he displayed to society and the cruel side he wore behind closed doors.

“Domestic violence can affect so many people, anyone can be suffering from it silently,” Currie said.

“No one can know what’s happening behind closed doors; it’s one of those things that people don’t always feel safe talking about.

“My film creates a place where people can relate to this kind of story, let them know they aren’t alone, and

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More than a Movie

raise awareness of the issue.”

Portraying societal issues through creative film is something that Currie is passionate about with Covid-19 restrictions inciting his inspiration for Victim.

“I heard that through the pandemic and with everyone being locked down, domestic violence skyrocketed, so I felt that now was the perfect time to portray that with my film,” he said.

“I don’t get the opportunity to stand up and talk about social issues, so the films are the voice for me.”

Already pre-released to film festivals,

thefilmhasrackedupnineinternational awards, including two awards for best director, two awards for best actress, and one award for best makeup.

Currie said he was waiting to hear from three more film festivals, and if accepted would make the film eligible for the Academy Awards and Oscar for Best Short Film.

The film was shot and produced in Newcastle with an all Newcastlebased casting crew including Jan Hunt, Sebastian Szeszeran, Jessica Farchione, Patrick Campbell, Jordan Bunder, Annie Wilson and Bianca

Kristen.

Currie said he was drawn to photography and film making from a young age, which turned into a passion as he grew up.

“I have made small skits and stuff since I was a kid, I would shoot random footage and then edit it together, so I initially started in photography, but filmmaking is where my heart is,” Currie said.

“I have always had a passion for film making, and Victim is the first film I have made, where I invested my own money and got actors.

“I don’t want to make films where it’s just a movie; I want there to be a strong message in my films, I think that’s really important to whatever I make in the future.”

Speaking of the future, Currie is dreaming big with a new story and script for a full-length feature film underway.

“It’s really exciting going from a short film to a feature film, so many resources will have to come into play,” Currie said.

“I want to see this go through the cinemas in Australia and try to sell it to Netflix and really start making proper feature movies.

“Whether it’s addressing social issues or inspirational stories, I just really want my films to impact and influence people around the world, I want my stories and films to speak for me.”

by Hayley McMahon

Healthy Headspace in the Workplace One woman is determined to get the Newcastle community talking about workplace mental health, with a strong focus on education and connection.

Calmit is a new service for employers and businesses, focused on providing the necessary tools to engage in open conversations about mental health in the workplace.

Julia Beaumont, founder has spent over 15 years working as a registered nurse, including teaching Mental Health for the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Newcastle.

She has the ambition to break down barriers, stigmas and discrimination around mental health within the workplace, which she believes is still quite prominent.

“People are still very conscious about mentioning anything about mental health; I want to normalise this, I want to see changes within the workplace and look forward to presenting ways in which this can be achieved,” Beaumont said.

“I want to make it real and inspire

Julia Beaumont

people, where they feel comfortable to come forward and address their mental health issues.

“To help people connect and resonate, I will use my real, authentic and honest experiences.”

Beaumont has coped with her own

mental health for the past 13 years after being diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder.

“I have managed to get through all these hard times, particularly in the workplace, I’ve had a lot of falls, so I’m willing to risk that and share my story so I can help others,” Beaumont said.

“I think we have all struggled with mental health issues at times, and I’m not saying everyone has to come forward.

“I’m there to bring light to those people that do struggle and its okay to talk about it, rather than secretly hiding and keeping it all in.”

The three-hour Calmit workshop provides increased awareness and education on different mental disorders, builds resilience and emotional intelligence, promotes non-judgmental communication, and decreases stigmas and workplace discrimination.

“Workshops will be very hands-on and will provide practical coping skills, and teach co-workers how to help and support each other,” Beaumont said.

“The three main Calmit workshop highlights are recognise, educate, and connect.

“So once a mental health issue is recognised, we then educate ourselves and hopefully by education, we form a connection and a level of understanding with ourselves, our co-workers and the workplace.”

Beaumont guides the workshops by informing and teaching how to manage workloads, creates individualised care plans, introduces buddy support training, and helps to seek outside intervention and support.

“I’m hoping that the topic will become very open and transparent,” she said.

“Mental health issues shouldn’t define you or affect your job prospects.

“Let’s start the conversation and let it it evolve into an easy chat to have.”

For more information on services, and contact information visit: https:// www.calmit.com.au/

by Hayley McMahon

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Beg, Lie, Steal, Borrow James Bennett would make 10 singles and release them all consecutively if he could, every song he writes is treated with the same amount of respect, time, and effort; no song gets left behind.

After three albums, countless recording sessions, and hours of tour travel, singer-songwriter and musician, James Bennett has released his latest single ‘Beg Lie Steal Borrow’ which entered the iTunes singer-songwriter chart at number one.

In preparation for his fourth album ‘Life & Life Only’, the single explores the classic folky style of Bennett’s music mixed with a storytelling element narrating life’s ups and downs.

Particularly for Bennett those ups and downs came last year with Covid-19 wiping out live music, gigs, and entertainment.

Unintentionally his latest single became a reflection of the year 2020 and the rollercoaster experience he had.

“I had this tour which was all ticketed, followed by another two weeks of gigs in Airlie Beach,” Bennett said.

“I got all my new merch ready, ordering the minimum which is 500 at a time, I paid for everything and had just enough money to get to Airlie Beach.

“I drove the 24-hour trip and had only just gotten to my second gig when Covid-19 hit.”

Once the venues started closing, Bennett said he was forced to make the long trip home with no profit to show, and a whole heap of unsold merch and CDs.

James Bennett

“I did a paid live stream at home which actually ended up doing better than I thought it would, but playing to a phone in my living room as if I was at a gig was very strange.”

Bennett used the rest of the year to finish off many lyrics and songs he hadn’t previously had time for, which helped him create his new album.

“For most albums, I just write songs one by one, and so that way every song gets all the love it deserves— so when it comes time to record, I have songs to pick from,” he said.

“I always try to put songs in an order where it keeps listeners interested; so there might be an upbeat heavier song and then a chilled laid back one afterwards.

“If someone decided to listen to this album front to back it would be a journey.”

He said a certain song on his new

album explored a different genre with drums and a bullet microphone creating a distorted, heavy blues vibe.

“My friend Nick Saxon helped me produce this album and every session he brought these new ideas and suggestions that I had never really thought of,” Bennett said.

“He helped me create this heavier part in the song, which is just so different from my other songs—it has this different flare and conveys the emotion, this whole album is definitely more me.

“I still don’t think I have found what works yet, I don’t know what I want on a recording, but this is probably as close as I will get to being super happy with my sound.”

Bennett grew up listening to artists like Paul Kelly and Bob Dylan, where songs were written with a purpose,

to hold meaning and to tell stories.

Using this inspiration, Bennett tries to spark emotion, feeling and memory within his lyrics where listeners can interpret their own meaning.

“I love the idea that someone can listen to a song and maybe cry because it relates so much to them,” he said.

“This might not necessarily be what the song is about, but that’s okay because I want the song to be a different experience for everyone.”

Bennett has lived in the Newcastle area for seven years now and has gotten to know the range of venues that the city offers, with his favourite being Lizotte’s in Lambton.

“I like that people are forced to listen, they go there to have a meal and watch a show, not like a pub where you feel a little like background noise,” Bennett said.

“Lizotte’s has given me a lot of awesome opportunities, and they have this special personable way they treat artists.”

Bennett said he hoped to perform and tour a lot more this year with another single to be released in the next few months, and the new album expected in April.

“Growing up, my family and I would sit down and listen to a Bob Dylan album from start to finish and comment on it,” he said.

“I have such good memories of doing that, and I would love to know that someone would do the same with mine.”

For more information on Bennett’s newest single, album, merch or tour dates visit his website at www.jamesbennettmusic.com.

by Hayley McMahon

Festival Set to Reactivate Local Venues The New Annual festival is not only activating art spaces and bringing creatives to Newcastle, but it’s also set to reinvigorate live music and local venues.

More than forty live music events will be hosted during the festival, with the City Of Newcastle investing $20,000 into the Live Music Grant Program.

Many local venues applied to host the music events, with places like Cambridge Hotel, The Lass O’Gowrie, The Lucky Hotel, Beach Burrito Co and the Wickham Park Hotel recipients of the grant.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the grant would provide a boost to local music events, support local

of our amazing, world-renowned live music industry,” Cr Nelmes said.

“A vibrant local live music scene is vital to ensuring Newcastle continues to offer a bustling arts and culture scene, and a lively, diverse and safe night-time economy.

“With an influx of visitors sure to flock to our local venues for the City’s inaugural New Annual festival, we’re very pleased to provide additional financial support and encouragement to host live music events right across Newcastle.”

A full program of the New Annual Festival can be found in the print edition of Novo News or online at New Annual Festival. artists and the hospitality industry.

“The Live Music Grant Program is

yet another initiative led by the City of Newcastle, sharply focussed on providing real support and promotion

Information source: Media release The City of Newcastle

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Newy’s New Annual An exciting and creatively ambitious art festival is coming to Newy that will see the city explode with contemporary dancing, live art performances, and spectacular cabaret.

The inaugural New Annual is a tenday festival from February 12 to 21 showcasing the communities journey through artistic expression from more than 100 local and visiting artists.

Amongst the likes of Vivid in Sydney, Dark Mofo in Hobart and the Fringe Festival in Melbourne, New Annual will celebrate the city’s creativity, activating different venues and exploring community talent.

Co-Producer of Fingers Crossed Creative, Zackari Watt said he was excited to showcase their Sci-Fi Spectacular cabaret show hosted in a shipping container venue called ‘The Hangar’.

“In its absolute simplicity it’s a cabaret show with a Sci-Fi theme, but its definitely more than that, its big show numbers, burlesque song and dance, and a comedy show in its essence,” Watt said.

“It has these bizarre concepts and bizarre visuals, so its definitely a spectacle, with these big theatrical numbers that are lovingly overblown.

“The show will be absolutely absurd, and the scale is very grand; like a visual feast.

“This is why we went with the Sci-Fi theme because its wacky, bizarre, curious and very immersive.”

The venue and show’s whole concept came to fruition when Watt saw a shipping container that reminded him of a concert hall.

“I thought about how we could project things on the walls like a big blank canvas, and the concept came from that,” he said.

“We wanted to steer away from the classic aesthetic of circusthemed cabaret and go with something a bit more futuristic.

“We are building the structure to suit the show, so there’s a lot more flexibility for us to do anything we want, this concept has been something I have been working on and pitching for 10 years or more, so it’s amazing to finally get it up and running and get support behind it.”

The Sci-Fi Spectacular which could be described as Guardians of the Galaxy meets Eurovision will have sideshow performances, pop up shops, activities, photo booths, rooftop dining, a bar, gelato, and of course the main act.

“Once you pass through that gate, it’s like stepping into another

Paul Dempsey Photo: Cybele Malinowski

universe; the whole structure is like a mini-festival,” Watt said.

“It’s not just a sit-down and watch kind of show, the whole venue is the performance.

“We are going to encourage guests to come early so they can have the full experience, and we are also opening up the venue ahead of each show for the general public to

Some acts include a performance at the Newcastle Art Gallery by Australian singer-songwriter Paul Dempsey, and a Newcastle Writers Festival event including former Prime Minister Julia Gillard discussing her latest book.

Cr Nelmes said the festival was also a show of support for the recovering arts sector and industry

“It will shine a spotlight on Newcastle’s reputation as a creative city where ambitious and accessible contemporary art and culture grow and thrive within a prosperous, diverse and resilient community"

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes

come in and enjoy all the sideshow features.”

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said New Annual was Newcastle’s time to shine through its local artists, creative spaces and engaging stories.

“Supporting and delivering cultural and community programs, events and live music is key to progressing our vision of Newcastle as a smart, liveable and sustainable global city,” Cr Nelmes said.

“The festival will feature local and visiting artists sharing music, dance, contemporary performance and visual art, showcasing our community’s journey of selfexpression, resilience and recovery, and highlighting Newcastle’s identity as a creative hub with a vibrant cultural heritage.”

that was ready to entertain, challenge and inspire the community.

“New Annual is the catalyst for Newcastle’s cultural events sector to take centre stage alongside leading national events,” Cr Nelmes said.

“Over time, the festival will grow to become a significant generator of cultural tourism, using arts and culture to share the city’s stories with the world.”

A range of Indigenous cultural items will be featured at the Newcastle Museum with Wylaa Buuranliyn and Veara presenting Nourishing Waters an augmented reality experience incorporating music, narration, animation and storytelling.

Some other local artists include Curious Legends, Catapult

Choreographic Hub, Bree Van Reyk, and visiting artists like Omega Ensemble and Pony Express in Residence.

After years of performing and touring, Watt was excited to see an immersive art festival hosted in Newcastle.

“I think we are really lucky, there has always been a strong presence of art in Newy, but finding direct support for it can be difficult,” Watt said.

“To have a council that actually cares enough to push something like this through I think is fantastic.

“This will also help to grow the arts which I think is a solid component of Newcastle culture.”

Watt hopes for The Hangar to continue after the festival’s completed, where the venue and show could become established within the Newcastle community.

“Every time we do this, we are employing around 20 to 30 local artists to support the show, and that’s not including technicians, personal assistants, stage people, and hospitality staff.”

The Sci-Fi Spectacular will be held over eight nights during the festival and will be located at Civic Park within The Hangar.

New Annual will run from February 12 to February 21, 2021, with tickets available at www.newannual.com

by Hayley McMahon

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City of Newcastle’s Festival

YOUR FESTIVAL GUIDE

SAT 13 FEB

FRI 12 FEB TICKETED EVENTS:

FREE EVENTS:

The Hangar: Local & Live Artists, Civic Park, 4pm Hazy Cosmic Jive Showcase, Civic Playhouse, 7pm Micro Theatre, Various locations, 7pm The Intergalacular Sci-Fi Spectacular, The Hangar, Civic Park, 7pm Awkward, City Hall, 7pm

New Annual Opening Event: ENA & Jacob Ridgeway, Civic Theatre Bar, 5pm Civic Bar Beats: ENA, Civic Theatre Bar, 5pm NAG After Hours, Newcastle Art Gallery, 5pm

TICKETED EVENTS:

FREE EVENTS:

Pepper Creek Ponies: Illustration Workshop, Hudson St Hum, 9am Big Picture Fest: Walking Tour, Various locations, 10am & 2pm The Hangar: Local & Live Artists, Civic Park, 4-6pm Julia Gillard: Women and Leadership, NEX, 6pm SOLD OUT Micro Theatre, Various Venues, 7pm Klapping, Fernley Dawes Athletic Centre, 7pm Taylor’s Run, Summerhill Waste Management Centre (meet Wallsend Library), 7pm Awkward, City Hall, 7pm The Intergalacular Sci-Fi Spectacular, The Hangar, Civic Park, 7pm OMG WTF, The Royal Exchange, 7pm & 9pm SOLD OUT

We Can Be Heroes, Newcastle Art Gallery, 10am Up & Up: Create Your Place, Museum Park, 10am The Olive Tree Market at New Annual, Civic Park, 10am The Hangar: Family Friendly Edit, Civic Park, 10am Art Cart with Jasmine Craciun, Newcastle Art Gallery, 10.30am and 11.30am Pavilion of Sand: Net weaving workshops, Wheeler Place, 11am VOID: Opening Weekend Talk, Newcastle Art Gallery, 2pm Meet the Artists: Pony Express, The Lock-Up, 3pm Civic Bar Beats: DJ Dan aka The Scorcher, Civic Theatre Bar, 5pm The Looby Film, Civic Playhouse, 7.30pm

FRI 19 FEB

TUES 16 FEB SUN 14 FEB TICKETED EVENTS: Big Picture Fest: Walking Tour, Various locations, 10am & 2pm Open Day: Everyday Objects, Miss Porter’s House, 1pm Clay Sketching Workshop, Hudson St Hum, 3pm SOLD OUT Massive Band, Foreshore Carriagesheds, 3pm The Hangar: Local & Live Artists, Civic Park, 4-6pm We Can be Heroes LIVE: Paul Dempsey, Newcastle Art Gallery, 7pm SOLD OUT Klapping, Fernley Dawes Athletic Centre, 7pm

Taylor’s Run, Summerhill Waste Management Centre (meet Wallsend Library), 7pm The Intergalacular Sci-Fi Spectacular, The Hangar, Civic Park, 7.30pm

FREE EVENTS: We Can Be Heroes, Newcastle Art Gallery, 10am Up & Up: Create Your Place, Museum Park, 10am Pavilion of Sand: Eel and fish trap weaving workshops, Wheeler Place, 11am Civic Bar Beats: DJ Tone, Civic Theatre Bar, 4pm

MON 15 FEB

FREE EVENTS:

TICKETED EVENTS:

Refer to the ‘Free Events Throughout the Festival’ listing for details

Newcastle Podcast Festival, The Digital Library, 2pm The Hangar: Local & Live Artists, Civic Park, 4-6pm Micro Theatre, Various Venues, 7pm Acquist, Civic Park Fountain, 7pm SOLD OUT Lounge Session: Lost in Translation, The Royal Exchange, 7.30pm Do Your Parents Know You’re Straight?

Civic Playhouse, 8pm The Intergalacular Sci-Fi Spectacular, The Hangar, Civic Park, 8pm

WED 17 FEB

THURS 18 FEB

TICKETED EVENTS:

TICKETED EVENTS:

Behind the Scenes: The Wedding Collection, Miss Porter’s House, 10.30am & 1.30pm Photo of the Moon Presents: Wax Lyrical, The Royal Exchange, 6pm Do Your Parents Know You’re Straight? Civic Playhouse, 7.30pm

Behind the Scenes: Made by Hand, Miss Porter’s House, 10.30am & 1.30pm Photo of the Moon Presents: Wax Lyrical, The Royal Exchange, 6pm Micro Theatre, Various Venues, 7pm Do Your Parents Know You’re Straight? Civic Playhouse, 7.30pm Invisible Stone: e4444e with David Lobb & Skip Wilcox, Civic Theatre, 8pm

FREE EVENTS: Linkages: Eszter Bornemisza, Timeless Textiles, 10am Civic Bar Beats: Lili Crane, Civic Theatre Bar, 5pm

FREE EVENTS: Refer to the ‘Free Events Throughout the Festival’ listing for details

Newcastle Afoot: Makers & Traders Walking Tour, Various locations, 10am & 2pm Newcastle Podcast Festival, The Digital Library, 2pm The Hangar: Local & Live Artists, Civic Park, 4pm Micro Theatre, Various Venues, 7pm Acquist, Civic Park Fountain, 7pm SOLD OUT Night and Now, City Hall, 7pm Taylor’s Run, Summerhill Waste Management Centre (meet Wallsend Library), 7pm Do Your Parents Know You’re Straight?

Civic Playhouse, 2pm & 8pm The Intergalacular Sci-Fi Spectacular, The Hangar, Civic Park, 8pm

FREE EVENTS: New Print 21: Celebrating Printmaking in Newcastle, Newcastle Printmakers, 9am & 1pm, gold coin donation

Linkages: Eszter Bornemisza, Timeless Textiles, 10am The Olive Tree Market at New Annual, Civic Park, 10am The Hangar: Family Friendly Edit, Civic Park, 10am Art Cart with Jasmine Craciun, Newcastle Art Gallery, 10.30am & 11.30am Pavilion of Sand: indigenous dance demonstrations, Wheeler Place, 11am Artist open Studio Trail: The Big Clay Out, Newcastle Art Space, 1pm Artist Open Studio Trail: Collaborative Mural with Kiasmin, Hudson St Hum, 2pm Bookings Essential Alliance Francaise de Newcastle Market, The Station, 3pm Artist Open Studio Trail: Closing Event, Creator Incubator, 5pm Civic Bar Beats: DJ Chuan, Civic Theatre Bar, 5pm This is Not Art: Sound City, various locations, 6pm

FREE EVENTS: Linkages: Eszter Bornemisza, Timeless Textiles, 10am This is Not Art: Sonic Takeover, Newcastle Museum, 3pm New Print 21: Celebrating Printmaking in Newcastle, Newcastle Printmakers, 5pm, gold coin donation Civic Bar Beats: Professor Crabb, Civic Theatre Bar, 5pm This is Not Art: an offering, The Lass O’Gowrie, 7pm

FREE EVENTS: Linkages: Eszter Bornemisza, Timeless Textiles, 10am Civic Bar Beats: Cowboy Heroes (Dave Couri), Civic Theatre Bar, 5pm

FREE EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE FESTIVAL

SUN 21 FEB

SAT 20 FEB TICKETED EVENTS:

Civic Comedy 2.0, Civic Theatre, 8pm

TICKETED EVENTS:

FREE EVENTS:

Newcastle Podcast Festival, The Digital Library, 10am Newcastle Afoot: Makers & Traders Walking Tour, 10am & 2pm Modern Contemporary: Josh Earle, Civic Playhouse, 3pm The Hangar: Local & Live Artists, Civic Park, 4pm Paco Lara “The Andalusian Guitar”, 48 Watt St, 5.30pm Acquist, Civic Park Fountain, 7pm SOLD OUT Taylor’s Run, Summerhill Waste Management Centre (meet Wallsend Library), 7pm The Intergalacular Sci-Fi Spectacular, The Hangar, Civic Park, 8pm

This is Not Art: Sunrise Meditation, location to be revealed, 5.30am New Print 21: Celebrating Printmaking in Newcastle, Newcastle Printmakers, 10am, gold coin donation Pavilion of Sand: Language and storytelling sessions, Wheeler Place, 11am Civic Bar Beats: Deejay Mathmatics, Civic Theatre Bar, 4pm This is Not Art: The Last Supper, Napoli Centrale, Popolo Gelateria, 6pm, entertainment free with table booking or gelato purchase

Full program details at: NEWANNUAL.COM

Nourishing Waters, Newcastle Museum* Chalk the Walk, Various locations VOID, Newcastle Art Gallery* Sea, Space & Beyond: Vision Australia exhibition, Newcastle Museum 1x4, Newcastle Museum* False Sense of Security, The Lock-Up* Pavilion of Sand, Wheeler Place Makers & Traders Audio Station and Map, Civic Digest The Savage Divide, The Owens Collective* *During venue’s standard operating hours

Information correct at time of printing, programming subject to change.

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Life of a Creator

Jasmine Craciun

Jasmin Miikika Craciun channels her creative energy and individuality through many different art and expression forms, with her artwork most recently featured in The Big Picture Fest.

Graphic designer, textile designer, illustrator, animator, artist and knitter, Craciun draws inspiration from her indigenous heritage and focuses on designs that tell stories and inspire.

“I am from the Barkindji and Malyangapa people of far western NSW and grew up in Newcastle, I finished university in 2018, and work a lot with kids which is a big passion of mine,” Craciun said.

“I want to be able to eventually help kids with my art and introduce them to multimedia and digital art forms.

“Giving kids access to digital art opportunity, especially out in rural communities, is something I would love to be able to do in the future.”

In early October 2020, Craciun painted a mural in The Big Picture Fest, which can now be found near King and Brown street.

“I was working alongside an architecture team at the university, and we decided the mural needed to be about women and children, so we got some kids involved and asked them to draw pictures of their families and pets,” Craciun said.

“They drew these beautiful illustrations of what family meant to them, and they put in so much detail, so I decided to incorporate my own family into the mural.”

Craciun said preschools had reached out to her excited that a student’s art was displayed on a huge wall in Newcastle.

“Some preschools have even asked if they could use aspects of the work within their schools, which is just so special,” she said.

“I’m in a profession that has the ability to inspire other people, which is exactly what I want, and why I do it.”

The Big Picture Fest isn’t the first time that Craciun’s work has been

featured within the area of Newcastle, with her art displayed on depots, information centres, community facilities and street flags.

“In my third year of uni, I did my work placement with the Newcastle council where they gave me the job of creating the 2018 Naidoc street flags,” she said.

“That was huge for me, at the time I hadn’t worked on any graphic design jobs, so I was so grateful that they had given me the opportunity to create these important and inspirational Aboriginal flags around my city.”

Along with her many other talents, Craciun plans to keep learning and growing as an artist with her sights

set on fine-tuning her photography and videography skills.

“Getting better at photography and video is something I’m really interested in because I think that’s such an important and really personal way of storytelling,” Craciun said.

“I really do try and have a go at everything, the biggest thing for me growing up was if I really liked something I would give it my absolute all.

“But, I also need to remind myself that its okay to not do anything sometimes.”

Craciun said it was important to reset, step back from her work and give herself a break from time to time.

“I’m such a fiddler, if I did sit down and even just watch TV, I feel guilty if I don’t have something in my hands, and I think that’s why I enjoy knitting because it’s not necessarily workrelated, but it’s still that fiddly thing,” she said.

“I’ve made my whole life about creating things, but I think its nice to pause for a moment, and go to the beach or go for a walk and just be present.

“Knowing when to stop is the best way to balance , it’s great to step back and let my mind rest, its that time away that brings inspiration.”

by Hayley McMahon

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Sea, Space and Beyond

A free art exhibition created by artists from the blind, low vision and sighted community has opened up, focused on introducing audiences to new sensory experiences.

Vision Australia created the Sea, Space and Beyond art exhibition in partnership with the Newcastle Museum, open from February 12 in conjunction with the New Annual Festival.

Vision Australia’s Partnerships Coordinator Jordan Ashby said the tactile art exhibition was about exploring different ways to experience art.

“A lot of our blind and low vision community really enjoy creating art, visiting art exhibitions and picturing in their minds what it looks like,” Ashby said.

“The tactile element adds that secondary ability for somebody to touch and feel the work and use their other senses.

“It also creates that level playing field for everybody; it’s just this new experience where people can focus on a completely different element rather than just the visual.”

The exhibition explores the places in the world that are real but uncharted like out of space, and under the sea.

“There will be sculptures, paintings, and textiles, expect almost to feel like your hand is in a rock pool as you touch the artwork, or you can expect something that its completely out of this world like abstract sculptures from out of space,” Ashby said.

“The tactile element helps people who are blind to imagine what it might look like and people with low vision might benefit from contrast artwork—there is a lot of contrast in this exhibition, sharp lines, bold texts, and lots of colours.”

Ashby said all artwork descriptions had braille options, so the blind and low vision community could also understand the artist’s work.

“The descriptions are not explained in great detail, just the artist’s vision, so the audience can still have their own interpretation of the work.”

The exhibition has something for all ages, with hand-knitted crochet sea creatures creating a reef-scape, where kids can touch and play.

Audiences are encouraged to touch the artworks and stay Covid-19 safe by using sanitising stations provided before and after each artwork.

Sea, Space and Beyond is open from February 12 to March 21, at Newcastle Museum, 6 Workshop Way, Newcastle.

by Hayley McMahon

Novocastrians Awarded at Ceremony A group of upstanding generations,” Dr Kong said.

Novocastrian citizens have “I am both humbled and galvanised been honoured in the City of by this prestigious award, to continue Newcastle’s 2021 Citizenship striving toward improved ear health in Aboriginal Awards Ceremony.

Australia’s first recognised Indigenous surgeon and advocate for health equality, Associate Professor Kelvin Kong was honoured with Citizen of the Year 2021.

Dr Kong said he was passionate about addressing the health outcomes gap between indigenous and non-indigenous children.

“Indigenous people have been practising medicine in this country for 60,000 years, a history I am proud to be part of and carry on for future

and Torres Strait Islander children.”

Along with working in his Broadmeadow practice, Dr Kong also spends his time researching an organism prevalent in ear disease, Alloiococcus Otitidis, with the Hunter Medical Research Institue.

He also lectures students at the University of Newcastle and spends time each year in remote Australian communities to provide access to quality health care.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said

the honour was given to Dr Kong who displayed leadership in Aboriginal health service delivery, advocacy and research.

“Dr Kong exemplifies the values of the Citizen of the Year title, representing Newcastle at the top of his field and working tirelessly to improve health outcomes among disadvantaged communities,” Cr Nelmes said.

“The year 2020 was challenging for our health professionals, so it is apt that today we recognised Dr Kong for his continued efforts throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Among the awarded was Newcastle’s Young Citizen of the

Year 2021 professional netballer Samantha Poolman who represented Newcastle in the Giants Netball team at an elite level.

Poolman was recognised for her contributions to women in sport and is also an ambassador for the Confident Girls Foundation.

Senior Citizen of the Year was awarded to CEO of the Carrington Bowling Club, Jaci Lappin for her commitment to providing a safe space for the community to gather during the pandemic.

Hamilton Business Association took out Community Group of the see novonews.com.au for more

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CREATING FINANCIAL FREEDOM

ASIC slams school banking as pure marketing Julia NEWBOULD Editor-at-large • Money magazine The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) has slammed school banking programs for being marketing campaigns with no educational benefit. And they could be costing your kids hundreds of dollars in lost interest.

In its review of school banking, ASIC found the programs: 1. Do nothing to improve the short- or long-term saving habits of account holders, despite providers claiming that participation leads to an increased understanding of money and savings; 2. Are persuasive advertising strategies to develop brand loyalty, despite students having little or no ability to filter marketing messages; 3. Fail to disclose their strategic objectives to acquire customers; and

4. Create a conflict of interest through the kickback payments to schools in order to incentivise participation.

The findings been welcomed by consumer advocacy groups.

“ASIC has painted a damning picture of school banking programs, making it clear that a key objective is to recruit customers at a young age,” says CHOICE CEO Alan Kirkland.

“Most importantly, ASIC has warned school communities not to rely on claims that these programs help kids to develop good savings habits, describing these as ‘unsubstantiated’. “ Sally Tindall, research director at RateCity, says the report exposes the weaknesses of letting banks into our schools to teach our kids about money.

“School should be a safe environment where kids aren’t exposed to financial marketing and advertising,” she says.

“If McDonald’s came into schools to teach kids about healthy eating, there would be an outcry. When it comes to teaching kids about money, parents and teachers should be taking the reins.”

Tindall believes financial education should be included in schools’ core curriculum.

“Learning about money is a life skill but right now it’s buried in the curriculum. It should be a stand-alone subject.

“School banking is a convenient way to get your kids to learn about banking, but parents can easily do this at home without being forced to use one specific provider.”

Failure to shop around could cost students thousands of dollars come adulthood.

Financial educator Nicole Pedersen-McKinnon has developed an interest integrity index which calculates the difference in interest rate between the average big four banks and the best product in the market,

across the average credit card, personal loan and home loan.

These interest rate differentials add up to an estimated $150,346.

“CBA’s YouthSaver is offering a rate of just 0.80% – parents can teach their kids to do better than this by shopping around,” says Tindall.

What the MTAA Super, Tasplan merger will mean for 326,000 members MTAA Super and Tasplan will take on a new name on April 1, as their $23 billion merger is completed.

The combined fund will be called Spirit Super and have 326,000 members, with the promise of lower administration fees.

MTAA Super chief executive Leanne Turner, who will be the chief executive of the

combined fund, says its name reflects its ambition to be a national superannuation fund.

“What I love about Spirit Super is it captures the energy of what we’re about. It’s fresh and optimistic and innovative — everything we want to be,” Turner said in a statement.

“The new name also speaks to the past achievements of our funds. MTAA Super and Tasplan are both outstanding funds and

take great pride in providing historically strong longterm returns, excellent value and service to our members.

“As Spirit Super, we will have greater capacity to continue improving our products and service and to really embrace a member-first approach to everything we do.”

Turner flagged lower admin-

istration fees for all Spirit Super members.

“The details are being worked

through, but there will be a drop in administration fees when Spirit Super kicks off. So right off the bat, members will start seeing the benefits of the merger,” she says.

Tasplan recently told members of its plans to switch from lifecycle MySuper to single strategy, citing higher administration costs for the lifecycle among the reasons. MTAA Super runs its default superannuation

product as single strategy.

Tasplan raised its income protection premiums by 7.3% at the end of September 2020.

MTAA increased its death and TPD premiums in February 2020, attributing it to the government’s “Putting Members Interests First” and “Protecting Your Super” reforms and a subsequent decrease in the number of members covered by its group insurance policy.

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Co-Working Spaces: The New Normal?

Co-working spaces are becoming the new normal, with many businesses and employees transforming how they work, and where they work.

These shared workspaces were already on the rise by the time Covid-19 had pushed the workforce into the reality of home offices and virtual zoom meetings.

This status quo shake-up forced many businesses to realise that working remotely, or independently didn’t necessarily mean a drop in productivity or success.

Rethink Your Workspace in Newcastle West, initially started as a financial planning business until passers-by asked about extra space and the possibility of renting desks and offices.

Operations and HR Manager Glenys Mullholland said they had initially started renting out space on their mezzanine level.

“Once more people became interested and came on board as tenants, we suddenly realised that there had been a shift in the way people wanted to do business, and were seeking an alternative,” Mullholland said.

“So, over time, we created a coworking space for professionals who

wanted to do things differently, and we haven’t looked back.

“We have created new offices and desk spaces throughout the building to accommodate the growing demand for this type of work environment, and have purposebuilt two new offices to cater for the tenant’s specific requirements.”

Mullholland said they stayed open during the height of the pandemic as the building’s ample space helped them maintain social distancing rules and restrictions.

“We never closed the doors because we didn’t have to, even if

every tenant stayed during Covid-19, we had the facilities and the space to accommodate that,” she said.

“I feared that when the pandemic hit that co-working spaces were going to suffer, I thought everyone would want to work from home, but the absolute opposite happened.

“I think things will be different from now on, rather than going back to normal (post-Covid-19); I think it has been the shakeup everyone needed to make changes in their businesses.”

Rethink Your Workspace is a unique space with an internal café, seven meeting pods, two boardrooms,

Glenys Mullholland

and reception staff who take calls, receive mail and schedule appointments.

The meeting rooms are also available to rent out to external workers who need a professional place to meet clients.

“We choose our tenants wisely to make sure we are a good fit for each other, that’s why we do a 3-month trial— if we aren’t, we simply don’t sign them to a long term contract,” Mullholland said.

“We love seeing our tenants get along, we have created a great business community with genuine human connection, comradery and a space where they can bounce ideas off one another.

“There’s a broad range of people and professions here, where specialties happen to cross over, and people can connect and network.”

She said the cafe was the heart and soul of the business where people went to chat, have a coffee, and destress from their work.

“You won’t ever have the same conversation twice as everyone here has a different job or business— all of our tenants are just so diverse, and everyone has their own success stories.”

by Hayley McMahon

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Soul food and a recipe for chocolate mud cream helps to switch on the digestive process to enable us to deal with the less-than-ideal nutritional situation that is the modern donut!

This process is amplified further when we’re indulging in foods associated with fond childhood memories. To any mamas who might be reading this: preparing delicious, nutrient dense, homemade soul food for your children might be a fairly thankless task, but the benefits go far beyond their immediate nourishment.

GEORGIA LIENEMANN We’re midway through a sixpart guide to feeling good.

Thus far, we’ve explored the importance of breathing, sleep, rest, pleasure, human connection and this week we’re focusing on ‘soul’ food.

Now, before we get into all the chocolatey details, I want to talk a little about the importance of soul food from my perspective.

Having spent a couple of decades in search of the best diet for humans and in the process, experimented with the bulk of the dietary and detox protocols out there, I can tell you firsthand that overly restrictive eating isn’t the best path to feeling good.

Naturally, eating well is important, however for some, it can be a slippery slope to becoming obsessive or fixated on compartmentalising foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad’.

The importance of soul food One thing I’ve come to know is that soul food, whether it’s homemade or even the processed store-bought variety (gasp!), is an extremely important component of a healthy diet. And the way we approach it will make all the difference.

You might be familiar with the ‘French Paradox’, a term coined to describe the apparent mystery of why the French can eat three times as much fat as Americans, but their population has remained at a much healthier weight and with less incidence of heart disease. The simple explanation is the quality and ratio of the types of fat they consume, but we’ll come back to that another time.

If you can imagine living in a country where there are lower health risks associated with an indulgent diet, you can understand how the French have a completely different mindset around food. This was highlighted beautifully many years ago with a simple experiment, referenced in Michael Pollan’s brilliant book ‘In Defense of Food: An Eater’s

Manifesto’.

When the French were asked to share the first word association that sprang to mind upon being shown the words ‘chocolate cake’, the most common response was ‘celebration’.

For their American counterparts, it was ‘guilt’, demonstrating the degree to which diet culture has radically transformed an enjoyable pastime into one that generates an internal state of fear and loathing.

Beliefs and biology The area of research that investigates how our perception influences biology is a fascinating one. Several studies spring to mind which suggest that the way we view the food on our plate can have a significant effect on our physiology when we consume it.

So, if you’re someone who has the tendency to become attached to certain ways of eating, I encourage you to give yourself permission to really enjoy your food. At each meal, regardless of what ends up on your plate, focus more on the joy of eating – utilising all your senses – rather than the analysis or judgemental chatter that might be taking place in your head.

For starters, we know that different areas of the brain light up when we view food as celebratory versus being a guilty pleasure – or even something we know we ‘should’ eat, purely for health reasons.

Earlier in this series, we touched on the idea that pleasure can have a profound effect on the nervous system (and thus our overall physical and mental health) via the vagus nerve, which is informed by our senses and determines our physiological response to our environment.

By mindfully indulging in a chocolatecovered donut every once in a while, especially if we engage our senses by revelling in the delicious aroma, flavour and texture – we can have a calming effect on the nervous system, flooding our body with a cascade of beneficial chemicals and generating feelings of joy. This process also

My dairy-free chocolate mud cream (chocolate mayo!)

This decadent recipe is a recent invention of mine, created mainly to get a broader range of healthy fats into my kids – neither of whom can currently tolerate dairy, much to my overwhelming disappointment!

Given that it uses the same technique as a traditional mayonnaise, I’d initially named it ‘chocolate mayo’, however was quickly reprimanded by my test subjects – apparently it’s too off-putting.

Chocolate mud cream, it is!

The recipe brings together two highly revered traditional foods which contain powerful mood boosting nutrients. We’ve discussed the incredible nutrient density of egg yolks in previous columns, rich in the universally deficient vitamin K2 as well as choline, zinc, iron and more.

Cacao or cocoa (the terms are interchangeable, please ignore the raw foodies who insist that one is raw and one is cooked – simply not true!) is also exceptionally nutrient dense and has a longstanding reputation as a mood-enhancing functional food.

The nourishing and deliciously aromatic fat of the cocoa bean, which can be purchased in bags of easy-to-use cocoa butter ‘wafers’ from local girls Nurtured Earth is used in this recipe to emulsify – just like oil is used in a traditional mayonnaise.

The recipe is extremely forgiving and doesn’t tend to split – so there’s no need to be as cautious and slow with adding the melted fat.

A way to tick both boxes Now, as I fall more and more deeply in love with learning more about regional cuisines and traditional foods and the long-lasting impacts of the misguided anti-fat campaign have dwindled, it becomes overwhelmingly apparent that the dishes many of us would describe as ‘soul food’ can be made with extremely nutrient-dense, nourishing ingredients. They can actually be healthy!

Now that we know that saturated fat is not the enemy; that most saturated fats – and indeed most animal fats, whether they’re saturated or not – provide vital nutrients for brain, nervous system and hormone health; that traditional cultures ate ten times the fatsoluble nutrients than we do, it’s time to rethink our relationship with soul food all

My favourite method with any type of mayo, is to use a handheld blender and mix it up directly in the jar you’re planning to store it in. This recipe makes around a cup of mud cream, but can be doubled or trebled depending on family size. Trust me, it won’t last long in the fridge!

Ingredients 2 eggs 1 egg yolk 3 tsp cacao/cocoa powder ½ tsp vanilla essence or paste Medium pinch of salt 1.5 tbsp. maple syrup (slightly less, if you prefer honey) 55g cacao butter wafers Method 1. Place all ingredients except the cacao butter in a glass jar or small bowl and using a hand blender or whisk, process them until well combined.

2. Gently heat the cacao butter in a small saucepan over low heat just until melted.

3. Continue to blend or whisk the chocolate egg mixture as you drizzle in the melted cacao butter, until the mixture is uniform and smooth.

The mud cream will store in the fridge for up to one week and is a delicious accompaniment to fresh berries, waffles and of course can be eaten straight out of the jar with a spoon. It can also be frozen into the creamiest homemade ice cream – we love to blend it up with ice cubes and a splash of nut milk for a dairy free chocolate ‘milkshake’ on hot days.

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DOWN IN THE GARDEN - LOVE FROM THE GARDEN along spiritual and decorative use that still held great meaning and appreciation of nature and flowers.

Valentine’s Day

CHERALYN DARCEY

We have always invited flowers into every facet of our lives.

Flowers and the treasures they create such as perfumes, foods and medicines, have been readily embraced for their supportive and healing attributes throughout time.

They are our little friends who help us send messages, support and love to others, to the Gods and to ourselves.

Flowers are usually with us when we are born, when we join our lives with another, when we celebrate, commiserate, placate and when we leave this earth, we are sometimes covered in flowers.

The blossoms of plants are with us always and they are a beautiful gift that illustrates and narrates our lives.

Archaeologists have discovered what appears to be the remnants of floral offerings within many ancient burial sites throughout the world.

It is not hard for us to imagine that our ancestors would be moved to collect beautiful flowers from the forests, fields and hills surrounding them and place these colourful, sweet reminders of life with the departed for their journey elsewhere.

Some of the first recorded instances of the giving of flowers and the use of floral arrangements can be seen in the paintings, decorations and sculptures of the Ancient Egyptians.

These were perhaps also our first ‘cut-flower’ gardeners, planting flowers and tending them for pleasure.

The Egyptians of these times also believed that flowers held a sacred quality through not only their appearance but via their fragrances and so flowers themselves, along with oils and perfumes were used not only in daily life, but were an important element in religious ceremonies and rituals.

The Ancient Greeks and Romans held flowers in high regard as well, also adorning the statues of their deities in tribute during festivals and celebrations.

These gifts of flowers to the gods and goddess by the Greeks, Romans and the Ancient Egyptians where perhaps the first indications of actual ‘giving of flowers’ to mark occasions and also in the gifting of flowers for pleasure.

The act of giving flowers to a god or goddess was to appease, to make them happy.

Throughout Ancient Asia, flowers were an important element in the home and at temples where they main function was to offer protection from evil spirits.

Taoists and Buddhists lay flowers at their altars as offerings and have done so for centuries.

Plants and their flowers have been integral to healing medicine and rituals in most Asian countries and these practices have flourished

Valentine’s Day, 14th February, is perhaps the best-known day of flower giving throughout the world when we show those others that they are loved by us.

Emperor Claudius II, in third century Rome, believed that soldiers were better at their job if they remained single as so made marrying illegal for them.

A young priest named Valentine, defied the law and secretly married young couples but was discovered and sentenced to death.

While incarcerated Valentine fell in love with the jailer’s daughter and before he was executed on 14th February 14 in 270 AD, he wrote her a letter and signed it, ‘from your Valentine.’

He was declared a saint and we still honour his commitment to love (even unwittingly) by gifting flowers and other tokens of love to those we hold dear.

The Meaning of Flowers Flowers speak a language of their own with meanings connected to each that are based on the way they grow, the history we have woven with them and their aroma, feel and appearance.

Most cultures have created a dictionary of flower meanings to send messages to each other, to bring the energy of healing to gardens and homes and to surround themselves with the intentions that the Language of Flowers speaks.

People of the Victorian period (1837-1901) made this practice popular through the giving of bouquets containing carefully selected flowers based on meaning.

It was a time when communication between people was dictated by social standing and morals and so was used as a code, to pass messages on to each other in private.

The Meanings of a Few Popular Flowers Sunflower (Helianthus annuus): get well, strength, happiness, confidence Red Rose (Rosa): love, courage, respect, passion, lust, relationship, beauty White Rose (Rosa): truth, honesty, purity, protection Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus): victory, support, vitality, independence Dahlia (Dahlia): encouragement, dignity, generosity, faith, resiliency Violet (Viola): faithfulness, answers within, subconscious, modesty Pink Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus): love, encouragement, gratitude Daffodil ((Narcissus pseudonarcissus): hope, inspiration, respect, renewal Red Tulip (Tulipa): desire, passion, declaration of love, belief Peony (Paeonia officinalis): happy marriage, honour, wealth, health, nobility While the traditional Victorian Language of Flowers focuses on blossoms that were popular in the Northern Hemisphere, a close study of the botanical history of the plant and ethnobotany (the uses humans have made of plants) can reveal to us the meanings of any flower and plant, including our Australian Natives.

For example, a bright bunch of Billy Buttons (Pycnosorus globosus) are the perfect way to say sorry.

A pathway lined with Bottlebrush is perfect for busy families to walk through before coming into the home to leave the troubles of the day behind them.

The Language of Australian Flowers These are just a few natives and some of their meanings:

Banksia (Banksia spp.) “I love being with you”, “Congratulations” Boronia (Boronia spp.) “Good luck in your exams”, “Can we work this out?”

Billy Buttons (Pycnosorus globosus) “I’m sorry”, “I want to begin again” Everlasting Daisy (Rhodanthe spp.) “I’d like to be your friend”, “I hope this last forever” Flannel Flower (Atinotus helianthin) “I love you”, “I trust you” Flowering Gum (Eucalyptus spp.) “Get well soon”, “I will not do it again” Geraldton Wax (Chamelaucium spp.) “You can do this”, “Be mine” Grevillea (Grevillea spp.) “Good luck”, “I wish you well in the future” Gymea Lily (Doryanthes excelsa) “I believe in you”, “I’m proud of you” Kangaroo Paw (Anigozanthos spp.) “Please forgive me”, “I forgive you” Mulla Mulla (Ptilotus spp.)”Bon voyage”, “I wish you well in the future” Waratah (Telopea spp.) “I wish you strength”, “I am by your side” Wattle (Acacia spp.) “Congratulations”, “You make me happy”

Love Blossom Risotto Looking to feed the one you love?

Create this dish of love with its kaleidoscope of floral goodness using the petals of edible flowers such as violets, nasturtiums, roses, lavender, serves 4 (enough leftovers for breakfast in bed or midnight snacks) gather together, 2 leeks 2 - 4 cloves garlic (to taste) 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons butter 2 cups Arborio rice up to 4 cups of warm stock (vegetable or meat) *1 cup white wine 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves 1 cup finely grated parmesan (optional) a good handful of chopped edible flowers/ petals Finely chop all the white end, a little of the green of your leek and sauté in the oil until translucent over a medium heat.

Finely chop the garlic and add, cooking further for another few minutes, constantly stirring.

Reduce the heat, add the butter and then the Arborio rice and finely chopped thyme.

Pour in the wine/stock substitution and stir constantly while the rice absorbs all the liquid.

Keep adding stock slowly and stirring constantly until the rice is cooked.

You will want a creamy texture and the rice to be cooked to your liking.

Take off the heat and stir in your flowers/ petals and if desired, grated parmesan. *additional stock can be substituted for wine

How do you Make Cut Flowers Last?

We all want the love to last!

Julie, the owner of Boydita Flowers at Fountain Plaza, Erina shared these tips to make your flowers last as long as possible.

As soon as you receive your flowers, remove all foliage from the stems that will sit below the waterline in a vase.

Rinse the stems and cut on an angle.

Place away from full, direct sunlight and heat and away from drafts.

Change water every second day, remove any dead flowers and recut stems that look dried.

Julie also has a gorgeous range of ‘Forever Flowers’, very on trend and popular dried and persevered flowers and botanicals.

They are not your Nana’s dried flowers; these have been carefully preserved to retain colour and form and are simply divine.

ON THE GARDEN GRAPVINE Working Bee at Kariong Eco Garden Sat 13th Feb, 9 - 11am. Help us find the labyrinth path again! Take home native raspberry plants, cuttings from pineapple sage, worm wood, 5 Herb plant, lemon balm, chocolate mint. kariongecogarden.org.au Ultimate Fungal Wizardry Workshop by Urban Kulture, Sat 13th Feb 10am - 12pm at Gosford Regional Gallery and Edogawa Commemorative Garden. A hands-on short course on skill development in gourmet and medicinal mushroom cultivation. Learn how to grow your own mushrooms in only 2 hours.

More information and to book: urbankulture. com.au Bonsai Workshop and Demonstration Day, Sun 14 Feb, 9 - 4pm. Mingara Recreation Club.

Central Coast Bonsai Club invites you to join a fun filled day with Sam Thompson. Details and bookings: www.centralcoastbonsai.com.au

THIS WEEK YOU COULD PLANT Asian greens, beans (French and climbing), beetroot, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, chives, English spinach, kale, kohlrabi, leek, lettuce, parsnip, radish, silverbeet, spring onions, swede, turnip, coriander, anise, bergamot, burdock, calendula, amaranth, canterbury bells, cineraria, evening primrose, forget-me-nots, foxglove, heartsease, liveringstone daisy, nemesia, nigella, pansies, poppy, primula, ranunculus, stock, sweet William, wallflower, snapdragons, violas

Cheralyn Darcey is a gardening author, community garden coordinator and along with Pete Little, hosts ‘At Home with The Gardening Gang’ 8 - 10am every Saturday on CoastFM96.3 a live home and gardening lifestyle radio show: www.coastfmgardeninggang.com Send your gardening questions, events and news to: gardeningcentralcoast@gmail.com

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novonews.com.au

@novonewsau

The Keeper and The Lawyer It takes incredible devotion, hard work, and discipline to be a professional soccer player, many would agree that this is required of a lawyer too; but could you imagine balancing both?

Claire Coelho is the Newcastle Jets W-League Goalkeeper and a Criminal Lawyer, two professions requiring years of dedication, commitment, and mental and physical endurance.

“I have pretty good time management skills, which is something I’ve learnt over the many years of juggling my commitments,” Coelho said.

“I’ve also not known any different other than law and soccer— but also the club and my employer are very understanding.

“I like to do things properly and to the best of my ability, so whatever needs doing that day I make sure it gets done, a rest day each week is also always welcomed!”

In February 2020, Coelho was admitted as a Lawyer of the Supreme Court of NSW alongside her Bachelor of Laws (Honours) Bachelor of Social Science and Diploma of Legal Practice.

During the W-League season and on top of her lawyer commitments, Coelho attends four to five field training sessions and two gym sessions a week.

“Normally, I have two nights off

training a week and a free day on the weekend if we are lucky,” Coelho said.

“In my spare time, I enjoy bike riding all over Newcastle, going for brunch, having a sleep in and watching documentaries.”

As a teenager, Coelho watched the crime channel regularly and was always interested in studying law.

“I knew that I wanted to work with people who are in a very vulnerable

and stressed situation or time in their life,” she said.

“I am not interested in the commercial law world and didn’t want to be behind a desk most days— I love being in court and being an advocate.

“Accused persons have the right to legal representation, and I want to be a criminal lawyer who takes the pressure off my clients and aim to get the best outcome possible for

each case.”

For her legal career, Coelho aims to be a respected criminal solicitor who people can rely on, as for her sporting career, she wants to become a role model for the younger generation.

After years of playing goalkeeper and soccer growing up, Coelho still gets nerves from time to time but has learnt how to manage them and use them to her advantage.

“Prior to a game, I visualise what I can do and have been asked to do— positive reinforcement is the best way to overcome nerves," Coelho said.

“An old coach once told me to just take it one save at a time, and that’s what I try and do when a shot is coming, I think of the best way to deal with the ball based on the situation.

“Most of the time, you don’t have too much time to think, so you have to trust your technique and training.”

Coelho said her favourite save so far, was one of the 15 she made against Brisbane Roar in 2019/2020 season, which was made even better by the fans’ support.

“The Newcastle community makes the club so special, there is a lot of pride wearing the Jets jersey,” Coelho said.

“When you are on the field, the fans will back you no matter what— that’s the best part about playing for the club.”

by Hayley McMahon

Jets star becomes Newy Citizen

Newcastle Jets forward Roy O’Donovan has become the city’s newest Australian Citizen along with his young family, in an online citizenship ceremony on January 26.

Relocating to Australia in 2015, the Irish import and his wife Ellen fell in love with the Newcastle lifestyle soon after the birth of their son Alfie.

“I always had it in the back of my mind that I wanted to play in Australia or America because I fancied the

change from living in England,” O’Donovan said.

“We came to Newcastle and really felt like we had found a home here.

“You can’t beat the lifestyle here, especially for raising a family, with so many beautiful parks and beaches at your doorstep.”

O’Donovan said he had travelled and lived elsewhere for his football career but only for more than three years at a time.

“We’re extremely honoured and proud to become Australian citizens and be part of Newcastle’s future,” he said.

The City of Newcastle’s Australia Day Citizenship Ceremony is usually one of the largest in the state but was adapted for the newest citizens in a Covid-19 safe environment.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes presided over the ceremony accompanied by Federal Member for Newcastle, Sharon Claydon and Deputy Lord Mayor Councillor Declan Clausen.

“While the Covid-19 pandemic has meant we have had to do things a little differently to keep the community safe, it’s a historic moment as Lord Mayor to welcome City of Newcastle’s newest citizens in a more intimate, one-on-one setting, joining them virtually in their lounge rooms and kitchens,” Cr Nelmes said.

Information source: Media release The City of Newcastle

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