CityNews 210826

Steep steps send disabled on to road

MICHAEL MOORE

How to teach your kids and survive lockdown

KATE MEIKLE

If Andrew’s in yellow, it’s Thursday, right?

IAN MEIKLE

AUGUST 26, 2021

Well written, well read

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NEWS / community sport

Davis drives government to look at fair funding

By Danielle

NOHRA THE Canberra Liberals, Labor and the Greens have unanimously agreed to a motion calling for the ACT government to implement a fair, long-term plan when it comes to giving money to grassroots sports organisations across the territory.

Greens MLA and member for Brindabella Johnathan Davis, 29, brought the motion to the ACT Legislative Assembly in April, determined to get a plan in place that stops relying on sporting groups having to lobby and compete for funding.

“I have seen – historically – by all sides of politics, community sports used as a political football (pardon the pun), where funding is granted on an ad hoc basis,” he says.

“We see it most palpably through election campaigns when all political parties are guilty of throwing [money here and] there for that particular sport or that particular community.

“I don’t think that’s a sustainable way to plan for and fund grassroots community sports.

“Investment in grassroots community sports should be a basic of good, local government and should be done as a matter of course based on identifying evidence-based needs rather than the political lobbying power of individual sports clubs.”

With no government plan for community sports, Mr Davis has called on the government to: develop a long-term strategic plan for sport and recreation; develop a facilities management plan; climate-proof facilities from heat and smoke; tackle participation barriers for disadvantaged Canberrans; and, establish a sport and recreation industry peak body to support the sector.

As part of the motion, Mr Davis asked for the government to report back to the Assembly by December.

His requests faced some criticism from the Canberra Liberals before being agreed to by all MLAs. Shadow sports and recreation minister James Milligan was “gobsmacked” by it, saying it lacked understanding of the local sporting landscape and history of this portfolio.

“The idea of a peak sporting body is not new,” he said, pointing to former sports minister Shane Rattenbury who “did away with” the peak body SportsACT in 2015 after it had run for almost three decades.

Mr Milligan recognised that change was needed and blamed the govern-

Greens MLA Johnathan Davis… “The sports groups who don’t lobby, the sports groups who play sports and don’t become political activists are the ones that miss out.”

Photo: Danielle Nohra ment for its neglect of sporting groups and facilities but concluded that he would support the motion – “with limits”.

Regardless of Mr Milligan’s concerns, Mr Davis was happy to receive the unanimous support, and later said that his work in the area was done – for now.

“It’s now the responsibility of Sports Minister Yvette Berry, having supported that motion, to enact those recommendations,” he says.

“Then it’s my job, after seeing the result of the motion [in] December, to re-

This is much worse than last year “CityNews” managing director JAMES ANDERSON says, for small businesses a week is a long time in lockdown.

AS a publisher through this lockdown there is enormous responsibility to keep producing local news, but also as a small business, a great challenge to simply keep the lights on.

I am not the only one. As a business-to-business operation, we know who is hurting and I can tell you, it is much worse than last year.

During last year’s softer version of lockdown, business gratefully got significant government assistance in the form of: Jobkeeper, relief on BAS and PAYG, rent relief, banking support and utilities support.

These policies helped keep us and many of our friends’ businesses afloat. However, this time – in a far

INDEX

worse version of lockdown – we only have the mildest elements of this support.

My question is when things are worse than they were last year, why is the business support at a totally different level?

By all means change the rules and parameters for access now that we know more about executing this policy, but don’t act as though we are in a better position than last year when Sydney is looking like it will be in lockdown until Christmas.

I applaud Chief Minister Andrew Barr on his handling of this crisis so far, he has communicated clearly every day on what the public needs to do to stay safe.

He has also reached out to the federal government for business support quickly, and stuck his hand into territory coffers to do this.

But the issue he urgently needs to take to national cabinet is that more needs to be done. For small business, every week is a long time in lockdown.

Since 1993: Volume 27, Number 34

Arts & Entertainment 15-17 Canberra Matters 6 Crossword 19 Dining & Wine 17 Garden 18 Horoscopes 19 Letters 14 News 3-14 Politics 10, 13 Seven Days 4 Streaming 16

Cover: Basketballer Grant Keys. Story Page 8. Photo: Holly Treadaway.

Well written, well read

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flect on that, to consult with community sports once again and ensure that it actually meets all of their expectations.”

Mr Davis, who is not a sports person himself – although he did play rugby league for the under 10s and scored one try that season (for the wrong team!) – says his passion stems from how many issues intersect with strong grassroots community sports.

“It’s about physical health and wellbeing, it’s also about connecting with people, building relationships, building resilient and strong communities,” he says.

It’s why Mr Davis believes community grassroots sporting groups need to get back to what they do best, which shouldn’t include lobbying.

“The sports groups who don’t lobby, the sports groups who play sports and don’t become political activists are the ones that miss out,” he says.

“It’s an unsustainable situation where so many of them feel obligated to engage in political lobbying simply to make sure that the grass gets mowed and the basketball court gets built.”

As someone who has come from a working-class background, Mr Davis also wants to focus on people who might be slipping through the cracks.

“I grow increasingly troubled about the number of Canberrans who are not able to access grassroots community sports because paying club fees, buying the right shoes, paying for the jersey, are economic barriers for those families,” he says.

“We have, on the whole, a very wealthy city, which is why for most Canberra families, the idea of being able to find $50 for a jersey, $100 for shoes, $100 for club fees, doesn’t seem like a huge economic burden, but there are a substantial amount of paycheckto-paycheck, working-class families in Canberra whose kids don’t play sports because that amount of money is a barrier to them.”

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SEVEN DAYS

If Andrew’s in yellow, it must be Thursday, right?

AS each lockdown day smudges into the next, the only thing that seems to differentiate them is the colour of the Chief Minister’s tie as we wait for The Numbers.

No ties means it’s the weekend.

To his credit, Andrew Barr avoids grandstanding and gets pragmatically straight to who’s got what at the daily covid press conferences. He passes to Kerryn Coleman, the chief health officer, who shares who’s got what and why, and then to Health Minister Rachel Steven-Smith for who’s got what and where. Rachel is left to mop up the news and praise all the workers. She uses the word phenomenal (“remarkable or exceptional, especially exceptionally good”) a phenomenal number of times.

Dr Coleman’s bedside manner is brilliant.

I could watch her all day if she had the time. I have, but she hasn’t. In taking curly questions from those nosey journalists, she’ll either brightly give or promise analysis or demur, firmly, in the nicest possible way.

Each morning’s “Premier Time” is required viewing. Dan Andrews will glower at Victoria, Gladys Berejiklian will fret at NSW and Andrew, at 11.45am, will be understandably smug at leading a compliant and engaged community hellbent on beating the Delta strain straight back to where it came from.

It’s great to see the Headminister finger wag us naughty kids, admonishing us that if we don’t behave we’ll all end up like, like...

Sydney. And we don’t want that, do we kids?

No, sir!

Though one wonders if we do manage to escape the Delta clutches, how we will be able to be out of lockdown if regional NSW isn’t.

In an interview with “The Guardian” Barr said that if the ACT could successfully stamp out the current outbreak, there would then need to be “a range of settings in place that assume constant incursion of the virus from NSW”. “[And] that every day is a risk, and we are going to live with that every single day,

and even beyond 80 per cent vaccination rates,” he said.

“I just see young people being horribly exposed by the decision of another government and I don’t know what I can do to protect my community against that.”

He’s on the way, though, with a steely commitment to getting the ACT fully vaccinated first.

As he said at one of the press conference blurs: “It’s important people understand it takes two to three weeks for the vaccines to become effective. You don’t get instant protection when the jab goes in your arm.”

He’d warned national cabinet not to relax things the moment the country hits 70 or 80 per cent of vaccine coverage.

You think they’ll listen?

“That movement must reflect the effective vaccination rate, which will lag the headline indicator by about three weeks,” he said.

Hence the rush.

And he’s flagged a commitment to vaccinate students before the end of the school year.

“Our goal is to have this well underway before the end of the school year, but this depends on available vaccine supplies,” he said.

“But we’re doing the planning. We want

to be in a position to vaccinate as many 12 to 15-year-olds before the end of the school year.”

All very impressive. While “CityNews” has grave misgivings about this government’s health, education and budget management, Barr’s pragmatism and priorities for the community have been inspirational.

The former president of the ACT’s AMA Dr Antonio Di Dio agrees. He told me on 2CC’s “CityNews Sunday Roast” program that, after five years criticising Andrew Barr, in this crisis he rated his performance as “outstanding”.

BUT no surprises that this year’s highly advanced Floriade and NightFest, set to start on September 11, have been zeroed for the second year in a row because of covid concerns.

“Obviously, the bulbs have been planted in Commonwealth Park and will bloom through spring. But the government is discouraging large-scale gatherings at this time,” said Mr Barr.

Those much maligned mobile planter boxes and pots that feature in Commonwealth Park will be relocated throughout the city and suburbs.

He said the boxes would complement the 300,000 bulbs and annuals already planted by local schools and community groups.

“It will look similar to last year,” he said.

And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

IN a recent missive to a constituent, Liberal Senator Zed Seselja writes: “Over the next week my office won’t be open for walk-in visits, however me and my staff will be available should you need assistance.”

My staff and I are grateful he’s not the Education Minister!

AN inner-south snout wrote in highish dudgeon grumbling about the (covid risky) public transport working to a normal weekday schedule during lockdown.

“In other cities they’ve gone to a Sunday/ public holiday schedule. The environmental and financial cost would be extraordinary for a government struggling to keep its head above water,” he sniffed.

But the universe has conspired to change things with the Transport Minister Chris Steel having to switch the timetable this week to “summer services” in the face of 80 bus drivers in quarantine.

Ian Meikle is the editor of “CityNews” and can be heard on the “CityNews Sunday Roast” news and interview program, 2CC, 9am-noon.

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CANBERRA MATTERS / heritage

Tumbling heritage reveals a lack of competence ANOTHER mid-century home, designed by an honoured designer, gone!

This was the fate of the house at 22 Brockman Street, Narrabundah. This loss is a sad reflection on the city that should be expected to embrace and maintain its heritage. It does not do so well.

There are multiple lessons from this episode. It is a case study that identifies the multi-layered problems within the ACT Labor/Greens coalition government and allied heritage bodies.

These issues are not new. They continue to have adverse effects on heritage decisions and the capacity for politicians to do something real about heritage.

The lack of decent governance and political competence goes back a decade or two. It probably went bad when, in 2007, the planning portfolio landed in the hands of Andrew Barr.

Even though he has not held the planning portfolio since 2011, his style of planning being sidelined for development has now become the norm. Since 2014, Mick Gentleman has been Barr’s Planning Minister.

Given the general hands-off approach by Gentleman, the general experience is that Barr, now as Chief Minister, drives the operations of the Planning and Development portfolios and within that heritage is a definite loser.

The biggest issue is the lack of heritage listings for Canberra’s mid-century buildings and residences.

The National Trust is on the case, but such an initiative should be embraced urgently by the ACT government.

The Heritage office, a small sub-unit within the Planning Directorate, supports the ACT Heritage Council. Given its low status within the directorate, what chance could it have to disrupt the directorate’s developer-driven agenda?

Secondly, the ACT Heritage Council has a mixed record of being in the front line to support heritage. I do not know of anyone who has faith in this present committee and who thinks that it has enough local and appropriate expertise. The head of the Planning directorate is said to sit in on most meetings of the Heritage Council.

The government clings to the myth that the Heritage Council is an independent body, despite it being linked to the Planning directorate and obviously “watched” closely by its CEO – who is also the chief planner (this town loves these conflicting positions).

The house at 22 Brockman Street, Narrabundah… gone!

When the Heritage Council considered the fate of 22 Brockman Street, it was obviously too late. The Planning directorate had approved the demolition and given it the questionable status of being DA exempt. This means that the rest of us did not need to know what was happening. Can you imagine this particular Heritage Council going against any decision of the Planning directorate?

When people saw what was happening, a few lines of request were followed up – most of which led back to the Heritage Council and, ultimately, the ACT Heritage Minister, Rebecca Vassarotti, an ACT Greens MLA. Many had fingers crossed that this Greens Minister would be a great improvement on the former Heritage Minister, Mick Gentleman. There’s

not a lot to be said about his time in the portfolio.

When the current Heritage Minister responded via her communications adviser, that there was little she could do, as she could not intervene in the workings of the independence of the Heritage Council (don’t laugh), people had their answer to her approach to heritage matters, no matter how urgent.

She is sitting on the fence as the ACT Greens often do when matters of importance confront the city. So why is she the ACT’s Heritage Minister?

Obviously to be enthusiastic. Feel

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Despite all that, the biggest issue is the lack of listings for Canberra’s mid-century buildings and residences. This needs to be a top priority and then those listed are subject to a quick and dirty heritage assessment. I am aware that the ACT National Trust is on the case, but such an initiative should be embraced urgently by the ACT government. A job for the minister?

There are many cynics in this town who do not recognise heritage. They were brought out to support the West Basin development. Here’s another job for the ACT Minister for Heritage.

By all means be enthusiastic, but do something real to get the general population on board with heritage.

Please let there be no more losses such as 22 Brockman Street.

Paul Costigan is an independent commentator and consultant on the visual arts, photography, urban design, environmental issues and everyday matters.

NEWS

‘Library’ for the handy opens up a world of tools

By Nick

OVERALL A POWER drill will only be used for about 13 minutes in its lifetime, but with the ACT’s first “tools and equipment library” launching this spring a group of handy volunteers say they’re determined to up that number.

It’s called the Canberra Community Toolbox and for an annual fee of $20 members will be able to borrow gizmos and gadgets for home maintenance, DIY activities, gardening, leisure, hobbies and crafts, the kitchen, even things such as kayaks, all of which are donated by others who no longer need them.

“Think of it like a library,” says volunteer Tom Spratt.

“You’ll be able to look online to see what’s available and then you’ll be able to come in and borrow a set of hammers, for example.

“You take them for a week, use them and bring them back for the next person.”

It’s an initiative the team is hoping will bring the community together, raise knowledge about sustainability

and give a hand to those unable to afford important tools.

“A lot of everyday objects are used only once and then they’ll just sit around at home for months or years,” says Tom. “But these are often really valuable items. While they might not be useful for one individual all the time, they’ll always be useful for someone doing something.”

Canberrans have excitedly got behind the idea, with thousands of dollars donated through a crowdfunding campaign to get the project off the ground.

“It started with a goal of $7000 and we hit that in under a week,” says fellow volunteer Rebecca Tregurtha.

“It’s allowed us to see how supportive people are and that they care.”

Encouraged by the response, the toolbox now has a “stretch fundraising goal” of $12,000, which would allow them to expand the resource even further.

“One of the main priorities for us is accessibility,” says Rebecca.

“We’re hoping to put in a ramp with some of the money we’re getting through our crowdfunding.”

Rebecca, Tom and a team of volunteers will help manage the premises in Watson during its opening hours.

What those hours will look like aren’t locked in just yet, but Rebecca

Canberra Community Toolbox volunteers, from left, Tom Spratt, Suzanne Richardson, Rebecca Tregurtha and Kathy Ehmann. says they’ll be making them as convenient as possible.

“It’ll really depend on what the demand is from people and what the availability is for volunteering,” she says.

“We’re suspecting it will be more heavily used on a weekend, but we might also have some time on a weekday evening or morning so people can return something on their way to or

from work.”

It’s not just construction tools that will be available for borrowing, either.

A stand-up paddle board and pasta maker are just two of the more obscure items that have been requested by community members.

“We’re really hoping for more things like this so that people can have experiences out in the world that they might not normally have access

to,” says Tom. “It might not even be something people realise they like doing until they give it a try.”

It’s just the start of the team’s ambitions for the Toolbox, with plenty of long-term goals they’re keen to get to work on.

“At one point we’re hoping to have workshops where we can teach people new skills,” says Rebecca “There may be people in the community not confident on how to use a drill so we hope to be able to teach them and help them be more self sufficient.”

They’re also hoping the project might inspire others to follow the example.

“We’re conscious that this site is right in the north of Canberra so we’d be excited to see something in the south, whether it’s an extension of our project in the future or a new project happening,” says Rebecca.

To the Toolbox team, the enthusiastic response has them excited moving forward.

“It’s an intrinsic part of this project that it benefits both the community and the environment. They come hand in hand,” says Tom. “And the response shows Canberrans care about these things, they’re happy to help out.”

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NEWS / cover story

Basketball cries foul on state of stadium facilities

By Danielle

NOHRA CANBERRA has some of the worst – if not the worst – basketball facilities and infrastructure in comparison to other capital cities across the country.

So says Grant Keys, Weston Creek Woden Dodgers Basketball Club vicepresident, who has played basketball at high levels (“mostly”), has worked as a coach and as an administrator with the Dodgers for the past three years.

He says there’s not many basketball stadiums across the country he hasn’t played in and Canberra is probably at the bottom when it comes to quality.

He’s been in the ACT since 2001 and says: “We’re certainly being left behind.”

According to a recent audit report conducted by the Dodgers on its five facilities in the Woden Valley/Weston Creek area, Grant says not one of its facilities are of competition standard.

“None have scoring equipment, all have wooden backboards (competition standard backboards are made with high-quality glass), line markings are all old and the floorings are slippery and can be quite dangerous,” he says.

At one of the facilities, Grant says the flooring is bubbling and cracking in parts.

“We don’t put any of our elite teams there because it’s not a safe environment,” he says. “[And] the U10s and Aussie Hoops programs use lower rings, but we’re not able to offer training for under 10s and Aussie Hoops kids because we don’t have rings that we can lower.”

What’s worse is that the club, a notfor-profit community organisation, has to charge participants, parents and carers high fees to be able to pay the hire fees for the facilities they use – even though the quality of the facilities aren’t up to standard.

“Our committee works hard to keep fees as low as possible, however, our costs and fees continue to rise while the standard of our ageing, shared-use training facilities are declining, making the case for fee increases harder to justify to our members each year,” Grant says.

“While we understand that items such as floor resurfacing and installation of quality rings and backboards are not cheap, we are seeing investments in a range of sporting facility upgrades around the city and hope that as one of the highest participation sports with the strongest growth rates, the maintenance and hire costs of our basketball stadiums can also be considered in line with other sports.”

Grant Keys… “We’re at capacity, we’re turning away kids every week and we just don’t have any room to grow.”

Photo: Holly Treadaway Grant wants to see the Dodgers, the ACT government, Basketball ACT, and other stakeholders, such as the Southern Cross Club, who own one of the facilities they use, collectively develop a pathway to get these indoor courts up to standard. “[But] we need the government to drive this,” he says.

Beyond the upgrades, and following the demolition of the Woden basketball stadium and CIT, the club is in need of a new multi-court facility to meet the demand of people in the south wanting to play basketball.

“We’re at capacity, we’re turning

away kids every week and we just don’t have any room to grow. We don’t have anywhere to put new teams,” he says.

Grant believes a facility with five or six courts would help them meet the demand and would allow the club to grow as well.

“We’re seeing well over 20 per cent growth at the moment and that’s without doing anything – no promotion at schools,” he says.

Of the more than 45 teams the club has, Grant says they have about 10 players per team, and because there’s only five players on the court at a time, he says it means there’s not a lot of

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court time to go around.

And, as the club has no central hub, a new multi-court facility could mean the club would have somewhere to base itself out of.

Currently the Woden Valley Community Council has a petition running in the Legislative Assembly urging the ACT government to build a multipurpose sports stadium in Woden.

The club’s audit also highlighted a need for outdoor three-on-three (called 3x3) courts, which is a new development in basketball.

“There’s a big push to move more towards 3x3 in summer. As a club we’re a little worried that we don’t have any facilities on the south side for 3x3,” Grant says.

Basketball ACT has invested really heavily in the development of 3x3 courts, located behind the Belconnen Basketball Stadium, which the ACT government helped fund, he says.

“The University of Canberra has a 3x3 facility down the road, also in Belconnen, which got $215,000 of federal government funding to build.

“What does that mean for our club if we’re moving towards 3x3? How are we going to get the kids to get out and play without sending them out to Belconnen?”

Sports stadium petition: citynews. com.au/2021/petition-calls-for-sportsstadium-in-woden/

THE GADFLY

The Olympics seem to be from another world “WHAT did you think of the Olympics?”

“Not bad… those girl swimmers were great… seems like last year, doesn’t it?”

This colloquy wafted my way while standing in a supermarket checkout line after the Canberra lockdown.

I couldn’t help but agree – covid dominates everything; the Olympics seems not just from another year but a different dimension.

But to pass the time I tried to recall the highlights and ponder the effect that massive circus of athletic virtuosity had on the world and especially our little corner of it.

It wasn’t easy. Memory is a notoriously fickle mistress. It grabs some silly images – such as that swim coach going nuts or the exhausted runner staggering to the line – and erases others with deeper meanings.

For example, the Chinese sprinter, Su Bingtian won his semi-final in 9.83 seconds and became the first

In the covid era, the Olympics were a nice distraction for the millions in quarantine or selfimposed solitude.

Asian in 89 years to reach the final.

That must give hope to runners from an entire continent, from Cambodia to Seoul to Ulan Bator.

We were also restricted by Kerry Stokes’ perception of what events would give his Seven Network the biggest viewer ratings. While it was exciting watching those goldwinning swimming events – and Patty Mills running rings around the Slovenians – there does come a time when women’s waterpolo – without underwater shots – starts to lose its antic charm; to say nothing of the impossible rules of Keirin in the cycling velodrome.

Apparently ping pong doesn’t rake in the viewers. Some of us love watching and playing the game since it’s probably the best method yet invented to keep body and mind in

dose of dorin first-class trim.

But to get a decent coverage you had to sign in to a Seven app and then go searching the entire spectrum while Bruce McAvaney was rabbiting on about some Kenyan’s time in the 2004 Athens 10,000.

On the way, you’d inevitably stop at some ghastly European torturing a horse with either “dres-

sage” where the inbred chargers perform ridiculous prancing gaits; or the “show jumping” of barriers to the accompaniment of toffy females snorting criticism of Princess Harlequin III (the horse) for being “not quite up to snuff today”. Surely the time has come for the RSPCA to put an end to it, particularly when it’s the rider, not the poor horse who gets the reward.

Speaking of which, what’s the point in having golf, tennis, or a cut down version of the Tour de France as Olympic events? Sure, the IOC has abandoned the old amateur rule, but these “sports” are so professional that the Olympics is just another stopover on their schedule. Which reminds me, whatever became of drug testing?

Here it is, weeks after the Games and I haven’t heard of a single positive test.

Did the entire athletic world suddenly see the light?

There are, of course, some bigger considerations. In the covid era, it was a nice distraction for the millions in quarantine or self-imposed solitude. And it should have opened our hearts to the women and men of the world who have worked so hard to bring themselves to the peak of athletic performance.

But every country has its Kerry Stokes, celebrating the national victors and ignoring the “other”.

They too will be focusing on whether their medal tally beats the national adversary.

Yes, we came sixth, once again “punching above our weight”. That, I fear, is the one element that will persist with our fickle mistress. As the old song says: “Memories are made of this”. robert@robertmacklin.com

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kjblaw.com.au CityNews August 26-September 1, 2021 9

POLITICS / An Aboriginal’s lot in Canberra

Cruel figures show need for Royal Commission THE seemingly blasé approach of the ACT government to the Our Booris Our Way review of the child-protection system and a raft of other examples of disadvantage experienced by Aboriginal peoples in Canberra has resulted in a growing chorus of demands for a Royal Commission.

While the catalyst for the call for a Royal Commission was the runaway increase in the rate of Aboriginal incarceration (an increase in the ACT of 279 per cent over the last decade compared to an average increase across the rest of Australia of 59 per cent) those advancing the case for a Royal Commission insist that its terms of reference need to enable all aspects of the lived experience of Aboriginal peoples in the ACT to be explored.

The call for a Royal Commission was first advanced by Ms Julie Tongs, CEO of Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Service.

In discussions with Julie about the rationale for a Royal Commission she told me that non-Aboriginal policy makers and governments, including the ACT’s, consistently make two fatal mistakes when purporting to address Aboriginal disadvantage.

The first is to ignore the wisdom, insights, experience and involvement

woman in the ACT is 2.5 times more The latest publicly available data in likely to be of low birth weight comrelation to child protection and youth pared to a baby born to a non-First justice is similarly disturbing: Nations woman.

• As at June 2020 the rate of First NaThe data relevant to early childtions children in out-of-home care in hood development, social and the ACT was 72.3 per 1000 compared emotional wellbeing and education is to a rate of 5.2 per 1000 for non-First Aboriginal and Torres Strait Issimilarly concerning, for example: Nations children. A First Nations lander Health Survey highlights, for • T he proportion of First Nations child in the ACT is 14 times more example, just how poorly the health children in kindergarten scoring likely to be in out-of-home care than status of First Nations people in “High Risk” of social and emotional a non-First Nations child – the third the ACT compares to the rest of the difficulties is two and a half times highest rate in Australia.

ACT community and First Nations that of non-First Nations children.

• A First Nations young person in the communities across Australia.

• F irst Nations children in the ACT ACT is nine times more likely to In summary: are twice as likely to be developbe under youth justice supervision • 81 per cent have one or more long mentally vulnerable than non-First than a non-First Nations youth. term health conditions – the highest Nations children.

Surely, any thinking and concerned rate in Australia.

• T he mean scores for First Nations person, confronted with this tiny • 57 per cent have one or more selected school students in the ACT are, in sample of the life experience of many chronic conditions – the second several domains, either in persistent of the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait highest rate in Australia. decline or are not keeping pace with Islander residents of our city, would • 47 per cent have eye/sight problems. improvements nationally. agree with Julie Tongs, and a signifi• 21 per cent have ear/hearing prob• T he “gap” between the First Nations cant cohort of Canberra’s Aboriginal lems – the highest rate in Australia. and non-First Nations means scores leaders and community, that nothing • 4 0 per cent have mental health/ ACT are, in effect,neurological two years, less than a Royal Parkinson’s in is the a degenerative condition which affects behavioural problems – the highest ie the mean score of a First Nations Commission movement and mood.

It affects an estimated 1,500 people in the ACT rate in Australia. student in Year 5 is similar to the will generate • Only 47 per cent of First Nations mean score for a non-First Nations the breadth and surrounds.

More than that, it affects carers, families and friends. people in the ACT presenting at A&E student in Year 3. The latest publicly of reform that were treated within the national available data shows that this gap is urgently Parkinson’s ACT is a volunteer-run, non-profit organisation providing benchmark – the lowest rate in has increased, ie worsened, in recent needed.

Australia. years in a number domains. information, support andofeducation.

Our purpose is to promote • 9 per cent of First Nations people in the well-being and interests of people living with Parkinson’s the ACT waited more than 365 days for elective surgery – the second in the ACT and nearby region. longest wait in Australia.

• A baby born to a First Nations The support of people who share your experience is invaluable.

The likelihood of an Aboriginal person in Canberra going to prison is probably determined even before they are born and, in the continuing absence of dedicated services, their fate is likely sealed at conception. of Aboriginal peoples, including Aboriginal community-controlled organisations.

The second is to seek to compartmentalise and deal separately and individually with different emanations of disadvantage.

She makes the point, by way of example, that the likelihood of an Aboriginal person in Canberra (say) going to prison is probably determined even before they are born and that, in the continuing absence of a range of dedicated and appropriately funded services, their fate is likely sealed at conception.

She says it is sheer nonsense to suggest that the Aboriginal incarceration rate in the ACT can be seriously addressed if the factors that contribute to an Aboriginal child first coming to the attention of the criminal justice system are not identified and resolved.

Hence the insistence that any inquiry must have broad terms of reference.

The following relatively small data sample reflects just some of the range of challenges an Aboriginal child born in the ACT faces.

The most recent ABS National

Does someone you know have Parkinson’s?

Parkinson’s ACT can help

Parkinson's ACT can help.

Does someone you know have Parkinson’s?

Parkinson’s ACT can help | actparkinsons@gmail.com www.parkinsonsact.org.au Does someone you know Parkinson’s is a degenerative neurological condition which affects Parkinson’s? movement andhave mood. It affects an estimated 1,500 people in the ACT and surrounds. More than that, it affects carers, families and friends.

Parkinson’s ACT can help Parkinson’s ACT is a volunteer-run, non-profit organisation providing information, support and education. Our purpose is to promote Parkinson’s is a degenerative neurological condition which affects the well-being and interests of people living with Parkinson’s movement and mood. It affects an estimated 1,500 people in the ACT in the ACT and nearby region. and surrounds. More than that, it affects carers, families and friends.

The support of people who share your experience is invaluable.

Parkinson’s ACT is a Parkinson's volunteer-run, non-profit organisation providing ACT can help. information, support and education. Our purpose is to promote the well-being and interests of people living with Parkinson’s in the ACT and nearby region.

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www.parkinsonsact.org.au | actparkinsons@gmail.com 10 CityNews August 26-September 1, 2021

NEWS FEATURE / the pioneering Moore family

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Proud, fifth-generation Moore family members, from left, Janice Moore, Brian Moore and Clare McManus.

BUSH CAPITAL & TERMITES Above: Moore Bros Garage in Queanbeyan.

Left: Auction notice for the Moorelands Estate in Queanbeyan, 1927.

The boundless spirit of the pioneering Moores Reporter BELINDA STRAHORN chronicles Queanbeyan’s pioneering Moore family.

IF small business holds the key to kickstarting the local economy in a post-covid world, then perhaps the entrepreneurial spirit embodied by the pioneering Moore family of Queanbeyan is worthy of a closer look.

With 160 years of experience to draw upon, its journey has been from bullockies to bicycle-shop owners, shepherding to shoemaking and even a town mayor.

The family, over many generations, were trailblazers in re-inventing themselves and their businesses to deal with changing circumstances.

In common with many others at the time, the Moore family left Ireland during the potato famine in the mid-19th century.

Richard Moore, senior, and wife Margaret (nee Courtney) arrived in Australia on the ship “Champion” on October 5, 1840, as bounty immigrants and, after a short time in Sydney, made the journey to Wanniassa by bullock dray.

It’s hard to imagine a woman, seven months pregnant, undertaking such an arduous journey, said Brian Moore, 80, a fifth-generation descendant of Richard and Margaret.

Holding a photograph of his greatgrandmother, Brian said: “She [Margaret] was a stoic lady, as tough as they come. You can’t imagine it can you, travelling here on a bullock team almost ready to have a baby.

“When you look at her photo you can tell that she was as tough as nails, the poor old thing. She had nothing to smile about.”

After working as a shepherd for Col. Thomas Macquoid on his Waniassa (now Tuggeranong) property, Richard and Margaret settled on their own property “Warm Corner”, in the Burra Valley.

Richard first tried his hand at shoemaking, but found the bullock trade a more lucrative occupation, hauling timber and wool from Queanbeyan to Sydney in the 1850s.

Fascinated by the Moore family history, Queanbeyan history buff Phill Hawke has spent months documenting their journey.

He said the rough terrain of Razorback

Range – between Picton and Mittagong – made the job of leading the bullock dray to Sydney a hazardous trip.

“Travelling over rough country and unmade roads, the journey involved crossing the Razorback with the most dangerous manoeuvre going down the range,” Phill said.

The Moores continued in the bullock trade, but it wasn’t to last too much longer as the next generations branched out into new things.

One of the more successful ventures was buying and selling property.

Richard Moore’s son, Richard (junior) known affectionately by his descendants as “Richard the Second”, became a prominent landowner in the area, purchasing “Urila Station” and “Greenhills” near Burra and several blocks in Queanbeyan, later known as the “Moore Estate”.

Tapping into his entrepreneurial spirit, “Richard the Second” – an ex mayor of Queanbeyan – saw an opportunity as a land speculator and sub-divided and sold off his substantial land holdings, which became suburbs in and around Queanbeyan.

A less well-known fact about the Moore family is that they met two future kings of England. “Richard the Second”, met the Prince of Wales (who subsequently became King Edward VIII before abdicating in 1936) on his visit to lay a foundation stone for Canberra in 1920.

Another family member met the Duke of York, who went on to become King George VI, the father of the Queen, in 1927 on his visit to open Parliament House.

Fifth-generation descendant Janice Moore, 66, recounted a family story about lending a horse to the impending King George.

“James, who was the brother of ‘Richard the Second’, lent the Duke of York a horse for the duration of his visit. The Duke rode the poor old horse so much, it died,” Janice said.

The family’s contribution to the development of Queanbeyan didn’t end with the buying and selling of land.

Sons of “Richard the Second”, Ernest and Albert, tried their hands at a variety of businesses on Monaro Street, many of which were a first for the region.

According to Brian Moore: “If there was a quid to make, they made it. They were

Margaret Moore (nee Courtney 1808-1892).

wheelers and dealers.”

Selling bicycles to start with, the brothers branched out into rural machinery, sporting goods and even sold musical instruments.

A stock and station agent business came next, then skin buying and in 1906 they opened Queanbeyan’s first jewellery shop, Hammond’s Jewellery.

Four years later the Moore brothers started importing and selling cars.

In carrying out his research Phill Hawke discovered that in 1910 they linked up with the Ford Motor Corporation, moving the cars by rail to Queanbeyan in packing cases. Once assembled and filled with benzine (petrol) they were ready for sale.

The idea for the brothers’ next business venture came from the most unlikely of places – their sister’s wedding, noteworthy for being the first all-motor-car procession in Queanbeyan.

The brothers struck upon the idea of a hire-car business from Yass to Canberra, via Queanbeyan.

Soon after, in another first for the region, the Moore Bros. Garage, opened on Monaro Street, the site of the current Villa Olivo restaurant, with the first kerbside petrol bowser in 1925.

Some years later, the Moore Bros. partnership dissolved bringing to an end a half a century of businesses on Monaro Street, according to Phill Hawke.

“Ernie, known as the Buick King, went on to establish a motor business in Yass, running it until 1932. He died in Clovelly in 1952,” Phill said.

“Albert continued running the garage in Queanbeyan, as well as operating Braddon Motors in Mort Street. He was a generous man who contributed to charities and sports organisations and died in 1954.”

The family’s remarkable history still surprises fifth-generation descendant of Richard and Margaret, Clare McManus, 73, who can’t quite believe what her ancestors achieved from colonial beginnings through to current generations.

“I’m completely blown away by what they did and what they brought to this area; the farms, the businesses, I cannot fathom it all,” Clare said.

“They were incredibly hard-working people and we are so proud of them.”

The positive of being known as the bush capital is that we have none of the traffic congestion of other capital cities. Where else can you be 3km from Civic riding on a bike at Yarralumla and not see a building anywhere?

The practicalities of being a bush capital means we share our homes close to nature – blue tongue lizards, wombats, kangaroos – and those pesky termites.

When the time comes to sell and the building inspector finds a hollow sound in the skirting boards or architraves, it could mean termites.

The universal plea is always “but we get inspections every year!”. This is promptly followed by me saying “pest inspections or heat sensing termite inspections?”

It is often “pest inspections” as the answer. Two very different services.

Our pest inspectors in Canberra are great, and provide a brilliant service. However, a termite specialist with heat-sensor equipment is needed to determine if you have termite activity behind the gyprock.

So many of us in our region live near reserves and waterways, and many homes could be near rotten tree stumps that haven’t been stump-ground. The nest could be anywhere up to 50 or 100m away.

To my horror recently an arborist told a client to keep filling the tree stump with water to make the sides collapse over the coming months, instead of paying for the stump grinding. That’s like putting up a “Termites Welcome” sign, as they’re attracted to water and soft timber. My advice is never get a tree taken down unless you can also afford to do the stump grinding.

The mere word “termites” can make buyers run.

However, on repeated occasions, I have seen it is how the owner handles the situation that can still result in a good sale price being achieved.

In a recent situation, a building inspector noticed a hollow sound in an architrave. My client was so determined she was not passing on a problem to a future owner, she called Richard at Dr Maks Pest Control to use the heat-sensing equipment throughout the house and yard. The termites were not in the house, but in the fence. My client then paid an additional $5500 for a termite perimeter protection system with an 8 year warranty. Two weeks after Dr Maks visited, we sold prior to the Auction for a very good price.

If you want to protect possibly your most expensive asset, the cost of an annual visit by a termite specialist is minimal.

Feel free to contact Richard at Dr Maks Pest Control on 02 6255 3255 or killbugs@bigpond.net. au – he can spend any amount of time chatting about these pesky termites.

Phone 0405 135 009 cshaw@blackshaw.com.au #christineshawproperties CityNews August 26-September 1, 2021 11

MUMMY / homeschooling

How to teach your kid and survive the lockdown BEYOND the inconvenience, worry and disruption to work and social life in lockdown, many Canberrans have added the daunting reality of homeschooling their children for an indefinite amount of time.

Snapping back into lockdown brings some big feelings back to the surface for many parents.

I’ve already seen the fear, stress, anger and worry I feel reflected back at me through my regular What’s App group chats with mum friends.

They say we can’t control a pandemic but we can control our reaction to it – so this time, I’m promising myself to play it cool and calmer; we will do what we can at home and I will try and practice more patience with my children and their school.

Experience has taught us that lockdowns end eventually and that “normality” for our children will return in the future – but when?

And how long will it last until the next round of restrictions? The uncertainty weighs us down.

In the meantime, we find ourselves returning to logging on to Zoom classroom meetings, finding Google backpack passwords, printing out worksheets, downloading the Reading Eggs app and hoping we don’t have to do too many messy science experiments.

We do all of this (and more) with love and our best energy – even if so many of us are simultaneously trying to fit in our own work or look after younger children and infants, too. It’s multitasking to the extreme.

During last year’s school closure, my son had only just started kindergarten.

He couldn’t read and didn’t really want to learn. It was a tense time, as I pushed my nervous energies into “trying” to be some sort of overachieving homeschool mum while entertaining his three-year-old “boss baby” sister and taking work phone calls.

The more I pushed him to do his sight words, the more he resisted.

Needless to say, “Mum school” was not a success.

getting water when they need to in order to work more effectively.

They also have the motivating energy of sitting among their peers in a stimulating environment.

For example for a grade two student: use a timer to set a 15 to 20-minute work session and then lead a three-minute break (drink water, jumping jacks, quick chat etcetera) and then time another 10 to 15-minute work session followed by a longer break (a home “recess”).

Keep it upbeat and invest in levity

Author and teacher Dylan Meikle… “If your child is having a tough day and the learning’s not clicking – feel free to just pack it up and ‘live to teach another day’.”

But by the end of it, we did get to some sort of routine that worked for us.

We didn’t tick every box of work that the teacher sent to us (although it was made clear that the school didn’t expect everything to be done!) but we kept in touch with the expectations, and managed to keep up to speed with his learning outcomes.

I am pleased to say, my son can now read. I won’t take any credit for that – he did the work – but I will say I have learnt a lot about the complex science involved with teaching a young person to read, and have endless respect for teachers.

Towards the end of last year my brother, Dylan, asked me to collaborate with him on a book for parents entitled “Learning in Lockdown”.

I revisited the columns that I had written during the 2020 lockdown period and we published some of my personal insights.

I remember laughing with Dylan on the phone and wondering if the book would be quickly redundant in Australia, but 2021 had different plans in store for all of us.

Dylan lives in Singapore with his wife and two primary school-aged girls.

As a teacher and school counsellor and having experienced school closure in Hanoi for three months, navigated an overseas move in July last year to Singapore (which included hotel quarantine) and like us has experienced ongoing snap lockdowns in Singapore – he is very well placed to share some ideas and reassurance on supporting parents with young children during school closure.

His top tips from learning in lockdown?

Seize the day Kids are freshest in the mornings – which is why most primary schools kick off the day with dedicated literacy learning blocks of time.

Maximise focus and energy by delaying the start of your working day (if you can) and setting your children’s learning up first.

If your child has a productive morning then the afternoons can be low-stress and less directed by you.

Catch and release

child’s learning at home you should seek to provide them with opportunities to come to you for help and guidance, but then try to “release” them to a period of independent work.

How long that period is, before you “catch” them again, is dependent upon their age.

This is what happens in classrooms – obviously teachers don’t sit with one child all day. Instead, they cycle through their classroom, connecting with each student, providing help and then moving on.

In short: you shouldn’t have to sit with your child all day nor should you imagine that they can manage their learning without your guidance.

Time limits are fair and motivating Setting realistic time limits for working can be key to helping kids stay on task.

Class periods in primary schools are usually 40 or 50 minutes long and children have the ability to self-regulate by moving around and

In normal classrooms teachers use rigour, high expectations as well as humour and empathy in equal measures.

Don’t underestimate the power of a few jokes and a “brain break” along the way.

Teachers never coerce children to learn.

If your child is having a tough day and the learning’s not clicking – feel free to just pack it up and “live to teach another day”.

Mental health and positive relations in your family should trump schoolwork.

I think I still have an unopened jar of cream of tartar in the kitchen pantry from last lockdown when I thought I would make playdough from scratch with the children – well that didn’t happen! Might be helpful this lockdown.

This time round, my advice to parents is just give yourself a break.

Good luck!

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49 Jardine Street, Kingston | kingstonnaturaltherapies.com.au | Phone 6295 6660 12 CityNews August 26-September 1, 2021

POLITICS

Steep steps send disabled people on to the road IT is simply unacceptable and exasperating when developers deliberately, or negligently, block access across footpaths.

Stage 2 of the light rail will illustrate what public inconvenience really means, but there are also small examples, such as the following, that illustrate government and developer negligence.

“The Griffin” is a multi-storey apartment development being constructed on the lake side of Constitution Avenue within the parliamentary triangle. The advertising suggests these upmarket apartments are “for lake-minded people”. Part of the promise is: “From Skyfire and Floriade, to the Enlighten Festival and Australia Day festivities, you’ll be the envy amongst friends and family with the best views and just a few minutes’ walk to the highlights of every season.”

Well, that is, unless you cannot walk or use a steep set of stairs.

It might change when

Who is worried if disabled people will be required to cross a very, very busy road without the support of even a pedestrian crossing?

“The Griffin” is opened. However, for at least two or three years the access is appalling.

Even more damning, galling and nauseating is that disabled access has been provided to the sales office of “The Griffin”, but not continued another 30 or so metres away to allow safe access to Lake Burley Griffin through the long-term underpass.

As if that was not bad enough!

There is a large map that sends people who are disabled to the car park at the bottom of Anzac Parade. It is infuriating that people who cannot negotiate a steep set of steps at the underpass, are instead required to cross Parkes Way without the support of any kind of traffic lights or pedestrian assistance.

It gets worse! There is no footpath if the map is followed. Instead the negotiation to Parkes Way and then

Disabled access to the sales office… but getting access to the tunnel under Parkes Way now involves a new set of concrete steps.

Photos: Michael Moore across it means negotiating steep gutters, heavy traffic and potentially wet, undulating and muddy grassed areas.

This is why over half a century ago the well-known underpass, just near the Canberra Institute of Technology, was installed to allow safe passage for pedestrians to pass under Parkes Way. The fact that architects, developers, planners and building approvers would allow the blocking of access other than for those who can manage stairs, reveals an appalling attitude towards accessibility for all “Ken

How can the hospital be so cruel?

LAST week Michael Moore featured the story of Vladimir Golobokov, who has waited for four years for nasal polyps surgery instead of the prescribed 90 days (CN August 19).

Vladimir’s GP has provided an updated referral because his patient’s situation is dire.

The Canberra Hospital response indicates he has been re-assessed. However, it also states there is no change to his position on the

waiting list.

But it gets worse.

Vladimir accepted an invitation in the letter to phone the Outpatient Administration.

He has been told that instead of being sixth on the waiting list within his category – he is now eleventh.

What kind of oversight of the health system is being managed by Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith when someone is four years overdue, suffering badly and being dealt with in such a perfunctory way?

– Michael Moore

Behrens”.

A new set of concrete steps with a sweeping concrete pass, that allows pedestrians to access the tunnel, has been installed in place of the old entrance. In addition to largely preventing access to wheelchairs, prams, and bicycles, these steps are seriously steep on a one-to-one ratio and are unsafe for those who are not too steady on their feet.

The real salt-in-the-wound is that there is plenty of room for a ramp – and when you’ve already acknowledged the need for disabled

access by installing a ramp to the sales display suite, why not afford the same expense to allow disabled access to the lake in this space? After all, there was disabled access before the development started.

No problem for those in charge!

A sign is cheaper than building a ramp – even when a huge amount of concrete has been poured anyway.

Who is worried if disabled people will be required to cross a very, very busy road without the support of even a pedestrian crossing? Who is worried if it will require pushing across grass and perhaps mud in inclement weather?

Maybe walking with a granddaughter in the pram as part of my exercise regime throughout the COVID-19 lockdown has made me even grumpier than usual (because of the access restriction, not her). Maybe it has just opened my eyes!

It is a shame the architects, the developers, the builders or the officials did not just see the issue and resolve it. It is also pathetic that in this carefully planned city our planners in government have not demanded better.

Michael Moore is a former member of the ACT Legislative Assembly and an independent minister for health. He has been a political columnist with “CityNews” since 2006.

usic, M e r o M un...

More F

Vladimir Golobokov and his swollen nose… waited four years for nasal polyps surgery.

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CityNews August 26-September 1, 2021 13

LETTERS

‘Incredulous and dismayed’ by Woden changes THE recently approved construction of bus layovers on Easty Street and relocation of Woden bus interchange to Callam Street have left me incredulous and dismayed for various reasons. Let me share two with you.

How can ordinarily prohibited development of public transport facilities in a PRZ1 area (ie the one including Arabanoo Park and Easty Street) be reclassified as “ancillary use”, when the PRZ1 definition of “ancillary use” is “[supporting] the care, management and enjoyment of these open spaces including park maintenance depots [and] small-scale community activity centres”?

A roundabout on the border of an RZ4 residential area at the intersection of two local access roads, Easty and Wilbow, will be commandeered for an estimated 200 bus movements 5am-11pm daily.

On average, that will be one bus every six minutes during the time period. Currently, no buses travel along Easty and Wilbow.

When these heavy vehicles commence their routine circumnavigation of the roundabout, they will be emitting noise (estimated at around 90-100 decibels) far exceeding the applicable noise boundary limits for all adjoining land use areas (usually 43 decibels, 10pm-7am overnight and 53 decibels during the day).

Dione Smith, Phillip

Bigger cars, but it’s the same roads DESPITE the fact that vehicles in the past decade or more have become bigger and wider, the ACT government has done nothing to widen the parking bays in our streets.

Suburbs hit very badly are Kingston, Manuka and Barton.

Of course, to widen would mean less income from fines of course. Will the Opposition take up this issue, including far more disabled parking bays?

Colliss Parrett, Barton

Trapping mynas worked for me ROBYN Soxsmith’s emotive letter regarding the Canberra Indian Myna Action Group’s (CIMAG) campaign to reduce the Indian myna population in Canberra is factually inaccurate in several ways.

First, there is well-documented evidence that the concerted effort by CIMAG to humanely trap and destroy Indian mynas has noticeably reduced their numbers around Canberra.

I joined CIMAG about five years ago and for a period of two years I trapped mynas in my backyard. The numbers dropped off and I haven’t seen a myna in my immediate locality for almost two years.

What I have noticed is an increase in the numbers of native parrots, rosellas and magpies visiting my yard. Recently, a couple of beautiful Superb Parrots flew in.

I’m not claiming to have eliminated mynas from my suburb, far from it, but my immediate local area has certainly improved birdwise.

What this shows is that if more people joined CIMAG and took up myna trapping, Canberra’s urban natural environment would be improved, as the depredations of mynas against native birds’ nests would be further reduced.

Ms Soxsmith goes on to state that the current scale of killing of kangaroos, if sustained, will lead to extinction.

The current scale of killing of kangaroos is doing nothing more than replacing the predation they faced from dingoes and other predators. Without predation of herbivores their numbers explode, they wreak environmental damage by overgrazing and when drought inevitably strikes, they starve to death in their thousands.

I wholeheartedly agree with Ms Soxsmith that the ACT government’s appropriation of green space and wildlife habitat for urban development is a travesty.

The urban jungles that this government is presently creating don’t even pay lip-service to environmental issues. The Greens are more interested in keeping their couple of ministries than in standing up for their supposed values, and the ALP has grown more arrogant every year they stay in power.

John Franze, Gowrie

Vladimir’s surgery should be ‘urgent’ READING Michael Moore’s column (CN August 19) about Vladimir Gobolokov’s long wait for treatment for a condition that causes numerous horrible symptoms, I find it hard to understand why the surgery he needs is classified as elective.

Surely the discomfort, breathing difficulty, sleep apnoea and resulting mental health issues that he suffers from indicate that surgery is necessary, not just something that he would like to have.

Is it not possible to reclassify him as needing surgery urgently, before his condition worsens further?

How can this situation exist in an affluent city in a so-called civilised nation?

Tina Lynam, Queanbeyan East

Show me the bill of sale WHEN asked during a National Aboriginal Conference live-streamed Q&A about the Australian War Memorial’s half-billiondollar extension plans, the National Capital Authority CEO and the Australian War Memorial Director could not answer my request: show me the bill of sale to the Crown for the War Memorial site from my Ngambri ancestors, the Allodial Title Holders.

Shane Mortimer, Nyamudy-Ngambri Elder

would be directed to the medical centre and urgent cases presenting to the medical centre would be sent to A&E. Can the Canberra Hospital Expansion Project include a walk-in medical centre?

Peter Claughton, Farrer

The cost of blind tram ideology THANK you for printing the article by Bill Stefaniak (“Why my wife dreads Canberra Hospital”, CN August 12).

Our hearts must go out to him for having such frustration with an inadequate hospital system in Canberra, on top of his worries about his very ill wife.

He is quite right to point out the tremendous waste of money and opportunity costs on the health system due to blind tram ideology.

Max Flint, Erindale Centre

Give the Afghani man a fair go WHAT better time than now to recognise as refugees the 53 Afghanis currently held in Immigration Detention Centres and welcome them into Australia?

If our Parliamentarians have even one gram of humanity, morality, kindness and mercy inside, they would begin this process now; these Afghanis no longer have any country to which to return.

We Australians joined the coalition that created or exacerbated the crisis causing so many to flee Afghanistan; the vacuum left by our (and others) departure resulted in the extinction of Afghanistan as a country to which these 53 men could return. Ever.

I implore members and senators to reach deep inside themselves, and connect with their personal touchstones of humanity, morality, kindness and mercy, and release these 53 Afghanis into Australian communities. We are ready and willing to embrace them and assist them in joining the country we call home – Australia.

Judy Bamberger, O’Connor

Name law-breaking covid carriers JUDY Bamberger (“Letters”, CN August 12) seeks more equal representation on covid information and so do I. Specifically, by naming those who have broken the law. Like the person who brought the Deltra strain of covid into Canberra.

We’ve been told so much about them but their name and where they acquired the virus. Why not, government? Don’t you know or are you protecting an ethnicity?

Greg Cornwell, Yarralumla

An answer to the hospital’s A&E misery A tacky, green plastic message?

BILL Stefaniak’s concerns relating to Canberra Hospital Emergency Department problems are not uncommon (Opinion, CN August 12). There is a practical solution to relieving the pressure on the department and that is to have a 24-hour, bulk-billed, walk-in medical centre adjacent to A&E. Non-urgent cases presenting to A&E

14 CityNews August 26-September 1, 2021

A LOCAL wealthy property owner and investor who has long fought betterment, greening and tree-retention proposals from government and the community for a major inner-city development site now shows a predilection for adorning the emerging complex with a large long

swathe of tacky, plastic “greenery” (“A little splash of green (plastic) brings smile”, citynews.com.au, August 12).

Given the history of the site, could the messaging also be about raising the first two fingers in the shape of a “V” with the palm facing inwards?

Sue Dyer, Downer

Damned if they do or don’t RE Michael Moore’s article “Katy aims to get government to clean up its act” (CN August 12).

You would think that the other political parties have never done what she is claiming. Wrong. Katy Gallagher also states the government has not established an Independent Commission Against Corruption body despite promising this at the last election. This really is the pot calling the kettle black. How many times has the Labor government of the day promised things and never delivered?

Has Senator Gallagher said anything about the Victorian Labor government spending $2 million of taxpayers’ money on running surveys to see how popular they were when this should come out of Labor coffers?

Likewise, the Queensland government has done the same to the tune of half a million dollars, yet they are both quick to ask for government (taxpayer funded) assistance.

Dan Andrews, in Victoria, shuts down the whole state even though the only covid infections were in Melbourne, then expects the federal government to come to their financial aid with taxpayers; money.

Then the Labor Party criticises the federal government for getting into so much debt. It is a case of they (the federal government), whatever the issue, are damned if they do and damned if they don’t.

Vi Evans, via email

Vaccine lotteries not the answer INCENTIVISING Australians to get vaccinated by offering cash or setting up a “vaccine lottery” is not the answer.

A carrot-and-stick approach would be more productive by introducing stringent restrictions on the non-vaccinated while allowing the fully vaccinated a lot more leeway.

Common sense dictates that the biggest incentive is self preservation by reducing the severity of infection and not ending up in intensive care. It is not a valid excuse to delay or alternatively refuse to be vaccinated owing to the very remote possibility of potentially fatal side effects, as one is more likely in Australia to be killed by a lightning strike or involved in a car crash.

Mario Stivala, Belconnen

Write to us Let loose to: editor@citynews.com.au

GARDENING COLUMN Cedric Bryant, the “CityNews” gardening writer for the past decade has been forced by ill health to step back from his column. Here’s a selection of fond letters from readers keen to say thanks.

Our garden will suffer CEDRIC Bryant’s gardening column in “CityNews” will be missed. It’s a highlight for us and the thing we turn to first when we read “CityNews”; so much so that my husband and I simply refer to the “CityNews” as “Cedric”.

For example, when he comes back from the shops, he will tell me that he picked up “a copy of Cedric” or that “there were no new copies of Cedric yet”.

And our fridge door holds many articles from his column as reminders of things that need to get done in the garden. What we will do without his column, I don’t know. But I do know our garden will suffer!

We wish him all the very best.

Adriana Vanden Heuvel, Bruce

Always relevant to me!

I WAS very sad to read that gardening writer Cedric Bryant is retiring. I look forward to his column every week and really enjoy it. He has a wonderful knowledge of plants and what he writes about always seems to be relevant as far as my garden is concerned.

Fortunately, I have kept a copy of each of his articles for the last couple of years so will be able to refer to them in the future. Incidentally, I absolutely agree with him about being able to prune roses much earlier than usually recommended.

I have really appreciated his contribution to your newspaper.

Elizabeth Johnson, via email

Sad to see Cedric go IT is with great sadness that I read of gardening writer Cedric Bryant “throwing in the trowel”. His weekly advice has been a joy and inspiration.

He has spoken to listeners on my radio gardening program at Reading for the Print Handicapped (1RPH) a couple of times and has given me answers to gardening questions for the program.

I shall always be grateful to Cedric and wish him well. He will be sorely missed.

Camilla Shaw, via email

He will be missed I AM so sorry to see gardening writer Cedric Bryant go. I always read his article before I read anything else. He will be missed.

Sue Horsfall, via email

Encyclopedic knowledge IN the “Seven Days” article “In praise of Cedric, as he throws in the trowel” (CN August 12), columnist Ian Meikle recalls the day in February, 2011, when gardening writer Cedric Bryant arrived at “CityNews” after being “terminated” by “The Canberra Times”.

Since then I and many other Canberrans have benefitted from his encyclopedic gardening knowledge.

Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

INSIDE

What wine goes best with fish and meat?

RICHARD CALVER

The smouldering anti-hero, stripped back and bare

By Helen

MUSA Flautists Aawa White, left, and Thea Rossen… performing “Walking in the Wilderness”.

ALBERT Camus’ famous novella, “L’Étranger” (“The Stranger”, also translated as “The Outsider”) was once ranked by “Le Monde” as number one on its list of “100 Books of the Century”.

Famous for introducing the anti-hero Meursault, who faces the guillotine and public hatred because he didn’t cry at his mother’s funeral, the novel has long been a byword for the feelings of disaffection and alienation experienced by Europeans in the post-World War II era. Camus’ 1957 Nobel Prize in Literature citation praised him for illuminating “the problems of the human conscience in our times”.

Now, one of Canberra’s most notable actors, Irish-born Christopher Samuel Carroll, has adapted the work under the title “The Stranger”, for his sixth solo show here, in which he shows us the anti-hero “stripped back, close-up and laid bare”.

In keeping with the exigencies of the covid-era, he’s directing it himself under the aegis of the Bare Witness Theatre Company in an austere style, performing it in the Ralph Wilson Theatre with 12 chairs upstage, possibly suggesting the 12 jurors at Meursault’s trial or the old folks at his mother’s nursing home. That way, if a lockdown is in place, he can quickly shelve it for a later date.

Carroll, who won the inaugural Helen Tsongas award for acting in 2019, was trained in classical theatre in Dublin, but then went on to train at the École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq in Paris, so he speaks some French, but in fact he’s based his play on the 1989 translation by American Matthew Ward, which picks up on the curiously Hemingwayesque style of the novella.

Beginning on the day that his hero’s mother died, he will trace the days following that – Meursault’s dalliance with his girlfriend Marie, his encounters with his neighbour and then the scene where he shoots an unnamed Arab on a lonely beach

Schools program plays to a national audience

By Helen Musa

THE recently-unveiled 2022 Musica Viva in Schools program is not only devised in Canberra, but at its centre is paid work for Canberra musicians.

Actor Christopher Samuel Carroll… “In contrast to most of my solo shows, this is not a physical, action-packed piece of theatre – it feels like a cigarette smouldering.”

Photo: Novel Photographic in Algeria, followed by his trial.

Often considered to be the masterwork of 20th century alienation and absurdism, there’s also a nod to the pointlessness of French colonialism in North Africa.

“L’Étranger” is a challenge to any actor who must make the audience empathise with his uncompromising hero, seen by Carroll as an “everyman” and a “philosophical riddle”, who refuses to hide his feelings from society.

A relative newcomer to Australia, Carroll is surprised to learn of the parallels with the case of Lindy Chamberlain, condemned at large because of her non-empathetic responses at her trial, showing that nothing much has changed since 1942 when the book was written.

Carroll was attracted by the terse language and the challenges of turning this into a piece of theatre while at the same time creating “the experience of reading a novel”.

“In contrast to most of my solo shows, this is not a physical, action-packed piece of theatre, it’s more about bringing this great text into the space – it feels like a cigarette smouldering,” he says.

“There’s such an atmospheric space around the words and there’s plenty of

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room to dissect and to divide into this character – an honest man, quite a reliable narrator, but a complex character.”

Favourite scenes are Camus’ description of the Sunday following the mother’s funeral, where he watches people go by, observing them while processing his grief.

Another is the lonely North African beach scene where the sun beats down mercilessly, more evidence of his hero’s dislocation from the alien world he lives in.

Carroll has chosen the title “The Stranger,” but in French “L’Étranger” can carry the meaning of a foreigner or an outsider, and without doubt Camus was reflecting his own identity as a French-Algerian who always felt himself an outsider, both in Algeria and in Paris among Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir’s set of intellectuals.

“He’s holding that mirror up to nature that shows a rift between people in their own country,” Carroll says.

“As a work of art, it’s about this great character and it surely jolts your perspective, in a dance of hypocrisy.”

“The Stranger”, The Ralph Wilson Theatre, Gorman Arts Centre, September 29-October 2.

Book via events.humanitix.com

It’s no accident that a lot of the activities are based in Canberra, artistic director of education Michael Sollis says, but as befits something coming out of the nation’s capital, it’s a genuinely national program.

It involves people from as far apart as the Torres Strait and Perth, with a broad range of musical cultures represented, not least an Iranian ney (flute) player from Perth, a Japanese yidaki player, the percussion group Taikoz and multicultural music and dance with Mara and Llew Kiek.

The program features live interactive performances, curriculum and online teaching resources, as well as professional development webinars.

Sollis is tickled pink that his program has been nominated for the Excellence in Music Education Award in the 2021 APRA AMCOS Art Music Awards for its work in 2020 delivering 530 virtual performances to 91,000 students across the country after borders were closed due to COVID-19.

Among the more unusual initiatives among the 15 to choose from in 2022 is “Colours At Home”, in which oboist Celia Craig, who experiences chromesthesia (where sound evokes an involuntary experience of colour) joins forces with guitarist Caspar Hawksley.

In “Two Wheel Time Machine” students and teachers find their musical balance by learning how to create a rock opera.

“Walking in the Wilderness”, headed up

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by flautists Aawa White and Thea Rossen, involves getting kids to create music for the spaces around them and includes a co-commission between Musica Viva and Canberra’s Griffyn Ensemble. Directed by Sollis, he and Ngunnawal custodian Richie Allan co-created a work based on the birds in Mulligans Flat. Sollis says it teaches children “how mother nature sings to them and how they sing to mother nature”.

Another work in the wilderness project sees former Canberra composer Tim Hansen working with students from Ashcroft Primary School in western Sydney.

For “Adventures in Antarctica: sounds from a frozen world”, Canberra superharpist Alice Giles joins Bendigo harpist Liena Lacey to take students on a journey through Antarctica through film and sound.

Canberra’s Dr Stovepipe, Dr Jim Sharrock, Dr Gillian Cosgrove and Dr Edward Radclyffe, who like to describe themselves as “a fully certified string band with miraculous healing properties,” will perform and teach a bit of music history, too, in “Swing, Ragtime and Hot Jazz”.

“There’s music everywhere and from everywhere and the whole aim is to find a new way of sparking creativity,” Sollis says.

The Musica Viva in Schools philosophy is a unique one, Sollis believes, as it sends Australia’s most creative music practitioners into school, sparking the creativity of both students and teachers.

Most special, to him, is the fact that the program is led by artists, working musicians, who are given the resources to create their own work, saying: “We are very proud that they are 100 per cent paid”.

2022 Musica Viva in Schools program at musicaviva.com.au/ensembles/

C O N V E R S I O N S E RV I C E IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM SONGLAND

While we’re all experiencing these unique times, why not use this opportunity to get together your old videos, slides, records and cassette tapes so Songland can transfer them onto a digital format for you, your family and friends. Then you can relive the memories when you’re all next together!

See you soon at Songland

OPEN 7 DAYS Cooleman Court, Weston Creek | 6293 4677 | songland.com.au CityNews August 26-September 1, 2021 15

DINING / Sonamu Korean Restaurant and Tea House

WINE

What wine goes best with fish and meat?

A PIRATE walks into a bar with a steering wheel in his pants. The bartender says: “Doesn’t that hurt?” The pirate replies: “Arrr, it’s driving me nuts”.

Fried vegetarian dumplings… super moist and did their job in The pan-fried, savoury pancake… with ground tantalising tastebuds.

Photos: Wendy Johnson mung bean seed, carrot and mushroom.

Korean in so many ways NEW at Griffith shops, Sonamu Korean Restaurant and Tea House is charming in so many ways.

When you walk in you’re immediately drawn to the gorgeous collection of teapots, hand-drawn cards delicately hung (sayings in Korean) and intriguing artwork.

Special teas include jujube ginger and quince. Organic, deep-mountain leaf teas are on the menu and drinks include sujonggwa (a cinnamon drink with dried persimmon and pine nut). We’ll return for a cuppa one day, but on this occasion we were visiting Sonamu for dinner.

Sonamu celebrates authentic Korean cuisine and we settled in the warm and cosy room secluded at the back of the restaurant

marvelling at the large, stunning piece of ornate wooden furniture that forms a centrepiece.

We shared two styles of vegetarian dumplings to start and both dishes were mega hits. It won’t be long before the weather will be warm enough for us to revisit Sonamu to sit in the outdoor courtyard and indulge in many more plates of these perfect parcels. The lightfried mandu ($15) packed a punch on flavour and so did the steamed mandu, which were super moist and did their job in tantalising our tastebuds.

While not all dishes are truly designed to share, we arranged for additional cutlery and road tested several creations.

That included another star of a dish, the chicken light-fried in Korean sauce. It, too, was super moist and full of flavour. It was perfect with rice and green salad ($18).

Intrigued by the description of the jijim, we ordered it to share. The pan-fried, savoury pancake was created with ground mung bean seed, carrot, mushroom and

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mild, red chilli topping ($16). It looked delicious on the plate but, in the end, we felt it fell a tad flat on flavour. The wagyu beef dish wasn’t our fave either, with the thin slices of beef overcooked ($29). Still, the other dishes shone brightly and were served with a smile.

Sonamu has an impressive array of soups and stews, all authentic Korean ($16). Some feature tofu, dried seaweed, enoki mushroom topping and oh-sogood-for-you veggies.

Side dishes include green seaweed salad ($5), iconic Kimchi ($4), anchovy crunchy seaweed ($5) and radish pickle ($4).

We were too full for dessert but noted the sweet-bean fried pancake and Korean choco-cracker. Desserts range from $7 to $11.

Sonamu, by the way, is the name of the Korean red pine tree (it also grows in some neighbouring countries). Sonamu states on its menu that the tree holds a special status and represents faithfulness, endurance and the Korean spirit.

And the COVID-19 restrictions are driving us all a little crazy, making us feel unlucky. My son and daughter were supposed to be visiting friends and relatives in Queensland but the holiday got cancelled because of the lockdown there.

So, as a pick-me-up, I bought them dinner at Blackfire in Braddon. We ordered the chef’s special, with an emphasis on meat for the two blokes and my daughter continued on her pescatarian path, where seafood is her only source of “meat” in an otherwise vegetarian diet.

The wine, therefore, had to be versatile enough to suit the full gamut of flavours on offer and roasted-food friendly. On that basis, I chose a Cato La Promessa Nebbiolo 2017 from Moppity Vineyards at $68. The internet is a wondrous instrument and we immediately saw that it retails for around $23-$30, so an acceptable markup.

At first it belted us with its acidity, but that reduced over time and as we made our way through the courses. This was a complex wine with a nose of cherry and a hint of violets, distinctly floral.

My daughter had never tried this varietal before and it enabled me to bestow upon her my knowledge of the Canberra Nebbiolo that I find outstanding: the Ravensworth, Hilltops Nebbiolo. That wine finishes longer than the Cato but they both display layered floral characteristics that seem to make a perfect duet with full flavoured fish, but especially with roasted meat.

The next time that my daughter and son were with me for dinner was at home and I was determined that we do an “Australia versus Europe” tasting of Nebbiolo and I would cook salmon with lemon and pine nuts. So, I went to see JP, the self-confessed peasant owner of Italian Brothers in Manuka. Unfortunately, because of reduced demand induced by covid, he had no bottles of Nebbiolo for sale.

“But, my friend,” he said, “the Italian is unbeatable, not this Australian stuff. You will see: better, more depth.”

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Nebbiolo grapes… “The Italian wine is unbeatable, not this Australian stuff. You will see: better, more depth.”

I indicated to him that perhaps a small amount of bias had crept into his comment and received a shrug and a non-verbal indication of the environment, as well as further discourse that essentially meant: “What do you expect?”

From Italian Brothers to Vintage Cellars in Manuka is a short stagger and as if the Gods had blown down a kiss, there were Bosio Italian wines on special with their Boschi Dei Signori Nebbiolo D’Alba 2018 reduced from $40 to $20.

This was a far more straightforward wine than the Australian varietals. It was equally floral on the nose but quite tarry and, not quite as JP had foreshadowed, with a less full-bodied finish than the homegrown equivalent. But it was pleasant and good value at the price.

As anticipated, it opened up with the food and didn’t add a metallic taste to the mouth when taken with fish, the bane of some other reds. Apparently, it is tannin reacting with fish oil that provides that “aluminium-foil” unpleasantness.

On further reading, an even better Italian red to pair with fish is another Piedmont grape variety, Barbera. Both Nebbiolo and Barbera tend toward higher acidity and often display cherry tones, but they part ways when it comes to the product of their grape skins: Nebbiolo gets intense tannins from its skins, while Barbera can be dark ruby in colour, but have little or no tannin. At least we lucked out with the food and wine matching.

“Depend on the rabbit’s foot if you will, but remember, it didn’t work for the rabbit.” – RE Shay

WATCH IT! / streaming and stuff

Just what we need, another streaming choice PARAMOUNT Plus is the newest streaming platform cramming itself into the already crowded market, and now that it’s been out for a little over a week, is the $9 a month price tag worth it? Let’s take a look at some of what’s on offer.

Mark Wahlberg has certainly been made the face of the platform with a flick called “Infinite”, one of Paramount Plus’ originally produced films.

The sloppy action script tacks on a flimsy sci-fi concept that serves only to get Wahlberg doing ridiculous things such as clinging on to the side of airplanes for trailer bait.

It’s a shocker, and a lazy attempt to draw in subscribers.

Considerably better is “Two Weeks to Live”, which has “Game of Thrones” star Maisie Williams up front and centre in a comedy-drama series about a girl in search of her father’s murderer.

There’s some intriguing characters and concepts here that put a refreshing spin on the coming-of-age story. Fans of Netflix’s “End of the F***king World” will likely spot the heavy inspiration and enjoy it all the same.

A few big franchises may keep some subscribers past the seven-day free trial available.

These include all eight “Harry Potter” movies as well as the “Lord of the Rings” movies, but the journeys of both Harry and

Mark Wahlberg in Paramount Plus’ blockbuster original “Infinite”.

Frodo can also be found on Netflix as well as some of the other platforms.

Also recognisable are the “Indiana Jones” and “Mission Impossible” movies as well as “The Godfather” trilogy, and for horror fans the “Annabelle” films are available but, unfortunately, not next to their far better “Conjuring” companions.

What about TV series though?

Fans of crime television may be able to get their fix, with shows like “NCIS” and “CSI” available. There’s also all of “Dexter”, for which Paramount has a revival in the works.

It’s also got a few comedy hits up its sleeve.

On top of a few classics such as “Cheers” and “The King of Queens”, the hilarious skit

duo “Key and Peele” finally have a platform for their show to be streamed.

The entirety of “South Park” is also available, and show creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone recently pocketed close to a billion dollars to produce an additional 14 “South Park” films for the platform.

Some other highlights I came across, exclusive to the platform, include David Lynch’s surreal series “Twin Peaks”, both the original two seasons from the ‘90s and its 2017 revival.

The platform also has all episodes of Rod Serling’s masterpiece “The Twilight Zone”, which continues to prove as prescient today as it did throughout when it made its first

cultural impact in the ‘60s.

Relying pretty heavily on the whole remake crutch, another of Paramount Plus’ original series is a modern revival of “The Twilight Zone”, which is watchable but pretty rough around the edges.

It’s undoubtedly trying to jump on board the hype around the much more nuanced “Black Mirror” (on Netflix) that, by modern standards, captures the boldness of the original “Twilight Zone” far better.

Kids might get a kick out of the Nickelodeon selection on offer with shows like “SpongeBob” or “Avatar: The Last Airbender” available, a show which has also proven a hit with young adults, but again, Netflix also has these available, too.

There are certainly things to watch on Paramount Plus, but what it’s really lacking at this point is a centrepiece, a stand out show to seal the deal; and it’s the reason why I didn’t renew past my seven-day free trial.

On Netflix you have the ‘80s sci-fi nostalgia trip “Stranger Things”, a show that seamlessly and brilliantly crosses all sorts of tastes in television. Disney Plus is giving viewers new, quality “Star Wars” and Marvel canon at the drop of a hat.

Amazon Prime has “The Boys”, a show that not only turns the superhero genre on its head, but shakes it for all its worth and Binge has access to the entirety of the HBO catalogue including “Game of Thrones”.

Compared with stuff like this, Paramount Plus is going to need to serve up something more special if it wants to compete and Marky Mark hopping around an airplane isn’t going to cut it.

Kopasetic… at The Street, Friday, September 10.

ARTS IN THE CITY

‘Petrified’ and ready to rock

By Helen Musa CANBERRA roots band Kopasetic, led by Alec Randles, declare themselves proud of their “signature warm sound and earnest political commentary”. Now, with a new single, “Petrified”, due to launch, they’re planning a concert at The Street on Friday, September 10, exploring the limits of roots, reggae and folk music.

Guests will be Guyy Lilleyman, Kyra Lloyd, Jimmy Bernasconi and B.Coming. Book at thestreet.org.au

OPERA Australia, devastated by the impact of COVID-19, has announced Aussie Fiona Allan as the company’s next CEO, replacing Rory Jeffes. Allan has led multiple performing arts organisations in the UK, including the Birmingham Hippodrome, and has chaired the country’s leading theatre and performing arts membership organisation.

JACQUI Malins, often featured in this column for her Mother Tongue multilingual poetry initiative, has won the ACT Multicultural Art, Media or Culture Award for “demonstrated excellence in contributing to inclusion of people with a mother tongue other than English and celebration of the diversity of their languages and cultures through performance in poetry and music”.

NEWS in from Franchesca Cubillo, executive director of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts at the Australia Council, that nominations are open for the Red Ochre Award for lifetime achievement, the Dreaming Award and the First Nations Emerging Career Development Award, all closing on October 12.

The First Nations Arts Awards are held annually on May 27, marking the anniversary of the 1967 referendum.

Inquiries to firstnationsarts@australiacouncil.gov.au

MEANTIME, pianist Arianne Tan received a commendation in the same category and a highly commended in the Young Canberra Citizen of the Year award for “significant contributions through active involvement in the ACT youth and multicultural community, through community work, fundraising, education, culture and the performing arts”, which the citation said had “drawn accolades on local and international media”.

THE federal government is supporting the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia with a $70,000 grant to commission an indigenous filmmaker to produce a contemporary, digital work as part of the UK/Australia season theme of “Who Are We Now?” The project, tentatively titled “Re/Vision” will involve an indigenous filmmaker working closely with NFSA curatorial and technical experts.

CityNews August 26-September 1, 2021 17

GARDENING

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Roses… “Among the easiest and most rewarding of all plants, but they don’t have to be constantly watered, dead-headed, pruned and sprayed – just simply enjoyed”.

Treat roses like any other shrub AS we go into spring, here are some ideas on the care and attention of roses.

The traditional advice was that now is the time to get on with pruning. However, in the article “Time to drop the myths about roses” in the British “Country Life” magazine, Charles Quest-Ritson says: “Almost all the traditional advice on how to grow roses is baloney”.

Quest-Ritson is an authority on roses and author of the Royal Horticultural Society’s “Encyclopedia of Roses”.

He goes on to say: “Roses are wonderfully rewarding and easy to grow, but they have a reputation of being difficult. All that mumbo jumbo about pruning and earnest advice about pests and diseases – that is where the trouble begins.

“I don’t spray my roses and most of my plants get mildew or black spot or both. Does it matter?

Fungal diseases never killed a rose.

“Life is too short to spray and we are not here to underwrite the profits of the chemical industry.”

I definitely agree with that statement given my constant appeal to gardeners not to use chemical fertilisers and sprays.

On pruning, he says: “I do not prune at any particular time and only prune when I think they are getting too big, not flowering enough or need opening up.

“That’s the key to pruning, just think of them as another shrub.

“Take hybrid teas for example, I dead-head

them if I have the time and sometimes let them go for three or four years without a proper prune, whereupon they start flowering much earlier and produce many more flowers.

“I grow at least 1000 roses of every type and they don’t seem to suffer from my failure to apply the traditional rose wisdom of ‘pruning in late winter to within an inch of their life’.”

“The idea that roses are gross feeders dates back to 19th century fashion for growing roses for exhibition… Roses are garden plants and I do not have the time to lug barrow loads of manure round the garden in winter. Roses respond to feeding, all shrubs do. I water them when I find time.

“So let’s abandon the myths; I know, I know, roses are among the easiest and most rewarding of all plants, but they don’t have to be constantly watered, dead-headed, pruned and sprayed – just simply enjoyed”.

I’m sure anyone growing roses to win prizes will strongly disagree. However, for the average gardener, I agree with all these sentiments.

MOST birds need fairly shallow water to be able to drink, stand in, dunk in and wash the dust off their feathers, and when it comes to garden bird baths, many are filled too deeply. I suggest a water depth to a maximum of six centimetres.

Ideally bird baths should be placed in an open space in the garden, not close to bushes or under

WICKING SOLUTIONS FOR ANY SPACE GARDENS COURTYARDS BALCONIES Visit us at 4/23 Essington St, Mitchell ACT 2911 02 6179 3977 admin@aquafloirrigation.com.au | aquafloirrigation.com.au

PUMPS - TANKS - IRRIGATION - FILTRATION 18 CityNews August 26-September 1, 2021

Clematis… one of the most spectacular climbers.

trees where cats can sit and wait to attack. Birds like to see 360 degrees around them.

While currawongs are said to attack and frighten off most other birds, experience in our garden has been the opposite. While we have a regular pair using the bird bath on a daily basis, we also have top-knot pigeons, wattle birds, pee wees, parrots and, my favourite, the blackbird.

On occasions we have more than one variety in the bird bath at the same time, say parrots washing and top-knot pigeons sitting on the edge waiting for their turn.

NOW’S a great time to plant clematis. According to some online advice, they are easy to grow providing a few simple measures are followed: • Dig as deeply as possible a patch at least 60cm across.

• Add compost worked well into the soil, but not animal manures.

• Add a dusting of garden lime.

• Plant clematis at least 4cm deeper than it is in the pot.

This is a “best of” compilation of Cedric’s columns from the past 10 years.

PUZZLES PAGE

FREE PUZZLES EVERY DAY AT citynews.com.au

Your week in the stars

By Joanne Madeline Moore

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General knowledge crossword No. 796

August 30 - September 5, 2021 ARIES (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT

Rambunctious Rams – you’re keen to call the shots but remember there’s a big difference between leading others and just being plain bossy. Domineering behaviour will lead to unnecessary dramas so slip on your humility hat, as Venus encourages you to be a consultative Lamb (especially in close relationships). The Sun and Mars urge you to establish a regular exercise routine and make healthier food choices. Green smoothies and chia cupcakes anyone?

RHONDA COMES TO TERMS WITH DAD'S WILL

TAURUS (Apr 21 – May 21)

It’s a good week to step in and take the initiative with a child, teenager or friend who is facing challenges. If you offer a positive, proactive solution (without being bossy or judgemental) then they might just accept your advice! When it comes to a paid or volunteer job, a practical step-by-step plan could lead to more work in the future. Be inspired by birthday great Beyoncé: “Life isn’t about living without problems. Life is about solving problems.”

GEMINI (May 22 – June 21)

Hey Twins … prepare for a split-personality kind of week! The Sun and Mars are visiting practical, earthy Virgo (and steady Saturn trines your ruler Mercury). But Mars opposes nebulous Neptune (in the opposite sign of Pisces). So things will tend to oscillate between organised calm and confusing chaos. And beware fake news! Whether it’s from family, friends, work colleagues or the media, make sure you double-check all information that comes your way.

CANCER (June 22 – July 23)

Have you got a long list of domestic chores that you’ve been avoiding? With the planets activating your home zone, tackle the to-do list with extra energy and enthusiasm. But it would be wise to handle a feisty neighbour or family member with a double dose of diplomacy. And don’t fall into the trap of being side-tracked (or persuaded) into pursuing someone else’s agenda. Have the courage, conviction and fortitude to forge your own path and follow your own dreams.

LEO (July 24 – Aug 23)

The stars favour communicating, social networking and multi-tasking to the max!

You crave your comfortable Lion routines, but you need to shake them up with some creative thinking and adventurous ideas. And are you stuck in worry wart mode? Seek advice from an older friend or family member… someone whose wisdom and experience you respect. A problem shared is a problem halved. For some lucky singles, love could be as close as the girl or boy next door.

VIRGO (Aug 24 – Sept 23)

The creative Sun and confident Mars are both moving through your sign (and Saturn trines your power planet Mercury). So you’ll be at your versatile Virgo best as you impress others with your methodical mind, broad general knowledge, multi-tasking skills and meticulous attention to detail. Which makes it a particularly suitable week to analyse evidence, power through paperwork, do research, edit work, revise projects, make decisions and problem-solve.

Down

4 What is an accumulated stock of wealth? (7) 8 Name one of Australia’s two monotremes.

(7) 9 Arachnophobia is a fear of what? (7) 10 What is another expression for marriage? (7) 11 Which term describes a person who votes?

(7) 12 What do we call a railway locomotive? (6) 14 A customer is known as a what? (6) 18 What is a ridiculous or pointless series of acts? (7) 21 What does a cricket team do to close an innings voluntarily before all 10 wickets have fallen? (7) 22 What was the first name of the Monaco prince Grace Kelly married? (7) 23 What was the profession of Judy Garland? (7) 24 Name one of Australia’s longest rivers. (7)

1 What is an essential ingredient of bordelais? (7) 2 What are paper fragments, created when holes are made in computer-punched tape? (5) 3 To postpone proceedings, is to do what? (7) 4 Name a renowned Queensland lottery, the Golden ... (6) 5 What do we call a company of lions? (5) 6 What is a building expressly designed to house dramatic presentations, etc? (7) 7 Name a device for producing a high-intensity beam of radiation. (5) 13 What is an extended mass of ice? (7) 15 Which surgical instruments are used in operations? (7) 16 Name another term for the Orient. (3,4) 17 What is something that excites the anger of a person, or a bull? (6) 18 To be healed, is to be what? (5) 19 What is a frequently used term for an excuse? (5) 20 In which street did Sherlock Holmes reside? (5)

FREE SUDOKU EVERY DAY AT citynews.com.au

LIBRA (Sept 24 – Oct 23)

With Mercury and Venus both visiting your sign, it will be hard for people to resist your Libran charms. If you ask for the moon and stars, others might just deliver.

Singles – it’s a good time to attract your soulmate. So send out the appropriate signals, and then go after them! Mercury and Saturn also push you to build firm foundations for the future. As actress/comedienne (and birthday great) Lily Tomlin observes: “The road to success is always under construction.”

Solution next edition

Across

Sudoku hard No. 298

SCORPIO (Oct 24 – Nov 22)

This week, with Venus and Mercury visiting your seclusion zone, take a well-earned break from the madness around you and escape somewhere quiet where you can relax and rejuvenate. And re-discover your Scorpio vim, vigour and verve! The power of imagination is also on your side. You’ll find ideas and inspiration come from daydreaming and creative visualisation, as you retreat into your own private world. Strictly invitation only!

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21)

When it comes to a relative or work colleague, you’ll have to dig deep if you want to decipher what’s really going on. Make sure you focus on verified facts, rather than vague hearsay. It is a good week to concentrate on your goals for the future.

The more adventurous they are, the better. Be inspired by Beyoncé (who turns 40 on Saturday): “I can never be safe; I always try and go against the grain. As soon as I accomplish one thing, I just set a higher goal.”

If you need help dealing with the non-legal aspects of a deceased estate, contact the friendly team at Gail Freeman & Co on 6295 2844.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 – Jan 20)

Don’t hide your Capricorn light under a bushel! The Sun, Mars, Mercury and Venus are activating the highest part of your horoscope. So it’s time to communicate creatively, move mountains and make a real difference. Public speaking, performing, publishing and podcasting are favoured, as you showcase your leadership skills. Be inspired by birthday great, entertainer Freddie Mercury: “I always knew I was a star, and now the rest of the world seems to agree with me.”

Disclaimer This column contains general advice, please do not rely on it. If you require specific advice on this topic please contact Gail Freeman or your professional adviser.

Authorised Representative of Lifespan Financial Planning Pty Ltd AFS Lic No. 229892.

AQUARIUS (Jan 21 – Feb 19)

Copyright Joanne Madeline Moore 2021

Solutions – August 19 edition Sudoku medium No. 298

PISCES (Feb 20 – Mar 20)

You have a natural ability to calm, console and help others. But promising more than you can deliver is a danger this week. If you pace yourself and take practical baby steps, then you’ll get things done without too much confusion and chaos.

Romance is also highlighted, as the planets amplify your relationship zones.

Singles – do your best to distinguish between a soul mate connection and a dating disaster. If in doubt, let your intuition be your guide.

Solution next edition

Crossword No. 795

With Jupiter and Saturn transiting through your sign, there’s no doubt you’re feeling motivated and frustrated in equal measure. Try to power ahead at a patient and steady pace. Be inspired by birthday great, actress and comedienne Lily Tomlin: “View challenges as hurdles on the road to success.” The weekend is wonderful for serious thinking, focused mental work, outdoor adventures and spending some quality time with your favourite four-legged friend.

Rhonda rang me to tell me her father had died and that she was the executor of his will. She said she needed help to ensure her mother had everything she needed.

"I also need to be sure I haven’t missed anything that needs to be done,” she said.

I offered my sincere condolences and asked how her mother was going.

“As well as I would expect, but she is grateful that dad made me the executor so she doesn’t have to deal with the financial things,” Rhonda said.

Firstly, I explained that I was not a lawyer and could not offer legal advice.

"However, I can give you general advice on the things that need to happen,” I said.

"Obviously there is a will, so presumably there is a lawyer handling probate and such?”

Rhonda said there was but that she hadn't been to see the lawyer yet.

“I recommend that you do that immediately," I said.

"The first thing that may need to be done is to apply for probate, which is defined as the right to administer the estate and, as I understand it, you cannot administer the estate until probate is granted.

"The lawyer will be able to confirm to you whether or not probate is required. You will need a statement of assets and liabilities so that the application for probate can be prepared. If you need help with that I can assist you.

“An important thing from my perspective is to get me recognised as having the power to act for your late father. Accordingly, you will need to provide me with certified copies of the death certificate and the grant of probate if this is required. Your lawyer will provide these.

"Depending on the estate planning that we do, the estate may continue on for a couple of years so not only will I need to apply for approval to be recognised as the tax agent for your late father but also I will need to apply for a tax file number for the estate.”

Rhonda said: “This is getting a bit complicated.”

I reassured her that it was quite straightforward once we knew about probate.

"There are still a number of practical things you need to do," I told her.

"You will need to notify the banks as accounts that were in his name solely will be frozen and your mother may have trouble accessing joint accounts until she provides a certified copy of the will.”

Rhonda said she had an enduring power of attorney and could she use that?

“That's a legal question," I said, "but it is my understanding that once your dad died the power of attorney died, too.

"You will also need to notify Comsuper to stop paying his pension and to pay the reversionary pension to your mum.

"Your role is as the legal personal representative. Your lawyer will give you more assistance in this regard. You will also need to notify insurers, his email provider, social media providers, credit card providers and, of course, your lawyer will need to transfer the house into mum’s name.”

Rhonda said: “Thanks so much, Gail, it's time for a solicitor’s visit.”

02 6295 2844 Unit 9, 71 Leichhardt Street, Kingston ABN 57 008 653 683

(Chartered accountant, SMSF specialist advisor and Authorised Representative of Lifespan Financial Planning Pty Ltd AFS Lic No. 229892)

info@gailfreeman.com.au | www.gailfreeman.com.au Follow us on Facebook

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